Seasons of Opportunities

The CSB Reader's Bible provides the perfect opportunity to read the Bible in its original and simplified form, uninterrupted by verse and chapter references. This unique Bible reading experience invites the reader to encounter God's Word as a grand narrative and have a fresh experience with the Bible. Features include: Single-column reader's text, Simplified page design, 10-point type, Ribbon marker, Smyth-sewn binding, and more.

The pond is quickly becoming one of my favorite places to read. It used to be poolside, but considering, this year our pool management has been the pits and the pool has developed pond like characteristics - only without the fish, we have not been doing any swimming in it. There has however been quite a bit of tadpole catching and baby frogs hopping about, so how can summer get more educational than that. (LOL) The kids actually enjoy fishing, so we use my mother-in-laws pond and they even get in a little swimming. But the fishing comes first because it's a bit hard to catch one after you scared them all off by jumping off the dock a few times.

A focused law student, romance has been absent from Madison's life. She has successfully planned each phase of her life and resigned to the fact that there will be plenty of time for love after she passes the bar exam-that is until the single act of seeking shelter from a spring downpour dramatically alters the course of her life. Madison is lured away from the security of law school into a world where she learns about the destructive nature of greed. Thrust in a maze of money laundering and murder, Madison experiences the value of true friendship and witnesses the healing power of love.

When Kennedy Stern and her best friend Reuben drag themselves away from their grueling studies to enjoy a night off campus, getting pulled over by a belligerent cop isn't in either of their plans. When the police altercation turns violent, the media notes Reuben's dark skin and labels this instance of police brutality a hate crime. Those Kennedy trusts the most warn her not to get involved, but she owes it to Reuben to pursue justice regardless of the personal cost. Nothing remains a secret when a frenzied media and an embarrassed police department delve into Kennedy's and Reuben's backgrounds. Some truths, unfortunately, grow increasingly more painful the closer they get to the surface.

This week it seems I have several Bibles to review, so bear with me. The Word of God is a powerful, sharp, two edged sword, that impacts our lives in amazing ways. I enjoy getting Bibles to review. Maybe you are wondering what I do with all these Bibles. I have kept some of them for my personal use. I gave almost all my grand-kids Bibles last year.  I have also given some away to different people who needed or wanted a Bible, and I shared several with a missionary friend, so she could take them to the field with her. It just depends on the Bible, and the need that arises. But I rarely pass up an opportunity to review a Bible.  The KJV Word Study Bible includes in-text subheadings and 1,700 easy-to-use word studies with select Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek words explained in every chapter from Genesis to Revelation, helping you dig deeper into your Bible study. By looking into these ancient texts we are able to read scripture as it was originally written and passed on from gen...

Winner - Lis K THE GARDEN Grammy nominated Kari Jobe is the premiere female worship leader in Christian music. Coming off her last live album, Majestic, which featured the worship anthem “Forever” and radio hit “I Am Not Alone," Kari Jobe has returned to the studio to record her new album,  The Garden , full of brand new worship anthems for the church and for personal reflection. Finding inspiration from life’s joys and hardships, Kari leans into the firm foundation of Christ through it all.  Here’s the buy link:  Itunes

The Radical Book for Kids is a fun-filled explorer's guide to the Bible, church history, and life for boys and girls age 8 and up. Kids will read about men and women who learned to trust Jesus and stand for him---displaying radical faith---even when everything seemed against them. They will learn about ancient weapons (and how to make one), learn about jewels, create pottery, discover ancient languages, use secret codes, locate stars, tell time using the sun, play a board game that's 3,000 years old---and more---bringing the Bible and the Christian faith to life. Designed to skip around or read straight through--however a child chooses to explore it-- The Radical Book for Kids will open new vistas for their imagination and help to make straight paths for their feet.

