Promises to Keep

A story told by a young girl about complicated life issues, Promises to Keep, by Ann Tatlock is a book that will draw you in. Roz has moved away from her dad with her mom, brother, and sister. An unexpected visitor, Tillie, becomes the help that Roz's mom so desperately needs. As life continues to unfold, Roz experiences uncertainty about her father. Tillie talks to her about heaven, but since her "father" has something to do with it, Roz is not sure she will make it to heaven. As her father secretly reenters her life she begins to ignore the past and trusts what he tells her. Although her friend Mara warns her, and her mom tells her to forget about him, she finds herself unable to break free from the power he seems to have over her. And what will she do about the secrets her brother asks her to keep? This story by Ann Tatlock is powerful! She writes from a young girl's point of view, and touches on several difficult topics. While this story is a work of fiction, the struggles that Roz and her family experience are very real, and these struggles are brought to life on the pages of this book. This book is a great reminder to christians to open their eyes and see what is going on around them! Promises to Keep will capture your attention from the very first pages and will hold you captive until the very end. This is definitely a well-written book that I will be happy to recommend to others. I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House publishers in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Plain Proposal

I enjoy reading Amish fiction, so I was excited to try another author. Plain Proposal by Beth Wiseman is the story of a young Amish girl named Miriam Raber. Miriam is in her rumschpringe, but has not been tempted to try much of what is forbidden. The arrival of her English cousin, Shelby, has Miriam's mother, Rebecca, worried that some of Miriam's new and unexpected actions are a result of Shelby's influence. However, Rebecca has forgotten what it is like to be newly in love. Saul Fisher has finally seemed to notice Miriam much to her delight. She is willing to do anything it takes to be with him but is afraid her choices will tear her from her family. Saul has problems of his own which threaten his dreams. When Rebecca unexpectedly steps into the lives of Saul's family she begins to realize what it means to follow God's leading even when the outcome is not what she wants. Plain Proposal is a very enjoyable book to read. It has a very simple plot, but has some unexpected twists to the story. While this is an Amish story, the Amish tradition is not as prevalent as in other books I have read. It isn't really clear what "type" of Amish they are just by reading the story, although at the beginning of the book they are referred to as Old Order Amish. I don't think that is a negative, just unexpected. The characters were easy to understand and feelings and emotions were conveyed very well. While this is not the most exciting book I have ever read, I did enjoy it and would recommend it to others. I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson Publishers through their Booksneeze blogger program in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Here Burns My Candle

If you like historical fiction, you will love the book, Here Burns My Candle, by Liz Curtis Higgs. It is set in the 18th century in Edinburgh, Scotland and is full of historical detail. This is a story filled with secrets, love, despair, hope, betrayal, faithfulness, loss, and peace. As you read about a young lady and her mother-in-law, you will begin to realize there is something familiar about what you are reading. The story of Ruth will begin to emerge from its pages. As I got deeper into this book, I could not put it down. I was totally drawn into the story! The characters were well-developed and the plot engaging. It is a well-written story that includes a lot of historical facts and details. The dialogue at times is a bit tedious although understandable in context, but the author included a Scottish glossary in the back to help. I especially liked the way the story of Ruth was written into the pages. I did not expect it, but it made the book that much more intriguing. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction. You will not be disappointed! In the meantime, I am looking forward to reading the next book. I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review. All opinions are my own.

Transforming Prayer

"Take your prayer life from ordinary to extraordinary." That is what the book Transforming Prayer is all about. Daniel Henderson focuses on a very vital part of the Christian life: prayer. In this book he helps the reader understand the difference between praying a list and praying a worship-based prayer. Henderson shows you how to: "Overcome common barriers to praying effectively, awaken your prayer life with simple, biblical patterns of prayer, [and] enjoy Spirit-led prayer sparked by Scripture passages." In other words, the reader is shown how to seek God's face rather than His hand. This is a very practical book for any Christian to read, especially new believers. Henderson writes in a way that is easy to read and understand. He helps the reader realize how rewarding a Christian's prayer life can be by giving Biblical guidance and a practical plan for taking their prayer life from "ordinary to extraordinary." While praying worship-based prayers is not new to me, there are many people who do not understand. This is a great tool to offer to Christians who are struggling in their prayer life. I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

WINNER

The winner of my giveaway is Norma Edie. Thank you to all four of you that entered!

Paws and Tales

This is the first video I have reviewed and my children were more than happy to help. Paws and Tales by Chuck Swindoll is a very good children's video. Two different stories are included on the DVD and include The Good Shepherd and A Good Foundation. The Good Shepherd tells of two young boys anxious to help the Shepherd and be junior shepherds for the day. They soon realize that it is not as easy as it sounds. Children will discover how Jesus, our Good Shepherd cares for us. A Good Foundation teaches children why having a good foundation is an important part of living a godly life. C.J. and Staci discover this truth in the story as they build a clubhouse in an old rotten tree.

A great video for children! Paws and Tales has cute animation, two great stories, and wonderful Biblical truths. My three children loved watching this movie, and as soon as the DVD had ended they immediately wanted to watch it again. It is great to have DVD's that help children understand Biblical truths that we are trying to teach at home. Chuck Swindoll has provided a perfect tool for parents to use.

My daughter, Suzannah, says she learned that sheep are dumb so the shepherd had to take care of them. She says that she enjoyed watching these stories and would love to watch more. Her favorite character was Staci, because she didn't like the way the sheep smell!

For more information on Paws and Tales videos visit here or here. I received a complimentary copy of this DVD from Tyndale House Publishers in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.


Click here to watch a video.

Now for my first giveaway! To enter to win a copy of this DVD please leave a comment below for each child/grandchild you have, your favorite Bible character, and something you are trying to teach your child. Please leave a separate comment for each and include your email address. Contest ends February 19.

Love and Respect

There have been many books written on love and marriage. While I have not read a lot of these books I am sure that Love and Respect by Dr. Emerson Eggerichs would be pretty close to the top of a list of good resources. As you read this book Dr. Eggerichs explains what the crazy and energizing cycles are. He then focuses on two important aspects: love and respect. Love deals with the needs that women have. Dr. Eggerichs gives men an acronym (couple) to help them understand how to love their wives. Respect deals with the needs that men have. He gives women an acronym (chairs) to help them understand how to respect their husbands. When following the guidelines of these two acronyms, couples can learn to stay off the crazy cycle and spend more time on the energizing cycle.

This was a very informative scripture-based book. A lot of verses were used to support the ideas that were laid out. Dr. Eggerichs wrote in a manner that was easy to read and understand. Most non-fiction books take longer for me to read; however, I was able to read through Love and Respect fairly quick. I appreciate how the book deals with the husband and wife separately. Equal responsibility is given to each spouse, and when husband and wife choose to follow Biblical principles and work as an individual there will be unity as a couple. I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson Publishers through the booksneeze blogger program in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.