Chuck Swindoll has long been one of my favorite speakers and authors. He has a gift for presenting things in such a way that you have many “aha” moments concerning God’s Word. Therefore, I was excited to see what this DVD. It was excellent. I watched it with my grandchildren ages 6 years to 13 years. We all enjoyed it, even the 13 year old!
Selfishness and unkindness is a problem among children that only biblical teaching can cure. This DVD did an excellent job of showing the effects these character flaws have on our relationship with others and our own attitudes.
The 1st story was about forgiveness. As the story unfolds, children learn about not only how to forgive, but why it is important. I was very pleased to see it also brought to light now we cannot take up offenses for others. We are not given the grace to handle what is not ours to deal with. Many problems between children come from taking on the hurts and anger of others as their own.
The 2nd story deals with working together. Children are naturally selfish and want the biggest and best for themselves. Looking out for “number one” often takes precedence over working as a team to succeed.
I thought the DVD did an excellent job of teaching children these biblical principles in a way they can understand and apply. The stories were entertaining and the characters engaging. I plan to share this with the young ones at our church. An excellent DVD!
I received a complimentary copy of this DVD from Tyndale House Publishing in exchange for my honest review. I am not required to write a positive review.

Gary Chapman’s The 5 Languages of Love is a classic and still much read book. I was very excited when I saw this book because now that same concept could be taught to children. This will not only help them learn to relate to each other but also the adults in their life. How wonderful they can learn and apply it at an early age.
Penny and Peyton have their birthday party with their 3 friends at the “Perfect Pet Pal Emporium.” It is every child’s dream come true because it is a zoo, a museum, a theme park, and a birthday party palace all rolled into one! The 5 languages of love are taught through the special pets each child receives as a gift. The pet each child is given matches his or her love language.
The book itself is beautiful. All the illustrations are brightly colored and well drawn. There are also lots of details in the pictures that not only cause the young ones to want linger, but they serve another purpose. Many of the pages have activities to search for certain items on that page. For example, one page has underwater creatures listed to find, making this a learning experience also. Another fun activity is on every big picture in the book is an insect to find. These are pretty small and it is a challenge! I even had fun with this one. At the end of the book is a “Five Love Languages Quiz for Kids”, with questions to help them identify their love language. A well written, fun book to read over and over!
I received a copy of this book from Moody Publishers for the purpose of this
review.

Having been a Christian for many years I understand the importance of having a time each day to be with the Lord. Sadly I have always struggled to be consistent. I have read many books on how to make the best use of that time. Most of them, while they had really good ideas, were long and detailed. I needed something not too short, not too long and easy to implement. Well I finally found all of that in this e-book! I cannot tell you how impressed I am!
I didn’t just read it to write a review but actually studied it! It is well-written and easy to understand. Most of all it makes having an effective quite time with the Lord attainable! I not only felt empowered but encouraged!
The book covers, why we need Bible study, how to set a time and place, how makes goals for what we study, preparing our hearts, how to study, how to memorize, and applying God’s Word to your life. There are wonderful worksheets in the back to use that guide your every step. The way the authors expressed their ideas truly touched my heart and mind.
I cannot tell you how excited I am! This book has made my way so simple without guilt or pressure. I was going through a very difficult time when I got this book and it helped me get right into studying and memorizing.
It would be great to use as a group study also. I am teaching it in my class for young mothers at church. So many people accept Christ and want to grow, but no one teaches them how to really study their Bible. This book does! A priceless tool for your time with God! I would love to see this book in print!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the authors in exchange for my honest review. I am not required to write a positive review .

For many years I have sent cards and notes for all occasions, and as a pastor’s wife I have even more opportunity to do so. I always try to speak from my heart but there are times I want to add a little something more. This book will be a great help.
It is a springboard for ideas of how to better express myself. I also make greeting cards and it will be wonderful resource for verses to use. When I have searched websites for greeting card verses I am usually disappointed and turn up empty handed. The lines are most often cliché and without thought. The ones in this book are well written. I especially liked that each one is followed by an appropriate scripture. Something I always want to include.
Included are 28 categories to choose from. Each sentiment is numbered and at the end of the category is a page to record the number, person, date that you used that particular one. This is very helpful as you don’t’ want to send the same one to the same person more than once. At the end of the book is a section to record addresses and special dates for 30 people. A jewel of a book!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Discovery House Publishers
in exchange for my honest review. I am not required to write a positive review.

