Wordless Wednesday: Game Time on a Snow Day

Book Review: Brave Love by Lisa Leonard

Brave Love: Making Space for You to Be You by Lisa Leonard


Here is another great book I just finished that I really enjoyed.  Lisa Lenoard’s “Brave Love: Making Space for You to be You” is a memoir that reminds readers that their worth isn’t by what they do, how much they give, or how well they fulfill the needs of others but instead God loves you just as you are. Lisa vulnerably takes us along on her journey to finding brave love with herself, and her relationships with her husband, her family and friends.

Life experiences, lessons learned and beautiful poetry woven together into a book that has something to share no matter your place in life… from her childhood, dating, falling in love and early years of marriage, being a special needs mom, launching a successfully jewelry business, to learning how to re-prioritize choices to bravely love self. Brave love means knowing you are already enough, already loved, already worthy of being loved, living accordingly and loving others. The author reminds each reader that we don’t have to be everything to everyone in order to love them.

If you are interested in this amazing book, check out the author's website and see the preorder free gift available before the release date Jan 29th.

* I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my review, my opinions are my own.

Driveway Ice Ball

Melting snow quickly froze to ice, leaving a fairly solid layer of ice on our gravel driveway.  Slippery, and according to these two so much fun.  They have started playing a new game that appears to be a cross between hockey and stick ball maybe.

Laughter, falling down, and lots determination make this an activity on repeat here on the gravelly road.

Book Review: Made for the Journey by Elisabeth Elliot

Made for the Journey: One Missionary's First Year in the Jungles of Ecuador by Elisabeth Elliot
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

“Made for the Journey” by Elisabeth Elliot is a short memoir that transports readers to walk with her through her first experience as a missionary to a remote area in the jungles of Ecuador as a young linguist missionary in the early 50s. The author’s transparency and detailed descriptions help readers slow down and really enter into the day to day life of that first year, from the physical and comfort challenges of adjusting to a new life style in the jungle, the practical challenges of trying to do the translation work to create a written alphabet with unclear direction or helpful native speakers, to challenges of the heart and faith that happen along the way.

The book is written almost journal like, bouncing back and forth between the everyday challenges (bugs, snakes, food issues) and the internal faith questions and devotional thoughts of a young missionary struggling with her purpose. Because this book only covers one year of her missionary life, much remains unresolved at the end of the book and those who are not familiar with her life story or other writings, can easily feel “left hanging”. There is an epilogue but in my opinion it did only a little to “tie up loose ends” in the story shared.

I enjoyed the read as it was interesting in detail and encouraging in how she experience God her first year in the jungle but likely wouldn’t recommend it often to others unless they were already interested in the life of Elisabeth Elliot or missions to remote unchurched areas.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, and Interviews and Reviews, as part of their Book Review Blogger Program. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”


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Wordless Wednesday: Snow Much Fun