Book Club: Book Review of I'm So Glad You Were Born

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 or be compensated in any other way. This post contains affiliate links. Please see my Terms of Use and Disclosure Policy page for more information. Thank you.

Buying books for baby showers and young children's birthdays can be difficult if you wish to purchase ones that direct the children (and parents) towards God. I'm So Glad You Were Born: Celebrating Who You Are, written by Ainsley Earhardt and illustrated by Kim Barnes, provides us with an excellent choice for those occasions. This lovely hardcover book experiences the love of a child and ties in our connection with the Lord.

About I'm So Glad You Were Born 

The hardcover book starts and ends with the story. If you are looking for publication information, that is discreetly provided on the back of the book. The start of the story shows a celebration. Boys and girls of varying ages, ethnicities, and abilities are shown in a party atmosphere. As we progress through the book, readers are reminded of how celebrated they were when they were born. 

"The world JUMPED FOR JOY at God's big plans for you." 

While direct Bible quotes are not shared, we can see the Word of God in the text here: "God made you SPECTACULAR—one of a kind—Creatively crafted. Divinely designed." This reminds me of Psalm 139:14. 

As we continue to read I'm So Glad You Were Born, we see children completing fun activities and tasks such as dancing with their mom, building dragon wings, and star gazing. Careers and jobs are mentioned as "you can be anything you want to be," such as an electric car maker, a loving caretaker, a preacher, or a mom or dad. 

Character traits that we want to see displayed in our children are shared, such as compassion and honesty, as well as feelings that our children may have, such as anger. These are handled in a simple way, emphasizing that parents (and others) are always so glad their children were born. 

And finally, the book comes full circle, back to the celebration of our children's special day. 

"Celebrate all the wonderful, incredible things that make your little one so spectacular and one of a kind—and share all the reasons you were so glad they were born." 

My Thoughts 

I really appreciate the fact that God is woven lightly throughout the book. If you are seeking to purchase a book for a family new to the faith or even one that does not practice Christianity, this is a good choice. It is not an overly religious book, where God's hand in creating our children is mentioned on every page. Instead, it is a natural way to include his relationship with our families and children. 

In addition to the inclusion of God as our Father, I am also happy that a variety of jobs are included in the text. The emphasis placed on a mom or dad is also particularly important. With changes in society, the position of a mom or dad is not always seen as a calling so I love the pages devoted to this choice. 

Finally, I also appreciate that the book isn't focusing on a birthday as a celebration. This makes the book perfect for gifting and reading at any time of the year. The child is being celebrated because they were made. They are part of God's creation and should be celebrated. 

While there are a few parts that Christian parents may object to (such as "you can be anything you want to be"), I would recommend this book for young children ages 0 to six for parents to read. And children six to nine would probably enjoy reading it on their own. Our nine-year-old daughter enjoyed my reading it to her. 

Interested in More Book Reviews? 

• Book Club: Book Review of Tiny Truths Little Lights Devotional
• Book Club: Book Review of The Berenstain Bears Storybook Bible Search and Find
• Book Club: Book Review of Easter Love Letters from God, Updated Edition

Book Club: Book Review of These Tangled Threads

 

I received a COMPLIMENTARY copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion. I was neither required to write a positive review nor compensated in any other way. This post contains affiliate links. Please see my Terms of Use and Disclosure Policy page for more information. Thank you.

The Biltmore Estate (and its surrounding countryside) is the backdrop for These Tangled Threads by Sarah Loudin Thomas. Woven throughout a prologue, 48 chapters, and an epilogue, readers are introduced to a selection of characters from 1897 to 1924. Three main characters share their lives with us as we learn about weaving, woodworking, family, and truth. 

About the Book 

Sarah Loudin Thomas shares her knowledge of the Biltmore Estate, where she worked for six years, with her audience. The story starts with young Arthur meeting Mr. Vanderbilt and takes us through events in the first and second decades of the 1900s. 

