The Wonder of Advent by Chris Tiegreen

The Wonder of Advent

by Chris Tiegreen

About the Book
Rediscover the heart of the Advent season

As the year comes to a close and the stress and busyness of the consumer Christmas holiday grows, it can be easy to lose sight of what the season really calls us to: worship. In today’s world, is it even possible to slow down, to ponder, to wonder in the coming birth of Christ?

This Advent, recapture the mystery and beauty of the season with The Wonder of Advent Devotional. In this insightful and thought-provoking book, beloved devotional author Chris Tiegreen brings you into a deeper experience of this integral time in the church calendar. After completing a week of short readings to prepare your heart for the Advent season, you’ll journey through December with daily Scripture readings, prompts for reflection, and guided prayer to help you savor this remarkable divine story. With each day, The Wonder of Advent Devotional will reconnect you with what happened in Bethlehem long ago—and experience it anew in your life right now.

My Thoughts
I've become such a huge fan of Advent over the past few years. It's HARD to focus on Jesus when there is so much ELSE going on around us. That's true for any time of the year, but it seems to be especially true at Christmas.

The Wonder of Advent provides a devotional moment for your busy day. Take a break, read a short passage of Scripture, and get a glimpse of the deeper story through the author's devotional writing. Each day's reading is short enough to squeeze in regardless of what else is going on, but long enough to cause you to pause and think about the true meaning of Christmas. I liked the questions that were included at the end of each day. These would be beneficial for personal journaling or family discussion, depending on which you prefer. This will be a book I pull out year after year. [5 stars]

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher. However, this is a fair and honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

The Character Builder's Bible

The Character Builder's Bible

Children's Story Bible

Available October 2017

Tyndale House Publishers

About the Book
The Bible is so much more than a collection of stories.

It is the overarching message of God’s love for us and a practical guide to daily living. So often our littlest children hear these stories but miss out on how to apply the principles to their lives. The Character Builder’s Biblehighlights core character traits that the Bible teaches and suggests fun, practical ways to live out these truths so that little minds can understand. Each Bible narrative is told simply, is tied to a positive attribute like obedience or humility, and is followed with a real-life example of how kids can apply the lesson in their own lives.

Featuring 60 Bible stories with colorful illustrations, definitions, and memory verses, The Character Builder’s Bible will show your little ones that God’s Word is relevant to their lives and will help you instill biblical character in their hearts.

My Thoughts
Unfortunately, I cannot recommend this book. The idea was a good one, but it missed the mark for me.

There are 60 Bible stories in this book. Each story includes a Bible verse, a few paragraphs telling the story in simple terms, a short poem about the character trait, and a "cartoon" with real life examples of the character trait in action.

I liked the idea of using Bible stories to help children learn about character. However, it was unclear to me how the character traits were selected to go along with the stories. Many didn't seem to match. For instance, diligence was the trait to be learned from the story of creation. Are we teaching that God was diligent so we also must be diligent? Or just that diligence is a good trait to learn? The cartoon illustrations didn't line up well with the trait either. Based on the cartoon illustrations, I probably would have chosen "creativity" as the trait.

Another example of a major miss is the story "Jesus calms the storm" paired with gentleness. Honestly, this is one of the times Jesus is most powerful (exhibiting power over nature). Additionally, the poem and the cartoon didn't explain gentleness accurately.

There were other "traits" that weren't traits at all: communion, Holy Spirit, Easter, heaven, etc.

(There were *some* stories that matched up well with the highlighted character trait and that explained the trait well through the poem and the cartoon.)

Some of the stories highlighted traits that God exhibited and that we should emulate. Others seemed to highlight traits that other people in the story exhibited. This alone caused confusion as I read through the book. It's dangerous to come to the Bible and look for what the Bible "means for me" rather than what the Bible "teaches me about God."

Great idea, but the execution was poor. I dislike giving negative reviews but felt I couldn't recommend this book for the reasons stated.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own and are freely given. [2 stars]

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my fair and honest review.

Flash the Donkey Makes New Friends by Rachel Anne Ridge

Flash the Donkey Makes New Friends

by Rachel Anne Ridge

About the Book

Children will fall in love with Flash the Donkey as they learn the value of true friendship and what it means to be a good friend to others.

