Women Rising by Meghan Tschanz

I am on a Faith & Feminism group on Facebook because I think both Christianity and Feminism are important things in our world, not to mention that in some Christian circles, Feminism is considered a dirty word.

One of the admins of that group has recently written a book, Women Rising, so I thought I'd check it out.

The blurb says:

Fresh out of college, hating her job, and searching for meaning, Meghan Tschanz left everything to join a mission trip around the globe, and quickly witnessed oppression experienced by women that she never thought possible.
Over the next several years, she befriended women around the globe who had survived sex trafficking, female genital mutilation, and violence so extreme Meghan wondered at the woman's survival. Through listening to their stories, Meghan started to notice a pattern that pointed to systems of injustice that held women back―systems that her childhood church had taught and in which she was complicit.
She was changed.
Returning to the United States, Meghan became keenly aware of how the teachings and messaging surrounding women in her own upbringing were part of the problem. In the process, she began to find her voice, one that spoke out against injustice and moved her into tension with her Christian community.
Women Rising is Meghan Tschanz's personal journey of transformation. But it's also a Christian blueprint for anyone wanting to confront injustice against women while pointing to a biblical standard for gender equality. With humility and grit, Meghan calls Christian women to amplify their voices for righteousness―and she calls the church to listen.

I found this book to be a book of two halves, but I think that is mainly because of my own misconception. Both halves are important, and I can see why they are put together like this.

The first half of the book is an autobiography about missionary life, and tbh, I think it should be considered essential reading for all who are considering to go into missionary work.  Though it is written with a focus on women, I think it should be read by young men who want to work in the field too.  It is a very honest account of Meghan's journey through many countries, many experiences, and the many things she has learned, not least that she has her own privilege and has fallen foul of white saviourism.

The second half of the book is about how women are treated in the church in America (and it applies to England too, so I could say all the western World).  This was the area of the book that I was most interested in, and it didn't quite go far enough for my liking, but will open the eyes of people who haven't thought this way before.  Meghan has also given references to other books that will go deeper into the subject of patriarchy within Christianity, so I have added those to my wishlist.

All in all, this book is very easy to read, whilst talking about some tough subjects.  As I said, I think this should be compulsory reading for everyone going into mission work, and is an easy introduction for people who are interested in the systemic patriarchy within Christianity (or indeed, it's a quick read for people who don't think there is a problem, to perhaps open their eyes a little).

The only thing I wish (and this is a rarity for me!) is that I didn't buy the kindle version, but a hardcopy that I could pass around.  Definitely worth reading.

Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson

Every year I try to read a classic fiction book that I haven't read before, and this year I chose Kidnapped, which is also my K in my A-Z of Fiction Titles.

The blurb says:

‘I have seen wicked men and fools, a great many of both; and I believe they both get paid in the end; but the fools first.’

Orphaned as a young teenager, Lowlander David Balfour’s only relative is his guardian and uncle, Ebenezer. Ill-thought of and disliked by many, it’s not long before Ebenezer betrays his nephew and David finds himself trapped aboard a ship.

He soon strikes up a friendship with fugitive stranger and Scottish Highlander Alan Breck and becomes embroiled in the fierce Jacobite struggle against English rule. A tale of high-seas adventure, loyalty and fighting, the complex relationship between Alan and David stops Stevenson’s novel from becoming ‘just’ a boys adventure novel.

Given that this book was written in 1886 and set in 1751, I found this book both easy to read and thoroughly enjoyable.

The book follows the life of David Balfour who, after the death of his parents, goes to claim his inheritance - a country estate.  On arrival at this estate, it is soon determined that it is currently inhabited by his previously-unknown uncle, who wishes to keep the estate for himself.

Uncle Ebenezer tricks David into going on board a ship, which quickly sets sail for the Americas, where he is to be sold to a plantation owner.  (Un)Fortunately, David finds himself shipwrecked on the west coast of Scotland, and much of the book is about his adventures as he tries to return home.

I really recommend this book.  Since finishing it earlier today, I've discovered it was written as a Boy's Adventure Novel, but I can see no reason why it wouldn't equally appeal to girls.  (I'm a girl.  I liked it.)
It is written from David Balfour's perspective, who fortunately is well educated in English, and where he is talking to people who speak in a Scottish dialect, either it is fairly well-known words (kenn = knowledge, for example) or a translation is provided. Phew!

