Book Review: Rock Bottom is a Beautiful Place: Testimonies of Triumph by Diane Cunningham

I love to read books. In the past, I stayed more within the fiction genre, but the last two years the Lord has opened doors for me to be able to work with a variety of publishers and writers to review their books. 

This book was a free one by a friend and amazing role model to me. Diane Cunningham is the owner of National Association of Christian Women Entrepreneurs, a group that encourages women as business owners as they live out the lives God has planned for them. 

In her book, Diane talks about her own fall to rock bottom and her climb to the Rock of Salvation, Jesus. She also realized that she wasn't the only one who had secrets and had hit rock bottom. And so this book was birthed.

There are stories of family secrets and struggles with addictions. Of being raised in the church, being believers, yet having to fight to overcome Satan and the hold he can have on the most precious areas in the life of Christians. It's a daily fight we must stay in and conquer through our faith and trust in Jesus Christ.

The stories are necessarily "feel good" stories, but they will encourage and inspire you that where you are right now isn't where you have to stay! 

Find Rock Bottom is A Beautiful Place: Testimonies of Triumph at Amazon.com!

Blessings!

Book Review: Love.Period. When All Else Fails by Rudy Rasmus

The Bible says that God is love. It goes on to say in 1 Corinthians 13:1-3:

Rudy Rasmus' book talks about just that. When it really comes down to it, love is the foundation of all things. Rasmus discusses the depth of love. It is designed to be used individually or in a book club with discussion points called "Responding" for further thought presented at the end of each chapter.

What I like about this book is Rasmus' use of his own, real-life struggles with learning to love and learning to lean on the Lord in all situations of life knowing that He is love and His love NEVER fails.

If you are interested in learning more about  how we can walk in God's love, this is a great book to gain that foundation. Rasmus ends the book with his own Love Revolution that says that our love:

"Trusts God always,

Always looks for the best, 

Never looks back, 

But keeps going to the end. (1 Corinthians 13:7)"

Find Love.Period. on Amazon or Barnes and Noble!

Book Review: AHA by Kyle Idleman

That moment when everything just seems to make sense. That moment when you know your purpose in life. That moment when you know what God created you to do and you decide once and for all to ACT. That is what Kyle Idleman’s book is all about.

When I read a book, I usually read the back cover to get an idea of what to expect. I did that with this book, too. But it was far deeper than anything the description revealed. What I learned was more about myself, where I’m at in my walk with the Lord and what it will take to move to a place of action in doing just what the Lord created me to do in life!

What I both liked and found uncomfortable was the “talking to yourself” section. It was difficult to be honest with myself that I had spent more time on Facebook than in prayer or that I spent more money eating out than advancing the Kingdom of God or that I couldn’t remember the last time I cried over my own sin. These are tough things to evaluate about ourselves, but Idleman doesn’t merely leave us there in a state of regret and being ashamed. He shows us how to get to our own “AHA” moment, from realization or awakening, to brutal honesty, and finally to move into that action state of doing things for God’s glory.

A wonderfully gentle and compelling teaching on going from realizing we need to act, being honest with where we are and actually getting up and acting rather than continuing to stand and talk about doing something. A great motivational book for those who know there is more than where they are at now in life!

Book Review: Awakening by Ralph Reed

In his book Awakening, Ralph Reed addresses whether or not it is too late to save America and what it might take to become the great country America once was. He tells about his first meeting with young Senator Barack Obama and Obama's decietful charm as a leader.

Reed concludes each chapter with "Action Points" in which to study further in the Word and ways to pray for our government and for a new Great Awakening for America. The book is steeped with our duty as Christians to be voices in government and to engage in politics and make sure their political parties' platforms align with the teachings of Christ and the Scriptures.
Reed finishes his call to awaken by giving six guidelines for being an effective Christian citizen and activist, citing that Christians should: pray, be informed and educated, become involved in a political party, build relationships with elected officials, join a public policy organization and persuade not preach. His final chapter sums up the overall goal of the Christian if there is to be hope for America: The Awakening Must Begin With Us!

Book Review: Balanced by Tricia Goyer

Do you find yourself running here and there? Dropping one child off for this event, and heading to another venue to drop another off there? Are you a work-at-home mom who is homeschooling and trying to figure out a good balance between work and home life? Then this is the book you need to read!

