Saturday, November 26, 2016

With All Due Respect Book Review

With All Due Respect by Nina Roesner & Debbie Hitchcock is a handbook for parents navigating the difficulties of the tween and teen years. Roesner and Hitchcock help parents identify what successful relationships look like and give easy-to-follow lessons in enforcing rules, communicating lovingly, resetting relationships, overcoming fears and exhaustion, and handling rebellion. Each day features a story every mom can relate to, down-to-earth questions to think about, and a prayer to launch an action plan. As a result, the reader gains new skills and perspective, greater strength, and an ability to live out faith daily as never before. With All Due Respect is for all parents seeking not only to connect more deeply with and positively impact their teens and tweens, but also to grow more deeply in faith through the process.



40 DAYS TO A MORE FULFILLING RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR TEENS & TWEENS

I enjoyed the chapters as at the beginning there was a Dare to take action and then a Bible verse to start the intro.  I also liked the highlighted sections that they called Bottom line.  Here are a few of my favorite bottom lines.

Bottom line:  If we take a second look at our childhoods, we can learn a lot about our current parenting.

Bottom line:  By actively choosing to grow toward the vision God has for us parents, we assist God in the vision He has for our kids.

Bottom line: When consequences fail, push the reset button and work out a better solution.

Thank you to Booklookbloggers.com for the opportunity to review this book.

xoxo,

Wednesday, August 31, 2016

The Search for God, Purpose, and a Meaningful Life


I went through the books on BookLookBloggers to decide what I would review this month.  Young & Beardless captured my interest with the title and the photos on the front - The Search for God, Purpose, and a Meaningful Life.  Once I started reading the book I realized it was a story from John Luke Robertson who is a part of the Duck Dynasty Family.



Book Summary: John Luke Robertson, may be young and beardless, but he has a lot to say about growing up and discovering your purpose.  John Luke Robertson, the oldest son of Willie and Korie Robertson, and brother of Dancing with the Stars sensation, Sadie Robertson, shares his story of what it’s like to grow up as a Robertson and all the fun and craziness that entails, as well as what he has learned as he has stepped out into his own unique experiences. He also shares what it’s like to navigate the walk from boyhood to becoming a man. Topics in this book include friendship, kindness, dreaming big, embracing your God-given uniqueness, taking chances, and choosing mentors.
John Luke speaks frequently on dreams (how to build a dream for your life), schemes (how to plan for your dream to come true), and building teams (choosing the people around you who will become a team that helps make your dream come true through their support, honesty, and care). He will incorporate these important guidelines into the book, ultimately helping young people learn how to find and pursue a clear-cut purpose in their lives.

Teens and young adults will enjoy reading his story, and they will benefit by reading Robertson’s wisdom and perspective on how to grow up and live out your purpose. And, with the Robertsons, this book is sure to be fun!

Throughout the book he finishes each chapter with a summary of a story he has read.  He shares what meaning it has provided in his life and how it would be beneficial to apply some of their tips to your life.  One of his tips was to create a toolbox for your future.  Add things that inspire and motivate you.  Another question he suggests you ask yourself is, "Can you picture yourself 10 years from now?"  Name some of the things you'll have accomplished by then.  This will give you a better plan and allow you to be more focused on your goals.


The book is an inspiration on how to live.  To learn more visit www.youngandbeardless.com.

Thank you to Booklookbloggers.com for the opportunity to review this book.

xoxo,




Monday, June 13, 2016

How to Live in Fear - Mastering the Art of Freaking Out by Lance Hahn book review

Have you ever known someone that suffers from anxiety?  I believe we all have occasions when things can get out of control and cause a great deal of stress.  People that suffer from anxiety disorders have trouble with processing the stress and allowing the situation to be processed.  I have friends and family that suffer from this kind of disorder and so found this book, "How to live iin Fear - Mastering the Art of Freaking Out by Lance Hahn very helpful.  Here are my Highlights: 

I was taken with her openness and transparency as she poured out her heart to me.

First, top finds can indeed be found in the most dark and obscure places.  Second, transparency and honesty reveal what is often hidden away in casual conversation.  Our fears should not serve as walls of shame; rather, they are bridges that connect all of our stories. - Parnell M. Lovelace Jr. MSW, DMin

My hope is that five things will happen in your own heart as you read:


Depression might take a parent away from the family room and leave that mom or dad alone in a darkened bedroom, so too does anxiety remove us from being emotionally present.

A wise person once said, "Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened." If you have a pet close to your heart, you know that full well.

Throughout the story are his life history and the lessons he has learned.

High Functioning Minds
People with high-functioning minds often look at life through telescopes and microscopes, so to speak, rather than their own set of eyes.

