Wednesday, December 14, 2011

The Encounter



This was a really good book that I believe addresses an issue many people have to deal with in life today. It is about a man who was adopted by a wonderful family. He grows up to be successful. However, the questions remain inside of him about why his birth mother gave him up. Eventually these questions turn into anger and resentment towards someone he never knew, and he begans to have health problems, depression, relationship problems.
As he seeks to find the answers to his questions, he ends up finding much more than he bargained for.
There is a discussion/study guide in the back of the book as well as a section entitled The Truth Behind the Fiction.
Very nicely done and a quick and easy read in the Christian fiction genre.
I received this book free from BookSneeze in exchange for my honest review presented here.

Friday, December 9, 2011

Giveaway!!!!

Starting on November 29th until December 24th at the New Living Translation Facebook page They giving away lots of great prizes and something free for you just for singing up.
By visiting the giveaway entry page (located on the NLT Facebook page, the link is under the profile picture) and entering your name and e-mail address you'll be entered to win the following prizes:
One random person each day will win a Life Application Study Bible Family Pack (Guys Life Application Study Bible hc, Girls Life Application Study Bible hc, Student's Life Application Study Bible hc, Life Application Study Bible hc, Life Application Study Bible Large Print hc).
One Random person each week will win an Apple iPad 2!
Everyone that signs up gets a free download copy of the Life Application Bible Study – Book of Luke!

Enter Now

Monday, December 5, 2011

His Princess Love Letters From Your King by Sheri Rose Sheperd

What a wonderful blessing this book has been to me! It makes my relationship with God even more personal as I read the Scriptures He has provided for me and the letters that Ms. Sheperd has been inspired to write as if from God to me. Each day I can pick up this little book and spend 5 minutes or less reading a love letter from God to me and the Scripture verse that goes along with the letter. The pictures in the book add to the whole feel of something special that has been created for me!
I thought immediately of at least 12 of my friends who would love to be blessed by this book. It is a wonderful gift and I believe the Lord inspired Ms. Sheperd to write these words.
As I visited her website and read her biography, I was even more blessed knowing the person behind the book. Her ministry to women involves writing, speaking, and providing encouragement through the His Princess website. She is an inspiration to all women. This book is perfect for any woman of any age and even young ladies in their teens. Such a great devotional book!

"I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review"

Friday, November 25, 2011

Nearing Home ( Life, Faith and Finishing Well) by Billy Graham

Mr. Graham states in his preface that this book isn't written just for old people but for people at every stage of life. "The reason", he says, "is that best way to meet the challenges of old age is to prepare for them now, before they arrive."
I chose this book to review because I had in mind giving it as a gift to my parents after I had reviewed it. I thought it would probably not mean as much to me in my mid-40s. I was wrong. This book is relevant to the old but also to the middle-aged, the young married couple, the college student, the high school student...
In this day and time respect and admiration for the aged is not taught , not a part of our culture, not passed down as a way of life for the most part. And our country has suffered because of this. Those who have lived longer have experienced more and have much wisdom and knowledge to share.
As a former social worker with the elderly, I found that the part of my job I enjoyed the most was hearing the stories of life from my clients. I heard of courage, ingenuity, faithfulness, hardships, and hope. We learn from these stories of our ancestors...if we take the time to hear them. I found Mr. Graham's book to be just as if I were sitting across the table from him, sipping tea and listening to his experiences in life with the Lord. His style of writing is very conversational and I felt I had been with a good friend each time I laid the book aside.
I want my teenage son to read this book...now. Because if it is read at a young age the impact these words could have on that life are immeasurable. If this generation of teenagers read this book and took it to heart, we would see our country rise to greatness once more in this world. We would see change that made this world a better place to live...and all because of the focus being on the place called heaven and the Savior called Jesus Christ.
If you are not a Christian, but consider yourself open-minded, read this book and test, try and apply the principles for yourself...then make a decision. If you are a Christian, read this book and be filled with hope and courage and inner strength.
As a middle-aged person, I have had questions come up in my heart. Am I on the right path? How can I know I am making the right decisions? How can I move away from a life of fear and confusion and into one of strength and optimism?
Mr. Graham answers these hard questions. Not with theories or suggestions but with truth. This is such a thing as absolute truth. He tells us where to find it.
Some of the topics covered include hope, living with optimism, retirement, finances, planning, pain, dealing with the death of friends and family, relationships with adult children. He also covers fear, depression, physical ailments, grief, grandchildren, leaving a legacy, building a foundation and developing a strong root system to nourish you.
I love how he has filled this book with both the earthly wisdom he has gained and the spiritual wisdom and truth of the Scriptures.
There were portions of this book that were so helpful to me that I copied them by hand into a notebook so that I could re-read and commit them to memory.
I am still giving this book as a gift but I have been the one who received the gift - the gift of the wisdom of life experiences and of a life spent walking with Jesus Christ as shared by Mr. Billy Graham. Such a blessing to read...thank you, Mr. Graham.

