Refresh by Kimberly M. Drew and Jocelyn Green (Book Review!)

Refresh

Spiritual Nurishment for Parents of Children with Special Needs

by Kimberly M. Drew and Jocelyn Green

(received in exchange for an honest review)

Genre- Religion / Christian Life / Devotional

Published by- Kregel Publications

Copyrighted- 2016

Number of pages- 282

Age Group- Adult

Description of book- paperback, listed price- $15.99, ISBN 978-0-8254-4403-6

It can be difficult to raise children.  For those who have special needs, it can be even more difficult.  The parent needs to be a parent, nurse, caregiver, and more on a daily basis.  It can get overwhelming.

Kimberly M. Drew and Jocelyn Green understand the difficulties that come when raising children with special needs, and they have written this book for those parents who have children with special needs.  They also share the lives of others with special needs children.

About the Authors-

Kimberly M. Drew and her husband have three children.  One of them has severe disabilities.  She is an elementary school teacher and blogs at www.promisesandperspective.blogspot.com.

Jocelyn Green and her husband have a son who has congenital hypothyroidism.  She has written other books, Faith Deployed,  Wedded to War, and others.  You can learn more about her and www.JocelynGreen.com.

My thoughts-

The title of this book, Refresh, describes this book perfectly.  The parents of special needs children will be refreshed when they read the different short devotionals.  The different sections that they can chose devotions from are:

• “Uprooted: When Life’s Landscape Changes”
• “Sowing Seeds: Cultivating Truth and Faith
• “Pulling Weeds: Digging Out That Which Entangles”
• “Parched: When Hope Withers”
• “Drenched: Nurishing the Soul”
• “Sunlit: Turning Toward the Son”
• “Pruned: When Pain Produces Fruit”
• “Branching Out: Touching Other’s Lives Through the Journey

Each of these devotional style chapters contain supporting Bible verses, digging deeper questions, prayers, and the stories of the authors and other parents.

I’m not a parent of a special needs child, but I know that this book will bless those parents out there who need support on a daily basis.  It has blessed me.  This is a perfect way to learn the different Bible verses that may help sooth rough days.  Each chapter is short, which will help on those extra busy days.  There is a section at the end of the book to help those who don’t know Jesus personally.  There is also a section of resources.

I highly recommend this book for parents of special needs children. 

Disclosure of Material Connection- I received Refresh, by Kimberly M. Drew and Jocelyn Green, for free from Kregel Publications’ Blog Tour.  All links were current when posted.  I was not required to write a positive review.  The opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

The Name I Call Myself by Beth Moran (Book Review!)

The Name I Call Myself

By Beth Moran

(received in exchange for an honest review)

 

Genre- Fiction / Christian

Published by- Lion Fiction

Copyrighted- 2015

Number of pages- 351

Age Group- Adult

Description of book- paperback, listed price- $14.99, ISBN: 978-1-78264-207-7

Faith has a wonderfully rich and handsome boyfriend, who she is engaged to marry, soon.  Her future mother-in-law in trying to do all the wedding plans, totally unlike the way Faith wants it to be, especially the dress.

Faith knows exactly the way she would like her wedding and goes to her mother’s church to talk to the minister about holding a small ceremony there.  She doesn’t expect to find  someone who will make her feel safe.  She has secrets that many people don’t know.

Will she stay engaged?  Will her secrets stay hidden?

About the Author-

Beth Moran currently lives in Nottingham with her three children and husband.  She helps lead a national women’s network, Free Range Chicks.

My Thoughts-

This was a delightful book.  I couldn’t put it down.  I just had to read it until the end.  The characters, Faith, Marilyn, and the others became like sisters to me as I read their story.  I could feel Faith’s pain over her engagement and the trouble with her brother.  I could feel the support from Marilyn and the rest of the women from her mother’s church.  Moran made me feel hope for the future.   That no matter the struggles in our lives, there is always hope.  We can look forward to the next day.  Support of friends is also very important.  We can more easily have hope if we have the support of wonderful friends.

I also liked the reading guide questions at the back of the book.  They made me think.

If you liked Making Marion and I Hope You Dance, you’ll like this one too.  You don’t need the other books to read this one!

Disclosure of Material Connection- I received The Name I Call Myself, by Beth Moran, for free from the Kregel Publications’ Blog Tour.  All links were current when posted.  I was not required to write a positive review.  The opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Life Creative by Wendy Speake and Kelli Stuart (Book Review!)

