Messy Beautiful Love a review

Darlene Schacht, better known over at The Time Warp Wife, wrote a beautiful book about how messy marriage can be. Messy Beautiful Love came out this fall and it such a wonderful and insightful look at marriage. Darlene uses many of her life experiences to help readers try to relate to each of the chapter topics that she covers.

 I love how Darlene is so real. She starts out the first chapter with such a personal story and how her husband was able to turn that around and show her grace, just like God does with us. Each chapter is full of Scripture that can be applied to so many of the problems that we can face in our marriages. And at the end of the chapter she offers a challenge to do with your marriage.

The book was a great, easy read. It helped open my eyes to see some of the things that I had done in my own marriage and ways to help combat those little things that try to sneak into our marriages. It also helped me to remind that when I put God first in my marriage, everything else can fall into place.



I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers  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 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Book Description

Love gets messy.
Financial problems, sickness, aging parents, a chronically unhappy spouse . . . trials will inevitably come along to threaten your marriage. No matter how long you've been married or how strong your relationship is, sooner or later you are going to have a mess to clean up.
Messy Beautiful Love is about cleaning up messes God's way, exchanging our ideas for his, and being prepared for both the best and the worst that marriage has to offer.
Perhaps you've picked up this book because your marriage is messy already-now is the time to make a change. If your marriage is tidy, thank God-there is no better time to prepare for the future.
Married life is never straightforward or simple for long. But the reality is this: when you surrender your relationship to God; when you lay your marriage at his feet; when you finally cede control; then and only then will you experience the blessing of marriage as he intended-this is the blessing of obedience.
Messy Beautiful Love is an invitation to that obedience. An invitation to surrender. The cynical world says marriages don't last. God knows better. Tune out the world and tune in to him. When you do that, a beautiful marriage is not only possible-it's inevitable. That's something to be excited about.
About the Author
Darlene Schacht is the original founder of Christian Women Online Magazine and The Internet Café Devotions and writes the popular blog Time-Warp Wife. She is coauthor of Candace Cameron Bure’s New York Time’s best-selling book, Reshaping It All: Motivation for Physical and Spiritual Fitness. Darlene has been married to Michael Schacht for more than 25 years. They have four children.

Just RISE UP- review

There were three more books released from the InScribed series for women that I had posted on earlier this year. And they seem to be as awesome as the other four. I just love the covers of the books, which hopefully will interest some people to read them as well.

Just RISE UP! A Call to Make Jesus Famous by Sarah Francis Martin takes a look at Psalm 145 and how we can find ways to praise God in every aspect of our lives. She claims early on in the book that if you are in need of a breatkthrough in faith then this book is for you.

Each chapter is broken down into learning about rising up, part of a converstation that the author has with her friends about the topic, and journaling prompts so that you can dive in deeper with God and learn how to RISE UP. The author really wants readers to journal so that they can try to grow while reading the book. I love how each chapter is broken down into 5 sections. They are short enough that you could do one each day as a devotion or do a whole chapter in one day, depending on what kind of time you have.

Sarah is real with her writing, talking about her experiences that have led to her faith and how hopefully readers will be able to learn to RISE UP and praise God the way that He deserves to be praised. 

Book Description

It is common to look at our faith as something that just “is”. It’s not strong, nor is it weak; it’s simply a part of us. But faith is something we desire to strengthen. It is a vital relationship with our Lord that should be nurtured, celebrated, and shouted from the rooftops as the most incredible gift we will ever receive.
Just RISE UP! is a call to do just that. This invigorating study motivates women to do life differently by making Jesus famous in all aspects of life. Many have the itch to make a difference with their lives but don’t know how. By living a life of praise, with a humble posture and a Kingdom perspective, women will step into their life purpose. With Just RISE UP! readers will evaluate their present stance before the Lord and become excited to RISE UP! and take their place in the Kingdom to make the name of Jesus renowned.
Features include:

• Snippets of conversations with Sarah’s readers
• Journaling prompts to help the reader dig deeper
• Questions to facilitate dialogue

About the Author
Sarah Francis Martin has a passion to do life and ministry with women and encourage them to RISE UP! and make Jesus famous in every part of life. Sarah is a graduate of Texas A&M University and Charles Colson's Centurions discipleship program, an intense study of biblical worldview. Read more from Sarah in her book Stress Point: Thriving Through Your Twenties In A Decade Of Drama. (Thomas Nelson 2012) www.liveitoutblog.com

Noah, A Wordless Picture Book- Review

Earlier this year, Noah, a blockbuster movie came out to tell the story of Noah, who was called by God to build a boat to save his family and 2 of each animal species from God's impending wrath. I will say that I've not seen the movie, but I've heard that it was very over the top and well a Hollywood movie.

It's hard to tell a story, when there's only so many verses in the Bible about it. And trying to show the amazing story of Noah to children can be an even more daunting task. But with Mark Ludy's newest release, Noah, a Wordless Picture Book, he is able to create an beautiful story is such detailed art. The details that he puts into to telling the story of Noah and how he can tell a story of great depth and importance with amazing colors and emotions is just wonderful. You can see the anguish on Noah's face when he hears what God's plans are. You can see and even feel the joy on Noah and his family's faces when the dove brings the olive branch.

I love using this book to tell Noah's story to my children. My son loves the pictures. He asks all kinds of questions about the pictures because there are so many details. It will be a great book that we will share and read and enjoy for years to come.

From the back cover

A hundred years before the Great Flood, a man named Noah came home talking crazy. 

God wanted him to build the biggest ship  the world had ever seen. The future of humanity depended on it. How would his wife respond? What would the neighbors think? Was it even feasible?

This lavish reimagining of one of the greatest stories of all time will fascinate children and adults alike.  Nuanced and playful, yet meticulous in following the biblical narrative, Mark Ludy's world-class art digs deeper than the Sunday-school tale of cuddly animals, exploring Noah's relationship with his family, the natural world, God-and a formidable engineering challenge. Immerse yourself in this stunning wordless epic. Whatever your age, you'll never read this story in the same way again.

Mark Ludy has written or illustrated eight children's books including The Farmer, The Flower Man, The Grump, and Jujo the Youngest Tribesman. When he's not immersed in his sketchbooks, you'll find him in schools promoting art and literacy. He lives in Colorado with his wife, daughter, and two sons. 

I was provided a copy by Handlebar publication in return for my honest review.

