The Restoration Series: Jonathan's Walk

*Disclosure of material connection: I received early access to view the first episode of The Restoration Series: Jonathan's Walk via Flyby Promotions. I will receive a $15 gift card for sharing this review, but as always my opinions are 100% my own. 

I am sure most people have not given much thought to what might happen when someone is released from prison after fulfilling their sentence. It is not something that I probably would have thought of either without having heard of The Restoration Series: Jonathan's Walk. This is a very short docu-series that follows Jonathan as he prepares to leave prison leading all the way up to his adjusting to being back in the outside world. There are 5 episodes, each fairly short, to take us through these steps Jonathan takes to reunite with his family. This was an interesting watch. You can watch the first episode below and you can check out the entire series here

Picturing Heaven: 40 Hope-filled Devotions with Coloring Pages

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

About the book-

Foster a deeper connection with God through coloring! Picturing Heaven is a unique coloring book featuring 40 illustrations to help you imagine the beauty of heaven, each accompanied by a devotion by Randy Alcorn, who writes frequently on the topic of heaven. Featuring metallic gold accents, lay-flat binding, and bright white paper.

My thoughts-

I think with the climate of today's society, many of us long for Heaven. There are definitely moments of high stress and anxiety for me within my own family life, and in life over all and sometimes I just need something to calm my nerves and remind me what awaits. Picturing Heaven is a great devotional focusing completely on Heaven. It is uplifting with wonderful Bible verses and has great reminders that our big picture is paradise with God. The gold and black color scheme of the pages are absolutely gorgeous and I love that Randy Alcorn has combined a devotional book with the calming art of coloring, which makes for a very peaceful experience. Picturing Heaven is the perfect gift to pair with gel pens or some nice colored pencils!

The Gospel According to Ruth: A Season of Harvest 121 Days of Devotions by Kevin Foster (Book Review)

*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-

The Gospel According to Ruth: A Season of Harvest is an inspiring devotional that draws out many metaphors found in the story of Ruth, Naomi, and Boaz. Leaving Moab to return to Bethlehem was not a journey made with much hope but God drew them to Bethlehem His house of bread to provide for them and all the world. Filled with Scriptural applications, this harvest-themed devotional will guide your soul on a 121-day passage. 

There are four major divisions within this devotional that explores the Christian calling, the Christian labor, the Christian rest and finally, Christian marriage in the Lord.

This devotional study in the book of Ruth has over 1000 related bible verses. The seven major feast of Israel are surveyed along with the Promised Land from Bethlehem, Jericho, the Jordan River, the Dead Sea and the wilderness crossing.

Both Old and New Testament stories intersect the cross of Christ and come alive on the pages of this book.

This devotional also has a companion 58-page pocket book titled, Poems from The Gospel According to Ruth, along with an unabridged audiobook.

My thoughts-

When I reach for my Bible for encouragement often times I turn straight to Ruth. The book of Ruth has always brought me comfort, and Ruth has always been a role model for me to look up to for as long as I can remember. I have never seen a devotional quite like The Gospel According to Ruth. This book contains 121 days of Devotions all derived from the book of Ruth. I thought that I already had got all I ever could get out of Ruth, but this extensive study proved me wrong. I like that the devotional is meaty and not fluffy and light like many other devotionals tend to be. I also liked that at the end of each devotional there was a tie in to the lesson in Ruth, many times from another book of the Bible. I think Kevin Foster took the idea of a devotional on a specific book of the Bible and truly included every lesson to be learned. I enjoyed The Gospel According to Ruth and would recommend this book to anyone looking to be encouraged and strengthened. 

Wildflower (Movie Review)

*Disclosure of material connection- I received a copy of the dvd 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 movie-

Creatively gifted, college student Chloe Moray (Nathalia Ramos, House of Anubis) finds solace from a difficult childhood in her extraordinary art. But when an alarming dream begins to recur nightly, Chloe starts to believe that it might be a suppressed memory and that she may have witnessed a terrible crime as a little girl. Her search for peace takes her on a journey that forces Chloe to confront her past traumas and leads her to cross paths with Josh (Cody Longo, Not today), a young man dealing with his own painful loss. Together they find in each other someone they can trust as they seek to unlock a cold-case mystery from years before. But with the authorities blocking the way, Chloe's new-found hope is challenged in this riveting story of faith, triumph, and healing.

