Scripture Doodle and Scripture Doodle: God's Promises

I've been wanting to dive deeper into the Scriptures after going through my Bible now for a third time. Even though I find new meaning each time, I revisit those familiar books I wanted more in my personal study and devotions. Now there is a great way to do just that, thanks to April Knight, author of Scripture Doodles and Scripture Doodles: God's Promises. These beautiful books incorporate a deeper study into the promises we find in the Bible along with some colorful coloring to accompany your personal or small group studies. Each of these books incorporates a six-week devotional experience for the reader through your own individual creative expressions with God.

There are enough exercises to do one per day for six weeks with a few bonuses at the end, but you can work at your own pace or with a small group Bible study meeting one a week. It is intended to be progressive, so you might want to follow the books in chronological order, but you might want to jump around to whatever inspires you or for a specific Bible Book study you might be working on. There are no rules and the only way to do it wrong is simply to not do it at all.

Some things you need to have on hand when completing either book is a Bible, a sharp pencil or two any color, pencil sharpener, a large eraser, colored pencils or your media of choice, pastels, ruled notebook paper (for lettering practice) and some blank index cards. The books come with some great tips to get you started. Each exercise begins with a Bible verse and proceeds into a creative worship activity. Don't worry about trying to be perfect, just go with what creativeness you feel at the time and let God inspire you. The books also encourage you to share your creations with others at @scripturedoodle or #scripturedoodle.

 I received Scripture Doodle and Scripture Doodle: God's Promises by April Knight compliments of David C Cook Publishers and Litfuse Publicity. For me, these books have allowed me not only to focus on specific Scriptures in the exercises but to remember these verses better, something I have been struggling with more as I get older. Now I can create something truly beautiful while I work on these each day. I would love to get a group together to work on them over the duration of a year and share not only our own artistic creations but also to see what God does in each of our lives along the way. I would easily give these books a 5 out of 5 stars.

For more information about Scripture Doodle and Scripture Doodle: God's Promises, April Knight or where you can pick these books up today, please click on the links below:

Scripture Doodle and Scripture Doodle: God's Promises by April Knight

You can find April Knight on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest books.

To read more reviews on Scripture Doodle or Scripture Doodle: God's Promises, please visit Litfuse Publicity's Book Tour Page. 

Waiting for Wonder

Waiting.

No one that I know of like to wait for anything.

Even in our prayers waiting on the answer, seems like the hardest thing to do. Perhaps it is because we aren't sure of what the answer will be, or when that answer might even come. There have been some who have prayed and have their prayer answered years from the day they prayed and others have gotten the answer to their prayer on the other side of this life. So how does one learn to be patient in the waiting? How can we maintain our faith, knowing God is working it out on His end and on His timeline, which is not the same as ours?

Marlo Schalesky has written a wonderful book, Waiting for Wonder: Learning to Live on God's Timeline and the best way to describe this book is half Biblical fiction in a sense and Christian self help using Scriptures from the Bible to help us what we can do in the waiting. Using a character from the Bible, that I have to be honest, I glazed over without really considering her in a better light and digging deeper to see if there might be some spiritual treasure I overlooked. Marlo uses the life of Sarai who later became Sarah which all of us are familiar with. She was Abram's wife who was promised by God that her descendants would be as numerous as the stars in the sky, yet in her old age, she failed to conceive.

I even failed to understand on how this was something as a failure in those times when a woman could not conceive and in most cases was merely property for a man with the sole purpose for procreating and having a family to care on the family legacy. Poor Sarai couldn't do any of that even though Abram had been told that God was going to bless Sarai with off-spring. So how long did Sarai have to wait? Was it just a few days, a couple of weeks, months or even years for that miracle to happen? What did she do while she was waiting? Maintain her faith in God's promises or did she take matters into her own hands when she thought God forgot about her?

Using what might have been an extended portion of what the Bible alludes to using what we know historically of women from that time in history, Marlo Schalesky gives us peeks at what Sarai might have had to deal with in her interactions with other women, how her husband might have viewed her, and even the secrets they both kept when Abram and Sarai went to Egypt and lied to Pharoah to save Abram's own skin.

