Category: Book Reviews

Book Reviews, Personal, reading

September memories – 2023

by Laurel Luehmann3 Comments on September memories – 2023
September memories – 2023

And we leave September in the dust…

(Actually, we’re leaving it in splashes of mud. LOTS of mud. After a very dry summer, we spent a week in mud that made reminded me of London as portrayed in Bleak House.)

When you think of what you are, and despair; think also of what He is, and take heart.

C.H. Spurgeion

Things worth remembering…

  • covering the corn silage bunker
  • breaking two plastic forks on a meatball in the span of 3 minutes
  • starting Sunday school up again
  • hosting this poetry challenge with a friend
  • finding that the fastest route is not always the most direct one
  • APPLE FRITTERS.
  • Making more progress on Project Redemption…make sure you’re subscribed to my newsletter to read an exclusive snippet and hear some fun info on the project coming later this week!

There is always time to do the will of God. If we are too busy to do that, we are too busy.

elisabeth elliot

What I’ve been reading…

Southpaw – Tabby RH

Garrison leaned his forearms against the island and bowed his head, letting the wooden countertop take his weight. The High King was still in the business of redemption.

This book!!! There are so many elements of the plot and characters that I want to emulate in my own novels, and it was an absolute joy to read. If you love involved plots with elements of mystery and memorable characters, you’d better get your hands on a copy!

The Pursuit of God – A.W. Tozer

Others before me have gone much farther into these holy mysteries than I have done, but if my fire is not large it is yet real, and there may be those who can light their candle at its flame.

I’ve been in a bit of a non-fiction reading slump, but I so appreciated this book a couple years back and I’m determined to appreciate it again.:)

The Fellowship of the Ring – J.R.R. Tolkien

It was generally agreed that the joke was in very bad taste, and more food and drink were needed to cure the guests of shock and annoyance.

I’ve decided to finally read through this trilogy for the first time this autumn, and I’m thoroughly enjoying it.

You have put gladness in my heart, more than in the season that their grain and wine increased.

Psalm 4:7

From the journal…

Lord, don’t let my fear overcome my desire for what is good and righteous. I just want to want Your ways completely.

Don’t let me choose tasks based on ease, but on Your heart.

Lord, help me to whole-heartedly love Your will, even when it comes at a great cost to myself.

Lay down your life FOR GOOD on the altar of truest love. If you are nothing else, be a clear channel of the love of Christ.

What are you taking away from this September?

Stay the course!

<3 Laurel

Photo by Sandy Millar on Unsplash

This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you purchase something through one of the links I share in this post, I receive a small commission…at no extra cost to you.:)

Book Reviews, Journaling, Personal, reading

August 2023 memories

by Laurel Luehmann4 Comments on August 2023 memories
August 2023 memories

Hullo, friends!

(Can you believe it? I’m actually getting back into my schedule of posting once a week! XD)

August in my corner of the world was full of life: good and hard and sweaty. (Man, was it ever sweaty.) Here are some of my favorite takeaways…

Things worth remembering…

  • kayaking with a friend, in which chatting + drifting happened as much as paddling 😂
  • pizza dates with siblings
  • a walk in near-complete darkness (for the record, it was not my idea)
  • laughing at laughter
  • raccoons (real and stuffed) and the most glorious puns
  • hearing this song for the first time
  • not melting in the mid-August heat (lemonade helps)
  • becoming an editor and cover designer for siblings
  • a women’s conference and my first book table ever (!!!)
  • prepping this poetry challenge with a friend
  • quality time spent working and laughing and studying with friends
  • finishing several books and paring my “currently reading” shelf down to an almost-healthy size
  • THE FLIES DYING. Now I can be happy and drink my coffee in peace without them wanting a taste.

To every right there is attached a duty, and to every privilege there is tied an obligation.

peter marshall

What I’ve been reading…

Holiness: The Heart God Purifies – Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth

In other words, we must make it our constant, conscious ambition and aim to be holy. We have to work at it, concentrate on it, as an athlete sets his sights on winning an Olympic gold medal: He focuses on his objective, he trains and strains to achieve his goal, he sacrifices for it, he endures pain for it, and he puts aside other pursuits for the sake of a higher pursuit.