Hee-haw! A stray donkey with a penchant for inventions is taken in by a mismatched collection of barnyard friends. Flash the Donkey Makes New Friends is the heartwarming story of a not-so-ordinary donkey who needs a special place to belong. Flash is the inquisitive type who loves to invent things and solve problems, but his curiosity sometimes gets him into trouble! With the help of his new-found friends—Jed the Goat, Carson the Pig, and Ruby the Chicken—Flash manages to turn problems into adventures and learns valuable lessons along the way. Inspired by Rachel Anne Ridge’s memoir Flash, named one of Publishers Weekly’s Best Summer Books of 2015, kids will fall in love with this endearing donkey as they learn to appreciate the value of true friendship.

My Thoughts
What a cute book! I haven't read the original "Flash" memoir for adults, but I thought this children's book was too cute to ignore. The illustrations are simple yet beautiful. And the story of friendship and learning to make friends is one that all readers can benefit from. I enjoyed meeting the other animals along Flash's journey and appreciated the author's ability to tell a story and teach valuable lessons without being "preachy" or "cheesy." I'm adding this one to my daughter's bookshelf so we can enjoy it for years to come. [5 stars]

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my fair and honest review.

About the Author

While tole-painting Christmas gifts one year, Rachel Anne Ridge discovered a love for art, and inadvertently launched a new career. In 1999, she took her paint brushes and began creating murals and faux finishes in the booming Dallas Fort Worth area. When the small business started growing, her husband, Tom, joined her. Together, they have expanded it into a large-scale corporate art, graphic design, way-finding, and custom artwork company. Along the way, they raised three children, journeyed through loss, failures, and successes, and adopted astray donkey who showed up on their doorstep and never left.

Rachel began blogging as a means of sharing daily encouragement with other women. As a self-professed uni-tasker who struggles in a multi-tasking world, her desire to create a "soft place to land" for her family led to finding an online community of readers who love her gentle wisdom and self-deprecating humor. Since 2006, HomeSanctuary.com has been her blog home, and you can now find her writing at RachelAnneRidge.com.

Rachel wrote for and managed Priscilla Shirer's blog, GoingBeyond.com for two years, and contributes to other blogs on the topics of parenting, organization, faith, and creativity. She is an engaging speaker who loves to share funny, often poignant stories that touch the heart and reveal God's love in unexpected ways. 

Flash, The Homeless Donkey Who Taught Me About Life, Faith, and Second Chances, is published by Tyndale Momentum. Rachel lives in Texas with her husband, Tom, and now, two donkeys.

Earth Psalms by Francine Rivers shows God's Character

Earth Psalms

by Francine Rivers

About the Book

Millions of readers have been transformed and inspired by Francine Rivers’ bestselling novels Redeeming Love and A Voice in the Wind. Now, in this weekly devotional, the beloved author invites you to join her in seeking the Creator through the marvelous natural world we live in. Francine shares observations she’s gathered over a lifetime of exploring—abroad and in her own backyard—and reflects on how they might apply to your daily life. What do the majestic redwoods, the persistent woodpecker, or a glorious sunrise reveal about our artistic and generous God? How could that change your outlook or the way you handle adversity?

Stunning photography, Scripture excerpts, applications, and prayers accompany Francine’s reflections, inspiring you to be encouraged. Be challenged. Be comforted. God’s power is immense; His attention to detail in precise; His love for you is vast and unfailing. The proof is all around you.

My Thoughts
I've been a fan of Francine Rivers' novels for years, so I was curious what a devotion book by her would be like. And I was not disappointed!

Earth Psalms is a weekly devotion that will take you through the entire year. I loved how Rivers looks to nature to show different aspects of God's character. For example, we can see God's faithfulness in the sunrise and sunset occurring every day. As I read the devotional, I noticed myself paying attention to everyday things, seeing them with new eyes, and reflecting on who God is. Inevitably, I also found myself sharing that week's devotion with a friend. The concepts were just so easy to remember and share!

I enjoyed the weekly format of this devotional because it was easy to add to my other Bible studies since many of them are only 5 days per week. I've already given this as a gift and highly recommend this to anyone looking for a place to start studying God's Word. [5 stars]

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my fair and honest review.

About the Author

New York Times bestselling author Francine Rivers had a successful writing career in the general market for several years before becoming a born-again Christian. As her statement of faith, she wrote Redeeming Love, a retelling of the biblical story of Gomer and Hosea set during the time of the California Gold Rush. Redeeming Love is now considered by many to be a classic work of Christian fiction and it continues to be one of the industry's top-selling titles year after year.

