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Erin Darlyn
Link to Original Review
Rating: 3 stars out of 5
Beside Still Waters is a daily devotional that contains just over a year???s worth of daily entries. The entries are not dated, so you can take as long as you???d like to read through it without feeling constrained to a dated schedule.
I buddy read it with my Gran over the course of about a year and a half. We would each read the day???s entry, then share our thoughts with each other, which made reading through it a sweet experience I will always treasure.
There were some things I liked about the book and others that I didn???t.
Things I liked about it:
- The language used has been updated to be more seamless for the modern reader. (Some of Spurgeon???s writing elsewhere can feel a little dense and dated and thus requires more focus to get through at times.)
- The tone of the book is often very sweet and compassionate. Parts of it are beautifully poetic. I started reading through it after I lost my Dad and I found some of the entries comforting and gentle. Some of them even brought me to tears.
- The overall tone is encouraging and uplifting without being blatantly ???breezy??? (by that I mean breezing right on by hard things or sticking only to glossy subjects) or fluffy.
- The entries address a wide variety of circumstances, emotions, and seasons of life. I think most people could find entries that resonate with them to some degree.
Things I didn???t like about it:
- There are some passages that really did not age well. For example, on page 192, Spurgeon lauds Columbus??? voyage as having been arranged by God.
- There are a few entries in which Spurgeon paints God as an abusive tyrant with a big stick, which just does not line up with a faithful theology.
- There are a couple places where the stigma surrounding mental health that was more prevalent even a decade ago is evident. Spurgeon often tries to paint anxiety and depression as things that are incapable of existing alongside faith, which is just not true and is an idea that has been harmful to many people.
- There are a handful of entries which gloss over, diminish, negate, or attempt to bypass grief, loss, hardship, and deep spiritual wounds. They sometimes imply that we shouldn???t feel grief or pain because we still have God, regardless of who or what we have lost or what kind of pain we have endured. One passage says, ???Our life is one long holiday when the Lord Jesus keeps us company,??? in the context of someone who is walking through the valley of the shadow of death. There is an undercurrent of unhealthy coping that runs through some entries and attempts to invalidate the humanness of emotion, grief, and the process of healing.
- One entry suggests that healing of deep wounds should be immediate when we think about God???s love for us. While I realize that God???s love is healing and brings healing, the healing process is different for everyone and the time it takes to heal also varies, just as physical wounds do. Broad-brushing healing for everyone and reducing it to a singular experience that is put forth as the norm for all people who are hurting is not helpful.
- Some entries demonstrate a lack of awareness of the implications of the author???s ideas about God. For instance, one entry claims, ???The most violent people could not move a finger if strength were not lent them by the Lord.??? I understand what the author was trying to say here, but I found it poorly worded and couldn???t help thinking about the implications of that kind of theology of God. ???So why does He lend it to them, then???? was the question I wrote in the margin. The page after that one claims, ???Surely He who takes the trouble to give you a kingdom will not let you starve on the road to it.??? Again, I understand what he was trying to say. But many people do starve. Words matter, and we have to follow our ideas through when we present them to make sure they align with a faithful theology. Glossiness and platitudes rarely correspond with reality.
- One entry suggests that poor people should just be content with their lot in life and trust God, excusing the people and systems that keep poor people poor instead of amplifying the social ethic Jesus taught. In another entry, Spurgeon tells people who have no income, friends, home, or health to focus on the fact that they have a Savior, therefore they ???have all things.??? Again, I realize what he was trying to say here, but it just doesn???t align with a loving approach when speaking directly to people who are homeless, jobless, and penniless (as he was in this entry). Telling people who have nothing that they have Jesus and then doing nothing to clothe or feed them goes against the values Jesus demonstrated.
- One entry claims, ???Everything that happens to you is for your own good.??? This is false and dangerous. While God promises to work everything out for good in the end, a lot of things that happen to people are just evil, crappy, and harmful. They aren???t for our own good and God doesn???t claim that they are (neither does the author of Romans). Abuse and other criminal offenses do not happen to us for our own good. That God might work things out for good later does not make the bad things that happen to us good. God brings and works goodness in spite of them. Evil is not good.
- He occasionally speaks using absolutes (always, never, etc.) which just don???t ring true. For example, on page 266, Spurgeon says, ???Your faith will never be weak when you are weak, but when you are strong your faith cannot be strong.??? Page 301 says, ???Jesus??? power can only be perfectly revealed in His people by holding, keeping, and sustaining them in trouble.??? (Emphases added.)
