My Second Marathon

My second marathon, and I might be done, not because it didn't go well, but because it did. And it hurt, bad. I'm just not sure I'm made for this distance.

The Backstory

I signed up for this marathon shortly after last year's 10K. Debating between the half- and full-marathon distances, I asked my husband for his input. He told me that I should run the one I most wanted to run. Having heard horror stories of the traffic backups getting to the half marathon last year, I went with the full distance. 

I took a little time off after that 10K, then trained for Pat's Run and ran my first half-marathon for fun. Following that, I trained for Columbus half-marathon, sliding right into full-marathon training.

The Training

I went with the Boston Level Two plan this year (Boston Marathon, n.d., "Training plans". I started off thinking I would go for the 3:45 time, but then I decided to go all in for 3:30. That time would Boston qualify me, though probably not get me into the race, as the current buffer is seven minutes plus (Boston Marathon, n.d., "Qualify for the Boston Marathon"). Let's just say training was rough. I got ill a few times. I experienced quite a bit of gastrointestinal distress. Work has been super intense and stressful since January. I lost my voice the week of the race (more on that later). I really considered deferring or canceling several times.

Race Week

I came into race week with what I refer to as the "chest squeezy" feeling. I wasn't sick, but I didn't feel quite right, either. I started taking Vitamin C and Zinc on Saturday, and allergy medicine on Sunday. By Tuesday, I had mostly lost my voice. As I lay in bed Tuesday night considering what to do about work, I felt like God was prompting me to take time off. After all, I pretty much talk for a living, and it would be a push to try to force my voice through all the meetings I had planned. I did the meetings I had to do and took the rest of the day off. I took a nap and by Thursday, I thought I was mostly better. I finally hit race pace in my last five mile workout and I thought I had a chance.

I went to the shakeout run on Friday at what I thought was an early time, but there were already a lot of people there, and no shoes left in my size to test. Oh well. I ran the run, dashed to Home Depot to pick up supplies for my husband for our home renovation process, and went back to the expo. 

Big pickup was easy. I even got a mug for participating in this even for five year. (I didn't even realize it was that long!). There was a long line for bib testing, though. The people running the bib testing said that the server was slow, and we could move on if we trusted the system. I did, going through the whole expo to fill out my expo passport. (I now have enough points to register for at least the 10K for free!) This was probably the best expo yet, with lots of giveaways and swag. At the pacer's table, I picked up pace bands for 3:30 all the way to 3:45. I really wasn't sure how I should go out. While I believed I was capable of running a 3:30, calculators put me at 3:33 at the fastest, with a more realistic time of 3:49. Should I bet on myself or not?

The Night Before

I hit my carb goals early, and was able to get in bed by 8 PM. I wondered how I would sleep, given that I also napped that day. Praise Jesus, I slept pretty well!

Race Morning

I woke up at 3 AM. That was barely early enough, but I made it! I listened to my audio Bible reading (One Year Bible, n.d.), worked on my pull-ups, did my push-ups, PT exercises, stretching and foam rolling. Then I got dressed, made my cup of coffee with RNWY collagen, toasted my bagel, climbed up and down the stairs, and was out of the house around 4 am (RNWY, n.d.; Farmhouse on Boone, 2024).

My kind husband has been my chauffeur every year for the race, and thank goodness! I still don't know my way around town, and with lots of roads shut down, it was interesting to get to the bus line. While driving, I ate my banana and bagel and drank my coffee.

Transportation instructions this year had different parking and drop off locations. My husband said he didn't like the drop off, but I thought it worked well. He dropped me off around 4:20 AM. I was on a bus by around 4:30 AM, and we departed at 4:40 AM.

It was a bit of a drive to the start line, through Tempe and up the mountain. We arrived about 5:30 AM, which I thought was a good time, as it only left an hour until start time. Well, the porta-potty lines were already long, and even though I jumped right in, it took about 40 minutes to get through. That left me just enough time to throw my bag on the truck for retrieval at race end, and get in the corrals.

In the corrals, I decided to line up with the 3:35 group. We heard there was no 3:30 pacer, and the 3:35 pacer Ken seemed nice (Skrien, n.d.). Two other ladies and I were right with him.

The weather was pretty cool at the start (around 49 degrees and cool). I gave my first mylar blanket to two ladies shivering in the cold. I honestly did not want to, but I thought it was the right thing to do. God was gracious, and I found a discarded mylar blanket in a trash can when I went to drop my bag. Maybe it is gross, but I took it and kept it right until the start line.

