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I Am Devotional 100 Devotions About the Names of God By Diane Stortz

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Book Description:

The God Who Saves. The God Who Provides. The Holy One. The names of God tell us who He is and how He loves us—explore the glory and the goodness of God in I Am Devotional.

Children will learn to trust God in everything as they learn about the names and character of God in the I Am Devotional. Through 100 devotions, children will see how God’s names reflect His love, strength, trustworthiness, etc., and what that means as they develop a strong faith.

Name of God: I AM

Meaning: God is to be worshipped

Application: Worship God by how you live!

Diane Stortz has a proven history of connecting well with both children and parents in her writing. With sales of 500,000 inspirational books for children, Diane is a trusted name for Christian families. The art of Diane Le Feyer has captivated readers of I Am and will continue to delight in this accompanying devotional with vibrant illustrations throughout and a vivid cover embellished with foil and lots of striking glitter.

The I Am Devotional is the perfect companion to I Am, the Bible storybook that first introduced children to the names and character of God.

My Review:

I Am Devotional 100 Devotions About the Names of God By Diane Stortz is a fantastic devotional. I usually don’t like devotionals but this one is eye catching and descriptive. My 12 year old took this book the second it came in the door. She absolutely loves this devotional. I love studying the attributes of God and even more so to share that with my daughter. The pictures are captivating and make the book flow well. I would suggest this book to anyone wanting to learn more about God or study the attributes of God.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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Book Review: Momentum: Pursuing God’s Blessings Through the Beatitudes

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From the Back Cover:

Why is change so hard?

Don’t you wish you could just snap your fingers and be spiritually mature? That the gulf between where you are and where you want to be wasn’t so wide? That you could experience the blessing of godliness more?

Change is hard, it’s true, but we often make it harder than it has to be. Momentum offers a better way forward, revealing how the Beatitudes—“blessed are the poor in spirit . . . blessed are the meek . . . ”—hold the secret to change that gets easier with time. Learn:

¿   What each beatitude actually means
¿   How they work together to give momentum
¿   Practical ways to mature in each one

The Beatitudes aren’t just poetic sayings; they’re a way of life. If you want
to make strides in overcoming sin, growing in godliness, and getting closer to God, this book is for you. And if you’ve lost hope that you can change, this book is especially for you. You can make progress, starting today.

 

My Review:

Momentum: Pursuing God’s Blessings Through the Beatitudes by Colin S. Smith is the most in-depth book that I have read about the Beatitudes in quite a long time. The author draws the reader into eight chapters deeply defining the Beatitudes such as: I bring Nothing- The Enigma of Empty-Handedness, I Take Ownership- The Power of Spiritual Mourning and I long to be Righteous- The Energy of Renewed Affections. The author uses both scripture, personal experience and other writers to teach each topic. I greatly encourage any one wanting to learn more about Jesus’ teachings and God’s character to buy this book and learn from it as much as I did.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free in exchange for my honest review from the publisher through the Moody Blogger Review Program. http://www.mpnewsroom.com/content/blogger-review-program I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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Book Review: Reclaiming the Lost Art of Biblical Meditation Find True Peace in Jesus By Robert Morgan

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Book Description

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight. — Psalm 19:14

Do you long to deepen your intimacy with the Lord? To find a sense of soul-steadying peace? To develop emotional strength? Then you will need to pause long enough to be still and know He is God. Trusted Pastor Robert Morgan leads us through a journey into biblical meditation, which, he says, is thinking Scripture—not just reading Scripture or studying Scripture or even thinking about Scripture—but thinking Scripture, contemplating, visualizing, and personifying the precious truths God has given us.

The practice is as easy and portable as your brain, as available as your imagination, as near as your Bible, and the benefits are immediate. As you ponder, picture, and personalize God’s Word, you begin looking at life through His lens, viewing the world from His perspective. And as your thoughts become happier and holier and brighter, so do you.

My Review

Reclaiming the Lost Art of Biblical Meditation Find True Peace in Jesus By Robert Morgan is an encouraging book about biblical meditation. The book quality surprised me. The book is hardcover and the nice page quality reminds me of what I would expect in a gift book like for graduation or a present with some tea bags. There is a free downloadable study and audio meditation guides at Robert Morgan’s website. Towards the back of the book is place to journal. I highly recommend this book for anyone looking to study biblical meditation or has a friend that would appreciate this book as a gift.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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Book Review: Tranquility A Prayer and Reflection Coloring Journal

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Tranquility: A Prayer and Reflection Coloring Journal invites you to mix creative journaling and coloring into your personal time with God. Prayers that focus on topics such as being thankful, dealing with stress and heartache, caring for yourself and others, listening for God’s leading, and waiting patiently on Him will guide your thoughts and calm your spirit. Filled with more than 100 designs to color, plenty of space for journaling, and 40 needs-based prayers, Tranquility will help you express your devotion to God with your whole heart.

