Tag Archives: Christian Non-fiction

40 Verses to Ignite Your Faith

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Short, Laurie Polich. 40 Verses to Ignite Your Faith. Bloomington, MN: Bethany House Publishers. 2019.

SUMMARY:
Filled with 40 scripture verses from the Bible that may not be the most memorized, repeated, nor tagged, 40 Verses to Ignite Your Faith takes a deeper peek at these verses and provides context, thoughtful insights, and lots of encouragement. Just a few pages in length, each verse is included along with a few bullet points and reflections. As an author, speaker, and being active in ministry, Laurie Polich Short offers wisdom, hope, and understanding in the journey of deeper faith.

A PENNY FOR MY THOUGHTS:
Taking verses that are not quite as well know nor used, 40 Verses to Ignite Your Faith is well organized, easy to read, and provides plenty of thought- provoking occasions, especially as struggles and challenges are faced. Perfect for a group or personal devotion, definitely appropriate for a church library, sure to be appreciated as a gift, and perhaps even fitting as a sermon topic, I only wish it had been a tad-bit longer to use as a weekly devotional for a year. Certainly a book I would recommend as well as one I plan to use.

RATING: 4 (out of 5) pennies

*I received a complimentary copy of 40 Verses to Ignite Your Faith from Bethany House Publishers for my honest review*

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Taste and See

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Feinberg, Margaret. Taste and See: Discovering God Among Butchers, Bakers, & Fresh Food Makers. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan. 2019.

SUMMARY:
Taking a naturally connected spiritual and culinary journey, author Margaret Feinberg and her husband, Leif, explore different cuisines and associate them with scriptures. With food being a pleasure, as well as sacred and symbolic, our tour guides provide food for nourishment both physically and spiritually. Complete with recipes and side notes, Taste and See fulfills completely in a friendly and relatable manner. Figs, bread, olives, and many more delectable dishes provide good food for thought…

A PENNY FOR MY THOUGHTS:
Part devotional, part cookbook, part self-guidance and part story, Taste and See made connections for me I hadn’t previously envisioned. Fruits, veggies, meat and bread combined with the Bible to create a beautiful book. So easy to read and picture, at times, I felt like I was conversing with the author directly. Interesting and essential while also packed with savory recipes, I found this book to be more than I expected. A book I truly enjoyed and read cover-to-cover, I cannot wait to try some of the recipes. With my interest piqued just enough, I will now search out this author to see what else she has written, along with hoping she writes another book quite soon.

*RATING: 4.5 (out of 5) pennies

*I received a complimentary copy of Taste and See from BookLook Bloggers for my honest review*

This Is The Day

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Tebow, Tim. With Gregory, A.J. This Is The Day: Reclaim Your Dream. Ignite Your Passion. Live Your Purpose. New York, NY: Waterbrook Publishing. 2018.

SUMMARY:
Offering and sharing straight-forward advice on reaching for your dreams today instead of waiting, This Is The day explores the steps in achieving your goals and dreams, no matter what they may be. Becoming the person God has intended you to be, today, with purpose, challenge, strength and faith, Tim Tebow is a well-known athlete, Christian and speaker who delivers easily and knowledgeably to both the heart and mind.

A PENNY FOR MY THOUGHTS:
Having followed Tim Tebow’s story and read his previous books, I was excited to also read his newest book. Written from an encouraging, candid and genuine approach, I first skimmed the book reading snippets which led me to then read the entire book. Nodding my head in agreement quite often, pausing to examine my own life, and formulating a plan for myself, I thoroughly enjoyed this direct, supportive, invigorating book. Split into relevant chapters with questions and challenges to ponder, my favorite part was the reminders scattered throughout the pages set off in squares.  Perfect for a Bible study, group discussion, or sermon series, This Is The Day needs to be read, shared and lived.

RATING:
5 (out of 5) pennies

*I received a complimentary copy of This Is The Day from  Waterbrook Publishing for my honest review*

Decluttering At The Speed of Life

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White, Dana K. Decluttering At The Speed of Life: Winning Your Never-Ending Battle With Stuff. Nashville, TN: W Publishing/ Thomas Nelson. 2018.

