Turning Guilt Trips into Joy Rides by Shirley Brosius, Janine Boyer and Kim Messinger

About Turning Guilt Trips into Joy Rides:

Women today are busy, stressed, and guilt-ridden, yet they long to develop their spiritual sides. Turning Guilt Trips into Joy Rides offers inspirational thoughts based on scripture--brief enough to be read during a television commercial, yet insightful enough to open your eyes to the grace of God on days you change diapers and/or lead corporate meetings. Each reading suggests a "Guilt Trip to Avoid" and ends with a way to "Take the Joy Ride." The book includes six months of daily readings so that you may establish a habit of connecting with God. Readings are listed under the letters G-R-A-C-E, representing God, Relationships, Acceptance, Challenges and Emotions.

The coauthors hope these meaningful readings will help you deal with guilt--both real and imagined. By applying the insights shared in Turning Guilt Trips into Joy Rides, you may develop a calmer, less guilt-ridden life-style and become better equipped to function as wives, mothers and friends. Younger women often develop patterns of thinking and experience feelings of guilt that carry over into their mature years, so women of all ages will find this book helpful.

Link to buy the book: bit.ly/HZSBdg 

About the authors:

Kim Messinger, Janine Boyer and Shirley Brosius had a common bond of Christian service when Christ drew them together for their first small group meeting in January, 1998. Since then they have drawn closer through life’s joys and struggles and found God to be sufficient for their every need. They call themselves “Friends of the Heart” because their passion is to help women open their hearts and find joy in Christ.

Kim and Janine supported Shirley in writing Sisterhood of Faith: 365 Life-Changing Stories About Women Who Made a Difference, which was released by Howard Publishing, a division of Simon & Schuster, in 2006. More recently the three women worked together to write another devotional book, Turning Guilt Trips into Joy Rides. They have spoken at women’s retreats and events in five states. All three women live in Millersburg, Pennsylvania. Visit their website for more info.

About the Giveaway:  

Guilt! She pokes you as you write about your quaint, eccentric aunt. She grabs you as you wander from e-mail to Facebook to laundry instead of focusing on your work. She kicks you as you complain about your husband to a friend.

Have you noticed? Women seem riddled with guilt. And it’s hard to know if guilt is legitimate or simply a product of our imaginations. After all, should we really feel guilty about things over which we have no control?

We are not perfect. We have no control over some things, so it's no use feeling guilty. We can't do it all.

To celebrate the release of Turning Guilt Trips into Joy Rides, Shirley, Janine and Kim are giving away some great prizes during the blog tour. Share your own "guilt trip" or "joy tip" and be entered to win a free life coaching consultation and a $50 Amazon.com gift certificate.

JUST CLICK THIS LINK (http://justforfun.friendsoftheheart.us) and share what trips you up, holds you back or any tips you may have for overcoming guilt and keeping your joy. Fill out the quick form at the link and you'll be entered to win a free life coaching consultation from one of us AND a gift certificate to Amazon.com to use to purchase whatever strikes your fancy!

Contest runs 4/23 - 5/12. Winner announced here on 5/14.

 Blog Tour Schedule:http://litfusegroup.com/blogtours/13480254/guilttrips)

My thoughts:

This title intrigued me because I feel guilt so often in my daily life.  For putting myself first or for not putting myself first.  For not remembering to check my children's homework or for not making a creative enough dinner.  I had a rough week at work last week and I felt like maybe it was me, so having a a daily reminder to read about how to break this guilt cycle was so nice.

I am reading a daily reading a day to help me find balance and acceptance over what I can't control in my own life and to see things in a bigger picture.  It also helps me to see how the bible can relate to my own every day life.  This was a fun Lifefuse Blog tour to take part in and I encourage you to check on what other readers thought using the link to the tour schedule above.

The Money Saving Mom's Budget by Crystal Paine

About Crystal Paine:

 Crystal Paine is a wife and homeschooling mom to three young children who has been writing on topics related to frugality for the last five years—and living a frugal, simple, and debt-free life since she was born. Her blog, MoneySavingMom.com, is one of the top personal finance blogs on the web averaging over four million pageviews per month. Crystal has contributed to articles in Woman's Day magazine and All You magazine, as well as being mentioned on National Public Radio and CNN.com, in USA Weekend, and Real Simple magazine and numerous other local newspapers and radio and television stations. www.moneysavingmom.com

About the book:

Crystal Paine, who has helped busy women everywhere take control of their finances, presents her most effective strategies designed for families of all sizes and income levels

With hundreds of inspiring “why didn’t I think of that?” TIPS, plus WORKSHEETS, Paine breaks down your goals into easy, manageable steps so you can:

• Achieve a complete financial makeover

• Set up a realistic budget

• Never pay retail

• Slash your grocery bill

• Organize your time & your home

• Use coupons wisely

• Pay with cash only

• Live simply

• Become debt free

• Choose contentment

• Make every dollar count

 

About the tour and giveaway:

"What I love about the audio edition of The Money Saving Mom'®s Budget is that I can listen to it on the go - on my run, in the car, or while I'm folding laundry. AND ... I love that it comes with the downloadable worksheets. I am able to work through those while listening to Crystal speak. So helpful. Perfect for my busy schedule." --Anne, blogger (and reformed budget breaker!)

