Bedtime Prayers that end with a Hug by Stephen Elkins

Since I am always on the lookout for great new books for my kids I am so excited to say that I have found one more to add to my library.  Bedtime Prayers that end with a Hug, hardcover book, by Stephen Elkins is a wonderful way to end the day with your kiddos.  Plus, it helps making prayer time a little more like a quick devotional time if you are short on time.

From the same author that wrote Bible Stories that end with a Hug, comes a cute book that helps you devote your prayer time, with your little one, to a certain subject or thought right before bed.  It can help direct your time that might actually turn into a small teaching time.

Each prayer is devoted to a certain topic that is relevant to your child’s walk with God. Such topics are: self-control, seeking the Lord, health and strength, obeying parents, and more.  It’s nice know that if my child is having a rough day or might have a question, I can use these prayers to help address that issue in a way they will be able to understand easily.

If you are familiar with Bible Stories that end in a Hug, then you know there is a format for these books that works really well.  The prayers are broken down into different sections.  The sections are:

• A Bible Verse related to the prayer
• A Snuggle time that has a short story going along the theme of that prayer.
• Bedtime Bible Thought that helps reenforce everything you have been reading to that point
• My hug-a-bye Prayer which is the prayer that ends the entire time.

My kids loved this book, especially my 4 year old, since the illustrations caught her eye and the prayers were short enough that they held her attention without being overwhelming.  It's a great book for the preschool age group, but probably a little boring for the older kids. 

{Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Tyndale Blog Network for an honest review.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.}

Everything Christmas: Celebrating the Joy of the Advent Season with the Best of Christmas Past & Present

Everything Christmas is a compilation of stories, poems, recipes, traditions from around the world, and just about anything Christmas you can think of.  Since Christmas is my absolutely favorite time of year, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on this book and I wasn’t disappointed.

This book is set up so that you can use it as a daily devotional for the Advent season to keep you heart focused where it should be, but you don’t have to use it that way.  You can read through the book and use what parts of it that you want.  I think next Advent season I will be using this book as a devotion for my family.

One of my favorite things from the book was the traditions from around the world, that I can share with my kids next year.  I would love for them to see how other children celebrate Christmas along with making some recipes for foods they might eat that are included in this book. 

Did you forget some of the lyrics to your favorite Christmas songs?  Well, there is a good chance they are in this book.  Looking for a new decoration…you might find an interesting idea.  What to know where some of your favorite parts of Christmas come from?  There is a lot of history included. 

Overall, I just loved this book.  It is going to make a great addition to our holiday library and I can’t wait to try all the things in the book and create a few new traditions for my family.

{Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review.  All thoughts are my own.}

God's Beloved Daughters by Merrilynn Grodecki

Summary of this book:

Both a daily devotional and an in-depth Bible study, God’s Beloved Daughters is a tool “to strengthen and establish and to exhort and comfort and encourage you in your faith” (I Thessalonians 3:2). Throughout her years serving in the ministry of Christian education, and as friend, mother, and mentor, Merrilynn Grodecki has championed her passion for seeing God’s daughters step into that grace-enhanced, mountain-moving, peace-filled life that is theirs in Him. Now, after decades of studying God’s ways of doing and being right concerning all of life’s issues, she has written this devotional to help each beautiful daughter of God walk in the fullness of life in Christ and discover the eternal truth of God’s promises. Wife, mother, student, teacher, lawyer, doctor, businesswoman, pastor—despite all of these titles, there is one role that takes priority over all others—daughter! Our heavenly identity not only defines and characterizes every other relationship we take part in, it prioritizes our daily motivation. God’s daughters; His ambassadors to the neighborhood, the workplace and the world. Do you see yourself that way? Do you open your door in the morning to step out into the day with that kind of vision? Do your heavenly credentials, your Kingdom citizenship, define for you your determined purpose? Each day offers an opportunity to practice our ambassadorship and extend God’s love. We awake each morning to love God, to serve Him and continue to be loved and known by Him… Walk out in that carefree graciousness that will compel the world to take a closer look at what makes you different. “I don’t know what she’s got,” they will say, “‘but I want it.”

