Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Pirates on the Farm

Denette Fretz's book, "Pirates on the Farm" is a children's book that tells the story of a band of pirates that decide to give up the high seas and try their hand at farming. The story tells us how the family that lives nearby deals with the pirates' unconventional farming methods and unruly behavior. The reaction that each person in the family nearby has was different - on person can't stand them, another loves them, etc.

In the end, everyone learns to get along and to "love their neighbor", but I'm still not sure how I feel about the way that there was so much animosity and intolerance up to the point where they become friends. I understand that in order to show the change of heart of the family, there had to be some conflict, but I think that the storyline probably could have been a little less unfriendly and still gotten the point across.

My children enjoyed the book, but to me when we read it, I mostly got out of it that it was a funny story about silly pirates, and I think that there could have been more emphasis placed on the actual moral of the story, which is loving your neighbors regardless of their actions, and being tolerant of others who aren't like you are.

The illustrations were cute, and I thought they were very well done. I would say that this book gets a 3/5. It's a cute story, but I think it probably could have been tweaked a little bit to make it a better read for young kids, so they don't read right through the actual message of the story.

FTC DISCLOSURE: I received this book for free from Booksneeze.com in exchange for an honest review.

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

NIV Ragamuffin Bible

Zondervan Publishers' "NIV Ragamuffin Bible" is a Bible that is meant for the "bedraggled, beat-up & brokenhearted", as the title implies. The text of this Bible is a traditional New International Version translation, and it is consistent with other NIV translations. What makes this Bible slightly different from others is the addition of "reflections", which are little boxes placed throughout the text that have words of wisdom from Brennan Manning.

Brennan Manning, who is the author of "The Ragamuffin Gospel" and many other Christian works, passed away in 2013. This Bible, with many insights from Manning is a wonderful tribute to his life's work spreading the gospel of Christ. These "reflections" that are placed throughout this Bible are meant to encourage, uplift, and inspire. Manning's wisdom and insight shine throughout this Bible via his own words and thoughts.

I thought this Bible was a unique and wonderful way to help those who are struggling keep the faith, and find inspiration. I would definitely recommend this version of the Bible to anyone who is going through a difficult time, or struggling in their faith. It's a wonderful version, and Brennan Manning's words are soothing to any hurting soul.

FTC DISCLOSURE: I received this book from BookSneeze.com, through their blogger program for free, in exchange for an honest review. I was not obligated to write a positive review.

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Humility: An Unlikely Biography of America's Greatest Virtue

Humility: An Unlikely Biography of America's Greatest Virtue by David J. Bobb is a book that features some of the most popular historical figures with an emphasis on how they were guided by the virtue of humility. The book itself is really interesting as it gives another layer to some of the figures that we remember from history class - it really adds another dimension to the person that we know from a historical standpoint and makes the human connection more real. 

Humility: An Unlikely Biography of America's Greatest Virtue showcases the lives and decisions of people like Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, and Abagail Adams. These names are associated with some of the most critical and influential times in American history, and Bobb makes the connection between each person and their amazing sense of humility. Bobb also makes a serious case for why humility is what is missing from modern day America, and why we must return to our humble roots in order to rally America. 

Dr. Bobb discusses the importance of humility in some of the most influential Americans, and how it affected their legacy in history, as well as affected history itself. I think that this book would make a great gift for any leader or history lover in your life, as it really offers an in-depth look at the true virtue of humility.I would give this book a 5/5. I am definitely going to be keeping this book on my bookshelf for future reading and reference.

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. 

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

The Reason For My Hope: Salvation

"The Reason for My Hope: Salvation" is a book by Billy Graham, published by Thomas Nelson Publishers. In this book, the 95 year old evangelist gives us an in-depth look at the topic of salvation. Consisting of eight simple chapters, "The Reason for My Hope: Salvation" discusses the need for salvation for everyone. 

Billy Graham uses verses from Scripture, combined with a knowledgeable explanation of the verses and meaning, to illustrate his points. Tying in some stories of events in the news, personal antecdotes, and stories from the Bible, Graham makes the case for salvation easily. The book itself is not as long as others, only 185 pages. The topics and way the chapters are broken down into smaller subsections makes it easy to read in many sittings. 