Book Summary:
Find freedom in an age of anxiety.
Let’s face it: we are afraid. Our world is riddled with fear-inducing headlines, financial meltdowns, family crises, and phobias of every stripe. No wonder the New York Times now reports one in ten Americans is now taking antidepressant or anxiety medication. So how do we cope or even succeed in a world spinning out of control? As someone who has battled panic attacks and anxiety most of his life, Lance Hahn can relate.
In How to Live in Fear, Lance tackles the pervasive problem of fear and panic head-on by inviting readers into his world. In this genuine and practical book, he invites readers into the life of a pastor living with anxiety disorder. Through humorous personal stories—like losing it on an airplane or collapsing onstage as he is about to preach—Lance will win over readers with his transparency. He will also share the remedies that have helped him recover and overcome throughout the years.
How to Live in Fear is a public intervention of sorts. We need to talk about this issue, especially the church-at-large. Millions of people suffer from anxiety disorders, and the church has done little to make them feel normal. Many Christians now take medication privately but keep it a secret under the shame of being viewed as a failure. Lance willingly bares his soul in order to get the conversation started. He firmly believes the church should not only recognize the issue, but also help believers reconcile the guilt of being a Christian while dealing with dread and anxiety
Filled with practical tips and advice, and full of relevant scriptures, How to Live in Fear gives readers the tools to relax in the face of fear—real or imagined. Lance will show readers that while he may still encounter bouts of panic, he has never let his disorder stop him from living a full life.

Thank you to Booklookbloggers.com for the opportunity to review this book.

xoxo,

Tuesday, March 22, 2016

Book Review of The 4 Dimensions of Extraordinary Leadership by Jenni Catron

You have the capacity to become an extraordinary leader---if you are willing to embrace a deeper definition of leadership and take action to apply it.

In The 4 Dimensions of Extraordinary Leadership, Jenni Catron, executive church leader and author of Clout, reveals the secrets to standout leadership found in the Great Commandment: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength."



Weaving a winsome narrative filled with inspiring real-life stories, hard-won wisdom, and practical applications, Catron unpacks four essential aspects of growing more influential: your heart for relational leadership, your soul for spiritual leadership, your mind for managerial leadership, and your strength for visionary leadership.

Leadership isn't easy, but it is possible to move from ordinary to extraordinary.  Jenni Catron shows the way.

Quotes I loved from the book...
"Love your neighbor as yourself."

The Great Commandment has enormous implications for us as leaders.  This is where extraordinary is found.

The heart of a leader is the truest part of who he or she is.  Your heart is the center of your emotions, desires, and wishes.  Your heart is what most connects you with others.

Before we can lead others from our heart, soul, mind, and strength, there is a key first step.  I believe it is the starting point of leadership.  To lead others well, we must first lead ourselves better.

Extraordinary is a result of a hungry, teachable attitude and a commitment to consistent growth and progress.

The challenge of leadership is to be strong, but not rude; be kind, but not weak; be bold, but not bully; be thoughtful, but not lazy; be humble, but not timid; be proud, but not arrogant; have humor, but without folly. - Jim Rohn

Extraordinary leaders step up to help make decisions and to guide the way, especially when circumstances are complex.  - Jenni Catron

About the Author
To learn more about the author visit...http://jennicatron.com

Please look for the article in our February Heartbeat Connection Magazine online.

Thank you to Booklookbloggers.com for the opportunity to review this book.

xoxo,

Monday, March 21, 2016

Book Review of Mirror Images by Laurie Norlander

Mirror Images by Laurie Norlander was a captivating book.  As soon as the book opens there is a suspense and interest that captivates the reader.  I was trying to figure out "who did it" in the book and never was able to get the answer until close to the end of the romance/mystery.  The main character was Madison.  She'd been through a difficult romance.  Then her boyfriend stole her money and left town.  She hadn't heard anything about him until there was a newspaper article stating that he had died.  She decided to go and see if she could get her money back after she attended the funeral, as she planned to use the money to adopt a baby.



Here is the book description...They say seeing is believing … what if they’re wrong? That’s the dilemma Madison faces when a puzzling obituary prompts her to attend the funeral of a man she once loved. Grief and regret turn to disbelief when she sees him standing in the cemetery. It’s the first of many surprises as Maddy learns nothing is as it seems in the close-knit community of Churchill, Wisconsin. Mirror Images is a riveting romantic suspense novel woven with insights on friendship, forgiveness and the power of faith.

Excerpt from Laurie Norlander, "Mirror Images."
"I'd known---thought I loved---this man in New York when he was an unemployed dockworker calling himself Ross Bauer.  I snorted.  Obviously, I'd never known him at all."

"Although I'd been raised in the church, my time with Ross Bauer had convinced me my lukewarm faith was the worst kind of hypocrisy, and I'd gradually stopped attending Mass.  I was surprised Hannah was a religious person.  She seemed too down-to-earth."

