Book Review: Unlocked by Karen Kingsbury

Another "wow" book from Karen Kingsbury is here!  The book Unlocked opens up the reader's eyes to the world of autism.  In this story, we are introduced to Tracy Harris and her son, Holden.  He is a high school student who has to deal with being bullied and shunned by his peers because of his differences.  One day, a cheerleader and theater student named Ella sees Holden and the rest of the story unfolds as their friendship grows.

When Holden was three, he went from being a playful, talkative child into a withdrawn and quiet little boy.  He would no longer look his mother (or anyone else) in the eye anymore and would not speak.  It is hard to imagine how a mother might feel when her child will no longer even let her touch him or hold his hand.  This story takes you through the challenges and struggles of both mother and son who are living with a new world of autism in their midst.  It was through the gift of music that Ella, Holden's childhood friend, is able to reach him.  Unlocked is really able to let the reader see what people and families with autism have to deal with on a daily basis.  Karen Kingsbury makes it feel so real and has blessed so many addresssing the "harder" issues through her books.  I love how she uses her God-given talent to share with us on these different topics.  I highly recommend that you read this book and receive a blessing, too!  :)

I received this complimentary book from Zondervan to read and review.  All opinions of this book are my own.

Book Review: Heaven is For Real For Kids By Colton, Todd, & Sonja Burpo

"Heaven is for real, and you're going to like it!"  ~Colton Burpo

Wow!  I enjoyed reading Heaven is For Real For Kids as much as my children loved listening to it!  This book was told by Colton Burpo to his parents, Todd and Sonja Burpo, who wrote down Colton's own words about his experiences in heaven.   This is a simplified version of the book Heaven is For Real and written in a child's voice about the experience of his time in Heaven.  It has been beautifully illustrated under Colton's direction so that it would reflect what he saw during his amazing trip there.

I love how it is written with the simple words of a child!  It makes it so easy for kids (and adults, too!) to understand!  Each page includes a corner with a scripture reference that correlates with the main idea that Colton is sharing to show that what he is stating is backed up by the Bible and not just fictional.  Some of the quotes from Colton that I want to share are:
"Jesus really, really loves children!"
"Heaven is more amazing than you can imagine."
"Everyone is happy there!"
"You get to meet a lot of people in heaven." (Colton met John the Baptist, King David, his great-grandpa Pop, his big sister, and many more!)
"You will never get bored in heaven!"
"All the same types of animals that are on earth are in Heaven, but in Heaven they all get along."
"In Heaven, you will live forever with God!" (His favorite place in Heaven is near God's throne!)
"The most important thing Jesus told me was how to get to Heaven.  He said to believe in Him and follow Him.  That makes God very happy."

The book closes with two pages of questions/answers that kids might ask about this book and then a short prayer.  It also has pictures of Colton, his family, and a picture of Jesus painted by an eight-year-old child named Akaine that when shown to Colton, he declared, "That one's right."

I highly recommend that you read this book to your children and also take the time to read Heaven is For Real for yourself!  I was given a complimentary copy of this book to read and review from BookSneeze and Thomas Nelson.  All opionions shared are my own.  I hope that you enjoy it as much as my family!

Book Review: 100 Read & Sing Devotions by Stephen Elkins

What a wonderful way to train your child to have a daily devotion time!  This new book, 100 Read & Sing Devotions, created by Stephen Elkins is a great resource to use with any small child.  It comes with two CD's inside so that you and your child can listen to one song each day that goes along with the devotion.  This book was perfect for my children because they LOVE music anyway!  Tying the song to a little Bible story/devotion, scripture, and a prayer makes the perfect way to teach your children about Jesus and his great love for us!

Each daily devotion begins by listening and singing a song.  Then, there is a short story/application to the message of the song which is followed by a Bible verse.  The daily verses are very short, and it is a good way to help your child learn to memorize scripture and "hide God's Word in their heart."  Each lesson is concluded with a prayer.  Each daily devotion also has beautiful illustrations to go along with the message.  My children are excited to use this book each day, and they will remind me if I forget to do it with them!  What I love the most is how much they have retained!  I will be busy doing something around the house and hear their sweet little voices singing some of the songs they have learned from this book! 