Since Redeeming Love, Francine has published numerous novels with Christian themes—all bestsellers—and she has continued to win both industry acclaim and reader loyalty around the world. Her Christian novels have been awarded or nominated for many honors, and in 1997, after winning her third RITA Award for Inspirational Fiction, Francine was inducted into the Romance Writers of America's Hall of Fame. In 2015, she received the Lifetime Achievement Award from American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW).

Francine's novels have been translated into over thirty different languages, and she enjoys bestseller status in many foreign countries.

Francine and her husband live in northern California and enjoy time spent with their grown children and grandchildren. She uses her writing to draw closer to the Lord, and she desires that through her work she might worship and praise Jesus for all He has done and is doing in her life.

Visit her website at www.francinerivers.com and connect with her on Facebook (www.facebook.com/FrancineRivers) and Twitter (@FrancineRivers).

Redeemed - A New Bible Study by Angela Thomas-Pharr

Redeemed Bible Study Book

by Angela Thomas-Pharr

About the Book

The moment you accept Jesus as the Lord over your life, you are redeemed. As the redeemed, we experience a lifelong journey of being transformed into HIs image. As redeemed women, we grow in the grace of Christ, and He calls us to extend grace to others.

In this 7-session Bible study, Angela Thomas-Pharr explores the practical side of redemption, inviting us to lean upon Jesus for our real help and hope.

My Thoughts
What a wonderful Bible study! I initially chose this Bible study because of the emphasis on the lifelong journey. I often get discouraged when I don't feel I'm growing "fast enough" in my relationship with Jesus, so I thought this would be helpful. The study was a great length—7 sessions, with 6 weeks of "homework" in between. The length of time required each day varied some, which was helpful in making sure I finished each week. Sometimes there just isn't time for a really in-depth day, so it was nice to have variety. My favorite aspect of the study though was reading and praying through Psalms. I thought it was overly ambitious—the entire book of Psalms in 40 days!—but it was really meaningful. I typically chose one of the Psalms for the day to journal about and pray through. This is definitely something I will do again. The entire study is great, so I'd encourage you to pick it up this summer and go through it with a group or even just one other woman. [5 stars]

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my fair and honest review.

About the Author

Angela Thomas-Pharr is a Bible teacher, national speaker, and best-selling author of books and Bible studies that include Stronger and Brave. As a mother of four, her determination to know God on an intimate level and her dedication to studying the Bible have taught her many truths—some discovered through tears and some in times of joy. Angela has the uncanny ability to be transparent, make readers laugh, and whisper to them about their most personal fears and heartfelt dreams. Visit her at angelathomas.com.

Things I Wish I'd Known Before We Became Parents

Things I Wish I'd Known Before We Became Parents

by Gary Chapman with Shannon Warden 

About the Book
Dr. Gary Chapman has helped millions prepare for marriage.
Now he helps you prepare for kids.

Things I Wish I'd Known Before We Became Parents has one goal: prepare you to raise young children.

Dr. Gary Chapman—longtime relationship expert and author of the #1 New York Times bestseller The 5 Love Languages—teams up with Dr. Shannon Warden—professor of counseling, wife, and mother of three—to give young parents a book that is practical, informed, and enjoyable.

Together they share what they wished they had known before having kids. For example: children affect your time, your money, and your marriage—and that's just the beginning. With warmth and humor they offer practical advice on everything from potty training to scheduling, apologizing to your child, and keeping your marriage strong… all the while celebrating the great joy that children bring.

From the Preface: "Our desire is to share our own experiences, as well as what we have learned through the years, as we have counseled hundreds of parents. We encourage you to read this book before the baby comes, and then refer to its chapters again as you experience the joys and challenges of rearing children." — Dr. Gary Chapman

My Thoughts
This is a great, quick read for anyone about to become a parent or who has a young child. You'll probably read much of it thinking to yourself, "Of course that's true. Doesn't everyone know that?!" But it always helps to be reminded of the changes that are coming as a result of any life change. Dr. Chapman's writing style is personal and practical. He uses lots of illustrations, which makes for a quicker read. Each chapter includes several practical application type things, to help you answer the question "now what?!"  [4 stars]

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher. However, this is a fair and honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.