The Race

Miles 1-10 I pretty much ran with the pacer the whole way. He seemed he like he knew what he was doing, and I trusted him. Sometimes he was a little ahead of me. Sometimes I got a little ahead of the pack. There was a hill around miles 4-6, but it was not too bad. It was lovely not to look at my watch, and I just chugged along, taking gels every three miles.

Miles 10-20 I started feeling my legs probably around mile 9 or so, and by 13, I was hurting some. I thought to myself, "And this is why I am a half-marathon girl." At some point, I actually got ahead of the pace group, and I thought I just might be on track for a 3:30. Then things started slowing down. I took a Carbs fuel gel with 100 mg of caffeine at mile 15, and at about mile 18, I felt it kick in (Carbs Fuel, n.d.). By this point, though, I had dropped behind the pace group. [Marathon Mama RD also passed me (Scott, n.d.)] I was off pace for a 3:30 slightly by mile 17, and at 18, I was hurting. I told myself I had just about an hour left, and that around 22, I would see my husband.

Miles 20-26.2 My pace kept slowing as the flat ground and hot sun loomed before me. I texted my husband around mile 20 that I planned to throw my pack at him. I had drank most of the RAW electrolyte water and just wanted to shed weight (RAW, n.d.). I stuffed my pockets with my remaining fuel, and still slowed down. I went from 8:04 to 8:07 to 8:10/mile. I didn't really look at my watch. Honestly, I didn't care about my time anymore. I just wanted to finish. I knew I had friends at the finish line, and I didn't want to disappoint them.

One of my "friends" (the ladies with whom I started) was off and on my shoulder as we got closer to the finish line. I saw at least two people either doubled over or sitting. I told myself to hold on. I was belching gels at this point, so I let myself get away with skipping the one at mile 24. I took a few sips of water and grabbed a Crank E-gel and Skratch energy chews (because I am a sucker for freebies) and just kept going (Crank Sports, n.d.; Skratch, n.d.).

I tried to be encouraging as I went. I saw one lady walking and crying. I saw Waddell Running Lady with her son's name on her bib and cheered her on (Schroff, n.d.). I tried to run a little faster, telling myself that if I sped up, I would finish faster. I gave it all I had in the last 0.2 miles, and I thought I was fast. Splits say I was just the same: 8:10/mile. 

The Finish

I did see my friends and husband out of the corner of my eye as I finished. I threw up my hands and stopped my watch. The 3:35 group was pretty far in front of me, but the clock said 3:35 when I passed, so I thought I might be close. My watch said 26.47 in 3:34:20, but I stopped it after the finish, so I wondered what my time was. The app didn't say.

I grabbed my medal and filled up a bag with food: Spylt chocolate milk, Siete Foods, That's It fruit bars, water, and more (Spylt, n.d.; Siete Foods, n.d., That't It, n.d.). I skipped the banana, thinking we had a lot at home. That was a mistake.

The Finish Line Festival

I thought the Finish Line Festival was for runners only, but my husband and friends got to me. My friends had made me a sign, which was super fun. I immediately went to the results tent, but after waiting in line for quite some time, was told to come back in 30 minutes, as my results had not registered. We went and took photos and got some more goodies. I went back. They told me to come back again. I hobbled over to take pictures with the 26.2 sign, and then my friends had to leave. At some point, I went and got my drop bag (a little bit of an Easter egg hunt, but I found it.). The Honor Health tent let me have a banana, and that helped with refueling.

I am not sure if I went back to the results tent one or two more times. All I know is that it was getting hot. I felt like I was getting sunburned, and both my husband and I felt thirsty. Running friends encouraged me to go to the Honor Health tent to stretch out, an that helped my pain some. Eventually, after trying to hydrate with more caffeine (I could only get half down) and eating another protein bar, results were still not it (1st Phorm, n.d. Phorm energy; 1st Phorm, n.d. Level-1 Bar. The nice man (who was losing his voice) explained that the beacons on the course pinged about 50 times per person per beacon, and with 11,000 runners, the server had crashed due to the backlog. It was back up, but not more backlogged than ever. He said it could take until evening or the next day to register time. Convinced that I would get a time, we went to the car and drove home.

The Drive Home

While driving home, I listened to the kind shoutouts my sister-in-law (plus niece and nephew), Mom and Dad, and prayer partner of my mom's sent. I had forgotten my AirPods, but that was just as well, as it it made the drive home more special. Mom had asked me to send her a picture of what I was wearing on the run, and I figured she had some plan, but what I didn't know was that she would have a friend on the course to cheer me on. What a blessing!

