Finish What You Start

Finish What You Start

Do you finish what you start, or are you distracted by the next shiny book in your book pile. Steph shares the titles of six books she hasn’t finished yet!

What have you read and recommend? We would love to hear from you. Share your comment below or contact us at HopeStreamRadio.

Starting Energy

I love beginning new projects. I have what some people call “an abundance of starting energy.”

This splashes over onto my reading habits as well.

Read one book at a time? Pshaw!

However … that attitude leads to my habit of becoming distracted by the next shiny new book cover to cross my news feed.

hopestreamradio · Finish What You Start

It also leads to my habit of beginning several books at any one time and not getting around to finishing them until months after I’ve cracked the physical or virtual cover.

Six Books I Should Get Back To

Here are six of the books I really should get back to reading:

• As the Light Fades by Catherine West – Cathy West doesn’t shy away from the hard topics: dementia, abuse, challenging family relationships. She addresses all of these and more difficult issues in this, her most recent novel. The Amazon blurb begins this way, “Sometimes we’re placed in the strangest of circumstances for the most important reasons. After her carefully constructed life crumbles, Liz Carlisle finds herself back on Nantucket, picking up the pieces. With the family estate under renovations, the solitude she craves seems out of reach. Matthew Stone intends to steer clear of his new tenant. She’s carrying a load of baggage, but as long as she pays the rent, he’ll let her be. He’s got enough to deal with caring for his wayward niece, Mia.” The further I get into this book, the harder it is to set aside. Although not explicitly a Christian book, it does qualify as “clean.”

• You’ll Get Through This by Max Lucado – I signed up for the online study based on one of Max Lucado’s most recent releases. (It’s possibly his newest release.) While readers can work through the book and study guide on their own, the “real time interaction,” can add another level of encouragement while we’re sheltering in place, unable to meet in person with fellow believers. The Amazon blurb begins this way: “Though these unprecedented and challenging times may bring a load of uncertainty and fear that feels too heavy to bear, God gives us this promise: You’ll get through this.” It goes on to say, “In this book, Max will help you: 1) Find comfort that you are God’s child and God cares deeply for you; 2) Remember that God is near you and has never left you; and 3) Take courage that God will restore even the most painful circumstances and use them for good.” Many of us need this kind of encouragement these days.

• The Next Right Thing by Emily P. Freeman – I began listening to Emily’s podcast by the same name a few months ago. It’s a podcast about making decisions—and about making a life. When I was in Bible college, we had an assignment about breaking down a long-term goal into small doable steps. Where did we need to be at the end of the year to be on track to achieve our five-year goal? At the end of the following month? At the end of the week? You get the idea. This is very much in keeping with doing “the next right thing.” The Amazon blurb includes the following paragraph: “If you have trouble making decisions, because of either chronic hesitation you’ve always lived with or a more recent onset of decision fatigue, Emily P. Freeman offers a fresh way of practicing familiar but often forgotten advice: simply do the next right thing. With this simple, soulful practice, it is possible to clear the decision-making chaos, quiet the fear of choosing wrong, and find the courage to finally decide without regret or second-guessing.” I’ve highlighted a fair amount of the chapters I’ve read to date. I will go back and read those sections before proceeding.

• Women Finishing Well: Building a Legacy of Faith that Lasts for Generations by Chris Syme – This is another book I downloaded because I listen to a podcast by the same name. As I mentioned, I love to begin new projects and new books. But as a woman of 59, it really is time to think about what legacy I want to leave behind, whether the Lord grants me 40 more life—or calls me home in the near future. Women Finishing Well is a helpful guide for women of all ages, especially those of us who would consider ourselves “women of a certain age.” The Amazon blurb begins this way: “It’s never too early…it’s never too late. Building a lasting legacy of faith is a lifestyle, not a time of life. God has a race marked out for you to run. (Heb. 12:1-3) It doesn’t matter who you are, how old you are, or where you are in life. You may be running your race already, or maybe you feel like you’re already done, or think you are too busy to run. But your race is waiting. God has put people in your everyday life that are looking for hope and longing for someone to cheer them on. Women Finishing Well is a Bible study that will help you recapture the joy of being a child of God and teach you how to infuse that undefinable love into the lives of others.” I recommend this book for women of all ages who want to leave a legacy for future generations.

• Your Journey to Becoming Unskippable (in your business, life & career) by Jim Kukral – I came across the author when he was co-host of The Sell More Book Show podcast. (Seems like I should stop listening to so many podcasts if I don’t want to keep adding to my ever-expanding library.) While Unskippable is a business book, it was the subtitle about becoming unskippable in life that convinced me to download the book. What will you learn in the book? Here is a list included in the Amazon blurb: “In Your Journey to Becoming Unskippable, you’ll discover: 1) Intuitive stories that show you the practical application of groundbreaking concepts; 2) How to let go of old ideas to avoid mistakes and plan for the changing times; 3) New ways of thinking that rise above old-fashioned marketing and earn lifetime customers; 4) Tactics to showcase common-held beliefs to help you attract the right attention; 5) Methods to employ the ‘unskippable’ concept right away for immediate results, and much, much more!” Since I will be devoting more time to my writing and editing come July, I want to learn what I can about running a successful business. To me, success is about making authentic connections and blessing others. At the same time, it’s important that I do what I can to help pay the bills.

So, how about you? What books are on your TBR (to be read) or TBC (to be completed) list? I’d love to hear about it. You can connect with me on my producer’s page.

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