tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7873774911963861412024-03-06T01:15:07.551-06:00Trenches of MommyhoodRandom Notes From A Stay-At-Home MamaElizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01791021335260285130noreply@blogger.comBlogger1479125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-787377491196386141.post-35766446959254946892018-10-06T16:13:00.000-05:002018-10-06T16:13:15.540-05:00Dancing In No Man’s LandDivide and conquer.<br />
<br />
Us vs. “them”.<br />
<br />
It’s a tactic that has worked since the beginning of war; label the enemy and attack.<br />
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Anyone with social media, a radio, or a television can clearly see that there is a war going on. Everyone is right, everyone needs to prove how right they are, and we all suffer.<br />
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Dancing In No Man’s Land by Brian Jennings is an incredible book that helps us to see how we can balance peace with truth. He takes Biblical scriptures of being kind, loving our neighbors (and enemies!), and being a light to the world to show that if something we want to say isn’t kind, helpful, or loving it doesn’t need to be said.<br />
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He shows examples in the Bible where Jesus showed righteous anger (table flipping, anyone?!), times when he rebuked with his own questions, times when he stayed silent.<br />
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But most of all, Jennings showed us how we’ve all become accustomed to picking sides and creating our own bunkers to throw our assaults from and how those who can meet in the middle (“no man’s land”) are the ones who can actually change the world. Throwing bombs across the trenches isn’t going to change anyone’s mind - it’s only going to make people defensive and hurt.<br />
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This book opened up my eyes on how to love like Jesus while still speaking His truths.<br />
<br />
This book was given to me by Tyndale Publishers in exchange for my honest review.<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/397/DE2AABA3E4B88E0DBAEE1909DFDFA56E.png" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px;" /></a>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01791021335260285130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-787377491196386141.post-32527101322704166362018-08-17T12:58:00.004-05:002018-08-17T12:58:57.865-05:00Everyday Holy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4V8nBxPHYQR9AdYqQq0kD4JgIG9HBk7-VB7Iyw12YxEzahzVfl_L6KkPtobu3O_J4m_wrA3DfJWw0gwfcGlV2PCLHQSnb_GpZX9MB8Xj1YU7ELX-obwTvy6olY2oRbK2MmBKkLCNzBOgs/s1600/35553336.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="433" data-original-width="318" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4V8nBxPHYQR9AdYqQq0kD4JgIG9HBk7-VB7Iyw12YxEzahzVfl_L6KkPtobu3O_J4m_wrA3DfJWw0gwfcGlV2PCLHQSnb_GpZX9MB8Xj1YU7ELX-obwTvy6olY2oRbK2MmBKkLCNzBOgs/s320/35553336.jpg" width="235" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><u>Everyday Holy</u> by Melanie Shankle is like sitting down with a good friend and having an encouraging conversation. Shankle writes in a light hearted tone about deep (and not so deep) issues that I believe all women face. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">In the introduction alone she states "<i>And that is what you'll find in these pages - little pieces that point us to a big God."</i> THAT is how I find God to be in my life - directing me little by little and letting my faith lead me to Him. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Shankle does not have a "holier than thou" attitude and does not talk down in this devotional. While it's chaptered into 100 devotionals I found myself reading it more as a book because I didn't want to stop! </span><br />
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This book was given to me by BookLook Bloggers in exchange for my honest review.<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/397/DE2AABA3E4B88E0DBAEE1909DFDFA56E.png" style="background: none; border-image: none; border: 0px;" /></a>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01791021335260285130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-787377491196386141.post-41835260601401276352018-05-19T20:23:00.000-05:002018-05-19T20:23:21.540-05:00Fierce Faith<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb5S4T8bY8Ld1iE0e0ojTG22YE-V7rElu0aYdjJscNrCbxaUBw3ZeNDUx2vsaEr9YeuM_vktNzm94s9EhP0wc6FQueoCESaeb-Fgh2VLEs49ZiOVVkobrhibiLHgyyg9rA5sOvUYwV2_gK/s1600/fierce.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="311" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb5S4T8bY8Ld1iE0e0ojTG22YE-V7rElu0aYdjJscNrCbxaUBw3ZeNDUx2vsaEr9YeuM_vktNzm94s9EhP0wc6FQueoCESaeb-Fgh2VLEs49ZiOVVkobrhibiLHgyyg9rA5sOvUYwV2_gK/s320/fierce.jpg" width="209" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Alli Worthington hits the nail on the head in her newest book <u>Fierce Faith</u> when she points out that the Bible instructs us to FEAR NOT and the enemy is the one behind the lies, fears, and doubts that we tell ourselves.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The best part of this book is that Worthington doesn't just tell us how not to fear but she uses examples in her own life of when she let the fear win and how looking back she can see how she was deceived by lies. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">From fear for our children, betrayal, failure, rejection, and more Worthington walks us through steps that we can take to and truths we can tell ourselves when faced with worry and anxiety. I related to so much in this book and like how it's woman to woman, not preaching or condemnation. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
This book was given to me by BookLook Bloggers in exchange for my honest review.<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/397/DE2AABA3E4B88E0DBAEE1909DFDFA56E.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0;" /></a>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01791021335260285130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-787377491196386141.post-3518886509257983432018-03-27T14:05:00.001-05:002018-03-27T14:05:36.411-05:00Courage for the Unknown Season<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGo_UMT-wpmlby4DJvCc510HZGmS_fdamOVIwRo-YOhvDxMct3Kt35A-Ijnxm_QYhZdpce9H_uVnDXrVCnGZ6u2HLLO-pFyM0zBzMxsGJu8SmSon6xuLue5NWY98Xj9X95WE6yse2YXSCy/s1600/35721407.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="261" data-original-width="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGo_UMT-wpmlby4DJvCc510HZGmS_fdamOVIwRo-YOhvDxMct3Kt35A-Ijnxm_QYhZdpce9H_uVnDXrVCnGZ6u2HLLO-pFyM0zBzMxsGJu8SmSon6xuLue5NWY98Xj9X95WE6yse2YXSCy/s1600/35721407.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Isn't it funny how God works, and gives us His messages at the exact perfect time? I had been remarking to a friend that with my youngest turning 5 years old soon and my oldest a teen that I was embarking upon a new season of life and it just felt "strange". That very night I picked a book from the top of my "to read" pile and it was <u>Courage for the Unknown Season</u> by Jan Silvious. It was perfect reading material at the perfect time.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">We all have seasons of life and sometimes it can be a little scary navigating the unknown, but this book shows us how to do it with confidence and hope. From just the unknowns to big life changes that we didn't ask for, Silvious shows us that God shines brightest during those times of turmoil. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I gleaned a lot of wisdom from this book and will be keeping it on my shelves (which you know is a high honor in this house - only the best stay!).</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">This book was given to me by Tyndale Publishing in exchange for my honest review.</span><br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/397/DE2AABA3E4B88E0DBAEE1909DFDFA56E.png" style="background: none; border-image: none; border: 0px;" /></a>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01791021335260285130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-787377491196386141.post-47507748444849066982018-03-27T13:51:00.000-05:002018-03-27T13:51:09.942-05:00A Memory a Day for Moms<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt4d1esSPlwLY4iMo_cHHe0ke548P63mjBCssO5-KTDciIbRnk-HZJ2DiGkLK3D3C52bvHwQZUfxv6dMVHr2P-PtloG3BSEMZOj0mSpjp-f99hwtZRS8ua_VPGKad5bbtna36llelXWZdC/s1600/35821148.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="316" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt4d1esSPlwLY4iMo_cHHe0ke548P63mjBCssO5-KTDciIbRnk-HZJ2DiGkLK3D3C52bvHwQZUfxv6dMVHr2P-PtloG3BSEMZOj0mSpjp-f99hwtZRS8ua_VPGKad5bbtna36llelXWZdC/s320/35821148.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">As someone who enjoys looking on Facebook "On This Day" to see funny things my kids said in the past, or see adventurous things we did, I love the idea of this journal. Answering the same question on the same day five years in a row lets us see how things change and what happened on particular days. Some examples of questions are "What is your child's favorite tv character" and "What has been a big encouragement to you lately?" I've had a lot of fun answering these questions and think this will be a treasure and keepsake as my children grow up!</span><br />
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This book was given to me by BookLook Bloggers in exchange for my honest review.</span> <br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/397/DE2AABA3E4B88E0DBAEE1909DFDFA56E.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0;" /></a>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01791021335260285130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-787377491196386141.post-29443074511494430322018-03-09T13:23:00.000-06:002018-03-09T13:23:02.564-06:00All Things Bright and Strange<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEfmDFozP55Zlyxk1mKbSFY0cYQAkIuhmuwwK7cTcx9gt3CclxSLnxbt6xtMFvGSI_7Manm9YsgzlGFBn1gy45r5BxupYjspQEn9o_ysEXttGdq8dFijyuF6LibjQ47XNW1yaeCiNMhZKA/s1600/34460630.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="312" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEfmDFozP55Zlyxk1mKbSFY0cYQAkIuhmuwwK7cTcx9gt3CclxSLnxbt6xtMFvGSI_7Manm9YsgzlGFBn1gy45r5BxupYjspQEn9o_ysEXttGdq8dFijyuF6LibjQ47XNW1yaeCiNMhZKA/s320/34460630.jpg" width="210" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><span id="freeTextContainer12987879820873776356">In the wake of World
War I in the small, Southern town of Bellhaven, South Carolina, the town
folk believe they’ve found a little slice of heaven in a mysterious
chapel in the woods. But they soon realize that evil can come in the
most beautiful of forms. </span></i><u>All Things Bright and Strange</u> by James Market</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I love books that showcase the spiritual worlds of good vs. evil. This book started out strong but then introduced so many characters and story lines (that went no where) that it became hard to follow along. I saw so many opportunities where one of those stories could have branched out to become an interesting conclusion but the ending just felt rushed and fell flat. Actually, I still don't understand what the end was about and felt as though I had wasted my time reading the last half of the book.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">This book was given to me by BookLook Bloggers in exchange for my honest opinion.</span> </span><br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/397/DE2AABA3E4B88E0DBAEE1909DFDFA56E.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0;" /></a>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01791021335260285130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-787377491196386141.post-14621811716266827842018-03-02T15:14:00.002-06:002018-03-02T15:14:49.244-06:00The Air I Breathe<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6kmTK3aZqm0OnJvwe2Q1sYFnohqyq8LpUVA8DOiNzs7I3DNfSwTUpz2PPgMdYewPYdH-nxCeOV0gkNs5b3WhBqckSee5Sd8mrm9Ty0ALOUC_qdEWMOsJqvTcF1Nrw3QQOqLh3K4ezF3bU/s1600/34758419.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="267" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6kmTK3aZqm0OnJvwe2Q1sYFnohqyq8LpUVA8DOiNzs7I3DNfSwTUpz2PPgMdYewPYdH-nxCeOV0gkNs5b3WhBqckSee5Sd8mrm9Ty0ALOUC_qdEWMOsJqvTcF1Nrw3QQOqLh3K4ezF3bU/s200/34758419.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>
<i><span style="font-size: large;">"We're created to worship. That's why you and I are going to spend our lives declaring the worth of something. As a result we've got to make sure the thing we declare to be of greatest value is really worthy in the long run."</span></i><span style="font-size: large;"> <u>The Air I Breathe</u> by Louie Giglio (page 21)</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">This book is a short quick read but makes you think about how you show your love for God. Or even <i>if </i>you are showing it. Every day our love for our creator should be apparent in how we live. It's not a new concept but it's a reminder we all need from time to time.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">This book was given to me by Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review.</span></span><br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/397/DE2AABA3E4B88E0DBAEE1909DFDFA56E.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0;" /></a>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01791021335260285130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-787377491196386141.post-66871355648228988552018-01-18T18:26:00.002-06:002018-01-18T18:26:23.829-06:00Be The Gift<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga2l67jJklkwUhD_M2kDnUerIafYKgCWSxJ1jVe4Y8sWRev2UDVVKLQtZTMt3_D3HH4GDkznwuDt2Lh6ieUrbneoJzdrFIAptw7vSGEOIpRXC3z7NmwITEKoUiB9icXZKgbpxkH3iADCr2/s1600/34460549._SX120_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="129" data-original-width="120" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga2l67jJklkwUhD_M2kDnUerIafYKgCWSxJ1jVe4Y8sWRev2UDVVKLQtZTMt3_D3HH4GDkznwuDt2Lh6ieUrbneoJzdrFIAptw7vSGEOIpRXC3z7NmwITEKoUiB9icXZKgbpxkH3iADCr2/s320/34460549._SX120_.jpg" width="297" /></a></div>
