Beauty on the Backroads

Stories of grace for life's unexpected turns

jeff goins

A double dose of encouragement: The Art of Work by Jeff Goins and Do Over by Jon Acuff

I realize that any kind of post on April 1 is in danger of being taken as a joke, but trust me when I say, my reviews of these two books are NO JOKE! Just suspend your April Fools’ Day self for a few moments and read about these two books that unintentionally collaborate to create a whole new idea of work and purpose.

I will admit that with both of these books, The Art of Work by Jeff Goins and Do Over by Jon Acuff, I did not have myself in mind at first because I work at home as a mom and more casually as a writer. But the messages of both felt pertinent to this stage of life for our family. I am not one bit sorry I ordered either of these books. (I received an advance electronic copy of both for pre-ordering, so I’m not even required to review these books, but I want you to know all about them!)

Some background: I often feel bad about being in my 30s and not having a stable career or years of “tenure” built up at a company. The most I can boast is 7 years at the same newspaper, which felt like a lifetime, sometimes. I grew up thinking that you gave your life to a corporation or an organization, and if you didn’t find that out right after college, you were doomed to fail at life. (Okay, maybe there’s a little drama there.)

That’s no longer the narrative of the working world. And both of these books contain messages that are right and good for the times we live in.

art of workSo, first up: The Art of Work.

Rarely do I breeze through a non-fiction book, especially one that’s more business-minded. But that’s what I love about Jeff Goins’ writing. It’s creative, inspiring and encouraging, and not once while reading The Art of Work did I find myself bored or the writing dull.

The Art of Work will change your idea of calling and propel you toward embracing your purpose. Goins’ principles and observations are so simple they should be obvious but I found myself renewed and challenged by his way of thinking. Thoughts like calling being a journey and not a one-time event and how a life lived in multiple arenas is not chaotic but a portfolio. I will refer back to this book often to practice the principles and listen to my life.

If you’re not sure your life has a plan, or you’re following a plan and now find yourself lost, or you’re facing a career transition, this is a book that needs to be in your hands, not just on your shelf. Goins lays out an easy-to-follow guide that can be tailored to whatever your life entails. It’s not a how-to book in that it will give you a list of steps to follow to find your calling. It’s an invitation to listen and act based on what is already a part of your life.

I’d give this book more stars if I could! (I gave it five on Goodreads!)

Second: Do Over. do over

You guys. Jon Acuff. I have read his blogs but not any of his books, and for that I am now sorry. Acuff is funny and this book is full of his quirky humor. But it’s also practical and encouraging. Somehow (magic?) he presents useful and challenging tools for whatever job situation you might be facing without sugarcoating how hard it is to make changes. I laughed. I agreed. I groaned.

And I got excited.

Because Acuff’s book is motivating and enabling. If you walk away from his book without feeling powerful about work and career, it’s not his fault. It’s yours. I am convinced I can pursue my dreams using skills, relationships, character and hustle. And because I was reading an electronic copy, I look forward to going back over the exercises when the hard copy arrives after the book releases next week.

Acuff speaks from personal experience and tells the good and the bad in a humble and honest voice. We can learn from his mistakes and set ourselves up for a career we love.

An enthusiastic five stars for this one, too.

I have no idea if these two authors were aware of each other’s books releasing relatively close to one another, but their messages are complementary. You certainly don’t have to read both books or read them together, but if you’re feeling stuck or lost or overwhelmed by your work, I’d recommend taking a look at both of these books and letting them help you walk through the next steps.

This might be the first time in my life I read two back-to-back business-type books in a matter of days.

Books: best of 2013, a look ahead to 2014

I’ve wrapped up my “official” reading for 2013, and I wanted to share with you the best of the best from this year. Also, I’m going to be doing things a bit differently next year when it comes to reviews. I’ll let you in on that as well.

So, here goes! The best books I read this year. So many to choose from, and I’m sure I’m leaving some out.

Let’s start with fiction.

sleeping in edenBEST OVERALL: Way back in January, I read an advanced copy of Nicole Baart’s Sleeping in Eden, and I predicted it would be among the best books I read all year. It set a high standard for books, and as the year closes, I have to say, I told me so. You can read my review here. It’s a book I want to read again because of its beauty and rich plot. It’s not a light read, but it’s well worth it.

BEST SERIES: The Cadence of Grace series by Joanne Bischof rocked. my. world. I read the first two books back to back in the same week. A mistake because I was SO emotional at the end of it. You can read my reviews of those here. And then I waited months for the finale, which I reviewed here. I couldn’t get the characters out of my head, and the story is a gritty look at the price of past mistakes and the cost of redemption and the beauty of grace. A new classic series for the historical Christian fiction fan. Cadence-of-Grace-1-1024x691

BEST UNFINISHED SERIES: I read several other unfinished series this year. Two, in particular, have me eagerly awaiting the conclusion.

