Balanced: Finding Center as a Work-at-Home Mom -- a Litfuse review

Balanced is a book that comes straight from a mom who juggles six children, a husband, and a writing career, as well as church duties and support groups. Tricia Goyer, author of some wonderful non-fiction and Christian novels (contemporary, historical, and Amish to name a few), has written this book as a help for other work at home moms (WAHMs). However, you don't have to have a WAHM paying career to appreciate this book. If you're a stay at home mom raising your kids, this will benefit you.

This book will help you organize your busy schedule and keep you grounded on what's important and what's not. Interspersed in this book are tips for how to "get 'er done", keeping a relationship with God, and keeping your sanity amid a chaotic schedule.

I truly appreciated this book. It has come at a timely moment for me. I'm seriously struggling to keep my head above water, and with Tricia's advice, I hope to get more organized!

If you're looking for a well-organized, easy to read and enjoyable book for balancing your life, I would highly recommend this one. This one's a winner!

About The Book:

How can a work-at-home mom raise kids, juggle a career and take care of family responsibilities with only 24-hour days? Working at home while raising kids and juggling a career and family responsibilities is no easy feat. Author and homeschooling mom Tricia Goyer shares her tips for finding balance among all your many hats as a mom. Balancing is a process and a journey, one that Tricia herself has yet to perfect. But between writing more than forty books, raising and homeschooling six kids, being a wife, and being active in her community, she has amassed valuable tips she shares in “Balanced.”

The book includes tips on:
—how to create focus themes for your family
—how to prioritize your schedule
—how to utilize your job so it also benefits your kids
—how to keep yourself out of the comparison game
—how to make working at home work for you
—and much more!

About The Author:

USA Today best-selling author Tricia Goyer is the author of over 35 books, including the three-book Seven Brides for Seven Bachelors series and “Lead Your Family Like Jesus,” (co-written with Ken Blanchard). She has written over 500 articles for national publications and blogs for high traffic sites like TheBetterMom.com and MomLifeToday.com. She is the host of Living Inspired, a weekly radio show. Tricia and family live in Little Rock, Arkansas. They have six children. You can find out more about Tricia at www.TriciaGoyer.com.

I've been given a copy of Balanced, in exchange for my honest review. My opinions are my own.

Giveaway!!

UPDATE!! Congratulations to Joy H. in winning the giveaway!! You'll be receiving an email from me shortly about getting your copy of The Blessed Church. Congratulations!!

I'm giving away a free, hardcover copy of The Blessed Church by Robert Morris. If you're interested in winning a copy of this book, you can enter below on a daily basis. This giveaway will end on 11/27, so enter quickly!

Whether you are a pastor, a volunteer, or a church member, you want your church to grow well. After all, there’s no better place to experience God than in the loving, healthy community of a church. But what does an effective church look like? Is it possible to grow and be healthy at the same time? 

Pastor Robert Morris has experienced firsthand the spiritual and relational excitement of a growing, dynamic church. In The Blessed Church, Pastor Morris brings you practical wisdom for cultivating real growth by nurturing true and Biblical health in your spiritual community. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Blessed Church - a Waterbrook Multnomah Review

Everyone is curious to know the secrets for church growth. All churches go through valleys and peaks, and Robert Morris' book The Blessed Church: The Simple Secret to Growing the Church You Love gives some tips for church growth--not just in the numbers sense but in the wisdom, knowledge, and experience sense.

As I read the book, I felt like it could greatly benefit those who are newly called to preach and for those who are newly pastoring. It also would be beneficial for pastors who have found themselves in a funk or who are discouraged by a stagnated fellowship or a drop in membership and/or attendance.

At first I felt a little skepticism, because Morris' own church is a large church. We're talking thousands of attendees and members, multiple church services, and church BRANCHES. Yes, I said BRANCHES. That, to me, is remarkable. In a day where we find that some large churches tote the prosperity gospel line, I found myself starting out this book a little biased and definitely looking for signs that this church might be one of them. I'm ashamed to say that, but I also believe that we also have to be cautious in what we read.

Upon further reading of this book, I found several nuggets of great advice and truth. I'm a big staunch supporter of those in leadership positions being leaders. Notice I said leaders--not kowtowing slaves or hard-nosed dictators. There's a middle ground there that is hard to stand on, yet a pastor (or Sunday school teacher, or prayer warrior, or choir leader, etc.) should try to maintain that. Anyone in church leadership should be willing to listen, to delegate authority when needed, and jump in there when work needs to be done.

