Book Review: An Amish Miracle

Book Description

“Always in My Heart” by Mary Ellis

Hope Bowman believes God is punishing her for giving up her firstborn son when she was a teenager. She’s hidden this past from her husband, who is thankful for their daughters but longs for a son. Hope prays desperately, but the son God sends isn’t a new pregnancy. It's the fifteen-year-old boy she gave away years ago.

“Always His Providence” by Ruth Reid

Widow Rosa Hostetler has one month to pay her delinquent taxes before the county auctions her farm. She’s prepared to sell whatever is necessary to pay the lien, but she isn’t willing to request money from the community's widow fund. She’s embarrassed and refuses to admit she needs help. Rosa depends on income from selling eggs, but when that income is threatened, only a miracle can help Rosa accept the kindness of a neighbor.

“Always Beautiful” by Beth Wiseman

Becky Byler is eighteen and obese. As she continues to grow, so does her despair. Having lost all hope, she considers taking her life, even though it goes against her beliefs. Standing before rushing water, unable to swim, Becky begs God for a miracle. Two months pass and Becky has miraculously lost over a hundred pounds. But does Becky like the person she has become? Could it be this weight loss isn’t at all the miracle she thinks it is?

My Review:

I do enjoy my Amish stories and I really enjoy reading the works of these authors.  I loved this book because it was filled with three novellas.  I love reading novellas because they are easier to get through.  As a busy mom I don't always have the time to sit and read a long book and stopping and starting can sometimes get confusing.  With the novellas, I am able to read the stories quicker and not forget what was going on in the story.  I definitely enjoyed these stories.  They were quit different from the typical Amish story because they dealt with issues usually untouched such as adoption and obesity.

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

Book Review: The Women of Christmas

God Reached Down from Heaven with the Best Gift of All
A sacred season is about to unfold for three women whose hearts belong to God.
Elizabeth is barren, yet her trust in God remains fertile. Mary is betrothed in marriage, yet she is willing to bear God’s Son. Anna is a widow full of years, yet she waits patiently, prayerfully for the Messiah to appear in the temple courts.

Following in their footsteps, you too can prepare for the Savior to enter your heart, your mind, and your life in a vibrant, new way. Best-selling author Liz Curtis Higgs explores the biblical stories of Elizabeth, Mary, and Anna, unwrapping each verse with tender care and introducing you afresh to The Women of Christmas.

 

 

My Review:

I love Christmas and I love Christmas books.  I really love when Christmas books bring you back to the real reason for the season-Christ.  This book is like none I've ever read as it talks not only about Mary, but also the major roles that Elizabeth and Anna played in the birth of Christ.  This is a great book to read to get in the true Christmas spirit and reflect on the real meaning behind the season.  We always get so busy with things and it is nice to have a book like this to help us reflect.  There was so much that I learned about these women, especially about Elizabeth and Anna.  I never, ever realized the crucial roles they played.  It is amazing how God worked everything out for the good of all.  There are so many pieces to every puzzle and He knows exactly how they need to be put together.

 

I received this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Book Review: Ragamuffin Bible

Book Description

Do you believe that God not only loves you, but that he also likes you?

It's just one of the soul-searching questions posed by bestselling author Brennan Manning who confesses he has been 'John the beloved, Peter the coward, and Thomas the doubter all before the waitress brought the check.'

The NIV Ragamuffin Bible offers a collection of Manning’s raw, painfully honest, yet grace-filled devotions, meditations, and reflections of his journey limping back to---like the prodigal son---his overjoyed father. When you journey through this Bible, you will likewise find yourself returning to your Heavenly Father, basking in the knowledge that God not only loves you, he delights in you.

