Pastor's Wives: A Blog Tour and Review

About The Book:

What's it like when the man you married is already married to God? asks Pastors' Wives, an often surprising yet always emotionally true first novel set in a world most of us know only from the outside.

Lisa Takeuchi Cullen's debut novel Pastors' Wives follows three women whose lives converge and intertwine at a Southern evangelical megachurch. Ruthie follows her Wall Street husband from New York to Magnolia, a fictional suburb of Atlanta, when he hears a calling to serve at a megachurch called Greenleaf. Reeling from the death of her mother, Ruthie suffers a crisis of faith---in God, in her marriage, and in herself. Candace is Greenleaf's "First Lady," a force of nature who'll stop at nothing to protect her church and her superstar husband. Ginger, married to Candace's son, struggles to play dutiful wife and mother while burying her calamitous past. All their roads collide in one chaotic event that exposes their true selves. Inspired by Cullen's reporting as a staff writer for Time magazine, Pastors' Wives is a dramatic portrayal of the private lives of pastors' wives, caught between the demands of faith, marriage, duty, and love.

About The Author:

Lisa Takeuchi Cullen was a longtime staff writer for TIME magazine. She now develops TV pilots for production companies and recently sold her first pilot for "The Ordained" to CBS. Born in Japan, Cullen lives in New Jersey with family.

Find out more about Lisa athttp://lisacullen.com. 

My Review:

Pastor Wive's was an intriguing look at the world of Mega Church wives. While fictional, there is always a little bit of truth in fiction, and this is seen in the this book. With themes such as insecurity, pride, being called to ministry and how to be the "perfect" ministry wife (is there actually such a thing?), I seriously loved this book.

 It had humorous and serious parts aplenty, but most importantly, I loved that the character's were so real-to-life. I laughed with them, cried with them and in general, cheered them on. The dynamics between the characters and church in general was really neat to see how it played out in the book and gave a fictional look in to the world of church dynamics and politics.  The book is not a Christian one and there are a few spots where language is a little unsavory, but not outlandishly vulgar. So if that bother's you, you may not want to read this book. However, it was a well written book and a very quick read. 

I recommend this book and give it a huge thumbs up!

BUY IT: You can purchase Pastor's Wives online here. It is also available through your favorite local bookseller.

***I received a complimentary copy of this book, courtesy of LitFuse Publicity Group, for the purpose of review on this blog. All opinions expressed are my own, and I have not been compensated in any other manner***

Mother Of Pearl Mother`s Day Blog Series Day 9

Welcome to Pearl Girls™ Mother of Pearl Mother’s Day blog series—a nine-day celebration of moms and mothering. Each day will feature a new post by some of today’s best writers (Tricia Goyer, Lisa Takeuchi Cullen, Beth Vogt, Lesli Westfall, and more). I hope you’ll join us each day for another unique perspective on Mother’s Day.
 
AND . . . do enter the contest for a chance to win a beautiful handcrafted pearl necklace and a JOYN India bag. Enter at the bottom of this post. The contest runs 5/4-5/13, and the winner will be announced on 5/14. Contest is only open to U.S. residents.

If you are unfamiliar with Pearl Girls™, please visit www.pearlgirls.info, subscribe to our blog, and see what we’re all about. In short, we exist to support the work of charities that help women and children in the US and around the globe. Consider purchasing a copy of Mother of Pearl: Luminous Lessons and Iridescent Faith to help support Pearl Girls™.

And to all you MOMS out there, Happy Mother’s Day!

~

Mother Ship by Melody Murray

Mother Ship (N.) - a ship that serves or carries one or more smaller ships.

Raising two boys in India is quite nice, really. We have monkeys, scooters, plenty of dirt, and mountains. The challenges are comical. I found very quickly on that if you don’t laugh, you’ll cry. It’s been an excellent motto for our three years thus far, one I learned shortly after our arrival here in June of 2010.

We’d been in India for just three days when I had my first major meltdown. Our two boys, ages three and four, were sitting in big plastic buckets in our smelly bathroom, covered with mosquito bites, jetlagged as can be. I was frantically pouring cold water over them, trying to scrub off the India grime that had caked on their scrawny little bodies. I was having to hold them like puppy dogs so they wouldn’t scurry out from underneath the cold water. It was a far cry from the sweet, warm, bubbly, happy bath time we’d experienced together for the past four years in the States! Talk about culture shock. They were in shock. I was in shock. I’m sure the neighbors were in shock, too. I’m not sure my boys have ever seen me scream, cry, and stomp that much. Thank God it is just a memory now.

Somehow, by God’s grace, we’ve figured out life here. It looks much different than I had ever thought it would look, especially as a mother. We don’t go to the library, make elaborate crafts, play T-ball, shop at Target, sing in church choir, or take family bike rides. I have had to redefine my ideal upbringing for my children and have had to let go of many expectations. But I’ve managed to grasp hold of a new set of dreams.

My children are global kids. They have an incredible adventure every day. They see the “majority world” firsthand. I think they are some of the most privileged kids I know. I’ve stopped feeling sorry for myself that my kids don’t get to go to ballgames or have a huge tree house or wear cute clothes. Why focus on what I think they’ve lost, only to lose sight of what they’re gaining?

