Category: Books

Books, Faith, grief

Books For Widows and Other Grieving People

Michele Kearns

Here are some book recommendations to help you through your grief, whether you are a widow or grieving the loss of a friend or family member.

These are books I have read. While I highly recommend all of these, please wait about 4 weeks after your spouse or other loved one’s passing before starting to read any or all. This was the advice given to me by Joe’s aunt.

My well used copy. Cover has changed since I bought it.

Which ever book you choose, may you feel God’s comfort as you work through grief.

The Legal Pad: All Links Are Non-Affiliate

Bio: Michele Kearns is the founder and HUG© (Hope Unites Globally) Award-Winner of JoyReturns. She shares her widowhood adventures hoping to inspire widows to move through grief and rebuild their lives. A graduate of Kent State University with a Bachelor’s degree in communications, she’s currently a virtual logistics contact center representative. She’s also managed call center teams, co-facilitated a grief support group, and helped small businesses with various writing assignments. Michele is a bookworm, and a lover of music, chocolate, red roses, and golden retrievers. She is also the amateur photographer behind the blog OgleOhio.com.

Books

The Powerful Purpose of Introverts by Holley Gerth (Review)

Michele Kearns

I pre-ordered The Powerful Purpose of Introvert, Why The World Needs You To Be You, by Holley Gerth, as soon as I saw it available on Amazon back in March. Then about 8 weeks ago I received an email about being on the launch team and I jumped at the chance. I knew from reading some of Holley’s other books that this would be filled with valuable information and be very encouraging. (Disclaimer: I received a free digital copy of the book to read in advance of the launch date 9/15).

The book is well researched and filled with stories, tools and resources for taking a deeper look at why God created you to be an introvert. So for this review, I am listing few tools and resources for us introverts.

Some of the tools and resources are:

  • Myers-Briggs (I’m an INFP – Introversion, Intuition, Feeling, Perception)
  • Enneagram (I’m a #4 – Romantic – I strive to keep from being like anyone else)
  • A Social Isolation quiz (pg 50)
  • 12 Ways Solitude Makes You Stronger (pg 55)
  • Sacred Pathways (pg 84) – Naturalist – Loving God Outdoors

Being a Naturalist also explains why I love walking parks in Northeast Ohio and capturing pictures of God’s creation. Being out in nature makes me feel grounded.

The picture below was taken at my sacred place – my deck overlooking my backyard and the woods.

You will find me at my sacred place this weekend after the restoration company removes all the trash, furniture and their equipment from my formerly water-logged basement. I need to spend some time here with my Bible and Holley’s book. (It will not look this pristine when I get done rereading it. Books are meant to be marked up with pen, highlighter and sticky notes.)

Statement of Purpose

One of the most intriguing tools, is in chapter 12 Live Your Powerful Purpose where Holley walks you through creating a Introvert Purpose Statement.

The purpose statement you’ll create is a starting point. Not perfect. Not final. You don’t even have to like it. What’s helpful is going through the process.

The Powerful Purpose of Introverts, Why The World Needs You To Be You; Holley Gerth (pg 161)

Now you do not have to do this in order to finish the book. You can come back to it later, which is what I will do.

There are many more tools and resources in the book. Also, Holley has created additional tools available at HolleyGerth.com/introverts.

Moving Forward

The Powerful Purpose of Introverts, Why The World Needs You To Be You is yet another encouraging and informative book by Holley Gerth that needs to be read by both introverts and extroverts.

It also needs to be read by women who are making a new life because they were widowed. It will help you look inward and figure out the strengths given to you by God so you live His purpose as you move forward with life.

Additional Reading: Sacred Pathways; Discover Your Soul’s Path to God by Gary Thomas

The Legal Pad: All links are non-affiliate.

The Legal Pad #2: I received a free digital copy of the book to read in advance of the launch date 9/15).

Bio: Michele Kearns is the founder and HUG© (Hope Unites Globally) Award-Winner of JoyReturns. She shares her widowhood adventures hoping to inspire widows to move through grief and rebuild their lives. A graduate of Kent State University with a Bachelor’s degree in communications, she’s currently using those skills as a virtual logistics contact center representative for a Fortune 100 company. She’s also managed call center teams, co-facilitated a grief support group, and helped small businesses with various writing assignments. Michele is a bookworm, and a lover of history, music, chocolate, red roses, and golden retrievers. She is also the amateur photographer behind the blog OgleOhio.com

Books, Faith

Wrap up Of My Draw The Circle 40 Day Prayer Challenge

Michele Kearns

It’s mind-boggling what can happen in 40 days.

When I embarked on this prayer journey that is (April 30,2020) based on Mark Batterson’s book, Draw the Circle, A 40 Day Prayer Challenge, it was for the leaders and my fellow residents here in Ohio. It was to pray for our Governor, Lieutenant Governor and Director of Health to get rid of their fear, draw close to God through a relationship with Jesus, and to have the Holy Spirit work mightily and powerfully in their lives as they work to jump start Ohio’s economy.

All was going well. I would get up early to read my devotion, write notes in my spiral notebook, and write a prayer for reopening based on that day’s devotion.

Then George Floyd was murdered.

The protests began and turned into riots and looting.

Now I pray not only for excellent leadership in regards to the reopening but also leadership regarding controlling and eliminating the riots and looting.

This prayer challenge has had the greatest impact on me of all the ones I’ve done because it has caused me to think and ponder the most. Praying for leaders who are using fear to control and destroy people’s lives and businesses is not easy. Although I will admit Ohio could be like New York, Washington, or California and still be shut down. At least we have been slowly opening up our economy during my prayer challenge.

A lot of sentences jumped out at me this time that never did before. Here are just a few:

  • When we pray, we are building a monument to God, a memorial to Him. And those prayers never go unanswered. (Day 19; pg 109
  • Goliath held an entire army captive through fear. (Day 14; pg 84)
  • Going back to places of spiritual significance should be part of our spiritual rhythm. Day 38, pg 210
  • Love isn’t repetitive; love is creative. Day 29; pg 161

May you ponder one of more of these today.

While doing this challenge I got a 5 Subject spiral notebook and took notes while reading the devotions. The I wrote out my prayers for our Governor, Lt. Governor and Health Director based on that day’s devotion. I also got creative with using highlighter, watercolor pens, and stickers both in my notebook and in my book because that’s just who I am.

A new Draw the Circle book is necessary as I have marked this copy up so much, I am not sure anything new would jump out at me if I use it again.

And use it again I will because I will be praying through this book starting on Thursday, September 24th, 2020 – 40 days before the November 3rd election. An election that will determine the fate of this country. An election between keeping this country as founded or rioting and looting the Constitution and become more of what you see now – government control of our lives.

Don’t get me wrong, I will be praying for this country in the meantime but will use this book as a guide for my prayers starting in September. I will pray circles around this country because it is exceptional and pray it is God’s will to keep it that way.

Because…

Prayer is the difference between you fighting for God and God fighting for you.

Mark Batterson
Draw the Circle, The 40 Day Prayer Challenge
pg 89

And we need Him fighting for us.

Will you join me starting September 24th?

Bio: Michele Kearns is the founder and HUG© (Hope Unites Globally) Award-Winner of JoyReturns. She shares her widowhood adventures hoping to encourage widows to move through grief and rebuild their lives. A graduate of Kent State University with a Bachelor’s degree in communications, she’s used those skills while managing call center teams, co-facilitating a grief support group, and helping small businesses with various writing and administrative assignments. Michele is a bookworm, and a lover of history, chocolate, red roses, and golden retrievers. She is also the amateur photographer behind the blog OgleOhio.com