Book: Shiny Things

Shiny Things is by two Moms, Amanda Bacon and Anne-Renee Gumley. 


About the book:

Are you addicted to distraction? 

It’s no secret that technology is driving us to distraction. But it’s not just our smart phones and smart homes to blame for the loss of our ability to concentrate. Ask any mom. Whether it’s one phone call, one child hollering, one email about an online sale, one text from a friend, a mom’s attention is being pulled in so many directions she can barely finish a sentence, let alone carry out an entire conversation. And that doesn’t even begin to address all the other good things that might be distracting Mom. 

“The desire to see what’s going on in the world and communicate is strong, so our phones are probably the most powerful distraction we face in our days,” authors Amanda Bacon and Anne-Renee Gumley say. “We don’t want to throw away the years we have with our children, pursuing temporary pleasures and chasing worthless desires.”

With ten children between them, Bacon and Gumley teamed up to write Shiny Things as a resource for moms of children of all ages. “We do not have this down; that’s why we’re writing this book. We need this message,” the authors said. “We want change in our lives so much that we’re willing to bare our souls and carve a path we can all walk down together toward victory over distractedness.” 

New York Times bestselling author and founder of Proverbs 31 Ministries Lysa TerKeurst says, “This practical, godly wisdom will meet you right where you are while pointing you back to Jesus Himself.” 

For readers whose highest priorities are honoring God and loving their families, but sometimes need help keeping their priorities in line, Shiny Things will help them: 

• identify the threat of distractions so they can learn to live with intention
• resist the pull to be interrupted by non-essentials and focus on God and their priority people
• purpose to live free from distraction with hearts turned Godward in all they do

It’s never too late to take hold of what’s most important. Today’s a great day to start.

Amanda Bacon lives in North Carolina with her husband, Jeremy, and their eight children. She works for Proverbs 31 Ministries and loves encouraging women with biblical truth and authenticity. When she isn’t driving carpool or feeding people, you can find her writing, reading, or wandering outdoors.

Anne-Renee Gumley and her husband, Andrew, live in Alaska, with their two ministries, with time reserved for bike rides, breakfast foods, and bonfires. She loves words—especially the mom related ones.

My thoughts:
Wow what an excellent read! I will be recommending this to my Mom friends. It has really made me think about distractions in my own life.

There is much to like about this book. I like that the chapters are quick reads. Each one is about 4-5 pages which make it convenient to read in one setting. It is divided into ten parts each with four chapters each. The parts end with an overview of things to remember. I was able to read through it fairly quickly.  

We all have distractions in our lives. This book addresses those distractions and how to handle them. It is practical and easy to read. Moms will be able to relate to the stories and feelings shared in the pages of this excellent book. I appreciate the authors don’t claim to be experts on getting rid of distractions and having this mastered in their own lives. They said this book is for them too.

Here are a couple of my favorite quotes:
“But too often our goals become our gods, and their distraction becomes our way of life.”

"Sadly, sometimes we've been at this comparison game for so long that we're no longer sure what we personally like or feel or want."

Visit the book website here.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher for my honest review.  Thank you.  

Have a day of blessings!   
   Bethany

Book: From Me to You

I recently reviewed the book called "From Me to You" by Mark and Susan Merrill. 

Do you have trouble having conversations with your son or daughter?  This book may be just the thing you need to help open up conversation.  It is a book of questions with space for you to write an answer and your child to answer on the opposite page.

The idea is that you pick a question...you can choose to go in order or just pick a random one....answer it, and then leave it on your child's pillow. They answer the question and return the book to your pillow.  There is no right or wrong way to do this activity, just whatever works for your family as far as if it is a daily activity or once a week.  

There is a great variety of questions included.  A few of them are:

• Name two of your strengths and two of your weaknesses.
• This year, I would like to break the habit of...
• I am amazed at how much you know about...
• What is one thing you admire about each person in our family?

As you can see some of them are more difficult to answer and require deeper thought.

This will be a great way to keep communications line open between parents and child.  

There is a boy version (shown above) as well as a girl version to do with your daughter.  

If you have a preteen or teen, I would suggest trying out this conversation journal. 

I received a copy of these books for my honest review from the publisher.  Thank you!

Have a day of blessings!
    Bethany

Book: Reagandoodle and Little Buddy

About the book:

The moment Reagandoodle first set eyes on Little Buddy, he knew his world was about to change. What he didn't know, was that they'd brighten hearts all over the world.

Told with warmth and a touch of humor by Reagan himself, fans of Reagandoodle and Little Buddy hear the true story of how one adopted dog and an eleven-month-old foster child develop an unforgettable friendship.