My thoughts- 

I don't think I have ever seen a faith-based movie quite like Wildflower. There are definitely movies out there about struggling with your faith, but I liked the added suspense and drama in this one. I was constantly trying to figure out what was happening with Chloe's dreams/visions and about who her friend Rebecca was. I was drawn to Chloe's story just like Josh was and I was rooting for her to come to terms with her past. I love when a movie has a good plot line and a great message and Wildflower definitely had both!

Lolli and Pop Find Kindness by Carolyn Snelling (Book Review)

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-

Finding God's "Fruits of the Spirit" has never been more fun! Early readers will follow the adventures of little Lolli Cake and her beagle named Pop. In this first book of nine, the duo discover kindness which can sometimes be difficult to find especially when it may mean giving up something you love.

My thoughts-

I absolutely love the idea of a book series teaching fruit of the spirit lessons to children. I think one of the most important things we can teach our kids is kindness. Lolli learns many lessons in kindness thanks to a puppy her father brings home. She learns that we shouldn't be happy about other people's misfortunes and that we should be empathetic to others. Another opportunity to be kind presents itself when Lolli and her family find someone's missing item. I loved the lessons that are in the book and that the illustrations are bright and cute to help hold children's very short attention spans. The book is short and sweet, but gets the point across. It also presents a wonderful opportunity to teach your kids to make a point to purposely be kind. A fun way to do that is to have a blank calendar for the month or for a holiday week like Valentine's Day or Thanksgiving and fill it out with the things you have done to be purposefully kind. This would be a fun family project that everyone in the house can contribute to. Lolli and Pop Find Kindness is the first book available in the "Fruits of the Spirit" series. I look forward to seeing what lessons the next eight bring to us!

Uncommon (Movie Review)

Disclosure of material connection- I received a copy of the dvd via Edify Media 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 movie-

When the students of Rosewood High lose their drama department due to budget cuts, they decide to create their own! Equipped with unique talents, they bond together to prepare the perfect production with a modern take on the Bible's parables. Fighting overwhelming challenges, the teens defend their privilege to worship, meet and perform. Armed with expert legal counsel and unexpected help from Christian music's finest, these teens realize what it means to be...Uncommon!


My thoughts-

At the beginning of the movie main character Aaron has lost his brother and is switching schools. He becomes a student at Rosewood High with his cousin only to find out that the administration has made budget cuts affecting the arts program at his school. He and his new friends find a way to continue the production of a play they had already started on, but many obstacles get in their way along the way. Still, they want to stand for something, so they persevere. The first thing I thought when watching this movie is how tough it is to lose anyone close to you when you are still young. I couldn't imagine losing a sibling. I had a friend who lost a sibling very young and I know it was tough on him pretty much the rest of our school days. Aaron wants to do something good, so he starts a student led Bible study. An anti-Christianity teacher finds out about it and berates him. I know that this is probably a real occurrence in schools these days and it makes me sad for my children. I know things were already starting to get this way when I was still in school 15+ years ago, but I was blessed to live in a small community that was not this way. My friends and I had a Bible study right at the front doors of our school every week. We were not once told we couldn't hold it in the school, let alone right at the front door. I would like to think if we were we would react the same way as Aaron and his friends, by fighting. Religious freedom for Christians seems to be obsolete these days. I enjoyed the movie and particularly loved Eric Estrada's character. He brought a great father figure and ally to these kids and helped them fight for what was right. I recommend watching this movie if you have ever felt like you wanted to do something important, but were scared. I also recommend watching this with your kids. They could learn a great deal from this group of kids!

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Watch the Uncommon trailer below!

Letters From My Father's Murderer by Laurie A. Coombs Blog Tour + Book Review

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

About the book-

When her father was murdered, Laurie Coombs sought justice and found it.

His murderer now serves two life sentences with no possibility of parole. Yet, despite the swift punishment of the killer, Laurie found herself increasingly full of pain, bitterness, and anger she couldn't control. After coming to faith, she realized she was being called to seek something infinitely more difficult than justice: forgiveness.

