An Amazing Book on Marriage and Communication--"With These Words" by Rob Flood—Review

My Review

“With These Words: Five Communication Tools for Marriage and Life” by Rob Flood is a great resource not only for marriages but for any relationship.  I often find marriage books redundant, but this one is great because it talks about one of the most important (in my opinion) aspects of marriage—communication.  Now that I am a mom of a teenager as well as a wife, I am always eager to improve my communication in my different relationships.  There are a lot of relatable stories that the author shares.  I love that he uses Scripture to back up his points.  There are some great takeaways and practical ways to implement his knowledge.  At the end of each chapter, there’s a “Bottom Line” and “Discussion/Reflection Questions.”  The questions are great if you want to do this with a spouse, small group, or just reflect on it by yourself. 

One chapter I especially like is called “The Tool of Prayer.”  It talks about how to practically make prayer a regular part of your marriage and how important prayer is in our relationships.  I’m excited to implement some of these wonderful truths!

Content:  This is a clean read.

Rating:  I give this book 5 stars.


I want to thank Rob Flood, New Growth Press and Read with Audra for the complimentary copy of this book for review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I express in this review are my own. This is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s CFR 16, Part 255.

About the Author 

Rob Flood, MAR serves as a Community and Care Pastor at Covenant Fellowship Church in Glen Mills, PA. Prior to pastoral ministry, Rob served as a writer for FamilyLife, a division of Cru. He is the author of With These Words: Five Communication Tools for Marriage and Life. He and his wife, Gina, have six children and live in West Chester, PA.

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Can You Relate?--"Breathe Again: How to Live Well When Life Falls Apart" by Niki Hardy--Review

My Review:

When I saw the title for this book, I was very excited to read it.  I’ve had more than my fair share of struggles (or as Niki says, “when the poop hits the fan”).  I’m sure I’m not alone in this either.  Life is hard, and Niki gets that, so very much.  Her book is like a personal cheerleader, equipping us with the tools we need during these extra hard times in life.  I love how practical it is.  It’s about living in the midst of difficult times, and learning to not just survive them, but thrive.  Niki gives the reader tools like meditating on who we are in Christ.  There are great prayers and applications at the end of each chapter.  Niki writes in a very relatable way.  She discusses hard topics with grace, humor and wit.  I found myself already putting a lot of her tools into practice and noticing changes in the way I think and how I approach rough situations.  I want to be someone who lives well and chooses joy during the really hard times, and this is exactly the book I was looking for to help with that!

Content: This is a clean read.

Rating: 5 stars

I want to thank NetGalley, Niki Hardy and Revell for the complimentary copy of this book for review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I express in this review are my own. This is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s CFR 16, Part 255.

About the Author:

I’m all about helping you squeeze the juice out of life no matter what gets thrown your way. Doesn’t that sound good?

If you’re like me, and I suspect you are, when life slaps you around the face you hunker down and battle on, your stiff upper lip firmly in place (Brits have stiff upper lips – what do Americans have?). You tell yourself and everyone except a few close peeps you’re fine, when you’re anything but.

We ugly cry in the shower, struggle to pray, then soldier on. We laugh when all we want to do is scream.

We put life on hold until we’re through our grief, cancer, break up, depression or whatever else has shattered our world.

And we’re left merely surviving a life we didn’t sign up for.
It’s no fun at all. (A British understatement of biblical proportion)

How do I know? Because I was there.

To visit the author's website click here

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Hope for the Lonely Women--"Girls' Club: Cultivating Lasting Friendship in a Lonely World" by Sarah, Sally & Joy Clarkson--Review

 

My Review:

 

Do you struggle with loneliness?  Do you need more female friendships in your life?  Do you want to strengthen the friendships you already have?  If you answered any of the above questions with a “yes,” then “Girls’ Club: Cultivating Lasting Friendship in a Lonely World” by Sarah, Sally & Joy Clarkson, is for you.  Even if you didn’t answer “yes,” this is a great resource and you should check it out!