Above is the publishers summary of this book.  I am including this because I really didn’t get anything from this book.  I have read far better devotionals.  Yes, it was nice to see a devotional and Bible study together, but I feel there are better ones out there.  This was easy to read, but I just never felt like it was a study/devotional for me.  Devotionals should have a connection with a person.  They should help you with your personal relationship with God and this one just didn't help me along my path.  It wasn't meant for me. 

I have to say that I would not recommend this book to others since I have read far better devotionals and studies that are made for women.  It was boring and just never attracted my interest. 


{I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via the Booksneeze program in exchange for this review.}

Blessings for the Evening by Susie Larson

Blessings for the Evening by Susie Larson is a book for the quiet times of the day where you just want to unwind.  I like this book because is offers a time of reprieve from all the daily tasks that I must take care of. 

When your day is done, sit down with this book and be reminded, through scripture and prayer, that you are loved.  God loves you no matter what you are going through or how great your day was, or wasn’t.

In hardcover format, Blessings for the Evening, is filled from cover to cover with amazingly beautiful images that will bring your life to a calm regardless of everything around you.  There are different blessings for times of the year such as Christmas or the Sabbath and there are a plethora of subjects that each blessing corresponds to.  If you are having a wonderful day and just want to read about how much God loves you there is a blessing for that.  If you are having a rough day and you need to find comfort there are blessings for that also.  There is a blessing, with scripture, for every type of day you may be having.

This is a great way to finish your day and spend some time with God. 

{I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House for the purpose of this review.}

Seasons of A Woman's Life Devotional Journal by Lois Evans

Are you working your way through the different seasons of your life?  Do times seem tough and never ending? The new journal called Seasons Of A Woman’s Life Devotional Journal by Lois Evans can help you find understanding in each of the different times of your life. 

This journal is beautiful.  The words that Lois shares with you on the pages are there to encourage you to write down all your difficulties, joys, and praise.  She also has engaging questions throughout that will get you thinking about the season you are in, which way you are heading, and how you are addressing all of what life has to offer, whether it be good or bad. 

The design of this journal is wonderful.  Each one of the pages has beautiful flowers on them.  When you open this journal it feels like your open a door to spring. So, no matter how cold or hot it is outside you can enjoy Spring indoors all the time, which is great since Spring is associated with new beginnings and this book is there to help you get through all of the different parts of your life to make it to your new beginning.  With lined pages, it’s easy for you to write out your deepest prayers to God, scripture, and even answer the questions that Lois asks.  

I think this would make a great gift, especially for Christmas or Mother’s Day.  If you have a loved one that is going through a hard time, you could give them this journal to help them write down their thoughts and work through to find that it will eventually end. 

{I received a complimentary copy of this book from Harvest House for the purpose of this review.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.}

Discering The Voice of God by Priscilla Shirer

In the newly revised and expanded edition of Discerning the Voice of God by Priscilla Shirer you will be taught how to hear God’s voice and to follow His path for your life with His direction. 

If you are anything like me, you have a longing to hear God, but find that it isn’t always fulfilled.  The question is why not?  Why cant I hear God talking to me?  There are a few reasons and Priscilla will help you to address those reasons and find ways to get past them. 

Priscilla explains that there are times when we hear God, but just say that it was a hunch or gut feeling.  Those thought will keep us from ever having close, personal relationship with Him.  She gives us three ways to help pull us closer to Him and to hear Him more clearly: worship, prayer, and meditation because He wants us to hear Him.  He wants to challenge us to live for Him, to know all the truths He can give us, and to offer us peace through a relationship with Him.

Now, I have not read the previous version of this book, but I have to say that I love this version.  The questions at the end of each chapter (which are new) helped me to work towards a better understanding of when God is talking to me and helped me to hear Him a little better.  She addresses every issue you can think of to help you clear away all blockages that might be holding you back. 

My favorite part about this book is that Priscilla write with such authority, like she KNOWS she can help you, but with such kindness that its like having a conversation with your best friend, talking over a cup of tea.  Her writing is warm and welcoming.  She knows what she is talking about, but she doesn’t talk down to you.  She honestly wants to help you.

