Hey Friends,

We finally made it to Autumn! Our summer was truly enjoyable but man, was it busy! Even September was packed full with activities – our anniversary, a couple trips, a ladies fellowship, and a revival conference at our church (to name a few!). Now that October is finally here, I feel like I can breathe again. Time at home is my priority for this month. Since the week began I’ve already organized my pantry and a few kitchen cabinets that were getting out of control during our busy season. I look forward to doing more decluttering, deep cleaning, and organizing as we settle into our home as the cool weather comes upon us!

I love the change of seasons – especially summer into fall. 🙂

September was a fairly good “reading month”. I haven’t done much reading lately, but managed to squeeze in a few books during the beginning and middle of the month – especially when my husband and I were away for our anniversary!

Let’s get to it!

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September Reads: What I’m Reading Month by Month

Girl Defined by Kristin Clark and Bethany Baird

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Girl Defined Ministries to read, review, and host a giveaway! (The giveaway is LIVE for a short time on my instagram account!). 

When I first received this book, I assumed it was more for single ladies – but I was wrong! As a married woman and a mama, there was still plenty of content that was applicable to me. I was underlining quotes, bookmarking pages, and sharing passages of this book with my husband because it was just SO GOOD. A woman of almost any age will find that this book contains truths regarding biblical femininity that can apply to her life! It’s amazing how God made and designed males and females… and when we follow God’s design, it truly WORKS. I was so encouraged by this book, and if you’re a Christian woman, I think you will be too!

Caveat: As with most books, I don’t agree with or recommend every aspect of this book (or the Girl Defined Ministries) but overall, it was a great read! Due to some content on sexuality, I wouldn’t recommend it for very young readers. I gave this book 5 stars on Goodreads.

Refresh by Shona Murray

My favorite podcaster (Jami Balmet from Finding Joy in Your Home) has mentioned this book and author many times! However, it wasn’t until a recent podcast episode where she was quoting directly from this book that I realized, “I need to read this now!”. I jumped on Thrift Books and managed to find a copy for about $6! This book turned out to be just what I needed during a very busy month/season.

Refresh, is a book chock-full of practical and scientific action steps to help you slow down and refresh your life. If you’ve ever experienced overwhelm, depression, or anxiety, this book might be a good fit for you! I especially enjoyed the chapters on getting good sleep and refreshing yourself personally and physically. This is definitely a book I hope to reference again in the future and I would definitely consider reading all over again!

Caveat: I didn’t agree with all of the author’s theology – it was very obvious that she’s a Calvinist…and I disagree with Calvinism. Also, please be aware that depression is a big theme in this book. I realize that depression is a tricky topic in Christian circles. however, I felt that the author did a great job talking about it (especially since she experienced it!). She’s both a Christian and a doctor, so her approach felt fair and balanced. I gave this book 4 stars on Goodreads.

Unplanned by Abby Johnson

Ever since the abortion bill was passed in Texas a few weeks ago, I realized how little I’ve read and learned about abortion. As a Christian who believes the Bible and believes that life begins at conception, abortion has never been a topic I thought much about because I know it’s wrong! However, after being challenged regarding my beliefs in this area, I decided it was time to do my research so I can be better prepared to “give an answer”. I started with this book by Abby Johnson, a former Planned Parenthood worker. I really appreciated Abby’s perspective because she’s been on BOTH sides. She’s had a couple of abortions herself, worked at Planned Parenthood and is now one of the most well-known advocates for LIFE. This book helped me understand what the world teaches women about abortion and helped me see what drives certain women to go ahead and get one. I’m still just as much (if not, more) pro-life now than before I picked up this book, but I do think I have more empathy for women on the other side. I hope and pray that someday they (and the rest of the world) will see that abortion is never the right answer!

Caveat: Abby Johnson is now a professing Catholic and visited various denominations during the course of her story – so the theology in her book reflects that. Also, since the topic of this book is mainly abortion, it’s not an “easy read”. Overall, I enjoyed the book and learned a lot because of it. I gave this book 5 stars on Goodreads.

You Carried Me by Melissa Ohden

This is another book I read on the topic of abortion… and once again, it was not a “comfortable” read.

Melissa’s story is quite remarkable! Her mother had a saline abortion but Melissa ended up being born ALIVE without any ill effects. Put up for adoption, she grew up in a loving home and didn’t find out about the abortion until she was a teenager. The journey she embarked on from that moment was quite a rollercoaster! I don’t want to spoil the story – but it was truly amazing and full of both jaw-dropping and tear-jerking moments for me as a reader! The last few chapters I read out loud to my husband and we were both astonished by the whole, incredibly story. I would readily recommend this book to anyone who wants to read an inspiring biography or learn more about the topic of abortion from a survivor’s perspective!

Caveat: there is some sensitive content in this book – from the realities of abortion, to the reckless life Melissa lived in high school. I wouldn’t recommend this for younger readers. Melissa also joined the Catholic faith as an adult, so some of her theology reflects that. For these reasons I knocked off a star and gave this book 4 stars on Goodreads.

Final Thoughts

Well, those are my September Reads! Did you read anything noteworthy in the past month? If yes, I would love hear about it! Drop a comment below. 🙂

If you enjoyed this post, be sure to check out the other posts in this series:

• January Reads
• February Reads
• March Reads
• April Reads
• May Reads
• June Reads
• July Reads
• August Reads

Have You Tried ThriftBooks Yet?

Thrift Books is my favorite online spot to buy used books! They have provided a convenient way for me to grow my personal library and explore new books without breaking the bank. Their FREE shipping (on orders over $10) combined with their excellent prices, great selection, and Reading Rewards Program have made them my first stop for new-to-me books. All the books on my list today (except Girl Defined) came from Thrift Books!

Just as a reminder, Thrift Books has an excellent deal for first time Rewards Members where you can spend $30 and we BOTH get a FREE book credit! You can then share this deal with YOUR friends and earn more free books!

Click here to take advantage of this fun deal!

Until Next Time!