“Girls’ Club: Cultivating Lasting Friendship in a Lonely World” by Sarah, Sally & Joy Clarkson is written by a mother and her two daughters.  I like how different sections of the book are told from a different person’s point of view.  I also love the relatable stories from their lives on friendship that they share throughout. 

The authors address the issue of loneliness in today’s world.  Ultimately, Christ heals us of our fundamental loneliness and answers the question, “Am I loveable?”  The Clarksons gave so many practical tips on how to be a good friend, how to make friends and how to strengthen friendships.  I found myself putting the book down multiple times to text or call my friends and apply what I had read.  This book is such a wonderful resource that I highly recommend!

Content:  This is a clean read.

Rating: I give this book 4 stars.

Genre: Christian non-fiction.

I want to thank Tyndale House Publishers and Sarah, Sally & Joy Clarkson for the complimentary copy of this book for review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I express in this review are my own. This is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s CFR 16, Part 255.

About the Authors:

Sally Clarkson is the beloved author of multiple bestselling books, including Own Your Life, The Lifegiving Home with her daughter Sarah, Desperate with Sarah Mae, and most recently, Different with her son Nathan. As a mother of four, she has inspired thousands of women through conferences, resources, and books with Whole Heart Ministries (www.wholeheart.org). She has also advocated relentlessly for the power of motherhood and the influence of home through her Mom Heart conferences (www.momheart.org), speaking to audiences on several continents.
Discipleship and mentoring women to understand how to love God in a more personal way and how to live a satisfying Christian life are threads through all of her messages. Sally encourages many through her blogs, podcasts, and websites. You can find her on her blog at www.sallyclarkson.com. Her popular podcast, At Home with Sally Clarkson and Friends, with over a million downloads, can be found on iTunes and Stitcher. She regularly teaches at conferences and on webcasts, and she participates in international discipleship ministry in venues all over the world.

Joy Clarkson is a lover of God and people, a crafter of words, and a dedicated evangelist for the soul-enriching benefits of teatime. She studied rhetorical communications at Biola University, where she competed on the speech and debate team as a champion of parliamentary debate. She is currently working on her doctorate in theology, imagination, and the arts at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, where she enjoys long walks on the shore of the North Sea and visits to tiny fishing villages. She fills her days with academic research, music making, adventuring, and savoring deep conversations with her soul friends. In her spare time, Joy bakes, sings, reads, writes, dabbles in marketing, adores golden retrievers, and drinks too much tea.  https://joyclarkson.com/

Sarah Clarkson loves books, beauty, and imagination, and thinks everyone else should too. She's a published author (The Lifegiving Home, Read for the Heart, Caught Up in a Story) and recent graduate of Oxford University, where she studied theology at Wycliffe Hall. She blogs at sarahclarkson.com and is a regular guest on the podcast At Home with Sally, where she chats about her current reads and imaginative discoveries. She lives in Oxford, England, in a red-doored cottage she shares with her husband, Thomas and their daughter, Lilian.

To purchase the book click here

"Once Upon a Farm: Lessons on Growing Love, Life, and Hope on a New Frontier" by Rory Feek--Review

 

 

My Review:

 

“Once Upon a Farm”, an autobiographical book by Rory Feek, is a story about lessons learned and life lived.  Feek is living his life for God and shares little snippets of that life with the reader.  Feek is a well-known songwriter and musician who used to be one half of the country music duo “Joey and Rory”; the other half being his wife Joey who passed away in 2016.

I have seen a lot about Joey and Rory on social media, especially Joey’s battle with cancer.  I thought this book would be about how Rory is dealing with her death and moving on.  Instead, it’s more of a compilation of essays written by Rory about random topics involving his life and lessons he’s learned.  It’s not in chronological order either.  The book is interesting because I did learn more about his life.  It did make me realize that life is short and I should live in the moment.  I should not always wish for a better life but love the one I’m living.  Rory Feek is a good writer and there are some great lessons in this book.  I would recommend it to anyone who loves hearing the personal stories of famous individuals, or who loves country music and living, or is even just a fan of the couple!