Well if you've been here for awhile, you'll see there has been a name change for the blog. While military life is still a big part of our life, it's not safe for it to be out there for the world to see, so I'm redoing the blog for now. Besides, I enjoy doing reviews right now and that seems to be what I've been posting more of. I have been so overwhelmed for the last year while Hubs has been in school that so many things have been pushed to another place in my crazy schedule. I will be working to change the address of the blog as well, so look for that along with hopefully some graphics if I'm feeling feisty. I have some ideas for posts in my head, but I think them through while I'm in bed and forget them when I can get to the computer. Hopefully I can start to write them down. Really need to keep a notebook by my bed, not just in my purse. Thank you for sticking with me. :)

Brave Mom- Facing and Overcoming Your Real Mom Fears- Review

I have to say, I loved the title of this book. I know that I struggle daily with being a mom. So I thought that this title was a great way of saying what I want to be. I think it does take a big dose of bravery to be a mom.

Sherry Surratt is the CEO of MOPS International, so you know that she has lots of experience with kids and their moms and the fears that we all have had. She uses the experiences that she has had with her own children on her way to being a brave mom.  I love how right off the bat she tells a story about how she was walking and tripped over air and fell and her purse exploded all over the place. How many times have I done that and felt like a fool, But it's ok because we all do it.

Topics in the book include: The Truth About Fear; Are My Fears Reasonable?; Will Having a Baby Change My Life Forever? and Facing Your Emotional Monsters. Those chapters were the ones that really hit home with me.

At the end of each chapter there are "Let's Get Practical" questions to review what you've read and dig deeper into the topic along with a "Let's Take Action" to help you on your way to become brave. My favorite one from Chapter 3 about choosing a Bible verse or truth that can help you focus on positive thoughts, she used Philippians 4:8. Mine would be Romans 5:3-5.

Book Description

In Brave Mom, Sherry Surratt, president and CEO of MOPS International, shares honestly and openly about the fears every mom struggles with. From worry about your child’s safety and health to wondering if you are a good parent, to fears about your marriage and loss of self-identity, Sherry comes alongside every mom with practical, real, and hopeful help for these common fears that we’re all afraid to talk about.
The 10 most common mom fears are each covered in their own easy to read chapter, made up of stories of real moms and the help and answers they found. Filled with advice and insight from Sherry and the hope and grace found in God’s wisdom, Brave Mom gives moms everything they need to leave fear behind and live the admittedly messy life of parenting with confidence and joy. Each chapter also contains a prayer for moms to help them turn their fears over to God’s protection and care.
As the mom experts, MOPS provide moms around the country a connection to other moms, practical help to move ahead, and the warmth and grace of God’s love.
About the Author
As the CEO at MOPS International, Sherry Surratt is excited to work with dedicated folks who trade their lives daily to invest in moms and families. She is passionate about helping women step into their influence and change the world, whether it’s in the office or in the incredibly important role of mom to their kids. Sherry lives in Denver with the love of her life, Geoff, and has two wonderful kids, Michael and Brittainy, beautiful daughter-in-law Hilary, and her two gorgeous grandchildren.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers <http://booklookbloggers.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.”

Forgive? How can I possibly forgive? A review

Forgiveness has been something that I've struggled with in the past. So I was excited to read How Can I Possibly Forgive? A new book by Sara Horn. She starts out with a story about how she had been avoiding having a conversation with someone who she was having a strained relationship with and there seemed to be issues, but when she finally talked with her, the other person said, nope nothing's wrong, yet everything had been telling Sara there was. How many times had that be me? Avoiding answering a call or going some where because I didn't want to deal with emotions/situations.

The chapter that really hit me is Chapter 3 "In Seasons of Rumble". On Page 59, Sara writes,

"Bitterness does that to you. When life happens and circumstances feel unfair, when you sense yourself in the crosshairs of an undeserved target, or maybe just as an innocent bystander not looking for trouble or for problems, you can quickly move from sadness to resentment, from denial to anger. You might get mad at other people, putting blame squarely on their shoulders, or you might even get mad at God.

The thing about bitterness, though, is it's not easy to hide. Eventually, you expose yourself. Your sour feelings come out."

How many of us can relate to that? I know that I've been feeling that way dealing with the stress of this separation and everything that seems going wrong in my life. But if we can learn to deal with what is going on, it will make it somewhat easier to get through the "Big Hurts" as Sara calls them.  Sara writes on Page 60, 

"How easily we can be changed by our circumstances and challenges, by the Big Hurts we come up against."

 But if we can learn to let go of the bitterness, or whatever it is, we can hopefully get to a place of forgiveness. God wants us to have that.

At the end of each of the 10 chapters in the book, there are five ways/reasons/truths to go along with the topic of each chapter, which range from ideas such as: "Getting Over It" and Other Myths; Forgiving Yourself; When You're Mad at God; and Listening Through the Noise. Sara puts a lot of heart into her writing and use such real experiences from her own life to help readers deal with the hurts, the scars, the noise and anything else that cause us pain so that we can learn to forgive others and most importantly ourselves.

Sara's book, "How Can I Possibly Forgive? Rescuing Your Heart from Resentment and Regret comes out October 1 and can be found at Amazon and other places as well.

I was given a copy of the book as a member of the Launch team. The review and comments are my own

Hope Quotient

Hope....... Hope is used in so many ways, at so many different times and for so many different reasons.  Hope is what some people have to live for. We have many hopes for our children/marriage/self etc.

The Hope Quotient is a great read about how to get hope in your life. There is a quiz you can take to discover your Hope IQ. Using the key factors that Johnston lays out, like recharging your batteries, that is something that I can relate to. I know when I'm feeling down and defeated, there is going to be a lot less hope in me.

This would be a great book to do as a bible study or book club read. I hope to use it with my women's group at some point because I think it has a lot to offer anyone who could use some Hope in their lives, and really, who couldn't?

Book Description

What’s at the heart of every thriving person, every thriving marriage, kid, and business?
Hope!
The Hope Quotient is a revolutionary new method for measuring—and dramatically increasing—your level of hope. Hope is more than a feeling; it’s the by-product of seven key factors. When these are present in your life, they cause hope to thrive.
Factor 1: Recharge Your Batteries Nobody does well running on empty.
Factor 2: Raise Your Expectations You don’t get what you deserve; you get what you expect.
Factor 3: Refocus on the Future It’s time to throw away your rearview mirror. No one goes forward well when they are looking back.
Factor 4: Play to Your Strengths Be yourself; everyone else is taken.
Factor 5: Refuse to Go It Alone Never underestimate the power of support. Even the Lone Ranger had Tonto.
Factor 6: Replace Burnout with Balance Burning the candle at both ends isn’t as bright as you think.
Factor 7: Play Great Defense Avoid these five toxic hope killers that can threaten your future.
Using seven years of research, powerful biblical illustrations, and compelling human-interest stories, Ray Johnston explains how these seven essential factors will support, sustain, and strengthen your hope. And when consciously built into your life, how they will unleash hope in your marriage, your kids, your career, your church, your community, and the world.
Discover your HQ level, the most important contributor to your overall success, and then learn how to improve it. Because when hope rises—everything changes.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers <http://booklookbloggers.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.”