Balanced: Finding Center As a Work at Home Mom by Tricia Goyer brings a revelation for all of us trying to balance our lives and work as we stay home to raise our children. I really enjoyed the Pause and Reflect sections as well as the Tips from the Trenches. In these glimpses into her own life experiences, Tricia shows other homeschooling work at home mothers like me that we are not abnormal! She's been where I was...feeling guility about choosing to write and follow the call the Lord put on my life. And she's found balance through prioritizing and identifying themes for her family, something I plan to implement in my own family before my younger children grow up!
Where Tricia brings us to is reality is that it's not just about the work we are doing at home to add to our family income and perhaps follwoing our dreams. But rather it is finding what the Lord would have us do for our families in this calling He has given us that will create balance in our work-at-home lives.

You can find Balanced: Finding Center as a Work-at-Home Mom On Amazon and Barnes and Noble!

Blessings!

Book Review: Burning Sky

I recently finished reading a very informative and interesting book by Lori Benton. "Burning Sky" is about a girl, Willa Obenchain, who was abducted by the Mohawk Indians and given the name Burning Sky. As she grows older, she is driven to return to the white family she was taken from. Twelve years have passed and her childhood home appears abandoned. A former suitor has gone somewhat mad from the effects of war and claims her parents' land as his own, and Willa meets a wounded soldier named Neil MacGregor. Willa is caught between two worlds: the white man's world in which she was born and the her Mohawk family in which she is Burning Sky. She must rely on her faith in the Almighty and His plan for her life, but is she brave enough?

This story takes place after the Revolutionary War when colonists still feared the native people. The author creates easily the settings with great detail and characters so believable this reader found herself hearing the dialogue between Tames-His-Horse and Burning Sky as the indians would have sounded.
I think as a homeschooling parent that this book would be a wonderful addition and required reading for high school students studying Early American history. The acompanying study guide leads the reader and teacher into a great discussion of the situations, themes, and literary analysis.

Book Review: Prime of Life

Book synopsis:
Ben used to be a cardiothoracic surgeon before he suddenly abandoned his career and became a janitor at a retirement facility. Now, other than dealing with minor problems such as an unhealthy obsession with prime numbers, an inept boss, and a feud between two cantankerous retirees, he lives a relatively stress-free life. There is even hope for romance when an attractive podiatrist shows an interest in him. But it is not long before his past catches up with him and his carefully protected world begins to unravel. He is forced to face deep issues about life, love, and God head-on, rather than hide behind his cleaning cart. 

(C) Worthy Publishing

This is a wonderful comedic book that gives a look at life when mistakes are made or things go wrong that we never planned. P.D. Bekendam is the author of this masterpiece, and he has a unique way of giving the reader a glimpse into the quirks, mannerisms and personalities of each character. His descriptions of buildings, resident's homes, and the surrounding area weave a clear picture of the setting for the reader. 
I fell in love with the main character, Ben, and was drawn into his romance with Lex. The realistic, believable, cantankerous residents of Heritage Garden added humor, compassion and plausibility to this wonderfully entertaining storyline. I hated to see the story end, but I hope that Bekendam will continue to add to this collection!
As a writer who wrote her first three books in first person present, it was refreshing and encouraging to see that it can be done and done well. I gained a new perspective for the craft of fictional writing, too.

Book Review: Restless

This is an amazing book by Jennie Allen. I've always felt that there are things I am good at in life...I was an EMT, a lab technician (phlebotomist), life coach, account executive, and a host of others things along with being a wife and homeschooling mother. But I have always felt--Restless!
In her book, Jennie shows us how to identify threads in our lives that we can unravel and knit back together to see the Lord's purpose for us. She identifies threads of gifts, suffering, places, people and passions that lead us to realizing our calling and Jennie also shows us that even as moms and wives, it is okay to dream and to pursue our dreams!
I like that this book is adaptable to be a group study. We often need the guidance and accountability of our brothers and sisters in the Lord and here, Jennie has laid that foundation to be open about finding our purpose.

You can find her book, Restless: Because You Were Made for More on Amazon.com!

Blessings!