Is there something we might glean from this story of Sarai, something we might learn in our own season of endless waiting like she did? Yes, there is and this book is a wonderful way to take the lessons of Sarai and teach us how to wait while God is working in our lives despite how long it might take. This would be perfect for a small woman's Bible Study to work on a chapter of this book each week. I know for me, it greatly increased my admiration that God has a purpose in the very people we meet in the Bible no matter how much or little is mentioned of them and has caused me to dig deeper in my own study. I love the duality of the way this book is written and will be referencing this one often as I find sometimes waiting can be the hardest thing in my own walk of faith, and for this reason I give this one a 5 out of 5 stars. I received Waiting for Wonder by Marlo Schalesky compliments of Abingdon Press and Litfuse Publicity.

For more information about Waiting for Wonder, Marlo Schalesky or where to pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

Waiting for Wonder by Marlo Schalesky

You can find Marlo Schalesky on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest books.

To read more reviews on Waiting for Wonder, please visit Litfuse Publicity's book tour page.


Because God’s timing is so rarely our own and we lose the wonder in the waiting of life, desperation strikes, plans backfire, and we begin to wonder why God does not fill the emptiness. Be encouraged to find strength and hope in Marlo Schalesky's new book, Waiting for Wonder. Journey into the heart of God where you will wrestle with personal questions, think deeply about God’s true character, and learn to appreciate His divine work as you discover your own path to the promised land. Recapture your hope, restore your soul, and renew your vision of a wondrous Savior when you learn to live on God’s time.

Learn the true purpose of waiting on God and living on His timeline and enter to win Marlo's giveaway.

 

One grand prize winner will receive:

• Two copies of Waiting for Wonder (one for you and one to give to a friend)
• A KEEP Collective watch set (with a band and watch)

 

Enter today by clicking the icon below, but hurry! The giveaway ends on December 23. The winner will be announced December 27 on Marlo's blog.

To Joey, With Love - DVD Review and Giveway

Just how does anyone come to terms with saying goodbye knowing you are going to die? Is there any way to prepare for the loss not only are you going to feel but also for your family and friends who have to stand by and watch as cancer robs the life of another precious saint?

Most people can say that they recall the story of Joey and Rory Feek, a country music duo, who faced such a hardship. In March of 2016, Joey Feek quietly walked into the arms of Jesus and entered into eternity despite all the best known attempts at beating cancer. Some people might say that she lost her battle. That despite the many months of prayers for a miracle, she simply didn't get one. Yet she was healed of her cancer. It may have robbed this precious wife and mom of her earthly life, but where she dwells now in heaven, cancer can no longer touch her and one day she will be eternally reunited with her family and friends, never having to say Goodbye again.

In the DVD, To Joey, With Love, this documentary chronicles this story of both the love and faith of Joey and Rory Feek, the birth of their daughter Indiana, who was born with Down's Syndrome, and the loss of the life of a mother for her two-year-old daughter. Thankfully the couple had the insight to film this journey and viewer of this DVD get a look at the personal journey that most never saw. The courageous battle to beat cancer this side of heaven, and the decision to quietly give up treatments when the cancer refused to shrink.

I believe that everyone will take away something different from watching this love story. For me, it is the love is eternal and everlasting. Perhaps that is why the Bible says that the greatest gift from God is love. It transcends time and space and it is the one thing we will take with us when we breathe our final breath on earth and take our first one in heaven. It shows that her faith in God never wavered in spite of all the doctor's diagnosis. Perhaps this one hits home for me, was my dear friend is also facing her third diagnosis of cancer. One thing is certain, the battle isn't ours to wage but God's and faith can be found woven into the entire documentary.

I received To Joey, With Love compliments of Icon Media Group. It is the hardest DVD I had to watch and review because it hits home for me as a wife and mother. It is a beautiful love story that had the pause button pressed for now, but one day will continue and will be the true story of happily ever after. I am so humbled by this mother's faith and the love she shows for her daughter, even as she knows her time is growing short. For me this will be one that stay with me, long after the movie ends and thus the reason for a 5 out of 5 stars!

Now for the amazing part, thanks to the blessed generosity of Icon Media Goup, they are offering a DVD of To Joey, With Love to one lucky follower of my blog Reviews From The Heart. Here are the details to enter.

