Uncovering the Love of Jesus by Asheritah Ciuciu

This is a Lenten devotional that is appropriate for use by individuals as well as families. Lent is not a tradition that is part of any particular denomination. A period of fasting and prayer was observed by the early church in preparation for Resurrection Sunday and it did not become a formal practice in the church until the First Council of Nicaea in AD 325. This book is an opportunity to focus on Jesus and His love for us in preparation for Easter Sunday.

The book is a collection of 40 daily devotionals which reflect on Jesus and His interactions with people from different walks of life. Each devotional includes a Scripture reading and prayer along with a challenge on how to apply what you learned about the love of Jesus that day.  There are also outlines for family celebrations at the beginning of each week as well as suggested individual and family activities.      

This book is a wonderful resource to use during the Lenten season, to reflect on the life of Jesus and prepare your heart in celebration for Easter Sunday.

I received this book from Moody Publishers in exchange for this honest review.  

He Calls Me Friend by John Perkins

This book is a follow up to “One Blood: Parting Words to the Church on Race and Love.” While “One Blood” focused on how there is only one race which is the human race, this book is about discipleship.  The focus is on what happens after a person becomes a Christian and what is needed to live out that faith in the world.

The book focuses on four areas of friendship: Friendship with God the Father; Friendship with Jesus; Friendship with the Holy Spirit; and Friendship with Others. Lessons learned from Scripture as well as the author’s personal life demonstrate each aspect of friendship. This book would be useful for individual as well as group study as there is a section entitled “To Think About and Talk Over”  which includes discussion questions for each chapter.

I received this book from Moody Publishers in exchange for this honest review.     

Bible and Breakfast by Asheritah Ciuciu

This is a combination devotional and cookbook. The cover is beautiful on this hardback book. There are 31 daily devotionals along with 31 breakfast recipes. The recipes are nutritious and geared toward families with children, but are appropriate for any age.

The book is divided into 31 days. Each day features a breakfast recipe, a devotional entitled “Snack on the Go” for busy days and a more in depth Bible Study entitled “Feast at the Table” when the reader has more time available. There is room to journal each day as well as you go through the study.

This would be great to do as an individual, with a friend or within a group setting.  There are available resources online that gives you a reading plan, leader’s guide, discussion questions, invitation postcards, morning worship playlist and extra book bonuses.

I think this is a creative way to begin the habit of daily reading God’s Word along with making delicious breakfasts for your family. I really enjoyed the beautiful pictures of the recipes with the Bible study.

I received this book from Moody Publishers in exchange for this honest review.   

The Characters of Christmas by Daniel Darling

As we approach the Advent season, this is a perfect book to help you reflect on the meaning of the season. Each chapter is devoted to an individual character or group of characters including: Joseph, Zechariah & Elizabeth, Mary, the angels, the innkeeper, the shepherds, the wise men, Simeon & Anna, and the surprising people in Jesus’ family.  Even included is the “monster of Christmas,” King Herod.

What I really appreciated about the book is that at the end of each chapter there is a section of study questions to help an individual or a group reflect on what they have just read.  The questions also help the reader apply the truth that was presented in the chapter to make the Advent season more meaningful.  Also at the end of each chapter is a Christmas song related to the topic of the chapter.   

This is a great resource for the Advent season. I received this book from Moody Publishers in exchange for this honest review.  

Not From Around Here by Brandon O'Brien

There are many things that divide us as a nation and even as a church. The author examines the premise that what really divides us is where we come from. Whether we grew up in the rural areas of the country or in the suburbs or in the city, the tendency is to think that people who live elsewhere do not understand the problems faced by the people we live in the midst of including ourselves. The author relates his own experiences growing up in the rural south, being educated in the suburbs , and to eventually moving to New York City with his family. His journey illustrates the differences he experienced in each place and how our primary sense of identity comes from where we live rather than our faith.

The encouragement found in this book is to find our identity in Christ alone and to work on reconciling any differences we have with Christians who live in an area much different than where we live. The challenge is to reach out and find common ground with those we may disagree with but share a common faith in Christ.

 I received this book from Moody Publishers in exchange for this honest review.        

You Can Trust God to Write Your Story by Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth & Robert Wolgemuth

Sometimes we don’t feel as if our life matters much or our story is not as interesting or compelling as someone else’s. Or perhaps we would rather rewrite our story or exchange it for another’s. In this book, the authors share their own personal stories and also the stories of others to illustrate how God can use challenges in our lives to show His faithfulness. No matter what our story is, we are part of a bigger story with God at work in our lives and the lives of others.

Interwoven among the personal stories, are the stories from Scripture illustrating God’s care in the midst of challenging circumstances. Examples include the stories of Esther, Ruth and Naomi, and Mary the mother of Jesus. The authors also share their own personal story of how God brought them together.

This is a book for anyone who is going through a difficult time. This book offers hope and encouragement to trust a known God to an unknown future and allow Him to write your story.  There are notes along the way to encourage you to share your own story on TrustGodToWriteYourStory.Com

I received this book from Moody Publishers in exchange for this honest review.    

Empty Nest, Full Life by Jill Savage

Being in the empty nest stage of life myself, I was very interested to read this book by Jill Savage.  What I appreciated about the book in the beginning was an honest description of the roller coaster of emotions experienced once your children are out of the home. The process of letting go can be difficult, but the author uses her own personal experiences and that of others to illustrate the way to do that. The first part of the book is focused on letting go including letting go of your expectations, your traditions, and your opinions as you navigate the uncharted waters of having an adult child. Choosing when to love and let go are as important as knowing when to take a stand.

The second part of the book deals with grabbing hold of new passions, new friendships, and a new mission field. Exploring new opportunities is an advantage of the empty nest stage of life.  The author also includes an appendix entitled, “Junk in the Trunk.” It is a list of questions to ask yourself to see if you are bringing something to your marriage and your other relationships that might be damaging.

Also included in the back of the book is a discussion guide which would make this book a great resource to use in a small group of “empty nesters.”  Having a group like this would help to support and encourage the group members as they embark on this new journey in life.

I received this book from Moody Publishers in exchange for this honest review.