Book picks similar to
Expecting: Praying for Your Child's Development—Body and Soul by Marla Taviano
parenting
pregnancy
howard-books
womens-ministry
Inconceivable: A Medical Mistake, the Baby We Couldn't Keep, and Our Choice to Deliver the Ultimate Gift
Carolyn Savage - 2011
An unthinkable situation . . . you’re pregnant with the wrong baby. You can terminate, but you can’t keep him. What choice would you make?Carolyn and Sean Savage had been trying to expand their family for years. When they underwent an IVF transfer in February 2009, they knew it would be their last chance. If they became pregnant, they would celebrate the baby as an answer to their prayers. If not, they would be grateful for the family they had and leave their fertility struggles behind forever.They never imagined a third option. The pregnancy test was positive, but the clinic had transferred the wrong embryos. Carolyn was pregnant with someone else’s baby.The Savages faced a series of heartbreaking decisions: terminate the pregnancy, sue for custody, or hand over the infant to his genetic parents upon delivery. Knowing that Carolyn was carrying another couple’s hope for a baby, the Savages wanted to do what they prayed the other family would do for them if the situation was reversed. Sean and Carolyn Savage decided to give the ultimate gift, the gift of life, to a family they didn’t know, no strings attached.Inconceivable provides an inside look at how modern medicine, which creates miracles daily, could allow such a tragic mistake, and the many legal ramifications that ensued with both the genetic family and the clinic. Chronicling their tumultuous pregnancy and its aftermath, which tested the Savage’s faith, their relationship to their church, and their marriage, Inconceivable is ultimately a testament to love. Carolyn and Sean loved this baby, making it impossible for them to imagine how they could give him life and then give him away.In the end, Inconceivable is a story of what it is to be a parent, someone who nurtures a life, protects a soul, only to release that child into the world long before you’re ready to let him go.
The Hypnobirthing Book
Katharine Graves - 2012
Hypnobirthing teaches simple and gentle techniques that have a profound effect.By practising these techniques during pregnancy, you can release fear and anxiety, and build confidence in yourself and your body's ability to give birth naturally. Feeling calm and confident during labour helps your body to work efficiently, releasing endorphins, your body's natural anaesthetic.Hypnobirthing can reduce the need for pain relief and shorten labour, and you are more likely to experience a natural, calm, comfortable birth. It actively involves the father; you will both learn skills to instill confidence about the birth and your role as parents.KATHARINE GRAVES has personally taught over 1,000 mothers and her methods are taught internationally. She is a qualified advanced hypnotherapist and a qualified doula, having trained with Michel Odent, the internationally renowned obstretician. Katharine is a member of the International Advisory Board of the HypnoFertility Foundation of America, the Maternity and Newborn Forum of the Royal Society of Medicine, the Association for the Improvement of Maternity Services, and an associate member of the Royal College of Midwives. She has four grown-up children and five grandchildren."This book lays out an approach to childbirth designed to give a calm, confident and joyful delivery. I strongly recommend it as offering a practical approach using proven techniques." DR ZHIDAO XIA, School of Medicine, Swansea University"Katharine's personal qualities - unfailing positivity, humour, the deepest respect for birth and women, their partners and babies, and a deep faith in the natural birth process - shine out of the pages of this splendid book." LIZ NIGHTINGALE, Independent Midwife
Simple Student Ministry: A Clear Process for Strategic Youth Discipleship
Eric Geiger - 2009
Fun is still allowed, by all means, but the ultimate emphasis on maturing faith is simply essential.The anecdotal comparisons are current and on-target (Starbucks’ well-publicized decision to retrain baristas in coffee making introduces the idea that youth leaders might also be wise to revisit the gospel essence of their ministry). And case study data gleaned from small to mega churches and parachurch ministries will give every youth leader a relatable reference point from which to begin the successful metamorphosis to Simple.
The Trying Game: Get Through Fertility Treatment and Get Pregnant Without Losing Your Mind
Amy Klein - 2020
There are so many ways to be Not Pregnant: You can be young, old, partnered, or unpartnered. Maybe you have endometriosis. Maybe you don’t have enough eggs or your partner doesn’t have enough sperm. Or maybe there’s nothing wrong except you’re Just. Not. Pregnant. Amy Klein has been there. Faced with fertility obstacles, she quickly became an expert. After nine rounds of IVF, four miscarriages, three acupuncturists, two rabbis, and one reproductive immunologist, she finally became a mother. And she wrote about it all for the New York Times Motherlode blog in her “Fertility Diary” column. Now, Amy has written the book she wishes she’d had when she was trying to get pregnant. With advice from medical experts as well as real women, she outlines your options every step of the way, from questions you should ask to advice on getting your mother-in-law to mind her own beeswax. In this comprehensive road map to infertility, you’ll find topics such as: • whether to freeze your eggs • finding (and affording) a clinic • what to expect during your first IVF cycle • baby envy—aka it’s okay to skip your friend’s shower • whether the alternative route—acupuncture, herbs, supplements—is for you • helpful tips, charts, and more! Empowering, compassionate, and down-to-earth, The Trying Game will show you what to expect when you’re not expecting with heart and humanity when you need it the most.