Overall I would give this book a 5/5. Billy Graham uses his many years of pastoral experience to speak right to the heart of man, sharing a message of hope in God. I would recommend this book to anyone - really this is a book that anyone could read and enjoy.

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. 

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Adventure Bible Storybook

"Adventure Bible Storybook" by Catherine DeVries is a children's Bible that retells some of the most popular stories from the Bible. This Bible is also sold with audio CDs that read the text of this storybook so that younger children are able to follow along. The illustrations, by Jim Madsen, are bright and colorful, which will engage young readers.

The book itself does a good job of using age appropriate vocabulary in the stories, and the audio CDs are a fun way to share storytime with children, without always having to be the one reading! I thought that the stories themselves probably could have gone a little more into the details of the stories, but overall this was a great book for my young children.

I would recommend this book for children ages 4-7. The audio CD is perfect for younger children who are in the early stages of reading, as they can easily follow along in the book. This would be a good book for kids who can supplement and fill in those missing details with another children's Bible, or a parent to fill in the missing pieces for them.



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.

Monday, October 7, 2013

One Year Bible Trivia for Kids

"The One Year Book of Bible Trivia for Kids" by Katrina Cassel is a great way to get your kids interested in learning more about the actual content of the Bible. This devotional style trivia book offers one question for every day of the year. The questions range from easy to more challenging, and would be appropriate for children ages 7 and up, in my opinion. The devotionals are dated, which was the only downside to this book for me. I prefer when devotionals don't actually have a date on them because unless you start on January 1, and don't miss a day of the readings, I feel like I am missing out!

Each devotional poses a multiple choice question about the Bible, then a brief explanation of the answer, explaining the background and context of the Biblical times and the answer. Each devotional also offers a brief piece of advice/wisdom in the "For You" section. The bottom of the page also offers the multiple choice answer to the question posed, as well as Biblical quotes and the exact place where the answer can be found in the Bible.

I thought this would be a wonderful way to get children more motivated to learn more Bible trivia. When posed in this way, the questions are interesting, and I really liked the fact that the answers were on the same page, with reference to where you can find more information in the Bible.

FTC DISCLOSURE: I received this book for free from Tyndale House Publishers as part of the Blogger program in exchange for an honest review. I was not obligated to write a positive review. 

Monday, September 2, 2013

You'll Get Through This

"You'll Get Through This" by Max Lucado is a book full of hope and inspiration for those facing tumultuous times. In this book uses a perfect blend of biblical inspiration and personal stories to lead you to a new hope. The theme of this book is resounding hope and faith even when it feels like there is no light at the end of the tunnel. Lucado uses biblical figures in their times of trial to highlight the need for continuing the fight and being persistently hopeful.

What I liked about this book was the feeling that I had when I finished it. Hopeful, positive, and motivated to not only survive my struggles, but thrive in spite of my circumstances. I literally could not put this book down. Everyone understands struggles, and this book can speak to the soul of the struggling, brokenhearted, and hurting.

I would give this book a 5/5. Lucado speaks a message of faith and hope that is anchored in biblical truth. Wonderfully written. Highly recommended for anyone.

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

Sunday, September 1, 2013

NIV College Devotional Bible

The NIV College Devotional Bible had me very intrigued. I have a younger brother heading off to college this year and was really interested in how this particular Bible would connect with young adults going through the college years. What I ultimately found was that it never really made a true connection with its audience. It is a traditional NIV translation of the Bible, and does offer some extra reading resources to help the reader understand the messages of the Bible. But personally I had a hard time determining how this Bible was specific to college students. Its a good Bible, but as far as the extra features are concerned, I think a lot more could have been added that would have helped it to be more relevant to that specific audience.

