JEN SEVERN'S BLOG

Page Turner Tuesday #GIRLBOSS by Sophia Amoruso This is a fantastic book! I want my daughter to read it. Sophia gives great advice to all entrepreneurs, working people and and people trying to find their place in the world. She's an inspiration to me of hard work and dedication. This is on a must read list! “Jennifer Severn is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com).”

WELCOME to Page Turner Tuesday 2016 Book Club with Life in a Larger Story 13 HOURS  The inside account of what really happened in Benghazi by Mitchell Zuckoff with the Annex security team. I don't have a lot to say about this book except you should read it. It's a story of heroes, courage and valor. I have nothing but gratitude for their sacrifice and service. 

Daring Greatly by Brene Brown was the best book I read in 2015. It took me 6 months to finish it. I soaked up all the wisdom a little at a time. The title is based on this Theodore Roosevelt quote: She is a brilliant researcher on the topic of shame and vulnerability. She offers wisdom on how to get past fear and criticism and live a more wholehearted life. I learned some very simple and powerful tips. I even learned that I battle shame and I didn't even know it. Now I have some strategies on how to work through shame in a healthy way. In our society where we never have enough, we constantly compare ourselves to others. We compare our kids, homes, parenting, marriages, cars and anything else. This comparison can wear on our identity and our self-esteem and lead to living closed off lives. That kind of life is not daring greatly! This book is lovely and insightful. She is a wonderful storyteller and teaches through story. It has greatly impacted the way I live my l...

Are you in a Bible Study this fall?  I would love to hear what you are studying and if you are enjoying it.  I just started studying the book of Esther.  We are doing Beth Moore’s study guide and videos to lead us through.  The book of Esther is only 10 chapters and they are full of royalty, parties and high definition drama.  I am really enjoying the way Beth is leading us through this book.  If you have never done a bible study or just looking for a good one this one is excellent.  Here is a little taste of this study she calls; ESTER It’s Tough Being a Woman.  (She had me at the title!) “The dust kicked up by the messengers spun like dirt devils all over Persia.  As they arrived with the news in each corner of the kingdom, we arrive at t perfect place to make a monumental point:  The conflicts we study in our journey throughout Ester will not become gender issues.  Despite buckets of ink...

Amy and I are reading the book, “The Hole In Our Gospel”.  It is powerful.  One of the most inspiring and eye opening books that I have read in a long time.  It is changing my world view.  I challenge, encourage all of you to get it, get the study guide that goes with it, get the six week challenge book.  It is rich!  It’s empowering, eye opening, great book.  Before I go on I say, do it! Here is a link for more info: www.theholeinourgospel.com My prayer for us today: “Let my heart be broken by the things that break the heart of God.” Bob Pierce, founder of World Vision. “We may think God wants actions of a certain kind, but God wants people of a certain sort.”  C.S. Lewis I hope you are all enjoying your summer so far!

I wanted to share a few of my favorite quotes from the book   Love and War  by John and Staci Eldredge and my own thoughts on love this Valentine’s Day at the end.  Love and War was a great read!  Scott and I read it together.  We need to do that.  It gets us talking and thinking about our life and marriage.  We usually feel more connected, motivated and honestly prepared to deal with the next challenge life has for us.  One of the best things for us that came from this book is, to remember to pray together because, God has answers for us!  Instead of us leading the charge, lets pray and see what God thinks.  It takes some pressure off us and, we are seeking his way together.  Well, on to my favorite quotes.  I hope you enjoy them.  I hope you get the book!  If a marriage book isn’t for you, try  The Sacred Romance  by John Eldredge.  It’s really rich.  It’s not weird (it kin...

I want to sincerely thank all the men and women serving in the United States Military.  This book reminded me of the great sacrifice and service each of you undergo to protect and defend our country.  You have my full support and gratitude.  Thank you and your families for your service! This in an incredible story of survival, grit and friendship.  I found as I read, I was again reminded how proud I am to be an American and how blessed we really are.  This book told  a piece of a few young men’s stories and I am changed by their courage.  It’s a great story on what it looks like to be a community when things get tough.  There are emotional bonds tied, both on US soil and during war in Afghanistan when one chooses, to rally around friends who are going through a personal hell.  Lutturell tells an great story in his book of war, courage, friendship and even a little faith.  One of the best b...

