#Struggles by Craig Groeschel

The title and description of this book totally sucked me in. I know that I love social media and technology! It's a way that I keep in touch with my family and friends and hubs when he's gone. But it can be consuming. I find myself at times falling into a rabbit hole of scrolling through things, liking pictures and posts and then not realizing that I should be asleep.

Groeschel has so many great points in his book about the struggles that we face in this new age of technology and the instant ability to keep in touch with people all over the world. He points out that friendship doesn't mean what it use to, and I can agree. I know that a lot of the people that I'm "friends" with on Facebook and Twitter, I've not met in person yet, but I still feel like I 'know' them.

Groeschel topics include: struggling with comparisons, struggling with likes (people liking you and liking your posts are two different things), struggling with idolatry (worshiping others things more than God), and finding a way to rest.

Chapter 8 was my favorite, since he lays out ways to try to deal with all of the interference that social media can cause. "Many of us, when we're bored, when we don't have anything else going on, or when we're between tasks or conversations have a default, brain-off habit of picking up our mobile devices and lazily clicking around. (p179)" Man, I do this all the time and it's a #struggle to figure out how to tune it out and tune in to the things in front of me.

This is a great book for anyone who finds themselves stuck in the never ending cycle of always being on social media. "We're living for Likes, but we're longing for love.(p52)"

Book Description

We all love the benefits of technology and social media, but even with the incredible upsides, many of us suspect there are unintended negative consequences that are beyond our control. We’ve lost perspective, even perhaps ourselves.

In this timely and life-changing new book, New York Times bestselling author and pastor of LifeChurch.tv Craig Groeschel encourages readers who are hungry to regain control over their lives and put Christ first again. He walks them through biblical values that all Christ followers know are essential, but are even more important for our maxed out, selfie-centered world.

The more you compare, the less satisfied you are. The more we interact online, the more we crave face to face intimacy, but the harder it is to find. The more filtered our lives become, the more challenging it is to be authentic. The more information about the pain in the world we’re exposed to the more difficult it is to care.

It’s time to refresh and rediscover our understanding of the biblical principles that life with Christ brings: contentment, intimacy, authenticity, compassion, rest and more. Groeschel taps in to some of the most up-to-date studies on the effects of social media on our emotions and our friendships. And he offers real-life examples of how we struggle with social media, how it masks our real struggles, and how we can reclaim a Christ-centered life.

With helpful appendices like the 10 Commandments of Using Social Media to Strengthen Your Faith, and Creating Safeguards for Your Digital Devices, you’ll find #Struggles to be just the guide to bring balance and real-life engagement to your everyday life.

About the Author

New York Times bestselling author Craig Groeschel is the founding and senior pastor of LifeChurch.tv, a pacesetting multicampus church and creators of the popular and free YouVersion Bible App. He is the author of several books, including Fight, Altar Ego, Soul Detox, Weird, The Christian Atheist, and It. Craig, his wife, Amy, and their six children live in Edmond, Oklahoma.

Frost Bible review

Frost Bible.

This is a very cute Bible for little girls or for anyone who is a fan of Frozen, or winter, or snowflakes. It comes with a cute little tote bag too. The cover is raised and has a coarse feeling to it, which can make it uncomfortable to hold and read for long periods of time. The print in the Bible is a good size and font for long reading and doesn't seem to hurt my eyes after reading for awhile. I love the colorful time line at the beginning of the Bible. There are also several pages through out the Bible that have topics such as "How do I know Jesus loves Me?" and "How do I pray?" The translation that is used, The International Children's Bible is a very easy to read translation, making it easy to read and for my kids to understand a little bit better.

My daughter really loves this Bible so far. She was very excited when I opened it and showed her, since she is a big fan of Frozen. This would be a great gift for any little girl. I can't wait for my daughter to be able to read better so that she can read from this herself, but I will enjoy reading to her from it.

Book Description

Beautiful 'Frost' design in a Bible kids can read and understand.

