The Family Project : How God's Design Reveals His Best For You

"The Family Project : How God's Design Reveals His Best For You" is written by Glenn Stanton and Leon Wirth, and published by Tyndale House. This book delves into the many issues that our society faces with regard to maintaining the traditional family structure. This book is over 300 pages long, with twelve chapters, each with a different piece of the family structure puzzle.

Stanton and Wirth extract the various pieces of the family and attempt to, one by one, show how each is part of God's design, and how it is beneficial to the family. The references used in this book are not strictly Biblical - there are also social science references that also affirm these theories.

This book tackles such topics as motherhood, fatherhood, non-marital sex, and marriage. There are many other topics, but these were the ones that really stood out to me. I thought that Wirth and Stanton made a lot of well connected points, using both Biblical basis and sociological evidence.

The one complaint I have about this book is that some of the material they present is dry, and hard to read through. It's relatively easy to read the Biblical references, and to focus through that connection, but at some points the sociological references and attachments seem to lose their intensity, and I felt like I couldn't really remember what I was reading because it was just dry material.

Overall I would give this book a 3.5/5. It makes some good points and observations, and I liked the Biblical connection to God's natural design for humankind. I would recommend this book if you are looking for a structured explanation of the argument for marriage and having both a mother and a father in the life of a child. Good points about those topics in this book.

FTC DISCLOSURE: I received this book for free from tyndaleblognetwork.com in exchange for an honest review.

Bible Stories for His Beautiful Princess

"Bible Stories for His Beautiful Princess" is a collection of Bible stories for girls written by Sheri Rose Shepherd and illustrated by Shelley Dieterichs. This collection of Bible stories features the most well-known Biblical stories, such as Creation, David and Goliath, Jonah, Daniel and the Lions, and the Good Samaritan. Each story is told simply, with a young audience in mind. Each story is short and easy for young children who are learning to read in one sitting. The illustrations are beautiful - vivid and colorful.

I liked that these stories were written a way that even an early reader could tackle the stories on their own. This would be a great before bed book because the stories are short, and if the little one begs for another story, it wouldn't delay bedtime by much. Every so often, a page appears with a "Princess Prayer" that offers up a prayer for the young girl to pray, as well as a "Princess Jewel", which is a main idea or lesson that the stories reinforce.

Overall I'd give this book a 5/5. I thought it was well written, concise for young children to understand easily, and the illustrations were perfect. Great book for ages 3+.

FTC DISCLOSURE: I received this book for free from Tyndale House Blog Network in exchange for an honest review.

The One Year Devotions for Women

Ann Spangler's devotional "The One Year Devotions for Women" is a book of devotions that are designed specifically for the female spectrum. With a subtitle of "Becoming a Woman at Peace", the devotions revolve around the central theme of peaceful living, finding peace, and living a faith-filled life. This devotion would make a wonderful gift for the special woman in your life - mother, daughter, sister, aunt, grandmother, or pastor. Most women are in a state of constantly moving, whether it is in their career, with their husbands or children, or in other endeavors, so this devotional helps focus in on wonderful short messages to keep God in your daily life.

The devotions are short, and can easily be read in under ten minutes. The messages are made for daily reading, for an entire year, and offer a verse from the Bible, a short message about the verse, and a prayer that you can pray at the end of the reading. The length of the devotion is completely manageable, as each one is only one page. This can easily be read with your morning coffee, on your lunch break, or before bed.

I think that this devotional is wonderful. I really think that the topic of peace in a devotional designed for women is a perfect match. This devotional forced me to take five minutes out of my day and allowed me to meditate on something more important than the dirty dishes, cranky children, or bills that came in the mail. It's a great way to really refocus your day and refresh your spirit. I would recommend this to any of the women in my life.

FTC DISCLOSURE: I received this book for free from Tyndale Publishers in exchange for an honest review.