Braver living can be just a read away......

Is there a cure for perfection? Is there anything to help you not to fight to be perfect in every single thing? Well there might not be some magical pill or anything like that, but there's a great book out there that can at least help you to "stop trying harder and start living braver"!

I have always tried to be perfect in some way or another. But we all know that is something that can't really be done. There is only one true and perfect person and well we aren't Him. But that doesn't mean that I shouldn't at least try to do the best that I can and be Brave!!

In The Cure for the "Perfect" Life Kathi and Cheri break down what they call "P" bullies: Perfectionism, People-Pleasing, Performancism, and Procrastination. Let me tell you, when I took the  quiz on one of the first pages and it said that I was suffering from full-blown THL (Try-Harder Living) I knew I was in trouble. I read through the descriptions of each of the P bullies and marked the parts that I knew that had been affecting my life. I thought that Procrastination would be my biggest one, but People Pleasing is. Well they all are really depending on the day.

Kathi and Cheri go through and discuss ways to beat the bullies that we've bought into. Bullies like: "If I can't do it right, I won't do it at all."  and "I don't do angry" and explain what is going on when we are dealing with that bully and ways to combat it. They describe 4 types of Rebels ( Expressive, Analytical, Driving, and Amiable) which can determine how we will respond to each of the bullies. I am a mix of Amiable and Analytical with a tad of Expressive. At the end of each of the 12 bully chapters, they break down ways to rebel against that bully and how each of the rebel types may deal with the situation.

 The end of each chapter helped shed so much light on each of the bullies that I've been dealing with through my life and gave me better ideas on how to deal with some of the things I've been going through. Man I wish I would have had this book a few years ago, it could have helped with some of my problems I've had.

If you are tired of feeling defeated, trying to hard, or just need a little boast of brave, I think that reading this book would totally help you. I know that I'm working on my P bullies and trying to live braver. Now I really do need to find a bravery buddy. Anyone interested?

You can download the first chapter for free from here!!!!

From the back cover:

Are you crumbling under the burden of perfection?

You know the expectations are unreasonable–even unreachable.

And when everyone else seems more together than you, where do you turn for help?

Meet Kathi, a disguised perfectionist always looking to put everyone else’s needs above her own, and Cheri, a formerly confused and exhausted poster girl for playing it safe.  They’ve struggled just like you–and found the cure. With unabashed empathy and humor, they invite you to take part in their rebellion against perfection. Step-by-step they’ll teach you how to challenge and change unhealthy beliefs. As they free you from always seeking more or needing the approval of others, you’ll discover a new, braver way of living. At last, you’ll exchange outdated views of who you should be for a clearer vision of who you are in Christ.

The truth is you don’t have to be perfect.

You just have to be brave enough to read this book.

From the Introduction:

Even though we have different life stories, we’ve both succumbed to Try-Harder Living. We used to look for the nice, polite ways to follow God’s call. We caved to others’ expectations for too long. We finally decided stop taking our cues from the world and start asking ourselves, “What does God want from me … and have for me?”
And we’ve come to the conclusion: there is no nice, polite way to do this. There’s no easy way to leave the life that’s been expected of us and to start living the brave, not so neatly tied up life that God is calling us to.
We have to rebel. We have to make choices that are countercultural to our society, our families of origin, and even our churches.
We’re guessing that as you’ve read our stories you’ve said, “Me too!” at one point or another (or perhaps, several points.) Most women we know are fighting THL to some degree.

We get it. We’ve been there. We have the souvenir travel mugs. And because life isn’t perfect, those mugs have leaked all over our shirts. (It’s the official uniform for the recovering perfectionist—a nice white shirt with a huge stain down the front.)

Come join our rebellion. We have cupcakes. The frosting is a little mushed, but hey, they still taste great. And they aren’t homemade. But we’re okay with that.
As we share our own rebel stories and strategies, we hope you will

• exchange outdated views of who you “should be” for a clear do-able vision of who you are in Christ.
• take control of that too long to-do list so it no longer controls you.
• stop striving to maintain an image and live with more freedom day-to-day.
• overcome the tyranny of “more” and radically live with the abundance of “enough.”
• stop trying to earn others’ approval and learn to rest in God’s lavish unconditional love.

About the Authors:

Kathi Lipp

Website:   http://www.KathiLipp.com
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKathiLipp
Twitter:    https://twitter.com/kathilipp
Pinterest:  http://www.pinterest.com/kathilipp/
Kathi Lipp is the author of The Husband Project, The Me Project, The Get Yourself Organized Project, 21 Ways to Connect With Your Kids, and several other books. Kathi’s articles have appeared in dozens of magazines, and she is a frequent guest on Focus on the Family radio and TV. She and her husband Roger are parents of four young adults in San Jose, California. Kathi shares her story at retreats, conferences, and women’s events across the United States. Connect with her at www.KathiLipp.com, on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/AuthorKathiLipp, or on Twitter @KathiLipp.

Cheri Gregory

Website:  http://www.CheriGregory.com
Facebook:   https://www.facebook.com/CheriGregoryAuthor
Twitter:    https://twitter.com/CheriGregory
Pinterest:   http://www.pinterest.com/CheriGregory
Cheri Gregory is a Certified Personality Trainer; contributor to multiple books, including Wired That Way and 21 Ways to Connect With Your Kids; and frequent speaker for MOPS groups, women’s retreats, parent workshops, and educational conferences. She is also a high school English teacher and graduate student. Cheri has been “wife of my youth” to Daniel (her opposite personality), a pastor, for over a quarter-of-a-century; they have two college-aged kids (who are also opposite personalities). She blogs about expectations, “baditude”, and hope at www.CheriGregory.com. Connect with her on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/Cheri.Gregory.Author and Twitter @CheriGregory.