Overall, there were some really sweet sentiments and beautiful quotes throughout the book, but it is not one that I would recommend to a new believer or to someone who is not prepared to read it with discernment.
4.75?????? rounded up. Link to Original Review
The NET Bible (New English Translation) Full Notes Edition is a lovely Bible. The copy I purchased and that is shown in the photos in the blog post linked above is the genuine leather-bound, comfort print edition. It has a smooth, veg-tan leather feel with a camel brown colored cover and three attached satin bookmarks. The Bible itself is quite hefty and thick. It has a good hand feel, though it is large enough that I might not carry it around everywhere with me.
I took about eight months to read through the entire edition and kept notes about some of the things I appreciated about it along the way. Overall, I really liked it but I did notice a couple of things that kept it from becoming my favorite translation.
Things I loved about it:
- The abundance of translators??? notes. This edition boasts over 60,000 translator notes and is the most comprehensive edition (in terms of such notes) I have ever come across.
- Most Bibles I have read have brief footnotes to indicate where there is a case for an alternate translation of a word or phrase. Study Bibles also often have contextual notes that can cover a large part of the page. In this edition, though, those three columns of extras that you see in the photo above (see the blog post) are translator notes. In these notes, the translators shared their process for arriving at the translations they chose and share their reasoning for choosing the translation they did, as well as alternate translations and the reasons why some translators lean toward those alternate options. They reference different original texts and codices, differences in original languages, where some copies of original texts differ, and more.
- I really appreciate the transparency the edition provides through these notes. I was able to glean so much from the information provided, and there are also some contextual notes included in these sections throughout. Having access to these notes made me wish there was a Full Notes Edition for every Bible translation out there.
- The language is engaging and easy to read and understand.
- Many of the translator???s choices were linguistically inclusive.
Up until I reached some passages in the New Testament, this edition was tied with my current favorite Bible translation as one of my favorite versions. There were times when I thought it might even inch ahead of my favorite and become my top preference. However, there were a few things about it that kept it from usurping my favorite version???s position in my heart.
Things that kept this edition from becoming my favorite:
- Luke 13:10-17 presents what, in my opinion, is an unfortunate translator???s choice. The chosen wording in the passage implies that a woman???s disability was demonically induced. Though the translators acknowledge that the Greek does not read the same way they have worded the English translation in their notes, not everyone is going to read all of the translators??? notes when they are reading the passage, and I can see this passage being misused to harm disabled people if taught without discernment.
- Romans 16:7 demotes the status of Junia and Andronicus to that of ???well known to the apostles??? rather than ???outstanding among the apostles,??? and Romans 16:1 demotes Phoebe to ???a servant??? of the church in Cenchreae rather than a deacon.
- There are a couple of places where the translators have added words that they acknowledge are not in the Greek. For example, in 1 John 1:5 and 3:11, ???gospel??? is added before ???message.??? This adds clarity, perhaps (depending on your perspective, I suppose), but is not there in the Greek. I also did not think it prudent that they changed ???brother??? to ???fellow Christian??? throughout the book, as it is a less inclusive reading than ???brother.??? ???Brother??? could mean ???any fellow or man.??? Translating it ???fellow Christian??? changes the meaning of the text to one that only requires love for other Christians, which has significant implications in application.
Overall, I did truly enjoy reading the translation and the plethora of translator???s notes. I will revisit it often and would definitely recommend reading it but it will probably not become my daily reading translation.
3.75?????? rounded up
What a delightful collection of Jane Austen???s juvenilia. Some of the writings were more entertaining than others. I especially enjoyed Jane???s farcical history of England, Lady Susan, and some of her novellas.
One of the most humorous quotes from this collection was this:
???Lovely and too charming Fair one, notwithstanding your forbidding squint, your greasy tresses and your swelling back, which are more frightful than imagination can paint or pen describe, I cannot refrain from expressing my raptures at the engaging Qualities of your Mind, which so amply atone for the Horror with which your first appearance must ever inspire the unwary visitor.???
I also liked the last letter in the book, which is attributed to her, and in which she humorously writes to a periodical author to tell him his stories need more women in them (that they haven???t got them is a ghastly oversight, of course, and the stories would be so much more interesting with ladies, as she illustrates). She concludes, ???If you think fit to comply with this my injunction, you may expect to hear from me again, and perhaps I may even give you a little assistance; - but, if not - may your work be condemned to a pastry-cook???s shop, and may you always continue a bachelor, and be plagued with a maiden sister to keep house for you.???
I just find her utterly delightful and for the most part, I enjoyed the collection very much.
