Book Club: Book Review of Unexpecting

I received a COMPLIMENTARY copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I compensated in any other way. This post contains affiliate links. For more information, please see my Terms of Use and Disclosure Policy page. Thank you.

There are some books that are so powerful and moving that I read the inspiring words through tears in my eyes. In Unexpecting: Real Talk on Pregnancy Loss, I found the words and wisdom that I wish were shared with me when I suffered a miscarriage before our youngest son was born. Rachel Lewis has shared her own stories of pregnancy loss as well as the stories of others to help moms and dads find the encouragement they need. 

"What to expect when you are no longer expecting." 

No matter where your loss falls – early to late miscarriage, stillbirth, infant loss – Lewis tries to present useful information for you and your journey. In four parts, she goes over loss lamentations, love, and legacies. In each part, Lewis leaves readers with journal prompts for those who need to work out their loss on paper. One could easily skip from section to section as you seek the knowledge you need most at your time.

Rachel Lewis asks us to join her on this journey and offers love to us and our baby or babies. The book is written from a place of love in an attempt to comfort parents in the most difficult of circumstances. And while she opens her own heart, throughout Unexpecting, we read personal experiences from other moms and dads, too. There was more than one experience that resonated with me during the reading of the book.

"You get to grieve however you need." 

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to grief presented in Unexpecting. Everyone's loss is different, and everyone approaches their grief differently. We have choices to make after our loss as our bodies, our spirits, and our minds need time to heal. We must work out our own grief triggers and decide when and how we will face those triggers. No one knows our journey better than we do, but it is so helpful to read that we are not alone on that path. 

Some of the specific things Lewis writes about include: 

• Needing to care for a postpartum body without a baby 
• Facing a myriad of emotions such as jealousy, betrayal, guilt, and joy 
• Seeking help if grief becomes depression 
• Finding comfort in God or the Bible when suffering 
• Helping your other children grieve
• Finding the new life you will lead
• Pregnancy after loss
• The decision to try or not to try again 
• Creating a legacy  

My Thoughts 

I found Unexpecting: Real Talk on Pregnancy Loss to be a wonderful book to read. One of the parts I felt the most connected to was in the very introduction. People often see the loss as just losing a baby. But Lewis writes you lost: 

"Your daughter's first smile.

The first time your son rolled over. 

The look on your sweet girl's face when you soothe her tears."

And so much more. 

"A whole generation, a whole lifetime of memories – gone the instant your baby's heart stopped beating" (13-14). This is the way I still feel all those years later. Whenever my due date rolls around, I wonder what our child would be like and enjoy doing. Would he or she like Minecraft like the rest of our children? What would our child look like? 

There are many points that hit home with me from Lewis' book. I think many parents – moms and dads (there is a section just for dads) – will find Unexpecting to be very helpful to endure their loss or losses. I would recommend this book to those who have suffered a loss or know someone who has. It can help those on the journey and those who walk alongside individuals on the loss journey.

Getting Ready to Homeschool: Last Minute Tips

Whether you are new to homeschooling or not, getting ready for a new homeschool year can bring many emotions and thoughts. There is the excitement of seeing your children learn alongside you, the worry that you will not do enough to teach your children, and the questions you ask as to whether or not the curriculum will work for each of your children. Through all the eagerness to get started and the anxiety that bubbles up, I want to remind you can homeschool your children. No matter if you need to use three math programs and two different foreign languages, you will be able to homeschool your children.

Finding a Curriculum That Works for You and Your Children 

There are so many options that finding curriculum can feel overwhelming. Perhaps you found what you thought was the perfect fit, but then you started using it. You read lots of reviews, watched numerous vlogs that showed you an inside look, but the curriculum just doesn't work for your family. 

Do not be afraid to put the curriculum aside. This could mean that you resell it, throw it out, or never log in again. Yes, this might hurt to do if you spent a lot of money on the curriculum. I like to pinch pennies and use what I have – especially if I paid a pretty penny for it – but nothing is worth the aggravation and stress an ill-fitting curriculum will give you. 

As a reviewer, there have been several products that are wonderful but not for us. There was even one where I could see my son learning typing and spelling skills, but he did not like it. He stalled having to complete the tasks every day. The fact that it was online and timed was causing him stress. I reevaluated and, after the review period, we took a step back for a few months. We went back to it once before our subscription expired but even after the hiatus it still did not work for him. So, we did not use it again for our son. And I would make the same choice even if I had paid for the subscription. Nothing is worth causing friction in my relationship with my son. 

