Have you lost what it means to celebrate our Savior in the midst Christmas?

Book info

About the book: Give your Christmas a makeover with this practical approach to help your family learn what it means to truly celebrate their Savior. In the bustle of the Christmas season, it can be easy to get swept up in all of the things to do. But it's important to pause and remember that our priority should be to spend time celebrating Christ's birth and not forget to invite Jesus to his own party. Christmas is far more than a celebration of an event from long ago or a modern holiday centered around shopping. Mindfully take time to listen to how God continues to speak through the Christmas story as the Gospel narratives centered around the birth of Jesus provide encouragement and revelation concerning the love of God and his wisdom for us today. In Total Christmas Makeover, author and Bible teacher Melissa Spoelstra provides a practical approach for you and your family to turn your attention toward God's grace day-by-day as you prepare for Christmas. This 31-day devotional presents key scriptures, ideas to implement with each reading, and questions for reflection to guide you in rediscovering rituals, relationship, and rest to connect you more deeply with Christ this holiday season. Learn more and purchase a copy. About the author: Melissa Spoelstra is a popular women's conference speaker, Bible teacher, and writer who is madly in love with Jesus and passionate about helping women of all ages to seek Christ and know Him more intimately through serious Bible study. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Bible Theology and enjoys teaching God's Word to diverse groups and churches within the body of Christ. She is the author of the "First Corinthians: Living Love When We Disagree," "Joseph: The Journey to Forgiveness," and "Jeremiah: Daring to Hope in an Unstable World Bible" studies and "Total Family Makeover: 8 Steps to Making Disciples at Home" book. She lives in Dublin, Ohio, with her pastor husband and four kids. Find out more about Melissa at http://melissaspoelstra.com. My Review: It is so easy to lose focus as to the real reason for Christmas and the season with the commercialism and the general busyness of the time, not that it is all wrong and bad, it just is easy to lose out on the meaning.  Melissa's created a cute little book that is filled with 31 devotional readings to help with keeping the focus while celebrating. Each reading is only a few pages and then some questions to reflect upon and these are then followed by a practical approach section.  I love this layout to the book and that there is such a big piece focused on really applying this and using this in each of our lives, it makes it so much more personal and easy to implement than just having a reading to complete on the topic.  I am looking forward to really taking my time and working through this book in the month of November as it will help me to be in the right mindset and focus by the time December arrives. To read other reviews included on this blog tour, go here!* *Thanks to the Litfuse Publicity Group for including me on this blog tour and for the complimentary copy of this book.*

"The God-Shaped Heart"

This book is an in-depth look at who God is and understanding His love and how this directly impacts each of us personally.  Jennings really does a great job with exploring this topic as he ties in research, examples from the media and society today along with Biblical accounts.  While there is so much information included in this book, I first thought it was going to be a little overwhelming and "heavy," but the chapters are divided nicely and there are charts, lists and a review of key points at the end of the chapters which help to break the information down into smaller pieces and make it less intense.  This is a great book to read if you feel as if there is more to how you are living life and want a clearer understanding for who God is and His love. 

*Thanks to the Baker Books Blogger Review Program for the complimentary copy of this book.*

a gorgeous book filled with amazing photos and ideas!

This book is absolutely gorgeous!  I could sit down and page through it for hours!  It is filled with 60 various projects that you can do to really make your house, your space your own.  The book is divided into sections, each section being a different area of the house including entry way, kitchen and closets to name a few.  Each section is further divided by each specific project.  The steps needed to complete each project are very specific and in my opinion well-written making it very easy to work through a given project from start to completion.  There are so many photographs included of the projects at various stages as well as the photographs of the completed projects.  This book is so inspiring and makes me want to really dive into various rooms of my house and do little things here and there to make it more inviting, more pretty, just more me.  I highly recommend this book if you are looking to make changes to your home, your space or just want to see various ideas and projects just in case you may perhaps want to make a few changes or need some help getting started! 

