Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Still looking

An update on the Character Makeover. Last week I worked on courage. It was a rough week. Day 1 and 2 were very hard. Day 1 talked about fear and what exactly courage is. Day 2 talked about worry and anxiety and causes of fear. Let me tell you this, it opened my eyes to a lot. I really sense some changes. Day 5 in each section has a worksheet of ideas to help you work on building that character, so the book does more than just point things out. I am excited and feel hopeful it will help me out.
I'll keep you updated.
This week I'm working on self confidence.
Pray for me! ;) StumbleUpon

Crimson Eve

Finally, a book that reminds me why I love reading so much. Crimson Eve, by Brandilyn Collins was one of the best books I've read in a long time.

As the book opens, Carla is showing a house to a very handsome English gentleman. Although there was a gruesome crime committed at this estate, the man seems anxious to buy. Unfortunately she finds things aren't as they seem and as his accent slips away, so does her life as she once knew it. He pulls out a gun and reveals he is a hit man, she proclaims she has no enemies, no one that would want her dead. "Then you'd best rethink your friends," he replies.

From there we go on a ride through Carla's life past and present, twisting and turning. We learn about secrets that involve very important people. Secrets that could kill. Just when you think you've figured it out...there's more to the story.

This book kept me up, turning pages. I loved it. 5 out of 5!!
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Sunday, January 20, 2008

Lost and looking...

I am a college graduate who is working as a waitress. I am 42 and I live in a mobile home. I feel like I should have my life together, but am far from it. I've thought a lot about it and I think I have lived life without purpose. In other words, I just flow from day to day, letting life happen. With-out any purpose or goal in mind, I'm just floating along. I decided, maybe I should work more on being intentional in life and maybe I should start with myself, my character. I am now reading Character Makeover (Forty days with a life coach to create the best you.) by Katie Brazelton and Shelley Leith.
This is grace-filled, God centered coaching that looks at eight character qualities. They encourage us to look at our lives and ask ourselves "Do I have any of these good qualities...Am I soaring on wings like eagles (Isaiah 40:31), or am I living an unfulfilled life held back by one of these forces (pg 12).Boy, this really spoke to me.
The authors encourage us to take one character a week and work on it for 5 days. Day one looks at the trait and you work on learning more about it. Day two looks at the strongholds that character can have on you, things that can be holding you back. Day 3 is a more in depth look at the good and bad of that trait. Day 4 is more introspective and day 5 gives exercises that can help you adopt practices that will deepen that trait in your life.
I started last week and worked through self-control. I am praying this will get me ontrack to actually living instead of existing. I will let you know how it goes. I have 7 more weeks to go.
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Latest Book

I know I haven't been on in a long time. With the holidays I had very little time to read. I just finished 72 Hour Hold . This is an older book that I found at our local Goodwill. Bebe Moore Campbell tells a story of Keri Witmore, a successful black woman, who is a divorced mother of Trina. Trina is bipolar and has just turned 21. This book tells of a mother's love and her determination to keep her daughter safe. With bipolar disorder, Trina suffers from one extreem (depression) to another (manic). With her being an adult, she is in total control of her medical treatment...which if you think about it...she's not the best person to be making decisions. Keri, her mother, tries to work with-in the health care system to keep Trina in treatment and on her meds. It is a constant battle for her. It was a relatively good book. It gave a good look into the difficulties of dealing with loved ones with mental dissorders. I give it a 3. StumbleUpon