QUESTIONS I FOUND ANSWERS TO IN THIS BOOK:
1) How can I prepare for the unexpected twists and turns of growing old?
2) Is retirement for me?
3) How can I manage money on a fixed income?
4) How can I hear the voice of the Lord?
5) How can I cope with grief?
6) How can I leave a legacy of faith to others?
7) Why should I build my life on Christ?
8) What is God's will for me?
9) How can I develop a faith strong enough to see me through the uncertainties of life and old age?
10) How do I know Heaven and Hell are real? That there is life after death?

Monday, November 7, 2011

Forever Faithful by Karen Kingsbury

I was ready for some fiction reading but I didn't realize there were three books in one volume when I signed up for this book! When I received it, I thought I would never read it before Christmas. I sat down and started to read. I was caught into the story immediately. Karen Kingsbury is one of the best writers I have read. She really knows how to develop her characters and is not afraid to draw you into their conflicts, their sorrows, their struggles. I felt as if I was reading about friends of my own because the characters were so well portrayed. I finished the first book in one night because I could not put it down. Went on to the second book thinking it could not be as good as the first (that is just how it always is). I was wrong! It was just as good and I finished it in two nights! The last one was even better!
This book is hard to put down. I loved the characters and how they show up in the later volumes as well. Well written. I laughed and cried...some of those gut wrenching sobs that you are embarrassed to have while reading a book. Wonderful writing!!!
"I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review"
If you want to read the first chapter of this book for free, click here. Just be forewarned...you will have to go and buy the book! :)

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Saturday, October 22, 2011

The Love & Respect Experience by Dr. Emerson Eggerichs

Having read Dr. Eggerichs' book Love and Respect, I was curious to see what this devotional book would be like. I liked the subtitle..." A Husband-Friendly Devotional That Wives Truly Love".
It is set up into manageable chapters that are easy to use on a daily basis but he suggests using one chapter a week (thus there are 52 chapters). This gives time for what you read to sink in and for you to put it into action. I liked the fact that he starts off with a preface explaining how to use the book. He even says that for husbands you can stop at any step of the instructions and let that be it. Each chapter has a Bible verse, writing, insight, action and prayer. The instructions are the key point that make this a husband friendly book and I would not skip over these to get straight to the devotions at all.
He covers many topics that are helpful to married couples in understanding each other, accepting each other, and focusing on what God has for you to do instead of what God has for your mate to do.

Some of my favorite chapters were "Who is on Your Mental Committee?",
"Your Children are Watching" and "No Matter How You Feel Trust Scripture More Than Your Feelings".

I think this is a great book for couples and may even be better because of the ease of reading than his original book. I also liked the cover which feels soft and leathery . Very manly.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from BookSneeze book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Quick to the Heart!!