Like a Mother: A Feminist Journey Through the Science and Culture of Pregnancy
Angela Garbes - 2018
. . . A badass, feminist, and personal deep-dive into the science and culture of pregnancy and early motherhood that debunks myths and dated assumptions, offering guidance and camaraderie to women navigating one of the biggest and most profound changes in their lives.Like most first-time mothers, Angela Garbes was filled with questions when she became pregnant. What exactly is a placenta? How does a body go into labor? Why is breast best? What are the signs and effects of post-partum depression?But as she discovered, it’s not easy to find satisfying answers. Your OB will cautiously quote statistics; online sources will scare you with conflicting and often inaccurate information; and even the most trusted books will offer information with a heavy dose of judgment. To educate herself, the food and culture writer embarked on an intensive journey of exploration, diving into the scientific mysteries and cultural myths that surround motherhood to find answers to her questions that had only previously been given through a lens of what women ought to do—instead of allowing them the freedom to choose the right path themselves.In Like a Mother, Angela offers a rigorously researched and compelling look at the physiology, biology, chemistry, and psychology of pregnancy and motherhood, informed by research, reportage, and her own experience. With a journalist’s curiosity and discipline, a mother’s urgency, and a food writer’s insatiability, she explores the science behind the pressing questions women have about a number of subjects, including postpartum hormones, breast milk, and miscarriage.Infused with candor and humor, born out of awe, appreciation, and understanding of the human body and its workings, Like a Mother is a full-frontal look at what’s really happening underneath your skin (and to it), and why women need to know.
Birth With Confidence: Savvy Choices for Normal Birth
Rhea Dempsey - 2013
Chapter 1.The birth you want: what motivates the willing woman?Chapter 2.Reality hurts: birth in the labour-bypass eraChapter 3.It’s a fine line: reframing pain in labourChapter 4.Approaching labour: what pain type are you?Chapter 5.Crisis of confidence: when self-belief crumblesChapter 6.The right support: who will get you through?
Dying to Meet Jesus: How Encountering Heaven Changed My Life
Randy Kay - 2020
In these pages, Kay offers his testimony to show readers how God uses suffering and brokenness to build an intimate and indestructible relationship with him, while breaking down barriers and ushering the reader into an authentic relationship with the Author of love.
Musings of a 20-Something Mom, and the Perils of being a Mommy Blogger
Jenny Schoberl - 2011
Moms are everywhere; they've even taken over Blogging. Hundreds of blogs about how Fluffy got his first tooth, or Muffy said a new word. It's enough to make people want to vomit sugar.I've been told that i'm not your typical mom, and my blog is not your typical blog; I've even been called the "Eminem of Mommy Blogging”, honest, blunt, and usually vulgar. This book is my experiences and stories as I ventured through the Mommy Blogging world, trying to make light of some disgusting situations, and it wasn't always pretty. I had to learn the hard way that blatant honesty may not always be the best policy... not if you want to keep your kids."Musings of a 20-something Mom" is a lesson on how NOT to blog, unless you want to piss off your friends, family, and get a pack of crazies chasing after you; and a reminder that when it comes to parenting, there's always going to be someone out there saying "you're doing it wrong!"
Consumer Detox: Less Stuff, More Life
Mark Powley - 2010
Follow along in a three-part deconstruction of today's full-throttle existence to build the kind of life that Jesus modeled.
The Way of the Father: Lessons from My Dad, Truths about God
Michael W. Smith - 2021
Smith's The Way of the Father offers a deeply personal reflection on his father Paul Smith's legacy and its profound effect on every area of his life. Through the life and lens of his earthly dad, the multi-platinum selling Christian artist gives glimpses of a Father in Heaven that anyone can approach and experience.Michael W. Smith, multi-platinum artist, celebrated songwriter, producer, best-selling author, and acclaimed actor, himself a father of five adult children and grandfather of sixteen, calls upon his humble experiences of growing up in a small West Virginia town to share his father's story. Each chapter identifies a quality and characteristic of his dad that came out of an obedient and sacrificial life, committed to serving his Abba Father, including: Finding truth in tragedyLoving unconditionallyPersevering through painBringing righteousness to the worldInfluencing and inspiring generationsDiscovering identity and approval in ChristPaul Smith was a familiar face in the crowd at Michael W. Smith's concerts over the years. A kind and joyful man who would sing, dance, and worship to the singer's countless number one hits, with his countenance beaming brighter than the spotlights on the stage, Paul would often introduce himself to those nearby and talk about how proud he was of his son. From the artist's early days as a struggling musician in Nashville to his death in 2015 (the year his son's album sales surpassed 15 million), Paul was always Michael's biggest fan.Michael shares how his dad inspired and encouraged him using biblical principles and virtues. Now, Michael passes on these same truths through stories, testimonies, origins of songs, and personal insights from his family life and thirty-five plus years of touring as a Christian artist. He hopes that by sharing his father's legacy, readers will come to find that no matter who our earthly parents have been in our lives, our Abba Father will never fail us.The Way of the Father will likewise challenge readers in their faith journeys so they will one day hear, "Well done, good and faithful servant. You have fought the good fight, run the race, and have been found faithful"--just like Paul Smith heard on the day he was called home to be with his Father.
