Joyce Meyer's latest book, "The Answer to Anxiety," is a compelling and practical guide for anyone struggling with anxiety. Meyer, a well-known author and speaker, draws from her own experiences with anxiety and provides readers with a roadmap for overcoming this challenging emotion.

The book is divided into three parts. In the first part, Meyer discusses the causes of anxiety and the importance of understanding the root of the problem. She emphasizes the role that negative thinking plays in anxiety and provides practical tools for changing thought patterns.

In the second part of the book, Meyer offers practical strategies for managing anxiety, such as prayer, meditation, and self-care. She also emphasizes the importance of seeking help from a professional if needed.

The final part of the book focuses on the role of faith in overcoming anxiety. Meyer shares personal stories of how her faith has helped her manage anxiety and provides practical advice for readers on how to incorporate faith into their own lives.

Overall, "The Answer to Anxiety" is an excellent resource for anyone struggling with anxiety. Meyer's writing is engaging and relatable, and her practical advice is easy to understand and implement. Whether you're looking for strategies to manage anxiety or seeking guidance on incorporating faith into your life, this book is sure to be a valuable resource. I easily give this one a 4.5 out of 5 stars in my opinion.

If you want to purchase a copy of this book, you can click on the link below from Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/Answer-Anxiety-Tyranny-Anxious-Thoughts/

If you'd love to learn more about Joyce Meyer, you can visit her website here.

Girl, Wash Your Face

Sometimes as women we need that emotional cheerleader in our life that takes whatever we are going through to take us by the hand and give us that much needed talk to stop feeling sorry for whatever you're going through and get moving forward. Yet all too often we fall for the lies our own self is telling us. Lies that we aren't a good enough mom, while others around us seem to breeze through motherhood without a care in the world. Lies that all of our dreams will remain just that, dreams of a life we never got around to living. Lies that we are not good enough, when God cared enough to make us the fine women we are today. Don't you need someone to give you that honest talk to shake you out of your pity party of one and get moving on with your life with a better outlook for tomorrow.

Enter Rachel Hollis, who I think resembles Anna Kendrick quite a bit and who always seems to have it together and never seems to have a bad day, a bad month or even a bad year. Yet as women that is how we constantly compare ourselves to others around us instead of comparing our yesterday person to our today person. Why do we do that? In her book, Girl, Wash Your Face, Rachel gets brutally honest, like your best friend would and holds nothing back to get you through the lies she faced and quite honestly like most of the lies all women believe. It is a cry along with her book as she faces adoption struggles, laugh with her when she shares the most incredible stories of her own life and gives you a transparent look at how she can appear to have it all together on the outside and is barely holding it all together on the inside.

She is the one friend I think all of dream of having. She is the person who would come cry with you while your enduring one of life's most challenging struggles, like losing her brother to suicide and then helping you back on your feet to show you that you don't have to stay in that place, and you can use what you're going through to make you stronger. She is such a wonder to listen to and trust me, all of us women NEED this book. I found so many great take away's that I believe I'm going to have to buy another one so I can have a pristine copy, while this one is my reference source to run to when I need a quick pick me up. For me, this book is a much needed book for all women both young and old and why I feel it is beyond worthy of 5 out of 5 stars.

For more information about Girl, Wash Your Face, Rachel Hollis, or where you can pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

Girl, Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis

You can find https://www.facebook.com/TheChicSite/Rachel Hollis on Facebook to stay up to date with all her wonderful projects.

20 Ways to Make Every Day Better

"I'm just having a bad day."

Have you ever said that to yourself or perhaps a friend or family member in a way to excuse your behavior or attitude for the moment? Traffic is backed up, you spill your coffee before you even get a sip, the kids are driving you crazy, the kitchen faucet is dripping, your boss is in a mood, and the car is making that funny noise again. I'm just have a bad day!

While there aren't many days when all those things happen at once (thankfully), you and I both know that any one of those challenges can test our temperament, pollute our perspective, or hijack our joy. Far too often we write it off as a "bad day" and give up until tomorrow. Tomorrow will be better, we hope, while subconsciously waving the white flag of surrender on today.

But the problem with bad days is they tend to pile up - have you noticed that? A bad day becomes a bad week. A bad week becomes a bad month. And before you know it, a bad month becomes a bad year. Many of us spend the last week of every December saying the exact same thing: "I can't wait until this year is over!"

If you can relate to that, if you've ever given up on today, waiting on tomorrow, pick up Joyce Meyer's latest book. 20 Ways to Make Every Day Better! The book is divided into four equally important sections: "When You Awake," "New Steps to Take," " Patterns to Break,"  and "Before It's Too Late." These sections are meant to systematically take you through your day and show you what God's Word teaches about making that day and every day count. You can open any chapter at any time and apply the principle in that chapter to make your day immediately better. This book is full of biblical instruction, practical applications, stories to inspire, and helpful suggestions.

I received 20 Ways to Make Every Day Better by Joyce Meyer compliments of Faith Words, a division of Hachette Book Groups. In accordance with the new FTC Guidelines for blogging and endorsements, you should assume that every book reviewed here at Reviews From The Heart was provided to the reviewer by the publisher, media group or the author for free and were received, unless specified otherwise. What I love most about Joyce's books is that they drive home the point in a way that is both humorous and biblical. She just gives it to you straight like you need to hear things without candy-coating anything. As I was going through my own rough patch medically, this book enabled me to not chalk everything up to a "bad moment" in my life. That there were things I good glean from this time of suffering and trial and grow both spiritually and mentally in the process and most of all, make me a better person to be around.

There is also the 20 Ways to Make Every Day Better Study Guide which helps you through each stage of the book. I would recommend you getting them both so you can work through the points of the book in conjunction with your own personal struggle. This would also be perfect for a great small group Bible study. After all, who doesn't have a bad day from time to time? I give both of these resources a 5 out of 5 stars.

For more information about 20 Ways to Make Every Day Better, Joyce Meyer or where you can pick up a copy of this book or study guide today, please click on the links below.

20 Ways to Make Every Day Better by Joyce Meyer

20 Ways to Make Every Day Better Study Guide by Joyce Meyer

You can find Joyce Meyer on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest books.

To read more reviews on 20 Ways to Make Every Day Better, please visit Faith Words website. 

2 Chairs: The Secret That Changes Everything Giveaway and Review

Where would you turn in your time of crisis? When the floor falls out from underneath you? Perhaps the unexpected death of a family or friend? The loss of the only job that is keeping a roof over your head? A medical illness that threatens your very existence? You name it, but where would you turn? Would you turn to alcohol or drugs as a way to help you cope? Would you seek a family member or friend, perhaps a counselor or church?

