Friday, May 25, 2012

Hurry Less, Worry Less for Moms by Judy Christie

Judy Christie
ABOUT JUDY CHRISTIE
Author Judy Christie loves to help busy people slow down and enjoy each day more – in her series of novels about Green, Louisiana, and her Hurry Less Worry Less nonfiction books. Judy started her writing career as the editor of The Barret Banner in elementary school and has kept a journal since she was nine (and still has all of them). She likes wandering around flea markets, walking in the park near her North Louisiana home and visiting friends and family on her vintage green Kitchen Couch. Her most recent books are “Downtown Green,” fifth in the Green series, and “Hurry Less Worry Less for Moms.”
For Judy’s free tips on how busy moms can hurry less and worry less, listen to her weekly podcast: http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/hurry-less-worry-less/id435253514.
You can visit her website at www.judychristie.com.
Hurry Less Worry Less for Moms
 ABOUT HURRY LESS WORRY LESS FOR MOMS
Busy moms know the feeling. They’re constantly trying to fit everything – work, laundry, family fun, shuttle service, you name it – into 24-hours. They want to enjoy each day with their family but sometimes feel like they’re in quicksand and don’t know how to get started on a new path.
Author Judy Christie offers hope, inspiration, practical ideas and reminders of how important it is to step back and take a fresh look at your life in Hurry Less, Worry Less for Moms. The book includes a study guide for group or individual use.
Take a deep breath and refresh your life or that of a busy mom you know with chapters such as: A Map for Mom: Being the person you are meant to be; Organization versus Procrastination; Prayerful Not Fretful; and Making Choices, Facing Changes.
My Take:

Although I am near the end of my time as a mother with children that I am responsible for (I have two adult children and one 17 year old) I was still able to gather a lot of wisdom out of this short book.  Each chapter gives you tips from other busy moms on various subjects.  The chapters are packed with helpful scriptures to keep you on the right track.  The chapters end with a prayer that relates to the subject of that chapter.  This would be a wonderful book for mothers who just need a little encouragement that what you are doing is right and encourage them that  the world won't fall apart if you just slow down a bit.  Take it from an old pro it is ok to say no and not be involved with everything that comes along.  Your children may just thank you. 

I recieved a copy of this book for review purposes. 

Thursday, May 24, 2012

God's Wisdom for Your Marriage by Jack Countryman Book Spotlight

God's Wisdom for Your Marriage
God's Wisdom for Your Marriage by Jack Countryman

From Amazon.com

Make your marriage the best it can be by putting God at the center.
Marriage is a beautiful blessing when husband and wife remain under God's umbrella of wisdom and guidance. He holds answers to every challenge, healing for every hurt, provision for every need, and is the source for every joy. God's Wisdom® for Your Marriage has been created to emphasize togetherness-not just with each other, but with Him-in all aspects of your relationship. Topics such as God's Plan, God's Guidance, God's Provision, and more, highlight the importance of caring and sharing together as an absolute way of life so your marriage will remain steadfast for a lifetime.

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Arms of Love by Kelly Long Book spotlight

Arms Of Love (An Amish Beginnings Novel)

Arms of Love by Kelly Long

From Goodreads.com

The year is 1777. America is in turmoil. And Amish life is far different than today.

Pennsylvania in the late 18th century, once called William Penn's Woods, was an assortment of different faiths living together for the first time in American history. Included in this tapestry was a small and struggling population called Amish.

Surrounding this peaceful people were unavoidable threats: both Patriots and the British were pillaging land and goods for the sake of the war, young Amishmen were leaving the faith to take up arms and defend freedom. A simple walk in the untamed forests could result in death, if not from bullet or arrow, then from an encounter with a wild animal.

Amid this time of tumult, Adam Wyse is fighting a personal battle. To possibly join the war efforts and leave his faith, which would mean walking away from the only woman he's ever loved: Lena Yoder. But for that love he's made a promise that may keep them apart permanently.

When Adam withdraws from Lena, she's forced to turn to his brother, Isaac, for support. Must Lena deny her heart's desire to save Adam's soul? And will life in this feral and primitive New World be more than this peace-keeping people can withstand?

