If I Were A Tiger ~ book review

Welcome to the Blog Tour for If I Were a Tiger by Caroline Coleman, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: If I Were a Tiger
Author: Caroline Coleman
Publisher: WaterBrook
Release Date: October 25, 2022
Genre: Christian Children’s Picture Book

A whimsical and playful rhyming picture book about a young boy who imagines himself as a tiger to overcome his fears — only to realize that he can trust in God.

Meet Tim Bone. He has a big imagination, and when it roams wild, he’s afraid of a lot of things. He’s scared of the moon and the wailing typhoon, and he won’t wear his sneakers because he fears hidden creatures. Tim’s nervous at home, at school, and at play!

Fed up with being frightened, Tim comes up with a bold He’s going to become a tiger so he can be fiercer than his fears! There’s just one If he’s a tiger, he can’t be Tim. Could there be a better solution? What if Tim puts his trust in God—who made both boys and tigers—instead?

If I Were a Tiger invites kids of all ages to live in the comforting truth that no one has to carry their fears alone, and offers the reminder that God is only a prayer away.

My Thoughts:

Tim Bone is afraid. Of everything. So he decides to become the fiercest creature he can think of – a tiger. Tigers are brave and strong and can face anything. So, Tim faces life with the strength of a tiger (and a tiger costume to help him out). Whether running toward lightning or prowling through trees, bathing in a lagoon or sleeping in a cave, Tim can do it all. But … he realizes that other things would change. His friends might be scared, his brother wouldn’t want to play, and he couldn’t do the things he loved. It dawns on him that God created him, Tim, just as God wanted him to be. God is right there and so Tim can be even stronger and braver than a tiger. This sweet picture book helps children realize that God creates them just as they should be and it is all right. This is a highly recommend.

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | ChristianBook | Bookshop | BookBub

---

About the Author

Caroline Coleman‘s debut picture book, IF I WERE A TIGER, was recently released by Waterbrook Press, a Christian imprint of Penguin Random House. Her novel, LOVING SOREN (B&H 2005), tells the true story of the woman who loved the Danish Christian philosopher, Soren Kierkegaard. She has an English degree from Princeton University, a fiction MFA from Brooklyn College and law degrees from Columbia Law School and Christ Church, Oxford University. She used to be a lawyer and now teaches English literature as an adjunct to the English department at Hunter College in New York City, where she lives with her family.

Connect with Caroline by visiting carolinecolemanbooks.com to follow her on social media and sign up for blog updates.

---

Tour Giveaway

(2) winners will receive a Stuffed Tiger Nightlight, a print copy of If I Were a Tiger, and a $20.00 Amazon Gift Card!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight June 5, 2023 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on June 12, 2023. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

Enter Giveaway

---

Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

A Love Most Precious~ a book review

Welcome to the Blog Tour for A Love Most Precious by Anita Higman, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About The Book:

Title: A Love Most Precious: 90 Devotions on the Book of Ruth
Author: Anita Higman
Publisher: DaySpring
Release Date: October 9, 2022
Genre: Devotional Book

What does true love look like?

The book of Ruth has all the makings of a great love story: a grief stricken past, a homecoming, the challenge to survive, a poor Cinderella who chooses to serve, and an upstanding man of status who notices her. He fights to save her future. This Old Testament Bible story is about a love story far more immense than that of Ruth and Boaz.

During this 90-day devotional by Anita Higman, you will be inspired by the heartwarming, true story of Ruth containing priceless gems: the power of an eternal love to redeem a bereaved mother, a foreign widow, a reformed prostitute’s son, all God’s people, and yes, even you. God has the power redeem our broken spirits, broken hearts, and broken pasts. Come discover a precious, life-changing love hidden within four illuminating chapters of Scripture that will delight your heart and refresh your soul! It’s also the perfect gift for a friend on any occasion.