Features:

• Complete text of the world’s most popular modern-English Bible, the NIV
• 104 Devotions guide you into a deeper connection to God and his Word
• 250 Reflections help you understand what it means to be a child of God
• 150 Quotes offer short but thoughtful insights into God’s kingdom

 

My Review:

Everyone needs a Bible and everyone loves a Bible.  This Bible was a joy to get and I am so excited to be able to pass it on to someone who needs it!  I really enjoyed the extras in this Bible, but they were not as awesome as I was hoping they would be.  They definitely make a great addition to an already amazing book, but I was hoping for a little bit more.  The quotes, reflections and devotions do help enforce what is written and they do help you delve deeper into your relationship with the Lord.  I highly recommend this Bible if you are looking for one with a little something special in it. 

 

 

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

Book Review and Giveaway: Aloha Rose

In honor of their new Quilts of Love releases, The Christmas Quilt and Aloha Rose, authors Vannetta Chapman and Lisa Carter are gearing up to ring in the Christmas season with a Kindle Fire HDX giveaway and a "Christmas Bee" Facebook Party on December 10th with fellow Quilts of Love author Lynette Sowell!

One winner will receive:

• A Kindle Fire HDX
• The Christmas Quilt by Vannetta Chapman
• Aloha Rose by Lisa Carter

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on November 30th. Winner will be announced at the "Christmas Bee" Facebook Party on December 10th. Connect with the authors from the Quilts of Love series, Vannetta Chapman, Lisa Carter, and Lynette Sowell, for an evening of book chat, quilt trivia, Christmas traditions and gifts, PLUS get an exclusive look at January's Quilts of Love book!

So grab your copies of The Christmas Quilt and Aloha Rose and join Vannetta, Lisa, and Lynette on the evening of December 10th for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the books, don't let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today by clicking JOIN at the event page. Spread the word—tell your friends about the giveaway and party via FACEBOOK or TWITTER. Hope to see you on December 10th!

About the book: When Laney Carrigan's adoptive parents encourage her as an adult to seek out her birth family, her only clue is the Lokelani quilt in which she was found wrapped as an infant. Centering her search on the Big Island, she battles fears of rejection from a family that abandoned her once before while her faith struggles to embrace God's love.

Along the path to her true heritage, she meets Hawaiian cowboy/helicopter pilot, Kai Barnes. Kai is determined to protect the people he's come to regard as family against a woman he suspects of being nothing more than a gold-digger, but he finds himself drawn to Laney in spite of his reservations. He's spent his entire life seeking forgiveness from past mistakes and longs for a second chance at happiness. 

Laney's painstaking journey to find restoration and a place to belong among the breathtaking allure of the Big Island will lead her closer to her past and maybe even something more.

Purchase a copy: http://ow.ly/qKmVW

Meet the author: Lisa Carter has been published in MomSense and Christian Parenting Today. Lisa is currently teaching music at a preschool and enjoying the enthusiasm and joy for life for which preschoolers are famous. She and David have two beautiful daughters.

Find out more at: http://www.quiltsoflovebooks.com

 

My Review:

As a family, we are extremely drawn to adoption, which means that I have often thought about how I would feel if my adopted child wanted to find their birth parents.  Because of this, I was drawn to read this book.  This book goes deep into how the main character, Laney, longs to find her birth parents.  It follows her on her journey.  I really enjoyed reading this side of that story.  This book is well written and easy to read.  It is one of those books that you can pick up and finish where you left off. 

 

 

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

 

Book Review and Giveaway: Stones for Bread

Christa Parrish is celebrating her fourth novel, Stones for Bread, with a KitchenAid Mixer giveaway.

Easy steps to enter:

1. Follow Christa Parrish and TNZ Fiction on Pinterest.

2. Then Pin the Stones for Bread book cover (below), the contest graphic (above), or both, and link to this post (using this URL: #StonesforBread KitchenAid Mixer Contest #ChristaParrish http://litfusegroup.com/campaigns/stones-for-bread-by-christa-parrish).

3. Then fill out THIS SHORT FORM to let us know. (There are also some additional ways to earn extra entries, as well as an option for non-Pinterest users. It's true—people like that do exist!)

Questions? Email info @ litfusegroup dot com.

Winner will be announced on 12/9 on Christa's Facebook Page.

About the book: A solitary artisan. A legacy of bread-baking. And one secret that could collapse her entire identity.

