"The Power of a Positive Woman" by Karol Ladd

LOVED IT!  A MUST READ FOR WOMEN!

The Power of a Positive Woman by Karol Ladd is the best inspirational non-fiction book I ever read and plan to read it again! I absolutely LOVE this book and can't say enough good about it! It is Biblical, has scriptures included throughout it right in the text, interesting facts about people used as examples of putting the principles into action and is uplifting, encouraging and challenging! Topics include: faith, wisdom, prayer, joy, love, courage, hope and the main theme is making a difference.

I used it as a devotional book the first time I read it and highlighted lots of things. It is divided into chapters with subdivisions so provides short thought-provoking passages easily used as devotionals. At the end of each chapter is a a short application section called “Power Point” which includes further scripture with some questions to think about, a prayer, a main point to remember and some activity to do. If you are looking for a practical book that will encourage spiritual growth, this is it!

The Power of a Positive Woman is a wonderful book to use for a women's Bible study group which is how I came to read it. I highly recommend this book to all women, but I think men could certainly benefit from it as well.
(Karen's review, rating 10 stars!)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. Happy Reading!

"Not A Fan--Follower's Journal" by Kyle Idleman

Not A Fan--follower's Journal by Kyle Idleman is a 42-day devotional guide to challenge your thinking about your relationship with Jesus Christ and if you are a true follower.  The whole journal is based on the verse, Luke 9:23 which says, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me."  The theme is that Jesus is not interested in fans but wants true followers who know and love Him and as a result obey his commands. 

I thought some of the exercises it suggested were corny but it did make me evaluate my Christian walk and made me more aware of Christ's presence in my life. NOT A FAN is more than a small group Bible study, it's a movement.  Visit www.notafan.com (the site), view the videos at www.youtube.com/notafantv (the videos), view tweets at www.twitter.com/iamnotafan (the talk), www.facebook.com/notafan (the movement).
(Karen's review)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. Happy Reading!

"The Gifted" by Terri Blackstock

Fun Christian Read

"The Gifted" by Terri Blackstock is a quick Christian fiction read which shows how Christians should work together to meet needs of others and introduce them to Jesus. When Andy, Carl and Bree were discouraged that they were the only ones who showed up for their Bible Study after work in an effort to reach their co-workers with the gospel, a tornado hit and they were crushed under the rubble. God answered their prayers and their lives were changed once they experienced God's power.

This is a powerful little book that challenges Christians to use the gifts God has given them to serve Him by serving others and meeting their needs. It is a fun read because each of the main characters are endowed with supernatural powers which makes for a good read but isn't very believable. Here's a little teaser that gives you an example:

"Where are we going, anyway?" Bree looked around them.
"I'm not sure, but my feet know."
Bree laughed. "Do you know how stupid that sounds?"
"Of course I do. It's downright ridiculous, but it happens to be true."
The hospital came into view, and Carl's feet picked up their pace. "Okay, now I've got it. We're going to the hospital."

(Karen's review)

If you have read this, I'd love to hear what you thought of it.  If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. Happy Reading!

"I Declare" by Joel Osteen

I Declare by Joel Osteen is a book of 31 short devotionals meant to encourage and empower the reader. The theme of the book is that our words have power so we should speak God’s truth and not speak negative thoughts that can take root. Rather than talk about our problems, we need to believe God and focus on Him and the truth of the Bible. The declarations are very encouraging and uplifting. I read this book in one day; however, it is meant to be read a chapter at a time each day.

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. Happy Reading!

"Love and Respect" by Dr. Emerson Eggerichs A (UPDATED)

Want a better marriage?  Read this!