The Sticky Faith guide for your family review

 

I loved the title of this book. I know that I want my children to grow up with the faith that I wish I would have grown up with. And since I'm still learning my way through my faith, any thing that I an get my hands on to help me as well as my family is always a plus. The topics that are covered in this book include: You Get What You Are: Modeling sticky faith; Handling Mistakes: Showing Sticky Forgiveness; Connecting: Finding ways to relate to your teenager (I know that I have a few more years to go on this, but it is a helpful section); Communication: Talking Faith With your Kids and so much more.

The topics that are discussed are easy to apply to any family type and seems to help with all ages. I know that this books is going to be a great resource for the next few years to come with my two littles.

Book Description

The Sticky Faith Guide for Your Family addresses one of the top current concerns about youth and the church: the reality that nearly half of all young people raised in Christian families walk away from their faith when they graduate from high school. That's the bad news. But here's the good news: research also shows that parents are one of the primary influences on their child's faith.

This book arises from the innovative, research-based, and extensively field-tested project known as "Sticky Faith," designed to equip parents with insights and ideas for nurturing long-term faith in children and young people. Grounded in academically verified data, The Sticky Faith Guide for Your Family is a positive and practical resource that empowers parents to take the small steps that can translate into big progress in their kids' spiritual journeys.

Even busy families will find the "guidebook" format accessible and easy to use. More importantly, they'll be equipped with research-tested tools to nurture a strong faith in the next generation.

 Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers <http://booklookbloggers.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.”

friend. not been a good one.

I don't feel like a good friend a lot of the time. Or maybe it's that I don't feel like I'm the friend I want to be or should be. I love people (most of the time). I love helping people, feeling like I've done something to make their life better. Guess that's why I went into a helping profession, even though I've not done anything with it for several years. But when I had kids, that became a whole other story. Well, maybe even before that.

I am a very emotional person. On so many levels. I choose to care about other people's emotions and thoughts just as much as my own. And with such, well I hate to be a bother to people. I hate to call someone (or text) and say "Hey wanna hang out?" because I don't want to bother people. So I just wait, thinking that maybe someone will contact me when they want to hang out. But you know what, that rarely happens. Not the fault of the other person, it's just what happens.

This whole thing of feeling like I'm bothering people has evolved more so with the kids because now it's "Well the kids are crazy sometimes, and don't listen, and I just don't want to bother anyone with that." So I isolate us. Not good. Not good for the kids. D at least goes to preschool for 3 hours a day, and we have church a couple of times a week when he gets to see kids, but church right now is the only place A gets a lot of her socialization. And it's the only place I get a lot of it too.

How do I overcome this feeling of "Well I don't want to bother you, I'll just wait till you want to hang out with me?"

I feel like I've lost a lot of friendships because of this over the past few years. I know lots of people in the area, but don't ever see them. And it's sad. Because the people I know are awesome people and I would love to see them and hang with them and let our kids spend time together and all develop the friendships that we had started to have, but I let stop because of stupid feelings.

 The whole feeling of bothering people can totally been seen rooted in my other issue of depression. I'm not afraid anymore of talking about my depression. There's nothing wrong with it. There's nothing to be ashamed of. It's something I've dealt with for more than half my life, and I've finally started to accept it and I'm working on it. Starting to get the help that I need. And with that hopefully I will be able to get back the friendships that I really want and our family could use, so that we can grow to be healthier, happier people.

So yea, there it is. I've been feeling like a bother and haven't wanted to bother people so I didn't. But when you, hopefully, start seeing the improvements, hopefully you'll start seeing us too.

Home is ...

I hate moving. I really REALLY do. But then I married a sailor, and moving is supposed to be apart of this life. And I'm ok with that... as long as someone packs my stuff... well most of my stuff. The last few months have been insane. But seems like that is all my life is right now. In July, not long after Hubs went back to CA for school from his month visit, I was moving something in the kitchen and low and behold I found mold!!! Seems like there was a leak in the wall by the fridge from out an outside water spigot. We missed it when we replaced all the plumbing last year from the water damage. So then starts another month of work in my house. I was already over water damage and mold from last year, but now this was adding to my breaking point.

Well then we decided to pursue the option of finding a new house, which we did and at the end of August we became the proud owner of another house. That's right, at the moment we have two homes. But don't worry, we are placing the other house on the market soon to get rid of it. Hopefully someone else will have the patience and money to love it the way that we wanted.

Our new house isn't without problems it seems, despite a home inspection, mold inspection and many other things. But hopefully things will get fixed soon and we can move on with our lives in this new house. There are many things that make this house much better than the last. The biggest one is the fact that it's got a lot more space. While it's only 3 bedrooms, there is so much space. There is a formal living room that will be a playroom probably and if and when my mom comes to live with us will be turned into a bedroom. There is a bonus room upstairs between the kids rooms that I'm going to turn into a library/guest room. and the master bedroom could actually be two rooms. And it has two closets, one of which is going to be a office/craft room for me. And even though the back yard is smaller, it's entirely fenced in, so no worrying about kids running into the street or falling into water. Only bad thing about it, is that it backs up to a main road and I guess some time in the last year there have been some cars that have ran the red light and crashed into the fence. And it can kind of be loud when an emergency vehicle drives by, but it doesn't bother me too much (yet).

I hope that this will be the forever home that we were hoping for. We had such hope for our last house, but the problems that arose over the last few years just broke our hearts about the dreams and plans we had for it. I hope that we can make this the home that we wanted. Poor Hubs has only seen pictures, and will only get to spend a short amount of time in it for awhile (that's another update to make when I can)

So as you can read it's been a whole lotta crazy here, and that's just house drama. Oh the stories to tell. But that's for the next post. Gotta get back into the habit of posting. Gotta try to get some of this pent up frustration out.

Niv Integrated Study Bible review

 

I've never had a chronological Bible before, but the NIV Integrated Study Bible is very interesting. It puts the Bible in the order that events happen, as I'm sure most chronological Bibles do. I love being able to look at the verses that happen about the same time, especially in the Chronicles and Kings. And I love how the Gospel accounts of the same events are put together so you can see what each writer wrote about the same event.  While I'm not a big fan of the newest NIV translation, it's still an easy to read translation that many people use, so this would be a great Bible for a study. 

 

In the back there is a listing in order of all the scriptures so in case you are looking for something and it's not where you would think it is, you can turn to the back and find what you are looking for.  

While it's not set up in the normal way that I would like to read a Bible, this is a great Bible if you are doing a chronological study of the Bible and this will help you put all the stories together so you can see the big picture of God's Word. I would recommend this to anyone who wants to read the Bible chronologically. I'll be using this for additional study times when I work through the lives of the Kings of Israel and Judah. 