Liesl McNamara's life can be described in one word: bread. From her earliest memory, her mother and grandmother passed down the mystery of baking and the importance of this deceptively simple food. And now, as the owner of Wild Rise bake house, Liesl spends every day up to her elbows in dough, nourishing and perfecting her craft.

But the simple life she has cultivated is becoming quite complicated. Her head baker brings his troubled grandson into the bakeshop as an apprentice. Her waitress submits her recipes to a popular cable cooking show. And the man who delivers her flour --- a single father with strange culinary

habits --- seems determined to win Liesl's affection.

When Wild Rise is featured on television, her quiet existence appears a thing of the past. And then a phone call from a woman claiming to be her half-sister forces Liesl to confront long-hidden secrets in her family's past. With her precious heritage crumbling around her, the baker must make a choice: allow herself to be buried in detachment and remorse, or take a leap of faith into a new life.

Purchase your copy: http://ow.ly/qPvoG

Meet the author: Christa Parrish is the award-winning author of three novels, including the 2009 ECPA Fiction Book of the Year Watch Over Me. When she's not writing, she's a homeschool mother of three wonderful children. Married to author and pastor Chris Coppernoll, Christa serves with him as co-leader of their church's youth ministry as well as serving as a facilitator for a divorce recovery ministry. She is now also slightly obsessed with the art of baking bread.

Learn more about Christa at: http://christaparrish.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Review:

First of all, this book made me want to eat bread... lots of bread.  Second, this book made me want to make lots of bread (probably to eat).  The story behind this book was well written and enjoyable.  I really longed to hear more about several of the characters in the story as they were so interesting.  There recipes in the book are a fun addition to the wonderful story.  Parrish is a great story teller and the way she describes everything in the book is almost terrific.  Like I've said, this book is much more than a book about a bread maker, but I promise you will want to eat lots of bread while reading it!

 

 

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

Book Review: Just One More Thing Before You Leave Home

About the book: This is the book we wish our parents gave us.
Just One More Thing: Before You Leave Home is a packed guide to help young adults enter life on their own. In the book, the Gudgels use stories, perspectives, and dialogues to discuss 30 indispensable topics to help teens survive, including: worldview, financial challenges, use of time, career moves, moral dilemmas, sex, painful experiences, and spiritual life, among others. Written from a Biblical perspective, the book is more of a guide to making good decisions than a lecture on how to live., It's perfect for a parent and teen to go over together or to give as a thoughtful gift. This is a book they'll reference for years to come.

Purchase a copy: http://ow.ly/qb47U

Meet the authors: Dave & Bernice Gudgel are committed to walking intentionally with God and helping others do the same. Bernice has a degree in Psychology and has focused her adult life on raising three kids and leading various ministries in the church where people can connect with God and each other. Dave is a pastor and teaches for Walk Thru the Bible.

Learn more at: http://davidandbernice.com

 

My Review:

I really enjoyed reading this book.  There are 30 topics that we, as parents, need to go over many times with our children, especially before they leave the nest.  I love books that are reference-types, like this one.  My children are far from the age of leaving home, but having this book now will help me talk about these issues for years before they leave.  I really appreciate being able to go to this book for tips, ideas and reminders on what to talk about and how to talk about those issues.  This is a great book for all parents to keep on the book shelf!

 

 

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

Book Review: Adventure Bible Handbook

Book Description

A fun and exciting journey through the Bible told in comic book style for kids ages 9-12. Companion to the bestselling Adventure Bible.

Kids (ages 9-12) and parents who love the bestselling Adventure Bible and want a fun and engaging supplement to their biblical study need look no further. The Adventure Bible Handbook leads tween boys and girls across the Holy Land and back in time on an entertaining, educational, and inspirational quest to find their missing father.

