Book Review: Upside-Down Prayers for Parents

 

 

This book is terrific!  I absolutely recommend it to all parents!  I am not a very good pray-er.  I often feel like God already knows what I need/want and I want His will to be done anyway.  This book hits 31 different "upside-down" prayers that we should be praying for our children.

Examples:

-I pray you'll get caught doing things wrong-and experience the power of confession.

-I pray you'll have to wait-and learn the value of patience.

-I pray you'll fail in things that don't matter-and learn what matters to God.

-I pray you'll have to forgive someone who doesn't deserve it-and find the peace that forgiveness brings.

 

The chapters start with Bible verses and at the end of the short devotion there are "Making it Personal" and "Making it Relevant" sections.  I really enjoy the reflections all of this allows. 

 

Yes, some of the prayers and desires seem harsh like the prayers for suffering a loss, losing a job, brushing up against death, and being shattered, but the ultimate goal is for our children to experience these things so he can learn such valuable lessons for getting closer to God.  Sometimes we can only experience an intimacy with God that is brought on by one of our extreme challenges.

 

I love this book!

 

I received this book for free in exchange for my honest opinion.

Book Review: Every Perfect Gift

 

About Every Perfect Gift:

 Book 3 in Dorothy Love's Hickory Ridge Romance series.

Ethan and Sophie long to share a future together. But the secrets they're not sharing could tear them apart.

Sophie Caldwell has returned to Hickory Ridge, Tennessee, after years away. Despite the heartaches of her childhood, Sophie is determined to make a home, and a name, for herself in the growing town. A gifted writer, she plans to resurrect the local newspaper that so enchanted her as a girl.
Ethan Heyward's idyllic childhood was shattered by a tragedy he has spent years trying to forget. An accomplished businessman and architect, he has built a majestic resort in the mountains above Hickory Ridge, drawing wealthy tourists from all over the country.

When Sophie interviews Ethan for the paper, he is impressed with her intelligence and astounded by her beauty. She's equally intrigued but fears he will reject her if he learns about her shadowed past. Just as she summons the courage to tell him, Ethan's own past unexpectedly and violently catches up with him, threatening not only his life but their budding romance.

Link to buy the book: http://ow.ly/ftJyo ;

Meet Dorothy:

An accomplished author in the secular market, Dorothy Love makes her inspirational fiction debut with her Hickory Ridge series of historicals set in her native South. Her skillful blending of the historical and the personal reflect her passion for discovering the histories of ordinary people who accomplished extraordinary things and set her apart as an authoritative voice of Southern historical fiction.

Find out more about Dorothy at http://dorothylovebooks.com/.

My Review:

I have not read a book set in this time period before and I really enjoyed it.  The setting of the book was so well described and I could imagine being there.  The characters are developed wonderfully and I would like to read the previous two books so that I could read more about those characters.  I really enjoy when books are part of series and we can read and then catch up on our favorite characters. 

I definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical romances and also to anyone who just enjoys a great romance story. 

 

 

I received this book for free in exchange for my honest opinion.

 

 

Book Review: Christmas in Apple Ridge

 

 

Experience the holidays with the Plain folk of Apple Ridge, Pennsylvania, in these touching novellas centered around love, romance, heartache, and restoration from best-selling author Cindy Woodsmall.

The Sound of Sleigh Bells
Beth Hertzler is unable to let go of a past tragedy, but when she discovers a large, intricately carved scene of Amish children playing in the snow, something deep inside Beth’s soul responds. Determined that her niece meet the gifted artist, her aunt tracks him down, but it’s not that simple – will Jonah be able to offer Beth the sleigh ride she’s always dreamed of and a second chance at real love?

The Christmas Singing
Mattie thought her childhood sweetheart adored her until he abruptly ended their engagement on Christmas Eve. Brokenhearted, Mattie moves away and pursues her longtime dream of becoming a cake decorator, and even finds a new beau. But when Mattie is forced to return home three years later, will learning the truth behind Gideon’s rejection restore her Christmas joy – or open the door to even deeper heartbreak?

The Dawn of Christmas
Sadie enjoys her freedom away from home and her mission trips to Peru, but after four years, her Old Order Amish family insists it’s time to come home and settle down. Levi, a bachelor who distrusts women after a family heartbreak, also has no desire for romance. To keep their families from meddling in their lives, Sadie and Levi devise a plan—but soon discover that the walls around their hearts are breaking down. Can they let go of their prejudices, learn to trust each other, and embrace a future together?

 

 

 

 

My Review:

I've said it many times, but I love Amish books.  I also absolutely love Christmas books, so I knew I would absolutely love this Amish Christmas book or books.  Each of these three novellas is written so well and is so enjoyable.  They really get you into the mood for the season.  Another thing that I love about Amish Christmas books in particular is that they usually really focus on the meaning of Christmas and are so far from being superficial and greedy.  They focus on the joy of Christmas and giving heartfelt, meaningful gifts. 

These novellas will definitely put you in the mood for Christmas and will definitely help you focus on the meaning of Christmas.  They have great romantic elements and make for very easy, enjoyable reads. 

I received this book for free in exchange for my honest opinion.