Some things that I wrote down that I found relevant to me and to those I know were these:

• What frustrates you is probably what God has ordained your ministry to be. Aha!! Brilliant! I definitely could see that possibility. (this from Chapter 6)
• Write a vision for your church so that the body knows what the goals of the church are. (chapter 10) I think a lot of times, we just are focused on having church: worshiping, listening to the preaching, going to Bible study, that we fail to think about a vision of where we're hoping to head in the future.
• Pastors need to delegate. Exodus 18:13-23 was shared, in which Jethro gave Moses advice on delegating authority to other men so that Moses was not spending from daylight till dark in hearing the needs of the people. "Otherwise, you and your associates will all fall prey to burnout, which, in turn, eventually leads to what I call the prayer of the burned-out pastor." WOW!! How many times have you seen the same people doing everything? Often, this is a situation where there's not enough delegation happening. (Though sometimes it's as a result of there not being enough willing to do the work!) Too often there's an individual who doesn't trust someone (or "someones") to help do the job because they think it won't get done properly. This, like Morris iterated, causes burnout and oftentimes bitterness on the part of the person doing it all, and sometimes on those who would like to help but who are turned down.

I really enjoyed this book, and I found a lot of good suggestions for growing the church. I think that God doesn't necessarily want every church to be a thousand-plus church membership, but He wants us to remain busy and excited and goal-oriented.

 
I received The Blessed Church as a complimentary gift in exchange for review from Waterbrook Multnomah Publishers. My comments and opinions are my own.

Israel at War - a Tyndale review

Anyone who knows me knows that I am a history fan. I also have, in the last few years, developed an interest in world events centered around the Middle East and how it relates to Biblical history. So when I had the opportunity to read and review Joel C. Rosenberg's Israel at War: Inside the Nuclear Showdown with Iran, I snagged the opportunity. This book was a play-by-play account of what is now happening.

Benjamin Netanyahu the current Prime Minister of Israel as reported in Joel's book, has increasingly felt the burden to protect his people from threats from those who see Israel as a threat. Joel has had opportunity to work with and interview Netanyahu, and he reports the state of the issue with Israel and its future. Joel also reminds his readers of previous history and how that history affects the current day and the future.

I really enjoyed reading this account. I also appreciated Joel's reflection on a portion of the Netanyahu family that I did not know--the fact that they have personal Bible studies on the Sabbath.

About Joel

Joel C. Rosenberg is the New York Times best-selling author of six novels – The Last Jihad, The Last Days, The Ezekiel Option, The Copper Scroll, Dead Heat, The Twelfth Imam, The Tehran Initiative – and three non-fiction books, Epicenter ,Inside the Revolution, and Implosion with more than two million total copies in print. The Ezekiel Option was named by the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association as the Gold Medallion winner of the "Best Novel of 2006." Joel is the producer of two documentary films based on his non-fiction books. He is also the founder of The Joshua Fund, a non-profit educational and charitable organization to mobilize Christians to "bless Israel and her neighbors in the name of Jesus" with food, clothing, medical supplies and other humanitarian relief.

I am a member of Tyndale Blog Network, a fabulous website that sends free books to read and keep if you write a review for your blog and for a major retailer (such as Amazon or Barnes & Noble). Tyndale Blog Network is through Tyndale House Publishers.

When to Speak Up & When to Shut Up - a Baker Publishing Group Review

How often have we had something to say and realllllly wanted to say it but worried that it might not be the right thing to say? In When To Speak Up and When to Shut Up, author Dr. Michael D. Sedler addresses this type of problem and others.

The Bible says in Proverbs 21:23, "Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles." It's easy to say that until we get into a situation at work, among difficult family members, when someone cuts you off in traffic. It's easy to spout something off when we're in that emotional moment. 

More appropriate verses from the Bible (just a few of my favorites):
Ephesians 4:29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

Proverbs 15:1 A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.

Proverbs 34:13 Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.
Proverbs 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.
Titus 3:2 To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men. 
Matthew 15:11 Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.
James 1:19-20 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.

In his book, Dr. Sedler covers the cost and purpose of silence, asking good questions (because we can all do this in a bad way at times), dealing with anger and resentment, and taking a stand when it's appropriate. He weaves in Bible examples and personal examples of situations to illustrate his points.

I found this book helpful in many ways. For myself, I have a problem with wanting to rise to defense when my silence would be the best way to go. Facebook is one place where I often want to speak up, and I have learned that many times, it's best to shut up and pray.