Arthur is joined by Lorna, who works for Biltmore Industries and is tasked with designing and weaving fabric for the engagement of Cornelia Vanderbilt. The next main character is introduced as we see her joining the Biltmore Village. Gentry is a young girl who will be training in the weaving room under the tutelage of Lorna. As a 16-year-old, she is not eager to focus and lacks patience in completing her tasks. Conflict arises as the three characters interact in the 348-page paperback book from Bethany House.

At the heart of the novel, Thomas tells the story of the relationships between Arthur, Lorna, and Gentry. The three each have their own troubles. Arthur was sent away by his alcoholic parents and has a clubfoot. Lorna is a skilled weaver but lacks the creativity needed to design her own patterns. And poor Gentry was sent away by her unloving grandfather after her mother died. In between these details are tangled threads that bring them together again and again. 

Appalachian Author Highlights Historic Vanderbilt Wedding as Centennial Approaches

My Thoughts 

As someone who enjoys historical fiction, I was intrigued by the description of These Tangled Threads. I had a general knowledge of the Vanderbilts – in fact, I think I read another work of historical fiction featuring Cornelia – but I knew little else specific to this industry or locale. 

May I admit that I had trouble following the story when I first picked up the book? It arrived when I didn't have a lot of time to devote to more than one chapter during each reading. This made it difficult to follow the jumps between character perspectives and years in the different chapters. After a few personal and family events passed, I sat down and devoted time to reading These Tangled Threads. With the extra time to read uninterrupted, I followed the story much better.

I really enjoyed the story of Arthur. His attempt to help a family member was touching and well-written. I loved seeing his losses and successes detailed. And I was so happy with the end of his story. 

I didn't connect as closely to Lorna or Gentry, but without these two young ladies, the story would not advance. In the end, I appreciated the honesty that emerged and the growth of the characters. 

I would recommend These Tangled Threads to those who enjoy historical fiction and Christian novels. Through all the troubles, the book is encouraging and uplifting.

Book Club: Book Review of Tiny Truths Little Lights Devotional

 

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. Please see my Terms of Use and Disclosure Policy page for more information. Thank you.

Tiny Truths Little Lights Devotional: Shining God's Light in the World by Joanna Rivard and Tim Penner is a very cute hardcover book for children! I was very happy to receive this book from Zonderkidz™ to review on my blog. 

The hardcover book is 155 pages long and printed on shiny paper. When I first opened the book, it had that wonderful new book smell! Each devotion is split between two pages and includes expository text, a Bible quote, and very cute illustrations of children engaging in the light shining described. 

The main focus of Tiny Truths Little Lights Devotional is that God gives us his unending love, and we can pass that along to others. Thus, our children can shine their own light and demonstrate God's love in simple ways. They can help share God's message without having to worry about how to do it. 

Some of the examples of how to shine their light include: 

• Being joyful 
• Following the example of Jesus 
• Including those who have been left out 
• Sharing God's love 
• Helping others 

The book also shares many examples of how we see God's love all around us. From the wonder of nature to small acts of love like sharing gentle words, Tiny Truths Little Lights Devotional provides concrete and simple examples for our children. 

My Thoughts 

This would make a great gift for a 5 to 9-year-old child. They could read it with their parent or on their own and start to dig into God's Word. There is even a place in the front of the book to inscribe it to the child with the date it was gifted. 

I really like that you can read two pages a day and focus on the love of God with your children. I started out reading the book by myself so I could review it, but my daughter spotted it and wanted it read aloud. We read several devotions a day because they are short and easy to read. After finishing the book, I have no concerns about giving the book to my children to read on their own.

I would recommend this book to families and churches, as it is a cute book that focuses on the light of God.  

Interested in More Books Published by Zondervan? Check out these reviews! 

• Book Club: Book Review of The Berenstain Bears Storybook Bible Search and Find
• Spending Time with the Bible: A Review of Beloved: 365 Devotions for Young Women from Zondervan
• Book Club: Review of the NIV Beautiful Word Coloring Bible for Girls
• Book Club: Book Review of Sunny Days Ahead

Book Club: Book Review of Sunny Days Ahead

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. Please see my Terms of Use and Disclosure Policy page for more information. Thank you.