Reading this while going through Leviticus has been extra convicting/challenging. I highly recommend it.

The Memories We Painted – Caitlin Miller

But wasn’t that what love looked like — loving and being afraid? Wanting the best for someone but afraid of what that meant, of letting go when everything in you still wanted to hold on?


It’s been a while since a piece of fiction has wrenched and strengthened my heart like this.
This slower, introspective read is beautiful, and while some of the dialogue seemed a bit too eloquent (and because of that, slightly unrealistic) for my liking, I loved the way the author expressed the reality of suffering in an honest and hopeful way and wove so many pieces of the story together so masterfully. The dual timeline was also done extremely well! It lent so much depth to the main characters.

The Importance of Being Earnest – Oscar Wilde

“If you are not too long, I will wait here for you all my life.”

Oh, my goodness. I read most of this aloud to a sister, and half of the time was spent laughing. The humor, plot twists, and foreshadowing are all spot on, and I’ll definitely be reading this again when I need a good laugh.

Look for Yellow – Anna Barroso

I’ll never be a sparkling one
but I hope I’ll catch your eye
I’m dripping with mold instead of glitter
oh how I want to be beautiful
how I want to shine for you

I have mixed feelings about this book…I LOVED the gut-punches and “I feel seen” moments the author delivered in some of the poems, such as the one quoted above…you know, those words you want to roll around and savor in your mind for awhile.✨
Personally I feel that the poetry could have used a bit more clarity and proofreading, but it does contain some real gems for the ones who need to feel seen and known in the middle of grief/hard times.❤️

Their feet upon temptation,
Their faces upon God.

Emily Dickinson

From the journal…

I know You are enough — always will be — but I’m coming to realize that sometimes You show up for those You love by sending them someone who will show them Your love in a very tangible way. (Make me this kind of person.)

The FOMO is hitting hard today…oh, give me a very real sense of Your ability to use me everywhere.

(On the Passover in Exodus 12) I love how God asks them to celebrate this victory of His before it even comes fully to fruition…much as we celebrate the Lord’s Supper in anticipation of the day when we will eat and drink with Christ in His kingdom.

Oh, Father! Keep my eyes and heart and hope fixed on You, not Your work or blessings.

What are you taking away from this August? Did you have a favorite read of the month?

Stay the course!

<3 Laurel

Photo by Anne Nygård on Unsplash

This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you purchase something through one of the links I share in this post, I receive a small commission…at no extra cost to you.:)

Book Reviews, Journaling, Personal

July Memories – 2023

by Laurel Luehmann5 Comments on July Memories – 2023
July Memories – 2023

July has been left in the dust for a week now, so let’s review it, shall we?

There is only one Being Who can satisfy the last aching abyss of the human heart, and that is the Lord Jesus Christ.

Oswald chambers

Things worth remembering…

  • friends and flowers and birthday cheesecake
  • not dumping the aforementioned cheesecake on one of the aforementioned friends
  • detours in the rain
  • a baseball game
  • learning that camo and hot pink bridesmaid’s dresses have been attempted and never should be again
  • harvesting slightly-stale cheesy puffcorn from the gravel (five minute rule, right?)
  • attempting cheater ax throwing for the first time
  • scheduling developmental edits for Project Redemption!!
  • postponing aforementioned edits when Reality Struck

Little is much when God is in it,
Labor not for wealth or fame;
There’s a crown, and you can win it,
If you go in Jesus’ name.

Kittie l. Suffield

What I’ve been reading…

Wildflower Pages – Brittany Litster

practice giving your time and flowers // practice giving more than required // expecting nothing in return // it mimics the Father’s way of doing things

This was such a lovely collection of poetry that focuses on the simplicity and beauty of living each day with Christ. Some of the poems did seem to get a bit repetitive by the end, but it’s amazing and definitely a collection I’ll be referencing!

(It’s also the first book I’ve colored in since toddlerhood…see the pictures here!)

The Secret at Lone Tree Cottage – Carolyn Keene

The Dana girls had found the teacher’s car. But where was Miss Tisdale?