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

Thursday, August 15, 2013

Kingdom Woman

"Kingdom Woman" by Tony Evans and his daughter, Chrystal Evans Hurst is a book that truly inspires women to be everything that God desires them to be. Within this book, you will find inspiration, hope, and a renewed sense of faith that whatever you are doing in your life, it can be done to God's ultimate satisfaction and glory.

This book offers so much insight into how women can strive to please God in the everyday actions of our daily lives. Biblical references, tied with personal stories and experiences help to truly empower the Kingdom Woman to be all that God has chosen her to be. I really enjoyed the duality of reading from both Tony and Chrystal, and Chrystal's experiences are easy to relate to.

Tony and Chrystal touch on three basic principles: purpose, power, and possibilities. They discuss foundational issues like faith, commitment, and church. This book is inspiring, motivational, and full of Biblical  examples of these qualities.

I think that this book is the perfect book for women of any age, from college through retirement - It truly has something that any woman can benefit from. I found it to be an empowering book, full of  powerful insight into living a life that is God-ordained, and purposeful. 


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

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Ignite: The Bible for Teens

"Ignite: The Bible for Teens" is a New King James Version translation Bible designed to help teens face their everyday struggles through an understanding of God's grace, wisdom, and strength. What I like about this particular Bible is the endless supply of tidbits, advice, and insight that they put on each page. This Bible offers SO many tools to help teens make Godly decisions in their lives on a daily basis that I was literally blown away. 

This Bible focuses in on issues that are relevant to high school age children, such as obedience, hearing God's voice, guilt, anger, and prayer in a way that is encouraging and helpful. Also included in this Bible are an introduction page to each chapter, with important information telling the "who", "what", "when", "where" and "why" of that particular chapter of the Bible.

I was thoroughly impressed with this particular Bible, and how well I felt it reaches its target audience. By adding all the study tools, and focusing on the issues at hand for today's teens, it truly becomes a valuable tool as teens attempt to navigate their way through life in a way that God desires. Awesome.

FTC DISCLOSURE: I received this Bible for free from BookSneeze.com in exchange for an honest review.

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Spirit-Filled Life Bible (NLT)

The Spirit-Filled Life Bible (NLT) is one of my favorite versions of the Bible,  particularly for Bible study. I think that this Bible truly offers some fantastic supplemental tools for helping me to easily understand what I am reading. Each page of this Bible offers a wealth of knowledge through extensive footnotes, definitions of key words, connections between the Biblical message and daily life, maps, and a summary of the truths found in each chapter, as well as an in-depth summary of each chapter.

This version of The Spirit-Filled Life Bible is the New Living Translation, which I love because it is written in a more modern style, and much easier to understand. I was concerned that the modern translation would lose some of the meaning of words from the other versions, but I found this one to be great. I especially liked the way that certain words that are used frequently are highlighted throughout the text, and defined/explained in a deeper way. I thought this really helped focus on the Biblical definitions of words, as well as understand the history/usage of the word better.

I thought this Bible was outstanding. I loved all the extra study tools, as well as the NLT translation. I found that  this Bible really helped me gain a better, deeper understanding of what the Bible is saying to me. I would highly recommend this Bible to anyone - it is absolutely fantastic.

FTC DISCLOSURE: I received this Bible for free from BookSneeze.com's Blogger program in exchange for an honest review. I was not obligated to write a positive review.

Monday, June 3, 2013

Bedtime Stories and Prayers

"Bedtime Stories and Prayers" is a compilation of adorable children's stories that are perfect for bedtime for little ones. This book is actually four Little Blessing stories, including: "Bedtime Blessings"by Dandi Daley Mackall, "Thank You God" by Kathleen Long Bostrom, "Blessings Everywhere" by Dandi Daley Mackall, and "God Loves You" by Kathleen Long Bostrom.

Each story tells a well-crafted children's story that is appropriate for even the youngest little ones. The illustrations are bright, colorful, and help tell the story. The stories in this book focus on thankfulness, blessings, and love, which are all wonderful themes for young children to fall asleep to.

I would give this book a 5/5. Great stories, great themes, and beautiful illustrations equal a happy bedtime! I would recommend this book to anyone with young children or grandchildren.

