{Simple Secrets to a Happy Life}

When I chose to review Simple Secrets to a Happy Life by Luci  Swindoll I fell in love with the front cover. At first glance I thought it was a book about organizing your home. I really need help in that department. Then I saw that it was by Luci Swindoll and she is funny, smart, and a woman of God. That made it even more appealing to me. So, I chose it right away.

Well, I was surprised in a good way when I got the book in the mail and discovered it was really about how to be happy in your everyday life. There are 50 chapters all together. They are short, about 2-3 pages each and include a little story or two about that particular piece of advice from Luci. Her sense of humor is so wonderful and refreshing. She has lived life to the fullest and shares how she got through some hard times and some funny times.

Some of her secrets, honestly, are not really secrets. Here are some that I thought were things we should know, but tend to forget:
Honor your father and mother
Value the things you have
Write down the important things
Disregard what isn't your business
Forgive others over and over
Invite people to your home

I found a lot of them very helpful. I found that I needed reminding of how to really live for the Lord and make the most of every single day I am given. Here are a few of the chapters that I really enjoyed:
Take Jesus with you everywhere
Read your bible every day
Find contentment in doing without
Think before you say it
Communicate often with loved ones
Fight resentment before it festers
Celebrate the life you're given

These all convicted my heart so much. With some recent events in my life, I needed the encouragement to be happy. Life's circumstances should not shake our faith or our belief in God. We should lean on God in our struggles and ask Him to take our burdens. He can handle them and help us to handle them. He gives us strength and helps us to endure during hard times. I really enjoyed reading this book and I know you will too.

It is one of those books that you can put on the coffee table and read a little here and there. The chapters are short and you can gain so much from just 5 minutes of reading. You could use it for a devotional as well. It is a delightful little book filled with lots of good, Christ-centered advice for any stage of life.


God Bless,


Kristy

*This book was given to me by Booksneeze in exchange for my personal review. All opinions expressed here are solely my own.*

{The Scent of Cherry Blossoms}

Cindy Woodsmall is a popular writer of Amish fiction. She has written many books about the Amish community, most of them being fiction romance. I have read many of them and loved each one. When I saw that the title of this book was The Scent of Cherry Blossoms I knew I had to read it. Cherry Blossoms are my favorite tree in the whole world. They are so beautiful and smell wonderful. In this latest book, nineteen year old Annie Martin is an Old Order Amish young woman. She is having trouble with her mother and getting along with her family in general. They live in New York (not the city, just the state) and her dad left the family many years before. Her mother has raised all of the children alone and puts a lot of responsibility on Annie so they fight a lot.

When Annie and her mother have a big argument, she is sent to live with her Daadi Moses (her mother's father) in Apple Ridge, Pennsylvania. He is strict man, but a loving man. He is protective of Annie and wants only the best for her since his own daughter does not speak to him kindly. When Annie arrives in Apple Ridge she finds herself working at a diner owned by her Daadi's neighbors. The Zook's are an Old Order Amish family who rely on the support of their Mennonite neighbor to supply them with electricity for their restaurant.

When Aden Zook finds out Annie has returned to their community he is very happy. He is the cook (and son of the family who owns the restaurant). Annie helps Aden work in the diner while his twin brother who is wheelchair bound is out of town. The two young people quickly start to have feelings for each other. They know they cannot take their feelings any farther than a friendship because their lives would be torn apart. Amish people were not to marry (or court) Mennonite people and the same goes for Mennonites. They would be banished from the community and shunned by everyone.

There is a cherry blossom orchard on Daadi Moses' property that connects with the Zook's property and Annie and Aden meet there every night. They never do anything scandalous or bad. They just talk and share their feelings and thoughts. When Moses finds out about their budding romance he immediately threatens the Zook family and tries to put a stop to it. Annie and Aden are at a loss. They love each other deeply but they know the cannot go forward with their feelings because it would tear their families apart. Annie is sent back to New York to live with her mother and Aden is crushed.

I will save the end for you to enjoy when you get a copy for yourself. I will tell you that I LOVED this book. It was so sweet and innocent. I would recommend this book to anyone. There was absolutely nothing bad in it.

"Can Annie and Aden find a place for their love to bloom in the midst of a brewing storm?" -quote from the back of the book.


