Bookmarks for January 2012

*Bookmarks is an online book club hosted at Creative2xmom.  Here we discuss the books we've read in the past month as well as the suggested reading.  Our suggested reading for January is When God's Story becomes Your Story by Max Lucado.

These are the books I read this month:

Love Lifted Me by Sara Evans and Rachel Hauck--I read this one to review for Booksneeze.  You can find my review here.

Attachment Focused Parenting by Daniel A Hughes--Although recommended in our foster care classes, I felt this book would also be a great resource for my relationship with my 6 year old birth child.  Attachment Focused Parenting highlights a type of communication and parenting that is very contrary to my own style.  I found myself challenged and ruffled throughout most of the book, but came away with some great tools to try.  As my son is getting older, our relationship is being challenged by many outside forces and this book gave me some ideas for opening communication.  The greatest gift I got from this book is remembering to be curious about my children.  Rather than communication always being directive, more and more dialogue needs to look like questioning in an effort to help my kids understand their own motives for behavior and mommy's motives for direction.

God's Story, Your Story by Max Lucado--This book was our "suggested reading" for January and luckily I was able to get the Kindle version of this one for free on Amazon awhile back.  The chapter titles of this book really got me:

When God's Story becomes Yours...

• Ordinary Matters
• You know Satan's next move
• You find your true home
• You hear a voice you can trust
• You won't be forsaken
• Your final chapter becomes a preface
• Power moves in
• The right doors open
• All things work for good
• God will come for you
• You will finally graduate

Written in classic Lucado style, this book was a powerful but easy read told through stories.  I read through it relatively quickly, but could easily chew on each chapter again.  About 2/3 of the way through the book, Lucado hit me with this thought:

"Learn to wait, to be silent, to listen for his voice.  Cherish stillness; sensitize yourself to his touch... You don't need to hurry or scurry.  The Spirit-led life does not panic; it trusts."

So true in today's society.  How comfortable are we with silence and waiting?

So what are your bookmarks this month?

Tell us in the comments about the books you're chewing on.  Or link up a review from your own blog.  Let's share the books we're finding, good and bad.  And give us your thoughts if you've had a chance to read Lucado's When God's Story becomes Your Story.

And come back Friday Feb 24rd as we discuss Made to Crave by Lysa Turkerst and others that you're reading.

*Linked to these Parties