Book Review: Falls Like Lightning by Shawn Grady

Shawn Grady is one of my favorite authors! I like his style of writing as well as the settings and characters. I was an EMT, so fire fighters and EMS personnel often attract my attention when I look for new books, and his books reflect his real-life career as a firefighter in Nevada.

Book Description:
When hotshot smoke jumper Silas Kent gets his own fire crew, he thinks he's achieved what he's always wanted. But a lightning-sparked fire in the Desolation Wilderness of the Sierra Nevadas has his team in a plane before they can even train together. 

Pilot Elle Westmore has been called up to drop the crew into the heart of the forest infernos. A single mother of a mysteriously ill six-year-old, she can't imagine her life getting any more complicated. 

It doesn't take long for things to go very wrong, very quickly. A suspicious engine explosion forces Elle to make an emergency landing. Silas is able to parachute to safety but soon discovers his crew can't be trusted. They're hiding something, and now Silas is on a race to save himself and Elle from the flames--and from a more dangerous threat: his own team.

In his book, Falls Like Lightning, Grady weaves so eloquently mystery, love, and a wonderful glimpse into the Sierra Nevada mountain range. His descriptive words and attention to detail allow the reader to easily picture the settings of each scene, the way each pivotal character looks, and the sounds and smells they are surrounded by.
One of my favorite parts involves a fast moving action scene. Grady does such a good job relaying each and every detail of the images and motions that my eyes could barely keep up with the action I was reading. It was amazing!!

You can find this book as well as Shawn's other two books on Amazon.com!

Book Release: The Afterlife of Lizzie Monroe by Kelly Martin

My dear friend, Kelly Martin, has released another fabulous book--her FIFTH! The Afterlife of Lizzie Monroe continues in the same intriguing manner as The Deception of Devon Miller and Big is Beautiful. 
The book is also priced at just 99 cents today, so it is a great time to purchase your copy! (The links to where you can buy this book are found below!). Buy today, tomorrow the normal price goes back tomorrow!!

Here's the back cover blurb:

If Shane Davis had it to do over again, he wouldn't have gone out that night. He wouldn't have burned down the church. And he sure wouldn't have taken the annoying dead girl home with him.

Now that Shane has her, he has no idea what to do with her. He can't release her into the "wild" because people will recognize her (being a hundred and fifty year old town 'legend' will do that). He can't send her away because she can't take care of herself yet. And she can't stay because if people find her, they'll know he burned the church. Being eighteen now, Shane definitely doesn't want that fact coming out.

Unbeknownst to Shane, someone has figured out the girl's secret and will do anything to get it for himself... even kill the girl who isn't so immortal after all.


Kelly is also having a Giveaway on her blog! You can enter on Super Mom the Illusion, though!
a Rafflecopter giveaway


Here's an excerpt from the book!

Shane jumped to his knees, but Lizzie grabbed his arm to keep him from attacking Drake. She wasn’t worth it.

Shane looked down at her, his face hard. “He needs to learn to keep his mouth shut.”

Lizzie opened her mouth to speak, but Drake beat her to it. “And I bet you are the one to teach me, right, Davis?”

“Shut up,” Cheyenne said, stepping in front of Drake. “You two just cool it. You’re acting like children.”

“He started it.” Drake sat back down on the rolling chair in a huff. He ran his hands thought his hair and sighed.

Lizzie tugged on Shane’s arm to pull him down to her. He complied, but didn’t seem pleased about it. He wrapped his fingers around hers, holding her hand. If Lizzie’s heart could beat, it would have beat out of her chest. Even though he was holding her hand, he kept his eyes on Drake and Cheyenne. Lizzie wasn’t even sure he knew he was holding her hand, but Lizzie knew and she didn’t try to let go.

Kelly's Bio:

Kelly Martin is a bestselling author of four young adult/Christian novels: Crossing the Deep, Saint Sloan, The Deception of Devin Miller, and Big is Beautiful. Saving Sloan, the Saint Sloan sequel, will come out in early 2014. The first of the Hindsight series, Out of the Blue, comes out in February 2014.

