Book Review: A greater Story

 

Each of us is living a story

Sam Collier's story started with rejection. When he and his twin sister were born, their biological mother gave them up for adoption. Though Sam loved his adoptive family, he sometimes felt like a puzzle missing crucial pieces. But God reached into Sam's life and showed him that he didn't have to write his own story, because it was really God who was telling his story through Sam.

In this deeply personal yet remarkably universal book, Sam Collier tells his inspiring story of abandonment, sacrifice, gratitude, and rescue, revealing how God is always doing something bigger and better than we might imagine. He has a purpose and a plan for every single one of us, and he is always telling his greater story through our trials, our relationships, and our triumphs.

If you're in the middle of a challenging time and long to know that God is working through it, Sam's story will teach you how to see the big picture, even when there are pieces missing.

My Reflections: I had not heard about Sam Collier's story so didn't quite know what to expect from his memoir.

I was so surprised and moved by Collier's life journey. I absolutely adore people's life stories, they are so interesting and moving, everyone has a story it's just if they are brave enough to tell it. 

Collier does an exceptional job of weaving his personal story in with God's amazing grace and redemptive plan for each and every one of us. It is always amazing to look back and see where God has worked in the lives around us. It may seem pretty bleak in the short term but God always had a greater plan for all of us, sometimes we just have to hold on tight with eyes pointed upward. 

If you are looking for an uplifting and inspiring book this one is definitely a must-read!

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.

Sam Collier:

Sam Collier is a pastor, speaker, writer, and host of the A Greater Story with Sam Collier TV show and radio podcast that currently airs in 100 million homes. He also communicates nationally and internationally as a speaker and regular contributor at...

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Book Review: Beholding and Becoming, The Art Of Everyday Worship

Become What You Behold

You are in the process of becoming. Every day is an opportunity to be shaped and formed by what moves your heart…drives your thoughts…captures your gaze. Is it any wonder that where you direct your eyes and your heart matter in your day-to-day?

We become what we behold when we set our hearts and minds on Christ and His redemption story here in the details of our daily lives. Not just on Sunday, not just on holidays, not just when extraordinarily hard or wonderful things happen…but today.  

Bestselling author and artist Ruth Chou Simons invites you on a new journey to Beholding and Becoming.  With more than 850 pieces of intricate, original artwork, Ruth encourages you to elevate your gaze to the One who created all things.

Today is an opportunity for God to demonstrate His love and His faithfulness in the midst of your mundane. No circumstance is too ordinary or too forgotten for Him to meet you there in worship. His transforming grace turns your “everyday ordinary” into a holy place of becoming.

My Reflections:

This exquisitely crafted book is as inspiring on the inside as it is beautiful on the outside. 

Ruth Chou Simon's newest book points us to the truths God has for us. Her beautiful artwork coupled with meaningful scrip makes this book a delight to read. The quality of this devotional has a luxurious feel, the hardbound outer shell and thick beautifully crafted pages delight the senses, but the real gem of this book is what is contained within the pages themselves. 

Ruth does not softly skim the top she delves deeply into the relevant subject matter like living your ordinary mundane life with purpose and joy. Every act of our lives can be an expression of love and joy. Ruth excels in her ability to draw her reader in with fascinating stories, beautifully penned metaphors and intentional devotions.

If you are looking for a new devotional that is uplifting as much as it is beautiful, look no further. I feel blessed with the opportunity to review Ruth's newest book. I am going to look at purchasing her first book titled Gracelaced. 

Book has been provided courtesy of Harvest House and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.

RUTH SIMONS

Ruth Chou Simons is a Wall Street Journal bestselling author, entrepreneur, and speaker. She shares her journey of God’s grace intersecting daily life with word and paintbrush through an online shoppe at GraceLaced.com and her Instagram community of more than a hundred thousand. Ruth and her husband, Troy, are grateful parents to...

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Book Review: Confident Moms, Confident Daughters

From The Back:

What we say to our daughters lasts a moment. What we show our daughters lasts a lifetime.
No matter how much we try to tell our daughters that they are beautiful and lovable as they are, words are not enough. And if we're honest, we don't always set the best example. How can we build up confident girls if we struggle to be confident ourselves?

With deep compassion, Maria Furlough delves into the root causes of our insecurity, offers biblical guidance for seeing ourselves as God sees us, and shows how to model our newfound confidence to our impressionable daughters. Speaking as a daughter, a youth leader, and a mother, Furlough shares her own struggles and triumphs, as well as expert advice from a pediatrician, a nutritionist, a Christian counsellor, and more.

My Reflections: If you are a woman who has an influential role in the life of a child this book is for you. Maria Furlough makes it plain that the answer to the issue of how to be more confident lies in our relationship with God. Her assertions are backed up with biblical wisdom and professional advice from experts working in the field.

Furlough balances her subject matter well with ideas about insecurity, self-image and the ways our culture has twisted the Biblical God lense of beauty identity in Christ. This book is a great reminder that our children are watching our actions and beliefs about ourselves and how we need to work on ourselves so in turn, our children can see healthy role modelling. 