This is an extraordinary true story of grace, mercy, and the redemptive power of God to change lives. The reader is swept along with Laurie as she undergoes the life-changing transformation of becoming a Christian. As she studies Scripture, seeing God redeeming losses and healing deep wounds time and time again, she starts to understand that her own healing would require her to love her enemy in a real, practical way.

Using her incredible correspondence with the man who killed her father, Laurie reveals a compelling journey of transformation, not only in her life, but in the lives of those whom many would call irredeemable.

Letters from My Father's Murderer is for any audience Christian or secular who

-Craves freedom from the inability to forgive those who've caused them harm 

-Wants to hear testimony of God's power in our obedience 

-Has experienced pain through other's sin against them 

-Needs to know healing is always possible

The real story here is not primarily about murder and its fallout, but rather about redemption and how far it can reach.

 

 

My thoughts-

When I read the premise of this book, I knew I had to read it and saw how this letter writing business with a murderer, the murderer of Ms. Coombs father no less, went. I couldn't imagine wanting to be face to face with someone that hurt someone so close to me, but I applaud Laurie Coombs for doing what she felt God led her to do.  The book takes us through her feelings right after the murder occurred, through the trial, and then when she felt led to give this man a Bible. That is what led to these letters and this journey that she goes on working through her feelings about this man and also getting to know him. It was a heartbreaking story to read, but at the same time. a truly touching story to see what these two people meeting did in both of their lives. If you have ever been in the position of holding a grudge over something much smaller than this, I highly recommend reading Letters From My Father's Murderer. This book just might change the way you feel about forgiveness and redemption. 

Miracles From Heaven by Christy Wilson Beam (Book Reviews)

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-

In a remarkable true story of faith and blessings, a mother tells of her sickly young daughter, how she survived a dangerous accident, her visit to Heaven and the inexplicable disappearance of the symptoms of her chronic disease.

Annabel Beam spent most of her childhood in and out of hospitals with a rare and incurable digestive disorder that prevented her from ever living a normal, healthy life. One sunny day when she was able to go outside and play with her sisters, she fell three stories headfirst inside an old, hollowed-out tree, a fall that may well have caused death or paralysis. Implausibly, she survived without a scratch. While unconscious inside the tree, with rescue workers struggling to get to her, she visited heaven. After being released from the hospital, she defied science and was inexplicably cured of her chronic ailment. 
Miracles From Heaven will change how we look at the world around us and reinforce our belief in God and the afterlife.

My thoughts-

The last few years have seen an influx of stories about people having near death experiences and their stories of visiting Heaven and coming back. I have read several of them and they are always captivating. Miracles From Heaven was enthralling as well, but for other reasons. Beam's young daughter Annabel also had a near death experience, but her story is  little different. There are mentions of her seeing Heaven, but it is a very small part of her story. This story is more about miracles here on Earth. Beam takes us through their story by interweaving the day of a freak accident with the many years of dealing with a chronic illness. It is crazy to read exactly the Beams went through prior to the accident and what happens afterwards. Miracles From Heaven is a captivating and heartwarming story on a family's journey to healing. I recommend this story to anyone who enjoys reading uplifting memoirs. 

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More Than Just the Talk by Jonathan McKee (Book Review)

Disclosure of material connection- I received a copy of the book from the Bethany House Publishers 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 old ways of having "the talk" just won't cut it anymore. Sadly the number one place today's young peoplego to for answers about sex is Google. Meanwhile kids view nearly 14,000 seual references a year on television and 70 percent teenagers have enountered pornography on the Internet. If we want our children to know the truth about healthy sexuality, we need to cfreate a comfortable climate of continual conversations.

JonathanMcKee will show you how to move beyond the initial awkwardness of this subject into an ongoing communication with your kids about God's amazing gift of sex. He equips you wiht what you need to talk openly about dating, temptation, porn, and purity, and you will find the answers to tough questions and relevant Scripture on sexual issues.

It's normal for kids to be curious about sexuality, and they need to know that their parents are the most reliable source of information. Be the one your kids turn to on this crucial topic.

