The Wisdom of God by Nancy Guthrie

This book is a brief 10 week study on the Wisdom Books of the Bible: Job- Song of Solomon.  However, it could easily be taken to 20 weeks or more if you want to do more of an in-depth Bible study.  Each lesson is divided into 3 parts:

1. person time - laying the foundation
2. teaching time - building on the foundation
3. sharing time - sealing what is taught

 Guthrie wants to help her readers make sense of the world and strengthen their trust in God as they face the things that don't make sense.  She provides guidance for living in perfect wisdom.  She leads you to the starting place, which is the foot of the cross.  You'll find not only wise principles to live by, but also see the wise person that the Bible points to that has ever lived.  Upon request there are additional leader study resources to go along with this study.

Here is a little overview of the chapters

• Job - "No Fair"  - you'll learn how to live in a world which seemingly innocent suffer 
• Psalms - (5 lessons) - will provide praise and prayers and laments for express heart and mind to God

1. The Songs of Jesus "Can't Stop This Feelin'"
2. Blessing and Perishing in the Psalms  "Secure in the Storm"
3. The Royal Psalms  "The Royal Wedding"
4. Repentance in the Psalms  "Wash Me"
5. The Suffering and Glory of Messiah in the Psalms  "Who is This Song About?"

• Proverbs - "Wisdom Calling" - gives practical daily advice for living
• Ecclesiastes - "What Really Matter" - you'll find requirements for living wisely
• Song of Solomon - "Kiss Me" - provides wisdom regarding sexual desire

Visit the author's site here.

Visit here for more information about this book.


A copy of this book was provided for this review in exchange for this post by...

Ashton Park by Murray Pura

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Ashton Park Harvest House Publishers (January 1, 2013) by Murray Pura
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Murray Pura was born and raised in Manitoba, just north of Minnesota and the Dakotas. He has published several novels and short story collections in Canada, and has been short-listed for a number of awards. His first books to be published in the United States are the inspirational works Rooted and Streams (both by Zondervan in 2010). His first novel to debut in the USA is A Bride’s Flight from Virginia City, Montana (Barbour), which was released January 2012. The second, The Wings of Morning, will be published by Harvest House on February 1. Both of these novels center around the Amish of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

ABOUT THE BOOK

For fans of the hugely popular Downton Abbey series, comes this equally enthralling story of the Danforth family of Ashton Park. Among the green hills and trees of Lancashire, only a few miles from the sea, lies the beautiful and ancient estate of Ashton Park. The year is 1916. The First World War has engulfed Europe and Sir William's and Lady Elizabeth's three sons are all in uniform--and their four daughters are involved in various pursuits of the heart and soul.

As the head of a strong Church of England family for generations, Sir William insists the Danforth estate hold morning devotions that include both family and staff. However, he is also an MP and away at Westminster in London whenever Parliament is sitting. During his long absences, Lady Elizabeth discreetly spends time in the company of the head cook of the manor, Mrs. Longstaff, who is her best friend and confidante. This friendship includes visits to a small Baptist church in Liverpool that exposes Lady Elizabeth to a less formal approach to Christian worship and preaching than she is used to and which she comes to enjoy.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Ashton Park, go HERE.

Teaser Tuesday ~ Let Them Eat Cake

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along, so I thought I would play for fun! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!  

She couldn't hurt my job, but I needed to win her over if I was going to lobby for the manager's position.

~taken from Byrd, Sandra Let Them Eat Cake: A Novel (French Twist) (p. 80). Quaystrokes. Kindle Edition.

Catbert avoided catching my eye—never a good sign. He prowled the aisles all day but didn't stop to say hello or ask about my plans for the weekend.

Pansy at the Palace by Cynthia Bardes

Pansy at the Palace by Cynthia Bardes is a book filled with curiosity and adventure along with teaching friendship and one is never to little to make a difference.  It is a tale both fanciful and entertaining.  Who can resist the poodle on the front cover?  The mystery is set in high class society, Beverly Hills, at the Palace Hotel where Pansy quickly wins the hearts of the guests, residents and employees as well as those that read this story.  Pansy is a delightful read with images that are just as delightful and charming.  The illustrations portray brilliant, loveable characters.  Capture the imagination of your young when with Pansy as she unfolds the mystery that lies in the pages of her book.  The book also brings awareness to animal shelters, humane societies and rescue organizations. 

To learn more about this book visit the website here. 

Pansy’s life blossoms when she is adopted from an animal shelter by a loving family and little girl named Avery. Swept into her new life at the Palace Hotel in Beverly Hills, this smart and courageous puppy saves the day by solving a mysterious theft. Pansy at the Palace celebrates the spirit of curiousity and exploration, and teaches us that no one is too small to make a difference in the lives of many!

