Max Lucado's companion devotional to his book, "Just Like Jesus" is this devotional that challenges you to spend thirty days learning about your faith, your savior, and how to become more like Jesus.
"Just Like Jesus Devotional" is a month long challenge to allow Jesus to take over your heart. The devotionals themselves are based on four principles: thinking, hearing, reflecting, and speaking. Each daily devotion begins with a bible verse that sets the theme for the day, then a brief explanation of that verse and how it can be applied to our daily lives. Then, Lucado poses a series of questions in the "thinking" section, meant to prompt you to truly understand what it is that God is trying to tell you.
The "hearing" section of the devotion follows, and offers a longer verse that compounds on the questions posed in the "thinking" section. "Reflecting" follows with a few questions about the verses you read in the "hearing" section. Finally, the devotion ends with the "speaking" portion, that essentially helps inspire you in prayer.
What I liked about this devotional was that the daily devotions are truly inspiring. I loved that the sections at the end of the reading build on each other, and really make you think about the impact that Jesus has on your life, and your relationship with Him.
I would recommend this book for anyone who is interested in walking deeper in their faith. Lucado knows how to make you really ponder your own spirituality, and this devotion is 30 days of challenging you to live deeper in your faith.
FTC DISCLOSURE: I received this book for free from BookSneeze.com's Blogger program in exchange for an honest review. I was not obligated to write a positive review.
Thursday, January 10, 2013
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Desperate: Hope for the Mom Who Needs to Breathe
Sarah Mae and Sally Clarkson join forces in the book, "Desperate: Hope for the Mom Who Needs to Breathe." This book offers practical advice in place of the traditional school of thought that motherhood "just comes naturally". This book shares the motherhood tales of these two women with us in a way that makes me relate to their situation, and appreciate their perspective. The ideas and principles that these women share with us in "Desperate", can add so much to our daily lives - ideas such as anchoring certain daily events in our schedule to maintain control of the day really struck a chord with me. As a mom of a four year old, and expecting our second child in a couple of months, I am already anticipating the chaos that will ensue, and this book really helped put some new ideas in my head for helping me manage a growing family, while still maintaining my own sanity.
I thought that this book was well written, and is the kind of book that any mom could benefit from. The book is humorous, thoughtful, and easy for any mom to relate to. I would highly recommend this book to any of my mommy friends. A great read, and a helpful resource.
FTC DISCLOSURE: I received this book for free from BookSneeze.com's Blogger program in exchange for an honest review. I was not obligated to write a positive review. The views expressed above are solely my own.
I thought that this book was well written, and is the kind of book that any mom could benefit from. The book is humorous, thoughtful, and easy for any mom to relate to. I would highly recommend this book to any of my mommy friends. A great read, and a helpful resource.
FTC DISCLOSURE: I received this book for free from BookSneeze.com's Blogger program in exchange for an honest review. I was not obligated to write a positive review. The views expressed above are solely my own.
Friday, December 7, 2012
Live Second
"Live Second" by Doug Bender is a 365-day devotional intended to challenge the reader to live a life that puts God first. The book is broken up into 12 sessions, covering topics such as: leading, growing, and commitment, among others. Each day offers a one page reading and devotional, so there is really no reason that anyone couldn't fit this book into their daily routine - before bed, at breakfast, or on their lunch. The daily reading offers a personal story, or a short message to read. In some cases, there are scan codes that can be scanned with a smartphone, that link to video messages in place of an actual written message.
Each week, the Day #1 devotional offers a "What It Says" and "What It Means" section, that essentially offers up discussion questions that can be answered independently or in a small group setting. It also offers a "Practice It" section that helps you put into practice some of the information gained from that day's message. Every day's devotional offers a "Live It" and "Tell It" sections that asks you how you will live more Second that day, and how you will share what you have learned. These challenge the reader to implement the knowledge gained, and share it with others on a daily basis. Each day starts with a verse or verses from Scripture, and the message and personal questions that follow are all related to that verse. Days #2 through #7 also offer a "Talk With God" section that offers a suggested prayer for the day, tied into the overall message of the day.
What I really appreciated about this book is that the daily readings are short, and easy to fit into the day. Even though they are relatively short, there is really a lot of information in each day's message. Between the Bible verses, message, and reflections, as well as the prayer, you really do feel like you are learning how to live second, and put Christ first in daily life. I also like that each day offers a reminder of how the reader can share that day's message with others.
I thought this book was a really different kind of devotional, and I really liked it! I would highly recommend this book to anyone - it is the perfect book for fitting into a daily routine, and I love the message of living a life of being second. I would rate this book a 5/5.
FTC DISCLOSURE: I received this book for free from BookSneeze.com, through their books for bloggers program in exchange for an honest review. I was not obligated to write a positive review.
