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. 

Etched...Upon My Heart by Jill Kelly Review + Giveaway

About the book: Our lives are made up of moments. Some we hope to remember forever and some we long to forget. But it's the tapestry of these moments that come together to write the story God is telling in each of our lives.

In Etched...Upon My Heart, Jill Kelly shares some of the unforgettable moments in her life- some sorrowful, others filled with joy-as a "living epistle" to her daughters. Kelly's raw and honest replections provide encouragement and inspiration for women and mothers who long to pass on hard-won knowledge of God's stedfast love and healing grace to their children.

As she writes, "God will break our hearts, but He will hold the pieces. He will cradle us and redeem every tear we cry." Although great personal pain informs these pages, Kelly's story is ultamtely one of forgiveness, reconciliation, and hope. Through the moments in time that Jill Kelly recounts, you will recognize the daily reality and eternal value of God's plan for your own life.

My thoughts: I found this book both heartbreaking and inspiring. Jill Kelly is wife to NFL Hall of Famer Jim Kelly and they have faced some heavy trials together, the biggest being the loss of their very young son Hunter. Kelly is open and real as can be opening her heart and sharing some of the most painful times she has been through and how God got her through it. I love the weaving of her personal stories with the chapters different focuses. The chapters are divided by different subjects,  Love, Suffering, Prayer, Forgiveness, Giving, Death, ect. Each chapter contains Kelly's personal story relating to the matter, as well as insight from the Bible relating to the subject. At the end of each chapter, there is a prayer relating to the subject as well as several Bible verses to encourage you and "Etch  Upon Your Heart. I like the way the book was laid out and felt just like Kelly said she wanted readers to feel at the beginning, like I was talking to a girlfriend over coffee. The thing I like about this book is how honest the author is about the things she talks about. She doesn't deny her struggles and she also talks about profound moments she has had spiritually. I felt it was a very well rounded book. I think this is a great book for a mother or any woman really. It's a reminder that we all face some big moments, sometimes big ugly moments, sometimes unbearably sad moments, sometimes joyous moments. Sometimes it good to be reminded we are never alone and even when we feel we are, God is working on our lives in that very moment.

About the Author: Jill Kelly is the wife of former Buffalo Bills quarterback Jim Kelly. In September 1997, months after their infant son, Hunter, was diagnosed with a fatal disease called Krabbe Leukodustrophy, Jim and Jill founded the Hunter’s Hope Foundation. As chairman of the board of Hunter’s Hope, Jill helps children suffering from Leukodystrophy, and their families by raising awareness and research funds to fight this devastating disease. She and Jim live in Buffalo, NY, with their two daughters and three dogs. Hunter’s Hope Foundation can be found online at www.HuntersHope.org. Jill is also the author of Without A Word.

 

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Where God Finds You by Anita Higman Book Review + Giveaway

About the book:

“Have you ever longed to crawl into the pages of the Bible? To walk on the Judean hills or feel the spray of the Red Sea? To know what it’s like to confront a king or pour perfume on a Savior’s feet?

 “In forty devotional tales, Where God Finds You breathes new life into ancient Bible characters. Through reflection on Scripture and prayer, you’ll discover a place in each of these lives of vulnerability, tenderness, truth and love – a place where you can find God….and where God finds you.”

My thoughts:

I was really excited to find out a devotional book like this existed. I have never seen one quite like this where the Biblical characters are brought to life through first person narratives of their stories. It feels so much more personal when you can really immerse yourself into someone's story by imagining how they might tell it. I really enjoyed that aspect of this devotional book and have really enjoyed reading each of the 40 stories presented. I also like that Higman follows up each of these narratives with the Bible passage they were taken from and that there are several thought provoking discussion questions as well. These stories are short and easy to follow, making them enjoyable to read and easy to get through. This is one devotional book that will definitely keep you coming back for more. I highly recommend this book to someone looking for a refreshing look into many people of the Bible. I hope that Higman writes more devotionals like this in the future, opening our eyes in a new way to even more of the stories we have read in our Bibles. I would recommend this book to small groups or the individual who just wants a view from a different sort of angle.

