Read More, Read Well

"I love this book...somebody's got to read it!" Have you ever felt this way? We love to share things that are important to us, and they help us connect with those we love. In this final episode in the series Connecting with Your Family Through Literature, Janel, Eric, and Elisabeth discuss how sharing books with your family is an amazing way to grow deeper in your relationship with them.

Would you love something that connects you with your spouse in a way that's deeper than just watching a TV show together? Try adding some literature to your lives. Janel, Eric, and Elisabeth talk about how reading can bring you closer to your spouse, even if you're not reading the same book!

One great reason to add literature to your life is the way it can help us connect with our family. Janel is joined in this series by Eric and Elisabeth Cyr, who are avid readers and parents of young children. They use literature as a way to connect, teach, and grow as a family.

In this second episode of the series Lifelong Learning, Janel and Karen talk about sharing the wisdom you gain through the years with those around you, and how important reading is to gain that wisdom.

It is never too late to learn, and never too early either! Janel and Karen talk in this series on lifelong learning - from reading childhood books to picking up a book as a grandma, our lives can always be enriched by learning. 

We've been looking at some unexpected answers to the question "Why Read?" and Episode 4 dives into one of the most important answers of all - creating a cultural dialogue that could help bring more love, empathy, and listening to our culture. 

This week Nicole and Janel talk about Why Read? Reason #3: Developing a practice of self-reflection and spiritual growth. We can all use some help understanding ourselves a little better, and characters in literature can help us hold that mirror up to our own souls. 

Join Janel and Nicole as they explore reason #2: Literature as a connection to the Body of Christ.  How does reading help us connect with one another? Listen to learn more!

We all know there are benefits to reading, but in this series "Why Read?" Janel and Nicole explore 4 reasons to read literature, and they are ones you may not expect!

In this encore presentation, members of the Well-Read Mom team share some criteria for how to choose a worthy book, and how we can approach reading these great books so they make the most change in our lives. 

"In deep reading, we see a world we didn't see before." - Marcie Stokman

In today's podcast, Janel and Marcie take one last look at deep reading.  It's more difficult than just skimming a book, but the payoff is worth it!

Does taking time to deep read feel like a waste of time? Choosing to spend your time reading can seem countercultural in a world that exists so much on devices, but as Janel and Marcie talk about in this episode, it is worth it for so many reasons!

Marcie and Janel continue to talk about creating a deep reading habit, from slowing down and taking baby steps, to understanding why deep reading is so important to our minds and souls. 

The way we read in our culture has been drastically changing. We're moving more and more into digital reading, but we might be missing out on the important and fulfilling skill of deep reading. In the first episode of the Series, "How to Start Deep Reading" Marcie Stokman and Janel talk about how we can start a deep reading practice, step by step.

We're in the middle of the "giving season", and Marcie and Dean Shankman take a closer look at how we can accept the gifts of the Great Giver - no matter if they seem good at the time or not. We've all been given great gifts in our lives, if we can recognize them!

Are you a reluctant host or hostess? Janel and Ana talk in this final episode of the series "How to Start a Book Club with Hospitality" about overcoming the hurdle of inviting people in. Things don't have to be perfect, you just have to believe in what you're doing!

What is hospitality? Is it a lost art in our fast-paced, individualized culture? Janel and Ana talk about what hospitality really means, and how we can receive people into our homes, and even radiate light and love to all who enter. 

Janel is joined by Ana Braga-Henebry to start the series, "How to Start a Book Club with Hospitality." In Episode 1, we hear about the spark of courage and leap of faith it takes to put yourself out there and invite others to a new book club. We're confident you can find it in you!

In the final episode of the series, "Reading with Kids in the House" Janel and Dana talk over the ways a support system among friends and family can help you build a reading practice. Your kids can even be your biggest cheerleaders in getting that huge book finished!

This week Janel and Dana talk about another strategy to fit reading into your family life - utilizing audiobooks. How and when are the best ways to make use of these resources, and how can you get your family involved too? Find out more!

This is Episode 2 of the series "How to read with Kids in the House".

Do you struggle to fit reading into your daily life? Especially with small children in the house! Join Janel and Dana as they explore ways to fit reading pockets into your day, and swap out some activities for more reading time. This episode is the first in the series: "Reading with Kids in the House".

Highlights include:

We need true leisure now more than ever

How rest is different than entertainment

Training our gaze to be able to give full attention - even amid extreme tiredness

Being fully present to another is a holy moment

Our sisterhood with other women can help us restore ourselves

Attending a Well-Read Mom group is not an escape from reality but helps us to engage again

Engaging in authentic leisure benefits the wider culture

A place to unfold and receive

Pray for the friendships that we need

Margaret Cronin is a member of Well-Read Mom and the Dean of Academics at Magnolia School in Houston, TX.

