Ashley Boulais

I remember hearing once that nothing kills joy like comparison.  That is exactly the premise of Kay Wills Wyma's latest book,  "I'm Happy for You."  In twelve chapters and two hundred five pages, Wyma describes a problem that has existed from the beginning of time.  We're constantly measuring ourselves against everyone around us and either we end up feeling less-than or we get puffed up on selfish pride.   We even compare ourselves to better versions of ourselves - remembering times when we were thinner or our social calendars seemed fuller.  Everything we do becomes about marketing ourselves, and yet this constant comparison is keeping us from joy in our lives.  There is no one exempt from this epidemic, especially in the age of social media. The key to contentment?  Learning to be genuinely happy for others,  even when it is difficult to do so. The key is literally in the title of the book.  How to say,  "I'm happy for you"...

Best-selling author JoAnna Weaver has recently released a new Bible study series and Study Guide in addition to her book entitled "Lazarus Awakening."  In this eight week series, which is filmed in the Holy Land, she retells with a unique perspective the story of Mary, Martha AND Lazarus.  Each of us,  she explains, has a bit more in common with Lazarus than we might realize.  We are bound in the death clothes of fear and doubt and Jesus is calling us out of our proverbial tombs and into life with Him. Each of the eight videos is about twenty minutes in length.  The study guide includes a follow-along lesson with practical application, journaling prompts, Scripture memorization, fill-in-the-blanks, and space for reflection.  In addition, the lessons DO require reading from her original book.  Since I didn't have that, there were gaps in my study, but I still believe the curriculum is valuable on its own.  If you are a leading a study, there are a...

"The Mapmaker's Children" combines two stories of women in different eras searching to find love, purpose and community. One plot line follows Sarah Brown during a tumultuous time of civil war. Sarah,the daughter of abolitionist John Brown, was a strong and ambitious woman who loved well, sacrificed much, and labored continually to continue her father's work on the Underground Railroad. While well researched, author Sarah McCoy takes some creative liberties to better capture what Sarah Brown may have felt and dreamed during her lifetime. Eden Anderson is a present day character who makes the move to a beautiful historical home on Apple Hill in hopes of saving her marriage and beginning her longed-for and seemingly impossible family. Along the way she discovers that her new home has some stories of its own to tell and as a result, Eden finds family - and healing - in the most unexpected places. The thematic elements woven throughout each story are finding love a...

For moms who are weary and needing some encouragement,  who want to spend time in God's word but are at a loss for where to start - this eleven week study could be so so so beneficial for you! I have only finished a couple of weeks,  but am looking ahead to future weeks with anticipation. The book follows an outline of the fruit of the Spirit, which has been a theme God has been directing me back to regularly. Each week has 5 days of study,  which I like because it's realistic.  It gives some breathing room and keeps this from being just one more task I've failed to accomplish.  In fact,  there have been days where I didn't get through the whole study for the day,  and that was ok. I just picked up where I left off.  In most cases though, each day could be done during nap. I love love that Scripture is included right in the book.  I've taken this book with me and can do it when I finish at the gym,  or when I go out for breakfast o...

Mimi Baird is the daughter of Dr. Perry Baird, and in this book she tells his story. Perhaps it would be more accurate to say that Mimi shares his story.   Taken from his own hand written accounts from the 1940's,  we get a glimpse into the life of a well educated and bright man who suffered from what we now know as Bipolar. It was a time where mental illness came with a very negative stigma and treatment was cruel.  Bouts of mania and violent behavior landed the doctor in a straight jacket locked in a psychiatric unit, where he was forced to go without eating, soil himself, and suffer beatings. He describes his experiences in remarkable detail and with deep introspection and keen observation.  His loneliness during that time is gut wrenching and his treatment unfathomable.  It was saddening to read of all he suffered, but his examination of his illness is most fascinating and enlightening.  Mania is not like being drunk, he explains,  where one ac...

Author Nick Vujicic wears many hats.   Born without arms or legs, he has overcome many obstacles and now serves as a motivational speaker and evangelist.  He also shares Christ worldwide through his position as the director of a non-profit organization called Life Without Limbs. Love Without Limits is cowritten with his wife Kanae for the purpose of "inspiring those in search of love and those hoping to sustain loving relationships."  It is a book that includes pieces of their stories, but it reads more as a sort of how-to on what one should look for in a spouse.  I commend their efforts and am thankful for the ministry and the encouragement I am certain they have been to many,  and this review is in no way meant to be critical of the authors themselves, but I am not a big fan of this book.  Here are my main reasons for drawing this conclusion. 1.  They seem to operate on the premise that if God puts marriage on your heart then you will get m...

I picked up this book out of desperation.   Like dieting, my attempts to declutter have been a yo-yo of attempts that always have left me feeling defeated.  So this year I want to tackle both... because I think they're probably related.  Conveniently,  Marie Kondo, the author of this book,  thinks so too. Her premise is that a cluttered home is really an outward sign of a psychological state.   We either feel bound to the past or afraid of the future and therefore hold on by piling up the stuff.  Our house gets messy and keeps us from ever really getting to the source of the problem.  Tidying up is not the end goal,  but a tool for helping us live the lifestyles we really desire.  The process of tidying becomes empowering and hones our decision-making abilities.  There is a process she follows.    1.  Discard      A.  Ask how you want to live.  Be as specific as    ...

Andie Mitchell is a foodie and blogger who tells her incredible story of weightloss and self acceptance in her memoir,   It Was Me All Along . This book is not a diet program and Mitchell doesn't give any advice for how to lose weight - she just tells about her own struggle with emotionally eating and the cycle of shame,  guilt,  defeat, and self-hate that plagues so many of us.  It is an interesting and insightful read,  very raw and very bravely written.  It is encouraging in many ways,  but I found it to be discouraging in others and is not necessarily a book I would recommend as an inspiration for losing weight.  However,  I think she puts words to an experience that would be beneficial for everyone to understand. Andie is descriptive to a fault,  a little wordy, but still manages to tell a story that is relatable.  You don't have to have grown up with an alcoholic father  to find yourself in her shoes, eating because...

Miranda Richmond Mouillot is the author of a beautifully crafted memoir,  which ultimately is a story of the author's self discovery and the preservation of a family's miraculous survival and history.  If one reads with those expectations I do not think she will be disappointed. Other reviews I read prepared me for the fact that this book is not a historical one about World War 2,  nor does it wrap the story up with a shiny bow at the end with all the questions answered.  It is, however,  a book about two people whose "history had robbed them of their right to be ordinary" and who had "become remarkable in ways they had not chosen." Miranda's style of writing is romantic and compelling and charming and whimsical.   The details with which she recalls events and characters, down to the way each place and person smelled, almost made me forget that these are real people, not just characters in a novel.   I was sad when I reached the end,  ...

So, this isn't a goal or anything. More of an experiment.   I read about Oil Pulling twice yesterday out of the blue and since I have coconut oil I thought I'd try it.   It's supposed to have a ton of health benefits - pulling toxins from one's body, giving more energy and a whiter smile... all of which I'd like to have so why not? The process is simple.   Swish around coconut oil in your mouth for 20 minutes.  I think it's supposed to be 1 tablespoon but who has time to measure and add more dishes? I don't.   So I took a clump and went to swishing. Day 1:   The texture nearly made me gag but it melted quickly and left a slight hint of coconut taste that wasn't at all overwhelming.   I thought at first that twenty minutes was an eternity and I'd be lucky to make it to ten.   But surprisingly,  when ten minutes was up I felt like ten more would be nothing.   I made breakfast for my tot and then fed my ...