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

Humble Orthodoxy

"Humble Orthodoxy" by Joshua Harris with Eric Stanford that essentially discusses how a Believer can share the Word of God with others, engage in religious discussion, and spread their knowledge of Biblical principles in a way that creates a positive energy for both the speaker and the person(s) receiving the message. Too many times to Christians get labeled as "pushy" or "know it alls", because we simply aren't sensitive to the actual delivery of our message.

It's so important, especially in the world that we live in, to be able to share our love of God, and the principles that we believe in with others - especially those who are non-believers. This book discusses how we can "hold the truth high without putting people down". Essentially, delivering the message of Christ in the same way that Jesus would have done himself - humbly.

I thought this book was interesting, and offers some great points with regard to staying humble. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys sharing Biblical wisdom, and wants to be more effective in delivering that message to others.

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

New Spirit-Filled Life Bible

The New Spirit-Filled Life Bible endorses itself as "kingdom equipping through the power of the word", and I think that perfectly describes the tools and resources that they have included to make this Bible the ultimate study companion. This Bible is the NKJV, and the text reads exactly how you would expect any NKJV Bible to read. The brilliance of this Bible is in the in-text features. Each page of this Bible offers footnotes, highlighting and explaining key passages from the Scripture. Over 500 terms are also highlighted and defined throughout this Bible, offering a deeper understanding of the words used in the Scriptures.

Each chapter of this Bible offers a one page introduction to help familiarize you with the author, the current events of the time, and the major themes that the chapter covers. This Bible also offers what they have termed "Truth-in-Action" which are charts that appear periodically throughout this Bible, in chart form, to help you apply key principles and truths within the text.

I thought this Bible was awesome. I am super excited to use this as my new study Bible! I would highly recommend this Bible to anyone looking to gain more comprehension and really a deeper understanding of the Scriptures. 5/5!

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

Monday, May 13, 2013

Simply Delicious

"Simply Delicious Amish Cooking: Recipes and Stories from the Amish of Sarasota, Florida" by Sherry Gore is a cookbook that features recipes that are delicious, and will become family favorites in any house. With tasty soups, salads, desserts, and main dishes, this is sure to be a go-to for delicious meal ideas. I tested out several of the recipes and found them all to be wonderful - the directions are easy to follow, ingredients are easy to find, and usually things that are already on hand.

Sherry Gore also includes short little stories about her experiences in the Amish community, mixed in with the recipes, which are interesting and usually leave you with a smile. Not all of the recipes are "from scratch" recipes - some have little shortcuts that you can use to lighten the work load (such as buying certain items already made at the store and using them as ingredients).

I would highly recommend this cookbook - I am absolutely in love with it!

FTC DISCLOSURE: I received this book for free from BookSneeze.com in exchange for an honest review.

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Bound Together

Chris Braun's book, "Bound Together" is written about the impact that one person's actions can have on many other people. Chris Braun has developed this image of a rope that binds us all together, in an attempt to illustrate how as humans we are all connected to each other. The premise sounds simple, especially when we consider the impact that we have on those who are closest to us, but what Brauns really does is show how we can impact those outside of our small social circle, and how the impact of our actions can even be felt by future generations.

I thought that this book was pretty interesting, though at times I felt like Brauns was over explaining some things that were more common sense. However, the subject was really intriguing, and I thought that the imagery of the rope that binds us together really helped explain this principle well. I think that this book makes me a little bit more mindful of how my actions could affect others, as well as more thoughtful about my own relationship with Christ.

I would recommend this book to anyone. I think it's a great read, and can really help improve a lot of interpersonal relationships with the knowledge and understanding presented in 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.

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Second Chances

Max Lucado's book, "Second Chances" is a book that focuses on the necessity of God's grace and forgiveness. I love Max Lucado's writings, and this one does offer up some reminders of how much we need God's grace in our lives. We will never be "good" enough on our own - it is only through the unending, powerful grace of God that we are able to have a relationship with God. This is an important thing to remember, and I found that Lucado does a good job of putting this frame of mind into words. 