My thoughts-

I grew up in a house where sex was never spoken of and was treated as a forbidden thing. It led to really confused feelings as I was growing up because I was not well equipped to deal with anything at all relating to it. I made myself a promise that I would always be open with my kids and make sure that they know that they can always come to me regardless of the subject, I want them to feel comfortable in their own skin and with their own feelings. My oldest is currently only 7, but I know it will only be a few short years before the questions start. I think I am ready to handle some of them, but I know it never hurts to seek out other opinions and gain ideas. I found More Than Just the Talk a helpful book and I am glad to see a book saying yes DO talk to your kids about sex. Not just the one "big talk" but make it an ongoing conversation. I could not agree more. Kids need to know there is an open line of communication with their parents, if they don't they will seek to find their information elsewhere. I don't want that. I really liked the sections that talk specifically about sons and specifically about daughters. It is a good reminder that we should make our children feel valued and help boost their self esteem and the best way to do that is to spend time with them and make sure they know they are valued. Another section I found particularly helpful was chapter 12 which lists some of the questions that might be posed and reiterated where they might have been answered throughout the book. I do not think it would hurt any parent (or potential parent) to have this book on their bookshelf.


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Blessings for the Morning by Susie Larson (Book Review)

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-

A Blessing a Day from Popular Author and Radio Host 
This beautiful devotional gift book is for readers who want to start their day with a reminder of God's love and purpose for them. So often we wake up worried about our to-do lists and responsibilities and need a reminder of how God feels about us and who we are in him. Several years ago Susie began posting daily blessings on Facebook, and since then thousands have responded and forwarded the blessings along to others. 
The blessings take only moments to read, but are packed with biblical promise and perspective. Along with a blessing, each day's spread also includes a related Scripture to point readers back to God's timeless truth.

My thoughts-

Blessings for the Morning is such a beautiful book. Not only are there great Bible verses with accompanying passages of encouragement, there are also beautiful pictures to go with them. Here is one example-

There is a great variety of beautiful pictures! That alone would help kick start my morning in a positive way, but the pictures with verses and the text together can be very positive. You can read the passages in order or if you need encouragement in a particular area, there is a great table of contents in the front that will point you in the right direction. Blessings for the Morning is the perfect book to leave on your nightstand and reach for first thing in the morning!

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IN PLAIN SIGHT (Documentary Review)

*Disclosure of material connection- I received a copy of the movie via Edify Media in exchange for my honest thoughts. I was not require to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own.

About the movie-

IN PLAIN SIGHT is a three-part campaign (documentary film, study guide, and music album) to help stop sex trafficking in the United States. We are focused on educating the American public  and motivating people to take action in their community.

The IN PLAIN SIGHT documentary is an inspiring film featuring the work of six modern-day abolitionists as they fight sex trafficking in our nation. Through engaging interviews with numerous victims, a similar pattern of vulnerability and abuse becomes clear. In the midst of the darkness, stories of hope and freedom emerge as each survivor shares how she was transformed through the work of a sex trafficking aftercare home.

My thoughts-

This is a tough subject. This kinds of things are always hard to talk about. It is almost easier to talk about something you think is happening thousands of miles away on another continent than it is to realize that something so horrendous can be happening in your backyard. I think last year was the first time I had heard of sex trafficking happening near where I live. There was a bust a this past summer in the county I live in, some of those arrests taking place in the town neighboring mine. We live in a very safe place (our town has been #1 and #2 on the FBI's safest cities to live in the last two years) so it goes to show that this can go on ANYWHERE at ANY TIME. It breaks my heart. This documentary opened my eyes even further. These are not always run away girls that run away and are at there most vulnerable that are entered into sex trafficking, some of the girls on this documentary had been sold by their own families. No one deserves to be sold into any sort of slavery but the sheer thought of a mother selling her child to someone and in the very country we live in, is just appalling. IN PLAIN SIGHT brings to light the plight of these girls and women, but it's main focus is on recovery and the women that have been moved to make a difference in these broken lives. These women each came to know of trafficking in different ways, but have the common goal of wanting to help rehabilitate the victims. These recovery houses they live in go a long way in accomplishing that goal. As I said at the beginning of this post, I know this is a hard subject to think about or even read about, but I encourage you to watch IN PLAIN SIGHT to learn what's being done and how you can help in your area. In the meantime here are 31 ways you can take action to help stop this madness!