Some of my favorite quotes from Dr. Sedler's book:

•  "Silence may allow the truth to come forth on its own. . . . When you are in a situation . . . take a deep breath, pray an extra prayer and make sure you are not 'bullied' to speak out. Your silence will probably be of greater impact that an emotional outburst."
• When coming into contact with someone who is angry at us: "1) Listen. Be sure to hear what your antagonist is saying. 2) Clarify. Ask the person to clarify any areas that are unclear. 3)Exhaust the list of complaints or concerns. . . . ask if there are other issues. Do not begin to defend yourself at this point. 4) Ask for suggestions. Allow the person to give as much input as possible about solutions to the problem presented. DON'T: 1) Don't become self-protective. 2) Don't own problems that belong to others. 3) Don't argue."
• "Instead of attacking one another, we need to attack the problem."
• "Silence. Speaking up. Both change destinies. When we use these tools inappropriately, we can do great harm. And when we use them as God intended, we can change our world for the better."

I think anyone who is alive should read this book! It has some great suggestions for speaking up and remaining silent at the appropriate times. 

I received When to Speak Up & When to Shut Up, a book published by Chosen Books, from Baker Publishing Group in exchange for an honest review. I was not paid for my review.

Praying With the Grain - a Kregel Review

Praying With the Grain by Pablo Martinez is a fascinating read! As you can see, the subtitle says, "How your personality affects the way you pray". It uses Carl Jung's psychological types to show how individuals with those typologies tend to pray. As a psychology junky, this greatly snagged my attention, and it was a book I just had to read. If you're familiar with the Myers Briggs personality test, then you know what I'm talking about. If you're not familiar with what this is but you've seen or heard people say, "I'm a ESFP" or "I'm an INTJ" (or something similar), then you're one step closer to knowing how this book relates.

This book is a short read--at 175 pages, including Notes--and was so interesting to me that it was read in just a little over an hour. Prayer is the focus of this book, and more specifically, how our personalities define how and where and with what frequency we pray. If we're more interested in being alone to pray, whether we are encouraged by praying in groups, etc.

The first portion of the book (Part I) talks about the eight groups of personalities (based on Sensation, Intuition, Thinking, and Feeling) and what their good points and bad points are. The author also mentions several famous people (including some Biblical familiars) who may have endowed those personality types.

The second portion of the book discusses overcoming problems with praying. We all have our hangups when it comes to praying; sometimes even getting started can be a problem for some. Maybe it's hard to pray aloud, maybe during prayer it's easy to get distracted, or maybe God seems far away. No matter what the problem, the author gives some suggestions for overcoming individual difficulties with prayer.

The last section deals with the value of prayer to the individual--a way to develop a strong relationship to God so that prayer life can be rich and fulfilling. Here's a portion of that section that particularly drew me in and made me think of scripture:

We cannot limit the concept of prayer to words, no matter how important the words may seem. Talking with God is only one of the dimensions of this dialogue. . . . There exists an unspoken language: the language of intention, of desire, of the heart. We see this very thing in daily life. The husband - or vice versa - can transmit much to his wife even if he speaks very little, because there is a type of dialogue that is non-verbal, that involves gestures of tenderness, a loving look, positive attitudes, a dialogue whose rich shades and dimensions escape the realm of words. So we cannot impoverish prayer, limiting it exclusively to verbal communication.

That portion brought to my mind the verse in Romans 8:26 that says, "Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered." Sometimes there are times in prayer when we just can't find the words to speak what's in our hearts. When grief assaults or there's a need so large that you just can't find the words to accurately portray what we really need God to hear, the Holy Spirit takes charge and reveals to God the essence of our need.

At the end of Part I is a Question and Answer section. Part II covers two chapters: Is prayer a psychological illusion and are all prayers alike--comparing Christian prayer to Eastern prayer.

Now, I know you might wonder what my own personality type is. Well, from what I can gather, my closest guess is ISFJ, which stands for Introverted, Sensing, Feeling, Judging (or Introverted-Sensing in Jung's way of analysis). While I'm definitely Introverted, I am barely "Sensing"--the difference between my Sensing and Intuitive scores only vary by 3%, and my score difference between Feeling and Thinking was only 5%. I'm glad that I'm able to have a pretty close balance with those two portions of the personality types.

And how does my personality type affect my prayer life? Well, I'll let you figure that out. :D I love this book!

I received Praying With the Grain as a complimentary gift in exchange for review from Kregel Blog Tours. My comments and opinions are my own.

Heaven in Her Arms - a BookSneeze review

Heaven in Her Arms: Why God Chose Mary to Raise His Son and What it Means for You is a new non-fiction book by Catherine Hickem, who (from her website) is a "speaker, author, coach, and relationship expert." I've reviewed another of her books--Regret Free Parenting--so when I saw she had another one out with emphasis on Mary, my curiosity was piqued.

Heaven in Her Arms uses Mary as an example for all of the fears and emotions that we as mothers go through. Chapter focuses include (but are not limited to): God looks at the heart, embracing fears, coming to God during times of need, reaching out for help and encouragement, having faith, praise, letting go, and trusting.

