Favorites Reads and Listens of 2020
If you’re like me, you enjoy seeing other people’s favorites lists in reflecting over the past year. I like seeing what people like YOU, read, watched, listened to, made, accomplished… So, I thought I’d share some of those things with you here.
First of all, each of you deserves a HUGE hug, high five, fist bump and serious “Félicitations!” for making it through 2020, the strangest year most of us have lived through. Well done. I’m proud of you! You rocked it like Django’s rocking his draisienne.*
4 Favorite Books (of the 8 that I read). I dedicated a separate post to all the books I read here if you want to see the full version.)
1) “When Faith Fails : Finding God in the Shadow of Doubt” by Dominic Done.
2) “A Girl of the Limberlost” by Gene Stratton-Porter.
3) “The 6 Needs of Every Child : Empowering Parents and Kids Through the Science of Connection” by Amy Elizabeth Olrick and Jeffrey Olrick, PH.D.
4) “The Horse and His Boy” by C.S. Lewis, the 3rd book in the Chronicles of Narnia series.
7 Favorite Listens
1) The Daily Audio Bible app - I listened to almost the whole Bible in 2020. In the past, I’ve had an actual one-year Bible, but listening to the Bible is working really well for me in this busy-with-small-people season, and I love the community feel and fresh reading daily. Brian Hardin and his family are such beautiful servants of the Lord. God’s word is so vital to my life. I love being able to hear His love letter to me everyday and cling to His promises that are still for you and for me today! You can find The Daily Audio Bible here.
2) Calvary Chapel Vero Beach podcast - I’m sure you all have your favorite teachers and pastors, but if you don’t, check out this podcast. (You will have to search Calvary Chapel Vero Beach in your podcast app). It’s so encouraging. The Sunday morning messages, midweek studies, ladies studies, young adults teachings… so rich! We met the pastor and his wife in Austria in 2019, Jim and Kristie Gallagher. They are such great people., and Jim surfs, which is always fun. Check out Calvary Chapel Vero Beach here.
3) The Next Right Thing podcast - My friend Leah introduced me to this podcast in the spring of 2019. It has been a constant companion since. Emily P. Freeman is the author, and she wants to help “create space for your soul so you can discern your next right thing in love” (<—her words). Find the The Next Right Thing podcast here.
4) Your Enneagram Coach podcast - My friend Denae introduced me to the enneagram in the beginning of 2019. It has been an incredible tool that God has used to illuminate my shortcomings and to point me in a direction of growth through His Holy Spirit. It has been a huge blessing for me personally and for me and Tonio and our communication in our marriage. I thank the Lord! And it’s just super fun to listen to Beth and Jeff McCord in their super candid way of explaining all things enneagram from a Jesus-centered perspective. Find the Your Enneagram Coach podcast here.
5) The Lazy Genius podcast - I discovered this through The Next Right Thing podcast. The gal who hosts The Lazy Genius, Kendra Adachi, is quite gifted at finding ways to best tackle everyday tasks like laundry, cleaning the bathroom, meal planning, etc… She’s witty and very to-the-point. I don’t listen to every episode like with the above podcasts, but I often refer to it if I need some help with some specific household task. I want to buy her new book soon! Find The Lazy Genius podcast here.
6) Spotify playlists - This is more generic, but if you’re familiar with Spotify or other music platforms, you know the joy of creating playlists to fit your mood or particular life event. I’m sure we all had confinement soundtracks in the spring/summer of 2020… the songs that take us back to the four walls of our home on repeat. HAHA! Daphné and I created different playlists and jammed to them often. We pay for a membership, but it’s free if you don’t mind commercials. Find Spotify here.
7) Jim Gaffigan, comedian - I was texting back and forth with my friend Crystal, and I mentioned that I wanted to laugh more. I realized I can get so caught up in the mundane and busy that I just don’t laugh enough. Yes, my husband’s amazing forced French accent while speaking English often has me in stitches, but I don’t have recordings of him when he’s not around. Hehe! She recommended Jim Gaffigan just a few weeks ago. I’ve only listened to a few tracks on Spotify, but they left me light and giggly. Just what I need(ed). He’s pretty clean, and similar to Brian Regan. You can find Jim Gaffigan in any music platform or at his website here.
And it looks like I will save my favorite things I watched, made and accomplished in another post. This one grew longer than I thought. What did you read? What were some of your favorite things to listen to in 2020? It’s super fun to look back and to appreciate a year that most people want to forget. Let’s remember who carried us through, who encouraged us, who made us laugh… God is so good. He always is. That, my friends, will never change.
Love Linz
*driasienne - fancy French name for bike with no pedals