SUMMARY:
Stuff. Everyone has it, everyone struggles with it. With homes filled to the brims with items and needing help with this crazy dilemma, author Dana White has stepped in to help with her new book, Decluttering At The Speed of Life. Not complicated, easy to follow, enjoyable to read, and full of simple decluttering ideas, this book takes the dread out of decluttering. Coming from personal experience and acting as a mentor and coach, the author tackles the emotional and physical challenges by going room-to-room with a positive mindset.

A PENNY FOR MY THOUGHTS:
Having picked up this book and browsed it at the library, I knew I had to have my own copy to read thoroughly. Understanding that life is busy and can get in the way of even the best intentions, Decluttering At The Speed of Life accounts for those distractions while also working through other decluttering difficulties. Making the process very easy and straight-forward, reading this book will encourage you to purge the unnecessary from your home while creating a more peaceful, healthy and productive lifestyle.

RATING:
5 (out of 5) pennies

*I received a complimentary copy of Decluttering At The Speed of Life From BookLook Bloggers For my honest review*

Live. Save. Spend. Repeat.

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Anderson, Kim. Live. Save. Spend. Repeat: The Life You Want With The Money You Have. Eugene, OH: Harvest House Publishers. 2017.

SUMMARY:
Paying off $93,000 in debt in only two years, blog writer and author, Kim Anderson, shares her strategies, skills, tips and results with readers who would like to do the same. Filled with personal stories and testimonies, various scenarios and examples, work pages and a sample budget, Live. Save. Spend. Repeat.  provides the necessary information and knowledge to live according to your means while enjoying life.

A PENNY FOR MY THOUGHTS:
Perfect as an inspiration to keep the financial New Year’s goal, Live. Save. Spend. Repeat. is full of motivation, coaching, ideas, and reminders surrounding a major goal of getting out-from-under with a workable budget, worksheets, options and personal motivators. Well-organized, well-written and well-tried, the approach makes sense and appears to be manageable while yielding possibly life changing results. A good guide for anyone hoping to meet goals, strengthen their financial health, or climb out of debt.

RATING:
4.5 (out of 5) pennies

*I received a complimentary copy of Live. Save. Spend. Repeat. from Harvest House Publishers for my honest review*

Faithful Finance

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Stroud MBA/ CFA, Emily G. Faithful Finance: 10 Secrets to Move from Fearful Insecurity to Confident Control. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing. 2015, 2018.

SUMMARY:
Everyone struggles financially at some point in life and needs a bit of advice to get back on track. Financial advisor, business woman, entrepreneur and author, Emily Stroud, does just that in her newest book, Faithful Finance, in which she shares 10 smart recommendations to becoming financially fit. She addresses budgets, savings accounts, cash (vs credit), college, retirement and estate planning while also taking into account common feelings such as worry, insecurity, anxiety and despair. Filled with personal stories, budgeting tools, relevant scripture verses, loads of encouragement and total understanding, this book is written in an easy to read, conversational style manner for any income, at any age, in any stage of life.

A PENNY FOR MY THOUGHTS:
Perfect for popular New Year’s resolution of becoming financially secure, Faithful Finance makes that goal just a bit easier to achieve. Neither daunting nor judgmental, author Emily Stroud is more a friendly partner willing to help with sound guidance and information. Having been in financial stress herself, she is straight forward with her suggestions while truly caring about the outcome. I appreciated the monthly budget sheets, the included resources, and 10 ideas for living life well. Owning her own investment firm, Emily Stroud also shares her contact information should a consultation be welcomed.

RATING:
4 (out of 5) pennies

* I received a complimentary copy of Faithful Finance from BookLook Bloggers for my honest review*

Praying the Scriptures for Your Adult Children

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Berndt, Jodie. Praying the Scriptures for Your Adult Children: Trusting God with the Ones You Love. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing. 2017.

SUMMARY:
Realizing that children need prayers even when they are grown, author Jodie Berndt shares both Bible and personal stories, Bible scriptures, and relevant prayers, along with lots of compassion, encouragement and understanding. Organized into prayers for different stages and periods of life…relationships, milestones, health, safety and temptations are a few of the included areas. Through forgiveness, trust, appreciation, and realization, Praying the Scriptures for Your Adult Children may have an impact on all involved.

A PENNY FOR MY THOUGHTS:
As a necessary action by all parents for all adult children, I found this book to be well written, easy to follow, enjoyable to read, and paramount in prayer life. Realizing parents are not alone in whatever situation they may find themselves, it is heartwarming and endearing to know that God loves and cares for our children as much as we do. Praying The Scriptures for Your Adult Children sets the stage for praying with prayer pages at the end of each chapter. My only wish would have been a few journaling pages along with the prayer pages to jot down thoughts, ideas, revelations and outcomes.