The God Pocket by Bruce Wilkinson is a small book with a huge message. The subtitle to the book is "He owns it. You carry it. Suddenly everything changes."
This book is about giving, generousity, helping, meeting needs. The focus though is not on just doing these things and feeling good about it. The focus is on God. I liked the verse Wilkinson mentions Psalm 50:10 "...for every animal of the forest is mine,
and the cattle on a thousand hills [says the Lord]"
The earth and all in it and on it belong to the Lord...including us and our money and our resources. When we grasp this concept it becomes easier to let go of "our" stuff for HIS glory!
As I read the book, I loved the idea of having a specific holder for the money you set aside to give when God tells you to give it. I looked online for the store that is supposed to be selling these holders but could not find it. So I created my own by crocheting a drawstring pouch and writing on a slip of paper what the God Pocket is all about...or WHO it is all about. I am waiting for the Lord to show me my first mission.

The prayer that he includes says this:

**The God Pocket Prayer**
Dear God,
Today I ask to be sent to show Your love and deliver Your funds to the person You choose. I carry Your provision in my God Pocket, and I am ready and willing. I am Your servant, Lord. Whenever You nudge me, I will respond! Here am I – please send me!
Amen.

I read this book in one sitting...could not put it down. It made me want to take action ...and I like a book that will get me moving!



WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group provided this book to me for free in exchange for this honest review as part of their Blogging for Books program.

Saturday, October 1, 2011

Acorn Hats

Acorn hats...little tiny bumpy brown and gray acorn hats scattered over a layer of moss under a huge oak tree. We pick them up and make a pile of acorn hats... and a pile of acorns for the squirrels. Yellow leaves, red leaves, orange leaves...we kick the leaves into the air and watch them fall with the other leaves falling from the trees. You are wearing your prayer hat I made you in acorn browns. It looks like an acorn hat. You are my little red-headed acorn, running here and there. Smiling, picking up sticks, talking to me.

We sit in the chairs in the backyard and look up at the sky and watch the "big smoke" (clouds) roll by. We hear a bird but we are not scared . You tell me you want to swap chairs with me...so we do. You lean your pudgy little chin on your plump little hand and say, "Mommy, I like talking to you."

You tell me about the red star on the barn, the little tiny flag of the States, the sunshine, the squirrel, and the scarecrow in Grandpa's garden. "I washed that scarecrow with Grandpa's hose!" you laugh!!

We lean our heads back onto the chairs and I hear the peace of a forest. We get up and walk in the moss and the leaves again until it is time to go. Couple of more minutes, you say. So we stay a couple of more minutes, drinking in the beauty and the sounds and the love that God has given us through His creation and each other.

Thank You, God.


"..And on this side of the river and on that was the tree of life, bearing twelve manner of fruits, yielding its fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations."
Revelations 22:33

My Bridegroom!!

Overlooking the ocean with a storm brewing and lightning striking from the clouds to the sea, I thought of when Jesus comes back for His bride, for us...the Church. At that time I heard strains of bagpipe music coming up from the beach. There was a Scottish wedding on the beach and the groom was carrying the bride across the rivulet of water so that her dress would not get dirty. That is the way it is with us...the only way we can get into the kingdom of heaven is for Jesus Christ to carry us in, made pure by His sacrifice for us. Then...wonder of wonders...a rainbow appeared over the ocean! Confirmation of a promise from God that He established a covenant with us that is fulfilled in Jesus Christ. If you have not met this amazing person...Jesus Christ...He is the fulfillment of all your dreams and hopes! You can speak to Him now by just praying, speaking to Him, calling His Name and He will meet you where you are.

Thursday, September 29, 2011

This Little Prayer of Mine

I loved this children's book...the illustrations are engaging to my 3 year old. The prayer is simple enough for him to understand and covers so much that a prayer should. Thankfulness, requests, praise, forgiveness...all in words and form that a child can understand. My son recently had to have a procedure done in the hospital and this is the book he wanted to read right before he went in for the anesthesia. It is one of my favorites!! And will be for a long long time.

