No Higher Calling

The Watchmaker’s Daughter

by:

Larry Loftis

Corrie Ten Boom’s story has always inspired me. I’ve read several books about her life, but this book shed light on details I had not read about before.
The reader always comes away from Corrie’s story challenged by the complete forgiveness and love found in Jesus Christ.

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Raising a Modern-Day Knight

by:

Robert Lewis

This book is written to fathers, but I gleaned from it as well! (Sim and I read it together). I really enjoyed the first half of the book which dealt with qualities that boys should develop to become godly men. The second half of the book was more centered on celebrations of manhood which were a bit much for our personal taste.

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The Brave Learner

by:

Julie Bogart

“The best education we can give our children is the one that says” There are unlimited ways to get to where you want to go; I’m here to help you find your way.” Julie Bogart gives advice on how to move away from boring school norms to an enchanting life of learning.
This was not a favorite homeschooling book of mine, but it did have some good nuggets of wisdom from an experienced homeschool mama.

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The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe

by:

C. S. Lewis

I have dreamed of introducting my children to Aslan, the children, and the world of Narnia since they were born! It is a story that has endeared itself to the heart of this literature lover, and I wanted it to be a part of my kids childhood. I was not disappointed! My kids were captivated by the story from the lamp post all the way to Cair Paravel! A must-read for every family!

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Help for the Hungry Soul

by:

Kristen Wetherell

“You were made to desire and hunger for your Creator.” You’ll walk away from this with an excitement and a renewed desire to spend time in God’s Word.

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Educating the Wholehearted Child

by:

Clay & Sally Clarkson

The ultimate manual on home education! This book was PACKED with wisdom and advice from seasoned homeschool parents. They cover so many parenting/discipleship/education/home education topics. Some of the info is a bit outdated, but I would recommened this to every homeschool family!

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Ember Rising

by:

S. D. Smith

Eden and I have been listening to this series on audiobook (Joel Clarkson does a fabulous joy reading the book aloud!) I’ll be honest, we lost interest a bit in book #2, but interest was rekindled with this book! And by the last chapter, Eden was begging for me to get book #4.
Heather and Pickett find themselves separated and both fighting against Morbin in their own way. Will they be victorious? Will they even survive? Does rabbitkind have hope of a mended wood? Be ready to be captivated by this moving tale.

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Breaking Free From Broke

by:

George Kamel

An enlightening read! I came to our marriage having zero personal finance knowledge or skills. Thankfully, this is an area Simeon is great in! This book breaks down all the big terms like mortgage, ROTH IRA, etc, and explains them in easy-to-understand terms. It gives solid advice and a secure, workable path to getting out of debt and getting on track to not just having money, but freeing yourself to give away money!

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Mothering by the Book

by:

Jennifer Pepito

This was such a unique book. She addressed common motherood fears by sharing her own battle with them and how books encouraged her to face her fears. Having God’s Word as your strong foundation and literary characters as your mentor, you glean wisdom in denouncing fears and living in truth.

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Running on Empty

by:

Barbara Bancroft

This book is written to encourage the weary ministry woman. While there were some great takeaways, it was not a favorite on this topic.

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The Horse and His Boy

by:

C. S. Lewis

We delighted in joining Shasta, Aravis, Bree, and Hwin as they journeyed to the enchanted land of Narnia. They encountered perils along the way, but they overcame and restored a long-lost tragedy.

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Creative Counterpart

by:

Linda Dillow

“A creative counterpart is a woman, who, having chosen the vocation of wife and mother, decides to learn and grow in all the areas of this role and work as though she were aiming for the presidency of a corporation.”
I loved this book on marriage and left encouraged to love my husband deeper.

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Ember’s End

by:

S. D. Smith

This final installment of the Green Ember series will have you on the edge of your seat! We cried together and celebrated together as the story came to a riveting end.

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Teatime Discipleship for Mothers & Daughters

by:

Sally Clarkson

This is a beautiful keepsake book! Sally emphasizes the important role of discipleship in the relationship between moms and their daughters. I loved the priority she put on a mother passing her faith on to the next generation. It also includes fun teatime ideas, yummy recipes, and lovely photos! Every mama will want this on her bookshelf.

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You Carried Me

by:

Melissa Ohden

This is a captivating true story of an abortion survivor. Through the book, you follow the author heartwrenching journey of discovering the details surroudning her unwanted birth, her fight with her emotions as she comes to terms with her story, and her triump as she finds forgivness and purpose in Christ! A must-read on the pro-life vs pro-choice debate.

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Prince Caspian

by:

C. S. Lewis

The Narnia tale continues! Prince Caspian flees his castle and throne when his uncle, Miraz, has a son. Knowing his life is in grave danger, he runs to the forest which is believed to be inhabited by mystical remnants of Narnia. Caspian joins forces with the Narnians to reclaim their kingdom, yet they cannot do this alone! With the aid of Queen Susan’s magical horn, Peter, Susan, Edmond, and Lucy are called to Narnia once again to help in the battle.

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The Golden Goblet

by:

Eloise Jarvis McGraw

Eden and I enjoyed learning more about Egypt and the life of the people during ancienct times. This story kept us drawn in as we awaited a great mystery to be solved.
*Note: There were many references to Egyptian gods and religion, especially as pertains to the afterlife.