Instead of starting my L book, I have bought the sequel so I can continue following David in his adventures.

The Diet Trap Solution by Beck & Beck

This is the second time I have purposely read through The Diet Trap Solution. It is one that you can keep referring back to when you find your eating going out of control.

The blurb says:

Most diet programmes work at first. We lose a few pounds in a few weeks, but then life happens and the bad habits and the weight return. In this invaluable book, Judith Beck PhD offers the solution to break free from these common diet traps and keep the weight off for life.

Judith Beck explains that when it comes to losing weight, it's not just about what we eat – it's also about how we think. To consistently eat differently, we must learn to think differently. Diets fail us because they don't offer effective strategies for overcoming the common traps – emotional eating, social pressure, dining out – that can derail us. Now, she and her daughter, Deborah Beck Busis, share the techniques they have successfully used with thousands of clients, revealing exactly how to overcome the thoughts and behaviours that have been holding you back.

With The Diet Trap Solution, readers on any diet can learn to identify their specific diet traps, prepare for their personal triggers and create action plans to strengthen their 'resistance muscle' – making losing weight easy, sustainable and enjoyable.

This is another book that I was reading through with my friend, as we try to encourage each other to get healthier and lose weight.  

The book goes through the psychology of dieting and why most diets fail - not because of the diets themselves, but rather because of ourselves.  There are various core strategies that is recommended you do every day (for example, reading through your Advantages List of why it is important to you to lose weight). There are reminder cards for you to carry around with you to help prepare and prevent your sabotaging behaviour, and you are encouraged to think in advance about what normally happens to sabotage your weight loss, and what strategy you will use to mitigate it this time.

At the start of the book there is a quick quiz to determine which traps affect you the most, and then the book goes through each of eight traps in groups of two: Internal Traps, Interpersonal Traps, External Traps, and Universal Traps.  For me, I ticked 'yes' to almost all of them, but even if you don't, I'd recommend you at least skim read through the other chapters, even if you don't pay as much attention to the ones that affect you.

I like this book because it is no nonsense,  Again, it's not a magic pill that will solve all your weightloss problems, but it helps focus your mind.  Whilst some of the suggestions seem like common sense, I dare say that if you perfectly enacted all of them in your daily life, you wouldn't be needing to lose weight.

Juliette and the Monday ManDates by Becky Doughty

 I loved this book.  Just thinking about it brings a smile to my face.

The blurb says: 

Juliette is perfectly content with her quiet nights at home alone, especially when they include Chinese takeout and sappy RomComs.

But her sisters think she’s teetering on the brink of spinsterhood. So they've come up with an intervention plan: weekly blind dates until their Jules finds her knight in shining armor… or until they run out of single guy friends.

They’re calling it The Monday ManDates.

Survival skills kicking in, Juliette secretly names each new Monday man. There’s TheraPaul, Frisky Frank, and TAZ the Rock Star, for starters. Then there’s the Officer Manly Man, the policeman with a penchant for pulling Juliette over when she’s at her very worst.

With a lineup like that, positively identifying her happily-ever-after seems like a long shot.

Then again, maybe, just maybe, she’s looking for love in all the wrong places.

This book is really funny.  Juliette is quirky and down-to-earth, and shows life as it is. She is messy, if something could go wrong, it would.  Her sisters think they know what's best for her, so decide to set her up with their friends.  Meanwhile, she keeps getting into trouble with the law.

This is chick lit at its best.  There is some Christianity and church-going thrown in, which was a nice surprise for me, but I doubt it would put off someone from enjoying the book who wasn't Christian.

I'm still trying not to buy more books atm, but have added the rest of the series to my wishlist.

I Can Make You Thin by Paul McKenna

 

Given not much else was working, at the start of the year, I purchased I Can Make You Thin.

The blurb says:

Welcome to a revolutionary way to stop overeating, control cravings and feel totally motivated to take exercise. Paul McKenna has developed a breakthrough weight-loss system that re-patterns your thoughts, attitudes and beliefs about yourself, your health and food to help you easily take control of your diet and lose weight permanently.

As you use Paul's amazing system, the latest psychological techniques will automatically help you to start losing weight straight away! You can use it again and again to make you feel happier about yourself as you go all the way to your ideal shape, size and weight.