*Thanks to the Blogging for Books program for the complimentary copy of this book.*

Find grace in an overwhelming God in the midst of daily life

"A woman overwhelmed"-is this a phrase you can relate to? If you answered yes, you need to read Hayley DiMarco's new book, A Woman Overwhelmed. The best-selling author shares biblical insights and personal stories to offer a glimpse at the comedy of an overwhelmed life while encouraging us to discover the depths and heights of God's love and power. Choose to bask in the abundance of the Father instead of the abundance of life as his unfathomable depths can surely replace our fathomable messes.

Become a woman less overwhelmed by life and more overwhelmed by God and enter to win Hayley's $75 Merry Maids Visa Card Giveaway to help lessen your daily load.

 

One grand prize winner will receive:

• A copy of A Woman Overwhelmed
• A $75 Merry Maids Visa Cash Card

Enter today by clicking the icon below, but hurry! The giveaway ends on November 3. The winner will be announced November 6 on the Litfuse blog.

Book info

About the book: "A Woman Overwhelmed" is a phrase with which many women can relate. But what would happen if we could see the insanity in our pace and embrace our overwhelming God? There is a reason they say that a woman's work is never done- because it isn't! As women, we often are overwhelmed by the demands and circumstances of life, resulting in stress, fear, worry, impatience, fatigue, frustration, and even depression. The truth is that we were created to be overwhelmed . . . not by life but by God! When we learn to be overwhelmed by God, the fruit in our lives goes from rotten to fragrant-filling our days with peace, hope, love, and joy In A Woman Overwhelmed, best-selling author Hayley DiMarco shares biblical insights and personal stories to offer a glimpse at the comedy of an overwhelmed life while encouraging us to discover the depths and heights of God's love and power. Be empowered to find freedom in becoming overwhelmed with who God is-by learning to focus on what we know about God so that we can hold onto faith even when it seems that all is lost. For it is when an overwhelmed woman gives up the mission of me and exchanges it for the mission of God that being overwhelmed becomes a good thing. Choose to bask in the abundance of the Father instead of the abundance of life as his unfathomable depths can surely replace our fathomable messes. Learn more and purchase a copy. About the author: Hayley DiMarco is the best-selling author of more than 40 books, including multiple books in the God Girl line, "The Fruitful Wife," "Obsessed," "Die Young" and "Own It." As the founder of Hungry Planet, a company intensely focused on feeding the world's appetite for truth, DiMarco speaks regularly for women's groups and events, including Women of Faith, dotMOM, Precept National Women's Convention and MOPS International. Hayley and her pastor husband, Michael, live outside Nashville with their daughter and four dogs. Find out more about Hayley at http://hayleydimarco.com. My Review: I loved, loved, loved this book, just what I needed to read!  The chapters are short and to the point and then the reading is followed by questions for personal reflection.   I love the layout of the book for this reason, it is in-depth, but it doesn't require a lot of time to work through the reading and questions because honestly no one has time for that during the busyness of the day.  This is the prefect book to pick up at any point throughout the day to read through and then think about and reflect on the questions.  I highly recommend this book for all women to read as it is inspiring and uplifting.   To read more reviews included on this blog tour, go here! *thanks to the Litfuse Publicity Group for including me on this blog tour*

The key plan to growing in patience, peace, and wholeness? Jesus! New book from Edward Welch