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

A Heart Like His by Beth Moore Book Spotlight

A Heart Like His

A Heart Like His by Beth Moore

From goodreads.com

He was a man loved and annointed by God, and his life serves as an example-both good and bad-for Christians in every time and place. In this in-depth look at the life of David, Beth Moore draws spiritual insight and understanding from a man who slayed a giant and saved a kingdom.
This book guides readers on an exciting and informative journey through virtually every twist and turn of David's life as a shepherd, refugee, and king. Moore introduces readers to the heart of a man whose triumphs and sins were foundation blocks of God's plan and prophecy and shows readers how to better serve God by understanding their own unique relationship to Him.

Monday, May 21, 2012

Reckless Heart by Amy Clipson Book Spotlight

Reckless Heart
Reckless Heart by Amy Clipston

Frm Goodreads.com

View the full version of this book online

         

Slipping. Lydia Bontrager's youngest sister is frighteningly ill, and as a good Amish daughter, it falls to Lydia to care for her siblings and keep the household running, in addition to working as a teacher's assistant and helping part time at her grandmother's bakery. Succumbing to stress, Lydia gives in to one wild night and returns home drunk. The secret of that mistake leaves Lydia feeling even more restless and confused, especially when Joshua, the only boy she's ever loved, becomes increasingly distant. When a non-Amish boy moves in nearby, Lydia finds someone who understands her, but the community is convinced Lydia is becoming too reckless. With the pressures at home and her sister's worsening condition, a splintering relationship with Joshua, and her own growing questions over what is right, Lydia could lose everything that she's ever held close.

Saturday, May 12, 2012

My Stubborn Heart by Becky Wade

Enter Today - 5/7-5/24! Win a Nook Simple Touch™ with GlowLight™ in Becky Wade's My Stubborn Heart Giveaway and RSVP for FB Party {5/24}! Celebrate with Becky by entering her My Stubborn Heart Giveaway and connecting with her during the Author Chat Party on 5/24!


One fortunate winner will receive:
  • A Brand New Nook Simple Touch™ with GlowLight™
  • A $25 Barnes & Noble Gift Certificate
  • A copy of My Stubborn Heart by Becky Wade
Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends at noon on May 24th. Winner will be announced at the "My Stubborn Heart" Author Chat Facebook Party on 5/24. Becky will be hosting an book chat, testing your trivia skills and giving away some great prizes!

So grab your copy of My Stubborn Heart and join Becky on the evening of the May 24th for a chance to meet Becky and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book - don't let that stop you from coming!)

Enter via E-mail Enter via Facebook Enter via Twitter

Don't miss a moment of the fun. RSVP today and tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 24th!
About the book: My Stubborn Heart | Becky Wade Kate Donovan is burned out on work, worn down by her dating relationships, and in need of an adventure. When her grandmother asks her to accompany her to Redbud, Pennsylvania, to restore the grand old house she grew up in, Kate jumps at the chance. Upon her arrival in Redbud, Kate meets Matt Jarreau, the man hired to renovate the house. Kate can't help being attracted to him, drawn by both his good looks and something else she can't quite put her finger on. He's clearly wounded--hiding from people, from God, and from his past. Yet Kate sets her stubborn heart on bringing him out of the dark and back into the light...whether he likes it or not. When the stilted, uncomfortable interactions between Kate and Matt slowly shift into something more, is God finally answering the longing of her heart? Or will Kate be required to give up more than she ever dreamed? About Becky: During her childhood in California, Becky frequently produced homemade plays starring her sisters, friends, and cousins. These plays almost always featured a heroine, a prince, and a love story with a happy ending. She's been a fan of all things romantic ever since. Becky and her husband lived overseas in the Caribbean and Australia before settling in Dallas, Texas. It was during her years abroad that Becky's passion for reading turned into a passion for writing. She published three historical romances with Avon Books, then put her career on hold for several years to care for her kids, then recently returned to writing sheerly for the love of it. She felt led to move to the genre of contemporary Christian romance and couldn't be more thrilled with it. These days Becky can be found failing but trying to keep up with her housework, sweating at the gym, carting her kids around town, playing tennis, hunched over her computer, eating chocolate, or collapsed on the sofa watching TV with her husband. Learn more at: www.BeckyWade.com My Take: This was a nice change of pace. The Lead character is an older woman who is questioning whether God intends for her to marry or not. So much emphasis these days in Christian circles are on getting married and having a family. I see my oldest daugther struggling with this. Anyway back to the story. Kate agrees to help her grandmother to get the old family estate renovated. She then meets the contractor that they have hired and feels like he is carrying around a bunch of sadness and has shut himself off. She feels the need to bring him back. I loved the interaction between the younger generaton and the older generation. I will admit that some of the phraseology took me aback abit, as this is a Christian book. Other than that I enjoyed this book. I will be looking for other books by Becky Wade in the future.