I have been reading John Pipers book called  The Passion of Jesus Christ; Fifty Reasons Why He Came To Die . It has been an encouraging read in getting my head wrapped around why Jesus had to die and what is the big deal about Easter in the Christian faith. I have put the opening scripture that John Piper starts his book off with and then added part of the introduction.  You can download this book for free at John Piper’s web site.  I hope where ever you are in your faith journey that this book will encourage you.  I know it has been encouraging me!  If you are just checking Jesus out, this is a great philosophical read.  I hope you have a wonderful Easter.  He has risen, conquered sin and death for you and for me.  Jesus did not save us when we had it all together, but he died for us while we were living in sin.  He loves you and me.  There is nothing, not one big bad thing in your life that Jesus’ blood can not wash away....

Happy Easter!  Celebrate, Christ has RISEN!  Today is Book Club post day, and I am going to recommend a book that I have not read–going out on a limb, but a small one, since it’s a book that several people have mentioned to me in the last few weeks.  They have said it’s a quick read, but a great glimpse into the future God promises those who love him.  It’s called:   Heaven is For Real .  It is a story of a young boy who during emergency surgery dies and visits heaven, is brought back to life by modern medicine, and lives to share what he saw (as told by his Dad).  With today being Easter, I thought this was a great selection!  Look at the parallels–both Jesus and Colton were alive on Earth, both died, both were brought back to life–one by modern medicine, one by God (or maybe both by God…)  Both Jesus and Colton live to tell us Heaven is for real.  One lived to tell us about his visit, and one l...

I just finished one of the BEST Bible study books I have done in a LONG, LONG time.  This study is a great guide on how to read your Bible and actually get something out of it.  It’s simple and it’s not at all stifling or stuffing a bunch of rules at you; it’s really refreshing.  This would be a great Bible Study book to do over the summer with your friends.  It’s called  Can We Talk? soul-stirring conversations with God by Priscilla Shirer . There is a video to go with it.  We enjoyed that as well.  Her Bible Study method is full of grace and it’s great for busy women.  She shows you how to have 15 meaningful minutes with God.  I am going to share a bit from her book, but I can’t do it justice.  It’s worth getting!  It doesn’t matter if you have never cracked a Bible or if you have been studying it for years.  It’s a refreshing perspective having conversations with God. Priscilla talks about “The 5 Ps of Hearing God thro...

Written By Jen I invite you to join me in reading  Captivating by John and Stasi Eldredg e.  I have found this book is speaking to deep roots in my heart.  It is adding words and insight into many of my actions and thoughts of myself as a woman.  Honestly, I don't really analyze my identity as a woman often.  Maybe because that would make me feel vulnerable, someone could see my weaknesses and even worse, take advantage of them. I enjoy the way the John and Stasi write.  I fell in love with this book in the beginning when they say, “After years of hearing the heart-cry of women, I am convinced beyond a doubt of this: God wants to be loved.  He wants to be a priority to someone.  How could we have missed this?  From cover to cover, from beginning to end, the cry of God’s heart is, “Why won’t you choose me?”  It is amazing to me how humble, how vulnerable God is on this point.  “You will find me,” says the Lord, “when you seek me w...

Unbroken : A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption Written By Jen This is an incredibly powerful book written by Laura Hillenbrand the author of  Seabiscuit .  Unbroken  is a story of a young  Louis Zamperini  an Italian American growing up in Torrance, California.  He was a cunning and incorrigible delinquent in his neighborhood growing up.  His brother Pete saw Louis, though rough, was a talented runner.  As the role modle older brother he pleaded with his high school track coach to give Louis a shot.  Pete saw Louis needed attention and this would be a more positive outlet.  The coach agreed.  Louis was a track star.  He ran the 5000 meter in the 1936 Berlin Olympics.  When he returned he enlisted into the USAF and was a bombardier assigned to B-24's.  Ahead of Mr. Zamperini lay thousands of miles of open ocean, leaping sharks, a foundering raft, thirst and starvation, enemy aircraft, ...