To all the fans of @Reagandoodle and Little Buddy . . . the book is finally here!

An uplifting tail of friendship, foster care, adoption, and hope.

A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this book will be donated to help support foster care families.

My thoughts:
What a fun book to read!  I was not familiar with Reagandoodle on Instagram.  This book was about his life and adventures with Little Buddy.  The pictures are great featuring these two friends who you can tell have a special bond.  Some of the poses and ways they are dressed alike are so creative.  My little guy liked looking at them too. 

I like and appreciate that this book spreads awareness and information about foster care and adoption.  This book is well done and is an enjoyable read. 

I received a copy of this book from the publisher for my honest review.  Thank you.
Have a day of blessings!
    Bethany

Book: Sacred Ground Sticky Floors

About the book:

Jami Amerine believes the essence of parenting is less a laundry list of “how-to’s” or “three guarantees to raise perfect, God-fearing children,” and more a step by step trusting of a God who calls us daughters. Maybe you’re the mom, like Amerine, who sent her child to military school or watched a child walk away from the faith you worked so hard to instill. Or, maybe you’ve somehow bought into the parenting lie that it’s your fault when your kids make poor choices, do things you’ve never dreamed of, or choose to live with values far from your own. In Sacred Ground, Sticky Floors, Amerine takes mothers of all ages inside the joyful chaos of motherhood, sharing her adventures and mishaps and encouraging moms to let go of “perfect” parenting and find rest in the perfect Parent.

About Jami Amerine:

 Jami Amerine is the author of the popular blog Sacred Ground, Sticky Floors, where she posts about Jesus, parenting, marriage, and the general chaos of life. Her first book, Stolen Jesus (Harvest House), released in October 2017. She’s been featured on numerous occasions on foreverymom.com and several other syndicated sites including Scary Mommy and Mamalode. She’s also been featured on Fox News, Today Parenting, and Huffington Post. She is a Christian who tends to get snarky and is anti-Jesus fish bumper stickers because she is a lousy driver.

My thoughts:
This book sounded interesting and I enjoyed it. I was encouraged by this fellow Mom who shares her stories in mothering her children.  What I learned from this book is that our children need to know they are loved by God no matter what. Another important message of this book is that we are all broken....both us and our children. God is with us as we raise our children....as Moms we need this reminder.   I really appreciated her honesty and how she doesn't know it all as a Mom.  

I received a copy of this book for my review from Harvest House Publishers.  Thank you.

Have a day of blessings! 
   Bethany

Book: Why Motherhood Matters

I was not familiar with author September McCarthy, but when I read this book description I knew it was a book I wanted to read.

Here is a little about the book:

Do you ever wonder if your efforts as a mom make any difference?

Take heart. Whether you're struggling through sleepless nights with your toddler or endless battles with your teen, September McCarthy's story offers practical insights and powerful inspiration to encourage you on your own mothering journey.

As a mom for 25 years who continues to raise young children and love her young adults, September imparts words of wisdom and grace in key areas of Christian parenting, including...

• faith—getting honest with your family about your need for Jesus
• wellness—learning to take care of your kids...and yourself
• education—raising a new generation with creativity and character
• relationships—speaking to the heart of your children in unique ways

In these pages you'll find sweet anecdotes and gentle guidance for those moments you need both a breather and a lifeline. Motherhood is an incredible labor of love—and in the scope of eternity, it matters more than you know.

My thoughts:
I loved reading this book!  It has so much packed into it.  I kept writing down pages with quotes I wanted to save and share.  It gave me such encouragement to read this book.

As mothers we all go through similar experiences and challenges.  Sometimes we just need someone to come alongside us and remind us that it is going to be okay and we are doing a good job on this mothering journey.

I appreciated how the author shared from her own mothering experience with honesty.  I highly recommend mothers to read this book.  You will be encouraged!

#WhyMotherhoodMatters

Visit the website here.

I received a copy of this book for my review from the publisher.  Thank you.

Have a day of blessings! 
Bethany

Book: Moms Raising Sons to Be Men

I realized I finished this book a week or two ago and forgot to type the review!  It is called Moms Raising Sons to Be Men by Rhonda Stoppe.