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My Side of the Mountain

by:

Jean Craighead George

Follow Sam Gribley into the Catskill Mountains in New York. This 12-year-old boy sets off on a journey to survive all alone in these mountains. His ingenuity as you watch him meet man’s basic needs is incredible. He finds shelter, food, and water. He makes his own clothes from deer skin. He looks for companionship in the forest befriending a falcon named Frightful, The Baron weasel, Jessie Coon James, and others. You’ll love watching Sam grow in his abilities and tenacity as he survives over a year in the wilderness.

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Hard Is Not the Same Thing as Bad

by:

Abbie Halberstadt

“When you begin to see struggles as a necessary part of God’s plan for your spiritual growth, you can discover supernatural peace and purpose, even when you’re down in the deepest trenches of motherhood.”

Abbie shares Scriptural wisdom in addressing a difficult topic. Hard is not the same thing as bad. Does that make it any less hard? No! But God uses hard things to sanctify us and make us more like Christ. The challenge is to lean in instead run from. Let God use the hard in your life for growth.

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Favorite Book Series for Elementary Age Girls

Brettnay Brazzell — Thu, 14 Mar 2024 10:44:13 +0000

My 7 year old daughter, Eden, is quite the voracious reader! She joins me on the No Higher Calling Podcast to share some of her favorite book series. Book series synopsis are taken from Amazon. To hear Eden’s personal review, listen to this podcast episode!

Sophie Mouse

by:

Poppy Green

Age Recommendation: 5-8

Explore Silverlake Forest with Sophie Mouse and her friends as they go back to school, go hunting for berries, learn to swim, and much more! With easy-to-read language and illustrations on almost every page, The Adventures of Sophie Mouse chapter books are perfect for beginning readers.

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Heartwood Hotel

by:

Kallie George

Age Recommendation: 5-10

When Mona the Mouse stumbles across the wondrous world of the Heartwood Hotel in the middle of a storm, she desperately hopes they’ll let her stay. As it turns out, Mona is precisely the maid they need at the grandest hotel in Fernwood Forest.

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The Great Mouse Detective Collection

by:

Eve Titus

Age Recommendation: 6-9

Basil—the detective mastermind of the mouse world—lives in the cellar of Sherlock Holmes’s house. A devoted admirer of the great detective, he has learned his craft by listening at the feet of Holmes himself. Join Basil and his friend, Dr. Dawson, they solve some of their most baffling cases in this collectible boxed set!

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Grandma’s Attic Series

by:

Arletta Richardson

Age Recommendation: 8-12

Arleta Richardson weaves tales of a simpler time, stories that have touched more than two million lives. A young girl’s discovery of her grandmother’s keepsakes inspires heartwarming tales of her grandmother’s childhood and the lessons learned on a nineteenth-century farm. The set In Grandma’s Attic, More Stories From Grandma’s Attic, Still More Stories From Grandma’s Attic, and Treasures from Grandma’s Attic.

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Ten Girls Series

by:

Irene Howat

Age Recommendation: 7-12

The stories of Helen Roseveare, Corrie Ten Boom, Joni Eareckson and many others are brought to life by award–winning author Irene Howat. Each book contains the stories of ten girls who grew up to be used by God in amazing ways. Readers will not only be amazed at the bravery, cleverness and faith of these girls, but will be inspired to look to the God who worked through each of them.

The books contain ten easy to read chapters of equal length. Each character’s chapter begins with an incident or memory from their childhood, reminding the reader that people who grew up to do amazing things were once children just like them.

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The Secret of the Hidden Scrolls

by:

M. J. Thomas

Age Recommendation: 6-9

The series follows siblings Peter and Mary and their dog, Hank, as they discover ancient scrolls that transport them back to key moments in biblical history. There they find a world filled with wonder, adventure, and danger. They must search for clues to solve the secret of the scrolls . . . or they will be stuck in time forever.
The books include a rich cast of supporting characters, including Great-Uncle Solomon, the eccentric archaeologist who discovered the scrolls; the angel Michael, who guides the children on their quests; and key figures from the Bible stories.

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https://readaloudrevival.com/recommends/

*Amazon links are afflilate links. As an Amazon influencer, I earn from qualifying purchases. Thank you!!

Setting a Reading Goal

Brettnay Brazzell — Tue, 12 Mar 2024 21:38:54 +0000

For the past several years, I have set a reading goal for the year. I’ve found that 50 books is my sweet spot. It challenges me to stay intentional, yet it allows me to keep reading an enjoyment. Maybe a different season of life will allow for more (and maybe some for less!), but this works very well for me right now.

I always get a broad spectrum of responses when I share my goal. Some people read WAY more than I do! Other people can’t imagine how I could possibly read so many books. (I share in this post how I fit in time to read as a busy mama.) Let’s not compare ourselves to others. Look at your life and assess your personal goals! How much did you read last year? Are you content with your reading habits? If so, then great! Keep your goal the same! (That’s where I’m at). Did you aim too high and now you feel discouraged for not even coming close? Lower the goal! Something is better than nothing! Would you like to read much more than you did the year before? Set an achievable goal and break it into bite-size pieces.

One goal I love to share for those seeking to increase their reading is read a chapter a day. Depending on the book, this often takes 10 minutes or less. Everyone could commit to that, right? Most books range from 10-15 chapters in length. Do you know what that means? Reading 1 chapter every day puts you projecting to read around 2 books per month- which comes out to 24 books in a year!

When it comes to goal setting, I like to assess different areas of my life, and if I find that I am not where I want to be in an area, I ask “how can I push myself a bit more in this area?” Don’t go from reading nothing to setting a goal of 50 books in a year! But if you read 12 books last year, could you increase your goal to 15?