My attitude shift didn’t come easily. I can be quite stubborn. I clung to what I knew and what I thought was “normal” and “right,” as all of us moms do. I’d cry after phone conversations with friends back home who had their children signed up for karate, soccer, and swim lessons, with loads of choices for good schools, churches, and neighborhoods. I had nothing of the sort available for my kids, and I felt bitter and resentful.

But then I slowly began to change. Slowly, after months of getting over culture shock and cold baths, we began to love this place and the people we were with. We began to know them, understand them, become like them. Our community here became our family. Just this week, I’ve been sick with an awful kidney infection, and my living room has been full of my Tibetan, Nepali, and Indian friends, bringing me food, rubbing my feet, playing with my children, washing my dishes. I’ve never experienced community in this way before. My boys are loved so well by so many. And they are learning how to love back, even when it’s not easy.

My attitude shift didn’t come quickly, but when it happened, it took a 180°. I realized how wrong I’d been. These people I live with—their kids don’t have organized sports, church choirs, or fancy vacations either. Their kids aren’t signed up for after-school activities and aren’t becoming multi-skilled elementary school prodigies. Yet, in spite of this, they are content. Like none I’ve ever seen. They love each other. Like none I’ve ever seen. They have very little, yet they have so very much.
 
In the western world of comparisons and endless striving, I believe we sometimes lose touch of the things we actually care most about. I know most of us moms actually don’t care whether our children are the best at T-ball or whether their crafts look better than the next kid’s. But I think we all care deeply that our kids are loved, and that they know how to love. We all have a common dream that our kids will grow up to be world-changers, to strive for what is right, to love the unloved, to see the world in a different way. These are the deepest dreams of moms. So let’s not forget that the most important things we can give our kids are not the things we can buy them or sign them up for. One of the greatest gifts we can give to our children is to give them sails, let them explore new things, meet new people, and learn to make lasting change in this world.

So join me this Mother’s Day. Let’s all be “mother ships,” leading our kids to new adventures, new beginnings, new relationships. Let’s serve and carry our little ones to places they can only dream of, whether it be making dinner for a neighbor, smiling at the homeless man in front of the grocery store, volunteering at a soup kitchen, or moving to India. Let’s take them with us and teach them how to sail.
 
“A ship in port is safe, but that’s not what ships are built for.” —Grace Murray Hopper

###

In June 2010, an opportunity arose to work with a small needy community in the Himalayas, so David and Melody Murray and their two young boys packed their bags and moved to Rajpur, North India. Mel has grown JOYN, fulfilling her passion to connect artisans with western markets. They now have a diverse and growing team of Americans, Australians, Indians, Tibetans and Nepalis working together to create a community that strives to take care of each other and bring opportunity to as many as they can. Visit her website for more information.

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Mother Of Pearl Mother`s Day Blog Series Day 8

Welcome to Pearl Girls™ Mother of Pearl Mother’s Day blog series—a nine-day celebration of moms and mothering. Each day will feature a new post by some of today’s best writers (Tricia Goyer, Lisa Takeuchi Cullen, Beth Vogt, Lesli Westfall, and more). I hope you’ll join us each day for another unique perspective on Mother’s Day.
 
AND . . . do enter the contest for a chance to win a beautiful handcrafted pearl necklace and a JOYN India bag. Enter at the bottom of this post. The contest runs 5/4-5/13, and the winner will be announced on 5/14. Contest is only open to U.S. residents.

If you are unfamiliar with Pearl Girls™, please visit www.pearlgirls.info, subscribe to our blog, and see what we’re all about. In short, we exist to support the work of charities that help women and children in the US and around the globe. Consider purchasing a copy of Mother of Pearl: Luminous Lessons and Iridescent Faith to help support Pearl Girls™.

And to all you MOMS out there, Happy Mother’s Day!

~

My Final Words to My Mother By Lisa Takeuchi Cullen

The day had come.

My mother lay pressed against her pillow, her skin like baking paper, her limbs disposable chopsticks. She had not moved or spoken for days.
 
In those last days we rarely left her side, my three siblings and I. Between us we had eleven children, the youngest my newborn, whom we had baptized a week ago right here by my mother’s bedside. The children tumbled and danced around the hospice floor, admonished by us to keep quiet, keep quiet! They had already said their good-byes to Nana. Now it was our turn.

The hospice nurses had told us of the final signs. She will cease to wake, even briefly. Her fingers and toes will turn blue. Her breathing will grow shallow and ragged.

Then we heard it. My mother took a breath. That’s all it was—a sip of air. We knew it was time. We rushed around her, my siblings and I, and all together began to sob.

And this is what I said to my mother before she died: “I’ll be all right, Mommy. Don’t worry. Don’t worry about me. I’ll be all right.”

Not “I love you.” Not “I’ll miss you.” Not “thank you for everything.” Why? I asked myself that night as I cradled my colicky newborn, both of us wailing. Why did I choose that moment to inform my mother of my own well-being? Why did I feel this was the very thing she needed to know as she drew her last breath?
 
It took me years as a parent to understand: As mothers, that is exactly what we want to know. We want to know our children are safe. We need to know they’ll be all right as they journey into the world without us by their sides.

I don’t know if my mother heard me. But if she did, I hope my final words eased her journey just a hair. That she believed and trusted in my well-being, and then let go.

