Today we dive into episode 193, Five on the Side, where Kate and Sheila discuss impactful books they’ve read on their own. The list was varied and insightful:

1. S=’The Scarlet Thread” by Francine Rivers-         

 K= “God’s Chosen Fast” by Arthur Wallace

1. S=”The Gift of Fear” by Gavin De Becker-”T

K=”Clear Your Clutter with feng shui”  by Karen Kingston 

1. S=”A Spring of Daisies” by Cindy Escobar 

            K=”Sink Reflections” by Marla Cilley 

1. S=”The Indigo Girl” by Natsha Boyd   

K=”Soul Care” by Rob Reimer  

1.   S= "Where the Lost Wander" by Amy Harmon  

K=”Milly and the Warm Wind” by Jenna Winship

Bonus Picks: S=”Strays Like Us” by Celilia Galante

                      K=”Truth Journey Family Devotional Book” by Jenna Winship

Thanks for joining us on our reading quest to read the best!

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“Are you brave enough to wade into the great river of life?” Join us as we dive into a book about family, friends, and love served with a hearty dose of laughter on the side. Kate DiCamillo outdid herself with her 2024 book, Ferris!

It has something for everyone from an outlaw sister to a gifted pianist to Ferris’ plan to reunite her separated aunt and uncle. Emma Phineas Wilkey was born under the Ferris wheel hence the name Ferris. Pinky, her little sister, is a caution. Clarisse, her grandmother, lives with them and her uncle recently started living in the basement while he is attempting to paint the world but seems to be stalled after he painted a foot.

Ferris and her father share coffee each morning as he discusses his musings from the encyclopedia he’s currently reading. “Ferris took a sip of coffee. It was rich and mysterious. It tasted like being an adult.”

Ferris’ father’s favorite quote, “The dogs bark but the caravan passes by” is a powerfully pithy reminder for us all  not to let criticism stop forward progress.

Ferris and her friend, Billy, are concerned about Mrs. Mielk, a teacher they had in school because she is grieving the loss of her husband. “Grief takes away your words. For a while it takes away everything.”

As Ferris’ mother says the Wilkys live large and it is beautiful,

Everyone’s invited to the lighting of the chandelier dinner, won’t you join in the fun?

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Greetings dear listeners! Today Kate and Sheila recap the fifth book of the Bible, Deuteronomy. 

“…for the Lord your God is in your midst, a great and awesome God.”(7:21) God called Moses from a burning bush and Moses obeyed and led God’s people. They are often referred to as ‘stiff-necked’ people which means Moses’ job was far from easy. Moses’ main goal was to get God’s people to love Him with all their hearts and with all their souls and with all their might (6:5). Notice ALL is used repeatedly, just as a house divided will not stand neither will a heart divided remain faithful.

Deuteronomy might possibly be the most quoted Old Testament book by Jesus. He used texts from it 3 times when He was tempted by the devil in the desert…

 Deut. 8:3, “Man does not live by bread alone…” 

10:12 “And now, Israel, what does the Lord you God require of you, but to fear the Lord you God, to walk in all His ways, to love Him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments…”

Deuteronomy is a book of beginnings and endings. Moses has taught and retaught God’s commandments because holiness doesn’t just happen. Moses instructs the people to serve God wholeheartedly and to teach their children what God’s done for them in the past and to be strong and courageous moving forward. 

Moses passed the torch to Joshua after seeing the Promise Land and blessing the people. “And there has not arisen a prophet since in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face.” 34:10

Please join us as we dive into the dynamic book of Deuteronomy! Check out our website for past episodes https://recapbookchat.com/2025/06/30/pivotal/

Join us with our special guests as we discuss the delightful classic by Roald Dahl, The BFG.

“Meanings is not important,” said the BFG. “I cannot be right all the time. Quite often I is left instead of right.”

Sophie is the youngest but she is also the linchpin in solving the giant problem. Sometimes kids think bravely when adults don’t try to see a possible solution. This is the growth mindset vs fixed mindset we’ve discussed on previous podcasts.

Sophie tells the BFG they have to do something to solve the giant problem. They have to work together to discover a solution that teaches us a real-life lesson. Let’s be aware of challenges and problems and open to ways to solve them. 