Types of Goals

The type of reading goal you choose can vary depending on what works best for your current season and what motivates you most. Here are some ideas to get you thinking creatively.

A specific number of books
A certain amount of time spent reading each day
A certain number of chapters read each day
A specific number of books in a variety of genres

Tracking Your Goal

I have found GoodReads to be the easiest way to keep track of my reading challenge. They have a yearly reading challenge feature on their app/website where you can plug in how many books you desire to read. Then as you read books, you mark them as “read”, and it adds it to your count. It is fun to look at the end of the year as it shows you your goal completion, pages read, books read, and more.

Follow me on GoodReads

What to Read?

A question I get asked often is, “How do you find books that you want to read?” Well, I have a to-read list that is probably 100 books long, and I add to it more than I subract! My favorite way to find book suggestions is by recommendations from friends. That is why I love incorproating what I have read into the podcast/blog/Instagram. I tend to follow like-minded women, so when they recommend a good book, I often enjoy it as well. Hopefully, I pass that along to you!

Every quarter, I release a podcast episode with a corresponding blog post sharing the books that I have read. You can find that on the No Higher Calling podcast and throughout past blog posts. You can also find highlight reels on my Instagram.

A favorite friend to get book recommmendations from is Sarah at Faithful and Flourishing.

One other thing to note here, if you start a book and don’t like it, this is your persmission to stop immediately! There are too many wonerful books out there to waste time on things you don’t enjoy.

Ways to Read

Physical book, audio book, e-books- there are many different ways to read these days! Do what works best for you. I tend to be a physical book kind of girl. I love holding the book in my hands with highlighter ready. But in this season of motherhood, I have found that audiobooks have their place as well. I enjoy listneing while doing chores in the evening or while on a walk. I listen to audiobooks with my kids while we eat lunch. We listen to audiobooks as a family while riding in the car.

Keep Things Interesting

If you struggle to stay interested in reading, adding variety can keep you moving towards your goal. A suggestion is to change things up every month or quarter.

Read a particular author each month/quarter
Read a particular genre each month/quarter (ex. classic, mystery, historical fiction, nonfiction, biography, etc)
Read a particulat topic each month/quarter (ex. parenting, healthy living, marriage, etc)

Read with a Friend

When goal setting, it is often recommened that you have an accountability partner. Having this outside check keeps you moving forward. This can be achieved in many different ways.

Set a reading goal with your spouse (make it extra fun if you set a challenge to see who reads the most in a year!)
Read with a friend (you and your bestie read the same book at the same time and enjoy ingiting conversations together!)
Read with your children (“Mama, can we pleeeaaasse listen to our audiobook?!” Of course, thanks for the reminder!)
Join a book club (in person or online)
Post on social media (share what you’re reading on IG and let others follow along on your reading venture)

These are some thoughts on setting a reading goal that have stemmed from questions I get from others. What do you think? Have I covered everything, or did I miss something? If so, leave your question in the comments! I’d also love to hear what your reading goal for the year is!

If you enjoyed this post, check out my post Setting a Reading Goal for Kids!

Setting a Reading Goal for Kids

Finding Time to Read as a Busy Mom

Brettnay Brazzell — Sat, 17 Feb 2024 03:22:26 +0000

It doesn’t take knowing me long to figure out that I LOVE books. From The Culdesac Kids, to Nancy Drew, to young adult distopians (ugh, embarrased to admit this phase!), to marriage and motherhood, I’ve had books piling on my nightstand since my earliest memories. There’s no experience quite like losing yourself in the pages of a book. My person has been shaped by much of what I have read throughout the years. I believe I am a better person because of it!

A question I get asked ALL the time is, “How do you read so many books?” To be honest, I don’t feel like I do! I have friends that read WAY more than I do, and I know how many times I choose other things over reading. But I have formed habits that allow me to keep moving forward towards achieving my book goals. I’ve set a reading challenge over the past few years, and 50 books a year seems to be my sweet spot. This presents enough of a challenge all while giving me wiggle room for life.

“50 books?!” you ask in wonder. Yes, 50 (and I secretly have a goal to blow way past that!) How do I make it happen? In the midst of ministry life, mothering 5 littles, homeschooling, and more, how do I carve out the time to devote to something I love? If we get to the most foundational part of this answer, it is because I truly do LOVE reading. I make it a priority (more on that in a bit). Now, I have other priorities that come long before reading. But when the day draws to a close, and I find myself with a few minutes to myself, reading is what I choose.

Here are several ways I, as a busy wife and mama, have made time for reading:

Create a Habit

“The seed of every habit is a single, tiny decision.” -James Clear, Atomic Habits

If you desire to create a new habit, you simply need to start! Make a decision that you are going to commit to reading more. This is a commitment you might have to renew, or at least remind yourself of, often. The more you work to make reading a habitual rhythm of your life, the more it will weave itself into the fabric of your days.

James Clear, author of Atomic Habits, says the best way to form a new habit is to habit stack. That means if you are wanting to make something new a habit, attach it to a habit you already have established in your life. This will look different for every person and every schedule. My reading times are often connected to my devotional time or my quiet afternoon time. My husband and I have also created a habit of wrapping up all loose ends with work and home by 9pm, then we spend the rest of the evening together. Sometimes, this time is spent playing a board game, but it is often spent reading. We enjoy reading a book aloud together as well as individually reading and sharing key quotes and thoughts as we do.

Set an Attainable Goal

There are a million different ways you can set a reading goal. My favorite is challenge myself to read a chapter each day. You are always welcome to read more than that, but one chapter each day lets you read about 30 chapters each month. Most books range from 10-15 chapters. That puts you reading 2-3 books each month which comes to 24-36 books in a year!

