NIV Essentials Study Bible Review

An awesome new Study Bible that I was able to have the chance to review is the NIV Essentials Study Bible. While I enjoy the 1984 edition of the NIV, this Bible is still wonderful. It has the complete text of the 2011 NIV along with all the best features of so many great resources like notes from the NIV Study Bible; book introductions from Essential Bible Companion; notes from the NIV Archaeological Study Bible and so much more. I’ve been looking for a new Study Bible, not that I don’t love my ESV Study Bible, but it’s really bulky and heavy to carry to Bible Study, and this one is as heavy and bulky but has a lot of awesome info.

I love that there are so many different options to look at and read the Scriptures and this Bible helps you get the most out of studying God’s Word. It would be awesome for anyone to add to their Bible Study helps.

Book Description

The NIV Essentials Study Bible helps you quickly and easily understand, interpret, and apply God’s Word to your life. The variety of features in this Bible presents a multifaceted, exciting format for studying Scripture. There are many different ways to explore God’s Word: question-and-answer studies; detailed in-text study notes; timelines, photos and charts; helpful devotional insights; and profiles of Bible characters. Now you don’t have to choose, because the NIV Essentials Study Bible provides you the chance to explore the Bible using all these study methods and more. With each of these lenses included in one Bible, you will discover how to best understand the essentials of Scripture. This edition includes the entire NIV Bible text with the world’s best notes for learning. It incorporates the finest content, images, and study tools from the most popular Bibles that are loved and used by Bible readers just like you. It features:

• Flyover Lens: Start each book of the Bible with the right perspective from easy-to-read introductions from the popular Essential Bible Companion.
• Unpack Lens: Easily understand and interpret Bible passages with bottom-of-the page study notes and in-text charts from the best-in-class NIV Study Bible.
• Dig Deep, Look Close Lens: Understand the fascinating historical significance of the Bible with articles and photos from the bestselling NIV Archaeological Study Bible.
• Q&A Lens: Get concise, easy-to-grasp answers to your most perplexing questions about the Bible with questions and answers from the beloved NIV Quest Study Bible.
• People Lens: View Scripture from the perspective of the 100 most important people in the Bible with notes for the student of any age excerpted from the timeless NIV Student Bible.
• Guided Tour Lens: Get a bird’s eyes view of Scripture with a Guided Tour, also excerpted from the category-leading NIV Student Bible.
• Insight Lens: Find meaning in the Bible by reading these magazine-style call-outs from the NIV Student Bible.
• R&R Lens: Reflect & Respond with this quick inspirational focus time, which unveils the sweeping narrative of the Bible as seen in the award-winning The Great Rescue, NIV.

 Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com® <http://BookSneeze.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Goodbye 2013

Well it's the end of the year again. And I am so happy that it is. This has been one of the roughest years I've had. I mean I've had rough spots, but this year overall was rough. The bright spot of the birth of Amelia (our second and hopefully last little one). So the year wasn't a total bust I guess.

Where shall I start. The bad luck started on New Year’s Day right after the ball dropped when we found a mouse in our living room. So I spent the first little bit of the new year on top of a couch afraid of the mouse (I don't like little critters). Then hubs found that there were holes along the side of our house and that we needed to fix the drainage in our yard because it was affecting the side of the house ( we will probably have to do more work to the rest of the house but that will be when hubs comes home). So after that huge mess that still isn't complete the big problem of the year starts.

In April, a week before Amelia was born, we had a water leak, which was caused because of pipes that had been recalled years before because of failure problems, and that the leak had been there for a while and there was mold. We were out of house for 7 weeks (A didn't get to come home till she was 6 weeks old) and still had to wait another month for all the work to be complete because the first company didn't finish (whole other big problem, don’t wanna think about it anymore because we lost the civil case we had against them since they didn't remove all the mold). Then more mold was found in the wall of the nursery and that took longer and more stress. I think my word for this year was stress.

To add to all of these, it was hubs year to pick orders. Nothing was open for here in VA so he chose to go to school in CA (he checked in yesterday) and will be out there until at least October. And he spent more time gone this year that at home. Just a fact of this life, but didn't help our lovely year.

I think that 2013 was a rough year for a lot of people. Must be that unlucky number 13 and all. So here's to a better 2014 and that some of the problems that we had this year will be just be a bad memory and that we won’t have as many issues this year :)

Fitness Confidential, by American's Angriest Trainer

Fitness Confidential- Adventures in weight-loss game by American’s Angriest trainer Vinnie Tortorich

He’s trained Hollywood types, people of all ages, sexes and other things as well, and has been around the weight-loss/fitness world for a bit so it seems. He’s got a new book- Fitness Confidential- about how to go about getting healthy and fit. 

I feel bad that I’ve never heard of him before reading this book, but the first chapter gives a nice overview of his work and education and the types of people he works with (wish I had the money to hire him, maybe then I’d not fail as often with my goals, but that’s a whole other topic.) He has podcasts out there for you to check out, which sound awesome and I hope to listen!

