Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own.
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In Choose Greatness, Gary Chapman, the author of The 5 Love Languages, partners with his mentee, Clarence Shuler to outline “11 Wise Decisions That Brave Young Men Make”. These wise decisions range from “Choose to Seek Knowledge through Education” to “Choose to Build Diverse Friendships to “Choose to Discover the Truth about God”. This book’s premise is that decisions made during the teen years can be critical in determining the trajectory of the rest of your life. Many life decisions that may seem inconsequential at the time can result in tragic endings.

Both Chapman and Shuler offer sound advice, largely gleaned from their own life experiences. Their hope is that this book can help young men avoid the mistakes they have made, as well as to avoid unwise decisions that they have seen others make. The “Ask Yourself” questions at the end of each chapter let the reader pause and reflect on choices they have made or will make that will affect their lives. Although this book is geared towards teens, I would personally recommend this book for older teens, rather than tweens or younger teens due to some of the content. Choose Greatness is a great resource for young men who are about to embark into the journey of adulthood.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

What does your family usually talk about when sitting around the dinner table? I wish that I could say that my family talks about “deep” topics, but usually it is just everyone giving an update about their day. That is not a bad thing, but sometimes it is nice to have more meaningful discussions.

If…What If is a book filled with 365 devotions that families can go through together. Each devotion is one page long and contains thought-provoking questions, a Bible passage, a short commentary and a message offering hope. There is also a weekly recap that summarizes the past week’s topics and poses more personal questions and prayer topics.

I know that as our kids are fast approaching the teen years, the time to develop the communication lines is now. Being intentional with the limited time that we have together is important. A book like If…What If can help raise weighty topics that might not otherwise be discussed. I like how the book also intersperses more lighthearted and humorous questions throughout so that kids will stay engaged. The devotions are designed to bring families closer together, as well as to God. I cannot wait to bring this book on our upcoming road trip when we will have endless hours to talk!

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Are you familiar with the concept of living sent? In the new book Love Where You Live, Shauna Pilgreen defines “living sent” as follows:

Living sent is recognizing God’s intimate involvement in our lives, whether we are in a new zip code or have been in the same one for years. Living sent aligns our uniqueness to His activity for the purpose of making Him visible to our community.

Pilgreen encourages her readers to really examine the place they call home and to realize that God has a purpose for them there. Most of the book focuses on her family’s move from a rural area to the heart of San Francisco. They made the move because they felt called for her pastor-husband to start a church in the City.

Having lived in San Francisco for three years as a law student, I could relate to many of the Pilgreen’s stories. The neighborhood I lived in was one of the roughest in the City. I would walk back to my apartment as fast as I could, try to avoid eye contact with strangers, and feel relieved to close the door behind me. Opening my window for fresh air meant subjecting myself to constant sirens and people randomly yelling on the streets. I really could not imagine myself living there with young kids like the author and her husband. However, what is really inspiring about Pilgreen’s story is how she intentionally chose to engage with and serve her challenging surroundings. Yes, their family suffered some unwanted consequences in putting themselves in such a vulnerable position. However, it is clear that the relationships and community that they built as a result far outweigh any setbacks.

Reading this book caused me to think about my current location. The neighborhood we live in now is non-threatening, and much quieter and calmer than a big city. Yet, how much have I made an effort to reach out to my neighbors and build relationships? If I am honest, I would say very little. I still have an individualistic mentality of wanting to feel safe in the privacy of my own home. I make friends with those I have regular interactions with, but I am afraid to take a risk to reach out to those who may be “different”, lonely or secluded. We have the opportunity to show God’s love every day, but how often do we make excuses and let those opportunities pass us by? Love Where You Live is filled with inspirational ideas for serving others and creating connections so that we can live out God’s purpose in our everyday lives.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own.

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, it is natural for married couples to think about the health of their relationship with their spouse. In 10 Choices Successful Couples Make, Dr. Ron Welch outlines ten key choices that strengthen marriages. These choices include communicating well, forgiving, being unselfish and not taking your partner for granted. Dr. Welch explains each of the ten choices with real life (anonymous!) illustrations taken from his own counseling practice. He also offers concrete strategies that couples can implement in order to make the right choices. Love that lasts a lifetime is not something that just happens if you marry the “right” person. Successful relationships require commitment and at times, work.

I certainly felt convicted reading about how our attitudes and communication styles can make it difficult to have a thriving marriage. This book helps couples identify issues in their marriage before they become insurmountable. 10 Choices Successful Couples Make would benefit engaged couples and newlyweds, as well as those who have been married for decades!

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own.