In the past, I have shared several posts looking at specific curriculum for different subject areas, so I won't go into great detail on all your options in this post. I will recommend you remember even if you purchased something that is not working for you, seek out assistance from the company. They may have advice to offer you. And try not to spread your dissatisfaction across social media. Constructive criticism is one thing, but complaining just to complain doesn't help anyone. It is okay to say this did not work for us while remembering it can work for someone else.

Homeschooling Resources: Mathematics 

Homeschooling Resources: Language Arts

Homeschooling with Curriculum: Creating a Connection

How Do You Pick a History Curriculum? 

Ask for Help 

Don't forget to ask for help if you are struggling - even early in the homeschool year. There is a multitude of places where you can go for encouragement, from small blogs like mine to curriculum companies. You could reach out to members at your church or find a local homeschool co-op. On our homeschooling journey, one of the things I learned early on was that homeschoolers love to help other homeschoolers. 

Give Yourself Grace 

One homeschool tip to remember all year round is that you should give yourself grace. You and your children will make mistakes. That is okay. Even if you are a veteran homeschooler, you might need to find a new groove as your life circumstances change. If you are new, every day may seem like a challenge. I encourage you to take a day (or week) off if you need to. And if you need to track hours in your state or country for homeschooling, look at what constitutes life skills. I guarantee you there are many hours each day where you are homeschooling life skills. 

It is hard to give ourselves grace, but it is important. Our family is working through a unique set of circumstances. My mother moved in with us, and then she was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. This causes daily disruptions, scheduled and unscheduled, as I take care of her. I have had to change how I homeschool our younger children. So, they have a bit more independent work. I have also had to look at when we homeschool. Some nights, our son and I work on his language arts after dinner.

There are days when I feel like I am not doing everything that needs to be done while homeschooling them, but then I remember (or I am reminded) to give myself grace. They are clothed, fed, and clean. They can read, write, and do arithmetic. They enjoy learning new things. They have compassion. From book learning to learning how to care for others, their days are filled with valuable lessons. 

I pray you have a successful homeschool year. Remember, your year may look different from everyone else's, and that is perfectly fine!

Book Club: Book Review of Praying Mom

 

I received a COMPLIMENTARY copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I compensated in any other way. This post contains affiliate links. For more information, please see my Terms of Use and Disclosure Policy page. Thank you.

I must admit that I often look at my prayer life as something to do when I have time. I join my husband in praying with our kids each evening at their bedtime but I often put off my own prayers and prayer life. yet I need to look beyond this idea of 'waiting for the perfect time.' Brooke McGlothlin has a chapter in which she addresses this in her new book, Praying Mom, so I was very happy to read and review it. 

So Many Challenges 

Brooke McGlothlin examines seven challenges moms face as they attempt to pray in Part One of the 203 paperback book. From not knowing what to pray to finding those moments to pray when taking care of our family, there are real world examples from the author's colleagues and friends to verses and prayer examples. There is also no assumption that those reading Praying Mom will only be Christian (she includes information for those who have recently accepted Jesus in the appendix), but she does assume readers will believe in God. 

To help combat all the challenges presented, McGlothlin presents many great points in Praying Mom. Readers could easily use the chapter titles to help direct their reading to find exactly what they need to support their own prayer life and journey. Some of the key ideas I pulled from Praying Mom include the following: 

• Pray the Scriptures. 
• When our lives are difficult, God has the strength we need. 
• God does hear our prayers but His plans are not our own.
• God is the only one who can fix our lives. 
• We need Jesus every day. 
• Prayer is important for mothers. It can help us see beyond the moment and get closer to God. 
• Take our lack of time and allow it to motivate us to pray. 

While Part One looks at the challenges a praying mom might face, Part Two provides specific quotes from Scripture and inspired prayers. These pages provide a great jumping point for those moms who feel they don't know where to start. Now they have Bible quotes they can examine in their leisure and prayers that they can pray. 

The key ideas I shared are just the tip of the iceberg for what the books has to offer moms who are struggling to find the time to pray. Readers could easily read through the entire book in a short period, but there are so many points that readers may go back and re-read the book several times. I recommend Praying Mom for those who are seeking to form a stronger relationship with God. It will help moms reach out to God as they raise and teach their children. God told us to pray, and I believe this book will help you to do that with confidence.  