 

Content:  I give this book a PG-13 rating due to some issues discussed and some content.  Some examples of the content are:  Rory talks about his past life drinking and chasing women; there is some content that may be controversial in the Christian community; the word “hell” is used; references to sex; the Lord’s name is taken in vain.

 

Rating:  I give this book 3 stars.

 

Genre: Christian non-fiction

I want to thank Rory Feek, BookLook Bloggers and Thomas Nelson for the complimentary copy of this book for review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I express in this review are my own. This is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s CFR 16, Part 255. 

 

 

 

About the Author:

Rory Feek is a true renaissance man, known as one of Nashville’s premiere songwriters, entrepreneurs, and out-of-the-box thinkers. He is a world-class storyteller, crossing all creative mediums, from music and film to books and the Internet, and is the New York Times bestselling author of This Life I Live.

As a blogger, Rory shares his heart and story with the world through thislifeilive.com and has more than two million Facebook followers. As a songwriter, Rory has written multiple number-one songs. As an artist, he is half of the Grammy-winning county music duo Joey + Rory. He and his wife, Joey Martin, toured the world and sold hundreds of thousands of records. As a filmmaker, Rory wrote and filmed the touching documentary To Joey, With Love and directed the upcoming feature-length film Josephine, an epic love story set during the declining months of the Civil War.

Rory and his youngest daughter, Indiana, live an hour south of Nashville in an 1870s farmhouse near their family-owned diner, Marcy Jo’s Mealhouse.

To read a sample click here

To find out more and purchase the book, click here for the product page

Bookworms will Drool over This Book!--"Book Girl: A Journey Through the Treasures and Transforming Power of a Reading Life" by Sarah Clarkson--Review

 

 

I don’t review a lot of non-fiction books on my blog, but when I saw there was a book about books, the reading life and bookworms, I knew I needed to read and share it!  This book is not only a wonderful read, but an amazing resource, filled with book lists for different seasons of a reader’s life! 

In Book Girl: A Journey Through the Treasures and Transforming Power of a Reading Life by Sarah Clarkson, Clarkson begins each section with a little essay of her own, and then proceeds to give us some book lists that correspond with the essay.  I learned a lot from Ms. Clarkson’s essays and found them very relatable.  Ms. Clarkson argues that reading shapes who we are and it’s the lens through which we view the world.  She talks of stories helping us to understand things better in real life; they help show us what is good and give us hope to fight and cope with the evil in the world.  Ultimately, she says that our lives are a story as a part of the Kingdom of God.  I couldn’t agree more with her arguments for how important reading and stories are!

I personally have such a passion for Story.  Ms. Clarkson talks all about the exact reason why my blog is named Faery Tales Are Real, arguing for the importance of fairy tales and how they point us to the greatest Story of Christianity.  I love how she found connections between fairy tales and Biblical narrative.  I just felt through reading this book that I had found a kindred spirit, as the author talks about Anne from Anne of Green Gables and how she loves the Lord of the Rings (can I get an Amen).  The Lord of the Rings helped strengthen her faith when she was younger, in the same way that it did for me.

I highly recommend this book to any person who loves reading, no matter what stage of the reading journey they are in.  It is an excellent resource to have on hand (the book lists are amazing)! 

Content: This is a clean read.  The only content is: mentions rape when describing To Kill a Mockingbird; word damn is used.

Rating: I give this book 5 stars!

Genre: Christian non-fiction

I want to thank Tyndale Momentum, Tyndale House Publishers and Sarah Clarkson for the complimentary copy of this book for review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I express in this review are my own. This is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s CFR 16, Part 255.




