Book Review: The Ministry of Ordinary Places

As a white woman in the Midwest, I've lived a relatively privileged life. This is not to say there hasn't been hardship, as my family has struggled firsthand with suicide, mental illness, and the loss of a child. And yet, we have a certain amount of stability now. We have two delightful children. My husband and I both have college degrees and are gainfully employed. Life is comfortable. However, as a woman of faith, I see how Jesus lived his life. He sought out those who were marginalized, he upended everyone's expectations as to who mattered, granting value and dignity to all. He was present to those who were struggling, welcoming them to himself. How do I reconcile these disparate examples? Is giving generously enough to free us from other obligations? And when we admit that it isn't, what other steps should be taken?

The Ministry of Ordinary Places: Waking Up to God's Goodness Around You by Shannan Martin was a powerful, beautifully written call to challenge us in our comfort, to urge us to do the big, hard everyday work around us, to be vulnerable, transparent, and generous. Martin writes of the comfortable life she and her husband had, then the growing conviction that that wasn't enough.

They moved to a different neighborhood and her husband became the chaplain at the prison; slowly they opened their home and their lives. Martin is quick to mention how this is not an example of them being noble, reaching out to those less than; instead, she admits how she is rocked by getting out of her echo chamber and learning what it is to be authentic, to be intentional, to be hospitable, to connect.

Martin frankly shares how her perspective steadily changed, and she doesn't shirk away from detailing the difficult relationships or the continued work taking place in herself and in her family. I found it a poignant, transparent reflection on how one can take steps to be less closed off and more vulnerable and I will be continuing to process this book.

I'm going to close with an excerpt from her introduction, a rallying cry to all of us:

"As Christ-followers, we are called to be long-haul neighbors committed to authenticity and willing to take some risks. Our vocation is to invest deeply in the lives of those around us, devoted to one another, physically close to each other as we breathe the same air and walk the same blocks. Our purpose is not so mysterious after all. We get to love and be deeply loved right where we're planted, by whomever happens to be near. We will inevitably encounter brokenness we cannot fix, solve, or understand, and we'll feel as small, uncertain, and outpaced as we have ever felt. But we'll find our very lives in this calling, to be among people as Jesus was, and it will change everything."

(I received a digital ARC from Nelson Books via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. I've used Amazon Affiliate links here; should you purchase through these links, I receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you.)

Book Review: The Art of Visual Notetaking

When I take notes, it's a wall of text; periodically, I'll see pictures shared of others who create this visually appealing record of a meeting, filled with images that complement the text. We have the same information, but mine is harder to navigate.

Enter the new book The Art of Visual Notetaking. In it, Emily Mills shares her insights in how to gain the ability to take visual notes. She stresses the purpose of visual notetaking is to present information in a way that encourages retention.

Mills sprinkles the text with regular illustrations to convey points. She recognizes most might feel intimidated by their lack of drawing ability, so she offers drawing advice and exercises. Every step of the process is covered, from possible layouts to selection of writing utensils to steps that can be done in advance and how and when to add color and depth. There are even suggestions for individuals who may want to take visual notes professionally, as she does.

In addition to giving exercises to practice the various techniques of visual note taking, Mills also offers practical suggestions for getting experience in a low-pressure environment, including taking written notes from a previous conference or talk and converting them to incorporate visuals, as well as watching a youtube video like a Ted talk to allow opportunities to create content as it's being delivered.

I went from thinking I could never be able to take visual notes to finding scenarios in which I want to attempt it, based on the guidance Mills offers. For instance, I imagine playing around with visual notes when it comes to my reading log - cataloging highlights of a book with a notable quote or two, author or genre information, and my impressions. For those who bullet journal, I imagine these concepts would translate well to travel or journal spreads.

This practical book is a useful resource to those who are inexperienced but motivated to learn the skill of visual notetaking.

(I received a digital ARC from Quarto Publishing Group via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. I've used Amazon Affiliate links here; should you purchase through these links, I receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you.)

Book Review: The Printed Letter Bookshop

Katherine Reay's books all have a love of literature present, whether she is writing a new take on a classic or whether, as in The Printed Letter Bookshop, a bookstore is front and center and quotations are offered or titles are mentioned or alluded to.

The narrative fluctuates among three women who are lost and overwhelmed in the world, whether they realize it or not -- there's Madeleine, the high achieving young woman striving to become the next partner in her law firm; Janet, the divorced mom whose grown son sided with the father and keeps his distance from her; and Claire, the mom whose husband is often out of state for work and who is disconnected from her children, who opt for friends' homes over their distant mother.

The Printed Letter Bookshop is what brings these women together; it is a beloved location, but when Maddie, the newly deceased owner, fought sickness, the bookstore struggled, to the point where its continued presence in the community is in doubt.

At the center, our three protagonists have been given a book list from Maddie, each a curated list of titles that, when read, have a common theme demonstrating a way each woman can enhance and improve her life; "Maddie's books provided a trail, like breadcrumbs, leading me to who I want to be or maybe back to who I once set out to be..." Slowly, each character takes steps to change their lives for the better.

I have found Reay's work to be uneven - for example, I adored Dear Mr Knightley but found A Portrait of Emily Price lackluster. However, I was pleased with this title; it was a read that was a pleasant, light-hearted accompaniment for the close of this school year.

(I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. I've used Amazon Affiliate links here; should you purchase through these links, I receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you.)

Book Review: Smash Poetry Journal

When I was teaching seventh grade English, most class days began with five minutes of writing. Students always had the option to write on a topic of their own choosing, but most preferred working with a prompt. I would brainstorm topics and then write them down so they could be used for other classes down the road. I was constantly looking for resources to save me time of drafting new topics every day.

I recently reviewed another volume of writing prompts -- geared towards fiction -- and was sorely disappointed in the quality of the text. So when I approached Smash Poetry Journal, I went in hoping for a successful execution but being level-headed after my recent disappointment. Author Robert Lee Brewer began a poetry blog in 2008; he began posting daily poetry prompts in hopes readers would share their poems to create interaction and accountability. This book grew from his practice of providing those prompts. I shouldn't have been anxious -- this book is excellent.

Poetry writing came more naturally to my mother and a couple of my siblings; when I sit down to do it, I enjoy the exercise, but it's not as fluid for me, and I don't have ideas bursting forth without concerted effort. I need to get alone and give myself time to think. Ideally, I've been steeping myself in poetry. Only then can I create an environment to write poetry, if I have inspiration.

As I was reading this book, I flagged the prompts that I wanted to return to in order to try my hand at some poetry again. I'm almost embarrassed to admit that I bookmarked an astonishing 70 of the 125 prompts (I've bought knitting books for only one or two patterns in the entire volume before, so finding so much to employ in an idea book like this is no small accomplishment). These are written in ways that get my creative juices flowing and my fingers itching to write and I anticipate spending a quiet lunch hour seeing what I create.

I highly recommend Smash Poetry Journal. This book is a strong addition for a teacher who wants to foster a poetry-writing environment in her classroom, or for the average individual -- like me -- who enjoys creating poetry but sometimes gets hung up on generating a topic or theme.

(I received a digital ARC from F+W Media via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. I've used Amazon Affiliate links here; should you purchase through these links, I receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you.)