Catherine states in the prologue that God could have chosen anyone to carry and give birth to His Son, but He chose Mary. Why Mary? She was from the contemptible Galilean town called Nazareth, you know. God saw something uniquely special about her. Her faith must have been strong, she obviously must have trusted the Lord with her heart and leaned on Him for understanding. And just as God chose Mary to carry and nurture His Son, He also chooses us to carry our own and love them into His kingdom.

We as mothers struggle with a lot during our parenting years. Catherine reaches out to mothers who face insecurities, fears, and trust issues.

The book concludes with a study guide that you can use with your church women's group or in a book discussion setting.

If you're a mom, or striving to be a mom someday, this book will encourage your heart.

This book is due for release on April 17.

I am a member of BookSneeze, a fabulous program through Thomas Nelson. BookSneeze sends members free books to read and keep in exchange for written reviews on a blog and on a major retailer's website (such as Amazon or Barnes & Noble).

Unveiling the Kings of Israel - a Creation Conversations Review

If you love the Bible or have a fascination with archaeological history, this is the book for you. Young or old, this book will be sure to please. Unveiling the Kings of Israel by David Down is a hardback book with 170 pages filled with colorful pictures and chock full of information. Published by Master Books, this book will give you a correct recorded history of Biblical records.

I was anxious to get this book because my husband and I are both fascinated by history and Biblical history. My children enjoy learning about the Bible, and what better way to teach history and Bible knowledge at the same time? This is an excellent resource for a homeschool, a Sunday school, a church library or simply to have at your home.

Unveiling the Kings of Israel proves that there is Biblical evidence to support the Holy scriptures. We have proof that the Exodus occurred, proof of Kings David and Solomon, and many other proofs are displayed in this book. Inside you will find a map of modern-day Israel; pictures of Biblical landmarks such as the River Jabbok where Jacob prayed, Petra ruins and tombs carved into the stone walls, and Mount Sinai, to name a few; a diagram of Solomon's Temple; and information from Jewish historian Flavius Josephus.

At this link, you'll find a preview of the book with index included.





I received Unveiling the Kings of Israel as a complimentary gift in exchange for review from New Leaf Publishing Group. My opinions are my own.

How Do We Know the Bible Is True - a Creation Conversations review

Written by Ken Ham (President of Answers in Genesis) and Bodie Hodge, How Do We Know the Bible Is True? is a book that I believe all pastors should have in their church libraries, and all Christians should keep on their shelves at home. This book is relevant to today's issues; it answers questions that many new Christians may not know, and it helps defend the faith.

The book tackles many topics, including my favorites (but not limited to):
- Is the Old Testament reliable? This chapter discusses how historical records were kept back in Biblical days.
- Is the New Testament reliable? This chapter explains why that it IS reliable.
- Is Genesis a Derivation from Ancient Myths? Is it all just hearsay or legends passed down?
- What about the Factual Claims in the DaVinci Code? I love this chapter!
- Polygamy in the Light of Scripture
- Laminin and the Cross - fascinating chapter!!
- How Were People Saved Before Jesus Died on the Cross?

This is a book that can easily be shared with a teen class at church or even included in a homeschool curriculum for older students. It would also be perfect for a church Bible study or a book discussion. Or if you're like me and you enjoy reading Apologia and Hermeneutics, you'll enjoy this one as well. :)

Already Compromised - a Creation Conversations review

Already Compromised is a book by Ken Ham, founder and president of Answers in Genesis a website in defense of Creationism. This book that I was given for review (in Kindle format) is about the compromise that has taken place in Christian colleges and universities. This is a big topic of debate in a lot of Christian homes as parents prepare to send their children off to an institute where they feel their children will get a good, Godly experience in learning.

I do not have experience from having learned in a Christian college, unfortunately. The college I went to was a small, private work-study college that was a nice alternative to a Christian education. So while I cannot speak from experience, I can speak as a Christian mom and former secular student.

This book focuses on some research that Ken Ham, Greg Hall, Britt Beemer and America's Research Group undertook. Three hundred twelve people were surveyed for this research: presidents, vice presidents, religious department heads, and science department heads of Christian universities and colleges. The results that they found were sometimes disappointing, but not too shocking. The results revealed that many of our Christian institutions of learning do not teach Biblical foundations. Many teach that creationism is a theory, and that evolution is true. Other questions that were asked included topics (but not limited to) on whether the Bible is literally true; whether the flood of Noah was worldwide, regional or local; and if God created the world in six, literal 24 hour days. It was astounding to see how large the range of yes/no answers were among presidents, vice presidents, religious dept. heads, and science department heads. You would think they'd all agree, but no! But what I found was astounding was that the greatest area of trouble (especially where ideas such as evolution and the Bible being literally true were discussed) was not among those in the science department (where one would suspect that they'd tend to believe in evolution as opposed to creation), but instead the problem was prevalent among those in the department of religion! How disappointing.