About the Author:

Sarah Clarkson loves books, beauty, and imagination, and thinks everyone else should too. She's a published author (The Lifegiving Home, Read for the Heart, Caught Up in a Story) and recent graduate of Oxford University, where she studied theology at Wycliffe Hall. She blogs at sarahclarkson.com and is a regular guest on the podcast At Home with Sally, where she chats about her current reads and imaginative discoveries. She lives in Oxford, England, in a red-doored cottage she shares with her husband, Thomas and their duagher, Lilian.

To visit the author's website click here

To purchase the book click here

Christian Satire at its Best—"How to Be a Perfect Christian" by The Babylon Bee—Review

I've been following The Babylon Bee on Facebook for a couple of years and was interested in what their book would be like.  They are a group that puts out satirical articles poking fun at cultural Christianity.  For "How to Be a Perfect Christian: Your Comprehensive Guide to Flawless Spiritual Living," some authors got together, and now they have a whole book that does basically the same thing in a how-to type format.  The whole book is meant to be read as satire.  It pokes fun at all of the ways our culture has made Christianity into a hip, me-centered universe that does and says all the right things to fit in.  Heaven forbid we actually make it all about the Gospel and stop judging someone on what version of the Bible they read.  Which, in the end, is their whole point—that no one can be a perfect Christian and that's why we need Christ. 

This book was at times super relatable, so much so that it was scary.  I found myself laughing out loud, nodding my head because something was all too true, and cringing.  I think this book is geared towards my generation, as I appreciated the DC Talk, fish bumper sticker references.  I also related a lot because I went to a Bible college with a lot of rules.  Many of the rules we had to follow were in this book, down to what Bible we had to use.  I think those who do not enjoy satire or don't have this kind of sense of humor might get offended.  But it is clear that The Babylon Bee does it all in love and I found it to be a quick, fun read!

 Content: This is a clean read.

 Rating: I give this book 4 stars

 Genre: Christian Non-fiction

I want to thank WaterBrook and Multnomah Launch Team, Multnomah and The Babylon Bee for the complimentary copy of this book for review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I express in this review are my own. This is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s CFR 16, Part 255.

 

 

 

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A Down-to-earth Manual on Style, Health and God--"Staying Stylish: Cultivating a Confident Look, Style and Attitude" by Candace Cameron Bure Review

I have many good memories of watching "Full House" with my brother growing up.  If you didn't know, the author of this book, Candace Cameron Bure, starred as DJ Tanner in "Full House."  I was even more thrilled to find out Ms. Bure is a Christian and pretty outspoken about her faith.  We need more of that, especially in Hollywood.

"Staying Stylish: Cultivating a Confident Look, Style and Attitude" by Candace Cameron Bure is a non-fiction book written as a type of manual.  The main topics it covers are style/fashion, health and faith.  The book itself is a beautiful hardback book with a ribbon bookmark to mark your place.  I really love all of the pictures to illustrate the different things covered in the book.

Ms. Bure writes in a down-to-earth manner.  Her tips and tricks are very practical and ones a normal person can implement.  I found myself recently consulting the book on the best way to wear a skirt.  What I love most is that Ms. Bure doesn't just talk about beauty and style, but also how important it is to take care of oneself physically, mentally and spiritually.  She talks about prayer, journaling and having a quiet time.  Lastly, she stresses that you should be true to yourself!

Content: This is a clean read.  The only problem I can see one having is that people have different convictions on modesty and some Christians may not be comfortable with some of her outfits. 

Rating: I give this book 5 stars!

Genre: Christian; Non-fiction

I want to thank Candace Cameron Bure, Zondervan and Book Look Bloggers for the complimentary copy of this book for review.  I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I express in this review are my own. This is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s CFR 16, Part 255.

About the Author:

 

Candace Cameron Bure, actress, producer, New York Times' bestselling author, inspirational speaker, and Dancing With The Stars Season 18 finalist, is both outspoken and passionate about her family and faith. Known to millions worldwide from her role as "D.J. Tanner" on the iconic family sitcom, "Full House," Candace continues to flourish in the entertainment industry as role model to women of all ages. She lives in the Los Angeles area with her husband and three children.