Many people are living on borrowed time not believing or praying that nothing will happen this bad to them. But it will catch them when they least expect it and not every situation warrants a desperate plea for help, but often times help is needed. Where would you turn?

In the book, 2 Chairs, by Bob Beaudine, he offers you the opportunity to sit down for a heart to heart, one on one with Creator God. Don't believe it's possible? What do you have to lose? What if there was a 1 % chance He would show up, wouldn't you try?

Then comes the question of what would you say, if God was sitting in a chair next to you or even across from you. Bob Beaudine's mother gave him those three questions, that help put it all into perspective and allows you to hear from Him. Being a believer, and strong in my own prayer life, I thought, what did I have to lose? I mean to dedicate my mornings and spend a few minutes or more talking with God might open up a strong interpersonal relationship between me and God and I want more of God than what I have been experiencing, especially since a close friend is dealing with cancer for the third time and doctors believe she has less than a year to live. I mean how could I lose right? What insight might God have that will help me to help her deal with this. My personal experience with this was beyond what I could ever imagined or dreamed of and now it is the one thing I look forward to more than anything in my day.

I received 2 Chairs by Bob Beaudine compliments of Worthy Publishing for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation aside, from a free copy of this book, in exchange for my unbiased and personal opinion. For everyone who tries this, be prepared for something unexpected and unexplainable but life changing. What God has to say to you will be different than what He will say to anyone else. For me, my first conversation resulted in tears, then encouragement and finally a peace, I can't put into words but I know that conversation between God and I was as real as a conversation between you and anyone you could have. All it takes is two chairs and three simple questions coupled with the valuable insight Bob Beaudine offers in this book to help you in their personal journey to a closer relationship with Jesus than you could ever imagine. I would easily give this book a 5 out of 5 stars.

For more information about 2 Chairs, Bob Beaudine or where you can pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

2 Chairs: The Secret That Changes Everything by Bob Beaudine

You can find Bob Beaudine on Facebook to stay up to date on all his latest books.

To read more reviews on 2 Chairs, please visit Worthy Publishing's website. 

Now the best part. Thanks to the generosity of Worthy Pubishing, they are offering TWO giveaways of this book to TWO lucky winners. Here are your guidelines to enter:

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

2. "Like" Bob Beaudine's Facebook page.

3. Leave a comment below telling me why you'd love to win a copy of this book. Don't forget to include your email address. You can use the words (at) and (dot) instead of the symbols. If you don't include it, I can't notify you if you're one of the lucky winners.

4. You must be a resident of the US or have a U.S. mailing address. No P.O. Boxes please.

The winner will be notified on October 12, 2016, when this giveaway ends by email. Don't forget to include it with your comments.

Get Your Hopes Up

"Evaluating our hearts is an important exercise as we begin this journey of hope together, because hope in God and positive expectation are very closely related to faith. For the sake of discussion, we can easily say that the level of your expectation is the level of your faith. Show me a person with low expectations, and I'll show you a person using very little faith. But show me a person with big expectations, and I'll show you a person acting with bold faith." (pg 7).

In her latest book, Get Your Hopes Up, Joyce Meyer tackles the issue of hope. Finding it, understanding what it is, how to keep it and what does the Bible say about it. Like all good Joyce Meyer's book. Mama Joyce gives readers the bold and honest truth. Not something sugar coated to make you feel good, she preaches like the best of them. I love the many aspects of hope you will find in this book and perhaps my favorite is that of what Joyce called spiritual possums. Whenever a difficulty or storm comes into their life, they play possum. They stop moving as if they have hit an impenetrable wall and their faith and hope go right out the window.

Rather than getting active, they get passive. When times get tough, when they're dealing with pain or disappointment, they freeze. They just stop moving. Does this sound familiar? Have you ever found yourself in a holding pattern because of an unexpected trial or a crushing disappointment? I want to encourage you in the midst of your pain that sometimes the very best thing you can do is just keep moving. You may not have all the answers yet. You may still be shocked by the circumstances around you. You may even feel like the world is caving in around you. In the midst of those difficulties, if you'll just keep moving, it will help you not to become hopeless." (pg 87).

There is so much great advice to counter all the negative self talk we've become accustom to and the one huge take away for me, was that hope is a powerful thing, but it doesn't thrive in an atmosphere of can't! Joyce uses her own personal stories and that of others to help draw us to the conclusion that we can find hope in any situation if we are but willing to look and trust God to help us as our first resource not our last one as we are prone to do.

I received Get Your Hopes Up by Joyce Meyer compliments of Faith Words, a division of Hachette Book Groups for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation aside from a free copy of this book in exchange for my personal and honest evaluation. Like all of Joyce's books that are in my personal library, this will be a book I will consult quite often when I need a good dose of reality. Friends and family can mean well but often times, they don't make us feel any better when we need the God's honest truth, to get us back into the game of life again. Joyce's book does just that. For anyone facing a difficult time or situation, this is the perfect book to help them move past the situation for now and see what God has in store for them today. Well worth all of the 5 out of 5 stars in my opinion.

For more information about Get Your Hopes Up, Joyce Meyer or where you can pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

Get Your Hopes Up by Joyce Meyer

You can find Joyce Meyer on Facebook to stay up to date on all of her books and resources.

To read more reviews on Get Your Hopes Up, please visit Faith Word's website. 

Available in hardcover, paperback, audible and eBook formats at your favorite retailer. ISBN: 9781455588718, pages 208. 

  

The Battle Plan for Prayer

There isn't one person whom I doubt hasn't heard of a story in which prayer changed the outcome of something that was being prayed for. A miracle for someone who was dying and now was going to live, the disaster that was averted by the faithfulness of a mother's prayer, the finances that came through from an unexpected source just at the right moment, or perhaps a marriage saved just when the divorce papers were about to be filed. On the heels of the movie, War Room from Stephen and Alex Kendrick, which focuses on the very powerful issue of prayer, The Battle Plan for Prayer, is the paperback companion. It helps readers focus on basic training for prayer, especially in light of how so many people are just not praying because they believe it doesn't work, or it requires a special place to do it, or the right words to say.

This takes things from basic training and moves it to targeted strategies for such things as our families, marriages, spouses, children, praying for the lost, for authorities and even for such things as revival in the churches and in the labors of the harvesters. It teaches you where we often make the mistakes and fallacies when it comes to prayer and how to make it much like that of Miss Clara Williams, a force to be reckoned with in the movie, War Room. We would all hope that some day our prayers would be as powerful, as bold, as confident and as effective as the ones witnessed in the movie.

