Raising Them for the Lord

Willow Ridge by Jen Cudmore is a western novella set in a nineteenth century Oregon gold rush town, Willow Ridge. It weaves the tale of the people who settle this emerging mining town. Lives of outlaws, Indians, businessmen, and townspeople intersect in this gold rush era. Tales of survival, love, and faith bring this story to life. I enjoyed watching the characters find common ground and I was drawn to continue reading. The author does a good job of painting a picture of a booming mining town and creating realistically human characters. I had a hard time putting the book down once I got into it, and I look forward to the next in the series to learn more of the people in Willow Ridge. I was given a free copy of this by the author. I was not required to post a positive review, just give my own opinion.

Bible studies can be hard to relate to at times.   However, when the author creates a feeling of sitting down to coffee and chatting with a good friend, while getting deeper into a relationship with Jesus at the same time: what better format for this women’s Bible Study book, Stumbling Into Grace by Lisa Harper.   Each chapter is a new study that begins with a story from Lisa’s life.   The stories cover a range of emotionally poignant stories with which most women can empathize.   Next is a scripture reading; followed by a section that relates the Bible passage to her story.   Finally application through group discussion or personal reflection closes each chapter with plenty of room to write in answers and journal. I enjoyed “getting to know” Lisa through her witty life anecdotes.   As a national women’s conference speaker, at first glance Lisa appears to have it all together; yet her stories prove that she is human and stu...

A Place Called Blessing by Dr. John Trent and Annette Smith is a story illustrating the blessings outlined in the book The Blessing that he co-authored with Gary Smalley. The story is written in first person about a boy named Josh who grew up in the foster care system. He is misunderstood and incorrectly labeled while in the Social Services system, and when he aged out at 18 he went out to make a life for himself. What he found was a family that took him into their house and unconditionally loved him no matter his past. This story is riveting and an excellent weekend novel. The narration in first person brings the reader right into the mind and heart of Josh; and I wanted to keep reading to find out what would happen next. After completing this story, I find myself drawn to read the book it was based upon: The Blessing . I have been challenged to find ways to bless others around me, especially those who seem the least deserving of my love and attention; as well as reminded tha...

Jesus trained his disciples to share the gospel with an untamed spirit – to face ridicule, persecution, and even death in the pursuit of spreading the good news. In our modern, civilized world the heart of Christianity has become civilized. Very rarely will a Christian abandon all the comforts to which they have become accustomed in order to follow Christ; they have lost the Barbarian spirit they first experienced when Christ saved them. Unleashed by Erwin Raphael McManus caught my attention and piqued my interest in exercising my faith even more. Erwin used Biblical examples of “Barbarians” that God used to spread the Gospel: like John the Baptist, the disciples, and early church martyrs. His use of incredible word pictures and personal stories bring the message alive and encourage readers through his example. The word “Barbarian” did seem to go a bit far in my mind, as there were also civilized yet effective couriers of the gospel of Jesus Christ like the Apostle Paul. The ter...

Our two boys have been diagnosed with food-induced eczema.  This would be a breeze if they would just both be allergic to the same foods.  But, alas, we have a varied array of non-overlapping allergies.  The main culprits are eggs, nuts, and dairy.   What a blessing to this mother to find the book What's to Eat? - The Milk-Free, Egg-Free, Nut-Free Food Allergy Cookbook.  The day I received the book in the mail I sat down and read the cookbook, cover to cover.  Desperate to find a solution to dinner (and other meals), I was pleasantly amazed to read over 100 recipes for salads, soups, main dishes, breads, side dishes, and desserts.  In addition, there are some suggested menus for special occasions. Finally, I can plan a menu we can all enjoy without planning two or three meals per meal time.  The ingredients are not obscure, and they are either in my kitchen already or I have seen them in my supermarket on a regular bas...

Daily devotions with the children, I admit, have been hit and too often miss with the kids...until we found this gem when we attended a book fair at Barnes and Noble. The Children's Bible in 365 Stories by Mary Batchelor. The Bible comes to life for my children as I read them stories from the Bible in a setting they comprehend. The stories of the Bible are broken into 365 manageable readings - one for each day of the year. However, my children prefer that I read a story though completely. The breaks allow me to pause and go over any questions they already have about the story. The most exciting part for me is that later in the day they can correctly answer questions about the story! The illustrations are intriguing as well, and help keep my children engaged as I read the story. They can explore the intricate artwork, and often ask questions about the picture to help deeper understand and remember the story. I would recommend this book to any parent looking for a way to begi...