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Roadmap Genesis Movie Review + Giveaway

Disclosure of material connection- I received a copy of the movie via Flyby Promotions in exchange for my honest thoughts. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions are 100% my own.

About the movie-

Roadmap Genesis is a film documentary that makes the case that the Book of Genesis is a roadmap containing guideposts on how to live a productive, fruitful, and fulfilling life that will help our society lift itself out of its current decline and return it to prosperity, promise, and accomplishment.

When Filmmaker Nolan Lebovitz found himself at a crossroads in his life, he knew he had to choose between continuing to make the Hollywood suspense thrillers that were his livelihood and trying to make the world a better place for his new young family. After much struggle, he found his answer in the Book of Genesis.

He decided to combine his love of the Book of Genesis with his passion for filmmaking and set out to travel the United States, interviewing clergy and public figures in order to build an undeniable argument about the continued importance of the Book of Genesis as guiding force in our Judeo-Christian country.

Roadmap Genesis invites Americans of all faiths to engage in a dialogue about the relevance of the Bible in the modern age. Through interviews ranging from Gov. Mike Huckabee of Fox News Channel to Rabbi David Wolpe, from Alan Dershowitz to the Archbishop of Chicago Cardinal Francis George, from Erick Stakelbeck of the Christian Broadcasting Network to Ken Ham of Answers in Genesis and the Creation Museum, and many, many more, Nolan explores the rules that God has set forth to help us maintain a successful and working society.

My thoughts-

Roadmap Genesis explores the question is the Bible still relevant today? Can we apply the book of Genesis to be our guide book for how to live? This was an interesting documentary because people from all walks of lives and different religions were interviewed. Many of the people being interviewed on the streets identified as atheist which just completely saddens me that so many people are not exposed to or are completely against religion...but that is not the point of this movie. The point is that we can take what is written in Genesis and use that as a guide book to get things back on track. Somewhere along the line we have lost touched with how God intended for us to live and I think Lebovitz is on to something. The insight added by a plethora of public figures adds even more depth to this insightful documentary. I think anyone who wants to see a change happen in this world we live in will find Roadmap Genesis an interesting and thought provoking documentary.

Watch the Roadmap  Genesis Trailer 

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Mothering From Scratch by Melinda Means & Kathy Helgemo (Book Review)

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

About the book-

Find Your Own Mothering Style

Trying to follow someone else's rules for mothering can take the joy out of being a parent. But Mothering From Scratch show you how to develop your own style that helps you be the best mom for your kids.

Full of solid biblical truth, this book will help you

• explore your personality and examine your own strengths and weaknesses in order to find out what works for you
• tap into the resources surrounding you and get mentoring and support from other moms
• push past the fear of change or doing it wrong and allow room for grace in your mothering

Melinda Means and Kathy Helgemo provide a flexible, customization approach to help you discover your optimal parenting style

My thoughts-

From the very first sentence in the forward by Suzie Eller, I knew this was going to be a book that I could relate to and that would be encouraging to me. This is not your average parenting book that gives you the exact formula to have a smooth ride as a parent, You know those one size fits all books that say that if you just do a, b and c things, you will have this parenting thing down. Those books while well meaning and filled with advice that anyone of us could probably apply to our every day lives, we are all different people with children who are also different people (many times in the same family) and a one size fits all approach is just not plausible. I have known this since very shortly after I delivered my twins. My daughter, my first born, was an easy baby, but two newborns arriving when you are not yet two would probably make anyone a little grumpy. Anyway, I tried to do all of the "right" things to parent, and I quickly learned that my personality and my kids' personalities do not fit what society as a whole would consider great parenting.I know my strengths and weaknesses and I am always willing to work on them, but as a whole at this point in my role as mother (7 years in) I am more comfortable in my own skin and could really care less what other people think about how I parent as long as it is what works for our family and that it works towards the ultimate goal of my kids turning into respectful, responsible, empathetic, compassionate, humble adults. 

Mothering From Scratch is a great book for any mother to read, especially one that feels she is not doing things right (what does that even mean? But I know I have uttered those words myself plenty of times on this parenting journey). This book will encourage you to come up with your own parenting style based on your own strengths and weaknesses. It is full of great stories that will encourage you that we are all different but all working towards the same goal. The most helpful thing I found about the book was the in depth discussion questions at the end of each chapter that will really have you think and may help you discover things you didn't even know about yourself. I would recommend this book to absolutely any mom trying to find her footing or a mom who maybe already knows who she is as a mother, but could use encouraging reminders or new discoveries on her parenting journey. 