PURCHASE LINKS*: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | ChristianBook | DaySpring | Bookshop/IndieBound

My Thoughts:
This is a small, compact book that is easy to hold and carry. The undated pages make it easy to fit into a schedule, whether you are picking it up daily or weekly. There are 90 devotions that seem to work best in order. They follow the book of Ruth verse by verse and idea by idea. There are also a few devotions taken from the book of Proverbs that flows right along with the book of Ruth. Keeping to the order written, you work through the beautiful story of Ruth and God’s plan for the salvation of all mankind. It is comfortable to hold and read and has a lovely little satin ribbon to keep mark of your place in the book. I have found several little gems in the devotions that remind me of God’s plan for my life, especially in the fact that I cannot see as God sees. He knows how things will go and how other’s lives may change because of my life. Those are often important reminders, especially when we feel like our life is challenging and hard to bear. I don’t often enjoy devotional books but have found this one to have enough of digging into the actual text that it is enjoyable and can definitely strengthen my daily thoughts on God and His plan. I think this would make a lovely gift for any woman and am thinking this just might go to my niece for her bridal shower to encourage her to seek God and His plan for her life.

Also Available

---

About the Author

Anita Higman, an award-winning and best-selling author from Texas, has authored or coauthored fifty-plus books, and she has a BA in the combined fields of speech communication, psychology, and art. A few of Anita’s favorite things are fairytale castles, traveling, antiquing, exotic teas, gardening, and laughing with her family and friends.

Connect with Anita by visiting anitahigman.com to follow her on social media.

---

Tour Giveaway

(3) winners will each receive a DaySpring prize bundle which includes a market tote, Bible cover, canvas pouch, and the Spring issue of Everyday Faith magazine!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight May 1, 2023 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on May 8, 2023. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

Enter Giveaway

---

Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

Moms Raising Sons to be Men ~ book review

Welcome to the Takeover + Review Blitz for Moms Raising Sons to Be Men by Rhonda Stoppe, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are my honest opinion and a positive review was not required.

Title: Moms Raising Sons to Be Men

Author: Rhonda Stoppe

Publisher: Harvest House Publishers

Release Date: March 7, 2023

Genre: Religion / Christian Living / Women’s Interests/ Parenting

Bringing up boys isn’t for the faint of heart, but bestselling author Rhonda Stoppe has been there before—and she’s here to help! Drawing on insights from fellow boy-moms and from Scripture, Rhonda reveals why walking with Christ is every mom’s key to parenting well.

You’ll discover how motherhood gives you unique opportunities to grow in faith as you draw nearer to God through prayer, Bible study, and mentorship from godly women. You’ll also find practical advice for shaping your son in character and faith as you encourage his passions, teach him biblical masculinity, and protect his spirit without smothering his individuality.

Your success as a mother doesn’t depend on what your son does with his life, but on how you obey God’s guidance on this mission of motherhood. Moms Raising Sons to Be Men provides the biblical hope, wisdom, and encouragement you need to help your son live a life without regrets!

“You will be encouraged, enlightened, and empowered to become the mom you’ve always wanted to be—and to guide your son into becoming the man God intended.”

—Cindi McMenamin, national speaker and author of When Women Walk Alone

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Christianbook | BookBub

My Thoughts:
Y’all know I only have girls but the idea of this book intrigued me. There are a ton of similarities between girls and boys when you are talking about raising children in a Godly manner. The author shows us her heart by sharing her own personal stories about successes and failures with her children.

What I found as I read through the book is that most of the principles shared for boys correlate perfectly well with girls. Hard work – yep. Intentionality – yep. Focus and instruction – yep and yep. There are so many examples in God’s word of mothers we can learn from and this is something I found interesting. With a focus on the different ages and stages, you will find much to glean from this book.

There are three sections: Life Lessons From Moms of the Bible, Guiding Your Son Toward Godly Manhood, and Even If… Each of these focus areas have a lot to gather from it and examples to dig into. I found the life lessons an enjoyable read with a reminder that God can use it all, from the broken to the pure. The section on guiding your son gave some very practical ways to approach life and training. The even if section looks at how to move through the times of life that we hope we don’t have to ever deal with (child wanders, you’re alone, you’re scared, you don’t know what to say) but it is good to have some sort of a path to look at if you have to navigate them.

As with all things written by man and not God, take the meat and leave the bones. There is stuff that I felt didn’t apply to my situation so I just skipped right on over it because I did find other things that I could really dig into. Additionally, know the Bible first so you can identify the things that are not in line with God’s word. Note those but don’t dwell on them and move on. There can still be things gained from the book.

