Netgalley Partner Review: Where Prayer Becomes Real by Kyle Strobel and John Coe

If you want to whisper the Word, you have to internalize it.  You need a relationship, a real connection with the Author.  That only comes through two-way communication, and God communicates with us, it is on each of us to respond and interact with God.  

Prayer is a challenge for many believers, myself included.  But this book caught my eye, when I read Ann Voskamp's words on her blog, "If you have ever longed for the practice of your faith to include an authentic, intimate prayer life or if you have longed for your life to become prayer, I highly recommend their words. . ." and "Kyle and John’s new book Where Prayer Becomes Real show you how to fearlessly draw near to a holy God, pray without ceasing (and without posturing), and delight in the experience of being fully known and fully loved. Each chapter ends with prayer projects or practices to help you see a difference in your prayer life, starting now."  

I completely agree- this book is a marvelous tool to support your prayer life.  It is challenging but so necessary.  

Thankful to partner with netgalley and read a digital copy.  

Easter Book Review: Are We Nearly There Yet? by Alison Brewis and Illustrated by Jenny Brake

 Have you heard of 10ofthose.com?  

Here is a link to their mission page.  They sell Christian resources, in the US they offer to ship for $1, and if you want it faster you can add UPS shipping options.  I've mainly paid attention to their children's resources as those fit my mission, but I have read and value many of the authors whose books they offer, and agree they choose quality books.  

My Mom trusted the Lord after her Mom read to her a book entitled Treasures of the Snow by Patricia St. John.  She and my Grandmother introduced me to many books by this author that I enjoyed in my childhood/teens.  And 10ofthose actually have published some of those books and more through their company.  

They have also introduced me to new resources.  This week I discovered a new book about Easter and actually ordered a case of 50 copies- since it made this children's book only $2 a book, inexpensive enough to give every family at the chapel with littles a copy, as well as a few grandparents, and some left to offer to those who have community members that they are connecting with and developing relationships with.  

So I thought I'd review the appeal of this book-- the first appeal is that I could view the entire book online before purchase.  

What I like:

• Feel of the book: solid cover, glossy pages, the book cover is just smaller than my hand, a perfect size for kids to enjoy.  
• Illustrations are engaging, detailed, enhance the event described, the people are realistic yet appealing.  
• The story begins and ends with a family trip to Grandma's house to celebrate Easter.  But in the car, the real Easter story is shared.  
• The events of Jesus' life are shared with simple, yet connecting details, in rhyme, with fun, yet honest aspects brought out.  I love the theme of "are we nearly there yet?"  and the discussion of Jesus being recognized as King.  
• The gospel is simply shared that Jesus dying to forgive us.  
• Notes for parents at the end, as well as the places in the Bible where you can read the full events of history.  

What I wonder:

• if this book is given to an unbeliever how will it be accepted? understood? do you need a level of biblical education to fully grasp it?  
• How to use this book with older kids-- without a lot of thought I think it would be fun to add other key aspects of Jesus' travels- and even go into Acts with the question- are we there yet? is Jesus reigning King at this point?  Is He my reigning King?  
• Discussions about why the disciples thought the trip in Jerusalem went the way that it did- why were they surprised at the events?  How could people celebrate Jesus on Sunday and kill Him on Friday?  A discussion of how going along with the crowd can lead to big mistakes- and not a lot of thinking.  
• Should I only give this to families who have children 7 and younger?  

Good Book Company Partner Review: Do Great Things For God: Betsey Stockton by Laura Caputo-Wickham

 

What I like about the book:

• This biography is of a person whose desire was to become a missionary.  
• Her life story interwoven with trusting God, reading His Word, teaching children that Jesus is King so teaching the readers about the Good News and who God is.  
• The illustrations are well done and warm-appropriate images.  
• Scripture references are listed with the verses mentioned- and the fact that the Word of God is included.  
• I liked learning about Betsey Stockton, her story is new to me!
• I liked the connection that I got after reading Corrie ten Boom, now Betsey Stockton, and knowing that this is a series of stories of women for young children seeing how women have served God and done wonderful things.  

What I wonder about the book: 

• Will 4-8-year-olds know what it means to be enslaved?  Will they understand the concept of being free?  
• Does the book need to start by telling the readers that we are going back in time? or in history? to learn about someone who lived hundreds of years ago? It becomes evident in the five-month trip by boat to Hawaii.  

Thankful to partner with the GoodBook company and read an advanced pdf of the book.  

