Jesus – a review and giveaway

12 words.

That’s all you get.

How would you describe Jesus?

Me? I don’t know. I honestly have not read this little book yet so that I can try for the 12 words I would use. Here they are:

1. God-on-earth
2. Redeemer
3. Merciful
4. Teacher
5. Helper
6. Friend
7. Generous
8. Concerned
9. Forgiving
10. Holy
11. Glorious
12. King

Okay. So I’m opening the book now.

Jesus is a beautiful board book that is designed for little hands. At about 6 inches by 5 inches, it is a good size for little hands and with the thick pages, it is sturdy. There are beautiful pictures that will appeal to children. I can see little ones loving this book about their Jesus!

The 12 words chosen for this book take the child through the life of Jesus, from birth to resurrection. 12 choice words encourage the children to see Jesus as one who is important to them and touches on his important qualities.

If your children are anything like mine were as toddlers, this will quickly become a favorite. The bright illustrations will help you introduce and teach your children about the one who is most important: Jesus.

Because the words are simple, it is easy to expand upon the picture and tell a story from the Bible that relates to that picture. This is a great way to bring more Bible to your child.

At Home.

Family Christian is offering one reader a copy of this book. This will be a pretty fast giveaway. I’ll leave this open for 6 days. It will end on November 16, 2015. Click the link below to be taken to the Rafflecopter entry form.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Martin Luther Giveaway

I know some of you have seen the Facebook posts, Twitter statements, or Pinterest pins about When Lightning Struck!: The Story of Martin Luther, a new book by Danika Cooley. I have learned so much from this book and am thrilled to be a part of this Reformation Day giveaway.

October 31 commemorates what has become known as “Reformation Day.” Martin Luther’s nailing of his ninety-five theses to a church door on October 31, 1517 in Wittenburg, Germany, provoked a debate that resulted in what we now call the Protestant Reformation.

As the “Father of the Reformation”, Martin Luther is a vital figure in Church history. His sacrifice and willingness to wage battle against the spiritual, religious, and political powers of his medieval world allowed Christians throughout time to embrace the truth of salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone as explained by Scripture alone.

Author Danika Cooley has written Luther’s story for young people in her new book, When Lightning Struck!: The Story of Martin Luther, available now for pre-ordering at a reduced price.

To celebrate Reformation Day and the release of When Lightning Struck!: The Story of Martin Luther, I’ve joined together with a team of blogger friends to host this unbelievable giveaway, valued at over $500!

One person will win ALL of the following:

$100 Amazon Gift Card

Fire 7-inch Tablet, WiFi 8GB ($49.99)

When Lightning Struck!: The Story of Martin Luther (hardcover $16.99)

From WiseDecor.com, a $50 Gift Certificate

From Nuremberg Tourist Board, a Playmobil Martin Luther figure ($9.99)

From Thinking Kids Press, a curriculum bundle from When Lightning Struck! author, Danika Cooley:

• Cobblestone Path Church History Research Journal: The Reformation Age (digital $20)
• Bible Road Trip Year Three Curriculum and all 3 Notebooking Journals (digital $80)

From Fortress Press, a book bundle by author, Tim Dowley:

1. Christian Music: A Global History  ($35)
2. Introduction to the History of Christianity: Second Edition ($55)
3. The Student Bible Atlas: Revised Edition  ($12.99)
4. Atlas of the European Reformations ($24)

From Home School Adventure Co.:

1. Philosophy Adventure: Pre-Socratics (digital $39.95)
2. Mere Christianity Critical Analysis Journal (digital $18.95)

To enter the giveaway, click the link below to be taken to the Rafflecopter form.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Terms and Conditions: This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only.  Void where prohibited by law. Must be at least 18 years of age. This giveaway is in no away associated with Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Pinterest. No purchase necessary for entry. Odds are determined by the number of entries. Selected winners will have 48 hours to respond to email notification to claim their prizes or another winner will be drawn. Entry into this giveaway will subscribe you to the Thinking Kids Press email list.

 

Please consider pre-ordering this book. I think it will bless your family and definitely enter the giveaway using the Rafflecopter form.

At Home.

Through The Eyes of a Lion – FC review & giveaway

DISCLOSURE: I received a free copy of this book through Family Christian
in return for an honest review. I was not required to write a positive 
review and the opinions expressed here are my own. 
This disclosure is in accordance with FTC regulations.

What if the worst happened? How would you handle it? What would you do? Where would you turn?

I’ll venture to say we don’t know until we are in the situation.

