The Grumble Free Year: Twelve Months, Eleven Family Members, and One Impossible Goal by Trisha Goyer

*Disclosure of material connection- I received a copy of the book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for my honest thoughts. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own. 

About the book-

The Goyer home--with two parents, eight kids, and one eighty-eight-year-old grandmother with dementia--is never without noise, mess, activity, and, often, complaining. And it's not just the kids grumbling. After adding seven children in less than six years through adoption, the Goyer family decided to move out of survival-mode and into unity- and growth-mode. They decided to tackle the impossible: a grumble-free year.

With grade-schoolers, teenagers, and a grandmother who believes children should be seen and not heard, plenty of room exists for flunking the challenge. Add to that seven children being homeschooled together in close quarters, and what could possibly go awry?

In The Grumble-Free Year, the Goyers invite readers into their journey as they go complaint-free and discover what it looks like to develop hearts of gratitude. They share their plans, successes, failures, and all the lessons they learn along the way, offering real-life action steps based in scripture so that readers get not just a front-row seat to the action but also an opportunity to take the challenge themselves and uncover hearts that are truly thankful.

My thoughts-

I have read a lot of Tricia Goyer's fiction works over the last several years and even a few of her non-fiction books. I always seems to enjoy what she writes so I jump at the chance to read whatever I see by her. I felt this book got off to a slow start, but that is because the grumble free year at the Goyer house also got off to a slow start- which makes sense in such a large family, even my family of 5 would take a while to get used to such a big change. We are wired to be negative so we have to fight those urges to get to a place to be positive. I thought the book gave some great advice on how to be more positive, how to complain less, and how to takes life's punches as they come in a better way than just always focusing on the bad of difficult situations. I appreciate the Goyers letting us learn from their year long project and their willingness to be open about their struggles to get there. I enjoyed the discussions questions at the end of each chapter. I recommend this book to anyone looking to be more positive. 

The Bathsheba Battle: Finding Hope When Life Takes an Unexpected Turn by Natalie Chambers Snapp

*Disclosure of material connection- I received a copy of the book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for my honest thoughts. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own. 

About the book-

Has your life ever taken an unexpected turn, leaving you feeling hurt and stuck?  In The Bathsheba Battle, Natalie Chambers Snapp helps women find healing and hope when things haven’t gone as they had planned. Bathsheba, typically misrepresented as an adulteress, is one of the most misunderstood women in the Bible. Despite an unexpected turn in her life, which resulted in tragic circumstances beyond her control, there are glimmers of hope in her story. By studying her life, readers will find healing from their own painful pasts and hope for living the free and full lives God intends.

My thoughts-

I know when many people think of life taking an "unexpected turn" they probably immediately think of death, but it can  also be anything from going through a divorce, an unplanned pregnancy, or a number of other things. I don't think anyone in this life is immune from going through something unexpected that may make you feel worn down, and defeated. The Bathsheba Battle is the perfect study for someone going through an unexpected season of life, someone who might need some healing. I have had several unexpected things going on in my life over the last year and I think I am just now processing all of them so I have been in kind of a bad place. This study gave me hope. This study lifted me up. This study modeled strong women who dealt with pain and suffereing and turned it into stronger faith in God. The main study is about Bathsheba but many other women heroes are briefly mentioned in these pages. I read this book alone, but it is also set up to be done in a group Bible study. There are fabulous verses at the end of each section to meditate on and study, as well as a prayer and  discussion questions. I recommend this book to literally any Christian woman, but particularly Bible study groups. 

When Drag Racing met Country Music by Terri Lynn Schmidt

*Disclosure of material connection- I received a copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for my honest thoughts. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own. 

About the book-

Terri Lynn Schmidt, a country music singer, found the love of her life in NHRA Drag Racer Harry Schmidt. hey were married for 21 years when Harry lost his battle with cancer. In When Drag Racing met Country Music Terri shares words to help others through similar losses and through her own journey of grief, rediscovered herself outside of her husband, and renewed her love for writing.

My thoughts- 

I was interested in reading this book because the author is from the same area as me. I haven't actually heard of her or her husband prior to reading this book, but it sounded like an intriguing story to me. I enjoyed reading the brief histories of both Terri and Harry, and kind of wish we could have heard more about that and definitely wish there was more about their love story, but that is not what this book was about. This book was about tackling grief after a long and loving partnership due to a terrible illness and I think it definitely did that. Terri Lynn Schmidt does that with short chapters dealing with different topics with short, but effective essays. It is beyond evident that besides God, there is nothing more important to Ms. Schmidt than her daughters and her husband and that the only way she got through her grief was because of God and her love of her family. I love that she is trying to guide others who are going through the same process with words of wisdom.