Kelly's Links:

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/KellyMartinAuthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/martiekay

Website: http://www.kellymartinbooks.blogspot.com/

Buy Links:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Afterlife-Lizzie-Monroe-Kelly-Martin-ebook/dp/B00HX89Q5W/
Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-afterlife-of-lizzie-monroe-kelly-martin/1118082347?ean=2940148261759

Book Review--Faith Leaps: The Christian Mom's Guide to Starting a Virtual Assistant Business

     You may remember earlier this year I reviewed the book Faith Leaps: The Christian Mom's Guide to Passion, Purpose, and Profits. 
In her first book, Alyssa Avant helps readers to focus on their passions, explains in practical terms how to take a leap of faith and trust God with the passions He's given us, and ways of profiting from those passions-turned-income-potential.



     Faith Leaps: The Christian Mom's Guide to Starting a Virtual Assistant Business is the much sought after sequel. Alyssa gives wonderful, practical advice for starting a business and finding your niche in the world of virtual assisting. If you have ever considered making your way into a stay-at-home career as a virtual assistant, you must get this book.
     What I really liked about the continuation of encouraging me to find my passion and purpose was that this book took it a step further and showed me ways to jump start my career while doing something I enjoy. If you have read her first book, but wondered like I did, "How do I get started and where do I go now that I know what I want to do?" This book is for you!

You can purchase a copy of The Christian Mom's Guide to Starting a Virtual Assistant Business on Amazon.com!

Book Review: Putting on the Spirit by Katie Hornor

10Minute Devotionals for Busy Moms

My friend Katie over at www.paradisepraises.com has created a great new devotional for us busy moms! If you are like me, finding just a few minutes for yourself every day can be such a challenge. This book is the solution we've been searching for to spend more quality time with the Lord. 

Each day of this one month devotional is about 10 minutes to finish and is based on the Fruits of the Spirit. It's a great way to strengthen your spiritual self while drawing closer to God and focusing on love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance.

Nothing makes a mom feel more complete in her day than being able to spend regular time with the Lord first before beginning her day and serving her family.

Putting on the Spirit (English version) will be offered for free on Tue (12/10) and then for 99cents on Mon,Wed-Fri (12/9, 11-13). This week is the PERFECT time to get this book! And good news is that the book is also available in Spanish for Kindle. Those books will be 99 cents all week (12/9-12/13) on Amazon. Now there are no boundaries for sharing the Word of God with all your friends whether they are Spanish or English speakers!

Another fun thing is that Katie is offering a companion workbook to go with each book. After buying the book, you can go download a free workbook on Katie's website: http://paradisepraises.com/putting-on-the-spirit/.

Next week, I'll be giving away 3 FREE eBook copies of Putting on the Spirit, too! You won't want to miss that!!

Blessings!

Book Reveiw: One Year Amish Peace

Finding Peace in the Simplicity of Amish Living

I have had the honor of being on Tricia Goyer's 2013 Launch Team. A few weeks ago, I received the One Year Book of Amish Peace to read and reveiw. What I enjoyed most about this book is that it matches the Word with practical, simple Amish values. Daily devotional time can be accomplished in just a few minutes each day. Tricia gives the reader a glimpse of what it is like to possess Amish morals and values in a pleasant manner. It is a joy to read of the simple things in life that we should cherish and focus on in addition to the Lord. I'm thrilled to add this to my daily devotional time with God. If you enjoy Amish history or the lifestyle, this book is a must have!

You can find One Year: Amish Peace on Amazon and Barnes & Noble!!

Peace and the Single Mom: 50 Moments of Calm in the Chaos

I'm hosting a book giveaway! 

It's been a while, but I am excited to share this book written by my friend, Jennifer Maggio. 

Being a single mom is often seen as a joy-stealing and dream-dashing cross to bear. The truth is, it's hard. Some days it can seem impossible. But in the midst of the chaos of single parenting there is much hope...if only the wind and rain would calm just long enough for the light to shine through. With these 50 moments of peace, Jennifer Maggio gracefully weaves scriptural truths and personal stories to gently soothe the storm that rages in every single mom's heart. Single mom, are you overwhelmed, stressed out, and fed up? Are you desperate to find peace in the storm? 
Partner with Jennifer Maggio to win the battle over self-doubt, regret, and fear. Peace and the Single Mom offers 50 Moments of calm in the chaos, guiding single moms to strength and hope. 