What I liked about this book was that the chapters are relatively short, which makes it easy to pick up whenever you have time in the day, and read one chapter, almost like a devotional. Lucado hits some great points, as always, and his writing style is easy to read, and he uses Biblical references as well as personal stories and events to illustrate his point. 

Overall I would give this book a 4/5 - well written, to the point, and a great reminder of God's grace in our lives. I would recommend this book for anyone - would be great for high schoolers, college students, or adults.

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

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

The Gospel of Yes

"The Gospel of Yes" by Mike Glenn is a book the explores what happens when we stop thinking of God as someone who limits what we can do. The basic premise for this book is rather than seeing God as a God that sets limits and corrects you, we can view Him as someone who can liberate and connect with us. 

Mike Glenn explores all of the ways that God tells us "yes" in his book, with each chapter based on one of the many examples of how God says "yes" to us. Glenn explains the "yes" of creation, "yes" of the cross, "yes" of the resurrection, and the "yes" of forgiving others. Through creating a solid understanding of God's desire to say "yes" to us, we can form a more personal relationship with God.

I think that this book is well-written, and puts forth a very simplistic, yet very important aspect of having a relationship with God, and understanding his desire for those who choose to walk with him. I think that this book offers an alternative view of God, rather than seeing God as someone who is always telling us that we can't do something, to see him as a God who wants to give us opportunity. 


I would give this book a 4.5/5, and would highly recommend it to anyone who desires a more genuine relationship with God, or those who feel like following God is a laundry list of things you can't do, rather than an open invitation to the things that you can do.

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

The Woman's Study Bible (NIV)

"The Woman's Study Bible" published by Thomas Nelson is an awesome study resource designed for women. This Bible features articles, short footnotes, and messages that speak to the specific needs of a woman's soul. What I love about this Bible is the awesome footnotes, which truly help you understand the full meaning of what is written on the pages. Another feature that I like is the introduction page that preceeds each chapter - this introduction gives information about the author, date, and background of that particular chapter, as well as the themes found in the chapter and an outline. 

This Bible is full of wonderful quotes, short stories and articles relating to women, and I think this makes it a wonderful resource for the Christian woman. I think that sometimes it is easy to feel like the Bible is all about the great men of Biblical times, and it's refreshing and motivational to have small reminders that being a woman of God is a special thing, too. 

This Bible features an extensive index for finding nearly anything you could need within the pages of this Bible. It also features a NIV Concordance as well as color maps of Biblical times. I would highly recommend this Bible to any woman looking to get a little bit more out of their Bible study time - I think this Bible is the perfect tool for really digging deep into the Bible and getting more out of it than ever before. 

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

Friday, March 15, 2013

Whit's End Mealtime Devotions

Focus on the Family presents "Adventures in Odyssey: Whit's End Mealtime Devotions : 90 Faith-Building Ideals Your Kids Will Eat Up!" This devotional is unique that it is filled with devotions completely written for mealtime. Each devotional offers several different sections, that offer a variety of discussion questions, stories, Bible principles, and Bible verses, as well as a mealtime prayer.

What I liked about this devotion was that it helps younger children learn how to pray for their meals. I have a four year old who always tells me, "I don't know what to say" when asked to pray for our meal. This is a great solution to that problem, as she can learn a variety of prayers and can mix and match different elements of each as she likes.

I also liked that each devotion has discussion questions, to encourage family interaction over Biblical topics. This is a great way to get everyone talking, and the kids giving more than one word answers about how their day was!

FTC DISCLOSURE: I received this book for free from Tyndale Publishing in exchange for an honest review. 

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

"Gods At War"

"Gods At War", written by Kyle Idleman is a new book published by Zondervan that is dedicated to the status of our heart. The tag line of this book is, "Defeating the Idols that Battle for Your Heart", and this is the truest interpretation of what this book is all about. Think about the last 24 hours of your life - what have you given your attention/energy/focus to try to do/make/plan? 