I discussed the statistics with my husband and sons. My eleven year old was disgusted by some of the findings. When I read to them about the percentage of those who did not believe in a literal six-day, 24 hour creation, my son sighed. His response was: "I've got the answer to this problem. 'Put down your textbooks, and open your Bible.'"

How profound, coming from a child. You don't expect to hear such wisdom coming from a child, but they reveal how they understand more than we think they do. But he is right; too many times nowadays we're relying on man's words and man's ideas that we find in a textbook, and we don't spend enough time learning from God's own Word. If more of these colleges and universities would make the Bible their main textbook, maybe we wouldn't be wading through the Great Compromise.

I suggest that all Christian parents read this book. If you're considering sending your child to a Christian institute, you will find a link in Ken's book which will give you a list of the colleges and universities that he found to be founded on the Truth.





I received Already Compromised as a complimentary gift in exchange for review from New Leaf Publishing Group.

Dragons: Legends & Lore of Dinosaurs - a Creation Conversations review

Dragons: Legends & Lore of Dinosaurs is a book by Master Books, a division of New Leaf Publishers. It's a hardcover book, and it's chock-full of information about dragons and dinosaurs, written according to Biblical facts and scientific facts.

If your child loves dragons and dinos, you'll definitely want to get a copy of this. It's an interactive book, with fold-out pages, books within the book, envelopes with pull-out tidbits of info inside them, and lift-the-flap pages. If you can't afford this book (retail price is $17.99), check your local library.

My children have devoured this book, and my husband and I have enjoyed it, too. The only thing I could have asked for more of were maybe some more pictures. It is definitely word-heavy. Overall this is a great book, and a nice asset to our shelf!


I received Dragons: Legends & Lore of Dinosaurs as a complimentary gift in exchange for review from Creation Conversations.

Lazarus Awakening - a LitFuse review

Lazarus Awakening, written by Joanna Weaver, is an amazing book. The premise of the book centers around Lazarus' resurrection, but weaves tidbits here and there about OUR awakening. Lazarus Awakening includes a 10-week Bible study that would be good for the individual or for a group.

The thoughts that Joanna has put into this book is profound. She makes some excellent points that really moved me. In particular, this quote from page 81 was one that spoke to me:

"Where have you laid him?" Jesus asked Martha and Mary through His tears (John 11:34).
"Come and see, Lord," they replied. Then together they went to Lazarus's tomb.
Oh how I wish we could grasp the immensity and emotion of this tender exchange and what it means for us today.
Where have you laid your pain? Jesus asks us tenderly. Where do you keep all your shattered hopes and dreams? Where have you laid the part of you that died when you failed or were abandoned, forgotten, betrayed? Where are you entombed and enslaved, hemmed in, shut down, and closed off?
Come and see, Lord.
That's the only response we need to give. Come and see.

I highly recommend this book for women who are in need of some "awakening". I imagine we all could use some of that whether we realize it or not! I deem this book....

If you're interested in reading more reviews about this book, click {here}!

About Joanna:
Joanna Weaver is known the world over for her transparent and life-changing books, Having A Mary Heart in a Martha World and Having a Mary Spirit. These two books have sold over a million copies and have been translated into several languages including Spanish, French, Dutch, Chinese, German, Korean and more. Joanna has appeared on a wide variety of nationally syndicated radio and television broadcasts. Past appearances include: The Harvest Show, At Home Live With Chuck & Jenni, Midday Connection, HomeWord, and Janet Parschall’s America . She is also a highly sought after speaker and shares her message at intimate gatherings and several high profile events each year. But Joanna's greatest joy is found in being a wife and mother and her role as a pastor’s wife. For more information about Joanna, please visit her website. www.joannaweaverbooks.com.

Link to buy the book: http://www.amazon.com/Lazarus-Awakening-Finding-Place-Heart/dp/0307444961/ref=sprightly-20

About the giveaway:

Joanna is celebrating the release of Lazarus Awakening with the Heart of God KINDLE Giveaway!

In Lazarus Awakening Joanna writes about getting God’s love from our heads to our hearts. We all know Jesus loved Mary – look how she worshiped. And we can understand why He loved Martha – after all, look how she served. But what about those of us who don’t know where we fit in the heart of God? Lazarus Awakening explores the tale of the third follower – Mary and Martha’s brother, Lazarus. We never hear him speak, we never see him serve. The only thing of any significance that Lazarus did was to die. And yet, the Bible is clear. Jesus loved Lazarus. And He loves you and me as well. Lazarus Awakening looks at different aspects of the story we find in John 11. We learn what it means to be a friend of God and begin recognizing the tombs we spend far too much time in. Find out more here.