Book Description

More than just a chronological Bible—not only are passages of Scripture arranged in their sequential order, but so also are individual events, and includes multiple interpretations for deeper revelations.
The NIV Integrated Study Bible shows the Bible unfolding in a new way as the landmark events are set in parallel. It’s more than just a chronological Bible—not only are passages of Scripture arranged in their sequential order, but so also are individual events. And multiple interpretations allow for deeper revelations. For instance, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John’s telling of Jesus feeding the 5,000—presented in four columns right next to each other—take on a new life. David’s story about hiding from Saul in the wilderness is paired with the relevant psalms. In this new, hardcover edition, the NIV Integrated Study Bible will prove to be a lasting and invaluable resource for your customers.
Features include:

• The entire text of the NIV translation with the order of events arranged chronologically
• General and sectional (e.g., Pentateuch, History, Prophets, Gospels) introductions on chronology and dating, including comparative charts of major systems and schemes
• Brief commentary in the form of transitions to help navigate the chronology

I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers <http://booklookbloggers.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 

NIrV Adventure Bible for Early Readers review

I  was very excited to review this Bible for my family. My son is really starting to enjoy his Jesus Calling storybook Bible and so I have been trying to find a good regular Bible for him. This one is great. He loves the cover, which has an awesome sticker on the front (lenticular 3D motion on the cover.) The NIrV translation is easy to read an understand, and I think we will have lots of fun with story time in this Bible.

It has lots of color on the pages, with articles on Life in Bible times, People in Bible times and Did you Know facts. I enjoy reading those even.The Famous Children of the Bible page can help kids find stories about other kids from the Bible and see if they can relate to them. There's a page on question kids ask, and gives verses for them to look up for those answers.

. 

 The introduction pages have basic information about when the book was written and some important things that happened in the timeline of the book. Very helpful for those kids who are doing their own Bible study

 

I really do love this Bible. It is targeted for kids who are able to read on their own and do their own study (ages 6-9), but I think it's going to be a great addition to our reading for our kids. It has the whole translation of the Bible so that kids can learn along with their parents in easy to read words. I would totally recommend this to anyone with kids of any age who want to learn more about the Bible. 

 

Book Description

Ready for Adventure? The Adventure Bible for Early Readers takes you on a fun, exciting journey through God’s Word. Along the way you’ll meet all types of people, see all sorts of places, and learn all kinds of things about the Bible. Most importantly, you’ll grow closer in your relationship with God. Here’s a quick tour through the features:

• Life in Bible Times - Articles and illustrations describe what life was like in ancient days
• People in Bible Times - Articles offer close-up looks at amazing people of the Bible
• Let’s Live It! - Hands-on activities help you apply biblical truths to your life
• Did You Know? - Interesting facts help you understand God's Word
• Words to Treasure - Great verses to memorize
• Twenty special pages - Games and other Bible fun, all with a jungle safari theme
• Book introductions, a dictionary, and color maps
• Includes the New International Reader’s Version (NIrV) that is perfect for children learning to read and explore the Bible for the first time on their own.

For games and activities, visit www.AdventureBible.com.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers <http://booklookbloggers.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.

How to Train Your Dragon 2. starts June 13th.

 

Starting this Friday, June 13th, the second chapter of DreamWorks Animation's beloved How to Train Your Dragon franchise is soaring to all IMAX theatres domestically in select engagements. The IMAX 3D release will be digitally re-mastered into the image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience®, creating a unique environment that will make audiences feel as though they are flying alongside heroic Viking Hiccup and his faithful dragon, Toothless.

Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, Craig Ferguson, America Ferrera, Jonah Hill, T.J. Miller, Christopher Mintz-Plasse and Kristen Wiig reprise their respective voice roles, joined this time by Academy Award® winner Cate Blanchett, Djimon Honsou and Kit Harington.

For more information about How to Train Your Dragon 2, please visit DreamWorks Animation's official website.

For IMAX Theater locations and local showtimes click here!

The info for this post was provided by IMAX and Coyne PR.

Companion to Old Testament by Ted Leach

While I've read through the Bible a few times, I still have a hard time with the Old Testament. Well I have a hard time at times with the whole Bible, but the Old Testament seems to much different that the New, but it's really not. This book helps to show us that the New Testament is influenced by the Old Testament, as well as a lot of other things.

I loved as a I started reading  this, Leach talked about a Disciple class that he had been in, and I am currently taking the same Disciple class. Sorry just a little side note. 

There is a great deal of wealth in the pages of this book, breaking down the history of the Hebrew people, the places that are in the Bible, the events that took place, like all the kings that were in the two divided kingdoms. There is a lot of information that relates to the things going on around the world that the Old Testament covers that you wont find in the Bible that helps to explain more of the situation that the Hebrew people were dealing with.

I think this is a great resource for any library and for anyone who wants to know more about the Old Testament and how it ties in with so many different things in the Christian faith as well as the Jewish and even Muslim faith.

Book Description

This book helps Christians understand how the Old Testament is “community property” shared by Jews, Christians and Muslims. It is a constructive resource for interfaith discussion, particularly for people of different faiths (or no faith) who are seeking to identify some shared principles of our common humanity.

From Amazon
Beginners to Bible study will enjoy the simple language in this useful introduction to the Old Testament. Long-time students of the Bible who want more than a literal approach to scripture will find refreshing interpretations for some of the more difficult passages. The author respects the historical context of the ancient biblical stories and encourages the reader to make practical application to today’s world. This book helps Christians understand how the Old Testament is “community property” shared by Jews, Christians and Muslims. It is a constructive resource for interfaith discussion, particularly as people of different faiths (or no faith) seek to identify some shared principles of our common humanity. Abraham, revered by Jews, Christians and Muslims, can be a starting point for greater mutual understanding. The Jewish concept of Messiah can be a metaphor of hope for all people.

Footnotes are included for those who “want to know more” about a given topic. “Questions for Reflection” at the end of each chapter facilitate group discussion. A concise index is provided. The book’s introduction and ten chapters are suitable for a 10-12 week study.

The Storm Inside Review

 

I love the subtitle of this book: Trade the Chaos of How you Feel for the Truth of Who You Are. That sounds awesome right? Shelia Walsh has great insight with her new book. There are 10 chapters that take you from one end of an emotional rollercoaster to the other, such as From Shame to Love and From Heartbreak to Strength. 

My favorite chapter by far was the Heartbreak to Strength, because it spoke to me right now in the place that I'm at. Each chapter starts with the hard stuff, but leads us to Christ and how we can come out of the trials/chaos/bad stuff going on in our lives with help from powerful stories of others, including Walsh, who have come through their storm and how we can rely on Scripture and God to get through them. 