<u><span style="font-size: large;">Be the Gift</span></u><span style="font-size: large;"> by Ann Voskamp teaches us how to let our brokenness be turned into abundance. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> This is such a beautiful hardcover book with bookmark ribbon, stunning photography, journaling space and kindness prompts. But most of all the short devotionals speak to me greatly.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> As Voskamp says in the introduction; "This world is beautiful - but this world is broken. And the suffering is all around us...in us."</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> This is so, so true. Aren't we all broken in some way or another? Hasn't life dealt each of us some type (or several types) of blow that affects us greatly? </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Voskamp writes "Even in the depths of our own brokenness - actually, because of the depths of our own brokenness - God can use each of us to be a gift to another broken heart. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> To be the broken and brave who know that when the stakes are highest, kindness matters most. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Even the smallest seeds of kindness can begin to break the worst kind of brokenness.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> What if we could be compassionate with each other, co-suffer with each other - so that we could be part of the healing of each other?"</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Voskamp also points out that time is fleeting and that our chance at change is <i>now. </i>Pages 70-71 ask us "What if instead of waiting for good enough things to happen to us we could be the good things to happen to someone else who's waiting?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> The world is brokenhearted and full of suffering, and if you listen to what life needs instead of what you need from it, you could fill the brokenness with your own brokenhearted love - and this in turn will fill you."</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">This goes against the grain of the world's thinking. TO DIE TO SELF. And yet that's what Jesus asks of us. "I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit." -John 12:24</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> I could go on and on but suffice to say that there is great wisdom in this book. I always have a difficult time reviewing Voskamp as I do find her writing to be <i>too poetic, </i>as though she is trying just a bit too hard and it takes something away from the writing. But in this format, short little devotions, time can be taken to read and re-read the message in order to absorb and truly meditate on her words. I found this format to be much easier on the brain.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">This book was given to me by BookLook Bloggers in exchange for my honest review.</span> </span><br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/397/DE2AABA3E4B88E0DBAEE1909DFDFA56E.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0;" /></a>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01791021335260285130noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-787377491196386141.post-89126732124358969902018-01-06T13:02:00.003-06:002018-01-06T13:03:07.906-06:00Calm<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj31NLr62yikWiHQRFCwDzyKvhreM-l6IKB1OJ9UR8V_57fc2a5JC1OP88JjzZclGGsVKplr92RXLHe80vMgvfvJEJuf19RA9875bZm-LEetcbIm06KKU4iABggKtSeiyLZSgIgD3-psBUy/s1600/34460586._SX120_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="142" data-original-width="120" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj31NLr62yikWiHQRFCwDzyKvhreM-l6IKB1OJ9UR8V_57fc2a5JC1OP88JjzZclGGsVKplr92RXLHe80vMgvfvJEJuf19RA9875bZm-LEetcbIm06KKU4iABggKtSeiyLZSgIgD3-psBUy/s200/34460586._SX120_.jpg" width="168" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">I love Max Lucado's wisdom and insight and especially crave inspiration for being calm. <u>Trade Your Cares For Calm</u> is a devotional that my husband and I are reading together. Bible Verses, real life situations, check lists, and more in this book is helping us to see where we can hand our worries over to God and just follow Him. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Each chapter is just a few paragraphs long so it's easy to read quickly and then dwell on that passage all day. Included throughout the book are gorgeous photographs of God's handiwork (nature scenes) and with a nice dust jacket and attached ribbon bookmark I feel this would make a great gift. Once finished with this I plan to set it on my shelves to pull out time and time again for the reminder that God is in control. Let Go and let God.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">This book was given to me by BookLook Bloggers in exchange for my honest review.</span></span><br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/397/DE2AABA3E4B88E0DBAEE1909DFDFA56E.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0;" /></a>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01791021335260285130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-787377491196386141.post-49214903140186699752018-01-02T14:04:00.000-06:002018-01-02T14:04:08.080-06:00The House on Foster Hill<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpErxi-7oBfW0Iuj-eyKobkNVXUzrK5ML3yRcYQHEvrSW28E2s8yVY0SGBOuHgphXDr2ydt10yFyxZgCV3gI7SjO5xd7WP9yZ6Zhtr_tshLAaEo8uxcGkJX-bQR42auaVyzLcgI64gR5K3/s1600/f.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="117" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpErxi-7oBfW0Iuj-eyKobkNVXUzrK5ML3yRcYQHEvrSW28E2s8yVY0SGBOuHgphXDr2ydt10yFyxZgCV3gI7SjO5xd7WP9yZ6Zhtr_tshLAaEo8uxcGkJX-bQR42auaVyzLcgI64gR5K3/s1600/f.jpg" /></a></div>
<u><span style="font-size: large;">The House on Foster Hill</span></u><span style="font-size: large;"> by Jamie Jo Wright kept me entertained on a freezing cold New Year's weekend. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">" </span><span style="font-size: large;"><span id="freeText6420006304071017547"><i>Kaine purchases an old
house sight unseen in her grandfather's Wisconsin hometown. But one look
at the eerie, abandoned house immediately leaves her questioning her
rash decision. And when the house's dark history comes back with a
vengeance, Kaine is forced to face the terrifying realization she has
nowhere left to hide."</i> </span> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The story goes back and forth between 1906 and the present day, which I'm never a huge fan of, but it was easy to follow along so that's not a con for this book.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> It's difficult to review this as it's a "typical Christian book", which sounds negative but just means that it had a few Bible verses and mentions of God in odd places so that it would fit into the Christian genre, whereas I didn't get inspired by the message and often feel like it would have been a better book had it not had random preaching in it (and this is coming from a Christian herself). </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> I think my biggest problem was that there wasn't enough "meat" to the characters and they all blended in to fuzzy sketches of people that I never got to know enough to care about.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> With that said, the story was interesting enough to keep me entertained and it was a good fluffy read so I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it if someone wants an easy read.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">This book was given to me by Baker Publishing in exchange for my honest review.</span> </span><br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/397/DE2AABA3E4B88E0DBAEE1909DFDFA56E.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0;" /></a>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01791021335260285130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-787377491196386141.post-31187863768285264242017-12-20T13:40:00.001-06:002017-12-20T13:40:23.123-06:00Lizzy the Lioness<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB2ZnC3M78WIOcRIkbwljWLuy4N112MKuxDGXAdN7Sa-21NOgLHjJpsXjty0Y5xyU8JrX4YWsiEx7_ZXdRxAZwlBir-e1gm7nzBthdtPy3tFz270tNUq-pa-0OX1XV4fII9__0VTVmKcSU/s1600/34460616.