Four siblings travel with their archaeologist father to the Holy Land, where he is conducting an expedition in search of scientific truth. When he disappears, the children try to find him by joining an offbeat tour group organized by two zany guides whose mission, they eventually discover, is to lead kids on a fun, exciting, and life-changing quest for ultimate truth. Soon the group is visiting ancient cities, important geographical sites, and experiencing biblical times firsthand—traveling back in time with the help of some RSPs (Really Smart Phones) and all sorts of wacky modes of transportation.

It’s a fast, fun, eyewitness adventure around the world and through some of the greatest Bible stories to learn what life is really all about.

 

Book Review:

Oh My Goodness!  This is such a wonderful book!  When I saw that this book was available for review, I was so interested because I was hoping I could use it as a supplement for our Bible curriculum.  We do not have the Adventure Bible that this goes along with, but I am not interested in looking into that as well.  When this book came, my husband opened it (he never cares about the books I review) and he immediately was drawn into it and started reading it.  As soon as my daughter saw it she spent at least an hour reading it.  I cannot normally get her to read anything for more than 5 or 10 minutes without a huge fight.  This book is so colorful and written like a comic book.  I could not recommend a book like this any higher!  We love it!

 

 

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

Book Review: The Total Money Makeover

 

Book Description

If you will live like no one else, later you can live like no one else.

Build up your money muscles with America’s favorite finance coach.

Okay, folks, do you want to turn those fat and flabby expenses into a well-toned budget? Do you want to transform your sad and skinny little bank account into a bulked-up cash machine? Then get with the program, people. There’s one sure way to whip your finances into shape, and that’s with The Total Money Makeover: Classic Edition.

By now, you’ve heard all the nutty get-rich-quick schemes, the fiscal diet fads that leave you with a lot of kooky ideas but not a penny in your pocket. Hey, if you’re tired of the lies and sick of the false promises, take a look at this—it’s the simplest, most straightforward game plan for completely making over your money habits. And it’s based on results, not pie-in-the-sky fantasies. With The Total Money Makeover: Classic Edition, you’ll be able to:

• Design a sure-fire plan for paying off all debt—meaning cars, houses, everything
• Recognize the 10 most dangerous money myths (these will kill you)
• Secure a big, fat nest egg for emergencies and retirement!

 

 

 

My Review:

Our goal is to become debt free.  We want to live debt free, worry (about money) free, wonderful lives and unfortunately when you haven't lived with that thought process from the beginning it takes some work to get there.  In this book there are so many helpful tips, tricks, hints and plain obvious words of wisdom.  I think that Dave Ramsey is a leader in this area and his advice is golden.  He is serious about his leadership and he is very wise.  He speaks so matter of fact and I love that.

If you are looking for financial advice, I definitely recommend this book!

 

 

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

Book Review and Giveaway: A Christmas Gift for Rose

Tricia Goyer is celebrating the release of her first Christmas novella, A Christmas Gift for Rose, with a Christmas Gift giveaway! 

Enter to win a NEW Kindle Fire HDX for you AND one for a friend!

One grand prize winner will receive:

• A brand new Kindle Fire HDX and one to give away to a friend!
• A Christmas Gift for Rose, by Tricia Goyer for you and your friend!

Four second place winners will receive:

• A Christmas Gift for Rose Christmas pack (includes a recipe card, bookmark, a signed book plate, discussion questions, and a Gathering & Giving handout!)

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on October 19th. All winners will be announced October 21st at Tricia's blog.

Don't miss a moment of the fun; enter today and be sure to visit Tricia's blog on the 21st to see if you won one of the great prizes! (Or better yet, subscribe to her blog and have the winner announcement delivered to your inbox!)

 

 

 

About the book: Rose turned her back on the man she loves after he assisted the Englisch during World War
II---only to discover she's an Englischer herself. Born in the midst of the hardships of The Great Depression, Rose grew up in Berlin, Ohio, in the arms of a loving Amish family. But she is overwhelmed by self-doubt when she learns that she was born Englisch and abandoned when her family moved West in search of work. Was she meant to be Amish or would she have been better off growing up with her own
kind---Englischers? When the man she loves leaves her behind, Rose is certain he left for good. Yet Rose discovers sometimes our greatest gifts are the ones we fear.

