Sunday, December 11, 2011

Not My Favorite

The Jesus Mission: Christ completed twenty-seven missions while on earth. Take up the four he assigned to you.
I recently received "The Jesus Mission" by Steven K. Scott. I wasn't quite sure what to necessarily expect from this book, but the cover led me to read this book, as it stated "Christ completed 27 missions while on earth. Take up the 4 He assigned to you."
To be honest, I'm not really for mathmatical equations when it comes to the lessons God teaches us through scripture, and I feel as if this book in particular had 5 points here, 4 points there, and so forth. I would have much rather been encouraged by the number of things  I felt drawn out of the text, rather than they be pointed out to me every turn of the page.
The book is written into 3 different sections: "Intimacy with God, the Way He Wants It, The Missions Christ has Given to You, and What You Never Knew About Jesus That Will Change Your Life." If you are picking up this book and wanting to know your mission from the beginning, you might be a little disappointed to discover that it is not revealed until much later in the book. Throughout the book, I felt as if the author really did not have a specific purpose, and therefore his voice gets lost throughout the text. This isn't my favorite book on the subject of missions and purpose in life, and I can think of many other books I would recommend before this one.

Thursday, December 8, 2011

NLT Giveaway!




Starting on November 29th until December 24th at the New Living Translation Facebook page we're 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!

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Great book for the busy person!

"The Lucado Inspirational Reader" is a compilation of various quotes and sections from Max Lucado's 25+ books. It is broken into 27 chapters, with each chapter focusing on a particular topic. I felt as if there was nothing that this book didn't touch on, and I believe that this would be the perfect book to have on hand to reference or read cover to cover - whichever would work. If you enjoy reading Max Lucado's writting, then this is the perfect book for you!

Thursday, December 1, 2011

Resource to better parent your son or daughter

With having 2 children of different sexes, I desire to raise them in a god glorifying way. In his book "Secure Daughters Confident Sons," Glenn Stanton delves into the world of gender and why it matters when raising our children. Boys and girls are different, one is not superior or inferior to the other, they are simply different, and in this book, boy and girls are clearly celebrated for how God made them. This book is a great resource for parents to better understand their child. With today's society mainstreaming the gender roles, this counter-cultural book will help to better equip us as caregivers. This book focuses on looking at the child as an adult, be it a man or woman. How to we want our children to be when they are no longer in our home? Stanton also strives to help parents understand how to help their daughter feel loved and cared for, while encouraging their sons that they have what it takes. 
While this book does include Christian principles, I would definitely say this book is not solely a Christian read, and I would recommend it to parents!

Monday, November 21, 2011

Walk though the Christmas Story with this DVD

Journey to Christmas
My favorite holiday is Christmas, and in the midst of typing this, I am preparing to put away all of our fall decor and replace it with our Christmas decorations. When I was offered the opportunity to receive and review this DVD series by Tyndale, I was ecstatic! I am always wanting to learn more about the true meaning the holiday I adore so much. 
This DVD series contains 4 episodes on 2 different discs. Each episode takes the viewer through the various places and customs of the places important to the Christmas story. The narrators of this series are5 individuals, all from quite different backgrounds:an artist, Christian, agnostic, talk show host, and a Native American. Each individual journeys to Israel for different purposes, but all with the mission to learn more about the birth of the King. 
The video content of the DVD was very well done! Is is definitely of professional quality and is not your typical amateur documentary.  I also really enjoyed the tour guide for the video as he showed the places, history, and customs. As my husband was watching the video with me one night, he commented on the fact that he had never thought to consider what Mary and Joseph might have eaten, which was thoroughly depicted in the video. 
For me personally, I was not in love with this video series. For one thing, you can tell this was made to be broadcast on the television, as there are awkward breaks throughout each episode. Secondly, I was not a huge fan of the different individuals giving their personal impression of what was going on throughout their journey. I think this video would have been much better had it included simply a tour guide though the holy land with out the additional commentary. There is not much Christian content in this video, which was also discouraging. 
If this were free on T.V., I would more than likely watch it, but I would not want to purchase it for my personal use in my home. I think watching it one time would be enough. 

Saturday, November 12, 2011

Remind Your Daughter She is a Princess!