I received a complimentary copy of this book from BookSneeze and Thomas Nelson to read and review.  All opinions expressed are my own.  If you need a present for a child or are looking for a way to begin devotions with your child, I highly recommend this interactive book!

Book Review: Take Four by Karen Kingsbury

I just finished reading Take Four by Karen Kingsbury, which is the last book in her "Above the Line" series.  I really enjoyed reading Take One, Take Two, and Take Three, and this fourth book did not disappoint!  The book begins with Bailey following her dreams of performing on Broadway.   Both Bailey and Tim audition for a part in several big Broadway productions.  Tim ends up getting a lead role in "Wicked," while Bailey does not.  But God immediately opens the doors for her to try out for a part in the movie "Unlocked" with one of Hollywood's most famous young stars, Brandon Paul. 

I loved watching the story unfold as Bailey witnesses to Brandon and sees how God is able to change and use him.  Readers get to see the dreams of Keith and Dayne unfold through Jeremiah Productions, but Karen keeps it "real" in that their journey is not always an easy one.  They face many trials and hardships along the way, but the journey is worth everything they have to go through to get to the end.

Finally, I loved how Karen unfolded the story with Andi.  The book ends with the birth of her child, which is bittersweet.  I won't say anymore because I don't want to ruin it for those who have not read the book yet!  Just have a box of Kleenex handy!  :) 

I received a complimentary copy of this book to read and review from Zondervan.  All opinions are my own.  I hope that you enjoy this book and series as much as I did!

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Blessings Were Poured Down in Atlanta!

View from my hotel room window!

WOW!!!  What an awesome weekend in Atlanta, GA!  The Women of Faith Conference was absolutely wonderful!  From the amazing speakers to the beautiful weather that God provided, we were truly blessed!

This is the first WOF event that I have ever attended.  Thanks to BookSneeze, I received complimentary tickets and had seats that were on the floor and close to the stage!  I loved how real and honest that each of the speakers were and left knowing that many others have the same struggles that we do.  We just have to remember that God is always with us and will never leave us, even in our darkest moments.

On a lighter note, we, as women, like to have each hair on our head in place before we exit the door in the morning.  Right?!  I loved how Sheila Walsh talked about her hair sometimes looking great and at other times "like the backside of a chicken!"  But, she also shared how God "understood that fact" in Song of Solomon 4:1 ("Your hair is like a flock of goats!").  She made us laugh, cry, and encouraged us through scripture, while sharing about her journey with the Lord.

Angie Smith touched my heart with her transparency and love for God!  Her story was such a blessing to me.  If you ever get the chance to see her, I highly recommend it!  She has a blog called Bring the Rain (audreycaroline.blogspot.com), and you can see her story there.  I can't wait to read her book called What Women Fear.




Natalie Grant was awesome!



The music by the WOF Praise Team, Natalie Grant, and Mary Mary was wonderful!  I also enjoyed hearing Laura Story perform and share about her life.  Listen to her song Blessings below, and receive a blessing yourself!



Other speakers that we were blessed to hear were Lisa Harper, Nicole Johnson, Luci Swindoll, and Steve Arterburn.

Steve Arterburn and Sheila Walsh "Q & A Time"

I met some wonderful ladies and new friends at this conference.  Thanks, again, BookSneeze for allowing me to be a part of this experience!  It left me feeling refreshed and knowing that in my life God can and will do far more than I can ever imagine!!!

Book Review: Fresh Brewed Life by Nicole Johnson

Don't you just love the title and cover for Nicole Johnson's recently revised and updated book?  Just the cover made me want to pick it up and check it out!  As Nicole said at the Women of Faith conference in Atlanta last weekend, coffee is "about more than the drink."  When someone asks if you want to have coffee, they are wanting the conversation and friendship that go along with "having coffee!"  After listening to Nicole speak at the WOF event, I was ready to come home and dive into her new book!

