Review, Guest Post, and Giveaway: Taming the Dragons by Brenda Wilbee

 

About the Book

Book: Taming the Dragons

Author: Brenda Wilbee

Genre: Christian Living / Women’s Interests

Release Date: May 12, 2020

 

Are you overwhelmed, in despair, heartsick, or in danger? Not sure which way to turn? Whom to trust? Once upon a time . . . the raging dragon . . . a damsel in distress. It worked out well in our fairy tales, but what about real life?

In this highly creative approach to problems all women face today and in varying degrees throughout their lives, Wilbee identifies six choices women have when beleaguered by conflict and challenge. She partners six biblical women with characters from The Wizard of Oz, naming choices for Innocent, Orphan, Pilgrim, Martyr, Warrior, and Wizard. She then skillfully weaves in characters from other stories and tales, accounts of women from history and today, and experiences from her own life to illustrate how these choices empower women in difficult times, moving them from want to abundance—for themselves and others.

Beginning with Eve the Innocent, Wilbee asserts that while some of us might want to go back to the garden of Eden, where innocence dwells, no one can. It’s only by making choices to tame our dragons—and by walking the metaphorical yellow brick road of our inner journeys—that we can, and do, find the happily ever after of our fairy tales and the abundant life Jesus promises us all.

Each chapter concludes with a motivational section that includes journaling pages, “Something to Ponder,” and prayers for courage and hope.

Click here to get your copy!

 My Thoughts:

This was a thought provoking and somewhat of a workbook, for women especially, in how to live in this very imperfect world. The author takes stories from the Bible, her own life, examples from fairy tales, especially the Wizard of Oz and gives us ways to 'tame the dragons'.

I like her approach with walking with the characters down the yellow brick road and applying that to our own lives. This book is chock full of great truths and ways we can handle not living a perfect life, especially not playing the blame game with one another or ourselves.

Though I did not necessarily agree 100% with everything, she gave me much food for thought. I think that most everyone might have an idealized view of the world in their heads, I do think that is a mechanism we have to just get through the day and not necessarily ignore the evil. Yes evil definitely exists and the believer sometimes does want to hide from it, the rest of the world seems to say it does not exist at all. But we all must face it head on. As the author says many times, we are not in the garden of Eden anymore. Just like Dorothy, we long for our true home.

I received a copy of this eBook from the publisher. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.

About the Author

Brenda Wilbee is passionate about helping women in their everyday lives. The author of over 10 books with more than 700,000 copies sold, Brenda is a long-time contributor to Guidepost’s Daily Devotionals. Her work appears in Zondervan’s Women’s Devotional Bible, Inside Religious Publishing, and Guidepost’s Best Loved Stories. She holds an MA in professional writing, with an emphasis on myth, fairy tale, and folklore. She divides her time between the Pacific Northwest, Alaska, and the Canadian Yukon.

 

More from Brenda

Author Brenda Wilbee wrote Taming the Dragons to help Christian women understand that they have choices when up against conflict and challenge. In this highly creative approach, she partners six biblical women with the characters from Wizard of Oz, naming choices for Innocent, Orphan, Pilgrim, Martyr, Warrior, and Wizard. She then skillfully weaves in characters from other fairy tales and stories, accounts of women from history and today, and experiences from her own life to illustrate how choice empowers women to tame the many dragons they face. She contends that by walking the metaphorical yellow brick road of learning choice, women find inner healing and restoration.

She begins with Eve the Innocent, asserting that even though we might like to go back to a garden of Eden, where innocence dwells, we can’t. But by making choices to tame the dragons we encounter as either Orphan, Pilgrim, Martyr, Warrior, or Wizard, we can, and we do, return to the happily ever after of our fairy tales and the abundant life Jesus, in John 10:10, tells us is ours.

Each chapter begins and ends with narrative to first explain a choice and to then offer the caveat. An Orphan asks for help, but by doing so she learns self-reliance. A Warrior fights to save herself and those she loves but has to be careful lest she become like her enemy. Each chapter concludes with journaling pages for personal thought, a study guide with Scripture to consider, and questions to ponder.