Use Pockets of Time Wisely

When you analyze your day, you’ll find that there are pockets of time scattered all throughout! At least I found that to be true. In a busy culture that avoids boredom at all costs, I’ve found sometimes it is good to just be. But there are other times where I can use the empty pockets for something worthwhile.

Some empty pockets I found as I examined my days…

-When I’m taking a shower (turn your phones volume up and listen to an audiobook)

-When I’m waiting at an appointment- hair, doctor, chiropractor. (tip: always have a book in your purse/diaper bag!)

-When I’m waiting on my grocery pick up order

-When I’m driving in the car (audiobook here, not physical! Be safe!)

-When I’m blow drying my hair (pop in an ear bud and listen to an audiobook)

Make Reading a Priority

“We make time for what we feel is important to us. If you haven’t made time for it, it’s because you haven’t convinced yourself that it’s important enough.”

This can be tough to acknowledge, but it is true. We make time for what is important to us. If your marriage is a priority, you’ll make time to connect with your spouse. If your relationship with God is a priority, you’ll make time to spend reading His Word and praying. If reading is a priority, you’ll give up _______________ (insert social media, TV, etc) to make time for books.

Reading isn’t a priority for everyone, and that’s ok! (I mean, I’ll try to understand that choice, but my personality will make it difficult. Wink!) If you do find it a priority, find the time. It doesn’t have to be a top priority; it shouldn’t be! Many things come before this area of my life. But it is much higher on the list than other things, so high that it is often some part of my day.

Audiobooks

A blessing to the life of a busy woman who wants to read more are audiobooks! I mentioned above several times throughout the day when I try to use pockets of time wisely by listening to audiobooks. Below are a few other times when I utilize audiobooks.

-While I’m preparing dinner

-While I’m tidying the house after the kids go to bed

-While doing evening chores

My oldest, Eden, LOVES when I let her stay up late and listen to an audiobook with me while we do chores together. She thinks it’s great because she gets to stay up late. I think it’s great because I get bonding time with her all while teaching her how to take care of the home and family. It’s an added bonus that we get inside conversations and jokes from the books we read together!)

-During afternoon quiet time

From 1:30-3:00pm, we have quiet time at our house. The little ones take a nap while the older ones read or do a quiet activity. If I have homemaking tasks to catch up on, I turn on my audiobook. Sometimes, Eden and I will relax together and get in a few more chapters of the book we are listening to together.

These are a few different ways I have found time to read as a busy mom. Even implementing one of these things will give you more margin to make reading a part of your life! I would love to hear from you. How do you find time to read? Which of these ideas was most helpful?

Happy reading, friends!

Flora Quinn’s Birth Story

Brettnay Brazzell — Thu, 08 Feb 2024 21:56:02 +0000

Hear me share Flora Quinn’s birth story on the No Higher Calling podcast:

Out of all my babies, Flora has the wildest birth story! Nothing went according to our plans, but as we reflect, we can see God orchestrating every detail, keeping both Flora and I safe and healthy.

You can read my other baby’s birth stories here (Eden) (Knox) (Ivy) (Willow). Quick synopsis, my first two were medicated hospital births. Ivy was a homebirth, and it changed our world! It was the best, most beautiful experience. You could say I became addicted to natural, no-intervention childbirth. I started reading books, researching, learning about the female body- I couldn’t get enough. For the first time in my life (and 3 babies in!), I felt educated and informed. A year after Ivy’s birth, we had our miscarriage. We were devastated, but God brought beauty from ashes. Just a few months later, He gifted us with a new life, our Willow. I knew immediately that I wanted another homebirth. Ivy’s birth was fast- 3 hours of labor. Willow’s was even faster- 1 hour! Long story short, we have learned that my body does all the “early labor” in the weeks leading up to birth. It’s not at all uncommon for me to sit at 6-8cm dilated in the weeks leading up to baby’s arrival! Then, when it is go-time, it’s go-time! Like I’m pushing out a head go-time! That makes life quite interesting because we all have to be on immediate standby. Life needs to be ready to halt at a moment’s notice and switch into “let’s have a baby” mode.

Because of this, we were prepared for a fast delivery with Flora. My amazing midwife, Ashley, lives about an hour from us. She prepped Simeon and I both in the event that she didn’t make it in time for the delivery. This was our 5th baby and 3rd homebirth, we felt pretty confident that we would be ok.

And now to share my dream of what I hoped her birth would look like- Being our surprise Christmas present from God, I dreamed of having baby by the Christmas tree. Twinkling lights, surrounded by my husband and our children, soft music in the background- it was going to be magical and perfect. We waited to find out the gender, so I told Simeon to catch baby, pass baby up to me, and after a quick snuggle, I was going to do the big reveal for all the siblings crowded around.

That is not how things went down.

My due date was December 26th. I know that’s more of a guess date than an eviction notice, but I still had my hopes up that baby would come early, or at least “on time.” The week came and went. New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day; this little one decided it was going to be a 2024 baby. The evening of New Year’s Day I was 40+6. Simeon and I played a new game he got for Christmas. (GAME) I think he was trying to cheer me up or distract me from the reality that I was pregnant another year. (fun fact: I have been pregnant a portion of every year from 2016-2024!!) I had uncomfortable cramping that evening but had determined I wouldn’t get my hopes up.

10:30pm- We went to bed.