I’ll also venture to say that the better we know our God, the better prepared we are to be able to stand under the pressure of whatever the burden may be and to light the way to God for those we encounter during the struggle.

That is the point of Through The Eyes Of A Lion: Facing Impossible Pain, Finding Incredible Power by Levi Lusko. This is a pep talk from one who has been through the worst and uses it to shine a light on God’s majesty and power. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.

I would love to highlight just a couple of places from the book for you. But, I can’t. Because there weren’t just a couple of places that made me go “Oh, yea! I get that!” or “Wow! What a great way to word that.” Nope. They were all over the place. Everywhere.

Once I started the book, it was difficult to put down. The encouragement and challenge is amazing and wonderful and frightening. A couple of phrases that come up over and over highlight the energy with which we should view out lives.

• You are destined for impact.
• As long as you have breath in your lungs, you have a microphone in your hands.
• There is a wild and wonderful calling on your life.
• Suffering isn’t an obstacle to being used by God. It is an opportunity to be used like never before.

Filled with quotes from God’s word, this encouragement doesn’t stop until you hit the last page. Even when I was reading with tears streaming down my face (yes, there are some terribly sad, sad parts that bring great hope so have a tissue close by when reading), I was able to feel the hope and encouragement that Mr. Lusko wants us to see and feel from God.

A beautiful, encouraging, hope-filled book, this is one you don’t want to miss. In fact, you can win a copy of it by entering through this link: (open to U.S. only)

Rafflecopter

Or you can pick up a copy at your local Family Christian Store or in their online store. This inspirational book is not one you want to miss out on.

At Home.

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America The Beautiful – a book review and giveaway

How do you describe America? Not the land or the topography but the people. The people created the vision of America. They wrote the documents that officially “made America.” They fought the battles, both literal and figurative. The differences, the ability to discuss those differences, the ability afforded in America to “make something of yourself”. People ARE America. So, why then is America having such difficulty and why is there so much fighting amongst Americans and those who love this country?

Dr. Benjamin Carson, a world-renown pediatric neurosurgeon and professor at Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, has written a beautiful manuscript challenging each of us to know more. In reading America the Beautiful I have learned more about America’s past, government, and ideals than I learned in all my schooling years combined. This book is rich with information, ideas, and solutions. Your head will swim with thoughts and your heart will be full of appreciation for the men who dreamed enough to set a worthy vision up for our country.

Only through the careful study of historical documents can we
prevent the distortion of where we came from and who
we are as a nation. p. 50

Dr. Carson address some very challenging issues in his book. But he doesn’t just talk about the issues. He gives us the history of the issues and information to consider. He then does what many people today do not – he gives ideas for solutions to the issues. He presents plans that can make our country stronger for today and into the future. Some of the issues Dr. Carson addresses:

• America’s history
• Who Americans are
• Are we a Judeo-Christian nation or not?
• Capitalism
• Socialism
• Morality
• Education
• Healthcare
• and much, much more.

Our founding fathers set a pretty high standard. I didn’t know just how high until I began reading Dr. Carson’s book. Dr. Carson shares the sources he quotes from and discusses. That list has made my own reading list grow. And grow. I have so many new titles that I want to read now so that I can know for myself what our founding fathers dreamed of. Not just what the textbooks taught.

We must be careful not to allow those who like to rewrite
history to silence the voices of those God-fearing
visionaries who founded America. p 61

I have been deeply impressed with this book. I had a great desire to read it. This is the first of his books that I have read but I have been hearing about Dr. Carson for a while now. He stands for so much of what America is about. Dr. Carson has “pulled himself up by his bootstrings” as we often say in America.

He was brought up by a mother who knew the value of education and working hard. She didn’t let her sons get by with feeling sorry for themselves because of their lot in life. She desired to change their lot in life. She worked hard and in doing so, gave authority to herself in insisting that her sons work hard to change their lots in life. Dr. Carson and his brother took her example and hard work to heart and they did change their social positions. Without taking handouts from the government. That is actually a big deal because they were surrounded by others who did. But she knew what she wanted and her vision grew in her sons. And they reached higher and higher to grasp the bar she set. Then they set their own bars high and worked to grasp them. This is the story of America. They are the example of America. No wonder Dr. Carson desires for our nation to rethink where we came from and where we are going.

My vision has been challenged and I am thankful for that. I encourage you to pick up a copy his book, or any of his other titles, and allow yourself to see the America the Beautiful our founding fathers saw and Dr. Carson brings back to light. At Home.