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

In Remember God, Annie F. Downs tells the story about one recent year of her life. As Downs recalls key life events, she takes her readers on a journey of doubt and struggle, as well as hope and trust in God. It took me a while to become accustomed to her narrative’s somewhat choppy style and abrupt transitions. However, maybe this was intentionally done to mirror how life can feel like sometimes. I would say this book is geared towards a female audience, although the act of “remembering God” is something that is vital for everyone.

Downs has written several books, but this was the first time I have read her writing. She is extremely open and honest with her readers about her relationship with God. She is not afraid to reveal her doubts, pain and disappointment. Her introspective writing style makes her relatable and her ability to discern God’s voice is inspiring. Downs also has a playful sense of humor that shines through even through difficult circumstances. The lessons Downs shares in Remember God are a valuable reminder that God is the author of our story and that we should not forget that He is in control.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

The Christian life is a journey of spiritual growth, but it is not always constant. We all experience stagnancy, or even regression. In How to Grow, Darryl Dash shows us how and why it is important to cultivate three core habits:

1. Reading or Listening to the Bible
2. Prayer 3. Pursue Worship and Fellowship Within a Church Community

There is also a chapter entitled “Six Practices to Propel Your Spiritual Growth” that I found particularly helpful. The six practices are:

1. Keep Practicing the Core Habits
2. Practice Sabbath
3. Give Generously
4. Serve Others
5. Share the Gospel
6. Look After Your Body

I appreciate how Dash provides practical steps Christians can take to increase their spiritual growth without being rigid and legalistic. He emphasizes God’s grace and His ultimate role in changing us in order to ensure that How to Grow does not read as merely a “self-help” guide. I found this book to be an interesting and inspiring read and would recommend it to newer Christians as well as those who are more mature in their faith.

Dislcosure: I received copies of these journals in order to facilitate this review.

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

As a Christian, it is important to set aside time everyday to be in God’s Word.  However, I know that the busyness of life can become an easy excuse to skip quiet times.  As 2019 quickly approaches, now is as good a time as ever to make spending time with God a priority.  These three 365-Day Devotional Journals are a wonderful way to start. All three of these journals include a page for each day of the year.  There is a passage, a short devotional, and several blank lines in which you can record your thoughts.

As the title indicates, Peace Begins With Me is a devotional journal that focuses on instilling inner peace through the pursuit of God.  Even the cover, (which is in my daughter’s favorite color), evokes a sense of calm.  Life’s circumstances often leave us feeling anything but peaceful.  However, being grounded in Scripture can provide us with us with hope and ease our anxieties.

The devotionals in Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus are intended to help the reader to trust Jesus with her life and not to become distracted by everything else that often gets in the way.  Each devotion begins with a line from a classic Christian song or hymn and includes a verse and prayer.  Just having this book out put the hymn “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus” in my mind and I found myself humming it throughout the day.  Similarly, it is helpful to start your day off with Scripture so that you may be mindful of it even as you do other things.

Finally, The Earth Is the Lord’s and Everything In It serves as a reminder that God’s handiwork is all around us if we take the time to stop and appreciate it.  This would be a nice choice for the nature lover in your life.  Appreciating His creation draws us closer to Him and is something that we can do every day.

All of these Ellie Claire journals are beautifully bound and provide year-round inspiration, which is something we could all use!

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.  All opinions are my own.  We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

The month or so between Thanksgiving and Christmas is a busy time.  There are always so many items on the to do list and events that fill up our calendars.  In Sacred Holidays, Less Chaos, More Jesus, Becky Kiser helps us gain perspective regarding how we celebrate holidays throughout the year.  Celebrations are obviously good things, but often we let all of the “stuff” surrounding the holidays overwhelm us.  Unfulfilled expectations often leave us frustrated and disappointed, which defeats the whole purpose of celebrating holidays in the first place.

Sacred Holidays is a very practical and interactive book that prompts the reader to think through why and how we celebrate throughout the year.  There is a chapter devoted to each of the following “holidays”: New Year’s, Valentine’s Day, Lent & Easter, Summer, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Advent & Christmas and Birthdays.  I appreciate that Kiser offers do-able ideas to make all of these holidays “more sacred”, but encourages us not to feel obligated or pressured to do them if they are not a fit for our family.  I can see myself using this book as a reference throughout the year, re-reading each of the holiday chapters a month or so ahead of time in order to be better prepared.  There are also chapters regarding common struggles, to be read as needed.  The topics include expectations, conflict, budgets, schedules, and grief.  This is one of my favorite new books that I have read this year, and I highly recommend it to anyone who wants less chaos, more Jesus!