Love and Respect by Emerson Eggerichs is a pretty good book about the needs of a man and a woman in marriage.  I think no matter what stage your marriage is in, you will get some good advice to help improve your bond.  Some of the examples he uses are funny, but make the point.
(Gerard's review)

Love and Respect by Dr. Emerson Eggerichs is a helpful book for couples based on Biblical principles that he shares at Love and Respect conferences.  Throughout the book he includes letters and emails from men and women who tell how attending the conference made a difference in their lives as they put these things into practice. In a nutshell, husbands should love their wives as Christ loves the church and wives should respect their husbands because God commands them to do that.   A husband's deepest need is to be respected while the wife's deepest need is to be loved.  He also shares specific ways for doing just that and funny analogies to make his points.

It made me realize that I should treat my husband like a king if I want to be treated like a queen. I read this on my Kindle and highlighted quite a bit of things that stood out to me. I recommend it for any couple seeking to save their marriage or to just try to make a good marriage even better!
(Karen's review)

For a post about how we put concepts from this book into practice right away, see "He Said, She Said"

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. Happy Reading!

"Lead For God'Sake! by Todd G. Congwer--Must Read!

Great Gift for Any Coach--Good addition to any library!

Lead...for God'Sake! by Todd G. Congwer is a quick inspirational read about a coach struggling with his basketball team who gets advice from Joe, the school janitor.  Joe had a personal ministry of counseling and I liked how the author used his conversations to get his point across to the reader.  This book is philosophical about finding true purpose in life and influencing others based on scripture.  It's about being selfless rather than self-centered.  It's a wonderful example of what a true Christian looks like who is a genuine follower of Christ. 

I enjoyed reading it and agreed with the Christian view about living one's life.  I took a lot of notes from this one and would be a great one to add to my library.  It reminded me a little bit of The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch and Leading With The Heart by Mike Kryzewski, which I loved!  I highly recommend it!  I think anyone would benefit from reading this book, parent, employer, employee, teacher, coach etc.
(Karen's review, rating:  5 stars)

Gerard's review, rating 5++ stars:

Lead For God's Sake by Todd G. Congwer is a must read!  Wow, oh Wow!  What an outstanding book!  I got the idea to order this book from reading an article about Urban Meyer, the new Ohio State football coach.  He mentioned that he loved this book and so did I!  It tells the story of a frustrated high school basketball coach having trouble both with his team and his home life.  He gets help from the most unlikely person you would imagine. 

The ending was great, but I hated to see it end.  This is a must read for all coaches and people in leadership roles.  I feel real good knowing Urban Meyer is the OSU football coach now--go bucks!


Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. Happy Reading!

"Words" by Ginny L. Yttrup is a Must Read

Words by Ginny L. Yttrup is an inspirational quick read that is about choices, redemption, hope, healing.  Kaylee, a little girl is abandoned by her mother and left with her boyfriend to be neglected, abused and raped.  They live in a little cabin in the woods and the girl stops talking.  She finds words comforting and reads the dictionary over and over to help her focus on something else while hoping that maybe her "mother will come back today."  When Sierra, a woman whose child died just a few days after birth due to Sierra's drug addiction, visits the cemetery on the 12th anniversary of her child's death, spots Kaylee in the hollowed giant redwood tree and thinks she saw a ghost.  Sierra is lonely so takes in a stray dog she names Van Gogh.  The dog helps comfort Kaylee when they meet and is a wonderful addition to the story.

Sierra finally is able to accept God's forgiveness and move on with her life as she starts thinking about Kaylee and becomes her friend.  Kaylee looks forward to seeing the nice lady in the woods again at her special spot inside the tree.  Kaylee doesn't talk, but can communicate by writing and has an unusually big vocabulary for a girl her age.  Through Sierra, Kaylee discovers Jesus is the most important word and learns the truth that He really does love her and is able to set her free from the screams in her head and help her to speak again.