I am delighted to offer you the opportunity to win a copy of Dr. Benjamin Carson’s America the Beautiful. Family Christian will send one reader a softback copy of this book. Click the link below to be taken to the Rafflecopter form for the giveaway.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Why We Pray – a book review

 

 

Prayer, we tell our children, is talking to God. Simple, isn’t it? So then, why is it such a difficult habit for us, as adults, to begin or continue or stay true to? And why, when someone encourages us to be daily prayers, do we get so uncomfortable? Why do we get discouraged?

Could it be that we have made prayer into something is isn’t? Have we thought about prayer in a way that hinders us, rather than helps us? William Philip brings us along as he explores Why We Pray. Not should we pray. Not what should we pray. Not what are we doing right or wrong with our prayer. Rather Why We Pray. Why.

 

We learn most about prayer simply by learning more about God. p.18

Mr. Philip explores the Bible’s explanation of the nature of prayer. And he begins right where we begin with our children – prayer is talking to God. Mr. Philip explores four virtues of God that not only allow us to pray but persuade us to do so.

Because God is a speaking God, a God of relationship; Because God has made us his sons; Because God is a Sovereign God; Because God has given us His Spirit – all of these virtues of God call out to us to be in conversation, in prayer, with our God, our Lord, our Creator. By studying these virtues of God, we find such encouragement, such love, that we cannot help but reach out in prayer to our Father.

If you are looking for a book on how to pray, this isn’t it. If you are looking for a book that will help you get up earlier and be more fervent in prayer by giving you guidelines, this is not that book. If you are looking for a how-to, this is not the book you want.

In this book, you will find knowledge of the Father that will make it next to impossible for you not to reach out. You will be reminded in this concise book of a love so great that you cannot keep from prayer. You will be filled with understanding so that you need to converse with the One who speaks to you, who calls out to you, whose desire is for you to abide in Him. The virtues that make Him God make Him the one to whom we pray. William Philip has helped us access Why We Pray with encouragement and hope.

And I get to offer you a $10 appreciation certificate from Family Christian! This is only the 2nd giveaway that we have done here At Home but I’m enjoying the opportunity to gift something. So, please enter the giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

At Home.

 

Review and Giveaway: Lucado Treasury of Bedtime Prayers

I received a copy of this book from Family Christian in return for honest feedback and this post.

 

“I like that it talks about God and that it doesn’t sound sassy when you read it.” According to a six year old, that is all it takes. J loves this book on prayer!

Prayer. It is such a beautiful thing. We are shown the perfect model of a prayer in Matthew 6 when Jesus is speaking to his disciples, teaching them to pray. We should follow his example and teach our children. Teaching our children about prayer is one of the best things we can do because it opens up their own personal conversations with God. Lucado Treasury of Bedtime Prayers is a sweet collection of prayers that children can relate to every day and in all parts of their day.

The contents tell it all. With chapter titles like “Good Morning, God”, “In My Play and Through My Day”, and “Good Night, God”, from sun-up to sundown, there are prayers to fill your child’s day. To help him see that God is always there to hear him and to talk with him.

One of my favorite things about this collection is the use of Bible verses as prayer. There are a good number of prayers that are praying a Psalm. But it is not just Psalms. You will find Judges, Luke, Revelation, II Chronicles, Philippians, and more.

Along with God’s word, you will find examples of verses you might remember from your childhood.

You will also come across excerpts and verses and prayers from a number of well-known authors, including St. Francis of Assisi, Isaac Watts, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, and Robert Louis Stevenson, among others.

Throughout this collection, your child will be thrilled with the bright, colorful, playful illustrations. The illustrations capture the child’s imagination and propel her forward with the desire to keep reading and revisiting the book often. I often found J sitting with the book, mesmerized with the lovely pictures.

 

 

 

A beautiful way to teach children to pray is to pray with them and show them examples of prayer. This collection is done is such a loving way that even beginning readers can read from it. J and I would sit together and she would practice her reading by reading prayers from this collection. (She is in Kindergarten and has about 100 sight words under her belt. That should help you see just how accessible this book is for children.)

We have really enjoyed getting review the >Lucado Treasury of Bedtime Prayers by Max & Denalyn Lucado, illustrated by Lisa Anderson. You can purchase a copy through Family Christian.

We are also excited to be announcing our first ever giveaway, sponsored by Family Christian. Family Christian will send one winner a $10 gift certificate to be used on their site or in one of their stores. Click on the link below to be taken to the Rafflecopter. Good luck. At Home.

 

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Rafflecopter Giveaway for $10 Family Christian Gift Certificate