My finish time finally posted while driving home: 3:34:14--not a Boston qualifier, but over 17 minutes faster than my first. And there was so much to give thanks for: nice weather, friends, good nutrition (thanks to my running dietitian, which will be another post), the pacer, food at the expo to get me through an extra long stay, the Asics Magic Speed shoes Sole Sports got me hooked on, no blisters thanks to Bombas socks from my husband, etc. (Moore, n.d.; Asics, n.d.; Sole Sports, n.d.; Scheels, n.d.).

It took me a bit to unpack and unwind when I got home. I had coffee, plus 100 mg of caffeine on the course, plus 200 more in the protein drink, plus 100-150 mg more. Needless to say, I was buzzed.

I didn't think I was hungry after I showered, but I thought I should eat more. My friends gave both my husband I goodie boxes, and praise Jesus, there was a savory Quiche Lorraine in there (Paris Baguette, n.d.). After all the sweetness of the gels, that hit the spot. I attempted to nap, but nah, that was not happening. Caffeine and adrenaline do not for a good nap make. But that's okay. It was still a good day.

Final Thoughts

The pacer told us early on in the race to find our, "Why." I had it written on my wrists: "loved" on my left wrist, and "beloved" on my right wrist. Loved was to remind me to pray for the kids with whom I work. "Beloved" was from the new Francis Chan book (2025), and encouragement to me to focus on absorbing God's love. As I ran, I thought about what it meant to "be loved." I committed to myself that I would not take anything for granted, thank God for whatever results came, and actually try to accept and absorb the love of all the people supporting me on this day. I did pray a lot. I am super grateful for the results. I am not sure I have fully absorbed all the love of the people around me or of God, but you know what? I have that very kind race sign to look at and remind me of love for as long as I want to keep it around. That's probably going to be for a very long time!

References:

Asics. (n.d). Magic Speed. https://www.asics.com/us/en-us/magic-speed/c/aa50124900/?CAWELAID=120223060000996421&CATRK=SPFID-1&CATARGETID=120223060000867441&CAPCID=587613936406&CATCI=dsa-19959388920&CAAGID=130950374040&CADevice=c&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=10390976860&gbraid=0AAAAADl69Mha6JyZbmEthRvK5MOWT72vI&gclid=Cj0KCQiA18DMBhDeARIsABtYwT2fJ3oKsxUvl044pCFuHqs00MVb8zS4Cm5hzF71mHdhe3ficQKwNEsaAnWvEALw_wcB

Boston Marathon. (n.d.). Qualify for the Boston Marathon. https://www.baa.org/races/boston-marathon/qualify/

Boston Marathon. (n.d.). Training plans. https://www.baa.org/races/boston-marathon/info-for-athletes/boston-marathon-training/

Carbs Fuel. (n.d.). Carbs Fuel original caffeinated 50g energy gel. https://carbsfuel.com/products/carbs-fuel-caffeinated-original-50g-energy-gel

Chan, F., & Gordon, M. (2025). Beloved. David C. Cook.

Crank Sports. (n.d.). Radical raspberry e-gel. https://www.cranksports.com/product/radical-raspberry-e-gel-box-of-24/

Farmhouse on Boone. (2024, April 27). Easy sourdough discard bagels. https://www.farmhouseonboone.com/easy-sourdough-discard-bagels/#wprm-recipe-container-41224

1st Phorm. (n.d.). Level-1 bar. https://1stphorm.com/products/level-1-bar-15ct?variant=40173113737302

1st Phorm. (n.d). Phorm energy. https://1stphorm.com/products/phorm-energy

Moore, E. (n.d.). The Dietitian Runner. https://thedietitianrunner.com/

Paris Baguette. (n.d.). Quiche Lorraine. https://parisbaguette.com/product/quiche-lorraine/

RAW. (n.d.). RAW replenish. https://getrawnutrition.com/products/raw-replenish?srsltid=AfmBOoqjVrcdX1lM0_ZQ5yCKWzG0a2rGrwIqGRAigxSbKn_bbJBNbr1O&variant=51657774334270

RNWY. (n.d.). RNWY foundation. https://rnwy.life/products/foundation?srsltid=AfmBOoqU6wWmXDD7Gyzy-F1kRCyx8OdoJoBe896SQxm77xyjbYPI6pKM

Scheels. (n.d.). Bombas performance ankle running socks. https://www.scheels.com/p/84362919468?queryID=c9989f49f8db5376728a82c6bcff6378

Schroff, M. [@WaddellRunningLady]. (n.d.). Waddell Running Lady. [Instagram profile]. Instagram. Retrieved February 14, 2026 from https://www.instagram.com/waddellrunninglady/.