I liked this Christian fiction book very much in spite of the "fairy tale" ending.  I couldn't help but pull for Kaylee and Sierra to get together and thought the Children's Services worker did a good job.  Sierra was searching for God's purpose for her life and it was very realistic how because of her past with drugs, she was able to sympathize with Kaylee's mom and was torn between helping her get better or not because she was afraid of losing Kaylee.  The abuse Kaylee endured is done in good taste, leaving details to the reader's imagination.  There is so much humor and love in this book that prevents it from becoming depressing.  The dog, Van, was a great addition to this book, showing how pets can by wonderful companions and give unconditional love.  The information about the giant redwood trees was interesting too and provided symbolism throughout the book.  This book even inspired me to read my little dictionary, a page a day!  This is a great read that I highly recommend and am so glad I read!
(Karen's review)

Gerard's review:
This book is told by two people:  Kaylee, a 10-yr.-old girl who is abused physically, sexually, emotionally and neglected at her cabin in the woods, then abandoned by her mother who is a meth addict and Sierra, a young woman who mourns the death of her baby and finds Kaylee who she wants to help. 

I liked this book very much.  It's a good story and I got into it right from the start.  I highly recommend you read it too!  It's a feel good book and you will feel happy at the end.

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. Happy Reading!

We are donating 50 cents for each legitimate comment we receive on all our blogs during May to Joni and Friends for Camp Scholarships for families with special needs children.

James--Mercy Triumphs by Beth Moore (UPDATED)

James Mercy Triumphs by Beth Moore is such a great in-depth Bible study on the book of James that I was sorry to see it end. Beth’s older daughter, Melissa, also had some interesting articles included from an historical standpoint based on research she did.

 I learned so much more about James, the author of this book, than I had known before and accepted Beth’s challenge to memorize the entire book of James, which I completed on April 23, 2012.  Whew! 

This is a very practical study because the topics in the book of James are still relevant today: Patience, temptation, rich and poor, favoritism, judgment, controlling the tongue, wisdom,, our relationship with God, how to treat others, prayer. This study is fantastic! I really can’t say enough good about it. There are DVD’s that go with this that I enjoyed too because of some funny stories she shares from her experience to make her points. In particular, I especially liked hearing about her camping trip with the birds and the hair brush story at the airport. That is one I don’t think I’ll soon forget.

Other Beth Moore Studies I did were: Fruit of the Spirit, Daniel, which were good too. I highly recommend this to anyone looking for a challenge who likes a good Bible study.

Related Post:  I Did It--Challenge Completed Ahead of Time (Check out this link to see the methods I used to memorize the entire book of James)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments.

Happy Reading! During March we are donating 50 cents for each legitimate comment we receive on all our blogs to the American Cancer Society.

"The Vow" by Kim & Krickitt Carpenter (UPDATED)

The Vow by Kim & Krickitt Carpenter is an amazing story--WOW! The true story of this couple is really good. From their meeting through their courtship is something. After a horrible accident that through the grace of God they survived, they have to start all over again discovering who they are. Here's a teaser from the book for you from page 88:

The most agonizing question of all was: Would one of those things be me? I quickly put that thought from my mind. I couldn't bear to contemplate the fact that my wife might never remember me.

I loved this book and think it is a must read for all married couples. Thanks for sharing, Carpenters, and God bless your family!
(Gerard's review)

Karen's review:
The Vow by Kim and Krickitt Carpenter is a true love story. They share how the Lord helped them keep their commitment to each other through a tragic accident that resulted in memory loss and months of rehab. It is an inspirational true story to encourage all married couples to value their marriage, keep their marriage vows and look to God for help through the hard times. This is a quick read that drew me in right away. I could sympathize with both Kim and Krickett who were both seriously injured. Although much of the book is sad, I knew it had a happy ending so kept reading and am glad I did!

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. Happy Reading!

We are donating 50 cents for each legitimate comment we receive on all our blogs during April to Paralyzed Veterans of America.

