Wednesday, December 31, 2014

2nd annual books I've read (and loved!) in 2014

Yall, I love to read. I often get asked when I find the time to read. Being a teacher, the answer to that is that I read several books over spring break, summer break, fall break, and Christmas break. Breaks are when I can feel normal again! So below you will find the books I read (and absolutely loved) in 2014. I wrote a similar post about the books I read and loved in 2013 last year. You can find that post here.
 
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Books I've Read and Loved in 2014:
I've linked to all book titles to where you can purchase them on Amazon and also find a brief description of each
 
1. Dark Places by: Gillian Flynn
If you loved Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn (it was turned into a movie), then you're going to love Gillian Flynn's other 2 books. They are obviously less known than Gone Girl, but I actually think they are better. Dark Places is incredibly chilling, disturbing, and mysterious. I read it in 2 days. It is that good!
 
2. Sharp Objects by: Gillian Flynn
Once again, this book is written by Gillian Flynn, the same woman who wrote Gone Girl. This book was sooo creepy. I don't understand how this woman can write these creepy, disturbing books and still be normal herself. I read this book in 1 day. It was such a great mystery! I thought I had it all figured out and then it all changed in the last 2 chapters. It is a very interesting read!
 
3. The Crossfire Series by: Sylvia Day (Bared to You, Reflected in You, Entwined with You)
This book series is incredibly similar to 50 Shades of Grey. So if you liked 50... you've got to read this series! Judge all you want friends... yes I've read 50 and yes I've read this series. The love stories are seriously what hooked me in! Sylvia Day writes an incredibly romantic love story that is far from perfect and surprisingly full of suspense and mystery. Eva and Gideon's romance is a whirlwind and borderline crazy, but I still love it. Sylvia Day just came out with a 4th book (Captivated by You) which I plan to read in 2015.
 
4. I Didn't Come Here to Make Friends by: Courtney Robertson
I hated Courtney on Ben's season of the Bachelor, but after reading her book, I kind of absolutely love her. She spills so many secrets in this book! If you are a fan of the Bachelor or Bachelorette, then you have to read her book! It is so juicy and you will end up falling in love with Courtney by the end of it.
 
5. The One and Only by: Emily Giffin
This book reminds me a lot of Friday Night Lights (which I absolutely loved). Once I got past the creepiness of this book (a 20 something girl ending up with her best friend's father)... I really liked the story. It was a nice vacation read. It sucked me in right away which I like from a book.
 
6. Labor Day by: Joyce Maynard
When I heard this was being made into a movie, I knew I had to read the book first. After I read the book, I thought there's no way I'm going to see the movie! I absolutely loved this book and the love story that unfolds. It also has some mystery in it which I something I love in a book. As of today, I still haven't seen the movie. However, it's on Netflix now and yall know how I love Netflix so I may be watching it soon! UPDATE: I finally watched the movie and it crushed me. I cried the last 15 minutes. The movie was identical to the book and definitely did it justice!
 
7. Wonder by: R.J. Palacio
Yall... this book crushed me. I cried my eyes out too many times. It came to me as a recommendation from my post from last year about the books I've read and I'm so glad that I took the time to read it. It also opened my eyes as a teacher and challenged me.
 
8. Yes Please by: Amy Poehler
Everyone should be saying YES PLEASE to this book! I absolutely love Amy Poehler and her book is no exception. She is funny and relatable. I found myself literally laughing out loud. You will love this book!
 
9. If I Stay by: Gayle Forman
I have a problem with reading books that are being turned into movies and then never seeing the movie. I still haven't seen this movie! The book was fantastic. I loved the flashbacks and seeing everything from a dying girl's point of view. Incredibly heartbreaking and enlightening. I need to see the movie soon!
 
10. The One (the 3rd book in The Selection Series) by: Kiera Cass
 If you read my post from last year then you know that I was OBSESSED with this series. It's got love, royalty, and a bit of the Bachelor feel in it which are my 3 favorite things. Well, the 3rd book came out in May (The One), and I devoured it in a day. It was so good and I was incredibly happy with how the series ended! Then I found out... she's writing a fourth book! The Heir comes out in May 2015 and I can't wait to read it!

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Books I want to read in 2015:
 
1. Captivated by You (the 4th book in The Crossfire Series) by: Sylvia Day
I just can't stay away from Eva and Gideon's love story. Looking forward to reading this one soon!
 
2. Wild by: Cheryl Strayed
I saw the movie and now I'm dying to read the book! I absolutely loved the movie and I thought Reese Witherspoon did a fantastic job. I hope I enjoy the book just as much!
 