Book Club: Book Review of Britfield & the Rise of the Lion

 

I received a COMPLIMENTARY copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I compensated in any other way. This post contains affiliate links. For more information, please see my Terms of Use and Disclosure Policy page. Thank you.

We have been eagerly awaiting the release of Britfield & the Rise of the Lion by C.R. Stewart as we really enjoyed the first book in the series. From the concise recap in the prologue to the exciting ending, I could not put the book down. In Britfield & the Rise of the Lion, we join up with Tom and Sarah as they have washed up on the shores of France after the end of the first book. 

The Plot 

Where to begin? There are so many wonderful details in the 471-page paperback book, as well as a few key twists and turns that I hardly know where to start. Should I start with the amazing locations, the characters that come to life, or the exciting plot points? At the heart of the story are Tom and Sarah, who escaped from Weatherly Orphanage in the first book, so let's look at the characters. 

Characters of Book II 

• Tom – A "scrappy little orphan" with a "brash attitude and obnoxious behavior" (quoting Sarah) who is probably the most important figure in the Britfield series 
• Sarah – A young orphan from Scotland who helps support Tom and inspires him to keep going 
• Professor Hainsworth – While he was a key figure in the first book, we only spend a few pages with the professor as we follow his journey back to health in France. 
• Detective Gowerstone – A former member of a secret British military/police organization and Scotland Yard who has spent the last ten years looking for the lost child of the Britfields 
• UK Prime Minister – A man that was once a trusted friend to Gowerstone who is sadly involved on the wrong side.
• Detective Fontaine – A member of Interpol who was contacted by Gowerstone to look after Tom and Sarah in France 
• Detective Gustave – Fontaine's partner who continues to work at Interpol for a brief time in the novel. 
• Allistair – A key member of an organization that helps keep Tom safe in France. 
• Oliver Horningbrook – The son of the UK Prime Minister who helped Tom and Sarah in Book I and will play a key role in Book II. 
• Sir Henry Horningbrook – The uncle of Oliver and brother to the UK Prime Minister. Henry also holds an important role and position in keeping Tom safe. 
• Strauss – An imposing member of the secret organization that is trying to find and capture Tom. 

Locations of Book II 

While Book I took readers across the countryside of England to Oxford, Canterbury, and London, Book II is set in France. Once again, homeschoolers could spend time researching the locations and learning more about the places as they exist in real life. 

• Monastery at Mont-Saint-Michel 
• Notre Dame 
• Eiffel Tower 
• Louvre 
• Chateaux Chambord 
• Lyons 

Main Plot Points 

Without giving away too many of the twists and turns, I want to share a few of the main plot points with you. All of these actions within Britfield & the Rise of the Lion are well-developed and give readers the impression that you are right beside the characters. 

• Tom and Sarah getting to Paris. 
• Tom and Sarah escaping the clutches of Marcel and the others who are attempting to kidnap or eliminate them for the Committee. 
• The fight of good versus evil and how organizations across the world are involved in it.
• The rescue of the kidnapped. 
• The attempt to get to Italy and thus leave France. 

My Thoughts 

I feel like this book was published at exactly the right time. Woven into the tale of Tom and Sarah is a dark story of secret organizations that are really controlling the governments of the world. This secret Committee is behind the problems Tom - and possibly - Sarah faced from the moment they were orphaned. The Committee would do anything with their limitless resources of weapon power to remain in control and get Tom. 

We see a struggle between good and evil as Detective Gowerstone tries to protect Tom and Sarah. Sir Henry Horningbrook takes his years of research and uses it to bring light to the evil of the Committee. As a world, we need to see good triumphing over evil. Our children need well-written stories that can inspire them to follow God and do good in the world. 

What Should You Know as a Parent? 

Britfield & the Rise of the Lion is a story where your children will read about the forces of good and evil. There are chase scenes across the streets of Paris and through the levels of the Eiffel Tower. Gun battles take place in several locations across France, and there is a kidnapping as the sinister group that operates clandestinely tries to remain in control of the world. The action moves quickly in this novel, which has a lot of history sprinkled throughout. While there are accidents and deaths, none of the violence is gory or drawn out. Many preteens and teens who would enjoy this book will have already experienced similar violence in video games or popular television shows or movies. 

I would recommend parents read at least a selection of Britfield & the Rise of the Lion, if you aren't going to read the entire book before giving it to your preteen or teen. Our oldest, who does not enjoy reading, thoroughly enjoyed reading Britfield & the Lost Crown and picked up that copy several times to see when the next book was scheduled to be released. Now that I am finished reading Book II, I will be passing it along to him to read. 