My Mama & Me

"My Mama & Me" by Crystal Bowman and Teri McKinley is a selection of devotions for mother and child to read together. This book is unique because each page offers a new devotion, prayer, Bible verse, and a bonding activity for mom and child that are all tied together in a way that even young children can understand. With around 25 devotions, this would be a perfect way to end your day with your kids, or even to begin your day.

These devotionals are designed for younger kids to easily understand, and are even written in rhyming schemes to make them even catchier! I would recommend this book for moms of kids ages 3 and up. The illustrations are colorful and relevant; Devotionals themselves offer great truths for children, such as Jesus is God's son, God keeps you safe, and being kind to others. My 5 year old really enjoyed this book, and the little bit of special time that we were able to create every day. Highly recommend this one!

FTC DISCLOSURE: I received this book for free from Tyndale Blog Network in exchange for an honest review. I was not obligated to write a positive review. 

Bedtime Stories and Prayers : Blessings for Bedtime

"Bedtime Stories and Prayers: Blessings for Bedtime" is a compilation of four different stories, written by Dandi Daley Mackall and Kathleen Long Bostrom that would make the perfect pre-bedtime story for your young child. I would recommend this book for children ages two through six, as the language is very simple, often repetitive, and very easy to understand. Illustrations in this book are done by Elena Kucharik, and she does an excellent job using bright colors and beautiful illustrations to connect the text to the pictures.

This book offers wonderful pre-sleep reminders of God's love and blessings, as well as reminders to be thankful to God for all He gives us, as well as God's majesty and wisdom. There really is nothing in this book that I can offer a bad review about. I have a five year old, and think that this book is wonderful for her, and I love the idea of sending her off to sleep with these wonderful messages.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone with small children. I thought it was a wonderful addition to the bedtime story rotation for my daughter, and I am sure you will too. 5/5!

FTC DISCLOSURE: I received this book for free from Tyndale House Publishers in exchange for an honest review. I was not obligated to write a positive review.

Whit's End Mealtime Devotions

"Whit's End Mealtime Devotions" is a compilation of 90 devotions based around family mealtime, put together by Focus on the Family. Each devotion offers a prayer for mealtime, which is short and perfect for young children who can learn to memorize some of their favorite prayers. Each devotion then offers an "appetizer", which is some fun fact(s), trivia, or a short story/activity that relates to mealtime.

Each devotional also offers what is labeled as the "main course", which discusses how Biblical principles or a particular Bible story can be tied into your life. It offers a story, suggests reading, and offers follow up questions that the whole family can take part in. Then, there is also the "table talk" section of the devotionals, that offers discussion questions based on the earlier sections in the devotional. Lastly, the devotional offers the "vitamins and minerals" section, which is a bible verse that coordinates with the topics discussed in the devotion.

What I thought was great about this book is that is encourages family time, and open discussion. The devotions are well written, and are simple enough for even young children to be able to understand and take part in. I also liked the Bible verse at the end of the devotion, which encourages memorization for children as well as adults.

I would highly recommend this devotional to any family looking to incorporate a devotion into their daily routine. What's great about this book is that it helps children learn a variety of mealtime prayers, and also encourages family interaction over the Bible!

FTC DISCLOSURE: I received this book for free from Tyndale Publishers in exchange for an honest review. I was not obligated to write a positive review.

The Briarpatch Gospel

"The Briarpatch Gospel" by Shayne Wheeler is a book that challenges you to go where you normally wouldn't in order to experience God's grace, healing and love. Most of us understand that life isn't always sunshine and roses, and that sometimes following God's plan for us means experiencing pain, disappointment, and failure. What I took away from Shayne Wheeler's book was that it is these experiences that allows God to really show us what we are made of, and that we need Him. Wheeler covers topics such as doubt, courage, faith, and truth through this book, revealing through personal experiences God's plans still exist even through our own suffering and disappointments.