I remember Paul McKenna from his TV hypnotism where people would act like fools on stage.  But, having used hypnotherapy when I was pregnant, I know that it can work.  Mainly, I got this for the book, because, well, I like books.

I read the book slowly, as I wanted to take in as much as possible, and I listened to the audio/hypnotherapy when I had a spare half hour.  I found that by listening regularly, it helped me keep in mind the positive reasons why I'd like to lose weight and encouraged self belief that I could make it happen.  

Much of the book is common sense, and it dovetails nicely with other books I've been reading concurrently, but having the audio is worth the price of the book itself.  I haven't lost much weight using it; it certainly isn't a cure-all - but the repetition of eating slowly and mindfully does help you develop good eating habits, and this book is much more about a lifestyle change, rather than weightloss (imo, despite the title of the book).

So, would I recommend it?  Actually, yes.  Even though I didn't lose weight using it, it has helped give me the self belief that I am worth it, I deserve to be fit and healthy, and taking just 30min a day to rest and focus on myself, is good for me too.  And as I have made other changes to my life recently, maybe this book and audio have had more, indirect, impact than I thought when I started this review.

 

Weekly Update

My weight this morning was 93.1kg.  I have still been recording my weight, even when I haven't been posting here, and it has been bobbling around the 92-94kilo mark for weeks.  That probably explains some of my apathy for posting updates here, and the fact I've genuinely been really busy.

Recently on TV I watched Strong on Netflix and that inspired me to try focussing on fitness and strength rather than weight.  Then I watched Series 1 of The Biggest Loser (Australia) and I am lighter than all the women (and men, for that matter) at the start of the show, but they quickly dropped weight.  Now, I am not going to be spending 8+ hours each day training, but it has inspired me to start a new exercise routine.  I have even taken some new 'before' pics, but I won't share them (until I see a difference, lol).

I started last week, and aim to do an hour on a Monday and on a Friday.  So far, I have done my 3 sessions in my back garden!  Today I have woken up with an ache in my triceps and in my gluts, so I'm definitely doing something!  I don't know if it will translate into weight loss (especially as I'm not going to go on a strict diet) but it's a start, and I'll hopefully be fitter and healthier.  

It's been nearly a month!!!

My poor neglected blog!  I'm so sorry!  You wouldn't believe how busy I have been - actually, you would, given how sporadic my posting has been so far this year.  I'm hoping I'll have finally turned a corner now, but who knows?  I have been posting mildly more often direct on my facebook page, so if you don't follow it, you should do so now: https://www.facebook.com/MusingsMiddleagedMum .

The Education Select Committee's Inquiry into Home Education is still ongoing.  I have given further submissions, but that hasn't been published yet, nor my personal one.  I'm still involved in helping home educators locally and nationally know their rights, answer their questions, deal with their Local Authorities, etc.  I'm also talking at an upcoming HE conference, so I hope people will have plenty of questions as I'm not good at talking about nothing, lol.  I suppose I should find some FAQs and have them on standby so I can ask and answer my own questions if I need to.  Details of the conference: https://www.learnfree.org.uk/ 

Have I mentioned that DD2 got into the same school as DD1?  So from September, I'll no longer be a home educator! <sob>  I'll still be involved in the community and the politics, but will be stepping down from some of my adminning duties on FB as I don't think it's right that a non-home educator admins local groups.

Weightloss has been a bit up and down.  More up than down, but hopefully that has turned a corner now.  I've got a(nother) new exercise routine that I've paid for so will be sticking with for a while.  Had my first session on Monday, and boy, did I ache afterwards!!!  I hope to be doing this every Monday and Friday for the foreseeable, so hopefully that will have an impact on my weight.  I've also decided to try some monetary incentive.  From a starting weight of 94kilos, for every 1kg I can keep off for a solid 3 weeks, I will put a tenner to one side.  The Pros: If I get down to my dream weight, I'll have £300 to spend on new clothes. The Cons: My weight is up and down like a yoyo, so I could be averaging , for example, 75kilos, and then randomly have 1 day of 82kilos.  But, it's added incentive, so lets see if it works.

I haven't listened to my hypnotherapy CDs for a while either - I've not even had time to take 30min for myself at home.  But, now that the girls' dance classes are back in the studios, I've magically got more time for reading (because I am sat in my car waiting!) so hope to start writing reviews again.

So sorry, again, for the silent treatment.  I hope to be posting more regularly again soon xx