The Magnolia Story ~ What I've Been Reading

Chip and Joanna Gaines are super stars when it comes to house flipping, and I have watched their show Fixer Upper on HGTV from the beginning. When I heard that they were writing a book, I knew I had to run out and buy it!

I love this couple so much. Chip is hilarious and witty, but Joanna Gaines has a way of becoming an inspiration and friend to people she doesn't even know. I love how the book is written, almost as if we are sitting around having a cup of coffee with them. When I picked up the book, I honestly thought it was just going to be the average story of when two people fell in love, but it was so much more.

First, this book made me laugh more than anything. I don't know how many times I had to run and read a page or 2 to my husband because the story was just something that had to be shared. There were also some serious moments and testaments of faith that the couple shared. The way God works in their lives is amazing. Their faith and love for God shows throughout the book, and God has always had a hand in everything they've worked for.

I would definitely recommend reading this book whether you follow them or not. It is every bit as good as their show, and it showcases their personalities perfectly. It also has a few pages of pictures that I really enjoyed seeing too. All in all I give this book 5 stars, and I just may have to read it again!

What I've been reading...Fat Dad Fat Kid

**5 stars**

If you remember, 2 weeks ago we went back to our hometown for belated Christmas. This is a 4.5 to 5 hour trip..in a car...with an 18 year old, a 14 year old, and a 10 year old. We normally listen to the radio, but it gets old with them arguing over which song they want to hear! The night before we left, Gavin said that the new Shaytards book, "Fat Dad Fat Kid", was out and we could get it free on Audible. Well since I like to crochet and read at the same time, I already have Audible. I couldn't get it free, but I had some credits that I hadn't used yet, and thought we could listen to it while we were driving on our trip. Also, let me make it clear that I wasn't given anything in exchange for my honest review this time lol, I just really enjoyed this book so I wanted to make a post about it!

Ok, so rewind back a few months ago, Gavin was watching YouTube on the big T.V. like he always does and I happened to be in the room. I started watching this family he called the Shaytards. They are a really neat family from Idaho that have been blogging their lives for years now. Before I knew it, I had sat there for at least 2 hours with him...and by this time, I was committed! The dad, Shay, is funny and loves his family. His wife Colette is his perfect match. They love each other unconditionally and you can TELL. It's not fake just to get subscribers. They really are soul mates. Their oldest son is Gavin. He is so sweet and such a good big brother to his siblings. They have 2 sweet daughters, Avia and Emmi, another precious son Brock, and the baby boy, Daxton. Here's the thing about them. They are wholesome, family centered, clean entertainment. I don't mind my kids watching them at all, and like I said, I now watch them and feel like I know them. 

Since I was now watching along with my son sometimes, I knew that Shay and Gavin were writing a book. I don't get to watch as much as Gavin because I'm a mom and super busy all of the time, so I wasn't really sure what the subject of their book was going to be. I was just excited to read it! I know from watching some of the old episodes of the Shaytards that Shay used to weigh quite a bit more than he does now. I wasn't really sure how he had lost all of the weight or really what his journey and story were all about. This book is Shay and Gavin's 30 day challenge to eating healthier and exercising 30 minutes a day. Each chapter is a "day" in their adventure but dives much deeper into their lives. Shay talks about how he had a 9-5 job before he was YouTube "famous" and how his eating habits were less than desirable. He was worried about his health and decided to embark on the life changing event of getting fit so that he could be around for a long time for his family. I loved hearing that he originally lost 100 pounds on a raw vegan diet. Since I'm a vegetarian trying to go vegan this was really inspiring to me. He's real and transparent with his addiction to Coca-Cola and talks about giving that up and that him and Gavin are trying to drink a gallon of water a day. I can honestly say this hit home with my kids. I don't keep sodas in the house, but when we go out, of course that's what they want. When they heard Shay and Gavin talking about how much sugar was in just ONE can it really made an impression on them! The entire book is perfect for kids and parents to listen to together and be inspired by!

I have to say, I'm sure this book in print is great, BUT I would listen to the audible version over and over again because Shay and Gavin are actually the ones reading it. It makes what they are saying come to life because they include their personalities in with it! It's so easy to listen to and made our trip fly by. I think it's about 4.5 hours of listening time so we almost finished it on our way. 

The thing I loved most about this book is that it was motivational not only for ME, but of course it also was inspiring for my kids. We loved them before listening to their book, but we love them even more now!

Do yourself a favor and go listen to it on Audible! You can listen to any book for free if you try it for 30 days! Also, if you want the print version, here's a link to it here. Again, I wasn't compensated in any way for my review, I just love to read and loved this book that much.

If you love to read and would like to link up your own favorite book, click the pic below!

- See more at: http://www.aswewalkalongtheroad.com/2016/01/literature-unit-study-for-penderwicks.html#sthash.xTixBi4J.dpuf

Book Review - Worship Changes Everything by Darlene Zschech

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

From the Back Cover

An Invitation to Praise and Honor God in Every Area of Life
It can be easy to have a heart filled with worship on a Sunday morning as the church band is playing your favorite song. But then comes Monday morning's commute and Tuesday afternoon's pile of laundry. How do we maintain a heart of worship in the daily grind?

Darlene Zschech has spent her life thinking and teaching about worship. With wisdom and contagious joy, she shares her thoughts on what worship truly is and how it should invade every facet of our being. Everything we do can be an act of worship to the Lord, transforming our work, our friendships, our churches, our families. It's all about living in His presence--being aware of the Lord by our side and at work in our lives.

Learn to live a life of worship. You will be amazed by the purpose and freedom it will bring.

Review: What is worship? Darlene explains it well. "Worship is a response to the revelation of just how great God is."  Those are powerful words! He deserves our worship in all facets of our lives, not just on Sunday mornings!

I am really glad I got to read Darlene's take on the importance of worship in our day to day lives. I, like others,  have been the person that can get so into worship on Sunday that you can literally feel the heartbeat of God, and then forget to worship him in my day to day life. Darlene really breaks it down and explains how important it is to have an intimate time of worship everyday. She divides the book into 2 parts. The first part is basically why we should worship, and the 2nd part is applying worship to different aspects of our lives. The sections that really spoke to me personally were My Service, My Love for Others, and Loving myself.

She has plenty of scriptures, stories, and quotes to reflect on throughout the book.  I chose to read this book in small segments rather than a page turner. I think it's easier to sit and reflect on it if you take it in small bites.

I would recommend this book to anyone who wants a better understanding of worship and wants to apply worship to your day to day life.

"Worship changes everything because it is the reality of His presence that leads us to the heavenly, forever experience of worshiping God for eternity." - Darlene Zschech

**I received a free copy of this book from Bethany House in exchange for my honest review**

Author Bio

Darlene Zschech and her husband, Mark, are copastors of Hope Unlimited Church in Australia. Acclaimed worldwide as a singer, songwriter, worship leader, author, and speaker, Darlene continues to be involved in the music ministry at Hillsong Church, where she served as worship leader for many years. Darlene and her husband live outside Sydney, Australia. Learn more at http://darlenezschech.com/