1. Be a follower of my blog, Reviews From The Heart or "Like" my Facebook page.

2. Be a resident of the US and please NO P.O. Boxes.

3. Leave a comment below telling me why you'd love to win a copy of this DVD along with your email address. I will be notifying the winner via email so make sure to include it with your comment. You can even use the words (at) and (dot) instead of the symbols.

4. For social media followers, simply comment on my page why you would love to win a copy. I will reach out to you via private message if you are the lucky winner and contact you for your mailing information at that time.

So there are two ways to enter but only one winner. I will notify the winner via email or private message when the giveaway ends on December 16th.

For more information about To Joey, With Love, Icon Media Group or where you can pick up a copy of this DVD today, please click on the links below:

To Joey, With Love from Icon Media Group

You can read more about Rory and Joey's life on Rory's blog.

When Jesus Was A Green-Eyed Brunette - Giveaway and Review

We, as believers, know that Jesus exists in the world, but He might not be as we would imagine Him to be. For some, He might show Himself as a homeless man in need of a new pair of shoes, He might be a pastor of a church who is dying from cancer despite all the prayers of his congregation, and He might even be a green-eyed brunette. It isn't Jesus really, as you might think, but it is the Spirit of Jesus living inside someone that shows us what Jesus is.

He isn't religious but has come to have a loving relationship with us. Some people get all caught up living their lives under such a microscope of scrutiny of God that they know they will never be good enough. That is living under legalistic rules of a religion and not what Jesus came more than 2500 years ago to do and that is establish a personal loving relationship with each one of us. Grace is what we all need more of and Max Davis' latest book, When Jesus Was A Green-Eyed Brunette, shows us everyday how we fail to see it when it does come in the smallest of things that happen to us. He shares intimate stories of how seeing Jesus at work in the lives of others transformed who Jesus was to him. In doing so, it changed how Max would live out the rest of his life and connect with others along the way to change them.

There are moments in this book when you will laugh and others that have you on the edge of your chair ready to cry and I believe the message is different for each one of us. It will be a personally journey of your own to see where in your life you need more of Jesus' love and grace and how it can open you up to new freedoms in your walk of faith with a deeper more intimate relationship with Jesus. There are so many amazing quotes and stories that they will all inspire more reading I'm sure in the future but more importantly it will wake you up out of your spiritual slumber. As Davis puts it, "Jesus is very much alive today and still does incredible things - sometime supernatural things - through us!"

I received When Jesus Was A Green-Eyed Brunette by Max Davis compliments of Worthy Publishing and FlyBy Promotions/Propeller LLC. I love how this book weaves personal stories of people's faith in Jesus showing up in ordinary people that reveals to us that He knows us and is fully present in our every day circumstances, especially in our difficulties. Perhaps a quote from John Bunyan (The Pilgrim's Progress) sums up the book best, "In times of affliction, we commonly meet with the sweetest experiences of the love of God." For me, this was a breath of fresh spiritual air and well worth a 5 out of 5 stars. This will be a permanent part of my personal library, one I know I will reference often.

Now for the best part, thanks to the amazing blessed generosity of Worthy Publishing and Propeller LLC, they are offering a giveaway copy to one lucky follower of my blog, Reviews From The Heart. Here's all you need to do to enter.

1. Be a follower of my blog Reviews From The Heart, or "Like" my Facebook page. 

2. Be a resident of the US and please no P.O. boxes.

3. Leave a comment below telling me why you'd love to win a copy of this book, along with your email address. I will be contacting the winner by email so don't forget to include it. You can even use the words (at) and (dot) instead of the symbols.

4. If you are on social media instead of a blogging follower, leave me a comment why you'd love to win a copy of this book. I will private message you if you're the winner and you can contact me to provide your mailing information.

I will notify the winner by email once the giveaway ends on December 16th.

For more information about When Jesus Was A Green-Eyed Brunette, Max Davis or where you can pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

When Jesus Was A Green-Eyed Brunette by Max Davis

You can find Max Davis on Facebook to stay up to date on all his latest books.

