You know how sometimes it seems a topic keeps jumping out at you in everything you read? For a while, it was "balance." Now, it's "fear." This book isn't specifically about fear, but there is plenty in it that deals with the subject... So maybe I need to do a little in-depth thinking on it!Overview
Intimate Conversations: Devotions to Nurture a Woman's Soul is a book of 52 devotions especially for women. Each devotion has an inspirational reading, an applicable Bible text, and a set of questions or assignments for discussion and reflective journaling. It is written for the woman who is longing for a close relationship with God, but often finds life getting in the way.
Author
Alicia Britt Chole is sage. She is terra-cotta. She is ruby red. So she is described by Jennifer Rothschild, a blind speaker, author, and friend, in the Foreward of this book. And I can see all those colors - the earthy wisdom, the flashy glimpses - as I read this book.
Alicia Chole is also an international speaker, a mentor, and author who lives in Missouri.
My Review
I knew from the first sentence of this book that I could relate to the author:
Good morning, God, I'm so gra-- (excuse me, God). "You can have a snack after lunch."
I'm so grateful for th-- (just a second, God). "Your shoes are in the laundry room."
I'm so grateful for this time we ha-- (sorry for the interruption, God). "They're there. Moooove things."
I'm so grateful for the time we have together to-- (God, I think we'll have to continue this lat--). "No, you are not old enough to change baby's poopy diaper. I'M COMING!"
I'm so grateful for th-- (just a second, God). "Your shoes are in the laundry room."
I'm so grateful for this time we ha-- (sorry for the interruption, God). "They're there. Moooove things."
I'm so grateful for the time we have together to-- (God, I think we'll have to continue this lat--). "No, you are not old enough to change baby's poopy diaper. I'M COMING!"
Sound familiar, anyone?
I thoroughly enjoyed reading through these devotions and thinking through how I could center my life around God. The author's personal illustrations made the devotions even more meaningful. I didn't have the time to work through the reflective journaling assignments, but plan to go through the book again at a slower pace, and I'm sure I'll gain even more.
Specifically, I appreciated the challenge to see every little choice as a seed - that will impact my future in one way or another.
Being a checklist person, I had an aha moment in realizing that God needs to be more than top priority - the first item on my to do list each day that I can check off and ignore the rest of the day. He needs to be the center of everything on that list. And moments with Him happen throughout the day, even when we don't get that hour of quiet time to focus on Him each morning.
As a sometimes stay-at-home mom who spends eons running in circles and seeming to get nowhere, I appreciated the insight that even in those moments that seem to be unproductive; that aren't growing our resumes, there IS productivity: growth of character...
And I relished the reflections on fear. I'm planning another post just on the topic of fear, so won't say much here, just that I loved the beautiful picture the author painted: that storms are an opportunity to experience God's closeness and comfort, rather than an occasion to fear.
Overall, this book is a well-written sweet women's devotional that reflects much of what is going on in my own life and challenges me to draw closer to God. No matter how busy you are, I'd say this book is definitely worth the moments needed to read through it over a year...
For more information or to purchase, check out Revell's site. Thanks to Revell Books for the review copy of this book.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading through these devotions and thinking through how I could center my life around God. The author's personal illustrations made the devotions even more meaningful. I didn't have the time to work through the reflective journaling assignments, but plan to go through the book again at a slower pace, and I'm sure I'll gain even more.
Specifically, I appreciated the challenge to see every little choice as a seed - that will impact my future in one way or another.
Being a checklist person, I had an aha moment in realizing that God needs to be more than top priority - the first item on my to do list each day that I can check off and ignore the rest of the day. He needs to be the center of everything on that list. And moments with Him happen throughout the day, even when we don't get that hour of quiet time to focus on Him each morning.
As a sometimes stay-at-home mom who spends eons running in circles and seeming to get nowhere, I appreciated the insight that even in those moments that seem to be unproductive; that aren't growing our resumes, there IS productivity: growth of character...
And I relished the reflections on fear. I'm planning another post just on the topic of fear, so won't say much here, just that I loved the beautiful picture the author painted: that storms are an opportunity to experience God's closeness and comfort, rather than an occasion to fear.
Overall, this book is a well-written sweet women's devotional that reflects much of what is going on in my own life and challenges me to draw closer to God. No matter how busy you are, I'd say this book is definitely worth the moments needed to read through it over a year...
For more information or to purchase, check out Revell's site. Thanks to Revell Books for the review copy of this book.
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