Good Books Partner Review: Do Great Things For God: Corrie Ten Boom

 

What I like about the book:

• The goal of the series- introducing spiritual heroes to younger children. Introducing biographies.  For educators, this means non-fiction text that is connected to our Christian worldview.  
• The illustrations are beautiful, well done, warm, and effectively communicate to the target age group of 4-8-year-olds.  
• Conversations can be had with the content learned about Corrie Ten-Boom's life.  
• Well-chosen content of her life shared appropriately.  
• Time-line of her life at the end of the book.  
• Verses mentioned are referenced on the page.  

What I wonder about the book:

• She lived in a "higgledy-piggledy house" I'm not sure why this descriptor is here- I looked it up and it means confused or disorder.  

Thankful to partner with GoodBooks and review a pdf of this book.  

Sample Pages:

Bethany House Partner Review: Love Centered Parenting by Crystal Paine

 

This is a parenting book that focuses on the parent's behavior rather than how to handle your child's behavior. And for that reason, it truly is a gold mine. The author's perspective is that she needs Jesus and a solid, growing relationship with Him, with her identity set on who she is in Him, in order to parent well.

So why did I give it four stars? I'm not sure the best audience for this book on parenting. I wasn't the best audience which is what clouds my judgment I suspect because my youngest is 11 and my oldest is 19. I wasn't the best audience because I relearned how to parent over a decade ago.

My real wonder about fit is that Crystal's starting point of change rests in her own view of herself, her insecurity, and her recognition that she was believing lies about herself and that was making her parenting motivation about her, not about her children's growth. Not all will relate to her anxiety, fear, and insecurity, so that's what gives me pause in the book recommendation. My fear would be that people who don't connect with her weakness and discoveries might miss the conclusions that it brought her to, and that ALL believers should keep in mind as they parent a newborn or an adult child.

That being said, I've tried to read new parenting books that are different, highly recommended, and faith-based once or twice a year, because parenting is one aspect of life where failure is consistent, yet I learn and grow, but I always have more to learn, and I always need more perspective, focus, and reminders of how to think about the heart, and approach others in love, and not react out of my own emotions. I enjoyed the book a lot. I read it in days which isn't something that I often have done in this past year. I learned. I grew. I am reminded, humbled, and it was a good book for me.

So as I'm not fully sure the best people to read this book, I can share things to note before choosing this book:

*This book is an encouragement to parent out of your love for the Lord Jesus, His love for you that really fuels your life, and your trust in the Holy Spirit.

*half of the book shared Crystal's stories and self-discovery when she hit rock bottom in her parenting journey and realized she had been parenting out of fear, not faith, that she's been worried about how her children made her look, not how their behavior showed their hearts.

So it's her process and discovery that to parent out of love- you need to have an identity in Christ. A secure developed, humble, daily even second by second faith and interaction with the Holy Spirit. (this is the part of the book that many will clearly appreciate and benefit from.)

*the second half of the book is strategies to keep in mind for leading with love and leaning in to love first. These are vital, important truths. Our love comes from God. From the heavenly Father, and He helps us give our children what they need to launch into life. This vital message is clear, talks through failures and successes that Crystal Paine has processed in her parenting experience, and gives a great perspective for parents to process, remember, and tattoo into their mindset.

I've said since I became a mom to one child-- parenting is the most sanctifying experience of my life and faith- and as the parent of a 19, 15, 11-year-olds, as well as four-plus years pouring into another child from ages 5-10, it still is!!

I suspect that my discovery of being sure I parented this way started a few years before Crystal's when I re-learned how to parent a child from a hard place who spent over 4 years in our home as our child. Only Love Today by Rachel Macy Stafford reminds me of some of the thoughts shared in the book. Connected parenting by Karyn Purvis was the first clear model. Connect first then redirect was a mantra I learned. Time-In, not time-out. Find the why behind the behavior. Perspectives I've been following almost a decade.

I sought out this book to review after a conversation with a group of friends about the subtitle of the book. We all liked Love Centered Parenting. But the subtitle of "a no-fail guide to launching your kids" was a stumbling block for many. Nothing in life is no-fail. But having followed Crystal's blog for well over 10 years, maybe 15? I didn't think she would allow this to be a subtitle that didn't fit the book.