At the end of each chapter there is a section called "Standing Through Your Storm" which offers activities and suggestions to help you through that particular topic from the chapter. So many great ideas to help change your storm into something calm. 

This was my first Shelia Walsh book and I really enjoyed it. I look forward to reading some of her other books as well.

 

Book Description

No matter the storm, God knows, God cares, and He is always there.
The chaos of life can be overwhelming, and women get a heavier dose than most. Each day comes with its own pressures, heartaches, and disappointments that slowly erode the joy, peace, and closeness to God every woman needs. Chaos always feels like the enemy as it rages around us and inside us. But there is hope!
In The Storm Inside, best-selling author and Women of Faith speaker Sheila Walsh invites you into ten life-changing, hope-filled transformations where hurt and heartache are divinely redeemed into joy and faith. With insightful biblical teaching, intimate stories of her own storms and the chaos other women have faced and overcome, Walsh shows how:

• Heartbreak can become strength
• Shame can lead to love
• Unforgiveness can find freedom
• Restoration can undo rage
• Courage overcomes insignificance
• And so much more

In The Storm Inside, you will find strength in the most profound truths—that you are always a child of God no matter how you feel. In these pages, you will learn to see yourself as God sees you, not as someone forever tossed by the waves but as a woman fully known, fully loved, and growing ever deeper in faith, hope, and love.
It is time as daughters of God to take the chaos of how we feel, lay it at the feet of God, and stand strong in who we are in Him. This simple teaching will be the difference between a life of joy and one of despair. Sheila powerfully reminds us that God offers no guarantee of a life without storms, but He does provide the strength and grace to make it through them.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers <http://booklookbloggers.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

Pity party for me

Guess I'm going to have a pity me moment! This is what I wrote in my journal today:

I'm so stressed out. How am I supposed to be alone, with these two kids, for almost two years? I miss Hubs. I really kind of need him here with me. I am trying to be strong. Heck my word for this year was Strength. But I feel like it's not there and I'm failing. I guess that's the problem there too, ME ME ME. I'm not relying on God. I don't even mention Him. Why can't I make it easy? I guess because I want Hubs here to make it easy on me, to fix things, etc. I just need a hug. And some rest. But if I could just give some of this to God, then I would find rest, right? Like if I would follow Matthew 11:28, ya know, what I should carry around with me right now, but I just can't. This Fake it till you Make it just doesn't seem to be working for me right now. I want to give up the stress and the concerns, but because I feel like I need I need to control them and I just can't give them over to God. If I could just keep Jeremiah 29:11 in my mind since I do wear it on a ring on my hand, then I can remember that God does have a plan for me.

Find You on my knees

So there's this song that the Praise band does at our Thursday night worship service (called the Night Life) by Kari Jobe called Find You on My Knees. The first time I heard it, I cried because I was having a rough day (which is more often than not lately) and it just struck me to the core. And it helped me get through the next week. I added it to my playlist and then of course I sing it over and over when I need a pick me up (which again is more often than not). Maybe you need a pick me up or a new song, hopefully this song will give you some comfort as it does me right now. Enjoy!!!!

Happy Mother's day!

Trouble chasing me again
Breaking down my best defense
Iґm looking
God Iґm looking for your

Weary just wonґt let me rest
And fear is filling up my head
I'm longing
God Iґm longing for you
But I will

Find you in the place Iґm in
Find you when Iґm at my end
Find you when there's
Nothing left of me to offer you
Except for brokenness

You lift me up
You never leave me thirsty
When I am weak
When Iґm lost and searching
I find you on my knees

So what if sorrow shakes my faith
What if heartache still remains
I'll trust you
My god Iґll trust you
'Cause you are faithful
And I will

When my hope is gone
When the fear is strong
When the pain is real
When the it's hard to heal.

When my faith is shaken
And my heart is broken
And my joy is stolen
God I know that you lift me up
You never leave me searching

Store brand is just as good!!! Giveaway!!!!!

 Being on a budget, I love being able to find deals on anything. And shopping at stores that have the own brand of products is always a plus. And a supplier of a lot of the stores that I shop at for my baby's snacks and food is Perrigo Nutritionals.

Savvy moms know every little bit counts when it comes to saving money. From shopping around for the best deals to clipping coupons each week, there are plenty of tips and tricks to stretch a household budget. As families grow and new bundles of joy arrive, it becomes even more important to spend smartly. 

Perrigo Nutritionals store brand products are as nutritionally complete as the national brands, but cost significantly less. They are sold under individual retailer brands, such as Walmart’s Parent’s Choice and Target’s Up & Up Store brand product. Moms can purchase store brand products for their baby without compromising nutrition or spending a bundle!

Want more tips? Wife, mother, blogger extraordinaire Crystal Paine’s new book, “Say Goodbye to Survival Mode: 9 Simple Strategies to Stress Less, Sleep More, and Restore Your Passion for Life”, is full of advice on how to not only save, but set priorities and manage time and money. Paine’s book contains practical ideas, like purchasing store brand products, and simple solutions that will help any parent become a super saver! 

The products that I was given to try were great. My daughter who just turned one and my son who's 4 and loves to steal his sister's snacks enjoyed them. I'm a big fan of the yogurt bites  and they were just as good as the name brand. 

Crystal's book is awesome. She offers so many great tips that she has learned from her many years of trying to keep her family running and her self sane. I love her blog, I'm a regular reader, so having a lot of her great advice in one book to refer to over and over is such a blessing to me.

 I am offering a giveaway of the same products I received:

•         A copy of “Say Goodbye to Survival Mode: 9 Simple Strategies to Stress Less, Sleep More, and Restore Your  Passion for Life” by Crystal Paine
•         1 container of store brand formula
•         9 assorted Puree Pouches
•         5 assorted Puffs
•         4 assorted Yogurt Bites

Just enter through the Rafflecopter link. It's my first time using it so it's going to be a live and learn experiment. Thanks!!!!

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway


I received the book and snacks for my honest review of the products from Coyne PR.  

gods at war-student edition review

Can you name all of the 10 commandments? Can you name any of them? This was a question that was posed to some people and a lot of mixed responses came from it. Two that are not really spent a lot of time on are the first two: "You shall have no other gods before me" and "You shall not make for yourself an idol". Kyle Idleman defines a god as something that we sacrifice for and what we pursue and that it turn can become an idol in our life. Something like how we look, how much money we have, love and sex and even the quick fix (aka drugs or other things to help get through life). We need to see that having these idols in our lives takes away from our love for God.

gods at war Student Edition is a great book to help students learn to identify what idols may be in their life and how to fix their focus on what it should be on. There are four parts along with the intro that go into topics such as temple of pleasure that discuss drugs, sex and entertainment; power that breaks apart the god of appearance, materialism, and achievement.  Each chapter ends with Idol ID, where a summary of breaking down the idol is and then Choosing Jesus- breaking apart the idol and figuring out how Jesus can replace it.