Nicole begins chapter one saying, "The fresh-brewed life is a spiritual journey from beginning to end.  It is a call to wake up that begins in a relationship with the One in whom we began."  We need to begin this process by learning to surrender everything to God.  As you read this book, Nicole invites you to journal and gives you advice on finding a special place, journal, pen, etc. for doing this each day.  She even has "directed journaling ideas" spread throughout the book to help you get started.  By reading this book, you will be encouraged to celebrate your friendships, face your fears, find your passions, and stop "waiting" for your life to begin!

I really enjoyed reading Fresh-Brewed Life and would recommend it to you to read!  Get ready to start brewing your own richer and more meaningful life, too! 

*I received this complimentary book from Thomas Nelson and BookSneeze to read and review.  All opinions expressed about this book are my own.

Coming November 2011.....

Beth Moore Talks about the Newest Study on James from LifeWay Women on Vimeo.

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Click on the banner below to see the speakers and schedule for the August 12-13 conference:

2011 - Women of Faith Conference - Atlanta

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How would you like to get away and enjoy a weekend with girlfriends and women from all over the Southeast? Come and join us at the Women of Faith "Imagine" conference on August 12-13, 2011. Renew your soul, draw closer to God, and leave refreshed and excited about life! I can't wait to see you there!

Watch the video clip below to get a glimpse of what it will be like!



Book Sneeze has given me two complimentary tickets to attend this event. I am SOOO excited to be a chosen blogger!!! Thank you Book Sneeze for this wonderful opportunity! God has opened the doors for this exciting event, and I pray that both myself and the friend who goes with me have our hearts open to receive His blessings!

Book Review: Learning by Karen Kingsbury

I just finished reading Learning by Karen Kingsbury, and I have to say that I loved it! I was so looking forward to getting it after reading Leaving (the first book in the Bailey Flanigan series), and it did not leave me disappointed. It was a little slow to get into at first, but whenever I got to the part about Cody and what he was able to do with his football team at the summer camp, all I can say is "Wow!" You will want to have a box of Kleenex handy for this one! It is such a powerful reminder of how God is good...all of the time!

I still want Bailey to end up with Cody, but this book left me feeling that I would be fine if it were Brandon Paul that she ends up with. His character has grown on me, and I love the way that he has shown Bailey how much that he respects and cherishes her as a person.

This second book in the Bailey Flanigan series takes you through her struggles as an actress and dancer on Broadway and how she takes a stand for Christ with her cast mates. I am anxiously awaiting the release of the third book this fall, and I hope to get it as soon as it comes out! I received this complimentary copy of Learning from Zondervan to read and review. All opinions of this book are my own. I hope that you enjoy reading it as much as I did! I highly recommend this and any other book written by Karen Kingsbury! WONDERFUL!!!

CD Review: Rejoice by Women of Faith

I enjoyed listening to the songs on the latest CD made by the Women of Faith Worship team. This group is made up of seven ladies who lead the worship at Women of Faith events across the country.

The songs were a mix of hymns and contemporary praise and worship songs. I thought that the cd was very calming and relaxing (not one I would recommend for listening to in the car!). Overall, I thought that the music was very pretty to listen to.

The following songs were on this cd:

Beautiful Redeemer

So Good

Forever Reign

Come As You Are

Hosanna

Our God

Glory to God

You Brought the Sunshine

Greatness of Our God

Great is Thy Faithfulness

My favorite song was the last one, Great is Thy Faithfulness. The vocal harmony was very pretty and filled me with a spirit of joy! I know that everyone has their own musical preferrences, and mine tends to be a little more contemporary than what was on this cd, but I did enjoy listening to it overall. I plan to pass this on to a girlfriend who has been going through a hard situation right now. I think that this music will be very uplifting to her and help her to keep her focus on God.

I received this complimentary cd from Booksneeze and Thomas Nelson to review. All opinions given are my own. I would recommend this to anyone who wants to receive a blessing! :)

Book Review: Leaving by Karen Kingsbury

I just finished reading Leaving by Karen Kingsbury, and I loved her latest book about the Bailey Flanigan that we have come to love through her other books! Some people think that Karen should have wrapped up the love story between Cody and Bailey before now, but I personally have enjoyed watching Bailey grow up and continue her journey in love and life.

