3 Encouraging Books I Read Every Year as a Christian Outdoor Parent
Okay, I already lied in the title. I don’t read these books, I listen to them. To sit down and soak in the words of a tangible book is just a little much for me in this season of life. Listening to audiobooks keeps my adult brain going while I get in our outside hours for the year without getting sucked into my phone. I can listen as we take rainy day walks, watch the kiddos explore playgrounds, and even while folding laundry. A HUGE bonus for me is when the authors themselves narrate and all of these offer just that!
How to listen to audiobooks for FREE
Podcasts are great (and the authors of the following books have GREAT ones), but I also love the long-form challenge of digesting an entire book. I listen to a lot of audiobooks throughout the year and the ONLY way I listen to so many without my bank account mysteriously disappearing is through my local library. This means that sometimes I have to wait a few months for one to become available, but my list is so long, there’s almost always something for me to enjoy.
Every library does it differently, but mine uses an app called Libby and it’s very user-friendly to borrow, reserve, and listen to. All you have to do is get a library card at your local branch and ask them how to get started with audiobooks. They will walk you through the process and you’ll be set with hours of listening!
And now for the books that keep me grounded every year…
1. Until the Streetlights Come On — Ginny Yurich
This is the first book I listened to as we started our 1000 Hours Outside journey. And if you’ve hung around here for any amount of time, you know I’m a big fan of the movement. This book is one of the biggest reasons I drank the kool-aid so hard!
Until the Streetlights Come On is written by the founder of 1000 Hours Outside and her passion, knowledge, and experience is nothing but encouraging. Ginny Yuirch tells the story of how she never enjoyed a single day as a parent until she started taking her kids outside. In the book, she offers research and quotations from experts from all kinds of fields that point to the necessity of family time and free play outdoors.
If your life feels crazy, busy, or overwhelming, I highly recommend this book to center you on the true needs of our children (and ourselves!).
2. Hard Is Not the Same Thing as Bad — Abbie Halberstadt
Abbie is known online as “M is for Mama” (the title of her first book) or “the lady with ten kids.” This is her second publication in a lineup of three, but this one is particularly encouraging to me as a mother in the middle of this rollercoaster season with infants and toddlers.
Abbie is calm and direct. She has a whole lot of love, but doesn’t sugarcoat the truth and her practicality makes it that much more relatable to me. Her words are saturated in scripture and Biblical pillars. She often addresses “trendy” parenting methods and holds them up to scripture. It’s simply beautiful.
In this book, Abbie reminds us that hard moments aren’t signs of failure, but invitations to lean on and trust in God. The book’s title sums it up perfectly: hard is not the same thing as bad!
Although this book is not aimed toward the “outdoorsy parent,” it’s encouraging for everyone in the sense that it points you to Jesus in all things parenting – whatever your values. I highly recommend this book to friends who feel burned out and need a pep talk.
3. Habits of the Household— Justin Whitmel Earley
This is a new one for me! I just finished listening to it and can’t even tell you how many times I giggled at the relatable stories Earley shares in the pages (minutes?). Just like Halberstadt, he assures the reader (listener?) that they’re not alone in the messiness of life. He stresses the value in shaping a family’s routine around Biblical rhythms, not perfect routines.
Early shares his story of turning to presence instead of productivity and how it changed everything for his family. Simply living life together, making a habit of pointing one another toward Jesus is irreplaceable.
This is the first book I’ve listened to by this author and you bet his others are in the queue! He has written another one called The Common Rule and it sounds to me like it lines up very well with this book, maybe just more generic instead of family-oriented. So if you don’t have children, you might want to give The Common Rule a go first.
Why These Three Books Have Had Such an Impact
I suppose these books touch on different angles that I regularly need encouragement in: childhood, heart, and habits. Gaining wisdom from these authors who have gone before me keeps me focused. It helps me get outside and try hard things with my family even when I don’t feel like it.
What are Your Favorite Parent Resources?