RATING:
4.5 (out of 5) pennies

*I received a complimentary copy of Praying the Scriptures for Your Adult Children from BookLook Bloggers for my honest review*

Staying Stylish

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Cameron Bure, Candace. Staying Stylish: Cultivating A Confident Look, Style & Attitude. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing. 2017.

SUMMARY:
Fashion, style, make-up, skin care, health, fitness and spirit all are addressed in author and actress Candace Cameron Bure’s newest book, Staying Stylish. Along with many ideas for keeping your wardrobe both stylish and appropriate, your make-up fresh and natural, your closet well organized, your fitness level healthy and your faith fulfilled and present, elegant photographs, tips and tricks, and favorite products are scattered throughout. A beautiful hard-covered book complete with a ribbon marker, perfect for all ages.

A PENNY FOR MY THOUGHTS:
Packaged in a stunning book with glossy pages, excellent organization, and lots of style ideas, Staying Stylish is a charming book for most anyone, though especially young adults and perhaps those entering careers. Though it wasn’t necessarily a book directly for me, I may have picked up a few tidbits but plan to gift this book to someone who could use it more. Liking the emphasis on faith as well as appropriateness, it might work well as a basis for a teen ministry. Having read Candace Cameron Bure’s other books, I do trust and appreciate her writing, honesty and direction. I look forward to reading more.

RATING:
4 (out of 5) pennies

*I received a complimentary copy of Staying Stylish from BookLook Bloggers for my honest review*

Church of the Small Things

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Shankle, Melanie. Church of the Small Things: The Million Little Pieces That Make Up a Life. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing. 2017.

SUMMARY:
New York Times bestselling author and blogger at The Big Mama Blog, Melanie Shankle in her new book, Church of the Small Things, shares her personal little moments that add up to so much more. Wondering if those small things really matter, she tackles the tough questions while she journeys to a more content place in life. Taking the time to ponder and enjoy, in her witty and honest manner and style of writing, Melanie reveals her experiences growing up which shaped her while offering hope, encouragement and a deeper message.

A PENNY FOR MY THOUGHTS:
While expecting something a bit different from this book due to the title, I was not at all disappointed to find the message portrayed within. Nodding my head in agreement so many times while laughing out loud, there were also some heart-aching moments sprinkled throughout. With her usual humor, Melanie Shankle writes an easy to read, relatable and uplifting book that caused me to stop, smile and enjoy the small moments that contribute to my overall busy life. A truly down-to-earth, faith-filled book from a favorite author, I knew I would enjoy this book having read her previous books. Definitely a book I will recommend and reread as the depth intermingles beautifully with the funny.

RATING:
5 (out of 5) pennies

*I received a complimentary copy of Church of the Small Things from BookLook Bloggers for my honest review*

Fierce Hearted

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Gerth, Holley. Fierce Hearted: Live Fully, Love Bravely. Grand Rapids, MI: Revell Publishing. 2017.

SUMMARY:
In her newest and most personal book yet, author Holley Gerth shares her inner most thoughts, fears, emotions and personal stories. Almost like chatting with a best friend over coffee, Fierce Hearted is organized in smaller chapters perfect for reading and reflecting. Encouraging each woman to realize she is “not the only one” who feels, thinks, hopes, loves, fears, and experiences such struggles and victories in life, Holley wants to empower all women to live more fully and love more bravely, following God as well as giving Him all the glory everyday in all things.

A PENNY FOR MY THOUGHTS:
Written in such a raw and honest manner, Holley Gerth truly understands and acknowledges the inner most workings of women. Daring while inspiring women to share the journey, Fierce Hearted is well written with a strong, necessary message. With the book set in shorter chapters, I found I couldn’t stop from reading several at once. Nodding my head, feeling her pain, understanding her joys and relishing the encounter, this is definitely one book I will recommend, share with friends and give as a gift. Perfect as a Bible study or ministry, I thoroughly connected with Fierce Hearted from cover to cover. What a wonderful example Holley is to all women!

RATING:
5 (out of 5) pennies

*I received a complimentary copy of Fierce Hearted from Revell Publishing for my honest review*