His Little Princess: Treasured Letters from Your King (His Princess)

This book is a sweet reminder for any little girl about how much God loves them and how they can glorify Him in their personal relationship with their Father, the King. Each page has a little written to your little princess from God and a correlating prayer that the little girl can offer up to God. The letters are so sweet and well written. I will say though, that I was not thrilled about the illustrations or borders. I thought it dated the book quite a bit. Although my daughter is still a little young for this book (I would recommend ages 5-9), I can not wait to use it with her when she gets a little older. In a day when being a princess is the popular thing to dream of, you can make that a reality by reminding your sweet one that she is a daughter of true King. 

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

A Year with Jesus

A Year with Jesus: Daily Readings and Reflections On Jesus' Own Words
My husband and I love having devotionals around the house! They are especially handy when you want or need a quick read for encouragement and don't necessarily have the time to get into a book. "A Year with Jesus" is a great devotional that we look forward to having around our home. It contains a year's worth of devotions based solely on the words from Jesus that is broken into different topical sections. Each day begins with a piece of scripture, followed by a small commentary written by the author.
This is an insightful and easy to read devotional, and while I do recommend Christians read this book, it is by no means meant to be read as the sole quiet time, but rather better serves as a supplement. This would make a great Christmas gift, as this devotional would be ideal to start on January 1st.

Focused on Eternity

Nearing Home: Life, Faith, and Finishing Well
I'm 23 years old, but I have been wanting to read "Nearing Home" by Billy Graham now for quite some time. This book is simply stated: focused on living our final years for the glory of God. So often, people strive throughout their life to sacrifice and serve God, and yet somehow our culture tells us that once we hit the magical age of retirement, that our responsibilities have ended. We then desire to waste away those precious God-given years relaxing and doing what we most enjoy. Don't get me wrong, it is nice to spend time at ease, but I am confident that spending the next 20-30 years of our life on "vacation" is not how God intended us to use our precious days on earth. 
In his book, Billy Graham speaks with a peace and confidence about getting old in a way that makes you feel as if you are having a conversation with a friend. As he put it in his introduction, getting old is not a time "to be despised or a burden to be endured with gritted teeth (if we have any). Nor does pictures us in our latter years as useless and ineffective, condemned to spend our last days in endless boredom or meaningless activity until God takes us home." Even though I am considered young, I am very much enjoying this book!
This is not just a book for the elderly. No in fact, using Billy Graham's own words, this book "is written for people at every stage of life - even those who have never thought much about growing older... the best way to meet the challenges of old age is to prepare for them now, before they arrive. 
I can not recommend this book more highly! I would encourage people of all ages to read and discover what the Bible says about growing old and nearing home!

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Liked the simplicity

"Living Close to God When You're Not Good at It" by Gene Edwards sounded like the perfect book for me to read. You see, I desire to live closely to God; to know Him and to be known by Him. I want desperately to feel His presence at work in my life, but I do struggle with it at time, and therefore, I thought that this would be the perfect book for me to read. 
As a mom with a young baby, I truly find it difficult some days to "schedule a time with the Lord," but in reality that is no excuse. We all have time to be with our Creator and our Master. In experimenting with the authors suggestions for drawing near to God, I found none of them to be as fulfilling as just coming before the Lord and meditating on His Word and being still. So often I find that, especially as Christians, we true to find things to take the place of reading our bible. With that said, this book does offer simple ways to know God and it is a very short, easy read. Gene offers ideas how to not get into a strict routine of doing things just to check them off of a list. Overall, I liked the simplicity that he offers in this book, and would recommend it to anyone certain of the need to spend time in God's word. 

Being Radical Together

After my husband read "Radical" by David Platt, he was excited to learn of his new book "Radical Together." Radical Together is a short read (approximately 150 pages including a section of small group questions at the end) that focuses on a gospel-centered vision within the church. Platt helps to challenge the church to be more engaging within the body of Christ and with the people God places around them with this question: ""How can we in the church best unleash the people of God in the Spirit of God with the Word of God for the glory of God in the world?" 

The 6 chapters are:
1. Tyranny of God - One of the worst enemies of Christians can be good things in the church
2. The Gospel Misunderstood - the gospel that saves us from works saves us to work
3. God is Saying Something - The Word that does not work
4. The Genius of Wrong - Building the right church depends on using all of the wrong people
5. Our Unmistakable Task - We are living - and longing - for the end of the world
6. The God Who Exalts God - We are selfless followers of a self-centered God. 