12:00am- I woke up with very uncomfortable contractions. I tossed and turned for a while but could tell they were getting more painful.

12:30am- I got up and started getting my birth things together. I woke Simeon up and told him I thought I was in the early stages of labor.

1:00am- I’m in labor, no doubting it now! Contractions were strong and every few minutes. We called our midwife, she gave us the eta of 2am. Simeon got the family room ready with all my birth supplies, turned on the Christmas tree lights, and my favorite hymn cd. I labored in there for a short while, but my legs were shaky, and I wanted to be in a different position. We moved out to the living room, and I leaned over the back of our couch.

1:30am- While laboring on the couch, my water broke. Contractions were more intense, and I was pushing. Simeon woke up our oldest 3 children and brought them out. They were so sweet checking to see if I needed anything. Then they were off coloring at our kitchen table while Sim and I were there beside them in the living room.

2:00am- My midwife and her assistant arrived. They could tell right away that I was pushing, and as we had chatted throughout the entire pregnancy, they began to prepare things for baby to arrive at any moment. I was so hot leaning on our fabric couch that we had to move to a different spot. I was shaky and quite tired, so they suggested moving to our bedroom so I could lie down. Nothing was comfortable. Every position hurt. I’d get really hot, and we’d move to our shower. Simeon would spray me with cold water to cool me down, then I’d start shivering, and he’d spray hot water. Back to the bed. Repeat. I began to realize that this was taking longer than we expected. By this time, it’s probably around 3:30am. My midwife thought that there might be a piece of cervix delaying baby. We attempted different positions to help that, but nothing.

4:00am- My midwife was concerned at the length of time I had been fully dilated and actively pushing with no progress on baby’s descent. She asked if she could do a vaginal exam. I agreed. When she felt for baby’s head, instead of feeling the crown of baby’s head, she felt a nose and eyes. Definitely not what she was supposed to be feeling! Baby was brow presentation. This only occurs in 1 out of every 4,000 births. She attempted to manually rotate baby, but it did not work.

5:00am- We tried different positions, deep squats while pushing, acupuncture, none of these were helping baby budge. The midwife noticed that with every contraction, baby’s heart rate was declining. Then, we began the conversation I never thought I’d be having. She suggested a hospital transfer. My heart broke. I was so tired and weak. I could not believe after so much effort that baby was not here. I was scared. On top of all of that, we had logistical things to consider. Who was going to watch our kids at a moment’s notice? How long would we be at the hospital? My world felt like it was spinning. I felt discouraged and defeated, but I knew I needed help getting baby out. Simeon and both agreed that we needed to transfer.

5:30am- Simeon called our Pastor and his wife. Within minutes, they were heading to our house to watch our children. God is so good!

6:00am- Simeon helped me get into our van. The hospital was 20 minutes away. (interesting side note: the hospital is in Parramatta- the city God called us to plant a church in) My midwife drove behind us. I was turned around backward in the passenger seat squeezing the back of the chair through each painful contraction. Those 20 minutes felt like an eternity! When we finally made it to the hospital, we didn’t know where to go. We pulled up to the main entrance, but it was quite the walk to get inside. My midwife ran in and asked for a wheelchair, but no one came. With shaky, weak legs, I climbed out of the car and started walking (more like shuffling) toward the door. I couldn’t wait! I needed this baby out. I had to walk past many people sitting outside on benches. Contractions were intense and happening every 2-3 minutes. I was leaning on my midwife as she helped me walk, but I had to stop for a contraction. I must have appeared desperate, because an older gentleman sitting on a bench offered me his walker! We finally made it to the elevator and rode up to the maternity ward. When the doors opened, a nurse was waiting outside with a wheelchair. I climbed in it on my knees facing her. She looked confused and said, “Oh this isn’t for you. I’m supposed to pick up a mom downstairs.” Well, too bad! I wasn’t leaving the wheelchair until they put me in a room. She obliged.

6:45am- Booking in at the hospital took forever! Well, not really, but that’s what it felt like at the time. I was so thankful to have my midwife with me. While the hospital staff could not have been kinder and more helpful, my midwife knew my desires for birth, and although everything felt like it was going sideways, she was my greatest advocate for as natural of an experience as possible. As they were offering things, I was able to lean on her medical knowledge and trust her suggestions of “yes, I’d do that”, or “no, you and baby are safe to decline.” Because this was completely new territory for me (hospital transfer because of a complication), it brought me such peace and security to be able to lean on her judgment calls. At this point, Simeon took a less active role in helping me cope with labor. He had been either by my side or running to get things for me every moment from the beginning until now. I am so thankful for his support, love, and attentiveness to doing all he could to make my desires for this birth happen. But at this point, the medical staff started taking over, and he was more of a moral support. He stood by me, held my hand, and we did our best to quickly process all that was happening.

This is where everything starts to get blurry for me as far as a timeline goes. I remember the details quite well, but not the time stamps of everything. I’ll just share the details and pick back up with times at baby’s arrival.

There were so many people in the room! Apparently, I was the talk of the ward. No one could believe that a mama x5 was trying to push out a brow presentation. We had several doctors, midwives, and a few student midwives present. The attending doctor attempted a manual rotation, but he was unsuccessful as well. He talked us through our options, the best of which was to have an instrumental birth. They were going to try to vacuum baby first, and if that didn’t work, they would try using forceps. I was terrified! I didn’t know very much about those methods of delivery, but the images conjuring in my head were of torturous births in the early 1900s. Not a lovely picture, and probably not reality, but still scary! The doctor suggested that I get an epidural in case they needed to use the forceps. It went against all that I wanted, but God was quickly teaching me that this birth would be one of humble surrender. I was so exhausted at this point, I had to get relief. Simeon and I decided the epidural was the route that this birth was requiring.