To read more reviews on When Jesus Was A Green-Eyed Brunette, please visit Worthy Publishing's website. 

"Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the
Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post. Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway.  If you have won a prize from our sponsor Propeller / FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days, you are not eligible to win.  Or if you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.”

When There Is No Miracle

"Why has God allowed this to happen to me?" is perhaps the hardest question Christians are asked. Whether it is from an unexpected death of a family member or friend, the loss of a job at the worst time of the year, cancer diagnosis for the first time or third time, or fill in the blank to any number of things you wish you had an answer for. So how do you answer any of those questions and still give someone hope?

In the book, When There Is No Miracle by Robert L. Wise is a great place to start. I know for me, I have had my own share of questions for God and often times, feel when there is no answer and just never ending silence, it can seem as if God doesn't care or your prayer simply wasn't filled with enough faith.

Yet as Christians we know that Jesus, as the very Son of God, had enough heartache to last an eternity. Not only did He witness it in the lives of the people He came into contact with day in and day out while He walked the earth, but even the brutality He, Himself, would face through beatings, the crucifixion and even His death on the cross. So where is God when bad things happen? Why do we automatically assume God is to blame for both good things and bad?

You might reason that since God is Creator He could heal someone if He chooses or stop a terrorist from killing innocent people, so why doesn't He? Is it possible there is someone else to blame than God? Is there an answer when a miracle doesn't happen for even the most dedicated person of faith? The answer is a resounding yes to all of these questions. For me, this book was a great resource for my own prayer life in helping me to pray for things along the lines of God's will but in also helping me to understand God's expectations of us and what the greater purpose might be in these situations. I believe it should be a resource in any believer's library. Using the Bible, I can now help those struggling to find answers in the world we live in today and to accept the uncertainty we will face in some of those times. One thing is clear, God is always present in all of those situations.

I received When There is No Miracle by Robert L. Wise compliments of Kregel Publications. My reason for wanting to read this book was a dear friend of mine was going through her cancer diagnosis for the third time. After battling this horrible disease twice and winning, it was heart-breaking to see this come a third time. Yet despite it all, the grief was real along with the many tears that followed, but the one thing that remains true is her undying spirit that God has NOT forsaken her, despite an incurable diagnosis. While she might not win this battle, she is looking for the purpose God is using this for. What a great example of getting through dark times, we simply need to turn to the Light and remember while we might not see the miracle this side of life, death is NOT the end for the believer. I easily give this book a 5 out of 5 stars and highly recommend this to anyone wanting to know the "Why's" of life purpose when bad things happen in our own lives.

For more information about When There Is No Miracle, Robert L Wise or where you can pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

When There Is No Miracle by Robert L Wise

You can find Robert L.Wise on Facebook to stay up to date with all his latest books.

To read more reviews on When There Is No Miracle, please visit Kregel Publication's website. 

For The Record

"A hero always came back for his lady."

That is a statement that Betsy Huckabee carried both in her heart and in her words. She longed one day to be a great writer and find a way to support herself so she wouldn't be a burden to her aunt and uncle any longer. Working to find interesting stories for the Pine Gap, Missouri paper wasn't easy in a small town where most folks knew the latest news even before it made it to print. She just knew that she had to try and find a way to make it on her own as an independently fierce woman of the frontier.

Since love was the furthest thing from her mind it was easy to stay on task. After all in a town the size of Pine Gap, pickens were slim when it came to eligible single men. She wasn't about to settle for anything less than her heart desired. For now it would have to be in the fictionalization she was working on mirroring the image in part of the town's newest deputy, Joel Puckett. He arrived in town to replace the former sheriff who had gotten a bit too lazy in dealing with the town's vigilante mob known as the Bald Knobblers. They believed they were doing what the law in town was unable to do and that was minister their own brand of justice. Deputy Puckett was hired to ensure this type of justice came to a dead end, one way or the other.

Just the perfect character for Betsy to mold her articles after, only she would change some of the details just in case Deputy Puckett happened to come across her stories. Not that he would be the type to read a newspaper printed in Kansas City. Until then Betsy would let the romance in her fictional articles be the only love she would pursue and with the Kansas City papers demanding more, it wouldn't be long before she would be able to move out on her own and make her own way in the world. If only the romance she wove on paper would manifest itself in her own life, then she might not have to settle for a single life in a small town.

