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That’s My Girl: A Revell Blog Tour

Posted by html404 on January 7, 2012
in Books, Family Stuff, Parenting

That’s My Girl is a book written parenting expert Rick Johnson, founder of “Better Dads”. This book maps out how dads can develop a healthy, closer relationship with their daughters, and gives moms insight into the important role a father plays in the life of their girls, including her relationship to her father.

The father-daughter relationship is very important in a girls life. According to Mr. Johnson, this is the one relationship that determines how she feels about herself, what kinds of men she is attracted to and how she expects to be treated by other men. I know as I read the pages of this book, I couldn’t help thinking about my relationship with my Dad, who passed away 6 years ago. He was a good provider, active in our lives as little girls (I have 3 younger sisters) but once we hit preteen and teen years he became much more distant.

I agreed with some of the things Mr. Johnson shared, but other things I didn’t. There are always exceptions to the rule and there is the God factor. I believe certain areas of my life could have been disastrous, were not because of God having my back so to speak. I loved the stories he shared about his teenager daughter. She was a character!

Mr. Johnson does a thorough job of showing Dads how to help map their daughters future. Overall I believe this book is a good resource for fathers especially, but mothers will benefit as well.

“Available January 2012 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.”

Faith and Family Reviews received the following product in exchange for writing a review. While we consider it a privilege to receive free products to review, our reviews are our honest opinion and thoughts of the product.

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A Lancaster County Christmas – Revell Blog Tour

Posted by html404 on September 24, 2011
in Books

As most of you know, the Amish lifestyle and community intrigue me. There is much to learn from them, imho (in my humble opinion). I love Suzanne Woods Fisher’s books. Not only are they entertaining but they appeal to the heart and A Lancaster County Christmas is no different.

Two young couples providentially meet just before Christmas. Outwardly their lives are world apart, but inwardly they have more in common than they would care to admit. During a “chance” snowstorm, these two couples have the opportunity to learn from each other – abandonment, grief, anger, bitterness, lack of trust and unhappiness rage through some troubled souls deep in Lancaster County.

I loved how Suzanne revealed the perception (or misconception) between the Amish and English. I loved the tenderness between the couples as they sorted through their difficult circumstances. What I enjoyed most was the portrayal of God’s love and adoption of us into HIS family in the relationship between Zach and the Riehls. What amazing love He has for us!

The anger Mattie and Jaime experienced in their relationship with God was something I could relate to as I, too, have faced difficult circumstances that made me blame God, rather than accepting them as a “gift” (or bump in the road of life). God’s love for us is all encompassing though and He never leaves us through those situations which test our faith. The friendship that blossomed between these two very different women was very endearing.

Misunderstandings and lack of trust are often hard to work through and this book shows us how two couples do just that during one of the most festive seasons of the year.

As usual, I cried in this book too. It was another heart warming story from Suzanne Woods Fisher!

Giveaway!

Enter 9/7-9/26!

Click the button above to go to the site hosting Suzanne’s giveaway. This giveaway ends on Monday, September 26, so enter now before it’s too late!

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Chasing Sunsets

Posted by html404 on June 13, 2011
in Books

This weekend has been catch-up-on-book- review weekend with all of us being sick, well, most of the children are nearly well now. It’s my husband and I who have felt the worst, and baby has a touch of it. Lots of time nursing.

Chasing Sunsets by Eva Marie Everson is about life after divorce, but more than that, about letting go of control, family secrets and the grace to cover them. Not to mention a sweet romance of finding your first love again. After all, who ever thinks that will happen?

Now, I don’t know much about having my spouse leave me or divorcing me, but my heart went out to Kimberly, the main character in this book, as she maneuvers through a life that she did not count on experiencing. I can relate to living a life that is quite different from what I expected though.

I also understood Kimberly’s desire to control her life circumstances as I have that tendency – whether I like that trait in myself or not. I am a thinker and a fixer. If a problem comes about, I want to solve it. That’s good and bad because where is my trust in God if I am trying to figure everything out myself?

I enjoyed the story of Chasing Sunsets, but hated the cliffhanger of the second book excerpt the publishers included at the end of this book because now I have to wait to find out what happens! I think any woman who has experienced an altered life will appreciate and relate to the story within Chasing Sunsets.

“Available June 2011 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.”

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When You Can’t Find God

Posted by html404 on June 12, 2011
in Books

The title of the book I recently read for a review was very fitting for what my husband and I have been going through for the past three years, “When You Can’t Find God.” It seems that more often than not when circumstances spiral out of our control that God seems to be far away from us. We got through reading the first three chapters together before I had to speed ahead to write this review. However, we both have enjoyed the insight that Linda Evans Shepherd offered in her new book.

From envying others, especially those who do not know God – ever done that? Believe that celebrities etc. have it all and we Christians are left with all the heartaches? Yep, me too.

