Praying the Scriptures for Your Adult Children by Jodie Berndt

As parents of adult children, we often wonder: Will my children make good choices when they’re on their own? How can I let them go when I’ve held them for so long?

Parent and author Jodie Berndt understands what it’s like to release children into the world and still care deeply about them and everything they will face in life from relationships to career decisions and everything in between. In Praying the Scriptures for Your Adult Children, Jodie continues her Praying the Scriptures series with biblical prayers for your adult children, whether they are just leaving the nest, flying well on their own, or struggling to take off at all.

Each section focuses on a different aspect of adulthood, with encouraging stories from experienced parents who are praying their children through rocky marriages, health concerns, financial challenges and other real-life issues. At the end of each chapter, you’ll find personalized prayers for your children taken straight from Scripture. Each chapter also includes verses for you to pray for yourself as you take the challenging step of trusting God to care for your children in ways that you can’t.

With grace and wisdom, Jodie addresses cultural trends such as couples living together before marriage and young adults leaving the church, as well as the painful realities of loneliness, addiction, and mental health issues. With hope-filled words for the parents of the prodigal, she is particularly sensitive to the long-term prayers we offer, even as we doubt ourselves and grieve over our children’s choices.

Whatever you are praying for, you will find confidence and peace in these powerful prayers for your kids. Praying the Scriptures for Your Adult Children guides you to the bedrock of God’s promises as you release your children to God’s shepherding care. 

My Take:  I am always looking for resources on how better to pray for my Adult children and my grandchildren.  this book is great as each chapter takes a concern that we have for our children like jobs or marriages and gives us suggestions on scripture that we can use to pray for our children in that area. I would highly recommend this book.

I received a review copy of this book from Handlebar in exchange for my honest opinion.  

In the Middle of the Mess by Sheila Walsh

How do you turn your struggles into strengths? Beloved Bible teacher Sheila Walsh teaches readers how the daily spiritual practices of confession, meditation on God’s Word, and prayer result in fresh freedom in Christ.

In her long-awaited new book, Sheila Walsh equips women with a practical method for connecting with God’s strength in the midst of struggle. From daily frustrations that can feel like overwhelming obstacles to hard challenges that turn into rock-bottom crises, women will find the means to equip themselves for standing strong with God. Using the spiritual applications of confession, prayer, and meditation on Scripture to form a daily connection to Jesus, women will learn how to experience new joy as a child of God who is fully known, fully loved, and fully accepted.

In In the Middle of the Mess, Walsh reveals the hardened defenses that kept her from allowing God into her deepest hurts and shares how entering into a safe place with God and practicing this daily connection with him have saved her from the devil’s prowling attacks. Though we will never be completely “fixed” on earth, we are continually held by Jesus, whatever our circumstances. 

My Take:  I found this book very encouraging and very helpful.  Although I do not suffer from mental illness except for occasional depression because of my several other chronic illnesses I found that illness is illness and problems are problems even though we as humans seem to place more significance on certain ones over others.  Christians especially even though we are suppose to be more forgiving than others have a tendency to be less tolerant of mental illness as we tend to think if we truly believed you would not have problems in this area.  I thought that Shelia Walsh was very brave to come forward and talk this openly about her issues.  I found it very helpful for myself.  I would recommend this book if you are having a hard time just with life in general.  

I received a review copy of this book from Handlebar in exchange for my honest opinion.  

The Sacred Slow by Alicia Britt Chole

If yesterday’s word was “simple,” tomorrow’s word will be “slow.”

Our culture is shifting from fast food to health food both physically and spiritually. Self-care, soul-care, life coaches, and spiritual retreats all show our dissatisfaction in quick fixes and fast faith. The Sacred Slow is an invitation to unhurried honesty before God. Formatted as 52 experiences, The Sacred Slow reminds readers on every page that God never wanted to use them: He always wanted to love them.

Experienced devotionally or in small groups, each chapter features a short but unexpected reading and two options for application: a thought focus or a heart exercise. The content is the overflow of Dr. Alicia Britt Chole’s thirty+ years as a spiritual mentor to leaders and learners. The tone is personal, practical, and penetrating. The fruit is sustainable (as opposed to event-based) intimacy with God.

My Take:  In today's world of fast everything and instant gratification this book is about slowing down and taking the time to really developing your relationship with Jesus.  This book is perfect to take one chapter a week for a whole year and really working on that particular weeks topic and putting in the work. Each week is meant to bring you closer to Jesus and to take your spiritual walk to the next level.  I would recommend if you are seeking to grow closer to Jesus.

I received a review copy from Handlebar in exchange for my honest opinion.  

Ordering Your Private World by Gordon MacDonald

 

My take:  This book didn't come in time for me to participate in the blog tour given by Handlebar but I wanted to read it anyway.  The main focus in this book is to make sure that we as Christians are focusing on the inner (devotions, reading the Bible, Praying, slowing down , taking time to be quiet) instead of only looking on the outward (appearance, busyness, success,  world).  I became disabled a few years back and even when I can't get around as easily as I use to I still was focused on the busy, going to Dr. appointments, doing therapy and going to Physical therapy.  Even when you would think I would have had the right time and place I still needed to be reminded to slow down and take time for the more important things instead of the immediate.  I plan on reading this often just to make sure my life is in the right order.

