Celebrations

Celebrations, mennonite girls can cook. Yay! love this cookbook!! I didn't grow up with a mennonite background, but my husband did. as I was flipping through the book I kept finding myself thinking, Oh my husband makes that lol. Its chalk full of great recipes that I've been enjoying emensely! I've already started cooking from it and the food is great! I love the recipes and how the books laid out, etc... My newly turned 7 year old also exclaims it as the best cookbook around since we made the rainbow cake that was included in it! This cookbook feeds the stomach and the soul! its one that I'll hang onto for years to come and will be using plenty! its a fantastic addition to my very small collection of cookbooks! I highly recommend it and have spoken about this book so many times already! Great cook book!!

Book has been provided courtesy of MennoMedia and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Herald Press, a publishing imprint of MennoMedia. 

The Uncomfortable Church

The Uncomfortable Church, by Dr. Lawrence Brice. There is a subject out there in the churches that seems to be hard to answer. How do you incorporate homosexual people into your congregation and should you? Dr. Brice tackles this subject and how the church responds to them and how they should respond to them. While we all know the negatives of the homosexual lifestyle, he also shows us that there are some positive characteristics that they inhabit. He covers topics from should there be gay marriage, should the church support it, and is the Bible clear on if its wrong or not. 

     This is an intense book that covers a wide range of topics involved in the homosexual lifestyle. I found it very hard to follow, just because he seemed to say one thing and then contradict it in the next paragraph/chapter/etc. Even after reading through the book I'm still unsure of what his stance is on homosexuals in the church? I know my view and that is that Christ loves us despite or sins or choices in life. we don't hate or try to condemn people to hell based on other sins and perhaps its about time for the church to realize that e need to look past the sins and see the persona and care more for their souls than their lifestyles. Thats not saying you don't call sin a sin, you do, but you have to care more for the person than taking a stand against what they're doing. 

Book has been provided courtesy of the author and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller. 

The Dance

The Dance, by Dan Walsh and Gary Smalley. Love can buy a lot of things, but there's one thing it can't buy, love. That's what Marilyn longs for, she has everything she could need a big house, successful husband, money, etc. She's made every effort she knows how to find that love again with her husband  Jim, but she's tired of trying. She wants what every person out there wants, to be happy. Dancing makes her happy and its about time she thought of herself right? So Marilyn leaves to pursue her dreams,  she takes on a job, starts dancing lessons and starts enjoying her life! Jim on the other hand is stunned to find that he's suddenly alone. His wife is gone, and his life is changed. Now he finds himself with the choice of do I let her go, or do I fight for her. Fortunately he chooses the later! We follow his search for his wife to win her back and his search through his past to take care of himself in ways that he's neglected too long so that he can once again be the kind of husband his wife deserves. 

  LOVED IT!! there are so many stories out there about leaving marriages and not fighting for them that a book on fighting for marriage is a breath of fresh air! Marriage is a sacred covenant and one that should be fought for! Kudo's to the authors for fighting for this in their novel! It is needed not only in the world, but in the church too! There are so many lessons we can learn from fiction and this is one of these novels. This book made my heart happy!

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications,Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

Sweet Sanctuary

Sweet Sanctuary, by Kim Vogel Sawyer. Lydia finds herself a mom to Nicky, the words sweetheart can't begin to describe him! Yet trouble is brewing, as they know Nicky's drug addicted father is looking for him. Not with honourable intentions, but rather to sell him to a wealthy couple who are desperate to adopt a child. Not sure what else to do Lydia's father tries to force Dr. Micah Hatcher into marrying his daughter and protecting his grandchild from his father. unfortunately Micah isn't willing to be forced into a marriage with a woman and a child who is not his. What ensues is a new formed relationship with Micah for Lydia and twists and turns to this story that no one will see coming. 