This book teaches some amazing things like having a target prayer list, to pray for your top three areas in our life, three areas that would take a miracle from God to answer, and even some future goal setting that would benefit with the additional blessing from God to understand His will for our lives instead of struggling against our own will. How to make sure we line up with what the Bible teaches about prayer, that it is our most powerful weapon as believers in Jesus, and one we fail to use as a first response instead of a last resort. Prayer is our armored tank and our major assault weapon in battle. We learn how men and women in the Bible applied these principles to see mighty things happen in their life. Prayer can do anything. It can reach out and address any issue that anyone is facing anywhere on the earth. It can be silently engaged without the enemy ever hearing the life changing conversation going on in our heads and hearts with our Commander in Chief, Jesus Christ.

This is not just a harmless little church ritual we're talking about. Nor a pitiful beggar asking for a handout he's almost sure he won't receive. There's raw power here. There's access to God Almighty. There's a certainty of His sovereignty. There's boldness that no amount of enemy resistance can steal from us unless we give it away. And that only happens when we don't pray. I received The Battle Plan for Prayer by Stephen and Alex Kendrick compliments of Icon Media Group and B and H Publishers for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review, aside from a free copy of this book, and the opinions contained here are strictly my own honest personal ones. For me, this book has dramatically changed the way I approach prayer, from a half- hearted request for what I need, to understand the power of coming before the very throne room of our Creator and God. I easily give this one a 5 out of 5 stars and have ordered this for the people in my prayer group so we can be as effective in prayer as God has designed prayer to be.

For more information about The Battle Plan for Prayer, Alex and Stephen Kendrick or where you can pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

The Battle Plan for Prayer by Stephen and Alex Kendrick 

You can find the War Room on Facebook to stay up to date on all the latest prayer strategies to make your prayer life the way God has designed it to be.

For more reviews on The Battle Plan for Prayer, please visit B and H Publisher's website.

The Sacred Year

How could staring at an apple for over an hour help you to change your focus? How could digging a grave help give you a deeper understanding of what our own mortality means? How long could you sit in a room in utter silence until you had to do something or engage in another activity? How can you learn to appreciate all that life has to offer when you can't seem to find hope and happiness anymore?

I found some amazing insights into one man's spiritual walk, Michael Yankoski during one year he entitled in his book, The Sacred Year. In meeting with a man known as Father Solomon, he engaged Michael to take his own spiritual journey to find deeper nourishment, deeper encouragement, and deeper hope in a book that follows, through the ups and downs of one honest questioner's year of spiritual practice. There are simply so many amazing things that my poor copy of this book is more dog-eared than not. From outstanding quotes that open each chapter to the insights Michael discovered in so many profound ways, causes the reader to stop and pause at their own life, and realize how much we are truly missing. From learning to appreciate a great meal simply by fasting for 24 hours gives you a greater sense of the food you are eating. A good meal is never more appreciated than when you have gone without food for a few days. How too often we simply give up appreciating the abundance of food and flavors we have available to us simply by walking into a grocery store.

How when challenged to learn how to reclaim items that too often we simply discard not because we can't use them any longer but because we don't want them anymore. "We humans throw away such an astonishing amount of stuff every year, especially in the developed world. Resources are scarce, clean air and water and land are precious, and perhaps one of the ways of protecting what remains includes reclaiming what we might throw away, like lumber scraps, clothing or furniture. If we truly don't want them, and they are perfectly good, why not consider donating them instead? Michael actually spent time dumpster diving to see just what we so often throw away that still has value left in it.

How learning what is really important instead of the stronger overtaking the weaker, building something bigger, better and bolder, when you consider what is the point of it all anyway? "Is everything we build just destined to become rubble in another's ambition? For all the power and wealth here, for all the cultural influence and clout these culture-makers possess with their red carpets and private jets, they will all - we will all - one day be six feet under." (pg 111). He gains an insight into his own mortality digging a grave by hand. "The fact that I'm going to be down there someday. That we're all going to be down there someday. And the whole world will just keep on going about its business above us, like we were never even here."(pg 114).

He uncovers how God views us all not as a harsh judge looking for the moment to wipe us off the planet but in discovering through a close friend who is dying of cancer, how God views sin in our life like as a father views cancer taking the life of his daughter. The father hates cancer with an absolute, burning passion. So sin is like cancer, eating us alive, diminishing what we're made to be. It's a cancer of the mind, a cancer of the heart, a cancer of the soul. And it has spread out like a tumor throughout our whole selves. And, like the Bible says, "the wages of sin," are like the effects of untreated cancer, "is death." "And God like the father of the child with cancer, hates sin, hates the cancer that is eating us alive. He loves us and so he hates whatever it is that is killing us. He doesn't hate us, though, He loves us. He loves us and hates cancer, hates cancer because He loves us. God desires for us to live, to flourish, to thrive. That is why He made us. That is why God keeps us in existence from moment to moment." (pg 131).

I received The Sacred Year by Michael Yankoski compliments of Thomas Nelson Publishers and Litfuse Publicity for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions expressed here are strictly my own unless otherwise notated. There is simply so much to be gleaned from Michael's book and in his own year long search for something more than simply making it through this life doing the best we can with what God has given us. For those of you looking for a little bit more insight as the world grows at an exponential rate leaving us as debris in its wake, you just might uncover a true diamond in the rough tucked between the covers of this book.. I easily give this one a 4.5 out of 5 stars and can't wait to begin my own journey!

For more information about The Sacred Year, Michael Yankoski, or where you can pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

The Sacred Year by Michael Yankoski

You can also find Michael Yankoski on Facebook to stay up to date with all his latest books.

To read more reviews on The Sacred Year, please visit Litfuse Publicity's book tour page.


God is at work everywhere. And every-when. We only need to open our eyes and take the time to notice.

Michael Yankoski became jaded and disillusioned with his life as a Christian motivational speaker, feeling as though he was another act in the “Christian Carnival.” Religion started to become a façade instead of a deep, nourished, lived experience of faith. He knew he needed to stop talking about his faith and begin living and practicing it. In a sort of desperation, Michael dedicated the next year to engaging various spiritual practices, and The Sacred Year is a firsthand account of the downs and ups, the failures and successes of an honest search for answers to the human yearning for life, love, and God. It’s time to stop talking about your faith and begin living and experiencing it.

Join Michael and #EmbraceTheSacred—seek out God at work in the mundane and attend to what God is doing in your life. Share those moments on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram and make sure to use the tag #EmbraceTheSacred.

As a thank-you for ordering The Sacred Year, Michael is giving away a free ebook! Email your proof of purchase of The Sacred Year to TheSacredYear@gmail.com, and you will receive A Straightforward Guide to Three Essential Spiritual Practices ebook for FREE! Learn more here.