One grand prize winner will receive:

• * A Brand New KINDLE with Wi-Fi
• * Having A Mary Heart in a Martha World
• * Having A Mary Spirit
• * Lazarus Awakening

Joanna will also select two additional contest entrants to receive copies of her trilogy. Enter soon by clicking the icons below (you’ll find these in the attached html code document) and then tell your friends. Hurry the contest ends April 16th. The winner will be announced on Joanna's blog on April 18th.

I received Lazarus Awakening as a complimentary gift in exchange for review from Litfuse Publicity Group.

Regret Free Parenting - A BookSneeze Review

Regret Free Parenting, by Catherine Hickem, is a faith-based parenting book. Catherine has about 30 years' experience as a psychotherapist, speaker, and mom, and she is also the founder of Intentional Moms.

At 214 pages, Regret Free Parenting has chapters that focus on building fellowship with our children and trust, being a parent/authority figure, building emotional intelligence, learning the difference between control and intention, and living peacefully during those crazy teen years. At the end of each chapter are questions for you to reflect about your motherhood and some exercises that you can do to develop your role as an intentional mother. Also in the back of the book is a parenting plan that you can work on.

Regret Free Parenting revolves around listening to your kids, watching your kids, and learning about them. Too often we moms get distracted by our busy lives and don't take the time to truly learn our children's hearts.

I loved the tip that she gave on page 91 regarding teens and the curfew problem often faced:

When your teens get older, set the alarm for the agreed-upon curfew. They have to get in and turn off the clock before it goes off. If they don't succeed, they have to pay you a dollar for every minute they're late or lose a night out per minute. Curfew will be a nonissue with this tactic.

I thoroughly enjoyed the book, and I highly recommend this for parents who've struggled with parenting.

I am a member of BookSneeze, a fabulous program through Thomas Nelson. BookSneeze sends members free books to read and keep in exchange for written reviews on a blog and on a major retailer's website (such as Amazon or Barnes & Noble).

The Earth: Its Structure & Its Changes - a Creation Conversations Review

The Earth: Its Structure & Its Changes is a wonderful resource book that will enhance any homeschooler's (or science-loving parent) lessons. Geared for 3rd-6th graders, this book is chock full of information and experiments to enrich the readings.

Each "lesson" is divided into Investigations, which are about 4 pages in length. Included in each Investigation includes a project, readings, and questions to help children "dig a little deeper" in their knowledge of science.

In this series, the following themes are covered (but not limited to): composition of the earth; earthquakes; volcanoes; folding and faulting; mapping a mountain; crystals; minerals; rocks; physical and chemical weathering; caves, sinkholes, and geysers; glaciers.

The projects call for mainly items that you have around your house, except maybe for the rocks' lessons.

Overall, I recommend this book. If you're a homeschooling parent, this would be a great enrichment tool. Also, there are other books similar to this, such as "Forces & Motion," "Matter," and "Energy." If you're a parent of a school student, this also would be a great reinforcement for what's learned in school.


I received The Earth: Its Structure & Its Changes as a complimentary gift in exchange for review from Creation Conversations.

Made to Crave - a Litfuse review

Made to Crave, written by Lysa TerKeurst, hit me in the gut (pun intended). The very things that she talked about in her book left me nodding my head quite a bit. It was almost as if she were writing her book about ME!

In essence, this book is not a how-to for weight loss. You won't find a weight loss program here, so if that's what you're looking for, go somewhere else. What you WILL find here is Lysa's opinion on why many people have problem with being overweight. We're "made to crave" God, not food. Instead of eating to survive, we survive to eat. And that was not God's desire for us--His will for us is that we'd crave him, that we get our deepest desires and our satisfaction from fellowship with Him instead of turning to a candy bar for that "ahhh" moment.

It didn't take me long to relate to this book. I think it was Chapter 2 that the tears began to start, because I could relate to what she was saying. I highly recommend this book to any "Jesus girl" who fights to stay thin (or lose weight). If you're like me and you've tried every diet known to man, you know what you SHOULD eat, try reading this book. Ultimately, your will to do better will be what eventually motivates you to eat healthier, but this may be the catalyst to get you moving that direction. As the book's subtitle says, "Satisfying your deepest desire with God, not food"--that's what this book is about.

Win a brand new KINDLE from Lysa Terkeurst during the Made To Crave KINDLE Giveaway!

To celebrate the release of Made to Crave and the MTC Small Group DVD Study Set, Lysa is giving away a KINDLE prize package worth over $175.00! To enter just click on the image on the right side of my blog! One winner will receive:

• A brand new Kindle with Wi-Fi & the New E Ink Pearl Screen
• KINDLE editions of Lysa’s Made to Crave and Becoming More Than A Good Girl

But, wait there is more!

