Book Review: Miracle for Jen by Linda Barrick

Posted on January 28, 2013 · 2 Comments

Miracle for Jen by Linda Barrick
Publication Date: February 14, 2012
Format: Hardcover
251 pages
Related Links: Hope Out Loud
Synopsis from Amazon:

On the night of November 5, 2006, the Barrick family was driving home from church when their van was struck by a drunk driver. Fifteen-year-old Jen suffered multiple skull fractures and severe brain trauma and was not expected to survive the night. But against all odds, she did. As she lingered in a coma, doctors warned that if Jen ever woke up, she would be cursing and screaming in confusion due to her brain injuries. Instead, after five weeks she opened her eyes and began praying and praising God. Jen didn’t remember her middle name, recognize her parents, or recall that she had a little brother–but she remembered Jesus and every word to every praise song and scripture she had hidden in her heart before the accident. As any loving mother would, Jen’s mother Linda wanted God to heal Jen–make her like she was before. Normal. But a loving God had something else in mind–instead of making her normal, God is making Jennifer–and the whole Barrick family–extraordinary, miraculous. “Miracle for Jen” is the remarkable true story of a family who overcame tragedy and learned to trust God’s plan for their lives in a whole new way.

My Review:

Jennifer Barrick is a faith-full teenager who wants to be used by God in big ways. But, due to her quiet demeanor, she prays often for boldness to share her faith. One night, on the way home from a concert, the Barrick family’s lives are forever changed when they are involved in a horrific car accident which leaves Jen severely brain damaged.

The book is told from her mother, Linda’s, point of view, as this is ultimately a book about a family. The faith of the whole family is tested through this trial. Each member is affected differently by the accident, but, out of this tragedy, God reveals Himself in amazing ways. Jen is transformed into a bold vessel for Christ, sharing the light of His hope, love, and grace to others. Throughout her medical crisis and subsequent trials stemming from the brain injury, this book reveals how Jen’s relationship with the Lord is strengthened beyond anything imaginable. Her child-like faith and hope are contagious. She is not down and out about her condition – she is happy to be able to proclaim the love of Christ to others, if that is how God wants to use her. I’m just amazed by this young girl and her testimony. Her story is incredible.

There is some repetitiveness to the story, which is why I give it 4 stars instead of 5. The story is a bit choppy in places and does not flow well, but, as a whole, the story is amazing and one I highly recommend.

rating 4 star

Filed Under: Book Reviews, Crazy Fabulous Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Book Review: Proverbs Prayers by John Mason

Posted on September 26, 2012 · 2 Comments

Proverbs Prayers
by John Mason
Publication Date: August 1, 2012
Publisher: Summerside
Source: Litfuse Publicity Group
*****

About the Book

Praying the Wisdom of Proverbs into Your Life Every Day

Experience God’s wisdom as never before and find encouragement, peace, answers, and a better life through this devotional prayer book.

Many people read a chapter a day from the book of Proverbs as a regular devotional practice. They consider it their favorite book in the Bible because its daily practical guidance offers tools to make the right choices and have the inner strength to stand against pressure, size up a situation and know how to respond, make fewer careless mistakes, and avoid unnecessary trouble.

In these pages, readers will find a chapter from Proverbs followed by a heartfelt prayer that includes all of the insights from that chapter. In a mere thirty-one days they can pray all of the wisdom of Proverbs for their lives.

*****

My Thoughts

In this 31-day devotional book, John Mason lays out an effective way to pray through the Proverbs. Each day, the proverb is presented in the NASB translation which is then followed by a prayer. This is an easy, but dynamic, way to add value to your study of the Proverbs or just as a supplemental resource for a daily proverb reading. It is a book that can be used over and over again. If you do not prefer the NASB translation, then you can read the day’s proverb out of your own Bible and then go to this book to read John’s prayer. Or you can read the NASB and your preferred translation for deeper meaning and understanding of the text. There are many ways this book can be used, but it is a great resource that I would definitely recommend.

Blog Tour Schedule: http://litfusegroup.com/author/jmason

 *****

Meet John

John Mason is an author with over 1.2 million books in print, including “An Enemy Called Average”, “You’re Born an Original- Don’t Die a Copy”, and “Let Go of Whatever Makes You Stop”.

He is the founder and president of Insight International, an organization dedicated to helping people reach their dreams and fulfill their destiny. John is in great demand as a speaker throughout the United States and abroad.

Find out more about John at http://www.freshword.com.