 

You Can Begin Again

Too often in life, we wait til the end, to reflect back on all the chances we had to do things differently. Then we wonder why we are suddenly filled with regret for the choices we didn't act upon or roads we didn't take. Too often we fail to follow through with choices because we are being held back by the beliefs it's simply too late and we accept the hand in life we are dealt, instead of taking a step of faith and choosing something different. An opportunity to begin again before it's too late.

Best selling author Joyce Meyers invites us all to simply begin again in her latest book You Can Begin Again. Using real life examples of people who have faced challenges that would cause most of us to dig a hole and crawl into, these people chose to begin their lives again with the challenges they each faced. To a man who believed he want to learn to play the piano and did all he could to learn to play his best, who ultimately freezes when he faces his first competition; to a young model who had everything in life going her way, walks unexpectedly into the propeller of an airplane and leaves her with facing a life unlike any she ever had expected if she lived; to a sculpture who was given a gift through a dream that would forever change what he would do with his life after facing a life with no future in it.

Joyce couples each of these with biblical examples of people who too, have had to face insurmountable odds stacked against them. How using stories like Jonah and Job we can see that when choosing to follow what God has in store often times leads to blessings beyond our wildest dreams but more importantly how we can chose every day to take one simple action that will lead us in a path for a brighter future instead of falling down and staying down. There is simply too many examples to share with you but know that my copy of her book is filled with passages that I have highlighted to help me when I find myself overwhelmed by the circumstances life hands me unexpectedly.

We can learn that despite how we feel we can chose to live a life we dream instead of simply waiting to the end of our lives and wishing we had taken the opportunity to do it sooner rather than not at all. There is simply something in this book for everyone to gain some insight into what you are facing. Do you find yourself struggling with weight loss, finding a job, struggling with loss, health issues, perhaps just finding a reason to get out of bed each morning? Or perhaps you know someone who could use a bit of a motivational push in the right direction? Then pick up this book today and realize that it's simply never too late to begin again!

I received You Can Begin Again by Joyce Meyers compliments of Faith Words, a division of Hachette Book Groups for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions expressed here are strictly my own. I have loved listening to Joyce's messages for years now and reading her motivational and truly life changing books because she gives it too you straight and doesn't sugar coat anything. She encourages you to leave your pity party of one and take a different path, to live your dream and make it a reality. To rise above the difficulty of life and embrace the blessings God has in store for you. You just never know, the life that you have always wanted, stands right in front of you, if you are willing to simply take a step in the right direction! I easily give this one a 5 out of 5 stars!

For more information about You Can Begin Again, Joyce Meyers or where you can pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

You Can Begin Again by Joyce Meyers

You can also find Joyce Meyers on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest books and her ministry.

To read more reviews on You Can Begin Again, please visit Faith Word's website. 

Eat Like Jesus - Giveaway and Review

"Christians of all denominations have shared a common belief for centuries. For nearly two thousand years, they have placed their faith - and their eternal destiny - in Jesus' redemptive work. Rather than depending on their own imperfect effort for their eternal salvation, they rely on Jesus' perfect life. Because of this, Christians will zealously attest to Jesus' flawless compliance with all of Moses' law, accepting it as a prerequisite for their salvation.

Given Moses' mandates, it follows that Jesus' righteous status was indeed contingent on what he ate; in other words, Jesus would not have lived a perfect life if he ate things that God forbade through Moses. The Christian redemption mechanism collapses if Jesus did not keep all of Moses' law, for Christian theology insists that an imperfect sacrifice would fail to meet the Father's expectations. Therefore, Jesus was bound by the entire law or 'Torah' of Moses - including the 'kosher' food laws of Leviticus; Jesus couldn't eat roadkill, blood, or animals slaughtered by strangulation, nor could he eat things like shrimp, lobster, scallops or swine. Had Jesus eaten such 'foods,' he would have violated Moses' law, disqualifying himself and incurring guilt and sin. Jesus' failure to comply with Moses' food laws would disintegrate the basis for Christian claims or messianic perfection; it would negate his pedigree and render his crucifixion meaningless. For Jesus to be perfect in deed, he had to be perfect in feed." (excerpt Preface).

When you look at all the crazy fad diets on the market today, it's hard for anyone to gain a clear perspective on just what works. It seems like there is literally something for everyone and everyone has had different results. What I have discovered is that there is not one perfect thing that seems to work. When you look at how food ingredients have changed in addition to the chemicals used to treat our agricultural crops you often wonder if there isn't a link to our failing health and increases in diseases through the types of foods we eat.

Looking back to the Bible for answers for Christian is a way of life. I've often wondered if the key to healthier living isn't to be found along the lines of what Jesus ate during his time on Earth. Does this simple answer hold to key to everything that ails us including the rise of cancer types among people and the increase in obesity and diabetes in young people?

In the book Eat Like Jesus by Andrew L. Hoy, he takes an in-depth look at providing the answers to such questions like Did Jesus really declare all foods to be clean? Did God call Daniel to be a vegetarian? Did God expect Adam and Eve to eat only vegetables? Did Peter "get up, kill and eat" unclean animals after his vision? He researches those answers in the Bible and offers us a look at how what we eat is going against what the New Testament teaches that we can eat anything.

I received Eat Like Jesus compliments of West Bow Press and Andrew L. Hoy for my honest review and found myself definitely intrigued by not only my own personal thoughts on the issue of eating from the biblical principles to what I discovered through Andrew's research into the deeper meaning of the scriptures. I did not receive any monetary compensation for my honest review and the opinions expressed are strictly my own unless otherwise stated. I think everyone will truly gain some greater knowledge through this book and it is my hopes that you will find something that will lead to a healthier lifestyle. I personally rate this one a 4 out of 5 stars.

For more information on Eat Like Jesus, Andrew L. Hoy, or where you can pick this book today, please click on the links below:

Eat Like Jesus by Andrew L. Hoy

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

Now for the best part, thanks to the generosity of Andrew L. Hoy, he is providing a giveaway copy to one lucky follower of my blog Reviews From The Heart. Here are your guidelines to enter:

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

2.  "Like" Andrew L. Hoy's Facebook page.

3. Be a resident of the US or have a US shipping address. Please No P.O. Boxes.

4. Leave a comment below telling me why you'd love to win a copy of Eat Like Jesus, along with your email address. You can use the words (at) and (dot) instead of the symbols.

The giveaway will end on January 31st and I will notify the winner by email at that time. Don't forget to include your email with your comment or I can't notify you if you're the lucky winner.