A great book with easy to understand language for any age but would be a great book for students, especially those going off to college and trying to figure out their way.

Book Description

In this student edition of gods at war, Kyle Idleman, bestselling author of not a fan, helps us recognize there are false gods at war within each of us, and they battle for the place of glory and control in our lives. What keeps us from truly following Jesus Christ is that our hearts are pursuing something or someone else like money or popularity. While these pursuits may not be the “graven images” of old, they are in fact modern day idols. Behind the sin you’re struggling with, the fear you’re dealing with, the lack of purpose you’re living with is a false god that is winning the war for your heart.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers <http://booklookbloggers.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.

Disney Side Celebration party

I love Disney, even if I do have some unrealistic ideals about what love should be because of some Disney stories. But nonetheless I love Disney and so do my kids. Even A's middle name was chosen because of Belle from Beauty and the Beast because she is such a strong female. (Her middle name is Arabelle).

I was excited to have a Disney Side home celebration. I received a box of goodies to host a party so that all of our friends could show off their Disney side as well. The kids loved the activities and goodies. They enjoyed getting their tattoos and making pictures to use for the cheering posters that we got. And the parents thought the activities were so cute as well. We had the party at our church nursery so that we had more room for the little ones to run around with too. My son D loved all the party supplies because he's such a big fan of Mickey and that's what his birthday party was a couple of years ago.

Hopefully one day we'll actually be able to go to DisneyWorld and we can share that with the kids. but we gotta have Hubs home for more than a few days lol. But anytime we get to party Disney style, we'll do it. Check out Disney Side Celebrations for some ideas to make up your own party.

Thrive- Digging Deep, Reaching Out by Mark Hall- review

I have only recently started to listen to Christian music on a regular basis, thanks to a mid-week worship service that I've been attending for the last few months. I found a band, Casting Crowns that I just love and so many of their songs just speak to my heart. Well Mark Hall, lead singer of the band has come out with a new book called Thrive, which also happens to be the name of the new album they released as well.

Just the first line of the book; "You were meant to do more than just survive" (pg 9) really hit me, as well did the rest of the book. It's broken up into two sections: Digging Deep, which deals with how to dig into your faith, and learning to go deeper with God. And the second section is called Reaching Out, which talks about how to give back to the world around us once we've gotten deeper with God. Each chapter is short and to the point with a great message and at the end is a point to remember. Mark uses so many things from his life as a pastor and singer to give life to this book. Mark is such a great story teller that I just loved the book. I also have a few favorite songs from the new album as well; such as All You Ever Wanted. That song spoke straight to my heart. If you get the chance to pick this up, it's totally worth it!


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers <http://booklookbloggers.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.”

InScribed Series review

There is a new set of books out there for women called the InScribed Series. I love their tag line: InScribed: leading women to not just survive but thrive, encouraging them to immerse themselves in the person of Jesus Christ. I was asked to review them, and was thrilled to do it. Each book is on a different topic and each writer has a different way of presenting their information. And I just love the covers of each book along with on the inside of the cover there is a Bible Verse and what appears to be a message in the author's handwriting to the readers.

 

Each book is meant to be used for some type of Bible study. My favorite out of them was the Dive Deeper, because I love to dive into my reading and studying and Jennifer gives an awesome way to do that as she goes through the book of Ephesians. I also enjoyed Amazed and Confused because I've never really studied any of the minor Prophets and having the chance to take a look at the book of Habakkuk and see how Amazing and Confusing God can be in our lives was awesome. And it had great questions to reflect and use for study at the end of the chapters.

 

Living So that by Wendy using verses that focus on the "SO THAT" part of life, and the one that I love is "Jesus came SO THAT". I'm going to be going along with the Proverbs 31 ministry Online Bible study of Living So That that starts on April 6.

 

Leaving Ordinary was a great way to get me to think about the tabernacle outside of the way it is described by Moses in the Old Testament. I have always had a hard time with how it had to be built and all of that and so thinking of it in another way brought it into a whole new light for me.

 

All of these books are amazing and would make for a great group study or individual study as well.

 

Book Descriptions

Leaving Ordinary by Donna Gaines
The deepest longing of the human heart is to know and be known by God. God longs for an intimate relationship with us as well. But how do we develop that kind of relationship with a holy God? It is one thing to long for such a relationship, but quite another to experience intimacy with Him. In Leaving Ordinary, Donna Gaines shares from her personal experience how prayer can become the channel that links the believer’s heart to the heart of God.
God gave the pattern of the tabernacle to the Israelites. It was a temporary and portable dwelling for His glory. Through it God taught them how to approach and worship Him before He led them to their reward—the promised land. Using the tabernacle and its articles as a guide, Donna teaches readers how to interact with God in that secret place of true intimacy that leads to worship. Your ordinary daily practice of prayer can become an extraordinary encounter with the living Lord. Leaving Ordinary is essential reading for anyone who desires to enter into and experience the reality of God’s presence.
Living "So That" by Wendy Blight
In today’s world, it’s tough to make everyday decisions, let alone decisions that honor God. Our culture is increasingly driven by selfish desires. However, as Christians, our lives should not be self-centered and static; they should be others-centered and active, making a difference for the Kingdom of God.
Living "So That" is a fresh approach to understanding God's Word, focusing on many of the powerful "so that" verses in Scripture, including Jesus Came So That. . .; God Spoke So That. . .; Pray So That. . .; Trials Come So That. . . . Through her approachable style, personal examples, and biblical teaching, Wendy equips readers to take what they study in the Word of God and practically live it out in order to impact the world around them. The result is a renewed appreciation for the power and applicability of Scripture. Through practical examples and biblical truths, Wendy helps readers gain a new perspective on daily living, equipping them to apply these biblical truths to present-day decision-making.
Amazed and Confused by Heather Zempel
Most people have prayed for something or someone in earnest, seeking God’s will, only to be left confused by God’s response. Sometimes we ask, “Why would a good God allow bad things to happen to good people?” In Amazed and Confused, Heather Zempel tackles this question head-on by exploring the book of Habakkuk.
When the prophet Habakkuk prayed that God would bring change to the backsliding nation of Israel, this issue came to the forefront. Habakkuk begged God for revival and that He would turn the hearts of faithless people back to Him.
God’s answer to Habakkuk was, “Take a look at the nations and watch what happens! You will be shocked and amazed” (1:5, The Voice). The vision God gave Habakkuk was one of warfare and exile. How do you respond when God answers your prayers in a way that seems out of line with his character and promises?
Amazed and Confused proceeds systematically through the book of Habakkuk, exploring the prophet’s prayer, God’s response, and the prophet’s journey from confusion to worship. This interactive Bible study is the perfect choice for those who are hurting and confused about God’s responses to their prayers.
Dive Deeper by Jenifer Jernigan
Equip yourself to fall deeply in love with God's Word through this unique, interactive Bible study. Delving into the book of Ephesians, Dive Deeper is a tool for women—those who might be satisfied and content with their Bible study and for those who find themselves fearful or numb—to dive deeper into the living and active Word of God.
Dive Deeper comes from Jenifer Jernigan's heart. As a preacher’s daughter, she grew up with some pretty heavy expectations to live up to. Jenifer found herself becoming numb to the things of God because the Bible stories were all too familiar. She longed to break through the serene surface of her safe place and dive deeper into scripture. She wanted to fall in love with the stories she knew so well. Over time, Jenifer learned to do just that. Her unique methods are shared in this one-of-a-kind study. Dive Deeper takes readers by the hand and jumps with them into the exhilarating waters of Bible study.