*****

Filed Under: Blog Tour, Book Reviews, Crazy Fabulous Tagged With: , , , , ,

Blog Tour: The Beautiful Wife by Sandy Ralya

Posted on March 7, 2012 · Leave a Comment

About the book:
The Beautiful Wife
by Sandy Ralya
Source: I received a free copy of the book, prayer journal, and mentor’s guide for participation in this blog tour.

The Beautiful Wife uses these inspiring stories along with biblical principles to guide and encourage any wife looking for God’s best in her marriage. The Beautiful Wife answers serious questions women have about their roles as wives. Discussing everything from romance and money to beauty, communication, and sex, Sandy challenges women to open up and share their journeys so that together they can see God’s plan for their marriages. “It is my passion to help women discover God’s heart for their marriage, just as the other women helped me,” writes Sandy. “When women share with each other the details of their journeys with God as wives, it’s a beautiful thing indeed.” The Beautiful Wife has two companion resources - Prayer Journal and Mentor’s Guide.

My Thoughts:

I’ll be up front with you. I haven’t finished the book yet. But I am absolutely loving it! It’s one where you need to read it slowly, savoring each morsel and incorporating the Prayer Journal for a fully in-depth experience. The Prayer Journal offers guided journaling, scripture references, places to record prayers for yourself and your husband (and to record when they are answered!), and more. The book is set up for either an individual or small group experience. I am currently just reading it on my own, but I am getting so much out of it. I would definitely recommend it for a small group of women to study together. It will help you think through God’s plan for you and your spouse, even if you have those “but how” and “what if” questions! Sandy is honest about her own marriage which is refreshing and helped me to connect with her on a more personal level. It made the book more real to me and didn’t feel like someone preaching at me; rather, I felt like this is someone who has been through some tough times and who I can relate to. I truly respect her for her transparency. The book is very conversational in tone and quite easy to read. It feels like you are having coffee with a friend. I can’t wait to get back and dig in some more!

The optional Mentor’s Guide will also show women’s ministry leaders how to start a Beautiful Womanhood small group in their church and how to prepare to lead the small group discussions each week. There is also discussion on the basics of mentoring, such as confidentiality, the nuts and bolts of meeting in your home, dealing with potential problems, as well as a hostess guide on creating a welcoming atmosphere for your fellow small group members. A week-by-week Leader’s Guide gives instruction on what to do before and during the meeting, including prayer, accountability, recap, points to emphasize, loving God’s Word, and first steps for next time. The Mentor’s Guide is a great resource, especially for someone who may be new to mentoring and needs something to grab onto to feel more confident in their new role. Experienced mentors may find some good nuggets within these pages as well.

About Sandy Ralya: 
Sandy Ralya is the founder and director of Beautiful Womanhood, a marriage mentoring ministry based near Grand Rapids, Mich. Her marriage testimony was the focus of a popular three-day interview on FamilyLife Today, TV’s Walking by Faith, and Time Out for Women. Sandy is a sought-after speaker, presenting BeautifulWomanhood seminars to hundreds of women each year at MOPS groups, women’s retreats, and church leadership conferences across the country and in Canada. Sandy and her husband Tom have been married since 1980, and have a growing number of grandchildren.  www.beautifulwomanhood.com

 

Video Links:
1.  Sandy’s Testimony. This is directed primarily at wives. Sandy speaks to the mentors for a few seconds near the end, but her testimony will be one that resonates with wives as well.
2.  About BEAUTIFUL WOMANHOOD Ministry. This uses Sandy’s experience to speak directly to the marriage mentor to encourage and equip her role as a mentor.
*****

Celebrate with Sandy by entering her Kindle Touch Giveaway and coming to her “Beautiful Womanhood” Facebook Party {3/8}!

One beautiful winner will receive:

  • A Brand new Kindle Touch with Wi-Fi
  • The Beautiful Wife By Sandy Ralya
  • The Beautiful Wife Prayer Journal and Mentor’s Guide

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends 3/7/12. Winner will be announced at Sandy’s “Beautiful Womanhood” Facebook Party on 3/8. Sandy will be hosting an evening of chat, laughter and encouragement – bring your friends! She’ll also be giving away some GREAT prizes: gift certificates, books, prayer journals and a live chat with Sandy for your Bible study or small group!

So grab your copy of The Beautiful Wife and join Sandy and friends on the evening of March 8th for an evening of fun.

Enter via E-mail Enter via FacebookEnter via Twitter

Don’t miss a moment of the fun. RSVP today and tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on March 8th!