Fight Your Way to a Better Marriage

For those of us that have been married for any length of time, we are bound to come to an impasse of sorts. Call it a disagreement, a conflict, an argument or even a fight, but they are bound to happen. No one can simply agree on everything all the time. Even those in personal relationships can nod their heads yes, that this is simply a part of a relationship. However in marriage those issues are likely about, money, sex, in-laws, and kids. But what if instead they could simply be about trust, respect, intimacy and understanding? Is it possible that conflict in a marriage could be a good thing? I think the answer is YES!!! I personally believe that unless you have conflict, you can't grow.

In the book, Fight Your Way to a Better Marriage, Dr. Greg Smalley, author and Executive Director of Marriage at Focus on The Family, takes a deep look into how these conflicts within our marriages can lead us to deeper intimacy in our relationships. He takes readers into his own struggles in his marriage and shows us how some of those fights didn't produce the desired results and how he has subsequently learned from them in an effort to show us how we can grow from our own situations. The book illustrates the following areas I am sure you can relate to:

Breaking old ineffective patterns

Ways to guard against being too comfortable or too complacent, which breeds mediocrity and boredom.

Reduction of tension as emotions are vented and stress is released.

Higher levels of marital satisfaction every time you manage conflict well.

Dr. Greg Smalley show cases just how we are programmed to react when someone or something pushes our buttons and how we can change how we have always reacted to those times. Maybe it's one of these situations:

The drive-through line is too long at your favorite coffee place or fast-food restaurant.

You wake up to dirty dishes in the sink (One of mine).

Your favorite TV show or game didn't record.

There's a long wait at the doctor's office.

Someone cuts in line.

Your child tracks mud or spills something on your clean floor.

A driver tailgates.

Feeling a little stressed? Perhaps you can even add a few items to this list. Dr. Greg Smalley shows us how we can often times store that up and unfortunately release this irritants on our spouse when they had no control over them, what I like to refer to as a silent, ticking time bomb, just waiting for the right light to our fuse. The best part about this book is we can change how we react to things and work towards making things better in our relationships. The road is never easy but the results are well worth it in the end.

I received Fight Your Way to a Better Marriage compliments of Howard Books, a division of Simon and Schuster Publishers for my honest review. I am always looking for ways to improve and make my own personal marriage better and some of the ideas, Dr. Smalley shares is bound to hit home for some of you. You begin to see ways to improve things on your own end, instead of simply handing the book to your spouse telling them they desperately need to read this. We all need to be personally responsible for dealing with our own issues in marriage and working together I think, we can all grow and have the marriage we have always imagined if were are willing to try. I rate this one a 4 out of 5 stars.

For more information on Fight Your Way to a Better Marriage, Dr. Greg Smalley, or where to pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the link below:

Fight Your Way to a Better Marriage by Dr. Greg Smalley

You can also visit Dr. Greg Smalley's website by clicking here. 

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Howard Books (November 6, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1416544836
• ISBN-13: 978-1416544838
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 0.9 inches

Change Your Words, Change Your Life

I know you've heard the saying before, "you are what you say!" Yet how often do we take the time really to consider just what we are saying most of the time. It reminds me of another saying when dealing with others, I used to hear from my mom, "If you can't say anything nice, don't say it at all!" How true those sayings really are.

Just the other day a great friend of mine got some incredible news that would mean the world to her family that was facing huge financial difficulties as well as some health issues for her husband. When God came through for them in a very powerful way, I was the first person she called. I was super excited for her because I knew what a burden had been lifted off their shoulders. Then she told me something interesting. She said she was also having doubts that perhaps the reason these things were happening was because the health issue facing her husband was going to turn out well and that's God's way of preparing her for the worst. How funny the enemy is when in the midst of God's glory he is still trying to plant seeds of doubt when we should be celebrating the joys. I reminded her to simply trust God and take it one day at a time. I also reminded her that the words that we speak because the water for the seeds we plant in ourselves. So what you want to grow will become the words you speak, we in fact are watering those seeds of doubt instead of the seeds of joy in this particular situation.

These are just a handful of the insights you will glean from Joyce Meyer's new book, Change Your Words, Change Your Life. There is actually an entire chapter devoted to just what my friend was encountering and so the advice and words of wisdom I shared with her, really hit home. It changed her perspective and really made her think about what she was saying. Joyce reminds you that what you think becomes what we often say. Instead of speaking those negative thoughts which we know don't come from God, we are breathing life into the lies the enemy is planting. This book will really help change your life. It always begins in our minds, our thoughts which eventually become our words, so which seeds will you begin planting today? What kind of fruit are you looking to harvest for God's kingdom and glory?

I received Change Your Words, Change Your Life by Joyce Meyer, compliments of Faith Words, a division of Hachette Book Groups for my honest review. There is so much to help you on the path that will literally change your life in this wonderful hardcover book. Some of the chapters deal with "How to Be Happy," "When to Talk and When Not to Talk," "Speaking Faith and Not Fear," "Do you Really Have to Give Your Opinion?" The Corrosion of Complaints," and so much much more. We all know how hard it is sometimes to hold our tongue when someone offends us or we get upset in fact the Bible is clear we are instructed to do just that. With this book as your guide, and Joyce's straight to the point message, you are bound to find improvement with reading this and applying it to your daily life. I rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars and will be referring to this one A LOT!!!

For more information on Change Your Words, Change Your Life, Joyce Meyer or where to pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

Change Your Words, Change Your Life by Joyce Meyer

You can find Joyce Meyer on Facebook by clicking here or through her website by clicking here. 

The Power of A Positive Mom

As moms the hardest thing for us to do sometimes besides finding time for ourselves if often times finding time to get our spiritual breakfast, lunch or dinner in for the day with God. I think it's critical to help us manage our day and help us deal with all the things unique to being a mom and being a success.

I've had the wonderful opportunity to review a great new devotional, The Power of A Positive Mom by Karol Ladd. I know I could use some help because as a busy mom, I find the some days I am less than a positive influence in the lives of those around me and even in my own. In this wonderful book are devotionals broken down into 52 weeks beginning each on a Monday. Of course, you could always chose to start them on any day, but its designed to give you a head start on the week ahead. What we often fail to realize is that the Bible is the perfect self-help book for everything moms and wives have to deal with. It offers insight and wisdom with powerful tools for living a full, contented, positive life as a mom whether your kids are in diapers or in high school.

By starting of each week with a motivational message designed for moms that comes straight from the Word of God, Karol's hope is that you'll find the encouragement, help, and spiritual fuel you'll need for the week ahead. Most moms want to be ones that create a positive environment of love, encouragement, and care in our homes, but we can't do it alone. This devotional offers a unique journey through the Bible that will help us tap into that power. Starting in Genesis and moving through passages in almost every book of the Bible all the way into Revelation, we will get a taste of them as we walk our way through God's Word.