There are several comments that he makes in the book that really stand out for me, he called one of them a Vinnie-ism. “If you want me to tell you the truth- I’m going to have to lie.” He also said that when he meets with clients he says “Your good intentions have been stolen and I’m here to help you get them back.” I really love that way of looking at weight loss because it has been an ongoing issue for me for many years.  He also says in the chapter about obesity, while talking about how his grandparents and parents ate, that when he’s asked about the secret to a diet, he tells them DON’T!!!

He brings up that our bodies react differently to different kinds of calories and that’s why the ‘calories in, calories out’ theory doesn’t work. Stay away from sugar and grains.  I will admit that I have a hard time with both of these. I love bread. Like a whole lot. Something that I need to think about if I want to lose weight and be healthy. 

He goes in to the mechanics and basics of things like sugars, grains, fats etc., which was very helpful because it was simple and easy to understand (not saying that I’ve not heard it before, but Vinnie makes it sound new and easier for me to process). Vinnie goes into breaking down myths that I’ve believed that eating things high in fat (meats and cheese and bacon) are bad. He talks about how the media and companies wanting to sell products make their stuff sound awesome, or things that are against their products bad. Never really thought of it that way, but it is so true. As he states in his book, he’s not here to sell a diet or product, he wants to make people fit and healthy (Clients can’t write me a check if they’re dead.) Diets don’t need to make us suffer; if you’re suffering you’re doing something wrong. I know I don’t like to feel deprived of something. 

He gives some insight into what he went through as a kid, getting picked on and bullied until he started working out, thanks to a commercial with Jack Lalanne on it. He wanted to get fit and it even helped him to get on a football team in middle school (the only 7^th grader).  He said that we can become soft and cushiony like a couch if we spend our time on a couch, which is so true! He offers some advice about what may go on when you are scouting out gyms and fitness clubs (think used car salesmen lol). 

Vinnie talks about a few exercise books and offers up suggestions about why you want to work out. The writing is so easy it feels like he’s talking to you as a friend and you cannot feel ashamed of being overweight. He offers very friendly insight and makes the book a very easy read. I plan on using this as I plan my goals for the New Year, since he offers many ideas about food and diet that I’ve not thought about. If you’re ready to get on track for the New Year, take a read of Vinnie’s book and he’ll hopefully open your eyes and help you along the way. He is so honest and open that you'd wish you could have him as a trainer too.

A Confident Heart and Psalm 139:5

The verse for this week in my online Bible Study through A Confident Heart by Renee Swope is Psalm 139:5. The translation that I use a good bit of the time, Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB) has it as:

 "You have encircled me;

You have placed Your hand on me."

The translation that OBS used this week is from New Living Translation (NLT): 

"You go before me and follow me. You place Your hand of blessing on my head"

Regardless of which translation is used, and I did look it up in NIV and ESV, Psalm 139:5 tells us that God is all around us, and He has his hand on us. Man, goes right along with God always being everywhere! And to me that is such an awesome thing to have in the back of my mind when I need it; when I feel alone and scare, or when I feel like no one is listening to me, God encircles me with His love and will be there to comfort me. What an awesome thing. How great is our God!!!! 

You'll Get Through This review

How many times have I heard, "You'll get through this, just wait and good thing will come" or the like. How about you? I'm sure it's been a few times (or in my case many times). Max Lucado's book "You'll Get Through This" is about how Joseph, who's life was full of so many bad things, was able to get through it because of God.

There is such an amazing story to be read by Joseph and how God worked good through him, and even through Job, and Lucado uses their stories as well to show that even when things are bleak, God works things for good. A quote from the book that I really enjoyed was this:

"These days are a vapor, a passing breeze. This will eventually pass. God will make something good out of this. I will work hard, stay faithful, and trust Him no matter what." (chapter 2)

If you want some assurances that things will get better, look to scripture and to God. Lucado offers some help in Joseph's story that things wont be painless, but you will get through it. 

Book Description

You’ll get through this.
It won’t be painless.
It won’t be quick.
But God will use this mess for good.
Don’t be foolish or naïve.
But don’t despair either.
With God’s help, you’ll get through this.
You fear you won't make it through. We all do. We fear that the depression will never lift, the yelling will never stop, the pain will never leave. In the pits, surrounded by steep walls and aching reminders, we wonder: Will this gray sky ever brighten? This load ever lighten?
In You'll Get Through This, pastor and New York Times best-selling author, Max Lucado offers sweet assurance. "Deliverance is to the Bible what jazz music is to Mardi Gras: bold, brassy, and everywhere." Max reminds readers God doesn't promise that getting through trials will be quick or painless. It wasn't for Joseph--tossed in a pit by his brothers, sold into slavery, wrongfully imprisoned, forgotten and dismissed--but his Old Testament story is in the Bible for this reason: to teach us to trust God to trump evil.
With the compassion of a pastor, the heart of a storyteller, and the joy of one who has seen what God can do, Max explores the story of Joseph and the truth of Genesis 50:20. What Satan intends for evil, God redeems for good.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com® <http://BookSneeze.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

The Real Me- A confident heart post

Well as I read through A Confident Heart by Renee Swope, I've been learning to deal with doubt. And boy, do I have a lot of doubt to deal with. This week we are going through Chapter 8, When Doubt Whispers, "I Don't Have Anything Special to Offer.", which includes figuring out your personality type and Spiritual gifts. I have so many times in my life where I feel like I don't have anything to offer when I see what others around me and what they can do. I am still new on my journey (or at least I still feel that way), so I'm bound to have these feelings, right?