###

Lisa Takeuchi Cullen is the author of Pastors’ Wives, a new novel from Penguin/Plume, and The Ordained, a 2013 CBS drama pilot. Previously, she was a staff writer for Time magazine. Readers can friend her on Facebook, follow her on Twitter @lisacullen, or visit her website at www.lisacullen.com. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Positive Life Principles for Women: A Book Review

About The Book:

Few authors are better at communicating contagious enthusiasm for the truths of Scripture than bestselling author Karol Ladd. This dynamic little hardcover from “The Positive Lady” uses the Bible to encourage women to take their blunders and challenges and turn them around to be stepping-stones for growth, change, and maturity.

Short, pack-a-punch chapters offer readers “life lessons learned from slightly imperfect people,” lessons such as

• listen to the right voices, as shown by the life of Eve
• guard against comparisons, from the life of Sarah
• reach out and help others, demonstrated in the life of Ruth

Positive Life Principles for Women is for the type of person who hopes to learn from her mistakes and become stronger despite adversity…and find hope, refreshment, and renewal for her “slightly imperfect” life.

About The Author:

Karol Ladd is a gifted Bible teacher and a bestselling author. Her more than 30 releases include Unfailing Love and A Woman’s Secret for Confident Living book and DVD, all in the Positive Woman Connection Bible study series; Positive Life Principles for Women; and The Power of a Positive Woman. Known as “The Positive Lady,” she is a popular speaker and a frequent guest on radio and television. Her most valued role is that of wife and mother. Visit her website atwww.KarolLadd.com for more inspiration and encouragement.

My Review:

I have always enjoyed non-fiction books that teach me about ways to be a better woman of God, particularly ones where the author uses a lot of scripture or Biblical characters to back up their points. One book that has done that recently for me is Karol Ladd's most recent release, Positive Life Principles for Women. She examines the lifes of the following women from the Bible:

-Eve

-Sarah

-Ruth

-Rachel

-Miriam

-Esther

-Abigal

Not only does Ladd do a fantastic job at sharing her thoughts on the scripture and these women's lives and how their examples can impact us, but each chapter has fantastic discussion questions, making this little, but highly dynamic, book perfect for small group study or individual devotion time. 

An encouraging read, compact in size and perfect to give as a gift to any woman in your life. 

I highly recommend this book and give it a huge thumbs up!

BUY IT: You can purchase Positive Life Principles for Women at your favorite bookseller from Harvest House Publishers. It is also available online through Amazon.

***I received a complimentary copy of this book, courtesy of Harvest House Publishers, for the purpose of review on this blog. All opinions expressed are my own, and I have not been compensated in any other manner***

A Couple After God's Own Heart: A Book Review

About The Book:

New from bestselling authors Jim and Elizabeth George! Jim and Elizabeth come together to share from 40-plus years of marital wisdom and experiences to help couples grow closer to each other and to God.

Husbands and wives will discover how they can enrich their marriages by looking at the lives of key couples in the Bible. As they observe the strengths and weaknesses of couples like Abraham and Sarah, Boaz and Ruth, Joseph and Mary, and others, they will…

• learn the essentials necessary for enjoying an exciting life together
• develop better ways to communicate and make solid decisions
• realize the need to draw upon God for unity and strength in hard times

An outstanding resource that will lead husbands and wives to enjoy a richer and deeper union!

You can read an excerpt of this book online here, in PDF Format.

About The Interactive Workbook:

In A Couple After God’s Own Heart Interactive Workbook, Jim and Elizabeth George build on the content of their book, A Couple After God's Own Heart, to create a companion guide that leads husbands and wives through a fascinating study on God’s plan for marriage.  Through a unique blend of Bible study material, questions for thought, and “What Can I Do Today?” applications, couples will grow a closer and deeper union as they...

• learn from the successes and failures of key couples in the Bible
• discover the essentials to a better marriage
• participate in discussions designed to stimulate communication with each other
• set and apply goals that help husbands and wives be all God designed them to be
• determine how to make the best of the strengths and weaknesses in their relationship

This friendly and practical study offers life lessons from a variety of well-known couples in Scripture, and will equip spouses to experience more and more of the incredible bliss only God can bring into a marriage.

You can check out a sample of the interactive workbook here, in PDF format.

My Review:

I have been a fan of Elizabeth George for a number of years, and personally own several of her books, including A Mom After After God's Own Heart and A Wife After God's Own Heart. These two books and several others of her's have been instrumental in my growth as a Christian mom and wife in the last several years. She is a gifted writer and God has used her writing to reach many women around the world. 

Recently, I had the opportunity to read and review her newest release, co-written with her husband Jim George, A Couple After God's Own Heart.

I have read many books on marriage from a Christian perspective and amazing Christian authors over the years, but I have to say this is the first one I have ever read about couples from the Bible. You will study the following couples:

1. Adam and Eve

2. Isaac and Rebekah

3. Abraham and Sarah

4. Jacob and Rachel

5. Manoah and His Wife

6. Boaz and Ruth

7. David and Bathsheba

8. Zacharias and Elizabeth

9. Joesph and Mary

10. Aquila and Priscilla

I loved how the authors broke down the couples roles as husband and wife, gave a lot of practical ideas to implement in your marriage and I loved the retelling of each Biblical couple. I also really like the bonus of the 30 Days of Growing Together Devotional at the end of the book. A really fantastic way to come together for growth time as a couple. It adds another wonderful element for your relationship.