At the end of the book, there are small group discussions that would be perfect for Sunday Schools or Home Groups. 

My husband and I have really enjoyed reading David Platts books and look forward to reading "A Radical idea." If you would like to be challenged to grow in your relationship with Christ, I would recommend this reading to you. It is time for us as a church to stop focusing on what is "good" and focus on what is "best." 


Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Experience true Love & Respect

As a couple, we are constantly trying to find a devotional that works well for both my husband and myself. Without fail, we start a devotional, only to discontinue going through it after a few days. Eggrich talks about it in his new devotional, that often times a couple devotional caters more towards the women's need for emotional intimacy and love, rather than equally regarding a man's need and desire for a shared time together. This makes it had for the husband to become engaged, which in turn frustrates the wife, and thus the end to the devotional time occurs. This is exactly what the enemy wants in marriage. Lack of time and commitment between a couple in sharing God's Word. 
When we read Love & Respect about 2 years ago on a road trip, we were hooked & loved it. When we heard that Eggrich was coming out with a devotional for couples, we knew that we had to get it! So far, after 4 devotionals, we have thoroughly enjoyed this book together!
First of all, this devotional comes bound in a beautiful leather, making it ideal to give as a gift. We had already purchased 2 for Christmas gifts, and plan on buying this devotional for future weddings that we attend. There are 52 lessons for the couple to go through, and while the author says that he intends for the couple to go through them at their own pace, it is ideal for some couples to go through one devotional a week for a year. There is a small section about love and respect, followed by an action and prayer. All in all, this devotional should take couples anywhere from 15-30 minutes to complete each time.
My husband was particularly drawn to this book, as it is guy friendly. He kept saying over and over, "I really like this devotional!" You know it is good when he is the one to initiate time together reading it, and isn't that what women want? I am confident we will actually finish this devotional together! I recommend this book to couples looking for a boost in their marriage.

Three Cups

I recently received a copy of "Three Cups" by Tony Townsley. The primary focus of this book is to teach children the three different aspects in receiving money: giving, saving, and spending. I really liked that this book in particular focused equally on these three parts, as they are all very important for children to learn at a young age. I believe that teaching children to save money for something that they would like to purchase is important, but it is also equally valuable to teach children to save their money in the bank and to share their wealth and gifts with others.
I would recommend this book to parents desiring to teach their children about money.

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Awesome Children's Book!!

I recently received "In Case You Ever Wonder" by Max Lucado for my 8 month old daughter and I loved it!
This book is written to show and remind children how much not only their parents love them, but also their heavenly father. Upon opening the first pages, this is what one reads: "long, long ago God made a decision - a very important decision...one I'm really glad that he made. He made the decision to make you!" How sweet. How precious. How encouraging to our children.
In an age when our children fight for their identity, this book reminds them that their identity can only be found in Christ. What a powerful message to read to our children in a way that they can understand and grasp. I love this book and will purchase it for future birthday & baby shower gifts. May you be blessed as you read this book!

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Pleasantly Surprised

I recently received Max Lucado's book "When God Whispers Your Name," and was pleasantly surprised by what I read. In the past, I believed Max Lucado's books to be watered down, and not very deep. This book though, was refreshing and encouraging to my soul.
This book is written to help you hear and know God. In this book, Lucado uses a conversational tone and tells stories in order to help his readers better relate to and understand his writing. As I greatly enjoyed this book, I would highly recommend it!

Inspiring, but unbiblical book

The "God Pocket" is a short read (124 pages) by Bruce Wilkinson with David Kopp is simply put, a book about giving. I have read many books about giving, but this one is not one of my favorites.
In chapter one, the book opens with a fictional story that captivates the audience. It provides the readers with the reminder that all we own belongs to God - "it is God's money." This is profoundly true, but the author elaborates this notion in an unbiblical way. Wilkinson notes that there are seven steps to you maintaining a "God Pocket:" Decide, Devote, Deposit, Depend, Deliver, Declare, and Disciple. Simply put, you choose an amount you would like to give away, and wait on God's direction and guidance to do so. I personally believe that you should allow God to determine the amount you need to give away, instead of trusting your humanly instincts to do so. He is the one in control, not us.
I also disagreed with chapter five, "The Mystery of Multiplying: God's surprising plan to replenish the resources you give." While it is true that God can, and sometime does reward us for our generosity, it is not a promise, and should never be an expectation. We may never know what he had in mind with our gift, and we may never see any fruit from it. To promise Christians that if they give, God will repay them is untrue. We will be rewarded, but it may not be until eternity, and to tell others contradictory to this is unbiblical.
While this book does help open your eyes to giving, there are several other books I would recommend to others before this one.