The highlight for me in this book was to work hard to portray a healthy self-image regarding myself and my daughters. 
-Don't talk to your kids like you would a friend, they don't need to know personal struggles or burdens. 
-Honest frank discussions will build relationship and help your children feel free to come to you with their big and small problems. 
-Connect with your children, listen when they share their lives with you and be involved in the things they are involved in. 

This book is a fantastic refresher for any mom who has a tween or teenaged daughters or women who work with this age group. Building relationship is critical to the development of our daughters and resources like this one are wonderful tools to help keep this goal in check. I enjoyed the refreshing manner this authour presented her ideas and will certainly be watching for more from Maria Furlough in the future.

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.

Maria Furlough

Maria Furlough is a wife to her husband, Dave, and a mother to one amazing eleven-year-old daughter, three ridiculously fun boys, and one baby boy who lives in the arms of Jesus. She teaches women's Bible studies and works as the Missions Team Leader at Lake...

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Book Review: Loving My Actual Neighbor

From the Back:

As Christians, we know we are called to love our neighbor. But how do we do that? Where do we start? What does this look like in our increasingly isolated world?

Following practices outlined in the first chapter of 2 Peter, Alexandra Kuykendall lays out the framework for where to begin. From practicing humility to listening with understanding to being generous in our relationships, Loving My Actual Neighbor offers practical, start-now steps you can take to love your actual neighbours.

My Reflections: I chose this particular book because as a family we felt that our neighbourhood was specifically chosen for us to live in, it was actually pretty clear from the start that God wanted us here.

 We live in a quirky little back road community with vibrant neighbours and strong community presence. Our family is young while most of my neighbours are retired and enjoying a different life stage. We are homeschoolers so I wanted the kids to be involved in the neighbourhood, I wanted them to pray for each and every one of the people on our street. So we embarked on our prayer walk project, which in turn moved onto our prayer drive. We would pray silently for each and every neighbour along our road, each time we drove by or walked by their homes. We have continued this off and on for the entire 7 years we have lived on this street. I believe God hears our prayers and will bless each and every one of the people who we have lifted up to him. 

This book is a practical and concise introductory plan on how to pray and minister to your neighbours. I loved how real and easy to follow this book was to read. This book starts with a thought-provoking introduction and moves onto well laid out chapters on practical ways to engage and foster meaningful neighbourly relationships. I particularly enjoyed how the segments were a real and not fluffy and airy fairy. Yep, you may not get along or seem to make much of a difference in your neighbour's spiritual walk, but you never know what God is doing on the inside! 

He asks us to be faithful in our walk and I believe this is one area where we can do just that. So if you are looking for ways to be impactful with the people God has nestled you between, here's your chance to get real! 

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.

Book Review: Powerful Prayers For You Daughter

From the Back:

From the moment your little girl was born, you knew you were going to be doing a lot of praying. So you may wonder, What exactly should I be praying for?

Collecting specific prayers you can use, along with stories from other parents about how God has answered their prayers, Rob and Joanna Teigen give you a strong foundation to build a lifelong habit of praying for your daughter. They also help you understand what girls go through growing up, including stress, purity issues, social pressure, modesty challenges, spiritual growth, and more.

Remember: you may not always understand your daughter, but God does! Start asking him for guidance, protection, and blessings today.

My Reflections:
This is the second book this month that I have read by this husband-wife duo. Since I have a son and two girls I was thrilled to read Powerful Prayers for your daughter. 
You will want to pick this book up, It is not just another how-to book, it is literally a road map that helps guide you to a purposeful prayer life for your daughter.

Have you ever gotten into the rut of I pray for...help her to.. and be... If you find yourself stuck in the habit of repeating the same prayers over and over. God does hear you, friends, no matter if it is just a silent..help! But as humans, we sometimes need to feel like we are doing everything we can to get it right. This book may help you learn to purposely pray for your daughter's life in a meaningful manner.
It is set up perfectly with well-categorized chapters that help you find just the types of prayers you want to wash over your child. Another aspect of this book that I love is that is not just for little kids, these prayers can be for your teens, your adult children or your baby girls. 

If you are looking to step up your prayers for your daughter this may just be the book you are looking for. I just want to clarify one more time. God hears our heart, all the time. He answers our prayers even if they are just silent pleas for help. You don't need to say just the right thing to be heard, God answers his children. Sometimes not on our timing or in the way we want, but his way is the best way!
 I do love having books like these on hand, If I am in a rut they help guide my prayer life. So in closing, I do recommend this book and the other title by these authors  "Powerful Prayers for Your Son"

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.

Rob Teigen

Rob Teigen was a publishing professional for more than twenty years and is the author of the bestselling Laugh-Out-Loud Jokes for Kids series (under the pseudonym Rob Elliott). He and his wife, Joanna Teigen, have celebrated twenty-five years of...

