Renewing our minds...and hearts

Last year around this time, I commented to one of my sister in law's that I hadn't been reading much Christian non-fiction.  I had enough on my plate simply keeping my head above water.  Heavy nonfiction was not where I wanted to be spending my time.

So, it is quite a surprise to me that the majority of the books (all but one) that I have to review and read right now are nonfiction.  Over the next week or two, I'm going to be plowing through them.  I'm starting with two that are a little similar.

The first is by Barb Raveling, The Renewing of the Mind Project.  I often have authors email me and ask me to read and review their books.  That's the case with this one.  After emailing back and forth with Barb, I decided to read her book.  I'm glad I did.

There's a whole jargon that we use as Christian.  Words we take for granted without exactly defining.  Forgiveness is one of these.  I think "renewing your mind" as the Scripture tells us to do is another one that is vague--there's some direction in the Word, but many questions are left.  We know to read God's Word, to put on the armor of God, to write God's Word on our hearts.

Barb's book tackles this topic with great grace and understanding.  She is a woman who has lived her life, raised her kids, and has become that older woman that we "younger" women can be blessed by learning from.  As I enter my 40s, I find that I'm in that in between age now.  I'm not fresh out of college.  I'm in the middle of my life-- raising my kids and serving at Church alongside my husband, teaching Sunday school, homeschooling, and just living.  It is tough many days to renew my mind and stay strong.

I appreciated Barb's insight and walking the reader through how to renew our minds.  She tackles how to fight the wrong thoughts in our head.  A few years ago, I read The Silent Seduction of Self Talk, which is one of my very favorite books.  Ms. Raveling's book is just as honest and encouraging.  I think my favorite part of her book is the questions and Bible verses she includes for different struggles, emotions, and habits.  I thought these were wonderful and challenging!  She tackles topics like anger and annoyance, lack of confidence, loneliness, and boredom.  In this book, she really covers the gamut of struggles that women have!

I'd highly recommend checking this book out if you've been looking for an encouraging book like this one.

Please note that I received a complimentary copy of this book for review.