My teenage self would have loved this so much more than my current self did this summer. XD

Think Nancy Drew, but it’s two sisters at a boarding school instead with all of the fun no-gore mystery and adventure elements. It was a fun riveting read for a week and I’d hand it over to my little sisters with no qualms, but there’s no character development that would induce me to spend much more time on this series because my TBR is so long!

And Then There Were None – Agatha Christie

“I have, let me confess it in all humility, a pitiful human wish that someone should know just how clever I’ve been…”

I’m still not sure how I feel about this one…it’s an absolutely brilliant mystery, but due to the sheer number and type of murders, it felt extremely dark. It’s not really something on which I want to be dwelling.

The Memories We Painted – Caitlin Miller

But wasn’t that what love looked like — loving and being afraid? Wanting the best for someone but afraid of what that meant, of letting go when everything in you still wanted to hold on?

I’ve been looking forward to reading this book for so long! I’m still at the beginning.

From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler – E.L. Konigsburg

Instead of oxygen and stress, Claudia thought now of hushed and quiet words: glide, fur, banana, peace.

I’ve been reading this one to my little sisters and skipping the unsavory parts. XD It’s been such a fun read with so much laughter.

“I know that You can do anything,
And that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You.”

Job 42:2

From the journal…

The proof of the gospel isn’t in poetry or flimsy words; it’s lived out in a transformed life.

Oh, Lord, help me to remember that even my breath is Yours…Yours to recall whenever You so choose. Help me to live wisely in light of that! Show me where and how to spend my minutes.

and so I run…

barefoot, restless, reckless through the grass,

fingers splayed wide as they reach with expectance

for a warming horizon…

ready to catch the rays of the sun

as soon as they spill o’er

the edge of the world.

What were some of the highlights of your July?

<3 Laurel

This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you purchase something through one of the links I share in this post, I receive a small commission…at no extra cost to you.:)

Photo by Maddi Bazzocco on Unsplash

Book Reviews, Personal

June Memories – 2023

by Laurel Luehmann2 Comments on June Memories – 2023

Hello, friends! Did you know that 2023 is now half over?😱😱😱

On that happy thought…

Things worth remembering…

  • driving and chatting with my grandma
  • rain!!
  • graduations and a baptism
  • catching up with old friends
  • very competitive games of King’s Corner
  • bonfires
  • seeing my friend’s books at my local library(!!!)
  • making progress on Project Redemption
  • not having my car keys stolen
  • pretty wildflowers

Do you see a man hasty in his words?
There is more hope for a fool than for him.

Proverbs 29:20

What I’ve been reading…

Prince Caspian – C.S. Lewis

“Oh, I’m a dangerous criminal, I am,” said the Dwarf cheerfully. “But that’s a long story. Meantime, I was wondering if perhaps you were going to ask me to breakfast? You’ve no idea what an appetite it gives one, being executed.”

And so the journey through Narnia continues! I’m thoroughly enjoying it.

Wildflower Pages – Brittany Litster

there is so much more to God than what He can do for me.

This is the first book I’ve annotated, and I’m hooked. This collection of poetry is just so delightful and thought-provoking…I got together with a friend the other day to talk over some of the poems, as we’re reading through the book at the same time! 10/10 recommend doing that with a favorite poetry book.✨

what is a woman fit for? – Maya Joelle

Thank God I have learned how to deal with loneliness, then. I have written about it so many times. I have felt an ache that this world cannot satisfy for all my life. At times, I have thought it was a longing for certain places or people. Today it manifests itself as a longing for love and marriage. But I see it for what it is: a longing for fulfillment. And I know wherein lies my fulfillment.

I appreciated this take on the root of longing so very much. This blog post is well worth the read.

The only reason that we are ever scared of the will of God is because we cannot see the grace that will be there.

Elisabeth Elliot

From the journal…

Help me to go deeper in a world of short captions and fast-paced living. Show me how to live this season with grace.

God is still good when I feel left behind.

Well, June was a full month, and that means a not-so-full journal.😂

What memories/lessons are you taking away from this month?

Stay the course!

<3 Laurel

P.S. My quarterly newsletter goes out this week or next! Expect some secret info on my current writing project, Project Redemption! (and possibly a little writing snippet??) If you’re not signed up for my newsletter already, you can do so here!