Book Info

How many times today have you been irritated? Frustrated? While you might not think about it often, if you look closely at any day most everyone can find anger in their actions and attitudes. Something spills or goes missing, we get stuck in traffic or someone cuts us off on the road, or we feel like the people we live and work with are only making our lives more difficult. And while no one wants to get angry, what happens when our irritations and frustrations rise yet again? Anger is so common-yet it also hurts. It not only leaves a mark on us, but it also leaves a marks on others. The wounds we inflict on ourselves and others because of anger-loss of intimacy, trust, security, and enjoyment in our closest relationships-give us compelling reasons to look closely at our anger and think carefully about how to grow in peace and patience. But if you, like many others, have just gotten irritated for the umpteenth time today, you might wonder if change is possible. Can anyone truly find peace? The answer is yes, but you will need a plan. Biblical counselor and psychologist Ed Welch invites readers to take a fifty-day journey that unpacks anger while encouraging and teaching readers to respond with patience to life's difficulties. Readers will also be introduced to Jesus, the key to any plan for change. Known as the Prince of Peace, he is the only one who can empower his people to grow in patience, peace, and wholeness. Learn more, read a sample, and purchase a copy here. Edward T. Welch, M.Div., Ph.D., is a licensed psychologist and faculty member at the Christian Counseling & Educational Foundation (CCEF). He earned a Ph.D. in counseling (neuropsychology) from the University of Utah and has a Master of Divinity degree from Biblical Theological Seminary. Ed has been counseling for over thirty years and has written extensively on the topics of depression, fear, and addictions. Find out more about Edward at http://stores.newgrowthpress.com. My Review: This is such a great book!  First of all, it is a pocket-sized hardcover book so this can be read anytime, anywhere.  Set up as a book to work through over the course of 50 days, there are 50 short chapters, just a few pages to each chapter, but filled with so much wisdom!  Edward begins with discussing how anger is an ordinary thing, an everyday piece of each human.  To be human is to become angry.  However, how this emotion is handled and dealt with has such a big impact on our day, each and every day with our relationships with others, our own well-being and mindset.  On the flipside of this is peace, and the question is asked why should we pursue peace instead of anger?  Of course, this is not easy at all and will take patience and work.  Edward has designed this book with that in mind, several days (50 to be exact!) to work through and be on this journey.  Therefore, there is very little to do each day, but just one or a few concepts to ponder and ask of ourselves and to really meditate on during that day.  Also, there are questions interspersed to ask of ourselves, but can also lead to great conversations with others.  I highly recommend this book to anyone who is seeking to have more peace than anger in your life, relationships and just overall for yourself.   To read more reviews included on this blog tour, go here! *Thanks to the Litfuse Publicity Group for including me on this blog tour and for the complimentary copy of this book.*

"Deadly Proof"

"Deadly Proof" is the first book in a new series by  Rachel Dylan and it is a must-read for those whom love suspense and/or legal thrillers!

Kate is assigned to a new case as the lead attorney and she knows this is a big deal and much at stake after a death occurs of someone closely involved.  When attacks start being geared toward her, she knows she need to do something.  Landon is hired by Kate to look into the allegations that were made about the company and he finds himself enthralled by not only the case but Kate as well and knows that he needs to help her with what he was hired for, but he needs to keep her safe as well.  

This is fast-paced and twists and turns throughout as the stakes get higher and more details are leaked to the reader bit by bit.  I absolutely loved the characters in this book and cannot wait to read book #2!  I highly recommend this book!

*Thanks to Bethany House Publishers for the complimentary copy of this book.*

Thomas Nelson's 'KJV Know The Word Study Bible' Kindle Fire Giveaway

Diving deeper into God's Word can be easy and rewarding if you break it down book by book, verse by verse, or topic by topic with the new KJV Know The Word Study Bible by Thomas Nelson. The book-by-book series of notes leads you through the main points of each book of the Bible. The verse-by-verse notes help you to dig deeper into God's Word. The topic-by-topic articles, which cover 21 theological topics, guide you through a series of insightful notes and give you a thorough biblical understanding of each topic. With the beautiful and timeless text of the KJV translation, the KJV Know the Word Study Bible offers you choices of how to study Scripture and grow in your relationship with Christ.

This fall, become a regular student of the Bible and enter to win the Kindle Fire giveaway!

 

One grand prize winner will receive:

• A copy of the KJV Know The Word Study Bible
• A Kindle Fire 7
• A Kindle Fire case (winner's choice)

Enter today by clicking the icon below, but hurry! The giveaway ends on October 31. The winner will be announced November 1 on the Litfuse blog.