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="393" data-original-width="318" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB2ZnC3M78WIOcRIkbwljWLuy4N112MKuxDGXAdN7Sa-21NOgLHjJpsXjty0Y5xyU8JrX4YWsiEx7_ZXdRxAZwlBir-e1gm7nzBthdtPy3tFz270tNUq-pa-0OX1XV4fII9__0VTVmKcSU/s320/34460616.jpg" width="258" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">I love children's books that teach a lesson or moral and <u>Lizzy the Lioness</u> by Lisa Bevere fits that bill. The illustrations by Kristeen Morris-Jones are adorable and the story teaches us that it takes courage to speak up for the right thing, even when others won't. In this day in age it's a lesson that every age can benefit from! </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">This book was given to me by BookLook Bloggers in exchange for my honest review.</span> </span><br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/397/DE2AABA3E4B88E0DBAEE1909DFDFA56E.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0;" /></a>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01791021335260285130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-787377491196386141.post-67868877861221201042017-11-27T21:05:00.000-06:002017-11-27T21:05:09.808-06:00The Alphabet of Grief<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGyw9mqDRVeT3Gztwb_zE4F7witHsAGUGqHhyNoLsLwcHMIgA0p8qNokZZcKXNElRt0yEo96CO6XDcCaArVOs0FVlddabLqsv-G3X8vD3_RhgYZBHQVfTxvnB4sMEJF-t74bk86piKA-f8/s1600/33414154._SX120_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="176" data-original-width="120" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGyw9mqDRVeT3Gztwb_zE4F7witHsAGUGqHhyNoLsLwcHMIgA0p8qNokZZcKXNElRt0yEo96CO6XDcCaArVOs0FVlddabLqsv-G3X8vD3_RhgYZBHQVfTxvnB4sMEJF-t74bk86piKA-f8/s200/33414154._SX120_.jpg" width="136" /></a></div>
<u><span style="font-size: large;">The Alphabet of Grief</span></u><span style="font-size: large;"> by Andrea Raynor was so much more than I expected. For some reason I find "alphabet books" a bit kitschy but I wanted to give it a chance and am so glad I did. Raynor is a minister and hospice spiritual counselor and you can tell she writes this book with both wisdom and compassion. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I've found that when you are thrown into grief you sometimes need a map to help you navigate the bumpy roads. It's unbelievable how reassuring it is to see that others have had the same thoughts and feelings before you and that it is all part of a normal grieving process. From topics such as Isolation and Loneliness to Joy, Kinship, and Rainbows (signs from above) this book truly is a comfort with a Christian perspective. I plan on purchasing another copy for myself to keep as I'm passing this copy on to a friend.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> <span style="font-size: small;">This book was given to me by Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/397/DE2AABA3E4B88E0DBAEE1909DFDFA56E.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0;" /></a>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01791021335260285130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-787377491196386141.post-28137510814371838762017-10-31T13:25:00.000-05:002017-10-31T13:25:12.851-05:00Of Mess and Moxie<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicZQjugEVlWLrPdJlEmO2WbhcUxKWYNzUA83gQDQjQ8RfizcTPk_tJ7FB-KgqAatdxw7XFCyr3J6FEQKCXNmBPgdhZzgAtCN_188tRuq8R1_Vu1iRoiEiz2OcOfSSDvm7W-q-Ou8HmKEKY/s1600/33027965.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicZQjugEVlWLrPdJlEmO2WbhcUxKWYNzUA83gQDQjQ8RfizcTPk_tJ7FB-KgqAatdxw7XFCyr3J6FEQKCXNmBPgdhZzgAtCN_188tRuq8R1_Vu1iRoiEiz2OcOfSSDvm7W-q-Ou8HmKEKY/s320/33027965.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>"You don't need to be who you first were."</i> This was Jen Hatmaker's first message to me in her recent book <u>Of Mess and Moxie</u>. It resonated with me deeply as that's one of the reasons I quit blogging. I was no longer the know-it-all, opinionated person I once was.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> <i>"That early version of yourself, that season you were in, even the phase you are currently experiencing - it is all good or purposeful or at least useful and created a fuller, nuanced you and contributed to your life's meaning, but you are not stuck in a category just because you were once branded that way. Just because something was does not mean it will always be.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Maybe part of your story involves heartache, abuse, struggle, loss, choices you wish you had back. Those are particularly sticky labels to unpeel. Those seasons tend to brand us permanently, at least to others, maybe especially to ourselves. </i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>You don't have to be who you were." </i>(Pages 4-5)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><i> </i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">From the very start I was drawn into Jen's wisdom, insight, and circle. Somehow Jen weaves in parenting, marriage, faith, friendship, creativity, and life without preaching, only sharing, yet makes you stop and take note and reevaluate how you yourself view things. A mixture of 1 part Jim Gaffigan, 1 part Jenny Lawson (a clean version!), and 2 parts friend this book kept me entertained and warmed my soul. I dog eared pages (which I never do to books!) and will add this to my shelves to read again. I also plan to search out her other books to read.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">This book was given to me by BookLook Bloggers in exchange for my honest review.</span></span><br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/397/DE2AABA3E4B88E0DBAEE1909DFDFA56E.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0;" /></a>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01791021335260285130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-787377491196386141.post-77152087610483856772017-10-16T13:03:00.000-05:002017-10-16T13:03:05.910-05:00100 Days to Brave<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHsTUl9d6r7V4vtABaXwdyg56cmGNTneB315UpE9MIhvtyAVt01No97bbwwS6Xhqe-kb2YImqxKXYaKRE08eIgQG9GqN922Vhyx46leCNcD5SKXQHj-6Kz9VmSim97iKSFYd6fqryGt0Tb/s1600/34460460.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="392" data-original-width="318" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHsTUl9d6r7V4vtABaXwdyg56cmGNTneB315UpE9MIhvtyAVt01No97bbwwS6Xhqe-kb2YImqxKXYaKRE08eIgQG9GqN922Vhyx46leCNcD5SKXQHj-6Kz9VmSim97iKSFYd6fqryGt0Tb/s320/34460460.jpg" width="259" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">I've read Annie Downs' book <u>Let's All Be Brave</u> and gave it a pretty scathing review. I had forgotten about that when I ordered her devotional <u>100 Days to Brave</u> which I'm glad of because I would have missed out on a great little piece of encouragement.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">This devotional is 100 short devotions that lead us to unlocking our most courageous self. The dictionary lists the definition of courage as "<i> <span>the ability to do something that frightens one"</span></i><span> and <i>"</i></span><i><span>strength in the face of pain or grief"</span></i><span> which I found interesting. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span>Life takes courage, and courage can be found in God. This book is about trusting in Him, in His plan for us, and in truth. Whether we need courage to change jobs, stand up for ourselves or others, deal with an illness, or make a drastic life change we can find that courage when we look to God. This devotional helps us stop believing lies, stand our ground when the world wants us to conform, be brave for others, and so much more.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span>The reason I found the definition of courage interesting is because sometimes I've been amazed by my own courage, especially through pain and grief. I know that it isn't from myself, but rather a blessing from God when I truly needed it. Other times my courage wanes and I need encouragement to spark it. My husband and I are reading this devotional together daily and are finding it helpful and uplifting.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span><span style="font-size: small;">This book was given to me by BookLook Bloggers in exchange for my honest review.</span> </span></span>