Book Reviews, Journaling, Personal

April memories – 2023

by Laurel Luehmann6 Comments on April memories – 2023
April memories – 2023

Things worth remembering

  • participating in a local road race with siblings + friends
  • feeding cattle (punctuated by hysterical laughter) with a sister
  • seeing the northern lights for the very first time
  • contagious laughter
  • FaceTiming the brother
  • getting sunburned
  • acquiring badly needed new windshield wipers and proceeding to keep them in my back seat for weeks
  • shopping adventures with a sister
  • Ultimate Frisbee

I don’t worry about my small salary, ’cause I am getting a happiness and a joy in service that money couldn’t buy…

Peter Marshall

What I’ve been reading

A Man Called Peter – Catherine Marshall

“I’d like this clearly understood,” he went on, grinning like a small boy, “I’m not going to get mar-r-ied till I’m good and ready. I’m good enough now, but I’m not ready.” This remark soon went the rounds.

I don’t even feel like I’m reading a biography when I’m reading this…Catherine Marshall has such a gift for storytelling and description, and Peter Marshall was such a character!

Three Blind Mice – Agatha Christie

The fact that her breakfast had been excellently cooked and served, with good coffee and homemade marmalade, in a curious way annoyed her still more. It had deprived her of a legitimate cause of complaint. Her bed, too, had been comfortable, with embroidered sheets and a soft pillow. Mrs. Boyle liked comfort, but she also liked to find fault. The latter was, perhaps, the stronger passion of the two.

I listened to an audiobook of this short mystery. I so enjoyed this one. The characters were so intriguing, and the ending completely blindsided me! If you want a good snowbound mystery that won’t take too long to read, here’s your book!

Crooked House – Agatha Christie

Curious thing, rooms. Tell you quite a lot about the people who live in them.

I still don’t know what to say about this one. The ending was so dark, but it was clever. Most of the characters just didn’t come alive for me, either. I don’t know that I would recommend it.

Dead Man’s Mirror – Agatha Christie

Godfrey Burrows came in with a pleasant eagerness to be of use. His smile was discreetly tempered with gloom and showed only a fraction too much teeth. It seemed more mechanical than spontaneous.

This was an enjoyable short mystery!

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe – C.S. Lewis

“Why not now?” said Edmund. His face had become very red and his mouth and fingers were sticky. He did not look either clever or handsome, whatever the Queen might say.

I’m reading through this classic for the first time, and am once again enjoying C.S. Lewis’s style of storytelling.

This Will Not Last – Laurel Luehmann

when the world knocks the breath from my lungs, You fill them once more with Your own

Yes, I’m rereading my own book. XD

Where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.

James 3:16

From the journal

I want to know You for who You are, not for who I think You are.

How is Christ changing the way I live my life? How is He altering my heart, my desires, my priorities? The way I spend my seconds?

I know You will provide, and I know Your timing is best. I lay down any thoughts of “I know better” and give this mess to You.

What were some of the most memorable parts of your April?

<3 Laurel

Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash

Book Reviews, Personal

March memories – 2023

by Laurel LuehmannLeave a Comment on March memories – 2023

How does March already feel so far away??

Things worth remembering

  • spending time with a cousin
  • tacos and fun conversation with friends
  • eating “maple foam”
  • our first small group meetings!
  • making significant progress in Project Redemption
  • getting an internship I really wanted
  • The Arm-Wrestling Night (if you know, you know)
  • getting a box of Clarion Hope copies
  • late night sibling talks
  • getting posts prepped for the Clarion Hope release

Jesus is our Ruler.
It is His trail.

Kimu (transcribed from a prayer by Elisabeth Elliot)

What I’ve been reading

Chasing the White Lion – James R. Hannibal

This is the sequel to The Gryphon Heist, and I really enjoyed it! It did get a little bloodier than I like, but I really loved how the author dug into one character’s backstory…and the banter and suspense from the first book didn’t disappoint in the second!