Book info

About the book: Gain a greater understanding of the Bible book by book, verse by verse, or topic by topic. The study of God's Word can be easy and rewarding if you break down the Bible into easy-to-understand segments. The KJV Know the Word Study Bible offers three easy ways to begin studying Scripture and helps individuals transition from being a casual reader of the Bible to becoming a regular student of the Bible. You can choose to study the Bible book-by-book, verse-by-verse, or topic-by-topic; each path offers powerful insights that will help you develop a daily routine of Bible study. The book-by-book series of notes leads you through the main points of each book of the Bible. The verse-by-verse notes help you to dig deeper into God's Word. The topic-by-topic articles, which cover 21 theological topics, guide you through a series of insightful notes and give you a thorough biblical understanding of each topic. With the beautiful and timeless text of the KJV translation, the KJV Know the Word Study Bible offers you choices of how to study Scripture and grow in your relationship with Christ. Features include: -King James Version Bible text -Three easy approaches to study the Bible: 1. Book by Book; 2. Verse by Verse; 3. Topic by Topic -Insightful introductions for each book of Scripture -Words of Jesus in red -Beautiful two-color interior page design -Comprehensive list of theological notes -Concordance -Full-color maps -8-point type size Learn more and purchase a copy.  About the publisher: In business since 1798, Thomas Nelson is one of the oldest Bible publishers in the world and the largest publisher of the King James Version. Their mission is to inspire the world by using our talents, assets, opportunities, and influence to engage and equip people with Scripture and draw people to a deeper study and understanding of God's Word. Find out more about Thomas at https://www.thomasnelsonbibles.com. My Review: I absolutely love the layout of this Bible as it is so easy to really use it how you would like to with studying the Bible and getting to know God and who He really is as far as what style you prefer.  There is the approach of reading through each book of the Bible and studying book by book, or it could be by topic.  The topical approach is nice if you are struggling in a certain area, need guidance or clarification on a specific topic or just want to learn more.  Personally, with this Bible the verse by verse approach is what I love.  I feel like a great job was done in this area as verses are really broken down word by word in most cases so that a clear understanding can really be gained and an in-depth study.  With so many notes included throughout the Bible is still a clear layout and the pages do not look/feel overwhelming at all to me, the verses and notes are spaced nicely.  I highly recommend this Bible if you are looking for a new study Bible to use in personal study or even in a group setting.   To read other reviews included on this blog tour, go here! *Thanks to the Litfuse Publicity Group for including me on the blog tour.*

"Bringing Maggie Home"

Book info

About the book: Decades of loss, an unsolved mystery, and a rift spanning three generations Hazel DeFord is a woman haunted by her past. While berry picking in a blackberry thicket in 1943, ten-year old Hazel momentarily turns her back on her three-year old sister Maggie and the young girl disappears. Almost seventy years later, the mystery remains unsolved and the secret guilt Hazel carries has alienated her from her daughter Diane, who can't understand her mother's overprotectiveness and near paranoia. While Diane resents her mother's inexplicable eccentricities, her daughter Meghan-a cold case agent-cherishes her grandmother's lavish attention and affection. When a traffic accident forces Meghan to take a six-week leave-of-absence to recover, all three generations of DeFord women find themselves unexpectedly under the same roof. Meghan knows she will have to act as a mediator between the two headstrong and contentious women. But when they uncover Hazel's painful secret, will Meghan also be able to use her investigative prowess to solve the family mystery and help both women recover all that's been lost? Learn more and purchase a copy. About the author: Kim Vogel Sawyer is a highly acclaimed, best-selling author with more than one million books in print, in several different languages. Her titles have earned numerous accolades including the ACFW Carol Award, the Inspirational Readers Choice Award, and the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence. Kim lives in central Kansas with her retired military husband Don, where she continues to write gentle stories of hope and redemption. She enjoys spending time with her three daughters and grandchildren. Find out more about Kim at http://www.kimvogelsawyer.com/.    My Review: "Bringing Maggie Home" is such an amazing story of healing, mystery and love.  This novel spans about 70 years beginning with a horrific event when Hazel is 10 years old, and then moves on to when Hazel is a grandmother and three generations find themselves living under one roof.  What happened in just a few moments when she was so young has impacted Hazel's relationship with her daughter, but it has impacted, although seemingly in the opposite way, her relationship with her granddaughter.  When Hazel reveals why she lives life the way she does, Meghan is determined to solve this cold case and hopefully bring healing to her family.   I loved this book, it was such a powerful read.  I loved the mystery/cold case aspect of it, but also how this one incident has molded Hazel's life and her relationships as well as leading Diane to feel and behave the way that she does.  Meghan is such a strong individual and my favorite of the three women.  This is a wonderful mix of historical and contemporary Christian fiction along with being a suspenseful novel and yet also women's fiction, a nice mix of so much, so it will appeal to all types of readers!  I highly recommend this book be added to your to be read pile! To read other reviews included on this blog tour, go here! *Thanks to the Litfuse Publicity Group for including me on this blog tour and for the complimentary copy of this book.*