She wants you to have one of the greatest gifts there is…hearing God and having a personal relationship with Him.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Moody for the purpose of this review.  All thoughts are my own.*

Stripped by Lina Abujamra

We have come to believe that when we hear God’s call it will be an amazing and wonderful time to serve the Lord.  The heavens will part and the rays of light will beam down, but that's not quite the case.  What we don’t know is that God will test, try and strip us before we are ready to fully serve.  In Stripped: When God’s Call Turns From “Yes!” to “Why Me?” by Lina Abujamra you will see that as much as we long to follow God’s plan for us, it just might be a painful one to follow.


Lina Abujamra is a pediatric ER doctor who sees her fair share of pain, but the pain you will have when following God’s calling isn’t like that of an ER patient.  It’s not always physical pain.  You will experience more mental, emotional and spiritual pain as God prepares you for the work he has for you.

She explains that being a Christian doesn’t mean you will have an easy life.  Times will be hard and the more you follow what God has in store for you the harder it will get.  But there is a reason for this stripping process…To make sure your dreams and your calling line up.  God wants you to follow your dreams if they are in line with His calling and this book is the manual on how to do so without losing your mind.

During the hard times you will often wonder “Where is God?”  Lina even addresses that and says:

God hasn’t forgotten you.  He isn’t busy solving other people’s problems while neglecting yours.  He is always perfecting that which concerns your life.  He loves you.

That love is the reason you will go through so much pain and this book hit home for me so much more than I could have imagined.  I feel like I have been going through the stripping process for the past year and never really understood what was happening to me until now.  There were times when I questioned where God was and thanks to this book, I never will again.

I am so happy I found this book and had the chance to review it seeing as I asked for God to show me what He wanted from me and have been living in a pain filled year.  Now, I know that it’s just part of the process of fulfilling God’s master plan.  I highly recommend this book for those of you who think that God’s calling will be an easy one.

Read this book and prepare yourself for the most painful time of your life...but also one of the most rewarding ones.  I wish I had this book a year ago.  Things might have been a little easier when dealing with the events of this past year.

{I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of this review.  All opinions are my own.}

What Your Dreams Are Telling You by Cindy McGill

What Your Dreams Are Telling You is the new book from Cindy McGill along with David Sluka. Following is a summary from the back of the book.

Why Waste One-Third of Your Life Only Sleeping?
Have you ever wanted to receive wise advice about a business proposal, a relationship or a direction in life? Tonight you will have several dreams. Did you know they could contain the very advice you need?

It's true.
Join dream interpreter Cindy McGill as she shows you that sleep is so much more than just a time to rest your body. If you pay attention, you can uncover a secret weapon for success--and the keys to unlocking your full potential.

Not only is it possible to remember your dreams, but when properly interpreted, they bring guidance, hope and strength to achieve what may seem impossible. Here Cindy gives you the tools for discovering and decoding these hidden messages, including

-- how to get the most out of your dreams
-- historical and present-day examples of life-changing dreams
-- common dream themes and what they mean
-- 3 steps to discover the genuine message from your dreams
-- a quick-reference guide to common dream symbols
-- how to reawaken your dream life

Solutions to your problems can come on any given night. It's time to listen to what your dreams are telling you.   

In this book McGill talks about how to make the most out of your dreams and to figure out what they might mean.  By referencing some biblical stories, they show that dream interpretation isn’t a new concept.

To be honest, I didn’t find this book entertaining or informational at all.  Maybe I am just not as interested in interpreting my dreams as I thought I was, but there might be someone to get some use of this book. 

Included at the end of the book is a quick reference for different dreams symbols and a few pages to write down your dreams that includes questions to help you figure them out. 

Just because I didn’t like this book very much doesn’t mean that you won’t.  If you are looking for a way to find out, what and if, your dreams mean anything you might want to give this book a try. 

(I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of this review.  All opinions are my own.)

Book: A Confident Heart Devotional by Renee Swope

Do you ever feel like you are not good enough?  We are all in the same boat.  You might feel like you’re the only one that has ever felt this way, but in Renee Swope’s new devotional A Confident Heart Devotional, she shows us how we can use God’s words to find our way to being who He wants us to be…a person that has a heart filled with joy and happiness. 

Finding yourself might take a while and some searching, but taking the 60 day journey that Renee lays out in this book will help you either start your journey off on the right foot OR keep you on track as you walk down a path of self discovery.  Each day is filled with heart-felt, relatable words that show you how you can get rid of any doubts, insecurities, and fears that we all face. 