About the book:
Mothers of boys have the special calling to shape future men of God. Popular speaker Rhonda Stoppe, mom to two sons, knows this opportunity is a challenge, a joy, and probably the most important work of a woman’s life. Drawing from years of ministering to youth and to women and from her own parenting experience, Rhonda provides refreshingly relevant guidance, biblical and contemporary examples, and humorous insights to help each reader discover

• how to guide a son without hovering and smothering
• how every action and choice can serve a godly goal
• ways to communicate so a boy will listen and be heard
• God’s power and grace to become—and give—her best

My thoughts:
This was an enjoyable book to read as a Mom.  One thing I appreciated was the various mothers from the Bible that she used as examples in her writing.  Some of them I had not considered from the angle of how they felt as a mother.  She makes the point of the valuable influence mothers have had on their sons for generations and how we need the Lord's help to do this. 

Here is a quote I liked at the end: Every woman who has raised sons for God's glory has found her effectiveness not in her own abilities, but in her relationship with the Lord.

I would recommend this book to you.

Thank you to Harvest House Publishers for sending this book for my review.


Have a day of blessings!

Dr. James Dobson's Handbook of Family Advice

I have read Dr. Dobson's Handbook of Family Advice by Dr. James Dobson.  I am familiar with Dr. Dobson from his radio show and have always enjoyed listening to his program.  I was glad for the opportunity to review this book. 

This book has 33 chapters about a variety of topics relevant to the family such as conflict, discipline, getting older, legacy, money, parenting teens, siblings, and stress.  Each chapter has several stories that answer questions about these topics.  His answers are based on the Bible and research. The introduction says these storeis are taken from radio and television commentaries and are designed to be 90-seconds each.   

I thought this book was enjoyable and will be helpful for families today as we all face problems and need encouragement.  The stories are encouraging and easy to read; they are less than a page each for the most part.  This is the type of book that you could read cover to cover or you could choose a topic and read it as it relates to your life.   

Thank you to Harvest House Publishers for providing this book for my review.
 
Have a day of blessings!

Book: Prayers and Promises for My Little Grandchild

I received a book called Prayers and Promises for My Little Grandchild by Jerry Cook with paintings by Laurie Snow Hein. 

In this book a grandpa passes down his thoughts and memories to his special grandchildren.  This book can serve as a reminder to grandparents of the important role they play in the lives of their grandchildren. There are also touching prayers to go along with each little story. 

I really enjoyed the paintings in this book.  They are very well done and really capture the feelings of love between a grandparent and grandchild. 

This would be a nice gift for a grandparent. 

Thank you to Harvest House Publishers for sending me this book for my honest review.

Have a day of blessings!

Book: For This Child I Prayed

Today I'd like to share with you a book called For This Child I Prayed by Stormie Omartian and illustrated by Susan Rios. 

In this book there are excerpts from another book by Omartian called The Power of a Praying Parent.  As parents we need to be in prayer for our children.  This book can serve as a guide to help you remember to pray about various topics/areas, such as protection, feeling loved and accepted, their understanding of the Lord, their future mate, and relationships with family.  Verses are included as well. 

I enjoyed reading this little book.  The prayers are written beautifully and the illustrations add appeal.  I believe it would make a nice baby shower gift or gift for any parent.

Thank you to Harvest House Publishers for sending me a copy of this book for my review.

Have a day of blessings!

Book: Unfailing Love

Unfailing Love by Karol Ladd was released earlier this month by Harvest House Publishers.  I was interested in this book because I have read work from this author in the past and also because I wanted to learn more about the book of I John. 

From the publisher:
Step by step, Karol helps her readers understand what happens when they embrace the truth of God’s love:

• They can experience His joy, strength, and comfort in daily life.
• They are transformed, because His love changes the way they see themselves.
• They begin to think differently about their circumstances and the people in their life.
• They can express His love to others through their words and actions, shining His light in dark places.

As readers see the apostle John’s picture of how God is Light, Love, and Life, they will experience how He gives meaning to their existence, victory over their discouragements, and hope to the world.

My thoughts:
If you are looking for a Bible study to do by yourself or with a group of ladies, this is a good book for you.  I had never really read I John verse by verse, which is what this study does. This book is divided into six parts with two chapters each.  At the end of each chapter you will find a section called "Getting Personal" which has a review of the main points of the chapter, another passage for you to read, and an action step to take related to the chapter. Discussions questions can be found at the end of the book also. 

The author talks of what it means to be loved by God and how to follow Him and show that love to others.  She shares touching stories of people who have loved and other who have been changed by love in their lives.  What I liked was how she broke down the book of I John by verse, making application of each short passage.  It was easy to understand this way to see it in small chunks and then to put it all together to see the whole message of the book.
 
Thank you to Christianne at Harvest House Publishers for sending me a review copy of this book.

Have a day of blessings!

A Still and Quiet Place

I would like to share with you a book called A Still and Quiet Place by Hope Lyda. 