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, October 17

Emily Yager, October 17

Texas Book-aholic, October 18

For Him and My Family, October 19

Inklings and notions, October 20

Spoken from the Heart, October 21

deb’s Book Review, October 21

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, October 22

Locks, Hooks and Books, October 23

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, October 24

Ashley’s Bookshelf, October 25

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, October 26

Splashes of Joy, October 27

Artistic Nobody, October 28 (Guest Review from Joni Truex)

Sara Jane Jacobs, October 29

Mary Hake, October 29

Pause for Tales, October 30

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Brenda is giving away the grand prize package of a signed copy of the book and a $25 Amazon gift card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/10259/taming-the-dragons-celebration-tour-giveaway

Review and Giveaway: HIIT Your Limit by Dr. Len Kravitz

Book Details:

Book Title: HIIT Your Limit: High-Intensity Interval Training For Fat Loss, Cardio, and Full Body Health by Dr. Len Kravitz
Category: Adult Non-Fiction, 208 pages
Genre: Fitness and Wellness
Publisher: Apollo Publisher
Release date: October 19, 2018
Tour dates: April 15 to 26, 2019
Content Rating: G (The book is a workout manual. It contains no graphic language or images.)

Book Description:

Get lean, build muscle, and stay healthy in only ten minutes a day! A Fitness Hall of Fame inductee and world-famous exercise scientist explains the #1 new fitness trend and how to get and keep the body you’ve always wanted.

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is an extraordinarily effective form of training that mixes high- and low-impact activities during periods ranging from seconds to eight minutes. In HIIT Your Limit, Dr. Len Kravitz, who has been inducted into the National Fitness Hall of Fame and been an internationally-renowned exercise scientist for the past thirty-six years, and sold nearly 100,0000 copies of his last fitness book, explains what HIIT is, how it effects your entire body (externally and internally), gives 50 workouts and a guaranteed plan to whip you into shape fast, and presents a wealth of nutritional and other advice to further its impact.

HIIT was recently rated the #1 new fitness trend by the American College of Sports Medicine and is the key to staying fit for celebrities like David Beckham, Britney Spears, Hugh Jackman, and Scarlett Johansson. In addition to fat loss, it’s been proven to have major health benefits on blood pressure, diabetes, and cholesterol. Through this groundbreaking volume you’ll learn why, and see how to get fit quick, and have a fun and a truly sustainable exercise program, no expensive personal trainer required.

Buy the Book:

Amazon ~ Barnes and Noble ~ Book Depository

Add to Goodreads

My Thoughts:

This year I have been really focused on losing weight and getting healthier. I am convinced there is no magic pill (wish there was) but the only two things I have found that actually works is eating healthy and exercising. I had never heard of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) before so this book intrigued me. Grant it I am new at this type of exercise but I found the book very insightful with pictures and even workout schedules and tips from warming up to cooling down.

This book is not just about exercise. It also features a wealth of information and tips on diets and my favorite chapter was the one on ways you could cut calories in your daily life (section 4). I found this part very informative and full of helpful suggestions and most I would never have thought about. This was a very practical guide on how to substitute and make healthier decisions. For example: substituting cucumbers in place of salsa chips for your salsa. And some of the ways was to just change our way of thinking.

I really think this book would help a lot of people who are healthy enough for exercise. The tips this book gave just on how to cut our daily calories would be great for everyone looking for a healthier, longer lifestyle.

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.

About the Author:

Dr. Len Kravitz has thirty-six years of experience as a researcher, writer, and speaker on fitness, and is the coordinator of exercise science at the University of New Mexico. He is the author of Anybody’s Guide to Total Fitness (now in its eleventh edition with nearly 100,000 copies sold), and Essentials of Eccentric Training; has published more than 300 articles in dozens of health and fitness publications; and regularly travels the country as a speaker on fitness and health. Among other awards, he was inducted into the National Fitness Hall of Fame. Dr. Kravitz lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Enter the Giveaway!