Lysa will be announcing the winner of the Made to Crave KINDLE Giveaway on February 8th during the Made To Crave Party on Facebook!

During the party Lysa will chat with guests, host a trivia contest or two, and give away lots of other fun prizes (copies of Lysa’s other books and Amazon.com, iTunes & Starbucks gift certificates) – including a live Author Chat with Lysa for your small group!

Don’t miss the fun! Lysa is looking forward to learning more about you – so be sure to stop by Lysa's Facebook Author Page on February 8th at 5:00 PM PST (6 PM MST, 7 PM CST, & 8 PM EST).

The giveaway has now ended. About Lysa: Lysa TerKeurst is an author and speaker who helps everyday women live an adventure of faith through following Jesus Christ. As president of Proverbs 31 Ministries, Lysa has led thousands to make their walk with God an invigorating journey.

Lysa wrote the book Made to Crave from the perspective of a woman who has never craved a carrot stick in her whole life. Having struggled with her weight her whole adult life, Lysa knows what it feels like to be in the vicious cycle of gaining and losing, but never feeling at peace in her struggle. Everything changed when Lysa decided to have her deepest desire met by God not food. Now, armed with the spiritual motivation she gained in her own journey, she is inspiring others to find lasting victory.

As a nationally known speaker, Lysa has been passionately teaching women God’s truths for years. Lysa’s personal adventures of following God led to appearances on The Oprah Winfrey Show, Good Morning America, The 700 Club, USA Today newspaper, Woman’s Day magazine, and Focus on the Family radio.

Today, Lysa and her ministry team at Proverbs 31 Ministries encourage more than 375,000 women through their daily online devotional. In addition, she co-hosts a 1-minute inspirational radio program aired on more than 1,200 stations around the world. Plus, she touches hearts through their monthly magazine, P31 Woman. Lysa’s blog averages over 70,000 avid readers per month. She is the award-winning author of 14 books, including her newest releases, Made to Crave and Becoming More Than a Good Bible Study Girl. Other noteworthy books include What Happens When Woman Say Yes to God, What Happens When Women Walk in Faith, Capture His Heart, and Capture Her Heart. Visit Lysa's website for more info and to visit her blog! http://lysaterkeurst.com


I received Made to Crave as a complimentary gift in exchange for review from Litfuse Publicity Group

Fasting: The Ancient Practices - a BookSneeze Review

Fasting: The Ancient Practices is written by Scot McKnight and Phyllis Tickle. At 185 pages, this book is pretty easy to read.

This book encompasses many questions that many believers deal with. Is the body evil and keep us from God or can it be used in pursuit of God's blessing? McKnight firmly presses that fasting should not be used to manipulate God, nor should it be used solely to get a result. Instead, fasting is a response to a grief, sin, etc.

Also included in this book are scriptural accounts of fasting and accounts of individuals throughout the centuries who've had lots of experience with fasting. McKnight makes suggestions for how to fast appropriately (and healthily). He discourages the casual faster, and sets straight the pitfalls of fasting like cheating and manipulating and those looking for merit.

The idea of fasting is a response to a sacred moment or a yearning for God's presence in one's life.

As someone already familiar with fasting, I found this an informative reference book. One unfamiliar with fasting would greatly benefit from such a book as this.

I am a member of BookSneeze, a fabulous program through Thomas Nelson. BookSneeze sends members free books to read and keep in exchange for written reviews on a blog and on a major retailer's website (such as Amazon or Barnes & Noble).

Passport to the World - a Creation Conversations review

Passport to the World is a book on culture and language written by Craig Froman. The book is an excellent resource for homeschooling families or for any family, for that matter. Each country (one listed for each letter of the alphabet) includes a description of their population size, literacy percentage, number of internet users, their spot on the map, fun facts about the country, and how to pronounce "goodbye", "hello", "peace", and "thank you" in each specific language. Inside the book is a "passport" for children to put stickers in after they've read about each country listed inside the book. It's a full-color book that kids will thoroughly enjoy. The book also begins with a story about how languages began--from the story of Babel.

My children and I thoroughly have enjoyed this book. They've read it from cover to cover twice now, and I'm sure that it will remain on our shelf for years to come. I highly recommend this one!


I received Passport to the World as a complimentary gift in exchange for review from Creation Conversations.

When you see this image, it represents books that I highly recommend!

Son of Hamas - a Tyndale Review

Son of Hamas, the story of Mosab Hassan Yousef, is a gripping story of the eldest son of Sheikh Hassan Yousef, a founding leader of Hamas.