About the Author:

Anita Higman has over 30 books published for both adults and children and has six books due to come out over the next two years. She won the 2011 Reader's Choice Award and has also been honored by Barnes & Noble as an author of the month- Houston.

She has a Bachelor of Arts degree that combines speech communication, psychology, and art from Southern Nazarene University, and she is a member of both  The Writer's View and American Christian Fiction Writers.

Other titles by Higman include Love Finds You in Humble Texas, Another Stab at Life, The Celestial Helix, and Big Book of Holidays and Holy Days.

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One reader will be blessed with a copy of Where God Finds You by Anita Higman. Enter via the Rafflecopter below for your chance to win!

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*Disclosure- I received a complimentary copy of Where God Finds you via  publisher. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own.

At the Feet of Jesus by Joanna Weaver Book Review & Blog Tour + Enter to win an iPad!

About At The Feet of Jesus:

You were made for more than serving God: you were made to know Him.

Intimacy with God-to know Him and be known by Him. It is what our hearts desperately needs, but somehowlife conspires to keepusbusy and distracted.

For anyone who struggles when it comes to daily devotions, At the Feet of Jesus extends an irresistable invitation to set aside your duties and find the amazing peace and incredible joy that come from Him. Drawn from Joanna Weaver's beloved Bethany trilogy, each reading in this 365 day devotional includes a Bible reading passage and relection question. All-new material and "Going Deeper" sidebars are also woven throughout.

Discover for yourself the riches that come from spending a portion of each day alone with God. At the feet or Jesus-where true life begins!

My thoughts: I will admit that I am one of those people that does have a hard time with daily devotions. I've never really been able to find a devotional book that spoke to me enough to open more than one time. There are usually the same thoughts just rehashed in different forms, but with the same  meaning. I want to go deeper and maybe that is why I have a hard time. At the Feet of Jesus definitely is the right devotional for me. It is set up that there is a devotion for every single day of the year starting with January 1, so I just opened it to begin on the day in October it was when I first got it and went from there. I can't even tell you how many times in just a few short weeks I felt like the devotion I was reading was speaking directly to me! I love that in addition to a thought provoking question at the end of each devotion, there is also a cordinating Bible verse to further extend the study and get you in your Bible daily. There is also a wonderful guide in the back for reading entire Bible in the year, once again you can start from which date you begin reading it, so it doesn't necessarily have to be started on January 1st. I have really enjoyed these devotions so far and I will continue using this as my daily devotion book. It will also go on my list of great gifts to give other women.I would highly recommend this book to  anyone wanting to find a way to really get themselves in the Word daily and to really raise some thoughtful questions about  their walk with God.


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About the Joanna Weaver:

Joanna Weaver is known the world over for her transparent and life-changing books, Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World and Having a Mary Spirit. Joanna has aide variety of nationally syndicated radio and television broadcasts. She is also a highly sought after speaker and shares her message at intimate gatheringsand several high profile events each year.But Joanna's greaetest joy in found in being a wife and mother and her role as a pastor's wife.

Find out more about Joanna at joannaweaverbooks.com






Celebrate the release of At the Feet of Jesus with Joanna Weaver by entering to win an iPad and RSVPing for the "True Life" Webcast Event on 11/8!

One blessed winner will receive:

• An iPad
• The Year in Bethany Trilogy (Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World, Having a Mary Spirit and Lazarus Awakening 
• At the Feet of Jesus for YOU and Five of your friends.

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on November 7th. Winner will be announced at the "True Life" Live Webcast Event on November 8th. Connect with author Joanna Weaver and her special guest for an evening of encouragement, laughter and a Q&A! There will also be gift certificates and books given away to participants.

So grab your copy of At the Feet of Jesus (or one of Joanna's other books) and join Joanna on evening of November 8th for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the books - 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 8th!

*Disclosure- I received a complimentary copy of At the Feet of Jesus for the purpose of rending this review. I was not required to post a positive review and all opinions are 100% my own.

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