What I liked about this book was that it was written on a topic that we can all relate to. We all know suffering and disappointment and have experienced it on some level at one point or another, whether it be financial, spiritual, professional, or in our home lives. I thought that the premise of the book was well constructed, and well thought out. I would have liked to see more Biblical tie ins to support the book, though, honestly. I also thought that at times the thoughts in the book were detached from one another.. From chapter to chapter at times, it doesn't feel like the book is connecting.

Overall, a good book with a good premise. I would give this one a 3/5.

FTC DISCLOSURE: I received this book for free from Tyndale Publishers in exchange for an honest review. I was not under any obligation to write a positive review.

One Year Father-Daughter Devotions

"The One Year Father-Daughter Devotions" by Jesse Florea, leon C. Wirth, and Bob Smithouser is a compilation of devotions meant to be shared between father and daughter. The daily devotions are relatively short, but offer a short story that ties into a Biblical principle. For example, one of my favorite devotions talks about hair (and what young girl isn't interested in her hair?) - it talks about famous people who are recognized for their hairstyle, and then goes on to talk about the Biblical stories of Samson and Absalom.

After the story and Biblical explanation, the devotion offers a "Daddy-Daughter Time" that gives suggestions for discussing the topic of the devotion, and help strengthen the bond between father and daughter. For example, the hair devotion prompts father and daughter to look at old photos and see old hairstyles, and discuss how their hair affects their opinion of themselves. It also asks father and daughter to share a special fact about themselves that not everyone would know.

The final part of the daily devotion is a Bible verse that ties the entire devotion together.

I thought that this book would be great for middle school age girls and their dads. The daily devotions are relatively short - only about one page each, so it would be easy to fit in before bedtime, or over breakfast. It offers a lot of great advice and Biblical wisdom, and would make a great bonding time for dad and daughter.

FTC DISCLOSURE: I received this book for free from Tyndale House Publishers in exchange for an honest review. I was not obligated to write a positive review.

"Walking On Water When You Feel Like You're Drowning"

"Walking On Water When You Feel Like You're Drowning" by Tommy Nelson and Steve Leavitt is a Biblical approach to helping people deal with anxiety and depression. Nelson and Leavitt tackle the difficult issues of causes of anxiety, obsessiveness, and depression and how biblical perspective can aid in the healing process.

This book tells personal stories of those struggling with one or more of these issues which helps the reader feel like they aren't alone in their troubles. There are constant references to Scripture and these references give inspiration and hope.

I thought this book offers a pretty comprehensive look at anxiety, depression, and obsessiveness. Chapters tackle issues such as: "What's Going On In My Mind?"; "What's Going On In My Spirit?"; "How Did I Get Here?"; and several chapters on recovery and healing.

Overall I think this book was a great resource for those struggling with anxiety or depression. This would also be a great resource for loved ones of those going through these issues as it gives a comprehensive overview of these issues and really can help you understand.

FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from Tyndale House Publishers in exchange for an honest review.

What About Heaven?

"What About Heaven" is a children's book by Kathleen Long Bostrom (Illustrated by Elena Kucharik) that explores what Heaven is in kid-friendly language, but with Scriptural reference. What I liked about this book is that it explores Heaven from an exciting and happy viewpoint, perfect for helping children to understand the concept of what Heaven is. The text of the book is written in a rhyming scheme, and uses simple, easy to understand language, perfect for young children. As the book starts to explore Heaven, it notes where in the Bible the corresponding passages can be found, which I liked.

The illustrations are bright and cheerful, and tie in well with the story itself.

I thought this book was wonderfully written - the perfect book for young children to start understanding what Heaven is all about. I would recommend this book for ages 4 and up - my daughter loved it!

FTC DISCLOSURE: I received this book for free from Tyndale House Publishers in exchange for an honest review. I was not obligated to write a positive review.

Tyndale Rewards!

