Habits for a Sacred Home (& More Jan. Reads)
I read thirteen books in January: Jennifer Pepito’s Habits for a Sacred Home and twelve others. That was a banner month, even for me!
I read eight before beginning a Mediterranean cruise a week ago, then finished five more onboard the ship. Read on for my impression of each work, listed in the order I read them.
8 Books I read in January:
Faith that Doesn’t Falter by Elisabeth Elliot
Faith That Does Not Falter was an Audible recommendation based on my listening history, and they didn’t steer me wrong!
It was a quick listen — less than 2 hours — but filled with biblical wisdom and Elisabeth Elliot’s straight-shooting encouragement on such universal topics as dealing with a broken heart, overcoming fear, battling doubts, and surrendering fully to God’s plan for your life.
Making Work Visible by Dominica Degrandis
If it weren’t for the fact I bought Making Work Visible as an audiobook, I probably wouldn’t have finished it. Not because it isn’t well-written — it is. The book is packed with practical suggestions for making wise and efficient use of your time in accomplishing business goals.
But most of the examples and anecdotes included center on workplace relationships — dealing with team members, project managers, stand-up meetings, etc. Conspicuously missing were specific applications to the kind of work I do as a stay-at-home mom who homeschools her children.
Still, optimizing work and flow and minimizing time theft are worthy goals for all of us, and I found the author’s discussion of the strategies that’ve helped her achieve success in these areas both fascinating and encouraging.
The Bronze Bow by Elizabeth Speare
Set in the first century AD, The Bronze Bow centers on an orphan named Daniel. Daniel lives for a single purpose: to avenge the death of his parents by driving the Romans out of his homeland. To that end, he has joined a band of zealots who live in the mountains, preying on unsuspecting travelers that happen their way.
But when Daniel’s grandmother dies, he alone is left to care for a sister Leah. Leah, who has been tormented by demons for years. Leah, who will not survive without his help. But when he moves back to town, his perspective shifts. He hears the teaching of a carpenter who shows him the only way to conquer hate is with love. It is a powerful story and well-worth the read.
The Paper Bag Christmas by Kevin Alan Milne
I started reading The Paper Bag Christmas aloud to my kids and grandkids in December, but only finished it mid-January.
In it, two brothers discover the true spirit of Christmas in an unlikely place — at the children’s ward of a local hospital while serving as elves to a very unconventional Santa.
Little did they know when they began their volunteer work how powerfully they would be impacted by the people they met and the events that unfolded in the days and weeks and years that followed.
This beautifully told story moved me to tears multiple times. So if you read it, you may want to keep a box of tissues handy!
Until the Streetlights Come On by Ginny Yurich
Until the Street Lights Come On by Ginny Yurich is another of the books our whole family voted to read together this year, and I finished it this week. I’ve heard Yurich speak before, but never read any of her books before. This won’t be the last.
Although the book was conversational in tone, it was packed with a lot more research than I expected. Fascinating stuff!.
I don’t know how anybody could read this book cover to cover and remain unconvinced that kids– and adults! — benefit physically, intellectually, socially, and psychologically when they spend more time in nature with age-appropriate freedom to enjoy the fresh air and sunshine and explore the world around them.
The World of Captain John Smith by Genevieve Foster
I love Genevieve Foster’s history books and have read them all multiple times to my children during my 30+ years of homeschooling. Like the other volumes in this series, The World of Captain John Smith examines what was going on in every corner of the globe during the years that John Smith was alive.
Not only do we learn the details of his life and work, but we also find out about the discoveries and accomplishments of many of his contemporaries.
Each section of the book includes an introductory illustration summarizing the most important events and most influential key players during a given phase of the title character’s life.
Habits for a Sacred Home by Jennifer Pepito
I’ve had Jennifer Pepito’s book, Habits for a Sacred Home, in my ever-increasing to-read stack for over a year, so it’s one of the first ones I tackled after deciding not to buy any new books in 2026 until I finish the pile (or until September, whichever comes first 😉).
In this beautiful book, Pepito walks readers through the process of writing a mission statement tailor-made for their own family. She’s an avid reader herself, and it shows through her writing.
