Book Review: The I Factor - How Building a Great Relationship with Yourself Is the Key to a Happy, Successful Life - By Van Moody

It's such a pleasure to find books to review on BookLookBloggers and this month I went with a relationship theme, The I Factor by Van Moody.

The key to the life you want is inside you.

One question lies behind every struggle we face: How do I deal with myself? Behind all our stumbles, behind each of our missteps, behind every one of our failings lies an inability to handle what Van Moody calls the “I-Factor.” More than self-worth or self-respect, beyond even character and perception of purpose, the I-Factor is about managing yourself—your whole life—well. In his inspiring new book, Moody reveals how to get hold of your I-Factor.

Moody identifies three dynamics essential to winning the battle of the I-Factor: identity, significance, and perspective. When you understand your identity you know who you are, setting your foundation for everything. When you understand your significance, you see the purpose and the greatness you were created for. And when you understand perspective, you can view the problems you face as stepping-stones to greatness rather than stumbling blocks. Properly understand these three dynamics, and you will be able to master your I-Factor.

Weaving together personal stories, practical principles, and profound biblical truth, The I-Factor provides the key to achieving the life of greatness that you are destined for.

Favorite Quotes -

Your Identity Is Not Based on Circumstances - Everyone's life is affected at some point by situations outside of his or her control.  When these things happen, many people allow them to define who they are...

Truth about relationships: it's your relationship with yourself that trumps every other association in your life.

The three ingredients for your best possible life are a great relationship with God, a great relationship with yourself, and a great relationship with others.

The right perspective will enable you to walk across difficulties to your destiny instead of allowing them to stop you in your tracks.

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

xoxo,

Nicole Flothe

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Book Review - Warrior Wife, Overcoming the Unique Struggles of a Military Marriage by Hillary Sigrist

Warrior Wife, Overcoming the Unique Struggles of a Military Marriage by Hillary Sigrist is a book about the unique way the military will change you, your husband, and your marriage. In the book she shares about the “new normal” lifestyle that challenges even the strongest foundations.

When you hold the hand of a warrior, you’re joining him on a quest—one that traverses glory and pain. It’s a journey traveled by few, and fewer make it through till completion. Extraordinary men have run our colors across the battlefields of history, but behind them have been the women who have held vigil as they go.

But what doesn’t break you will make you stronger if you let it!
This book will illustrate the courage, support, and faith it takes to overcome the challenges of military marriages, as well as the tools, understanding, and insight to enter into the rewarding experience of being a warrior wife. “I believe military wives are super women in their own right, it’s impossible for you to do it all.”

“Take heart in knowing that God’s timing for His new creation is exactly as He planned (Ecclesiastes 3:11)”

“Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass; it’s about learning to dance in the rain.
—Unknown”

“He knows the plans He has for you, plans to prosper and not to harm you” (Jeremiah 29:11)”

It's such a pleasure to find books to review on BookLookBloggers and this was a great one with a family theme.  Visit www.hillarysigrist.com for more information.

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,

Nicole Flothe

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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,

Nicole Flothe

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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,

Nicole Flothe

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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,

Nicole Flothe

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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,

Nicole Flothe

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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,

Nicole Flothe

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Book Review of The Threshold by Michael D. Rourke

I was intrigued by the cover of this book and was given the opportunity from BookLookBlogger to review the story.  Here are my excerpts...

Excerpt From: Michael D. Rourke. “The Threshold.” WestBowPress, 2013-11-14. iBooks.

“the Bible verse in Proverbs 3:5–6: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He “shall direct thy paths.”

“My small writing room in the back corner where the diary started twenty years ago would now hold the new collection of memories. The additional diaries added to the old ones in the house totaled over two hundred notebooks.”

“Christmas tree farm and cut our own six-foot Douglas fir and dragged it out. I enjoyed the quick changes the passing cloud cover made in lowering the air temperature, followed by the warm, steady sunshine after its passing.”

“A week later, Ma and I took the tree down as I preached to her”
“We were relatives in blood and in name, not in time spent or in experiences.”

“I sought people who placed God’s Bible first in their lives as direction on how to live.”

“John 14:27. “Jesus said, ‘Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.’”

“church and pastor connection moving around played out. I still went to church, but it was different. Change is or is not comfortable, but it is always constant.”

“I could only give him what the Bible facts were; only God can change a heart.”

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen” (Heb. 11:1).”

“putting my growing worship for God and His saving grace in front of readers was my mandate.”

“I delight to do Your will, O my God, and Your law is written in my heart” (Ps. 40:8).”

xoxo,

Nicole Flothe

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The Printer and The Preacher by Randy Peterson Book Review

This story title intrigued me and the book shared how the strange friendship between George Whitefield and Benjamin Franklin was created.  I was able to select this book from BookLookBloggers.com and provide my review.  These men together defined what it means to be an American.

They were the most famous men in America.  They came from separate countries, followed different philosophies, and led dissimilar lives. But they were fast friends. No two people did more to shape America in the mid-1700s.