Life Creative:

Inspiration for Today’s Renassance Mom

by Wendy Speake and Kelli Stuart

(received in exchange for an honest review)

Genre- Religion / Christian Life / Inspirational

Published by- Kregel Publications

Copyrighted- 2016

Number of pages- 207

Age Group- Adult

Description of book- paperback, listed price- $14.99, ISBN 978-0-8254-4410-4

Are you a creative person?  Are you a mom?  Do you have problems fitting your creativity into your life as a mom?  This book can help you.

Life Creative helps creative moms fit their creativity into their day to day life.  It is a new Renaissance time.  Some of the women who are talked about are Melissa Michaels, Lisa Leonard, Angie Smith, and Ellie Holcomb.

About the Authors-

Wendy Speake has written Triggers.  She is also an actress.

Kelli Stuart has written Like a River from Its Course and 30 Days to Becoming a Writer.  She is a speaker and blogger. 

My thoughts-

This is an inspirational book.  I liked all of the definitions of words, quotes from the text, and stories about the women.  The stories about the different women helped me realize that there is a time and a place for everything.  Your creative side might have to wait until the children are older, or you might need to find a way to have child care while you are being creative.  It is just important to remember that while you are important, the care of your family is more important and that the time will come that you can unleash your creative side.  You might even be able to be creative with your family.  If you like baking, you can do it for them until you can bake full time for others.

It would have been nice if there had been questions and/or a summary at the end of each chapter.  It would have given me a lot of good ideas to do in my life.

I highly suggest that you find this book, enjoy reading and learning from it, then pass it on to other creative women that you know.

Disclosure of Material Connection- I received Life Creative, by Wendy Speake and Kelli Stuart, for free from Kregel Publications’ Blog Tour.  All links were current when posted.  I was not required to write a positive review.  The opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

A Day and a Life by Penolope Wilcock (Book Review!)

A Day and a Life

The Hawk and the Dove Series, Book 9

By Penelope Wilcock

(received in exchange for an honest review)

 

Genre- Fiction / Christian / Historical

Published by- Lion Hudson

Copyrighted- 2016

Number of pages- 221

Age Group- Adult

Description of book- paperback, listed price- $14.99, ISBN: 978-1-78264-200-8

Brother Cedd has vanished.  Nobody knows where he has gone, and he doesn’t know how he has affected those he has left behind. 

As everyone else goes about their day they wonder about him, but they also know that each of them has their own part to do at St. Alcuin.  What will happen if he returns?  Will he return? 

About the Author-

Penelope Wilcock currently lives in England with her family.  She is a writer and is a former Methodist minister.  Her blog is Kindred of the Quiet Way.

My Thoughts-

Penelope Wilcock is a talented writer.  I have enjoyed all the books in The Hawk and the Dove series.  I was sad when I read the back of the book, and it said it was the end of the series.  I have been drawn into each of the books, so I’m able to remember the monks from one book to another.  It is inspiring to watch them learn from each other and God, then grow.

As I finished this book, I realized that in each of these books I have taken life lessons that were important in my life at the time.  I learned about what each of the monks did in a typical day, but along the way they thought different things and sometimes had small conflicts with each other.  Their lives aren’t that much different than ours in the 21st century.  We need to be kind to others.  We also shouldn’t focus on our weaknesses, but our strengths.

I would recommend this book and the rest of the series to others.  There are life lessons and good information about 14th century monasteries.

Disclosure of Material Connection- I received A Day and a Life, by Penelope Wilcock, for free from the Kregel Publications’ Blog Tour.  All links were current when posted.  I was not required to write a positive review.  The opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

He Knows Your Name by Linda Znachko

He Knows Your Name:

How One Abandoned Baby Inspired Me to Say Yes to God

by Linda Znachko

(received in exchange for an honest review)

Genre- Biography & Autobiography / Religious

Published by- Kregel Publications

Copyrighted- 2016

Number of pages- 192

Age Group- Adult

Description of book- paperback, listed price- $14.99, ISBN 978-0-8254-4404-3

Linda Znachko’s life was in a difficult season, but she saw that there was a need to follow Jesus’s leading to comfort those who were suffering. 

She was able to provide a burial service for a baby who was abandoned in a dumpster.  She has continued to step out of her comfort zone and provide comfort to those who may never get dignity in death.

About the Author-

Linda Znachko is a speaker at conferences and retreats.  She is the founder of He Knows Your Name Ministries.

My thoughts-

This book was well written and touching.  When I began reading, I was simply going to read one chapter.  I couldn’t put it down.  I wanted to know more about the people she was helping.  I ended up going to bed early in the morning!

What touched me the most was how much of an impact Znachko had on those around her.  Each chapter told about another family she was able to help.  Sometimes she provided a headstone and other times she helped provide the entire funeral.  She built a group and it grew to helping many.

