Wednesday, June 5, 2013

31 Days drawing nearer to God review

Ruth includes a lot of verses that are meaningful to her and with each day reveals Scripture that is relevant for that Chapter/Day. She offers up a prayer and space at the end of the book to where we can write what verse sticks out and is meaningful to us that day. I really enjoy this book, and recommend it for those desiring a closer relationship, deeper and more intimate relationship with Him. Disclaimer: I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

Thursday, March 8, 2012

Wow its been a Year- but this is an Urgent Request for a 6yr old Boy


Fatao is six years old.
He lives in Burkina Faso with his mom, dad and siblings in a home made of rocks and mud.
He likes to play soccer and ride bikes.
He wants to be a mechanic when he grows up, just like his older brother.

Also, Fatao needs heart surgery.

When Fatao turned one it was discovered that he was suffering from a heart problem. The option for treatment was not a possibility for Fatao's family.

Fatao's father struggles to provide for his family's every day needs and his mother sells fritters to help support the family. Getting food on the table for their children is already an overwhelming task; there was no hope for providing for their son's medical needs.

In December 2010 Fatao was registered at the local church into our Child Sponsorship Program. At his first medical check-up the doctor recommended that Fatao see a cardiologist.

At the appointment with the cardiologist it was confirmed that Fatao had ventricular septal defect - a hole in his heart.

For this surgery, Fatao needs to travel to India.

The total cost of his surgery, including passport, visa, travel, the surgery itself and follow-up care, is $23,000.

BLOG ASSIGNMENT: HELP FATAO


We need your help. Please spread the word about Fatao's heart surgery on your blog. Tweet about it, Facebook about it...make Fatao known.

For more information on Fatao and his family, as well as his condition, please read our post over on the Compassion Blog. And continue to check the blog for updates on Fatao.

Also, follow us on Twitter as we will also be posting updates there (be sure to look for the hashtag #Fatao).

SEND YOUR LOVE

Sadly, Fatao's parents are not able to travel with him to India for this surgery. This is a heartbreaking situation and we want to make sure that Fatao receives an overflow of encouragement through his journey to healing. Therefore, when someone gives online they will have the opportunity to write a letter of encouragement to Fatao and this letter will be read to him before his surgery.

This is an incredible opportunity for the Church to come together and bless Fatao and his family, not only financially but also with the encouragement that we are asked to pour out everyday through the Holy Spirit.

Please keep Fatao and his family in your prayers as you blog for him!

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

The Real Skinny Book Review

Michelle has a great sense of humor and tells it to you straight up - no sugar-coating it! She not only takes you through some inner healing of the heart, she also gives you her thoughts on different fad diets, exercise and how she feels you should really be living your life - through moderation, combining of different foods and exercise.
Some of the things we war with in life cannot be won by natural means. Their roots go deeper to an invisible place with unseen forces that do their best work through our ignorance. After all other efforts have failed, it's time to look deeper and let God show us the root of the fruit that is showing up in our lives, on our hips, and on our lips. Sometimes we have to get past ourselves to see what's really in the way. The truth hurts, but it's also medicine that can set you free. So don't despise the process. Hang in there, my sister. (pg 83)

This book helped me view my own weight issues in a new and different way. Instead of wallowing in self-pity and doubt, feeling like a failure, this book has lit a fire in me, making me want to lose the extra weight I carry around and keep it off. I am excited to begin my weight loss journey with a new mindset, for the last time. I can see myself incorporating many of the tips provided and making a lasting change in my life

Tyndale House Publishers has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Sun Stand Still Book Review

Product Description
If you're not DARING TO BELIEVE GOD for the impossible,
you may be SLEEPING THROUGH
some of the BEST PARTS of your Christian Life.

"This book is not a Snuggie. The words on these pages will not go down like Ambien. I’m not writing to calm or coddle you. With God’s help, I intend to incite a riot in your mind. Trip your breakers and turn out the lights in your favorite hiding places of insecurity and fear. Then flip the switch back on so that God’s truth can illuminate the divine destiny that may have been lying dormant inside you for years.
In short, I’m out to activate your audacious faith. To inspire you to ask God for the impossible. And in the process, to reconnect you with your God-sized purpose and potential."
—STEVEN FURTICK, from Sun Stand Still


“Steven Furtick challenges all of us—from the missionary in the third world to the family in the suburbs—to believe God for the impossible and begin living a life of faith beyond the ordinary.”
—ANDY STANLEY, senior pastor, North Point Community Church

“I don’t know anyone better positioned to challenge you to rise above mundane living and embrace faith-filled audacity than Steven Furtick.”
—CRAIG GROESCHEL, senior pastor, LifeChurch.tv

“For too long Christians have embraced a miniscule vision of faith.… Steven Furtick reminds us that the God who accomplished the impossible through the great heroes of faith still desires to do the same through us today.”
—JENTEZEN FRANKLIN, senior pastor, Free Chapel

“This book will show you that your hopes and expectations are truly just the beginning of what God can do.”
—ED YOUNG, senior pastor, Fellowship Church

Sun Stand Still is one of the most important books you will ever read. This message will inspire you to believe that God can actually do the impossible in your life, and to chase after the dreams He has placed in your heart. Not only should you read this book, but get it in the hands of the people in your life that need to embrace a bigger vision for what God wants to do through them.