"Every Day a Friday" by Joel Osteen tells How To Be Happy

Every Day a Friday by Joel Osteen gives advice on how to choose to be happy every day and not let circumstances steal your joy.  It is an inspirational book that I think anyone could benefit by reading.  There are a lot of good ideas in this book involving our relationship to others.  One of the topics that spoke to me most was to Make sure you see people through eyes of love, not eyes of judgment. (P. 190)  His illustration about the rude checkout clerk really stood out to me.

I found this book to be a challenge to live as God intends us to live—full of joy and seeking to help and encourage others.  As a result of reading this book, I am going to make it a point to smile more, laugh often, and encourage others.  The seven major sections are broken down into small chapters that make it easy to read a little at a time instead of it being a page-turner that you don’t want to put down.  I would recommend this to anyone.  If people would put these principles into practice, the world would be a better place.
(Karen's review)

In Every Day A Friday Joel Osteen describes how you can be happy every day of the week, not just on Friday at 4:00 p.m. for me.  The bad news for me is that I fall far short of this.  The good news is that I'm not the only one.  Through stories, which I thought was the best part of the book, and Bible teachings, he tells you how.  I am going to try to find some middle ground.  I just don't think I can be that happy all the time, but I liked this book a lot!
(Gerard's Review)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. Happy Reading!

We are donating 50 cents for each legitimate comment we receive on all our blogs to Caroline's Kids Pet Rescue to help homeless cats this month.

"The Tangible Kingdom Primer"

The Tangible Kingdom Primer is an 8-week curriculum for a small group Bible study that has some very challenging concepts.  The thrust of the book is to win people to Christ through action and intentionally reaching out to people like Jesus did, being His hand and feet.  I found it thought provoking helpful in getting me more involved in the community.  I did not like the formatting of this book because some of it was hard to read.  The authors used dark backgrounds and too many variety of fonts which I found annoying.  It was hard to highlight or write notes on the dark pages.
(Karen's review)
Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

You can help our charity of the month just by leaving a comment on any of our blogs! We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month. The charity for this month is at the top of our blog.

"The Sword" by Gilbert Morris

"The Sword" by Gilbert Morris is a Historical romance that is a good read. It has a mix of action, humor, romance and Christianity. It takes place during the Civil War and is a fascinating read. Chantel, the main character decides to leave home when her mother dies, leaving her alone with her step father who tries to rape her. She finds an elderly Christian Jew peddler who is hurt and saves his life. They become partners and together bring supplies to the soldiers and help a lot of people. The Christian theme is that God brings people together and loves everyone, forgiving and giving peace to all those who trust in Jesus. It's a good story, I enjoyed it!
(Karen's review)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

Check out our audio book giveaway for "The Leftovers" by Tom Perrotta. All you need do to enter is leave a comment!

You can help our charity of the month just by leaving a comment on any of our blogs! We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month. The charity for this month is at the top of our blog.

The International Children's Bible Packs A Punch!

For my personal devotions this year, I have been using the International Children's Bible. It is especially helpful when reading through the Old Testament books.

I was brought up using the King James Version of the Bible and so memorized my scripture from that. I was always hesitant to read other versions but over time, I have come to accept the New International Version (NIV). I just think part of the charm and uniqueness of the Bible is the old English. It reminds me how old the scriptures really are and how God has protected his word throughout time.

However, here is an example of how some verses can really be more powerful when put into plain English.  This particular verse jumped out at me and then I looked it up in my KJV Bible to see if I had it marked. I did, but oh, how much plainer is the International Childrens Bible.

Here are three examples of Proverbs 18:15 so you can see how much easier the Childrens version is to understand:

KJV:

He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the LORD.

NIV:

Acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent--the LORD detests them both.

International Children's Bible:

The Lord hates both these things: letting guilty people go free and punishing those who are not guilty.

If you have children, I recommend getting them The International Children's Bible and use it yourself too for a better understanding of the scripture!

Have you seen this before? Which translation of the Bible do you prefer?

You can help our charity of the month just by leaving a comment on any of our blogs! We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month. The charity for this month is at the top of our blog.

