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Books I’m Loving Lately (Christmas Gift Guide)

Books I'm Loving Lately (Christmas Gift Guide) / A Hosting Home Blog

This post contains affiliate links. Please see the disclosure on my about page for more information.

Books I’m Loving Lately

A couple years ago, I decided to make self-care and balance more of a priority in my life. Looking back, I can say that it was seriously the best decision and a life-changer. One of the goals that went along with this was to read at least one book per month. Obviously, I do better some months than others. But, it got me reading more than I’ve read since I was a kid. Picking out my book for the next month is something I’ve grown to look forward to now. Through this goal, I can say that I have found so many books that I love – and I’ve learned a lot along the way!

Books I'm Loving Lately (Christmas Gift Guide) / A Hosting Home Blog

Book Christmas Gift Guide

Whether you’re looking for books to add to your wish list or you’re looking to gift one this Christmas, I’ve got a lot of great book options below. All of these books (except the ones listed in my up-next list) have been read by me in the past year or two. I love them all – and I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

Books on Faith

I love books that are faith based and help me dive into studying the bible and knowing Jesus in a deeper way. As you can see by the list below, my favorite authors right now are Lysa Terkeurst, Beth Moore, and Jen Wilkin. These books would be amazing gifts for any women in your life.

Gift Idea: If you’re looking for a great gift idea for Christmas, create a bible study / quiet time basket! Grab a nice basket and fill it with all the morning quiet time essentials. (ie. Coffee cup, pens, highlighters, a cute journal, and one of these books!) 

  • None Like Him: 10 Ways God Is Different from Us (and Why That’s a Good Thing) (Jen Wilkin)
  • In His Image: 10 Ways God Calls Us to Reflect His Character (Jen Wilkin)
  • It’s Not Supposed to Be This Way: Finding Unexpected Strength When Disappointments Leave You Shattered (Lysa Terkeurst)
    • Paired with Matching Study Guide (Lysa Terkeurst)
  • Get Out of That Pit: Straight Talk about God’s Deliverance (Beth Moore)
  • Uninvited: Living Loved When You Feel Less Than, Left Out, and Lonely (Lysa Terkeurst)
  • Made to Crave: Satisfying Your Deepest Desire with God, Not Food (Lysa Terkeurst) – completely changed the way I view diet/ exercise and how I treat my body!
  • What Happens When Women Say Yes to God: *Live More Fully *Love More Deeply *Experience God’s Best for You (Lysa Terkeurst) – a book on radical obedience

Bible Studies

One of my goals for 2019 was to grow in my faith and pursue consistent quiet time with God. Meanwhile, I found that I needed guidance on what to study each morning – and I did so much better when I had a reading plan to follow. I started incorporating bible studies into my quiet time routine, and it’s now my favorite way to spend each morning. I’m currently doing this bible-in-a-year reading plan with my devotional every morning. (I started it in January of 2019. I can’t believe I’m almost done!)

  • It’s Not Supposed to Be This Way – STUDY GUIDE (Lysa Terkeurst)
  • Gideon – Bible Study Book: Your Weakness. God’s Strength. (Priscilla Shirer)
  • Foundations: A 260-Day Bible Reading Plan for Busy Believers (Robby Gallaty) – my bible-in-a-year reading plan!

Devotional Books That I Love

I start off my quiet time every morning with a cup of coffee and a devotional book before I jump into my daily bible study / reading plan. I find it’s a great way to wake up and prepare my heart for diving deeper into the word. I’m currently reading The One Year Book of Hope by Nancy Guthrie each morning. I was gifted the book by someone after Layne passed away. Having also suffered the loss of her angel baby (the author), it’s a great devotional geared toward grief, suffering, and disappointment.

  • Embraced: 100 Devotions to Know God Is Holding You Close (Lysa Terkeurst)
  • The One Year Book of Hope (Nancy Guthrie)
  • Grieving the Child I Never Knew: A Devotional for Comfort in the Loss of Your Unborn or Newly Born Child (Kathe Wunnenberg)
  • Loved Baby: 31 Devotions Helping You Grieve and Cherish Your Child after Pregnancy Loss (Sarah Philpott)

Books That Have Helped Me Through Infant Loss (Books on Loss + Miscarriage) 

After Layne passed away, I had so many people reach out and send me books and devotionals that helped them after they experienced loss. While some of them were hard to read at first, I am so glad I have them. They helped me process what happened, my grief, and the hope that we have in Jesus to cling to Him as we move forward. If you know someone who is walking into this holiday season with the grief of losing their baby, I hope these books help them as much as they helped (and still help) me.

