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Lisa Blair's avatar

Thanks for the great recommendations, Linda!

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Linda Stoll's avatar

Always a pleasure to talk books!

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Lisa's avatar

Gentle and Lowly… one of my favorites. Thank you for some new recommendations to place on my radar. Slowing down. Looking up. And living undistracted seems to be a theme.

I love your writing space. Thank you for sharing🪴🌸

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Linda Stoll's avatar

Dear Lisa, how did your kind words slip right by me? Please accept my apologies. Talk about 'living undistracted.' I think I'm needing to pay more attention!

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Wounded Sheep's avatar

My copy of “Invitation to Solitude and Silence” arrived today. Can’t wait to begin.

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Linda Stoll's avatar

I'd love to hear how it encourages you, Deb ...

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nancyaruegg.com's avatar

My husband discovered it first: Living in Wonder by Rod Dreher. He found it so compelling, he bought more copies to share with the family. Now we're thinking it would be worthwhile and fun to hold a Family Book Club to discuss it! Some that you've mentioned here are already on my TBP list--now you've made them even more enticing, like Make a List by Marilyn McEntyre. I can think of a couple of family members that will likely enjoy that one! Thank you Linda!

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Linda Stoll's avatar

A Family Book Club!!! I never thought of this, Nancy. I'm absolutely intrigued by this idea and what it would look like. Awesome.

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nancyaruegg.com's avatar

If we can make it happen, I'll try to remember to let you know how it unfolds!

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Linda Stoll's avatar

I think the whole thing is fascinating.

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Cathy's avatar

Some of my favorites are on this list, but I’m adding The Listening Life straightaway!

One of my favorite books to gift is “My Heart Cries Out” by Paul David Tripp. It’s free verse meditations, and I always come away from its pages inspired. ✨

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Linda Stoll's avatar

Paul David Tripp's writing is so powerful. A friend and I are walking together through Advent with his Come, Let Us Adore Him daily devotional. So deep and yet very down to earth.

https://amzn.to/4fQBbAN

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Cheryl's avatar

Every single book on your list looks amazing! I think I would love them all. Thank you so much for introducing me to books I would otherwise have never heard of. You are such a blessing, my friend.

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Linda Stoll's avatar

And you bless me, too, girl. I hope this week is a wonderful one for your family.

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Andrew Budek-Schmeisser's avatar

'House To House', by David Bellavia. Good to reflect, through our holidays, that "We sleep soundly in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm.”

***

They fought through Nasiriya,

hunted Saddam in Tikrit,

they froze in Tora Bora,

but Al Qaeda then had quit

that bitter mountain fastness

where snow was not despoiled by rain

for the lethal vastness

of Green Zone and the Afghan plain,

and now they have come to this place

of politics and rage,

and with tears upon the face

would gladly turn the page

back to what they understood,

when they were men, and men were good.

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Linda Stoll's avatar

Thanks for the nudge to remember that are holidays are so much more than fun and games, Andrew ...

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Amanda Fowler's avatar

Always great book suggestions!!

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Linda Stoll's avatar

Amanda, thanks!

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Michele Morin's avatar

I just added a Dane Ortlund quote to a talk I’m preparing so it was fun to find him in your list—and speaking of lists, I need to find my copy of Make a List! I realized that I need to reread it soon.

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Linda Stoll's avatar

Isn't it the most unusual little book? I could sit forever with just one page. There's something so unique about it and I'm looking forward to enfolding her prompts into my daily rhythms/schedule/reflective moments.

How did you read it, use it?

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Michele Morin's avatar

Have you also read Word by Word? Another McEntyre gem.

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Jeanie Croope's avatar

So many of these look really lovely and most new to me. Thanks for the recommendations!

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Linda Stoll's avatar

Happy Friday, Jeanie!

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Lisa notes's avatar

It is peaceful simply reading these titles and hearing about these books. Thanks, Linda. :)

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Linda Stoll's avatar

I hear what you're saying, Lisa. I felt the same way when doing the voiceover this morning.

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Jennifer Diehl's avatar

Years ago, after reading “Sparkly Green Earrings” by Melanie Shankle, I immediately purchased a few copies to give to my girlfriends for Christmas. We were all young moms at the time, and that book just made you feel like everything was going to be okay. I need to read it again! 😊

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Linda Stoll's avatar

Oh Jennifer, it's so so good to see you here again. I love the idea of giving something that's just plain fun sometimes instead of being all serious and intentional. Every young mom (and old ones, too) needs a few people they/we can totally be ourselves with. And we're blessed when we find them.

https://amzn.to/3YMUvYR

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Sally Olson's avatar

I enjoyed "I'd Rather Be Reading."

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Linda Stoll's avatar

I know, right? I think I'm going to pull it off the shelf and toss it in my bag once again. It might just help my propensity to reach for my phone whenever a few spare minutes show up.

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Mel Bjorgen's avatar

I think “Gentle and Lowly” would be good for me.

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Linda Stoll's avatar

Yes, yes, Mel.

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Tammy Kennington's avatar

A fresh list of books for me to consider! Thanks, Linda. I read Try Softer a year ago (ish) and loved it!

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Linda Stoll's avatar

Aundi Kolber is such an excellent therapist and an outstanding author. Strong Like Water is supposed to be well written ... and her next book, Take What You Need: Soft Words for Hard Days is coming out in 2025. Good, healing stuff.

https://amzn.to/3CsP9dX

https://amzn.to/4fQLDZn

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Tammy Kennington's avatar

She is amazing! Thanks for the heads up.

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Lauren Muller's avatar

I can never read your book recommendations without adding to my TBR list ... I think we share very similar reading tastes! I'll throw in a recommendation here too ... Sarah Clarkson's latest book, Reclaiming Quiet: Cultivating a Life of Holy Attention (although, full disclosure, it only recently arrived and is currently sitting on my bookshelf waiting to be read, but highly rated and I've enjoyed other books by her).

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Linda Stoll's avatar

It's sometimes hard to choose what to read next. I'll scroll through the library wish list or look at the pile on my desk and sure enough, one title seems to beckon more than the others. (Although this past week I closed the covers on 3 books after 50 pages because I just couldn't get into them.)

I ended up with The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters and loved it. At 23,642 4.4 stars and named a Best Book of the Year by a whole lot of reviewers, it was a captivating, worthy read. I highly recommend.

https://amzn.to/4hKMo7P

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Lauren Muller's avatar

Oooo!! I read The Berry Pickers earlier this year and LOVED it! Those similar reading tastes again😉

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Linda Stoll's avatar

I do believe you're right, Lauren. We are kindred spirit readers for sure.

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