"Growing Up Colt" by Colt and Brad McCoy

I am a Cleveland Browns fan so when I heard our Quarterback is a Christian and wrote a book about his life, I wanted to read it. I was surprised to find that his dad wrote some of it as well. This was an interesting read because Colt and his dad share very personal experiences from Colt's childhood and also how his training growing up helped him to become the leader and the role model that he is today. Brad, his dad, shared four main principles of parenting while balancing discipline and love:


 1. Prepare the kid for the path, not the path for the kid.
2. Prepare your children to do their best.
3. Prepare your children to be leaders.
4. Prepare your children for open and closed doors.

I also thought the lessons Colt said he learned were very good, such as always finish what you start, treat everyone with respect, listen to advice from those more experienced than you and relax because "the hay is in the barn."  He used this phrase in his first NFL start as a Cleveland Brown and the guys asked him what it meant.  It means they practiced and put in the work, so now they can relax and go out and play.  (He grew up on a farm in Texas.)

It was nice to read about someone who walks with God and didn't make a lot of bad choices that messed up their life. I think the book balances his childhood training, football games, and his walk with the Lord well. I enjoyed learning so much about Colt through this book. He's definitely a leader with character and I am happy he is our Quarterback! I recommend it to parents, all Browns fans and anyone who is interested in football.

Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

You can help our charity of the month just by leaving a comment on any of our blogs! We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month. The charity for this month is at the top of our blog.

JESUS: 90 Days With The One And Only by Beth Moore (Giveaway)

JESUS: 90 Days With The One And Only by Beth Moore is a devotional book with her insights into scriptures that all relate to Jesus. It has 1-3 pages on each passage of scripture with questions for reflection, space to write notes and her thoughts about the verses. I used it as a devotional book and liked it. I only wrote it in a little bit because I realized it would be a good book to pass along. Also, I found many of the thought questions required too much thought for me. It is a great book for focusing on Jesus and she made some very interesting points. It was like having her in a Bible discussion with me.

If you don't mind having some of my answers, live in the U.S. and would like this book, just let me know in the comments. It does no good just sitting on my shelf. To keep it simple, the first to comment gets it if you give me your email so I can contact you for your address. It has 436 pages.

Beth Moore is a well-known Bible teacher who speaks at conferences and has written many Bible Studies.

Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

You can help our charity of the month just by leaving a comment on any of our blogs! We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month. The charity for this month is at the top of our blog.

"Unplanned" by Abby Johnson with Cindy Lambert

You have to read Unplanned by Abby Johnson because it's just so good! It's the true story of Abby, who was a leader of a Planned Parenthood chapter. One day she had to see the actual abortion, and that changed her whole life from then on. The story is amazing! A coalition For Life was praying right next door and she went to join them. But the part I really enjoyed in this book is her relationship with God! She shares how God can use anyone to spread His word and Abby praying is so good! I got chills reading about it.

This is a powerful book that you will not want to put down. Abby, if you are reading this, thanks for sharing and God bless your husband, daughter and you. You wrote a fantastic book!

 
Have you read this one? What did you think of it? You can help our charity of the month just by leaving a comment on any of our blogs! We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month. The charity for this month is at the top of our blog.

"Rebel With A Cause" by Franklin Graham

Rebel With A Cause is the autobiography of Franklin Graham, son of the famous evangelist, Billy Graham. It can be a real encouragement to anyone who has some wayward kids. Franklin Graham was a rebellious teenager and did not want to be a preacher or a missionary. In the book he tells how God kept on working in his life and how God prepared him and led him to take over overseeing the Samaritan’s Purse ministry. He was both reckless and cocky growing up, but he surrendered his life to Christ and God used him to help people in great need and further His kingdom.

A couple principles he shared that I thought were helpful were these:

(1) Always leave “God room.” God room refers to the gap between what your resources are and what the need is. True faith is when you promise more than you can deliver, but trust God to provide the rest.