This book was provided for review for me by WaterBrook Multnomah for free. All opinions expressed are my own.

Jesus, My Father, the CIA and Me by Ian Morgan Cron

This book was very poignant reading. He writes of his life and his thoughts. Dealing with an alcoholic and depressed father. In reading of some of the traumatic things he had to deal with as a child, I found myself drawn to hoping for a good ending to this story. The ending was not so much an ending as a new beginning and it made the story an uplifting one as well. Wonderfully written, very honest.

This book was given to me to review free of charge by Thomas Nelson publishers and all of my opinions are my own.

Thursday, July 28, 2011

 


Eli enjoying a hot summer day!
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Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Drop Box



Eli loves to play what he calls the "Change Game" where he changes how he looks through the camera!

Friday, May 27, 2011

The Final Summit:A Quest to Find the One Principle that Will Save Humanity

Although this was an interesting book, it will not be one of my favorites. As far as fiction goes, the storyline was , to me, a little corny. I have not read the previous books in the series however. That may have made a difference in how I perceived this book. There was a lot of good history in the book and I did think it would be a great book for homeschoolers to read that would make history fun and real. The concept of one man being in charge of finding an answer to humanity's problems was interesting. And the book is of high moral fiber and would help others understand concepts of living a good and moral life. It just contained a bit too many soliloquies for my own taste. Great writing though!

Monday, May 23, 2011

When God Created My Toes by Dandi Daily Makall

This adorable children's book makes children think of how it might have been when God was creating them. The illustrations are so cute and made my little 2 year old boy laugh out loud. It reminds us of how special we are to God and how He made each part of us in the womb!
Wonderful book to read over and over again. I think it would make a great baby shower gift as well!

Thursday, May 12, 2011

The Chocolate Diaries by Karen Scalf Linamen

What a wonderful title!!! The subtitle to this book is "Secrets for a Sweeter Journey on the Rocky Road of Life".
I absolutely loved this book! The cover has an unusual feel to it and the colors are eye-attracting!
I loved reading the stories that different people shared about how they make life a sweeter journey. Each chapter has a "thought" at the beginning, a block of information called Sweet Secrets in which different people answer the question 'What's your secret to a sweeter life?', and (at the end of each chapter) a section called Food for Thought, which basically are questions to be used for reflection or discussion.
This book would make a great book study for a group of women from all walks of life! Oh, I almost forgot...at the VERY end of each chapter is a recipe featuring chocolate! Yummy! I envisioned using each recipe as the snack for the book study each week!

There are many easy ways to make life sweeter discussed, such as changing one word in your vocabulary . Instead of saying , I HAVE to do this and that and oh I am so stressed!! Just say I GET to do this and that and oh what a blessing that I get to do these things!
Another chapter focuses on friendships and healthy loving relationships as a way to journey through the rocky roads of life with hope and the company of those who love you.
I loved reading through it and then going back through it and doing the Food for Thought questions. This one is high on my list to share with friends!

I received this book free to review from Waterbrook Press and have not been obligated to provide a positive review.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Multnomah Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

New photos!

Zachary's Baptism and some random Mother's Day photos!

Sunday, May 8, 2011

A photo of a deer on our property. He has horns already!
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Monday, April 18, 2011

Now I Walk on Death Row by Dale Recinella

Wow...this book would be an excellent read for anyone, but people groups who come to mind would be lawyers, people interested in Wall Street and finance, people involved in prison work and Catholics.  Having said that...I am in none of the above categories and came away from the reading of this book challenged and convicted.
To me, there is nothing greater than hearing someone's experience of their relationship with Jesus.  Dale is an excellent writer and the story he tells of God's call on his life is shared with honesty and humor.
One part that stood out to me was the resistance he and his wife met from the Catholic church when trying to serve the Lord.  I found it a wonderful reminder that God calls us all to serve in His ministry...not just full-time pastors or priests.  I was glad to see the purpose the Lord had for that entire disappointing experience which led to a greater rewarding one.  So often even our best well-intentioned ideas are just not the same as God's plans for our lives.
I enjoyed seeing how God led Dale and his family each step of the way into service for Him
Such a wonderful book that I had to read it all in two nights!!!