About the Author

Rhonda Stoppe is a transparent, humorous, and biblically sound speaker and podcast host of: “Old Ladies Know Stuff”. She is the bestselling author of 7 books and a frequent guest on Dr. James Dobson’s Family Talk. Her boy-mom interviews on Focus on the Family were named in their ‘Best of 2021’ episodes. Rhonda has been joyfully married to her pastor-husband, Steve, for 41 years. Their 4 happily married children have blessed them with 15 grandchildren.Connect with Rhonda by visiting NoRegretsWoman.com to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.

Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will receive a $25 Amazon gift card!

(1) additional winner will receive a copy of Real Life Romance!

Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight March 8, 2023 and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on March 15, 2023. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

Enter Giveaway

---

Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

Andrea Bocelli in The Journey – a preview

I don’t share many video previews because I prefer to see videos before I share about them. And many things labeled as Christian have some varying viewpoints on the gospel, so I am careful. This one is different, though I haven’t seen it. I have seen several of Mr. Bocelli’s musical journeys and this one promises to be grand. I am looking forward to seeing it myself.

About The Journey:

Short Synopsis:
Combining world-class musical performances with intimate conversations across the awe-inspiring Italian countryside, THE JOURNEY: A Music Special from Andrea Bocelli is an exploration of moments that define us, songs that inspire us, and relationships that connect us to what matters most in life. 

Join in a sacred pilgrimage of hope, beauty, and song with this special theatrical event opening on Palm Sunday and continuing through Holy Week: April 2, 3, 4 & 6. In addition to Bocelli, you’ll hear Michael W. Smith, Tori Kelly, Tauren Wells, TAYA, and many others in amazing musical performances across majestic locations. Get your tickets at TheJourney.movie.

#TheJourneyTBNMIN

The cinematography looks beautiful and, in what I have seen before, it enhances the Christian message that is being shared. Visit the link above or in the information on the YouTube preview to get more information and to buy your tickets for the April 2, 3, 4, & 6 viewings in theaters.

Blessings,
Lori, At Home.

Building Up Without Giving Up ~ a guest post for Lads to Leaders

I LOVE building with legos. One of the things that I like building the most are houses. Now, what do you have to do first when building a house? Well, the first thing you need to build is the walls, right? Otherwise, when it rains it would just get all over everything! But why are we talking about legos? They don’t have anything to do with the theme “Rise Up And Build”, do they? In fact, they DO. Now you’re probably thinking “How in the world could they?”, so let me tell you. In Nehemiah 2-6, Nehemiah and the rest of the Israelites start rebuilding the wall around Jerusalem after it was destroyed by the Babylonians. That was a lot like building the walls of a house, BUT building the walls of Jerusalem was a whole lot more important and a WHOLE LOT bigger! But building a lego house is easy, right? Building the wall wasn’t so easy. They also faced what we’re going to call the three D’s. Discouragement, distraction, and defiance.

The first D we are going to talk about is discouragement. The definition of discouragement is: the loss of confidence or enthusiasm. In Nehemiah 5:1-12, The people were so discouraged that they were selling themselves and their possessions to their brothers, so when Nehemiah heard of it and tried to stop it, he got discouraged as well. The way that Nehemiah dealt with it in 5:9 was he said: “‘The thing you are doing is not good. Ought you not to walk in the fear of our God to prevent the taunts of the nations, our enemies?’ In verse 11, he says “return to them this very day their fields, their vineyards, their olive orchards, and their houses, and the percentage of money, grain, wine, and oil that you have been exacting from them.” Then they all did just that and returned all that they took. Once the people had done as they had said they would, they were able to continue on with the rebuilding with no fighting amongst themselves.

The next D we are going to talk about is distraction. The definition of distraction is: something that prevents someone from giving their full attention to something; a diversion. When Israel’s enemies Sanballat and Tobiah heard that they were building the wall, they started plotting to fight Israel, distracting them and stopping the rebuilding. Nehemiah 4:15-18 talks about how Israel returned to the wall, but half standing guard and half working with one hand and holding their weapon in their other. That would be pretty distracting don’t you think? To have to divide your attention between two equally important things! And yet they still kept going, and in Nehemiah 6:15 they finished the wall.