31 Proverbs To Light Your Path by Liz Curtis Higgs (Book Review)

*Dislcosure of material connection- I received a copy of the book from the publisher via Blogging For Books in exchange for my honest thoughts. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own.

About the book-

Take Heart, Beloved.
His Light Is Shining,
And Your Path Is Clear.

Wherever you are on your journey, here is the wisdom you need for the road ahead. Maybe you’re stuck and want to move forward. Or you feel anxious and long to know what’s next. Or you’re ready for an uplifting reminder that God holds your future in His loving hands.

Chosen by hundreds of women as their favorite verses in Proverbs, these thirty-one nuggets of truth reveal how faithfully God honors His promise, “I will instruct you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths” (Proverbs 4:11).

Best-selling author Liz Curtis Higgs examines each word with care and adds a sprinkling of humor through her honest stories and personal examples. For each verse you’ll find a unique “One Minute, One Step” challenge—a do-it-now task that requires one minute or less. You’ll soon discover how practical and meaningful the book of Proverbs is as you apply its ancient wisdom to your thoroughly modern life.

With a study guide included, 31 Proverbs to Light Your Path is a daily devotional and a small-group Bible study, wrapped in a beautiful gift book brimming with encouragement!

My thoughts-

31 Proverbs to Light Your Path is a gorgeous book, worthy of gift giving. The cover is a beautiful start to a fantastic book full of great insight and encouragement. There 31 chapters for 31 proverbs, a little personal anecdote at the beginning of each chapter, and a great devotional that follows close behind. At the end of each chapter is a page entitled "One Minute, One Step which gives a quick tip for drawing nearer to God through your actions. I also liked that there was a study guide at the end of the book to even further help you get a whole pictures of Proverbs by challenging you to answer questions. I recommend this book to any Christian looking for encouragement or as a gift to someone you would like to encourage to grow in their relationship with God.

The Polygamist's Daughter by Anna LeBaron (Book Review)

*Disclosure of material connection- I received a copy of the book from Tyndale Publisher's via their Tyndale Blogging Network in exchange for my honest thoughts. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own.

About the book-

My father had thirteen wives and more than fifty children . . .This is the haunting memoir of Anna LeBaron, daughter of the notorious polygamist and murderer Ervil LeBaron. Ervil’s criminal activity kept Anna and her siblings constantly on the run from the FBI. Often starving, the children lived in a perpetual state of fear—and despite their numbers, Anna always felt alone. Would she ever find a place she truly belonged? Would she ever be anything other than the polygamist’s daughter?

Filled with murder, fear, and betrayal, The Polygamist’s Daughter is the harrowing, heart-wrenching story of a fatherless girl and her unwavering search for love, faith, and a place to call home.

My thoughts-

I am fascinated by what I can't understand, as I think many people are, and something lately has me particularly interested in the fundamentalist Mormon group that Anna LeBaron was once a part of, mainly because she was born into it. The good majority of the memoir is heartbreaking. This kid is dumped on other people in different places, never sees her parents, is forced to work for nothing and never knows what's going on. I could not imagine a childhood like that. She could wake up one day and be living in Texas only to be told that now she is moving to Mexico. Beyond the fact that her childhood without her parents must have been super confusing, her father lead the cult and is known to have committed or ordered many murders on people who he felt had a wavering faith or on rivals who he felt threatened by. Anna had only met this man a handful of times. Who knows how many other kids he had with how many other wives! Luckily, one of her older sisters and her husband who had left the cult adopted a parental role with Anna and took her under their wing. Sadly, there was still more tragedy to come, but I don't want to spoil the book for anyone so you will have to pick it up to see what happened. The Polygamist's Daughter will make you angry, sad, confused, and probably make you feel more empathetic to the people born into this cult. It will open your eyes and give you more of a direct look into what life was like for someone who didn't choose this path and the danger it can create trying to escape it. I recommend this book to people who enjoy memoirs.

Plain Faith by Ora-Jay & Irene Eash with Tricia Goyer (Book Review)

Disclosure of material connection- I received a copy of the book from the publisher via Book Look in exchange for my honest thoughts. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own.

About the book- 

This is the true story of Ora-Jay and Irene Eash, Amish farmers from northwest Montana whose lives changed in an instant when a semi-truck struck the family buggy, killing their two young daughters.

After the accident, the couple turned to their Amish community for comfort, but they remained haunted by the thought that they might not see their girls again in heaven. Would their deeds be good enough? Eventually Ora-Jay and Irene learned that grace—not works—was enough to ensure their place in eternity. But with that knowledge came the realization that they could no longer live in an Amish community that didn’t share this precious belief. Could they sever their connection to the Amish family they loved?