  • The One Year Book of Hope (Nancy Guthrie)
  • I’ll Hold You In Heaven: Healing and Hope for the Parent Who has Lost a Child through Miscarriage, Stillbirth, Abortion or Early Infant Death (Jack Hayford)
  • Grieving the Child I Never Knew: A Devotional for Comfort in the Loss of Your Unborn or Newly Born Child (Kathe Wunnenberg)
  • It’s Not Supposed to Be This Way: Finding Unexpected Strength When Disappointments Leave You Shattered (Lysa Terkeurst)
    • Paired with Matching Study Guide (Lysa Terkeurst)
  • Get Out of That Pit: Straight Talk about God’s Deliverance (Beth Moore)
  • Loved Baby: 31 Devotions Helping You Grieve and Cherish Your Child after Pregnancy Loss (Sarah Philpott)

Coffee Table Books

I love coffee table books. I’ve always said that I hope to even write my own one day. Not only do they look great styled on shelves, but I love flipping through them for inspiration. I’ve learned so much about design and styling over the years by flipping through books like these below.

  • Homebody: A Guide to Creating Spaces You Never Want to Leave (Joanna Gaines)
  • Whiskey in a Teacup: What Growing Up in the South Taught Me About Life, Love, and Baking Biscuits (Reese Witherspoon)
  • Cozy White Cottage: 100 Ways to Love the Feeling of Being Home (Liz Marie Galvan)

Motivational / Self-Help Books

Like faith based books, I love a great motivational / self-help book to inspire me and motivate me in the realm of personal development. (As an introvert, sometimes you just need that little push, you know?) I have more faith based books on my reading list right now, but these are some of my favorite ones I’ve read recently.

  • Own Your Everyday: Overcome the Pressure to Prove and Show Up for What You Were Made to Do (Jordan Lee Dooley)
  • Love & Respect: The Love She Most Desires; The Respect He Desperately Needs (Emerson Eggerichs) – amazing marriage book using biblical principles!
  • Make it Happen: Surrender Your Fear. Take the Leap. Live On Purpose. (Lara Casey)
  • Grace, Not Perfection: Embracing Simplicity, Celebrating Joy (Emily Ley)
  • A Simplified Life: Tactical Tools for Intentional Living (Emily Ley)

“Fun” Books

I don’t know about you, but sometimes I need a good ‘brain break’ when I’ve got a lot going on. One of my favorite things to do as a ‘brain break’ is to letter. I especially love to letter scripture. There’s something about lettering scripture that helps you reflect and take it in. I get asked a lot about how / where I learned how to letter, and I learned by buying hand lettering books from Chalkfulloflove! They really helped me get started. Then through practice and doing it myself, I’ve really developed my own style. I couldn’t recommend these enough – I even bought the kid version for my little cousin for Christmas!

  • Hand Lettering 101: An Introduction to the Art of Creative Lettering (Chalkfulloflove)
    • Kid Version: Learn to Letter with Luna the Llama: An Interactive Children’s Workbook on the Art of Hand Lettering (Chalkfulloflove)
  • Hand Lettering 201: Intermediate Lettering and Design Basics (Chalkfulloflove)

What’s Next on My Reading List

Ever since I made it a goal to read at least one book per month, picking out my book for the next month is something I’ve grown to look forward to now. Here are a few books that are next up on my reading list. I’m hoping to add more to my list soon.

  • Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy: Discovering the Grace of Lament (Mark Vroegop)
  • Women of the Word: How to Study the Bible with Both Our Hearts and Our Minds (Jen Wilkin)
  • Trustworthy – Bible Study Book: Overcoming Our Greatest Struggles to Trust God (Lysa Terkeurst)

 

 

Well there you have it, friends! Tell me – what books are you loving lately? Do you have a favorite that I need to know about and add to my reading list? Let me know in a comment below!

