Book Review: Managing Worry and Anxiety

From The Back:

Proven ways to increase peace, worry less, and live with more joy
Scripture says "do not be anxious about anything," yet most of us find ourselves increasingly worried and anxious--about our families, our jobs, our finances, our security, and so much more. We're even worried about our level of anxiety!

Integrating both the psychological and spiritual aspects of anxiety, therapist Jean Holthaus offers this research-driven and faith-informed approach to understanding why we experience anxiety and shows us how to more effectively manage it by developing three essential skills:

· living in the present moment
· suspending judgment
· believing yourself to be competent and equipped by God

Our world is never going to be a completely safe and understandable place. In the midst of this, our hearts and minds can still experience greater and lasting peace. The practical tools Holthaus offers help us get there.

My Reflections:
I was slightly hesitant to read another Christian based book centring on the topic of mental health. I find many of these types of writings can often play down the actual root of the problem. As a Christian and as a person who suffers from anxiety and depression I didn't want to hear that I needed to just be a better Christian or that my issues were apart of sin in my life. This book was, however, a breath of fresh air. There is no judgment just clarity and tools for your toolbox. This is not a book that you will read and it will make everything better, but an explanation in medical terms as to why and what can cause these types of illnesses. You will also find practical insight into your thought process and how to live mindfully.

Jean Holthaus uses her skills as a therapist to break down what anxiety is, what causes it and the resources available to manage it. I loved that she cohesively uses faith-based teaching along with scientifically proven theories and research. Holthaus also explains the use of how therapy and medication can play a role in improving a person's journey. Usually, most of the self-help books I have read published by Christian authors seem to miss the mark where medication comes into play, sometimes it is a key factor in balancing the brain's chemical imbalances. 

You will find 11 chapters that help explain and help deal with worry and anxiety, you will also find a wealth of drawings and diagrams explaining the human experience. It is a very well written book, and I believe this would not only benefit people who have anxiety and depression but also the clinicians who serve them. I also think that think this kind of teaching should be taught in every school across the world. We all can benefit from understanding the way the human body works and how our views can affect our perception of the world. 

This is a well written, comprehensive read. You will want to take this one at a slow pace so that you can really marinate in the teachings, otherwise, you may miss out on some valuable lessons. I am so blessed to have been able to review this book.

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

Jean Holthaus

Jean Holthaus, LISW, LMSW, has more than 25 years' experience providing therapy. She currently works as a clinician and manages two clinics for Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services. Her professional experience includes working with individuals, couples,...

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Book Reveiw: Raising The Challenging Child

From The Back:

What's the worst you've ever faced as a parent? An all-out tantrum at the mall? A son who won't take out his earbuds to listen to you? A daughter who's failing at school and won't do her homework? A teen who constantly breaks curfew? A call from the police?

Whatever you're dealing with, Raising the Challenging Child will help.
Building on their work at Chaddock, a nonprofit organization that has worked with some of the most challenging kids in the nation for more than 150 years, the authors empower frustrated parents with practical tips and real-life examples on how to:



· minimize behavioural meltdowns
· reduce conflict
· increase cooperation
· promote healthy attachment
· improve family relationships

The strategies they share work both for the child going through a difficult phase brought on by life disruption or trauma and for the child facing chronic struggles. Parents, teachers, and those who work with children and youth will find positive, practical steps they can start taking today in order to understand and address the baffling behavior of the child under their care.

My Reflections:
This book is a wealth of information, a collaborative effort of Buckwalter and Reed from the work they have done with some of the most challenging children in the USA. 

Raising children in our society today is by far no easy task. Every child is different, so the approach we use with one child may very well not be appropriate for another. There is no one size fits all approach to parenting and nor should there be. 

In this book, you will find helpful tips and suggestions along with practical application tools. The most useful tool I gleaned from this book was to remember all those skills I had when I ran my little daycare/ preschool program. How you say something makes all the difference. How have I forgotten all this in such a short time? When the kids were small I always phrased my "don't touch that" to "Look with your eyes, not your hands" Or "Stop running" to "use your walking feet"
Now that my children are much older you tend to bark out orders like a drill Sargent instead of phrasing things in a more positive light. A very good reminder indeed!

Another good point this book makes is that parents, caregivers and teachers all need to be on the same page and consistency is key. This is extremely tricky in our fast-paced day to day world where we are constantly moving from one activity to another, eating at the rink or hurridly before swim lessons. In this light, I think it's fair to remember it may take a few attempts to strike the right balance or strategy. 