The last D we are going to talk about is defiance. The dictionary definition is open resistance or bold disobedience. In Nehemiah there are several examples of defiance. In chapter 4:1, we see Sanballat jeering at the Jews. In 4:8, we see Israel’s enemies plotting to fight against them. In 4:11, we see their enemies saying, “They will not know or see till we come among them and kill them and stop the work.” In Nehemiah 4:14, to counter the defiance, Nehemiah says “don’t be afraid, remember the Lord.” This is such an important thing to remember that it was also said by Joshua, AND made into a bunch of songs! If someone is defying you in the way Sanballat and Tobiah were, it will definitely help to remember that the Lord is always with you, wherever you are.

When I am building with legos, I easily encounter all three Ds, discouragement, distraction, and defiance. I get discouraged when my sisters won’t play with me, or when I can’t find what I’m looking for. I get distracted because I don’t want to sit on the ground forever. I even experience defiance from the tiny, thin lego pieces when they won’t come apart! Nehemiah and the Israelites faced all these things – discouragement, distraction, and defiance – but all in very different ways from me and my legos. But, we can learn from Nehemiah to remember to stay focused, to keep going, and that the Lord is with us. We need to never give up, just like Nehemiah didn’t give up when he decided to rise up and build.

The TEXT Bible (New English Translation) ~ a review and giveaway

Disclosure: Many thanks to Harper Collins Christian Publishing for providing a sample of the product for this review.
Opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation.

“God sent you a message. Do you know how to find it?”

This is printed on the lid of the box the TEXT Bible (NET) arrived it. It was talking about the Bible. We all like to receive messages and the Bible is the best one ever. The TEXT Bible features a study method developed to help Bible students of all ages and maturity levels delve into the message that God has sent. The refreshing Good News is available to all and the editors of the TEXT Bible want you to find it.

TEXT is a mnemonic device that helps gain and retain information. TEXT stands for:

T – Talk to God in prayer.
E – Encounter God and humanity in scripture.
X – eXamine your heart.
T – Talk to God and others.

This Bible engagement technique helps younger students, new believers, and young adults, as well as believers of all levels, find the message of God. To help this message really become part of you, there are several additional helpful study features.

• TEXT the Text: use the four-step TEXT study method— Talk to God; Encounter God and humanity; eXamine your heart; Talk to others—to engage with Scripture
• Big Q of the Text: big life questions with short answers
• “Who is God?”: nearly 100 short devotions on the person and character of God
• Praying the Text: Learn how to start praying God’s Word right back to him!
• Get to Know the Text: brief explanations of people and events found in Scrip-
  ture
• Follow the Thread: navigate the Bible across topics
• Anatomy of the Text: concise descriptions of literary devices and categories
  of Scripture found within the Bible, such as parables and apocalyptic books
• Terms of the Text: brief definitions of important words to help us better un-
  derstand and discuss Scripture

At the back of the book, you will find an appendix. This includes charts such as “Prophecies Fulfilled At The Cross”, “The Flory of the New Covenant”, “Spiritual Gifts”, “Two Types of Wisdom”, and “Praying The Text Index.” There is a hashtag index that is intended to help locate scripture related to particular hashtags that might be used, such as #loneliness or #testing or #wealth. There are reading plan checklists for a couple of different options. There is fairly strong concordance, giving definitions and scripture together for key words and people in scripture. Finally, there are 8 full-color maps.

The TEXT Bible that I received is a hardback, about 6×9 inches, with a paper dustcover. There is a royal blue satin-like, ribbon bookmark and a white satin bookmark; both are sewn into the binding. The pages are fairly thin and are printed with a navy blue ink on white pages. The margins are about 2 inches wide on the left and right and have faint dots for the lines and columns. This makes the margins perfect for notes, drawings, or journaling.

Honestly, I am not much for gimmicky things when it comes to God’s word and I feel like this one pushes that a bit too far. The translation seems to stay accurate, with a solid mix of clear, readable, and accurate. But really, I don’t think we need yet another niche Bible to reach those who want to know. Would I recommend it if asked about it? Absolutely. It is God’s word and for that reason, you won’t go wrong.