Each week is broken into a Key Scripture to focus on that week, a motivational quote designed to get you in the right frame of mind, a Mom's Reflection; designed to help you apply the key scripture to your role as a mom that week, a place to record your thoughts with a great thought-provoking question, and a prayer for that week. There are also some choices to consider as you work through your study that week and further reading you can do.

I received The Power of A Positive Mom by Karol Ladd compliments of Howard Books, a division of Simon and Schuster for my honest review and could really see a difference in using this devotional in my own life. I keep it with me while I am doing things around the house, as a guide to direct me back to my key scripture when I find myself coming up short. It's almost like a reminder from God on spending 52 weeks of my life on becoming not only a better mom, but growing closer to the mom God wants me to be.

I highly recommend this book and rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars! It's a great starting point for new moms just beginning their spiritual walk in helping them get a simply Bible Study going for themselves or perhaps a mom's Bible Study with a small group in church! This makes an excellent resource for busy moms everywhere. For more information on this book, the author and where you can pick up a copy today, please click on the links below:

The Power of A Positive Mom by Karol Ladd

You can find Karol on Facebook by clicking here.

Saying It Well

Public speaking is considered to be most people's biggest fears. Have you ever considered if there might be a simple way to get over the fear? I know I used to fear public speaking and even now know that perhaps I could easily improve on what I am talking about in order to make me a more efficient and well-liked public speaker.

In the novel, Saying It Well by Charles Swindoll, he walks you through how he has become a confident, successful and capable communicator through his step-by-step process. By using these tools found within the cover of this book, you can:

1. Make a strong first impression.
2. Position yourself as an expert in your field.
3. Speak with confidence.
4. Motivate people to action.

And even more than this, you'll also learn, and apply, three vital insights that will make a world of difference when you stand and speak with others:

1. Know who you are.
2. Accept who you are.
3. Be who you are.

Whether you are giving a speech, making a presentation, conducting a meeting, or simply talking one-on-one, these tried and true communication techniques are guaranteed to help you organize your thoughts and deliver your message - with confidence, style and great success.

I received Saying It Well by Charles R. Swindoll compliments of Faith Words, a division of Hachette Book Groups for my honest opinion and being a huge fan of the down home manner of Charles Swindoll's messages, I just knew I would benefit from the reading of this book. Charles uses his own experiences as a service man in the Marine Corps and feeling the calling of ministry on his life, to show how these principles has led him to become not only a successful pastor but also a businessman and well-respected author in his field. His easy going manner comes across eloquently in this book and shows how this can benefit anyone in their life.

He also shows that this is not something that happens overnight, but as we begin to apply the methods in the book we become more comfortable in what we need to do, the best and first step in this is preparation. When we are not prepared, no matter what we are asked, we will fumble or fail in our delivery of what we wanted to accomplish. Now after reading this book, I know what steps I can use to help me be better prepared to delivery what I would hope would be an unforgettable message when I need to speak in public. I rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars.

For more information on this book, the author and where to pick up a copy of this book, please click on the links below:

Saying It Well by Charles R. Swindoll

Triple Dog Dare: One Year Dynamic Devotions for Boys

Boys want action. They don’t want to sit around and talk—that’s for grown-ups and girls. They engage life and relationships by doing something: skateboarding, playing games or re-creating favorite movie scenes. So why should faith be any different? That’s why Jeremy V. Jones created Triple Dog Dare: One Year of Dynamic Devotions for Boys—to provide the action boys need in order to grow their faith.

The Bible is full of action. Remember how David slew Goliath, Daniel faced those lions, Paul survived a shipwreck and Jesus stood up for a woman about to be killed? God made boys to take His truth and do something with it, to man up and change the world. These action-packed devotions for boys ages 9 to 12 are filled with godly truth and bold spiritual challenges that transform time with God into the adventure of the day.

Triple Dog Dare connects God’s Word to boys’ hearts and hands with real-life scenarios and activities. Each day is filled with short Scriptures, concise biblical truth and a daily dare, all challenging them to put their faith into practice. Scripture readings from every book of the Bible open up the action-packed Word of God. Whether it’s drawing comic strips of biblical battles, dreaming up a life list of goals, making snack packs for the homeless or producing Bible-based movies, boys will go on daily dynamic experiences with God, taking faith off the page and setting it into motion.

Themes cover the daily realities of pre-teen males, including bullying, peer pressure, girls, sibling rivalry, honesty and more.These exciting devotions will inspire boys’ hearts toward godly characteristics such as integrity, generosity and kindness. Parents will appreciate watching Christ-like traits emerge as each dare is undertaken. It is a manual that will deepen boys’ friendships with Jesus as they look forward to spending time with Him every day. So if you know a boy who is up for the challenge, triple dog dare him!

About the Author:

Jeremy V. Jones is an award-winning journalist who has served as senior associate editor of Breakaway magazine. He has authored several books, including Toward the Goal: The Kaka Story and The Keeper: The Tim Hoard Story. He also writes for magazines such as Clubhouse and Christianity Today. He resides with his wife and two children in Colorado.



My Review:

Even though I don't have any boys, I found this devotional geared for boys to be just as challenging for my girls. At times my girls have more interests in what boys are doing than in dolls, beauty, clothes and shopping any day of the week, so I wanted to explore this with them to see what differences there are.

Contained within this devotional are a continual use typeset, meaning that it doesn't correspond to specific dates but days of the week instead so you can jump right in at any time. You don't have to wait for the beginning of the year to start. Every weekday you get...

• One Bible verse or passage

• some short thoughts about a real-life situation or connection to God.

• three Triple Dog Dares - ideas to put the theme into action.(example: Who really bugs you? Do a kind deed toward them.)
  

• two Mission Accomplished questions so you can write down your results from yesterday's dares.

Each weekend you get something a little different: Make Triple Dog Tracks sections give ideas to make something cool, like a movie, comic strip, life list, or Noah's Ark out of Legos' From The Triple Dog Pound sections deliver short stories about guys in the Bible who accomplished God's Triple Dog Dares - plus ideas of how you can do the same.

There is even sections in the book for them to reflect or doodle on areas they want to work on, which is a great tool, to use at the end of the year to see how far they have worked on their goals during the years.

I received Triple Dog Dare: One Year of Dynamic Devotions for Boys by Jeremy V. Jones compliments of B & B Media Group for my honest review and can see how this would benefit growing young men who are faced with unique challenges that girls are not from peer pressure to bullying. This is a MUST read for anyone dealing with preteen and teenage boys and rate this a 5 out of 5 stars!