The NIV Bible for Teen Guys , designed specifically for guys ages 13 to 18, is for real teenage guys with real lives. Packed with daily readings, highlighted promises of God, challenging insights, smart advice, and open discussion about the realities of life, this Bible is designed to help teen guys grow in their faith. The NIV Bible for Teen Guys is as serious about your walk with God as you are, helping you discover his will for all areas of your life, including relating to your family, dealing with friends, work, sports, girls, and so much more. Features include:   Daily readings for teen guys by popular Christian male authors (Mark Batterson, Kyle Idleman, Mark Hall, Max Lucado, and more) Character profiles of men in the Bible Book introductions for each book of the Bible Highlighted promises of God: verses worth remembering

Winner - aperry (comment 1) Once upon a time there lived a man and a woman.  They were the happiest people on the planet. True, they were the only people on the planet, but they were still terrifically happy. Unfortunately , things didn’t stay happy and wonderful for long . . . The Bible is full of exciting stories that fill children with awe and wonder. But kids need to know how all those classic stories connect to Scripture’s overarching message about God’s glorious plan to redeem his rebellious people. In  The Biggest Story , Kevin DeYoung—a best-selling author and father of six—leads kids and parents alike on an exciting journey through the Bible, connecting the dots from the garden of Eden to Christ's death on the cross to the new heaven and new earth.

  NASHVILLE, Tenn.  – From writer/director Pat Necerato comes  Voiceless , a film that tackles the controversial pro-life vs. pro-choice debate with conviction and compassion, and presents that the true choice is one the church must make. In the film, a young, reserved war veteran-turned-community outreach leader puts his life on the line to stand against an abortion clinic that has taken up shop across the street from his Philadelphia church. Battling his own inner-demons, Jesse (Rusty Joiner:  Last Ounce Of Courage ,  Dodgeball , “Days of Our Lives”) encounters a young, pregnant teen overcome with grief that, after an impulsive abortion, has her family blaming

This book is written as a series of letters to the younger generation, although personally, I feel many generations would glean from reading the content of this book.  Terry uses his personal stories and experiences to encourage this generation to step up to the plate and become all God wants them to be. Each chapter(letter) is thematic and Terry addresses such subjects as Prayer, Sacrifice, Service, Submission, Authority (the use and misuse of it), and so much more. Terry calls this generation to step out and become armor bearers, to follow their dreams, but also to support their leaders; to be a generation of action, not just talk. He stresses the importance of a healthy prayer life, humility, knowledge of the Word, recognizing God's voice and waiting on His perfect timing. 

Gratitude: A Prayer and Praise Coloring Journal  invites you to bring creative journaling and the calming act of coloring into your quiet time with God. This beautifully designed interactive prayer book from Tyndale’s Living Expressions collection helps guide your thoughts as you pray about concerns such as health, overcoming stress, personal relationships, and more. Gratitude  gives you a way to celebrate and give thanks to God for the many blessings he provides. Filled with over 100 designs to color, plenty of space for journaling and sketching, and 40 needs-based prayers,  Gratitude  helps you express your devotion to God with your whole heart! Available on Amazon

Congratulations to our Winner - Terrill Recently I was blessed with the opportunity to partner with Family Christian in giving away a $25 Gift Certificate Coupon to one of my readers. I am so excited about this!! I know you will be too, especially if you are the winner of that certificate.  I was able to enjoy a $25 shopping spree myself in exchange for telling you about my experience on Family Christian.com . Family Christian is a Christian retailer, operating in 250 stores across the country. They are committed to helping you find, grow, share and celebrate your faith through a wide selection of Christian books, music, Bibles, DVD's gifts and more. When you shop with Family Christian, your purchases support their efforts to unite with ministries that are helping children and families in need around the world.