The tale of one wedding dress, 4 brides, 4 very different stories, and a time span of 100 years. Sound captivating? It was! This book combined suspense, romance, mystery, fiction and historical fiction all in one. I loved it!
Charlotte Malone owns a very modern bridal boutique. Orphaned at a young age and never having had brothers or sisters, her dream is to marry and have a real family. Yet the closer her own wedding gets she finds herself questioning if she should follow through. Trying to get away and think things out, she finds herself at an auction buying an old beat up trunk she doesn’t really want for $1000.
Upon opening the trunk she is amazed to find the most beautiful wedding dress she has ever seen. It is in perfect condition but that doesn’t seem possible since it is supposed to be 100 years old. Her curiosity piqued, she begins her search to find out who the dress belonged to. Her findings are surprising, and even more so the effect her discoveries have in changing her life.
The author did a wonderful job of letting me experience of what it was like to be a bride during those times in histories. I was drawn into each bride’s struggles and situations. The book flowed even though there was such a large are of time covered and 4 very strong characters. I loved all the surprises along the way. This was my first book by Rachel Hauck and I definitely want to read more!
I received this book free from the publisher through the 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

I found this book hard to put down. More than once I looked at the clock and it was 2 a.m.!
The story takes place in Lockhart, Texas in 1878. Rosa Garner, a young Mexican woman and her mother-in-law, Louise, had recently lost their husbands in an earthquake in Mexico. When Rosa accepted Christ her family disowned her and told her to leave their home. She chooses to follow her mother-in-law back to Texas to help her.
Hardships await them when Louise learns that her renters had failed to pay the taxes in the 5 years she had been gone. She has only 3 months to come up with the money or lose the family ranch.
The author did an amazing job not only of detailing day to day life during that time, but also what it was like to be the target of prejudice. Through the eyes of Rosa I was able to see and experience being thrust into a new culture and new people that had already passed judgment upon. What was right? What was wrong? What was proper and what was not? I hurt for her as she struggled to fit in. I understood her confusion and hesitancy about when and who to ask for help. Many times she didn’t even know that what was accepted in her country was considered taboo in this country. These are things we overlook today in helping someone new to our country to adapt.
The only thing Rosa knew she could do and do well was to work hard to help her mother-in-law to save their ranch. She threw her heart into it and her spunk and determination (not to mention her beauty), caught the eye of her husband’s cousin, Weston Garner.
Weston was as isolated emotionally as Rosa was culturally. He blamed himself for the death of his wife and had shut out everyone including his family. Rosa carried the hurt of a loveless marriage to Louise’s son. Neither expected to fall in love again, but each time they were drawn to each other, their past hurts and bitterness put a wall between them time and time again.
I was very moved at the strong faith of the characters. Weston as a grounded, mature believer and Rosa as a babe in Christ. I liked the way the author had the characters live and speak their spiritual convictions.
I was reminded again how God can heal the deepest hurts if we will only let Him. I guess the biggest lesson that I came away with was how misunderstandings that are not dealt with can not only hinder relationships but even cause more pain. When we are close to someone and do not discuss our hurts, the situation will worsen and we will miss out on something wonderful God has planned for us. I already knew it, but this book made me really think about it.
I can’t wait to read more of Ms. Jennings novels. An excellent book!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House Publisher in exchange for my honest review. I am not required to write a positive review.

This was a very enjoyable book to read. It was written very simply but from the heart. I felt like the author was my grandmother, sitting down for a visit and her sharing personal stories about her life.
Some stories made me laugh, and some made me want to cry. I have read many books about the great depression. This one gave me an inside look of not only the hardships family face but a glimpse of the struggles of a widow with a large family.
In spite of all the difficulties they faced, the book is written on a positive note. Not only the mother but the children also showed great courage, strength and determination in the face of seemingly impossible situations.
I was so impressed with the love and selflessness of each member of her family. It is easy to see how strong character was a byproduct of those times. This would be an excellent book for children to read. Not only to show them how blessed they are, but also to see you don’t’ have to have everything you want to be happy.
I received this book free from the Hannibal Books. 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

We live in an Amish area and these quite gentle people and their way of life have always fascinated me. I admire their simple living and have often wondered what it might be like to make that commitment. So when I saw the title of this book I was immediately drawn to it. While I respect their no frills way of living, I know without a doubt I would not be able to live that way completely.
I was hoping that the book would share ways for me to make choices to incorporate their basic lifestyle into mine. The author did an excellent job of addressing the very core of their values and priorities. I was not disappointed.
It was interesting to learn about their daily routines and family life in greater detail than I had known before. The chapters are divided into fundamental areas of life we share just as people and families (with the exception of the chapter on technology). She shares the Amish beliefs and practices in each one then compares it to how the majority of non-Amish folks live. She offers her personal experiences, ways we can simplify and integrate their practices into our lives, and she also shares many scriptures to illustrate the biblical truth of their culture.
The book was a real eye-opener and made me examine how I was living more closely. She wasn’t preachy nor did she make me feel inferior for not making the same choices she did. I felt like she was merely sharing information for me to make a decision.
At the end of each chapter I really liked the “Let’s Sum It Up”. It allowed me to review all the material in a nut shell. At the end of the book are some wonderful recipes to try.
While I admire the author for the drastic changes her family made in their day to day living, I know I would not be able to go to that extreme. Her husband and children were all on board and that isn’t going to happen with me. Nevertheless she gave me all I need to incorporate these ideas into my life personally.

I received this book free from the Tyndale House Publishers. 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