God Bless,


Kristy

*I was given this book in exchange for my personal review. All opinions expressed here are solely my own.*

{A Perfect Pet for Peyton Review}

Dr. Gary Chapman is New York Times #1 bestselling author of The Five Love Languages. Rick Osborne is a bestselling author of many popular parenting and marriage books. Together they have written a wonderful book called A Perfect Pet for Peyton. The illustrations are done by Wilson Williams Jr. A Perfect Pet for Peyton is a story about 5 children who all have 5 different love languages. Peyton and his twin sister Penny are celebrating their birthday at The Perfect Pet Pal Emporium where Mr. Chapman, the owner, matches each child to their perfect pet. As you go through the book, the authors engage the reader by asking questions about the animals and having them point out each animal by it's proper name. They also put a small insect on each large picture for the child to find. My 3 year old, Bear, thought it was so much fun to look for the bugs. He would say "Ewww, I see one!"

When Penny and Peyton arrive at the Emporium they discover that they are having a birthday party with their friends. They all get to go home with a pet that Mr. Chapman will hand pick for them according to their love language. As the story progresses you get to see each child discover their love language and what it actually means. Peyton doesn't think that he will get a good pet so he decides he doesn't want to get one.

As Mr. Chapman starts explaining to each child their love language in detail, he also tells them what animal they get to take home as their pet. The 3 friends get their pets first and discover a lot about themselves. When it's time for Penny to get her pet, Mr. Chapman tells her that her love language is quality time and she gets to take home a cat named Horace. The cat likes to spend time with his owner. Peyton begins to think he really won't get a pet because Mr. Chapman hasn't announced his yet.

The children suddenly realize that a dog that had been helping Peyton was his pet. The dog's name is Alex and he is specially trained to help others. Peyton learns that his love language is acts of service. He likes to help others. The other love languages are words of affirmation (speaking kind words), gifts, and physical touch. Dr. Gary Chapman has written a book called The Five Love Languages of Children that can accompany this children's book. There is a quiz in the back of this book that you can give to your child orally to find out what their love language is. My 3 year old would not sit still long enough, so it is probably better to ask children a little older. You can also visit http://www.5lovelanguages.com/ to read more about this subject.


I recommend this book for every family. Children and adults will both love reading this sweet story over and over again.


About A Perfect Pet for Peyton: http://www.5lovelanguages.com/resource/a-perfect-pet-for-peyton/
5 Love Languages of Children: http://www.5lovelanguages.com/resource/the-five-love-languages-of-children/
The 5 Love Languages: http://www.5lovelanguages.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/5LoveLanguages
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/drgarychapman


God Bless,



Kristy



*I was given this book in exchange for my personal review. All opinions expressed here are solely my own.*

{Simon and the Easter Miracle}

Easter is right around the corner. It's just less than 2 weeks away. I love to celebrate this day because it is the day that Jesus defeated death and sin. It makes me so glad that He was willing to go through so much for me. Mary Joslin and Anna Luraschi have written a children's book about Simon. Simon is the man that the guards chose to help Jesus carry the cross to Calvary when He was too weak to get up. In this particular book, Simon is a farmer who is going to the market in the city to sell his goods. When he got to the city it was very busy that day and Simon thought he would have no problem selling all of his goods in no time.

As he was finding his way to a good spot to set up his stand he saw a crowd. He went to see what was going on and there was a man carrying a cross on his back. Simon stood back a bit because he did not want to get in the middle of the trouble. He wondered what this man had done to deserve such severe puninshment. Everyone was yelling and shouting to crucify the man with the cross. The prisoner fell to the ground and could not get back up. The guards yelled at Simon to help him carry the cross to the top of the hill.

Simon put down his goods and baskets in a place he thought was safe. He helped the man with the cross. Simon asked the prisoner what he had done to deserve such harsh punishment. The man said he was preaching the message of peace. Finally, they reached the top of the hill and Simon hurried away. He did want to see or hear anything else. When he got back to the spot where he left all of his belongings they were either all gone or broken to bits. He decided to just go home and count it a loss.

When he reached home he was glad that the next day was the Sabbath day, a day to rest. He went to do a few things on Sunday and noticed that his farm was being blessed by God because he saw doves in his olive grove.

