Podcast Review: Emily P. Freeman
I’ve mentioned Emily’s podcast multiple times. She blesses my soul regularly! The quote below was in her latest episode. I love it!
Book Review: A Curious Faith
I just finished reading Lore Ferguson Wilbert’s book, A Curious Faith. By applying to serve on her launch team, I had access to an early copy of the book.
I was first introduced to Lore’s writing on Instagram when a dear friend said how much she appreciated Lore’s posts. In following Lore, I realized how talented she is with words and thoughts but more than that, the vulnerability with which she wrote tugged at my heart.
In A Curious Faith, Lore shares some of her work in deconstructing and rebuilding her faith. A Rilke quote caught her attention, “Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves … Do not now seek the answers … Live the questions!” Lore had been in church settings where questions were not valued, and this idea of exploring her questions resonated deeply with her.
In her book, she takes a deep dive into the questions in scripture, the questions God asks His people, the questions we ask God, and last, questions we wish someone would ask us. Lore briefly explores the biblical narrative around these 30 questions and then applies them to her life and ours. She defines curiosity as a spiritual discipline essential to our growth.
Lore shares that “living her questions” did not destabilize her; instead, they led to more surety and hope in God. Lore writes, “If we don’t make space for curiosity in the Christian life, we will become content with a one-dimensional god, a god made more in our own image than the God who made us in his image.“
As I read her book, I was reminded repeatedly how much God loves us. Lore writes, “I want this book to be a reminder to people struggling that God loves them, and within that love, there is a wide expanse of grace and goodness.” For me – her goal is achieved!
The book will release on Tuesday, August 2, in all your favorite book stores!
Movie Review, “Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris”
Rarely do the critics and audience agree on movie ratings, but on Rotten Tomatoes, “Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris” is 93-94% – high kudos for a movie these days. It’s an old-fashioned story, charming and entertaining.
Mrs. Harris is a widow, a cleaning lady, and a cheerful, kind-hearted soul. She is also a dreamer, which is the foundation for the story. When Mrs. Harris sees a dress at a client’s home that captures her imagination, she determines that she wants a fancy dress!. Then she finds out the dress is from the House of Dior, and her mind is made up!
Now, this is not a realistic story, not a biopic. Instead, this is where a bit of story-making magic is infused into the plot line. You can’t help to begin to root for Mrs. Harris, definitely an underdog in the fashion world. And you want to see her dream come true.
I won’t give it all away – no need – I’m sure you can figure out what happens! BUT the movie is still worth seeing, even if it is predictable and simple. Besides, it is super hot in TX, and the theater is cold! The movie is a great retreat into a different time, place, and experience.
Informative Media Review, Kite and Key Media
Recently I heard about Kite and Key from Sharon McMahon, a former high school government teacher who is on a mission to combat political misinformation by sharing non-partisan facts about the US government and democracy. (I can highly recommend @SharonSaysSo on Instagram – such a great “follow!”) McMahon recommended Kite and Key a few weeks ago as worth following on Instagram.
I’ve been exploring their site. Kite and Key have a great sense of humor, and they explore interesting questions. They also share their research and recommend further reading. The Kite and Key byline is, “The world is complicated, but the explanations don’t have to be!” Do you wonder if space exploration is worth it? Do we spend too much on the military? What states have the highest tax burden? Which states have the lowest tax burden? Is college worth it?
So far, all of the videos I have watched are less than 10 minutes long, informative, funny, and illustrate the best in videography. If I were still teaching high school, I could see using some of their videos in class! As it is, I love information, so for now, I’m looking for the next best question to explore!
Psalm 33, A Call to Hope
I’m trying something a bit different today – sharing with you a reading from Psalm 33. Psalm 33 reminds us to put our hope in the Lord.
Now may the God of hope
fill you with all joy and peace
as you believe
so that you may overflow with hope
by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 15:13 CSB