Scott, J. [@MarathonMama_RD]. (n.d.). Marathon Mama RD. [Instagram profile. Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/marathonmama_rd/

Siete Foods. https://sietefoods.com/shop/

Skratch Labs. (n.d.). Energy chews sport fuel. https://www.cranksports.com/product/radical-raspberry-e-gel-box-of-24/

Skrien, K. [@Im_That_Ken]. (n.d.). I'm That Ken. [Instagram profile]. Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/im_that_ken/

Sole Sports. (n.d.). https://solesports.runfreeproject.com/

Spylt. (n.d.). Spylt chocolate milk. https://www.spylt.com/product/chocolate-milk

That's It. (n.d.). Fruit bars. https://www.thatsitfruit.com/collections/shop-fruit-bars?srsltid=AfmBOorcRr0Oq8XJ7lB7PDp-HpFK0AeK9xTu4pbV9dephGOVX1EArZRJ

Love Gifts from God

High school was not the worst of times, but it was not the best of times, either. I was struggling with academic stress, friend stress, work stress, and more. I was also battling anxiety and depression, for a time with medication and therapy, and later with nothing but natural support from family and friends. I remember clearly some deep days of despair on which I called out to God to do something to show me his love. He never had to answer. He is sovereign and perfect and I was certainly not, but time and time again, God graciously reached down and gave me gifts of love.

Somewhere around Valentine's Day of my senior year of high school, I got a call from the college I wanted to attend letting me know I had gotten a half-tuition scholarship. With the steep price of the school, this made it a little more accessible, if not yet quite feasible. Sometime around that period, I also got a call from my dad's company letting me know that I had received their top academic scholarship which meant, for the first year, I would owe nothing in school tuition. Sure, I would have move-in and living an expenses, but I could go to my dream school without going into debt. Praise!

I had come home from the scholarship weekend competition at that school some weeks earlier, telling my parents I wanted to attend the school, but that there was no way it would work out. "Just wait," my dad said. "See what God will do." And wow, God came through! I am pretty sure my dad reminded me of this, too, not to say, "I told you so," but as an earthly father, to point to the love of my heavenly father.

On several other dark days in high school, I remember crying out to God for signs of his love as I completed tasks related to my house cleaning job for a lovely family in a town nearby time. At least twice, the mom of that household came out to me and gave me immense gifts: designer hand-me-down clothes from her daughter, and later an entire set of dishes (that we still use to this day). Did that lady know I was struggling? Or was she just acting on Holy Spirit conviction? Maybe both! Whatever the case, I viewed those gifts as wonderful blessings not just from her, but from a God who loved me.

And this year, after a particularly stressful few weeks of work, followed by a few moments when I literally thought I was going to lose my mind, God gave me a love gift again. I had driven about 20 minutes to my Avon lady's house to pick up my order, not entirely convenient, but something that saved me shipping and sort of allowed me to "shop local." "I put a little gift in there for you," she said. "I gave you the other kind of mascara, just so you can try both and see which one you like." (I had ordered one tube of mascara to replace my now three year old product.) When I got home and looked at the tube, what word stood out prominently? Love.

I felt lighter after that interaction, not entirely better, but definitely loved. There was absolutely no reason the Avon lady needed to give me two tubes of mascara. I don't even use a lot of makeup, so it would take me a while to go through both, but still. It was a love gift: from her, and from God. One of the reasons I chose this lady is because she is a believer, so I believe that she must have given me that extra mascara as a prompting from God.

As I write this, I realize how often God has shown me His love through other people. What would have happened if those people had chosen to disobey God's promptings? I don't know. I hope that I wouldn't have lost faith, but I know for sure I would have felt more despairing, depressed, and dejected. I hope that maybe in some cases, God's love has been able to flow through me to others, as His love flowed through me to these. Perhaps on this Valentine's Day, that is something to think about: how to see God's love through the acts of others, and how to give God's love through acts of service and care. God's ultimate gift of love was in and through His Son Jesus. While we can't save the world, perhaps God can use our love to move people a little closer to true salvation, or at the last, save them from feeling completely unloved in this here and now life.

What We Cooked and Ate (Week 7)

This Week's Eats:

Apple-cinnamon risotto (Easy Vegetarian Slow Cooker) 

Best corn on the cob (Gluten Free Alchemist)

One hour sourdough discard burger buns (Amy Bakes Bread)

Pennsylvania coal region BBQ (365 Days of Slow + Pressure Cooking)

Taco roasted potatoes (My Sequined Life)

Noteworthy Repeats:

BBQ chicken pizza (Budget Bytes) on thin and crispy pizza crust (Budget Bytes)

Big-batch Instant Pot white beans (Epicurious)

Homemade ranch dressing (with Greek yogurt) (It Starts With Protein)

Shredded chicken (365 Days of Crockpot)

Freezer Pull-Outs:

Best barbecue sauce (Easy Vegetarian Slow Cooker) 

Easy five minute gravy (Karissa's Vegan Kitchen)

Jalapeno-cilantro stem marinade (Food 52)

Sourdough discard bagels (Farmhouse on Boone)

Sourdough discard protein bagels (This Jess Cooks)

Real Life Marriage: Marriage is a Vulnerability.