The Interactive Workbook is very nicely set up, giving a couple five days to work through each chapter, including digging deep into the scriptures, giving you both a lot to talk about and also practical ideas to complete each week as individuals, but things that will impact you as a couple. This would be great for small groups, as well as for home study times. 

I highly recommend both the book and workbook and give them a huge thumbs up!

BUY IT: You can purchase both A Couple After God's Own Heart and the Interactive Workbook at your favorite bookseller, from Harvest House Publishers. Both are also available online through Amazon.

***I received a complimentary copy of both the book and workbook, courtesy of Harvest House Publishers, for the purpose of review on my blog! All opinions expressed are my own, and I have not been compensated in any other manner***

Ilana Melmed and Young Avenue Kids - Whatever I Want To Be: A CD Review

LOS ANGELES -- With an Academics' Choice "Smart Media Award"proudly in hand, Ilana Melmed and Young Avenue Kids are set to send their first CD out into the world!  Whatever I Want To Be features Ilana and the children of Young Avenue Kids singing catchy, original lyrics set to well-loved melodies by Rossini, Hayden, Grieg, von Suppé, and more, providing a joyous introduction to classical tunes that all children should know.

With a full schedule as a lecturer at USC, Ilana Melmed never envisioned that she would find herself producing a children's CD.  However, inspired by her children and grandchildren, and motivated by a strong desire to share her passion for classical music with families, Ilana took on the roles of producer, singer, and lyricist for Whatever I Want To Be, recruiting a superlative cast of talent to participate in the project, including Emmy Award winner Stephen Cohn as production supervisor and vocal arranger.

A "family" feeling permeates Whatever I Want To Be with a sense of sharing and belonging and is part of the album's considerable charm.  The vivacity of the kids (six of whom are Ilana Melmed's grandchildren) is endearing, not only when they sing, but also when they're heard sharing their enthusiasm and a treasure trove of information through a special eleven-track feature of this CD titled "The Kids Speak About the Composers."

Whatever I Want To Be takes off in grand style with everyone singing the "rocket ship" lyrics to the fanfare from Franz von Suppé's "Light Cavalry Overture" and proceeds in jolly fashion to "The Orchestra Families," which employs a marching tune by Johann Schrammel to capture the thrill and excitement of an outing to a symphony concert. Other highlights include the clever lyrics of "The Gorgeous Butterfly," which grace a Johann Strauss march, and the galloping tune from Rossini's "William Tell Overture," which finds new life as the humorous "William Tell Is Oh So Swell." 

Whatever I Want To Be will be available online at Amazon.com, iTunes, CDBaby, and in select retail stores throughout the U.S.

# # #

Check out the Young Avenue Kids website atwww.youngavenuekids.com for information about the instruments of the orchestra, a fun-filled quiz, coloring pages, and more!

My Review:

What an absolutely amazing debut CD! My girls have had a blast singing and dancing along with each of the songs on this beautiful set of classical songs! I have always loved using classical music in my work with children and this CD has been a welcome addition to my children's music collection. I love that there are two versions of each song, one with lyrics and one without. Our family favorite tracks from Whatever I Want To Be have been "Clean Up Time", "Whatever I Want To Be", "The Gorgeous Butterfly" and I also LOVED the song, "The Orchestra Family" for teaching the children in my home daycare about classical music. I also love all the extras on the official website like coloring sheets, ways to learn about composers and classical music and a quiz that you can take!

If you are looking for a great new CD for your family or child care program, I highly recommend Whatever I Want To Be from Illan Melmed and Young Avenue Kids! You will not regret it!

BUY IT: You can purchase Whatever I Want To Be online through CDBaby, iTunes and Amazon when it releases May 28, 2013

***I received a complimentary copy of this CD, courtesy of Waldmania PR, for the purpose of review on this blog. All opinions expressed are my own, and I have not been compensated in any other manner***

Orphan Justice: A Blog Review

About The Book:

Christians are clearly called to care for orphans, a group so close to the heart of Jesus. In reality, most of the 153 million orphaned and vulnerable children in the world do not need to be adopted, and not everyone needs to become an adoptive parent. However, there are other very important ways to help beyond adoption.

Indeed, caring for orphaned and vulnerable children requires us to care about related issues from child trafficking and HIV/AIDS to racism and poverty. Too often, we only discuss or theologize the issues, relegating the responsibility to governments.
No one can do everything, but everyone can do something. Based on his own personal journey toward pure religion, Johnny Carr moves readers from talking about global orphan care to actually doing something about it in Orphan Justice. Combining biblical truth with the latest research, this inspiring book:
 
• investigates the orphan care and adoption movement in the U.S. today
• examines new data on the needs of orphaned and vulnerable children
• connects “liberal issues” together as critical aspects or orphan care
• discovers the role of the church worldwide in meeting these needs
• develops a tangible, sustainable action plan using worldwide partnerships
• fleshes out the why, what, and how of global orphan care
• offers practical steps to getting involved and making a difference



You can read an excerpt of Orphan Justice online here, in PDF format.

About The Author:

Johnny Carr is national director of Church Partnerships at Bethany Christian Services, the nation’s largest adoption and orphan care agency. He and his wife live with their five children (the three youngest are adopted) in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. 

