LISTEN ON THE GO!
I first fell in love with audio books when I was young. I remember having books that I could follow along with while my cassette played. Who remembers cassette players? I know I am dating myself.
A few years ago, I discovered audiobooks again with an app on my phone. As me and my husband drive, we listen to audiobooks together. We enjoy it and it gives us something to converse about and grow from together. It is like our own private book club in our car.
Recently, I started listening to podcasts. In particular, I have started following the Hike Like A Woman Podcast where Rebecca Walsh interviews some adventurous outdoor women. They are informative and interesting. I can multi-task while listening. I clean the house and it is like I have friends in the house talking while I toodle about. I listen and laugh. It is fun and relaxing.
One thing that I have noted during the podcasts are the books that these women recommend. 
Based on a recommendation, I recently downloaded the audiobook, ‘The Universe Has Your Back’ written by Gabrielle Bernstein. I started listening and was almost instantly fascinated with the advise that Gabby gives. I was about half way through the book and I started telling friends – you have to read this book. Most of my friends still prefer to read a book and touch it and flip the pages.
I myself am okay with someone reading it to me.
So what is it about this book that I find so good? Let’s start with God gave me this book right when I needed it. See, I had a personal goal this year to read more books (listening counts 
afterall it is my goal, my rules). Secondly, I had set a personal goal to quit trying to control things so much. I need to learn to trust that others’ ways still work too. My way isn’t the only way. That is tough. I have worked for 26 years where everything is based on laws, rules, policy and procedures. One of those always dictates the way. The way is the way. No, not really. Not in real life. Not in a world where everyone interprets what they read differently.
Gabby discusses the importance of realizing that we can’t control the outcomes. We can’t control how others act or react. We can’t even control our own sometimes. We can recognize it and develop ourselves though so that when we recognize our weaknesses, we stop and pray. We accept our shortcomings and inability to do it all. We recognize these things and turn them over to God. Stopping, taking time to reflect on how we are acting, forgive ourselves for it and refocus to turn our problems to God. Trust that His plan is in action and that we should stop trying use our plan. We stress ourselves out with our plans. We try to be so perfect, but really we are telling God that we think we know more than Him.
What can we do? We can stay calm, pray for His guidance, pray for others and wait for His plan to work. We can be kind and treat others the way that God treats us. We can accept that people have shortcomings, personality ticks and inner struggles. Just like us. Just like me. It is important to realize that each of us should be tolerant of each other. God loves us all. God wants us to treat one another as He treats us. That my friends, takes a lot of prayer. That takes a lot of focus. We are only human. He is perfect not us. We can only be more like Him.
What is the benefit to doing all this? Inner peace. Inner love. Healing wounds. When we change ourselves, we change so much in our lives. It is like an infection of love. It spreads to so many other aspects of our life.
I am so thankful for this book. I plan to read more of her books. I also plan to read more of the books, that the cool women that Rebecca talks to, recommend. This year of reading more books and finding ways to let go of some (okay fine more) control is going to be easier peasier than ever.
DO ALL THINGS WITH LOVE
Take a minute and tell us if you prefer paper or audiobooks. Also share with us books that you have read and recommend.
FLATWOODERS 