This is the story of their journey to the hope that is heaven, a hope stronger than the loss of children, family, and a way of life. Fans of Amish fiction will appreciate such a real-life look into the Amish community, co-written by bestselling author Tricia Goyer, and readers of all kinds will resonate with this tale of courage, resilience, and the redemption found in the grace of Jesus.

My thoughts-

I read a lot of Amish fiction and I am pretty interested in the Amish lifestyle and beliefs, so I was interested the minute I heard about this book. A good majority of the Amish fiction I read is written by the wonderful Mrs. Tricia Goyer, so with her name attached, I knew it would be a high quality book. This story is heartbreaking. With each page read, I would feel angrier and angrier for Irene and Ora-Jay and all that they had to go through, but I had to remind myself that their friends and family reacted the way they did because they were raised to react that way. It is difficult enough that the Eashs' lost their daughters, but then to have pretty much no one comforting them the way they needed- I couldn't imagine. The story goes on to tell the story of how they ultimately left the Amish and all they dealt with in the process. I could not put this book down. It is pretty rare for that to happen for me with a non-fiction book, but this I read in two days. I just find it fascinating the way that the Amish react to their own when they don't follow the ways anymore. It is heartbreaking. I think the Amish have a great thing going with their huge sense of community, family and unity. We could certainly learn a lot from them in this regard and I wish we would. There would probably be a whole lot less depression going on. But to me, their downfall is the way they shun and silence members of their church who they feel are going astray From what I read in this book, it seems that Amish people are discouraged from reading the Bible among themselves and I think this is a big part of the problem. They are only allowed to believe what is preached to them and it seems like a good portion of the Bible is left out of these sermons. My heart broke for Ora-Jay and Irene when they struggled so much and had to make a decision between a personal relationship with Jesus or living in the only way they had ever known. The ultimate message in Plain Faith is that Jesus paid the ultimate sacrifice and that even the biggest sacrifice you may have to make is absolutely worth it. There is nothing better. The Eashs' know that and I am glad that they found hope in Him. I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the Amish, or learning about lifestyles or religions different then their own. 

Plain Faith is available at Amazon.com and Christian retailers nationwide. 

She's Twelve Going on Twenty by Kim Camp (Book Review)

*Disclosure- I received a complimentary copy of the book from the publisher via Book Sneeze in exchange for my honest thoughts. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own.

About the book:

Especially for moms of teens and preteens, a practical, Christ-centered guide to helping your daughter grow in mind, body, and spirit.
As the mother of a young girl aged 9 to 16, you want a lot for your daughter. You want to see her soar in self-confidence and accomplishment, to navigate a safe course through the treacherous waters of school, culture, and hormones, and to grow closer to God while learning to rely on his Word. And through it all to maintain a warm, open mother-daughter relationship.
She's Twelve Going on Twenty offers a comprehensive, Christian approach to issues almost every mother and daughter will encounter:

• Identity and faith
• Music, movies, TV, and the Internet
• Boys and falling in love, sex and purity
• School and grades
• Drugs and alcohol
• Clothes, fads, appearance, and body language
• Boundaries and personal safety

Easy-to-read and deeply personal, this invaluable book draws on a wealth of experience, careful research, and a deep grounding in the Bible and Christian faith. "Working It Out Together"at the end of each chapter provides communication starters and activities to help you and your daughter talk things out and plot a positive course together for the challenging but exciting adolescent years.

My thoughts:

I'll admit, at 5 years old my daughter is nowhere near in the age range this book is aimed at, but as a often befuddled parent, I think that it is never too early to research, learn or seek out advice about parenting. My parents were from the old school state of mind that we just don't bring up private things or things parents just don't want to talk with their kids about and so I think that makes me want to be more open with my kids. She's Twelve Going on Twenty touches on all of the difficult subjects that I know will not be easy once my daughter is a pre-teen. I thought the book was laid out in a very organized manner and touched on all of the subjects that moms need advice on about their daughters. One of the most helpful things about the book are the true life examples of pre-teen and teen girls going through different things and how even two daughters in the same family might react differently to the same situation. The whole point of the book really is to gently guide your daughter through pre-teen and teen issues such as body image, faith, boys, sex/purity and changes within their own bodies. What I got out of this book was that we really need to be in tune to our daughter's personalities to best know how to approach these tough subjects with them (don't know your daughter's personality type? Don't worry, there are examples in the book to help you figure it out!). One of the main things that this book seems to focus on is keeping an open line of communication with our daughters and a really neat way that can be done is at the end of each chapter in this book, there are several discussion questions for mom and daughter to discuss and answer together. She's Twelve Going on Twenty will definitely be the first book I read for when my daughter hits those tween years, which isn't too far off if I really think about it. I think studying this book together could bring a mother and daughter closer together and might help answer some of the tough questions parents often face when it comes to their daughters.