Enemies of the Heart

Enemies of the Heart, by Andy Stanley, is an easy read that anyone can benefit from. He does a great job discussing ways to defeat the 4 harmful emotions that we all wrestle with: guilt, anger, greed, and jealousy. He's right to say that these emotions control us - and he offers very practical ways to break the chains these emotions have. Andy's writing style is funny, simply, enjoyable and very easy to read. I love this book for that reason - he makes me laugh, and i also get some great biblical teaching from it. This is a book i would recommend to anyone, especially someone who typically doesn't enjoy reading.

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Great Couple's Devotional

My husband & I have tried the several couple's devotionals, and without fail, we get through 5 or 6 lessons and then we end up tossing the book aside. Most of the time, the devotionals cater more towards the women's needs , which makes it hard for my husband to become engaged. None the less, we read Love & Respect when we were engaged about 2 years ago and loved it, so when we heard that Eggrich was coming out with a couple's devotional, we were stoked. We have really enjoyed this book together.
First of all, this devotional comes bound in a beautiful leather, making it ideal to give as a gift (I think it would be a great wedding gift.) There are 52 lessons for the couple to go through, and while the author says that he intends for the couple to go through them at their own pace, it is ideal for some couples to go through one devotional a week for a year. There is a small section about love and respect, followed by an action and prayer. All in all, this devotional should take couples anywhere from 15-30 minutes to complete each time.
My husband was particularly drawn to this book, as it is guy friendly. I am confident we will actually finish this devotional together! I recommend this book to couples looking for a boost in their marriage.

Great Couple's Devotional

My husband & I have tried the several couple's devotionals, and without fail, we get through 5 or 6 lessons and then we end up tossing the book aside. Most of the time, the devotionals cater more towards the women's needs , which makes it hard for my husband to become engaged. None the less, we read Love & Respect when we were engaged about 2 years ago and loved it, so when we heard that Eggrich was coming out with a couple's devotional, we were stoked. We have really enjoyed this book together.
First of all, this devotional comes bound in a beautiful leather, making it ideal to give as a gift (I think it would be a great wedding gift.) There are 52 lessons for the couple to go through, and while the author says that he intends for the couple to go through them at their own pace, it is ideal for some couples to go through one devotional a week for a year. There is a small section about love and respect, followed by an action and prayer. All in all, this devotional should take couples anywhere from 15-30 minutes to complete each time.
My husband was particularly drawn to this book, as it is guy friendly. I am confident we will actually finish this devotional together! I recommend this book to couples looking for a boost in their marriage.

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Abi's Best Friend

Timmy is Abi's best friend. She loves him!
Here is Abi & Timmy when she was at Flowers Hospital


Thank You, God, For Blessing Me

Thank You, God, For Blessing Me (Max Lucado's Little Hermie)
"Thank You, God, For Blessing Me" is a board book written as a part of the "Little Hermie" series by Max Lucado. This hardback book contains a sweet little poem about all that Hermie is thankful for. It's size is perfect for tiny hands to hold! My 7 month old daughter loved this book, and it is often hard to keep her attention. I was excited to receive this book and look forward to reading the other "Little Hermie" books as well. I highly recommend this book to parents of children aged 0-3. 

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

The Blessing

This is a book every parent, teacher, and spouse should read. As a Christian, we know in our hearts that children are a blessing from the Lord, but sometimes when those little bumps in the road come, or things do not seem to go our way, it is hard to live it out. This book will change why you do things, not out of selfish motive, but out of an overflow of the heart which points upward to Christ.