Comfort and prosperity have never enriched the world as much as adversity has. ~ Billy Graham, quote that starts Chapter 1 of When You Can’t Find God

To our burdens that Jesus promises to carry, our hurts He promises to heal and our bitterness He promises to take away.

We are all faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as impossible situations. ~ Charles Swindoll, quote that starts Chapter 10 of When You Can’t Find God

Linda gives us hope with her words of understanding, scripture verses and stories of how God shows His presence amidst difficulties, with real life examples from the lives of others. Ultimately peace and joy are ours if we only allow Him to bring us to ourselves to receive it with His help and power.

Perhaps God brings us to the end of our resources so we can discover the vastness of His. ~ Neil T. Anderson, quote that starts Chapter 12 of When You Can’t Find God

This is a wonderful book that allows us to regain our focus as we walk through difficult circumstances. We highly recommend it.

“Available May 2011 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.”

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Angel Sister – A Revell Blog Tour

Posted by html404 on February 24, 2011
in Books

Angel Sister is a sweet story set in 1936, the Depression era, and is about the Merritt family. This family is struggling with some serious issues. Then along comes Lorena Birdsong, a little girl abandoned on the steps of a church in the Merritt’s hometown. Lorena’s mother told her to sit and wait for an angel to rescue her.

This book is about family, about life during a difficult time but no matter the time warp it can resonate a powerful message to all of us. When the going gets tough, families stick together. A worn torn war veteran, an alcoholic, a struggling marriage, estranged parents, children and grandparents, quarreling siblings, power hungry men and dictators are all a part of this story. Who among us does not know someone in one of these situations?

Then along comes a god-fearing angel with childlike faith to live out scripture and capture the hearts of many. This endearing story will make you cry. I know because I did. Love, forgiveness and perseverance are once again popular themes.

“Available February 2011 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.”

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Author Leisha Kelly Passes Away

Posted by html404 on January 31, 2011
in Books

I was part of a Revell blog tour last year of a book Leisha Kelly penned, The House on Malcolm Street, so I thought I would post the press release Revell sent this morning. So sad and tragic.

Grand Rapids, MI – Leisha Kelly, 47, was killed in car accident Tuesday night (January 25th) near Fowler, Illinois . Her son, 16-year-old Justice, was also killed in the crash. Kelly, a resident of nearby Clayton , Illinois , was the author of 11 books, among them a best-selling inspirational historical fiction series centered around the Wortham and Hammond families, set in Southern Illinois . Her most recent book, The House on Malcolm Street, was published by Revell in September 2010.

Kelly leaves behind her husband K.J. and a daughter, Hosanna. Kelly home-schooled her two children and served as a children’s ministry director and a youth minister at her family’s church. The couple had also recently become foster parents.

Vicki Crumpton, Executive Editor for Revell, who worked with Kelly since her first book, Julia’s Hope, was published in 2001 said, “I remember receiving Leisha’s first proposal in 2001. I read what her agent sent and called him that day to ask to read more of the manuscript. When I presented the proposal to our publishing committee, the team read the proposal and a few sample chapters. The first thing people asked was, “When can we read the rest?” And every time we received a new proposal from Leisha, people always asked, “When can I read more?” Leisha’s fans felt the same way. They always wanted to know when her next book would be out.”

“Leisha Kelly was an amazing talent. More than that, she was an amazing person, loved by family, friends, and her fans. Her unique writing voice will be greatly missed,” Crumpton said.

Twila Bennett, Senior Director of Marketing for Revell, remembers a story Kelly told her once. “She had a vivid memory of one of her first writing experiences that has stayed with me after all this time. She was young, it was the year that Mount Saint Helens erupted and she had heard the news stories about how the ashes might fall on other states. She felt a story burning in her and went out to her front porch and wrote and wrote. And then, the ashes from Mount Saint Helens really did indeed begin falling on her paper like snow.”

“I keep seeing that young Leisha now and look in wonderment at this girl, who overcame so much and gained the world on Tuesday with her son at her side,” Bennett said.

For more information on Leisha and her books, please visit www.leishakelly.com.

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Fatal Judgement

Posted by html404 on January 29, 2011
in Books

Fatal Judgement is a book about a US Marshal being assigned protection duty for a federal judge. While I have had the privilege of meeting a few lawyers I have not met a judge. I tend to think that being a judge or a lawyer would be a high pressured job with the fate of many lives being in the palm of your hand to make or break someone. It would be very hard in that type of profession not to tick off someone as someone is always a loser in a court case.

In Fatal Judgement, Liz Michaels discovers that she has a unknown enemy through a tragic event which results in her needing protection from a US Marshal Jake Taylor. This discovery changes her life.