December 9, 2019

« A Way to Remember Your Lost Baby This Christmas
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Atlanta based Award Winning Interior and Event Designer and Home Blogger Cathy Nugent

Hi, friends! I'm Cathy, a nationally published award winning designer of spaces to gather and southern belle writer based out of a small(ish) town outside of Atlanta, Georgia. However, most people know me as the Monica Geller of my friend group – a coffee connoisseur and dog mom with a huge heart for hosting and an eye for design. The heart behind what I do is simple. I want to help you be intentional on creating spaces to gather and celebrating life's precious moments - whether that be weddings, parties, or something as simple as having loved ones in your home. Living Simply, Loving Generously, and Hosting with Heart.

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I’m so excited to have this little gallery wall I’m so excited to have this little gallery wall in our master bedroom done! 👏🏼✨ I’ve got big plans for making over our bedroom (ft. a huge board and batten wall) once little man transitions into his own room next month, but in the meantime I’m working on small touches like this one to make our bedroom more cozy. 

Did you catch my gallery wall tip on Stories today? My biggest tip for gallery wall photos if you’re having trouble picking them out due to different colors/editing/etc in each photo not flowing together 👉🏼 print your photos in black and white! I have a mixture of different photographers’ work as well as my own iPhone photos on the wall, and printing them in black and white helps them all flow together and look more cohesive. It’s such a simple tip that makes a big impact. I hope that helps you if you’re struggling putting together a gallery wall of your own! 💛 #ahostinghome

// linking the gallery wall frames from Amazon on the @liketoknow.it app ➡️ http://liketk.it/39QhW #liketkit @liketoknow.it @liketoknow.it.home #LTKhome
After ripping out our master bathroom shower inser After ripping out our master bathroom shower insert after Christmas due to a leak we discovered — and then facing the shower door debacle and life itself being busy, we are FINALLY getting things moving! (I also told Rob no more hunting trips until it got done. 🤪) Rob is building out a completely new shower, and we should be ready to lay the tile after tomorrow. Y’all know I can’t keep things secret to do big reveals, so I’m dying to share with y’all what I have picked out for the tile. Picture it with me: small hexagon tile for the floor, long subway tile walls (straight on the sides, herringbone along back wall), and penny tile in the niche — all with a light gray grout to tie in our marble tile bathroom floors and paired with black hardware. I’m SO excited to see it come together, I couldn’t help but lay it all out on my kitchen floor with the @ahostinghomepups and the baby to get a peek of it together. 😍 What do y’all think?  #ahostinghome

// linked my tile selections over on the @liketoknow.it app! ➡️ http://liketk.it/39mCg #liketkit @liketoknow.it.home #LTKhome
I was looking through my memories, and can y’all I was looking through my memories, and can y’all believe it’s already been a YEAR since I convinced Rob to let me put a thousand tiny nail holes in our living room wall? I really thought I’d regret it and want to change it after a while. But honestly, I still love it just as much as I did the day I did it. As we come up next month on two years since our son Layne passed away, the visual reminder of what this wall represents when it comes to our story is such a beautiful thing — I feel like it’s literally my heart on a wall, in the heart of my home. If you’ve been following me for a while , you know how much butterflies mean to my story with our son Layne. (If you’re new here, that’s okay! Our story is on my blog if you care to read.💛🦋) I was inspired by @cottonstem ‘s book wall once I got my hands on this @bffprintshop print. I thought having the Amazing Grace music flowing through the print would perfectly represent how worshiping God and running to Jesus has carried us through. && Now with our double rainbow baby here, I look at this wall daily as a reminder of the beautifully hard journey God took us on to bring him home. 🌈👶🏼 So if you’re afraid to put a thousand tiny nails in your wall, I hope you’ll take my advice and just do it. Put your heart on that wall. 💛 #ahostinghome