3. Bad Feminist by: Roxanne Gay
Who doesn't love a book about feminism?

4. The Heir (the 4th book in The Selection Series) by: Kiera Cass
I thought this series was done and then Kiera surprised us with a 4th book! I am thrilled and cannot wait to read it once it comes out in May.
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Are there any books I should be reading in 2015? What books do you love? Let me know!

From one bookworm to another,
Elizabeth
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Sunday, August 3, 2014

I'll see the goodness of the Lord

Disclaimer: I've been hovering over this blog post for awhile now. Honestly, because I'm scared. It's scary to be open and transparent and invite people into your personal life. However, I've got a testimony to be shared and I will proclaim the goodness of the Lord to anyone who will listen! With that being said, keep reading if that's something you're interested in hearing.

I've got no cutesy pictures, no inspired words, no catchy phrases to go with this blog post. My hopes in writing this is to 1. share what the Lord has done/is doing in my life and 2. hopefully lift someone up who's been struggling with God's plan for their life.

Let's rewind to January 2014. For reasons that I'm choosing to keep private, I knew without a doubt that the Lord was stirring in my heart that it was time to move on from my current teaching position. Like I said, I'm keeping it private as to exactly HOW I knew that, but just trust me. It's between God and I anyway, right? So as soon as I knew it was time to leave, I began praying and praying for God to put me exactly where he wanted me to be. Did he want me in Metro? Did he want me in Murfreesboro? Public school? Private school? Elementary school? Middle school? I didn't care. Wherever God wanted me to be, I was game. (Note: I could still return to my old teaching job if another position didn't work out. I was just looking for something different.)

I interviewed for a school in late January kind of "under the table" because there weren't any open positions yet, but would be towards the end of the year. I waited and waited and prayed and prayed. This was the perfect school/situation for me (so I thought). Around the middle of April, I found out that they weren't able to offer me a position. I was DEVASTATED. But, Lord, this is where I wanted to be and I thought it was perfect for me... why wouldn't you put me there?! But alas, I trusted God that he had a purpose for it all and I moved on to other schools. (I later found out God's reason for me not being at this school... He's good y'all!)

This would go on for MONTHS. I would interview for a teaching job I thought I was perfect for and that I really wanted and I wouldn't get it. I just did not understand. I seriously went on at least 5 interviews and did not get those positions. What was going on?! I was exhausted, worried, nervous, and scared. The human in me was thinking "I'm a great teacher. I've got great TEAM evaluation scores. I'm highly qualified and trained. Why am I not getting these jobs?!" (The Lord later revealed to me the reasons why I didn't get all of those positions and he's still revealing some of the reasons. He was working on something bigger and better for me than anything I had dreamed for myself.)

I began to lose hope. It was summer now and most of the positions online were filled. However in the middle of June, I received an email asking me to interview at an elementary school in Murfreesboro. 5 minutes from my house. Where I actually went to elementary school at for 9 years. Where I still know some of the teachers at. WHAT?! Lord, is THIS what you had in store for me? Is this your plan?! I was so hopeful. I interviewed and then the next day the principal called me offering me a 1st grade teaching position. I gleefully and thankfully accepted that position, hung up the phone, and balled my eyes out. Then I praised God and have been praising him ever since for what He did in my life. (I couldn't announce that I had gotten the job until the beginning of July for HR reasons, but believe me I wanted to SCREAM it to everyone!!!)

So, the reason I write all of this is not to toot my own horn and show you how great I am. I hope you don't get that from this post. I write this to show you that sometimes things don't work out and our human brains are so confused. Why would God do that? Doesn't God want me to be happy? The answer is YES. Just wait. Things may not get better in the next day, month, or year. It took me over 6 months to see His plan for me unfold (and I know He's not done yet... He's got even more in store for me!). Don't lose hope. Keep praying. Keep being faithful. God will reward your faithfulness! I know how hard it is. I know how much you want to give up. Those 6 months were the hardest I've been through. But, I've seen the goodness of the Lord unfold in my life and I'm so thankful I stayed strong and faithful during that time!

Here are some songs that helped me during those 6 months of waiting. I would literally listen to these all. the. time. On the way to school, at school (before the kids got there), on the way home, while I was grading papers... all the time! If you haven't heard some of them, definitely check them out! (I've linked to each song on YouTube so you can listen!)

 

I hope that this post brings you hope or inspiration to stay strong. I've got an amazing testimony of God's faithfulness in my life and I'm so happy to share it with all of you! Keep praying for God's will in your life and stay strong. He will deliver you. Thank you for reading!
 
"The Lord is my light and salvation. Whom shall I fear? Whom shall I be afraid?"
-Elizabeth


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