Devotionals are a great way to incorporate more Bible reading into your life and the lives of your children. Sunny Days Ahead: 150 Devotions for Health and Happiness by Lindsay A. Franklin is just the devotional to add to your teen or college-aged child's bookshelf. 

"This world we live in is dark, difficult, and painful," starts the introduction (1). This is such a sad and honest truth. Our children, especially our older ones who are on social media and out in the world, face the sin-fallen world. How do we help them when they feel helpless or hopeless? Sunny Days Ahead provides 150 days of Bible quotes, reflections, and questions to help our children get started. 

About the Book 

The 154-page paperback book features one devotion per page. The Bible quotes are NIV, ESV, or NKJV. Through quotes from both the Old and New Testaments, we see how "God breathes hope into his Word" (1). 

The ten-minute devotions focus on some of the following topics: 

• Goals and dreams
• Money
• Talents and skills
• Serving others
• Role models from the Bible
• The different characteristics of God 

Each devotion begins with a Bible quote, moves into two or three paragraphs expounding upon the quote and relating to the reader, and then a reflection section with space for the reader to write down their thoughts and answers.

My Thoughts 

I really enjoyed Sunny Days Ahead. Even though the book is written for our teens or college-aged children, I felt that so much could be applied to my own life. There are parts that focus on things important to our youth. For example, new life skills they are learning and school/college interactions. But I think parents and children could read this together as part of a normal prayer routine.

I really liked that Franklin told the reader to speak with parents first about troubles and then listed others – pastors, trusted adults, etc. So often our children are told to go to a teacher when their parents should be the first ones to hear about troubles and problems. However, Franklin does write that if there are problems at home or elsewhere, the reader should seek appropriate help.

The only thing I had trouble with was the white text on the yellow background for the devotion headings and reflection text. The yellow did not make it easy on the eyes. 

The book points to being positive but finding that hope in Scripture and the Lord. There is no new age happy advice such as "do what makes you happy." Insights point to biblical and scientific truths. What a refreshing devotional for our families. 

Interested in More Books Published by Zondervan? Check out these reviews! 

• Book Club: Book Review of The Berenstain Bears Storybook Bible Search and Find
• Spending Time with the Bible: A Review of Beloved: 365 Devotions for Young Women from Zondervan
• Book Club: Review of the NIV Beautiful Word Coloring Bible for Girls

Book Club: Book Review of The Berenstain Bears Storybook Bible Search and Find

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. Please see my Terms of Use and Disclosure Policy page for more information. Thank you.

There are many storybook-style Bibles available to purchase for your younger children. With all these resources comes debate, too. Should we provide a watered-down version of the Bible for our children? The Bible is not a fictional story, so why create a "storybook" Bible? If you are a family planning to include storybook bibles on your bookshelves, or if you already have one or two, I have a recommendation for a new book to add to your collection. 

From the beloved Berenstain Bears of my own childhood, there is a new book for my own children. The Berenstain Bears Storybook Bible Search and Find is a relatively new publication from Zonderkidz. This hardcover, colorful book presents several stories from the Bible with short text and graphics featuring bears in place of the humans. 

If your children are already familiar with the Berenstain Bears, this will provide a fun way to bring the Bible into your reading time. In a typical search and find, children will be on the lookout for a number of images within the larger picture. As this is a hardcover, the idea is not to circle the pictures when found but merely to point them out to the parent or grandparent reading the book. 

Stories include: 

• The Creation 
• Noah's Ark
• Moses leading the Israelites out of Egypt
• David as a shepherd
• Daniel in the lion's den
• The Birth of Jesus 
• The Storm at Sea
• The Last Supper (Passover supper) 

Ways to Use The Berenstain Bears Storybook Bible Search and Find

In addition to reading the text aloud with your child(ren) and searching for the objects listed, there are several ways in which you could use this particular storybook Bible. For example, find the story depicted in The Berenstain Bears' book with the one in your copy of the Bible. Look for passages or quotes from the Bible itself to share with your child. 