Ends May 3, 2019

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Review, Guest Post, and Giveaway: The Three Faces of Nellie by Robynne Elizabeth Miller

About the Book

Book: The Three Faces of Nellie  
Author: Robynne Elizabeth Miller  
Genre: Non-fiction, Historical  
Release Date: November, 2016  
Publisher: Practical Pioneer Press

Whether you love her, hate her, or love to hate her, Nellie Oleson is one of the most recognizable literary figures of the 20^th century. But Laura Ingalls Wilder, author of the Little House on the Prairie series in which Nellie appears, had a secret. . .Nellie wasn’t a real person! Instead, she was a composite character created from three girls Laura knew in childhood: Nellie Owens, Genevieve Masters, and Estella Gilbert. 

The Little House character of Nellie Oleson is one-dimensional: snobbish, selfish, and thoroughly unpleasant. But what about the real women behind Laura’s creation? They were an intriguing mix of the not-so-nice and the unexpectedly redeemable. In short, they were human. 

Discovering the true stories behind Nellie, Genevieve, and Estella has been a fascinating journey. All three ended up on the West Coast at one point. . .true westward movement! One was widowed twice, one ended up divorced, and one died way too young. Two only had one child, and one had three, though she outlived her youngest by a very long time. There’s even some “Nellie-like” drama in there: Embezzlement. Lying on censuses. Shady land deals.

But there are some beautiful things, too. . .like the enduring love of a husband after his young wife died. Or the rare closeness of a mother and daughter who shared their lives as adults. Or the strength of a young widowed mother who not only cared for her son, but headed out west, in true pioneer fashion, while she did so. 

Laura Ingalls Wilder did a masterful job of creating the character of Nellie Oleson. But the three real-life women behind that iconic character are, in my opinion, infinitely more intriguing.

Click here to purchase your copy!

My Thoughts

I usually am a fiction reader, especially in my spare time and my leisure reading. I am also a fan of the Little House on the Prairie TV series, have been since I was a little girl. In fact a couple of years ago I received for a gift a boxed set of the whole series along with the specials in a really cute box that is shaped just like the little house. So I was very interested in reading the non-fiction book, The Three Faces of Nellie. 

Filled with bits of information about the three women that influenced the character of Nellie Oleson, a villain I disliked right along with Laura. It was very interesting to read about three seemingly ordinary women, who probably did not know what an influence they would have on Laura’s writing and now their real lives have become very interesting. There were certainly some surprises along the way and after reading this it has only enhanced the fictional character for me.

Not a long book and one I think most fans of LHOP, books and series would enjoy reading.

I received a copy of this book from the author. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.

About the Author

Robynne Elizabeth Miller is a speaker, writing coach, and author of multiple books, articles, and essays. Her larger projects include From the Mouth of Ma, Pioneer Mixology, The Three Faces of Nellie, and Nonfiction, Memoir, or Fiction? Dissecting the Works of Laura Ingalls Wilder. 

Robynne speaks nationally at writing and historical venues and teaches at writer’s workshops and conferences. She also serves as the Board President of Inspire Christian Writers, as well as their Director of Leadership, and leads two Northern California critique groups.

She holds an undergraduate degree in English Literature from Westmont College and a Masters of Fine Arts in Creative Nonfiction and Fiction from Ashland University. 

She lives with her wonderful British husband and the youngest of their four cheeky children in the snowy woods of the Sierra Nevada mountains. When not writing, Robynne loves singing, felling trees, and making bacon from scratch.

Guest Post from Robynne

Nasty Nellie Oleson. One of the most iconic literary characters in literature. Whether you loved her … or hated her … or loved to hate her, she probably left a lasting impression on you. At least if you were a fan of the Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder like I was growing up! 

As a young girl, I loved Wilder’s tales of wagons, prairies, and grand westward adventures. Strangely, growing up didn’t change my love for all things Little House one tiny bit. But I did become deeply curious about the real life people behind some of the more fascinating Little House characters. 