Like a wise friend, Jennifer Maggio invites single moms to experience Jesus as she parents those beautiful babies God placed in her heart and life. Maggio gets it, because she s lived it, and it shows in every single word. Suzanne Eller, Proverbs 31 Ministries author and speaker, radio co-host of Encouragement Café, and creator of Moms Together 

Downloadable group study guides of various lengths are also available, each designed to encourage individuals while fostering unity among the single moms in your church or community.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Check out her other books, too! You can find them on Amazon.com.

Book Review--A Christmas Gift for Rose

THE Amish Book You Need to Read!

I hadn't really been drawn toward historical fiction before, especially not Amish fiction. But all that changed when I read Tricia Goyer's book "The Promise Box." Now with her novella, "A Christmas Gift for Rose," available, I knew I would be caught up in a great story steeped in rich history and based on a true story.  

My favorite character was Marcus. A brief background about him. He is the older brother of the main character, Rose. He has only her best interests in mind, but is also caring, gentle and loving. He gives his sister just what she seems to need when she needs it. I won't go as far as to say the 'perfect' big brother, but he's definitely a strong constant in her life.

My favorite part was when another character, Harold, was having flashbacks from the war and Jonathan, Rose's love interest, talks him down with such a compassionate way about him. He never makes excuses for Harold but simply gets him through a tough time. Writing like that in which the reader can visualize the experience is truly a gift and Tricia has been blessed with it!

If you're looking for an easy read (not too long, not too short!) during the holiday breaks coming up, this book is a great place to start. And I think once you read one of Tricia's books, you'll want to read more!

Find A Christmas Gift for Rose on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Be sure to look for some of her other books, too!

Love Finds You in Glacier Bay, Alaska

The Memory Jar

The Promise Box

Chasing Mona Lisa

Great New Book for Teens! BIG is Beautiful by Kelly Martin

BIG IS BEAUTIFUL: A LOVE STORY

Can Brittany have the night of her life? Or is it all a lie?

Sample from the book:

The seven worst words ever spoken came out of Brittany Gregory's mom's mouth at breakfast, "I signed you up for math tutoring." Sure, she probably needs it (probably nothing, she'll fail without it), but the thought of having to stay in that school longer than she had to every day makes her sick. It's not the school's fault... just the few jerks inside.

Brittany's tutor is none other than Matt Taylor, senior quarterback-- all around hottie. At first, she's shy around him because, hello, Matt Taylor! But as he shows more and more unexpected kindness toward her, Brittany softens around him.

Unfortunately for Brittany, Matt's former girlfriend, the beautifully wicked Kendra Moses, has tormented Britt since eighth grade about her weight. In an unusual moment of brains, Kendra realizes Brittany's initials spell B.I.G.-- a hilarious (to the cheerleader) irony since Brittany isn't the smallest girl at school. 

With the Red Ball (Valentine's Dance) approaching, Brittany has to decide if her growing feelings for Matt are real, or if he's secretly been playing a part in Kendra's game all along.

Purchase BIG Is Beautiful at these online stores:

AMAZON

ASTRAEA PRESS

Book Review: The Blessed Woman

The Blessed Woman by Debbie Morris

I recently had the privilege of reviewing this book, or rather bible study.  It really is a great non-fiction piece that Debbie has intertwined into her own fictional versions of Bible stories.  This book bridges the gap of the wives in the Bible to our lives as busy wives and mothers now.  The stories relay how we can live grace-filled lives just as our Biblical peers did and how God desires for us to experience his tender loving kindness and the true meaning of being blessed women.

Each of the twelve chapters tells the struggles and joys of a woman of the Bible as well as Debbie's own life and creates a similarity that Christian women can easily relate to today.  Filled with wisdom, examples and humor, Debbie takes the reader on a journey of adopting these women as sisters in the Lord and role models for living a wholly blessed life.

What I like about this book is that it doesn't compare our hurried, busy daily lives to the typical Proverbs 31 woman whose life I don't think I could compare.  Debbie brings the good and bad of these women to the reader to show that the things we're going through right now were not unlike those of the women in the Bible stories we read.  Plain, simple and practical similarities between me and Eve, Mary, Naomi, Zipporah and Esther?!  Who would have thought?  But Debbie does a fantastic job of pulling us all together for the ultimate end result: to know God's tenderness and to be fully blessed!