For the first set of pages depicting the Creation, create a mini-book with your child to depict the first seven days based on the Bible. Add the pictures from the Search and Find book to the mini-book on the appropriate days. Encourage your children to copy the pictures from the Search and Find book in their own mini-book to create a strong connection. 

On the pages that ask children to find certain numbers of objects, such as the ones showing David as a young shepherd, you could expand on the math lesson. Bring physical representation of the objects to the table. Do you have six mini apples or four toy ducks? You can collect the objects and work on addition and subtraction with them. Ask your child to add all the birds or all the plant objects (apples and flowers). 

Can you think of any other ways you could use this fun book in your home? Please share in the comments!

My Thoughts 

I really appreciate that the Search and Find included stories from both the Old and New Testaments. My only recommendation would be to add a few more. For example, maybe something from Proverbs and the Psalms from the Old Testament. And I would be very happy to see the Crucifixion and Resurrection depicted from the New Testament. Or maybe something from Acts or one of the letters. I understand that the Crucifixion is a heavy topic for 3 to 6-year-olds (the recommended age), but it is a very important part of the "story." 

For the pages illustrating Noah's Ark, I would have preferred the rainbow to have all the colors (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet). This is something we personally emphasize in our household to distinguish God's rainbow from other depictions. And some may have problems with the fact that the book illustrates it in a typical storybook fashion and not based upon Biblical research. 

Our eight-year-old daughter was very happy to see this book arrive. She still reads the copies of The Berenstain Bears' books we have collected over the years. So even though this book is recommended for ages 3 to 6 years old, those who enjoy the Bears will also enjoy this Search and Find book. 

I would recommend this book to families with young children who wish to introduce the Bible to their children in a fun way. It is also a great supplement to the Bible readings you may already be doing with your children. 

Book Club: Book Review of The Worry-Free Parent Workbook

 

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. Please see my Terms of Use and Disclosure Policy page for more information. Thank you.

I recently shared a review of The Worry-Free Parent by Sissy Goff, and now I would like to share about the workbook that can go along with it. The Worry-Free Parent Workbook is a 156-page paperback book that provides "the space and tools you need to grab hold of peace, embrace grace, and become the person, parent, and family you want to be." 

About The Worry-Free Parent Workbook 

Sissy Goff shares that one of her goals for The Worry-Free Parent book was to create conversations. The workbook gives parents the space to have a conversation with the text and dig deeper and more thoughtfully.  Some of the text is the same as in the book, but there is more content so that you can go beyond the book when using the workbook. 

Just like the book, the workbook has 3 sections with 12 chapters: 

1. Understanding Worry and Anxiety 
2. Understanding Ourselves
3. How Anxiety Impacts You
4. How Your Anxiety Impacts Your Kids
5. Help for Your Body
6. Help for Your Mind
7. Help for Your Heart
8. Help for Your Kids
9. Admit Failure, Know Grace
10. Try Softer
11. Trust Your Gut
12. Trust God 

Each chapter ends with a space for you to list three things you are grateful for, three things that bring you hope, and three truths that you want to remember. There is a spot for "today's check-in," which repeats the same questions, including: "What have you learned about yourself as a person?" and "What do you want to put into practice?" 

My Thoughts 

You could use the workbook alone, but you really do need the companion book to be able to fully understand everything in the workbook. I read the book and used the workbook together. I think they complement each other very well. Both offer practical advice. 

There is lots of space to answer the questions. So, if you are someone who likes to take notes in the margin, you'll find this a good book for note-taking. The pages are also thick enough that the ink isn't showing through the other side, too.

I would recommend The Worry-Free Parent Workbook for those parents who are seeking to uncover what keeps them filled with anxiety and worry. It will help them work through worries using Scripture as the basis. Keep your Bible ready in case you wish to look up the verses in your preferred translation, as Goff uses several translations, including The Message.