I received a free copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for my honest review.

Reggie by Reggie Dabbs

Reggie tells his life-story with humor, honesty, and love.  I can almost "hear" him speaking the words because the style of writing is very conversational.
I enjoyed reading his story and getting to know him through his book.  As I was reading it, I kept thinking of various people I knew who should read it.  It really led to a desire to hear Reggie speak and play the saxophone!
I can see how many school children and teens would be encouraged and changed by hearing Reggie's testimony.
I also like the study guide questions at the end of each chapter.  He divides the book into 10 chapters with a theme of knowing a different part of yourself.  Know your story.  Know your truth.  Know your pain.  Know your name.  Know your passion.
His story is one of a sad entrance into this life filled with many difficulties such as attention deficit disorder.  However, he focuses on how God uses people who aren't perfect to accomplish His will.
I love the way Reggis breaks down a Bible story in each chapter into language a young person can relate to.  He then illustrates how that particular Scripture can be learned from today in our own lives.
By being willing to be himself, just as God made him, and to be open to doing what God tells him to do, Reggis has impacted many young people in a positive way.  It isn't always easy to just be yourself, but God made us.  He knows who we are. It is His glory and love that shines through a man like Reggie, despite all of his "deficits".
The book made me want to meet him in person and give him a hug and say "Keep running the race, my brother."

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Thursday, April 7, 2011

Promises To Keep

This was an excellent book with just the right amounts of humor to make me smile as well as well developed characters who drew me into their lives with hopes and dreams.  This is the story of two little girls who are searching for the father in their lives.  It is a story of trust, friendship, family and faith.  As a family moves away from a violent situation and start over, many lives are touched.  The house they move into belonged to Tillie, who had to stay in a nursing home for a time, but her sons sold the house while she was recouperating.  She insists she will die in that house and continues to come and sit on the porch until at last the mother sees a way to make all happy...let Tillie live there and be a nanny to the children. 
This book was a wonderful read and had me laughing and crying.  I loved the fact that it had discussion questions in the back which make it a great choice for a book club or for homeschooling moms.

I was given a free copy of this book to review and my opinions are definitely my own. 

When Sparrows Fall - Fiction

I love reading non-fiction but chose this fiction title as a break.  It reminded me why I love fiction so much too!  This was one of those books that I could not put down...the highest compliment a book can receive.  I had to read it all in one night.  It was well written with mystery, compelling characters, and drama.  It is about a mother and her children who have gotten caught up in a cult/church.  She desires to break free but it isn't so simple.  Her brother in law whom she has only met once ends up being caretaker of her children while she has a stay in the hospital.  He is drawn into the lives of the children and realizes he loves them.  As they get to know each other there are still untold secrets that may affect all of their lives.  This was one exciting book!!

Thursday, March 31, 2011

First Crocheted Purse!!

The blues are actually more vibrant...it is just the little camera I used to take the picture!

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

The Sacred Journey

I will start with the best thoughts I had about the book, The Sacred Journey. The writing makes me think...it challenged me not only intellectually but also spiritually. There are no answers, only observations and appeals to yearnings I have to admit I have had. A yearning to be a hobo, not in a bad way, but a dependent way. This book if you make it through it, will shake and jar you. This could be good or it could be bad.


The editor and author tell us that the book may be offensive. I feel that I can truthfully say it was offensive to me. Alongside that offense was a question of why did it offend me? I think it was the easy acceptance of the author that a spiritual pilgrimage could include alcohol and cannibis and throwing caution to the wind in your choice of companions in life. I cannot say I would recommend this book to anyone, in particular young people or those in typical mainstream Christian churches (which the author seems to have issues with).

