OK, so it’s been ages since I’ve updated this blog or my book review blog (www.amysbookcorner.wordpress.com), but during that 2 months, I’ve been reading, watching, learning and growing. I don’t really know where to start, so to sum up my beginning of 2013, here are a few ‘Top 3’s’. Feel free to skip to the bits that interest you!

Top 3 Books

• The Life of Pi, by Yann Martel – Quirky, profound, with a stunning twist towards the end. Can’t wait to see the film!
• Believing God, by Beth Moore – This is all about really, actively believing in God’s goodness, and the challenges and benefits of this. Transformational.
• Far From the Tree, by Andrew Solomon – A study about difference in families, and how parents and children respond to it. It’s a fascinating and thorough study which is told through a wealth of anecdotes, and supported by extensive research.

Top 3 Films

• Seeking a Friend for the End of the World – This film has everything. I just loved it! The soundtrack is great, too – perfect cooking music 🙂
• Sweet Home Alabama – Yes, this is in my Top 3 right now! It’s very early noughties, very chick flick, but I love the whole small town girl goes back to her roots and refinds the love of her life thing… Deal with it!
• The Dark Knight Rises – I really was not bothered about seeing this, but it turns out it’s a great film! Gripping, with the perfect blend of action film/comic book style.

Top 3 Lessons Learned

• Lean not on your own understanding – There’s a Bible verse that says ‘Trust the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and He will make your paths straight.’ Sometimes we have to take action to help to secure our future, but sometimes we just have to wait and see, trusting God that He will work things out for good.
• Faith – I have learnt to pray and believe that God hears and responds. I prayed for my friends, I prayed for help in difficult situations, I prayed about all kinds of tiny details of day-to-day life. And I saw God respond and work things out. He is so good!
• All you need is love – Life is not easy – and this is because it is all about love. Love costs everything but is also the most fulfilling way we can live. And that’s just it, love is a way of life, not simply a fleeting emotion. It’s a tough choice sometimes but it’s so worth it.

Top 3 Experiences

• Learning the Violin – Music is one of those things that keeps on giving. When you’re learning it, there’s always more to discover, but more than that it’s cathartic, creative. It’s a whole-person kind of learning – head, heart, soul, body. I’m not the greatest violinist in anyone’s book, but I’m making progress and that’s such a confidence boosting, life affirming thing.
• Running a Youth Cafe – I was so lucky in my teenage years to have some great youth leaders and it is such a privilege to try to offer similar groups for a new generation. Those teenage years are tough, but can become some of our best memories, and are always formative. I really hope that the young people coming to our groups will remember them positively.
• Being invited to another Family’s Mother’s Day celebration – I’m away from my family, and unable to visit very often due to work. God knows this and provides. The other day, someone invited me to have dinner with their family on Mother’s Day, when I was due to be on my own, and I was so grateful. To me, they were reflectors of God’s inclusive generosity, and a sign that He knows my situation and feelings and will take care of me.

So there are my Top 3’s… Would love to see some reader’s Top 3’s in the Comments!