Mosab starts his story with a little history of Islam and the founding of Hamas. He talks about being raised under his father's belief in and devotion to Allah and his care for the people. Mosab has a high respect for his father, a caring man whose love and compassion for others rubbed off on Mosab. However, as Hamas' reputation for violence grew, Mosab became more accepting of that violence. As a young man, he praised Saddam Hussein's war efforts and celebrated the loss of life.

The book divulges history of the strife between the Palestinians and the Israelis and Mosab's involvement with both--as the middleman. As an adult, Mosab became more disenchanted with Hamas' role in terrorism. Mosab became a "collaborator" with an Israeli group, in an effort to stop the killing. Through his efforts, Mosab was able to spare many lives while risking his own life in the process. During his time working with them, Mosab also became friends with some Christians. After having been given a New Testament, Mosab's mind began opening to the truth of Jesus' words, and over six years' time, Mosab began to realize that Jesus' focus on loving our neighbors is more important than who owns a piece of land.

I loved reading Mosab's account of his life. It was such a blessing to read of his coming to Christ after having dealt with all he had during his young life. I highly recommend this book. You won't be able to put it down! The danger, the frustration, and the seeming hopelessness of Mosab's story will grip you.

Here's the run-down of what I think of the book:

Ease of reading ..................... 5/5
Supporting Details ................ 5/5
Sufficient Length ................... 5/5
Ability to hold my interest ... 5/5
*Organization of material ..... 5/5
Overall Impression ........ 5/5

*Specific to non-fiction reviews.

If you're interested in reading a teaser, go to Tyndale's website to read the first chapter. You won't be disappointed!

I am a member of Tyndale Blog Network, a fabulous website that sends free books to read and keep if you write a review for your blog and for a major retailer (such as Amazon or Barnes & Noble). Tyndale Blog Network is through Tyndale House Publishers.

When you see this image, it represents books that I highly recommend!

Heaven is for Real - a BookSneeze Review

Heaven is for Real, written by Todd Burpo, was a really nice read. The book is about Burpo's son Colton, who had a near-death experience while having an emergency appendectomy.

Colton was able to describe heaven. He described God's throne and how truly BIG God was and, even more, how big God's love is for His children. He described how Jesus looked, down to what He was wearing and his facial description. He told his parents about who he saw in heaven: Jesus' cousin John who baptized Jesus, the angel Gabriel, his great-grandfather (whom he'd never met), angels, and other people.

He was able to describe in such detail that his parents simply felt that what four-year-old Colton described was indeed true.

Parts of the account drew my skepticism (such as people in heaven with wings), but overall it's a nice story. It would be fitting for those who like to read accounts of visions or near-death experiences. It is not a difficult read; I was able to read it in a 2-hour sitting. It was gripping and entertaining at the same time.

Here's the run-down of what I think of the book:

Ease of reading ..................... 5/5
Supporting Details ................ 4/5
Sufficient Length ................... 4/5
Ability to hold my interest ... 4/5
*Organization of material ..... 4/5
Overall Impression ........ 4/5

*Specific to non-fiction reviews.

I am a member of BookSneeze, a fabulous program through Thomas Nelson. BookSneeze sends members free books to read and keep in exchange for written reviews on a blog and on a major retailer's website (such as Amazon or Barnes & Noble).

The One Year Book of Discovering Jesus in the Old Testament - A Tyndale Review

I received The One Year Book of Discovering Jesus in the Old Testament as a complimentary gift from Tyndale House Publishers.

The One Year Book of Discovering Jesus in the Old Testament by Nancy Guthrie is a one-year devotional. The copy I'm reviewing is paperback and 386 pages long.

If you've seen the Bibles that take you through one year, this is just like that--but on a devotional level. One page is devoted to a day of the year. Each devotion covers an aspect of Jesus that is discovered in the Old Testament.

In the back of the devotional book is a schedule that shows what scripture you are to read for each day. I wish this was included on the devotional page itself, because the scripture index is not categorized by date, but by scripture. That means that I have to scan down each page to find the date so that I know what scripture I'd be reading for that particular day's devotion. Kind of confusing, but not horrible.

The following versions may be found being used in the devotions: NLT, NIV, NIrV, NKJV, KJV, ESV, NASB.

This would be a nice book for folks who enjoy reading devotionals.

Here's the run-down of what I think of the book:

Ease of reading ..................... 4/5
Supporting Details ................ 4/5
Sufficient Length ................... 5/5
Ability to hold my interest ... 4/5
*Organization of material ..... 4/5
Overall Impression ........ 4/5

*Specific to non-fiction reviews.

I am a member of Tyndale Blog Network, a fabulous website that sends free books to read and keep if you write a review for your blog and for a major retailer (such as Amazon or Barnes & Noble). Tyndale Blog Network is through Tyndale House Publishers.