Namely, Nellie Oleson.

As I began to research Nellie, I learned a ton of interesting things. She wasn’t one person, for example. Laura Ingalls Wilder wove three girls she knew in childhood into one composite character for her books. One of the first “Nellie’s,” Nellie Owens, did have a brother named Willy, but did you know that he went blind from two separate incidents, one in childhood and one in adulthood? And did you know that all three of the “Nellies” ended up on the west coast at one point? Talk about true westward movement! One married a man who eventually went to prison for embezzlement, one did some shady land deals, and one shouldn’t have been a “Nellie” at all.

I suppose I was hoping for a good, old-fashioned redemption story. Wouldn’t it have been wonderful if the mean girl in Wilder’s stories grew up to work with orphans or rescue unwanted animals? Alas, that’s not exactly what happened. But the stories of these three women were fascinating all the same.

I hope you have as much fun discovering the real stories behind the famous Nellie Oleson as I did!

Blog Stops

Reading Is My SuperPower, December 6

Blogging With Carol, December 6

multifarious, December 7

Carpe Diem, December 7

Bibliophile Reviews, December 8

The Morning Chapter, December 8

Just the Write Escape, December 9

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, December 9

A Reader’s Brain, December 10

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, December 10

Maureen’s Musings, December 11

A Baker’s Perspective, December 11

Girls in White Dresses, December 12

Artistic Nobody, December 13

Connie;s HIstory Classroom, December 14

Jeanette’s Thoughts, December 14

Tell Tale Book Reviews, December 15

Pause for Tales, December 15

Book Bites, Bee Stings, & Butterfly Kisses, December 16

Texas Book-aholic, December 16

Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, December 17

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, December 17

Janices book reviews, December 18

margaret kazmierczak, December 18

Lots of Helpers, December 19

Bigreadersite, December 19

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Robynne is giving away a grand prize of a Little House Treasures basket that includes an authenticated piece of the original Loftus Store is De Smet, authenticated sand from Laura’s Plum Creek in Walnut Grove, a Loftus Store slate and slate pencil, chokecherry preserves from De Smet, a Christmas Tree ornament from De Smet, a corn-cob doll kit, a tin cup, maple syrup, a set of pioneer recipe books, Laura Ingalls Wilder’s actual gingerbread recipes, and other treasures from various Little House sites!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries in to the giveaway! Click the link below to enter. https://promosimple.com/ps/d774/the-three-faces-of-nellie-olson-celebration-tour-giveaway

Review: Listen Up by Marty Machowski

To Purchase

About:

"Listen Up" to Jesus with your family!

After teaching a parable Jesus often said, "Whoever has ears, let him hear." In other words, "This is important, so you better listen up" and what could be more important than the good news of the kingdom of God?

Children love stories, especially stories that engage their minds and imaginations as they learn new concepts and ideas. In his newest devotional, Listen Up, Marty Machowski provides a unique opportunity to tell their children some of the oldest, yet most important, stories---the parables of Jesus.

Designed for families, this thirteen-week devotional offers parents and children an opportunity to "listen up" to Jesus and learn the biblical truths his stories were meant to convey.

"Jesus knew the importance of storytelling, and used the parables to capture the attention of his audience and teach them the gospel," author Marty Machowski says. "Today we get to teach these same stories, and the meaning behind their symbolism, to our children. Captivated by these simple yet exciting stories, using everyday objects and activities like treasure, hiding in a field, a precious pearl, and a house built on a rock to withstand the storm, our children won't easily forget the stories Listen Up introduces to them."

My Thoughts:

If you are looking for a family devotional study to do, Listen Up is a 13-week family devotional that focuses on Jesus’ parables. This is a really nice set up and I like that it encourages families to work together and discuss what Jesus taught. We hear stories all the time, either by reading or watching T.V., etc., and this is a great way to get into deeper detail of what the greatest story teller of all time had to say to us. There are activities listed as well that helps make the parable resonate deeper, for example to make cookies for a neighbor. All the activities make word pictures to help younger children to grasp the concept being taught, but this is for older tweens and teens as well. This is a nice, well thought out and planned teaching tool.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.