     This is a wonderful book on redemption, second chances and forgiveness! This author has done an amazing job in writing this story. I love the characters and their personalities. Sometimes you come across characters in a book that inspire you to be a better person, a better Christian. I can't say enough good things about this book, its one that not only entertains its also teaches! A fantastic addition to my llibrary!

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

Love at any cost

Love at any cost, by Julie Lessman. Cassidy is a strong willed girl, in a time where strong willed girls were looked down upon. After thinking she found Mr. right, who turned out to be Mr. Wrong, Cassidy decides a new start is in order and joining her cousins family for the summer in San Francisco and hopefully longer to teach at an all girls school. She's written off boys, she's not looking for any type of relationship, and in fact will do everything in her power to prevent a relationship. Unfortunately she's met Jamie, who's just as headstrong and smitten with her. He will do what ever it takes to show Cassidy that she can trust him with her heart, that is until he finds out that she doesn't have the money he thought she had. 

     Well the story line of this book was good, the characters were great and I really liked them. But what I didn't like was the style of the writing. I found the author to be painfully obvious in trying to communicate that they were from Texas. The over use of the the words: hog tied, and pretty boy, etc.. were very wearing. I wanted to love this book, because the characters were great, but I just found the use of language to write the story too painful to actually enjoy it. Perhaps there's others out there that enjoy that, but I'm not one of them!

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Revel, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

What a Son needs from his Mom

What a son needs from his mom, by Cheri Fuller.  "Parenting them is an adventure" the opening to raising boys! Boys are a whole new world, as a mom and a female, I look at them baffled because I obviously don't understand them lol. Lord Bless authors like this that try and give us a little insight to the world of boys! as a mom of only girls, I don't have the challenges of raising boys, rather just the challenges of raising girls, but as the wife of a children's pastor and a children's ministry worker, I find myself confused by them lol. I love the style of writing that Cheri Fuller uses, straight and to the point. She admits that this book isn't a cure all or the answer to all things boys. But she gives us wisdom, an insight into what it takes to raise boys into men. Prayer being the most important thing we can do for boys. God has plans for all his children, girls and boys, I'm thankful for the bits of wisdom from people who have been there and have listened to God's voice in sharing how to do so well! This is a book I will be sharing with my friends with boys! 

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

The Gate

The Gate, by Dann A. Stouten. If there's one thing that us girls know how to do well its shopping, which is why Sky finds himself on his own for a weekend and his plans for a weekend getaway with his  wife changed when his daughters and wife plan a shopping trip. With nothing else to do Sky decides to get away on his own and why not try out the place he found in the ad, an old cottage. What happens there changes Sky's life, he not only has a weekend to take care of himself and keep himself from burnout, he also has an encounter with God he'll never forget. He meets people that take him through his past and give him hope for the future! 

     This book reminds me of the book The Shack, not that the story is at all the same, but the strong use of analogy is what struck me. There are lessons you can learn in fictional stories, that you just can't learn being told outright. Which is why I think that Jesus spoke in parables. This way of teaching sticks with you for life, its a story and a truth you'll remember for the rest of your life. You don't come across books like this often, but when you do you treasure them. 

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

Finding God in the dark

Finding God in the dark, by Ted Kluck and Ronnie Martin. In this book we hear the lives and losses of these two authors. How even when tragedy portrayed itself that God came and broke through the darkness. they remind us that even when we face lonely times that God is still there and God is still Good! He has good plans for us, a hope and a future. They remind us that we're not alone, that we have an ever present help! their stories walk us through the dark times in their lives, but they also bring us hope.  The greatest thing a Christian can ever do is to bring light to the dark areas of their life. By doing so you take away the foot hold that Satan has, you also bring hope and light to those going through the same. Satan's best tool is trying to convince the christian that its only them going through problems, books like this, people like this bring truth to the lies! They give people permission to admit their problems, hurts, etc...They kick the darkness till it bleeds light. this is a needed boo, great as a gift for the person you know who is struggling, but also great in a personal library.

 Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group.