Anytime I watch a marriage crumble, I get a case of the fears. It is not that my husband gives me any reason to doubt his faithfulness or fidelity. It is that each and every time the demise of marriage catches me by surprise. People's relationships look and appear sound, until they're in a million pieces on the ground.

Marriage is a wonderful gift, but also a vulnerability. I have told my husband many times that I think I could survive his death more than his unfaithfulness. It's not that I want him to die or wouldn't miss him if he did. It's that I would have good memories and believe God could help me move on. If he cheated on me or otherwise left me, I know by God's grace I would survive, but I don't feel like I could. I think I'd rather God just take me home myself.

Paul writes in 1 Corinthians to urge people to stay unmarried if they could. He writes, "I want you to be free from anxieties" (English Standard Version, 2019, 1 Corinthians 7:32). I think the fears of marriage are part of what he means here. Marriage is great. It has blessed me with love and companionship and sanctification and growth. But if I am honest, it also leaves me afraid. All I can do is cling to God and try to walk the walk, because God knows, my marriage could be the next one to explode.

Proactively, are we doing all we can to preserve our marriage? No, probably not. We miss date nights. We miss devotionals. We have spats and I hold bitterness too long. But we are working on our marriage. God has grown our communication. We have safeguards in place to help us stay faithful. We have people who call us on stuff. Is it enough, though? No. Only God is enough. Our covenant is in Him, and only He is enough to hold us together, together, together, or should the worst happen, together with him to go through it.

Marriage is a risk, and I took it. The fear is real, though. The prayers to stay faithful, for others, and for ourselves, are also real. They are the only way in which I know to walk forward, because goodness, marriage is a mine field.

Reference:

English Standard Version. (2019). Bible Gateway. https://www.biblegateway.com/versions/English-Standard-Version-ESV-Bible/#copy

Yoga with Adriene Return Series (Review)

As with all things, there are times and seasons. Adriene Mischler used to release a 30 day yoga challenge every January. She did that for eight years! Then in 2025, she released just a seven day program, and now in 2026, she's moved to a once a week, four week (with a final live stream practice). I admire her commitment to continuing to release new content, but at a pace that seems more sustainable.

Mischler has been somewhat open about her struggles with burnout, first in 2021 (Barrie), and then again in 2025 (Lucci). Perhaps these new, shorter practice styles reveal her commitment to "less is more," and/or reflect some of her own practices. Regardless, in this season of my life, I enjoy being able to keep up with something that I enjoy, but at a slower, and more accessible pace.

Like with most of Mischler's videos, the new "Return" practice videos (2026) are about 30 minutes each. The third video is closer to twenty minutes, and focused on core, as was her usual practice in day 6 of her 30 day programs. (This was actually the only practice of which I tuned into the whole thing.) The live practice (which I participated in later) was much longer, at over an hour. While I think I would have liked less, I think it was also good for me to slow down and try to practice for longer just once.

Overall, the practices follow Mischler's usual structure, though maybe with a little more slowness and stillness, and a little less humor. One thing I have always appreciated about Yoga with Adriene videos is that they are light on actual yogic philosophy, and that holds true here. These practices are more about movement and breath and less about philosophy. That works for me.

While I have done the 30 day yoga practices in the past, I now try to fit in yoga just once a week. Even if only for 5-10 minutes, it counts! Yoga is a good reminder to stretch, slow down, and tune in. These practices, albeit a bit longer than I have been doing, provided me an opportunity to return to these benefits of yoga, and for that, I am grateful. For anyone who wants to return to a practice of yoga, this new series of videos provides an accessible door, and I recommend them!

