My love for reading started early in life, but then I lost interest for a long time, it was when I was in grade school that I found that long lost love of reading again, some of my favorite books were Nancy Drew mysteries, The Hardy Boys, Trixie Beldon, I loved me a good mystery book! Nowadays I read many types of books, currently, a  Christian series of books called After by Joy Ohaweu, in each book is a story of someone who has a large weight loss to overcome, I can so relate to that as I am currently on my own weight loss journey, as of this writing I am down 70 pounds from my heaviest last year(2017), 30 of that has been since I joined weight watchers in April of this year (2018), these After books are works of fiction but are based in truth.

Keeping my reading material fresh I read many books at a time but can retain all the information from what I am reading.  I love to read any book by Max Lucado and Lysa Terkuerst as far as spiritual non-fiction goes, but my favorite fiction authors are hands down in this order, Nancy Naigle, who is a personal friend, two of her books have been made into Hallmark movies for this Christmas movie viewing season, Christmas Joy to air on Hallmark Movie Channel and Hope at Christmas to air on Hallmark Movies and Mysteries Channel(2018) check your local listings for both!

My other favorites are Grace Green, she writes about the beaches in North Carolina as well as heartfelt novels like her book The Memories of Butterflies, her writing touches me deeply and my other favorite writer is Kathleen Brooks, her Bluegrass series is awesome and draws you into her fictitious world of Keeneston, KY, she went on to write a strong series about strong women called Women of Power, carried on the lineage of the bluegrass brothers and their growing families, and now books about their kids, an espionage series called Web of Lies and her newest series about the cousins of one of her Bluegrass series characters called Saving Shadows which takes places in the fictitious town of Shadows Landing in South Carolina.

In the morning I also like to read devotions, before I even get out of bed I read a devotion on my First 5 app on my phone, the current one I am reading is a study of the Psalms 1-72, I also am doing a study by Beth Moore about James the half Brother of Jesus. So as you can tell reading is something I am passionate about and love to do! The above picture is one of my favorite place to read, it sits in our bedroom in front of my bookcase and a lot of times when I read you can find me there, it is also placed so I can look out onto our backyard, I love to watch the birds of the seasons that fly and nest in our backyard.

Reading is my favorite pastime and this is my favorite place to read!

What is your favorite thing to read and where do you like to read? Comment below and let me hear some of your favorite titles.

Saved To Serve A God Styled Life,

Maggie P 

This is the epic center of all things God Styled Life with Maggie P, I have written about my love for Jesus within these four walls and all things coffee, some of these sayings, pictures, etc.. are gifts from others and some are just things that were happenstance but all represent my love for God, this is my ministry office, my creative studio, print pressroom but most importantly this is my home, the home that God promised me many years ago, you see our sweet little house was once the Christian Preschool I used to teach at and every day for the 16 years I taught here I prayed that one day this sweet little house would be our home.

God honored my request 7 years ago, I remember praying as we went through the process and God honored my service of teaching those little ones about His love and word by allowing us to buy the very home it was taught in. The very house that taught the word of God to little children, is now the very place where the word of God is written about. Welcome to my God Styled Life! 

Saved To Serve A God Styled Life,

Maggie P

This is the top of the bookcase that is in our bedroom, I love to bird watch especially in the Winter months, the contrast of the brightly colored birds against the snow is especially beautiful. I love how God gives us beauty in every season, even in the gray times of life there is a beauty.

This bookcase is on the wall opposite of our bed so I can see it when I am laying in the bed at night or when I awake in the morning, it is a visual reminder of those things God has richly blessed me with, my family, His creation, and the memories made of our various trips that are in my memory jar pictured in the center and above the bookcase is the word BLESSED, this too is a visual reminder, it sometimes is easy for me to forget when I am down just how richly blessed I truly am.

Sprinkling reminders around our home is a very good way to live a God Styled Life, it allows those who we have in our homes to see God and it shows other without our words our deep desire to serve the Lord with all our hearts. 

Saved To Serve A God Styled Life,

Maggie P