32 pages
casebound with jacket, full color
published by Octobre Press

A copy of this book was provided by the author and Bostick Communications for the purpose of this review.

mailbox Monday ~ Jan 28, 2013

 Join Mailbox Monday meme

@ The Printed Page

January's host is:
Lori's Reading Corner

(I will be hosting the whole month of May 2013 looking forward to hosting)

Fiction & Nonfiction

Unglued Devotional by Lysa Terkeurst
Unbreakable by Nancy Mehl
Shattered by Dani Pettrey
For Love of Eli by Loree Lough
Mystery of the Heart by Jillian Kent
Grace Given by Beth Shriver
Designed for Devotion by Dianne Neal Matthews

adventure books with Clayton J. Liotta

Books with adventure and imagination is what Clayton Liotta's books are.  He writes and illustrates his own books.  The books are cute and imaginative and of course full of adventure.  I really liked up a Tree with Chicken Soup.  You couldn't ask for a more adventurous day.

“Up A Tree With Chicken Soup” is a charming story about the wonder of a child’s vivid imagination. Follow a young boy as he goes out in search of adventure, with Chicken Soup of course. Is it real or imaginary??? You be the judge... It is sure to bring out the child in us all...

visit here for a short video trailer of this book

“The House At 25 Clear View Drive!” is a charming story about a young boy who anxiously awaits the arrival of new neighbors moving in across the street. Rumor has it that they have a boy his own age? It’s sure to bring back many memories and the child in us all...

visit here for a short video trailer of this book

When Verdell Comes To Visit! Click image to order Copywrite © 2012 Liottastudios “ When Verdell Comes To Visit!” is a charming story about a young boys who receives a visit from his old friend Verdell! Not always the easiest of houseguests, Verdell is full of surprises! It is sure to bring out the child in us all...

visit here for a short video trail of this book

Clayton Liotta is an Author, Illustrator, Cartoonist, and Film Maker with quite a background. As a boy, a band of gypsies found him living under a squashed cabbage leaf. They whisked him away, and made him part of their roving caravan, where he learned the ancient art of broom making. He spent countless hours weaving straw into brooms and listening to stories told by tribal elders. Sitting around the campfire, Clayton was fascinated by the gypsies' ancient tales. Soon, he found himself sketching in the dirt with leftover pieces of straw. Once they saw his interpretive drawings, the gypsies realized that they should preserve their unique stories on paper- along with Clayton's sketches. An illustrator was born. Until now, Clayton's work was known only in gypsy caravans. (And how many gypsy caravans do you see these days???) Clayton has since left the simple gypsy lifestyle for bright lights, big cities, cheeseburgers, fries, and cable TV.....Where he lives quietly!

Visit the author on his web site here.

A copy of this book was provided by the author and Bostick Communications for the purpose of this review.

Tears for Nanertak by Skip Hofstrand

Since we are in the middle of arctic weather right at the present I thought it would be fitting to post this review today.  Tears for Nanertak teaches the reader about what happens when the climate changes in the arctic regions of the world.   The animals must leave to find a new home.  The book was written and illustrated by the author.  He uses watercolors in his illustrations in Tears for Nanertak.  I thought it was interesting that the artists’ watercolor illustrations were painted with water taken from the melting Greenland Ice Cap,  which was collected by Will Steger, polar explorer and winner of National Geographic’s prestigious John Oliver LaGorce award for exploration, science, and public service.The illustrations from the book are part of Hofstrand's The Land Weeps with You series.

Learn more about this book here
Learn more about this artist here

For most of us, it’s hard to imagine our home vanishing. But for Nanertak, a polar bear cub, the melting of her Arctic homeland means that she has nowhere to live. She and her mother, Nanuck, are forced to escape. Their exit by iceberg is full of danger – the beginning of an incredible journey of survival. Many tears are shed along the way, but there is unexpected hope for Nanertak's future...along with a solution to the problem of her disappearing Arctic homeland. Join Nanertak and Nanuck as they search for their new home in this beautiful story that is both educational and inspiring for children and adults alike.

Skip Hofstrand has been a professional watercolor artist for twenty-six years. This is his first children’s picture book. Skip has served as medical director for all of explorer Will Steger’s polar expeditions.


A copy of this book was provided by the author and Bostick Communications for the purpose of this review.

Grace Given by Beth Shriver

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Grace Given Realms (January 8, 2013) by Beth Shriver
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Childhood memories of her grandfather's ranch came alive as Beth wrote her first Amish story. Her parents grew up in the country, so she appreciates pastoral life and respects those who make a living off the land. She visits a nearby Amish community just south of Fort-Worth for an occasional church service or brunch with the bishop and his wife. And on the way home she stops at the community store to get some plum jam!