In this book, we see different people in the Flannigan's lives "leaving" from the places they have been for so long. It is a hard place to be in when you are the one being "left" behind, but so exciting for the one that is actually spreading your wings and doing what God has planned for your life. I have continued to love the connection and closeness that Bailey is able to share with her mom as she grows up. Some may see that as unrealistic, but I think that this type of relationship is wonderful and one that we should all strive to have with our children.

I am looking forward to the release of Learning in a couple of weeks to see what happens next in the Bailey series! I highly recommend Leaving by Karen Kingsbury which Zondervan sent complimentary to me to read and review. All opinions on this book are my own. I hope that you enjoy it as much as I did!

Book Review: Max on Life by Max Lucado

We all have questions that pop into our head that we just can't seem to find the answer to or that we ponder on for days. Max Lucado has the answers to some of these most often asked questions that he has received as both a pastor and a writer. In his book, Max on Life, he covers topics under hope, hurt, help, relationships, home, haves/haven-nots, and the life hereafter. This book is filled with 172 questions and answers, some of which have surely passed through your mind!

This book would be especially helpful to a "new" Christian, as it answers a lot of questions that someone who is not as familiar with the Bible might have. I would highly recommend this book to anyone, but I am partial in that I love Max Lucado's writings!

I also liked having the scriptural references he provided in answer to these questions. The whole book is Bible-based. This book is good as a reference book if you are leading a small group through your church. I plan to donate this copy to our church library so that others can enjoy reading it as much as I did! I received this book to read and review from Thomas Nelson and BookSneeze. All opinions shared are my own.

Book Review: The Final Summit by Andy Andrews

Wow! This book by Andy Andrews will really make you think about life and your purpose here on Earth! I enjoyed reading The Final Summit and found that I didn't want to put it down until I was finished. The main character in the book, David Ponder, has lost his wife Ellen and is contemplating ending his own life. Becoming a "Traveler" and meeting with other people from the past, Andrews takes us on a journey to discover the one solution that will save humanity.

One thing that I really enjoyed about this book was the historical details that Andrews includes. It takes you back to meet people like Winston Churchhill, George Washington Carver, Joan of Arc, and even Biblical individuals like David who slayed Goliath. It gives you an inside perspective to what those people might have been thinking as they faced their trials. I really enjoyed the personalities of each of the individuals that David Ponder meets in this story.

The book also includes a Reader's Guide at the end so that you can do this as a Book Study with other people and use it as a discussion guide. This is another great work by Andy Andrews! It leaves you with principles that you can use in your own everyday life. I received and reviewed this complimentary book from Thomas Nelson and BookSneeze. All opinions shared are my own.

Book Review: In Front of God and Everybody: Confessions of April Grace by: K.D. McCrite

I just finished reading the book In Front of God and Everybody: Confessions of April Grace written by K. D. McCrite. I was looking forward to getting this book after reading the summary about it, and I had planned on passing it along to my niece to read. After receiving and reading the book, though, I don't plan to give it to her. I was disappointed in the quality of this book. If you don't mind reading the backhills language and very, very "country" talk throughout this book, you might enjoy it. I found it to be more immature and silly than I expected. I knew that it was going to be written through a child's perspective of growing up in the Ozarks, but I personally didn't care for the way it was written.

Trust me...I have nothing against people who live in the country or talk Southern slang, for I too am a Southern girl who lives out in the country myself! We live on a farm and not in a suburb with neighbors right on top of us. I was just very disappointed in this book, and I don't plan on reading the sequel Clicks, Hicks, and Ugly Sticks. I received a complimentary copy of this book to read and review from Thomas Nelson and BookSneeze. All opinions of this book are my own.

How To Be God's Little Princess by Sheila Walsh

What a charming book for preteen girls! I loved the layout of this new book by Sheila Walsh that is primarly geared towards young ladies that are in the "middle school" years. As the subtitle states, this book is "Royal Tips for Manners, Etiquette, and True Beauty." From learning how to dress like a princess (a.k.a. being modest!) to acting like a princess (a.k.a. being respectful and polite), this book covers all of the areas that a young lady faces daily and shows her how to keep God at the center of every activity she participates in.