This book kept me reading its dramatized plot, however, it was fairly predictable. What I took from the book is the difference between how Liz and Jake both processed the death of their loved ones. When we lose someone we love dearly, we have a choice to go through the grieving process and move on with life accepting God’s plan or we can get angry, mostly at God and become bitter resulting in turning away from Him when we need Him the most.

Not many of us will have enemies seeking to kill us, but ALL of us will lose a loved one and experience grief. And with grief comes the choice – turn to God or turn away from Him. Liz had learned to turn to God to carry her through life’s difficulties, whereas Jake was still hanging on to his hurt and grief. I believe there’s almost always an element of anger while grieving, but the key is not to allow the grief/anger snuff out your spiritual life. Prayer, reading God’s word all go a long way in lessening the anger aspect of grief. Again, as I said before in my review of Suzanne Woods Fisher’s book The Search, it takes faith to believe that good can come from something bad. This principle may be applied to losing a loved one. We have to believe that God will work out His good through the death of a loved one, even if it was premature in our minds. The key is focusing on special memories, the good and move on by the grace of God.

Another lesson that stood out to me is to never just blindly take someone’s opinion of a person and their character; make sure you get to know the person and learn for yourself what kind of person an individual is, in and of their own right. Their are too many things to jumble a person’s perspective.

Fatal Judgment is a crime mystery book that is an enjoyable read, with some rather serious topics to convey.

“Available January 2011 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.”

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Emily’s Chance – Revell Blog Tour

Posted by html404 on October 30, 2010
in Books

Emily’s Chance was an easy read and fairly decent story. In my opinion though, it is a typical romance novel in that boy meets girl and boy and girl get married, with a sprinkling of hope and healing in between. Pretty predicatable.

What I liked about this book was the female lead was not too big for her britches. Even though she was wealthy, she chose to live beneath her means so as not to stand out but be a so-called normal person. She had learned that certain social circles, like the one her wealthy parents frequented, were quite often more about appearances than about what mattered most in life.

I enjoyed how Emily learned that a loving family can exist after growing up in a family who did not love one another and was somewhat “disfunctional”. I loved the protrayal of good relationships with the grandparents, the community the town enjoyed and that Chance and Emily were willing to give up their dreams because of their love for one another.

I didn’t really learn any new spiritual lessons. The spiritual lessons shared with the pages of this book were reminders of what is important in life – family, good relationships, community.

“Available October 2010 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.”

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The Waiting – Revell Blog Tour

Posted by html404 on October 12, 2010
in Books

Jorie King has been waiting for her beau, Benjamin Zook, to return home to Lancaster County so they can marry. But when news arrives that Ben has been killed, Jorie finds comfort in the friendship of his brother Caleb. That friendship ripens into love, and it seems that they are meant to be together. But when the unexpected happens, their worlds are turned upside down once more.

I bawled my eyes out while reading this book and I cannot even blame it on pregnancy hormones! There were humorous moments too, as both humor and tears is what makes a great book in my humble opinion. This story was filled with many of life’s complexities and reveals that the Amish are not immune to suffering and hardships. What it does reveal is their fortitude in life’s trials.

I love reading about the Amish. Their lifestyle, community and family life intrigue me.

The Waiting is one of those books that makes the Amish people’s faith, community and willingness to forgive stand out above what I am use to experiencing. Because the Amish possess these traits they are better able to withstand life’s troubles when they come their way. Grant it, this book is a work of fiction, but it is based on who the Amish are in real life.

Personally, I long for what the Amish have – a close knit community on which to depend through thick and thin. The ability to forgive and be forgiven freely and to love completely without brick walls of emotional barriers being in the way of trusting, godly friendships is a rare gift. A gift The Waiting shows is possible with endurance, more forgiveness and love we are capable of in and of ourselves. It is our relationship with God that makes or breaks our relationships with others.

This was a wonderful story that I recommend as a good read. Thanks, Suzanne!

“Available October 2010 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.”

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The House on Malcolm Street – Revell Blog Tour

Posted by html404 on October 9, 2010
in Books

The House on Malcolm Street is a novel. It isn’t so much a romance novel, although there is a little of that included, just not with the main character so much. Leisha Kelly has written an endearing story of a woman, Leah Breckenridge, her losses, her relationships and her healing.

Leah learns the value of relationships through a godly aunt who takes her invites Leah to visit. Not only that but she heals as she faces her “demons” and starts trusting again.

I really enjoyed this novel. It was a great story. So often life’s tragedies are exactly what teaches us the value of relationships. It is easy to go through life with severed relationships, sometimes that is the healthiest and safest in certain cases, but the majority of the time relationships can and should be mended. Carrying bitterness or anger around is very unhealthy for all involved – spiritually, physically, mentally and emotionally. With God’s help, we heal ourselves when we heal a broken relationship with a family member, friend or with God Himself.

“Available September 2010 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.”

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