(2) Don’t beg for money. This is a principle that Franklin Graham used in running Samaritan’s Purse. His plan was to present the facts. Let people know the need, and then back off and let the Holy Spirit do the rest. He gives practical examples over and over throughout the book that shows this principle works.

Franklin’s life was quite an adventure! It was through this book that I first became familiar with Samaritan’s Purse. I look forward each Christmas to support Operation Christmas Child which is just one of the Samaritan’s Purse projects.  This organization is often among the first to get relief to disaster areas worldwide. 

Have you read this one? What did you think of it?
During April we will donated 50 cents for each legitimate comment on any of our blogs ($161) to Samaritan's Purse to provide relief to Japan.  During May, our charity is The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. You can help our charity of the month just by leaving a comment on any of our blogs listed on our sidebar!     

"Heaven Is For Real" by Todd Burpo with Lynn Vincent

Heaven Is For Real tells the story of a little boy named Colton.  He was very sick and told his parents that he went to heaven for three minutes and then Jesus sent him back as an answer to his dad’s prayers.  His dad is a pastor and his wife a Sunday School teacher.  I’ll let you decide if Colton really went to heaven or not.  It’s a good Easter read!  I think he did.
(Gerard's Review)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? You can help our charity of the month just by leaving a comment on any of our blogs! We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month. The charity for this month is at the top of our blog.

"Couples Who Pray—The Most Intimate Act Between A Man And Woman" by Squire Rushnell and Louise Duart

Couples Who Pray--The Most Intimate Act Between A Man And Woman by Squire Rushnell and Louise Duart presents the challenge for couples to spend 5 minutes every day praying together for 40 days and gives benefits of doing so supported by research and inspiring testimonies of 24 couples, including celebrities.  The hope is that after the 40 days, it will become a habit you will want to continue. 

The website for the 40-day prayer challenge is:  www.coupleswhopray.com  In addition to praying together, other factors are mentioned as well based on Biblical principles that should be part of any marriage.  My favorite quotes were these: “Our purpose in our marriage is to serve each other and love each other as much as we can.”—Louise Duart  and “Not long ago we drove by a little church with a great saying posted out front:  Loved the wedding, invite me to the marriage!  God.”

Couples Who Pray has inspired me to try again to pray together with my husband every day.  We have done this on and off, but maybe with the support of the website challenge, we can stick to it.    I liked the L-A-U-G-H-S acronym for 6 steps to a successful relationship in the last chapter:  Laughter, Appreciation, Understand, God, Honor, Support.  For me, this book dragged a bit when it hit on the existence of God and the reliability of scripture because I am already familiar with that; however,  the stories of the celebrities are quite interesting.  I encourage any couple to read this and give the 40-day challenge of praying together for just 5 minutes each day a try! 

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? You can help our charity of the month just by leaving a comment on any of our blogs! We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month. The charity for this month is at the top of our blog.

"JESUS--90 Days With The One And Only" by Beth Moore

I discovered JESUS-90 Days With The One And Only by Beth Moore through a blog (unfortunately, I don't recall which one it was but think it was Reading and Life).   It's actually a devotional book by Beth Moore.  I've done some of her Bible Studies and always came away with a better understanding and a fresh perspective so was very excited to find this book.  I had a Barnes & Noble Gift Card so bought it with that.  It is a beautiful book!  I look forward to using it in my devotions and may perhaps share some things from it as I go through it on my other blog, Always Looking Up.  This is a 90-day journey so I will not keep showing this in our header here for three months even though I will be reading it.  I'm sure it will be very good!  (If it was your blog where I saw this, please let me know so I can include a link to your post--I know I left a comment that I would be using my gift card to get it.)




Have you read this one? What did you think of it? You can help Canine Lifeline (a dog rescue organization that saved our dog, Abby) by leaving a comment on any of our blogs in March. We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month.