I thought this book was good. I like the story line. What I do not understand is the part about it being an "Easter" book. There is no talk of Jesus' resurrection. The story simply ends with Simon being blessed. I suppose you could look at Simon's farm being blessed as the Easter miracle. I just wish the book would have talked more talked more about Jesus rising from the grave.


I recommend this book for families who want to add a family friendly book to their collection. I would however, recommend that an adult explain who the man carrying the cross is since Jesus' name is not mentioned at all. Other than that, it was a nice story.

God Bless,

Kristy


*I was given this book in exchange for my personal review. All opinions expressed here are my own.*

{Everything Romance}

Everything Romance is a book about love compiled by Todd Hafer and Rebecca Currington. Inside of the book you will find:

"Ways to engage your loved one with conversation starters for couples,

Fun and creative date and gift ideas for any budget,

Heartwarming love stories and poems,

Love busters and love boosters to add fun, zing, and zest,

Trivia about the history of love and romance,

Recipes to fan the heartflames."

-Quote from back of book

I really enjoyed reading and looking through this cute book. There are so many cute ideas for dates for your loved one. There's even a section called "What I Love About You". It a section that is fill-in-the-blank. You fill in what you love about your spouse. That was a lot of fun. I really liked all of the recipes as well. There are breakfast ideas such as the Berry Sweet Breakfast Parfaits For Two. Then, there are the snack ideas like the Hot And Spicy Guacamole. There are also dinner recipes such as the Perfect Pair Pizza Pita's. I would eat any of the recipes and the names are so cute too.

Included in the book are also prayers for your spouse. I loved that part of the book because we all need prayer and need to pray. We need to especially pray for our spouse's. They give you a list of all of the traditional wedding anniversary gifts by year. For instance, for your first wedding anniversary you traditionally give "paper". The examples they give you for ideas are: homemade card, photo, framed copy of your marriage certificate. I thought they were very neat ideas that I would try myself. I love to make homemade things. Bible verses about love are scattered throughout the book. It is a way to understand what God says about love.

The poems and quotes are truly sweet. I love poetry and I really love poetry about love. It makes my heart just melt because someone wrote that poem for a person they truly love. There are love letters dating back a hundred or more years to long, lost loved ones. They are very inspiring and it made me want to write a love letter to my husband. I really adored this book and will be using it for reference in the future. I recommend this book to couples young and old, engaged or married for a lifetime. It is a sweet, simple, lovely book about love.

God Bless,

Kristy

*This book was given to me for review. All opinions expressed here are solely my own.*  





{Life Promises For Couples by Gary Chapman}

My husband and I are constantly trying to connect spiritually. We have read many devotionals for couples and taken Bible studies together. We have learned a lot through most of them. Gary Chapman wrote this book to share God's promises for married couples. Gary Chapman wrote the bestseller The Five Love Languages that became very famous in the Christian realm. He is a pastor, counselor, and author who travels all over the U.S. speaking about marriage, family, and relationships. He really knows what he is talking about when it comes to marriage.

In Life Promises For Couples he really did an excellent job getting my husband and I to connect with God. Each little day of promises starts with a few scripture verses referring to that day's promise. Then, there is a 2-3 minute devotion. He speaks on patience, burdens, love, respect, strength, happiness, etc. I really enjoyed reading this little book. It encouraged me in my marriage and helped me to better understand how to have a better marriage according to the Bible. I recommend this book to married couples, old and new, and also those couples thinking of getting married. It would make a perfect engagement present or shower gift for the bride.

God Bless,


Kristy

*This book was given to me for review. All opinions expressed here are solely my own.*

{Straight to the Heart of Revelation by Phil Moore}

Straight to the Heart of Revelation does just that. It goes through the whole entire book of Revelation in the Bible. Phil Moore is from Wimbledon, London and leads a thriving church there. He graduated from Cambridge University and spent time in the mission field. For many years now he has studied the Hebrew and Greek scriptures and explains Revelation in a language we can understand today.