About the author:

Kim Camp is the host and producer of the Lifersize video series for expectant and new mothers and the author of the book Fit to Be Mom.

Find out more about Kim Camp at FaithGateway.com

Tyndale Rewards Program! Sign Up to Earn Free Books!

*Disclosure- This blog post contains affliate links.

If you visit this blog often, you know that I love to read. I mean, I REALLY love to read! So when there is an opportunity for free books, it is pretty much a given that I am going to participate! Tyndale, one of the leaders in Christian publishing, is offering anyone who wants to participate the opportunity to earn free books and bibles. The Tyndale Rewards Program is simple: Sign up for FREE for the rewards program. Once you fill out all of your information, you will be taken to a page that offers you several options for earning more points. Some of the things you can do to earn more points are sign up for e-newsletters/e-devotionals, take a short study on your Bible preferences, join the birthday club (they will also send you a free treat for your birthday, no points needed!), share about the program on Facebook, Twitter or your Blog, Review a Tyndale product on their website and finally share your unique code with your friends and earn points for each that signs up. The coolest thing about the Tyndale Rewards is that it is absolutely free and all of the things that you can do to earn points are super easy and only take a few minutes of your time. Just for doing the surveys and signing up for the devotionals and birthday club, I already have enough points for a reward. That is how easy this rewards program is! If you love Christian books, this is a program you do not want to miss out on! You have nothing to lose by signing up and free books to gain, so head over to Tyndale Rewards and sign up today!

We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook by Becky Johnson & Rachel Randolph Book Review

*Disclosure- I received a complimentary copy of the book from the publisher via the BookSneeze Blogger Program.  I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own.

About the book:

With down-to-earth wit, charm, love and laughter, a butter and bacon lovin’ mama and a vegan bean eatin’ daughter share humorous stories about the differences that test them, the foods that entice them, and the love that binds them.
Becky Johnson and her daughter Rachel Randolph come from a long line of laughter. The female side of her family tree is dotted with funny storytellers, prolific authors, hospitable home cooks, and champion chatters.
In We Love, We Laugh, We Cook, Becky—a butter and bacon loving mama—and Rachel—a vegan bean eating daughter—share stories of their crazy, wonderful, and sometimes challenging lives as Rachel becomes a mother herself.
Becky is messy; Rachel craves order. Becky forgets what month it is; Rachel is an organizational genius. (At least before baby arrives.) Sprinkled throughout are the lip-smacking, nourishing recipes they love to make and share.
From food for a family reunion of thirty, to lunch for a party of one in a high chair, to a hot meal for a sick friend, the authors demonstrate grace, acceptance, and love to others through the bonding gifts of humor, attentive listening, and cooking … whether diners prefer beef or tofu in their stew.

My thoughts:

I was initially drawn to this book because I heard that it was a mix of a wide range of foods, including (but not limited to) vegan and vegetarian fare. As someone who tends to lean veg in a family full of carnivores, I can always use a good mix of recipes to try. As I started to read the story, I could tell I was going to really be able to relate to this mother/daughter team. My own mother and I are polar opposites, but as Becky and Rachel prove throughout this story love and time in the kitchen can bring families together no matter how different the people in them may be. I really enjoyed the parts of the book where Rachel gives birth to her little boy and Becky comes to help, there are some really cute and funny moments during that time in the book. And I was definitely dreaming of being on Nana's Island (that doesn't really belong to her, but where she has a home off the coast of Placida, Florida). The nice little island doesn't even have cars or stores, you have to get there by ferry. Sounds like just the perfect little piece of paradise! There are tons of great mother/daughter stories here, I am pretty sure that all women could relate to at least some of them. The thing that I love most about this book is Becky's willingness to dive in and try to create vegan meals for her daughter and son in law, even though she herself is a meat eater. That is someone who A. loves her family and B. LOVES to cook! The recipes included at the end of each chapter are really great. There are recipes for some many different types of things that I am not even sure which I will try first!  I would recommend this book to anyone who loves to have great recipe books in their pantry, but I would also recommend it to anyone who loves joyful stories. We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook is certainly a wonderful love story of a bond that can only be shared between a mother and daughter, but also a love of cooking that pretty much anyone could relate to.

We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook on Goodreads
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We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook will be available for purchase on August 6, 2013. You can pre-order the book on Amazon.com