Benjamin Franklin was the American prototype: hard-working, inventive, practical, funny, with humble manners and lofty dreams. George Whitefield was the most popular preacher in an era of great piety, whose outdoor preaching across the colonies was heard by thousands, all of whom were told, “You must be born again.” People became excited about God. They began reading the Bible and supporting charities. When Whitefield died in 1770, on a preaching tour in New Hampshire, he had built a spiritual foundation for a new nation—just as his surviving friend, Ben Franklin, had built its social foundation. Together these two men helped establish a new nation founded on liberty. This is the story of their amazing friendship.

Here are a few highlights from the book that I enjoyed:

Success was available if you were willing to work for it. - Ben Franklin

How on earth did these two very different men become friends?  It began as a business partnership.  In 1739, Franklin was one of several printers to publish Whitefield's journals and sermons.

Newspapers had existed, but it was Ben who harnessed their power.  George employed advertising techniques that were cutting-edge for business enterprises and absolutely revolutionary in the church.

Some of this correspondence has surely been lost, but the letters that remain provide a fascinating slideshow of a relationship-in-progress between two extraordinary people.

The two men carried on a meaningful friendship for more than thirty years.

George was an Englishman who loved America, crossing the ocean thirteen times in a period of thirty-two years (all the more stunning when you consider that each trip took two to four months.

Each of these men individually had a major influence on the emerging American society.  The Great Awakening that Whitefield carried through the colonies set a tone of personal religious commitment that endures today.  Yet Franklin's humanism also endures.  The ideals he promoted, the civic responsibilities of citizens banding together for the common good, took root in the founding documents of this nation.

About the Author: Randy Petersen has written more than fifty books on subjects ranging from history to relationships, psychology, sports, and even word games. Formerly an editor and writer with Christian History Magazine, he also prepares curriculum for small-group Bible studies. Apart from his writing, Randy teaches public speaking at a community college, preaches occasionally at his church, and directs in area theaters.  He lives in the Philadelphia area.  http://randypetersen.com/

xoxo,

Nicole Flothe

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Miracle at the Higher Grounds Cafe Book Review

I love having the opportunity to read inspirational books from BookLookBloggers.com.  This last month I choose a book called Miracle at the Higher Grounds Cafe by Max Lucado with Candace Lee & Eric Newman.  

What I loved about the book was the mystery and possibilities of the main character.  The story focuses around this woman that has left her Football star husband as he cheated on her.  Her mother passed away and left her coffee shop to her daughter.  She loves to bake and has moved into her mother’s home with the coffee shop with her two kids.  The older son is frustrated as he wants his parents to work things out.  She finds out she has a large tax debt that her mother never paid and her troubles begin.  Her estranged spouse still wants to be with her and work things out but she can’t see this ever happening.  Throughout the book there is this man that helps in different ways.  She had a hired helper that quit and he just happened to show up and be able to work for her.  The book shared how this special person was her guardian angel.  He was to protect her and keep her safe.  As the cafe struggled to survive with the tax debt and the few patrons she didn’t know how she was going to stay open.  The competition offered free wifi and she didn’t have this capability until one night this vendor came in and said that she could use their globe wifi for a few months.  She accepted and the cafe began to prosper but the funny thing was that the internet only offered one website.  It was a blog written by God and you were able to ask one question.  Each person that came in had the opportunity to ask any question they wanted on the blog and they would get a response.  People started coming from all around to see the answers that were offered and try and figure out who was behind this blog site.  What I liked about the story was how the family situations were shared and they were so realistic.  I could really feel the frustration and anxieties when she was dealing with her business and her personal life.  Another thing I thought was interesting was how the book explained the guardian angels role and that he didn’t always have all the answers but was there when she needed him.  All she had to do was ask or pray.  Trust was a big issue throughout the book and I would say made the most impact in the novel.  I would recommend reading this book when you have some free time this summer! 

Thanks for stopping by, leave me a comment and your blog and I'll be sure to visit.

xoxo,

Nicole Flothe

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The Art of Work by Jeff Goins Book Review

I'm a part of BookLookBloggers and whenever I finish a book I provide a review and then get to choose another book.  It's a Win, Win situation!  This month I chose, The Art of Work by Jeff Goins.

I enjoyed the stories in the book and how the author tied them into real life situations.  Here are a few of my highlights:

Writing this book illuminated my own understanding of how purpose and vocation work together.

Pining for what could have been only holds people back from living their lives now.  Life is full of surprises, and it doesn't help us to fixate on regrets or try to recover what has been lost.

More people are watching your life and...are gaining strength in their own lives and in their own challenges because of what you're going through.  I promise you:  your life matters, your life is significant and things are happening that you don't even fully understand yourself.

Frankl's memoir, Man's Search for Meaning, became one of the most popular book of the twentieth century, affecting millions of lives.  

In any great narrative, there is a moment when a character must decide to become more than a bystander.

To learn more on the author:  www.goinswriter.com

Recently I received an email from one of my readers and they suggested a link with a guide for freelancers.  Here is the link to that resource. https://www.websiteplanet.com/blog/ultimate-guide-to-being-a-freelancer/

Thanks for stopping by, leave me a comment and your blog and I'll be sure to visit.

xoxo,

Nicole Flothe

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