Giveaway: The Ultimate 2018 Summer Reading List for Weary Moms (Ended)

To that end, I've selected ten books to read--or more likely, listen to on Audible--this summer. Nine of them are books that have been recommended to me when speaking to others about this pursuit of God's rest.

I'm fascinated by the array of titles and themes that come to people's minds when they consider what it means to rest in Him, and I sense that out of this diversity of titles will emerge a mosaic of images and ideas that--when considered as a whole--point me ever closer to Him. 

And of course, being the fiction fanatic that I am, I had to throw a new fiction title in there, too, lest the summer be incomplete. 

If you, like me, are feeling weary and in need of some spiritual rest and replenishment this summer, I have amazing news for you. I am giving away five of these titles to one lucky reader so that you, too, can experience the rest you need this summer. Read on for details on how to enter the giveaway. 

One grand prize winner will win the top five books on the summer reading list: Teaching from Rest, Present over Perfect, The Tech-Wise Family, Whispers of Rest, and As Bright As Heaven.

I feel like Sarah is speaking right to my heart, as though she took the words right out of my too-cluttered-to-think-properly brain. If you, like me, feel like a slave to your curriculum, like you need to get through everything but there is never enough time to sit down and do that, and if that is causing a lot of stress in your life, this book is for you. I think it will lead us back to the heart of homeschooling so that we can build a solid foundation of restful learning in our homes, upon which we can build up strong educational frameworks. 

There is also a printable companion journal that could come in handy if you find yourself writing as many notes as I am.

"And I see that I do want out. I’m tired of the busyness. I’m tired of the anger, and the fear, and the self-loathing. I’m tired of feeling resentful all the time, and I’m really, really tired of being tired."

Shauna's book is an invitation to join her on a journey "from frantic pushing and proving, and toward your essential self, the one you were created to be before you began proving and earning for your worth." 

I, for one, cannot wait! You can read a sample chapter here, if you sign up for Shauna's mailing list. There is also a study guide that could be used if you want to read this with a small group. 

Despite--or perhaps, because of--my husband's and my own appreciation for technology and its usefulness, we've managed to downplay its prevalence in our home for many years. We went ten years without a television and I've only had a smart phone for the past two years, and even then only because I can use it to listen to Spotify in our minivan! 

But now, as our daughters enter their pre-teen years, we find that technology is increasingly finding its way into our lives. They've started delving into online classes, Internet research, and the use of media to convey their ideas and projects. As they become more independent of us and more dependent on technology, I expect that The Tech-Wise Family will be a perfect starting point for some of these conversations we'll need to have in order to put technology in its proper place, whatever that ends up looking like for our family. 

I think this 40-day devotional by Bonnie Gray is an antidote to those feelings of insufficiency. It opens with the following words: "Sometimes the world can make you feel small. It can be a crowded place, so many voices. Loud. Insistent that you have something to show. For who you are. And what you have to offer. What you hold in your heart--faith, hope, and love--can feel inadequate. As you see what others are offering, you may be tempted to put your hopes and dreams back in your pocket. And close the door of your heart to the possibility of who you really are. Don't listen to those voices. Step closer to the One voice who knows you."

I love how this book approaches the subject of God's rest from a devotional perspective, as it allows the reader to really soak in the message and absorb it more fully.  Each day's pages include a short exposition, a look at a relevant Bible passage and its application to our lives today, a message written to you from the perspective of Jesus (based on passages of scripture), a short prayer, and reflection questions. There is some space included for writing down responses, but you'll probably want to keep a notebook at hand as well since there is so much to reflect on here. 

I'm so excited to bless one lucky reader with these five books. As I was writing up the descriptions, I was filled with a renewed sense of promise; I feel these books have crossed my path for a reason and I know I will be transformed by their collective wisdom.

If you want to win all five books (Teaching from Rest, Present over Perfect, Tech-Wise Family, Whispers of Rest, and As Bright as Heaven), click on the image below to go to the contest entry page.

As I mentioned before, there are ten books on this summer reading list. You may be wondering how I decided which ones to include in the giveaway. While I expect every title on this list to be a worthwhile read, I wanted to give away a nice variety of books that would touch on several different topics. 

The rest of this summer reading list is a little narrower, and are predominately focused on spiritual disciplines, chiefly rest. I'm eager to explore the relationship between spiritual disciplines, rest, joy, and a sense of purpose. Perhaps you are also hungry for a larger feast of these subjects and will want to read all of them; but in any case, I think any one or two of them would give you a good starting point. 

Let's dig in!

Each chapter examines one quality of God's character (He is good, He is trustworthy, He is generous, etc.) followed by soul training: nine exercises to incorporate into your life to embed the narrative of Jesus more deeply into our minds, bodies, and souls. The Good and Beautiful God is the first instalment of Smith's The Apprentice Series, which also includes The Good and Beautiful Life and The Good and Beautiful Community. 

This book was recommended to me by a dear friend who, among other things, is currently studying to be a worship leader. Here's what she had to say about the book: "Culture Care builds on the creation care movement. It calls people (artists in particular, but really anyone who creates--that's pretty much all of us!) to practice stewardship of culture. To shape and nurture culture so that people can flourish in it! 

"I personally loved Culture Care because I feel like I was made to do culture care. Yes. Caring for culture (doing what I can to help create a culture where people can flourish) is something I've naturally tried to do with my life before hearing the phrase 'culture care.' But hearing the concept put into words by Makoto Fujimura, reading his analogies/real life examples/vision, realizing that culture care is something we all have the ability (and responsibility) to participate in--this has been life-changing! Maybe it will be life-changing for you too?"

I've never before thought of rest as being sacred, and I'm intrigued to find out how the author combines the science of rest, the spirituality of rest, the gifts of rest, and the resulting fruit of rest.

As I briefly hinted at above, busyness has become like a drug that we are addicted to, numbing our pain and helping us get through our days without having to deal with the troubles of our souls. This idea became crystal clear to me when, on a long-awaited day of rest, I was suddenly filled with a profound yet inexplicable sadness and my immediate reaction was, "I need to get busy again. Right now."