Laura Captari is a freelance writer and a licensed professional counselor in training. She also serves as director of Professional and Public Relations at the American Association of Christian Counselors. She lives with her husband in Lynchburg, Virginia.

My Review:

Adoption? 

What comes to your mind when you hear the word?

For me, it means that I was brought from an unstable home life to one where I was raised in a Christian, loving home and loved unconditionally. I was clothed, fed, given a roof over my head, loving parents, life experiences that have given me amazing memories, and four wonderful siblings, as well as two beautiful foster siblings (both now in Heaven). 

It is also an option for becoming a parent that my husband and I contemplated when walking through our journey of infertility. While becoming parents did not occur through adoption (we were able to conceive naturally), it is still a social issue that is very near and dear to my heart. 

In the last few years I have had the privilege of seeing a number of friends go through the process of adopting children to either complete or add to their families. These adoptions have been a combination of both domestic and international adoptions and what a beautiful thing to witness. Not only do these beautiful people have the opportunity to help out children who otherwise would be in the foster care system or in orphanages, but these children learn what it is to be a part of a family and be brought out of the cycle of poverty.

In the last year or so, my husband and I have talked about the possibility of looking at adoption to add to our family, which we thought was complete. Physically, I am unable to conceive and deliver children any longer, but we had thought of adoption as a way of completing our family. After a lot of prayer however, we have realized that our family is exactly the way the Lord wants it to be. That said, we know that the Lord calls all those who are Christians to care for the orphans and widows (James 1:27). Until I had the opportunity to read Orphan Justice, I thought adoption was one of the only predominate ways to do this. Boy was I wrong.

Johnny Carr and Laura Captari has written a remarkable book that will change the way you look at orphan care forever! The book covers many topics like poverty, human trafficking and the HIV/AIDS crisis, but more than that the book gives a lot of practical ideas that can be used to reach the orphans around the world. Each chapter contains a section called, "What You Can Do" and gives ideas of what "anyone" "many" and "few" can do. This helps the reader decide for themselves what they can do with what they have, where they are at. From supporting local and international organizations, to volunteering for a local pregnancy center to starting a ministry in your church to help support families who adopt, there are ideas for everyone who wants to support orphan care. 

I also loved to hear about the Carr family and their journey of adopting three children with special needs (two from China and one from the United States). My heart broke for them as they experienced disappointed and then cheered for them at other times. What a journey!

When there are 153 Million children worldwide that have lost one or both parents (according to the book) there is absolutely no excuse that Christians should not be a part of caring for these children in one way or another. Not all of us are meant to adopt, but we can each do something. 

If you want to be challenged, encouraged and inspired you MUST read this book! Every Pastor and Family Ministry leader in all churches need to get this book and begin getting their congregations involved in orphan care. It is an urgent need and will not let up until we step up. Caring for the least of these is not an option but a command and Orphan Justice is a book that will help you understand the why and how of this social justice issue. It is my prayer that whoever reads this book will be changed by it, just as I was.

I highly recommend this book and give it a huge thumbs up!

BUY IT: You can purchase Orphan Justice at your favorite bookseller from B & H Publishing. It is also available online here.

***I received a complimentary copy of this book, courtesy of Shelton Interactive, for the purpose of review on this blog. All opinions expressed are my own, and I have not been compensated in any other manner***

Win a “Date Night” Prize Pack from Deborah Raney and RSVP for her 5/30 Facebook Party!

Deborah is celebrating with a fun "Date Night" Giveaway (win a $200 Visa Cash Card!) and an Author Chat Party on Facebook! {5/30}

   One winner will receive:

• A $200 Visa Cash Card (Use that to catch up with a loved one – your spouse, friend, sister, mom…whomever!)
• The Face of the Earth by Deborah Raney

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on May 29th. Winner will be announced at the "The Face of the Earth" Facebook Author Chat Party on May 30th. Connect with Deborah for an evening of book chat, trivia, laughter, and more! Deborah will also be sharing a sneak peek of her next book and giving away books and fun gift certificates throughout the evening.

So grab your copy of The Face of the Earth and join Deborah on the evening of May 30th for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book, don't let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 30th!

Mother Of Pearl Mother`s Day Blog Series Day 7

Welcome to Pearl Girls™ Mother of Pearl Mother’s Day blog series—a nine-day celebration of moms and mothering. Each day will feature a new post by some of today’s best writers (Tricia Goyer, Lisa Takeuchi Cullen, Beth Vogt, Lesli Westfall, and more). I hope you’ll join us each day for another unique perspective on Mother’s Day.

AND . . . do enter the contest for a chance to win a beautiful handcrafted pearl necklace and a JOYN India bag. Enter at the bottom of this post. The contest runs 5/4-5/13, and the winner will be announced on 5/14. Contest is only open to U.S. residents.

If you are unfamiliar with Pearl Girls™, please visit www.pearlgirls.info, subscribe to our blog, and see what we’re all about. In short, we exist to support the work of charities that help women and children in the US and around the globe. Consider purchasing a copy of Mother of Pearl: Luminous Lessons and Iridescent Faith to help support Pearl Girls™.

And to all you MOMS out there, Happy Mother’s Day!