For more information on this book, the author or where to purchase a copy of this, please click on the links below:

Triple Dog Dare: One Year Dynamic Devotions for Boys by Jeremy V. Jones

It's Your Kid, Not A Gerbil - Giveaway and Review

Finally a great parenting book that is relevant to this generation of both parents and kids that make sense from a Christian perspective. Both my husband and I enjoyed reading chapters of this to one another considering some new alternatives to problems that impact our family's.

Do activities rule your family? Do you have a superkid - or a super-stressed kid? Does your busyness keep you from leaving the indelible imprint you long to have on your child's life? Does next week's schedule leave you exhausted at the mere thought of it?

Most kids today can text faster than a woodpecker with ADHD. But do they have the relational skills that will bring them ultimate satisfaction and fulfillment? In It's Your Kid, Not A Gerbil, internationally known family expert and father of five Dr. Kevin Leman reveals the secrets to:

• battling the 'busy hands are happy hands' myth

• choosing activities wisely

• creating an atmosphere you kids will love to come home to

• capturing your child's heart...for a lifetime

Isn't it time to trade in the stress-filled SUV miles for peace-filled hours? The result will be happier, more confident and secure children...and a less-stressed you.

If you feel like me and at times feel like you've reached the end of your rope in how to deal with your kids, from school issues, homework, friends, social issues, technology challenges, and even how to balance it all from work to family time, then trust me, this IS the book for you. The best part is you can just dive right on in. Pick something that is relevant for you and your situation and see what the options are.

We loved the chapter dedicated to balancing work and family and it really hit home for us. The best part is defining what everything is worth considering the cost. To us, since the time with the kids are so limited, we have vowed to do everything we can to show them how important they are to us and even in looking back, we can see our kids greatest memories are the ones that showed we took time out for them, not how much money we spent. That is priceless.

I received this book compliments of Tyndale House Publishers for my honest review and I can't wait to share this book with you. Highly recommended at 5 out of 5 stars and a must for any family to cope with the parenting techniques this generation needs to keep our kids happy, balanced and respected among their peers. Ready to get off the wheel?

For more information on this book, the author, and where to purchase a copy of this, please click on the links below:

It's Your Kid, Not A Gerbil by Dr. Kevin Leman

Thanks to the generous folks at Tyndale House publishers, they have provided me with a giveaway certificate for one lucky reader of this 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. Be a resident of the US or have a US shipping address. Please No P.O. Boxes!!

3. I need a way to contact you so please be sure to include your email address along with your comment telling me why you need this book! You can use the words (at) and (dot) instead of the symbols.

The giveaway will end on October 10th, and I will notify the winner by email at that time.

Living Beyond Your Feelings

A constant struggle of mine is controlling my feelings. You know, the times when you wish you could just get away from all that life throws at you? We have on average about 70,000 thoughts every day, each one triggering a different emotion. No wonder why it’s such a struggle! I feel like I am, the majority of the time, controlled by my emotions and I wasn’t sure what to do with all the negativity I felt was surrounding me. In Joyce Meyer’s “Living Beyond Your Feelings” I found solace in her empowering words of encouragement and faith.

Joyce examines the majority of human feelings and discusses the way the brain processes and stores memories and thoughts. In great detail, she explains how we can easily manage our reactions to those feelings, and in doing so, teaches her readers how to efficiently manage the gamut of feelings that wreak havoc on our lives.

I recommend this book to people of all ages, from preteens to the elderly. Joyce’s advice pulled me out of my pit of despair and has forever altered the way I view the world, how I handle my emotions, how I regulate my thoughts and feelings, and how I am in social environments. "It gave me the tools to set the ball in motion for my life outside of high school, helped me to make proactive choices and helped me regain control of my life." from my 18-year-old daughter who read the book before I got a chance to read it first. It made that much of an impact for her.

I received this book Living Beyond Your Feelings by Joyce Meyer, compliments of Faith Words, a division of Hachette Book Group for my honest review and would rate this book a 5 out of 5 stars! A MUST READ! For more information about this book, the author, and where to purchase a copy, you are welcome to click and follow the links I have provide below:

Living Beyond Your Feelings by Joyce Meyer

You can also find Joyce on Facebook by clicking here or on her website.

What Is He Thinking? - Giveaway and Review

In her book, What Is He Thinking?? Rebecca St. James touches on a particular subject all of us women are curious about: what are guys thinking about?! Especially in the context of what they think and how they feel about dating, love, and women all together. With honesty and genuine curiosity, Rebecca describes her interviews with single, and married males from all walks of life, and also tells her readers about her personal experiences in the world of dating. Rebecca also touches on true stories-of young Christian women who are sold out on God, and who are willing to take on whatever He calls them to do with their lives, especially in the dating scene.

Rebecca covers a wide variety of topics in her book, offering insight into so many questions we as women have, but are not always able to find the answers to. “How important is physical attraction to a man, when they are looking for a woman to be with?”, “What are guys looking for in regards to spirituality and a relationship with the Lord?”. Rebecca answers these questions and more through her interviews with these men, and continues to list other questions single women have.

This book not only contains answers to the questions we have about the world of men, but it also includes some fun date night ideas as well as advice on how to let a guy know you are interested. It teaches you to be confident in yourself and in your relationship with God, because that is the most important relationship you’ll ever be in. Talk about a guy being committed to you! To love and cherish you! To let no good deed of yours go unseen, and to know every thought, feeling, word, action....now that’s what I’m talking about! Once you have established an unbreakable and confident relationship with the Lord, things will tend to fall into place, including your relationships with other men according to his will.

This book was helpful in reminding me about some of the biblical truths behind dating and marriage, and I am truly excited to apply these principles into my own dating life! I received this book, compliments of Propeller and Rebecca St. James for my honest review and would rate this book a 4 out of 5 stars; this being that though the content was priceless, it took a while to get the point across and was at times monotonous. For more information about this book, the writer, and where to purchase a copy, you are welcome to click on the links I have provided below:

What is He Thinking? By Rebecca St James

You can also follow Rebecca St. James on Facebook by clicking here.
If you want to read an excerpt from this book, click here.
You can find Rebecca on YouTube and Twitter as well.

Thank to the generous folks at Propeller, they are offering a copy of this book to one lucky reader of this blog, Reviews From The Heart. Here are your guidelines to enter:

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

2. Be a resident of the US or have a US shipping address. Please No P.O. Boxes!

3. I need a way to contact you if you're the winner so PLEASE make sure to include your email address. If I can't contact you, I will have to select another winner. So don't miss out. You can use the words (at) or (dot) instead of the symbols. Just don't forget to include it.

