New This Month: Links, Quotes, Books, and More

“Unexpected kindness is the most powerful,
least costly, and most underrated agent of human change.”
– Bob Kerrey

“Remember there’s no such thing as a small act of kindness.
Every act creates a ripple with no logical end.”
– Scott Adams

 

Books

 

The Walking Wounded by “Secret Angel”

I have nearly finished this book, and I recommend it not only to victims but also to those who need to better understand domestic abuse. The author shares her own story from brokenness to wholeness. The manipulation and control an abusive husband and father has over his victims, even after divorce, is scary and heartbreaking. Yet, again and again, God shows in wondrous ways that He is on her side and He can break the chains. Both in her book and at her site, Secret Angel represents the many nameless and faceless victims of abuse who feel trapped and hopeless. The majority of proceeds from this book is a gift to help victims of abuse.

 

Boundaries: When to Say Yes, How to Say No to Take Control of Your Life by Henry Cloud and John Townsend

“Having clear boundaries is essential to a healthy, balanced lifestyle. A boundary is a personal property line that marks those things for which we are responsible. In other words, boundaries define who we are and who we are not. Boundaries impact all areas of our lives: Physical boundaries help us determine who may touch us and under what circumstances — Mental boundaries give us the freedom to have our own thoughts and opinions — Emotional boundaries help us to deal with our own emotions and disengage from the harmful, manipulative emotions of others — Spiritual boundaries help us to distinguish God’s will from our own and give us renewed awe for our Creator — Often, Christians focus so much on being loving and unselfish that they forget their own limits and limitations. When confronted with their lack of boundaries, they ask: – Can I set limits and still be a loving person? – What are legitimate boundaries? – What if someone is upset or hurt by my boundaries? – How do I answer someone who wants my time, love, energy, or money? – Aren’t boundaries selfish? – Why do I feel guilty or afraid when I consider setting boundaries? Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend offer biblically-based answers to these and other tough questions, showing us how to set healthy boundaries with our parents, spouses, children, friends, co-workers, and even ourselves.”

Hope Harbor

Grief and Sexual Abuse by Sherry Russell – Explains the losses sexual abuse survivors experience, the effects and symptoms sexually abused children may develop and carry into adulthood, and the need to be believed and supported. In order to heal, survivors need to identify their losses, experience and express their emotions, and reinvest in a life that has dealt with the past.

10 Journaling Tips to Help You Heal, Grow, and Thrive by Loran Hills – “Writing has helped me to process not only failed relationships but also to recover from grief and loss.”

 

Nature Retreat

“We know that God is everywhere;
but certainly we feel His presence most
when His works are on the grandest scale spread before us;
and it is in the unclouded night-sky,
where His worlds wheel their silent course, that we read clearest
His infinitude, His omnipotence, His omnipresence.”
― Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre

50 Natural Wonders: The Ultimate List of Scenic Splendor – Incredible scenes from giant crystal caves to mud volcanoes and rock formations that look like works of art

Nature Is God’s Paintbrush – A variety of amazing nature photography of God’s unique creations

 

Quotes

“For me, singing sad songs often has a way of healing a situation. It gets the hurt out in the open into the light, out of the darkness.” – Reba McEntire

“God isn’t done writing your life (if you’ve given God the pen), so don’t put a period where God has placed a comma.” – Dolly from SoulStops

“God uses broken things. It takes broken soil to produce a crop, broken clouds to give rain, broken grain to give bread, broken bread to give strength. It is the broken alabaster box that gives forth perfume. It is Peter, weeping bitterly, who returns to greater power than ever.” – Vance Havner