Eat your Peas Daughter

A delightful book to encourage your daughter and show her she is always in your heart.If you're looking for a meaningful way to encourage and inspire that special daughter in your life, look no more! Eat Your Peas^{® Daughters is a 3-minute read with a forever message. Small doses of simple truths and insights are hand-illustrated to express your unending love and desire for the very best for her life. It's a wonderful keepsake and reminder that she'll forever and always be your girl.}
Before "Eat Your Peas Daughters" I was not familiar with the "eat your peas" series. I have to tell you I am hooked! This may very well be one of my all time favorite books! Each beautiful page has a phrase, a paragraph or a word meant to uplift and encourage any daughter! I have in fact started reading it to my little girl.

"I Love you with all my heart and soul"

"Beauty comes wrapped in many packages:
a smile
a intelligent mind
a act of kindness
a loving heart
You are so Beautiful"

Hardcover: 80 pages Publisher: ThomasLanguage: English ISBN-10: 1404189831 ISBN-13: 978-1404189836

SisterChicks in wooden shoes

From the publisher...
A multi-tasking mama, Summer Finley has found ways to handle whatever life throws at her with grace and a grin. Until now, that is. An "abnormal" medical test result sends Summer into an emotional tailspin and prompts her to fulfill a life-long dream of "meeting" her best friend and pen pal since fourth grade, Noelle Van Zandt, face-to-face.

Their blissful week together in the Netherlands finds Summer and Noelle floating down a canal in Amsterdam, visiting Corrie Ten Boom’s Hiding Place, sipping decadent Dutch cocoa in Delft, and bobbing merrily along through a sea of brilliant, spring-fresh tulips. Each day takes them further from midlife anxiety and closer to trusting God in deeper ways.

When Summer finally confides in Noelle about the abnormal test results, Summer’s honesty prompts Noelle to share a long-held heartache. The two friends find they both needed to be together more than either of them realized. Could it be this adventure was tucked away in God’s imagination long before Summer bought her ticket to fly to the land of merry tulips and kalomping wooden shoes?
　
My review...
Summer and Noelle have been pen pals their entire lives, but they have never met face to face. When Summer receives a phone call from her doctor that has the potential to rearrange her well ordered world. Summer does something very out of character. She picks up the phone and books a ticket to fly to the Netherlands to finally meet her best friend and pen pal, Noelle. I love the encouragement her husband gives when she tells him that she is going! It reminded me of my husband.

After the relax and fall into the natural friendship which they have shared through childood, teenage angst, college years, getting married, children and daily lives. They spend one entire week getting to know each other's day to day personality. I would love to be able to visit the Corrie ten Boome home and experience what they experienced.

It took me a while to open this book...the two day's before it arrived were a wirlwind of emotions for me. A number of dear women in my life were told they have breast cancer. One of these women has the worst of the worst. When the book arrived I was so excited to read it. When I read the words written about Summer it stopped me in my tracks, almost too much to bear. I am a huge fan of the SisterChicks books and the Author, who I grew up reading...Gotta love Christy Miller:)
　
I would recommend this book to friends and family! I will be passing it on to my mom now!
Paperback:
*please note I was given this book in exchange for my honest reivew and opinion 288 pages Publisher: Multnomah Books; Original edition (May 5, 2009) Language: English ISBN-10: 1601420099 ISBN-13: 978-1601420091

God's Promises - Devotional Journal

Embrace the Promises God has for you!
More than 20 of our leading Christian authors including: Billy Graham, Max Lucado, Sheilia Walsh, Elisabeth Elliot and many more bring inspiration and encouragement every day of the year. Guided questions and commentary gently lead the way for personal meditation and reflection on God's promises for your life. At the end of each reading there is journaling space provided for recording your thoughts and prayers, and for promoting more quiet time alone with you and the Lord.
Wonderful devotional! I was thrilled at the opportunity to review this book! It is full of little tidbits of encouragement! Perfect for a busy mom like me, to be honest I haven't been reading this day by day as it is a 365 day devotional with the date posted. I have used it more as a down time devotional, like when my children are napping, when they are playing together. It is fantastic to get fed when I need it!
I would HIGHLY recommend this Devotional Journal to anyone. Weather you have 2 hours or 2 minutes you would truly benefit from this beautiful little book!