Purchase: You can purchase the TEXT Bible through this link. Get 50% off your copy of The NET TEXT Bible if you order before Valentine’s Day!

Giveaway: 1 (one) copy of the TEXT Bible (Hardcover)
Note: This is limited to US winners only. Bible will be sent by publisher.
Visit the link to enter. Winner will be randomly drawn on the morning of January 16, 2023.

Enter the Giveaway! Click Here!

Blessings,
Lori, At Home.

The Lifeway Women’s Bible ~ review and giveaway

Disclosure: Many thanks to Lifeway Christian Resources for providing a sample of the product for this review. Opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation.

The Lifeway Women’s Bible is a CSB (Christian Standard Bible®) translation and study Bible, and it would make a lovely Christmas gift for women of any age. (Hint: You can get 50% off your copy of the CSB Lifeway Women’s Bible today using the code SAVE50LWB!)

There are several features to this Bible to assist with study and diving deeper into God’s word. Also, there are some that placed in this Bible specifically to speak hope and truth into women’s hearts.

• over 100 articles placed alongside corresponding Biblical texts to help in study and to foster deeper reflection on the topics and passages, many focusing on the needs of women
• close to 100 short devotionals placed throughout the Bible
• short Bible genre introductions with an overview and reading plan highlighting key sections in that genre
• book introductions for each of the 66 books of the Bible, including an overview and book-specific timeline
• character profiles of over 40 women in the Bible with study questions for application
• reflections questions to help women engage more deeply with the Bible
• about 100 brief inspirational quotations sprinkled throughout
• over 25 word studies on meaning and significance
• over 30 charts, graphs, and maps
• multiple reading plans, including 90 days, one year, and three year plans
• concordance

This lovely Lifeway Women’s Bible comes in genuine leather, LeatherTouch, or cloth-over-board covers. The marigold LeatherTouch that I received is bright and beautiful. It is a heavier Bible with wide margins for note taking or illustrating. Each page contains a single column with cross-references and text notes at the bottom. The text is a black on white print in a 9.5 point size. There are 2 ribbon markers sewn into the binding, which is a Smyth-sewn, lay-flat binding. All-in-all, this is a lovely Bible that I can’t wait to begin using.

How To Purchase:

Get 50% off the purchase of (1) Lifeway Women’s Bible with code SAVE50LWB
(Only available on Lifeway.com. Limit 1 Bible at 50% off retail price, any Lifeway
Women’s Bible sku. Limit one offer per person. Cannot be stacked with any other
offer. Valid 11/15/22-12/31/22.)

Giveaway:

1 (one) copy of the Lifeway CSB Women’s Bible (Marigold LeatherTouch
Edition) Note: This is limited to US winners only. Winner will be drawn on December 13. Enter through the link below.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/6ac1648a20/?

Good Luck!

Blessings,
Lori, At Home.

CSB Explorer Bible for Kids ~ a review and giveaway

Disclosure: Many thanks to Lifeway Christian Resources for providing a sample of the product for this review. Opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation.

The CSB (Christian Standard Bible) Explorer Bible for Kids helps kids place God’s Word in the middle of God’s World.

About The Explorer Bible for Kids:

The NEW CSB Explorer Bible for Kids is filled with fun facts, timelines, photography, and more. Kids will see the Bible as REAL, EXCITING, and LIFE-CHANGING TRUTH. QR codes even bring engaging videos, discussion questions, and activity pages to life. These help apply the imagery of the Bible to real world experiences. The Bible is available in hardcover and four (4) different leathertouch editions.

The Explorer Bible is intended to help readers engage meaningfully with the word of God through understanding more about the world, both in the past and the present. There are several ways that this particular edition of the Bible is designed to help with this.

