August - A Month in Review
/August—I don’t even know where the month went. You can clearly tell since it is almost the middle of September when you are receiving this review. I published this for the sake of consistency and because these reviews truly help me evaluate my success and failures.
Mental Fitness– This month, I spent a lot of time reading/listening to books and podcasts, and actually surpassed my goal of reading four books (yay!). It was such a good reading month that I found it difficult to pick a favorite book. Most of my reads were very good but in different ways.
The Nightingale brilliantly took me to WWII era, seeing the impact of Nazi Germany in France. We Saved You A Seat was an excellent bible study onfriendship. Chip and Joanna Gaines masterfully told their journey through faith, family, and business; and Candace Cameron Bure, aka DJ from Full house, did a great job connecting faith and fitness in “Reshaping it All.” The one book I can’t talk positively about is Monsoon Mansion... I had to fight to finish it. If you’ve read it, what did you think?
Yes... I am one of "those people" who have to finish a book after I’ve started it. Anne Bogel would be disappointed... (Check out her Podcast – What Should I Read Next).
Books read (in no particular order):
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
We Saved You A Seat by Lisa-Jo Baker
Monsoon Mansion: A Memoirby Cinelle Barnes
The Magnolia Story: Chip and Joanna Gaines
Reshaping it All: Motivation for Physical and Spiritual Fitness by Candace Cameron Bure
Favorite Book:
The Nightingale
Why? If I HAD to pick one, I would choose The Nightingale. Historical Fiction is my new favorite genre, and I loved being transported to France during WWII. I find myself very appreciative of my life and the era I was born. Needless to say, I don't know how women survived in the mid-1900's.
Favorite Podcast:
Rise Together by Rachel and Dave Hollis
Why? Okay, I was hesitant to mention this podcast for a few reasons. The biggest one being the controversy between authentic Christianity and what Rachel preaches about. Ultimately, Rachel is not perfect, nor is she a theologian. If you approach this podcast as if it were a secular podcast, then you should be fine. I love listening to a husband and wife duo, and they provide some great advice. If you listen, remember your source of truth and pay attention to your convictions. Due to MY convictions, I will be taking a break from this podcast. If you want to know more, I would love to talk to you about it.
Physical – Once again, I drove the struggle bus this entire month. Being near the end of the deployment seemed to make me less motivated to work hard. Emotional Eating won again, andunfortunately, I fell short of my goal by 2.8 lbs.
BUT—Progress is Progress; no matter how small—that’s what I keep preaching to my self.
o Weight Difference: -2.2lbs
o Measurement Difference: -1inch around the hips/waist
o Ran – 15 miles (-.2 mi)
Social – I published 6 blog posts in August (my goal was 5). I also spent a lot of time getting to know my new partner, Corinne. We redesigned the blog, transferred sites, and developed a brand! What do you think of our logo??
August was a busy month for the blog. It took a lot of work developing a brand strategy, transferring posts to a new website and understanding some of the intricacies of coding (I have a long way to go)!
We would love to hear what your thoughts are for the blog. How can we better serve you?
Spiritual – I have FINALLY finished the Romans Study I started back in October of 2017! I don't know why it took me so long to complete it, but I enjoyed learning how to study the bible a bit more inductively. If you've never heard of The Inductive Bible Study method, here are some resources. I tailored this method to something I could understand and maintain.
Inductive Study Method Resources:
Precept Ministries International
I plan on reading Women of the Word by Jen Wilken soon as well.
Goals for September
>> Read at least four books
>> Run 3x per week.
>> Complete one topical personal bible study
What are your goals for the month??
If you want to continue receiving updates on goals, behind the scene updates for the blog or my deployment, make sure to subscribe to our email subscription!! This will be the last post for reviews.
