Book Nook

Book Nook

Here is a list of books that have made an impact on my life!

“Body Clutter: Love Your Body, Love Yourself”
By Marla Cilley aka The FLY Lady and Leanne Ely aka The Dinner Diva

This is a “breakthrough” kind of book. The kind that you can’t put down until you have finished it (along with a pack of tissues!). It touches the heart of the matter – the why question. Why are we eating ourselves silly? Why do we reach for the chocolate? It provides a realistic viewpoint to starting a journey towards healthy living and loving yourself.
The trick to getting rid of “Body Clutter” – (basically fat!) is to take baby steps – which the Fly Lady is BIG on. They take you through the baby steps that they have taken on their journey to healthy living and loving themselves. It is excellent!!. I would say this book is essential for every woman who is dissatisfied with yourself.
Marla Cilley is well known for her website www.FlyLady.net. That in itself is fill of extremely helpful information on de-cluttering your home – all for free!!!! She has also written a book called “Sink Reflections” which delves in deeper to de-cluttering issues. Both of her books are available from the Manukau City libraries.
Leanne Ely is famous for being The Dinner Diva and you can find her on the web at www.savingdinner.com. She is the author of the Saving Dinner series.

Fresh-Brewed Life :A stirring invitation to wake up your soul.”By Nicole Johnson

Reading this book was like a breath of fresh air. Some chapters were like cyclones!, blowing away the cobwebs, clearing out the mildew and creating a clear space to think, breathe and embrace who you are as a woman.
I would highly recommend “Fresh-Brewed Life” to every woman. Here are the nine cups to a fresh brewed life: Surrender to God, Encounter your journal, Listen to your longings, Embrace your beauty, Interview your anger, Savour your sexuality, Celebrate your friendships, Change your world and Enrich your relationships

Editor’s favourite passages:
Jenny: I loved “Listen to your longings” where Nicole talks about being like Swiss cheese, full of holes! Here is how Nicole puts it..”The holes in us are actually supposed to be there. The holes are the things that make us who we are. The holes are the places God has revealed in us for himself! The longings identify our real hunger. A hunger that drives us to Him to be satisfied. If….(big if)…we listen.

Rachel: Lights went on when I read about Embracing my beauty. Nicole remarks that for some woman, beauty has been the enemy. She says that the more we dismiss beauty as belonging to others (and not to ourselves), the more we reject opportunities to nurture our spirit, the more we hold our physical appearance at arm’s length and try not to care, the more we die on the inside.

“The Journey of Desire: Searching for the Life we’ve only Dreamed of”By John Eldredge


If you enjoyed “Wild at Heart” and “Captivating” which was also written by John Eldredge then you will love “The Journey of Desire” even more.

Dan Allender, Author of the Healing Path says: “The Journey of Desire” is a profound and winsome call to walk into the heart of God and hear Him sing to your soul about His love. In a world of frenzy and clamour about desire, we often miss the ache that lifts our face to look into His eyes. This book will stir your heart and invite you to know the one desire that captures all passion for His purpose. Drink in this work, and your life will not be the same.”

The book follows a story of a sea lion that has lost the sea. Each chapter starts of with a segment of the sea lions quest to find the sea. As you read about the sea lions desire to find the sea, your heart begins to stir and you recognize that you are just like that sea lion, always searching for your real home in life.

Here is a quote about being hopeless without desire:

“A curious warning is given to us in Peter’s first epistle. There he tells us to be ready to give the reason for the hope that lies within us to everyone who asks (3 v 15). Now, what’s strange about that passage is this: no one ever asks. When was the last time someone stopped you to inquire about the reason for the hope that lies within you? You’re at the market, say, in the frozen food section. A friend you haven’t seen for some time comes up to you, grasps you by both shoulders, and pleads, “Please you’ve got to tell me. Be honest now. How can you live with such hope? Where does it come from? I must know the reason”. In talking with hundreds of Christians, I’ve met only one of two who have experienced something like this. Yet God tells us to be ready, so what’s wrong?”
He then goes on to tell us the answer. Great read, highly recommended.

Do you wish to deepen your relationship with God?

Do you want to know what it is like to have intimacy with God?
Then “Drawing Near: A life of intimacy with God” by John Bevere is an absolute must-read!!! This book has been described as a treasure map pointing us to God’s heart. I certainly found the treasure!

John has based the book on James 4 v 8 “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you”. He opens chapter one with an incredible insight into what is on God’s heart -

There is a call—no, a cry—coming form the heart of God and with each passing day its intensity increases “ Why are you satisfied without my presence?: Why do you remain distant when you could have intimacy with me?”

I had to slow down and read at a snails pace to soak up the words and the life behind them. Which is incredible for me as I tend to speed read my way through books. At the end of the book I was a different person to the Rachel who started at chapter one with “There is a call……” I had allowed the truth from God’s Word and His heart-thoughts to become part of me. My “spiritual journey” was transformed from a lonely trek in a very dry desert to an intimate walk with God in the evening twilight in a luscious garden like Adam (before the fall).

Where do you find it? The Auckland Libraries have a copy in their system (not Manukau) It is also available from Manna Bookstore for $29.95.