Review, Guest Post, and Giveaway: Wrapped in God's Grace A Life Rediscovered by Barbara Bras

To purchase your copy, click here.

About the Book

Click to purchase. 

The crushing pain of seven years of unanswered prayer for a child. A miraculous adoption story, followed by unforeseen challenges and heartbreak.

Barbara Bras begins her memoir by sharing God’s answer to her prayers and the difficult times that followed. Although God does not provide an easy fix, the intricacies of God’s plans reveal themselves to her, and she relives her life in a new light.

Bras then recounts the stories of her grandfather Arshag and her grandmother Gulle, survivors of the atrocities of Armenia in 1915. Arshag, sent to South America for his protection, returns as a soldier of the Armenian Legion to fight for his country. Gulle is the only member of her family to survive the death march into the desert. Through God’s grace they find each other, marry and move to America in 1921. Bras is their first grandchild.

The final section of the memoir follows Bras as she marries and moves to Hawaii, only to return as a single mother to teach school in a small town. It is there she finally realizes that God has provided her with protection and direction. Bras discovers that once we truly surrender our will to God, His plan always produces blessings beyond our wildest dreams!

My Review

Barbara Bras has opened up about her past mistakes, her pain, and her family past in her memoir Wrapped in God’s Grace.  This book is divided up in three sections: the first deals with her longing for a child, the second deals with her grandparents and their survival of the Armenian massacre, and the third is more about Barbara and her life up to and when she meets her husband.

These stories were heartfelt and bittersweet, all painful yet held in God’s hands.   I mean who of any of us has not made a mess of our lives at some time or another and have had to live with the consequences?  This book is open and honest and gives an example of a child of God, at times wayward and other times seeking, looking to Him for the answers.  From the life changing decision of divorce to the pain of an empty wound and then the pain of a difficult child, the author shows that God was and is in control all the time and He wants what is best for His child, even if that best is sometimes difficult and hard to accept.

Then there was the story of her grandparents that was really tough to read, as mankind shows its ugly inhumanity to others.  However, through it all her grandparents persevered and were saved out of that horrible situation.  This story was a quick read and I thank the author for giving her testimony.

I received this book for free.  A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.

About the Author

In 2015, Barbara Bras left her career to pursue her dream of serving God. She believed that her first step would be to share the amazing ways God had blessed her. As she wrote of her son’s miraculous adoption and the challenging years that followed, it led to the rediscovery of her entire life, including the history of her grandparents’ remarkable survival in Armenia and her search for purpose and love. Her memoir led to her first novel, which she hopes readers will find engaging and memorable.

Guest Post from Barbara Bras

An Unanswered Prayer

I struggled for many years with one unanswered prayer. It was my “go to” request every time I came before the Lord.

Convinced that with God nothing is impossible, I also knew that the Lord may say “Not now” many times, even before he says no. I acknowledged that the Lord probably had a much bigger and better plan in mind for me, but none of that offered any comfort. As I struggled year after year with my unanswered prayer I found more questions than answers.

Was I fooling myself and ignoring God’s “No”? Could my lack of faith be the reason I couldn’t hear the Lord? And if not now, then when dear Lord?

Then I discovered that the Lord said “Not now.” because he had a miracle waiting for me, more amazing than I could have ever imagined. Like Hannah, God finally answered my prayer for a child. And through that miracle I learned that surrendering my will to God allows Him to bless me beyond my human understanding.

To my further surprise, I discovered that the miracle didn’t mean the end of the story. Experiencing a miraculous adoption didn’t come with a guarantee or a promise that the rest of my life would be free of heartache.

After all of those years of unanswered prayer, I found myself back on my knees with a new daily prayer request. The Lord had something else to teach me through this new struggle, a lesson that took me another fifteen years to learn.

Not only did those fifteen years lead me right back to where I started, surrendering my human will to His and trusting in His greater plan, but it convinced me that the Lord wanted me to share my story.