Filed Under: Blog Tour, Book Reviews Tagged With: , , ,

Book Review: Girl Meets God by Lauren F. Winner

Posted on February 27, 2012 · 2 Comments


Girl Meets God
by Lauren F. Winner
Genre: Spiritual Memoir
Publisher: Shaw Books

Blurb from Amazon:

The child of a Jewish father and a lapsed Southern Baptist mother, Lauren F. Winner chose to become an Orthodox Jew. But even as she was observing Sabbath rituals and studying Jewish law, Lauren was increasingly drawn to Christianity. Courageously leaving what she loved, she eventually converted. In Girl Meets God, this appealing woman takes us through a year in her Christian life as she attempts to reconcile both sides of her religious identity.

Here readers will find a new literary voice: a spiritual seeker who is both an unconventional thinker and a devoted Christian. The twists and turns of Winner’s journey make her the perfect guide to exploring true faith in today’s complicated world.

My Thoughts:

There are times when I do not know how to describe how I feel about a book. This is one of those times. This book is well-written and honest in its portrayal, but I found it lacking…something. I cannot quite put my finger on what that something is, though. From my understanding, at the time of the writing of this book, she was still young in her Christian faith, so I can understand that my feelings are attributing to that somewhat. Heck, I am still young in my faith. But, I am not a convert from another religion, so I am trying to give her a bit of grace as a write this review.

First and foremost, I am proud of Ms. Winner for being brave enough to follow her heart. She felt Jesus prompting her to follow Him and she answered that call. Being that she was an Orthodox Jew, I cannot imagine how difficult that must have been for her. However, even after finishing the book, I am still not fully understanding the reasons for her conversion. She had a dream about mermaids and Jesus. She did not feel accepted by some of her Orthodox friends, especially her boyfriend’s family (she was not a *true* Orthodox Jew as Judaism is passed through the mother and Ms. Winner’s father was the Jewish parent; however, she chose to convert to Orthodox Judaism as a teenager). But, she had others who were like family to her and accepted her as such. I just don’t think these sections were fleshed out enough. I wanted to know more of her heart and I only got more of the “I didn’t fit in” and “My boyfriend’s mom didn’t like me” responses. I don’t think she had enough distance at the time of writing this book to fully understand the decision she made and that is why some of the heart issues are not fully addressed.

As someone who is completely unfamiliar with Judaism, Ms. Winner explains in detail all of the Jewish customs, holidays and rituals. I am glad I got this e-book through my library so I could look up unfamiliar words immediately because there were a lot of them! It was almost too much for me at times. But, I was really fascinated with her explanations and narrative about her former faith.

This book is laid out according to the Christian liturgical seasons. I found this format interesting. Yes, it works, but I found some of the stories she included to be unnecessary. In the context of the whole novel, I did not understand how they fit in or why these particular stories were included. They confused me and muddied the waters.

Ms. Winner talks in detail about how she found the church she now attends, but I found that Ms. her focus on the ritualistic aspect of the faith to be a detriment to the actual prize – the personal relationship with Jesus Christ. I think she missed a golden opportunity to explore this more in depth. I wanted to know more about her relationship with Jesus and how she developed in her relationship with Him. There just wasn’t enough there for me.

Overall, this is an extremely well-written book, but I found it lacking some personal connection. I had a hard time relating to Ms. Winner. I would recommend this book with reservation.

***

Filed Under: Book Reviews, Crazy Good, Memoir Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Book Review & Giveaway: Mornings with Jesus (Litfuse Blog Tour)

Posted on February 20, 2012 · 2 Comments

Mornings with Jesus 2012
Daily Encouragement for your Soul – 366 Devotions
Devotions Written by: Judy Baer, Gwen Ford Faulkenberry, Tricia Goyer, Sharon Hinck, Keri Wyatt Kent, Erin Keeley Marshall, and Camy Tang
Published by Guideposts
377 pages
Source: I received a free copy of this book from Litfuse Publicity Group for my participation in a virtual blog tour and book review.

About the Book:

“Be still and know that I am God.” is one of the most beautiful verses from the Bible, but it’s not easy to practice in this busy world. Mornings with Jesus will help you do just that—“be still” in Jesus’ beautiful and powerful presence. For those who are seeking a deeper experience in their relationship with Christ, Mornings with Jesus offers a fresh perspective of who Jesus is (the Healer, the Son of God, the Comforter, the Good Shepherd) and what that means for day-to-day life. With a warm and friendly voice, 365 short devotional writings on the character and teachings of Jesus encourage readers to greet each day by drawing near to Him and inviting His presence into their day. Spend time with Jesus at the beginning of each day and experience His nearness and peace in a new way throughout the year. Each day’s selection includes: • a Bible verse • an entry based on Jesus: His words, miracles, and parables; His wisdom, compassion, and comfort; His mystery, power, divinity, and humanity • a “faith step” that will inspire and challenge readers to apply the day’s message to their lives.