What little girl who has seen the incredibly popular animated wintery movie doesn't want to be transported to a fabulous crystal ice palace? The beauty of shimmering snowflake scenes is captured in our newest Bible design for little girls (and big girls too!). The cover is a sparkling blue hardcover frosted with holographic foil and beautiful frosty design elements. The interior is the full International Children's Bible®, the first translation created especially for kids. Inside are 24 pages of full-color Bible study helps that encourage girls to be loving, strong, caring, forgiving, helpful, adventurous, loyal, faithful, and most of all, beautiful young girls growing in God's shimmering light!

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.”

Wicked Women of the Bible

When you think of the word "wicked", what comes to mind most? Do you only think of the 'bad' and 'evil'that comes from the word? What about 'wicked' meaning 'good'? Well in Wicked Women of the Bible, Ann Spangler gives a great snap shot of the women of the Bible, good and bad.

Ann gives us some insight into many of the well-known women in the Bible like Eve, Delilah, and Bathsheba, and maybe even a few that aren't that popular, like the Medium of Endor, who is found 1 Samuel 28. 

Each chapter has a part about the "wicked" woman herself, and what she did, then there is a section called The Times, which gives some context about what is going on in the world during the time that the wicked gal's story takes place. And each chapter ends with The Takeaway, asking questions to try to dive deeper into the woman's story and what is going on around her. 

It's great to be able to read more about some of the women in the Bible, to find out what they may have been thinking when she ate the fruit, or when she cuts the hair of her beau, or when she wipes the feet of Jesus with her tears. Ann gives us a chance to know more about these great and maybe not so great women so that we can see that they were all as real as we are and that there may have been more to them than just being knows as 'wicked'. 

Book Description

What can Jezebel, the Bible’s wickedest queen, reveal about God’s holiness and power and even about his sense of humor? What about the Woman at the Well—the one with five husbands and a live-in lover? And what of the prostitute whose tears bathe the feet of Jesus in front of people who despise her?

There are also “wicked good” women like Deborah, Ruth, Hannah, Abigail, Esther, Mary, and more. What do their lives tell us about God’s invincible love and his determined plan to save us?

In Wicked Women of the Bible Ann Spangler tells the stories of twenty wicked and “wicked good” women in greater detail. At the end of each story, Ann provides a brief section including additional historical and cultural background as well as a brief Bible study in order to enhance the book’s appeal to both individuals and groups.

The stories of these women of the Bible reveal a God who is not above it all but who stoops down to meet us where we are in order to extend his love and mercy.

About the Author

Ann Spangler is an award-winning writer and the author of many bestselling books, including Praying the Names of God, Praying the Names of Jesus, and The One Year Devotions for Women. She is also coauthor of Women of the Bible and Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus and the general editor of the Names of God Bible. Ann’s fascination with and love of Scripture have resulted in books that have opened the Bible to a wide range of readers. She and her two daughters live in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Website: http://www.annspangler.com/

Blog: http://www.annspangler.com/category/blog/

Do you need to find some Nourishment?

Nourished. That sounds like an awesome word to describe the state of your self, right? I know I could use a feeling of that in my life. Becky Johnson and Rachel Randolph, a mother and daughter pair, wrote a great book to help you feel that way in almost every part of your life. Their book, Nourished: A Search for Health, Happiness, and a Full Night's Sleep, is just what you might need to lead you on your way to feeling that way.

They break their book down into 5 different parts. Nourished 911 talks about the stressors that can come up in life and talking about ways to get started with finding some balance. Part 2 is Nourished spaces and routines, to help with getting your home and chores in order :) . A great section. Part 3 is Nourished bodies, Nourished Selves, going into taking care of your body, eating healthy, and figuring out a fitness plan. Part 4, Nourished Relationships discusses bringing your relationships into order and finding ways to nourish them. And Part 5, Nourished Spirits. talks about bringing nourishment to your mind, brain and your spiritual life.

My favorite chapter was chapter 7, At Home in Our Own Skin. I have a hard time dealing with my physical apperance and the few extra pounds that I have, but how Becky and Rachel lay it out in that chapter made me feel a little better and I know that I wont always be like this, it's just a very stressful season, but that I can learn how to feel better about myself. :)

Check out Nourished, it may help with you learn some ways to bring some peace to your life.