The boys thought the audio was a hoot. Whether you read the book or listen to the audio you and your listeners are in for a fun time.

Thank you for helping us to spread the love of reading!

Join Kate and company as the boys discuss "Way of the Warrior Kid" by Jocko Willink, a decorated retired Navy SEAL, whose motto is, "You can do anything if you do the work.”

Readers meet Marc, a 5th grader who can’t swim, can’t do pull-ups, and doesn’t even know his multiplication facts. He has a false identity of being a wimp along with thinking he is dumb. His fixed mindset is holding Marc back until his Uncle Jake comes for a visit and Marc’s training begins!

This is something all parents and grandparents can do for their kids. Let them know that all problems and challenges can change for the better. Beginnings are difficult and often require a nudge or three : ) Once they start seeing the benefits of doing the work, they’ll start pushing themselves.  In the words of Uncle Jake, “Even if you can’t perform at a high level, showing up and doing something is still a thousand times better than not showing up at all.” Doing the hard work to improve, no matter what, is how dreams turn into reality. “Discipline equals freedom.”

By the end of the book, Marc has come up with his own warrior code. Are you ready to move forward? We’re on a quest to read the best, won’t you join us? Here’s a link to Jocko’s interview on why he wrote the book Jocko Willink and the Way of the Warrior Kid

Look for the movie in August!

‘The Brick’ is finally finished! Kate and Sheila discuss Les Miserables in its entirety… (spoiler alerts galore-avoid if  surprises you adore) …it has taken us a bit, but so totally worth it!

Victor Hugo shows readers that, “Heroes come in all shapes” from the unbelievable bravery of young Gavroche to the mysterious motives of the misunderstood Jean Valjean. 

Hugo can bloviate like no other author, from Waterloo to the sewers of France! He can also pack quite a punch in  few words:

“One cannot goad people into moving faster than they are prepared to go. Woe to him who tries to force their hands.” People will rise to the level of expectations but we must let them rise (like bread in the making) we cannot force anyone’s progress! Victor nailed it!

“What is Progress? We have just said it. It is the permanent life of all people. But it sometimes happens that the momentary life of individuals is opposed to the eternal life of the human race.”

Do we oft times put the pebbles in first? Do we worry and fret over the trivial? Eternal life is one that is lived in harmony with God❤️He is our Rock He must come first!

“But a civilizing race must be a masculine race…Those who become effeminate bastardize themselves.” In our society young men are committing suicide 4 times the regular population! The war against toxic masculinity has wreaked havoc by giving young men false  identities, leaving our society with boys.

Readers are taken on a journey starting with injustice and evil and falsity and darkness toward justice and goodness and truth and light! What an emotional roller coaster ride for determined readers! Warning: Not for the faint of heart! 

Let’s put on SCUBA gear before embarking on this deeper than deep dive! Thanks for joining us on our quest to read the best! May you have a day that is blessed with a book, a cuppa, and  friends! 

In this conversation, we delve into Brant Hansen's book 'Unoffendable', exploring themes of anger, forgiveness, humility, and the importance of love in personal growth and relationships. Mom and I share personal reflections and key takeaways from the book, emphasizing the need to practice an unoffendable mindset in everyday life. The discussion also touches on cultural Christianity and the call to redeem rather than condemn the world around us.

We highly recommend it to everyone. It is in my “read once a year” list. Brant is a raw and authentic author as well as a nationally syndicated ⁠radio host⁠ and lover of toast. I love the way he breaks down misconceptions and inspires change in a beautiful and memorable way. Additionally Brant talks about how much more peaceful and fulfilling his life has been after implementing the major yet simple concept of being unoffendable.

Correspondingly Unoffendable does not shy away from heavy issues such as trust, forgiveness, laziness, anger, grace and addiction but meets them head on and sheds light and hope where we need it the most.   

If you have read Unoffendable we would love to hear from you and your big takeaways. You can leave a voice memo, contact us on our website or join in and share your thoughts on our Facebook group Recap Book Chat.