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"></a>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01791021335260285130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-787377491196386141.post-57703347348844637582017-10-02T14:36:00.002-05:002017-10-02T14:39:21.734-05:00Whole<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTMvGQ5F7xykEJMKTOCQB6dEbGH991zI5wj45KHBP0RzCuZUwAK4C2xpxx7GZybOacqe_46rWIt8MuamIY2lggeniCkVZGliE8whMC6WeHokYUfBvpn2HKRGTrzfXS-ymsU-AxU8Gz5CL6/s1600/33216020._SX120_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="120" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTMvGQ5F7xykEJMKTOCQB6dEbGH991zI5wj45KHBP0RzCuZUwAK4C2xpxx7GZybOacqe_46rWIt8MuamIY2lggeniCkVZGliE8whMC6WeHokYUfBvpn2HKRGTrzfXS-ymsU-AxU8Gz5CL6/s320/33216020._SX120_.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<u><span style="font-size: large;">Whole</span></u><span style="font-size: large;"> by Steve Wiens </span><br />
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<br />
<i><span style="font-size: large;"><span id="freeText13731441872976671687">"Look around, and you'll notice: The world is covered with jagged edges. People and places are broken all around us.<br /><br />We
were made for better than this: We were made to be whole, and wholly
human, to tend a world that is wholly humane. We were made in the image
of God. This book is a quest to recover that image in ourselves and our
neighbors, to help us all become human and humane again."</span></span></i><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span id="freeText13731441872976671687">I picked this book up because I am scared for the broken world, the broken people, the broken pieces in all of us. I was hoping to get some answers on how to mend those pieces but for some reason couldn't get into the book. I'm not sure why, as the writing was intelligent and<i> </i>pointed to the Gospel. I felt maybe like it was written more for preachers or leaders or too text book for my tastes? After making myself trudge through it for several weeks I finally stopped midway.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span id="freeText13731441872976671687"><span style="font-size: small;">This book was given to me by Tyndale Publishing in exchange for my honest review.</span> </span></span><i><span style="font-size: large;"><span id="freeText13731441872976671687"><br /></span></span></i><br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/397/DE2AABA3E4B88E0DBAEE1909DFDFA56E.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0;" /></a>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01791021335260285130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-787377491196386141.post-3589728894033116932017-10-02T13:57:00.001-05:002017-10-02T13:57:35.775-05:00On Edge<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA6TLTjIBRmq7W44xG_A3S9qHAvZJpS26w5JnWP1KEcX-8pBxYNAb1N4gWlxfmFdJVuxlnQEOlzy46pqPLIkIsQttWJEu_mvdH8ysRR_teL_qHpKDuLEiInirBeYgttNvhaMkBp4XU4XCu/s1600/31752449.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="313" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA6TLTjIBRmq7W44xG_A3S9qHAvZJpS26w5JnWP1KEcX-8pBxYNAb1N4gWlxfmFdJVuxlnQEOlzy46pqPLIkIsQttWJEu_mvdH8ysRR_teL_qHpKDuLEiInirBeYgttNvhaMkBp4XU4XCu/s320/31752449.jpg" width="211" /></a></div>
<u><span style="font-size: large;">On Edge; A Journey Through Anxiety</span></u><span style="font-size: large;"> by Andrea Petersen is a study into the minds of those with anxiety, but also the statistics and science behind anxiety.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I had assumed this book would mainly just be Petersen's own story but am glad that it delved more into anxiety and what may/may not cause one person to develop it and one not to. Woven within is her own story, though not all doom and gloom but with humor mixed within.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I found it highly educational as well as an interesting read. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">This book was given to me by Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest opinion.</span> </span><br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/397/DE2AABA3E4B88E0DBAEE1909DFDFA56E.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0;" /></a>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01791021335260285130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-787377491196386141.post-8444664025280428032017-07-30T11:43:00.000-05:002017-07-30T11:43:03.835-05:00The Magic of Motherhood<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNPM5mQyMbT6WX7CjR1GRT9uxpTRO7jcbNN5dyzb087UBd7nM_03nGCevfn39jv-KmPm_2EH_cVtuU42zS9F7esUcLXVMpraBCm7IT0VB5QMqnwq_ZF6q1nYEUjUxSYjPhf9EqUpDRqO3S/s1600/30649214.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="424" data-original-width="318" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNPM5mQyMbT6WX7CjR1GRT9uxpTRO7jcbNN5dyzb087UBd7nM_03nGCevfn39jv-KmPm_2EH_cVtuU42zS9F7esUcLXVMpraBCm7IT0VB5QMqnwq_ZF6q1nYEUjUxSYjPhf9EqUpDRqO3S/s200/30649214.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">By page two of the Introduction I already knew <u>The Magic of Motherhood</u> by Ashlee Gadd and writers from "Coffee + Crumbs" would be a good book. The sentence " Rather than offering advice, we're offering ourselves" drew me in. And offer of themselves, they did. Each essay was real, raw, and so heartfelt that you could imagine you were across the table with the authors, having a face to face discussion about motherhood.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> In the "picture perfect online life" it's easy to feel less than the perfect mothers with the magazine worthy home and the fairy tale children so it's a breath of fresh air to read a book of the true struggles, and real rewards, of motherhood. It's not a parenting advice book in the least but offers the best advice of all - we all just make this up as we go and pray that our best was good enough.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">This book was given to me by BookLook Bloggers in exchange for my honest opinion.</span> </span><br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/397/DE2AABA3E4B88E0DBAEE1909DFDFA56E.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0;" /></a>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01791021335260285130noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-787377491196386141.post-61103508005866706352017-07-02T22:42:00.000-05:002017-07-02T22:42:20.398-05:00Woman No. 17<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVIEBnb0GWTprMUbydY4eyBl5HuAt4uEEvltNorWLHmhl6HnowaZuIaZU_41vNXoIQv4ivUQJ1uy0-mpkH5cdbzXmqrkumGHWeGbXh55TPgXjrY1wnDBG-RGLnVlokhTAO6VAgRb4C5TCp/s1600/23616719.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="315" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVIEBnb0GWTprMUbydY4eyBl5HuAt4uEEvltNorWLHmhl6HnowaZuIaZU_41vNXoIQv4ivUQJ1uy0-mpkH5cdbzXmqrkumGHWeGbXh55TPgXjrY1wnDBG-RGLnVlokhTAO6VAgRb4C5TCp/s320/23616719.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
