I love to read! I've loved it since I was a child. Some of my favorite memories are of my dad reading stories to my brother and me. He would do different voices for different characters, and I loved every minute of it!
Maybe in a future blog post, I’ll share with you some of the stories and books that have been favorites since childhood and those I discovered along the way of becoming an adult. But in this post, I’m going to share some of the books that have influenced the process of uncovering who I am, how my faith has been shaped over the years, and what ultimately led me to deciding to become a mental health/healing prayer coach.
Two of the more traditional Bible studies I completed in a small group of amazing women (who I’m still friends with) was Beth Moore’s The Patriarchs and Breaking Free. Both shifted my understanding of what it meant to have a relationship with God. Their content initiated a move toward actually engaging and connecting with God and away from just following a set of rules. They were my introduction to the concept of strongholds and the effects strongholds had on me as an individual and in my relationships (with God and with others).
Two ministries have had a profound effect on me and my understanding of who God is and who He says I am. One is Wild at Heart. I first read the book Wild at Heart by John Eldredge in 2008. I had never read anything like it. Both the content and the writing style felt to me like no other book I’d read. Reading it was like breathing new air. I felt like I had been wearing a pair of glasses that I didn’t realize were the wrong prescription, and reading Wild at Heart was like finally removing the incorrect glasses so that I could see everything more clearly. As soon as I finished reading it, I picked up Captivating by John and Stasi Eldredge. Wild at Heart shifted my perspective, but Captivating woke me up to massive self-hatred I had carried my whole life. Reading it was truly a deep healing experience which launched me in the direction of uncovering more of who I am and finding healing for the broken places in me. I’ve since read just about every book they’ve published, and I can’t say enough good things about all of them. Waking the Dead is one that I’ve recommended to countless people and have bought numerous times to give as gifts. Check out their website for more info and to purchase the books for yourself! https://wildatheart.org/products
The second ministry that has radically affected my understanding of myself, God, relationships, faith, and the world around me is Think Differently Academy . I largely credit Bob and Polly Hamp’s teaching and books for my understanding of what it means to have a deeply intimate connection with God. I attended several trainings and conferences that were greatly influenced by their teachings. Those experiences focused on breaking down barriers between God and me and developing a new understanding of what it meant to have a conversational relationship with God. And I completed training and certification to become a Christian Life Coach through Think Differently Academy. Click here if you are interested in checking out their program simply for your own personal growth or to become a coach.
In addition to loving reading, I’m also a big fan of podcasts. This one by Brene Brown and Harriet Lerner on how to apologize well has truly changed the way I give and receive apologies. Simply saying, “It’s okay” when someone apologizes to you falls very short of the power that a true apology holds. And knowing how to deliver a good apology is something everyone benefits from. This podcast is amazing, and I think you’ll gain a lot from listening to it as well! While you’re there, check out all the other incredible things that Brené Brown has to say!
This is by no means a complete list of those who have had an influence on me and my faith journey, but I’ll save the rest for a future post. Please check out the different people and ministries I’ve mentioned. Follow the links to their sites to get first-hand info about who they are and what they’re all about. Purchase their books and read them. Trust me - you’ll discover for yourself that it’s time and money well spent!
Interested in talking more about this? Please feel free to send me an email or schedule some one-on-one time with me. And consider subscribing to my blog, where I post lots of helpful suggestions on how you can begin (and continue) this journey of recovering your blueprint!
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