I found the book to be filled with stories, points, quotes from non-Christian religions that support the author's premise that a physical spiritual journey is necessary to move into a lifetime of following Jesus. There were many things I agreed with and many I didn't.

I believe this book will lead a person into areas of thinking that are different from the norm of a typical Christian. It would be a great discussion book and it does have a study guide in the back. These questions do focus on living life with fresh eyes and open mind.

The references to literature and history may make the book hard to follow if you have not studied at a college level. I have a college degree and still needed my dictionary for many of the words.

I thought , "I hate this book" all the way to page 32. Then I began to see it as a book that "could" be used to spur me into deeper thinking. However, if you are looking for an inspirational easy read...this is not it.
 
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Book Hub Club Giveaway!!!

In honor of Tyndale launching its new book club enewsletter they are running a 30 day giveaway on their website. The Book Club Hub Newsletter will be an email newsletter geared towards people who are in or are running book clubs. It will feature suggestions, discussion guides and great ideas for your book clubs.


To enter the giveaway you just need to visit the contest page and click on the book you’d like to sign up to win. You can even go back and sign up for both books. Each day is a new giveaway so you can return to the site each day and try to win. Every few days the books change, so check back!
 
Here is the link to sign up for the book giveaway!
Tyndale Book Giveaway

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Eli when he was little-er.

Photo!!

Family picnic at the Schiele Museum.  We went with our homeschooling group!

Saturday, March 5, 2011

The Cause Within You

Finding purpose and meaning in life is an almost universal pursuit and is harder for some than for others. This book is not a "how to" manual for being happy and fulfilled. Although if you take to heart the way Barnett points to being a servant of Jesus Christ and loving others through serving them, I've no doubt you will find fulfillment.

The most interesting part to me of this book was reading about Barnett's cause...The Dream Center...and the service he provides to the poor, homeless, broken people of the Los Angeles area. I loved reading the testimonies of those whose lives were changed because of Barnett's love for the Lord and love for people.

At the end of each chapter is a "What I've Learned" section where his main points are laid out clear and simple. There is a study guide in the back to use either personally or with a small group.

Several main points really stood out to me...
- You will encounter the urge to quit; always be prepared to give it one more day. Pursuing a cause is difficult but worth it.
- God wants you to know the cause He has for you so ask Him to reveal it, and sometimes your cause will emerge out of your pain and hardship.
-God's dreams for you are always bigger and better than your dreams for you.
--God's cause relates to helping and serving

This book is full of great encouraging thoughts and I would suggest it for anyone...Christian, non-Christian, male, female, successful, broken. It is the type of book you will pick up again and again. Barnett's message of "Don't focus on success; focus on God and others" is the kind of thing the world needs to hear. We need to focus on people and how to serve God through serving people's needs.

It is wonderful to see someone totally committed to God with the kind of faith and focus Barnett has. He is humble at the same time, admitting to his own struggles and failures. God has used Barnett to change lives and God can use you and me in this same way...right where we are now...right at this moment. Ask Him to show you how.

Thirty One Days of Drawing Near to God

I thought I would read this small book as a devotional each day. After reading the forward and the first chapter, I kept reading and reading because it was like a long cool drink of water in the desert. This book focuses our attention on the love of God, something we as Christians know but (as for me) perhaps do not spend enough time thinking about.

God's love for us is uncomparable to any earthly love we have ever experienced. We all have a deep desire and need for love that can only be filled by Him.

This book reminds us with clarity and Scripture of how our Lord feels about us, which is a wonderful encouragement.

The week I read this book two people dear to me were grieving over the deaths of loved ones. I think this book would make an excellent token of sympathy. The love of God fulfills and never disappoints. His love for us is personal, deep and eternal. This little book is a perfect reminder of that.




I received this book free to review from Waterbrook Press and have not been obligated to provide a positive review.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Multnomah Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Friday, March 4, 2011

It has been a difficult week with the passing of my neighbor's daughter and of my sister's mother-in-law who was a dear friend. But I praise God that one day I will see them again in heaven!