<u><span style="font-size: large;">Woman No. 17</span></u><span style="font-size: large;"> by Edan Lepucki is a book with two characters you love to hate. First up is Lady, who is described as a writer could barely eek out two pages worth of material, yet she hires a nanny to care for her young son while she does everything else possible to avoid working on said "book" (which never materializes). She hires S. to watch her three year old without so much as a background check or knowing anything about her, then spends the whole book seemingly uncomfortable with a young woman being around her older, mute son. The story lines didn't jive.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">This book held my attention and was a quick summer read but left me wanting. Lady is a self-absorbed self-sabotaging woman who is not likeable in the least. S. is a young "artist" who seems to use people and has such a weird project going on that you never truly understand what her "art" is. The book went no where - a few month's in someone's life with no point whatsoever. It just ended. The dust jacket read "darkly comic, twisty and tense" and I can't figure out how someone read this book and came up with that. There was no humor, no suspense, no point.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">This book was sent to me by Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/397/DE2AABA3E4B88E0DBAEE1909DFDFA56E.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0;" /></a>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01791021335260285130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-787377491196386141.post-81423498440658368582017-05-31T12:08:00.003-05:002017-05-31T12:10:46.444-05:00Approval Junkie<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXtixz9lTW66fLWf4ArzEwCeQ4d7_lPTuBcpoHwNiQzNQZdLJvqvclvyJX5EGmtV_TRSlTOnQQA54wm6wSI_jUV9jRl4jIV5j4AjLO2t-83y4oXXUKanI1s7dAbmCTS6MK_BFhC3Xk6Uz7/s1600/26067500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="267" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXtixz9lTW66fLWf4ArzEwCeQ4d7_lPTuBcpoHwNiQzNQZdLJvqvclvyJX5EGmtV_TRSlTOnQQA54wm6wSI_jUV9jRl4jIV5j4AjLO2t-83y4oXXUKanI1s7dAbmCTS6MK_BFhC3Xk6Uz7/s320/26067500.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">I wasn't familiar with Faith Salie's comedy before this book so maybe should have researched her before attempting her book <u>Approval Junkie</u>. I thought it sounded interesting though so decided to give it a go.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">It was around page 27 when I started to realize it wasn't funny and more awkward and trying too hard. It was when she proclaimed, "I'm not crazy about John. I'm sane about John. I've got scar tissue, and I'm not worried about his cutting me. I was crazy about my wasband. I pinned all my happiness on him." Sorry...but it makes me uncomfortable reading a book where a woman actually says that about her current husband verses her ex-husband. It makes me wonder what poor John feels about this statement.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">I got to page 60 when Salie describes learning some sex tips from her brother. I get that it was intended to be humorous but I found it desperate and inappropriate. Many comedians use sexual topics to get laughs but I find there is a fine line between funny and "I'm <i>trying</i> <b>way</b> too hard." At this point I realized I didn't like Salie's story, and find no humor in her "comedy" so decided to stop reading.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">This book was given to me by Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review.</span></span><br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/397/DE2AABA3E4B88E0DBAEE1909DFDFA56E.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0;" /></a>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01791021335260285130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-787377491196386141.post-13438577547280542202017-05-30T11:53:00.002-05:002017-05-30T11:53:30.256-05:00Can I Just Hide in Bed<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUd8VX638CDqnpcSBBlligWC-SRxZdh40EkQLol89SsZytNs7b-sRi_nXHEXO3cKKhg1ZRInRVB47c7a7zrpU9G5vcqa-M0PjTS_lvCjkeVEoE-XQPgAjV2UesDKu2o639JLCmBRwOgu1I/s1600/32964010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="267" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUd8VX638CDqnpcSBBlligWC-SRxZdh40EkQLol89SsZytNs7b-sRi_nXHEXO3cKKhg1ZRInRVB47c7a7zrpU9G5vcqa-M0PjTS_lvCjkeVEoE-XQPgAjV2UesDKu2o639JLCmBRwOgu1I/s320/32964010.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<u><span style="font-size: large;">Can I Just Hide in Bed 'Til Jesus Comes Back?</span></u><span style="font-size: large;"> by Martha Bolton and Christin Ditchfield has been a wonderful resource for me this month. This book dives into how to face life with courage; something that can be hard to do when you've been stressed to the max or exhausted by life. It happens to us all...a point in our life where that one extra piece of straw just breaks our back and we have to find a way to pick ourselves up.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">The authors share their real life struggles with depression and anxiety and include humor because laughter really is the best medicine. It's a very light read about some very serious matters and includes many encouraging verses and ways that we can help ourselves but always with the reminder that God is on our side. He is where our strength and courage can come from when we can't face things alone.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">This is not a preachy book whatsoever but feels more like a chat over a cup of coffee with a good friend. This for sure will be going on my shelves to be read again.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">This book was given to me by Tyndale Publishing in exchange for my honest review.</span></span><br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/397/DE2AABA3E4B88E0DBAEE1909DFDFA56E.png" style="background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; border: 0px none;" /></a>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01791021335260285130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-787377491196386141.post-74653915571929107562017-05-03T21:45:00.004-05:002017-05-03T21:45:40.154-05:00Only Love Today<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeFByUYMUdVwmKD_Yuy-YxHaUWGvltxJyYYYxwQNyeOI2TZaL9get0ot380vBZS9orbcsQFWZjI2Afw-g7X_w5kaSd1uRYs1KffTk8A9WFODzg3jRgX9SrjS-ACRTfcm_FDXlDwEtaimX4/s1600/30649240.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeFByUYMUdVwmKD_Yuy-YxHaUWGvltxJyYYYxwQNyeOI2TZaL9get0ot380vBZS9orbcsQFWZjI2Afw-g7X_w5kaSd1uRYs1KffTk8A9WFODzg3jRgX9SrjS-ACRTfcm_FDXlDwEtaimX4/s320/30649240.jpg" width="210" /></a></div>
