Ann Voskamp's One Thousand Gifts

Trailer for the Book


I just finished reading Ann Voskamp's One Thousand Gifts.  I wanted to participate in the Bloom Book Club when they chose to go through this book, but that did not happen.  I have included all the videos links in the bottom of this post that they posted online while reading through this book.  The videos are done by Angie Smith (author of I Will Carry You), Jessica Turner and Ann Voskamp.  You can read through each chapter and watched the corresponding video with it to hear Ann describe each chapter in her own words.

This book made me cry as I thought about my own pain with my brother's passing away (Oct. 8, 1999) and the year I faced 3 miscarriages (May '04, Nov. '04, and Feb. '05).  This book touched my heart.  Ann does a beautiful job of writing her feelings and thoughts so descriptively.  She writes the questions that many of us think deep within our hearts after we face a devastating tragedy...questions that we dare not say out loud for fear of what others might think of us.

"Can there be a good God? A God who graces with good gifts when a crib lies empty through long nights, and bugs burrow through coffins?  Where is God, really?  How can He be good when babies die, and marriages implode, and dreams blow away, dust in the wind? ...Where hides this joy of the Lord, this God who fills the earth with good things, and how do I fully live when life is full of hurt?" (pg. 12)

It isn't until a friend dares Ann to list one thousand gifts that things begin to really change in her life. She begins to list not the things she wants, but the gifts she has already been given.  It begins to help her see the grace of God in her life in the little everyday things from jam on toast to nature outside and more.  She learns what it means to be thankful and it changes her life. 

"When the laundry is for the dozen arms of children or the dozen legs, it's true, I think I'm due some appreciation.  So comes a storm of trouble and lightning strikes joy.  But when Christ is at the center, when dishes, laundry, work is my song of thanks to Him, joy rains."  (pg. 194)  I love this.   It's exactly what I face every day.  And like Ann says in the book, it's a daily choice of gratitude and with that choice, my whole outlook on life changes b/c life is not about me but about Christ.  I know that I have struggled with the goodness of God in all of the tragedy too and I'm looking forward to putting what Ann has talked about into practice.  The practice of giving thanks...in all things...even the hard ones.  I desire for the Lord to change this heart that has been angry for so long and that He would restore the joy and peace that only He can give....yes, two of His many gifts to someone like me who is so undeserving.

This is one of those books that you must read.  So go to your local bookstore or check it out from the library and enjoy a book that will change your perspective on life.

Video Links

Video Chapter 1          Video Chapter 5          Video Chapter 9

Video Chapter 2         Video Chapter 6          Video Chapter 10

Video Chapter 3         Video Chapter 7          Video Chapter 11

Video Chapter 4         Video Chapter 8          Video Chapter 12

**I checked this book out from my local library of my own free will. :)

Craving Grace by Lisa Velthouse

Craving Grace by Lisa Velthouse is a memoir that begins with a girl who thinks she is doing everything right and trying to please God by what she is doing.  When things fall apart, she thinks maybe she isn't doing enough.  She feels as though she needs to earn God's favor toward her.  Her biggest success is that she has been saving her first kiss for her fiance/husband.  Then one day, she decides to fast for 6 months from sweets and everything turns upside down.  Lisa learns a lot as she goes on this journey that takes her from relying on her works to relying on the grace of God in her life.

Before I sat down with this book, I wasn't sure what to expect from this author.  It was an easy read (I read it in just a few days).  I think that most human beings can identify with the author in that we struggle with trying to win God's favor with our works instead of realizing that God loves us no matter what.  I appreciated her honesty with her struggle to let grace reign in her life.  But, there were times while I was reading that I got lost in the time line of her life since she would jumped back and forth in the story from three years before to the present.  I also wished that the author would of pointed to Christ more often since He is our sole source of grace.  I would have to say that this book's rating is okay.  It's the type of book that you could either take it or leave it.


**I received a complimentary copy of the book for review purposes from Tyndale House.

God Gave Us Two by Lisa Tawn Bergren

God Gave Us Two is an adorable little story that helps little ones who are facing the addition of a new baby into their family.  What will life be like after the new baby comes?  Throughout the book the parents reassure their little cub that "God gave us you.  Now he's given us two!"

I loved the book.  I think the author does a great job presenting the simple questions a toddler or preschooler might have with a new baby on the horizon.  I like that the author brings in all the great things the little bear cub will be able to teach the new baby since she is the big sister.  It gives the child something to look forward to especially since they like to be little helpers at the toddler or preschool age.  The illustrations by Laura J. Bryant are pleasing to the eye and captivating enough to hold the attention of small audience members.  I highly recommend this book.  This would be a great gift for a family that is expecting their 2nd child.  Below is a cute coloring page from the book for your little one to color.

**I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

God Gave Us Two - Coloring Page

Bookie Woogie Blog--book reviews done by a dad and his kids

Our friends the Zenz family were on TV today.  You can see the video below.


Their book review blog is great.  They talk about different books they have read and even review some of the books authors.  You can read their blog here at Bookie Woogie.

Kay Arthur's When the Hurt Runs Deep

I just finished reading a great book by Kay Arthur called When the Hurt Runs Deep.  As someone who has gone through some deep trials in life, I really appreciated this book.  Kay Arthur has a done a great job addressing the hard times of life by pointing readers to the only true Healer, God.  She too has gone through some deep valleys and knows first hand how difficult it can be to turn your focus off of your overwhelming circumstance and back onto the only One who can help.
When addressing the issue of being angry with God, Kay writes, "...if you continue to hold on to anger against the One who loves you most, then realize this: that anger will become a deadly cancer--a cancer of the soul--that will eventually destroy you.  It will rob you of peace, joy and ministry." (pgs. 45-46)  She uses the lives of David, Job and Joseph among others to draw conclusions about how to react in different heartbreaking situations.  When talking about the benefits of suffering, Kay writes, "If God chooses to allow suffering to enter your experience in order to advance His purposes in your life and give you a deeper experience of Him, the worst thing you could do would be to react in anger and bitterness.  By doing so, you are essentially saying, 'God, I don't want Your plan for my life.  If I have to endure this heartache, then I don't want You to advance Your purposes in me.  I don't want Your provision of extra grace and the sense of Your nearness, because the price is too high!'" (pgs. 146-147)

A great feature of this book is that there is a study guide in the back that can be used for individual or group study.  She has done a fabulous job with the study guide.  I love that she does not ask you to re-write what she said in the book.  She asks great questions that point you to the Scriptures and get you thinking.
I highly recommend this book for anyone who is going through a difficult experience and struggling with anger towards God or others, depression, forgiveness, and many other issues dealing with emotional pain. 

*I received this book free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.


Below you can read the 12 healing truths that Kay Arthur covers in her book and see the first 4 chapters in the study guide.  This book is available in hardcover and eBook.

Chapter 1 of Kay Arthur's book

When The Hurt Runs Deep: Healing Truths by Kay Arthur (Chapter 1)

Study Guide

When the Hurt Runs Deep by Kay Arthur (Study Guide)