The devotions are quick and easy to read so each day will not take up to much of your time, but in that small amount of time spent in this book each day will make such a profound difference in your life.  We all have times when let our thoughts overtake us and get the best of us, but for every negative thing we have to say about ourselves, she has a counter saying showing us that God has an answer for everything.  I love how she shows this throughout the book by using “When I say…God says.”  I have thought every thought she has in this book and now when those thoughts come into my head I can just flip through and find what God has said. 

This book is the companion to one of her other books called A Confident Heart.  I have not read that book, but I would love to.  Seeing as that’s the case, the best part about this book is that it stands on its own.  I don’t feel that you would have to read the other one to gain any truths from this book. I have learned so much even though I have not read A Confident Heart. 

Available November 2013 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

(I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of this review.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.)

Stranded by Dani Pettrey

Travel back to Alaska with Dani Pettrey’s new book, and third in the Alaskan Courage series, Stranded.

The book focuses on Gage McKenna this time, along with Darcy St. James.  Darcy is returning to Alaska to join a journalist friend but by the time she gets there and on the cruise ship, her friend is missing.  Darcy is the one person Gage never expects to see on the cruise, but here she is and what is she up to?

While he struggles with his past there is some reason that God brought them back together again.  The only problem is that this ride is going to take some twists and turns along the way.

I the true fashion of her first two books in this series, Pettrey has created another romantic suspense that will keep you wanting more.  The only issue that I had with the book is that it seems to focus more on Darcy than Gage and I was thinking that the McKenna’s were the main focus of her Alaskan Courage series.  Other than that, it was a great addition to the trilogy.

I would suggest that you read the first two books in the series to familiarize yourself with the characters.  This book can stand on its own, but it would help.

(I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of this review.)

Made to Last by Melissa Tagg

Made to Last is a new fiction book by Melissa Tagg. 

Miranda Woodruff has it all. At least, that's how it looks when she's starring in her homebuilding television show, "From the Ground Up." So when her network begins to talk about making cuts, she'll do anything to boost ratings and save her show--even if it means pretending to be married to a man who's definitely not the fiance who ran out on her three years ago.
When a handsome reporter starts shadowing Miranda's every move, all his digging into her personal life brings him a little too close to the truth--and to her. Can the girl whose entire identity is wrapped up in her on-screen persona finally find the nerve to set the record straight? And if she does, will the life she's built come crashing down just as she's found a love to last?

(summary from booksamillion.com)

No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn’t get into this book.  I would put it down and come back to try to re-read it, but each time I would just get bored with it.  There was a promise of humor and I didn’t find it funny at all.  I usually love reading books like this and was disappointed at the fact that it did not hold my interest.

If you like romantic comedies, give this book a try.  Who knows…this could become your favorite book.  But, as for me…I just didn’t like it. 

(I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of this review.)

A Million Little Ways by Emily Freeman

A Million Little Ways by Emily Freeman challenges each of us to find our inner artist.  She is not wanting us to find the one thing we were meant to do, but to be an artist and show God’s true glory in a million ways. 

She talks you along a walk that will awaken the artist inside of you.  We are all artist, we just need to find what our “niche” is.  She said that art happens when we find out who we truly are.  Once you find that out there’s no turning back.  Though the different chapters of this book she addresses certain aspect of our lives that might be holding you back or that help lead you to who you really are.  There will be a time when you address your fears and desires and another time when you take a step back and look at your childhood to see what really drives you. 

What I love about this book is it is really well written.  It’s like you are sitting with a cup of coffee talking to a friend.  Your friends would be who you would go to when searching for yourself so this makes this a very approachable book, and the ideas within easy to implement.

This book came along at a great time for myself.  I have been searching and hoping that I could find what God wants me to be doing and now I KNOW there is something out there for me to find.  Who I really am and what my art is!  

Available November 2013 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of this review. *

Adventure Bible Storybook Deluxe Edition

Seeing as I am always on the lookout for new ways to teach my preschooler about the bible and the stories within I was so excited to get the Adventure Bible Storybook Deluxe Edition, from Zondervan, to review.  It’s the perfect set for any preschooler and even elementary age kids to learn about all the wonderful stories the bible has inside.