~

History has a Way of Repeating Itself by Tricia Goyer

Forty years ago a single, young woman was about to give birth. She didn’t know how she could afford a child without her parents’ help. She hadn’t talked to her former boyfriend in months. She had no idea how to reach him, how to tell him she was having his child.

This young woman attended church some, yet her dialogue with God was stilted. How could God let this happen to her? What would her life be like now? A baby girl was born, and upon holding her child this young lady knew things would be okay. Perhaps this baby was a gift, not a burden as she supposed.

This woman raised her daughter the best she could, and while she wanted to give her child more than she had . . . history has a way of repeating itself. When the daughter became a young woman, she found herself in the same situation—living at home, pregnant and scared.

The daughter knew she could raise this child. After all, her mom had done it. But what would her life be like? How could God let this happen to her? If you haven’t guessed already. I was the daughter born to a single mom and as a teenager became a single mom myself. At age 17, God gave me a son. My boyfriend was out of the picture, and I faced raising a child alone with little education, no money and, maybe according to the world, little hope for my future.

Now if you take this story at face value, I am nothing more than a statistic. According to government research, most daughters of young mothers will be teen mothers themselves. They face lives of hardship, living on welfare for the most part — becoming a burden rather than an asset to society.
 
Yet, I am not a statistic. Why? Because God doesn’t do them.

As a 17-year-old pregnant teenager I prayed a simple prayer, “God, I have messed up my life big time. If you can do anything with it, please do.” I dedicated my life and my heart to him and things changed. I had hope in my heart and I started walking God’s way. God brought an amazing, Christian man into my life. John was a wonderful husband and a father to my son. When had a daughter and another one on the way, God did something else unexpected. He gave me the desire to write books.

This Mother’s Day, my heart is filled with thanksgiving. I’m thankful for my mother who chose life for me. I’m thankful that when I questioned my future, God gave me hope.
 
History has a way of repeating itself in families, but even more important that our history of mess-ups is God’s history of setting things right. God has a history of seeing something no one else does . . . like seeing a king in a shepherd boy named David, seeing an apostle in a young zealot named Paul, and seeing a mighty warrior in a frightened nobody named Gideon. God’s X-ray eyes see right through any outward characteristics or national statistics. His X-ray eyes scan down to the heart.

Where have you felt you’ve fallen short of God’s perfect plan? Trust that God’s dream is to turn a mess-up into a miracle. He’s a BIG God with BIG dreams. A God who has made an agreement with us that is eternal, final, and sealed. A God who is strong in our weakness. A God who sees the future, sees the past and has a perfect plan for me . . . and for you. It’s something we can all be thankful for.

###

Tricia Goyer is a busy mom of six, grandmother of two, and wife to John. Somewhere around the hustle and bustle of family life, she manages to find the time to write fictional tales delighting and entertaining readers and non-fiction titles offering encouragement and hope. Tricia is also on the blogging team at MomLifeToday.com, TheBetterMom.com and other homeschooling and Christian sites. In addition to her roles as mom, wife and author, Tricia volunteers around her community and mentors teen moms. Tricia, along with a group of friends, recently launched www.NotQuiteAmishLiving.com, sharing ideas about simplifying life. She also hosts the weekly radio podcast, Living Inspired. Learn more about Tricia at www.triciagoyer.com.

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The Uncomfortable Church: A Book Review

About The Book:

How is a Christian to view same-gender partners? And what is God's plan for love, sex, marriage, and ordination today? Is it possible for Bible-believing Christians and homosexuals to reconcile and move toward a place of understanding?

Veteran pastor, television host, and author (Confident Faith, Deep River Books), Dr. Larry Brice, says Yes . . . It's not only possible, but it's long overdue!

In this important work, The Uncomfortable Church, Brice faithfully interprets scripture to define traditional marriage. Simultaneously, he opens the doors for compassion and mission to a hurting and marginalized minority. Without shying away from difficult questions posed by revisionists' reinterpretation of scripture or the heartfelt appeal of homosexuals for inclusion and value in our contemporary world, Dr. Brice offers hope and support for gays and lesbians seeking to live a righteous life with the church's support.

About The Author:

Dr. Larry Brice, a minister of The Presbyterian Church in Canada, and founder of ReachOut Ministries (an international mission to help fulfill the Great Commission), holds a BA, BEd, MDiv, ThM, and DMin from the Universities of Toronto and Edinburgh, Scotland. As a published apologist from two of the best universities in the world, Larry is motivated and positioned to present the best case on homosexual marriage and ordination - for evangelicals - and for revisionists inside and outside the church.

My Review:

Over the last few years in general, and specifically the last few months, homosexuality and same-sex marriage has been at the forefront of the news, and in conversations both in and outside of the Church. It is an important topic that needs to be discussed by all, yet is one of those topics that will always be a divisive one. Sadly, those in the church have been at a crossroads of how to deal with the topic of homosexuality and same-sex attraction and relationships. The one thing that we seemed to have forgotten (not everyone but a lot of us) is how to delicately expose the sinful nature of this lifestyle, while not condemning those that live in it. There have been a number of books written lately on the topic, one being The Uncomfortable Church by Dr. Lawrence Brice.