Saturday, September 17, 2011

Billy Graham

Billy Graham has no doubt been one of the most influential men of the evangelical moment. He has lead hundreds of thousands to Christ, and even though he no longer actively preaches, he still impacts people today. I personally think that you can discover a lot about a person from the words they say. It is one thing to be told "Billy Graham was a spiritual giant who knew and feared the Lord" and to read his very own thoughts throughout the decades. I really enjoyed this particular book, released by Thomas Nelson. This book has over 100 different subjects and which Billy Graham has spoken and is quoted. This would be a great book if you are wanting to use it as a resource and look something up quickly about a particular subject, rather than sit down and read the book cover to cover. This is a great book, and a true treasure to those who like to read quotes.

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Awesome Board Book!

With a little 7 month all over the place, I am always looking for great board books. These are great for her, especially since she wants to put EVERYTHING into her mouth. With board books, all I have to do is clean them off with a wipe, and we go on our merry way. Problem is though, there aren't too many quality Christian board books out there.
I was thrilled when I discovered "God Gave Us You" came in a board back form. We have all of the "God Gave Us..." books by Lisa Bergren, but since my daughter is so little, I don't like giving paper books to her since I know it will just get eaten.
This book is about a little cub who learns that he was a gift from God. Mama bear goes into detail telling the cub all that she and Papa bear did preparing for little cubs arrival. At the end of each page she says, "Yes, my special child. God gave us you." I always want my children to know that and be reminded of the fact that they are a special gift from God. My daughter and I have already read this several times. Even though she is only 7 months old, I don't think I could tell her enough.
I would highly, highly recommend this book to all parents of young children or expectant parents!

Monday, August 29, 2011

The Hour that Matters Most

I recently read "The Hour that Matters Most" by Les & Leslie Parrott with Stephanie Allen & Tin Kuna. I have read several books by the Parrotts and was excited to delve into what they considered the importance of dinnertime. Staggering statistics reveal that the idea of a family eating together at the dinner table on a regular basis is quickly becoming a dying concept.
Recently married, I have been on both sides of this issue. Growing up, we always ate what was the quickest to prepare, frequently fast food, in front of the t.v. The only time I really remember eating at our dining table was when we had guests over or it was an important holiday, such as thanksgiving. When my husband and I married, we decided that we would not allow ourselves to become the typical American family today. We wanted to cherish our time together by having quality conversations and creating lasting memories with our children. We promised to always eat together at the table, except by rare occasions something special was occurring. We've loved it and really enjoyed it. With a young child, and another on the way, I've become less proficient though at creating wholesome, well-planned meals, which why I was very excited to read this book.
One of the chapters is about freeze and fix-it meals, something I have long wanted to do with my family. It motivated and encouraged me to start planning meals ahead, so when things get crazy, my family isn't eating frozen prepacked meals made by a company, but rather something good I created.
This book is great, although I defiantly think it would be better for someone with older kids. I felt as if I couldn't relate to many of the chapters because my daughter is so young: "cultivating deeper values," "how to listen so your kids talk," "curbing conflict at the table".
Stephanie Allen and Tina Kuna, sub authors, own a prepare and freeze it company, "Dream Dinners" and I felt throughout some of the book their company was pushed forward a little too much. They did include some recipes in this book, but I think I would be more willing to share this book with others had there been more. Overall this is a great book for a working mom who is desiring to have home-cooked, nutritious meals but just needs a little motivation and encouragement.