• Book Introductions – The one page introductions for each book of the Bible highlights key information for the book. It includes who wrote the text, who it was intended for, the time period of the writing, the time period of the events of the book and what was occurring in the world at that time, why it was written, and how it points toward Jesus the Christ. There is a table of contents with the books listed in the traditional order as well as one listing them alphabetically.
• Excavating the Past – These are images of historical and archaeological discoveries to help understand the world, history, and culture of the Bible. There are 205 of these, noted by olive green boxes throughout the Bible. There is a table of these at the front of the Bible.
• Exploring Creation – There are 115 teal boxes throughout the books that highlight facts and show images connecting modern day objects and things in the world today to God and the Bible.
• Discovering the Truth – There are 237 Discovering the Truth boxes that help understand the essential truths of the Bible and apply them to everyday life. Most are accompanied by a QR code that leads to a video.
• Character Field Guides – These are yellow boxes throughout that highlight important people in the Bible timeline, indicating different facts and insights. There are 79.
• Charting History – There are 15 illustrated timelines that survery key time periods and events. These are also found in yellow boxes.
• Archiving Discoveries – These are highlighted verses throughout the Bible that are key memory verses. These 336 verses are suggestedfor memorization.
• QR Codes – There are QR codes for some videos, mostly related to the Discovering the Truth boxes. There are also other QR codes for things like activity pages that can be downloaded.

At the back of the Bible, you will also find,

• A table of weights and measures
• An explorer glossary
• An index to Bible stories, separated by Old Testament and New Testament
• A topical concordance for kids
• QR Code links by scripture
• 9 maps, and
• A list of art credits

Utilizing full-color and images, this edition of God’s word engages student’s natural curiosity and helps them experience the wonder and truth of God’s word. Looking at real people, real events, and real cultures expands understanding and is just what young people need to know and understand God better. This all helps students hide God’s word in their heart, something that will transform them like nothing else. Learn more at this LINK.

My thoughts:

The CSB translation is one that blends accuracy and readability. It is linguistically accurate, combining the word-for-word translation with the contemporary rendering of a dynamic translation in more difficult passages. It draws from original language texts for the purposes of translation and over 100 scholars, editors, stylists, and proofreaders worked together, committed to biblical inerrancy. This seems to have brought us a translation that is understandable for young readers and new Christians alike, while staying true to older translations that will continue to challenge more mature Christians in their study. I have found this translation to be one I enjoy.

I think the CSB Explorer Bible for Kids is a wonderful combination of complete Bible text and apologetics information that is appropriate for younger students. This may be aimed for young kids, through elementary age, but I can see it being useful through junior high. The videos are definitely aimed at the younger groups but the text information, the book introductions, the character highlights, and the archaeology/culture information can be an impetus to those a little bit older to dig deeper. It is good information and a great start.

I have not seen anything that gives me pause. (I generally find an incorrect plan of salvation in Bibles directed at children but have not.) I would not have a problem with one of our girls having used this Bible when they were younger.

HOW TO PURCHASE:

Get 50% off your CSB Explorer Bible TODAY by using the code EXPLORERGIFT50. Valid
for 50% off retail price for up to 1 copy of the CSB Explorer Bible for Kids. This is
only available at LIFEWAY.COM. VALID THROUGH 12/31/22, CANNOT BE COMBINED
WITH ANY OTHER OFFER, LIMIT 1 COUPON PER PERSON.

GIVEAWAY:

1 (one) copy of the Lifeway Explorer Kids Bible
Note: This is limited to US winners only. Winner will be drawn on December 6 and notified. You must leave your name and address as one of the entry options to be selected as the winner.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/6ac1648a19/?

#ExplorerBibleMIN #ExplorerBibleForKids #MomentumInflu-encerNetwork

Blessings,
Lori, At Home.

The Light Before Christmas ~ a book review

Disclosure: I received a digital review copy of this book from New Growth Press for the purpose of the review. All opinions are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with FTC guidelines.

The Light Before Christmas is a new devotional book for families dedicated to the advent season. Written by author Marty Machowski, it is a devotion focusing on LIGHT. Contrasting light and dark, good and sin, these devotions will help families seek to understand God’s light in the world. It is designed to fit into under 15 minutes a day, three days a week. It is most appropriate for children ages 4-11, though the discussion will allow opportunity for older or younger folks to participate easily.

From the publisher:

This four-week Advent family devotional by best-selling author Marty Machowski combines devotions on the theme of light and darkness with the story of eleven-year-old Mia and her grandmother as they prepare for Christmas. Grandma loves to share her faith, especially at Christmas time, and although she is blind, she can see the light of Jesus shining bright and helps Mia—and children of all ages—to do the same. 