He has broken this book up into nine sections with each of those sections having anywhere from 2-9 sub-sections. They are all in the order that they appear in Revelation in the Bible. The main sections are:
1. The Vision of Jesus (Rev. 1)
2. The First Overview of AD History (Rev. 2-3)
3. The Vision of Heaven (Rev. 4-5)
4. The Second Overview of AD History (Rev. 6-7)
5. The Third Overview of AD History (Rev. 8-11)
6. The Fourth Overview of AD History (Rev. 12-14)
7. The Fifth Overview of AD History (Rev. 15-16)
8. The Sixth Overview of AD History (Rev. 17-20)
9. The Vision of the Age to Come (Rev. 21-22)

In the introduction to this book Phil Moore says this about Revelation: "The last book of the Bible is not primarily about weird beasts, strange allegories, or encoded detail about the final years of Planet Earth. It's a book which focuses on one great fact which trumps all others throughout the whole of AD history. It's a simple fact, but a fact which changes everything: God is on the Throne of the universe." (pg. 14).

I have listened to many sermons and read Revelation for myself. Honestly, it's a little scary if you don't know exactly what you are reading. This book helped me to better understand the history and background of the book of Revelation. You could actually use this book as a daily devotion or Bible study (using your Bible as your main resource).

Phil Moore really did a lot of extensive research and it is proven here. He explains things in terms that everyday people, such as myself, can understand. He doesn't leave you wondering what happened or why something happened. I recommend this book to new and "veteran" Christians alike. If you've never read Revelation it will be a guide to help you understand what is going on along the way without having to have too many other resources to search through. If, like me, you've read and studied it many times it will give you a more clear understanding of why and how God operates in Revelation.


God Bless,


Kristy

*This book was given to me for review. All opinions expressed here are solely my own.*

{Fierce Beauty By: Kim Meeder}

When I chose Fierce Beauty by Kim Meeder to review, I thought this was going to be a breeze. I thought I knew what beauty was. Kim Meeder really makes you dig deeper into your soul to find your true beauty. She starts off by talking about her parents and the fact that they were killed in a murder/suicide. She was then raised by her grandmother. Her stories are full of sadness. But, they are also filled with the hope of God's grace and forgiveness. Her life could be described by the world as tragic. Since she is a follower of Christ I would call it triumphant. She has overcome so many obstacles and challenges that God has shown her through all of these things who she really is. She is beautifully and wonderfully made just like every person on earth.

Beauty is not just skin deep. True beauty is in our hearts. It is how we love others, treat others, view others, and respond to every situation in our lives. Fierce Beauty is a book of stories from Kim Meeder's life. She overcame death, loneliness, self-pity, and many other problems. I have been through these same things. I know everyone has been through at least one of these things. This is a relatable book to just about everyone. It's not just for women, men can benefit from reading this book as well. Especially if they are surrounded by women.

"True beauty is not about how you look but how you live."

-Quote from the back of the book

At the beginning of the book Kim Meeder writes a dedication to her friend Jenni Reiling. As I read the words written there, I couldn't help but cry. Her friendship with Jenni was so strong. Jenni is with the Lord now, but went through so much pain and suffering before her death. She showed Kim what real beauty in a person looks like while going through cancer and chemo treatments. Jenni's faith in God never failed during that time and only shined brighter. I hope to be like that in my life. A light that shines so bright that it impacts others even when I am gone.


God Bless,


Kristy

*This book was given to me for review. All opinions expressed here are solely my own.*

{Moments of Truth by: John MacArthur}

Moments of Truth by John MacArthur is a true devotional. It is so inspirational and is simple to read (in a good way). I have read through this book and found out so many wonderful things I didn't know about myself before. It caused me to take a look at the life I am living and evaluate the situations as Jesus would. Each day you will open with a verse from the Bible. Next, there are 2-3 paragraphs of a story that goes along with the Bible verse. Some of these stories are personal and some come from various books in the Christian realm. At the end, there is a critical thinking question pertaining to the devotional for the day.


Each month is also divided into a different subject. For instance, January is "Beginnings", February is "Love", March is "The Cross and Easter", and my favorite, June is "Marriage". John MacArthur really does a great job with each of these special devotionals. You can tell he took a lot of time and prayer on each day so that you will focus on Christ to begin your day (if that's when you do your devotions).


"Day by day, MacArthur quotes Scripture and helps us apply it to our lives with eye-opening lessons and probing questions that are relevant to the season." (quote from back of book).


I would recommend this for anyone to do use. A family could even use this for "family devotions" after dinner each night. The reason I say that is because there is a question at the end of each day to get your mind thinking about what was read. Each family member could answer with their own personal twist. If family devotions isn't your thing, then do them privately. Listen to what God has to say to you. I am truly blessed to have had the opportunity to review this book.