Izzy's Pop Star Plan - Devo/Novel

Product DescriptionIzzy Baxter has big plans-popstar plans
Ever since she was six, she's dreamed of becoming the world's next singing sensation. Now sixteen, her singing career is on the rise, and she's been selected to compete on the hit TV show International Popstar Challenge. As Izzy performs in far off locations such as Tokyo and Paris, it seems as if her plans are coming off without a hitch. But God has plans of His own, and Izzy will soon discover that living for Him is "way cooler" than megastar fame.
Presented like a daily blog, set up like a devotional, and read like a novel-this book will be an instant hit with tween girls. This cutting edge new product will meet girls where they are, and girls will love following Izzy on her incredible adventure. Plus, they'll get daily spiritual food to equip them on their own incredible adventure with God.

My Review...
I LOVE LOVE LOVE this book! It is ADORABLE!
Izzy's Pop Star Plan is one of the cutest books I have read in a long time. It is written like a devo/novel - and at the same time looks like a blog! Izzy 'posts' a entry everday. Talk about a bible verses and prays! I love this book now, I can't imagine how much I would have loved it when I was 12ish. Oh, another cool thing that every young girl will like is that this book is interactive!!! They have a website, so some of the blog entries say "go to the website" and there is actually really a website!!

I would HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone with a young woman in their life! It says for ages 9-12 on one website and on another it says 12-18 --- I think it would be perfect for ages 8ish to 16! However, the Moms will enjoy it as well! I am planning on ordering a half dozen copies to give as gifts. I also think that this book could be a really fun Mommy/Daughter study or for your daughter/granddaughter and her friends to read together and talk about it!
Get a copy and enjoy...I promise you will
Reading level: Ages 9-12
Paperback: 256 pages Publisher: Thomas Nelson (January 4, 2011) Language: English ISBN-10: 1400316545 ISBN-13: 978-1400316540 .

Lazarus Awakening

You believe that God loves the world…
but sometimes you wonder if He truly loves you.

For many of us, moving the truth of God’s love from our heads to our hearts is a lifelong process. As we consider our inadequacies or grieve our shattered dreams, we find it difficult to believe that God cares for us personally.

In this life-giving book, Joanna Weaver shows you how to embrace the truth that Jesus loves you apart from anything you accomplish, apart from anything you bring. Just as He called Lazarus forth to new life, Jesus wants to free you to live fully in the light of His love, unbound from the graveclothes of fear, regret, and self-condemnation.

Love is calling your name.

Combining unforgettable real-life illustrations with unexpected biblical insights, Joanna Weaver invites you to experience a spiritual resurrection that will forever change your understanding of what it means to be the one Jesus loves.

Includes 10-week Bible study (adaptable for 8 weeks) for both individual reflection and group discussion.
what I thought...
I have had the pleasure of reading the other Joanna Weaver books, Including 'Having a Mary Heart in a Martha world" which was great. I had high hopes from
Once again Joanna writes it a way that I am easily able to connect with. She is very much a normal person. I have read many books where the author is so caught up in a particular writing style that it is so difficult to connect with.
I was drawn to a part of the book on page 20. 'When Life doesn't make sense' "It wasn't supposed to be this way. Death, grief and pain..." How often I feel this way. There have been many time is my life when I have wondered and said "Why God!!" Jonanna reminds us that we were not made for this world, but we were made for Paradise. How sweet of a thought that is!!
another part that stood out...
John 11:20-27 When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home.
"Lord," Martha said to Jesus, "if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask."
Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again."
Martha answered, "I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day."
Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?"
"Yes, Lord," she replied, "I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world."
Joanna reminds us: ‘Grave clothes consist of layers.’ You can experience a true awakening if you embrace the process!"
　
I would recommend this book! It is a quick read if you a pressed for time, or you can read as slow as needed and take in every single word day by day! I also recommed the other books from this series!

Hardcover: 240 pages Publisher: WaterBrook Press (February 8, 2011) Language: English ISBN-10: 0307444961 ISBN-13: 978-0307444967 Lazarus Awakening. I was not dissapointed.

