Take a trip to the bear museum with Little Cub as she learns about the different kinds of bears in different parts of the world. Black bears, panda bears, sloth bears, and grizzly bears are all different from the polar bears that Little Cub is used to seeing. The idea is easily related to the different kinds of people that are on earth. Mama Bear points out that some bears are fast while others take their time. Some bears are quiet and others are loud. The underlying theme is that a person's differences do not make him or her less valuable in God's sight. There is also an emphasis of God's creativity and the importance of taking care of the earth.
I would recommend God Gave Us the World by Lisa Tawn Bergren for children ages five to eight. The book recommends ages three to eight, but I'm not sure a three year old would understand the themes. Both older and younger children will enjoy the colorful and appropriate illustrations by Laura J. Bryant. I found the illustrations to be superior to other children's books I have read lately.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from WaterBrook Press as part of their Blogger Review 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."
McKenna Ashford has spent most of her life trying to be a mother to her younger brother, Robert. After a series of disasters, McKenna and Robert journey to Copper Creek, Colorado to be near their cousin, Janie Talbot. McKenna's hopes for a bright future are suddenly crushed by the death of Janie and her husband. Per Janie's request, McKenna agrees to care for Emma, Janie's daughter, and inherits their homestead. As she begins life in Copper Creek, she encounters the intriguing and somewhat dangerous U.S. Marshal Wyatt Caradon. Trying to keep her distance from Marshal Caradon, moonlighting as an entrepreneur, parenting a rebellious brother, and keeping the farm together proves to be more than McKenna can handle. When it seems everything has fallen apart and McKenna is about to lose a precious treasure, will she have the strength and faith to do what is necessary?
The Inheritance carries on Tamera Alexander's tradition of integrating history, romance, and the personal issues of her characters. This is the second book I've read by Alexander and I find that in her stories, it seems the plot is coming to a close when she suddenly throws in an unexpected element or situation that tests the character's resolve and keeps the story moving. I thought the plot flowed well and the characters were authentic. It was interesting how Alexander incorporated the Chinese culture of the time and area with her story. I felt like Alexander used the book to advance awareness of the pain and maladies caused by the Chinese practice of binding young girls' feet. Overall, The Inheritance is an entertaining read and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical romances.
Click here to read an excerpt from The Inheritance by Tamera Alexander.
Burn-out. Lots of women know exactly what burn-out is. In today's culture, women have opportunities that the generations before them did not have. However, those opportunities have come with both the good and the bad. Women can dream, travel, and live like never before. Unfortunately, many women end up disillusioned and find that after spending thousands of dollars and years of their lives, they simply want to return to taking care of their home and family. So, how does one avoid burn-out and disillusionment? By living as a Life Ready Woman. A Life Ready Woman is a woman who knows who she is in God's eyes and follows his callings on her life, whether those callings include being a stay-at-home mom or a world-traveling, high-powered executive. Either way, the authors assert that there are three core callings a woman should fulfill. Purposely living out those callings enables a woman to be abundant and fruitful without the burn-out.
During the Introduction of this book, I wasn't sure if I was going to like it or not. I am happy to say that reading The Life Ready Woman was a great experience. The authors expertly walk a fine line between encouraging women to take hold of opportunities and warning women that they can not do it all, at least not all at the same time. The myth that a woman can have it all and do it all, all at the same time was a lesson that I learned the hard way previous to reading this book. The book confirmed what I had already experienced. A woman can enjoy all that life has to offer, but there are appropriate stages of life in which she should make the choice to pursue those things.
I appreciated that the book had Biblically-based ideas, though some of them were quite new to me. The chapter on the Biblical definition of womanhood, marriage, and family was especially good. Too often women in the church are told that motherhood is their highest and only calling. To read this chapter was liberating for me as I am a firm believer that I exist for more than just reproduction. The concept of the three core callings for every Christian woman was also excellent. Using Scripture as their basis, the authors opened up a concept that was new and exciting to me. Every Christian woman should read this book.