I think many will enjoy this novel and I can't wait for the next book!

Finding Homeschool Encouragement

There are many places and people to whom you can turn when seeking encouragement on your homeschool journey. Videos on YouTube, blogs, Instagram influencers, and more abound on the Internet. Perhaps you are fortunate enough to belong to a homeschool support group or co-op or a church with many homeschooling members. But what if you feel like you are alone on your homeschool journey? Where can you find encouragement? 

The Psalms 

Even though I have a strong online homeschool support network through my work and my blog, there are times when I feel very much alone. We don't belong to any local or state groups, nor do we know anyone at church who homeschools (there are some, but they remain a mystery to me). 

So what do I do? Looking to books is one way I can gain encouragement and insight as a homeschool mom. I have reviewed several here at A Mom's Quest to Teach, and others still sit on my to-read pile. But what is really the ultimate source for encouragement? The Bible. It might seem a cliché but it is true. There is so much wisdom and encouragement to be gleaned from the Bible for homeschoolers. I want to share one Psalm in particular that struck a chord with me tonight. 

Psalm 121 

I will lift up my eyes to the hills—

From whence comes my help?

My help comes from the Lord,

Who made heaven and earth.

He will not allow your foot to be moved;

He who keeps you will not slumber.

Behold, He who keeps Israel

Shall neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord is your keeper;

The Lord is your shade at your right hand.

The sun shall not strike you by day,

Nor the moon by night. 

The Lord shall preserve you from all evil;

He shall preserve your soul.

The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in

From this time forth, and even forevermore.

 

My Thoughts 

I need to always remember to lift up my eyes to the Lord. He is my steadfast helper. He knows my heart – my anguish – and can preserve me from evil. When all seems to be going wrong, I need to take a long at the big picture. God will triumph in the end. He will preserve my soul – my children's souls. 

These verses and thoughts are difficult to remember on those hard days. Those days

• When every online educational program is not working.
• When every task takes forever. 
• When your children will not listen.
• When your homeschool day is interrupted over and over. 
• When the printer runs out of ink. 

These days are difficult. 

But remember, God is always working. His word is always available to read. 

God is forever. He will stand by you and your children as they procrastinate. 

God is listening. And so are your children. They just may not be listening to what you think is important. But they are always observing us and listening to what we are saying. 

God will interrupt you for His plan.

God's word can be printed on your heart. 

Seek the Lord on these difficult homeschool days. Find encouragement in His Word. Wait for the Lord. Cry out to Him. He will provide you with encouragement.

Using Classics to Teach About God: A Review of Little Pilgrim's Big Journey

I received a COMPLIMENTARY copy of this book from Timberdoodle in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I compensated in any other way. This post contains affiliate links. For more information, please see my Terms of Use and Disclosure Policy page. Thank you.

Teaching our children about God is an important part of our homeschool day. While there are complete curriculums available, sometimes it is nice to include a story that will allow us to spend more time together. Little Pilgrim's Big Journey, published by Lithos Kids Press, would make a wonderful addition to your read-aloud time for your preschooler, kindergartener, or first grader. We are currently using this beautiful hardcover book and the coloring book during our homeschool lessons. 

About the Book 

Little Pilgrim's Big Journey is John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress fully illustrated and adapted for the next generation by Tyler Van Halteren with illustrations by Beatriz Mello. This hardcover book is 223 pages long with thick, glossy pages and a red ribbon to mark your place. There is a lovely place to dedicate the book to your own little pilgrim, a brief introduction to the life of John Bunyan, and an explanation of an allegory. All the people and places in Little Pilgrim's Big Journey are meant to teach readers important lessons. To help readers – both children and parents – understand the allegory, there are chapter summaries as well as questions at the end of the book. 

If you have never read Pilgrim's Progress, I recommend you set aside time to do so. For your younger children, Little Pilgrim's Big Journey will provide an excellent introduction to this wonderful allegory by John Bunyan. Children will read of Christian as he leaves the city of Destruction carrying a huge burden, receives advice from the Evangelist and Good-Will, travels the narrow path, journeys through the Valley of Humiliation, meets other pilgrims, and, in the end, he is welcomed by the King in the Celestial City. 