Each week, the Day #1 devotional offers a "What It Says" and "What It Means" section, that essentially offers up discussion questions that can be answered independently or in a small group setting. It also offers a "Practice It" section that helps you put into practice some of the information gained from that day's message. Every day's devotional offers a "Live It" and "Tell It" sections that asks you how you will live more Second that day, and how you will share what you have learned. These challenge the reader to implement the knowledge gained, and share it with others on a daily basis. Each day starts with a verse or verses from Scripture, and the message and personal questions that follow are all related to that verse. Days #2 through #7 also offer a "Talk With God" section that offers a suggested prayer for the day, tied into the overall message of the day.
What I really appreciated about this book is that the daily readings are short, and easy to fit into the day. Even though they are relatively short, there is really a lot of information in each day's message. Between the Bible verses, message, and reflections, as well as the prayer, you really do feel like you are learning how to live second, and put Christ first in daily life. I also like that each day offers a reminder of how the reader can share that day's message with others.
I thought this book was a really different kind of devotional, and I really liked it! I would highly recommend this book to anyone - it is the perfect book for fitting into a daily routine, and I love the message of living a life of being second. I would rate this book a 5/5.
FTC DISCLOSURE: I received this book for free from BookSneeze.com, through their books for bloggers program in exchange for an honest review. I was not obligated to write a positive review.
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
Would You... Read Me To Sleep
"Would You... Read Me To Sleep" by George Edenfield is a cute story of a little girl and her father and their special time together each day when the father reads to her. The story follows Leia as a young girl, and the "great treasure" that her father tells her about, and the stories he reads to her from the "big storybook". Leia's father tells her about the "Great Treasure of Golden Destiny" and the "Seven Golden Keys" that she would have to discover in order to unlock the treasure. Throughout their storytime, Leia's father tells her the great stories of the Bible. As Leia gets older, the story continues, following her as she tells the same stories to her own children.
The story comes full circle as Leia's father is dying, and she reads to him from the "big storybook". While this story is a touching one, I didn't feel is was appropriate for young children. I would definitely recommend this one for ages 7 and up, as the story is longer than most for younger children, and the vocabulary choices make it harder for young children to fully understand the meaning of the story itself. The illustrations in this book are beautiful, and resemble paintings that take up large portions of the pages.
I thought this book was well-written, and touching as the story comes full circle as Leia reads to her father. The ending is a little sad, as Leia's father is clearly dying, and that might be a hard concept for younger children, as well. The binding of this book is hardback, which makes it great for gifting. The book itself is around 15 pages of actual text, and 15 pages of illustrations.
FTC DISCLOSURE: I received this book for free from BookCrash.com's Blogging for Books program in exchange for an honest review. I was under no obligation to write a positive review.
The story comes full circle as Leia's father is dying, and she reads to him from the "big storybook". While this story is a touching one, I didn't feel is was appropriate for young children. I would definitely recommend this one for ages 7 and up, as the story is longer than most for younger children, and the vocabulary choices make it harder for young children to fully understand the meaning of the story itself. The illustrations in this book are beautiful, and resemble paintings that take up large portions of the pages.
I thought this book was well-written, and touching as the story comes full circle as Leia reads to her father. The ending is a little sad, as Leia's father is clearly dying, and that might be a hard concept for younger children, as well. The binding of this book is hardback, which makes it great for gifting. The book itself is around 15 pages of actual text, and 15 pages of illustrations.
FTC DISCLOSURE: I received this book for free from BookCrash.com's Blogging for Books program in exchange for an honest review. I was under no obligation to write a positive review.
Thursday, November 8, 2012
The Purpose Driven Life
"The Purpose Driven Life" by Rick Warren is a book that is about finding our purpose in life - not our purpose at our job, or our purpose in the home, but our God-given purpose. I think that nearly everyone at some point in their life has wondered, "What is the purpose of my life?" It is this question that Rick Warren attempts to help us answer about each of our own lives.
"The Purpose Driven Life" offers daily devotionals to help us grasp our purpose, and further our understanding of what God's purpose for our life might look like. So many people pin their success or failure on their career, or family life, but there is a much bigger picture, and that is what Rick Warren tries to help us understand in this book.
This version of the book is an expanded edition, and it has been updated to be more friendly to a generation of "on the go" types, with interactive codes that can be scanned from a smartphone, and link to video feed of chapter summaries and more information about each chapter.
The book is essentially a book of daily devotions that are aimed at equipping us to change our mindset and start to understand what God's purpose is, and how we can fulfill that purpose. Each day ends with a point to ponder, a verse to remember, a question to consider, and a message to hear. The book is designed to be read over a 40 day period, and I have to admit that I thought there is a lot of life changing information in this book.
This book challenges you to change your mindset, shift your focus, and allow God to take the reins. I thought this book was awesome, and would highly recommend it!
FTC DISCLOSURE: I received this book for free from BookSneeze.com in exchange for an honest review. I was not obligated to write a positive review.
