Book Review #1: Loving the Little Years: Motherhood in the Trenches by Rachel Jankovic.
So, I decided I would do some book reviews in case there were any people who might be interested in anything I read.  If you know me, you know that I am not a big "reader" but my husband is, and I must say....he is rubbing off on me. :)  Adam is a theologian and he loves reading books about church planting, church growth, theology, reformed theology, etc.  He reads people like Mark Driscoll, Matt Chandler, C.S. Lewis, John Piper, A.W. Tozer, just to give you a little idea.  He has a MASSIVE book collection.  He once said that when he dies he wants to donate he books to an up-and-coming young pastor or to some library....and trust me, he could definitely help either one out! :) However, with all of these books lying around (and most are in storage-THANK GOODNESS!) I try to pick one up every now and then, but one thing I love about my husband, he never forces me to read anything.  Now, I will tell you this, it is always good to read something that will build you up and give you realistic expectations, not something that will influence you to the wrong ideas or to do the wrong things.  I kind of go by this phrase, "what goes in, must come out." So what you are putting in your mind and heart, will come out in way or another, so fill yourself up with uplifting, positive, and godly things.  Once I became I Christian, I started reading the Bible a lot more, but I also read devotional books (Women of Faith) and some Joyce Meyer books.  Now, I use to be a huge Joyce Meyer fan, but some of her things are not scripture-based.  Thankfully, the Lord brought Adam to me to help me realize that I still needed to work on my foundation as a Christian, and although reading the Bible is the place to get that, sometimes you need some other stuff to help you understand some things.  When I would go into LifeWay, I would always have this overwhelming feeling and felt like I wanted to buy every book in the store.  But be aware, not every book in a Christian book store is a good book to read, or even a "Christian" book.  If you are thinking about purchasing a book, make sure you do research on the author and on the content of what you are about to read.  However, I have just recently read, Loving the Little Years: Motherhood in the Trenches by Rachel Jankovic.  This was a stocking stuffer Adam gave me this year for Christmas, and I must say, it is umm....3 days after Christmas, and I've already finished it! LOL!  Now, before you think I am a fast reader, I must tell you, there are 20 short chapters and the book is only 102 pages...my kinda book! YAY!  The last book I read all the way through, The Help, I couldn't put down and I started reading it at midnight after I had initially started it and never went to sleep until 6 AM.  Needless to say, the next day was extremely long!  Well, this book, Loving the Little Years, is a book I feel that I had to "chew" on some of the words for a while, but I was thirsty for more.  I told myself, I am going to try to read 2-3 chapters a night (when it is finally quite around here) and hopefully I'll finish it before going back to work.  However, I was fortunate to get done a little sooner than that.  I finished it last night and I must say, this is one that I would advise anyone with small children to read.  To give you a little bit of history about me, I did not grow up in what you would call a "Christian" home, you know, the kind of family that is at church every time the doors open, but I did grow up in a home where family ALWAYS came first. Just ask my husband and some of my close friends, family is big with us Davis's...my mom use to go by this phrase, "You mess with my family, and you mess with me." And if anyone knows my mom, you know that is a promise! However, my mom and dad set a great foundation for teaching me how to be a wonderful mom and parent, which I hope I am fulfilling, but I did not know how to intertwine the Christian life into that.  This book is extremely helpful for young mothers or mothers of young children to help them understand and except the chaos around them.  It really gives you a Christian perspective of how to raise your children the way Christ would want them raised and either by not being too harsh on your kids or sheltering them too much or either by trying to be their friend. And as a mother, I want to do the very best I can with what God has given me, because I am under the understanding that they are not mine to begin with, but God has given these children to me to help them become the people He wants them to be.  And lordhavemercy...you know I'm gonna need a lot of prayer for that! ;) However, I do and do so desperately desire to have a Christian home where my children can look back and know that they have a firm foundation and they can know how to stand on their own two feet when the time comes.  This book shows how to deal with sin, and not just your child's sin, but how to adapt and understand that sin is everywhere, even in your home.  It also shows how to know your children have boundaries and what happens when they test those boundaries.  It also talks about prioritizing your time and your energy, because your children are the most important thing and the most important job for you to do.  As Jankovic puts it, "They are the only part of your work that truly matters."  And as mothers, sometimes we have a tendency to not give time to ourselves, and she talks about this too.  Jankovic having 5 children herself, all under the age of 5, does a great job with this book in my opinion.  She doesn't over elaborate, but just states the facts, and gives some real-life examples of her story and you feel like you know exactly what she is talking about and you are right there with her! I highly recommend this book to anyone with small children and I have and am even contemplating giving a copy to Abby's teachers at daycare due to them playing the "mother" role while I am away working.  Daycare workers need to understand that we are entrusting our children in their hands to help mold them.  I'd love to hear your feedback if you get a chance to read this book and also feel free to add any comments on any suggestions of any other books to read.  Thanks! God Bless <><

"Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward."
Psalm 127:3

"Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it."
Proverbs 22:6