Read and Share: The Ultimate DVD Bible - Volume 2

Read and Share: The Ultimate DVD Bible - Volume 2
Full of bite-sized stories in both book and DVD. This volume contains more than 100 beloved Bible stories, including time-honored favorites like Joseph, Moses, Balaam, The Promised Land, Solomon, Elisha, Daniel, Jonah, The Boy Jesus, Miracles of Jesus, Jesus' Death and Resurrection, and many more.

What I thought...
This is kind of a 6 in one - half dozen the other review, because I have a 6 year old and 17 month old twins.

Bible Only:
First of all Read and Share: The Ultimate DVD Bible - Volume 2 is beautifully illistrated. It also does a great job of teaching each Bible story in a way that small children can grasp and easily understand. However, the age range for Read and Share is 4-8...I totally disagree with this age range. I have a 6 year old and almost 17 month old twin. While reading The Read and Share Bible, my oldest told me that "this is a perfect bible for the twins" He found it boring and toddler like. My twins on the other hand sat and listened, pointed to pictures, we talked about each story...they loved it, and have been bringing it to me to read! Another thing that I was very disappointed in was the lack of a prayer or bible verse at the end of each story. At the beginning of each story it tells where out of the bible it is taken from, but that's it. I felt it to be just a "story book" Rather than a "BIBLE" story book. To twart this, we say a prayer at the end of each and read more out of another bible to make it a little more, bible focused. With all this being said, I think The Read and Share: The Ultimate DVD Bible - Volume 2 would be good for ages 18 months - 3. If you have a older child I would recommend looking for something else.
　
DVD's:
Now, the DVD's on the other hand held my 6 year olds attention, and he loved them. He sat down and watch each from start to finish...in silence. I like being able to watch the stories. My twins like the dvd's as well, but they only watched a few before that went off to play.
　
I think that if you have children of different ages from 1-8 you would probably like this, but if not, I still maintain my suggestion of age 18 months - 3.


Reading level: Ages 4-8
Hardcover: 224 pages Publisher: Thomas Nelson (February 15, 2011) Language: English ISBN-10: 1400316146 ISBN-13: 978-1400316144

Save the Date

Publisher:
When Alex and Lucy pick out wedding invitations, they wonder if they can be printed in vanishing ink.

Former NFL star Alex Sinclair is a man who has it all--except the votes he needs to win his bid for Congress. Despite their mutual dislike, Alex makes Lucy a proposition: pose as his fiancee in return for the money she desperately needs. Bound to a man who isn't quite what he seems, Lucy will find her heart on the line--and maybe even her life. When God asks Alex and Lucy to scrap their playbook and follow his rules, will they finally say, "I do"?

What I thought...
I have really enjoyed this book! It the story of a young woman (Lucy) who wonders what is going to happen to her Girls home after she loses funding. She strikes up a deal with a Ex-NFL hero (Alex) who needs Lucy to get elected...Its kind of The Proposal meets Sweet Home Alabama...but with a Christian perspective.
Throughout Save the Date the "agreement" causes a roller coaster of emotions, not only between Alex and Lucy, but Alex and his brother, Lucy and Matt, plus her Grandmother and deceased Father she never knew.
Lucy finds her self surprised when the things don't turn out the way she assumed they would. Lucy seeks the Lord's guidance through the book...and finds her self surprised at who else is seeking the Lord as well!
At the beginning Save the Date talks about how Lucy runs a girls home for young women who have been in the foster care system, but are now 18 and have no where to go...expect Saving Grace. Saving Grace is a big part of this book and I really like that, all too often I read a book where the main woman is kind of a blur...who is she, does she have friends? a job? Jenny B. Jones did a wonderful job making Lucy feel like a friend! Alex...I actually really liked Alex from the beginning. He was rough and hard around the edges, but I knew something great was on its way! He's a twin, which I like, since I have twins.
Save the Date is funny, Witty, and keeps you wondering what is going to happen...all the while surprising you! I would highly recommend this book!!
ISBN: 1595545395
Page Count: 320
Retail Price: $14.99

Please note that I was given Save the Date for free from the Publisher in exchange for a honest review!