Once the epidural took effect, I noticed my body relaxing a bit. The doctors were preparing the instruments for delivery when I got several strong contractions and had the urge to push. My midwife encouraged me to bear down and put every effort into pushing. After just a few pushes, they noticed baby was descending! The attending doctor rushed over and helped coach me through the final pushes. To the amazement of everyone in the room, my brow presentation baby had crowned unassisted! Unheard-of!

8:55am- Simeon got in position to catch baby. Push! Head was out face up looking right at Daddy! Wait for a contraction. Push!! Baby was out! My midwife took her from Simeon and placed her on my chest. Oh my goodness! After all that work, and the high highs and low lows, I finally had my baby in my arms!

We quickly began to notice that she wasn’t doing very well. Flora had swallowed a lot of meconium and needed suction and oxygen. I only had her for a few seconds before they had to take her away, but it was long enough to peek between her legs and see that we had- another girl! The next few minutes are some of the scariest I’ve ever faced. Simeon and I waited, watched, and prayed for our baby girl to be ok. Her oxygen levels began to rise, slowly at first, then climbing quickly. She went from purple and limp to pink and wriggling. Within 15 minutes, she was back on my chest, completely fine and healthy! Praise the Lord for His unending goodness.

She did have quite a bit of bruising on her head and a wound on her forehead from my pubic bone. But she was perfect! Beautiful and perfect!

We were both assessed by several different midwives and doctors, and everything checked out wonderfully! My midwife pulled some strings, and we were allowed to go home just 6 hours after Flora’s birth. This was such a gift from the Lord. After all we’d been through, the complete deviation from what our expectations were, it was so good to be heading back to our own space with siblings who were anxious to meet their little sibling.

Although this was not the birth I’d dreamed of, the more we reflect on each detail, the more we see God did answer our prayer- that we might come to know Him, the giver of life, in a new and deeper way through this birth. God answered in beautiful, miraculous ways. Not the ways I had hoped for, but as He proves to me time and again, His ways are beyond mine, and they are always best. At the end of the day, we held the most lovely baby girl in our arms, and everything else faded away.

James 1:17 “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights,”

Flora Quinn Brazzell

January 2, 2024 8:55am

8lbs 9oz / 19 1/2 inches

Setting a Reading Goal for Kids

Brettnay Brazzell — Fri, 12 Jan 2024 00:18:19 +0000

It’s a new year and many of us are setting reading goals for 2024! Don’t forget to get your little readers in on the excitement!

My 7 year old is excited to set a yearly reading goal for the first time~ 90 books in 2024.

Here are some tips for encouraging your kids to set a reading goal:

1. Let Them Set Their Goal

Yes, you’ll want to encourage one that can actually be accomplished (I had to tell Eden 1000 books in a year might be a bit much lol), but let them set the bar for what they hope to achieve.

2. Track Reading in a Fun Way

There are so many ways to do this – Good reads, reading apps, printable reading trackers, etc. Find something that motivates your child. My daughter is an artist, and she loves visually seeing her goals being met. So a printable tracker works great for her to color in as she reads and see her progress!

*Here are some fun, free reading trackers: https://www.101planners.com/reading-log/

3. Let Them Choose What They Read

As gatekeepers, Sim and I carefully vet everything that comes into our home, but we try to have a broad variety of books for our children to choose from. Often, my daughter and I look through book lists from sources I trust, and she chooses her next reads.

*Booklists I trust:

https://faithfulandflourishing.org/book-movie-lists/

https://goodbookmom.com/reviews/

4. Enjoy Audiobooks Together

Whether it’s during the afternoon while the little ones are napping, in the car, or during an evening laundry folding party, we love listening to audiobooks together!

*Hoopla is our favorite way to get audiobooks!

5. Be a Read-Aloud Family

Read through books together as a family. This might be my favorite way we spend time together. Nothing connects hearts like reading a good book together.

6. Visit the Library Often

Make it a weekly visit. Bonus points if your visit coincides with weekly storytime! This keeps a steady flow of fresh reading material in our home. We own MANY books, but budget doesn’t allow for endless book purchases. And if you’re looking for something your library doesn’t have, request it! Almost everytime we’ve done this, they’ve purchased the books we requested!

7. Set the Example

If you want your children to love to read, you must show them that you love to read. Model this for them. Let them see you reading. While audiobooks, kindles, and such are great tools, let your kids see you reading from physical books as well. Share your reading goals with your kids. Have some fun competition as you both try to work towards your goals throughout the year.

8. Celebrate Their Success

What happens if your child reaches their goal? How will you celebrate their accomplishment? And what if they don’t reach it, but they tried hard and came close? We all love to be rewarded for a job well done. Decide on a spcial way to celebrate all their hard work, and do it in a way that speaks to their personality and love language. I know my Eden. She would love if we celebrated with ice cream and a new book to kick of next year’s reading challenge!

What would you add to the list? Do your kids have a 2024 reading goal? How will you celebrate their success?

I’d love to hear in the comments!

Curriculum Line-Up for 2024

Brettnay Brazzell — Sat, 30 Dec 2023 03:53:11 +0000

Hear about these resources and our new homeschool year on the NHC Podcast!