The Hour that Matters Most

I recently read "The Hour that Matters Most" by Les & Leslie Parrott with Stephanie Allen & Tin Kuna. I have read several books by the Parrotts and was excited to delve into what they considered the importance of dinnertime. Staggering statistics reveal that the idea of a family eating together at the dinner table on a regular basis is quickly becoming a dying concept.
Recently married, I have been on both sides of this issue. Growing up, we always ate what was the quickest to prepare, frequently fast food, in front of the t.v. The only time I really remember eating at our dining table was when we had guests over or it was an important holiday, such as thanksgiving. When my husband and I married, we decided that we would not allow ourselves to become the typical American family today. We wanted to cherish our time together by having quality conversations and creating lasting memories with our children. We promised to always eat together at the table, except by rare occasions something special was occurring. We've loved it and really enjoyed it. With a young child, and another on the way, I've become less proficient though at creating wholesome, well-planned meals, which why I was very excited to read this book.
One of the chapters is about freeze and fix-it meals, something I have long wanted to do with my family. It motivated and encouraged me to start planning meals ahead, so when things get crazy, my family isn't eating frozen prepacked meals made by a company, but rather something good I created.
This book is great, although I defiantly think it would be better for someone with older kids. I felt as if I couldn't relate to many of the chapters because my daughter is so young: "cultivating deeper values," "how to listen so your kids talk," "curbing conflict at the table".
Stephanie Allen and Tina Kuna, sub authors, own a prepare and freeze it company, "Dream Dinners" and I felt throughout some of the book their company was pushed forward a little too much. They did include some recipes in this book, but I think I would be more willing to share this book with others had there been more. Overall this is a great book for a working mom who is desiring to have home-cooked, nutritious meals but just needs a little motivation and encouragement.

Thursday, August 25, 2011

So Why Does Church Matter?


In his book, "Why Church Matters," Joshua Harris outlines the absolute importance of being a member of a local church body, and not just being a member, but rather being an active participant.
We live in a consumer society, which translates to a "I need this... Can't live without this... What can this do for me?" attitude, which is not at all how Christ intended His bride to be. He is our groom and we are united with Him through the CHURCH. Christ calls the we CHURCH his bride, and I think it is really important to remember that. This is foundation to Joshua Harris' book. Also included in this book are discussions about why we need the local church. This life is not about us, and this chapter will allow us to see the importance of the church is a global and local way.
Another great aspect of this book are the 10 things that matter most when choosing a church. As someone who moves frequently because of employment, this is a great tool to go back and reference when choosing a new local church to place membership.
I really enjoy reading Joshua Harris' books, and was quite excited to see that he had come out with a new book. As I was reading this book though, it sounded really familiar. I went and looked at another book of his that I had "Stop Dating the Church," and realized it is the exact same book, just a new name and different cover. If you have already read this book of  Harris', you don't need to purchase this one. I would highly recommend this book to all Christians though. I even went through "Stop Dating the Church" with a prior church and really enjoyed it. Great book! Biblical advice!

Saturday, July 30, 2011

Chelsea Smith visits Tennessee!

Well, I have been meaning to write this post for a couple of weeks now... Every time I sit down to write about my wonderful week with Chelsea, I seem to get distracted, but now I will set aside everything else that needs to be done to tell you about my wonderful time with my sweet friend!
Chelsea came to visit us the week after my parents left. Other than the few couple of hours I saw her during our trip through Texas in June, I believe the last time I really spent time with her was before our wedding. Let me just say that was way too long!
During her week here, we went on a tour of a historical mansion here in Clarksville (properly called the Smith mansion), talked, watched great movies, walked some beautiful trails, played with Miss Abi, talked, taught children's church on Wednesday night, talked some more, went hiking at the local caves, talked even more, and just had an overall great week together!
Chelsea is such a wonderful friend and I am so blessed to have her as a part of my life! She is so dear to my life, and I am incredibly blessed to know her! I miss her greatly and can't wait until we get to see each other again!!
Here are a couple of pictures from her time here:
This picture was taken at the airport right before Chelsea left for Texas. We realized that we had not taken one picture together all week...

This is upstairs in the Smith mansion. I thought it was neat to learn what life was like 200 years ago. No indoor bathrooms, detached kitchen, and slave quarters were all a part of their everyday life. 

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Awesome DVD series!

When I requested to review Desiring God, I believed that I would be receiving the text, but was pleasantly surprised when I received a 10 series instead. My husband and I both love it! My husband has read the book, I have not, but I have not had any difficultly at all understanding the concepts given by John Piper, the main point being "that God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him." This DVD does not have to be used along side the book "Desiring God," although I do believe it would be beneficial and that the reader would attain additional knowledge.

I believe that this DVD was recorded during a seminar given by John Piper. It is split into 10 manageable segments, typically no longer than 25 minutes. This would be an excellent resource for any small group going through this text, as well as the individual who would like a little more insight. I am a more visual person, and therefore seeing and hearing John Piper was probably the best way for me to understand this concept. I encourage you to look into this DVD series if you are reading the book or if you simply want more information about how to glorify God in your daily life!

