It Came From Within!

It Came from Within!: The Shocking Truth of What Lurks in the Heart by Andy Stanley

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Have you ever said something or done something and then you think to yourself, "Where did THAT come from?"

I know I have. More times than I care to admit right now. This question, however, is the springboard for this entire book. Proverbs 4:23 sums it up well: "Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life." Ironically, I am memorizing that verse right now!

I am thankful that a friend from church told me about this book, and let me borrow it, too. I have seen it as I browsed through the latest CBD catalog or walked through my local Christian book store, but let's just say that I would never have picked it up to read. The cover of this book is terribly misleading, yet when you open the pages and get past all the silly quotes at the beginning of each chapter...you have some really good reading ahead.

Andy Stanley writes that there are 4 things that lodge in our spiritual heart that cause us to think, say, and do what we think, say, and do. I like what he says on page 34: "If the source were simply a few behavioral habits, you would have conquered them already."

Guilt, anger, greed, and jealousy unattended will become a blockage in our hearts and hinder our spiritual growth and life, and even in some cases, become fatal. "If it suddenly became impossible for us to cover up all the junk we normally hide from the rest of humanity, I have a feeling we would all get real motivated to deal with the source of what ails us." - page 36.

Andy walks us through chapters which explain these 4 "diseases" and how they affect us. Then he follows it up through chapters on what to do about the problem. The cures? Confession, forgiveness, giving, and celebration.

As a person who has attended several NANC conferences I am familiar with the concept of Idols of the Heart and was pleased to find that this book took a relatively similar approach to the matter. However, Andy writes with a flair of humor that makes this serious topic enjoyable to read about. I also appreciated his correlation of the physical heart with the spiritual heart and it's effect on our daily lives. I am sure you will enjoy this book and I would highly encourage you to also read I Really Want to Change... So, Help Me God.

Choosing Gratitude

. Choosing Gratitude: Your Journey to Joy by Nancy Leigh DeMoss

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
"Is the gratitude that flows out of your life as abundant as the grace that flows into your life?"
This question, posed on the back cover, is the perfect way to sum up this book. Nancy Leigh Demoss shares why our life should be full of gratitude and how we can have that kind of depth in our life. We can trade in our whine for worship! When we accept the grace of God in our life we can be full of gratitude for what He has given us...even if it appears to be "bad" in our eyes. I enjoyed the many real life examples of people who have traded in the blues for a heart of gratitude and the incredible perspective they have on life in the midst of some very overwhelming circumstances. Also, Nancy does not leave you hanging as you attempt to apply all that you have learned, she gives a hands-on Bible study to work through at the end of the book. (Or in this case, a printable PDF on the last CD.) It can easily be used without the book and makes for a great follow up on what you have read rather than just putting the book back on your shelf and moving on to the next one. While I would recommend this book in print or audio, I have to say that I really enjoyed the audio version as I worked around the house and surrounded myself in good teaching. Christian Taylor has a beautiful voice that is easy and enjoyable to listen to.

Mailbox Mania

Mailbox Mania by Beverly Lewis

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Mailbox Mania is book number 9 in the Cul-De-Sac Kids Series by Beverly Lewis. I enjoyed reading this book to my 4 and 6 year old daughters. They listened to, learned from, and like this book even though it's recommended for ages 7-10.

Beverly has done a wonderful job of weaving Christian character into a fun story line about 9 kids in 1st through 3rd grades. It's easy for kids to relate to the story, especially this one about fighting among friends. I especially like the character of Mr. Tressler who is a wise man full of compassion and kindness for the kids and helps them work through their problem. This book is a wonderful addition to your own library or a good book to borrow and enjoy with your children. It is short enough to read in an hour.

SDWSC WINNER!!!

I am so excited to announce the winner for the book She Did What She Could by Elisa Morgan! Thank you to Tyndale House Publishers for making this possible.

And our winner is number 4! So congratulations to Marcia...you've won a copy of this book! Enjoy it!

I hope ALL OF YOU will keep coming back...because I have some more giveaways coming up soon...including some audio books...and who doesn't like a good solution to multi-tasking?!

Thanks for playing along, Ladies!

She Did What She Could

She Did What She Could (SDWSC): Five Letters That Will Change Your Life by Elisa Morgan

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I just finished reading this book and I want to begin my review with a question...okay...a series of questions.

Have you ever watched a program on TV about a situation or group of people in some sort of need and just felt your heart breaking for them? Have you sat through a special speaker at your church or an event who reaches out to people who are sick or living in poverty beyond our comprehension? Have you walked away with a passion to help only to have it fizzle out when you realized how overwhelming the task of helping truly is?

In this book, Elisa Morgan will grab your heart stings and show you how you CAN help...you CAN do something to change the world. It all begins with a simple story of a lady in the Bible who did what she could.

She Did What She Could is all about doing the simple things to help others out of the love you have for Christ. My favorite quote in this book is found on page 64: "Let even your deficits be your offering."

So many of us can come up with a long list of why we can't do anything or why we are not good at some many things. But the point of this book is not about becoming a better person, learning new skills...but rather using the ones we do have...or even as stated above, the ones we don't have to do what we can do. Love others. Serve Christ.

You will put this book down with a renewed sense of hope for what you can do to reach out in simple, little ways. If you have ever wished that you could change the world then this is what you need to read today!

Thanks to Tyndale for this reveiw copy!

Pickle Pizza

Pickle Pizza by Beverly Lewis

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is number 8 in the Cul-De-Sac kids book series. I like this series because they are about simple events that could happen in any kid's life. Beverly Lewis also does a wonderful job of showing kids how God can be a part of their every day life as well.

Fun, silly, and sometimes downright crazy...these kids learn about friendship, kindness, talents, loving others, and much more all through the lens of scriptural principles.