Beth received a degree in social work and psychology from the University of Nebraska. She worked as a caseworker for Boulder County Department of Social Services before starting a family. Beth and her husband, two children, along with two cats and a beagle live in Texas after moving from their first home in Colorado. She freelances for the local papers in her area and writes columns, devotionals for magazines, and novels in a variety of genres in both fiction and nonfiction. Beth is represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of the Steve Laube Literary Agency.

ABOUT THE BOOK

“Never doubt in the darkness what God has shown you in the light.” —Amish Proverb

Elsie Kline can’t forgive her sister for leaving the community. Gideon Lapp helps Elsie through her bitterness by studying the Martyr’s Mirror book that is centuries old, describing their ancestors’ sacrifice for their faith. But he feels there is something more. When the community moved to Texas, they were not welcomed by some of the locals. They have told Katie and Elsie that harm will come to their community if don’t go back up north where they came from. Gideon stays by Elsie’s side as she learns to give grace and to humble herself to accept grace as well. “Beth has a heart for helping others, whether through her nonfiction and fiction writing or in other capacities. It has been my pleasure to read and respond to her work during the past few years of knowing her.” —Leanna Ellis, Author of Facelift and Forsaken and winner of the National Readers Choice Award.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Grace Given, go HERE.

Mystery of the Heart by Jillian Kent

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Mystery of the Heart Realms (January 8, 2013) by Jillian Kent
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jillian Kent is a busy writer and the alter ego of Jill Nutter, a full-time counselor.

Jill spent the first semester of her senior year of college at Oxford studying British Literature, where she fell in love with England. During this season, she came to appreciate the written word, the rich imagery of romantic poetry like The Highwayman, and historical novels of many types, including Jane Austen and all things Regency.

Jill received her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Bethany College in West Virginia, and her Masters Degree in Social Work from WVU, and she brings her fascination with different cultures and societies into her writing.

Jill has always been a romantic at heart, so readers will find a good dose of romance woven through each of her novels. Jill, her husband Randy, and children Katie and Meghan are animal lovers. They currently own two dogs, Boo-Boo and Bandit and a menagerie of cats, Lucky, Yuma, Snow, and Holden. Critters of all assortments make their appearance in her stories.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Lord Eden is intrigued when he discovers Lady Mercy Grayson’s secret, but how can he hope to gain her heart when he is forced to betray her?

Lady Mercy Grayson longs be a physician like her big brother, Devlin, Lord Ravensmoore. However, society would never tolerate a female physician, let alone one who is a noblewoman. So Mercy takes matters into her own hands, disguising herself as a man to get through medical school. But then a male colleague discovers her secret, which is only the beginning of Mercy’s problems that could destroy her dreams forever.

The Prince Regent is awaiting the return of Vincent St. Lyons, Lord Eden, whom he sent on a secret voyage to locate and bring back a relic that some believe possesses the power to heal. St. Lyons discovers Mercy washed up on England’s shore upon his return and agrees to give her safe passage to London aboard a ship of men practicing African Vodun. Both must face treacherous circumstances, difficult decisions, and a growing attraction to one another that could forever change the course of their lives.

As the final installment in the series, the theme of this book is God’s plans for our lives. “Whatever the hand findeth to do, do it with all thy might” (Eccles. 9:10).

If you would like to read the first chapter of Mystery of the Heart, go HERE.

Teaser Tuesday ~ American Patriots

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along, so I thought I would play for fun! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!  

Growing up in North Carolina, Nancy became an accomplished frontierswoman, developing skills as an herbalist and an expert sharpshooter.  her fearlessness and hair-trigger temper helped earn her the nickname War Woman from local Cherokees. 

~ taken from p. 51 of American Patriots: Answering the Call to Freedom by Rick Santorum
chapter is:  Nancy Morgan Hart:  War Woman  (ever heard of her)

Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."  Couldn't Jefferson just as easily have written those enumerated rights, given to all by our Creator, in a different order?  Liberty, happiness, and life? Or happiness, life, and liberty?  The answer, of course, is that he could have written them in any order.  But he made this decision consciously, knowing that each right if foundational for the next.     

American Patriots: Answering the Call to Freedom by Rick Santorum

Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness are worth fighting for, well that is what the men and women found in Rich Santorum's book thought at least.  If you are truly an American Patriot then this is a book that you need to read.  It is a WOW book and will put you on fire for defending your freedom, which is quickly being snatched away by a tyrannical government.  This book is about individuals who embraced the ideals laid out by our founding fathers.  Patrick Henry's famous words "give me liberty or give me death", were the words of every patriot Santorum  featured in this book - and as I see it with the way our country is heading may have to be the words of more patriots in the very near feature.  Most of the patriots in this book aren't your common household names; they are ones that were the true patriots of freedom, the ones you don't hear about and didn't want to be acknowledged as a hero of their time.  They came from every walk of life, but they rose to the challenge of their time. At the close of the book is a copy the Declaration of Independence, if you've never read it, read it and a list of the names of those that signed it.  There hasn't been a better time for this book to hit the shelves than in 2012 and not a better time for a push for reading it than right now.  Are you going to Answer the Call and stand up against those that want to put us back in shackles?  We are working toward another Stalin/Hitler era if we American Patriots don't stand up and fight like true Americans.  Hail, AMERICAN PATRIOTS!