I really wish this book had been available when I was a teenager and in my college years. Perhaps some of the harmful messaging I received would not have been so prevalent in the religious circles I frequented at the time if it had been. Alas, I cannot change the past; but this book gives me hope for the young girls who are being raised now in environments where the women are reading Sheila???s books and deconstructing the narratives they inherited.
If you work with teen girls, college-aged young women, or females in general, I hope you will read it. If you???re a dude, please don???t be put off by the pink cover. There is so much of value for you in here too.
This was a really interesting read. I listened to the audio version, which I would definitely recommend. It was wonderful to be able to listen to the differing positions in each of the authors??? own voices.
The book is formatted such that five men each present a different view and after each one, the other four each respond to that view from their perspectives.
It was an enjoyable read, and I appreciated that the authors??? positions and rebuttals were largely respectful and professional.
I listened to this book through my library via Hoopla, but I???ll be adding a hard copy to my permanent collection.
3.5??????
Developing Female Leaders is largely positioned as a resource for male church leaders who want to be able to help women flourish in positions of leadership in their churches. Whether the reader???s own faith community offers women full freedom in all kinds of leadership roles or restricts women to certain types of roles, they will be able to find value and practical information to help them accomplish this goal in ways that align with their values.
There were some things I especially appreciated about the book:
- I liked that Kadi shares real statistics and frequently mentions good quality (cited) studies as she presents her information.
- She advocates for assigning roles based on individual giftedness, not just gender.
- She emphasizes the importance of knowing where your church???s line is and then making it clear through practice and rhetoric so that where you want women to flourish in your community, that can actually happen. (She posits that most people assume the line is lower than it is and feel comfortable leading at a line even lower than that, which can lead to discrepancies between what is actually happening within the community and what leadership wants to facilitate.)
- She differentiates between the gift of administration and the ability to complete administrative tasks.
- She acknowledges the tension and disempowerment that is created when we relegate women to certain types of ministries and events that may not address their spiritual needs.
- She offers practical steps church leaders can take to ensure that they are mentoring women in leadership roles with integrity and intention.
While I think that the book is largely helpful, there were also some things that I took issue with:
- She makes some inaccurate statements throughout, usually when she is trying to play both sides of an issue and ends up misrepresenting one or both by doing so.
- There are a few statements that feel more like gatekeeping than advocating for the creation of a safe space for women to practice exercising their gifts.
- There is a brief, minor instance of problematic language.
- There are times when she is trying so hard to stay in the middle of the complementarian vs. egalitarian road and present an unbiased approach to the discussion that it can end up not being very helpful. Because her goal is not to take a theological stance and convince the reader to join her in it but to instead encourage leaders wherever they have landed, I can understand her choice to present the broader spectrum so people can take steps from wherever they are in ways that align with their values. However, there were times when it felt like by doing this, she was empowering people to keep oppressing women who have clear, God-given callings of their own, and that felt frustrating.
Overall, the book does offer value and is worth reading, but if she had just taken it a bit farther and done a bit more research so she could have more accurately represented the different groups she was describing, it would have been a lot better.
Rating: 4 stars of 5 (Review now live.)
Unmasking Autism was such an eye-opening, validating read. Devon writes in an engaging, welcoming voice and begins by introducing the reader to what the spectrum of autism really looks like, particularly in people who are not young white males presenting with a very stereotypical manifestation of it. As an autistic psychologist, Devon is able to both speak from experience about his own story and to educate the reader about relevant neurotype research. We also get to hear about other autistic peoples??? stories throughout the book.
After we learn about what autism actually is, how common it is, how it manifests in different kinds of people, and what you can do if you suspect you may be autistic (including some pros and cons of which to be aware if you think you might want to seek a diagnosis), Devon dives into the topic of masking. Masking can basically be summed up, in my estimation, as presenting oneself as neurotypical so as to not draw unwanted attention to oneself, to fit in with societal expectations, to survive, etc. It is a practice that enables many autistic people, whether they realize they are autistic or not (or even whether they realize they are masking), to function in a society that is not designed to be friendly for neurodivergent people. Masking can be exhausting and many people who mask eventually reach a point at which they can no longer maintain it.
Devon discusses who the various autistic people who mask are, the different ways masking works, and the cost of masking, both for the person who masks and for the society that requires people to mask. It is a really fascinating read, and I appreciated all of the research that was mentioned throughout the book.
