Hello, my friend!
I hope you’re having a wonderful week and enjoying some cooler temperatures and lovely views and hues as autumn falls into place (I couldn’t help myself)!
Before we get going with this week’s Top 4, I wanted to send a humongous, heartfelt THANK-YOU to everyone who’s ordered and/or read my latest novel, Ring of Wishes. I’ve been immensely blessed by reading the reviews that have been coming in; it truly makes my day – and all the work worthwhile – to hear that my stories are sprinkling some delight onto this world!
Alrighty, onward with the Top 4!
Food for Thought:
“Someone once told me, ‘I’ve never been disliked by someone I’d want to trade places with,’ and it really changed my perspective.” (I regret that I don’t know who said that; I think I saw it on Instagram and I recently deleted my accounts!)
Book Rec of the Week
I heard of this book in a sermon from pastor Jonny Ardavanis and picked it up immediately. If you enjoy Malcolm Gladwell’s work, I think you’ll love it too. Here’s the summary:
In this volume, Steven Johnson explores the history of innovation over centuries, tracing facets of modern life (refrigeration, clocks, and eyeglass lenses, to name a few) from their creation by hobbyists, amateurs, and entrepreneurs to their unintended historical consequences. Filled with surprising stories of accidental genius and brilliant mistakes – from the French publisher who invented the phonograph before Edison but forgot to include playback, to the Hollywood movie star who helped invent the technology behind Wi-Fi and Bluetooth – How We Got to Now investigates the secret history behind the everyday objects of contemporary life.
‘Rejoicing Always’ Isn’t the Same as ‘Enjoying Always’
“At every hard stage, it is easy to decide, ‘this is it forever,’ and it robs our kids of God’s power in their lives. And ‘rejoicing always’ isn’t the same as ‘enjoying always.’” – Abbie Halberstadt (definitely applicable to more than just parenthood!)
Why Hard Work is Worth It
“… looking at the work done and the work still to do, most people would have written the whole thing off as too much sweat for too little gain. But I didn’t want an easy life. I wanted a beautiful one.” – Ben Short