Find The Blessed Woman at:

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Christian Book Distributor

Adventures in Odyssey: 90 Devotions for Kids

Grow in Your Walk with God Every Day

For moms with kids in school, the most hectic months of the year are usually September and May. The end of the school year involves parties, playoffs, and final projects. The beginning of the year has moms and kids feeling overloaded with shopping trips, sign-ups, and new schedules.

Establishing healthy, positive routines is a tough job. Too often, music lessons, sports practices, and after-school clubs can overshadow the routines that build family and healthy habits—both physically and spiritually. 

One of the great new Adventures in Odyssey products released this year is 90 Devotions for Kids, aimed at kids 8 to 12.  This soft-cover book draws you in with illustrations, puzzles, and kid-friendly applications. It also includes a daily Bible verse, daily challenges, words of encouragement from different AIO characters, and more. Even if your kids aren’t already Adventures in Odyssey fans, they’ll enjoy these daily devotionals, and get to know the Odyssey crew along the way.

This devotional, and the edition coming this fall (90 Devotions for Kids: Life Changing Values from the Book of Matthew) are great tools to help your kids put a regular pause in their day for Bible reading, prayer, and thoughts about God. If you start now—by the first day of school, you’ll already have a spiritual component scheduled into your kids’ routine. After that, everything else will hopefully just fall into line!  

To help you with your Summer of Service, we're hosting a giveaway of 90 Devotions for Kids:  Life Changing Values from the Book of Matthew!  Interested in reading a little bit of this fantastic devotion?  We've included a FREE download of an excerpt from 90 Devotions for Kids, downloadable from this private link: http://www.tyndale.com/blog/index.php/aio-90-devotions-for-kids/ 

Enter the Giveaway below!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Review--The Promise Box

I like to read...a LOT!  I read non-fiction, science fiction, action, Christian fiction, Christian fantasy fiction (that's a new one for me!), but I had never read Amish fiction.  I was hesitant, honestly, because I like suspense, mystery and a little romance thrown in.  Well, I am so glad I continued reading this book because it had all of those things packed into it!

The Promise Box is a story of finding a true relationship with the Lord.  The characters are easy to relate to, and the story deals with real-life current events and situations that I had either experienced myself or knew someone who had.  Tricia Goyer does an amazing job of painting the scenes in West Kootenai, Montana and making the reader feel at home with the setting and the people.  Her descriptions of everyday life in an Amish community highlight the devotion to the Lord.  The story is written is such a way that the reader wants to know how it all turns out.  I fell in love with Gideon, the main male character.  Is it possible there are really men out in the world like him? I can't wait to read more in her Seven Brides for Seven Bachelors series!

Stress Test--Book Review

STRESS TEST: A Story of Continued Faith in the Midst of Trials

Dr. Mabry does it again with a fantastic storyline, engaging characters, and action-packed into his newest book.  I'll be honest, though, I wanted to quit reading it at one point!  Let me explain...

The story unfolds with Matt Newman being kidnapped.  The action just rolls on until, holding his breath, he escapes his captors and conceals himself to make a getaway.  But when he slips and falls, winds up in the ER with no memory of what happened, and police questioning him for murder, things get really interesting.
I began to feel at ease knowing that his competent, and attractive, lawyer would get him off this charge, especially with little or no hard evidence.  But when another murder occurs, this time in his own home, and he is charged and booked for narcotics possession while the DA's office builds a case against him for murder, I just couldn't take it!  Matt was such a good, caring man.  He could never have done anything so awful.  I wanted to set the book aside and stop before things got any more horrible for this attractive, caring doctor (Wait!  He's just a character in a book!).
Just like in life, when bad things continue to get worse, and I want to push them aside so I don't have to see, I simply couldn't walk away, though.  I had to read to the end, knowing that God would see this character through.

Dr. Mabry does an amazing job of weaving the realities of life into his book and characters.  He carefully, vividly, eloquently, and very matter-of-factly shows that when things seem bad, sometimes they get worse.  But God is always in control and sees us through when we believe in faith that He will!   I'm glad I read the rest of the book--you will love the ending!!



Read more about Dr. Richard Mabry and his amazingly crafted novels here.
Stress Test is available at:
AMAZON
Barnes & Noble
Christian Book