By My Own Betrayal – Cydnie Trenholm

Okay, I loved this one so much!! The sibling relationships, the disguises, the plot twists, the dangling end that leaves you hungry for the sequel…it was just amazing. Put it on your TBR.

The Butterfly and the Violin – Kristy Cambron

I picked this up without realizing it was a romance (if you’ve been around the blog for a bit, you probably know how I feel about those XD), but it pleasantly surprised me! The storylines were gripping, and the descriptions of the death camp were heart-breaking and thought-provoking. I learned quite a bit from this book.

The goal is not to have unrestrained disclosure in every relationship, but to know at any level of communication that we are not holding back our voice out of fear.

Rosalie De Rosset

From the journal…

God, thank You for the pain… Thank You for Your gracious “no”s and “not yet”s… Oh, You know best then, God, and You know best now.

Lord, I pray for unity in Your Church… Show us the art of dying on the hills You’ve told us to die on, and the art of being quiet when the hills aren’t big enough.

David refused to offer to the Lord that which would cost him nothing. Help me to have this heart, Father! May I never look for the easy way out…may I pay full price.

God, who am I to tell You how to write my story?

How was your March? Anything remarkable that you learned/read/did?

Stay the course!

<3 Laurel

Book Reviews, reading

This Life of Mine – book review

by Laurel Luehmann4 Comments on This Life of Mine – book review
This Life of Mine – book review

Friends, meet one of my favorite books and the first one I’ve had the privilege of endorsing!

This Life of Mine has earned a forever home on my bookshelf and in my heart. Featuring memorable characters and a powerful stance on the sanctity of life, it had me in tears with its story of redemption in the wake of regret. Victoria Lynn has done it again, weaving a tale that holds out hope to the ones who have been broken…and to the ones who have broken others.

Laurel Luehmann

First off, let me introduce you to the book via the blurb…

Marcus is tired of losing those he loves. The last shred of his childhood has been uprooted, and he feels alone… again. When the ruler’s new policies take effect, the anger of the Rusalkan mountain king is unleashed upon the borderlands. With refugees streaming into Elira by the hundreds, the stories from the wall are horrific. 

Marcus joins a convoy to lend his medical skills to those in need at the Eliran border. What he finds there requires him to face his own deformities. Will he be able to overcome them? Or will his life forever be marked by suffering and sacrifice?Dilara’s life as a slave in Rusalka was anything but idealistic. Consumed by a system designed to use, abuse, and discard the likes of her, she has been taken through the very depths. Carrying a traumatic secret and wounded in her frenzied escape, she finds herself with an unlikely protector and an even more confusing relationship. Can she traverse the waters of this new life of hers and make it her own?

“Curses often have a way of turning out to be blessings in disguise. It’s a wise man who will see the first and recognize it as the other.”

This Life Of Mine – The Chronicles of Elira

What I loved about This Life of Mine

The characters.

Even the side characters in this book had so much personality! Everyone was so endearing and just came alive so effortlessly in my mind. (I’ve got to admit that Keitha was probably my favorite side character.:) )

I loved how you got to see the main character’s flaws, too. The characters weren’t unrealistically perfect…they were believable and relatable.

Marcus’ prayers/conversations with God.

Every now and then, there comes a fictional character who challenges you to live your life differently, and Marcus’ effortless open dialogue with the Lord did just that for me.

The recurring imagery and parallels.

Man, oh man. This was so much fun. It was the ashes one that got me.

The reveal.

I can’t say much about this because of spoilers, but WOW. This was one plot twist I never saw coming, and the absolute beauty…

“Pain shared brings healing instead of making the wound grow deeper with each remembrance.”

this life of mine – The chronicles of elira

Intrigued? Purchase a copy from Amazon here or a signed copy here!

This Life of Mine is the second book in Victoria Lynn’s series, The Chronicles of Elira, but this book can also be read as a standalone! If you’re interested in hearing more about the first book in the series, check out my review of Once I Knew here.

Meet the author

Victoria Lynn has an insatiable desire for truth, light and beauty.

Traveling to destinations of beauty created by our Heavenly Father, reveling in creative pursuits that fill her with joy, or pouring her heart into words of life are some of her favorite things to do.

She seeks to bring the life giving words of the Savior to a dark and broken world that desperately needs to know of His sacrifice.

