One of my favorite things to tell you about are the books that I'm reading. I love reading, and in some seasons plow through books and in other seasons drag my feet to get through one book a month. It's all about patience and grace for yourself in the different season you are in.

I gave a book to a friend the other day that is surrounded by babies at her house and she gave me the evil eye. She said that she has zero time to read, and when she has a quiet moment all she does is fall asleep on the couch because her exhaustion is so overwhelming.

I get this. For real. I made a goal a few years ago to read 12 books in a year, and now I read over 30 each year. Some books are so easy to read, and others I read more for work, but still I appreciate the time I get to dive into a book.

Here's what I read in January and February:

The Story of God's Love For You by Sally Lloyd-Jones

This book. So many feelings and emotions about this book that in fact I just asked the chaplain of the jail where I volunteer each week if we could get this into every woman's hands that comes through our program. I recommend this book to everyone. People who already follow Jesus, people who are curious about God's love for them, and people who have never heard that there is a God that truly loves them. I am a huge fan of The Jesus Storybook Bible that Sally Lloyd-Jones released years ago, and this is the adult version of that book.

Side-note: If you didn't hear my conversation with Sally on The Happy Hour, I highly recommend it. Truly one of my favorite guests of all time. You can listen HERE.

Everything I Never Told You by Celest Ng

I really enjoyed this book even though it took me forever to get to the end. I kept putting down for days upon days, but I'm glad I stuck it out. The storyline was great and the complexities of the relationships between family members was intriquing and the racial tensions were heartbreaking and eyeopening for the reader.

Wild and Free by Jess Connolly & Hayley Morgan

This is the book that I will want to get into every woman's hands in 2016. I was fortunate to get an advanced copy of this and let me tell you I devoured this book and read the entire thing on an airplane trip. I literally stopped a few times, closed my eyes, and thanked God for the words he put in these ladies minds for this book.

Wild and Free is an anthem encouraging women to live in the freedom that God has given us. Freedom from what the world demands of us, and freedom to embrace the calling that God has for each of us. Love the message, and love these ladies as well!

This book releases at the beginning of May, but you can pre-order on Amazon now. Go ahead and do that for yourself! When May 3rd arrives, you'll be glad you did! (Side note, it's on sale right now, you should get it today!)

Jess Connolly has also been on the Happy Hour a few times. Listen here: Happy Hour Half Hour #1, Happy Hour #47, and Happy Hour #18

Space at the Table by Brad & Drew Harper

This book was given to my on my trip to Portland from the head of the literary agency that I'm with, and I decided it sounded super intriguing so I started on the plane ride home and didn't stop until I finished the last page. Then when I landed I proceeded to text our pastor, youth pastor, and Aaron to tell them they needed to read this book asap.

You know I love a good memoir, and this is surely that, but it's more than a great memoir. It's a guidebook of sorts on how to love well those around you that are a part of the LBGTQ community. Brad and Drew walk us through their years of learning and loving each other through their differences. They found that their love was greater than their differences, and as a reader you feel the tension as they take you through that journey. I cried at the end of this book and felt honored to have been brought into their world. I highly recommend this book to you all, and especially those of you in church leadership.

Party Girl by Rachel Hollis

I have had this book every since the author was a guest on The Happy Hour, and when I got the flu I knew that this was the perfect book to get me through days of laying on the couch. I was right. What a fun book to dive into when you want to get lost in a story. Party Girl tells the story of Landon Brinkley who has just landed the internship of her dreams working for the biggest and baddest party planner in Hollywood. Things slowly but surely get worse and worse, and, well you'll need to read it to get all the details, but let's just say this dream job turns into nightmare job.

I love a good story, and this was one I got lost in super quick like, and I can't wait to dive into the books that follow this one!

Rachel was a guest on my show this year, and was also a guest at the LIVE event that will be airing sometime soon. Listen: Happy Hour # 72

That does it for my reading in January and February. Right now I'm reading Glory Over Everything and next on my list are Curious Faith by Logan Wolfram, Becoming Sister Wives by all the Brown clan & The Art of Memoir by Mary Karr.

What did you read these past two months?