February already??

Well it's the second month already, and I feel like it's just dragging. I had a rough night the other night thinking about all the things that hubs is going to be missing with the kids. I had started to think about ideas for Miss A's first birthday that is coming up quick, and started to get sad that he is going to miss it. We were very lucky that hubs was home for a lot of the important holidays for D, but we aren't going to be as lucky with A. We don't know how long we are going to be apart at this point since he hasn't gotten new orders yet for the next ship that he will be going to, but more than likely, once he's finished with school, he'll be gone on a deployment. It breaks my heart to think about all the stuff that he is missing. When we planned for her, we had the hope of him getting shore duty since he would have done his almost 5 years at sea, but his order options weren't great so he chose to do back to back sea duty. God always has bigger plans for you than you have for yourself it seems, so I'm sure there is a reason that we are going through this.

Since my word for this year is Strength, this whole season in our lives will take a lot of strength to get through, along with so much other stuff too. I know that I need to strengthen and repair some friendships that I've kind of pushed to the backburner because of what I felt were obligations to my family, but I know that while my family is important, so is my sanity and I need friends to help me though this. So I'm slowly coming out of my hiberation and working to make plans so that I can get people back in my life.

Restless: Because you were made for more! Review of Jeannie Allen's book

Restless!! That is a good word for how I feel some days. I feel like there is something about my life with Christ that seems off at times because I'm still searching (which may be a life long process). In Jeannie's new book, she lets me know that I'm not alone in feeling like this. Her book is divided into three parts: The Call, The Threads, and Living on Purpose. Each sections has chapters that are great about looking at each of these parts to help build the big picture.

A favorite quote from the book for me is: "There is a time and a place to search for our unique parts in God's story...but...here is my admonition: Respond to the need you see. Right now." (p35)
We need to make sure we ask God for what he wants in our lives and listen to that so that we can find our call and hopefully quit the cycle of feeling restless.I am going to recommend this for my women's group I think it would be awesome to work though this with others so we can all grow and learn together about the purpose God has for each of us.

Book Description

A practical plan to identify the threads of your life and how to intentionally weave them together for God's glory and purposes.
Restless explores the fact that God has called each of us to do great things in his name, and then helps us discover what that might mean for each of us individually. Jennie says, "We are called to dream but we're afraid to. But because we are called, when we don't act on it we become restless—restless to find purpose, to make a difference in the world, to matter."
Jennie doesn't suggest women add one more thing to their to-do list, but instead invites them to stop and listen where they are. She frees them to be themselves and to see themselves as valuable. In addition to this permission to dream she helps them get over themselves and their issues and then offers a simple process on highly designed journal pages to identify the raw materials—the unique threads—they've been given by digging into five areas:

• Gifts
• Suffering
• Places
• People
• Passions

Using her own story and that of women with whom she has walked through this process as examples, Jennie weaves in the story of Joseph the dreamer and how God used his threads to fit into the greater story of God. Untangling the threads of our lives and assembling them together in one place reveals a beautiful plan designed by the Creator himself: God's Agenda + my threads + the need + the Holy Spirit = my purpose
And since living out our purpose is often filled with uncertainties Jennie addresses the doubts, fears, and challenges that hold women back from what they've been called to do. This repositioning of their lives is not a promise that all things will be perfect, or will go perfectly, but a promise that it will be the start of the best part of life—the part that completes what we were made for.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers <http://booklookbloggers.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.”

#peace.... with my body? well....

The word for this week in the Proverbs 31 Online Bible Study of Made To Crave by Lysa TerKeurst is #peace. We are supposed to find peace with our bodies. Well, I for one, know that is a big task for me to take on. I don't think I've ever been at peace with my body. I've had so many problems over the years with different parts of it, from ankle injuries that crushed my ability to dance as much as I wanted, to knee injuries that still plague me and back problems as well, then we get to the weight issue. I wasn't always overweight. But once I moved away to college and wanted to fit in with friends from work, going to Outback and eating cheese fries with loads of ranch, well the weight came on. My highest weight was 230+ ( I didn't keep track much after the 230 part). Right before I got pregnant with our first child I was down to 192, and it was great. Then I started working hard to get off that weight, then the stress of being a mom and having a husband gone alot started to add up. Then we had our second daughter and again the stresses of being a mom without my hubby around have added up and I'm up in weight again.

Well this year is going to be different. I am going to learn that the numbers on the scale don't always define me, but they do tell me that I do need to make some changes. I want to learn to have the peace with my body that I know I should. I know what I need to do, but knowing and doing are always two different things. One reason I joined the M2C study this year was to actually do it, unlike the last time. Sure I read the book (and I've got tons of highlighting and marking to prove it) but I want to actually apply the book to my life. I joined the Ymca as well, even though I've only made it once so far (thanks snow and illness), but I have the goal of going, and it will help since trying to do a workout with a 9 month old trying to get under your feet is really hard.

I want to find peace with my body, and I plan on doing that this year. My word for the year is strength anyway, so I need to get physically strong as well.