"Gods At War" asks you to honestly look at what is battling for the throne of your heart - is God on the throne, or has success, money, or sex taken over? I think that this book has an awesome premise, and especially in our society, one that seriously needs to be discussed. This book challenges you to be more aware of what is battling for your heart, and to be more careful of what we allow to sit on the throne of our hearts. 

This book is 240 pages, which makes it a great read for a daily reader. The material that Idleman uses is a compilation of personal testimonies of people who have actually struggled with these modern day idols. I really believe that this book could be a great addition to the library of any Christian - I think that it is always healthy to be more aware of our spiritual life, and this book makes such great observations and truly makes you think!

FTC DISCLOSURE: I received this book for free from BookSneeze.com in exchange for an honest review. 

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Intentional Parenting

"Intentional Parenting" is a book written by Sissy Goff, David Thomas, and Melissa Trevathan that debunks some of the most common parenting myths, and replaces them with logical and helpful solutions to everyday parenting issues. 

As parents, sometimes we feel like we should have all of the answers - we should be able to handle any situation that comes our way when it comes to our children. But the reality is, sometimes we need a little extra help. This book is a helpful resource in helping parents be more encouraging, patient, and spiritual in their daily lives and interactions with their children.

"Intentional Parenting" encourages parents to be honest, self-aware, and endeavor to be better parents. This book touches on a variety of topics, ranging from being connected and encouraging to being consistent and patient. I found that much of the advice that is in this book was very helpful in helping me to look at my parenting role in a different way. 

Sometimes it is easy to write a child off as just being "difficult", rather than explore the situation and realize that perhaps it is the parent that needs to work with the child to make the situation better. This book encourages, explains, and expands on this idea.

I thought this book was well-written, easy to understand, and offers a lot of encouragement and advice to parents. I would recommend this to any parent.


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. 

Monday, February 11, 2013

Humble Heart : A Book of Virtues

"Humble Bumbles Humble Heart : A Book of Virtues" by Amy Meyer Allen is a children's book that helps explain Biblical virtues through friendly animal characters and easy to understand, kid-friendly language. Featuring characters such as Humble Honeybee, Daniel Dog, Lydia Lamb, and Felicity Frog, "Humble Heart" uses short stories to feature each of the virtues, using kid-friendly stories to help them understand virtues such as forgiveness, joy, thoughtfulness, and mercy. 

What I enjoyed about this book was that even though some of these virtues seem a bit complicated for young children to fully understand, Amy Meyer Allen did a wonderful job in breaking them down and making it simple. Each short story features one of the virtues, and one of the friendly characters, using a storyline that young children can easily understand. The language used in the stories is also kid-friendly, which helps aid children in their understanding of these virtues. 


I have a four year old daughter who loved this book, and I really love that it is helping her to understand Biblical virtues at a young age. The end of each story poses a question to the child to help them further grasp the virtue that was presented in that story, as well as a Bible verse that parent and child can read together to help reiterate the Biblical value of that virtue. 

FTC DISCLOSURE: I received this book from Tyndale House Publishers in exchange for an honest review. I was under no obligated to write a positive review. 

Saturday, January 26, 2013

Just Like Jesus

Max Lucado's "Just Like Jesus - A Heart Like His" is a book that will help you re-evaluate your own heart, and show you how you can model your own heart after that of Jesus. God's greatest desire is for us, as Christians, to have the heart of Jesus, and this book will help you honestly assess the status of your own heart, and give you the foundation to rebuild your heart.

This book is broken up into twelve chapters, and each chapter is a theme that shares a specific trait that your heart should have, such as "honest heart", "pure heart", and "focused heart". Max Lucado uses not only Biblical stories and quotes, but also retells personal stories to help tie in the message he is trying to convey. This book offers so much wonderful advice, and I loved that it was completely focused on the goal of having a heart like Jesus.

I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to further their relationship with God. It's well written, full of great observations and suggestions, and will truly help you honestly assess the state of your own heart against the backdrop of what God wants your heart to be. Great book.

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. The views expressed above are solely my own.