Celebrate with Crystal by entering her iPad2 Giveaway (a GREAT tool to keep track of your budget!) and RSVPing to the Live Webcast Event on 4/5!

One savvy winner will receive:

• A Brand new iPad2
• The Money Saving Mom's Budget by Cyrstal Paine, audio edition

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends 4/4/12. Winner will be announced at The Money Saving Mom's Live Webcast Event on 4/5. Crystal will be hosting an evening of chat, laughter and encouragement - bring your friends! She'll share tips and advicde and her husband will be joining her to share how the principles Crystal outlines in her book have dramatically impacted their family life. She'll also be giving away some GREAT prizes: gift certificates, books, and much more!

So grab your copy of The Money Saving Mom®'s Budget and join Crystal and friends on the evening of April 5th for an evening of fun of learning, sharing and encouragement.

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 the 5th!

Want more info about the MSM?

Click here!

My thoughts:

This book is just what I needed right now.  I am still on the step of getting rid of the clutter in my life and home, something I have struggled with on an ongoing basis for years.  I know from past experience that, when I don't have to waste time looking for lost items or wondering where things are, everything else goes so much more smoothly, but it is also so easy to put off.  I have also had times in the past where I was great with using coupons and shopping the ads for sales and such, but it is easy to think or feel like you just don't have enough time to do it all.  Crystal gave a very clear figure, she said that once you've implemented a tip if it doesn't save you at least $20 or more an hour than it isn't worth the time you are putting into it.  I am not sure that I will be using her tip of setting a budget and then only giving yourself cash for the month to meet areas such as groceries and entertainment, but I do plan to set up a budget and use it carefully each month to see where our money is going and how we can make it work for us better for the future.

I loved being able to listen to this while I did chores, drove on errands or while I was getting my running miles in.  It gave me something to think about while still getting a lot of other things done at the same time.  I highly recommend it if you are looking for a way to gain back control in your life of your finances.  I can't wait to put some of the tips to work in my own life.

 

 

Link to tour:here.

Watch her videos:  here.

Link to buy the book:  here.

 

 

The Beautiful Wife: Focused on Christ, Fulfilled in Marriage by Sandy Ralya

Overview

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."

Product Details

• ISBN-13: 9780825442209
• Publisher: Kregel Publications
• Publication date: 2/10/2012
• Pages: 240
• Sales rank: 444,146
• Product dimensions: 5.50 (w) x 8.40 (h) x 0.70 (d)

Meet the Author

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 Beautiful Womanhood 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

 

Link to buy the book:  here.

Blog Tour Schedule:  here. 

Win a Kindle Touch and RSVP for FB party 3/8!

Enter Today and Save the Date-3/8!

 

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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.

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!

My thoughts:

Reading this book made me wish that I did belong to a group of women so I could discuss and explore the topics and ideas more fully.  Sandy shares ideas on how to find a group or start a group which I will have to look into.  One thing that really resonated with me was allowing yourself as a wife and mother to have your own time for reflection and for taking care of yourself spiritually, physically and emotionally.  One thing that zaps much of my time is activities my children participate in.  I feel like I get so much guilt from the other parents for not volunteering more and for missing events, but she suggests that no child is going to miss being in only one or no outside activities.  I loved the months we had last year with no sports to go to.  I felt like I got to spend more time with my own children, not just hurrying them along to get done with homework and dinner so we could be out the door, but sitting down and talking and reading books and playing in the yard, we get so caught up with what we are supposed to be doing for them that we miss out on some important family time.  There is no need to do it all, and less can definitely be more!

Another area I want to work on is trusting God to answer my prayers when and how He sees fit.  I think I tend to ask for what I want to happen instead of praying for things to happen as they should.  I pray for how I want the outcome to be instead of believing that something different might, and most likely would, be even better for all. So in that extra time I can take by not being over scheduled I want to pray and trust and see what comes.

Sweeter than Birdsong by Rosslyn Elliot

Overview:
In this second in the award-winning Saddler's Legacy series, Rosslyn Elliott has written a stirring novel of hope and faith inspired by real historical people and events. With Ben Hanby, a genius composer, Kate Winter, one of the first female college graduates in America, and John Parker, an ex-slave who risked his life time and again to help fugitive slaves, Sweeter than Birdsong is full of real heroes to inspire us. "I hope readers will find a renewed sense of strength in their own lives," says Elliott, "knowing that change is possible, and our efforts matter. I want them to remember these unique, brave people in history who left us a shining example of what it means to live out one's beliefs with passion and commitment."




So to celebrate the music in all of us, Rosslyn and Thomas Nelson are hosting this "sweet giveaway".