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Messy Beautiful Love by Darlene Schacht Review + Giveaway

Disclosure of material connection- I was provided a copy of the book from the publisher via the Family Christian Stores Blogger program. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own.

About the book (from Goodreads)-

"Messy Beautiful Love" delivers an incredible testimony of grace that offers hope for today's marriages and a spark for rekindling love.

Love gets messy.

Financial problems, sickness, aging parents, a chronically unhappy spouse . . . trials will inevitably come that threaten your marriage. No matter how long you've been married or how strong your relationship is, sooner or later you are going to have a mess to clean up.

"Messy Beautiful Love" is about cleaning up messes God's way, exchanging your ideas for His, and being prepared for both the best and the worst that marriage has to offer.

When you surrender your relationship to God, then and only then will you experience the blessing of marriage as He intended. This is the blessing of obedience. "Messy Beautiful Love" is an invitation to that obedience. The cynical world says marriages don't last, but God knows better. Tune out the world and tune in to Him. When you do that, a beautiful marriage is not only possible, it's inevitable.

My thoughts-

I think it is important to continually read books about relationships, whether that be books about parenting, books about marriage or books about a relationship with God. It is vital to continually seek to improve all of these relationships and reading other people's points of view or advice is a great way to get a fresh or insightful look on things. Most books about relationships are written by people who seem like they really have it together which is totally great, but sometimes it is nice to come across a book with a person who feels more real. Who has had their downfalls. Who humbly shares their mistakes in order encourage other couples to persevere in their marriage and to continually work on it together with your spouse. Darlene Schacht definitely does that in Messy Beautiful Love: Hope and Redemption for Real-Life Marriages. It is evident throughout the book that Mrs. Schacht feels lead to share her testimony to encourage other couples in their relationship. There are plenty of illustrations of personal stories from Schacht's life, and great lessons tied into the telling of these stories. One of the things I like best about this book is the challenge at the end of each chapter to think about and apply to your relationship with your husband, as well as some great prayers to pray about your marriage. This would make a good book for a newlywed and a more seasoned wife alike. We can all take away lessons from this great book to apply to our marriages!

About the author-

Darlene Schacht is writer of the popular Time-Warp Wife blog and is the original founder of Christian Women Online Magazine and the Internet Cafe Devotions. She also co-authored Reshaping It All: Motivation for Physical and Spiritual Fitness with Candace Cameron Bure. She and her husband Michael have been married for more than 25 years. Together they have 4 children.

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A Lifelong Love by Gary Thomas Book Review + Giveaway

Disclosure of material connection- I received a copy of the book from the publisher via Flyby Promotions. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own. 

About the book-

You believe your marriage has eternal purposes. You long for it to reach beyond your home and encourage others. But what does it look like to have spiritually intentional relationship in the midst of dirty dishes, work deadlines, and car pools.

In Sacred Marriage, Gary Thomas showed us that God designed marriage to make us holy more than to make us happy. Now, in A Lifelong Love, Thomas gives us the practical tools to craft our marriaes into inspiring relationships that breathe spiritual life to others.

Whatever season of marriage you are in, A Lifelong Love  gives you the practical help you need to infuse your marriage with a spiritual passion that will not only change you but will change the world around you.

My thoughts-

I try to read books about relationships and marriage whenever I can. I definitely believe that marriage is a learning process through each season of our relationship. A good marriage is a constant work in progress and A Lifelong Love is a great resource. This book can be applied to a newlywed couple or a more seasoned couple, so it is a great one to have in your home library. The pages are full of sage advice and examples of living your life and treating your marriage beyond the bare minimum. It teaches you not to just go through the motions, but really work at making it into something lovely, something sacred, There are even examples of things that are common occurrences in marriages or things that are different between women and men to help us understand why our husbands might act one way or to explain to our husbands why we might react a certain way to a situation. At the end of each chapter there are wonderful questions designed to really get you thinking, as well as prayers for your marriage. A Lifelong Love is the kind of book that you can revisit and get something out of each time. I know I will be reading this again and I am sure that I will gain something new with each time I read it!