"Believe the King's Word...Follow the King's Path...Seek the King's City" 

Our Thoughts 

The story is written and adapted in such a way as to make it a lovely read-aloud. Reading Little Pilgrim's Big Journey makes for a nice break from our homeschool lessons as well as enjoyable bedtime reading. I have snuggled up on the sofa to read with both our first grader and our third grader. They are both intrigued by the story and while our third grader more easily answers the questions, our first grader has brought up the story outside our reading time. I think the story is reaching both of them and helping them better understand God. 

In addition to Little Pilgrim's Big Journey, Timberdoodle also provided us with a copy of the coloring book to review. The beautiful illustrations are repeated as black-and-white line drawings for children and adults to color. One could copy the colors from the hardcover book or you could pick your own color scheme to create original pictures. Our first grader and I have been coloring a page during her homeschool studies. It is nice to sit and discuss the events depicted in the coloring book as they relate to Little Pilgrim's Big Journey. The quality of the pages in the coloring book is thick and easy to color upon. We have only used colored pencils for our pictures so far and the pages, so I am not sure if markers would bleed through or not.

I think my favorite part of Little Pilgrim's Big Journey is how it has brought our children and me closer together during our homeschool time. I really appreciate the chapter summaries, which allow me to review the point and reason behind each chapter. And the questions that help one dig deeper into the allegory are a wonderful blessing. Sometimes as parents, we need that extra bit of help to bring the message home to our children. 

Little Pilgrim's Big Journey with its bright, colorful illustrations and the accompanying coloring book would be a welcome addition to any Christian home. It is a wonderful introduction to allegories for our young children, so not only will it help children on their journey with their faith but also in their language arts lessons.

Looking for more products from Timberdoodle? Be sure to read my review of Battle Sheep and Clumsy Thief Junior. 

Book Club: Book Review of The Essential Andrew Murray Collection

 

I received a COMPLIMENTARY copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I compensated in any other way. This post contains affiliate links. For more information, please see my Terms of Use and Disclosure Policy page. Thank you.

Finding the wisdom of classic Christian books has been made a bit easier with a beautiful paperback book released from Bethany House Publishers. The Essential Andrew Murray Collection consists of three works from the 19th-century South African minister. The three inspirational works include: 

• Humility 
• Abiding in Christ 
• Living a Prayerful Life 

Each work focuses upon a different aspect of life for a Christian. From the topic of humility to a 31-day devotional to prayer, this book has something for everyone.

Humility 

The first book included in The Essential Andrew Murray Collection is one that examines humility – the lack of it in our church, our leaders, and our lives – and where we can see examples of humility in the Scriptures. Each chapter begins with a general quote and a quote from Scripture. And I found one of the best parts of the book to be the overall organization. Murray presents his thoughts clearly and reminds us that we should humble ourselves before the Lord. God provides us with grace and exalts us when we show our humility. 

"And so pride - the loss of humility - is the root of every sin and evil" (20). 

Abiding in Christ 

Murray reminds us of the words of Jesus in the second book – "Follow Me" and "Abide in Me." In this 31-day devotional, readers are reminded to spend daily time with Jesus and the Father to grow in their relationship. Each of the 31 days begins with a Bible quote and looks at the different ways in which we can Abide in Jesus. In Day 10, Murray speaks of Jesus as our redemption, our sanctification, our righteousness – if we abide in Him, we are redeemed. As beautiful and necessary are these ideas, this book was difficult for me to work through and read.

Living a Prayerful Life 

Being a prayer warrior is so important, especially in today's world. But where does one begin? First, Murray states we must see prayerlessness as a sin. He examines the cause of it and how to fight prayerlessness in our lives. Living a Prayerful Life is divided into three sections to help readers move past the stumbling blocks of prayerlessness, develop a relationship with God, and look to Jesus as an example. Through Bible quotes and examples, Murray helps readers reach a life of prayer. 

My Thoughts 

I found The Essential Andrew Murray Collection to be a very well-written book that presents a lot of weighty ideas. As I worked my way through each of the three books, I often made notations and went back to reread parts – to make sure I understood the ideas being presented by Murray. Of the three, I enjoyed Humility the best, but I was struck by this passage in Living a Prayerful Life about Jesus praying at Gethsemane:

"He was able to meet the Enemy, full of courage, and in the power of God gave himself over to death on the Cross. He prayed." (360)

What a powerful reminder to pray! God will give us the strength we need when we are full of humility, abide in Him, and pray. These are three wonderful ideas to walk away from this wonderful collection of classics.