One fortunate winner will receive:

• A Brand new iPod Nano (Winner's choice of color!)
• Fairer than Morning by Rosslyn Elliott
• Sweeter than Birdsong by Rosslyn Elliott

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends at noon on February 28th. Winner will be announced at Sweeter than Birdsong Author Chat Facebook Party on 2/28. Rosslyn will be chatting with guests, sharing a sneak peek of the next book in the series, hosting a trivia contest, and more! She'll also be giving away some GREAT prizes: gift certificates, books, season 1 of DowntownAbbey, and a book club prize pack! (Ten copies of the book for your small group or book club AND a LIVE Author Chat for your group with Rosslyn.)



So grab your copy of Sweeter than Birdsong and join Rosslyn and friends on the evening of the 28th for an evening of fun.

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 the 28th!

My thoughts:
I was excited to take part in this Litfuse Blog Tour after reading Rosslyn Elliot's first book in the Saddler Legacy.  This time the focus is on the son of the couple from book one along with a young lady he attends college with.  I love how Elliot took names and facts from history to weave into her story.  It makes it come alive, breathing life into what could just be boring, dusty facts. 
 
I was struck by what it must have been like to be among the first women who were able to attend college, albeit with chaperones and all sorts of rules of conduct, but to be able to attend and take part.  At the same time what was it like to be alive during the time that slavery was a big part of how the south was run.  How did those in the north really see slavery?  How did they feel about it?  Was it was to process when you were in the middle of it?  How will we view events we are living through now when we have the vantage point of history on your side?
 
I was able to empathize with Kate and the trouble she had speaking in public and voicing her true feelings.  Not that I am paralyzed with shyness, but public speaking always makes me feel a bit sick to  my stomach and panicky.  It is hard to stand up for what you know is right and even harder when you feel shy and unsure of yourself.
 
This book makes human and real the time period before the civil war, as well as the underground railroad and the abolitionist movement.
 
Blog tour schedule: http://litfusegroup.com/blogtours/text/13456229/birdsong


Read an excerpt here:here.



For more about Rosslyn, visit her website: http://rosslynelliott.com/

Beyond Molasses Creek by Nicole Seitz

About the book:

Three lives are bound by a single book . . . and the cleansing waters of Molasses Creek.

Having traveled to the ends of the earth as a flight attendant, Ally Green has finally returned to the Lowcountry to bury her father as well as the past. But Vesey Washington is still living across the creek, and theirs is a complicated relationship—he was once her best friend . . . and also part of the reason she’s stayed away so long. When Ally discovers a message her father left behind asking her to quit running, it seems her past isn’t through with her yet.

As Ally’s wandering spirit wrestles with a deep longing to flee again, a young woman on the other side of the world escapes her life of slavery in the rock quarries of Nepal. A mysterious sketchbook leads Sunila Kunari to believe there’s more to her story than she’s ever been told, and she’s determined to follow the truth wherever it leads her.

A deep current intertwines the lives of these three souls, and a destiny of freedom, faith, and friendship awaits them all on the banks of Molasses Creek.

My thoughts:
I love participating in blog tours, like this one for Litfuse, because they always bring books to me that I may not have discovered on my own.  I loved the mystery presented by the cover and spent quite a bit of time wondering how the three lives were going to come together.  As the pieces started to fall into place I really appreciated how faith, doubts, loss and love were woven together into this story about the past and the present and how they fit together.  How we can never truly run away from ourselves but need to learn to accept what is and what isn't and what can be changed and what cannot.

There were so many opportunities for each of the characters to feel resentment and hate and to rail against injustices, but they held fast and kept going and were even able to have empathy for those who were causing some of the pain and heartache.

When Ally becomes a flight attendant I pictured her as the actresses in the PanAm show I've seen ads for.  I don't know if the show is still on the air, but that is the type of uniform I thought of .  I also loved the rainbow umbrella that appeared in more than one place and with more than one character, almost like they were hanging onto their hope that there was going to be something worth waiting for at the end of the rainbow after the rain had cleared.


Link to buy the book:here.

About Nicole:

Nicole Seitz is the author of several critically acclaimed novels - The Inheritance of Beauty, Saving Cicadas, A Hundred Years of Happiness, Trouble the Water, and The Spirit of Sweetgrass. She is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's School of Journalism, and also has a degree in Illustration from Savannah College of Art & Design. Her paintings are featured on the covers of her books. Visit her at @NicoleSeitz, Facebook and http://www.nicoleseitz.com/ for more information.


About the party:
Nicole is celebrating the release of Beyond Molasses Creek with a fabulous "Friendship" Facebook party! She'll be giving away a ton of great stuff (KINDLE TOUCH, some of her own beautiful artwork, a Book Club Prize Pack (10 copies of the book for your small group/book club and a Live Skype Chat with Nicole), and more!


CLICK the button (below) to RSVP for the party - then join us on February 16th for a book chat, story sharing and prizes! Hope to see you there!

Button Code:
Save the Date! 2/16!