My Review:

I was excited to review Tranquility: A Prayer and Reflection Coloring Journal. I like the thick hard cover and page thickness as well as the prayers and writing prompts. The page thickness makes for very little bleed through. I do not like how there is so much space that is already colored. Half filled in pages makes it difficult to choose my own color scheme. I would rather the book be completely blank so the reader could color as they desire. with that being said I think it is a nice prayer and reflection book. I would recommend using fine tip coloring tools as some of the areas are small. My teenage daughter took this book and started reading and coloring right away.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the Tyndale Blog Network. http://www.tyndaleblognetwork.com/ I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

 

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Book Review: I Am By Michele Cushatt

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Book Description

From the moment a woman wakes until she falls, exhausted, on her pillow, one question plagues her at every turn:

Am I enough?

The pressure to do more, be more has never been more intense. Online marketing. Self-help books. Movies, magazines and gym memberships. Even church attendance and social media streams have become a means of comparing ourselves to impossible standards. Am I pretty enough? Hip enough? Spiritual enough?

We fear the answer is “No.”

When a brutal bout with cancer changed how she looked, talked, and lived, Michele Cushatt embarked on a soul-deep journey to rediscover herself. The typical self-esteem strategies and positivity plans weren’t enough. Instead, she needed a new foundation, one that wouldn’t prove flimsy when faced with the onslaught of day-to-day life.

With raw personal stories, rock-solid biblical teaching, and radical truths on which to rebuild your life, I Am will help you:

• End the barrage of negative self-talk with an empowering new narrative.

• Refuse to ride the rollercoaster of others’ opinions and start believing what God’s says about you.

• Stop agonizing over past regrets and failures and make peace with God’s sovereign plan for your life.

• Leave insecurity behind as you exchange temporary fixes for an identity established on God’s unchanging affection.

I Am reminds us that our value isn’t found in our talents, achievements, relationships, or appearance. It is instead found in a God who chose us, sent us, and promised to be with us—forever.

My Review

I Am By Michele Cushatt is a fantastic devotional that takes you on “A Journey to Knowing Who You Are Because of Who He Is” Author Michele Cushatt uses personal stories to relate the reader on how they are because of who God is. The book is separated into 6 parts: Creation, Exodus, Covenant, Presence, Rescue, and Revelation. Each section covers six sub topics such as I am loved, I am hungry, I am wanted, I am not alone, I am clean and I am satisfied. Each devotional has scripture, a personal story, a famous quote and something to leave the reader in thought of who they are in God.

I expected this book to be more of a study so I was a bit disappointed. But as a devotional, I Am By Michele Cushatt this book is a perfect fit. I suggest this book for anyone who is looking for a devotional based on personal stories to learn who they are in God.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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Book Review: The Bad Habits of Jesus by Leonard Sweet

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“The Bad Habits of Jesus” by Leonard Sweet. The title of this book may offend some people but that is just one of the habits of Jesus that this book covers. There are so many things that Jesus did that went against society  of 2000 years ago and still would go against society today. This book intrigued me and I had a hard time putting it down. I loved the feeling of the soft cover.

The 15 main habits that Leonard Sweet covers are: Jesus Spit, Jesus Proctastinated, Jesus Appeared Wasteful, Jesus Was Constantly Disappearing, Jesus Offended People, Especially in High Places, Jesus Told Stories That Didn’t Make Sense, Jesus Loved To Party, Jesus Could Be Dangerous, Jesus Hung Out With Bad People, Jesus Spent Too Much Time With Children, Jesus Either Talked Too Much Or Was Silent When He Should Have Talked, Jesus Broke The Rules, Jesus Enjoyed The Company Of Women (Not Just Men), Jesus Focused On The Little Things In Life, and Jesus Thought He Was God. Leonard Sweet goes into great detail explaining each of these habits. Leonard Sweet backs his points up with Scripture while relating the topics to both the culture of 200 years ago and today.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is wanting to learn more about the character of Jesus and how Christianity should look today.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the Tyndale Blog Network. http://www.tyndaleblognetwork.com/ I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

 

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Book Review: Baa! Oink! Moo! God Made the Animals By Rhonda Gowler Green

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Book Description:

Baa! Oink! Moo! God Made the Animals, written by award-winning author Rhonda Gowler Greene and illustrated by David Walker, is set on a farm and follows a conversation between a mother and child as the child repeatedly asks “Mama, who made . . . ?”

In the end, children learn that God is responsible for creating sheep, cows, pigs, horses, goats––all the animals on the farm… including puppies! Together, parents and children will discover the wonder of God’s creation when they open Baa! Oink! Moo! God Made the Animals.

