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Welcome to Book Review Monday!

Simply Tuesday – By Emily P. Freeman

It’s time again for Book Review Monday and another Giveaway!!

What is book review Monday all about?

(if you’ve been here before-feel free to skip down to the review)

I love to read! If you know me, you already know this to be true. If you don’t, well, one of my favorite things to do is read. I love it, but I don’t always feel like I have the time to do so. Being a pastor, an author, and a speaker, one of the questions I always get from people is, “What are you reading?” I suppose it’s because they want to know what I would recommend, what inspires me, or what I’m feeding on.

So, upon receiving an opportunity to giveaway some books, it got me thinking about my love for reading, but I never feel like I can make the time. Then it hit me – I came up with a brilliant idea – Book Review Monday!! Or at least I think it is brilliant. Plus it gives me a reason to read more!

Now, let’s get started with – – –

Book review Monday!

I was very excited when Icon Media gave me an opportunity to review and giveaway some more books!! I got to choose from the summer’s hot release list and as soon as I saw Simply Tuesday’s cover artwork and read Icon Media’s write up – I knew I had to read this book! I know you are all wondering why I just had to read this book based on the cover artwork, so let me tell you. It is a God thing! On July 9^th I wrote a post titled: Will You Sit with Me? Talking about taking time from our busy life to sit with Jesus and be refreshed by His presence. Then a little over a week later, Simply Tuesday crosses my path.   I had never heard of Emily before, nor have I read her blog. So, I wasn’t full of preconceived ideas about what to expect, other than I knew I needed to read this book.

What is Simply Tuesday about? Just take a look at what Icon Media has to say about it:

Our obsession with bigger and faster is spinning us out of control. But real life happens in the small moments, the kind we find on Tuesday, the most ordinary day of the week. Tuesday carries moments we want to hold onto–as well as ones we’d rather leave behind. It holds secrets we can’t see in a hurry–secrets not just for our schedules but for our souls. It offers us a simple bench on which to sit, observe, and share our stories. For those being pulled under by the strong current of expectation, comparison, and hurry, relief is found more in our small moments than in our fast movements. It’s time to take back Tuesday, to release our obsession with building a life, and believe in the life Christ is building in us–every day.

When I first began reading Simply Tuesday, I honestly wasn’t sure what to make of the book, or even if I was going to like it. For me, it seemed to start out slow. It was good and had a lot of good content; however, it wasn’t until I hit chapter 2 about page 50 that I got smacked in the head with this quote:

“He chose to sit with neighbors in neighborhoods, to walk with them in celebration and grief, to eat meals and use the stuff of meals — bread, salt, wine, fish — in his conversations. He spoke of the future because that’s why he came, but he didn’t do so at the expense of the present. Jesus continued his life on earth the same way he started it — small, personal, specific. He built metaphorical benches in the towns where he lived. Maybe he even built some literal ones.”

God reminded me that He took the time to sit and be with people, and He invites others to do the same. He highlighted this very paragraph as things that He had already been speaking, and this was the confirmation I was looking for.

Two of my favorite chapters in Simply Tuesday, are Chapter’s 4 & 5.

In Chapter 4: Effort & Outcome – the truest job description of every believer. On page 84 there is a quote that stopped me yet again in my tracks.

“We were made to build, to co-create, to bring glory to God with the work of our hands, to move into the world as unique reflections of Christ. But we were not made to fill rooms, stadiums, or bank accounts. We were not made to fill our souls with worth we construct with our hands…..”

 In Chapter 5: Success and Envy – accepting the importance of our right now work, Emily so eloquently describes how we each have been given an 8-foot assignment. We need to figure out what it is and do it well. This especially struck a chord with me, as I have just recently (in the last 5 months) started a blog. It is so easy to feel like I am so far behind others, and have so much to learn. Even though, I am a pastor, author, speaker, and have been doing these things for quite some time, it is easy to look at others accomplishments and compare myself to them. I must remember, my assignment doesn’t define me, even though God has given it to me. My job is to do it well, not let it define me, and not get side-tracked looking and wanting someone else’s 8-foot assignment. Emily says it best on page 94:

You have been given your 8 foot assignment. Take it, but remember it doesn’t define you.  I can celebrate my smallness in success and failure, in inspiration and in disappointment, in excitement and boredom, in confidence and insecurity. This is my Tuesday job, my 8 foot assignment. Celebrating my smallness in the midst of failure and success is important, kingdom building work.

Simply Tuesday is one of those books that you simply MUST read more than once. Emily has so many good nuggets throughout this book as she shares candidly from her life experiences and situations.

I am not one to highlight and mark up my books, unless, it makes a profound impact on me, and there are just way too many good nuggets to write in my notebook. This is that type of book!!!

Although, I haven’t highlighted in my book yet, I plan to as I read it again and again. There are just too many things I know I missed my first time through.

This book found its way to me at just the right time and brought a sense of peace and comfort to me that I so desperately needed. At the end of each chapter, there is a prayer pertaining to the content you just read. . At the end of each part/section, she has questions designed to take you deeper and engage your brain and your heart. Emily knows just the right questions to ask at just the right time.

I highly encourage you to read Simply Tuesday  or buy one or more as a gift for your friends. Also make sure to have a highlighter or notebook handy for all the good nuggets you will receive – – – It’s that good.

GIVEAWAY

I just LOVE gifts, and I love free stuff too. So, as promised, one blessed person will win their very own copy of the book Simply Tuesday. Keep it for yourself or give it as a gift to someone else – Christmas is only 13 weekends away!!!

A HUGE Thank You to Icon Media who has generously offered a FREE copy of the book to one of my readers.  To enter utilize the Raffle-Copter below. Also for an extra entry leave a comment on this post. I will announce the winner in two weeks on Monday October 5^th You can enter every day, so make sure to do so, and come back and see if you won.

Please help me spread the word and share this review with your friends on Facebook, Twitter and any other social media you utilize.  You just might change a life!

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

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