for your Empty Nest

Empty Nest, Full Life: Discovering God’s Best for Your Next

by Jill Savage

This book by Jill Savage is worth its weight in gold. Filled with wisdom and understanding, Jill will help you in the transition to an empty nest, in parenting your adult children, and in making the most of your new life as an empty nester. Check out my full review here.

A View from an Empty Nest: Surprising, Poignant, Wonderful Things on the Horizon

by Bonnie Beth Sparrman

Another little gem, this book consists of 42 short chapters, each linked to a verse or two in the Bible, perfect as a devotional to start your day. I love the small size and pretty little ribbon bookmark, so I recommend going for the hardcover…the extra few bucks over the digital version is worth it.

For Getting Your Life Together

The Next Right Thing: A Simple, Soulful Practice for Making Life Decisions

by Emily P. Freeman

This book by Emily P. Freeman (Founder of Hope*Writers) is wonderful guide for any stage of life or time of transition. (I’m looking at you, new empty-nesters!) Emily’s wisdom and relatability provide insight and direction for your journey. Would make a great gift for a student going off to college, someone searching for a new job, or anyone facing other big or small life moments!

Atomic Habits

by James Clear

Atomic Habits didn’t sell over a million copies because it full of useless information. This self-help guide is chock-full of practical suggestions for giving up your unhealthy habits and taking on healthy ones. If you are looking for ways to change any area of your life, I recommend Atomic Habits. It’s a life-changer!

Liturgy of the Ordinary: Sacred Practices in Everyday Life

by Tish Harrison Warren

I was asked to lead an adult education class at our church on this book Liturgy of the Ordinary. After reading the first few chapters, I couldn’t say “no.” If you want to bring your Sunday worship life into the ordinariness of your day-to-day life, I highly recommend this book! Warren ties activities like brushing your teeth, eating leftovers, and sitting in traffic to the sacred and mysterious liturgical elements of worship. Through making these connections to our everyday lives, Warren also sheds light on the worship elements that often seem esoteric or too profound to relate to.

Roots and Sky: A Journey Home in Four Seasons

by Christie Purifoy

In this memoir, Christie Purifoy tells the story of her family’s move to Maplehurst, her dream home in Pennsylvania. With three children in tow and another on the way, settling in was much harder than she had expected. Through the process, she found a connection with God and a new appreciation for the surroundings she had been blessed with.

Through her inspirational, contemplative prose, Christie takes the reader along through the first four seasons in her new (old) home, on a spiritual journey from hardship to healing.

For Elder Care

The Geography of Memory: A Pilgrimage Through Alzheimer’s

by Jeanne Murray Walker

I recommend this beautifully written memoir chronicling Walker’s journey with her own mother who had Alzheimer’s. It explores the complicated family dynamics of siblings caring for “Mom,” mother-daughter relationships, faith, and all it means to slowly lose, while learning to care for, that most influential person in one’s life. At times, it felt like she was writing about my life–I could relate to so many of her stories.