My Review:

Baa! Oink! Moo! God Made the Animals by Rhonda Gowler Green is a beautiful bedtime story for young children. My children liked the illustrations and making all the animal sounds. This board book is well made with thick pages and a padded cover perfect for little fingers. Its a great story for teaching animal sounds and children’s identity in God. I recommend this book to anyone who has the opportunity to read to children.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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Book Review: A Minute of Vision for Men by Roger Patterson

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Do you have a vision for your life?
All of us need a compelling vision to live for. Scripture says, “Where there is no vision, the people perish.”

Today, so many of us are living on autopilot instead of engaging the battle of living up to our God-given potential. We lack a vision for life. Too often, we settle for less than what is best for us, our families, and our careers. We struggle with pinpointing our purpose in life.

A Minute of Vision for Men is an investment in a different sort of life—one with vision, purpose, and integrity. This book will help you connect with your purpose. It’s written so that you can start your day on the right foot, focused on what matters the most.

Start each day with a potent, daily dose of vision for your life.

My Review:
A Minute of Vision for Men: 365 Motivational Moments to Kick-Start Your Day
by Roger Patterson is a well endorsed devotional. I did not request to review this book. I requested a different book but got this book instead. My husband seems to like it and he is not the reading type. Each daily devotion has a short story and a scripture verse. Each devotion covers one page so it is perfect for someone who is in a hurry or not into reading, like my husband. I think it is a nice little hardcover book (4.5 x 6.5 in). I like the cover, the binding and the page quality. The only thing that I do not like is that the devotions are organized by day of the year (January 1st, etc.) and the book has no February 29th for the 1/4 of the time that there is a leap year. In my opinion it should be organized “Day 1, Day 2, etc.” and have a bookmark. With that said, I think this is a delightful little devotional for men.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the Tyndale Blog Network. http://www.tyndaleblognetwork.com/ I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

https://www.christianbook.com/minute-vision-motivational-moments-start-your/roger-patterson/9781496417770/product-reviews/417774?submitted_review=1

 

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Book Review: Say & Pray Devotions by Diane Stortz

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Book Description:

Say and Pray devotions with your little ones today!

Your youngsters want to be just like you. How exciting! Help them grow in their faith and learn more about God’s love with Say & Pray Devotions.

Say & Pray Devotions features short devotions and lots of labeled illustrations so your little one can practice identifying objects and words on their own! This book is a great tool to start a devotional time with little ones, as it will help you teach them about God, and the labeled pictures will help start a life of faith.

This is a nice complement to the bestselling Say & Pray Bible.

My Review:

I got this book for my 2 year old daughter to review. She absolutely loves this book. She will spend a long time turning the pages of this board book and pointing to all the different objects on the pages. Many objects are identified to help with sight reading but several are not. I was hesitant to get this book to review but it is by far my 2 year olds favorite book in our house. She carries it carefully and reads it over and over. My 11 year old enjoys reading the book to her sister because the printed words are short yet you can make the story as long as you like. Each page has a prayer, a scripture and a praise. Even as I type up this review, my two year old took the book from me. I highly suggest this book for any young child.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

 

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Book Review: The Parables of Jesus by James Montgomery Boice

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From the Back Cover

Some sections of the Bible give us grand theology. Some move us to grateful responses to God. The parables ask us if there has been any real difference in our lives. —James Montgomery Boice

The Parables of Jesus offers a scholarly yet simple explanation of all of Jesus’ parables. Boice captures the enduring message of each one and pastorally guides us in to a proper response.

About the Author

JAMES MONTGOMERY BOICE (1938-2000) (A.B., Harvard University; B.D., Princeton Theological Seminary; D.Th., University of Basel, Switzerland; D.D., Theological Seminary of the Reformed Episcopal Church) was speaker on the worldwide radio ministry of the Bible Study Hour and pastor of historic Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia. His titles include Jesus on Trial and The Doctrines of Grace. He was married to Linda Ann Boice, who continues to teach at the high school they co-founded.

 

My Review:
The Parables of Jesus by James Montgomery Boice pulls the reader into a study of the parables that Jesus taught in such a depth that I have never seen in a book. The author separates the book into six sections: Parables of the Kingdom, Parables of Salvation, Parables of Wisdom and Folly, Parables of the Christian Life, Parables of Judgement and the Notes/Index section. Each section has four to five parables. Each parable is well explained in both ancient Jewish and modern aspects.
I like the feel of the cover and the paper thickness. The Parables of Jesus by James Montgomery Boice was well edited and the format flows nicely.

I suggest this book to anyone who wants to learn about the Parables of Jesus or how God speaks and teaches in general.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free in exchange for my honest review from the publisher through the Moody Blogger Review Program. http://www.mpnewsroom.com/content/blogger-review-program I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”