Visit Rick Santorum's  Patriot Voices site here.

 The United States of America was founded and established by ordinary citizens just like you and me. In their struggle for independence, these heroic men and women willingly shed their blood, sweat, and tears—often sacrificing their own lives and fortunes in order to hand down the precious legacy of freedom we all enjoy today. Now is the time for a new generation of American patriots to rise up and join in the fight. Now is the time for every American to return to the virtues, values, and ideals that formed our foundation of freedom, and enable America to remain a great nation, a powerful democracy, and a beacon of hope for the world.

American Patriots highlights the heroic men and women who valiantly fought to secure our God-given rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness—not only for themselves and their children, but for countless future generations. Their stories are a true reminder of the extraordinary faith, courage, and determination that set this country on the path to greatness centuries ago, and an inspiration for future generations of great American patriots.


For more information about this book check here.

A copy of this book and dvd was provided in exchange for this review by...

Mailbox Monday ~ Jan. 21, 2013

 Join Mailbox Monday meme

@ The Printed Page

January's host is:
Lori's Reading Corner

(I will be hosting the whole month of May 2013 looking forward to hosting)

Flora's Wish by Kathleen Y'Barbo

Alphabet Anatomy:  meet the capital letters by Linda Ann Jones and Branson Jones

A Daughter's Redemption by Georgiana Daniels

The Moses Quilt by Kathi Macias

The Shadowed Onyx by Nicole O'Dell

 Today we are going to do a review/interview with my teen daughter that read Nicole's book The Shadowed Onyx.

What type of a  book is The Shadowed Onyx?
The Shadowed Onyx is a teen, young adult fiction.  It is the third book in Nicole O'Dell's series Diamond Estates.  It is a deep book it deals with suicide and supernatural issues. 

Did you have a favorite character in the book?
 I liked Beatrice (Bea).  She has Down's Syndrome. She has a sweet loving spirit and outstanding faith in God.

Can you set the theme of the book for me?
Joy's a good girl, but her world turns upside down when she catches her boyfriend and  best friend kissing.  Joy goes to Melanie's house to forgive her, but what she finds isn't what she was expecting in the least bit. 

Tell me about the main character?
Joy's best friend, Melanie, has committed suicide.  Joy is struggling with this and partly blames herself.  She reaches out for help and makes a new friend in Raven; however, Raven is mixed up with some bad things and is encouraging Joy in doing them too. 

How do some of the other characters play a part on the main character.
The death of her best friend causes her to blame herself
The cheating of her childhood friend and boyfriend causes her to never want to like a guy again.

How does the main conflict in the book change the main character?
At first messing around with things like the Ouija board scared Joy, but as time went on it became harder for her to say no to doing it.  Sin has a way of doing that.

What makes this book special?
It is a pretty deep book.  It takes on such topics as suicide, Satanism, the occult, and demonic powers.  

Seventeen-year-old Joy Christianson is the life of the party.

But when her best friend commits suicide, Joy’s already wavering faith slips completely out of reach—and darkness and depression lay claim to her soul. A group of “friends” lead her to the Onyx, meant to help her let go of the past and bring her into harmony with reality, and Joy finds herself embarking on an ominous journey of witchcraft. Caught in a world of evil and shadows, Joy isn’t so sure that there’s a way out, and soon finds herself at a crossroads.

Will Joy find the hope and light her heart longs for?Or will her dejected soul remain forever in the shadows?

Afraid of letting the depression and evil take root, she decides to seek help in the haven of Diamond Estates—and tries to reclaim the Joy she once knew.

Nicole O’Dell, founder of Choose NOW Ministries and host of Choose NOW Radio: Parent Talk and Teen Talk, is a youth culture expert who writes and speaks to preteens, teenagers, and parents on preparing for life’s tough choices. The mother of six, including pre-school triplets, Nicole is the author of  nineteen books. YA fiction, like her popular Scenarios for Girls interactive fiction series and the Diamond Estates Series, and non-fiction for teens including Girl Talk, a Q&A resource based on the popular advice column she writes with her two daughters, all emphasize the importance of making good choices. Hot Buttons, O’Dell’s non-fiction series for parents, pre-empts peer pressure by helping parents tackle tough issues and was recently endorsed by Focus on the Family. Visit www.nicoleodell.com for access to her bustling blog network and other resources.

A copy of this book was provided by the author in exchange for this review post