This was a fantastic reminder of how I can parent some of the tricky behaviours all children exhibit from time to time. The skills in this book will greatly benefit teachers, daycare workers, parents and grandparents alike. 

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

THE AUTHORS

Karen Doyle Buckwalter

Karen Doyle Buckwalter, MSW, LCSW, is director of program strategy at Chaddock in Quincy, Illinois. She serves on the board of directors' advisory board of the Theraplay® Institute in Chicago and has trained and consulted at family behavioral health...

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Debbie Reed

Debbie Reed is president and CEO of Chaddock. Currently engaged in doctoral studies, she has also played a leadership role in child- and family-serving organizations at the state and national levels, including the Illinois Department of Children and Family...

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Wendy Lyons Sunshine

Wendy Lyons Sunshine is an award-winning writer and coauthor of The Connected Child, with over a quarter million copies sold. She is an editorial consultant for leading nonprofits and has written for media outlets including Health, AARP...

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Book Review: Strong Brave Loved: Empowering Reminders Of Who You Are

From the Back:

Encouragement to live as a woman of confidence and victory

You want to be a woman who looks life in the face and says, "You can't beat me." A woman who knows love is a risk and reaches out anyway. A woman who understands kindness takes real courage. Who doesn't fake it or try to hide her scars. Who fights to believe she is who God says she is and helps others do the same.

In Strong, Brave, Loved, bestselling author Holley Gerth offers you sixty short devotions to empower you to be that kind of woman. It's simple, personal, and practical, with room for you to journal your own responses and reflections as you learn to live in freedom, hope, and holy courage.

My Reflections:
This devotional came at the perfect time in my life, God sure does take care of his children. I have immensely enjoyed reading, journaling and growing stronger as I read this book. If you want to give a gift that really will be empowering and encouraging to a woman in your life this my friends would be it!

Holly Gerth is one of my favorite motivational writers, she has a way of bringing you in and gently prying open the tough topics we woman face each day but don't want to explore too deeply. There are 60 short two page topics that end with a prayer and space to write your musings. I found myself pouring out my fears, joys, longing and trials in the journaling section, this seriously was exactly what I needed. 

I will tell you a funny story. When I originally requested this book I thought "Oh yes please!" Holly Gerth, I have to have that! 
However, life threw a few curve balls and for two weeks the book taunted me on the shelf mocking my abilities and self-worth. God won that battle and I finally cracked open the book. I was nourished and renewed within these pages as they pointed me to exactly where I needed to be focusing on God's love, and my Holy confidence began to sprout little tendrils. 

If you are looking for a devotional that will help turn your eyes heavenward this one has just enough depth and the sections are short but impactful, challenging us to fight for who we are in God and what he has for us, everlasting love. 

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

Holley Gerth

Holley Gerth is a Wall Street Journal bestselling author, life coach, and speaker with a master of science degree in mental health. She cofounded (in)courage, a site that received almost one million views in its first six months, and cohosts the popular...

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Book Review: End Game

From The Back:

Each New Clue . . .
Every Crime Scene . . .
Brings Them Closer to Discovering the End Game
When elite members of the military are murdered on the streets of Washington, DC, FBI Special Agent Bailey Ryan and NCIS Special Agent Marco Agostini must work together to bring the perpetrator to justice. Unfortunately, all evidence points to a Navy SEAL sniper who Bailey refuses to believe is guilty.

When Bailey and Marco start to connect the dots between the victims, they wonder if there's a deeper cover-up at play. After Bailey is targeted, it becomes clear that someone is willing to kill to keep their dark secrets.

With the stakes getting higher by the moment, Bailey and Marco rush against the clock to determine whom they can really trust in this twisted conspiracy. As allies turn to enemies, the biggest secret yet to be uncovered could be the end of them all.

My Reflections:
If you like crime centred stories this one for you. Captivating, and the in-depth plot keeps readers riveted to the storyline. Murder, Mayhem, Mugging, conspiracy, theft, and political intrigue are just a taste of what to expect from this novel.  

There are many characters and a plethora of acronyms that make this read interesting and albeit a little confusing in the same breath. I was wishing that Rachel Dylan included a character list as well as the definitions for the many law enforcement analogies.  