<u><span style="font-size: large;">Only Love Today</span></u><span style="font-size: large;"> by the best-selling author of <u>Hands Free Mama</u>, Rachel Macy Stafford, reminds us to breathe more, stress less, and choose love. It is separated into sections based on the four seasons and is a book of encouragement rather than a devotional.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">The premise is a good one but I was reminded while reading this of why I didn't finish her first book, <u>Hands Free Mama</u>. Stafford tells us <b>what to do</b> instead of <i>how to do it</i>. The writing is often too poetic to really get deep and I feel that I'm reading one of those memes where someone is trying to tell a depressed person to "cheer up!" and they are like "<i>Why didn't I just think of that?! All better now!" </i></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Don't get me wrong, there is a lot of good in this book but I didn't feel those earth shattering insights that I get from other books. I stopped half way as I was already starting to feel like the book became repetitive. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">This book was given to me by BookLook Bloggers in exchange for my honest review. </span></span><br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/397/DE2AABA3E4B88E0DBAEE1909DFDFA56E.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0;" /></a>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01791021335260285130noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-787377491196386141.post-40123813327880385842017-04-29T14:40:00.001-05:002017-04-29T14:40:48.040-05:00Peace In The Face of Loss<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxBRCfro1OnsYOpCRayKCJjrOJmPk3oSnX0GFJ8JvLeXRhqHgJakLlGuimqjrP6LoG2NQPyzM-jEhd4_ApopQ_-AKIIivwYya8kcZMUE46n6xEor7xY-O37ZCH74c3XUl6xr1hBi2zuY5J/s1600/30956100.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxBRCfro1OnsYOpCRayKCJjrOJmPk3oSnX0GFJ8JvLeXRhqHgJakLlGuimqjrP6LoG2NQPyzM-jEhd4_ApopQ_-AKIIivwYya8kcZMUE46n6xEor7xY-O37ZCH74c3XUl6xr1hBi2zuY5J/s320/30956100.jpg" width="228" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">I think one of the most helpful things in dealing with grief is meditation and reflection. <u>Peace In The Face Of Loss</u> by Jill Kelly has been one of the most helpful books I've read since losing Jacob close to four years ago. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"> While it is written by a mother who has lost a child and deals a lot with child loss I think it would be great for any type of loss (spouse, parent, sibling, etc.) as it is basically digging into God's word to understand why bad things may (will) happen in our life, how there is a purpose in our pain, how we can lean on God during those times, etc. As a matter of fact, I got so much more than comfort for my grief from this book but also some sound advice for dealing with anxiety, worry, and so on. It is a very comforting and wise book.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> I keep very few books after reading them but this will go onto my shelves. I have a small shelf (that is growing in size) of books dealing with loss that I reread or pull one out from time to time to give to a newly grieving person. This book is leather bound and a would make a great gift for someone who has lost a loved one.</span><br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/397/DE2AABA3E4B88E0DBAEE1909DFDFA56E.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0;" /></a>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01791021335260285130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-787377491196386141.post-91748207221609764292017-04-10T22:11:00.003-05:002017-04-10T22:11:40.343-05:00We Stood Upon Stars<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg53SlhKpCnJC0oG1jYNBwSEMDEoxoe7Gnjx5ZJun3MLlqcmsKajNQJhT6vnKcX3tAtCFcMqqedhB0RWc90dkZ3PY8yT3z2keUQZ7VK1ZZJnlai_7hphXDI2783eLJmJ6PTj1OKqbOUzk_b/s1600/31497887.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg53SlhKpCnJC0oG1jYNBwSEMDEoxoe7Gnjx5ZJun3MLlqcmsKajNQJhT6vnKcX3tAtCFcMqqedhB0RWc90dkZ3PY8yT3z2keUQZ7VK1ZZJnlai_7hphXDI2783eLJmJ6PTj1OKqbOUzk_b/s320/31497887.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<u><span style="font-size: large;">We Stood Upon Stars</span></u><span style="font-size: large;"> by Roger W. Thompson is all about finding God in lost places. The subtitle spoke to me immediately as that is often when I feel closest to God - out in His masterpiece of nature, feeling the sun upon me and hearing the birds sing. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span id="freeText2051283720477513537"><span style="font-size: large;">"Spearfish Creek descends from heights of the Black Hills like a chinook wink. The canyon whispers of a previous age, a sacred time, when people communed with creation. They were drawn to the mountains because language there spoke of a Creator.</span></span><br />
<span id="freeText2051283720477513537"><span style="font-size: large;"> No one seemed to speak this language anymore. Motorcycles and buses of tourists sped through the canyon from waterfall to waterfall, with brief stops so people could insert themselves into photos to prove they'd been here. We are not meant to be tourists in this life. We are all travelers, like those before and those after. The proof we've been in a place is the part of us we leave there. We know we've been somewhere special because we are forever different as a result of it.</span></span><br />
<span id="freeText2051283720477513537"><span style="font-size: large;"> This land and time are gifts. If we stop long enough, we might hear in the wind the voice of a Creator. We don't have to search for it. It has always been and always will be. We just have to remember the language." Page 142-143</span></span><br />
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<span id="freeText2051283720477513537"><span style="font-size: large;">This book calls us back to the wild, to our Creator and what He created. It reminds me of the John Muir quote of <b>"</b></span></span><b><span style="font-size: large;">And into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul."</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Each chapter begins with a drawn map of the area with suggestions of places to visit, eat, etc. then goes on to tell a life lesson Thompson learned while on that particular adventure. While I got a lot out of this book I felt as though it was a bit disjointed. It would go from a trip he took while single, to one he took with his children, to one of the first trips as a newlywed. That back and forth made this book not flow so well.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">This book was given to me by Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review.</span> </span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/397/DE2AABA3E4B88E0DBAEE1909DFDFA56E.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0;" /></a>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01791021335260285130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-787377491196386141.post-36048992309532321112017-04-05T13:35:00.000-05:002017-04-05T13:35:35.923-05:00Tranquility<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzSreh74BUq_vgfoqERtjoeVwddC5qGYiOW2XPVI5RUxSfmDgkftwPnawTbS8k3sLUSbwuptjm4ygkjanjf0loP42pc-j4VKv-BWsFm1-KJI1g8BmwF5J2ww0rndJ4xJCZK6G-7P9YXpt_/s1600/61Cv2E8Tq8L._AC_US160_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzSreh74BUq_vgfoqERtjoeVwddC5qGYiOW2XPVI5RUxSfmDgkftwPnawTbS8k3sLUSbwuptjm4ygkjanjf0loP42pc-j4VKv-BWsFm1-KJI1g8BmwF5J2ww0rndJ4xJCZK6G-7P9YXpt_/s320/61Cv2E8Tq8L._AC_US160_.