"Born to be Wild"

As any parent of a tween, teen or 20-something knows, adolescents take risks. In fact, those aged 12-26 are hard-wired to take risks, but how do you combat these natural impulses? In Born to Be Wild, Jess Shatkin brings more than two decades' worth of research and clinical experience to the subject, along with cutting-edge findings from brain science, evolutionary psychology, game theory, and other disciplines -- plus a widely curious mind and the perspective of a concerned dad himself. 

As Dr. Shatkin illustrates in Born to Be Wild: 

• Adolescents are genetically engineered to prioritize emotions over logic: Teens make risky choices for social acceptance and to avoid emotional pain. If a peer is watching, even a peer they don’t know, adolescents are more likely to take risks. 
• Teens know that they’re not invincible. In fact, studies have shown that, when teens engage in risky behavior, they often overestimate their chances of being harmed by that behavior.
• Improving parenting practices and increasing parent monitoring can help halt high-risk behaviors: Shatkin shares Parent Management Training (PMT) techniques that emphasize tactful praise over remonstrations of how not to behave. 
• Supportive families benefit the brain: Studies show teens raised by parents with low levels of conflict in their homes have less demanding brain reward centers; these teens will engage in less risk-taking behavior because their interpersonal relationships are rewarding. 

Ironically, even though adolescence is a risk-taking time, it is also a time of incredible potential. In Born to Be Wild, Shatkin shows what parents and teachers can do--in everyday interactions, teachable moments, and specially chosen activities and outings--to work with teens' need for risk, rewards and social acceptance, not against it.

 

My Review:

This book is an excellent resource for parents, and professionals working with children and teenagers.  Seriously, Shatkin addresses so many things throughout this book, including social media, the idea that teens think they are invincible and peer pressure, just to name a few topics.  Some humor is sprinkled in as well as personal anecdotes, along with the research, the lists and the facts.  This is an easy book to read as it flows so nicely and is neatly divided into chapters, making it also a great resource to go pick up and read a section that pertains to the moment or season in life.  This is such a tough time in a person's life, but it can also be rewarding and a time of learning with good supports.  I highly recommend this book! 

About the Author:

Nationally recognized child and adolescent psychiatrist Jess P. Shatkin, M.D., M.P.H., is one of the country's foremost voices in child and adolescent mental health. He serves as Vice Chair for Education at the Child Study Center and Professor of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry and Pediatrics at New York University School of Medicine. He has been featured in top print, radio, TV, and Internet outlets, including the New York Times, Good Morning America, Parade, New York Magazine, Health Day, CBS Evening News, New York Daily News, Wall Street Journal, and the Los Angeles Times. In addition, for the past eight years Dr. Shatkin has been the host of "About Our Kids," a two-hour call-in radio show broadcast live on SiriusXM's Doctor Radio. He lives in New York City with his wife and two teenage children.