Bible

Abeka 2nd Grade Bible Video Lessons

Language Arts

Handwriting

Eden: The Good and The Beautiful Level 5

Knox: The Reading Lamp*

Poetry

We will be memorizing several well-loved poems throughout the year. Our first one is Sea Fever by John Masefield

Spelling/Reading Instruction

*The Reading Lamp

What is this method? The Reading Lamp program is an explicit phonics program, based on the science of reading, that simplifies the English language into 40 phonemes (the sounds we hear), 70 graphemes (the sounds we write), and 15 reliable spelling patterns. The Reading Lamp teaches students word by word while integrating reading, writing, and spelling. The words are taken directly from Scripture in order to give students a jump start into reading the Bible.

There is currently not a curriculum availabe for The Reading Lamp, and it is something that you have to be trained in. A beloved friend and mentor is working to make this more accessible for parents and teachers. If you are interested in curriculum that is similar, All About Reading and All About Spelling are silimar in methodolgy.

Grammar

Eden: IEW Fix It! Grammar Level 1

Writing/Composition

Eden: IEW Level A

Unit Studies

Gather Round Homeschool

Eden: Early Elementary

Knox: Pre-Reader

We are still outlining which units we will do this year, but currently, I am going through the mini unit, My Side of the Mountain.

Simeon is working through Sports & PE with the kids one day each week.

Math

The Good and The Beautiful Math

Eden: Math 3

Knox: Math 1

Read Alouds

Our family is currently reading through The Chronicles of Naria and using this devotional study guide alongside it.

I am reading The Railway Children aloud during our afternoons.

Art

Brighter Day Press Watercolor Class

My 2023 Reading Challenge (Quarter 4)

Brettnay Brazzell — Fri, 15 Dec 2023 02:49:28 +0000

Hear me share the book reviews on the No Higher Calling podcast!

Parenting

by:

Paul David Tripp

This might be the best, most Gospel-centric book I’ve read on parenting. I could not recommend it more! It was such an encouragment to me and it helped me realign my thinking to focusing on what God’s Word has to say about child-rearing, discipline, and discipleship.

Availability

Raising Amazing

by:

Monica Swanson

We’d all love to get through the parenting years and come out on the other side with amazing kids, right?! Monica Swanson offers very practical insight on what parents can do right now to encourage their children towards excellence and strong moral character.

Availability

The First Songs of Christmas

by:

Nancy Wolgemuth

A beautiful advent devotional that focuses on the songs of worship sung by Elizabeth, Mary, Zechariah, the Angels, and Simeon. It was a great way to focus on the depth and richness of the message of Christmas.

Availability

Anne of Green Gables

by:

Lucy Maud Montgomery

You can’t help but fall in love with Anne! I read this to my children, and we could barely put it down. Even months after fininshing the book, we are still talking about it, and they are playing “Anne, Gilbert, and Diana”. A classic must-read for families!

Availability

Serving Well

by:

Elizabeth & Jonathan Trotter

This book was recommened to me by a missionary friend, and it is gold! I would recommened it to anyone who is preparing to serve abroad (or anyone who already is!) Quite a bit did not pertain to me just because of the country God has called us to serve in, but I still gleaned so much that I will continue to draw from throughout our ministry on a foreign field.

Availability

The Wind in the Willows

by:

Kenneth Grahame

Toady is quite the character! He had our entire family rolling with laughter. It also brought up some good conversations on foolish choices, selfishness, friendship, pride, and more.
But it was probably a 3 out of 5 star for me. There were several parts of the book that were very slow, and we struggled to pay attention. There are also many uses of a**.

Availability

Habits of the Household

by:

Justin Whitmel Earley

I love the author’s emphasis on bringing God into every aspect of even the most mundane parts of home and family. I believe that is exactly where God wants to be- woven into the very fabric that makes up your family! There are many practical takeaways. I have read much on this topic, and this wasn’t in my top favorites, but it still has good truth to glean from.

Availability

The Hobbit

by:

J. R. R. Tolkien

My husband and I read a book together every quarter, and this was his choice for quarter 4. I’ll be honest, I’m more of a Narnia fan, but it’s always good to read a classic literary work.

Availability

Trusting God

by:

Jerry Bridges

This book hits a nerve. How can we trust God? How can God be good, just, and soverign all at the same time? Why do bad things happen to good people? Many of these questions are ones we wrestle with throughout life. Author Jerry Bridges takes us to the Bible and shows us that God is trustworthy! No matter the circumstances or heartaches- He can be trusted!

Availability

Before Your Tween Daughter Becomes a Woman

by:

Robin Jones Gunn

Every mother with a daughter should read this book! Robin does a beautiful job of presenting the transition from girlhood to womanhood with grace and beauty. God’s incredible design for a woman’s body is highlighted and celebrated. She gives many practical ways that a mother can pass this message to her blossoming daughter. I hope to put many things I learned into practice in the coming years with my girls.

Availability

Ember Falls

by:

S. D. Smith

Eden and I are enjoying listening to this series on audiobook. Joel Clarkson reads it, and does a fantastic job of making the story come to life! We’ve loved following Heather and Pickett’s journey and seeing their characters develop through various complicated situations.

Availability

The Magician’s Nephew

by:

C. S. Lewis

It has been magical introducing our kids to The Chronicles of Narnia. They were so captivated by Digory and Polly’s adventures in other worlds. Every chapter left us begging Daddy to read “just one more!”

Availability

Teacher of Good Things

by:

Francie Taylor

Francie is a beautiful example of a Titus 2 mentor! I felt as though I was sitting at her table gleaning truth from God’s Word and her life expereinces. My heart was challenged to become more of the Christlike woman God desires for me to be, and to encourage others coming along behind me.
“The choices that you make today could become the pattern of someone’s tomorrow.”