In any case, there were a number of powerful insights I took away from the book.
- The key to being a disciple is being completely available to Jesus: unconditional obedience.
- Whatever you're good at, that's your calling. Wherever and wherever it may lead you, is holy ground.
- Every member of the body of Christ is a link in the life-change process of other people
- Furtick also hates the phrases "just a volunteer" and "full-time Christian ministry"
- The scope and impact of your vision will be determined by who you believe God is.
- "If you're going to pray for God to make the sun stand still, you'd better be ready to march all night!"



i received this book free from Multnomah Books as part of their book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Love Food Book Review

Product DescriptionStruggling with weight issues? Do you love food? Chantel says you can have your cake and eat it, too! Encouraging you to enlist food as an ally, she helps you implement the 80/20 rule---eat healthy for 80% of the time and indulge yourself the other 20%. Her revolutionary diet-and-fitness plan works---Chantel lost 200 pounds!
Go ahead. Get passionate about the food you eat.

You don’t have to hide it. You can love food and lose weight at the same time! The secret, which you’ll learn about in Love Food and Live Well, is to know when to have carrot cake and when it’s time for just a carrot.

For most dieters, food is the daunting factor that trips up our best intentions to lose weight and get fit. Let Chantel Hobbs teach you that food is not the enemy! It’s our attitudes toward it that defeat us. Losing weight does not require being deprived of the foods you love and being forced to eat boring, tasteless meals, and left feeling hungry most of the time. Turn food into your ally by following Chantel’s 80/20 rule: A full 20 percent of the time, splurge on the foods you love and incorporate them into celebrations and social occasions. The remaining 80 percent of the time, choose food on the basis of delivering maximum fuel for your body and ultimate health. Simply by having freedom in what you eat, you can train yourself in self discipline and achieve sustainable weight loss, being free from food anxiety.

Using personal inventories, original recipes, food plans, and new, detailed exercises for strength training and aerobic fitness, Chantel will inspire you to live well in every area of life. What are you waiting for? Start the pursuit of a life lived well and healthy: body, mind, and spirit.

THis was a good read- not the normal diet or quick fix.

Thanks B&B Media for this review copy.

Book Review Jesus in Present Tense

In Jesus in the Present Tense, Dr. Warren W. Wiersbe explores the “I AM” statements of God—from His burning bush conversation with Moses, to His powerful reassurances to the Israelites, to Jesus’s startling claim to be the Light of the World.

Many Christians find themselves mired in past regrets or future fears, but the name of God itself reminds readers that God wants them to live in the present. The more readers understand and apply God’s I AM statements from the Old and New Testaments, the more they will realize God’s peace and joy. Then they will be free to live, serve, and know God more richly in the present tense—which is just where He wants them to be.

Karen Davis with the B&B Media Group, Inc. sent me a copy of Jesus In The Present Tense: The I AM Statements of Christ for the purpose of my review. The book's author is none other than Dr. Warren Wiersbe, an internationally known Bible teacher, author of the popular "BE" series of Bible commentaries and the former pastor of The Moody Church in Chicago.

The "I AM" statements of Jesus found in John's gospel are some of the most poignant examples of Christ's proclamation of His divinity--and understanding them is crucial to our growth in our love for Christ. After initially dealing with the "I AM" statements that are found throughout the Old Testament, beginning with Moses' conversation with the Lord in the book of Exodus, Wiersbe addresses with the seven metaphorical "I AM" statements:

1. I am the bread of life (John 6:35; John 6:48; John 6:51)

2. I am the light of the world (John 8:12; John 9:5)

3. I am the door of the sheep (John 10:7; John 10:9)

4. I am the good shepherd (John 10:11; John 10:14)

5. I am the resurrection and the life (John 11:25)

6. I am the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6)

7. I am the true vine (John 15:1)

He also takes a couple of surprising turns in dealing with what are known as the absolute I AM statement of Christ (found in John 6:20; John 8:24; John 8:28; John 8:58; and John 18:5) and also what he calls the neglected I AM--Psalm 22:6:

"But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by mankind and despised by the people."

Certainly a good read and great way to do a study on I AM.

Book Review: The Truth About Dating, Love, and Just Being Friends

Product Description
Chad Eastham, with his typical wit and wisdom for teens, brings much sought after advice on girls' favorite topics including dating, love, friendship, and other important stuff.

Chad shines some much-needed light on these major issues for teens. Rather than let their feelings navigate them blindly through their tumultuous adolescence, Chad offers clarity, some surprising revelations, and answers to some of their biggest questions: How do I know who to date? When should I start dating? How should I start dating? Is this really love? And, Why do guys I like just want to be friends?

Packed with humor that adds to the sound advice, this book will help teens make better decisions, have healthier relationships, and be more prepared for their futures. Just a few things girls will learn include: Five things you need to know about love; Eight dumb dating things even smart people do; Ten reasons why teens are unhappy; and Ten things happy teens do.

Any teen can live a happier, healthier life: they just need to hear The Truth.

In this book you will learn:
* What should guys never do, what should girls never do, and do you know if someone likes you?
* If you are going to date, what kind of boundaries should you set up at the beginning to ensure a healthy relationship?
* How can you honor God through healthy relationships?
* What does being "just friends" really mean?
* What are the top 5 tips on finding true love?

All in all I think that this book should be on every teen girls book shelf. I don't know that the guys would take the time to read it as it does feel a little like it is geared towards girls but there is a lot of info just for the guys also (Why do girls go the the bathroom in groups or pairs?)


I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255