About halfway through, the narrative transitions away from the cost and practice of masking and shifts focus to how we can build more just, equitable societies that allow both neurodivergent and neurotypical people to unmask and show up fully as themselves. For autistic people, he also offers a framework for building a life that celebrates and integrates your neurodivergence whilst allowing you to live out your values so you can thrive. Additionally, he discusses building friendships and relationships as an autistic person, and briefly mentions autism organizations that are trustworthy sources of information. (There are several that are disreputable.)
One of my favorite thoughts that runs as a thread throughout the book is that difference is not pathology, though our current medical model wants to treat it as such. At one point, Devon shared something from academic Mike Oliver that I thought particularly relevant on this topic:
???In his writing, Oliver described disability as a political status, one that is created by the systems that surround us, not our minds and bodies.???
0 stars. I re-read this book for research purposes and had to force myself to finish it.
This is what I learned from it as I read: the men in this woman???s family / religious cult are abusive (I would never feel safe around any of them), and the women have so much deeply internalized misogyny that they work alongside the men to create their own doctrines, twist scriptures past recognition, and export their teachings so they can all continue to normalize the objectification of women and uphold a culture of abuse of women and children together. They train up their sons to be predators who only see women as sex objects. All whilst trying to spiritualize their abuse and blaming women for every sin men commit. My husband found it debased and appalling as well.
It would be better marketed as a textbook on gaslighting, as the author and her husband gaslight the reader all the way through it. It???s full of heresy.
I find it terrifying that they have translated this book into other languages and sent it off into other parts of the world.
I am 100% against burning books, but if I weren???t, this would be the first one I???d throw on the pile.
Worst book I have ever read.
The New Christian Charm Course (student): Today's Social Graces for Every Girl
1 star. I re-read this book for research purposes. The first time I read it, I was in a teen girl's Sunday school class and was harmed by it. This time around, I read the original version that I read in the early 2000's and this updated version, whilst also referencing the teacher's manual.
While this updated version removed some of the most harmful pages (the calorie counting chart, body measurements page, etc.), and did add some more diverse illustrations, I found that the underlying insidious tone was still present and that this version was even more triggering for disordered eating. I would not recommend it.
I have a full review on this book available here, as it was just too long to share in its entirety on Goodreads.
0 stars. I re-read this book for research purposes. The first time I read it, I was in a teen girl's Sunday school class and was harmed by it. This time around, I read this version and the updated version and also referenced the teacher's manual. It contains some really damaging narratives and I would not recommend using it.
I have a full review on this book available here, as it was just too long to share in its entirety on Goodreads.
Rating: 5 stars of 5 (Review from my blog.)
Attached to God was written by licensed professional counselor, Krispin Mayfield. In it, he explores the idea that the attachment styles often referenced in the psychology field also show up in the ways we relate to and interact with God.
We are introduced to three different attachment styles in the book: anxious, shame-filled, and shutdown styles, and are asked to take a brief quiz to determine which spiritual attachment style seems to be our predominant one. Each type is then described in depth so the reader can learn more about how the styles tend to manifest in a person???s spiritual life. Secure attachment is also explored as we learn to recognize healthy versus unhealthy emotional and behavioral patterns.
One of the things that was really interesting to me as I read was that as I learned about unhealthy aspects of certain attachment styles, I recognized symptoms of those styles as having been present in the ways that churches I have attended in the past approached ministry, teaching, relating to people???even their theology and worship styles. That the kinds of narratives used to uphold inaccurate teaching in church settings can stem from unhealthy attachment styles was something I found both fascinating and heartbreaking. It really emphasized the importance of having spiritually and emotionally healthy people in leadership positions that involve preaching or teaching. When we are in those positions as emotionally unhealthy people, we often export our own heart sickness to other people the same way we would spread a bacteria or virus. I was able to connect a lot of the bad fruit we are seeing in churches to unhealthy attachment styles as I read this book.
I found the book personally relevant as well, and appreciated that for each unhealthy attachment style, Krispin provided tools for reframing our thinking, implementing healthier spiritual practices, and learning to live from a place of belovedness that can then spill over into our interactions with others.
There were a few times that I had follow-up questions about something in the book or didn???t end up in the same place the author had, but overall, I really appreciated the conversation this book brought to the table and would highly recommend it to other people of faith. It is challenging yet gentle, insightful, and offers a lot for us to think about as we continue to grow. I found it to be a very helpful read.
In chapter six, the author asks: ???What has your heritage given you? Have you been given distorted pictures of God that feel like heavy burdens you can hardly carry? How have these distortions harmed marginalized people or perpetuated injustice, rather than eradicated it? Have you felt the longing for a clear picture of a God who really has good news for everyone???? If those questions resonate with you, I highly recommend this book.