Availability

White-Knucked Mothering

by:

Hannah Unger

Hannah is mother of 4 boys 8 and under. She shares raw, real-life stories while always bringing the perspective of motherhood struggles back to an eternal focus.

Availability

The Secret of the Hidden Scrolls: The Complete Series

Disclaimer: Just because I share a book that I have read does not mean that I endorse every word, ideal, and belief of the author. I seek to vet books before I read them, and I love recommending books that have been a blessing to me. That said, I would always encourage you to read with a “biblica lens” reading everything in light of God’s truth.

*Amazon links are afflilate links. As an Amazon influencer, I earn from qualifying purchases. Thank you!!

Christmas Gift Guide 2023

Brettnay Brazzell — Wed, 15 Nov 2023 01:15:39 +0000

Kicking off Christmas

December 1st kicks of the Christmas season for our family! We celebrate by suprising each child with a new Christmas book at breakfast. We also pull out the books they have recevied in previous years to enjoy throughout the season.

Eden: The Family Under the Bridge by Natalie Savage Carlson

Knox: The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg

Ivy: The Story of Holly and Ivy by Rumer Godden

Willow: The Christmas Cat by Efner Tudor Holmes

Christmas Eve Box

A new Christmas Eve tradition we are starting is to have a gift box for the whole family to open together that evening. It will have a new board game, matching Christmas pajamas, and some of our favorite snacks. Everything we need for a fun family night!

Stomp the Plank

Eden

Digital Microscope

Summer Camp Board Game

Knox

Legos

The Story Orchestra: The Planets

Tenzi Buildzi Stacking Game

Ivy

Disney Animator’s Collection: Belle’s House

Dress-Up Accessories

Melissa & Doug Stamp Kit

Willow

Colorful Handbell Set

Magna-Tiles

Peanut Crayons

Stocking Stuffers

Patch the Pirate Audio Adventures

Binoculars

Jonathan Park Audio Adventures (better for kids 7+)

For the Grandparents

Annual Passes: Zoo, Aquarium, Children’s Museums

Experience Gifts: Cooking Class, Theatre/Drama Production, Amusement Park

Subscription Boxes: Little Passports, KiwiCo

*Amazon links are afflilate links. As an Amazon influencer, I earn from qualifying purchases. Thank you!!

My 2023 Reading Challenge (Quarter 3)

Brettnay Brazzell — Mon, 25 Sep 2023 03:57:13 +0000

Hear me share the book reviews on the No Higher Calling podcast!

A Christian Guide to the Biblical Feast

by:

David Wilber

An interesting overview of the biblical feasts, why the were celebrated, and how they were celebrated. While it was informative, I did not agree with all of the authors conclusions. (ex. some of this thoughts on the sabbath, drinking alcohol, etc)

Availability

God is Still Good

by:

Katie Faris

Motherhood is a beautiful gift, but it is often filled with heartaches- miscarriage, illness, wayward children, death. In the midst of all that life brings, where can a woman turn to for comfort and hope? Katie Faris shows us from God’s Word that no matter what circumstances you face, God is always good.

Availability

Audiobook

Salt to the Sea

by:

Ruta Sepetys

This is a captivating WWII fiction book based on the real events of the sinking of the Wilhelm Gustloff. This is the deadliest maritime disaster in human histroy, yet is an event few have heard of! Follow the lives of several very different people as they seek to survive the war, winter conditions, and the water itself.

Availability

Cherish: The One Word That Changes Everything for Your Marriage

by:

Gary Thomas

Simeon and I read this book together, and it was one of our favorite marriage books we’ve read! Author Gary Thomas challenges couples to take their marriage to higher levels as we go far beyond love into the realm of cherishing. We came away from this with some powerful takeaways, and practical things to begin implementing in our marriage.

Availability

The Whole Armor of God: How Christ’s Victory Strengthens Us for Spiritual Warfare

by:

Iain Duguid

Such an interesting read! The author writes about the armor of God in light of how Christ used each piece of armor to gain the victory. It is because He was victorious that we can now be victors!

Availability

Hinds’ Feet on High Places

by:

Hannah Hurnard

A beautiful allegory that our family loved! Follow the story of Much Afraid as she follows the Shepherd to the High Places. You will learn valuable life lessons along the way, and your heart will be endeared afresh to our precious, caring Shepherd.

Availability

The Green Ember

by:

S. D. Smith

I listened to this on audio book with my oldest (almost 7), and we were hooked! Joel Clarkson does the most magnificent job narrating the story of Heather and Pickett as their world is turned upside down by ravening wolves, war, loss, and secrets.

Availability

Hardcover

Audiobook

The Wild + Free Family

by:

Ainsley Arment

I did not enjoy this book near as much as I did Ainsley’s first book, Call of the Wild + Free, but there were several thought-provoking sections. Not on my top-recommend list, but not a bad read either.
I do enjoy Ainsley’s challenge for families to break free of the mold of “normal” and to embrace a life that is lived to the fullest.

Availability

Hardcover

Audiobook

Audio CD

Secrets She Kept

by:

Cathy Gohlke

Another WWII fiction (can you guess that I have a genre of fiction I particularly enjoy?!) I could barely put this book down. It provoked so much emotion and had you pushing for one more chapter. While the events and details surrounding WWII are beyond horrific and brutal, it is always amazing to hear the message of forgiveness and hope in spite of the darkness.

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