How About an Escape to Take a Load Off?
Friends! I don’t know about your city, but our city’s all abuzz with bright yellow school buses all over the road, kids buying out the school supply section at Target, everyone attempting to juggle schedules to meet their teachers, and everyone’s first day is happening left and right.
Our grand angels are starting school as of last week, this coming week, and then the next. Three of our grands are starting kindergarten this year and that’s a big deal!
I’m thinking you want to see a pic of our “angels”: This is a pic from our recent family trip to Sea Island. Shameless, apologies!
(Left to right: Mills, Ford, Lauren, Baby Annie, Henry, Gordy, George, Charlotte with me, a/k/a Lolly, and Poppy behind me, Claire, Woody, and LT with Mary Abbott who’s never without her sunglasses and most days her purse. LOL. And Diana and John Jr. Also of note: don’t miss the snakes the boys have strewn about the lawn and in George’s hand. I call the boys the Twirling Tornados. LOL again.)
My birthday happens to fall in August, so I was never happy about starting school and having a birthday that became buried in books, homework, school supplies, etc. Altho’ a friend reminded me that when we were in school (in the Dark Ages) we usually didn’t start school ‘til Labor Day. So I’m not sure why I wasn’t fond of having a birthday in August?!!! Maybe with getting our boys ready for school, who knows...
Anywho, after all that (!!!), I’ve got GREAT news to start off your school year, or Fall season, or what have you. It will be an escape you’ll be thrilled to discover.
This past spring, John and I took a super fun Mediterranean cruise to Spain, France, Italy, and Monaco. We met loads of people from all over the world, but really hit it off with two couples in particular, one from Hurricane, West Virginia (pronounced “hurricun” and to be said super fast, LOL), Sherry and Rick, and the other couple hails from Okatie, South Carolina, Peggy and Howard. All six of us agreed we will reconnect this Fall.
Peggy sent me a darling book upon arriving home. Well, come on now, you knew the answer to this escape could be found in a book!!!
The book? Freely and Lightly: God’s Gracious Invitation to a Life of Quiet Confidence by Emily Lex
If I were only to judge the book by its’ cover, I’d have bought it on the spot for the design, title and subtitle alone! Here’s Emily’s website: www.emilylex.com
Not only did Peggy send me the book, she sent me “Truth for Today” cards which have Scriptures on them along with Emily’s talented artwork. These make neat enclosures when you’re writing a note to a friend or to go on a gift or to help you remember the verse!
Note: you can also get these cards in the Psalms, ones on Hope, Christmas ones, some for kids, etc.!
Emily also has created watercolor workbooks where you can paint pictures on the opposite side of the page she’s painted with step by step instructions to make your own. I can’t draw a stick man, but I think this could be fun and doable. I’m going to try one of the workbooks out on our oldest granddaughter and see how she likes it. Emily has a plethora of categories in the workbooks.
Believe it or not, Emily has also written several children’s books which I ordered for our grand angels. Obviously Emily is multi-talented! I’ll show them to you at the end of this post so we can dive into Freely and Lightly!!!
Before we even jump into the book, we’re greeted with three pages of lovely endorsements. I was impressed to see several authors I’m familiar with, all of whom I’ve read and admired. Below are just a few:
For example, Shannon Martin tells us Emily’s book is “fresh air and freedom.” Emily P. Freeman says the book is “just what we need when we feel overwhelmed, overlooked, and undone.” Tsh Oxenreider says, “Emily has graced us with her words and watercolors, calling to mind a deeper, more necessary truth than we normally see in the cacophony of life—that Christ reveals Himself in the daily delights.”
Ruth Chou Simons says, “Emily’s winsome storytelling will draw you in, and her grace-filled insights and delightful artistry will cause you to linger long in these pages.” And finally, Melanie Shankle tells us, “Emily has a unique way of pointing me back to Jesus over and over again in a style that leaves me feeling refreshed…you’ll feel your soul growing lighter and your faith becoming stronger.”
One of my all-time favorite Scriptures is Matthew 11:28-30 and Emily opens her book with this very one in the Message translation. This is Eugene Peterson at his finest! See if you can relate:
There are four parts in the book based on this Scripture:
Part 1: We’re Invited to Recover Our Lives
Part 2: We’re Invited to Take a Real Rest
Part 3: We’re Invited to Learn the Unforced Rhythms of Grace
Part 4: We’re Invited to Live Freely and Lightly
Aren’t those the best four invitations you’d ever want to receive? Twenty chapters are divided into the four parts. They make up a journey Emily has taken leading up to her fortieth birthday with humor, bravery, and confessions we readers can truly appreciate, There is much to learn from Emily and we get to laugh along the way often! (Plus don’t forget many of the pages are dotted with her beautiful art. What a treat!) By the way, Emily is married to Ryan. She and her husband have four children.
She dubs her book her “offering,” a showcase of spiritual transformation, a “renewal process.” She strongly encourages us to chuck the “I’m fine” mentality for being brave and “turn our feet toward the path that leads to new, flourishing growth as you accept Jesus’ call to live freely and lightly. It’s truly the most beautiful of all invitations.” Amen and amen.
My favorite chapter is Chapter Six, Be Still. It comes from Psalm 46:10, “Be still and know that I am God.” Emily tells us she felt like the Lord was telling her,
Wow—can’t you relate?
Emily concludes the chapter by telling us,
“Letting go of the need for things to go our way allows space for God to have His way in us.
Releasing control is just one of many small ways we make room for new growth.
Life with God is the very best partnership and it’s one big, amazing lesson in collaborating,
Considering,
And giving up control.,
THIS is what leads to a REAL REST.”
I pray this snippet entices you to run, and not walk, to your nearest bookstore to snag your very own copy of Freely and Lightly: God’s Gracious Invitation to a Life of Quiet Confidence! You’ll be blessed! (Plus, it’s not too early to consider this book a gift idea for Christmas!)
As promised earlier, below are Emily’s children’s books:
‘Til next time!
Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the page above are “affiliate links.”