References:

Barrie, T. (2021, November 22). Adriene Mishler: ‘In 2021 I was like, “I have to pause. I have to practise what I preach."' GQ. https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/fitness/article/adriene-mishler-interview

Lucci, A. (2025, January 1). Burnout nearly broke Adriene Mishler. Here's how she came back stronger than ever. Women's Health Mag. https://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/a63207450/adriene-mishler-essay/

Mischler, A. (2026). Return - A 4 Part Journey - 2026! [Video] YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AyWhA68BUms&list=PLui6Eyny-Uzynj9tgds7Qb4EjYYmIx0Ci

What We Cooked and Ate (Week 6)

This Week's Eats:

Lentil soup (Two Peas and Their Pod)

Sourdough discard oatmeal bake (Acts of Sourdough)

Sourdough breakfast cookies (Kneaded That)

Ten minute raspberry chia seed jam (Gimme Some Oven)

Noteworthy Repeats:

Creamy protein peanut butter (Cheat Day by Design)

Homemade ranch dressing (with Greek yogurt) (It Starts With Protein)

Shredded chicken (365 Days of Crockpot)

Sourdough bread-back in the rotation after my husband restarted his hobby

Freezer Pull-Outs:

Breakfast fried rice (Meal Prep in an Instant)

Chickpea vegetable soup (Running on Real Food)

Greek chickpea soup (The Plant Based School)

Easy gravy (Recipe Zazz)

Lentil potato soup (Nibble and Dine)

Savory sourdough cheese herb quick bread (The Healing Slice)

S'mores sourdough bagels (Sourdough Jesha)

Sourdough cornbread (Homestead and Chill)

Sourdough discard bagels (Farmhouse on Boone)

Sourdough discard protein bagels (This Jess Cooks)

Whole wheat bread (Sally's Baking Addiction)

Everything I Read (And Listened To) in January

I didn't necessarily "read" a lot with my eyes this month. (See my "Less" post.) What I did do was listen a lot with my ears [particularly on my long runs, and because this month had so many of those, I think this is my biggest audiobook month (9) yet]. While I have not yet tried listening to fiction on audio (I am not sure I could follow), I have enjoyed alternating between learning books and memoirs. (I learned last year that I most like memoirs read by their authors.) Memoirs just keep me more engaged for longer periods of time, and when I have those aforementioned long runs, I really enjoy them! So without further ado, here's January's book list.

1. When Less Becomes More: Making Space for Slow, Simple, and Good by Emily Ley [Audio book]—In this book, simplicity expert and planner designer Emily Ley discusses how she overcame the push for “more” in life, so that she could learn to enjoy and be present in the “less.” This is not about minimalism per se, but about counting costs, about letting things go, and about finding contentment in the Lord. There are some pretty lengthy sections about social media, eating, and parenting that did not resonate with me so much but the rest of it? Yes! I needed the reminders. My life is very full, and as Ley states, sometimes good is better than great, specially when present in it. I want to make space for more good.

2. How to Plot a Payback by Melissa Ferguson—Lavender Rhodes ruined Finn Master’s life, and when he’s forced back into proximity with her via becoming producer of Neighbors, the show in which she stars as lead actress, things continue to go awry. He still has the list of every way she’s wronged him, and now he’s plotting a payback. The thing is that his acts of revenge keep boomeranging back at him. This is a rom-com if there ever was one: slapstick and silly, but also sweet and poignant. While there is no overt Christian content, the script is clean and contains life lessons about what it truly means to be neighbors and love one another. I am ready to read another plot by this author.

3. The Exvangelicals: Loving, Living, and Leaving the White Evangelical Church by Sarah McCammon (1/6/25) [Audio book]—NPR political correspondent and journalist Sarah McCammon grew up in a charismatic evangelical church in Kansas. Slowly, she became disillusioned with it and eventually left. This book is her story, along with the compiled stories of many other ex-vangelicals. The book chronicles the many reasons people have left the evangelical church, including Christian nationalism (with the 2016 election being a crux point), Christian opposition to science; LGBT issues, fear-based rhetoric surrounding topics like the rapture, purity culture, and more. What stood out to be as a key factor in leaving the evangelical church was a failure to believe in scripture as the inerrant word of God. Without that foundation, the fundamental tenets of Christianity, in my opinion, cannot hold. I finished this audiobook with sadness over the hurt and harm people have experienced from the church, but also with a sense of hope. McCammon concludes the book writing about the loneliness of ex-vangelicals, as well as how many are making sense of their purpose in the world by serving others. If there are any opportunities for the church to be Jesus—even to those who claim to have left it—I think those are some doors to doing so.

4. In His Dreams by Gail Gaymer Martin—Marsha lost her husband to Lou Gehrig’s disease and her brother-in-law Jeff lost his wife in a tragic car accident. While Marsha has made peace with God, she’s a controller and often meddles and tries to fix people. Jeff blames God and is trying to be all things to his disabled daughter Bonnie. The two hit it off when they run into each other one summer in Beaver Island. They both have to get right with God (and others) before they have any hope of a potential future together. This is a more serious than dreamy book, with a sexual abuse content warning. It’s a good, more true-to-life romance, though, and is valuable for that reason.