I received For the Record by Regina Jennings compliments of Baker Publishing Group and Net Galley. What I absolutely love about Regina Jennings novels is that you are guaranteed a strong-willed, female character that isn't afraid to take on society's definition of what a woman should or shouldn't do coupled with not only heart-racing romance but also a blend of humor as her characters struggle to find their own identity in the late 1800's. Betsy's character isn't about to put stay put when there is a story to discover, even if it means putting herself in harms way. She will do whatever it takes to make a future for herself even if it means painting Deputy Puckett into her stories of a brave, determined but handsome hero. This is the third novel in the Ozark Mountain Romance Series and I would rate this novel a 4 out of 5 stars!

For more information about For the Record, Regina Jennings or where you can pick up a copy of this novel, please click on the links below:

For the Record by Regina Jennings

You can find Regina Jennings on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on For The Record, please visit Baker Publishing Group's website. 

Amy Grant: Tennessee Christmas - Review and Giveawy

Hard to imagine a wonderful Christmas tucked in the Smoky Mountains without thinking of the song, Tennessee Christmas. It exemplifies exactly what those who live in or have experienced at some time, what a Christmas in the mountains looks and feels like. Yet this time of the year we all have our beloved Christmas favorites and that is why I am thrilled to share with you, Amy Grant: Tennessee Christmas CD.

Besides containing your traditional favorites like White Christmas, Joy to the World, Baby It's Cold Outside Duet with Vince Gill and O Come, All Ye Faithful, you get some originals that will make it to your must listen to during each Christmas season to come. There are 13 songs besides the title track of Tennessee Christmas, and my favorite of them all is To Be Together. For me it's a reminder that we don't really need anything but our loved ones to make Christmas something to remember. It is so easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the season and this CD is a beautiful way to remind us what the real reason for the Christmas season is, Jesus Christ.

Like Amy states, "Everybody has Christmas memories, and it seems like we spent as much time reminiscing and telling stories as we did making music. Nostalgic...warm...hopeful...loved...not alone." This CD contains the following tracks:

1. Tennessee Christmas
2. To Be Together
3. Christmas For You and Me
4. Melancholy Christmas
5. December
6. White Christmas
7. Joy To The World
8. I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm
9. Baby, It's Cold Outside (Featuring Vince Gill).
10. Christmas Don't Be Late
11. Still Can't Sleep
12. Another Merry Christmas
13. O Come, All Ye Faithful

I received Amy Grant: Tennessee Christmas compliments of Capital Records and Fly By Promotions/Propeller LLC. Tucked inside this CD are the lyrics to all the songs as well as some beautiful family pictures of Amy Grant's Christmas memories over the years. I absolutely LOVED this CD to put me into the "country Christmas" mood! I would rate this CD a 4 out of 5 stars.

Now for the best part, thanks to Capital Records and Fly By Promotions/Propeller LLC, they are offering a giveaway CD to one lucky follower of my blog, Reviews From The Heart. Here's all you need to do to enter:

1. Be a follower of my blog, Reviews From The Heart.

2. "Like" my Facebook page, Reviews From The Heart.

3. Be a resident of the US and no P.O. Boxes please!

4. Leave me a comment below telling me why you'd love to win this Amy Grant: Tennessee Christmas CD. Don't forget to include your email address so I have a way to contact you if you're the winner. You can use the words (at) and (dot) instead of the symbols if you wish.

I will contact the winner by email once the giveaway is over on December 9th. So be sure to share this on your social media sites as well to give others the opportunity to win as well!

For more information about Amy Grant, Amy Grant: Tennessee Christmas CD or where to pick this up today, please click on the links below:

Amy Grant: Tennessee Christmas CD by Capital Records

You can find Amy Grant on Facebook to stay up to date with all her projects.

You can purchase a copy of Amy Grant:Tennessee Christmas on iTunes. 

“Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255:  “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”):  Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway.  Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation.  I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post.

Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway.  If you have won a prize from our sponsor Propeller /FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days, you are not eligible to win.  Or if you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again.  Winner is subject to eligibility verification.