A Lifelong Love is available on Amazon.com and other retailers nationwide.
About the author-

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Treasury Of Bible Stories Review & Giveaway

About the book-

If you are looking for a way to encourage your children to get into God's word, this is the book for your family. Treasury of Bible Stories is beautifully illustrated and wonderfully written in a way that kids will love to hear.

My thoughts-

I think it is important for little ones to have a Bible that is not only engaging, but easy to understand. The Treasury of Bible Stories by Kelly Pulley has beautiful, vibrant pictures and includes all of the big stories and parables from both the old and new testament. The stories are written in rhyming form which will help kids better remember the stories and makes them more fun to read. I have a little man named Noah so that is the first story we read out the Treasury of Bible Stories because he loves hearing stories about Noah and his ark. All 3 of my kids (ages 5-7) listened intently and loved the vivid illustrations. My oldest enjoyed the rhyming and all 3 of the kids fought over who got to look through the book that night after we were finished reading it. We have read several more of the stories and the kids are always eager to hear them. This is also a book that is great for young kids like mine who have learned to read. There are not that many big words and the rhyming lines also help them in their efforts to read on their own. This Treasury of Bible Stories would make a great addition to any children's home library and would also make a fantastic gift. I know we will be reading it often and for years to come.

Treasury of Bible Stories is available now on Amazon.com.

My little bookworm Noah reading about Joseph
and his coat of many colors. :)

One lucky reader will win a copy of the Treasury of Bible Stories. Enter via the Rafflecopter below for your chance to win.

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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. 

Mom Seeks God by Julia Roller Blog Tour & Book Review + Enter to Win a Kindle HDX

About the book-

The first months and years of motherhood can be the most challenging and disorienting of your life---and faith. When you're surrounded by the happy chaos of children, how do you spend quiet time with God if the only quiet time you get is while you sleep? How can you demonstrate a solid spiritual life to your children if you don't have time to pursue one yourself?

When Julia Roller discovered that her spiritual growth had been stunted by the busyness of life with her toddler, she embarked on a yearlong journey through ten spiritual disciplines: prayer, fellowship, submission, study, simplicity, silence, worship, fasting, service, and celebration. As she focused on each discipline, she discovered practical ways to observe them---even in the chaos of her every day.

My thoughts-

When I was younger, I couldn't wait to grow up, get married and have tons of babies! When those things became a reality in my 20's, I found out while extremely blessed and exactly where I wanted to be, marriage and motherhood were not the easiest things in the world to adjust to. Especially juggling marriage, which already takes a lot of time, energy and commitment, with being a mother...it leaves little time for one's self or to do other important things outside of those two huge commitments. I think a huge thing a lot of Christian mother's find themselves struggling with is their walk with God. Mom Seeks God is a glimpse inside of one mother's journey to strengthen her faith. I think the best thing about this book is seeing that another mom, a mom who writes devotionals and publicly speaks, also struggles to balance motherhood with her quest to get closer to God. The book is set up into chapters about different spiritual disciplines. The chapters I related to the most were the ones about fellowship, simplicity, and fasting. I think many mothers struggle with fellowship because it is hard to find time to participate in fellowship when we have so much to do at home. It is easy to flake out or not commit, but I think most of us would find that we feel much better when we connect with others. Simplicity is something I struggle with which causes a ton of chaos in my life. I am a multi-tasker, but it will get to a point where the multi-tasking will cause me a ton of stress. Reading the chapter on simplicity makes me realize that I need to focus on doing on thing at a time. Finally, fasting is something that I have always meant to get around to doing, but just never had. I know I need to work on all of these things. This book was a great blessing. It opened my eyes to some things I know I need to work on and the way it was written felt like I was having a direct, candid conversation with the author. I would recommend this book to any mother wanting to grow in their relationship with God. 