Saturday, February 26, 2011

Fasting by Scot McKnight

Fasting by Scot McKnight

I was interested in fasting and was glad to see this title available. To start with, let me say that this is an excellent book. You do need to know that the beginning may be a little bit repetitive; however, I believe the author intends to do this in order to stress certain points.
There is an abundance of history of fasting in the first few chapters. Much I did not know about the practice of fasting. At times I felt as though I were simply studying the practice without much of a spiritual context, but this changed later in the book. So I do encourage readers to press on and finish the book. The later chapters covering the problems and benefits of fasting focused on the fact that God is sovereign and not manipulated by fasting and that fasting does not always produce the desired outcome of prayers. I liked the honesty of the author regarding this and the acknowledgement of the Lord’s ways being higher than our ways.
I found the chapter on fasting as body calendar very interesting and applicable.
The author’s main point is that fasting is not a tool; it is a response to a sacred moment in life (defined in a variety of ways). He also makes excellent points regarding hypocrisy in fasting. For example, if fasting leads to anger, bitterness, pride or irritability, then the person fasting should be learning some important things about their spiritual state. Fasting should lead to good and to love, to a deeper relationship with the Lord.
The author also discusses the differences between fasting and abstaining, honesty in fasting, and fasting as body discipline. All in all, I believe this is an excellent resource for anyone desiring to study fasting and to have a well-rounded intellectual understanding of the discipline as well as a spiritual understanding of fasting and its purpose.

There were a few typos in the book, misspelled words, but just a handful. Not enough to make the book difficult to read by any means.

Friday, February 18, 2011

Beautiful Day

 


ENjoying the day and each other, listening to "Feels Like I'm Born Again"
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Friday, February 11, 2011

Plain Wisdom




The subtitle to this book is "An Invitation into An Amish Home and the Hearts of Two Women". I really felt as if I were friends with these two special ladies by the end of this book. The writers' styles of writing are warm and personable.
I loved this book! I plan on purchasing copies when it comes out as gifts for my friends. That is what this book is truly about...the friendship of two Christian women from different walks of life. I loved seeing how God brought them together, grew their friendship into something beautiful, and showed them both how we can learn from people who are different than we are.
The tone throughout the book is open, sincere, honest and warm. The book deals with many different situations from happy times to grief. The writers share humor, wisdom and insights that already have impacted my life.
I also loved the fact that there were recipes shared from both ladies' families.
Each chapter could easily be read as a devotion for personal use or group use. However, I devoured the whole book at one time!
A bonus is a discussion guide at the end of the book. This would be a great book for Christian book study groups.
I found myself at the end of the book wishing there were more chapters, wishing I lived closer to these ladies so I could become friends with them, and realizing that my own friends are ones I need to cherish more and make time for. We need friends and sometimes our lives are so busy that we don't make time for those relationships that help us to become better people by learning from each other.
I am excited about the future of this book because I know it will be a hit among women! Can't wait for it to be released so I can buy copies for my friends!!!

I received this book free to review from Waterbrook Press and have not been obligated to provide a positive review.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Multnomah Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

The Best Biography I Have Read...

When I chose The Faith of Ronald Reagan to read I was uncertain as to what to expect. This is the best book I have read in a long time and the best biography I have ever read.
I always admired Ronald Reagan as our President but did not know very much about him. After reading this book, I feel as if I know him, his family and his character like a friend.
His faith in God and willingness to lead the country in a godly manner led to his success as our President and is inspiring to know that our country could once again be prosperous and healthy if our leaders would only lead in a manner that pleases the Lord.
I loved the way the writer wove his faith into the story of his life. This book is one that I will be recommending highly to anyone! My son will be reading it as one of his assigned biography books in class. It is an inspiration to young people to read of Reagan's life and his character.
His humble spirit and his honesty and willingness to speak openly about his faith in Jesus Christ and his prayers for our country make him an excellent role model for young people.
I was particularly impressed with the writing ability of the author. She has a style of writing that makes you feel you are right there, living life with the Reagans. I liked everything about this book. I think it should even be available in hardcover for those who collect books on the presidents. It was excellent!!!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Friday, January 21, 2011

