my 2023 faves.

A year of good reading, powerful worship songs, and the best Amazon finds.

I love the feeling of New Year’s Day. I especially love that this year it falls on a Monday, a day dedicated already to new beginnings. 2023 was a very full year for me - most notably the year we met our precious daughter. For the first half of the year she was growing inside me and for the second half we got to experience the exciting joys (and sleepless nights of course!) of parenting and learning more about our girl outside the womb. She is without a doubt the best part of 2023!

Today I sat down and started my new Goodreads reading challenge after finishing 31 out of my 30 book reading challenge in 2023. I had no idea when I started it I would actually complete it, especially in a year that was so busy. I’ve fallen in love again with reading, both physical books and listening to audiobooks. I’ve been adding books left and right since last night to my “to read” list and if you have any suggestions, please feel free to drop a comment!

I wanted to share some 2023 faves in case you’re looking to diversify your music or book libraries or even your Amazon wishlists. We all know that “stuff and things” are not the end-all-be-all of life but sometimes a simple thing can make a day a little easier, a song can make the hard moments a little calmer, and a good audio book can make the boring task go by faster.

2023 Faves, by category (2 entries in each otherwise we’d be here all day)

Books

1. All My Knotted-Up Life, by Beth Moore // a stunning and humble autobiography that is raw, humorous, and encouraging. def add to your must read list.

2. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, by Suzanne Collins // first off, I LOVE a long book so the length did not scare me off and I chose to listen to it which was helpful during long days of pregnancy aches and pains. This one is definitely darker in a lot of ways than the Hunger Games Trilogy but I think worth it, especially if you’re going to see the new movie.

Shows

1. Smallville (not from 2023 but I watched it all this past year) // I’m well aware I’m VERY late but I made it. I’m here. I love it all. Available on Amazon & Hulu.

2. Ted Lasso // (warning: language) Phew. what a show. I cried the whole last half of the last season. The writing is exceptional and the way the cast loves each other and supports one another as actors only makes their performances that much richer on the show. I’m very sad it’s over! Available on Apple TV.

Songs

1. Sing Hallelujah, Naomi Raine // Favorite line - “Your goodness has been, your goodness will be, your goodness has never depended on me. Hallelujah in the highest, you are good!”

2. Christ is Mine Forevermore, Cityalight // I believe the song initially came out many years ago but this past year I’ve upped my listening of it. Favorite line - “But mine is peace that flows from Heaven, and the strength in times of need. I know my pain will not be wasted, Christ completes his work in me.”

Podcasts

1. Talkville, hosted by Tom Welling & Michael Rosenbaum

   A Smallville rewatch podcast that’s fun and insightful!

2. For Us, hosted by Josh & Savannah Alexander

   I first heard of Josh & Sav by following their family vlogs on YouTube and I have to confess while I don’t usually like YouTube family channels, I really appreciate the openness that Josh & Sav have while also always protecting their kids and the parts of their life they won’t ever share. The podcast is a real and vulnerable space for them and I’ve been now listening for the past five or six months every week.

Products

1. MagSafe Phone Grip // not even gonna lie, I’ve dropped my phone so many times over the years that this is kinda a necessity. Especially as a mom! It’s dirt cheap and holds up to everyday wear and it so helpful but isn’t overly bulky.

   Check it out HERE.

2. Enso Silicone Stackable Rings // Towards the end of my pregnancy, my rings were not fitting and hurting so I bought two of these Enso rings and long story short, six months pp i’m still wearing them! my husband Matt also has one for his wedding ring and loves it. They hold up to frequent hand washing/showers and general everyday life and have the best colors. Highly recommend. Check them out HERE.

Thanks for reading and hanging in there with my very sparse Substack writings! I intend to be regular on here in 2024 and connect with more of you. Happy New Year!