Seasons of Opportunities

"You were not created to be a princess of entitlement, but a warrior, fighting to bring love and hope to the world." Kim Meeder When we think of beauty, many times we think of a persons appearance. But is beauty only skin deep? According to Kim Meeder in her book Fierce Beauty, there is so much more to becoming the beautiful woman God desires for us. I received a copy of this book to review from Waterbrook Multnomah blogging program. It is a inspiring look at the importance of us, as women, being beautiful on the inside vs the outside. I have really enjoyed reading it. Each chapter is a short story of some of Kim's adventures with love and loss, and her struggles with self-acceptance, knowing God and standing for Him. Kim talks about how we are constantly bombarded with the worlds lie that our outward appearance is more important than who we are. Real Beauty is found in living for the Lord and allowing Him to be LORD of our lives. We need to learn to serve Him with ou...

T his week we are featuring the last two books from Cladach for the month of March. These are two very different books, except that they both touch on the Middle East. And both stories tell what happened when the author walked the path of obedience to God. They both describe a life that is transformed by the presence and power of Christ. Come with John and Judy Pex as they hike the 600-mile Israel National Trail from the Egyptian to the Lebanese borders. During 42 days of trekking through spectacular scenery, Arab towns and villages, past Jewish, Muslim, Druze, and Christian holy sites, they discover: + Sights seldom seen by tourists + Physical challenges and spiritual tests + Cultural encounters and historical insights + Lessons about peace, faith, and endurance. This book will appeal to: 1) Students of the Bible 2) Middle-agers who want vigorous role models and new challenges 3) Christian believers seeking creative ways to test and share their faith 4) Young adults pursuing the gre...

When I think of her... my eyes fill with tears ( I miss her - we haven't had much of a chance to really sit down for a heart to heart lately )... my heart swells with pride because I can call her friend.  How blessed I am to have a friend like her! A true friend - the there-through-ups-and-downs, never-lets-you-down, knows-what-your-thinking, edifying and encouraging kind of friend. I know she came from GOD to me.  At a time in my life when I needed her.  Me, pregnant with a very attached young toddler, and she, doing such a fine job with three boys ( did I mention she is an amazing mom ). God hooked us up, at first mostly for play dates for the kids.  She would take my crying little boy, to play with hers so he would be used to being away from mom, long enough for me to go to the hospital to bring home the sister.  I am sure she has no idea how much of a blessing she has been to me over the years.  I wish I had...

This book by TV News Anchor Robin Marsh and Lauren Nelson, Miss America 2007, is a great devotional for girls with applications to every day life.  They talk about God, Parents, Friends, Peer Pressure, Problems, Correct Thinking and so many other subjects that our teenagers have to deal with today. Each section:  G od I dentity R elationships L ife begins with a question from a girl, then has a text from God - Bible verse, and a paragraph speaking directly to our girls about the matter. The day's reading ends with an application for their lives. I think that this book is a great devotional for new Christians girls, maybe some girls in the youth group that have just gotten saved and are really seeking to live their lives like the Bible says. It seems to be more for younger teens unless they have just recently come to know the Lord and are getting started having personal devotions.  My 17 yr old daughter, who has been having her personal devotion tim...

This is the first book I have read by this author.  It was captivating! I had the hardest time putting it down.  I just wanted to finish it, but now that I have finished it... I am wondering... when is the next one coming out? Surely there will be a sequel. The Captive Heart is about a young Amish girl whose family has moved to Mexico.  And while they are working hard starting an Amish community there, and new Amish are coming every year, they are in very dangerous territory.  The bandits seem to be relentless in stealing their possessions and even coming very close to endangering their lives, especially the lives of the daughters.  The Amish, a peace loving people, who do not believe in fighting have a difficult time figuring out how to deal with this new threat and not retaliate with anger or violence. Miriam, the main character in this story, is struggling with her heart, her possible love for a man who is not Amish, and whether he loves her enough to risk...

I am not sure how long this will last, but I was able to get a nice devotional e-book by Roy Lessin FREE by going HERE . ...the fact that God loves you, that He cares about you, & that He is on your side are three key reasons. Lessin's writings will help you focus your thoughts on what really matters - providing inspiration and encouragement for your day. Hope it works for you! Have a wonderful day serving the LORD!

This book is a true story of Forgiveness and Hope by McGill Alexander. A Christian family were taken hostage by Taiwan's most-wanted criminal, Chen Chin-hsing. Mac Alexander, a South African diplomat, and his family were held at gunpoint and seriously wounded in crossfire with the police. Demanding justice for his imprisoned wife, Chen threatened to commit suicide once his mission was accomplished. Besieged by media and police, confusion ensued; but several heroes rose above the danger; and through God's miraculous intervention, the Alexander's faith overcame and grasped the heart of Chen Chin-hsing. The Alexander's showed the world a stunning example of Christ's forgiveness in the midst of violence and revenge. Read Excerpt:    here . The Amazon Kindle version is FREE March 22 - 26 here Watch the TV docudrama of the Alexander's story here I usually don't put author interviews on here, because of the length of the post, but considering the testimon...

"The story of four lovable women, miraculously bound by one gown, whose lives span a century... will take your breath away."  ~Beth Webb Hart This is a great book. A very intriguing account of various women's lives, and how they are interwoven because of a dress. Charlotte is a bridal boutique owner and finally preparing for her own wedding, but should she be? For some reason she cannot seem to find the perfect dress or even be at peace as to whether she should marry Tim. She finds a vintage dress at an estate sale and curiosity gets the best of her. She delves into a search for the history of the dress's previous  owners. Through it she learns a lot about courage, faith, redemption, and timeless true love. Sometimes we just have to take a step of faith and go with our gut. You will not want to put this down until you find out the story behind the dress. I like what the author Rachel Hauck says about the wedding dress. She compares it to the Gospel of Jesus. I...