Other Reviews 

Raising Worry-Free Girls: Helping Your Daughter Feel Braver, Stronger, and Smarter in an Anxious World

Braver, Stronger, Smarter: A Girl's Guide to Overcoming Worry & Anxiety

Brave: A Teen Girl's Guide to Beating Worry and Anxiety

Affiliate links 

Book Club: Book Review of The Worry-Free Parent

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. Please see my Terms of Use and Disclosure Policy page for more information. Thank you.

I have had the joy of reading several other books by Sissy Goff and sharing reviews previously. The most recent book by Sissy Goff that I have read to review is The Worry-Free Parent: Living in Confidence So Your Kids Can Too. The idea behind Goff's latest book is that "worry is contagious but you can stop its spread." She has found that for every anxious child or teen, there is often at least one parent who is anxious. The Worry-Free Parent provides advice, encouragement, and tools to help parents make a difference in their own lives. 

About The Worry-Free Parent 

The 252-page paperback book contains an introduction, notes with references, and three sections broken into 12 chapters. Sections are divided into Understanding the Past, Help for the Present, and Hope for the Future. Many chapters are divided further into five key things that Goff wants to share with the reader, such as "five ways the anxiety of parents impacts the anxiety of kids" or "five things to know about anxiety and your heart." Each chapter also contains numerous questions for you to answer (space is provided in The Worry-Free Parent workbook reviewed separately) as well as "Worry-Free Takeaways," which are the most important parts of the chapter. 

Inside The Worry-Free Parent, you will dig deeper into: 

• How anxiety misinterprets and distorts our thinking 
• How to understand our own anxiety so we can break the cycle 
• How anxiety distracts us or makes us angry 
• The way that anxiety impacts our parenting of our children 
• The science behind anxiety 
• Bible verses that will help calm our anxiety 
• How to find and give ourselves grace
• And more 

My Thoughts About The Worry-Free Parent 

As a parent who is a worrier and quite anxious, I was very happy to see that Sissy Goff had written a book for parents. I have reviewed her other books for children and teens previously and found them useful and informative. 

I was able to relate to a lot of the content in The Worry-Free Parent. I found myself taking notes in the margins and underlining key parts. (The workbook was also very helpful.) While I have read other works about anxiety and worry, it was very nice to read a book rooted in Christianity.  Being presented with Bible verses to read and reflect upon or memorize is a great tool for Christian parents who are anxious. 

While I found The Worry-Free Parent helpful overall, I did have a few concerns. One of my main concerns is how many times Goff references Enneagrams. Personally, I am not convinced that this is a Biblical way to view ourselves or the world. So, while I know it is the popular thing in many circles, including Christian ones, I would have preferred to see less mention of them. I was also concerned with the Bible version quoted frequently. For many of the longer passages, Goff quotes from The Message. I may not hold to just one translation of the Bible for my own reading, but this is one I tend to avoid due to my own research.

And finally, I was taken aback by the reference to Leave It to Beaver and Parenthood. Goff writes, "The older show is Leave It to Beaver, which you're probably too young to have heard of" (209). So, am I too old for the book's demographics because I remember that show and probably watched reruns when I was a child, and I don't know anything about Parenthood? I wish authors, particularly Christian authors, would be more careful when including cultural references, because – as Christians – we do not all hold to the same standards in relation to TV, movies, and music.

Now, I would like to highlight some of the parts that I enjoyed and found very helpful. When discussing help for our heart, Goff writes, "For us to work through our anxiety, we have to do the scary thing." And she continues towards the end of the paragraph that "we can trust in Someone who does bring comfort more than any amount of certainty or control ever could" (147). Since one of my worries causing problems is the desire to know what is going to happen and have control over situations, I found this section very useful. And bringing it back to God is wonderful. And she brings her points back to God a number of times. Goff reminds us to take care of ourselves and how to include Jesus and Prayer in those moments. She also shares a number of verses that speak specifically to our worries (just the verse not the passage of Scripture itself). We can look those up in our Bibles to reframe or replace our anxious thoughts with more positive ones and the truth. 