// p.s. I have a blog post on this sheet music wall if you need the tutorial! ➡️ ahostinghome.com and search ‘sheet music wall’ ✨
Um, can we talk about this beautiful weather tryin Um, can we talk about this beautiful weather trying to act like the whole south didn’t just freeze over last week? ☀️All I want to ask is if it can stay... like, really stay. Soaking it in today with bubs on our walk had me all ready for Spring and looking forward to getting outside in the sunshine and getting our porches ready for patio weather. (Can we skip pollen season though? Mother Nature can keep that mess. ✋🏼) Are you ready for Spring or are you holding onto the last bit of winter coziness? 🪴#ahostinghome
I am a super visual person when it comes to design I am a super visual person when it comes to designing spaces in my home, and I love using design boards as a way to actually plan out my projects. Not only does it help me get inspired for an upcoming project by letting me play with different looks and options. But they also really help me piece things together or ‘see’ what it’s going to look like — and make sure I’m really going to love it! Whenever I share my design boards for projects that I do around here at A Hosting Home, one of the most frequently asked questions I get is about how I make them! Making a design board is super easy, so fun, and it’s one of my favorite parts of planning out a project. Today on the blog, I thought I’d walk through the process to show you how you can make your own (for free!) Get the details ➡️ ahostinghome.com or click the link in my profile bio. ✨ #ahostinghome
This is turning into my favorite spot in little ma This is turning into my favorite spot in little man’s nursery. I moved the tall bookshelf over to make room to add this tiny bookshelf the other day, and I think it’s perfect for all those board books and little toys he’ll one day be grabbing for. We do all open ended style toys and no screens, so I really wanted to create a space for him to explore and discover. I can’t believe he’s already going to be 4 months old on Friday! The dude loves to play and is itching to be on the move already. I love watching him grow and experiencing the world through his eyes! 🤍✨ #ahostinghome 

// http://liketk.it/38Cqe #liketkit @liketoknow.it @liketoknow.it.home @liketoknow.it.family #LTKbaby #LTKkids #LTKhome #ltkfamily
Instagram: Reality: I have to now explain to my h Instagram: 
Reality: I have to now explain to my husband why our baby and rug are stained red...

Happy 1st Valentine’s Day from John Robert! ❤️💋 This little man of ours is so extremely loved from head to toe. I hope y’all are having an amazing weekend!

#ahostinghome // http://liketk.it/38n1a @liketoknow.it #liketkit @liketoknow.it.family #LTKVDay #LTKbaby
Fact. It’s Rob’s birthday! 🖤🤍🤎 The Of Fact. It’s Rob’s birthday! 🖤🤍🤎 The Office is Rob and I’s favorite show, and I think we’ve rewatched it through more times than I can count (especially over the last year with being stuck at home) — but we still laugh every single time. We had a low key evening tonight for his birthday because we have plans tomorrow afternoon, but y’all know me... I’m extremely extra, and I can’t ever keep anything TOO low key when it comes to celebrating! ✨ I had so much fun decorating our house for an Office themed birthday dinner! How cute did it turn out! SWIPE to see more (plus the reference for anyone who doesn’t watch The Office!) #ahostinghome 

// linked this Office themed party decorating kit I got from Amazon on the @liketoknow.it app! Under $20! 🙌🏼🎉 http://liketk.it/38g2t #liketkit @liketoknow.it.home #LTKunder50 #LTKhome #StayHomeWithLTK

#theoffice #theofficeus #theofficeparty #officethemedparty @msjennafischer @angelakinsey @mindykaling @johnkrasinski @rainnwilson
I don’t typically do a Valentine’s specific ta I don’t typically do a Valentine’s specific tablescape each year, but I still love this flirty and cute wildflower inspired tablescape I put together a couple years ago — I think it would be so cute for Valentine’s (or Galentine’s!) day! 💕

One of the questions that I get the most often when decorating with faux stems is how I make it all come together cohesively and look natural. My biggest tip for this would be to walk around and actually match stem colors as you are shopping! For example, when putting together floral for this tablescape, I literally walked up and down the floral bins at Hobby Lobby with those white daisies in my hand to see which stems had the same pale green look to match. If they matched, I pulled them out and put them aside. To make sure everything pieces together how I want it to before I drive all the way home, I literally walk up and down the floral aisles of Hobby Lobby and put everything together. I make mini bouquets from the stems I pulled to see how they would look together and to see exactly how many of each stem I would need. As a designer, I’m a very hands on and visual person. While I sometimes have a base plan going in, I like to play with it in person to see what gets me excited and how I could make it even better. ✨

For more tips about decorating with faux floral, I’ve got an entire post up on my blog! ➡️ ahostinghome.com and search ‘faux floral tips’ 🌸 #ahostinghome

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