1 Peter by Sue Edwards (Lesson 7)

Genre- Religion/Biblical Studies/Bible Study Guides
1 Peter: Finding Encouragement in Troubling Times by Sue Edwards
Published by- Kregel Publications
Copyrighted- 2011
Number of pages- 102
Age Group- Adult Women
Description of book- Paperback, listed price- $12.99, ISBN 978-0-8254-4198




Lesson 7: Stand Strong When Wronged 1 Peter 3:13-4:6
I have relearned some important parts of life in this lesson
I am a stay-at-home, homeschooling mom and I have found that whenever I speak out in frustration to the children, like when they aren't listening to me, that life doesn't go well for any of us. And If I treat them kindly and gently and smile, then all of the negativity leaves us. I need to remember to always treat people with respect and gentleness, so kindness can be passed on.
I have spent time praying and thinking about this lesson. The Holy Spirit is telling me that I need to study the Bible and learn everything I can, so that I can kindly and respectfully answer question that people ask me about my hope and Christ.
I hope you all have had a wonderful week and I will inform you next week about my thoughts on “Lesson Eight.”  Please go to my main website to see previous lessons.  Thank you.
Disclosure of Material Connection- I received 1 Peter by Sue Edwards 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. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

A Darkly Hidden Truth by Donna Fletcher Crow

Genre- Christian/Fiction/Mystery
Published by- Monarch Books
Copyrighted- January 2012
Number of pages- 384
Age Group- Adult
Description of book- Paperback, listed price- $14.99, ISBN 978-0-85721-050-0, series- The Monastery Murders (book 2)
Felicity is ready to accept the veil, but there is a missing icon, her difficult mother, and a friend is murdered.  Will she go with Father Antony to solve the mysteries or will she visit the convents she has planned to see? 
Get ready to delve into the world of The Knights Hospitaller, the wisdom of nuns, and romance.
Link to an Excerpt.

About the Author-
Donna Fletcher Crow lives with her husband in Idaho.  They have four grown children and ten grandchildren.  She has written more than thirty books and many of them are about the history of British Christianity.  She is interested in history and used to teach English. 

My thoughts-  My likes: Christian fiction, mystery, history, and gaining knowledge as I read.  This book satisfies all of those criteria.  This was a very well written book and I had a hard time putting it down.  I read the endorsements both before and after reading this book and they were spot on.
I have never studied or read much about monasteries and convents, monks and nuns, so I was able to get a better understanding of both today and historically how people became nuns and monks and what life is/was like for them. 
I liked Sister Johanna and how she wanted a homely house, so people who visited felt loved and cherished.  She said it was important to be  available.  Sister Johanna and all the nuns were so nice, I think it would be nice to be a part of a system like that if I was not responsible for other people and that was want I wanted after visiting different convents.
I highly recommend this book.  It is a well-written mystery and I learned a lot from it.


Disclosure of Material Connection- I received A Darkly Hidden Truth by Donna Fletcher Crow 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. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

1 Peter by Sue Edwards (Lesson Six)

Genre- Religion/Biblical Studies/Bible Study Guides
1 Peter: Finding Encouragement in Troubling Times by Sue Edwards
Published by- Kregel Publications
Copyrighted- 2011
Number of pages- 102
Age Group- Adult Women
Description of book- Paperback, listed price- $12.99, ISBN 978-0-8254-4198
Link to Lesson 1.
Link to Lesson 2.
Link to Lesson 3.
Link to Lesson 4.
Link to Lesson 5.


Lesson 6, “Pursue Peace with Doves and Dragons” 1 Peter 3:8-12
I have learned so much from these lessons and this one is especially important as it is about the church and how we need to work together with harmony, sympathy, love, and humility. 
Next to the case study about a mother and her two grown daughters, my favorite section was the “Living Stone Story” about a pastor’s wife and how she responded to the disappointment from a woman in the church.  This woman said the wife had not met her needs, disappointed her, and was not a good pastor’s wife.  The pastor’s wife had a clear conscience and spoke to the woman nicely, but firmly about how her focus was on obeying God and that she (the pastor’s wife) or perhaps someone else was who God had in mind to help this woman meet her needs.
I know that I need to be just like that pastor’s wife, exuding harmony, sympathy, love, and humility for my church family.  I will pray to God every day, so that I can make that happen.
I hope you all have had a wonderful week and I will inform you next week about my thoughts on “Lesson Seven.”
Disclosure of Material Connection- I received 1 Peter by Sue Edwards 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. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Romans by Phil Moore

Genre- Religion/Bible Study

Series- Straight to the Heart

Published by- Monarch Books

Copyrighted- January 2012

Number of pages- 384

Age Group- Adult

Description of book- Paperback, listed price- $14.99, Genesis: 978-0-85721-001-1, Moses: 978-0-85721-056-2, Matthew: 978-1-85424-988-3, Acts: 978-1-85424-989-0, 1&2 Corinthians: 978-0-85721-002-9, Romans: 978-0-85721-057-9, Revelation: 978-1-85424-990-6

Part of the Straight to the Heart Series, Romans has short devotional commentaries covering the entire book of Romans.

There are a total of sixty commentaries in four sections:

• Romans 1-8: The New King Saves
• Romans 9-11: The New King has a Plan
• Romans 12:1-15:13: The New King is Lord
• Roman 15:14-16:27: The New King is Advancing

Link to an Excerpt.

About the Author-

Phil Moore leads a church in Wimbledon, London.  He likes playing football with his young children and he is also a Bible teacher and evangelist with in the Newfrontiers family of churches. 