Dr. Brice does a remarkable job examining the issue of homosexuality and how important it is for Christians to be apart of the discussions and to remain strong to what scripture explicitly states about homosexuality. He also states that Grace for the sinner is so important, even more so. If God shows us grace certainly we can do so to others! A very powerful reminder to be sure. While it's important to speak truth, we must always do it in love, and Dr. Brice reminds us of this in a well-written manner. This is a book that all Christians must and need to read. More importantly, those in Church leadership need to read it and have it in their personal and work libraries. 

I highly recommend this book and give it a huge thumbs up!

BUY IT: You can purchase The Uncomfortable Church at your favorite bookseller.

***I received a complimentary copy of this book, courtesy of the author and Graf-Martin Communications Inc., for the purpose of review of on this blog. All opinions expressed are my own, and I have not been compensated in any other manner***

Prayer Warrior Mom: A Book Review

About The Book:

Moms, are you struggling with patience? Worrying about your children’s spiritual development? Concerned about their social or behavioral issues? Wondering how to get it all done when there’s just never enough time?

Author Marla Alupoaicei knows that today’s Christian moms want to be the parents God intended. They desire to pray boldly and stand in the gap for their kids. But many mothers haven’t been equipped with the prayer skills, scriptural knowledge, and practical strategies to fight the spiritual battle for themselves and their children.

Marla is no stranger to these trials. She has felt the simmering frustration and discontentment that come from the constant tension of trying to do it all for her family. But as Marla began to turn everything over to God in prayer, He granted her an attitude of gratitude, the antidote to despair. “When you and I choose to praise the Lord, He will be fully present in our hearts, in our homes, and with our children,” she says.

In Prayer Warrior Mom, Marla invites you to walk with her through fifteen life-transforming principles that will empower you to effectively intercede for your children. Learn to cultivate your own attitude of gratitude, pray Scripture, be persistent, pray with power and authority, be your children’s #1 advocate, hear God’s voice above the noise of daily life, and much more!

“The only real power we have on this earth is the power of prayer. Our potent prayers for our kids connect them with the reality of God and His will for their lives,” Marla says.

Mom, this is your year. Your year of spiritual breakthrough. Your year to see your children start loving God and living for Him. What are you waiting for? Become a Prayer Warrior Mom today!

About The Author:

Marla Alupoaicei is an author and international speaker with a heart for ministering to women and inspiring moms to live joyful, prayer-filled lives. Marla serves as the director of Leap of Faith Ministries in Frisco, Texas. www.PrayerWarriorMom.com

My Review:

With Mother's Day just around the corner, Prayer Warrior Mom is the perfect gift idea for any mom in your life. Whether they are an expectant mom, new mom, or been a mom for many years, this book is sure to be one that they will reference for years to come.

 I have been a mom for over six years now, and I regularly pray for my children. But I know my prayer life could use some encouragement when it comes to my kids. That is where Prayer Warrior Mom has been so great!

 It is fifteen chapters of pure inspiration, giving you a ton of scripture to prayer as well as ways to prayer for children, even as specific as their ages. It has a nice balance of personal stories and scripture, and will appeal to mothers of all ages and stages. Not only would Prayer Warrior Mom be a great baby shower, or Mother's Day (hint, hint) gift, but also it would be a great small group study book, or book club book to study.

I highly recommend this book and give it a huge thumbs up!

BUY IT: You can purchase Prayer Warrior Mom at your favorite bookseller from Thomas Nelson

***I received a complimentary copy of this book, courtesy of BookSneeze Blogger Review Program and Thomas Nelson, for the purpose of review on this blog. All opinions expressed are my own, and I have not been compensated in any other manner***

Trusting God: A Book Review

About The Book:

You don’t have to understand God to trust him.

“Just trust me.” Those are the words we often hear in movies just before something bad happens. And yet, we are told to trust God. In a culture where we tend to take control of our own lives, trusting God has become a religious platitude rather than a life-changing attitude. We say it, but do we really mean it? And what does trusting God really look like?
 
Sharon, Mary, and Gwen—the Girlfriends in God ministry team—have been there. They’ve traveled the tough roads of life to discover the peace and power that comes from grabbing the hand of God and trusting his plan. The life stories they share bring laughter and sometimes tears, but always spiritual growth. 
 
Each of the 12-week sections concludes with a Bible study guide and journal page, inviting you to lock arms with Sharon, Mary, and Gwen and share with other women in a small group setting or to use individually in your own quiet time.



An Excerpt:

Girlfriends Talk About Trusting God

Introduction
Trust. Now that’s a tough word to wrap your heart around. On the one hand, you celebrate and cherish those people with whom you can safely share anything and everything—your hopes and dreams, your faults and failures, the good times and the bad. No doubt about it—a friend you can fully trust is a priceless treasure.

On the other hand, how many times have you heard the phrase, “Just trust me,” only to be disappointed or disillusioned? How many times have you put your faith in and counted on a person to do the right thing only to be deflated and discouraged? How many times have those words “Just trust me” turned out to be nothing more than
an empty promise or a primer for disaster? Is anyone trustworthy these days?

What is trust? Webster’s dictionary defines it this way: “To have faith or trust in, to rely on (someone) to do something or permit someone to use something in the proper way, to believe, to confide (someone or something) to a person’s responsible care, to commit someone or something to the responsible care of (a person), to have
faith in God.”