Save the Date! 2/16!Blog Tour Schedule: http://litfusegroup.com/blogtours/text/13454766

The Shadow of Your Smile by Susan May Warren

About the book: The Shadow of Your Smile

A beautiful blanket of snow may cover the quaint town of Deep Haven each winter, but it can’t quite hide the wreckage of Noelle and Eli Hueston’s marriage.

After twenty-five years, they’re contemplating divorce . . . just as soon as their youngest son graduates from high school. But then an accident erases part of Noelle's memory. Though her other injuries are minor, she doesn’t remember Eli, their children, or the tragedy that has ripped their family apart. What’s more, Noelle is shocked that her life has turned out nothing like she dreamed it would. As she tries to regain her memory and slowly steps into her role as a wife and mother, Eli helps her readjust to daily life with sometimes-hilarious, sometimes-heartwarming results. But can she fall in love again with a man she can’t remember?

Will their secrets destroy them . . . or has erasing the past given them a chance for a future? Read the story behind the story here: http://www.susanmaywarren.com/books/the-shadow-of-your-smile.

My thoughts:
I received this book as part of a Litfuse Blog Tour.  I read it last month before the holidays and it was just the read I was looking for.  We did not have any snow last month, but it was easy to imagine how  treacherous roads can be and the stress of driving in bad weather.  When Noelle has her accident everything about her life as well as the lives of her family members changes.  But you are left to ponder if the memory loss is a curse or a blessing.  Thing of all the things we hold with us that are better left to fall away, what if you could let all that go in an instant.  No longer feel angry about petty life issues that can easily weigh us all down.  Whose turn it is to take out the trash, who is being taken for granted, who has let go of dreams or wishes.  To see all that gone and not even know it is gone might lift you up.

Noelle and Eli have to relearn each other and she has to relearn the life that she used to have and decide if that is the life she still wants to have.  Pieces of the puzzle of who she was in the twenty-five years that have been erased come back to her or to Eli and they don't always make sense until they are brought into focus and moved to the right place, getting a little bit of information from her friends, acquaintances and her children bring about a picture of the secrets she was keeping or that Eli stopped trying to share.  Eli has secrets as well that come to light.  The fragility of the marriage they had is opened up and decisions must be made.

I was drawn in by this couple and their struggle.  I wanted them to be honest with each other and to find their way.  So often when the going gets tough people head for divorce, but if there was something there worth believing in then one would hope it would still be there and just needs the chance to be nurtured and grown.  After reading this book I want to go back into Deep Haven and find out more about some of the other residents.  I haven't had the chance to look for those books yet, but they have been added to my TBR list!


About Susan: Susan May Warren is an award-winning, best-selling author of over twenty-five novels, many of which have won the Inspirational Readers Choice Award, the ACFW Book of the Year award, the Rita Award, and have been Christy finalists. After serving as a missionary for eight years in Russia, Susan returned home to a small town on Minnesota’s beautiful Lake Superior shore where she, her four children, and her husband are active in their local church.

Susan's larger than life characters and layered plots have won her acclaim with readers and reviewers alike. A seasoned women’s events and retreats speaker, she’s a popular writing teacher at conferences around the nation and the author of the beginning writer’s workbook: From the Inside-Out: discover, create and publish the novel in you!. She is also the founder ofwww.MyBookTherapy.com, a story-crafting service that helps authors discover their voice.

Susan makes her home in northern Minnesota, where she is busy cheering on her two sons in football, and her daughter in local theater productions (and desperately missing her college-age son!)

A full listing of her titles, reviews and awards can be found at:http://www.susanmaywarren.com/.


Link to buy the book.

Blog tour schedule here.
 Come back to Deep Haven and Win!

Enter 1/9 - 1/28.

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Sometimes love requires a little forgetting ... Come back to Deep Haven and find out what's been happening in your favorite quaint hamlet. If you're new to the Deep Haven series - this is the perfect book to start with - each book in the series is a stand alone story.



Susan is celebrating the release of The Shadow of Your Smile by giving away a prize pack worth over $200 from 1/9-1/28.

One grand prize winner will receive:

• A $200 Visa Gift Card (Use that to rekindle a little romance, treat yourself to a spa day, snap up those shoes you’ve been eyeing, or purchase a few great books!)

• The entire set of Deep Haven Books 

The winner will be announced on 1/30/12 on Susan’s blog, Scribbles! Just click one of the icons below to enter and tell your friends about Susan's giveaway on FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning.

House of Hope by Elisabeth Gifford

About The House of Hope:
One couple’s powerful ministry to some of China’s most vulnerable children

Robin and Joyce Hill lived in a gated community in Beijing. Their family’s life was marked by luxury and the security of Robin's job as an engineer. Then one day, as members of their church, they had a chance to tour a state-run orphanage. Haunted by the needs of the children they saw there, for the next four years they tried to help the institute in meaningful ways.