The Adventure Bible Storybook has amazing full color graphics, spilling over every page of this hardcover book, illustrating some of the greatest stories ever recorded.  You start at the beginning of the book with the story of creation and follow along, through all the stories you were taught as a kid in Sunday school, until you get to the end where the promise of Jesus’ return is fortold. 

Through the book, as you read the stories, there are little tidbits of information and verses to remember in the Adventure Discovery and Words to Treasure parts of this book.  Every story has these sections to help reinforce the teachings of the story that was just read. 

Now, the best part about the Deluxe Edition is the 2 CD (1 for the old testament and 1 for the new) set that comes with it.  It reads the ENTIRE book, from beginning to end, for your children.  This way, if your child is still a to little to read or they are working on their reading skills, the Cds can help them along the way.  There is even realistic background noises so your child will feel like they are right in the middle of the story. 

This would make a wonderful gift for children during Christmas time.  What better gift to give than the stories of the bible in a beautifully illustrated book along with Cds to make them feel like they are a part of history. 

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of this review.*

Beautiful Lies by Jennifer Strickland

Society tells us that our value lays in our outward appearance, how men think of us and that media will determine how others might look and feel towards us, but that isn't true.  Jennifer Strickland in her new book Beautiful Lies covers all these lies and shows us that they are just that, lies.  That our true value comes from our relationship with God and that no one can demean us when we are true to ourselves. 

Strickland was just a teenager when she became a model.  She had the perfect modeling career where all the greatest designers wanted her, she was traveling the world for photo shoots and all the money and luxury that anyone could ever want.  But what she also had was everyone around her determining her value.  Her agent, the men in her life, the designers who would book her, and all the various members of the modeling world.  How valuable she was to them was determined by the number on the scale, her perfect (or sometimes imperfect) completion, and how good clothes looking on her.  If any of these things went outside the “model standard” she was useless to them. 

Over the years, fitting into the industry standards took their toll on her.  She was having eating disorders, her self-esteem was really low and she was starting to wondering if modeling wasn’t for her.  After going to church with some friends while overseas, she finally sees that her worth isn’t determined by anyone other than her heavenly father.  Thus, the journey leading up to this book was started. 

There are five lies that Strickland addresses in this book followed with the five truths that we should be believing instead of buying into the lies we are told.  They five lies that women are being told are:

• Your worth comes from how you look
• Your worth comes from what men think of you
• Your worth comes from media tells you that you should be like
• That we need to put on a good face for everyone no matter how we are feeling inside.
• That media is the be all and end all of how you should be. 

But, those are just the lies.  All the truths come out, throughout this book, with the love from our heavenly father pouring off the pages as she shows us how each lie can be defeated by God's word.  Strickland shows us just how much we mean to God.  We are His children and even though we might be imperfect, He still loves us and values us immensely.  Our TRUE value can never be found by material items and the way others look at us, it must come down from heaven. 

This is a book that I think every teen girl and woman should read.  Strickland had to find out the hard way how much she is worth, but following her journey through this book you will see everything she went through and hopefully avoid all the lies, remembering that only God can determine our true worth.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Harvest House for the purpose of this review. All opinions are my own.*

Passion Pursuit by Linda Dillow & Dr. Juli Slattery

Passion Pursuit by Linda Dillow and Dr. Juli Slattery is a bible study about sex.  Yes, you read that right…sex.  Go figure, right?!?!  I’m sure you are used to other bible studies on getting to know Jesus better, learning how to be a better wife and mother or strengthening your bond with your heavenly creator.  But, studying about sex, well that just seems like it’s a topic that a Christian women wouldn’t want to talk about with her peers must less study.  It’s quite the contrary though.

Passion Pursuit is a 10 week study that is centered around your sex life in your marriage, but there is so much more to it.  It’s about intimacy and we all know that one of the biggest ways of being intimate with our husbands is through sex, but this book is also about finding intimacy with God through knowing His words on the topic of sex in your marriage. 

Sex isn’t a taboo topic like most want us to believe.  Yes, there are ways of taking things to far, but God actually WANTS us to have an amazing sex life with our husbands.  He even encourages us to do so.  There are a few stipulations or DONT'S that you need to follow like: No Fornication, No Adultery, or No Lustful Passions to name a few. 