Your life may be blessed with people you can trust—friends who really do have your best interests at heart and are there when you need them. Your life may also be littered with people you’ve trusted who have let you down. Perhaps you’ve got scars to remind you of people who’ve held your heart carelessly, walked away flippantly, or broken their word unapologetically. It has happened to all of us. And the hurt from a broken trust can make it difficult to count on people again.

But here’s some good news: God is not human. God never changes. He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. He will never leave us or forsake us. He says what He means and means what He says. God cares for you unceasingly, provides for you immeasurably, and loves you unconditionally. And you really can trust Him.

As Girlfriends in God (GiG), we are learning to trust God as we walk through good times and as we celebrate life-wins. We are also learning to trust God through trials and struggles like the ones you may be facing. The storms may be a bit different in nature, but they are storms nonetheless. We want to share our lives with you, and we hope the truths we’ve learned will help you deepen your trust in God.

Our Girlfriends in God theme verse is found in 1 Thessalonians 2:8: “We loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well.” So in these pages we have opened our hearts and homes and invited you to take a peek inside. But that invitation comes with a warning—our lives are sometimes quite messy.

The apostle Paul instructed all Christians to “put on the full armor of God.” It’s a pretty snazzy outfit: the helmet of salvation, the breastplate of righteousness, the belt of truth, the sword of the Spirit, the sandals of the gospel of peace, and the shield of faith (Ephesians 6:13–17). A woman dressed in that power suit is armed and dangerous when the Enemy comes snooping around. While these verses tell of a figurative or spiritual armor, the actual armor soldiers wore during the time of Paul was fascinating—especially the shield. Shields were often made of heavy leather, which soldiers soaked in water to help extinguish the fiery darts the enemy shot at them. And the shields—oh, we’re so excited to tell you this—the shields had hooks on the sides. Why? We thought you’d never ask. The shields had hooks on the sides so that, in difficult situations, the soldiers could link their shields together and march into battle as one.

Girlfriend, that is exactly what we want to do with you in the pages of this book. We want to hook shields with you and march as one. We want to lock arms with you, connect our hearts with yours, and learn how to seek and trust God together.

No matter how you choose to work through this book—on your own, with a prayer partner, with a group of friends, or with a GiG group—we are with you. At the end of each week, you’ll find questions to ponder. We’ve called it “Now It’s Your Turn,” and that’s exactly what it is—your turn. We’ve taken you on our holy field trips, and then it’s your turn to tell about yours. We’d love to hear from you. We’ve set up a special page on our website so you can share what you’ve learned about trusting God. Just log onto www.GirlfriendsInGod.com and click on the “Trusting God” page to tell us your story.

Now, let’s get started on our journey to trusting God!
-Sharon Jaynes, Gwen Smith, and Mary Southerland



About The Authors:

Sharon Jaynes is an international conference speaker and the author of seventeen books. She served as vice-president and radio co-host of Proverbs 31 Ministries for ten years and is a popular guest on Christian radio and television programs such as Revive Our Hearts with Nancy Leigh DeMoss, Family Life Today with Dennis Rainey, and Focus on the Family. Sharon is the co-founder of Girlfriends in God, a ministry that crosses denominational, generational, and racial boundaries to bring the Body of Christ together.

You can read more about Mary Southerland here, and Gwen Smith here.

My Review:

When I read this book through about a month ago, I had no idea the impact it would have on my life. Recently, I have seen quotes on my Facebook newsfeed from various friends who had been reading it, and they always seemed to be read just at the right time in my life when I needed to do so. After a week of seeing these quotes, I knew I had to read Trusting God! And I am so glad I did.

The book is set up in short devotional style readings over a 12 week period, making it quick to read right through in a sitting, but also it includes personal reflection questions and journal entry page. This is ideal for individual study but also perfect for a book study or small group study time.

Each chapter will meet you right where you are, and will speak to each reader what they need to hear. For me, it was an ideal read because I was struggling (and of course, still do) with completely giving all control of my life to God! I was reminded repeatedly through Trusting God that I need to let go and let God. This has been a theme that I have been reminded of several times already this year. So clearly a lesson I am still learning, and likely will always struggle with as my humanness tries to do things my way versus God's. I was reminded by the authors that He will never steer me wrong and that there is purpose in everything, even when we don't understand! I might change, and my circumstances will, but this book totally reminded me that God never changes! I enjoyed this book so much, that I am going to be purchasing a physical hard copy of the book so I can mark it, underlined it and interact with it even more than I did with the electronic copy! It is also a book that I highly recommend for those who work in Women's Ministry or lead small group studies.

The authors write with conversational styles so I felt like I was sitting and having coffee with them! There was an abundance of humor and adventure, and with each page read I was more inspired and challenged then pages before. I loved that it is scripturally sound and loaded with tons of personal stories as well. 

 As I read the authors websites to learn more about them, I was encouraged by the Girlfriends In God site, so I recommend checking it out here. It is my prayer that it, and this book will encourage and inspire you as your journey in your walk with God!

I highly recommend this book and give it a huge thumbs up!


BUY IT: You can purchase Trusting God online here, or from your favorite local bookseller, from Waterbrook Multnomah

***I received a complimentary electronic copy of this book, courtesy of Waterbrook Multnomah's Blogging For Books Program, for the purpose of review on this blog. All opinions expressed are my own, and I have not been compensated in any other manner***