FBI Special Agent Baily Ryan along with NCIS Special Agent Marco Agostini is tasked with finding out who is responsible for the murder spree. Attraction builds between these two characters, yet it is a slow build-up, with professionalism being their main barrier. I so enjoyed these two characters. 
Such fantastic teamwork was displayed, couple this with the many other characters and their lives and sub-stories and you have a very well rounded novel. You can tell Rachel Dylan is very well versed in the dealings with law terminology, as she has worked as a litigator for over eight years, this really shines through in the well-planned plot.

If you love a good murder mystery I'm sure you will enjoy this new series. I'm excited to see what transpires in future novels of this series!

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

Rachel Dylan

Rachel Dylan (www.racheldylan.com) was a litigator in one of the nation's most elite law firms for over eight years and now currently works as an attorney at one of the Big Three automobile manufacturers. She is the award-winning...Continue reading about Rachel Dylan

Book Review: The Major's Daughter

From The Back:

She Staked a Claim on His Land,
So He Decided to Stake a Claim on Her Heart
Caroline Adams returns to Indian Territory after tiring of confining society life. She wants adventure, and when she and her friend Amber come across swaggering outlaw Frisco Smith, his dreams for the new territory are very persuasive. With the much-anticipated land run about to happen, she may just join the rush.

Growing up an orphan, all Frisco Smith wanted was a place to call his own. It's no wonder he fought to open the Unassigned Lands to people with the same longing. After years of sneaking across the border, he's even managed to build a dugout house on a hidden piece of property he's poised to claim.

But when the gun sounds, everyone's best plans are thrown out the window in the chaos of the run. Caroline and Frisco find themselves battling over a claim--and both dig in their heels. Settling the rightful ownership will bring these two closer than they ever expected and change their ideas of what a true home looks like.

Reflections:

The Major’s Daughter is the final instalment of Regina Jennings’ Fort Reno trilogy, a frontier love story which unfolds against the backdrop of one of the most underrepresented time-periods of American history in fiction, the Oklahoma Land Rush of 1889. 

The novel’s protagonists are Caroline Adams, the titular major’s daughter who craves independence, and Frisco Smith, an orphan who became a roguish lawyer. Both feel confined by societal expectations and view staking a claim of their own in the Unassigned Lands as the only avenue to freedom, but, with both their dreams riding on the same plot of land, Caroline and Frisco’s relationship alternates between flirtation and bickering. 

The author has neither of her main characters obviously “in the right”, with both being endearingly empathetic and selfishly obstinate in regards to their land dispute and budding romance. Their character growth is the most entertaining and rewarding aspect of The Major’s Daughter. The excitement and turmoil of this particular historical setting is another phenomenal component to the story; the love story is decidedly enhanced through Jennings’ depiction of a town being established literally from the ground up. 

The charming prose is easy to engage, and the story is both tender and rather comedic. The romantic storyline includes an element of faith as well as a suspenseful mystery regarding a nearby settlement. Amber and Bradley, the protagonists from a previous instalment of the series, are also point-of-view characters. Despite the continuation of their romance, this book can be comfortably read as a standalone novel.

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

Regina Jennings

Regina Jennings (www.reginajennings.com) is a graduate of Oklahoma Baptist University with a degree in English and a minor in history. She's the winner of the National Readers' Choice Award, a two-time Golden Quill finalist and a finalist for the Oklahoma Book...

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Book Review: Forever Hidden

From The Back:

The Silence of Secrets Could Cost Them More 
Than They Ever GuessedFor Havyn Powell, growing up on her grandfather Chuck Bundrant's dairy outside the 1904 gold-rush boomtown of Nome, Alaska, offered all she needed. She had the love of her mother, two sisters, and grandfather. But now, at twenty-three, Havyn realizes the stability of her life may soon vanish. Havyn is determined to find a way to keep the family together, but her grandfather's health is declining and everyone seems to be holding secrets from one another, including the handsome, dark-haired stranger who recently arrived.

John Roselli heads to Nome on a mission. On his deathbed, John's grandfather asked him to deliver a box to Chuck Bundrant. This is no small task and will cost everything he has, but John is determined to honor his grandfather's wishes. But keeping his promise will forever change his life.

When tragedy strikes, Havyn and her sisters have a plan of using their beautiful voices and musical talents to perform and earn money at a local roadhouse. They're an immediate hit, and it looks like the plan will save their family. But the spotlight brings with it danger, even as it serves to draw Hayvn and John ever closer. But will they realize the peril before it's too late? Will the secrets that have been hidden for so long prove to destroy their happiness?