Sex is a gift from God as part of a wonderful and happy marriage and this study is filled with all the answers to your burning questions that you may be to shy to ask someone.  Plus, there is biblical references to back up what is being taught so if you need more clarification just grab your bible. 

I can say that, without a doubt, I love this study.  I want a happy marriage and sex is part of that.  I also want to know what God has to say about sex so that I may live my life as biblically as I can.  I am thankful to God for this small gift and thankful for this study.  I finally have some answers that I have wanted for a long time. 

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of this review.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.

People Raising by William Dillon

There are people in society with so many wonderful ideas of ministries that can be of great service to others in need.  The only drawback is that most of these people don’t know how to get the money needed to start their ministry.  The new and expanded edition of People Raising by William P. Dillon is a manual that will help those people achieve their dreams of ministering to others. 

What I love about this book is that Dillon will walk you through each step of fundraising with intricately detailed instructions.  But before he starts talking about how to raise money he explains the biblical way of doing so.  Most believe that God will provide, and He will, sometimes it’s not in the form of cash, but instead, the people He puts into your life. They were sent by God so that you may find the support needed to accomplish your goal. 

After you get through the first part of the book and come into the right attitude for raising money you will move to the next part where Dillon walks you through reach step of raising the funds needed.  This is one of the best parts of the book.  Each chapter of this part is dedicated to one step and the requirements needed to fulfill that step.  He walks you though how to start with the people you already have in your circle, to how to make appointments and conduct them in a manner that others will want to contribute, and how to say thank you.  Yes, you need to thank your donors.  They will appreciate it greatly and possibly be willing to give more in the future. 

The last part of this book is how you are going to implement your plan.  Once you have walked through each step of this book and have your plan all laid out it’s time to put it into motion.  Dillon is here to help with that also.  He with you on your walk each step of the way.

Raising the money to start a ministry or organization can be hard work and very time consuming.  If you keep this book with you at all times you should not have any questions.  It’s filled with all the tips you will need and step to make sure you are fulfilling the mission God has set before you.  I think this book is more like a seminar than just a book.  There is so much information that you will never regret having this book in your library if you want to create a new church, go on a mission trip, or just want to create an non-profit.  It’s one book that I will always have on my desk.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of this review.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

The Bible Savvy Series

The bible can be a hard book to read sometimes.  It can seem disconnected and just plain overwhelming.  Well, that’s they way it feels to me.  I have found  set of book recently called The Bible Savvy series by James L. Nicodem.  These books have helped me tremendously. 

There are 4 books to the series and each one of them builds on the book before.  Nicodem starts the series off with a book titled Epic: The Storyline of the Bible.  Most people assume that the bible is just a bunch of stories that have no connection to each other, but in fact, the bible has a continues theme that shows up in each story: Redemption.  He starts off by showing how redemption is prepared, prophesized, proclaimed, purchased and then perfected.  Each of the 66 books in the bible plays a part in the completed story.

The next three books show how you can better understand and learn from the bible and points to how you can see the theme of redemption throughout. 

Context: How to understand the Bible
Foundation: The Reliability of the Bible
Walk: How to Apply the Bible
Each one of these books builds on the foundation that Nicodem laid when he shows you that the bible has one, important, central themes.  These three books help you to better get acquainted with your bible and show you that no matter what anyone says, it is a reliable source to build your faith and life on. 

My absolutely favorite part of these books are that they are not just a manual to follow.  Nicodem engages the reader with questions at the end of the chapters so that you can really apply what he is saying in these books and have a better life by understanding God’s word better.  

 I think this series would make a great bible study for a church since a lot of people have a hard time with understanding all the things God has to say.  I have noticed that one of the issues I have, at times, is getting everything from God’s word that He would want me to, but now I have help and you can too.

*I received a complimentary copy of these books from the publisher for the purpose of this review.  All opinions are my own. *

His Treasure: Gems of Love from Your King

The beautiful cover is just the beginning.

Sheri Shepherd has released many inspirational books, but I must admit that her newest one, His Treasure, is my favorite.  It’s filled with God’s promises and the love that he has for us.  Plus, it’s the perfect size to put in my purse so I can have every bit of love from God with me all the time.

