God's Beloved Daughters by Merrilynn Grodecki

This is a daily devotional written for women. The devotions for each month follow a specific theme (January: New Beginnings, May: God’s Provision, October: Developing Character, etc.). Grodecki wants her female audience to see their worth in Christ and to dwell in the possibilities and the best life that He offers to us. Each devotion begins with some Bible verses to read and then proceeds into a reflection (which reads like a conversation between the author and reader).

This book was interesting, and it inspired me. I almost lost interest after the Introduction—the book seemed to be heading in a direction that focused solely on the author’s personal experience. I’m glad I kept reading though. Grodecki’s care for her readers is evident. The devotions are thoughtful and concise, and the idea of having a theme for each month keeps the devotions fresh. I plan to incorporate this encouraging book into my devotional time. I like that Grodecki includes a short Bible reading with each devotion and that her devotions vary in form—some are anecdotal, some reflective, all encouraging.

I recommend this book to others.

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The publisher has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book through BookSneeze®. I was not required to write a positive review.

"Mother's Day Blessings" by Mike Berenstain

“Mother’s Day Blessings” by Mike Berenstain is a sweet tribute to mama bears.

The cubs are excited to present Mama with a surprise for Mother’s Day—they plan to take her out to eat after church. On their way to church, the cubs learn that all children think their mothers are the most special. The cubs also realize that women in their community such as officers and doctors are moms too. As the family drives through Bear Country, the cubs witness the variety of moms being celebrated on this special day.

Mike Berenstain delivers a touching tribute to moms. Watching the cubs discover all of the other moms in the community was endearing. I like the fact that the Bear Family went to church on Mother’s Day. The simple act of a family attending church together is something children need to read and enjoy. The preacher gave a speech of thanks for the moms, and then a Bible verse was mentioned. I thought the Bible verse was a bit of a stretch and I think that kids may find it to be confusing, but perhaps it opens the door for conversation. As always, the inside back cover includes stimulating activities and questions for parents and children.

http://booksneeze.com/blogger/resources/9781400203048

The publisher has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book through BookSneeze®. I was not required to write a positive review.

"Angels in the Bible Storybook" written by Allia Zobel Nolan and illustrated by Alida Massari

“Angels in the Bible Storybook” is a beautifully written and illustrated gem.  

The small, hard cover book has sturdy, full-color pages that are plastered with vibrant, detailed, colorful pictures and designs. The book is separated into two sections: the Old and New Testaments. Each section has a number of stories about angels. Each story is accompanied by a Bible verse or verses.

The concept of angels is something that I haven’t understood really well and have wanted to learn more about. This book is a delightful storybook for children, but I plan to use it is a study guide to learn more about angels in the Bible. I was unfamiliar with some of the stories presented, and I want to read them in the Bible, while also reading them in the Storybook, and compare and learn. A comprehensive range of stories are presented, and this book will serve as an informative Bible study companion. The writing in this book is engaging and informative.

I highly recommend this book to others.

http://booksneeze.com/blogger/resources/9781400203048

The publisher has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book through BookSneeze®. I was not required to write a positive review.

The James Code by O.S. Hawkins

 

The James Code by O.S. Hawkins has 52 chapters—each chapter focusing on verses and insight from the Book of James.

Hawkins begins by telling his readers that James doesn’t write about faith and works but about a faith that works. Each chapter is titled and is followed by a passage from James. Hawkins then explains the passage and offers illustrations and applications. Each chapter ends with a short passage titled Just Do It! which prompts readers to immediately apply the lesson in the verses.

The book itself is pretty. It would make a nice gift. It’s small and has an embossed, padded cover. The idea of the book is also intriguing—the idea that the Book of James has a code to be cracked. And Hawkins cracks it. His illustrations and applications are simple and short, but profound and inspiring. He left me with a few one-liners to tuck into my pocket and use when I need a boost upward. I also liked how Hawkins began some chapters with the same verses or portions of the same verses. This allowed for continuity in the reading and application of James’ messages.

I recommend this book to others.

http://booksneeze.com/blogger/resources/9781400203048

The publisher has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book through BookSneeze®. I was not required to write a positive review.

An encouraging invitation to love

Nick and his beautiful wife (he constantly tells his readers how beautiful she is) have written a humble, real, inspiring book that tells the story of how they met, overcame their feelings of inferiority and insecurity, married, had a baby, and live happily with God at the center of their home.

While most of the story is written by Nick, Kanae also gives her perspective on their relationship. They openly share their love for each other and their desire for others to find a love as satisfying as theirs.

This book contains lessons and insight for many groups of people: people considering marrying, people contemplating abstinence or sex before marriage, newlyweds, new parents, and more.

The Vujicic's writing style is sincere and inviting, and I recommend this book to others. This book was provided to me by Blogging for Books in return for this review.

Parables: The Mysteries of God’s Kingdom Revealed through the Stories Jesus Told by John MacArthur

Parables: The Mysteries of God’s Kingdom Revealed through the Stories Jesus Told by John MacArthur intellectually enlightens readers of the history and meanings of Jesus’ parables.

MacArthur examines twelve of Jesus’ parables. He gives complete context of the characters and time period. He includes the parables and many other explanatory Bible references in each chapter. MacArthur shows his readers what parables are, why Jesus used them, and what they mean for us.

After reading the first few pages, I thought I’d made a mistake in choosing to review this book. MacArthur is obviously a seasoned preacher and intellectual, and the scope of this book was far beyond the simple enlightening I wanted of the parables.

However, the book soon surprised me. MacArthur’s expertise easily opened my eyes to many facts, ideas, and perspectives about the parables that I didn’t know, and I soon found myself voraciously scrolling through the pages. MacArthur’s insight definitely made me think and want to share my new findings with my friends! On top of that, his writer’s craft is brilliant.

I recommend this book to others.

http://booksneeze.com/blogger/resources/9781400203048

The publisher has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book through BookSneeze®. I was not required to write a positive review.

Jesus: Experiencing His Touch: A Study of Mark 1-6

Never having picked up a Bible study guide, I thought I'd give this one a try. It seemed simple, and the cover advertises it as "a 6-week, no-homework Bible study."

The book is only a study of Mark 1-6, so I figured if I didn't like it not much time would be lost. The fact that it only covers Mark 1-6 also made me think that it'd be a bit in-depth and provocative.

At first I was bored. Juggling the book and the Bible was cumbersome, and the author was asking me to underline and draw pictures around certain words. I wasn't into that.

The book has a neat feature--in the margins of each page are full-text copies of the verses being covered. Once I put my Bible away and just used the book, reading the verses right from the pages, I began to enjoy the study a lot more. I still didn't get into marking the verses (drawing squiggly lines under all references to John the Baptist, marking each occurrence of the word sins with an S, etc.), but I think some people would find it meaningful.

The book contains 6 studies. Each study instructs the leader (this book is deigned for small-group study) to read the verses aloud while the group marks words, then there are a few study questions.

Despite my reservations at the beginning, the book is effective because I'm planning to get the next ones in the series.

I was drawn to Jesus' character and his desire for us to have faith in him.

I received this book from Blogging for Books fin turn for an honest review.