It’s been a while since I’ve done a Book Reading update! I’ve been enjoying a lot of books lately, the one thing I enjoy more (or equal to) than writing is reading. If I’m into a good book, I’ll ignore the blog, the housework, and the kids…well I’ll throw food at them and then go back to my book. 🙂 I may not have the time or money for going on retreats or other exotic escapades but I can read a book and relish every single page until I slurp up the very last period…and then some.
I have a few books to share but know neither you nor I have the brain stamina to read a novel-sized blog post about the books I’ve been reading. So I’ll make it fun and easy and start with one book for today.
The Grace of Yes: Eight Virtues for Generous Living
Lisa Hendey’s most recent book, The Grace of Yes, was just released this week on Monday, November 3. I’m thankful to Lisa for the opportunity to read it before it’s release and encourage everyone to buy a copy or two (or three!) for yourself, a friend, or your parish.
A few years ago, I can’t remember how exactly now, I stumbled upon the CatholicMom.com website. I think I had just recently had our third child and was looking for some support and encouragement while I spent hours sitting in a chair and nursing, trying to keep my mind from turning into a milky slushie. Around that same time, I had decided I wanted to focus more on honing in my writing skills and try and give back in way by encouraging other moms through writing. I emailed Lisa about writing for them and joined the CatholicMom.com contributor team!
From the very beginning, I really admired Lisa. Here she was, a woman, wife, and mother like me who had a desire to support other moms in their vocations and in their Faith. And she was doing it through CatholicMom.com and now with her recent books.
What I’ve come to appreciate the most about Lisa is her realness and her humility. She is a well-known writer in the Catholic blogging and author world, yet she doesn’t go around acting like it. She gives of herself but doesn’t go around boasting about it. She’s the reason CatholicMom.com exists, yet it doesn’t feel like it is only her site, but rather our place.
I’ve enjoyed Lisa’s other books,
The Handbook for Catholic Moms: Nurturing Your Heart, Mind, Body, and Soul
I have to say that
In The Grace of Yes, Lisa goes deeper into sharing about her Faith and how it has shaped and guided her as a wife, as a mother, and as a professional. I appreciated her honesty and willingness to share more personal details, knowing others struggle with the same challenges and temptations.
Every chapter left me with something new to ponder, and not just because there are great “Questions to Ponder” at the end of each – not to mention the beautiful prayers concluding each chapter. Lisa explains each virtue in a ways I hadn’t thought about before and gives real-life practical examples of how to live out these virtues in everyday life .
The book is part self-help, part memoir (my favorite genre!) and part spiritual nourishment with an ounce of catechetical instruction mixed in.
The Grace of Yes achieved its primary objective and really did help me be more willing and more generous in saying “YES” to serving God in each part of my days.
Tomorrow, I’ll share my thoughts on another book I recently read:
Overwhelmed: Work, Love, and Play When No One Has the Time
Amazon affiliate links included in this post – Amazon sends our family a little Thank You Gift Card
[…] you haven’t heard of Lisa’s book, I blogged a little about it here and you can Look Inside The Grace of Yes here. I’m sure you’d really enjoy it and be […]