My First Hands on Bible

I recently received "My First Hands on Bible" from Thomas Nelson. I was really excited about this bible and using it with my daughter. (While she is only 5 months old, I believe she is never too young to hear the truth of scripture.) I know that there is a "Hands on Bible" that is directed for elementary school students, and therefore, I thought this book would be for much younger children. The activities in this bible though are more clearly designed for children aged 3+, and I would most likely use this book with a preschool child. They have to be able to use some higher thinking to complete the activities after each chapter (there are 3 activities for each story/chapter of the bible included). I really did appreciate the way this particular bible is exact scripture, not a paraphrased rendition. This bible does an excellent job of keeping each story to a few short verses in order to keep the child's attention. The pictures are simple and go along well with the text.  I am currently babysitting a little boy (4 years old) and I asked him if he would want this book and his response was "Well, I already have a bible, but if I didn't I would want this one." Cute. I would recommend this book to teachers and parents of preschoolers. It is definitely a book that allows you to explore the Bible together.

Friday, July 15, 2011

Beautiful Children's Book!

I loved this book from the moment it arrived in the mail! "This Little Prayer of Mine" written by Anthony DeStefano is beautifully illustrated children's book. This bedtime prayer is offered up to God by a child. This child's prayer includes many things that young children typically pray for: to be brave and strong, to be happy when sad, guidance in choosing the correct path, etc. The prayer is written in poetic form and is read very smoothly and easily. My favorite thing about this book though is the illustrations hands down!! They are absolutely breathtaking. Each one beautifully depicts a particular section in the prayer! I really enjoyed reading this book with my daughter and look forward to reading it to her again soon! I would highly recommend this book to all parents!

Sunday, July 3, 2011

When God created my Toes

"When God created My Toes" is a cute children's book that reinforces God created every aspect of our bodies, from our head, to our hands, to our feet. To be honest, I'm not the biggest fan of the illustrations. One the left side of the page is a children's drawing that correlates with the phrase "when God created my ____" and the right side is a professional illustration. Personally, I thought some of the professional illustrations had people with scary faces. They were not the most appealing. I also thought that the child's version of the pictures were random and didn't really go with the book.
As for the actual text, I didn't think it flowed very well. When I was reading this book allowed to my daughter, I often had to stop and reread what I had just read in order to make it make sense. Overall, I have had and read better Christian children's books. Although this book was well intentioned and a great idea, I don't think it met its full potential. All in all, I wouldn't necessarily recommend this book to a parents for their children. Its ok, but not the best I've ever read.
I received this book from Waterbrook Press.

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Equipping You To Better Manage God's Money

Managing God's Money
My husband and I have always been fans of Randy Alcorn and his writings. His topics focus on questions that Christians frequently ask, but rarely are able to find bible answers. This new book "Managing God's Money" is a  wonderful question - answer book by Alcorn about anything having to do with money. This book is written in a question and answer format with all of the questions under a similar topic grouped together. There are 6 different sections in this book, 22 chapters, and over 100 questions answered. Topics include "Tithing: The Training Wheels of Giving," "Materialism, Ten Fatal Dangers," and "Looking For Returns: Gambling and Investing." There isn't a question about money that I believe Randy Acorn doesn't address in this book. When we first received this book, I laid it aside in our office for a couple of days only to have my husband come to me a few hours later exclaiming "This book answered the question I've always struggled with and never had an answer to." He was referring to saving money for retirement. I would highly recommend this book to all Christians! I would also encourage anyone seeking scripture and books in regards to money to also check our Randy Alcorn's book "The Treasure Principle."

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

It's Not About Me

I'll be honest, I'm not the biggest Lucado fan because I tend to think that his books are only surface deep and I tend to want something more challenging in my walk with Christ. With that being said, I have wanted to read "It's Not About Me" for quite some time. This hardback edition focuses on how our life is really not about us. I've heard that so often before in the church, "that's its not about me," and yet somehow I go through my day without ever focusing on Christ or others. This short, easy read will help refocus your thoughts and heart as you are reminded that this life is not about you, but rather the one you were created by. I would recommend this book!