Product description:
Inspirational author Hope Lyda invites readers to take a leisurely stroll through painter Darrell Bush's beautiful, wooded landscapes. As she describes walking the path along a peaceful river, feeling the first light of an autumn dawn, and experiencing the perfect stillness of a heart at rest, readers are encouraged to step away from their cares and enjoy God's splendor and the beauty of nature. Lovely quotes add to the book's quiet ambiance and bid the reader to breathe deep, relax, and settle into a moment of sweet peace.

This beautiful gift book leads the reader on a refreshing journey through a still and quiet place, making it a splendid gift to give on any occasion.

My thoughts:
This was a gift book that I thought had such inviting illustrations.  They are paintings of various outdoor scenes, including a beautiful beach and lighthouse at the beginning of the book.  The author invites the reader to relax and come along on a quiet escape through this book.  I liked the encouraging quotes that were included through the pages.  In our world we are too busy too much of the time.  Sometimes we need the reminder to be still and enjoy the beauty that surrounds us.  This book would make a nice gift.  Thank you to Harvest House Publishers for providing this book for my review.
 
Have a day of blessings!

Book: Little Prayers to Bless Your Day

I received this cute little book from Harvest House publishers for my review.  (And it really is little....it measures 4.5 x 4.5!)

Little Prayers to Bless Your Day is written and illustrated by Chris Shea.  This is such a sweet book that reminds the reader of many times to pray in the day besides the normal times we usually think about praying like before meals or at bedtime.  Have you ever thought to pray a prayer of thanks about going to the grocery store?  Have you ever prayed while doing laundry?  Have you ever prayed during a moment of impatience? 

I recommend this book to you and find it to be a great reminder of all the times we can and should pray throughout our days.  The illustrations are simple yet fitting for the pages of prayers.

Thank you to Harvest House Publishers for providing this book for my review.
 
Have a day of blessings!

Book: The Majesty of Prayer

Doesn't the cover of this book look inviting?  When you open the pages you will have to pause a minute to just look at the photos before you even begin to read the words.  The photographs in this book are just beautiful!  The reader can see many scenes of God's creation throughout the pages of this little book. 

The Majesty of Prayer by John MacArthur is a nice inspirational gift book that would be appropriate for a gift or as an addition to your coffee table or night stand.  Included are inspiring, beautifully written prayers as well as various quotes and Bible verses. 

Thank you to Harvest House Publishers for sending me this book for my honest review.
Have a day of blessings!

Great book for parents of boys!

I am so excited to share a book with my readers today.  If you are a parent of a young boy, I highly recommend this book to you.  It is called Six Ways to Keep the "Good" in Your Boy  by Dannah Gresh.  She has written other books, including Six Ways to Keep the "Little" in Your Girl.  Visit her website here.

From the publisher:  When bestselling author Dannah Gresh was body-slammed by her 12-year-old son, she was hit with reality: raising a boy is a whole new ballgame!

A boy's relationship with his mom during the formative age between 8 and 12 is vital to his future well-being. So how can moms teach sons to be honest, confident, and respectful when the world and situations encourage them to make bad decisions and grow up too fast?

Dannah's practical experience and research, along with advice from her husband, Bob Gresh, provide a mom with six proactive ways to help her son:

• honor his body in a healthy way
• get outside to play unplugged
• live out his faith

My thoughts: 
This is a book that parents need to read as their sons are moving from little boy to teenager.  It was very insightful and eye-opening to me as a Mom of a 7 year old boy. It showed me things I can do to help my son as he grows. 

Part one of the book is "Becoming a Connecting Mom."  It includes The Connection IQ Quiz to see how well you are currently doing at connecting with your son.  Part two of the book is the six ways to keep the "good" in your boy. 

I think the message of this book is one that Mom's need to read.  Society is telling our boys one message about how to live and how to be a man.  Does that message match up at all with what we want our boys to grow up to become?   We need to educate ourselves as Mom's and make sure we are ready to help our sons navigate through the challenges of the teen years. 

Before each chapter she includes a quote from a Mom related to the chapter's subject material.  These were helpful to me to read the thoughts, struggles, and ideas of other Mom's of boys.  I like the extra relevant resources (like websites or other books) included in the margins of the pages to provide further help. 

I hope you will read this book for yourself and share it with others.  I really cannot say how wonderful and helpful this book has been for me. 

Thank you to Christianne with Harvest House Publishers for sending me a copy of this book for my honest review.

Have a day of blessings!

Book review: The Power of a Praying Wife Devotional

Are you familiar with author Stormie Omartian?  She has written several books on prayer.  I was given The Power of a Praying Wife before I got married.  Now she has a new book called The Power of a Praying Wife Devotional which I would like to share with you today.