I would recommend The Worry-Free Parent to those who are anxious parents themselves or who counsel anxious parents. Even with my concerns, there is a firm path to a Biblical approach to help alleviate worries and anxieties. I will be referencing this book for years to come. 

Other Reviews 

Raising Worry-Free Girls: Helping Your Daughter Feel Braver, Stronger, and Smarter in an Anxious World

Braver, Stronger, Smarter: A Girl's Guide to Overcoming Worry & Anxiety

Brave: A Teen Girl's Guide to Beating Worry and Anxiety 

affiliate links 

Book Club: Book Review of Voice of the Ancient

 

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. Please see my Terms of Use and Disclosure Policy page for more information. Thank you.

Weaving together Biblical events and historical fiction is one of Connilyn Cossette's talents. In reading Voice of the Ancient to review, I was able to see the early years of Saul as king come to life. Cossette introduces readers to a beautiful land with harsh conditions. She also brings back the boys from Between the Wild Branches for another adventure. 

About the Book 

Voice of the Ancient is the first book in The King's Men series by Connilyn Cossette. She sets her story during the years that Saul sat on the throne of Israel. According to the author's note, Cossette feels that many gloss over the years Saul was king, but he was still chosen by God to unite Israel under one banner.

The early chapters of the book bring us into a battle with the Ammonites. Cossette has been fighting her own battles. For those who don't know, she shares in the book that she has battled cancer, which caused upheaval and deadlines that were pushed back. I think the extra time spent walking that path has brought something special to Voice of the Ancients.

The story focuses upon Avidan, the eldest son of a Levite and a Philistine, and Keziah, the daughter of a powerful clan chief. Both end up in the same area—near an invading force—and come to rely upon each other. 

Avidan leaves his home to join his cousins and friends to answer Saul's call to repeal the Ammonite invasion, while Keziah is on the road to escape a marriage to an evil man. The novel moves between each of these characters, allowing them each time to share their own viewpoint. 

My Thoughts 

First, let me share that I haven't finished reading Voice of the Ancient, but as I will be offline for over a week, I wanted to share my review now. The book was published in August, so I do not want to wait too much longer to share my thoughts about the book. I will be updating this post when I have finished reading it. 

Both of the main characters have drawn me into the story. By alternating the viewpoint between Avidan and Keziah, I am ready to keep reading well past bedtime because I want to know what has happened to both individuals. Their stories are compelling. 

I appreciate that Avidan wishes to try and forge a life for himself. As a member of the Levite bloodline, he is supposed to remain with his tribe. His family legacy is to share the stories of their ancestors but he wants something more. This leads him to join his cousins to fight the invading force. His experience with his first battle is very jarring and wonderfully written. 

Keziah's family is located very near the area the Ammonites have invaded. Her father is afraid for his land and people so he brokers a marriage with another powerful man between his daughter, Keziah, and that man. This man turns about to be very cruel so Keziah's maid intervenes. This leads Keziah to run away from her home where she meets Avidan. 

I love the interaction between Avidan and Keziah. They end up in an area where the people have not heard all the stories of Jacob and Joseph. So, Avidan barters the telling of the stories for dinner. Keziah has not heard these stories, either. In fact, her village doesn't just worship Yahweh but also Asherah as the consort. This seems foreign to Avidan. I appreciate that he tries to carefully explore Keziah's feelings towards Yahweh and the goddess.

I am eager to finish reading Voice of the Ancient to see where Avidan and Keziah end up. Will they find his cousin? Will they find her mother's family? What will become of Avidan's cousins who are still with Saul's army? These are great questions pushing the narrative forward.

Read more about one of Cossette's other books here: Until the Mountains Fall

Book Club: Book Review of Rocky Mountain Rendezvous

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. Please see my Terms of Use and Disclosure Policy page for more information. Thank you.

I enjoy a good historical fiction novel, especially those that involve a mission. I was very pleased to read and review Rocky Mountain Rendezvous by Misty M. Beller. Her latest adventure is set in 1837, telling the story of four sisters seeking the woman who helped their father. 