Monday, June 20, 2011

Every Single Woman's Battle

I have been married for a year now, but only being away from the single life for a year now, I remember the struggle to remain emotionally and physically pure. This book, or handbook rather, assists single women in keeping their heart for Christ and their future husband. This handbook contains quote from Shannon's book"Every Woman's Battle," as well as questions and thoughts for the reader and small groups. I will definitely keep this book on hand to use and mentor younger single women! This book would be great for anyone working with college aged girls!

Monday, May 16, 2011

90 Days of God's Goodness

I have always enjoy reading material from Randy Alcorn. His new book “90 days of God’s Goodness is another excellent book to add to your collection. This hardback book focuses on the Goodness of God for 90 days. The premise of this book is how to find comfort in truth while suffering well. Each day has a specific theme and is begun by focusing on at least one section from scripture (both the New and Old Testament are equally used), although there are several days that incorporate two different verses. Randy Alcorn then goes on to explain the verse into more detail and how we may apply these principals to our lives. Each day is then ended with a prayer. I personally believe that this would be an excellent gift book and resource for someone who is grieving at a time in their life. It truly does focus on “shining light in personal darkness.” Whether suffering the loss of a family member or friend, going through an unwanted divorce, or just dealing with the valley’s of life, I highly recommend this book. It will help take the focus off of the temporary but replacing it with eternity. I received this book from Waterbook Press!

God Gave Us So Much!

God gave us so much is a children's book compiled of three different stories: God gave us the world, God gave us love, and God gave us heaven. In each of these stories, a little cub asks questions in order to discover more about who God is. I really, really enjoyed this book. The pictures are so, so sweet, and with having a newborn, I can't wait to use this with her! I would highly recommend adding this book to your library collection!

A Man's Book

Every Man’s Battle by Stephen Arterburn and Fred Stoeker is a great read that every Christian man would benefit from reading. They address the war on sexual temptation in a blunt, honest and humbling way that is much needed in today’s culture. It really is a battle that every man faces, and any man that is looking for tools to help him win the battle can find it in this book. It would also be GREAT to do as a group study with other men – and they make that easy to do with the included workbook.

God Gave Us You!

God gave us you is an AWESOME children's book telling the joyful story of a mommy cub having her baby cub. I currently have a 7 week old little girl, and this book reminded me so much of my pregnancy and delivery. I can't wait to share this story with my daughter when my husband and I eventually have a second child. This book will remind your child that they are loved by you no matter what, because "God gave them to you!" I love, love, love this book and would highly recommend it to all parents!

God Gave Us Two!


God Gave Us Two is a book written by Lis Bergren for children who will soon have a new sibling. It is one of many books from her polar bear series, and her other books include: God Gave Us You, God Gave Us Love, and God Gave Us Heaven. This book tells the anxious story of young polar bear as she prepares for the arrival of her brother/sister. Throughout the story, mamma and pappa bear answer little bears questions about what a new sibling will be life, but they always end by saying, "God gave us you, and now he's given us two!" They promise that they will always love little bear just the same. My favorite part is the end though...where there is a pleasant surprise.
I would highly recommend this book to all expectant parents who already have a kid.

Love & War

Love and War is an incredible book about marriage written by John and Stasi Eldredge. One of the fundamental points this book makes is that we are in the midst of a very real war between heaven and earth, and because of that we must fight for the love within our marriage. I can't stress enough how beautifully written and engaging of both sexes. My husband read this book aloud to each other and both equally enjoyed it. During the book, John tells a story in which he reminds Stasi during a fight that he is on her side. He is for her. Well not too long after reading this book, my husband and I got into a disagreement and he said those same words "I am on your side. I am fighting for you." It put our disagreement into a new perspective. We would both highly recommend this book to all married individuals! In fact we have already given away 2 copies! We love it and I am confident that you will too!

Radical by David Platt


Radical by David Platt is a great book. David looks at the American Christian way of life and compares it to the truths of scripture. He examines the ways in which modern day Christianity has greatly derailed from that of earlier Christians... David does seek to make his reader feel good, but rather, he seeks to expose his readers to truth. Even when that truth is hard to hear.
This book will challenge you to your core. It will make you question what you believe, why you believe it, how you live, how you spend your free time, and on and on i could go. If you are frustrated with "American Christianity" and the scriptural contradiction therein, or if you are interested in really growing deeper in your faith - this book is for you!