Taking Charge of Your Fertility: The Definitive Guide to Natural Birth Control, Pregnancy Achievement, and Reproductive Health
Toni Weschler - 1995
Weschler thoroughly explains the empowering Fertility Awareness Method, which in only a couple minutes a day allows a woman to:-Enjoy highly effective, scientifically proven birth control without chemicals or devices-Maximize her chances of conception or expedite fertility treatment by identifying impediments to conception-Increase the likelihood of choosing the gender of her baby-Gain control of her sexual and gynecological health
Raising Unselfish Children in a Self-Absorbed World
Jill Rigby - 2008
Rigby espouses a new goal of parenting: gently bumping children off self-center and teaching them to be unselfish givers instead. Raising Unselfish Children in a Self-Absorbed World dares to revisit the values of compassion, forgiveness, thanksgiving, and unselfishness and insists that we can instill these values in our children. With her encouraging approach, Rigby helps parents realize it's never too late to change their children's point of view and equip them to interact with kindness and respect in a world outside themselves. Teaching concepts, such as developing a passion for compassion, learning to give by forgiving, and filling every day with thanksgiving, Raising Unselfish Children in a Self-Absorbed World offers a new paradigm for parenting—one that educates the heart and teaches moms and dads how to parent with a new end in mind.
Complement: The Surprising Beauty of Choosing Together Over Separate in Marriage
Aaron Ivey - 2021
In Complement, you'll learn how you can too, as they walk you through the keys to building a satisfying and lasting marriage. With funny, real-life stories and key insights from Scripture, the Iveys can help you unite with your spouse, cheer each other on, respond the right way when you fail each other, and serve one another well—even in conflict or tough times! If you want a strong marriage (or simply to be a better better-half!), the Iveys will show you the way in Complement.
Hope Being Gone
Cherie Hill - 2014
You thought life was in control, until it erupted into chaos. You assumed you were strong, until you were suddenly brought to your knees. You thought you walked by faith, until you found yourself consumed in the darkness of despair. Hope is gone. You’re facing circumstances in life that seem insurmountable, even for God.We quickly realize that our problem isn’t that we haven’t trusted God, but that we trusted God and believed He’d come through . . . and He didn’t. He could have prevented our pain and suffering, but He chose not to. We cry out, but there is no answer and our faith takes a tragic turn.But God’s silence is not His solution and His absence is not His answer. His goals are eternal, not earthly. You want a way out . . . He’s making a way through. You crave comfort . . . and He brings you to the Cross. It is there that we realize: we can’t deliver ourselves from a crisis that God himself has orchestrated.God is taking you on a journey of faith, and hope is just a step away . . . but a step in the right direction takes you right through the valley. And it is there, where all hope seems gone that God takes your faith places you never knew it could go. He’s teaching you to trust Him through your doubt and in your fears. He’s growing your faith and showing you that you can trust Him . . . even when there is no evidence that you should.
Try Softer: A Fresh Approach to Move Us out of Anxiety, Stress, and Survival Mode--and into a Life of Connection and Joy
Aundi Kolber - 2020
If we’re honest, we’ve been overfunctioning for so long, we can’t even imagine another way. How else will things get done? How else will we survive?It doesn’t have to be this way.Aundi Kolber believes that we don’t have to white-knuckle our way through life. In her debut book, Try Softer, she’ll show us how God specifically designed our bodies and minds to work together to process our stories and work through obstacles. Through the latest psychology, practical clinical exercises, and her own personal story, Aundi equips and empowers us to connect us to our truest self and truly live. This is the “try softer” life.In Try Softer, you’ll learn how to:
Know and set emotional and relational boundaries
Make sense of the difficult experiences you’ve had
Identify your attachment style—and how that affects your relationships today
Move through emotions rather than get stuck by them
Grow in self-compassion and talk back to your inner critic
Trying softer is sacred work. And while it won’t be perfect or easy, it will be worth it. Because this is what we were made for: a living, breathing, moving, feeling, connected, beautifully incarnational life.