While recommended for 7-10 year olds by the publisher, I read them to my 4 and 6 year old daughters and they love them. Actually, so does my 2 year old!

A Book Give-Away!

I am so excited!

I am reading a book called She Did What She Could and it is good. So good that I have to share with you! So get ready for my first ever book give-away!

Tyndale House Publishers has given me a copy of the new book by Elisa Morgan and on Monday morning I will post my review and open up my first giveaway! All you'll have to do is come back on Monday and leave a comment! Then I will use Random.org to draw a winner on Wednesday.

So spread the word...and come back to see the extra surprise I'm going to throw in to make it a 2 for 1 deal!

Living With Confidence In A Chaotic World

There are not many books that give me the jitters as I read them. But this is one of them. There are not many books that I excitedly anticipate writing a review about so that I can share my thoughts with you all. But...this is one of those few.

When I first got my copy of Living With Confidence In A Chaotic World, I thought it would be a hard book to read. I'll be honest with you...the cover is not all that appealing...at least to me. But out of duty I began to read. Very quickly that duty turned to delight!

I am a wife to a pastor and a mom to 3 children and I will say that living in today's world is very scary. There are days when I listen to the news and fear not only for my own future, but even more so for the future of my children. David Jeremiah does a very thorough job of addressing how we should live in this type of world...full of fear, gloom, insecurity, and doom.

In easy-to-read chapters Dr. Jeremiah walks us through ten thought provoking principles for living life. As I began to read I was overwhelmed with how truly simple and back to the basics these ideas were. The relevance of the Bible came to life through the pen of Dr. Jeremiah and as I read I was filled with a sense of courage and hope for the future.

My copy is now dog-eared and underlined as I internalized the Biblical truth shared in the 235 pages. Some of my favorite quotes are:

"Christian means 'little Christ'. We need to be just like Him, to imitate Him in every way possible so that we could be mistaken for Him."

"As we come together, we are slowly causing each other to conform to His image."

You will greatly enjoy and benefit from digging into these ten topics...
-Stay Calm
-Stay Compassionate
-Stay Constructive
-Stay Challenged
-Stay Connected (My personal favorite!)
-Stay Centered
-Stay Confident
-Stay Consistent
-Stay Committed
-Stay Convinced

Each chapter is full of real life stories that capture your attention and bring home the point of the Biblical truth being shared. The simplicity of the Bible and the way that it can impact our every day life is energizing...giving you excitement about life that is easy to lose sight of in the here and now of today.

I gladly give this book 5 stars and suggest you go buy your copy published by Tommy Nelson as soon as you can! Invest in your future!

To Mom, The Keeper Of The Zoo

To Mom, the Keeper of the Zoo: A Collection of Thoughts on Motherhood by Maureen Wright

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A cute book that you can read page by page for a quick dose of encouragement in the zoo of mothering. I enjoyed her humorous, yet thought provoking short tales. There are a few poems and Bible verses tucked in and around the daily stories as well for a variety of reading choices. A good book to give a mom for a bit of comic relief!

Big Thoughts For Little People

Big Thoughts for Little People: ABC's to Help You Grow by Kenneth N. Taylor

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I really like this book!

If you read my reviews you know that I don't often begin with that statement. In fact my average rating is only a 3.34 and that is on books that I have deemed "worthy" of my reading time!

I wasn't sure what to expect when I sent for this book through Tyndale's Blogger Review program, but it has exceeded my expectations. Each spread starts with a letter of the alphabet and then a short Biblical concept follows along with a verse and some brief narration. The second page in the spread is a bright picture full of action for kids to enjoy looking at.

I like how this book can be well used with a variety of ages in a mixed group. I have a 6, 4, & 2 year old and each one can enjoy this book. My 6 year old gets most of it and my 2 year old grasps bits and pieces with my 4 year old falling in the middle of that.

Both Kenneth N. Taylor and Andrea Petrlik Huseinovic have used their talent and abilities to give us parents, and grandparents, a wonderful bed time, or anytime, book to use in the nurturing of our children in the Word of God.

The questions on each page my challenge not only your children, but your own heart as well.

Enjoy!

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1) E-mail: ToReadOrNotTo@yahoo.com
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Unveiled: Tamar

Unveiled: Tamar by Francine Rivers


My rating: 5 of 5 stars

In the Bible there are many accounts of lives that are summarized in only a few short verses. It's easy to read them and keep going without giving them much thought. I am not saying that we need to read more into them then is there, but there are times we don't really meditate on the passage to the fullest. Francine Rivers takes a passage like that and turns it into a novel that explores what MIGHT have been. Remember, this is fiction based on a few facts...so while the skeleton may be truth, the body of the book is made up based what knowledge there is about that time period. I think this is a great read, and I highly recommend it, but what I don't want it for anyone to approach it as truth through and through. For me, reading this helped me see beyond the cold facts to the emotion...to the reality of life in those days. I am amazed at the grace and mercy that God showed towards Tamar. I am horrified at what life was like for women in those days. I am awed by the power of God. This story takes a woman we quickly read past and brings her to life. She was not perfect by any means, but God chose to use her for His glory.

The Mystery Of Case D. Luc

The Mystery of Case D. Luc by Beverly Lewis

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Dunkum learns a lesson on friendship when his basketball gets stolen. I liked how Beverly Lewis easily explained through the Cul-De-Sac kids how people are more important that things and favored toys. My 4 & 6 year old daughters enjoyed listening to me read the story out loud and my 2 year old son actually sat as I read through the whole book in one sitting. (It took about 45 minutes.)

This is another short read for a beginning reader, or a "longer" story to be read aloud to young ears. The fun and silliness are found right along with the good character traits and Biblical principles.