My Reflections:
You know the book is going to be fantastic with these two authors. Tracie Peterson and Kimberly Woodhouse never fail to entertain me with their well researched and heartwarming tales. 

Set in 1904 you will be transported to Nome, Alaska. Hardships are commonplace, as well as the hardworking close-knit families. 
I adore books about redheads since I have a beautiful friend who happens to be a redhead as well as a daughter who has auburn hair, so I am always interested in how the characters are portrayed. 

The three sisters Madysen, Whitney and Havyn raised by their mother Melissa Powell experience so many adventures as well as trials. I have to say I can't seem to get away from poultry! Havyn loves her chickens, well I guess she is a girl after my own heart right? The sisters are headstrong, unique and have fiery tempers (is this really a redhead trait?) The family reminded me of my own family, working hard together, loving each other through the hard stuff, and chickens...HA!

I loved how the story wrapped faith amongst the hard times, it was a heartwarming and engaging story and I am eager to read book #2.

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

Tracie Peterson

Tracie Peterson (www.traciepeterson.com) is the bestselling, award-winning author of more than 100 novels. Tracie also teaches writing workshops at a variety of conferences on subjects such as inspirational romance and historical research. She and her family...

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Kimberley Woodhouse

Kimberley Woodhouse (www.kimberleywoodhouse.com) is an award-winning, bestselling author of more than fifteen fiction and nonfiction books. A popular speaker and teacher, she's shared her theme of "Joy Through Trials" with more than half a million...

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Book Review: Echoes Among The Stones

From The Back:

After Aggie Dunkirk's career is unceremoniously ended by her own mistakes, she finds herself traveling to Wisconsin, where her grandmother, Mumsie, lives alone in her vintage, though very outdated, home. Aggie didn't plan for how eccentric Mumsie has become, obsessing over an old, unsolved crime scene--even going so far as to re-create it in a dollhouse.

Mystery seems to follow Aggie when she finds work as a secretary helping to restore the flooded historical part of the town's cemetery. Forced to work with a puzzling yet attractive archaeologist, she exhumes the past's secrets and unwittingly uncovers a crime that some will go to any length to keep hidden--even if that means silencing Aggie.

In 1946, Imogene Grayson works in a beauty salon but has her sights set on Hollywood. But coming home to discover her younger sister's body in the attic changes everything. Unfamiliar with the burgeoning world of forensic science and, as a woman, not particularly welcomed into the investigation, Imogene is nonetheless determined to stay involved. As her sister's case grows cold, Imogene vows to find justice . . . no matter the cost.

My Reflections:

This dual timeline story connects past and present in a magnificent fashion. Jamie Jo Wright is one of my go-to authors, her novels are remarkably unpredictable and have an edgy feel to them that is something I am not seeing from other writers these days. 

I found I could connect with the main character right from the start. Her life has been turned upside-down, and Aggie Dunkirk un-enthusiastically moves to Wisconsin to help care for her ageing grandmother Mumsie. Now Mumsie has got to be one of my favourite characters, her spunk and determination is hilarious and inspiring all in the same breath.  I also so enjoyed Aggie's co-worker Collin with his accents, charm and ever-present help at just the right moments. I laughed when he mentioned that he irons his cotton pyjamas, ha! Really?

In the connecting story set in 1946, my heart bleeds for dear Imogene (Mumsie) Her sister's murder hits her deep and shakes her to her core, a life long mystery that has haunted her every day of her life. Imogene is determined to solve the mysteries surrounding the death of her sister, so far as to put her very life in danger. But her main task is to balance this investigation with the new secretarial job she was hired for, to organize a flooded out cemetery. Things are happening that keep everyone on edge as mysterious letters and envelopes of bones keep showing up in the most unexpected times.

In this novel, you get everything a reader would want. mystery, drama, suspense, interesting and multidimensional characters and just a dash of romance.

I highly recommend Jamie Jo Weight's works if you like something just a little different, fresh and spellbinding.

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

Jaime Jo Wright (www.jaimewrightbooks.com) is winner of the Christy, Carol, Daphne du Maurier, and INSPY Awards. She's also the Publishers Weekly and ECPA bestselling author of three novellas. Jaime works as a human resources director in Wisconsin, where she...

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