5 Things I Loved in the Month of October

Hey y'all!

I still am having trouble processing that we're almost done with November; I can't lie, though, I'm super pumped about it because do you know what the end of November means?! The beginning of the true Holiday Season!!! Hooray!

I won't apologize for my love of all things Holiday. You can't stop me from listening to Michael Buble and She & Him's Christmas albums before Thanksgiving.

I've already finished all of my Christmas shopping (yes, I know I'm amazing, please hold your applause) and I'm just biding my time to Christmasfy our apartment -- Devon, my husband, refuses to let us put up the tree until after Thanksgiving because he loves to hurt me and doesn't want me to live my best, holliest-jolliest life.

Anyway! I wanted to share 5 things I was loving in the month of October. I'm going to try to share monthly favorites from here on out. Let me know what you've been loving in the comments!

1. Jesus for President by Shane Claiborne and Chris Haw (Book) - Being based in the southern United States in particular, election drama was at its peak all October and going into November. This book reminded me that my true citizenship is in Heaven, and that my time here is akin to a camping trip. It was a gripping, engaging read that helped me to understand and process how believers should be relating to Presidents and Kings, governments and empires. I highly recommend.

2. "Christ the Lord is With Me" by Steffany Gretzinger (Song) - Honestly, this entire 9-song album is remarkable, and bonded me closer to the Spirit in ways I hadn't experienced through worship in a long time. My favorite line from this particular song: "There's no place that I could go/Heaven's high, or hell below/ I have lived enough to know/Anywhere with You is home."

3. Punkpost (Website/App) - Obviously, we've all been staying home more, so it's been hard to connect with family and friends. Things like Facetime and Zoom definitely help, but I've found that sending good ole' snail mail has scratched the itch of connection quite well. My new favorite way to send mail is through Punkpost! You download the app, select a fun, lovely card, write out your message, and then a talented artist decorates, transcribes your message, and mails your card for you! Most cards cost between $5-7, which is nothing when you think about the personalized art that you're sending to loved ones. Plus, for an additional dollar per picture, you can send polaroids! Yes, it's as fun and charming as it sounds. Here, I'm going to share my most recent piece of Punkpost mail I received, courtesy of my sister Laura:

4. Sarah Bessey's "Field Notes" (Newsletter) - Sarah Bessey is my spiritual godmother, and she doesn't even know it. If you're unfamiliar with her work, I'd highly recommend checking out her blog here or her first book, Jesus Feminist. She does a super cool and renewing newsletter subscription called Field Notes. You get her witty, insightful, and engaging content delivered straight to your inbox, and it's only $3 a month! Totally worth it. *At the time I'm publishing this, I believe she's offering those who can't afford $3 a month free subscriptions. So if Covid-19 has impacted your finances, Field Notes is still worth checking out!

5. Evolving Faith (Podcast) - This podcast is hosted by Jeff Chu and, you guessed it, Sarah Bessey. I'm not going to say too much about it; rather, I'll just leave their summary of it here: "This is a podcast for the wanderers, the misfits, and the spiritual refugees to let you know you are not alone. No matter where you are on your journey, no matter what your story is, you are welcome! We're doing our best to listen - to God, to one another, and to the world." Amen, right?

These are my October monthly faves! Don't forget to leave yours in the comments. I'm always up for some recommendations. :-)