One of my favorite publishers, Tyndale, has launched a brand new program that offers rewards for signing up, reviewing their material, and referring friends. Completing each of these activities earns you points, and points can be redeemed for books and Bibles. The best part is that the points levels to redeem for gifts are so reasonable, and they have some great titles! You can sign up for this awesome program, plus score 25 free points just for the signup here:
www.tyndalerewards.com/signup/?pc=3l9s-olpj-278l-baxi

Little Angels Bible Storybook

Roma Downey's "Little Angels Bible Storybook" is an absolutely adorable children's book. "Little Angels" retells many of our most loved Bible stories using kid-friendly language, and couples that with stunningly vivid illustrations. This book begins with the story of Creation in Genesis, and ends the Old Testament stories with the story of Jonah. The New Testament stories begin with the birth of Jesus, and ends with Jesus' promised return in Revelation. What I really like about this book is that it has stories from both the Old and New Testament, so it is more like a complete storybook for young children. The stories themselves are relatively short, which works well for younger children who may not have a long attention span. The print is very large, so it would be perfect for children who are learning how to read on their own. Each story is only two or three pages long, followed by a page that helps the child relate to the story, featuring an "I Can" that uses everday situations for children and related them to the moral of the story. This page also features a bible verse and short prayer related to the reading. The illustrations in this book are absolutely beautiful - vivid and colorful, and relevant to the story featured. I loved that this book is hardback, with children I've found hardback books to wear less with young children.

Overall I think this book is perfect - my four year old LOVES it, and it is the perfect bedtime story book for her. I would recommend this book for ages 3-7.

FTC DISCLOSURE: I received this book for free from Tyndale House Publishing in exchange for an honest review. I was not obligated to write a positive review.

Implosion

"Implosion" is book written by Joel Rosenberg that centers on connecting the current economic and social state of the United States with Biblical prophecy and faith. Rosenberg attempts to dissect major economic issues in the country, such as financial implosion, war, terrorism, and natural disasters with promises implicitly stated in the Bible and connecting them with a possible rebirth of America. Rosenberg debates his thesis effectively, and I think that overall, he did a great job in presenting a solid case. This book is lengthy, so if you do not have a genuine interest in this particular topic, historically, it will be hard to keep your attention. Otherwise, I would say this one is definitely worth a read.

FTC DISCLOSURE: I received this book for free from Tyndale House Publishers in exchange for an honest review.

50 Days of Hope

"50 Days of Hope" by Lynn Eib is an awesome daily devotional designed for those who have discovered they have cancer (or for those who love cancer patients). What I liked about this book is that it isn't all doom and gloom - I expected the devotionals to be all about cancer and suffering, etc., but the personal stories are lighthearted and inspirational, and from a myriad of different topics. "50 Days of Hope" is a wonderful reminder to anyone struggling with a cancer diagnosis that there is hope, and I think this book would make the perfect gift to someone undergoing cancer treatments, or anyone who loves someone who is. It's so important for anyone going through this type of situation to know that there is hope, and this is the perfect devotional to do that. I highly recommend this book!

FTC DISCLOSURE: I received this book for free from Tyndale Book Publishers in exchange for my review. I was not obligated to write a positive review in order to receive this book.

As One Devil To Another

"As One Devil To Another" by Richard Platt is written as a series of letters between two devils. The first devil, Scardagger is a recent graduate of Temptation University, and is just beginning his career. The second devil, is Scardagger's uncle and mentor, Slashreap. This book is written as letters from Slashreap to Scardagger, offering advice, tricks, and manipulations in order to acquire the souls of humans to please their "Infernal Majesty".

The way this book is written is very different from most contemporary works on the market today, but I just loved that it was so unique. The letters that Slashreap writes to Scardagger are meant to show us how the devil and his minions can use smaller situations, big decisions, and our own human weaknesses in a way that can cause us to fall into sin. I thought that this book really gave an inside glimpse into the master plan of our enemy, and really found it to be interesting and thought-provoking.