In 1998 the Hills planned to leave China, but instead felt a sudden call from God on their lives. They left their gated community--reserved for only non-Chinese residents--moved their family into a small apartment miles outside of Beijing and immediately began to take in foster children.

They took in any child, but especially those that needed extra care—terminally ill children that couldn't receive care elsewhere, and those that needed complicated and expensive surgeries that the Hills soon began to coordinate and sometimes pay for out of their own savings.

What began as Hope Foster Home is now New Hope Foundation. As they continue their work, the Hills enjoy support from major corporations and high-profile philanthropists as well as the trust of the Chinese authorities. The Hills' story is an inspiring example of God's care and provision for those whom society does not value. Learn more about Hope Foster Homes here: http://www.hopefosterhome.com/.

"I strongly support Robin and Joyce Hill's New Hope Foundation which is saving so many orphan lives in China. Read this amazing story of God's grace and accept the challenge to make a difference!"
--Steven Curtis Chapman

"I had the privilege of going to China and witnessing the work that God is doing through Robin and Joyce Hill. They are wonderful servants of God who lovingly care for the 'least of these.' I hope that many will read this book and consider their example."
--Francis Chan, author of Crazy Love

My thoughts:
I read this book as a participant in a Litfuse Blog Tour for the book.  One of the things that really motivated me to take part in this tour is that  100% of the proceed of this book for to fund the work at Hope Foster Home.  Their site is located  here.

One of the main things that kept coming back to me in reading this book was the faith that Robin and Joyce Hill placed in God to lead them down the right path and to make the right decisions.  Even when it seemed like they were going to run out of money or room to take in more at risk and in need babies they believed that what they needed would be provided, and it was.  It is a faith that so many of us lack or struggle with.  It is hard to trust that God will provide when so many signs are pointing in the opposite way, but people come into your life for a reason and you may be called to do things that are uncomfortable, but if you break free from the mold of safe and easy, the rewards can be even greater.

It was so insightful to see how Joyce and Robin came into the life that they now lead and the good that they are doing for so many children.  It is hard to see a child in need of medical help and to step up with a willingness to use their own money if necessary to get these babies the help they need.  It is equally hard to realize that not all of the babies in need of operations are going to be able to be saved, some may have conditions that cannot be cured and that will end in their early departure from this world.  But to have love and attention for the time they are able to be here is priceless.

I gained a new appreciation of adoption from reading this and the hoops and conditions that people must comply with in order to bring a forever child into their homes and their lives.


Link to buy the book: here. (100% of the proceeds go to fund work at Hope Foster Home)

About the Giveaway! The publisher is sponsoring a $50 "GET / GIVE" GIVEAWAY: One winner will receive a $50 Amazon.com gift certificate for themselves AND $50 will be given in the winner's name to Hope Foster Home.
To enter all you have to do is send a tweet (using #HFH) about The House of Hope or share about it on Facebook!

If you tweet we'll capture your entry when you use #HFH. If you share it on Facebook or your blog, just email us and let us know (ckrumm@litfusegroup.com). Easy.


About Elisabeth Gifford:
Elisabeth Gifford is a journalist who has written for the London Times and the Independent Newspapers. She lives in Kingston, England, and teaches children with dyslexia.


Blog Tour Schedule http://litfusegroup.com/blogtours/text/13438821

The Baker's Wife by Erin Healy

I really enjoyed this book, the mystery element kept me reading and what made it even more compelling was God’s guiding hand in solving the mystery. Audrey is able to feel the weight of God’s arm on her shoulders guiding her to someone in her community who is in need in some way. She uses this gift to bring bread she and her husband have baked on his day off from being a pastor. She comforts and spends time with those who need that extra bit of attention, until an act occurs that costs her husband his job and her son his college acceptance. Then, they turn to running a bakery to earn their living. Baking bread and acting as a pastor turn out to have more parallels than one would think.


Baking bread involves taking the time to pay attention and having the patience to knead for long enough, allow it to rise for long enough, and bake for long enough. Too much or too little time in an area can ruin a loaf. So many times in life we are rushing around and not taking the time to appreciate the smaller moments, the things that seem inconsequential, but maybe all the steps involved are important for a reason and having patience would give us all a chance to see that. The lesson on bread baking comes from Estrella, a grandmother who has been working with bread for decades and has come to work with the couple because the place she worked for before wasn’t interested in the beauty of bread.

While being held hostage at the bakery, Audrey’s son Ed wonders if, “his own humiliation wasn’t divine at all, but merely a distraction from what he was supposed to be doing? What if all this, this insane ordeal, was not a consequence of his own sin but a chance for God to do something amazing, if only Ed would participate?” How much more would we all experience if we participated more? If we were less afraid to say what we think and step in when we see a situation where we could lend a hand?

While solving the mystery, I also thought about how some people would view Audrey as crazy. She believes fully that God is working through her and having her experience a part of the pain that a person is having so she knows who needs her help. She feels that it is God, but most of us would be looking for some other explanation as to why phantom pains were cropping up and looking for medical help for ourselves.

