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Getting Through What You Can’t Get Over By Anita Agers-Brooks

Anita shares both her own stories and those of people who have dealt with the unimaginable. There are just some things we will not get over; but Anita has compiled a tips, techniques, scripture and prayers to help us get through them to the other side.

One of my biggest a-ha moments is the understanding that the 7 stages of grief are used and needed for more than just losing a love one. Often we are grieving the loss of health, relationships, or a life we imagined. I hope that speaks to you like it did me. She shares the 7 stages often.

I think most of us are starting to realize that PTSD is not just for veterans. Anita writes about how it may manifest itself and tips on how to manage through it.

Closer to the end of the book, Anita shares the 12 step map that she developed to guide her through dark valleys in an efficient and powerful way. Let me interject here that Anita has faced more valleys than I can imagine. She is sharing with you after experiencing several valleys.

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The UnAmerican Dream By Carlos Hidalgo

The UnAmerican Dream: Finding Personal and Professional Happiness Establishing Work-Life Boundaries by Carlos Hidalgo is a book that so many people are searching for and don’t even know it.
What a difference this book could make in families and the health of so many executives if they would take the time to read it.

Carolos shares candidly how he was trapped in the mindset that to feel important came from working long hours because he was needed.

What sets this book apart is the real, raw and vulnerable chapter that is provided by Carlos’ wife. Many never see the side of the coin that the family endures during these times. Well done. Kudos to her for being willing to share what she went through for others to know they are not alone.

Another enlightening chapter is when Carlos calls out how he felt he was sacrificing for his family. When honestly the family is the one that is sacrificing and they didn’t have a choice. He was making the decision to pursue his career and accolades. So was he sacrificing or being selfish?

I could share several more nuggets from this book that encourage people to think about their work differently. What are you working for? Do you have boundaries?

Carlos provides questions at the end of the chapter to reflect on. I suspect you will be reflecting on the material well before the end of each chapter.

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Core 52 By Mark E. Moore

Core 52: A Fifteen Minute Daily Guide to Build Your Bible IQ in a Year my Mark E Moore. Mark has dug out the 52 core themes in the bible for us to cover in a year. Surveys tell us that most people want to know the bible better but don’t have or make the time and don’t know where to start. This was a good summation for myself. I have never made it through a read the bible in a year.

For each of the 52 core themes, Mark includes
1- Scripture
2- Additional verses for meditation
3- Action items for application
4- And additional resources for the over achievers

There is something to do for five days of the week that augment the core passage of the week.
I am writing this review as I am in week one and I feel really good about this plan. I will update my review if my thoughts change but at this time I highly recommend this book. I grew up in church but just don’t feel that I know the bible like I want to and this appears to be a very doable approach to learning more.

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It’s Not Supposed to Be This Way; Finding Unexpected Strength When Disappointments Leave You Shattered by Lysa Terkeurst

It’s Not Supposed to Be This Way; Finding Unexpected Strength When Disappointments Leave You Shattered by Lysa Terkeurst is a book I cannot stop talking about. I would highly recommend this book to any woman who has had that thought. And I suspect that is most of us.

Lysa is real. Don’t expect just Christian platitudes. She is going to get real with you about life and her own struggles. She addresses many different types of issues: unanaswered prayer, persistent pain, relational fractures, disappointing friendships, and heart-wrenching losses.

My favorite part of the book is where she would tell you where she was in her own life as she was writing the chapters. Books take so long to publish that it helps you know where she was when she was writing each chapter and she had no idea how her own struggles (and there were several) would turn out.

Lysa provided so many things in the book to help others. She provided insights (the two Gardens) and stories (tanned feet) that will help you remember the points she was trying to make. At the end of each chapter she would provide key truths to remember, scriptures and prayer. She created an entire chapter for fighting words to use when you feel attacked by the enemy.
I read this book on Kindle and highlighted a lot of it (fighting words, prayers, scriptures). I want to purchase it and make copies of some of the pages to put in predominant places.

I am now looking for additional books by her and I am considering this one as a bible study.