Too much Lioness...not enough Lion

I know this book is for women and is about women but I have read other Christian books for women too. My spirit was troubled during the reading of this book. The focus did not seem to me to be on anything really...only on making women feel powerful and strong and beautiful. THere are many books out there in the world today that do this same thing...many with the goddess theme. It was almost as though this book was reworking that theme but throwing in references to God and Jesus and Scriptures to sort of support what the author wanted to get across. It was a bit more feministic in nature than I like. I am sure the author is quite entertaining as a speaker. There were many good stories of her life and her dreams and her insights but I just did not get the whole book.
At one point she writes that she wants the book to awaken the readers not just be a how-to book. But to awaken someone would need more than is in this book.
I did learn a lot about lions which was interesting. I just felt like the focus should have or could have been more glorifying to the Lord and less focusing on us as women or the author and her visions.

I received this book free to review from Waterbrook Press and have not been obligated to provide a positive review.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Multnomah Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Friday, January 14, 2011

Goodbye Bad Dreams

The Dream Quilt is not only a favorite of my children's but is one of my favorites as well. We all have bad dreams sometimes and I remember well as a child waking up crying and leaving the lights on and sleeping uneasily the rest of the night. If this book had been around when I was a child, I think my bad creams would have vanished!
The writer shares a loving story of a little boy troubled by bad dreams until his mother brings out the Dream Quilt her mother gave her. She tells him the story behind the quilt and each night tucks him under the quilt, seals him with a kiss and sends him off to Dreamland.
When the quilt needs some repairs, the little boy is worried that the bad dreams might come back. But his mother explains to him that it isn't the quilt that keeps him safe and gives him security...it is God. What a wonderful lesson to share with our children...how God can help when life is scary to us.
Not only is the story well written and loving, but the illustrations are superb! We read this one over and over again, and I plan on purchasing more (if I can find them!) to give as gifts at baby showers!
You can purchase this book used [here][1] . I believe there are a few new copies too but at very expensive costs.
What really needs to happen is a re-release of this book! I know it would sell many, many copies!

[1]: http://www.amazon.com/Dream-Quilt-Celeste-Ryan/dp/1578562236/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1295018145&sr=1-1/"The Dream Quilt"

Monday, January 3, 2011

Animal Lovers...this book is for you!

Blind Hope by Kim Meeder and Laurie Sacher is a story about an unwanted dog and the woman who rescued her and how that woman was rescued by this dog.
The author runs a horse rescue center in Oregon called Crystal Peaks Youth Center and works with disadvantaged youth as well, ministering to the spirits of the young people while caring for the horses. Laurie is one of the team leaders at the Center and this book is the telling of her true story. The friendship between the two women is evident throughout the book and adds a cozy quality to the story. I felt as if I was a third person listening in on the many conversations.
Laurie shares her story of how she decided to rescue a dog (she didn't have room for a horse) and how that dog was not anything at all like what she had imagined. But because of a committment she continued with her project of caring for this dog, Mia, and learned that love comes in strange packages. Mia has many health problems from coming from the home she was rescued from and one of those leads to blindness. This struggle for Laurie in trying to live with a blind dog and decide how to determine if her quality of life was good enough to keep her alive is one that many pet owners can relate to.
The writing of this is almost journal like. We read of how Mia ends up being the one who is the rescuer of Laurie by teaching her of love and life lessons.
I thought this was one of the few feel good true stories out there and I enjoyed reading it. It comes with a range of emotions and several surprises! If you are someone who loves animals or know someone who does, this book is sure to be a hit with you.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Multnomah Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”