Restless: Because You Were Made For More

Whew!!! Hands down one of the best books I've EVER read. This was my first Jennie Allen book and it definitely will not be my last. This book covered way more than I thought it would be about and I am so glad I stuck through it beyond the first few chapters.

This is a VERY interactive book. Jennie Allen encourages you to journal your way through the book or use the book itself. I wrote in the margins and on the journal pages. I love that it really made me think and really consider that what I fear failure in doing is just exactly what I am called to do. She also reminds me, as a wife and mother, that there is nothing insignificant about staying home and caring for my family. This is just one thread of my life. Jennie Allen taps into the threads of our lives, she encourages us to see the threads of our lives and then to connect those threads to our passions (there are journal pages for this). 

One thing that Jennie encourages that has been hard for me is to step outside of my circle, outside of my little box to meet new people to share God with people. Dear Lord do I fear doing such a thing. BUT I want to. I want to share God with people who have no relationship with HIM. I want to reach the lost souls in need of God's love and grace. So I've got to get past me, so that I can reach them. 

I also learned that its okay to dream. It's okay to want to fill the restlessness. It means that we have something else we should be doing. So my job is to take my threads and allow God to make something absolutely wonderful of them, and them run with them. Run with reckless abandonment of sharing the gospel for God's glory and my joy to see light in dark eyes.

I am so looking forward to reading other Jennie Allen books, particularly Anything (she also has two published bible studies, Stuck & Chase)

So are you restless? Do you feel like there's something else you should be doing? What's your passion? What lights a fire in you? Write it down and see how what you have a passion for can be used to share God with others. And run with it.

~Kris

(p.s. I got this book from the publisher, Thomas Nelson, to give my HONEST review on.)

You can find this book for $12 on Christianbook.com

Fear

What is fear? And why do people let it rattle them so much? Fear is being afraid or scared. But how can you let fear control your life? Fear is something to conquer! Its something that you face head on & tame. Fear is a way of admitting defeat without saying the actual words.
To conquer your fears is your way of triumph. To defeat fear you have to face it head on. Don't look down and be confident. Look at yourself as the champion and as though you have already won.

If you have a fear of heights sit at the window seat next time you fly. Or go on a rollercoaster. Try a high slide at a water park.

If you have a fear of relationships place yourself in one and confide in your partner that you are afraid. Let that person know that you will give your relationship everything you've got in exchange for understanding and patience.

If your fear love, try loving yourself first {genuinely loving yourself}. Take yourself out on dates. Pamper yourself. Then slowly let someone in, remember that you will never know unless you TRY. Love can be something so beautiful and profound if you let it. Love can be kind and patient. Love can heal you.

Then main point is to face your fears head on & don't back down. Stand your ground as life your life depended on it because in actuality your life DOES depend on it. Your quality and health of your life depends on you conquering your fears.