Children's book: God Gave Us Love by Lisa Tawn Bergren

This book has a great explanation of love!
My child was excited when a book that he could hold and read came in the mail! He loved sitting and letting me read it to him over and over. The only negative I could say is it has a lot of words on it and he would be ready for me to turn the before I finished reading.
I loved the way it gave all the meanings of love and all the types of love - mommy/daddy love, loving even when we might not like someone, grandparent love, and esp. God's love! It talks about sharing God's love, and how love makes us better people and better as a family. I loved all the meanings the book gave and a way a child can understand.
I received this book free from WaterBrook Press a division of WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group as part of their Blogging For Books Review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

The eyes of your heart?

Years ago a song same out, "Open the eyes of my heart Lord" …. And while I sang it, I began to pray that God would show me his ways and open my eyes to things of Him. As the years have passed, I can tell God has opened my eyes and convicted me of things that I was doing. A lot of it had to do with my entertainment choices – movies, tv shows, and books. I started feeling convicted and actually sickened at time when certain shows or subjects would come on TV. I mean there have been times I’ve cried or wanted to literally throw up. It is sad b/c if it really breaks my heart that bad, can we imagine what it does for our Creator? One area was I had to quit basically watching shows that included the supernatural or murder. I would watch some witch type shows, spirits talking to other shows, or just the common murder mystery shows. I started having nightmares where I could tell that God was telling me to take a step away.

I know there are verses out there and I can’t put my hand on them this morning, but I know God doesn’t want us putting all this junk in our minds and our spirit! Our inner most parts should be longing for our God, not for the things of this world.

Here lately books have come out that people are raving out. I’ll go read reviews and I see it is all about either murder or sex. Really? Why are people raving about this? Why do people want to read about people killing other people or some book that wouldn’t even get an R rating on a movie? I guess b/c I have been praying that simple prayer for years, I see things differently, and I know that I couldn’t dare try. It just hurts my heart seeing so many "Christians" putting out there they are reading these books, but I can only pray that God will open their hearts…. So I say a prayer and move on… I just wish and pray that more people would look toward more positive media to promote more positive uplifting things for our children to see and be exposed too… so just a thought… when was the last time you asked for God to Open the Eyes of YOUR heart?

ANGEL EYES by Shannon Dittemore

This story really brings to life the scripture, "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places..."
This was the first time for me to read a story by this author and it was a great book mixed with drama, love, heartbreak, and mainly opening my eyes to the things unseen. We hear that there is always a battle b/t angels and the demons and how the demons fight for us.... How often do we think about that during the day as we busy ourselves. Many times we don't think of how we affect a bigger story for the Almighty and winning souls for him. It also shows how some of our hurts and heartaches might be used for that bigger purpose. Also we never know when there are Angels Amoung us!
The story is intense but I love how Brielle learns about the "hot" guy and how the angelic nature brings her instant peace. I do like the description of Fear....
I would reccommend this book for others to read. It is an eye opening experience.
This book was provided by the booksneeze program and Thomas Nelson Publishing for my honest review. Thank you! I loved it!

Covenant Child by Terri Blackstock

Covenant Child by Terri Blackstock

A great story that keeps you on the edge of your seat and tears at the heart of a mother! Two children that belong to such a special family until tragedy strikes and are thrown into a life that no child deserves. It broke my heart as it reminds us that there are children that face this sort of life daily! Maybe it will open our eyes more so someone of us have the opportunity to help these children. Then after they turn 18 and are offered the choices of their life, it is a great example of Christ’s love for us and how we are all given a chance for forgiveness, freedom, and a wonderful life – all we have to do is follow him. I love how this heart wrenching story gives such a great example of this! It is a great book for all, but I know it is especially special for parents. It will make you want to hug on to your babies a minute longer every day! We all have our stories, we all have had heartaches of growing up, but we all have the chance to follow Jesus and to accept the wonderful life he has just WAITING for us! Sometimes we do have to face trials and delays before we receive our peace and inheritance, but he is there with us! I love how this story brings all this to life! "The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9)

This book was provided by Thomas Nelson and the booksneeze program for my honest review! Thank you to both of them!

Brush of Angel’s Wings – A book everyone should read!

This has been one of the best books that I have read lately. It only took about 3 days to read. The story of hurting people – 1 hurt by a father leaving the family and trying to figure out his life and the 2^nd blaming herself for her brother’s death. My favorite part of this book was the battle b/t the angel and devil. We have heard that they are at constant battles for us, but Ruth Reid takes it to another level in this book. We read the constant fight during many circumstances and how the angel sends prayers up for us and guards us. How often do we miss the Lord trying to get our attention? How often do we let the devil feed negativity in our thoughts when we should stop to pray? How often do we take the negative thoughts and let our spirit run with it? I believe this is a book everyone should read to become more aware of this spiritual battle going on. I know the world is letting the devil’s thoughts keep them going with low morals, etc. More people need to read books like this and take thought of what is really going on in the world around them… and see how loving God and family are truly important.

_Thank you to Thomas Nelson Publishing and the booksneeze program for the copy of this book in return for my honest opinion.

"Waiting for Morning" by Karen Kingsbury

Another Great Story from this Author!!
"Waiting for Morning" by Karen Kingsbury I found to be an emotional story. Hannah Ryan is home waiting for your children and husband to arrive and realize something is wrong. We all have this fear, but here in this book the character has to face her reality when some of her family is killed by a drunk driver. Hannah has to hear the words,

"I’m afraid there’s been a car accident..."
Karen K. does a great job of going thru the stages of grief based on the Book of Lamentations. It is a heart breaking story with forgiveness as the main battle of the story. Could and would you actually forgive? Will Hannah seek revenge or allow forgiveness in her heart? How will the driver move on and forgive himself? How does the 1 surviving daughter cope after this ordeal? Could you give your life to God even through the hard battle? This story really gets to the mother’s heart and makes you think. It is time to treasure every day we have.

** Waiting for Morning by Karen Kingsbury was provided for me free by Multnomah Publishing Group in exchange for my honest review.

Do we turn our heads or try to help?

God calls for us to stand up for what is right and to help those hurting, hungry, and lost. Do we turn our heads to orphans? Widows? The lost? Or do we try to find a way to help or offer support to those willing to go the distance to help. It is sad to think of the hurting people in the world not to mention that in a day like today there is human trafficking going on. I just saw a show last week about how people can get a Mail Order Bride. Really? Not to mention the actual trafficking of women and children for sex. http://www.thea21campaign.org/

My heart is happy to the idea of a college friend of mine going this weekend to Ethiopia to rescue an orphan and that she is now a daughter to a happy family, even better she is going with 3 other couples to pick up children. It isn’t that she can’t have children, but is that she wants to obey God and rescue a child and give that child a hope and future and teach her to love our God!

Our church even donates the cost for one of Children’s Cups houses in Africa. This does the heart good knowing that $2,000 of our money can run a school for a year. http://www.childrenscup.org/

"For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago." Ephesians 2:10 (NLT)

"Can a mother forget her nursing child? Can she feel no love for the child she has borne? But even if that were possible, I would not forget you!" (Isaiah 49:15, NLT)