She weaves together verses from Scripture, stories from history, and details of her own past experiences to craft a wonderful volume of encouragement for wives and mothers who want to cultivate a Christ-centered home life.
Elisabeth Elliot: Do the Next Thing by Selah Helms
Selah Helms’s Trail Blazers biography, Elisabeth Elliot: Do the Next Thing, was a quick but powerful read.
The book recounts Elisabeth’s life, from her youngest years as the daughter of missionary parents, Philip and Katharine Howard; through her marriage to Jim Elliot, the birth of their daughter, his death at the hands of the Huaorani in Ecuador, and her subsequent widowhood and writing career; through a second marriage to Addison Leitch and his death to cancer, which left Elisabeth a widow for a second time; a third marriage, her struggle with Alzheimer’s and eventual death.
But through all the ups and downs, joys and losses, Elisabeth’s indomitable faith shone brightly. Her life was an inspiration to millions, including me. I enjoyed reading this succinct account of her time on earth, lived for God’s glory!
Birth Control, Infertility, Reproductive Technology, and Adoption by Wayne Grudem
I really like Wayne Grudem. His books and articles never fail to stretch and challenge me. Even when I don’t agree with all his conclusions, I respect his biblical scholarship and the clear, concise way he articulates his arguments.
Such is definitely the case with his book, Birth Control, Infertility, Reproductive Technology, and Adoption. With grace and humility, he considers each topic in light of what God’s Word says — or doesn’t say — about it. Which is a great starting point for any of us when deciding how to handle any number of controversial topics.
Anxious People by Fredrik Backman
I spotted Fredrik Backman’s Anxious People on the shelf at Goodwill the day before I boarded the MSC Seascape for a week-long Caribbean Cruise. I’d read a few of Backman’s other books ( Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer and My Grandmother Told Me to Tell You She’s Sorry) and enjoyed those enough to take a chance on this one.
Besides, when I flipped the book open to the middle to read a couple of pages and get a feel for the story, the dialog made me laugh out loud, which bode well for the rest of the story, which relates what happens when a desperate bank robber tries to rob a cashless bank, flees the scene when a teller calls the cops, and winds up taking a roomful of strangers captive when the only available escape route dead-ends at a poorly-timed open house for an apartment across the street. The hostages are eventually released, but what became of the bank robber?
Get It Done by Gretchen Rubin
I listened to Gretchen Rubin’s audiobook Get It Done , as it isn’t available in any other format. It’s a relatively quick listen — around 4 hours — and contains practical tips for making steady progress on a broad range of personal goals and dream projects. She offers up no particularly ground-breaking secrets, yet I really enjoyed listening (despite the unnecessary and mildly distracting background music used to emphasize section breaks) and felt motivated to tackle a few of my own neglected projects with renewed vigor and a sustainable plan for sticking with the work through completion. I’ve already marked several such tasks off my to-do list in my first week after completing the book. So thank you, Gretchen!
The Science of Sleep by Heather Darwall-Smith
As somebody who has never struggled to fall asleep — sleep only eluded me when my babies were little and woke me up several times a night to nurse –I found Heather Darwall-Smith’s The Science of Sleep a fascinating read. It is appropriately titled, as the author delves deeply into the science of how and why humans need sleep and the myriad benefits our bodies reap when we ensure they get sufficient sleep. But she also discusses at length different things that disrupt sleep and what can be done to overcome obstacles that sometimes conspire to rob us of sleep. The book contains an extensive Q&A section which many readers may find helpful. (Sadly, it also contains a very unscientific disclaimer from the publisher at the end apologizing for the fact some studies cited in the text did not use more gender-inclusive language.)
The Black Cauldron by Lloyd Alexander
I reread Lloyd Alexander’s The Black Cauldron this month. Book 2 in his Chronicles of Prydain follows Taran and his companions as they set forth from Caer Dalben in search of the Black Cauldron — a tool of unspeakable evil, used to create an army of deathless warriors.
They must find and destroy the cauldron before it falls into enemy hands. Little do they imagine what high price their quest will demand of each member of their little band of warriors.
This series was one of my husband’s favorites as a child, and he has passed that love on to the rest of the family. I highly recommend The Chronicles of Prydain to anybody who loves a well-crafted adventure pursued by admirable heroes and heroines.
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