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A New Favorite Non-Fiction Book--"Daring to Hope" by Katie Davis Majors Review

Wow!  That is the only word I could think as I slowly closed the last page of this book, sitting in a reverent silence.  This book touched me in such a profound way.  I don't feel a review will do it justice--you need to read it for yourself.  I see why it has become a bestseller on so many lists!

"Daring to Hope: Finding God's Goodness in the Broken and the Beautiful" by Katie Davis Majors is at first glance just another biography.  But it is so much more.  The words are so beautiful, the messages and spiritual truths so profound and the stories Katie shares so moving.  Katie wrote her first bestseller, "Kisses from Katie", in 2011.  I did not read that book, but had heard so much about Katie and her story; how when she was eighteen years old she moved to Uganda, adopted 13 girls and founded a ministry.  "Daring to Hope" is the continuation of that story. 

Katie herself is an amazing writer.  Her style is poetic and lyrical.  She is very honest and shares deep truths.  In “Daring to Hope”, she tells her story of finding God in brokenness and suffering.  She goes through some really hard times where she questions God.  God doesn't always give her the answers or what she asks for, but He gives her Himself, which is the best and most satisfying gift. 

This is a message that we as Americans especially need to hear.  We often believe that the "American Dream" is a sign of God's blessing, but Katie points out so many instances of faithful believers in Uganda who are starving, dying or can't afford basic medical care.  This does not mean they aren't blessed or aren't faithful. 

I highlighted huge portions of this book.  I came away with so many truths to help me, especially as I have been coming out of a hard season of my own life.  I have had many of the same questions Katie has had, and the answers she provides and how she points one to God have been such a comfort to my heart.  My faith has grown thanks to reading this book.  I recommend this book to anyone who has been through suffering and wondered where God was, to anyone who is wrestling with God or even wondering if that is okay.  If you want to be inspired or encouraged in your walk with God, this book is for you. 

Content:  I would give this book a PG rating, due to some content related to Katie's ministry.  Katie's ministry is to people who go through some very hard things.  As she describes her ministry, there is some more "graphic" content, like birth and treating wounds.  There are alcoholics, addicts, murder and poisoning. 

Rating:  I give this book a solid 5 stars!  It's a new favorite!

Genre:  Christian non-fiction; Biography

I want to thank Katie Davis Majors, Multnomah Publishing and Blogging for Books for the complimentary copy of this book for review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I express in this review are my own. This is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s CFR 16, Part 255.


About the Author:

Katie Davis Majors moved to Uganda over a decade ago with no idea that this would be the place that God chose to build her home and her family. Today, she is a wife to Benji and mama to her fourteen favorite people. Katie and her family invest their lives in empowering the people of Uganda with education, medical care, and spiritual discipleship. She is also the founder of Amazima Ministries, an organization that cares for vulnerable children and families in Uganda and the author of the New York Times bestseller Kisses from Katie.

To visit the authors website click here and learn more about Katie click here

To purchase the book, find out more information and read an excerpt click here

A Lovely and Inspiring Devotional--"The One Year Experiencing God's Love Devotional" by Sandra Byrd Review

"The One Year Experiencing God's Love Devotional" by Sandra Byrd is a lovely and inspiring devotional book!  Sandra Byrd is one of my favorite authors, so when I saw she was coming out with a new book I jumped on the chance to review it.  I haven't read any of her non-fiction books before, but I can now say that I am just as pleased with this book as I am with her fiction books!  My husband and I are currently reading through Tyndale's "The One Year Devotions for Couples: 365 Inspirational Readings" by David and Teresa Ferguson, so I am familiar with Tyndale's "One Year" line of devotions. 

Ms. Byrd breaks her book up into months and has a devotion written for each day of the year.  Each month loosely follows a theme that goes along with that season and/or month.  Some of her devotions go along with the season or day (for example, there are ones that are Christmas themed).  I also think you can read the devotions any day of the year, no matter what month or season you are in and still get a lot out of it. 