Wrapped in God’s Grace, a Life Rediscovered begins with my unanswered prayer for a child, but as I wrote it, God’s plan for me became clear. The second section of the book recreates the events surrounding the survival of my grandparents through the Armenian Genocide of 1915. Their immigration to America in 1921 led to my existence. The book closes with the Lord blessing me with a loving husband in spite of the many missteps I made directing my own life. A reviewer found this nonlinear sequence of events unusual, and I am fine with that, since that’s how the book unfolded before me.

Captured by St. Paul in 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, I now view my writing as a tribute first to the God who comforts and strengthens all of us in hardships and trials, and second as my mission to encourage others.

A photo gallery for Wrapped in God’s Grace, a Life Rediscovered can be found on my website AuthorB.Bras.com. Click here to view the Photo Gallery.

Blog Stops

October 11: Bibliophile Reviews

October 12: Rockin’ My Mom Jeans

October 13: Eat, Read Teach, Blog

October 14: Book Love

October 15: A Greater Yes

October 15: Book Reviews From an Avid Reader

October 16: Carpe Diem

October 17: A Baker’s Perspective

October 18: Pause for Tales

October 19: A Reader’s Brain

October 20: Bigreadersite

October 21: Book Bites, Bee Stings, and Butterfly Kisses

October 22: Mary Hake

October 22: Simple Harvest Reads (Spotlight)

October 23: Christian Bookaholic

October 24: Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Barbara is giving away a $100 Amazon gift card! Click here to enter: https://promosimple.com/ps/a561

Review: No More Lies by Jill M. Tomlinson

No More Lies

No More Lies is an amazing book that I think all of God’s children should read.  Opening up with her personal story, author Jill Tomlinson lets us know she understands how lies we believe can take hold of us for a long time.  These lies are whispered to us at some point, maybe when we are young, and they are lies from the evil one about our heavenly Father.  We then get a distorted view of who He is and who we are to Him.  As Jill exposes each lie, she backs it up with the simple truths of scripture and it really changed my viewpoint on some things.  I was not even aware I believed them myself.  These lies are pretty common and most of us have probably believed them at some point in our lives or still hold to them as truth.  This is a book that really touched my heart and I will read again and again as a reminder.  I encourage everyone to pick this one up and get a clearer picture of how much God our Father really loves us.

I received a copy of this book for an honest review from The Book Club Network, Inc. and the opinions are my own.

Review: The Peaceful Wife by April Cassidy

The Peaceful Wife

The Peaceful Wife by April Cassidy is a heartfelt book written with love for guidance on how we as Christian wives should love and submit to our husbands.  Submission is such a taboo word in our society, but the author explains the roles God had for us wives since creation.  Men and women are made differently so we as wives act very differently from our husbands.  The author also points out that respect is very important to our men.  There is a lot of wisdom and useful information throughout this book as well as the author’s personal story and other women’s examples.  This book would make a great gift for brides to be, marriage counselors, and all women who are married who want to be a peaceful wife and the best helpmate she can be to her husband.  This is one that I will refer back to often and give to my daughters to read.  I received a copy of this book for an honest review from The Book Club Network, Inc. and the opinions are my own.

Review: The Fight of Your Life by Tim Clinton & Mark Laaser

The Fight of Your Life

The Fight of Your Life is a very important message and wakeup call done in the spirit of love that I believe many should read.  Besides men, I believe wives and mothers should read this as well.  We are in the age of anything goes and sex and pornography have been running rampant.  If only people would understand that sex, in the area of marriage, is and always was a gift from the Creator God.  Instead most have sold their bodies and souls for a lie and a deception in place of the truly awesome and holy gift it was meant to be.  Don’t be fooled, this very important subject affects our whole society and can either put us in bondage or set us free.  My thanks go to the authors for writing on such a difficult and taboo subject.  I was given a copy of this book for an honest review from The Book Club Network, Inc. and the opinions are my own. 