Andy Crouch gives readers a plethora of ways to put technology in its proper place in his book, The Tech-Wise Family. "To be a child, teenager, or young adult these days is to navigate a minefield of potentially life-altering choices." His daughter wrote in the forward explaining "...the best part of tech-wise parenting is focusing on something older and better than the newest thing. The key word is better." This better way involves choosing: Character, Shape Space, and Structuring Time.Character develops slowly, daily, as we painstakingly overcome problems. Shape spaces are places in our homes that are device free and packed with supplies to create or practice a skill which could include everything from books to board games and paints to a piano. Structuring time is intentionally setting time aside to rest from devices such as spending intentional time being grateful without instantly scrolling.Change is challenging but worthwhile. "We will have to teach our children, from early on, we're not here to make their lives easier but to make them better."Andy's Ten Tech-Wise Commitments1. We develop wisdom and courage together as a family.2. We want to create more than we consume. Fill the center of the home with things that reward skill and active engagement.3. We are designed for a rhythm of work and rest.4. We wake up before our devices do and they "go to bed" before we do.5. We aim for no screens before double digits. Avoid tethering to the glowing screen as long as you can.6. We use screens for a purpose and we use them together.7. Car time is conversation time. It takes 7 minutes to get a 'real' conversation going.8. Spouses have each other's passwords. Parents have total access to kids' devices.9. We learned to sing together. (Powerful picture book, Christmas in the Trenches, shows the power of song. A German soldier started singing Silent Night, and both sides sang together in different languages. They also shared what little treats they had been sent from home)10. We show up IN PERSON for big events in life. (weddings, births, & funerals)Interesting point, "...the quest to cure boredom with entertainment makes the problem worse, the more you entertain kids, the more bored they will get." When we choose the easy way, we miss cultivating patience. The first people to be bored were the first people who did not do manual labor. Frederick Douglass said, "Without struggle, there is no progress." The last thing learners need is for it to be too easy. Difficulty and resistance press learners forward and make the learning stick. We hope you glean much from the pages of this little jewel to bring your precious family closer together as routines are established and memories are made. Screens are probably here to stay, but our children are with us for but a season, may we live life well preparing them for the road ahead.

Greetings dear reader! Please join us as we recap Leviticus and Numbers a.k.a. In the Wilderness (in Hebrew). The focus is God’s holiness and His desire for His people to be holy. It’s a bumpy road but we see the steadfast love of God through it all. Leviticus is mostly God talking to Moses. Lev. 11:44 -  “Be holy, for I am holy.”

Sin is costly. We have many lessons and blessings in these books. Atonement with animal blood temporarily covered the sins of the people. Today, we are so blessed that Jesus’ blood continually cleanses us! Jesus’ death was foreshadowed when the snake bitten people had to look at the snake on a stick to live. 

These books aren’t all animal sacrifices, mold, and discharges. One of Jesus’ familiar quotes is found in Leviticus 19:18, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.” 

Moses bridging the gap between the people and God is a foreshadowing of Jesus being our bridge to God today. What a beautiful picture of a holy sovereign God that refuses to give up on His people!

Thank you for reading with us, in our quest to read the best! May you grow with God!

Join Kate and Sheila as they dive into the book of Exodus! God rescues His people from Egyptian bondage through 10 plagues defacing things the people of Egypt worshipped. Things get worse before they get better, as Pharaoh keeps saying no to letting God's people go. 

In this riveting book we meet Moses and follow him from the palace for 40 years, to desert for 40 years, where he encounters God who appoints him to free His people. Moses tries to talk God out of choosing him but God, the great I Am, knows best and He does not waver from Moses as leader for His people. To get a different look at Aaron, Moses’ brother who helped him check out Sons of Encouragement by Francine Rivers.

As the people leave Egypt they take unleavened bread, leaven symbolizes sin. As we partake of the Lord’s Supper today unleavened bread represents Jesus’ sinless body. If you would like to make unleavened bread, check out the links below.

  https://grainsandgrit.com/unleavenedbread/

Unleavened Bread with 100% Freshly Milled Wheat | Passover | Lord's Supper

Additional resource on Exodus:

Book of Exodus Summary: A Complete Animated Overview (Part 1)

https://www.thebiblerecap.com/

https://bibleproject.com/guides/book-of-exodus

Dear readers, we hope you have a blissful day that allows you time to curl up with a great book!

Check out our website for summaries of all the podcasts https://recapbookchat.com/