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Tranquility published by Tyndale Publishing is a prayer and reflection coloring journal. I find that meditative art can be very relaxing and a time to focus on God's words. By coloring a page which focuses on a specific verse I am able to memorize it a lot quicker. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">This is such a beautiful journal. The cover is very thick and inside you'll find verses, quotes, coloring pages, and blank spaces to make this your own. I think it can become a very beautiful collection of your thoughts and prayers to reread over and over again.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">This book was given to me by Tyndale Publishing in exchange for my honest review.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/397/DE2AABA3E4B88E0DBAEE1909DFDFA56E.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0;" /></a>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01791021335260285130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-787377491196386141.post-43669703779986617972017-03-12T16:06:00.003-05:002017-03-12T16:06:28.111-05:00And Still She Laughs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;">When I learned of Kate Merrick I knew I had to read her book. Her story and mine are quite similar - both our children were diagnosed at the same age with the same type of cancer, both spent three years battling the monster before passing away, and both of us are trying to find joy in the aftermath. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><u>And Still She Laughs</u> by Kate Merrick is about a mother trying to find joy within the depths of suffering. Merrick delved into the stories in the Bible of real women who suffered deeply and emerged somehow joyful. This is not a history of Biblical women but rather Merrick weaves a bit of their story within her own, making this a very relate-able story to anyone who has suffered pain (and haven't we all?). </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>"We want the blessing of a Christian life but none of the pain. We think twice about diving in, risking love because we might lose it, risking reputation, comfort, all these things we think will keep us safe and happy."</i> (p. 170)</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Merrick digs deep into the fact that our culture equates being loved by God by being blessed by Him by receiving the life <b>we</b> ask for. It's the type of thinking that leads so many people to discontentment, and sadly leads people astray from God Himself. If our lives are rough we must not be loved by Him, if our prayers aren't answered in our ways we must not be blessed. While in reality the Bible points out that we must "<i>take up our cross daily</i>" and that the path of a Christian is narrow and hard but that the rewards are worth it. THIS is what Merrick comes to realize while searching the Bible and stories of hardship and pain.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">"<i>Choosing to live for eternity is such a game changer. It holds much meaning for the future, yes, but for the here and now it brings with it the ability to laugh. A hundred years ago, when I was in college, my pastor used to say "You do what you believe." He meant that we say much-we talk, talk, talk-but what we do speaks louder. We can talk until we go hoarse, but our actions show what our faith actually looks like.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><i> If I believe I will see Daisy again, I can grieve, but not as those without hope grieve (1 Thess. 4:13). I can cry and hurt and wail and get it all out, but I can be confident in our future reunion (1 Thess. 4:14). I can wonder joyfully about her and what she's doing. I can picture her in Heaven riding a bear-or any of the crazy animals she loved so much-while eating a juicy mango, wild and free. I can see her meeting new friends and Jesus swinging her around like an airplane. I can trust she is well, she is whole, and she has done more than the things on her bucket list. </i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><i> I believe she is with the Lord. I can rejoice in that, and maybe, if I really think hard about it, I might even be able to laugh."</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">It comes down to the fact that as children of God, who know that the treasure of eternity awaits us, we can find joy within any circumstance because we know that a reward far better will be ours. That's not to say we can't grieve, but within our grief we can find hope. In our pain we can find purpose. In our trials we can find wisdom.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>1 Peter 1:3-8: </i></span><br />
<i><span class="verse-number"><strong>3</strong></span>
<span class="verse-3">
Praise be to the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth
into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the
dead,
</span></i>
<br />
<i>
</i><div class="verse font-helvetica" id="v-4">
<i><span class="verse-number"><strong>4</strong></span>
<span class="verse-4">
and into an inheritance that can
never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for
you,
</span></i>
</div>
<i>
</i><div class="verse font-helvetica" id="v-5">
<i><span class="verse-number"><strong>5</strong></span>
<span class="verse-5">
who through faith are shielded
by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be
revealed in the last time.
</span></i>
</div>
<i>
</i><div class="verse font-helvetica" id="v-6">
<i><span class="verse-number"><strong>6</strong></span>
<span class="verse-6">
In all this you greatly rejoice,
though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all
kinds of trials.
</span></i>
</div>
<i>
</i><div class="verse font-helvetica" id="v-7">
<i><span class="verse-number"><strong>7</strong></span>
<span class="verse-7">
These have come so that the
proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which
perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and
honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
</span></i>
</div>
<i>
</i><div class="verse font-helvetica" id="v-8">
<i>
<span class="verse-number"><strong>8</strong></span>
<span class="verse-8">
Though you have not seen him,
you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him
and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, </span></i></div>
<div class="verse font-helvetica" id="v-8">
<i><span class="verse-8"> </span></i></div>
<div class="verse font-helvetica" id="v-8">
<span class="verse-8"><span style="font-size: large;">This is not just for the grieving. As a matter of fact, it's more for any pain and suffering you may have experienced in life. As we all suffer, we all can use this reminder. This book will be going on my shelves to be read time and time again.</span></span></div>
<div class="verse font-helvetica" id="v-8">
<span class="verse-8"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="verse font-helvetica" id="v-8">
<span class="verse-8"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">This book was given to me by BookLook Bloggers in exchange for my honest review.</span> </span></span><i><span class="verse-8"> </span></i>
</div>
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/397/DE2AABA3E4B88E0DBAEE1909DFDFA56E.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0;" /></a>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01791021335260285130noreply@blogger.com0