Highlights of this podcast include: 

Gregory Wolfe is a writer, teacher, editor, and publisher. In 1989 he founded Image—one of America’s leading literary journals, which he edited for thirty years. He was also the founding director of the Seattle Pacific University MFA in Creative Writing program.

Wolfe brings to the position more than three decades of experience as an editor, publisher, writer, teacher, and thought leader in the realms of art, literature, and religion.

Wolfe is the founder of Image—one of America’s leading literary journals, which he edited for thirty years. He was also the founding director of the Seattle Pacific University MFA in Creative Writing program. Wolfe’s writing has appeared in numerous publications, including the Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, First Things, Commonweal, and America. In 2005 he was a judge for the National Book Awards. His books include Beauty Will Save the World, Intruding Upon the Timeless, and The Operation of Grace. He is married to the novelist, Suzanne M. Wolfe. They are the parents of four grown children and live in Richmond Beach, Washington.

Ellen Stamps tells her story of working with Corrie ten Boom, author of Well-Read Mom book pick The Hiding Place, in an interview with Well-Read Mom founder, Marcie Stokman. Learn more about Corrie and her sister and how they were able to survive and forgive. What an amazing and inspiring story of faith! 

We thought some of our women might want some ideas for meaningful books to hand to their kids during this unexpected time at home. This is the first year Well-Read Mom has included a Family Supplement with membership. Our hope is to encourage great books for kids that follow along with our theme of the year. This way, the conversations we are having in our groups can also be shared with our families.

In this podcast Marcie Stokman, Alison Solove and Charity Hill discuss:

To learn more about Well-Read Mom's Family Supplement - Go to: www.WellReadMom.com

You can find the books mentioned in this podcast here:

https://bookshop.org/shop/wellreadmom

Marcie Stokman, president and founder of Well-Read Mom interviews Ana Braga-Henebry on how we can be at home in beautiful way with our children during these days.  

"Yes, you can do this - even joyfully!"

Our discussion includes:

Ana Braga-Henebry grew up in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, majored in Art Education, and received a Master’s degree in Humanities from the University of Texas at Dallas. In her chosen life as a wife and mother, Ana has found time and inspiration to write on family life and literature for different periodicals. Ana is a lifetime educator in various levels, a book reviewer and educational resources content-creator. Having a life-long love for Literature, Ana has led book clubs for women for many years.

During this episode, Well-Read Mom co-directors Nicole and Janel answer the most frequently asked questions about Well-Read Mom's membership terms including:

Have another burning questions? Email us: info@wellreadmom.com or use the message feature on Anchor to send in your voice message.

Happy reading!

You can find out more at WellReadMom.com.

Marcie Stokman and Janel Lewandowski, both of Well-Read Mom, discuss how reading good literature together fosters friendship - the kind of friendships we really need. According to a recent YouGov poll, twenty-two percent of Millenials reported not having a single friend. Could the friendships fostered in Well-Read Mom book groups be an answer to this loneliness epidemic?

To find out more or join a group near you, find us at www.WellReadMom.com.

Want to share your love of reading and beauty with your family? Listen to find out what the Well-Read Mom Family Supplement is and how to use it.

Find out more at: WellReadMom.com

Marcie Stokman, founder of Well-Read Mom, interviews Dr. Scott Moringiello, Catholic Studies Professor at DePaul University. They discuss Tolkien's "On Fairy-Stories."  Their conversation gives great insight into what adults can gain from reading fairy stories, why we don't grow out of these stories of joy, and how they educate us to the bigger story of our lives as it relates to creation and redemption.

An easy way to support our work is to leave us a rating! It's easy, free, and helps other women to learn about Well-Read Mom. Thank you!

Find out more at www.WellReadMom.com.

Ana inspires us to create beauty, cultivate love, and open our homes in hospitality. Learn how each one of us is the artist of our own home and family life. And, here's Ana's fool-proof receive for entertaining:

Ana's Brazilian Chicken Recipe
Sauté cubed chicken in olive oil, crushed garlic and salt.
Add sliced onions and tomatoes or Ro-tel. Let it simmer for half hour to 40 minutes.
Add 8oz cream cheese per 1.5 of chicken or so. Let it soften and mix well.
Before serving, garnish with plenty of fresh chopped herbs: any combination of Cilantro, parsley, basil.
Serve over rice, or anything you like! Serve in a vegetable as a side. If you are familiar with hearts of palm, add one or two cans rinsed, sliced hearts of palm chopped to this dish to make it extremely Brazilian and delicious.

Quantities are whatever you want depending on how many people are you feeding. Enjoy!