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Joanna Teigen

Rob Teigen was a publishing professional for more than twenty years and is the author of the bestselling Laugh-Out-Loud Jokes for Kids series (under the pseudonym Rob Elliott). He and his wife, Joanna Teigen, have celebrated twenty-five years of...

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Book Review: Grace, Hope and Love

Book Description

Grace, Hope, and Love is an inspirational weekly devotional that will encourage and instruct your heart in the ways of the Lord. Fifty-one Southern Baptist pastors and ministry leaders wrote these wise and insightful daily devotions on the timeless topics of the grace, hope, and love God offers His children. Reflect on each daily entry with Scripture passages, a devotion, and a prayer.

The eighth annual MyDaily® devotional, compiled by Johnny Hunt, will be an excellent addition to your daily quiet time as you seek to draw near to the Lord. The unique viewpoints of 51 respected church leaders, including Dr. James Merritt, Dr. Ronnie Floyd, Dr. Grant Ethridge, Dr. Don Wilton, Dr. Ted Traylor, and Dr. Michael Cloer, offer you deep wisdom and insight into the heart of God toward His children.

Designed with an attractive, luxury package, Grace, Hope, and Love will be a beautiful gift as well as a top choice for those looking for a biblically solid and practical yearlong devotional.

My Reflections:

 Upon receiving this devotional I was immediately overjoyed! 
The presentation in its self is luxurious. The soft blue leather-like material feels like you are holding a treasure, and indeed you are! 

Inside the cover of this beautiful book holds soothing, loving and encouraging devotionals for every day of the year. I so enjoyed reading through (not daily as I had to review the book in its entirety, in less than a month :) So much wisdom imparted in these pages. I looked forward to my time within these pages, as it truly felt like a special time with mentors.

Written by fifty-two men of God you get a broad and varied bible study, as each writer has a slightly different flavor that he brings to your devotion time. 
I always enjoy when devotions add a little sample prayer at the bottom, it is a nice way to start off your quiet prayer time with God. I think it would be fantastic to journal alongside with this study. While there is no room included in this text, I highly recommend buying a notebook to jot down your reflections and prayers.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to spend more time in the word and growing closer to our God. I think it would make a magnificent gift, it is so beautiful!

I received this book free of charge from the Book Look Bloggers program, thank you Book Look!

Book Review: The Prayer Saturated Family

From The Back:

Learn to pray together and see your family transformed!
In our world of busy schedules and digital distractions, it's hard for families to find time to eat dinner together, let alone pray together. Yet praying together deepens relationships, alleviates fighting and strengthens family ties more than any single thing you can do.

With a fresh, flexible, real-world approach, bestselling author Cheryl Sacks shows how you can integrate prayer into your daily family life, including how to:
· Get everyone on board and involved
· Experience a fresh sense of God's promise and purpose for your family
· Overcome spiritual opposition coming against your household
· Shift the spiritual atmosphere in your home to one of greater peace and joy
· Make an investment in your children's faith that will last a lifetime

You will also discover how a family that prays together becomes an unstoppable force for good, bringing God's answers to impossible situations. And it can start with you! Through prayer, you have the power not only to change the atmosphere of your home but also to be part of changing the spiritual atmosphere wherever you go.

"You will love this book! It is rich with stories that will cause you to laugh and cry! It is filled with hope!"--Cindy Jacobs, Generals International

Includes a Step-by-Step 31-Day Family Prayer Guide!Full of the creative ideas, prompts and Scripture-based prayers you need to help jump-start and develop your family's prayer life.

My Reflections:

I was so ecstatic to read Cheryl Sacks new book The Prayer Saturated Family!
What better technique can we use to transform our family and homes but pray?
Sacks give us a plan to do just that in a powerful family friendly package.

Rich in storytelling and practical wisdom this book delivers a reminder that a family that prays together not only stays together but also thrives!

Our family is far from perfect, but we pray together, we fellowship together, and we look at each other and hold one another accountable. The family unit is a funny thing don't you think? Different personalities brought together, hand picked by God, working together for His good...beautiful, isn't it? Admist the piles of dirty dishes, arguments over who's turn it is to work in the barns, and teenagers.. we pray, and we pray some more, but is it making a difference? You bet it is!

This book reminds us that without prayer we are left vulnerable to attack, we live in a spiritual war, one that needs to be fought in part by prayer.
Included is a 31-day family prayer guide that I am super eager to implement in our home. We already have the "prayer jar," and "Thankful Jar" this will be a fantastic addition to what our family has already implemented.

If you want to change the atmosphere of your home and change the future for your family, I encourage you to pray! This book is extremely encouraging, so if you ever needed some useful tips and an easy to follow plan, this book may be the book for you.

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc

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THE AUTHOR

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   Cheryl Sacks

   Cheryl Sacks, national speaker and bestselling author, is the co-founder and leader of BridgeBuilders International Leadership Network (www.bridgebuilders.net) along with her husband, Hal. She has written for such publications as Pray!magazine and Rick...

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