In this book I would have liked to know more about her organization.  I learned a lot about the different families she was ablet to help, but not about He Knows Your Name Ministries.  

I suggest that you find this book and enjoy reading it.

Disclosure of Material Connection- I received He Knows Your Name, by Linda Znachko, for free from Kregel Publications’ Blog Tour.  All links were current when posted.  I was not required to write a positive review.  The opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Fifth Column by Mike Hollow (Book Review!)

Fifth Column (The Blitz Detective, Book 2)

By Mike Hollow

(received in exchange for an honest review)

Genre- Fiction / Suspense

Published by- Lion Fiction

Copyrighted- 2016

Number of pages- 336

Age Group- Adult

Description of book- paperback, listed price- $14.99, ISBN: 978-1-78264-186-5

We are taken back to the time of the London Blitz during WW II in Fifth Column, by Mike Hollow.

D.I. Jago is back to solver another mystery.  After a night raid, the body of a young woman is found.  She has no identity and can’t be tied to the area, so D.I. Jago is called in.  He quickly learns that her name was Mary Watkins and was strangled.  She worked for an engineering company which is now missing chemicals.

Is she to blame for the theft?  Who killed her?  And will the romance between D.I. Jago and the American reporter, Miss Dorothy Appleton. 

About the Author-

Mike Hollow currently lives in Hampshire with his wife.  He has worked for the BBC and Tearfund.  He is a freelance writer and editor.

My thoughts-

One of my favorite genres to read is mysteries, so I was excited when I was given the chance to read Fifth Column, the second book in the series.

While I enjoyed trying to figure out who killed Mary Watkins, my favorite part of the book was learning all the little interesting tidbits about the London area in 1940.  It helped me to know and feel what it was like for those in the area at the time.  I didn’t know that they had Dig for Victory gardens (vegetable gardens), similar to our Victory gardens in the States.  I didn’t know that there were people who liked Hitler in England and wanted to be a part of his world.  It was interesting that there were the superstitions like “knock and wood” and that a magpie by itself means bad luck.  Those superstitions came from a lady from Scotland. 

I liked the map of the area in the front of the book, but I would like to see a list of characters in future books.  I kept getting the characters mixed up.  The acknowledgements were interesting, because I learned that this mystery was based on a 1939 trial about a man who tried to extort money by threatening to accuse someone of spying for Germany. 

I enjoyed learning more about Detective Inspector John Jago and meeting new characters in this book.  Fifth Column stands alone, but it is still a good idea to read Direct Hit first.  I look forward to reading more books by Mike Hollow.

Disclosure of Material Connection- I received Fifth Column, by Mike Hollow, for free from the Kregel Publications’ Blog Tour.  All links were current when posted.  I was not required to write a positive review.  The opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

The Bible and Me retold by Lois Rock and illustrated by Alida Massari (Book Review!)

The Bible and Me: Stories with a message to live by

retold by Lois Rock and illustrated by Alida Massari

(received in exchange for an honest review)

Genre- Nonfiction / Christian / Bible Story

Published by- Lion Children’s Books

Copyrighted- 2016

Number of pages- 128

Age Group- Juvenile

Description of book- hardback, listed price- $14.95, ISBN 978-0-7459-6495-9

This Bible storybook is sure to inspire all who read it.  It covers some of the most popular stories from the Bible.  In the table of contents each chapter name has a list of the chapters from the Bible, so that the reader can find the exact stories.  Each story begins with a quote from the Bible and ends with either a selection from Psalms or a prayer.

About the Author-

Lois Rock has written Bible stories, prayer books, and infomation books for children.  Her books have been translated into over thirty languages.  She is a mother of three.

About the Illustrator-

Alida Massari considers her art work as modern with an ancient atmosphere.  She studied in Rome at the European Institute of Design.

My thoughts-

I think this book of Bible stories is going to become a family favorite, to be passed down for generations. 

One of the best parts of this book was the illustrations, by Alida Massari.  I could study and learn from them on a daily basis.  They would also work for art study.  I liked how there were the same stories, but they were told in a new way.  Lois Rock included more of the back story and a little bit of the future of God’s people.  The quotes were from the Good News Bible, so they are easier for young children to understand.  I appreciated the extras between the chapters, it was nice having different Psalms, poems, and prayers between the chapter.  I also liked how the table of contents included all the books of the Bible that the stories were taken from.

I really recommend this book to families of young children.  It will become a classic in your family.  Find a copy for the young children in your life.

Disclosure of Material Connection- I received The Bible and Me, retold by Lois Rock and illustrated by Alida Massari, for free from the Kregel Publications’ Blog Tour.  All links were current when posted.  I was not required to write a positive review.  The opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.