Purchase a copy: http://ow.ly/pfhBl

About Tricia: 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.
 

 

My Review:

First of all, I love Christmas books.  It is my absolute most favorite time of year and reading books set during that time of year just bring me even more joy.  Secondly, I love Tricia Goyer's books.  They are always so well written and enjoyable.  This one was great.  It is shorter than most books, which can be nice when you want a great story but don't always have the time to sit and read forever.  This story was set around WWII, which was different from what I had read in any Amish story before.  There were other twists in the story that I enjoyed very much.  This was a wonderful story and I highly recommend it!

 

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

She's Here!!

There's so much to say and soon I will but for now:

Rylee Nicole came wed night the 7th a little after 11pm VBAC!!! She was teeny tiny weighing 7lbs 3oz and was 19 inches long. She is totally perfect and I'm overwhelmed with love and gratitude to God. Thanks for all your prayers!

Pregnancy Update.... Long Overdue and Total Randomness!!

I have neglected my blog sooo much and I am disappointed that I have had no real desire to blog more, especially about this pregnancy. 

But, it is what it is. 

I am about 38 weeks pregnant and ready to go!  I keep trying to remind myself that at the most I have 3 weeks left.  3 weeks because my dr (and I) really do not want to go that far past my due date before just scheduling a repeat c-sec. 

My ultimate goal is to have a VBAC.  And, yes, I am pretty scared!  Hahaha!  Some days, I want her out so badly just to hold and see in person that I am half tempted to just schedule a repeat for any time now.  Of course then I think about how I want more children and how continuous c-secs are not safe.  My dr only recommends 3 btw, which would leave me with only 1 more child.  Biologically, of course.

Recovering from a c-sec is miserable, too.  At least it was for me.  I've heard that scheduled ones are not nearly as bad as unplanned/emergency ones, but still. 

I would actually take one if they offered a tummy tuck to go with it... don't you think that should be standard with c-secs?  I mean you are already having major surgery and are already cut in exactly the right places.... I vote yes!

So what am I doing to try to go into labor naturally? 

What am I not doing?

I'm taking 2500 mg of evening primrose oil and 1000 mg of red raspberry leaf (which I know does not help induce labor but only helps to strengthen your uterine muscles).  We have been doing the closed door method also... isn't that such a polite term?  I read it the other day.  I've also been doing lots of ni*ple stimulation.  And I started walking last night... yes.... how awful I am just now starting to really go out and walk, but the hot, sticky weather isn't so appealing to me.  The walk definitely did something... I am pretty sore down there.  And I actually don't know where down there is- my bladder?  my uterine muscles?  I don't know.  I just know it hurts a lot more "down there" when I walk.  So definitely more walking is in store for me.  I am not at all lacking in the Braxton Hicks contraction area as I have them about every 10 minutes and have been for several weeks.  For months I have been having them farther apart.  Luckily, most of them don't hurt. 

I seem to ovulate late because each of my 3 babies have been exactly 10 days smaller than their due date according to my last menstrual period.  Now I can't imagine that I ovulate that late in the month, but somehow they are all off.  When the dr measures my stomach though I am always 1-3 weeks bigger and with K being 9 lbs 5 oz and 20.5 inches I know she was not lacking in size.  With Kassidy, they changed my date.  With Paisley, I think they changed the date and with Rylee I was thrilled when he didn't change the date.  Who wants to go to their first ultrasound at 8 weeks and be told they are only about 6?  Not I! 

My point being that with Kassidy I had her exactly in between the 2 dates.  I also took evening primrose oil and did lots of ni*ple stimulation the night before I went into labor.  I've always thought that I had a serious hand in putting myself into labor, but now I am not quite sure since I seem to be doing even more this time around and am getting nowhere.

My dr was supposed to start sweeping my membranes last week, but I was not dilated at all.  :(  Total bummer, but I go again this Thursday and hopefully we will get that done then!

I definitely need to write down more here as a place to keep these memories since I can't seem to remember anything!