"From the moment I arrived in Churchill, I'd been inundated with the unexpected."

"My eyes darted to Rae's chalkboard.  For the Word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword...and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.  I'd never been good with matters of the heart"

"Stop trying to make it logical, and listen to your heart."

About the Author
To learn more about the author visit...
https://www.facebook.com/Laurie-Norlander-141819296026285/?fref=ts


Please look for the article in our January magazine online.

Thank you to Booklookbloggers.com for the opportunity to review this book.

xoxo,

Wednesday, January 13, 2016

Book Review of The Mountain Midwife by author Laurie Alice Eakes

I really enjoyed the story of The Mountain Midwife. I always had an interest when I was younger in becoming an obstetrician.  The book opens with a mystery and suspense and intertwines romance, love, and family throughout.  Great read!


For nearly two hundred years, women in Ashley Tolliver’s family have practiced the art of midwifery in their mountain community. Now she wants to take her skills a step further, but attending medical school means abandoning those women to whom she has dedicated her life, the mountains she loves, and the awakening of her heart.

Ashley Tolliver has tended to the women of her small Appalachian community for years. As their midwife, she thinks she has seen it all. Until a young woman gives birth to a baby at Ashley’s home and is abducted just as she tries to take the dangerously bleeding woman to the nearest hospital. Now Ashley is on a mission to find the woman and her newborn baby . . . before it’s too late.

Hunter McDermott is on a quest—to track down his birth mother. After receiving more media attention than he could ever want for being in the right place at the right time, he receives a mysterious phone call from a woman claiming to be his mother. Hunter seeks out the aid of the local midwife in the mountain town where the phone call originated—surely she can shed some light on his own family background.


Ashley isn’t prepared for the way Hunter’s entrance into her world affects her heart and her future. He reignites dreams of her own family she has long put aside in favor of earning her medical degree and being able to do even more for her community. But is it commitment to her calling or fear of the unknown that keeps her feet firmly planted in the Appalachian soil? Or is it something more—fear of her growing feelings for Hunter—that make her hesitant to explore the world beyond the mountains?

About the Author

Recipient of the National Readers' Choice Award, Laurie Alice Eakes is the author of nine books and a novella, with four more books and two novellas scheduled for release. She is a writing teacher and speaker and has her master’s degree in creative writing. She also writes articles on writing, including “Writing from the Heart While Writing for the Market” for The ACFW Journal. Visit her website at www.lauriealiceeakes.com Facebook: authorlauriealiceeakes Twitter: @LaurieAEakes

Thank you to Booklookbloggers.com for the opportunity to review this book.

xoxo,

Book Review of Honest Wrestling by author K. Howard Joslin

In Honest Wrestling, Questions of Faith when Attacked by Life, the author dedicates his book to his wife, who battled cancer with such courage:

“To Ann, my confidant, complement and best friend.  You fought cancer’s invasion because you wanted to grow old with me, to be there for our kids and to hold our grandkids. Thank you for begging me to join your battle and pray for complete physical healing. Because of the tenacity of your fight, we will always know that you loved us.  The Resurrection is everything to me now. My iPod relentlessly reminds me that: Christ is Risen; He Rose; I Have a Hope; I Can Only Imagine; Save a Place for Me; There Will Be a Day; I Will Rise; and I Will See You Again.”


The author goes on to say:
“I love sports and always find it interesting when a player is “mic’d up” for a big game. You gain a different perspective when eavesdropping in the huddle during the heat of the battle as compared to the semi-prepared speeches of a press conference after the contest has been decided.
Honest Wrestling is an opportunity for you to eavesdrop during the heat of our battle. This book consists primarily of email updates sent to family and friends while my wife, Ann, battled a rare, incurable cancer. Over time the emails became not only a means of keeping folks appraised of Ann’s condition, but also an occasion for me to reflect on what God might be teaching us through our painful hardship.”

Hannah’s Heart: 
Why Do We Pray?
The narrator continues Hannah’s story by describing a specific pilgrimage to Shiloh one year. Hannah, shattered by the pain and sick of the taunting, poured out her broken heart before the Lord. In typical Hebrew fashion the storyteller paints a vivid picture with this simple sentence (1:10):

“In bitterness of soul Hannah wept much and prayed to the Lord.”

Psalm 90:12-15
“So teach us to number our days,
That we may present to You a heart of wisdom.
Do return, O Lord; how long will it be?
And be sorry for Your servants.
O satisfy us in the morning with Your loving kindness,
That we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.
Make us glad according to the days You have afflicted us,

And the years we have seen evil.” (NASB, capitalization mine).”

About the Author

To learn more about the author visit... www.independentauthornetwork.com/k-howard-joslin.html
Thank you to Booklookbloggers.com for the opportunity to review this book.

xoxo,

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