This week I have two great books from Cladach to review.  They are both stories from WWII.  Both are fascinating accounts of people who suffered and yet through it all either found the Lord, or have an amazing testimony of  His faithfulness, and the comfort and hope he provided amidst their terror. What an amazing story! Walk through her childhood as she recounts her story in the pages of this book. Praise God for a Believer willing to share the gospel. The child in Paper Poppies was a crippled orphan with TB whose body was strapped to a hospital bed in Siberia, but whose mind and heart were on an amazing and memorable quest for Truth. Marianna sifted through the myriad of beliefs that filled empty souls during the Communist years in Russia: Soviet atheism, old folklore and superstitions, and empty religious traditions. When, in her pain and loneliness, one Christian dared to share her Christian faith with Marianna, a seed was planted that later led her to...

My featured AMAZING woman of the week is my friend and mentor Becky.  Although we have known each other for a while, God has just recently brought us together on a deeper level of friendship. It is amazing how God knows exactly what and who you need. His timing is always perfect for his gifts. She, to me, is the perfect example of the Proverbs 31 woman. Perfect!? - Of course not, but God doesn't call us to be perfect, He just calls us to use our gifts and talents for His glory. And she is doing that. Why do I think she is amazing?? She loves the Lord first of all loves her husband and her children loves others is supportive, encouraging and gives counsel not based on how she feels but on the truth of God's word has a heart for the needy and disabled manages her home well educates her children is a great friend loves children especially Chinese ones : ) shares my love for blogging  I could say so many more wonderful things about her. But it would make for an a...

Link up with Hobbies on a Budget

I LOVE this book!   What a great encouragement for women to embrace who they are in God's eyes and use their gifts to become all He created them to be.  It has certainly ministered to my heart.  I am already amazing to Him!  Wow! What a relief to know that! But with all the cultural obsession with being the "it girl";  it is also a process to come to a point of truly believing that.  I, for one, have never been the cultural "it girl". I am no Martha Stewart or Super Woman who has it all together, but I am God's "Is Girl"!    Misspelled??  That's what I thought until I read further.... God looks at me and says, "She IS Loved, Accepted, and Valued. She IS created to be just the way I wanted her to be." When I remember that my Creator, made me just what I am, with my very own strengths and skills to be used for His glory; it is easier to accept the fact that He loves me just as I am, no matter how others may feel about me...

Running From Shame and Finding God's Scandalous Love R unning from scandal - in her family, church and community life - Susan moves from California to China. At first, the adventure of experiencing an exotic culture brings the escape she craves. Gradually, as the layers of mystery and reserve fall away, she gets to know her new Chinese friends on deeper levels. At the same time the self-protective layers around her own heart peel back painfully, exposing her inner brokenness. In this vivid and transparent memoir, Susan takes us on a fascinating journey into the streets and homes of modern China. The travel memoir is interspersed with Susan's personal story of emotional and spiritual sabotage, shame and shattered dreams. It all comes together as she opens her heart anew to God's love - the most scandalous love of all. Susan Elaine Jenkins has lived in China for fourteen years, teaching the performing arts in international schools. She was previously a teacher in private sc...

I am not sure about you, but I know prayer has had a very important impact in my life. Prayer can accomplish great things if we learn to pray as Jesus did and make it a priority. Dr Alexander Whyte was a great Scottish preacher in the 1800's. Not only did he spend his life preaching and converting his hearers, but he also devoted much time to discipling young men to follow the way of the Lord. Later in his life, he did an extensive study on prayer and incorporated his knowlege into his sermons. This book is filled with a variety of sermons he preached on prayer.  It is divided into three parts: Introduction on Prayer; Types of Prayer - which inlcudes prayers of men in the Bible such as Moses, The Psalmist, Jesus, and Paul; and Aspects of Prayer -includes reverence, concentration, and much more.  You can read a sample chapter  HERE .  You may order Lord Teach Us to Pray   from Amazon or directly from Kingsley Press . Although this book ...

Lis Wiehl is a New York Times best selling author of mysteries and thrillers. She is a Harvard School graduate and former federal prosecutor. She has written several Triple Threat Novels. In this novel Elizabeth Avery could very well be the girl next door. She is has an award winning smile and a flattering figure but on the inside a heart of ice.  What she has planned, no one would expect. At first the crimes appear random, but they are more than that and they have one element in common - A Woman! Elizabeth is the master at manipulating and using the people around her to accomplish her scheme. She is a sociopath.  It takes a Prosecutor, Special Agent, and Crime Reporter who are much closer to the killer than they know to solve this mystery. If you love mysteries, this book will definitely keep you on the edge of your seat. It is full of suspense, action, and mystery. At the end there are some discussion questions that offer great food for thought about the things in our ...

The WINNER is #68 Sarah Avila Thanks to all those who participated in this event. New reviews and giveaways coming soon!

H ere are the very real stories of how and why five men and women escaped the genocide in southern Sudan and Darfur, made their way through Egypt and smuggled into Israel, the one country their Islamic government prohibited them from entering. In desperation they fled across the border anyway, with nothing but the clothes on their backs. No food. No money. No papers. No possessions. Just thankful to be alive. But in their hearts and minds they carried the prophecy of Isaiah: "At that time gifts will be brought to the Lord Almighty [to Mount Zion] from a people tall and smooth-skinned" (Isaiah 18:7). When hundreds of the tall, dark Africans began appearing in the popular beach town of Eilat, at the southernmost tip of Israel, curiosities were piqued. Where did they come from? Why were they in Israel, and Eilat, of all places? When a group of the Christian refugees entered The Shelter Hostel run by John and Judy Pex, these courageous peoples' stories, both tragic and mir...