Kristin Saatzer

Purposeful Encouragement

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Four Faves: Fall Edition

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Hi friends! I hope this finds you well and enjoying some cool, crisp temps. Here are some fun things I have been enjoying lately…

 

Book: My book club enjoyed an excellent fiction read last month; it was a hard one to put down:

 

Podcast: Get your science on with this one, there are new episodes each week:

https://hubermanlab.com/welcome-to-the-huberman-lab-podcast/

 

TV Show: This is a new show to me (rated PG), but it’s in its second season. I thought the first few episodes were entertaining. It is on ABC and streams on Hulu.

 

Recipe: We are gluten, dairy, and (mostly) sugar-free around here. This one does have sugar, but you might substitute monk fruit, and I exchanged the regular flour with 1:1 gluten-free flour. These cookies were a hit with high schoolers and adults alike:

https://www.simplywhisked.com/dairy-free-pumpkin-cookies/

 

What are you reading, baking, watching, or listening to? Let me know in the comments.

 

Blessings,

Kristin 

 

Four Faves for May

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Happy Mid-Spring! It’s that glorious time of year when the stunning Jacaranda trees bloom in Southern California (my favorite tree).

Here are four other faves that I’d love to share with you:

One: The Lectio 365 Prayer App (free). I’ve been using it almost daily for a few months. I adore the beautiful spoken prayers to begin and end the day. I am hooked: https://www.24-7prayer.com/resource/lectio-365/

Two: I am passionate about learning, and going deep in God’s word. The Back Porch Theology Podcast with Lisa Harper is a delight and makes theology user-friendly. I look forward to it each week and I haven’t missed one yet: https://lisaharper.org/podcast

Three: As we gear up for summer reading, there’s a book you might like to add to your list: The Maid, by Nita Prose. A cozy mystery (that is mostly clean) with a delightful protagonist. A perfect beach or airplane read.

Four: A lovely short story with pretty illustrations called, “Home is a Cup of Tea”: https://longreads.com/2017/07/03/home-is-a-cup-of-tea/?mc_cid=16c2de1db9&mc_eid=9b3c14bce2

What are you enjoying these days?

Until next time!

Blessings,

Kristin 

Feb Faves

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Hi friends!

I thought I would end the month by sharing some of my favorites of late…

Book: My reading life in 2021 has proved enjoyable thus far, and there is one book, in particular, I’d like to share with you. It is called The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry: How to stay emotionally healthy and spiritually alive in the chaos of the modern world by John Mark Comer. I loved this book so much that I started it again as soon as I finished it. Here is a quote: “Both sin and busyness have the same effect–they cut off your connection to God, to other people, and even to your own soul.”

Link: Even if the creator of this video was not my son, I would love it!  Enjoy: https://youtu.be/QTlLstJ5x4Q

TV Show: All Creatures Great and Small, Season 2. It is sweet and wholesome with all the feels.     https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/shows/all-creatures-great-and-small/#

Instagram: I am a fan of Dr. Daniel Amen. He is a psychiatrist and prolific author specializing in brain health (and so much more). Follow him for daily content with great tips on caring for and optimizing your brain: https://www.instagram.com/doc_amen/

 

Blessings,

Kristin

My Best-Loved Books of 2021

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Let’s talk about books. Since 2015, I have shared my best-loved books of the year on the blog. I enjoyed most of the 45 books I read in 2021, it was another great year of reading for me.

There are far too many good ones to review, but I pulled out some of my favorites…

Novels:

Moon Over Manifest, by Clare Vanderpool: I immensely enjoyed this young reader’s book that is not just for kids. I often look for Newberry Award winners that I have not read, and this one is delicious. It is a story about a town, a girl, friendship, and so much more. It is a historical fiction that transports the reader to Kansas in the early 1900’s.

All She Ever Wanted, by Lynn Austin: One of my favorite Christian writers. This one focuses on four generations of women with heartbreaking stories and riveting writing. The best is that God wins in the end!

The Downstairs Girl, by Stacey Lee: A book geared to Young Adult readers that I couldn’t put down. The protagonist is half Chinese and it takes place in post-Civil War Atlanta with the beginning of segregation laws.

Anne of Green Gables, by L.M. Montgomery: Yes, another “kid” book that delighted my heart. It was just what I needed this summer. Anne brings out all the feels and her outlook on life and chattering on and on is a pleasure to read. I just adore her.

Next Year in Havana, by Chantel Cleeton: If you want a fantastic history of the 1950’s Cuban revolution wrapped in romance, this book is for you. The author was inspired by her family’s stories of their Cuban past. This is the first one in a series of four and it is my favorite.

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