I read this book as part of a Litfuse Blog tour.

The Wonder of Your Love by Beth Wiseman

Overview
Katie Ann lost the love of her life. Then God offers her a new beginning in Colorado.


Katie Ann Stolzfus lives in the small Amish community of Canaan, Colorado. At forty she is widowed and raising her first child. But baby Jonas will never know his father, and Katie Ann wonders if her Heavenly Father hasn't forgotten about her as well. Is it really God's plan for her to be a single parent?

Eli Detweiler has come to Canaan for a wedding and a long vacation. Having raised six children following the death of his young wife, Eli is finally an empty-nester. He's enjoying the slower pace of having no one to care for but himself.

When Katie Ann and Eli meet, there is an instant connection. Yet as strong as the attraction is, they both acknowledge that a romance would never work. He is done parenting, while she has just begun.

But as their friendship slowly blossoms into feelings that are as frightening as they are intoxicating, Katie Ann and Eli question if the plans they made for themselves are in line with God's plans.

Can Katie Ann entrust her heart to another man, and rediscover the wonder of God's love?

My thoughts:
Until recently I hadn’t read any Amish fiction except for a Jodie Piccolt novel a few years ago, but through Litfuse Blog Tours I’ve now read a few. This is my most recent read and tour and I really enjoyed it. I read it all in one evening. I liked that it started with a bit of a mystery. There is a letter from the mistress of the deceased Amish man to his wife. I must admit that I guessed the mystery, it was my first guess, but it was still a good way to grab the reader from the start.


One of the big ideas throughout is the idea of forgiveness and trust. How easily can we forgive and how much do large deceptions change the way we view the actions and words of others? Can we really forgive? Are our words of forgiveness sometimes empty just to get out of an uncomfortable situation?

I was really pulled into the story of Katie Ann and her son Jonas, although his name makes me think of the Jonas brothers every time, especially when the one non-Amish character talks about being his biggest fan! Katie Ann is really struggling to find her place and be a good mother to her late in life child, while dealing with being a widow and having had an unfaithful husband. Eli becomes her friend. Eli raised his six children on his own after his wife died seventeen years ago and is now ready to go out and travel and take a vacation from responsibility. They both just want to be friends, but have a spark that could be something more.

Interweaved in is also a storyline about surgery, abuse, values and the Amish lifestyle. As this is part of a series I think there may have been a book that came before this on how Katie Ann and her husband Ivan came to move from Lancaster County to Colorado and it looks like there will be more books to follow. It made me wonder how many Amish communities there are around the country and if they have communities in other countries as well.

The characters were well written and felt real and I loved how Katie Ann changed from the beginning pages of the novel to the end. How she gained self-confidence in her ability to be a mother and how she found the dreams she always had but that had been discouraged by her husband. I’m curious to look into the first book to see what Ivan was like when he was alive.

This was a fun read and good introduction to the authors series and writing style.

About Beth:

Beth Wiseman is hailed as a top voice in Amish fiction. She is a Carol-award winner and author of numerous bestsellers including the Daughters of the Promise series and the Land of Canaan series. She and her family live in Texas. www.bethwiseman.com, Twitter @bethwiseman, http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fans-of-Beth-Wiseman/47576397539



Link to buy the book


Beth is celebrating the release of Book 2 in the Land of Canaan series with a Fabulous Facebook party on November 1st. She'll be giving away one of her OWN paintings, several mini prize packs and a sneak peak at the next book in this heartwarming series.


CLICK the button (below) to RSVP for the party - then join us on November 1st for a book chat, Amish themed trivia contest, and more!

About the party:
The Wonder of Your Love Facebook Party on 11/1!

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Blog tour schedule here

Fairer Than Morning by Rosslyn Elliot

Overview Ann dreams of a marriage proposal from her poetic suitor, Eli-until Will Hanby shows her that nobility is more than fine words.


On a small farm in 19th-century Ohio, young Ann Miller is pursued by the gallant Eli Bowen, son of a prominent family. Eli is the suitor of Ann's dreams. Like her, he enjoys poetry and beautiful things and soon, he will move to the city to become a doctor.

Ann travels to Pittsburgh, accompanying her father on business. There she meets Will Hanby, a saddle-maker's apprentice. Will has spent years eking out an existence under a cruel master and his spirit is nearly broken. But Ann's compassion lights a long-dark part of his soul. Through his encounters with Ann's father, a master saddler, Will discovers new hope and courage in the midst of tremendous adversity.

When the Millers must return to Ohio and their ministry there, Will resolves to find them, at any cost. If Will can make it back to Ann, will she be waiting?

Read an excerpt here: http://www.rosslynelliott.com/books.php

My thoughts: 
I read this book as a participant in a Litfuse blog tour.  Lately I have not been requesting or participating in very many tours or solicited reviews, but this was one I really wanted to read.  I liked how Eliot used the names and history of real people and then fleshed them out with her own ideas and creations.  She really made history come alive on the pages of her novel and made each of the characters seem like they could really be living breathing people.