5. Beloved by Francis Chan with Mercy Gordon—This is the book that Francis Chan says he wishes he wrote before Crazy Love. It’s not that Chan doesn’t believe the Crazy Love message, but that he believes understanding God’s love is the foundational bedrock for Christian life and ministry. This book is not light on gospel, scripture, or obedience. It is heavy on all. There’s still stuff to do: meditate on God’s word; spend less time on social media; love the poor, etc. The thing is that all this doing needs to come from immense knowledge of being loved by God. Chan writes that it has taken him decades to get there, and I am definitely not there yet. This book is a call to meditate on God’s love and allow it to continually saturate me more and more fully, however, because those who know they are beloved are able to be love to the world that so desperately needs Jesus.

6. Growing Boldly: Dare to Build a Life You Love by Emily Ley [Audio book]—My husband says I am a pessimist, and maybe I am, because as much as I would like to believe that everybody can “pull themselves up by their bootstraps” and “live boldly,” I don't think they can. There is systemic injustice. There is poverty. Sometimes life is about mere survival. There aren't resources to live, let alone to dream. Still, God used this book to speak to me about time and seasons. Life is not all about big and shiny. Sometimes leaving a legacy means cutting back. Some callings are for a season. Calling is not vocation. Where possible, naming what I love about life can help me move more towards that kind of life. Disagree though I may with the dream stuff, I like Ley's writing. It is simple. It is easy to read (or listen to, as was the case with this audio book for me). It is encouraging. If anyone is to grow, these things are all nourishing towards that end.

7. Less Doing, More Living: Make Everything in Life Easier by Ari Meisel [Audio book]—Ari Meisel is a serial entrepreneur. He went from overworked and burned out, with several side effects from undiagnosed Crohn's Disease, to a coach, hobbyist, and business man happy with his life and work. This book is his treatise on how to optimize, automate, and outsource in order to reduce work and increase living. The eight principles he shares are more about apps and processes than philosophy, and they could help some people. These strategies were not really for me, though. Yes, I touch a lot of things, but I think I find joy in some of them, like my to-do list. For automators and programmers like my husband, though, this book could be highly beneficial. In fact, as I read it, my husband was implementing his own "external brain" system to avoid a to-do list (not influenced by Meisel, since he had not read the book), and found it highly successful.

8. Pure: Inside the Evangelical Movement that Shamed a Generation of Women and How I Broke Free by Linda Kay Klein—I don’t want to discount this book’s author’s personal story, or the stories in it, but I just didn’t find it helpful. I read this book after hearing in the ex-vangelical book that purity culture turns people away from the church ,and I hoped the book would help me understand more. Instead, what I found were sexually explicit interviews, and not too much about a path forward, at least until the end. Maybe I’m just too far removed the experiences of people in the book. While I think the church could do more to teach body literacy and healthy sexuality, I don’t remember experiencing the levels of shame Klein and her interviewees share. Maybe it’s because I grew up outside the charismatic denominations that Klein disclosed for herself. Or maybe it’s because I took sexuality classes from my Christian university before I got married in my 30’s. Whatever the case, I just did not find reading stories of people who bucked the sexual norms of the church that helpful. I think a more helpful book would be one that focused less on the details of the sexual struggles and more on what the church could do, or has done, to be helpful. The ending few chapters are redemptive and seem to start to go there. Maybe this is a future book for Klein or others?

9. Racing to the Finish: My Story by Dale Earnhardt, Jr. with Ryan McGee (1/17/26) [Audio book]—As the daughter of a NASCAR-watching dad, I thought learning more about a racer's story might be interesting—and it was. This was actually less of a book about Dale Earnhardt Jr.,'s life, and more about his multiple concussions and recoveries from them. As a mental health professional, I found it interesting how anxiety and stress exacerbated Earnhardt's symptoms, and how some of his symptoms of fearing future concussions mirrored PTSD. I was unfamiliar with the concussion recovery program out of the University of Pennsylvania and think it could be a resource for many inside and outside of racing. I think I will also see future NASCAR races and their potential for injury differently. All in all, this audiobook was worth my time to better understand a sport and its repercussions.

10. Grace Not Perfection: Embracing Simplicity, Celebrating Joy by Emily Ley [Audio book]—Emily Ley writes some good books: simple, easy to follow, personal, and applicable. Additionally, Ley has a very soothing voice, making them enjoyable to listen to via audiobook. This particular book is about slowing down, making space—margin for what matters, and taking time to savor life. It’s about rhythms and routines that can make space for joy, all while being flexible and having grace for self and others. It was applicable and helpful, and I recommend it!