A writing and publishing coach, author, journalist, seamstress and creator, she loves spending time with any of her 8 siblings, exploring her native state of Michigan, and sewing gowns fit for a princess.

Victoria’s content just blesses me so much…be sure to check out her blog and Instagram account!

Book Reviews, Journaling, Personal, reading

February memories – 2023

by Laurel Luehmann3 Comments on February memories – 2023

I have run out of original introductions for these posts. So here you are!

Things worth remembering

  • getting my teeth bejeweled
  • learning how to jig
  • finishing the Sue Thomas, F.B.Eye series with my sisters
  • speed walking behind my sister on roller skates for what had to be miles
  • many games of Rummikub with my family
  • realizing that not all potato pancakes are created equal
  • writing the outline for Project Redemption in two days

It does not matter how great the pressure is. What really matters is where the pressure lies – whether it comes between you and God, or whether it presses you nearer His heart.

Hudson taylor

What I’ve been reading

The Gryphon Heist – James R. Hannibal

“Also you are very small, no? You need the help.”

Eddie turned and walked away.

Man, oh man, was this an exciting read! I was very pleasantly surprised to find that, not only was it void of junk, it also had some cool forgiveness elements, as well. A great balance of action, banter, character depth, and plot twists.

Becoming Elisabeth Elliot – Ellen Vaughn

“He is my Rock. it is on Him I count, not on the purity of my own heart…His promises depend on His character, NOT MINE. This is the only foundation for faith.”

Yes, I’m still reading it…yes, I’m still loving it. (It does get a bit descriptive with some of the injury scenes, so if that’s something that disturbs you, be forewarned.)

The Magician’s Nephew – C.S. Lewis

The Bear lobbed the whole sticky mass over the top of the enclosure and unfortunately it hit Uncle Andrew slap in the face (not all the bees were dead). The Bear, who would not at all have minded being hit in the face by a honeycomb himself, could not understand why Uncle Andrew staggered back, slipped, and sat down. And it was sheer bad luck that he sat down on the pile of thistles.

I just finished this one! It was so fun to read it again.

(I also got to beta-read a dual-timeline novel that hasn’t been published yet.)

Teach me never to let the joy of what has been pale the joy of what is.

Elisabeth Elliot

From the journal

…thank You, Lord, that the love does not come from my meager resources, but from the incredible depths of Your love.

Purify my heart, Lord…let self-will die a quiet death in me.

Help me to live in pursuit of Your heart, Father. And yet it is not a pursuit…for You ask me to knock, and tell me it will be opened to me, and all I must do is keep in step with Your Spirit.

What memories/lessons are you taking away from February?

<3 Laurel

Book Reviews, Journaling, life, Personal

November Memories – 2022

by Laurel Luehmann6 Comments on November Memories – 2022
November Memories – 2022

Another month, another review…

Blessed is the man who, having nothing to say, abstains from giving us wordy evidence of the fact.

george eliot

Things worth remembering

  • Sniffing 95% of the candles at Hobby Lobby (even the disgusting ones) with a sister
  • puddle selfies
  • the first real snow of the season
  • Bananagrams and peanut butter cups with friends
  • sharing music with my family at a local church
  • family time and preparations on Thanksgiving Eve
  • baby snuggles and rodent tales on Thanksgiving Day
  • surviving a painfully awkward and extremely predictable Hallmark-style movie

I’ll walk with you through the shadowlands till the shadows disappear…

from Andrew Peterson’s “Dancing in the Minefields”

What I’ve been reading

The Hobbit – J.R.R. Tolkien

Up jumped Bilbo. “Breakfast?” he cried. “Where is breakfast?”

“Mostly inside of us,” answered the other dwarves who were moving about the hall; “But what is left is out on the veranda.”

I’m still reading this one…and it’s still just as hilarious and thought-provoking as last month.

Death by Living – N.D. Wilson

Drink your wine. Laugh from your gut. Burden your moments with thankfulness. Be as empty as you can be when the clock winds down. Spend your life. And if time is a river, may you leave a wake.