God Bless,


Kristy

*This book was given to me by Booksneeze.com in exchange for my personal opinion. All opinions expressed here are solely my own.*

The Daniel Fast By: Susan Gregory

When I saw received The Daniel Fast by Susan Gregory to review I was excited. I have to say that I have never "fasted" before. So, I thought this book would be perfect to help me get a real grasp of what it means to fast and be closer to God. I thought the concept was great. When I started reading it, I found that the the theology was spot on. The problem that I had with it was the diet. I don't know about you, but I cannot afford to eat all of the expensive foods that are represented in this book. Don't get me wrong a lot of the ingredients are natural. Most of them are veggies and fruits. But some of them were strange. I had never even heard of some of them. The author takes you to the Middle East. I personally do not like Middle Eastern food very much. But, if you like that kind of food then this is the fast diet for you.

What I did like about the book was the concept and the fact that she does provide recipes to help you along your fasting journey. Susan Gregory also gives you tips on how to pray while fasting and what things to pray about. This is a 21-day plan to "feed your soul, strengthen you spirit, or renew your body." I could not personally try many of the recipes because I do not have the ingredients on-hand, but there are some that I already eat. Here are a few that I loves: apple pie oatmeal, home fried breakfast potatoes, berry banana smoothie, vegetable soup, fresh corn salad, etc. I think if you love veggies and have money to spend on the extra ingredients then this is perfect for you.

There are a few things you can't eat on this diet. They are meat, dairy products, sweeteners, leavened bread, refined and processed foods, deep-fried foods, solid fats, and non-water beverages. This presents a slight problem because we eat meat in my household and lots of milk. We also eat bread and I have to have my coffee in the mornings...haha. But it is not something that isn't obtainable. If I really tried and got into it, I could achieve a lot on this diet. I also feel like one could become much closer to God because it takes will power to give up your favorite foods. Instead of going for that cup of coffee in the mornings, grab a glass of water and pray about something that has been on your mind all week. What a great way to start your day and the New Year. I believe this is the perfect book to begin a New Year with a new attitude and commitment to God and praying. I recommend this book to someone who is thinking about fasting but doesn't know how to do it the healthy way without starving yourself.


God Bless,


Kristy

*This book was given to me for review. The opinions expressed here are solely my own.*

What is real masculinity and authentic femininity?

In today's society where gender roles are being reversed we need a clear, biblical view of our roles as men and women. In his book Secure Daughters, Confident Sons, Glenn T. Stanton opens our eyes to the proper way of leading our children to be healthy men and women of God. In America, there is so much confusion about gender and what it really means to be male or female. We have, as a culture, strayed away from God's design and are now reaping the consequences. Our young adults care more about pleasing themselves than God. In this book you will discover "what gender-appropriate behavior looks like at various ages", how to help your daughter become the woman God wants her to be, and how to help you son grow into confident manhood. You will also learn how we, as parents, influence out children's behaviors as male and female role models and what God's design for each gender really is.

I loved reading this book because I have two sons who will be influenced by secular society more than I want them to. There are distinct differences in men and women and the author brings those to life. He explains how our differences draw us to each other instead of separating us further. I need to know how to raise them to be confident men who are strong in their faith and beliefs. My husband and I want our sons to become real men. Men who aren't afraid of what the world thinks of them. This book gave me a clear understanding of what God expects of me as a parent to teach my children about growing into a God-fearing adult.

We do not have any daughters at the moment, but this book teaches us to let our girls be girls. Let them feel pretty, feminine, play with dolls, and pretend to be mommies. Mr. Stanton also touches on the subject of modesty. This is something that is close to my heart because I have been convicted of this in the last few years.

There is so much information and insight that I cannot even scratch the surface of all that is covered. I can, however, recommend this book to anyone who has young children (although it's never too late) and couples thinking about starting a family. This is a good starting point on how to raise children to have authentic masculinity and femininity.