Click here to enter my blog's giveaway of The Life Ready Woman by Shaunti Feldhahn and Robert Lewis.
And, click here, for more details about the Weekend to Remember Giveaway sponsored by MomLife and Shaunti Feldhahn.
Or, click here, to visit the blog tour for The Life Ready Woman.
About Shaunti Feldhahn:
Shaunti Feldhahn is a former Wall Street analyst, best-selling author of the book For Women Only, national speaker, and regular commentator in the media. She has been featured on The Today Show, PBS, TNT and Fox News- to name a few. You can learn more about her many activities by visiting her website Shaunti.com or get some great mom advice from her at MomLifeToday.com. She and her husband live with their two young children in Atlanta , Georgia and enjoy every minute of living at warp speed.
About MomLife Today:
At MomLife Today you will enjoy community with real moms experiencing every age and every stage of MomLife—right alongside you.
Moms need friends we can walk through life with, but more importantly we need friends who will encourage us and equip us in our role as moms in an honest and transparent way … and that’s just what you’ll find by becoming part of our MomLife Today community! We believe that every MOMent counts!
We admit it, being a mom 24/7 is not easy. Rather than lament the role of motherhood, however, we choose to embrace that role and learn from each other how to make it through each day with the right attitude. Come share the joys, sorrows, insanity, and special moments of motherhood with us as we live it and candidly write about it…we’ll have lots of fun along the way! Join us, and do tell… What’s happening in your MomLife Today? www.momlifetoday.com
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Litfuse Publicity Group. 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."
What you can win: A free copy of The Life Ready Woman by Shaunti Feldhahn and Robert Lewis.
How to enter: Use the form below.
How it works: One winner will be picked randomly on Tuesday, March 1, 2011. If you win, I will e-mail you to get your mailing address and will then send the book to you.
To read my review of The Life Ready Woman, click here.
And don't forget to enter the Weekend to Remember Giveaway. Details here.
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This giveaway is now closed. Winner to be announced shortly.
In celebration of Shaunti Feldhahn’s Life Ready Woman, MomLife Today is giving away 2 Weekend To Remember Gift Packs and much more!
Not only, is MomLife Today helping promote Life Ready Woman, but they are thrilled to announce that Shaunti will be joining MomLife Today as a regular contributor!!!
Weekend To Remember Get-Aways offer marriage-changing principles that you can take home and apply to your daily lives to strengthen your marriage. Whether you are newly engaged or have been married for 50 years, you will find value in the tools provided at the getaway.
Don’t miss this opportunity to receive a conference registration for you and your spouse … and more! MomLife Today will be randomly selecting NINE lucky recipients to receive one of these great gifts:
2 Weekend To Remember Get Away conference registrations for two. $259 value each pair (Two couples will receive this.)
How much does God love me? More than the bumbles in a bumblebee. His love is wider than the prairies, softer than a summer breeze, and deeper than a wishing well.
Those are just a few of the cute rhymes that comprise God Loves Me More Than That. Dandi Daley Mackall, author of this book, leads children on a journey to understand God's love for them. Based on Ephesians 3:17-19, the book takes a well-known Scripture and expands on it using language familiar to children.
God Loves Me More Than That is an adorable children's book that teaches a lesson that many adults still need to learn. This book provides parents with the perfect opportunity to instill spiritual lessons to children at a young age. The illustrations match well with the text and theme of the book. I especially liked the hippo and butterfly illustrations. I can wholeheartedly recommend this book to any parent looking to teach their child about God's love.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Waterbrook Press as part of their Blogger Review 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."
An unexpected accident changes Boone Drake's life in an instant. Faced with death, guilt, and bitterness, Boone disdains the house he lived in and the God he claimed to serve. Unable to understand such tragedy, he searches for meaning in his job, his routine, and the bottom of a bottle. Led by the faithful Pastor Sosa and supported by his partner, Jack, Boone faces one day at a time and finds that time does not heal all wounds, sometimes there is no human understanding about why tragedy occurs, but there is a God who is faithful through it all. From the depths of depression to the thrill of rounding up gang leaders, Boone travels a difficult path and ultimately finds that there is a hope to live for.
