This book was interesting but I wouldn't recommend it as a must-read. I lost interested about halfway through. This book was interesting but I wouldn't recommend it as a must-read. I lost interested about halfway through. ...more
This book was a very thorough walk through the process of dealing with the aftermath of abuse. This book is specifically written for adults who were aThis book was a very thorough walk through the process of dealing with the aftermath of abuse. This book is specifically written for adults who were a victim of childhood sexual abuse however I found it to be a general roadmap for processing and healing from all forms of abuse. This book was very healing for me in my journey to process emotional abuse from my adolescent years.
My one complaint is that I did not enjoy his writing style. It was vague and hard for me to follow at times. Sometimes he babbled and sometimes huge concepts were minimized to one paragraph. I appreciated all the wisdom and year of experience he shared regardless....more
This book was not good. The majority of Barbara Taylor's arguments were not consistent or thorough. She has very strange and loose interpretations of This book was not good. The majority of Barbara Taylor's arguments were not consistent or thorough. She has very strange and loose interpretations of scripture. She even talks about rewriting biblical stories to try to come up with alternative meanings to the stories. She uses her preferences as the standard for what God, Christianity and all spirituality SHOULD be. She does not appeal to any authority besides what she thinks is right. This book felt like an angry bitter rant.
I will say I appreciate her willingness to see all people as beautifully and intentionally made and loved by God. I also appreciated that she did not let the idea of being around people with different beliefs make her insecure or fearful of how they may threaten her faith. I love her boldness and fearlessness. ...more
Wow! I would say this is by far the most challenging book I have read in a long time. I loved every minute of it. I appreciate the tone of the author.Wow! I would say this is by far the most challenging book I have read in a long time. I loved every minute of it. I appreciate the tone of the author. It is too often that when people question orthodox Christianity they are come at it with an angry rant. Rachel Evans approaches it with a deep love for God and people and an honest curiosity. This book was refreshing and left me with a deeper love for God, scripture, and people. I look forward to processing all I learned in this book....more
This book was really interesting to me and strangely refreshing. I have lived the entirety of my Christian faith in churches that hold the Bible as thThis book was really interesting to me and strangely refreshing. I have lived the entirety of my Christian faith in churches that hold the Bible as the ultimate authority on all of life. Nadia belongs to a congregation that is on the complete opposite side of the spectrum. I can not say that Nadia Bolz-Weber has significantly shifted my worldview but she has definitely started a conversation I am looking forward to continuing. She brings up a plethora of conversations that I believe the church needs to honestly confront and grapple with. I deeply appreciated her voice and bravery to bring up these topics in a culture that is not interested in engaging on these topics.
I am still not sure how I feel about her ideas. My main hold ups are her interpretation of "Holiness" and her lack of addressing the biblical contradictions of her argument. I will be wrestling with these ideas and I'm sure looking for more books like this one to fill in the gaps in my understanding.
Here are some of the main quotes that left me perplexed:
“It doesn't feel very difficult to draw a direct line between the messages many of us received from the church and the harm we've experienced in our bodies and spirits as a result. So my argument in this book is this: we should not be more loyal to an idea, a doctrine, or an interpretation of a Bible verse than we are to people. If the teachings of the church are harming the bodies and spirits of people, we should rethink those teachings.”
“Purity most often leads to pride or to despair, not to holiness. Because holiness is about union with, and purity is about separation from.”
“Holiness is the union we experience with one another and with God. Holiness is when more than one become one, when what is fractured is made whole. Singing in harmony. Breastfeeding a baby. Collective bargaining. Dancing. Admitting our pain to someone, and hearing them say, "Me too." Holiness happens when we are integrated as physical, spiritual, sexual, emotional, and political beings. Holiness is the song that has always been sung, perhaps even the sound that was first spoken when God said, "Let there be light.”
What an interesting book! I have read quite a few popular books on specialists in a wide range of career fields and I have found I love stepping into What an interesting book! I have read quite a few popular books on specialists in a wide range of career fields and I have found I love stepping into another persons world for a few days. This one was especially interesting to me because it’s my career field. It says it’s about data science but I would say it’s more about a subfield of big data called Big Psych. This was the most interesting intersection between psychology and data science. My one complaint is that I didn’t appreciate the authors strong unveiled political biases....more
I was surprised, I liked this book more than I thought I would. I won’t be joining the ranks of super-fans but it definitely exceeded my expectations.I was surprised, I liked this book more than I thought I would. I won’t be joining the ranks of super-fans but it definitely exceeded my expectations. I would say it was “fine” for a self help book geared towards women. (One of my least favorite types of books)...more
I really enjoyed this book; a super entertaining adventure novel. I think I would have appreciated it even more if I knew anything about gaming culturI really enjoyed this book; a super entertaining adventure novel. I think I would have appreciated it even more if I knew anything about gaming culture. I found the writing very clever and entertaining. Good read!...more
This book was very interesting! I loved the peek into the life of a high stakes negotiator. I found so many of his tricks interesting however I don’t This book was very interesting! I loved the peek into the life of a high stakes negotiator. I found so many of his tricks interesting however I don’t see very many situations I would actually use these tips. My biggest take away is to not shy away from conflict because conflict/negotiation helps us uncover what we really want, what our opponent really wants, and come up with the best solution to get everyone what they need. This book was very well written and enjoyable to listen to with many stories and tips. ...more
This was the BEST book. Unbelievable story telling and character development. Maybe the best fiction book I have ever read. This book really is as gooThis was the BEST book. Unbelievable story telling and character development. Maybe the best fiction book I have ever read. This book really is as good as the reviews say. ...more
I loved this book! Short, sweet, with nice actionable tips. I highly recommend! This book has directly impacted my everyday life when it comes to prodI loved this book! Short, sweet, with nice actionable tips. I highly recommend! This book has directly impacted my everyday life when it comes to productivity and motivation. I think anyone could benefit from this read. ...more
Fantastic storytelling! I loved getting lost in this ancient world. I really enjoyed how the writer would highlight certain aspects of our current culFantastic storytelling! I loved getting lost in this ancient world. I really enjoyed how the writer would highlight certain aspects of our current culture that finds their roots in these ancient stories and draw the connection for the reader. This book was very exhaustive, thorough, and long but very entertaining....more
I loved everything about this book! The authors story is engaging, her clients/therapist stories are relatable, and her insights are life changing. I I loved everything about this book! The authors story is engaging, her clients/therapist stories are relatable, and her insights are life changing. I loved getting a peek in the mind of a therapist. Highly recommend! ...more
I found this book extremely fascinating however I am sure that if I hadn’t majored in Math for my undergrad I would have been horribly bored by the toI found this book extremely fascinating however I am sure that if I hadn’t majored in Math for my undergrad I would have been horribly bored by the topics covered. This book details the long standing mercurial relationship between the mathematical community and the physics community. I loved learning how all of the theories we use on a daily basis came to be. I loved learning about all the quirky mathematicians and physicists throughout history and what they actually contributed to what we know today. This book gave me a deeper admiration for the beauty and aesthetic of both mathematics and physics. I found the layout of the book confusing at times since it wasn’t chronological. Overall, for a math book, it was extremely intriguing! ...more
Fascinating and wonderfully written book. I loved the entirety of this book but it did feel like it was REALLY long. I learned so much and highly recoFascinating and wonderfully written book. I loved the entirety of this book but it did feel like it was REALLY long. I learned so much and highly recommend to anyone that is curious about the history of the world and the science that gives us this history. ...more