God Bless,


Kristy

*I was given this book for free by Waterbrook Multnomah in exchange for my personal review. I recieved no other compensation.*

~Smitten~

Love is on the way in Smitten, Vermont. Four women collaborated to write this novel about love and finding romance. Colleen Coble, Kristin Billerbeck, Diann Hunt, and Denise Hunter. The book is broken up into four parts and each part coordinates with one of the main characters in the novel. Each of the main characters is based off of one of the four authors. The parts are: Natalie: Birthday Wishes, Julia: Small Town, Big Dreams, Shelby: You've Got a Friend, and Reese: All Along.

I really enjoyed reading this book because it was like having four different books in one. None of the women are looking for love. They are all friends who want to bring more business to their small town of Smitten, Vermont. They decide to start a bed and breakfast for couples. During their journey of opening a new business they wind up falling in love with the man of their dreams.

I recommend reading this book to anyone who likes faith-based, fiction love stories. It is refreshing to have a good love story to read that isn't filthy or dirty. I give this book two thumbs up.


God Bless,


Kristy


*This book was given to me to review. All opinions expressed here are strictly my own.*

Cooper and Me and the Winter Adventure

Cooper and Me and the Winter Adventure is written by Monique and Alexa Peters and illustrated by Alexa Peters and Melissa Peterson. I loved reading this cute chidren's book about two friends getting lost and finding their way back home. Believe it or not Alexa Peters is only 12 years old. Her mother Monique helps her write these wonderful books that help children develope emotional skills and well as entertaining them. There are about 4 different Cooper and Me books including this one. Please check out their webiste HERE.

My 3 year old, Bear, and I read this book and he loved it. It kept his attention and the pictures were very colorful. He kept pointing to the dogs (Cooper and Bella) and describing what was going on in the pictures. It is very well written and illustrated. The lesson in the story is to not give up when you are lost. Keep looking for home and ask for help. If help is ever asked of you, offer it freely because it is the right thing to do.

I would defintely recommend any of these books to you and your family. They would make an excellent addition to any bookshelf. I plan to collect all of them for my little ones since they enjoyed them so much. Bear kept asking after we read it a few times when we could read it again. I told him we could read it again at bedtime. When my husband got home from work, Bear took him to the book and said "Look, Daddy! It's my new favorite book!".

Here are a few more ways to connect with Cooper and Me:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cooper-and-Me-Inc/214695101924101

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/cooper_and_me

*Please note that $1 of every Winter Adventure book sold will go to advance research & treatment of pancreatic cancer, via the Lustgarten Foundation (http://www.lustgarten.org/).

*Also, our friends at Cooper & Me is offering an EXCLUSIVE DEAL FOR YOU:

Make any purchase of $25 or more at CooperandMe.com and get FREE SHIPPING now through December 15.

 *USE THIS CODE @ Check Out: COOPERBLOG

God Bless,

Kristy


* “Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or
services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it
on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally
and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance
with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the
Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”*

His Mighty Warrior by: Sheri Rose Shepherd

What a wonderful book filled with treasures for my two little boys. His Mighty Warrior by Sheri Rose Shepherd is by far one of the most amazing books I have ever read. It inspired me so much to prepare my boys for becoming mighty men for God's kingdom. "A Treasure Map from Your King" (quote from the cover of the book). A treasure is exactly what it is. This book is set up as letters from God to your young warriors. The author actually labels each chapter as "Letters from the King". Each chapter/day is about 2 pages long. So, it won't take too long and it will hold children's attention.

Each chapter/day starts out with a letter from God to your little ones. They even start with "My Son,..." and go into the letter part. I just adored this little book. It really got me excited to teach my boys about God and what His plans are for them. They are still very small, but if I start early they will know what is expected of them in God's kingdom. At the end of each letter it is signed "Love, Your King" or "Love, Your God". There are many different names for God and you will learn many of them here. There is also a Bible verse for each chapter/day that goes along with the letter from God. At the end, there is a prayer that your little guys can say to God.

The illustrations were so well done. The whole book is done in a pirate/treasure map style. I truly loved the layout of the book and only dreamed that such a book existed. Here are the names some of the "Letters From The King":
-Chosen by the King
-A Plan and a Purpose
-Respect the Rules
-Honor Others
-Take the Lead
-Love Your Family
-Obey Your Parents
-Real Treasures in Heaven

I cannot say it enough. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this book. I think it would make a great gift for a family with boys. Sheri Rose Shepherd has also written a book similar to His Mighty Warrior for girls called His Little Princess. She has also written a book for parents to read about preparing your boys for one day having a wife. It is called Preparing Him for the Other Woman. I think I will be picking up copies of all of her books to add to my collection. Even though I currently do not have any daughters, I do have several nieces that would benefit greatly from this sort of book.


