When Benches (and Tuesdays!) Beckon You To Slow... A Book Review for Simply Tuesday by Emily P. Freeman

So y'all know how I adore Emily Freeman, right?

I adore her because I think we are kindred in many ways and I know that when I grow up (I know - I'm older... whatev's) I want to be like her... but she just keeps reminding me that what I really want is to be more like me.  Yeah. That. Because I adore her so much, sometimes I forget...

But Emily... she is consistent in reminding us to just be us... to stop trying to strive and instead, make space to let our souls breathe.

When I heard about Simply Tuesday (and read the subtitle: "Small-Moment Living in a Fast Moving World.") I just knew...this book? This is all kinds of wonderful and filled with all kinds of wonder.  It is full of confirmation of things that God has been doing in and working through me for awhile now and it is so nice to find an invitation to do a little soul breathing and bench sitting and embracing of the small.

I have read all of Emily's books and have loved each of them. It seems often, she writes words that my heart has long cried out to say before my mind could really find the way. 

Simply Tuesday is easy to read but this doesn't mean you should breeze right through it! 

I love how this book is laid out, with sections divided up into Home, Work, People, and Soul. There are prayers offered at the end of each chapter that will catch in your throat while your spirit sings out Amen, and questions at the end of each section for deeper reflection. (There is also a Free Conversation Guide available with purchase.)

I suspect that lessons learned from this book will continue to seep in, soak deep, and invite me to slow - on days that are wide open and unplanned, as well as on those bossy chaotic ones too! 

My copy is underlined, highlighted, and dog-eared all over the place and because I am a (super)fan of all things Emily I could clearly just go on and on and on. 

But instead, I will leave you with some of my favorite quotes, and a small excerpt... you know, just to convince reassure you that I am right and you really ARE going to want to get this book in your hands and in your heart!

(So much goodness, right?)

And then there is this:

"So here's to you, my fellow slow-processors.  Take the long way home. Embrace the silence to consider. Give yourself permission to think, to listen, to be sure.  

Here's to waiting before we move, pausing before we speak, and taking a week to cross off everything on our day list. Here's to trusting that we are made on purpose and that our natural hesitations may be our greatest gifts rather than our liabilities.  Here's to believe we have something to offer but that doesn't mean we have to offer it in the ways the world tells us we must.  

Here's to giving ourselves permission to bring our gifts into the presence of God, knowing he will bring them out of us in his own timing and in his own way.

Here's to remembering our job isn't to manufacture success.

Here's to seeing the work of our peers, our sisters, our brothers, or co-workers and celebrating their accomplishments, awards, and beauty.

Here's to knowing their success does not take one thing away from us.  

Here's to moving when we sense God moving, and listening when he says to stop talking.

Here's to shuffling our feet, playing on the floor, and staring out the window if we need to.  

Here's to listening to our questions, sitting in the darkness, and letting our experiences do their deep work within us.  

Here's to a long, deep breath.  

And here's to not letting our slowness boss us. Embrace it and learn it, but don't like it force perfection. Let slow do what slow does best: nourish, strengthen, and hold.  

Here's to deep roots, strong ties, and slow art." 

Amen and Amen, right? (...and you're welcome!)

* I was honored to be a part of Emily's Book Launch Team for Simply Tuesday. I received an Advance Readers copy from Revell and the above review is my honest opinion. No Affiliate links were used.

(...and I am not a stalker. It's fine!)

P.S.  I'm linking up with these lovely writers:

The Community over at #SmallWonders 

Laura Boggess over at #ChasingTheBlueFlower

Holly Barrett for #TestimonyTuesday

Kelly Balarie for #RaRaLinkUp