This beautiful devotional book is an invitation to begin your day with Jesus. Each devotion is a page long and begins with a short piece of scripture, a devotion from one of seven women writers relating to the verses, and ends with a Faith Step – a way for you to take action on that days scripture reference and devotion.

I have a story to tell about my experience with this book. First, the book was very delayed in getting to me because when I submitted my address to Litfuse Publicity Group (so they could send me a copy), my phone autocorrected my street name (I didn’t pay attention). Thus, I didn’t get the book until the beginning of February. When I got it, I read the first day’s devotion (I think it was February 4) and, I will be honest here, I completely forgot about the book. My mornings are crazy. I oversleep almost every morning and run around like a madwoman trying to get ready for work, so stopping to take time to read one of the devotions just has not worked for me. It is good in theory and I really want to do it; I just haven’t worked out that area of my life yet!

On February 16, I was having my typical morning – running late. But, I felt a prompting to open the devotional and read the day’s message. So, I did. Let me back up a second and say that God has been hounding me for quite a while now about getting down to the business of writing. I keep putting it aside, thinking “What do I have to add to what’s already out there?“, “Aren’t there already enough Christian writers out there?“, “What story do I need to be telling?“, and my personal favorite “Maybe I’m wrong about what I’m hearing about this writing thing.”

So, let me share what the February 16 devotion is:

“He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me.” Psalm 18:19 (NIV)

Weary, beat-up and burned-out, I had reached a point where I was questioning everything. Especially the persistent whisper of God to write, of all things, Christian Books.

I was still the mom of young children. I had written one book, but wasn’t sure what was next. My husband was wondering why I didn’t find a job in PR or some other more lucrative form of writing. I was overcommitted at church and at my kids’ school – hemmed in by a fence I’d built myself.

On the advice of a mentor, I scheduled a day of solitude at a retreat center. I needed some time with Jesus, just the two of us.

I prayed, searching the Psalms for the comfort they always bring. I lingered in Psalm 18, making its laments my own, longing for its promises to be true. Needing fresh air, I took a walk, following a path through a small woodland, praying as I went. Don’t you have enough Christian book writers? I asked Jesus. I’m pretty busy.

The path through the woods led to a huge open field bordered on all four sides by ancient woods. I stood in that spacious place, which Jesus had brought me to. I listened, recalled the words I’d read. And believed – He delighted in me. I had been rescued by Jesus, who’d saved me for a purpose. Did I trust His calling? Could I rest in that spacious place, enjoy the fact that in spite of my questions and doubts, He delighted in me?

In that spacious place, god gave me a picture of what my life could be if I said no to all the things that cluttered it, so I could say yes to His purpose for me.

–Keri Wyatt Kent

Faith step: Is there an area in your life where you feel crowded by questions and doubts? Where you are questioning God’s calling? Ask Him to bring you to a spacious place, where you can feel His delight in you.

So, I stood there, literally shaking, mouth ajar. Sometimes I am just amazed at how real God is and how He makes himself known. I’ve been having doubts about writing and He gave me an answer. He keeps confirming to me, over and over, that this is what He wants me to do. I know this has nothing to do with a book review, but it was such a powerful moment for me, I wanted to share it with you.

This book is really wonderful. The readings are short, but are impactful. They allow you to start your day focusing on Jesus and His love for you. What a beautiful way to start your day! They give you something to meditate on and think about as you go through your day. You can also take the scripture reference and use it for more in-depth Bible study, at your leisure. I would definitely recommend this devotional book.

View the rest of the blog tour HERE.

Giveaway:

I have one copy of this devotional to give away to a reader in the USA!

Rules:
1. Fill out your name and e-mail address in the Contestmachine widget below.
2. The giveaway will end on February 27, 2012 at 11:59pm EST.
3. I will contact the winner at the conclusion of the giveaway. He/She will have 48 hours from the date of my email to contact me with his/her full name and mailing address. Failure to respond in the allotted time will forfeit the prize and a new winner will be selected.
4. I will mail directly to the winner. I am not responsible for lost or misdirected prize shipments. It is the winner’s responsibility to ensure that the information provided to me is accurate.

Good Luck!


***

Filed Under: Blog Tour, Book Reviews, Giveaway Tagged With: , ,
«Older Posts