52 Little Lessons from It’s a Wonderful life

By: Bob Welch

Fall has arrived and once again I am reminded that the Christmas season is not too far away.  I enjoy Christmas classics which is why I was excited about the opportunity to review 52 Little Lessons from It’s a Wonderful Life.  Bob Welch has penned a delightful book which contains 52 life lessons from this classic movie.  Each chapter has a title (which is the life lesson), a line (or lines) from the movie and then a few pages expanding upon the life lesson. 

I really enjoyed this book as it gave an in depth view of the movie.  I look forward to watching the movie this year as I am sure I will notice things that I have not noticed before reading this book.  One part of the book that I really enjoyed was the Author’s Note in the beginning.  Bob talks about how a bank in the city that he lives in requires all new employees to watch a series of scenes from this movie.  He quotes the bank president who said, “The message in that film, is the message we want our employees to come to work with every day: the idea that our actions make a difference in the community around us.”  What a powerful statement!  If you like this movie I believe you will enjoy this book.    

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> 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 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Be Still My Soul

By: Joanne Bischof

 

Lonnie, eager to escape from the clutches of her abusive father, finds herself in a very precarious position.  When her father catches her kissing the ladies’ man, Gideon O’Riley, he forces the two of them into marriage.  Although they do not want to be married to each other, they know that they cannot escape the inevitable.  Joel Sawyer, Lonnie’s father, has made up his mind crushing Lonnie’s dreams of moving in with her Aunt Sarah when she turns eighteen. 

Come along on Lonnie and Gideon’s journey.  They are an unlikely pair, who manage to learn lessons in faith, love and forgiveness.  Along their journey they encounter a loving couple named Jebediah and Elsie.  They are just the example that Lonnie and Gideon need in their life. 

I absolutely loved this book and could not put it down.  It had a lot of twists and turns and evoked many emotions.  This is the first novel by this author and I look forward to reading her second book in this series.  This series is called Cadence of Grace and the second book “Though My Heart is Torn” will be released in April 2013.  I have included some additional resources below, including a link to the first chapter.   

   

Additional Resources:

• Author's Web Site
• More Info
• Read Chapter One
• Author Bio

*I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for my honest review.

Perfect Lies

By: Jennifer Crow

 

 

 

 

This book is about Jennifer, a pastor’s wife, who had many struggles, both physical and mental, and her road to healing.  Everything looked perfect on the outside but inside she was going through so much inner turmoil.  There are nine lies that Jennifer  believes people struggle with: I am unlovable, I am worthless, I am unacceptable, I am unable, I am a target, I am not angry, I am bad, I am in danger and I am deprived.  In each chapter Jennifer mentions emotions that are associated with each lie.  For example, if you believe the lie that you are worthless then you may also be experiencing sadness, depression and inferiority.

 

Jennifer believes that the Lord healed her through what is called Christian Meditative Prayer.  She addressed the lies that she believed through scripture, prayer and meditation.  She devotes a chapter at the end of the book to explain what Christian Meditative Prayer is and how to use it.  She understands that many people shy away from meditation because often it is associated with New Age.  However, she mentions that we are to meditate on the Word of God.    

 

This book spoke to me and has helped me during my own journey to healing.  It was an answer to my prayers and I would like to thank Jennifer for sharing her story.  I do not agree with everything that is said in this book but I found a lot of the information helpful.  I would recommend this book because it helped me.  However, I realize that there are many people that may not be able to receive from this book.  Regarding meditative prayer, you will have to decide if it is right for you.  I believe we are to meditate on the Word of God and the Lord always needs to be our focus.

 

*I received a complimentary copy of the book for review purposes from Tyndale House.          

       

 

 

 

Breaking Free from Fear

By: Kay Arthur

 

Breaking Free from Fear is a six-week Bible study that covers many aspects of fear.  Topics include fear of the Lord, man, the future, “what ifs” and death.  Each week begins with an introduction paragraph and an observation section where the leader instructs the group to mark-up passages with crosses, triangles, underlines, etc.  The studies include scriptures, discussion questions and a summary.  The format may work for many groups as it is designed to take forty minutes and there is no homework.  The study is meant to be completed with the group.  However, if someone wanted to do a more in depth study they could certainly do so.  The scriptures are printed on the sides of the pages which will save some time looking up scriptures.