This was an enjoyable read…and while I did get lost in some of the poetic nature of it all (I’m a baby poet, and too much of it loses me) and I didn’t really agree with all of Wilson’s conclusions, this book has quite a few quotable lines and provides a lovely perspective on eternity and mortality.

This Life of Mine – Victoria Lynn

I had the privilege of beta reading the second book in my friend’s series, The Chronicles of Elira, and goodness. It’s just so good. I can’t wait to share my review with you!

“We do not present our supplications before You because of our righteous deeds, but because of Your great mercies. O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive!”

Daniel 9:18

From the journal…

Help me to remember truth: that You loved me eve when I was dead in sin. that You chose me before the world began. That it is grace that leads me home, not my stellar conduct.

What made your November memorable? What’s been your favorite read of late?

<3 Laurel

Photo by Anne Nygård on Unsplash

Book Reviews, Journaling, life, Personal, reading

October memories – 2022

by Laurel Luehmann7 Comments on October memories – 2022
October memories – 2022

And so another month sinks beneath the dust of time…

Before we carry on with my typical format for this post, I want to give you some bad news, and then some good news.

The bad news: a few months ago I lost all of my contacts for my email list. (That’s why I haven’t been sending newsletters.)

The good news: You can sign up again for emails now (follow this link!)…and you’ll want to, because tomorrow I’m sending an email with some pretty exciting news that you won’t want to miss! So go ahead and sign up…as long as you don’t mind me saying hello in your inbox every month.:)

Things worth remembering

  • participating in a fun Instagram challenge hosted by my friend Victoria
  • frying up lots of apple fritters
  • jam sessions made even better with a cajon
  • an apple orchard adventure
  • walks…as always
  • raking corn stalks on a beautiful (and very dry and dusty) day
  • dozens and dozens of runzas
  • hauling silage for the last time this year
  • several deep (and some very strange) conversations
  • hikes with breathtaking views
  • a slumber party with Grandma, complete with hot chocolate and an old movie
  • pizza, more apple fritters, and Ole and Lena jokes with family

To forgive is to set a prisoner free and to discover the prisoner was you.

corrie ten boom

What I’ve been reading

Adorning the Dark – Andrew Peterson

…my expression, even if it is of the most intimate chambers of my heart, can lead the audience beyond me and to the Ultimate Self, the Word that made the world. In that grand chamber alone will art find its best end, as an avenue to lead the audience home.

Nothing to say but that several times during this book my soul has been screaming, “Yes! I’m not the only one?? Yes. Yes. Yes!!!” The truth. The beauty. Words can’t describe it.

The Hobbit – J.R.R. Tolkien

His house was perfect, whether you liked food, or sleep, or work, or storytelling, or singing, or just sitting and thinking best, or a pleasant mixture of them all. Evil things did not come into that valley.

So begins my foray into the wild and wonderful world of Tolkien. Not only is this making me laugh with its humor and smile over Tolkien’s golden descriptions, it’s convincing me that I, like Bilbo, am most likely a descendent of both the proper hobbits and the wilder Tooks. And now I’m absolutely sure I want to create a home like The Last Homely House.

To-Do: With Love – Abigail Rehmert

If I give my best efforts only when I feel like it, or when it blesses me, then what will this accomplish? If I share my possessions with the needy, but am impatient about it, this counts for nothing. 

This post was so convicting to me. Give it a read if you can.

Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.

Jesus Christ (John 12:24)

From the journal

John 16:29-30 – The moment of the disciples’ strongest confidence in their Savior was followed by the greatest test of their faith. Lord, help Thou my unbelief! Make me unwavering in my trust and help me to remain humble and ever aware of my need for grace.

Oh, Lord, You knew all that was to come upon You and You walked forward to meet it anyway. What greater courage is there than this? Thank You for paving the way for me to walk in the most selfless of loves.

…inconsistency taints the picture I’m painting for others of You.

Oh, let me not stray from the path You have laid for me, whether that leads through meadows or minefields. The world roars so loudly, Lord…may I keep my ear close to Your song.

…if the trumpet makes an uncertain sound, who will prepare for battle?

1 corinthians 14:8

What made your October memorable? <3

Photo by Debby Hudson on Unsplash