"The Purpose Driven Life" offers daily devotionals to help us grasp our purpose, and further our understanding of what God's purpose for our life might look like. So many people pin their success or failure on their career, or family life, but there is a much bigger picture, and that is what Rick Warren tries to help us understand in this book.
This version of the book is an expanded edition, and it has been updated to be more friendly to a generation of "on the go" types, with interactive codes that can be scanned from a smartphone, and link to video feed of chapter summaries and more information about each chapter.
The book is essentially a book of daily devotions that are aimed at equipping us to change our mindset and start to understand what God's purpose is, and how we can fulfill that purpose. Each day ends with a point to ponder, a verse to remember, a question to consider, and a message to hear. The book is designed to be read over a 40 day period, and I have to admit that I thought there is a lot of life changing information in this book.
This book challenges you to change your mindset, shift your focus, and allow God to take the reins. I thought this book was awesome, and would highly recommend it!
FTC DISCLOSURE: I received this book for free from BookSneeze.com in exchange for an honest review. I was not obligated to write a positive review.
Monday, November 5, 2012
Fearless Daughters of the Bible
"Fearless Daughters of the Bible" by J. Lee Grady is an awesome book for women. This book profiles 22 women of the Bible, and tells their story of faith, hope, and strength. What I really loved about this book was that not only does J. Lee Grady pick the most popular women of the Bible, such as Ruth, Esther, and Mary, mother of Jesus, he also picks out more obscure female figures, such as Achsah, Jehosheba, and Priscilla.
This book takes the time to tell the whole story of each of these women, detailing their life and times. I thought that each story really takes you back into the life of each woman, really helping you understand their struggles, and their faith. Each chapter follows the story of a different woman of the Bible, and highlights the reality of their own personal situation. For example, in the story of Esther, we learn that King Xerxes was a despot, who had many concubines at his disposal, and constantly used the threat of execution to maintain order.
I really thought that this book gives us a rare glance into the lives of some of the Bible's heroines, and really gives an awesome perspective of these women and their life and experiences. I would highly recommend this book to any women looking to learn more about our heroic ancestors!
FTC DISCLOSURE: I received this book for free from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for an honest review. I was not obligated to write a positive review.
This book takes the time to tell the whole story of each of these women, detailing their life and times. I thought that each story really takes you back into the life of each woman, really helping you understand their struggles, and their faith. Each chapter follows the story of a different woman of the Bible, and highlights the reality of their own personal situation. For example, in the story of Esther, we learn that King Xerxes was a despot, who had many concubines at his disposal, and constantly used the threat of execution to maintain order.
I really thought that this book gives us a rare glance into the lives of some of the Bible's heroines, and really gives an awesome perspective of these women and their life and experiences. I would highly recommend this book to any women looking to learn more about our heroic ancestors!
FTC DISCLOSURE: I received this book for free from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for an honest review. I was not obligated to write a positive review.
You Can't Make Me (But I Can Be Persuaded)
"You Can't Make Me (But I Can Be Persuaded) by Cynthia Ulrich Tobias is a book devoted to helping us bring out the best in our strong-willed children. I have to admit I was very intrigued by this book because I have a very independent, strong four year old. I don't believe this to be a bad thing, but it does seem to create some conflict, so I was open to any suggestions as to how to nurture her independence rather than try and change it.
One of the most helpful pieces of advice that I took away from this book was changing the way that I reacted to conflict with my daughter. Rather than issue an ultimatum, giving her a "do this or else" attitude, Tobias suggests using a positive reinforcement to achieve peace. I found this to be particularly useful with my own strong-willed child. I also really liked that Tobias took the time to explain the mentality of a strong-willed child, based on age, from toddler years through young adults, giving a simple, but thorough explanation of their mentality and mindset at each age. It really does help to understand what your child is thinking and helps you craft a better response when conflict arises.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who has a strong-willed child in their life. I think it was so important to understand that independent and strong-willed children aren't "difficult", but they just have a different approach to their way of thinking, and we have to adjust how we approach them when it comes to discipline and rules.
FTC DISCLOSURE: I received this book for free from BloggingforBooks.org in exchange for an honest review. I was not obligated to write a positive review.
One of the most helpful pieces of advice that I took away from this book was changing the way that I reacted to conflict with my daughter. Rather than issue an ultimatum, giving her a "do this or else" attitude, Tobias suggests using a positive reinforcement to achieve peace. I found this to be particularly useful with my own strong-willed child. I also really liked that Tobias took the time to explain the mentality of a strong-willed child, based on age, from toddler years through young adults, giving a simple, but thorough explanation of their mentality and mindset at each age. It really does help to understand what your child is thinking and helps you craft a better response when conflict arises.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who has a strong-willed child in their life. I think it was so important to understand that independent and strong-willed children aren't "difficult", but they just have a different approach to their way of thinking, and we have to adjust how we approach them when it comes to discipline and rules.
FTC DISCLOSURE: I received this book for free from BloggingforBooks.org in exchange for an honest review. I was not obligated to write a positive review.
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