Book Description

Authors and bloggers Becky Johnson and Rachel Randolph address the common daily stressors of women with humorous stories, trial-and-error plans, and practical take-away insights.

Order-loving Rachel Randolph and her laid-back mother Becky Johnson might be opposites in some ways, but there’s one thing they both want to figure out: why is life so hectic and draining? Through interviews with friends and lots of research, they determine the most common stressors that mess with a woman’s mind. Together, they cook up a plan to live a less depleted and more nourished life.

The wise and witty co-authors of the heartwarming We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook, Becky and Rachel share their successes and failures as they make peace with their imperfect bodies, create living spaces they love, get wiser in their relationships, tame jam-packed schedules, settle into God’s love, and more. In short, they stumble and journey together toward a life that better nourishes them—body, mind, soul, and spirit.

With humor, honesty, and faith, this mother-daughter duo offers a breath of fresh air for readers of all generations and life-stages who find themselves drained, discontent, or discouraged—and know there has to be a healthier alternative.

About the Author

Becky Johnson is the author, coauthor, or collaborator of more than forty books. She's a natural storyteller who has inspired and entertained audiences for years. Most recently, she co-authored We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook along with a blog by the same name with her daughter, Rachel Randolph. She and her husband Greg, live in Denver, Colorado where they love spending time with their adult children and grandkids. Website/Blog: www.laughcrycook.com

Rachel Randolph writes and speaks about parenting a toddler, young married life, and her and her husband’s unlikely journey to a plant-based diet with humor and honesty. She co-authored We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook(Zondervan 2013) with her mom Becky Johnson. Rachel is married to Jared, a high school football and baseball coach. They live near Dallas, Texas with their son Jackson

Review- For the Love by Jen Hatmaker

How many times do you get to laugh when you read a book that is about serious stuff? If you need a laugh, you should check out For the Love: Fighting for Grace in a World of Impossible Standards. Jen has such a great way of just making almost any topic into something funny or at least adding her personal little touch to it.

 She has a chapter on fashion types and she lays it out for you, in the truthful way a girlfriend would tell you something. Leggings as pants is a no-no she states, and I concur, and seeing as it's turning fall around me, every time I see leggings I can think of Jen. It's wonderful :)
She has chapters on just about anything that happens in our daily life, such as surviving school with kids (spending 400 million dollars and needing the next year to recover from back to school), on turning forty, I'm not there yet, but I can totally relate to what she is talking about (You're body wants yoga pants and your husband's stretched out T-shirts, and it will have them. p.12). She also helps you to remember that what you are doing is important (in chapters On Calling and Haitian Moms and Hope for Spicy Families).

If you need some encouragement and a good laugh, check out For the Love. I still just love the title, I know I say "for the love of...." so many times a day around here.

Book Description

The popular writer, blogger, and television personality reveals with humor and style how Jesus' extravagant grace is the key to dealing with life's biggest challenge: people.

The majority of our joys, struggles, thrills, and heartbreaks relate to people, beginning first with ourselves and then the people we came from, married, birthed, live by, live for, go to church with, don't like, don't understand, fear, struggle with, compare ourselves to, and judge. People are the best and worst thing about the human life.

Jen Hatmaker knows this all too well, and so she reveals how to practice kindness, grace, truthfulness, vision, and love to ourselves and those around us. By doing this, For the Love leads our generation to reimagine Jesus' grace as a way of life, and it does it in a funny yet profound manner that Christian readers will love. Along the way, Hatmaker shows readers how to reclaim their prophetic voices and become Good News again to a hurting, polarized world.

Change? Not a fan of it. Review of Girl Meets Change, Truths to carry you through life's transitions by Kristen Strong.

Kristen Strong, a Military spouse who's been through just enough change to make a person crazy, has a new book (baby as she calls it) called Girl Meets Change. And I think it's totally fantastic. If you have ever had to experience change in any way, this would be a great book for you to read.

I love Kristin's raw honesty about how change can affect our lives. she writes to the reader as a girlfriend who is there for you helping you get through those twists and turns that life throws. she roots her points in Scripture in such a powerful way that really brings you to the chance to really see God in the midst of all the mess that comes with change and with life.