About the Book 

We join four sisters—Rosemary, Juniper, Faith, and Lorelei Collins—in July 1837 at a trapper-trading rendezvous in Green River Valley (future Wyoming). They have traveled to the locale with the trading wagons. They are seeking the Piegan Blackfoot woman who helped heal their father years ago. On their father's deathbed, he asked his daughters to seek her out and return her beads to her. Even though the trip and the mission were dangerous, all four sisters agreed to try and find Steps Right to honor their father. 

When they arrived at the camp, they met Riley Turner when the coyote pup Lorelei was nursing escaped. Riley took it upon himself to escort and protect the girls. The men at the rendezvous had not seen a white woman - especially one from the East - in at least a year or more. So Riley wanted to protect the girls' virtue and honor. The Collins sisters hired Riley and, eventually, his campmates to help them on the journey and mission to find Steps Right. 

In addition to the dangers at the camp rendezvous, the Collins sisters and Riley also faced dangers in the wilderness and from the different tribes they questioned regarding the whereabouts of Steps Right.

 

My Thoughts 

Misty M. Beller has crafted another well-written and intriguing work of historical fiction. Her words in Rocky Mountain Rendezvous brought the location to life. While reading the book, I really felt like I was on the trail with Juniper (the Collins sister the story focuses upon) and Riley.

"The sun beat down on Juniper relentlessly as they rode past the morning hours and into early afternoon. Dragoon's tracks—and those of the horses he'd been following—had been winding around several mountains, staying to the lower rocky terrain" (218). 

I also felt like Beller did a good job of being respectful of different groups and beliefs. With recent anger towards other Christian authors telling stories set in the West during the 18th and 19th centuries, I can only hope critics will read Beller's book before making a decision. 

At no point does Beller write disrespectfully of the Native American tribes that the main characters come across on their mission. I am eager to see how Beller continues the story in the series as the Collins work more closely with the tribes in the area. 

While Rocky Mountain Rendezvous is published by Bethany House Publishers, the story focuses on the journey and mission and less on God and His hand in the Collins sisters' lives. God is still present but not as central as He is in some other Bethany House publications. 

I would recommend Rocky Mountain Rendezvous to those who enjoy historical fiction and Christian Romance. The pace of the story is excellent, and the characters are well developed and interesting. 

Read my review of Hope's Highest Mountain, too! 

Book Club: Book Review of Israel: Beauty, Light, and Luxury

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. Please see my Terms of Use and Disclosure Policy page for more information. Thank you.

When you read the Bible, do you ever wonder what the locations look like? And I don't necessarily mean what did the land look like when the people of the Bible walked the land. What about the look of Israel today? 

In Israel: Beauty, Light, and Luxury, the creator of The Bible Recap, Tara-Leigh Cobble and photographer Richard Van De Water share the land of Jesus in a beautiful, hardcover coffee-table book. A series of devotionals written by Cobble accompany photographs of Israel today. 

About the Book 

The 255-page hardcover book contains 31 devotionals and a photo index which helps you identify each full-color photo. Some pages contain two to five photos, while other gorgeous photos fill the entire page. Each devotional focuses upon one area, references the Bible, and is a few paragraphs in length. 

Photographs include: 

• Buried ruins of King Herod's palace
• Enchanting doorways
• Hotels
• Mount Carmel 
• Sunsets
• Flowers and trees native to Israel
• Citizens and tourists of Israel
• Underwater photos
• Rich meals
• And more! 

Devotions include: 

• Reflections on Peter's vision to share Jesus' message with Jews and Gentiles
• A look at the splitting of Israel into two kingdoms 
• A discussion of Jesus as the cornerstone
• The Baptism of Jesus at the Jordan River
• The miracles of Jesus in Capernaum 

My Thoughts 

The photography of Israel: Beauty, Light, and Luxury is so vivid and stunning. The photographs are grouped together thoughtfully to tell a visual story. The groupings are arranged by theme, color, and location. The ones on the pages with the devotion relate directly to Cobble's devotion. 