 Each chapter consists of one letter between these devils, and each letter is only a few pages long, so this would be an easy read if you read one of the letters each day. I really enjoyed this book, and think that it can definitely shine a little light on some of the devil's tricks - and who can't use a little one up on the devil? I would highly recommend this book to anyone. I would give this book a 5/5.

FTC DISCLOSURE: I received this book for free from Tyndale Publishers in exchange for an honest review. I was not obligated to write a positive review.

Princess Stories

"Princess Stories" is an absolutely adorable collection of Bible Stories for young girls. These stories are based entirely on Biblical stories of strong female figures. This book was actually much longer than I had expected, which was a delightful surprise. As the parent to a three year old girl, I think it is essential to give her good, wholesome, strong female role models to follow. I found this book to be the perfect addition to her collection. The final story in this book is a story about the book's owner, which was a very cute way to end this book. From cover to cover, this book shows young girls the importance of honor, virtue, and morality in a way that they can understand even at a young age. Wonderfully written. Would highly recommend to any parent of young girls.

FTC Disclaimer: I received this book for free from Tyndale Media in exchange for an honest review. I was not obligated to give a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Just In Case You Ever Wonder (Children's) - 5 Stars

"Just In Case You Ever Wonder" by Max Lucado is an adorable children's book! I have a three year old, and think this book was written so it was easy for her to understand, and follow. I would recommend this book for children ages 2-7. The illustrations are cute, and simplistic. Great book for young children! As a parent, I think it is super important to let my child know that I am always there, no matter what life throws at them. Max Lucado puts that reassurance into words in this book - it is a super cute reminder to children that we love them, and will always be here for them, just in case they ever wonder. The book also touches on how much God loves them, just as a parent does, and what a wonderful place Heaven is. I think that this book was well written, and Lucado was very aware of the audience he was writing for. 

Heroes & Villians of the Bible - 3 Stars

 "Heroes & Villians of the Bible" is a cute book that follows some of the most famous (and infamous) names of the Bible. As far as ages for this book, I would suggest 7 or 8 years old and up. While the cover of the book suggests it is a "boy book", it actually follows more than just men of the Bible. I liked that they included some female characters, such as Ruth and Delilah. The book is written as a Bible, so that it is easy to cross reference what your child is reading in your own Bible if you would like. Each chapter offers a thought or discussion to help your child connect with the reading. It also offers up a short moral of the reading. I liked that it helps the child get involved in the story. The readings are taken from a small percentage of the Bible, from the books of: Genesis, Exodus, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 Samuel, 1 Kings, Esther, Daniel, Jonah, Luke, Matthew, John, Mark, and Acts. Not such a great read for smaller children, but definitely great for boys or girls who are a little bit older.

Heaven Is For Real For Kids (Children's) - 4 Stars

"Heaven Is For Real For Kids" is a cute children's book, detailing some of the things that Colton saw when he visited Heaven. Although some of the things that Colton tells about are not 100% as the Bible may describe, I still thought the basic premise of the book was cute. It helps teach kids about Heaven, in a way that isn't scary. I thought the illustrations were beautiful and very colorful, as well. I think that this book would be a great read for a young child, as it is simple to read, uses kid-friendly language, and isn't the least bit scary. 



This book is a good introduction to what Heaven is, and who lives in Heaven, etc., for children. Would make a wonderful gift for a child anywhere from age 3 and up. 

Book of Man - 5 Stars

"Book of Man" by William Bennett is a compilation of stories about exceptional men. This book has many different chapters, that make it easy to look up a story by the subject - it is broke into "men at work", "men at play", "men in prayer" and many others. This would be a great gift for a young man, heading into adulthood as there are so many wonderful examples of strong, faithful, courageous men throughout the stories in this book. I think that Bennett really picked the best of the best as far as male role models to go into this book.

I would recommend this as a gift for a high school or college graduate that is headed on the path to manhood, as a reminder of what a man should strive to be. Wonderfully written, as usual, by William Bennett. Absolutely loved this one, and you will too!