A Garden of Love

"A Garden of Love" by Thomas B. Clarke is a very interesting book. This book features all of the flowers that you can find in the Gethsemane Prayer Garden in Syracuse, New York. The Gethsemane Prayer Garden (which I didn't know, until I read the author's notes) is a place where Christians are encouraged to be still and hear the Lord, among these beautiful flowers. This book creates a sort of prayer garden in your mind, allowing you to savor the beautiful flowers, and meditate on the Lord. There are about two pages devoted to each flower, featuring a beautiful photo and description. Each flower has also been assigned a Biblical characteristic, some of which are: new journey with Christ; loving your enemies, loving deeply, reconciliation, obedience to Christ; and trusting the Lord. After the flower's description, Clarke begins tying in the theme of that flower complete with Scripture. I thought this book was beautiful, and I would highly recommend it. It's something different, but completely worth spending time reading.

FTC DISCLOSURE: I received this book for free from BookCrash.com in exchange for an honest review. I was not obligated to write a positive review.

Being Kind and Caring

"Being Kind and Caring" is a set of animated stories for children. This DVD contains two stories - "The Hullabaloo at Hunker Hill" and "The Great Go-Kart Race". Both stories contain relevant, easy to understand storylines, featuring adorable animated characters. Each story has an underlying Biblical principle attached to it, such as forgiveness, kindness, and caring. "The Hullabaloo at Hunker Hill" has a message based on Matthew 18:21-22, and "The Great Go-Kart Race" has a message based on Matthew 6:14. I think that this DVD offers an alternative to current mainstream children's programming for parents who want their children to start understanding Christian principles while watching television. My daughter really enjoyed this DVD, and I would recommend it for children ages 3 and up.

FTC DISCLOSURE: I received a copy of this DVD for free from Tyndale Publishers in exchange for an honest review. I was not obligated to write a positive review. All opinions are my own. 

Man Alive

"Man Alive" by Patrick Morley is a book written for men, all about living a more satisfying, and electric spiritual life. This book attempts to peel back the layers of spiritual redundancy that many men fall into, and reignite the fire for God. I think that this book offers up so many awesome insights into why men fall into a stagnant spiritual walk, even if they don't recognize it at first. Patrick Morley gives honest, real advice on how to escape the humdrum, going through the routine type of faith, and truly live an electric spiritual life - the one that we were meant to live. Morley offers a man-to-man type of conversation, backed with Biblical advice and references. I would recommend this book to men of any age who want more out of their walk with God. I think that this book offers something that any man could benefit from.

FTC DISCLOSURE: I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing in exchange for an honest review.  I was not obligated to write a positive review.

"Here's Lily"

"Here's Lily" by Nancy Rue is such a fantastic book for young girls. We live in a world where body image starts affecting children at an incredibly young age, through constant bombardment from television, magazines, and other media. "Here's Lily" is a children's book that tackles big issues. Lily is just like so many young girls, struggling to feel comfortable in their own skin, wanting to feel beautiful. This book takes on the issue of God confidence, helping these girls to really understand their own special beauty, through an entertaining and easy to read story. I found this to be an amazing book, and although my daughter is still a little young to understand it, I intend to hold onto it and use it as a tool when she is a little bit older. I absolutely would recommend this book to anyone with a daughter or granddaughter - it's such a great book!

FTC DISCLOSURE: I received this book for free from Tommy Nelson Publishers in exchange for an honest review. I was not obligated to write a positive review. 

He Chose the Nails

Max Lucado's newest book, "He Chose the Nails" is a book all about God's love and sacrifice for his people. The book discusses the life and death of Jesus, intertwined with personal stories to reinforce the deep love of God for each and every person. The tagline on the front of the book reads, "What God did to win your heart", and that is the foundation of the book - the amazing sacrifice of Jesus that allowed us to be close to our Creator. This book is very empowering, showing God for exactly what he is - a loving father, willing to sacrifice his own son to allow us to have a relationship with him. Lucado adds his own personal insights and stories that only add to the book's message, and allow us to connect with the reality of God's love. This book is wonderful, and I would highly recommend it.

FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from BookSneeze.com in exchange for an honest review. I was not obligated to write a positive review.