4. Leave me a comment and let me know why you would like to win a copy of this book. The giveaway will end on October 7th and I will be emailing the winner at that time.

The Neutering of the American Male - Giveaway and Review

Too often we fail to see the circumstances of our actions until it's too late. We get to the end and wonder just how we arrived in this turbulent time.

The world has been constantly changing and never before so exponentially than in our latest technological age. For hundreds of years, roles between a male and woman remained unchanged. Men were the hunters, providers and farmers, while women cared for the house, food and children. Just looking at the Amish community today shows just how far we have come.

Introduction to change began when World War 2 arrived and men were told to enlist for war. Women were called upon to take the place of the men and join the working force while still picking up the pieces at home while waiting for their men to arrive home. This was the first time most women began to work outside the home, yet they were needed to do this to ensure that the US would continue in the war efforts and succeed.

When men returned home, they returned to work and women were told to go back home and resume life once more. This time women didn't want to. They were now informed that they could do jobs just as well if not better than their male counterparts. Now the women's rights movement was launched.

Yet in this slowly eroding process the roles have seemingly become reversed and the role of each are called into question. Men begin to wonder just where they fit in as providers and leaders of their households and begin to question their man-hood. Women now see men as no longer needed to provide for their needs and can take care of themselves in the process. They aren't even needed to have children thanks to sperm banks now.



Yet was is happening is devastating if we look at the effects its having on our gender roles, and future generations. Just look at what happens when a father figure is missing from the life of a boy growing up. In the latest book by Jim Wysong, The Neutering of the American Male, he shows us this slow historical process that is having long term effects that should be questioned.

This is not just a book to validate men or women but written to show just how far we have fallen without realizing it. It's both a self help and historical book all in one and I for one, LOVED it! Never before did I see the things Jim mentioned until my husband and I sat down to review this amazing book.

It gave us great insight for conversations as a family, a couple and even for one on one reflection. As Christians, I think this book is more relevant than ever especially when you look at where things are headed with marriage and family values. I want to thank Jim for the opportunity to review this book with his compliments. This book rates 5 out of 5 stars in my opinion and shouldn't be passed up. I also want to let you know that he is offering a giveaway copy to one lucky reader of my blog.

Here are your guidelines:

1. Be a resident of the US.

2. You must be a follower of my blog, Reviews From The Heart.

3. I need a way to contact you if you are the lucky winner, so be sure to include your email address with your comment. You can use the words (at) and (dot) instead of the symbols.

4. Leave me a comment and tell me what you think about the current erosion of gender, marriage and family values.

5. I will select one winner on January 31st and will notify you via email for your mailing address.

For more information on this book, the author and where you can get a copy today, visit Jim's website below:

www.JimWysong. com

Stronger

How would you handle any of these situations:

**A distraught mother watches her teenage son storm out of the house in anger, not knowing what to say or do and wondering when or if she'll see him again?

***A discouraged father of four who lost his job, has been evicted from his home, and is so deeply in debt that he doesn't see a way out?

***The terrified little girl who is sexually molested by her "uncle" when Mom isn't home and is told to keep quiet about it or "else?"

***The lonely wife who thought she was marrying a soul mate and is desperate because she can't get her husband to talk to her?

***The sullen fourth-grader who repeatedly gets teased and bullied by a sixth-grader on the way home from school?

***A worried single mom whose son is being recruited by a neighborhood gang?

***A shocked fifty-year old who has just been diagnosed with terminal cancer?

***The husband who can't forgive himself for an affair?

It's hard enough to put aside the struggles and weaknesses of family, friends, coworkers and neighbors. It's harder still when the hurting man, wife, mother, father, little girl, young man or grandparent is us. So just how do we get through it? What does it really mean when someone is going to pray for you?

In his latest book, Stronger, by Jim Daly of Focus on the Family along with James Lund, he takes you through so many heart-wrenching situations and you are left wondering just how will they get through this with their faith intact, yet so many do just that. This isn't a book showcasing miracle situations, but real-life, eyes looking upward, questioning "Why God?"thoughts and stories and showing it's not just about getting through the situation but what it looks like on the other side. This book shows you how to trade brokenness for unbreakable strength!!!

I found this book so inspiring with so many situations in our lives that leave us wondering just what is going on in our day to day lives. I find with reading this book, you have a direction to begin heading on, along with prayer and the Bible, we can weather the storm, beaten down but not broken. We can make it through anything with God's help. I would highly recommend this to any family as a great resource to get you through a difficult time or even counseling someone who is.

I received this wonderful book compliments of B & B Media and David C Cook for my honest review and am so glad I didn't pass this one up. What a treasure I would have missed in the process. This one hands down rates a 5 out of 5 stars.

For more information on this book, the author or where to pick up a copy of this book, click on the title below:

Stronger by Jim Daly with James Lund

It's No Secret

Do you often wonder if there is a secret decoder ring necessary to understand some of the secrets of the Bible? Much like the parables that Jesus shared during His personal ministry here on Earth with people who often asked Him many questions is there something more that we are missing when reading the Bible or trying to know God more?

In the book, It's No Secret by Rachel Olsen, I found myself drawn to the comparison she makes between the parables Jesus shared and the deeper meaning found within them.

" I have to admit at times that I've felt like one of those people who prompted Jesus to teach in this manner. I'd listen to what the Pastor said on any given Sunday, but forget about it days or weeks later, never integrating it into my life. Occasionally a passionate Bible teacher or a troubling circumstance would motivate me to read the Bible on my own, but often I felt I got nothing out of it. I'd read a few paragraphs, look up, and wonder what I was supposed to be learning. I'd close my Bible and go on with life until the next time someone or something motivated me to try again.

I've always been a good student, so why couldn't I understand more of the Bible? Did God give out secret decoder rings? Had I somehow failed to get one?" (excerpt pg 20).

This sounds so much like me at some many points of my life, so I was super excited to get to the bottom of this profound mystery in my life. In this book, Rachel Olson takes you through uncovering how you can learn more about God and the true person He really wants you to become.

Here's a sample of just some of the things you will learn:

How to overcome challenges and competitive urges that leave you lonely.
Accepting help from others.
Embracing your need for rest.
Discovering God's surprising source of spiritual beauty and strength

I received this book compliments of B & B Media Group and David C Cook for my honest review and found this book to be a wonderful resource in strengthening my personal spiritual walk and gaining intimacy with God. I would rate this book a 5 out of 5 stars and thinks it's a must have in every woman's life. This book includes a Bible Study within that would benefit a women's Bible Study in some of those areas mentioned above.

For more information on this book, the author and where to purchase a copy for yourself, please click on the title below:

It's No Secret