Saturday, January 12, 2013

Bible Stories that End with A Hug

"Bible Stories that End with A Hug" by Stephen Elkins is a compilation of 75 of the best loved Bible stories, rewritten for young children. Elkin did a wonderful job of summarizing Biblical stories into short, easy to understand passages that even young children will understand.

Each story itself is very short, and is followed by a couple of questions that young children might ask, as well as answers to those questions. The end of each story comes at "hug time", when the child is encouraged to hug mom or dad.


What I liked about this book was that it is perfect for young children - as early as age 3. The language is easy to understand, and the stories themselves are short enough that it would keep the attention of a young child.

The illustrations in this book are beautiful, and I thought were a great interpretation of the stories they illustrated. Everything about this book is kid-friendly, and I would highly recommend this one to anyone with young children. A great introduction to Bible stories for even the youngest!

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

Thursday, January 10, 2013

Just Like Jesus Devotional

Max Lucado's "Just Like Jesus Devotional" is a 30-day devotional designed to deepen your faith, and encourage you to live your life with the heart of Jesus. The daily devotions in this book are a little bit longer than most other devotionals, but they are definitely worth the extra time.

As with most devotionals, each day's reading begins with a short Bible verse that remains the theme for that day's devotion. After the verse, Lucado builds on the verse by relating it to our daily lives - helping to make it easy to understand, and show how it applies to our modern lives.

What makes this devotional stand out to me was the section that follows the explanation of the verses. Lucado challenges us through a series of four sections, named "thinking", "hearing", "reflecting" and "thinking". Through these sections, Max Lucado offers personal questions for you to ponder about your spiritual life, and faith. He also offers lengthier Scripture references that tie in to the questions he poses. What I enjoyed was how each section builds on the one before it, really allowing you to soak in the message, and apply it to your own life.

Overall I would give this book a 5/5 - Lucado hit a home run with this devotional, and I think that this 30 day challenge would benefit any believer!

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


Monday, January 7, 2013

Trusting God

"Trusting God" by Sharon Jaynes, Gwen Smith, and Mary Southerland is a "Girlfriends in God Faith Adventure" that uses personal stories and experiences to help us relate to how we can build our trust in our Creator. This book is meant to be read as a devotional, with chapters being divided by weeks, and each chapter having one short reading for each day of that week, for twelve weeks.

What I liked about this devotional is that it is similar to talking with your own girlfriends about personal experiences. We get to share in experiences, both good and difficult, just as we would with our friends in real life. This book offers a lot of great wisdom when it comes to building the trust in our relationship with God, and I thought it was very well written.

Each day's devotional offers a Bible verse, called "Today's Truth" which is the basis on which the personal story is based. Then, each devotional ends with a short prayer that is also tied into the general theme of that day's reading. At the end of the week, there is a short section named, "Now It's Your Turn" which allows you a place for reflection and to answer short questions about your personal relationship with God, as well as a space to maintain a journal based on the devotions from that week.

I would give this book a 5/5 - great for the busy mom or the corporate businesswoman. Versatile, funny, engaging, and inspiring.

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

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Desperate

"Desperate - Hope for the Mom Who Needs to Breathe" by Sarah Mae & Sally Clarkson is the perfect book for moms of any kind. Whether you have a house full of young children, or are smack dab in the middle of the teenage drama-filled years, this book is for you. Through personal reflection, insight, and experience, Sarah and Sally share their adventures in motherhood, as well as some wonderful tips for surviving the chaos that is motherhood.

Sometimes, we as moms, feel lost - after all, being a mother sometimes feels more like managing a series of daily disasters more than actually being a parent! Cleaning up messes, tending to fussy children, and trying to keep order in what feels like complete chaos can keep us from feeling like we are being the mom the we should/could/want to be. This book offers hope and advice for getting out of that rut and enjoying/thriving as a mom.

This book was a great read and I would really recommend it to every single mom - there is at least five things in this book that every mother could benefit from reading. I will definitely been holding on to this book for years to come.

FTC DISCLOSURE: I received this book from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze Blogger program, in exchange for an honest review. I was not obligated to write a positive review as part of this program.