I thought this was a good Bible study as it addressed many fears that so many of us battle each day.  I also liked the format of the weekly studies.  I personally do not care for the marking up of the passages but that does not impact the study material.  I would recommend this for a group or even individual study.  Please see below for links to additional resources regarding this book.

 

Additional Resources:

• More Info
• Read Chapter One
• Author Bio

 

*I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

Fully Alive

By: Ken Davis

Ken Davis is a best-selling author and a motivational speaker.  He also hosts a radio show called “Lighten Up!” which is heard in the United States and around the world.  Not being familiar with Ken, I was not sure what to expect when I chose to review this book.  The summary sounded interesting but I was hoping it was not a motivational book without any substance.  I was pleasantly surprised as I read through this book.  In my opinion, Ken does a wonderful job connecting with his readers.   While a lot of the information in this book is nothing new it was presented well.  I felt that Ken was relatable enough that his message could be heard.  He talks about many trials he has had to face and, while it was not easy, he has overcome many obstacles.  One of his obstacles was his weight.  He saw a picture of himself with his granddaughter and it was a wake-up call for him.  Ken decided to sign up for a triathlon as he knew this would encourage him to begin his journey to health.  He talks a lot about his journey to health and I found his journey to be quite inspirational.  He is truly an example of someone who has not allowed his age to dictate what he can or cannot do.  He also has chosen not to allow obstacles to get in the way of his goal.  He always found a way to press on. 

I highly recommend this book as I found it very encouraging.  Along with Ken’s stories, I also enjoyed the pictures that Ken decided to share with his readers.  He even included his “defining moment” picture, which I mentioned above, of him and his granddaughter.  I challenge you to read this book and see if it sparks a change in your own life.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> 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 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Trusting God: A Girlfriends in God Devotional

By: Sharon Jaynes, Gwen Smith & Mary Southerland

Trusting God is written by three women that are part of a ministry called Girlfriends in God.  I was not aware of this ministry prior to reading this book but am grateful that I was introduced to it.  This book is a twelve-week devotional that includes a Bible-study guide, as well as, journal pages.  What I loved about this book is that you can either study it on your own or make it part of a group study.  As I read through this book it was like I was sitting among friends.  I enjoyed the contribution of all three authors as they described both personal stories and stories of others.  The stories are relatable and encouraging.  Each devotional contains the following: Today’s Truth (a scripture), Friend to Friend (a story) and Let’s Pray (a prayer).  Each week has five devotionals and the sixth day is called Now It’s Your Turn.  This day contains the study guide for the week, a journal and a scripture. 

 I really enjoyed this book and rate it among one of my favorite devotionals.  If you would like to read the first chapter you can do so by clicking on the following link:  Chapter One

I have also included some other links below that may be helpful.  The one link contains weekly videos done by the authors for each chapter of the book.  I highly recommend this book! 

*I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

Additional Links:

 

Girlfriends in God Weekly Video for Trusting God

Press News - Girlfriends in God

Grieving God’s Way: The Path to Lasting Hope and Healing

By: Margaret Brownley and Haiku by Diantha Ain

Grieving God’s Way: The Path to Lasting Hope and Healing by Margaret Brownley is a 90-day devotional.   This book was born out of a tragic loss experienced by the author.  She lost her oldest son to an illness.  Three years after her loss she penned this book.  I am grateful that through her own pain she has chosen to bring healing to others.  This book was written to assist people during the grieving process and is broken into the following four parts: healing the grieving body, healing the grieving soul, healing the grieving heart and healing the grieving spirit.  I thought this book was very well written and it was easy to read.  Each devotional consists of two pages.  Although short, the pages are packed with powerful information.  The brevity of each devotional allows time for reflection and provides just the right amount of information.   Although this book was written for the grieving soul, I believe people who are experiencing other forms of loss may benefit from this book as well.  I say this because as I read this book I thought of people who are going through really difficult times right now.  They may not be grieving a person but they are grieving a loss.  I believe some of the lessons learned in this book could help them while they are on their road to healing.  This book may not be for everyone as we all grieve differently but I do recommend it as I believe it will help many.
 
*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> 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 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”