I gotta tell ya, at first I loved this Bible. I love reading God's Word, and I am also one of those people who loves to doodle. You will find me doodling as I take notes during services, and if I sit for long with a paper and pen, I will be doodling. So this Bible, to me, was right down my alley. I am also a note-taker, and most all of my Bibles over the years are highlighted, colored, written in the margins. There is rarely a "clean" page. I have been wanting to check out one of these Bibles for a long time. And given the opportunity, I jumped on it. There are enough illustrations in this Bible to last you a long time, close to two years if you colored a page a day. There are lines for note-taking, and space to make your own doodles or designs. The back contains bullet notes, a daily Bible reading plan, and a concordance. And the Holman Christian Standard is a version I enjoy reading. my design 

Sketchy politics and a palette of lies can't stop Serena Jones from exposing the mastermind behind the daring theft of a priceless work of art. Serena Jones has a passion for recovering lost and stolen art -- one that's surpassed only by her zeal to uncover the truth about who murdered her grandfather. She's joined the FBI Art Crime Team with the secret hope that one of her cases will lead to his killer. Now, despite the her mother's pleas to do something safer -- like get married -- Serena's determined to catch thieves and black market traders.  When a local museum discovers an irreplaceable Monet missing, Serena leaps into action -- and a whole heap of trouble.

Two SS officers—both involved in Hitler's Final Solution, both in love with a beautiful woman— but only one can live with his conscience  Thérèse Down delivers a powerful story set in Berlin in the 1930s and early 1940s and woven around the fortunes of three people: an ambitious SS officer, Walter Gunter; his naíve wife, Hedda; and a guilt-ridden SS officer, Karl Muller.   Gunter— intensely loyal to the Third Reich, entirely ruthless, with dreams of military renown—is outraged to be placed in charge of the T4 euthanasia program.   Muller, an engineer and trainee doctor, reluctantly oversees the safe delivery of lethal gases and drugs to the killing centers, and is required to convert shower rooms and bathrooms into gas chambers in commandeered hospitals and prisons. Both detest their jobs.

When Sarah Brown, daughter of abolitionist John Brown, realizes that her artistic talents may be able to help save the lives of slaves fleeing north, she becomes one of the Underground Railroad’s leading mapmakers, taking her cues from the slave code quilts and hiding her maps within her paintings. She boldly embraces this calling after being told the shocking news that she can’t bear children, but as the country steers toward bloody civil war, Sarah faces difficult sacrifices that could put all she loves in peril.    Eden, a modern woman desperate to conceive a child with her husband, moves to an old house in the suburbs and discovers a porcelain head hidden in the root cellar—the remains of an

They’ve helped orchestrate the perfect day for countless couples. Now twelve new couples will find themselves in the wedding spotlight in the second Year of Weddings novella collection. Love at Mistletoe Inn   by Cindy Kirk Sometimes the road to happiness is paved with youthful mistakes. Ten years after what she thought was her almost-wedding, Hope Prentiss discovers that the ceremony counted—and, as fate would have it, the jilted John Burke has just ridden back into town. After spending some time with John and helping plan a Christmas wedding for a mystery couple, Hope begins to wonder if she really wants a divorce . . . or a real wedding of her own. A Brush with Love   by   Rachel   Hauck Revealing the beauty in other women might be Ginger Winters’s specialty—but it will take an unexpected kind of love to help Ginger see the beauty in herself.

TV reporter Erica Sparks has become a superstar overnight. Is it due to her hard work and talent, or is she at the center of a spiraling conspiracy? Erica Sparks is a beautiful and ambitious reporter who has just landed her dream job at Global News Network in New York. And while it was hard to leave Jenny, her cherished eight-year-old daughter, in the custody of her ex-husband, Erica is determined to succeed in the cutthroat world of big-time broadcasting. She can only hope her troubled past won’t come back to sabotage her dreams. Although the wounds from her divorce are still fresh, Erica can’t deny the chemistry between her and her new producer, the handsome and empathic Greg Underwood. But a relationship is the last thing she wants right now. On her very first assignment, Erica inadvertently witnesses—and films—a

In a world full of science fiction entertainment and secular education, children need their caregivers to take a pro-active role in teaching the difference in reality and fantasy. You may have found yourself saying, Yes, Dear, There Really Is a Devil, but not knowing how to explain further. Are you looking for a way to teach the truth of God’s Word and equip your children for spiritual warfare? If so, join our young adventurers on a journey as they learn to avoid Satan and his snares with the protective Shield of Faith and the powerful Sword of the Spirit. With choices to make and battles to win, find out how