Monday, May 7, 2012

Beyond Hope's Valley by Tricia Goyer review and Contest

Enter Today - 5/2-5/20! Celebrate with Tricia and enter to win a custom-made Amish Wall hanging in the colors of your choice ... and much more!


One fortunate winner will receive: 
  •  Custom Amish Wall Hanging {You choose the colors!} 
  • An Amish Doll {Sweet.} 
  • Amish-made basket {It’s picnic season!} 
  • Doilies, potholder and an Amish cookbook {All items form Bird-in-Hand, PA!} 
  • Three book Big Sky Amish series {Be swept away by this captivating series.} 

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on May 20th. Winner will be announced at "All Things Amish" Author Chat Facebook Party on 5/21. Tricia will be hosting an author chat (on Facebook and Live from her website) and giving away books, gift certificates and more! 

So grab your copy of Beyond Hope's Valley and join Tricia on the evening of the May 21st for a fun chat, trivia contest (How much do you know about the Amish?) and lots of giveaways. (If you haven't read the book - don't let that stop you from coming!)
Enter via E-mail Enter via Facebook Enter via Twitter

Don't miss a moment of the fun. RSVP today and tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 21st!
About the book: Beyond Hope's Valley – Book Three in the Big Sky series After an extended stay in Montana, where Amish traditions are different than in her home state, Marianna Sommer returns to Indiana for two reasons, first to help her brother and his girlfriend prepare for a baby and their wedding. Second, to plan her own wedding to Aaron Zook -- a marriage she’s been dreaming about ever since childhood. And yet, although she had missed the idyllic farms and families of her upbringing, Marianna is surprised that Indiana is somehow making her long now for Montana. As months pass, secrets that were hidden in winter’s frozen grasp thaw and take on a life of their own. The truths about a child, about a past relationship, and about God’s plans are being revealed. Walking through a valley of questions, Marianna must hold on to hope as she decides where and with whom her heart truly belongs. About Tricia: Tricia Goyer is the award winning author of thirty-two books including Beside Still Waters, Remembering You, and the mommy memoir, Blue Like Play Dough. Tricia is a regular speaker at conventions and conferences and is the host of Living Inspired. She and her family make their home in Little Rock, Arkansas where they are part of the ministry of FamilyLife. More info: Living Inspired and www.triciagoyer.com. Link to buy the book: http://ow.ly/azust To see what others think of this book go here to follow the tour. My Take: I have read the other books in this series and really enjoyed them. It was interesting to see Marianna return to Indiana and how she felt considering how she felt when she first moved to Montana. All I can say that for living such simple lives the Amish do find themselves in some pretty difficult circumstances sometimes (in these types of books anyway). I think that if you enjoy Amish fiction you will enjoy this book. You don't need to read the first two books to enjoy this one but I think you will want to see how the story starts out. The whole series has been enjoyable and I have liked this series better than some I have read. I received a review copy from Litfuse in exchange for an honest review.

Saturday, May 5, 2012

A Commentary on the Psalms, Volume 1: 1-41

From Goodreads.com

For thousands of years, the Book of Psalms has been one of God's people's richest resources for expression of worship and development of the spiritual life. At the same time it is one of the more complex and challenging sections of the Bible for expositors. Pastors, teachers, and all serious students of the Bible will find this commentary invaluable for developing their understanding of the Psalms and for improving their ability to expound it with precision and depth.
For each psalm, Dr. Allen Ross guides the reader through a detailed exegetical outline, proposes a homiletical outline, and offers a summary expository idea of the message of the whole psalm.
The commentary includes discussion throughout of three primary challenges to understanding the Psalms: Textual issues: Every major textual difficulty is addressed in order to help the expositor understand the interpretive issues and make decisions when there are multiple available readings.Poetic language: The Psalms are full of poetic imagery, devices and structures. Ross discusses this "language" of Hebrew poetry in its context with each psalm, specifying the precise devices being used and how they work in the psalm.The Psalms' Hebrew grammar and syntax pose a challenge to many expositors, whether they are familiar with Hebrew or not. This commentary illuminates Hebrew constructions word meanings in a way that is helpful both to readers who are comfortable with Hebrew and those who are not.