Every year, Mia loves to spend the month of December with Grandma getting ready for Christmas. This year, they read a special devotional, The Light Before Christmas, together. Machowski brings families into their devotional time, sharing the story of Christmas. Through a Bible study of light and darkness, readers will discover how the theme of light weaves its way through the Christmas story and God’s plan of salvation.

The Light Before Christmas contains thirteen devotionals—three for each of the four weeks of Advent and one more for Christmas. Each devotional includes a Scripture for the day, an object lesson, a question to discuss as a family, a song to sing together, and a prayer.

The story of Mia and her grandmother starts each week of the devotional with a short piece of the story, just a few pages. It is followed by 3 devotions on the week’s theme: light, darkness, rescue, and come to the light. There is an object lesson for each devotion, a few verses of scripture to read and consider, a “think about it” section, and reminders to sing the hymn of the week and pray. Before the devotions begin, there are instructions for creating your own advent wreath if you choose to follow this tradition.

There is also a 4 week Sunday School Curriculum that is designed to complement the family devotions during this season. The curriculum includes lessons, songs, crafts, and object lessons to use to communicate the Bible lesson. It can be used as a stand-alone, without the family devotions, as well as the family devotions being used without the Bible class curriculum.

My Thoughts:
I was drawn to these devotions based on the idea of studying light and the light of God. I do not participate in advent, as many do, but the idea of a study of light was appealing. I honestly struggled with the writing of this and the way the devotions were written. The author took on the metaphor of light and ran with that, rather than the meaning of the scriptures. Many of the scriptures were not in context when used and that lessened what could have been a really strong study.

The weekly story between Mia and her grandmother was sweet and I loved the idea explored between being physically blind and spiritually blind. This part of the devotional was good, though very short each week.

I also took a look at the sample of the Bible class curriculum. It is a good curriculum that covers the ideas pretty well. I do wish there was more Bible included rather than the skit-style story telling. I felt it stayed fairly close to the actual Bible and drew in additional events from the Bible to enrich understanding. It seems to set up very clearly all you would need to teach these lessons to preschool and/or elementary ages. I would not personally use it, as it is somewhat out of context, but it would work well for a congregation that is looking to focus on the idea of light vs darkness for a few weeks. I only saw week 1 of the curriculum so I cannot speak to the other parts of the curriculum.

About the Books:

The Light Before Christmas: A Family Advent Devotional
Print ISBN 978-1-64507-292-8
October 10, 2022 / Retail Price: $16.99

The Light Before Christmas: An Advent Sunday School Curriculum
Digital ISBN 978-1-64507-294-2
October 10, 2022 / Retail Price $59.99

By Marty Machowski, Illustrated by Sarah Bland-Halulko

Blessings,
Lori, At Home.

Where Is God In This? ~ a JustRead Tours book review

Where Is God In This? by Landra Young Hughes is a self-help book with roots in Christianity and the Bible.

After quoting John 16:33, Mrs. Hughes starts out with, “I’m not really OK.” This pushes the reader straight into the life of struggle, difficulty, and suffering we each face by putting her own life under the magnifying glass to help us see better. Mrs. Hughes approaches struggles in life through her lens of seeking God and finding the truth in His words and the example of Christ. She has had many struggles of her own, as well as family struggles, that she shares openly and honestly in her chapters. This gives the application of the information she shares some real-life experience.

Mrs. Hughes looks at the adversity, suffering, isolation, surrender, burn out, expectations, hurt, pain, failure, fear, judgment, and cravings that are par for the course for humans. But she doesn’t just say “yes, they are there.” She helps see God’s will and way through them so that arrival on the other side of them is possible. “God does not want you to fail. He wants what is on the other side of that failure.” (chapter 6)

There are many strong, good parts of this book. I found much to be considered in it. The Bible is not a typical translation that I read and thus was difficult for me to follow along with. (Scripture is from the NIrV.) I had my own Bible out alongside of it so that I could read and understand the passages included in something that was not so much like a paraphrase. I found the second half of the book to be much more engaging and helpful than the first half but there was plenty there to consider.

If you are in the “hard” of life right now, you might really resonate with what Mrs. Hughes has included here. I encourage you to check it out.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.