God Bless,


Kristy


* I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review. All opinions expressed here are my own.*

21-Day Dad's Challenge By: Carey Casey

 

 

 

In our society, we are programmed from a young age to think our parents are stupid. We see it on TV, in supermarkets, in our own homes. Father's have become totally insignificant to families. Mother's become the head of the household and children have become very unruly. In his book The 21-Day Dad's Challenge, Carey Casey gives father's the chance to make their role as head of the household and father more significant. Men will have a better relationship with their children. They will be looked up to instead of looked down upon.

Mr. Casey asked several famous and popular men to write a devotional for each day. Some of the contributors include: Tony Dungy, Randy Alcorn, Jim Daly, Dr. Gary Rosberg, and more. No matter how many children you have and what ages they are you will learn to connect with them on a Godly level. It only takes 21 days to complete this book. That's not even a month. I think our men and father's need to pick this book up and give it a try. What can it hurt? It can only better your relationship with your kids and strengthen the bond between father and child.

Each day begins with a personal story from each of the contributors about their relationship with their children or a funny event that has occured in their family. Then comes the "challenge" part. This is why it's called The 21-Day Dad's Challenge. The author asks the reader to try something new with their kids. Some of the suggestions may be fun and some may be serious. Some of them may take more thought and others are a no-brainer. After the challenge section, there is the "your plan" section. This is the part that may require some really deep thinking. Mr. Casey wants each reader to come up with personal goals as a father. At the end of each devotion, there is a paragraph about each of the contributors (depending on which one wrote that day's devotion).

One really neat aspect of this book that I have never seen before is the use of barcodes. I personally do not own a "smartphone". But my husband does and he thought this part of the book was exceptional, especially using technology to better your relationship with your little ones (or big ones). If you have a smartphone you download an app that can scan barcodes. Throughout the book there are pages with one of these barcodes on it that will give you a video to encourage and help you with that day's challenge. If you do not have a smartphone (like me) you can go to the website that is next to each barcode and it will give you the same video. I really liked this feature because a lot of dad's are on-the-go or at work and they can easily use their phones to watch a quick video to encourage them that day.

I would recommend this book to every dad wanting to have a better relationship with their kids. Who doesn't want that? This would make a great Christmas gift or stocking stuffer for and father. Father's are the foundation of the family (besides God). Without dad's, many families just aren't the same and I have seen it first-hand. Take the time to pick this up for a loved one that could benefit from reading this book and challenging themselves in the parenting department.

God Bless,

Kristy

*This book was given to me by Tyndale House Publishers for my honest review. All opinions stated here are my own.*

{A Year With Jesus} by: R. P. Nettelhorst

{Book Review}

A Year With Jesus is a one year devotional filled with daily readings and reflections on Jesus' own words. The layout is very easy to read. It only takes about 10 minutes to read each day's devotional. It begins with verses from the bible and then Mr. Nettelhorst reflects on what was read. He makes you really think about Jesus' words and what He really meant by His teachings. Jesus only had 3 years to spread His message so every word He uttered had to count for something great.

This book is wonderful and something I will keep on my shelf for a long time. I learned a lot about the things Jesus said and some history behind some of the places He visited.

"A Year With Jesus is an unforgettable 365-day revelation of Jesus' love through his actual words, plus reflections and insights to encourage and inspire you." (Quote from the back of the book).

It will encourage you and keep you focused on our purpose here on earth. Some of the sections really hit home with me. Here is a list of some of the subjects covered in this devotional:

• Best Friends Forever
• What Is A Woman Worth?
• Love's Response
• When Hate Becomes Love
• Unpardonable Sin
• The Afterlife
• What Counts
• He Is Coming
• Who's The Boss?
• A Soul's Price
• Babies
• Satan's Home
• How Little Is Little?
• Poor And Happy
• Signs And Wonders
• House Of Prayer

Please check out this amazing book filled with Jesus' love and wonderment. It is surprising to me still that when I am going through something hard in life, God allows me to find just what I need in His word. You will find that in this book as well.

God Bless,

Kristy