 

 

About the Author-

 

Julia Roller is an author and editor. Her books include Mom Seeks God (Abingdon Press), A Year with God (with Richard J. Foster), A Year with Aslan, and 25 Books Every Christian Should Read. Working with Renovaré, she has also co-authored four spiritual formation guides. She has written study guides for authors such as Desmond Tutu, Richard J. Foster, Henri Nouwen, Jenna Bush, and Rob Bell. Her articles have appeared in The San Francisco Chronicle, Street Spirit, Group, Rev.!, and Children's Ministry. She and her family live in San Diego, California.

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Purchase a copy and find out more about Julia at: http://www.juliaroller.com


*******************Enter to Win*********************

 

Mom Seeks God by Julia Roller offers a highly relatable story and useful advice to help new moms grow in their faith as they address life changes with grace, patience, and prayer. As readers discover ten essential faith practices, they’ll learn that motherhood itself is a spiritual discipline and can be God’s most effective technique for forming a more Christ-like life.

Julia is celebrating the book's release with a fun giveaway and connecting with moms during a live Facebook author chat.

 

  One winner will receive:

• A Kindle HDX
• Mom Seeks God by Julia Roller

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on May 1st. Winner will be announced at "Moms' May Day" Facebook Party on May 1st. Connect with Julia for an encouraging discussion on spiritual discipline and finding joy in the middle of motherhood. Win prizes, connect with other moms, and be inspired.

So grab your copy of Mom Seeks God and join Julia on the evening of May 1st for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book, don't let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 1st!

A Broken Kind of Beautiful by Katie Ganshert (Book Review)

*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 (from Goodreads)-

Fashion is a fickle industry, a frightening fact for twenty-four-year-old model Ivy Clark. Ten years in and she's learned a sacred truth -- appearance is everything. Nobody cares about her broken past as long as she looks beautiful for the camera. This is the only life Ivy knows -- so when it starts to unravel, she'll do anything to hold on. Even if that means moving to the quaint island town of Greenbrier, South Carolina, to be the new face of her stepmother's bridal wear line -- an irony too rich for words, since Ivy is far from the pure bride in white.

My thoughts-

This is the third novel released by author Katie Ganshert. I read and reviewed her first two novels and count both among some of my favorite books. She has a knack for writing believable, interesting characters. A Broken Kind of Beautiful is a novel I couldn't put down. I think I read it in two or three days and I started reading it the day it arrived. I get a lot of books in the mail to read and while I love to ready pretty much anything, it is a rarity that I am so excited that I have to devour it the very day it shows up. I knew from the previous two novels by Ganshert that I absolutely would love this one. This was also a departure from a typical Christian novel. Set in the world of modeling, these are flawed characters, they could be real life people, they are relatable. My heart breaks for Ivy almost from the get-go, after all the opening scene is at her father's funeral and you can just tell right away that there is something about her that is sad, so it is interesting to learn her story. Ivy doesn't want to stick around Greenbrier, she'd rather be back in the New York, but her life just kind of snowballs all at once and the perfect place for her to be is right where she is. It takes a while for her to really open her eyes and see the love around her. Besides seeing Ivy grow immensely through the story, I absolutely LOVE to see her relationship with Davis grow. I am a sucker for a good romance and Ganshert is a master at creating swoon worthy men for her heroines. Davis has his own flaws, but it is nice to see how he and Ivy learn from each other through the story. The best thing about A Broken Kind of Beautiful is that it is the type of novel that really makes you think.  This novel will definitely strike a chord with those who read it! I recommend A Broken Kind of Beautiful to anyone who enjoys a good romance or who has ever felt  they weren't pretty enough or good enough and haven't we all felt that way? This is by far my favorite novel so far by Katie Ganshert and that is saying a lot because I really enjoyed the first two quite a bit! In fact, I recommend you read Wildflowers from Winter and Wishing on Willows as well!
******************SAVE THE DATE********************
Head over to Katie Ganshert's author page on Facebook and RSVP for the live webcast that will take place Monday April 21st! There will be a live video feed, a chat room for mingling and 6 prize packages to be given away! Hope to see you there!
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About the author-

Katie Ganshert is the author of Wildflowers for Winter and Wishing on Willows.  A Broken Kind of Beautiful is her third novel. She lives in Iowa with her husband and son.

Connect with Katie Ganshert on Facebook
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Katieganshert.com/

A Broken Kind of Beautiful will be available April 15, 2014. You can pre-order it on Amazon.com.