It didn't take long for The Brotherhood to grab my attention. Jerry Jenkins' writing style is flawless and easy to read, yet compelling. The moral lesson that stood out to me most was the theme about the importance of valuing a relationship with God in both the good and the bad times. We are not guaranteed tomorrow. Any one of us could experience an unexpected tragedy. The important thing is to recognize that God is with us whether life is going great or if things are tough.
I found the plot unique. It's not everyday that you read about a gang leader, repentance, and forgiveness all together. I recommend this book to anyone who likes fiction. People who are affiliated with law enforcement or enjoy law enforcement novels will especially enjoy this book. Although the book is good as a stand alone, I look forward to the next book in this series.
To enter this blog's The Brotherhood giveaway, click here.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Tyndale Publishers as part of their Blogger Review 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."
What you can win: A free copy of The Brotherhood by Jerry B. Jenkins.
How to enter: Use the form below.
How it works: If you win, I will mail you a certificate that you can redeem for a free copy of The Brotherhood at your local Christian bookstore or directly from Tyndale Publishers.
One winner will be picked randomly on Tuesday, February 8, 2011. If you win, you will be notified by email at which time I will need your mailing address.
Following God's direction, Alex Armstrong moves to rural North Dakota to pastor not one, but two churches. He's an experienced professor, but this is his first pastoral assignment. As he gets to know his congregation, Alex finds that many of them have serious problems. Feelings of insufficiency surface as he realizes that he doesn't have the ability to solve any of the problems. Trying to bring his two, feuding congregations together is proving futile. Yet, in unexpected ways, God moves in Alex's life and the lives of those around him. Alex finds that his faith will be tested, but trusting in God is always the right choice.
An Unlikely Blessing by Judy Baer is the first book in the Forever Hilltop Series. I was only okay with the ending because I know there are more books coming in this series. There were several unresolved situations and if there were no follow-up books, I would have hated the book simply because of the ending. The book includes recipes from the residents Hilltop Township. I have yet to try any of them myself, but Gandy Dunn's Puppy Chow looks promising.
This book is definitely worth reading, but I recommend waiting until the rest of the series is published and reading them consecutively. If I have the opportunity to review the next book in this series, I will have to go back and refresh my memory on this book. There are a lot of characters in the story, but they aren't all memorable and most likely, I wouldn't remember who each character was.
About the author: Judy Baer is the author of over seventy-five books for adults and teens. She has won the Romance Writer of America Bronze Medallion and has been a RITA finalist twice. She lives in Elk River , Minnesota with her husband. Follow the Hilltop characters on Judy’s blog and find out more about Judy and her books at http://www.judykbaer.com
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Litfuse Publicity Group. 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."
An Unlikely Blessing Contest Info:
Prolific author of over 75 novels, Judy Baer, is launching her new Guideposts series, Forever Hilltop, with a KINDLE prize package worth over $175! The first book in the series, An Unlikely Blessingis available now wherever fine books are sold.
One lucky winner will receive:
Brand New KINDLE with Wi-Fi
A $25 gift certificate to Amazon.com
To enter just click on one the icons below and then tell your friends! Winner will be announced on February 21st on Judy's blog, http://www.judykbaer.com/wordpress.
Take a trip to the bear museum with Little Cub as she learns about the different kinds of bears in different parts of the world. Black bears, panda bears, sloth bears, and grizzly bears are all different from the polar bears that Little Cub is used to seeing. The idea is easily related to the different kinds of people that are on earth. Mama Bear points out that some bears are fast while others take their time. Some bears are quiet and others are loud. The underlying theme is that a person's differences do not make him or her less valuable in God's sight. There is also an emphasis of God's creativity and the importance of taking care of the earth.
, MomLife Today is giving away 2 Weekend To Remember Gift Packs and much more!
is available now wherever fine books are sold.