I've been through a lot of change in my life; moves, new family members, mother moving in, etc. Change doesn't get easy, but you can get through it. Kristen offers great support and tells her story well. She uses many stories from the Bible about people who went though changes, like Abraham, Joseph, the Isralities, and many more. 

A story that really hit with me was about Kristen's daughter and the change that she had to deal with when she wasn't able to continue something that she really enjoyed. How strong her daughter showed herself to be is such an inspiration to anyone dealing with change. 

I received a copy of this book for free from the publisher for my personal opinion. My opinion is my own. 

Anything - Review

Could you pray to God and tell Him, "God, we will do anything. Anything!"? Jennie Allen and her husband and family did and that's where she came up with her book Anything. It has been reissued with a Bible study at the end. And it's still just as fantastic as before.

I love when Jennie says that her daughter was listing off her friends and her son said that God should be her first friend, her daughter's response was, "We just met. I am just getting to know Him." 

Jennie has such a great way of presenting the path that her and her family life has taken since they told God they would do anything. She has a great way of engaging you and bringing you in to her life and her story. She tells about wanting to find the kind of life that you only find when you lose normal, simple and sane. 

I was provided a copy of this book from BookLook blogger. My review is my own. 

Keep It Shut- Review

Karen Ehman's book "Keep It Shut; What to Say, How to Say it, and When to Say Nothing at All" is something that anyone and everyone should read.

Have you ever wondered what gossip is and isn't? Karen lays it out in a chapter called, " But I'm just Sharing a Prayer Request." with a checklist that state that gossip involves things like: when we share a secret when we were asked not to, we tell a story that hasn't been verified, or when we start a story with " You know, they say....".

Using tons of great Scriptures to get to the point of how we need to tame our tongues and to use them for good. Also great chapters on learning to listen (Stop Filling the Gap), controlling your digital tongue (Behind the Screen), and How to talk to God before you talk to Others (Zip it and Pray, which is a favorite chapter of mine).

If you have problems with your words, or even if you don't, Keep It Shut it a great book to help you learn great ways to use our words to help build up others and not tear them down, and to know when we should use our words, or to keep our mouths shut.

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.

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.”

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.”

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

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.

No Cape Required Review

No Cape Required Review

I have to admit, when I saw the name Katniss I was very interested in reading who else was going to be listed in No Cape Required by Kristen Parrish. It is a devotional with 52 different devotions about heroes and their qualities. The heroes range from being superheroes, the heroes that we usually think of (Superman for Justice, Responsibility for Spider-Man) and ones that I wouldn’t have thought of as heroes in this sense, like Mr. Darcy from Pride and Prejudice having patience as a hero virtue, and Melanie from Gone with the Wind having kindness as hers, which are so true but not someone that we may see as a hero like the everyday ones that we consider.

 Some of the virtues that Parrish uses in the book include: Intrepidness, Determination, Coolness under Pressure, Growth, Faith in Others, along with many more. She includes Scripture to tie the trait together along with a prayer and Take Action steps. A wonderful devotion to share with the whole family because it touches on so many different types of heroes from books, movies and TV. 

Book Description

What do Katniss Everdeen, Spider-Man, and Huckleberry Finn have in common? They’re heroes—and you can be just like them.

As children, we dream of throwing on a cape and changing the world. Then we grow up, we learn to see the flaws in our movie stars and athletes, and we accept that true heroism is not possible in the real world. You continue to dream, though. Isn’t that why you still love watching heroes on the big screen? It’s more than just wish fulfillment. You resonate with Superman’s justice and Dorothy’s courage because you have those same qualities within yourself.
In these pages, Kristen Parrish looks at the qualities of fifty-two heroes, and then shows how you can acquire every one of those qualities. No gamma rays or radioactive spider bites are needed. You can unleash your inner hero through prayer and practical action.

Men and women, boys and girls alike, will find role models within these pages. While others watch and dream on the sidelines, you can step out in faith, learning from heroic examples and praying for God’s help to make you who you were meant to be.

The Holy Spirit enables us to do great things. Find out how. No cape required.

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.”