Things are so different now with what is and is not proper, that it was interesting watching and reading about how women and men had to act and how people coming from different social stations interacted.  This is the first time I really feel like I have had a glimpse inside a Poor House or at life as an apprentice.  Imagining how orphans or children whose parents were unable to care for them were forced to make their way without much help from government or society was eye opening.

Also very relevant and insightful were the glimpses of the underground railroad and how slaves found their way north and the very real dangers that they encountered in their quest to be free.  I was struck by the similarity of the runaway slaves and the apprentice, how someone who owned them or had their indenture could inflict whatever type of treatment he or she desired and the court and government would look the other way because of a piece of paper or because they were owned.

This book gave a very real feeling and once I started reading it I had a hard time putting it down.


About Rosslyn:

Rosslyn Elliott grew up in a military family and relocated so often that she attended nine schools before her high school graduation. With the help of excellent teachers, she qualified to attend Yale University, where she earned a BA in English and Theater. She worked in business and as a schoolteacher before returning to study at Emory University, where she earned a Ph.D. in English in 2006. Her study of American literature and history inspired her to pursue her lifelong dream of writing fiction. She lives in the Southwest, where she homeschools her daughter and teaches in children's ministry.

For more about Rosslyn, visit her website: http://rosslynelliott.com

Link to buy the book: http://www.amazon.com/Fairer-Morning-Saddlers-Legacy-Novel/dp/1595547851/ref=sprightly-20




Blog tour schedule:  http://litfusegroup.com/blogtours/text/13424909


Details
•Pub. Date: May 2011
•Publisher: Nelson, Thomas, Inc.
•Format: Paperback , 400pp
•Series: A Saddler's Legacy Novel Series
•ISBN-13: 9781595547859
•ISBN: 1595547851

 

Ima Nobody Becomes Somebody! (Book One in the Ima Nobody Series) by Brenda Poage Illustrated by Jenna Murray

Overview from Barnes and Noble:

Do you remember the Bully in first grade? Many children face this issue on a daily basis, as Ima Nobody does in the excerpt from the book, Ima Nobody Becomes Somebody!

"Ima, I never knew a Nobody that was somebody! All you Nobodys will never amount to anything, just like your name." This made Ima feel sad. It was then and there that Ima decided that she was going to prove to that Billy Do-good that she would in fact amount to something and be somebody.

You know these issues. Dealing with differences, and dealing with the reactions of those angered by it, are tough issues for young children to face.

I encourage you and invite you to take the journey with Ima and her first grade classmates as they discover their own self worth, strengths, and weaknesses. You will find that this story does not tell children how to react to Ima's predicament. It does however show a positive way in which Ima deals with the situation.

This is Book One in the Ima Nobody Series - be sure to follow along with Ima and her friends as they discover themselves and learn important life lessons along the way. .

My thoughts:

I received this book from Bostick Communications for review purposes.  I requested this book because bullying is such a big issue with children.  Both as a teacher and as a parent I am very concerned about bullying.

Yesterday I read through the book on my own to see if I want to share it with my children.  I do think I will share it with them or give it to them to read on their own.  It put bullying into very simple and easy to see situations, unfortunately not all bullying is as easy to identify, but this is a start.  Ima has continual problems with Billy Do-good in her class and manages to overcome them and show how you can feel like a "Nobody" and through self confidence you can become a "Somebody".

The book is very simple, each character has a name that sounds just like who they are, and as an adult it felt a bit overly simple, but I think by taking out situations and names that could cause confusion it manages to focus all of its attention on bullying and Ima changing her own behavior so as not to be a victim but to be confident standing up for herself.

•Pub. Date: September 2009

•Publisher: AuthorHouse

•Format: Paperback , 88pp

•ISBN-13: 9781449001575

•ISBN: 1449001572

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Amish Values for Your Family: What We Can Learn from the Simple Life by Suzanne Woods Fisher Blog Tour Review and Contest Posting

About the book:

It offers loving ways to bring your fractured home back to life-Amish style. Read it and apply generously! It's a beautiful book-funny, charming, soulful, and beautiful."

-Mary-Ann Kirkby, author of I Am Hutterite

For readers who long for strong families that know how to truly enjoy life together, there is much to learn from the Amish. Values like community, forgiveness, simple living, obedience, and more can be your family legacy--without selling your car, changing your wardrobe, or moving out to farm country.

In Amish Values for Your Family, bestselling author Suzanne Woods Fisher shows how you can adopt the wisdom of the Amish when it comes to family matters. In this inspiring and practical book readers will find charming true stories interlaced with solid, biblical advice about parenting, marriage, and all aspects of family life. As readers get an intimate glimpse into the everyday lives of real Amish families, they will learn to prioritize what's truly important, simplify decision-making, slow down as a family, safeguard time together, and let go when the time comes.

