Feet 2 Our Faith: favorite things

When you find something that you really love, you share it.

If it's a meal at a restaurant (oh, those amazing Sushi Nachos we had on our date night in South Carolina!!)

OR

if it's a favorite lipstick (like Avon's Beyond Color in Pink Lemonade that they discontinued! :( Sniff sniff!)

OR

if it's a favorite brand of jeans (love me some Banana Republic jeans!)

And if it's a book...

well, I'm gonna tell you about it!

I read Kandy Persall's Hungry For More recently. It was an amazing journey of a book!

Click to buy

First, some background. The author is my personal friend. She and her husband and two daughters served in East Asia as missionaries when we did and they were amazing mentors to us. They served for a good 20 years (we only did 2!) before moving home to America. They are amazing faith-filled people who love to do whatever God gives them to do.

And she wrote a book. A very good book!

She asks a very GOOD question:
What are you hungry for?

Really—What is your deepest desire?

Kandy's book was my daily delight as I would meet with Jesus each morning. This book was a fabulous companion to the Word. I quickly realized that this book was not going to be a "quick read" but rather a deep, satisfying read. In her terms of meals...it was a slow, savory rich meal--with chopsticks! ;)

By no means was it hard to understand, you see, my friend Kandy writes some very humorous tales of her time in Asia and has this incredible ability to tie it to spiritual truth. Her style is very honest and open about her own struggles and she shares what God taught her through them. She uses parenthetical notes with Scripture addresses so the reader can pause and look up each verse as he or she is reading. Kandy encourages this of each reader so they can reap the most benefit from her work.

I was delighted to discover that each cited Scripture was NOT the typical verses we tend to think of. She has done an exhaustive study of the Word and is sharing Scriptures to be read and understood in new ways. There were many times while reading the book that I would just pause and let the verse sit on my heart before moving on. There was MORE to get from it.

Kandy's own pursuit of the Lord and His ways and heart are inspiring. She lays out her own vulnerabilities and allows the reader to enter in and study the Scriptures that relate. I found new truths and realities in my own walk with God because of reading her analogies and her journey.

I have made myself a note to go back and refer to Chapter 14 when I am a worn out, exhausted mother of 6 children. I know those days are in my future, and I will use Kandy's words here along with my Bible and prayer to combat those future days!

I especially liked Chapter 22 where Kandy gives guidance in learning to discern God's voice apart from Satan's. She offers practical questions to help the reader determine if they are tuned into the Lord's frequency or picking up evil words of the accuser. She also explains how a long battle of taking thoughts captive might take--more than just calling off the evil one once or twice! Her writing is very practical training for anyone who wants to learn the voice of the Shepherd and to hear it clearer.

As you read this book, you will be asked to read through 3 of the 4 gospels. Kandy lists the references at the top of the chapter. My time was limited each morning so I got into a habit of reading the 3-6 chapters on one morning and digging into her chapter about them (and all those parenthetical Scripture citings) the next. It was a good rhythm that worked well for me.

Chapter 25 was like an old friend. As I read, I recognized the material. 9 years before, Kandy had given a break out session that I attended. The topic? How to STOP being a people pleaser and learn to tune our hearts to our Lord and please HIM only. I even still have my notes from her talk in my Bible...it was THAT GOOD. And sure enough, it's that study that springs to life in this chapter!

I lovingly recommend this book to all my bloggy friends who want to go deeper or have a new experience in their personal time with God!

Click here to hop over to Kandy's website where her book may be purchased. And yes! E-books are available! I read mine daily on my Kindle! You will enjoy all the goodies on her website!

And looky at what I unearthed...a picture taken by then 3-year-old Jensi of Kandy and I (and baby Anneli with her mouth hanging open!) while we made homemade Jaozi for a fun Chinese meal! Hee hee! :)

circa 2003

Kandy joyfully smiling with her whole family.

So, are you hungry for more? Well, get feasting!

So I gotta say, I love my kitchen! Truly. We've lived in many houses over the years but this house has the BEST kitchen. The space is perfect, the counters are roomy, the island with electric on it is awesome and I love my eye-level fridge. But there are 10 other things that I love in my kitchen too.

And now I'm going to show you.
(in no particular order)

My Magic Bullet. Best machine in the whole kitchen!!! SERIOUSLY!!!

Having a plan for weekly summer lunches. Saves all the begging, complaining and keeps things fresh!

A bottom drawer dedicated to kid dishes. If you don't already do this--DO IT! (put your cereal low too..) This encourages autonomy and allows you to SLEEP IN on occasion as they get their own bfast!