Take Back Your Time by Morgan Tyree

Organization! Who doesn't want more organization in their lives?! I was excited to read this new book by Morgan Tyree called Take Back Your Time. I'm always feeling like I'm running behind when it comes to my life being what I dream it could be. And this seems to be a normal feeling for young moms with young kids. So when a book comes out about time management, I pick it up and hope that finally something will click for me.
Morgan's book has a unique way of looking at time management with dividing your time into different "time zones"--Green (focus energy time), Yellow (multitasking time), and Red (personal time).  She encourages her reader to embrace the season they are in at this moment. So many times we feel like we should be accomplishing more, but the season of life we are in doesn't allow for it. I love that she takes this into consideration.
Morgan says, "With different seasons of life come different opportunities and obligations. Recognizing your current season of life is essential to knowing how to intentionally orchestrate your time." (loc.160 in ebook)
I loved all the questions that Morgan includes throughout her book to help guide you in implementing the time management strategies that she teaches. They are definitely a useful tool! I also enjoyed the section on how your personality plays into your management of time. I guess I never really thought about how my personality would influence this part of my life. Morgan also advises that you keep a "Done List." I'm not sure why I never did this before, but it is brilliant. I am forever saying to my husband when he asks how my day went that I can't remember what on earth I did that day!  I think this happens so much when you are at home with the children. Life seems to fly and you are busy all day long picking up messes and feeding kids, but when you get to the end of the day, it just all blurs together! So keeping a simple list of the tasks I accomplish will help me to see that I have been productive throughout my day.  And last but not least, I appreciate that Morgan says that our greatest influence with our time management is God. "The most significant thing you can do to positively impact your time management and find the sweet spot is to lean into God and his direction for your time. He has given you the Holy Spirit to help you through each hour of your life. Press into his guidance and his still small voice." (loc.1839 of ebook) This was encouraging to read that the author acknowledged the priority of God in directing our steps.
If you're looking for a little direction with your time management, pick up Morgan Tyree's new book, Take Back Your Time and start learning how to better management the time that God has given you.

Check out Morgan's Website, Podcast, and social Media below:

Website:  https://www.morganizewithme.com/
Podcast:  https://www.morganizewithme.com/podcast
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MorganizeWithMe?fref=ts
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/morganizewithme/?hl=en
Twitter: https://twitter.com/morganizewithme
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/morgantyree/

About the Author:

 

Hi there! I’m Morgan, a professional organizer (chaos calmer), writer (list lover), and fitness instructor (exercise enthusiast). I’m generally energetic and motivated, but also (very) realistic. My life tends to be full and fun, and somewhat messy too. I believe in prioritizing and measuring progress one day at a time, while also “keeping it simple.” 

***I received this complimentary book from Revell. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

Underestimating Miss Cecilia by Carolyn Miller (Daughters of Aynsley book 2)

Underestimating Miss Cecilia is a new book out by Carolyn Miller that is the second book in her newest series, The Daughters of Aynsley. This series takes place during the Regency era of the early 1800's in Somerset, England.

From the Back Cover:
Cecilia Hatherleigh has many secrets in her shy, sweet heart--but none bigger than her unrequited love for Edward Amherst, the earl's son next door. Her love has persevered over many years, even when he grows to be a bit of a rake. Yet despite his fondness for females, he never seems to see her as anything more than the quiet younger sister, and nothing Cecy does has changed that. Rather than pining after his perhaps unworthy love, she determines to focus on her new found faith, following God's leading to make a better world for the poor and dispossessed around her.
A London riot awakens Edward to the responsibilities due his family name. It's time to turn his life around to please his noble father--and that means restoring his abandoned legal career and making a marriage of convenience. Neither will be easy, given his past and the prejudices of the upper echelons of society to which he belongs.
When misadventure strikes at a house party, these two are thrown together even as their lives are upended. If Cecy can't trust God, overcome her shyness, and find her inner strength, the good work they've both done may be for naught--and they may miss the chance for true love...

My Thoughts:
Miss Cecilia is that middle, overlooked child. She's always trying to be the peacemaker and please her mother, yet inside she is restless. Edward Amherst is the son of an Earl who has played the part of the prodigal son. He yearns to make up for the mistakes in his past, but how many good deeds does he have to do to get rid of the guilt? The author does a great job in growing their characters throughout the book. I love how the author incorporates biblical thoughts and ideas throughout the story as the characters come to realize that pleasing God alone should be their highest goal. The thoughts are not cheesy or forced but flow well and are a great asset to the story line. I enjoyed this paragraph where Edward was struggling with thoughts about whether God had forgiven him for all that he had done.

     "A guilty sinner? Or forgiven? Burdened to restitution for which he'd never make sufficient amends? or set free? Was his life focused on good deeds? Or was he to focus on a good God?
Did God truly see him as a forgiven sinner, or a sinner who was forgiven? Which was greater in His eyes? Somehow, he felt the answer to this would dictate the rest of his life." (p. 186)

This is a story of forgiveness, trust in God and compassion for those less fortunate. I thought that this story was an enjoyable read and a good addition to this series. I'm looking forward to read about the youngest daughters of Aynsley, Misleading Miss Verity, which comes out in November 2019.

One final note: I would definitely read this series in order, so that you are familiar with the characters. In fact, some characters mentioned in this book come from her previous series, The Promise of Hope. I love that I seem familiar characters pop up from previous novels!

My Rating: ★★★★

***I received this complimentary book from Kregel Publications. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.