My Take:  I am always looking for tools to help me to understand the Bible better when I am reading it so I was excited when I was offered this book for review.  This is a very comprehensive book that digs deep into the first 41 Psalms.  The author presents both Greek and Hebrew words and gives you the different meanings so you can have a better grasp of the meaning of the words.  I like the way the other has taken the way of exposition as that is my favorite way of studying the Bible. don't let the size of this volume put you off.  It is very much worth the reading if you gain just a bit of better understanding of the Psalms.  Highly recommended for anyone wanting to understand the Psalms. 
I received a review copy for my honest review.

Friday, May 4, 2012

Need You Now by Beth Wiseman

Need You Now

Need You Now by Beth Wiseman

From Goodreads.com
        
""A ground-breaking contemporary marriage story by best-selling author Beth Wiseman that will stay on your heart long after you've finished it." --Kelly Long, best-selling author of "The Arms of Love
When big-city life threatens the safety of one of their children, Brad and Darlene Henderson move with their three teenagers from Houston to the tiny town of Round Top, Texas.
Adjusting to small-town life is difficult for the kids, especially fifteen-year-old Grace who is coping in a dangerous way.
Married life hasn't always been bliss, but their strong faith has carried them through the difficult times. When Darlene takes a job outside the home for the first time in their marriage, the domestic tension rises.
While working with special needs children at her new job, the widowed father of one of Darlene's students starts paying more attention to her than is appropriate. Problem is, she feels like someone is listening to her for the first time in a long time. If Darlene ever needed God . . . it's now.
"Experience a family's triumphant defeat over lies, betrayal, and loss while still clinging to the One who matters most. "

My Take: To be perfectly honest I haven't quite finished this book yet but I am well on my way.  From the opening scene this book grabs you straight out of the gate and doesn't let go.  I can relate a bit to some of what the book talks about with moving from the city to the country (more like the suburb to the country for me) The way that friends can influence you children (usually for the bad it seems)  the need for something more in your life to feel like you are living a life that is worth something.  It shows what happens when you let your guard down just a bit when we need to stay vigilant for our sakes, our spouses sakes and our children's sakes.  I can't wait to find out what else is going to happen within the pages of this book. 

Please see the following post for a movie trailer and a first chapter peak of this book.

I received a review copy for my honest review.


Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Win an Amish Prize Pack

Win a Custom Amish Prize Pack! Enter Today - 5/2-5/20! Win a Custom Amish Prize Pack from @TriciaGoyer in her Beyond Hope's Valley Giveaway! RSVP for All Things Amish Party {5/21}! Celebrate with Tricia and enter to win a custom-made Amish Wall hanging in the colors of your choice ... and much more!


One fortunate winner will receive: 
  •  Custom Amish Wall Hanging {You choose the colors!} 
  • An Amish Doll {Sweet.} 
  • Amish-made basket {It’s picnic season!} 
  • Doilies, potholder and an Amish cookbook {All items form Bird-in-Hand, PA!} 
  • Three book Big Sky Amish series {Be swept away by this captivating series.} 

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on May 20th. Winner will be announced at "All Things Amish" Author Chat Facebook Party on 5/21. Tricia will be hosting an author chat (on Facebook and Live from her website) and giving away books, gift certificates and more! 

So grab your copy of Beyond Hope's Valley and join Tricia on the evening of the May 21st for a fun chat, trivia contest (How much do you know about the Amish?) and lots of giveaways. (If you haven't read the book - don't let that stop you from coming!)
Enter via E-mail Enter via Facebook Enter via Twitter

Don't miss a moment of the fun. RSVP today and tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 21st!