I have taken a couple of Spiritual Gift assessments before. My top one always seems to come out mercy/compassion. Which I guess is a good thing since I have a degree in psychology and love helping people. But some times I don't feel like I'm helping people all that much or all that well. Then out of the blue, someone will tell me how wonderful I was the day that we had a chat, or a phone call etc. Just a simple little conversation has been said to help a few people in my life, even though I didn't think I said/did anything profound. Amazing how God works in ways that we don't even know.

This time I took the test, I had 3 different things tied for my 2nd top gift, which I think in the past has only be one thing (I'm searching for my test lol). Helps/Serving/Minstering, Teaching and Wisdom all came in second (score of 12). I guess the helps/serving one could fall right along with mercy because both are important to each other. But the teaching and wisdom ones kind of surprised me. As I was going through the test this time, I could tell that some of my answers had changed from a previous test. I guess now that I'm on my spiritual journey more and trying to grow more in my faith and closer to God, that my gifts would also grow and change more. I still have soooooo much further to go in my faith, but that's ok, I know God gives me grace as I travel towards Him instead of away from Him.

Do I know the "REAL ME" after this test? No, well maybe a little bit more, but I still am unsure of who I might be, but I know a little better now about what I have to offer to others. I still have a lot of work to do, I was coming from a dark place 7 years ago, and have had some amazing and wonderful things happen over the last few years, and I'm a changed (and for the better) person, who is learning to know God (or at least wants to know Him) and to work towards sharing my faith and my gifts with others. Hopefully by the end of this study, I will have the confident heart that I am trying to seek and will be able to share better with others.

Thanks for reading :)

Want to read Women Living Well by Courtney Joseph?? I've got a giveaway for that

That's right! I've not done a giveaway in awhile, so I have a copy of Women Living Well by Courtney Joseph and I would love to share it with someone! I think that the book is amazing, (you can read my posts from here and here) and I know that I took a lot away from it and hope that others would too. So what does it take to win this book?? Well here's some options that you have.

1. Tell me one thing that would hope to improve upon in your life now or in the coming year in the comment section.

2. Follow my blog, you can over on the side.

3. Like my Facebook page here- if you haven't already :)

4. Follow me on Twitter, if you haven't done that already as well.

Leave a comment for each thing that you do and I'll use random.org to select a winner. I need to learn how to use raflcopter, maybe for my next giveaway :)

Love and Respect- this time the family edition

So not long after we got married and hubs was in Cali for the first year of our marriage, he went to a chaplain to get some resources for us, and the Love and Respect book was on there. I got it and started reading it and hoped that it would help our marriage. Now, the same author, Dr. Emerson Eggerichs has come out with a book about Love and Respect for the family, hoping to help families with the problems they face communicating with children who need to be loved and the parents needs to be respected.

The book is broken down into three parts:

The Family Crazy Cycle
The Family Energizing Cycle
The Family Rewarded Cycle

Each part focuses on ways to help both kids and parents get through the tough stuff and come up with ways to grow as a family and get needs met for both parties. Dr. Eggerichs uses biblical teachings through out to help get the points across. I love that in the middle of the book he added pictures of his family, to show that he is real and that he hopes that some of his insights can help families who are in need of working on creating harmony.

Book Description

Children need love. Parents need respect.
It is as simple and complex as that!
When frustrated with an unresponsive child, a parent doesn’t declare, “You don’t love me.” Instead the parent asserts, “You are being disrespectful right now.” A parent needs to feel respected, especially during conflicts. When upset a child does not whine, “You don’t respect me.” Instead, a child pouts, “You don’t love me.” A child needs to feel loved, especially during disputes.
But here’s the rub: An unloved child (or teen) negatively reacts in a way that feels disrespectful to a parent. A disrespected parent negatively reacts in a way that feels unloving to the child. This dynamic gives birth to the FAMILY CRAZY CYCLE.
So how is one to break out of this cycle? Best-selling author Emerson Eggerichs has studied the family dynamic for more than 30 years, having his Ph.D. in Child and Family Ecology. As a senior pastor for nearly two decades, Eggerichs builds on a foundation of strong biblical principles, walking the reader through an entirely new way to approach the family dynamic. For instance, God reveals ways to defuse the craziness with our children from preschooler to teen, plus how to motivate them to obey and how to deal with them when they don’t. In the Bible, God has spoken specifically to parents on how to parent. This book is about that revelation.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com® <http://BookSneeze.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”