The devotions are as thoughtful and meaningful as the writing in Cobble's other works published by Bethany House Publishers. For example, in the Palm Sunday Prophecy devotion, Cobble writes: "What an incredible demonstration of love, that Jesus would die on a tree He made to save a people He made" (184). What a beautiful reminder! 

While I think this is a gorgeous book, I was expecting more photography of the land and locations of the Bible and not as many depicting Israel today. I was also disappointed that the majority of the photographs did not have captions describing them. I needed to look at the photo index to see what the photographs were of and then had to search the Internet to learn more about the locations that interested me the most. 

I would recommend Israel: Beauty, Light, and Luxury to those Christians interested in taking a glimpse into the country of Israel. This book would be a wonderful gift for those interested in photography of Israel. 

Read more reviews of the works of Tara-Leigh Cobble here: 

Book Club: Book Review of The Bible Recap

Book Club: Book Review of The Bible Recap Study Guide

Book Club: Book Review of The Bible Recap Journal

Book Club: Book Review of The God Shot by Tara-Leigh Cobble

Book Club: Book Review of The Bible Recap Discussion Guide

Book Club: Book Review of Authentic Worship

 

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. Please see my Terms of Use and Disclosure Policy page for more information. Thank you.

"What does it mean to truly worship the Lord?" In Authentic Worship: The Path to Greater Unity with God, the late A.W. Tozer sets out to answer this question. I had the pleasure of reading and reviewing Authentic Worship, a compilation of Tozer's thoughts on worship, compiled and edited by James L. Snyder. I found this 154-page paperback book to be full of great insight and helpful observations.

About the Book 

Tozer sets out over the course of seventeen chapters to examine the definition and practice of authentic worship through scripture, reflections, prayer, and hymns. In the introduction, Snyder writes, "Tozer's passion concerning worship was that it always be pleasing to God, as authentic worship, not worship that pleased the carnal Christian or the world" (7). 

Throughout Authentic Worship, Tozer makes the point over and over that the church of today, the Christians of today, often fall into "Cain Worship." People are only interested in worshipping in ways that make them feel good or enable them to go back to their normal lives for the rest of the week. Tozer firmly states that this is not the way we should worship. There should be no doubt that when we die, we will hear, "Well done, good and faithful servant." If we allow our worship of God to be anything but authentic, we are in jeopardy after we die. 

Tozer reminds us of some important things necessary in our faith: 

• We should praise God at all times. 
• God made creation and loved what He did. 
• God is the Most High above all earth. 
• The things of this earth are fleeting, and we don't take those things with us. 
• We must forgive and not hold grudges. 

My Thoughts 

Authentic Worship was a joy to read. Tozer provides so much inspiration for those willing to move towards worshipping God authentically. It is a book on worship, "and yet learning how to worship doesn't come from a book" (151). So, while there aren't specific steps to take, Tozer did inspire me. There were more than a few moments where I felt the need to step back because I needed to question my own worship and beliefs. 

I really appreciated the inclusion of scripture at the beginning and throughout each chapter. Bringing everything back to the Bible and the Word of God is very important to me. The inclusion of a prayer and a hymn at the end of each chapter was also very nice. Being able to pray over the thoughts presented really helps bring them into my heart. 

Readers will walk away from Authentic Worship hoping to worship God with other believers and show the rest of the world the power of Christ. Tozer says we are "called to be a burning bush, a bush with fire in it" (145). We need to be separate from the world but also be welcoming to those who are not Christians. Jesus Himself said, "God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth" (John 4:24). It is tragic that 60 years after Tozer's death, his words still ring true: Cain worship outweighs true worship in much of the church.

I would recommend Authentic Worship: The Path to Greater Unity with God to those seeking to worship God through all eternity. Pastors would find this a valuable resource, as would members of his congregation.

I have reviewed other books by A. W. Tozer. Please find these reviews here: 

Book Club: Book Review of A Cloud by Day, A Fire by Night

Book Club: Book Review of The Pursuit of God: The Definitive Classic by A.W. Tozer

Book Club: Book Review of Lead Like Christ