When you open the book your eyes will automatically be drawn to the brightly colored pages.  They have an old Victorian feel to them since the graphics are old picture frames with backgrounds that have the look to textured linens.  It’s just a visually beautiful book.

But, the graphics aren’t the best part…all the love that spills off the pages is.  Each page has a different letter written to you, His daughter, that tells you how He promises to be with you and love you every minute of your life.  The letter have a theme to them and those themes (just to name a few) are: how much He loves you, how much He wishes for your heart and His to connect through the Word, and how much He will always be there for you no matter what.

With the holiday season coming up soon, I would suggest you remember this book when filling out your shopping lists.  It would be a great gift to your best friend, mother, sister, and even your grandmother.  Every woman needs to be reminded of how much God loves her no matter what age she is.  I even think this could be a wonderful book for your teenage daughter (if you have one.)

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of this review.  All opinions are my own.*

He Wins She Wins: Learning the Art of Marital Negotiation

The art of negotiation can be tricky.  One person has their demands while the other person might want something completely different and neither leave the table feeling happy about the process or outcome.  But, Im not talking about negotiating in a business setting, I am talking about negotiating in a marriage. 

William Harley, Jr has a new book called He Wins, She Wins where he talks about how, if done right, marital negotiations can come to a close with a win-win ending.  It will take work from both partners, but it is doable. 

He talks about why most marriages have issues and describes a concept called the Love Bank.  He says that to have a happy marriage, both partners need to make “deposits” into the Love Bank so that one person never feels like they are giving their all while the other person is just “withdrawing” everything.  He says that our emotions and how we feel about a person are tied to this Love Bank.  How much we have inside our Love Bank determine how we feel about the other person…when the person is making deposits we feel happy towards them, but when they are making to many withdraws we might determine that they should not be in our lives. 

Now, most marriages end because conflicts have a win-lose ending.  This will never make for a happy marriage because one person comes out of the conflict feeling like they have given up everything and gotten nothing in return.  This goes back to the Love Bank where one person is making a withdraw and the other person feels like they are getting nothing.  Yes, marriages are about sacrificing, but not so much so that you are the only one sacrificing.

Conflicts come from many different corners of marriage and can arise over things such as money, children, and even sex.  He also address how to negotiate with each other when we are feeling emotional, not quite sure how we might feel about the issue in question, or you don’t want to even bring the issue up.  There are certain ways to handle these situations and a few others that might arise and with his tips you can get through them all with a win-win outcome. 

What better way to make sure you have a happy marriage than to be able to work through a conflict and have a happy ending?  That’s what we all really want right…a happy ending.  Make sure you get your happy ending by learning how to negotiate in your marriage.

 Available October 2013 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of this review.*

Knowing God By Name | Book Review

God has so many names.  Each one glorifying His amazing and never ending traits.  He is our everything so shouldn’t we know what to call Him?  Know Him intimately enough that we know His each and every name because He has named us?  Enter Knowing God By Name by Sharon Jaynes, Gwen Smith, and Mary Southerland.  This is their second book in their Girlfriends in God Faith Adventure series. 
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This book is an 8 week study of God’s names and how you can better know Him by understanding each name.  Each one of His names describes a different trait that we can see in God, so you must understand…there are a lot of them. 

For 5 days of the week you will be introduced to a new name of God and have presented before you, a daily reading devotional, about that name, that will help you to gain a closer and more personal relationship with Him.  On the 6th day there is a place for reflection on the devotionals from the past 5 days.  But if you are anything like me you will not be able to wait till day 6 to start reflecting.  There is so much truth and knowledge in this book that I just had to highlight, write notes in the book, and start journaling just to make sure that I was getting everything from this that I could. 

What’s even better is that they have created videos to go along with this study, but the wonderful part is that the videos can be watched online for FREE…Yes, you read that right…FREE.  They want you to have a more intimate relationship with your creator that they are not charging to watch the videos and the videos just add to the intimacy you will get from this study.

So…grab your girlfriends or your bible study group at church and get to know God better by become familiarized with each of His glorious names. 

Ladies...this is a must read book to expand you relationship with God.  

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of this review.  All opinions are my own.*