I received a review copy of this book from Handlebar Publicity in exchange for my honest opinion.

You Carried Me by Melissa Ohden

From Goodreads.com : Melissa Ohden is fourteen when she learns she is the survivor of a botched abortion. In this intimate memoir she details for the first time her search for her biological parents, and her own journey from anger and shame to faith and empowerment. 
After a decade-long search Melissa finally locates her birth father and writes to extend forgiveness, only to learn that he has died without answering her burning questions. Melissa becomes a mother herself in the very hospital where she was aborted. This experience transforms her attitude toward women who have had abortions, as does the miscarriage of her only son and the birth of a second daughter with complex health issues. But could anything prepare her for the day she finally meets her birth mother and hears her side of their story?
This intensely personal story of love and redemption illumines the powerful bond between mother and child that can overcome all odds. 

My Take:  I read this book with interest.  I was interested in how she found her birth mother and how she went about meeting her.  I felt very sorry for both her and her birth mother when she found out how she was a survivor of abortion.  I was interested in her faith journey and  why she went from being Methodist to converting to a Catholic.  

I received a review copy of this book from Handlebar in exchange for my honest opinion. 

A Plain Disappearance by Amanda Flower

A Plain Disappearance by Amanda Flower

From Goodreads.com
USA Today recently hailed award-nominated author Amanda Flower for A Plain Death, calling it “the first Amish rom-com . . . bring on the next one!” As the enthusiastic reviews continue to mount, she’s back with her third Appleseed Creek mystery, A Plain Disappearance.

It’s Christmastime in Amish Country, and Chloe Humphrey has begun settling into her life in Appleseed Creek excited to see where her new relationship with Timothy Troyer will lead. Unfortunately it leads to murder when the couple discovers the body of Amish teenager Katie Lambright while on their first date.

Near the scene there is evidence that Timothy’s friend and auto mechanic Billy Thorpe is involved with the crime. The police reveal Billy is not really who he said he was and has been living the last decade in Knox County under a stolen alias. Now, Chloe and Timothy must find Billy, bring him to justice, or prove his innocence.

My Take:  Anyone who has read my blog for any amount of time can plainly see that I like Amish Fiction.  I also like cozy mysteries and when you can combine the two genres then in my book you have a real winner. This Book is the third in the Appleseed Creek series and it keeps you guessing from the very beginning to the very end.  It has what I enjoy about both of the genres.  The Simple life that the Amish live but they still must deal with the problems of life and the mystery of cozies.  Even though this is the third in the series you can read it without reading the others but if you are like me you will going back to catch up on what happened in the other books.  

I received a review copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion from Handlebar .  

The Point: The Redemption of Oban Ironbout by William E. Jefferson

The Point: The Redemption of Oban Ironbout by William E. Jefferson

From Goodreads.com
 Searchig for peace and inspiration, Hollie and Goodwin Macbreeze travel to the Isle of Estillyen - a distant harbor known for bringing ancient words of worth to the present. Their lives become unexpectedly and inseparably intertwined with the reclusive Oban Ironbout - and a mystery from the past that will transform them all.

It is a tale of pain ... and redemption.

My Take:  This is definitely a thinking book. If you are looking for a book that you will zip right through then this is not the book for you.  But if you like books that make you stop and contemplate then this is right up your alley.  Unfortunately I was not interested in a deep book at this time.  I  will be revisiting this book when I am more in the mood for this type of book.  This is not a bad book so don't get me wrong.  But for me I was not into it.  The story was interesting but I felt like I was forcing myself to read it and I just hate that.  

I received a review copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion from Handelbar . 

Invisible by Ginny Ytrrup

 
 Invisible by Ginny L. Yttrup

 From Goodreads.com
Ellyn DeMoss -- chef, café owner, and lover of butter -- is hiding behind her extra weight. But what is she hiding? While Ellyn sees the good in others, she has only condemnation for herself. So when a handsome widower claims he’s attracted to Ellyn, she’s certain there’s something wrong with him. Sabina Jackson -- tall, slender, and exotic -- left her husband, young adult daughters, and a thriving counseling practice to spend a year in Northern California where she says she’s come to heal. But it seems to Ellyn that Sabina’s doing more hiding than healing. What’s she hiding from? Is it God? Twila Boaz has come out of hiding and is working to gain back the pounds she lost when her only goal was to disappear. When her eating disorder is triggered again, though she longs to hide, she instead follows God and fights for her own survival. But will she succeed? As these women’s lives intertwine, their eyes open to the glory within each of them as they begin to recognize themselves as being created in God’s image. 

My Take:
What a great book to make you stop and think about your worth in God's eyes, which is what should matter most, not what the world thinks.  I am sure that we have all felt Invisible at times or have wanted to be Invisible.  God wants us to be the best we can be.  That is what this book is about  coming away from the things that are making us unhappy and trying to break through and become visible.  Each character in this book has a situation that they must overcome.  

I liked this book and liked the fact that it made me think. 

I received a review copy of this book from Handlebar in exchange for my opinion.