I even asked her on Instagram what she meant by it. Here's what she said: "well, I’d need a whole book to clearly explain that! 😉 But, the premise of the book is that walking with your kids and loving them well — as I outline in the book — isn’t ultimately about their choices and decisions or how they turn out, but about pouring into them with the love we have been given by God. It’s about leaning in and loving, listening well, leading with humility, and letting go. ❤️"

Well having read the book, I get it better. I'm not sure I would have chosen those words but I will say that the book is more about how the parent acts in order to launch kids into adult life. And since ultimately in parenting, I can only control myself in a healthy way, and I need to parent with the intention that I am parenting people who will be adults out in the world without me, and I would really love it if they were also people that I truly enjoy, want to spend time with, and who love and want to stay involved in my life, beyond the years they live in my home.

One of my favorite discoveries the author mentions is: as parents, we are NOT parenting for first-time obedience as our main parenting goal. I've felt this way for a long time, but haven't been able to articulate my reasoning as she does. I like parenting as a relationship, not for rules.

I love how she ends the chapters with key thoughts/points. I love the authors she has chosen to quote and her quotes are some of my favorite perspectives. I love her heart and fully agree with her strategies and perspective.  I love the wealth of bible verses and intentional scripture included in the book, in the appendix, etc.  Appropriate and key life concepts.  

So I suppose for me maybe this book is a five-star book. I'll think about this.

Thankful to Netgalley, Baker books, and Bethany House Publishing for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book and review it. Go pre-order it-- I can suggest that you buy it or have your library order it! Releases March 16, 2021

New Growth Press Partner Review: God Made Me for Heaven by Marty Machowski Illustrated by Trish Mahoney

 

This book is in the series of "God made me" books from New Growth Press, but this book is geared for ages 8-11.  So that's important to know.  Several of my recent reviews have been geared for preschool ages.  

What I like about this book:

• This book is written as a story with a group of children playing and asking their friends Grandma questions about heaven as they are celebrating the start of summer.  She does the teaching as she talks about heaven and forever.  
• This book teaches about the abstract concept of eternity.  In the process, it also deals with death and the question will I see grandpa again.  Such an appropriate question from children.  
• Scripture references that connect with concepts are listed on the pages.  
• The Gospel is clearly explained and connected to those who go to heaven.
• Scripturally accurate teaching about heaven.  Shares the biblical facts.    
• This book has some complex concepts.  But when thinking like an 8-11-year-old, I think it's appropriately done. 

What I wonder about this book:

• Should eternal be defined? or more clearly explained?  
• What about eternal death?  Not sure if you could accomplish that in one book or not. But it's not mentioned at all, at the end of the book in the follow-up pages, a discussion question is what happens to those who don't go to heaven? but the answer isn't there- it will be up to the parents to direct that conversation.  
• Will 8-11 years find the playing in the yard and illustrations age-appropriate? or will they lose interest?  
• How many adults know that there are going to be 12 fruits in heaven? and how will they respond when their children ask about this after being read the book or reading it together?  It's a very specific fact.  I'm not sure I knew that before reading the book!  

Thankful to partner with New Growth Press and read an early copy of this book.  I'm not as often reviewing picture books for this age- so I'm not sure what I think about it.  I won a hard copy from a facebook give away so once it arrives, I'll get my daughter's input.  She's 11.  

Waterbrook Partner Review: From This Moment by Kim Vogel Sawyer --A contemporary novel

 

I've read this author before, but I'm not sure I've read any of her contemporary fiction books.  I've loved her historical fiction works.  But I will be picking up her contemporary fiction books soon.  I read because I love to read.  I limit my fiction reading because I often do not find that reading fiction is worthy of the time commitment invested.  But this book, it's worthy to be read.  I gave it 5 stars, a rare accolade for this regular book launcher.  

This story is told from several different characters' perspectives, Merlin and Laura Kraft, Jase, Kenzie, and Laurie.  It's not at all confusing to follow, and their lives are all intertwined.  But the value of all their perspectives is that they are each learning to trust God with different wonders going on in their hearts, souls, and minds, and the author masterfully shows their thinking on the page, as well as how the Holy Spirit can work in the life of those who believe.  To me their thinking aloud and wonder about being lonely, being enough. being loved, are so likely to be thoughts and feelings that most of us have at one time or another.  And the way that they grow and learn to listen to the voice of the Lord through the Holy Spirit is encouraging.  I will admit, it's captured on the pages in a brief, neat time period, and there isn't a long wait for any of the characters to see the hand of God intervene, but that's okay because it's a novel, and for most real readers likely to be one they read in less than two days.  

I think this is the perfect novel for 2021.  After this past year that we have endured with the pandemic across the world, I found From this Moment to be the reminder and relief that I think we are craving, and it points us to the right solution to all our worries, emotions, and struggles.  

Thankful to partner with Waterbrook Press and read an advanced copy of the book.