11. The Most Perfect Rom-Com by Melissa Ferguson—Bryony Page fell into becoming the ghostwriter for air-headed and pompous Amelia Benedict. Now, due to Amelia’s inability to even read the ghost-written books, Bryony has to go on tour with Amelia for damage control, all while writing “the most perfect rom-com” that will shoot Amelia to the top of the bestseller list. At the same time, Bryony is trying to work with her agent Jack Sterling to sell her own book, a book she hopes she will save The Bridge, the center at which she teaches English as a second language. Bryony and Jack are friends, but enemies, until all the facades drop, and they fall into their own rom-com story. I don’t believe in perfect in this world, but as far as books go, this one is pretty close: clean, sweet, and with some surprise Easter eggs of depth and meaning. The one thing that would make it more perfect is more faith integration.

12. Unplanned by Abby Howard [Audiobook]—Abby Johnson grew up in a Christian household that was pro-life, but she didn’t really know why or necessarily hold that conviction personally. Johnson became a volunteer at Planned Parenthood because she believed in empowering women. After two abortions of her own, a troubled marriage followed by divorce, and finishing her psychology and counseling degrees, she went on to become director of Planned Parenthood, working there for eight years. After upset in the organization and assuring with an ultrasound guided abortion, she broke down and eventually resigned her position. She didn’t immediately become pro-life, but after a lawsuit from Planned Parenthood, she went public with joining the Coalition for Life. This book may seem like a treatise for the Pro-Life movement, but it’s not just that. It’s a critique of the radical right and how their macabre tactics pushed Johnson and others away. It shows how the love and prayers of truly compassionate people worked to change Johnson’s heart. It reveals the hypocrisy of churches that condemn rather than love. This book contains some gruesome details, but it’s a powerful one, revealing how God is sovereign over all things, especially over the unplanned ones.

13. Life in Five Senses: How Exploring the Senses Got Me Out of My Head and Into the World by Gretchen Rubin—Gretchen Rubin is a self-proclaimed happiness expert, seeker of ““Self-knowledge and mindful action.” This book details her attempts to be more present through use of her five senses. In each chapter, she engages readers in first person narratives about her own sensory experiences, as well as a few tidbits of research. This book also includes a few photos for the benefit of reader's own sensory experience. All in all, this book does encourage me to observe more. More than that, it reminds me that we are, as the Psalmist says “fearfully and wonderfully made” (139:14). Perhaps if I could get out of my head and into my body more, I would experience more of that.

14. The Preacher’s Wife: The Precarious Power of Evangelical Women Celebrities by Kate Bowler, read by Kelly Burke[Audio book]—Kate Bowler is an expert on prosperity gospel, and in this tome, she looks at what it looks like to be a female part of that (well mostly—not all the women covered as prosperity gospel teachers or purveyors). She discusses the interplay between complementarianism and capitalism, the double standards for women in ministry, and more. This is not just all about preacher’s wife, either, but about female evangelical figures in general: Bible teachers, authors, Christian music artists, counselors and other advice givers, etc. I listened to this on audiobook, all 11 hours of it, and I am not quite sure I would have been able to stay engaged for all of it via sight reading. As it was, it was interesting background listening, and a very well-researched resource, should I want to dive into this topic further.

15. Out of the Cave: Stepping into the Light When Depression Darkens What You See by Chris Hodges [Audio book]—Chris Hodges is not a clinician. He’s a pastor (of Highlands Church) who has both personal (individual and family) and professional experience with depression. He started writing this book after yet another pastor suicide, and he does a good job of looking at the holistic struggle that is depression. He uses the prophet Elijah as a case study, weaving in scriptural and psychological information to show how depression is physical, spiritual, mental, emotional, and relational. I think this is a very balanced, faith-based, and accessible approach to an often contentious topic. I am thankful to have this book as a resource to add to my personal and professional toolbox.

16. The Sweet Life by Suzanne Woods Fischer—Dawn and Marnie Dixon lost their father/husband in a tragic accident, and now Dawn has had her engagement broken and learns Marnie had breast cancer. They go to Chatham Bars Inn on the honeymoon Dawn was supposed to have, and that starts a cascade of events that will change their perspectives. Dawn is not happy when Marnie decides to buy a dilapidated ice cream shop, but Marnie does it anyway, stating that she needs something different in life. Dawn begrudgingly agrees to help, and as she does so, both find a new lease on life. This is probably more of a summer beach read than an in-the-middle-of-the-winter read, but nonetheless, it's a sweet one! Bonus points for the author who obviously did her research for this book, even including fun quotes (some reworked) from famous people about ice cream!

Readers, what have you been reading lately? Please share in the comments section!