This is a book of 100 devotionals on a variety of topics related to marriage.  Each one has a verse, a short writing, and then a prayer.  They are about 2 pages each, so it does not take much time to read each one.  There are prayers for the wife, the husband, and the couple.  This is a book that you can pick up and read all the way through or choose certain prayers about a particular area that applies to your current life situation. 

I really enjoyed reading this book and recommend it to you.  There is power in prayer a,nd we need to be constantly praying about our marriages.  This book is a great guide to help you do that in a new way and pray about areas you may not have considered previously.

Thank you to Harvest House publishers for providing me a review copy for my honest review. 

Have a day of blessings!
 

Book Review: 365 Ways to Say "I Love You" to Your Kids

I have read 365 Ways to Say "I Love You" to Your Kids by Jay Payleitner. 

From the publisher:
Parents adore their kids, but expressions of love can get lost in the mayhem of carpools, diaper changes, and afterschool activity schedules. Jay Payleitner, author of 52 Things Kids Need from a Dad and proud father of five, inspires parents to turn love into an action verb with 365 simple and doable ideas.

My thoughts:
This is a WONDERFUL book that I highly recommend to you. It is basically a list of short ways to let your children know you love them.  Many of them are very simple ideas yet they will speak volumes to your kids.  It is those little things the children will remember and remind them of their parents' love to them. 

I liked how this book was divided into chapters.  Some of these were age-based to give you ideas of how to show love to various age groups, which I thought was beneficial.  This is a great book to have in your home just to serve as a reminder of all the different ways you can show your kids your love for each one. 
Read more about the book here.

Thank you to Harvest House Publishers and netGalley for providing me an ebook version for my honest review.

Have a day of blessings!
 

Book review: You Can Raise Courageous & Confident Kids

I am so glad I have read the book You Can Raise Courageous & Confident Kids:  Preparing Your Children for the World They Live In by Mary E. DeMuth.

This is an excellent book for parents. The author gives ideas and reasons that we as parents need to prepare our world for the postmodern world in which we leave. There is a balance we must find between sheltering our children so much that they will be unable to function when they grow up and giving them strong roots to be able to live in the world but not be like the world. The author shares her own experiences with her children as they made the decision to move to France. The purpose of this book is to help parents help their children effectively share the love of Jesus in the world in which they are growing up.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and the writing style of the author. I highly recommend this book.

Thank you to Harvest House Publishers for providing this book for my honest review.

Have a day of blessings!

Book Review: The Fast-Food Kitchen

I would like to share with you a book called The Fast-Food Kitchen: Great Meals at Home in 15 Minutes by Sheri Torelli.


Do you ever feel like you eat out more than prepare meals at home? Or that you are too busy to prepare a meal for your family? This would be a good read for you.

The book has two main parts. First are 11 chapters where the author shares tips and advice on how to have your own "fast-food kitchen." One chapter I particularly enjoyed was called "Your Most Important Piece of Furniture," where she talks about the importance of the table in your home and all the activities you can do as a family around the table. Other topics in the book include saving money at the grocery store, hosting get-togethers in your home, and how to save time in your cooking. The second part of the book is a section of recipes. The recipes include pointers on how to make them part of your "fast-food kitchen" to help you be efficient in preparing meals. I found several I want to try soon!


Have a day of blessings!


Thank you to Harvest House Publishers for providing this book to me for my honest review.

Book review: A Woman's Passionate Pursuit of God

I would like to share with you a book called A Woman's Passionate Pursuit of God by Karol Ladd.

This is a study of Philippians. This book, with 12 chapters, goes through passages in Philippians with encouragement for readers to personally apply the principles Paul has written about. Each chapter ends with a "Personal Pursuit" which is a little review of the chapter as well as an activity to do in your life. A discussion guide is also included at the end of the book. This book is appropriate for individual or group study.

One of the themes I got from this book was the idea of living a life of contentment. We can learn so much from Paul's example. It is full of things that made me just stop and think for a minute. One thing the author said that I really liked was this: "There are a variety of situations in life where we may struggle to have a content spirit. In these particular times, we have a choice to try to make it through on our own or turn our eyes toward the Lord and seek His strength in the midst of our uncertainty or unwanted circumstances."

I have never read anything by this author, and I really enjoyed reading this book and the author's style. She included stories to illustrate her points in each chapter, which was effective for getting the point across. This is a very encouraging, practical book.

Thank you to Harvest House Publishers for providing this book for my review.

Have a day of blessings!