My thoughts- I thought this book was very well done.  If anybody is looking for a good devotional series, this is it.

I had heard/read that people suggest reading the book of Romans to lean more about God and becoming a Christian.  I have certainly learned that, from studying with this devotional.

The anecdotes along with the thought-provoking insights helped this book of the Bible come alive.

To me only one thing would have helped this book be even better.  That would have been a couple of discussion questions at the end of each chapter to make me think even more.

I am going to recommend this book and series to everyone.

Disclosure of Material Connection- I received Romans by Phil Moore 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. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

1 Peter by Sue Edwards (Lesson 5)

Genre- Religion/Biblical Studies/Bible Study Guides

1 Peter: Finding Encouragement in Troubling Times by Sue Edwards

Published by- Kregel Publications

Copyrighted- 2011

Number of pages- 102

Age Group- Adult Women

Description of book- Paperback, listed price- $12.99, ISBN 978-0-8254-4198

Link to Lesson 1.

Link to Lesson 2.

Link to Lesson 3.

Link to Lesson 4.

Lesson 5, “Strengthen the Sacred Mix” 1 Peter 3:1-7

1 Peter 3:1-7 is very important for women in today’s hostile world.  We need to be pure and reverent to everyone all the time.  We can become upset of course, but we need to be pure and reverent at the same time. 

My favorite and the most instructive part for me discussed talking to much and Christian wives not discussing faith to their unbelieving husbands.  When you have the time look up Proverbs 10:19, 13:3, 17:1, 17:28, 18:2 to learn how talking less actually says more.  I have discovered that I talk too much.  Also if I don’t speak a lot, the showing of my faith will come through and it will help others become faithful.

This lesson will help me become a better woman.k

I hope you all have had a wonderful week and I will inform you next week about my thoughts on “Lesson Six.”

Disclosure of Material Connection- I received 1 Peter by Sue Edwards 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. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Mysterious Epigenome by Thomas E. Woodward and James P. Gills

Genre- Religion/Biblical Studies/Bible Study Guides

Published by- Kregel Publications

Copyrighted- January 2012

Number of pages- 160

Age Group-  Adult

Description of book- Paperback, listed price- $13.99, ISBN 978-0-8254-4192-9

My thoughts-  I submitted a request and was chosen to take part in Kregel’s graduated tour for this book.  We were asked to write our review around one of three different topics: science, health, and spirituality.  I chose health.

I began reading this book knowing nothing about the epigenome or how it related to our health.  When I finished the book I was very surprised and awed that we can so easily control how we can effect future generations in their health.  There are some epigenomes that are genetic as they are passed on in the child-bearing years.  That is why it is so important to have good epigenetic health during our youth to the child-bearing years, because the changed epigenome can be passed from generation to generation.  That is why it is so important not to smoke, have a good diet, positive mental attitude, and plenty of physical exercise.

The elderly may be helped with epigenetic reprogramming to get rid of errant methyl tags in the future.

I highly recommend this book.  It may have some parts that could be difficult for the lay person to understand, but we all need to know what we can do to make our epigenomes the healthiest.

Link to an Excerpt.

About the Book- There was the genome and now there is the epigenome.  The authors have combined story with research to develop a book where you will go on a tour of the human cell.  Here you will learn how the epigenome can be used for bettering health and seeing God at work.

About the Authors-

Thomas E. Woodward is the founder and director of the C. S. Lewis Society and is a professor at Trinity College of Florida.

James P. Gills the worlds most experienced cataract surgeon and is the founder and medical director of St. Luke’s Cataract and Laser Institute.  He has dedicated his life to more than just vision.  He also has an outreach ministry, Love Press.

Disclosure of Material Connection- I received The Mysterious Epigenome by Thomas E. Woodward and James P. Gills 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. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

1 Peter by Sue Edwards (Lesson 4)

Genre- Religion/Biblical Studies/Bible Study Guides

1 Peter: Finding Encouragement in Troubling Times by Sue Edwards

Published by- Kregel Publications

Copyrighted- 2011

Number of pages- 102

Age Group- Adult Women

Description of book- Paperback, listed price- $12.99, ISBN 978-0-8254-4198

Link to Lesson 1.

Link to Lesson 2.

Link to Lesson 3.

Lesson 4- “Shadow the Servant” 1 Peter 2:11-25

This week I was really drawn to “Core Two: Living for Christ in a Hostile Society.”

People have always lived in hostile societies, our just seems worse than previous years, since there is such a media focus on the negative and not the positive.  I think over time (a long time) that social media could improve the hostile society, because so many positive messages could be posted.

Peter’s message can speak to us and anyone at any point in time, but telling us how to best adjust to all of the negativity.  One of his most important points is that we must submit to those in authority. 

The book of Daniel shows a good example of how to submit to authority, yet be able to do what is best according to the Lord.  Daniel asked in Daniel 1:13-17 to have a trial period where he and the other men with him could eat their food and then if it didn’t work they would eat the King’s food.  Daniel was able to maintain his integrity while submitting to the king.

Government officials around the world will learn from people who show Christ-like behavior how it should be.  And we need to remember while submitting to them that when Christ comes back they will have to answer to him about their transgressions. 

I am going to do my best to live my life with Christ and submit to government officials in our hostile society.

I hope you all have had a wonderful week and I will inform you next week about my thoughts on “Lesson Five.”

Disclosure of Material Connection- I received 1 Peter by Sue Edwards 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. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.