Review: Heaven's Symphony by Steve Swanson

Heaven's Symphony

Heaven’s Symphony by Steve Swanson is his personal story of how music has affected his relationship with God.  Right from the start the author states that he experiences God through sounds.  I really found that statement interesting as I had never thought about that before.  Not just with music, but artists with color, author’s with words, etc. 

I also enjoyed how he realized all the sounds of nature as creation gives glory to God, again another interesting perspective.  After doing an extensive Bible study on the book of Revelation, I did come away from that with a new realization of just how important music and song is to the worship of God.  This book helped reinforce that.

I received a copy of this book for an honest review from The Book Club Network, Inc. and the opinions are my own.

Review: Inked for Eternity by Roxanne Wermuth with Peter Lundell

Inked for Eternity

Inked for Eternity is Roxanne Wermuth’s personal story of brokenness, abuse, and disease and eventually hope.  Beginning with trying to gain the acceptance as a little girl from an abusive father to trying to work through her jealousy of her husband, Roxanne was trying to achieve what she thought would most make her happy on her own.    However, at the age of 40 she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and it affected her career which she believed was most important to her.  Almost dying put Roxanne on the path that she realized everyday was a gift and so was her husband and daughters.   I liked when she asked if her MS was a disability or a new ability.  She allowed a difficult diagnosis change her perspective of life and God and heaven for the better.  I received a copy of this book for an honest review from The Book Club Network, Inc.  and the opinions are my own.

Review: Unhealthy Anonymous by Dr. Pete Sulack

Unhealthy Anonymous

Unhealthy Anonymous by Dr. Pete Sulack was a very interesting read on how we can get healthy and stay healthy.  He provides a 12-step program to help us to achieve our goals on becoming healthy.  There was some really great information in this book and everything was explained well.  I learned some things I had not known before about stress and I really liked how he stated that our current crisis is because we are trying to fix the symptoms of stress.  Instead we should be trying to focus on making our amazing wonderful bodies work better for us by being healthy: building it up by feeding it actual healthy food, limiting stressors like (and this one surprised me) noise pollution.  Within my own household there is always something on in the background: tv, radio, electronics, you name it. 

To be honest at times when reading this book and similar I feel like it is so much to take in and I become overwhelmed with it all.  However, this book is a great resource and gives basics and guidelines on where to start.  I, like most people, want to lose weight, exercise more, and just feel better and this book was a great resource in helping me see how harmful stress really is and some ways to eliminate or deal with it.

I was provided with a copy for an honest review from The Book Club Network, Inc. and the opinions are my own.

Review: Love is Something You Do by Sherry & Bobby Burnette

Love is Something You Do

Love Is Something You Do by Sherry and Bobby Burnette was not just an inspiring read, but an awe inspiring read. The true story of the life of the Burnettes as they rise above their troubled childhoods to help children in Haiti- the land of voodoo, cruel dictatorships, and extreme poverty. It’s the perfect setting to show sacrificial love and watch as God’s power surmount impossible odds around you and through you.  The Burnettes learn this first hand as they survive zombies, bombings, and even an earthquake and watch as every hardship they face becomes a miracle story and every victim they face meet become an opportunity to show love. Because love isn’t something you say- it’s something you do. And it’s something you do because Christ first loved you.

My thanks go to The Book Club Network, Inc. for providing me with a copy for an honest review.  The opinions are my own.

Reviewed by Jes

Review: Healed, Healthy and Whole by Marion M. Pyle

Healed, Healthy and Whole

This is a testimony and personal story of one couple’s courageous battle with bladder cancer.  After being diagnosed with bladder cancer in 2012, Russell and Marion had a long uphill road to follow.  This book gives some insight into the emotions they experienced, how they changed their diet, and the different treatment options that were accessible to them.  This book is also their personal testimony of how they turned to God in prayer with friends and family who walked alongside of them.  This also looked at how very frustrating the waiting can be and even how they continued getting other doctor opinions after the first disappointing treatment Russell had received. 