My thoughts:

I am participating in this blog tour as part of Litfuse Blog tours.  At the end of this post is a link to the other bloggers who are also posting this month about this special book.  I really enjoyed Suzanne Woods Fishers fiction book, The Choice,  that came out this spring and I was excited to be selected to take part in this tour as well.

Whiel I cannot imagine myself or my family actually becoming Amish, I do at times feel a bit of jealousy over how teh so called simple life that Amish families live seems so much more peaceful and family oriented than a lot of us "English" folks are experiencing.  I know no one has a magic answer for making life work, but I recall one of the things I took away from the fiction book written by Woods was to value whatever it is you are putting your time and effort into right now and stop rushing for the future.  I couldn't wait to see soem of the ideas shared in this book about.  The book is broken down into four section and each one contains at least nine or ten chapters each giving one idea.  There is a lot here and, while it seems simple, each one resonates with its own idea.

I focused on the section with ideas for children as I feel that is the area I would like to find ways to improve for my whole family.  Our daily life with four children seems to involve a lot of disagreements between children, as well as whining and an unwillingness to pitch in and do each persons share.  When you read or hear about Amish families, which are often much larger than my own, they seem to have a lot less of these problems and I wondered why.  So in reading through the section on children I took some notes for some ideas to implemetn in my own home.

One idea is to teach children how to do somethign from beginning to end.  In the book a father teaches his son to make a rabbit hutch even though it would be easier to just buy one.  He teaches him how to use the tools, plan the progect and value his own work.  A lot of times it seems easier to just do things myself and I am missing out on oppertunities when my children want to help but I just want to get on to the next thing, I need to take the time to teach them now while they still want to learn and help rather than rushing, so that they can take pride in being able to contribute to our family in their own way. 

Another suggestion that came up partially in two of the chapters was the joy of simple vacations wtih family as a time to bond and spend time together and nto always a way to do soemting big and splashy.  Think about what you want your childrne to reemember in the future about those trips.  My family always went to the beach for at least a few days and I cherish those memories of playing in the sand and surf and walking on the boardwalk.  Going on some simple rides and browsing in shops.  My husband and I now take our children to the same beach for a week each summer to do the same things and we look forward to it all summer.  Our trip is almost here and we are all itching to go.  Yes I would love to take them to Disney World sometime or a lot of other destinations, but at the beach we get to spend a lot of time together without having to rush around seeing things or getting to places.  We wake, go to the beach, coem back for lunch and rest and go to the boardwalk.  Simple, yet fun and enjoyable.

I am going to have to take some time with this book and see what ideas resonate with me and might help me to make our lives more simple, but more rewarding at the same time.

About Suzanne:

Her interest in the Amish began with her grandfather, W.D. Benedict, who was raised Plain. She has many, many Plain relatives living in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, and travels back to Pennsylvania, as well as to Ohio, a couple of times each year for research.

Suzanne has a great admiration for the Plain people and believes they provide wonderful examples to the world. In both her fiction and non-fiction books, she has an underlying theme: You don't have to "go Amish" to incorporate many of their principles--simplicity, living with less, appreciating nature, forgiving others more readily-- into your life.

When Suzanne isn't writing or bragging to her friends about her first new grandbaby (!), she is raising puppies for Guide Dogs for the Blind. To Suzanne's way of thinking, you just can't take life too seriously when a puppy is tearing through your house with someone's underwear in its mouth.

Suzanne can be found on-line at: http://www.suzannewoodsfisher.com/.

Link to buy the book:

http://www.amazon.com/Amish-Values-Your-Family-Simple/dp/0800719964/ref=sprightly-20

Contest:

Suzanne Woods Fisher is thrilled to announce the release of Amish Values for Your Family, her latest non-fiction release. "It offers loving ways to bring your fractured home back to life-Amish style. Read it and apply generously! It’s a beautiful book-funny, charming, soulful, and beautiful." -Mary Ann Kirkby

To celebrate the release of Amish Values for Your Family, Suzanne has teamed up her publisher Revell Books to giveaway a Kindle, and with Bill Coleman (the amazing photographer used on Suzanne’s book covers) to give away a signed Bill Coleman original.

One Grand Prize winner will receive an Amish Values Prize Package (valued at over $200) and includes:
* A brand new KINDLE

* A Signed Bill Coleman original

* Amish Values for Your Family (for KINDLE)

Click on one of the icons to enter. Winner will be announced on 9/2 at Suzanne’s blog. Be sure to stop by the blogs on Suzanne’s blog tour – many have copies of Amish Values for Your Family to give away.

Enter 8/15 - 8/31!

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Click on one of the icons to enter. Winner will be announced on 9/2 at Suzanne’s blog. Be sure to stop by the blogs on Suzanne’s blog tour – many have copies of Amish Values for Your Family to give away.

But, wait there's more! Suzanne is running a Bill Coleman caption contest during the month of August on her blog. Title one of Bill’s gorgeous photos for a chance to win a print from Bill’s Amish Photo site and/or a copy of Amish Values for Your Family.

Blog Tour Schedule:  http://litfusegroup.com/blogtours/text/13421895