From my blog (review now live):
All My Knotted-Up Life is the first Beth Moore book I have ever read. I have never been part of the Southern Baptist Convention, but when Beth publicly stood up for what is right and her denomination dug its heels in and ousted her for it, her story caught my attention and I found my respect and admiration for her growing. When I learned that she was writing a memoir, I thought, ???Now that is a story I would like to read.???
I pre-ordered the book and was so pleased to receive pre-launch access to a copy of the audio book as a surprise from the publisher whilst I waited for the hard copy to arrive. Listening to this book in Beth???s voice, with all the charm of her accent and the emotion she allowed to sparkle through, was such a treat. At one point my husband declared that she sounded like Dolly Parton, and he frequently sat nearby while the audio book played so he could listen to her story too.
Beth is a phenomenal storyteller. She brings the reader right along with her and touches on vulnerable topics in an honest, graceful way. I laughed often and shed a few tears. By the end of the story, I had grown to love her and had found in her a kindred spirit. She really is a great writer, and oh, how I do love outstanding writing.
I am no stranger to walking away from a denomination that holds to harmful or anti-biblical teaching or from the internal work and turmoil that can come as part of that process, but I have been able to take that journey without much public scrutiny. Beth took her stand for all the world to see, and see it (and respond) they did. Her courage, spunk, and conviction are so inspiring to me and I related to many parts of her story.
I highly recommend this delightful memoir. The hard copy is beautiful and the audio book was lovely. If I had to recommend just one of them, I would say to go with the audio book so you can hear Beth???s voice telling her story, but either way, I think you will love it.
I was so excited when I found Morgan???s newest book of poems at the bookstore ahead of launch day earlier this week! I discovered her work in June and thoroughly loved All Along You Were Blooming and How Far You Have Come.
This third book of poems earned another 5 stars from me. It???s stunningly beautiful. Every time I read her poetry collections, I want to get extra copies of the books so I can frame the colorful pages and hang them all over the walls in my office. The artwork she creates to accompany her pretty words is so lovely. I especially loved the rich rainbow of colors she used in this volume.
Morgan???s poetry is always so timely for me. It touches my soul, helps me to feel hopeful and reminds me I am not alone. She speaks my heart language.
Beautifully done, Morgan! Congratulations on the release of your newest book this week!
3.5 stars. I think this book is worth reading, particularly if you did not have access to comprehensive sex education when you were younger or if you have questions about how your body works. As someone who did have access to sex ed, I still learned some things from it (the first time I read it, which was several years ago).
If you have the book that goes along with this workbook, you already have access to all of the information in this workbook. For that reason, I recommend just purchasing the actual book and passing on the workbook. If you are wanting a specific place to take notes as you work through the book itself, the workbook may be useful for you. Personally, I did not find it to be so.
Your Story Matters is such an inspiring book. I initially picked it up because I try to read a little bit about writing every year and when I saw Ann Voskamp???s testimonial on the cover of this book, I was immediately sold on it. Ann???s lyrical writing style had quickly earned her a spot on the list of my very favorite authors several years prior, and I trusted her recommendation.
Leslie is a writer and writing teacher. In this work, she walks the reader through the process of learning to write our stories in meaningful, vibrant, and skillful ways, even if we aren???t sure where the story is quite yet. She teaches us to slow down and just be a witness to our own lives, to flesh out a map or timeline that can help us to navigate along the journey, to craft compelling scenes with our words, to reflect on deeper meanings and truths, to bring value to our readers and find ways to connect with them, to edit well, and to take steps to share our stories. The book is thoroughly inspiring. I definitely recommend it for anyone who is interested in writing or in learning more about the process of writing, even if only for your own personal journaling practice.
Two of my favorite quotes are found in the introduction:
???Every day we are different; the world awakens new, and the memories of what was and what we???ve been, and the discovery of who we are now, could all be lost. But we have this chance now to stop. We???re stopping to ask the questions we did not know to ask. We???re stopping to find the difficult and beautiful truths of our lives. And what a gift it will be, to send this awakening, these crafted and compelling words on to others, that they - and we - may not pilgrim alone.?????????writing the truest words we can find from our lives can order our chaotic present, help us make sense of a jumbled past, move us from grief to hope. Writing can bring healing to wounds; it can even open the door for reconciliation and forgiveness. Learning to tell a truer story will help us live a better story.???
If you are also a lover of words, I think you will enjoy it!