Michael K. Reynolds’ Heirs of Ireland series, which began with Flight of the Earls and continued with In Golden Splendor, concludes next month with Songs of the Shenandoah. In Flight of the Earls, Reynolds wrote the best opening line I’ve read in a long time. And his writing continued to awe me through these books.

forsaken dreams coverAnd MaryLu Tyndall’s Escape to Paradise series, which began with Forsaken Dreams and continued with Elusive Hope, finishes next summer with Abandoned Memories. Forsaken Dreams was my first full-length read of Tyndall’s work, but I’m totally hooked. I’ve read four other books by her since March. Tyndall has a unique way of blending adventure, mystery and romance.

BEST NON-CHRISTIAN FICTION: Most of what I read falls in the Christian category. This year, I branched out a couple of times, something I hope to do more of. Neil Gaiman is an author I’ve been wanting to read, and his newest book The Ocean at the End of the Lane almost jumped off the new book shelf at the library. So, I took it home, and I LOVED it. It’s short, mystical and deep. I would read it again in a heartbeat.

MOST UNEXPECTED: I got the chance to read an advanced copy of Heather Day Gilbert’s debut, God’s godsdaughterDaughter, a self-published novel about Vikings. I’ve “met” Heather online and the premise was worth the risk. And let me say that this book shattered my preconceived notions about self-published books. This is totally worth it. A good story, well-written, with a gorgeous cover.  We haven’t seen the last of her.

BEST RE-READ: Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers. (insert sigh) Now that I have a copy, I will read this book often. There’s a reason it’s a classic in Christian fiction.

HONORABLE MENTION: Halfway through the year, I picked these as my best books for the first half of the year. I would include them still. In the second half of the year, I’d add Chasing Francis by Ian Morgan Cron, In Broken Places by Michele Phoenix and Frame 232 by Wil Mara.

Now, to non-fiction. Here’s where my list stood at the halfway point of the year.

BEST OVERALL: One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp. I avoided this book for a while because I expected something preachy from someone with a perfect life. Ha! I was so wrong. Gently challenging and beautiful. Voskamp has a way with words I can hardly describe. She sees things differently and opens readers to the beauty around. This book is her personal journey toward thankfulness from a bitter heart. A read and read again kind of book.

BEST RE-READ: Sacred Rhythms by Ruth Haley Barton. I read through this early in the year. This fall, our church’s book club has been reading it, and I’ve found it richer in community.

BEST MEMOIR: When We Were on Fire by Addie Zierman. This account of growing up in evangelical Christianity in the ’90s brought tears and laughter, and at times felt like it was part of my own Christian journey. Honest, real. I love a good memoir and this is among the best. jesus feminist

MOST UNEXPECTED: Jesus Feminist by Sarah Bessey. Five years ago, I would not have picked up a book with the word “feminist” in the title. Even after a shift in what I believe, I was still a bit nervous to read this. I thought it might be angry and demeaning toward men. Again, I’m happy to say I was wrong. (Are you sensing a theme here? I think I judge a book by its cover!!) A call to community. An affirmation of gifts. A tender tug toward wholeness as a body.

MOST CHALLENGING: The Ragamuffin Gospel by Brennan Manning. It took the author’s death for me to finally pick up one of his books. What was I waiting for? This book is challenging because of its radical emphasis on grace. These are words to ponder and ponder again. So glad I read them.

SpiritualDangerOfDoingGood_200rgb-662x1024HONORABLE MENTION: In addition to the ones I picked at the halfway point, I’d add The In-Between by Jeff Goins, The Spiritual Danger of Doing Good by Peter Greer and Jesus, My Father, the CIA and me by Ian Morgan Cron.

And now, a few words about my reading and reviewing plan for 2014.

In years past I’ve committed to reviewing a book on this blog once a week, every week, for the entire year. I’ve found myself bogged down by that plan and requesting books to review that I’m only partially interested in. So, for 2014, I’m going to focus first on the books in my house that I haven’t read.

Here’s a sneak peek at those.

2014 TBR

I will be constantly reading but may not review everything with a blog post here. If you’re a book lover as well and want to keep up with what I’m reading, find me on Goodreads. At the very least, I give a rating to what I’m reading, and sometimes I’ll write a short review. I want to enjoy what I’m reading again, not read merely out of duty. So, you’ll still find the occasional review here, but not as many as before.

Your turn! What are among the best books you’ve read this year? What books are you looking forward to in 2014?