Having lost my own father to bladder cancer in 2012, this at times was a very hard read for me.   Seeing that they experienced a lot of the same feelings and frustrations along the way that we did, shows just how much people need support.  Through God’s wisdom, He decided to make my Dad whole in heaven- it was good to read such an uplifting testimony of someone who received their healing down here on earth.

My thanks go to The Book Club Network, Inc. for providing me with a copy for an honest review.

Review: I Hope It's Not Hereditary by Jedidiah Hartley

I Hope It's Not Hereditary

I am not a nonfiction person.  I’m not.  I try to avoid nonfiction books at all costs, but when I saw I Hope It’s Not Hereditary’s cover and read the back of the book I decided to give it a shot.  I am not a person who can easily turn down a good funny book whether it be fiction or nonfiction.  That’s what I thought this book was: a hilariously funny story.  The first chapter seemed to fall easily into the mold of a hilariously funny story, but as I progressed further and further into the book I realized that this was not that kind of book.  I had thought the book would be a collection of stories that have nothing really in common except for the main character: Bob Hartley; instead this book takes you through Bob’s journey through the years from when he was a small child earning the nickname Bulldog Bob to his finally accepting Jesus as his savior and God as the ruler of his life.  This was not an easy story for me to read.  I found it extremely heart wrenching at some parts and even found myself crying at one point in the story.  I was extremely shocked that this book was not the light happy read I had expected.  Now with that out of the way I did still enjoy this book and recommend it to others even if it was not as humor filled as I would have liked.   I simply warn you, while there are a few chapters that are simply hilarious; the majority of the book is a young man’s spiritual struggle to come to terms with what he has done in the past and to find God.  It was a deeply moving story and I found the last chapter to be very poignant.  I loved the metaphors that were used, and I hope that someday the author will write another book only this time focusing on Jed Hartley’s story and what it was like growing up with Bob Hartley as a father (the first and twenty-fifth chapters were my favorites in case you didn’t notice).

I received a copy for an honest review from The Book Club Network, Inc. and the opinions are my own.

Reviewed by Nicki

Review: 7 Wealth Building Secrets by De'Andre Salter

7 Wealth Building Secrets

I will admit that I was a bit skeptical when first starting this book.  What I did not want was a book giving me advice on how to get rich quick or a name it and claim it philosophy.  Thankfully, this book was not about any of those.  Author Mr. Salter really gave me some very interesting things to ponder.  Though I may not agree 100% with this book a lot of what he pointed out really gave me some food for thought.  For example, the subject of inheritance and how important it is to God.  I have actually thought about this issue before and how sad that it was that it seems that in our current culture inheritance is a lost gift.  As the author points out, inheritance was very big in Biblical times especially in the Jewish culture.  The earth was an inheritance to Adam and Eve and they were to act as good stewards over creation.  The same can be said with our money.  As he points out in the parable that Jesus told about the servants, we must be trustworthy in the small things and not bury it in the ground like the unworthy servant did.  What he did have was taken from him and given to the one who wisely used his master’s gifts.  We also cannot expect to just have the wealth and keep it to ourselves for our own selfish pleasure.  No, we must use our money and other gifts to further the kingdom of God.  I personally do not believe that poverty is what God wants for His children.  There was so much more in this book and I encourage you to pick it up and read it yourself.  I received a copy for an honest review from The Book Club Network, Inc. and the opinions are my own.  

Review: The Power of God-Given Imagination by Ray McCollum

The Power of God-Given Imagination

The Power of a God-Given Imagination took back the concept of imagination that New Age thinking had run away with, and brought it again into submission to Christ. This book explored the Biblical foundation of imagination, by which God created everything, including us- and since we were made in God’s image, we too possess the power of imagination. Of course, that imagination is a great gift, but it can be corrupted and used to glorify self over God; yet it can also be a great weapon against evil if used properly. This book contained many profound truths that I had never really thought of and opened my eyes to just how important imagination is and how influential it can be. A must read for everyone.  I received a copy for review from The Book Club Network, Inc. and the opinions are my own.

Reviewed by Jes