I love the way that Sheila Walsh places Bible verses that correspond with each topic, making it REAL for the girls to apply these to their every day lives! Written in a witty, fun, and humorous manner, girls will love reading this book and using it as a reference. It is full of activities and ideas that they can share with their little girlfriends.

One of my favorite sections that made me chuckle outloud was entitled "Sweet Smells." She wrote: "Princesses do not sweat. Horses sweat, boys perspire, but girls -- especially princesses -- glow. The secret is to keep from glowing so much that all the flowers around you wilt from the smell." She then goes on to explain that girls' glistening is just God's way of helping our bodies to cool off, and she tells ways that stay "fresh" all day long.

I received this complimentary book from Thomas Nelson and BookSneeze to read and review. All opinions of this book are my own. I plan to pass this particular book along to my niece, as she is entering the preteen years and loves to pretend that she is a princess! I highly recommend this book for your preteen daughter / friends to read!

Book Review: A Billion Reasons Why by Kristen Billerbeck

This is a new and fun read from Kristen Billerbeck! I have really enjoyed her past books about Ashley Stockingdale, and I really looked forward to reading A Billion Reasons Why. Although this book didn't grab my attention quite as much as her previous books, it is still good, clean, Christian fiction that I would recommend for anyone to read. I found the ending to be way too predictable, so it didn't make me want to read it in one sitting.

In this book, Katie McKenna has been burned by love in the past and has moved to California to get a fresh start on life. She meets a man named Dexter who gives her a "safe" relationship. They are about to become engaged, when Katie's boyfriend from eight years before walks back into the picture. Luc is the handsome, rich guy who stole Katie's heart but broke it back in New Orleans. He asks her to return home to sing for his brother's wedding, but at the same time, Luc knows that he wants to spend the rest of his life with her and goes after that opportunity.

I enjoyed that Katie was a special need's teacher in this book and how the story ended up unfolding with all of the Southern girl charm being exposed! I didn't know much about swing dancing and all, but enjoyed that part of the book, too. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a fun, relaxing story to read. It would make a great beach book! Most of all, I loved that her faith was portrayed as such an important theme in this book!

I read this complimentary book from Thomas Nelson and BookSneeze to review. All opinions published in this post are my own.

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Book Review: Voices of the Faithful Book 2 by Kim Davis & Beth Moore

This devotional has given me goosebumps as I have read the true and amazing stories of what God is doing all over the world through ordinary people like you and I who have chosen to obey Him and go to other countries and share his gospel!! Voices of the Faithful Book 2 has 366 daily devotions from more than 300 missionaries who share their stories and let us become aquainted with real people whose lives have been changed by God. Written and compiled by Beth Moore and Kim Davis, this is the second devotional written with true accounts from International Mission Board missionaries who have dedicated their lives to following Jesus wherever he leads. Each day begins with a scripture verse and is followed by a short, true story from a missionary. These are truly uplifting and amazing accounts of God-moments! Each devotional ends with a short prayer. This book will encourage you to pray for global missions and also make you think about how you can be a "missionary" right where you are now. There are so many people who need God where you are today.....open your eyes and ears to see where he can use you! A complimentary copy of this book was provided to me by Thomas Nelson and BookSneeze to read and review. All opinions here are my own.

Book Review: Then Sings My Soul by Robert J. Morgan

What an inspiration to read about the history of songs and what events occurred for the author to write them! My personal favorite was the hymn "It Is Well With My Soul" by Horatio G. Spafford. This book is filled with 150 different songs and the stories behind each one of them. They vary from favorite hymns to Easter and Christmas songs. I learned many things while reading this book. I never realized that "Jesus Loves Me" was written by a woman. I also liked the way that this book was laid out. The left hand side of each page contains the actual music and lyrics to the song, while the right hand side has the story behind the song. The song page is large enough that if you wanted to play the music, you would have no problem reading the music notes. It is comparable to the size in a church hymnal. Each story also begins with a scripture verse that parallels the song. The pages have a deckle edge which adds to the uniqueness of this book.

I plan to pass "Then Sings My Soul" along to the musicians at our church and then place it in the church library for others to read. I received a complimentary copy of this book from BookSneeze and Thomas Nelson to read and review. All opinions of this book are my own.