For each day, the devotion has a short section to read and a correlating verse.  At the end of each month, there is a benediction.  In the devotions, Ms. Byrd uses stories from her own life, quotes, parts of hymns and recipes to make each one unique and interesting.  Sometimes there are application questions to help tie in what you have read and apply it to your life.  The devotions are filled with Scripture and are Biblically based and accurate.  They are also Gospel focused.  I have many of the devotions and pages marked as I love them so much and I want to go back to them to remember the truths and encouragement shared.  Some examples of my favorites are her devotions on hard seasons, having joy during hard times, Surviving and Thriving, and “The Best of Times” (which has a Dicken theme).  This book convicted me and encouraged me in my walk with the Lord.  I highly recommend this book!

Content: This is a clean read.

Rating: I give this book 5 stars.

Genre:  Christian non-fiction; Self-help; Devotional

 

 

I want to thank Sandra Byrd and Tyndale House Publishers for the complimentary copy of this book for review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I express in this review are my own. This is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s CFR 16, Part 255.

 About the Author: 

After earning her first rejection at the age of thirteen, bestselling author Sandra Byrd has now published more than fifty books.

Sandra’s series of historically sound Gothic romances launched with the best-selling Mist of Midnight, which earned a coveted Editor’s Choice award from the Historical Novel Society. The second book, Bride of a Distant Isle, has been selected by Romantic Times as a Top Pick. The third in the series, A Lady in Disguise, published in 2017. Sandra is excited to continue writing Gothic romance and will be adding books to that genre beginning in October 2018 with Tyndale House Publishers.

Check out her contemporary adult fiction debut, Let Them Eat Cake, which was a Christy Award finalist, as was her first historical novel, To Die For: A Novel of Anne Boleyn. To Die For was also named a Library Journal Best Books Pick for 2011, and The Secret Keeper: A Novel of Kateryn Parr was named a Library Journal Best Books Pick for 2012.

Sandra has published dozens of books for kids, tweens, and teens, including the bestselling The One Year Be-Tween You and God Devotions for Girls. She continued her work as a devotionalist, this time for women, with The One Year Home and Garden Devotions. Her latest book, The One Year Experiencing God’s Love Devotional, will be published in October 2017.

Sandra is passionate about helping new writers develop their talents and their work for traditional publishing or self-publication. She has mentored and coached hundreds of new writers and continues to guide developing authors toward success each year via novelcoaching.com.

Please visit http://www.sandrabyrd.com/ to learn more or to invite Sandra to your book club via Skype.

To purchase the book click here

"You Can Do This: Seizing the Confidence God Offers" by Tricia Lott Williford Review--A Truly Inspiring Book for Every Woman!

"You Can Do This: Seizing the Confidence God Offers" by Tricia Lott Williford is an encouraging read for any woman in any stage of life, facing any type of struggle.  It is a non-fiction Christian book that is a mix of self-help, memoir, and Christian encouragement.  Ms. Williford tells her story to the reader in a way that feels like you are having a conversation with her over a cup of coffee (or tea).  She inserts many helpful and encouraging nuggets of truth for those who are going through hard times or need a confidence boost.  Some examples of topics that she covers are negative thoughts, boundaries, and how we define ourselves.  She puts practical ways to implement these truths at the end of each chapter. 

I love this book!  I feel like Ms. Williford was reading my mind at times and the way she writes is like she is speaking directly to one’s soul.  Her words and stories brought smiles to my face and tears to my eyes.  I love how encouraging and practical this book is.  I especially love Ms. Williford's section on replacing negative thoughts and feelings with Scripture and positive affirmations.  She even lists out relevant Scripture to use for different circumstances.  I personally have been through some rough seasons and have wrestled with my confidence and not feeling like I could do some hard things (like my recent battle with chronic pain and chronic illness).  Ms. Williford's words are balm to my weary soul.  I highly recommend this book to any woman, because we all need to hear these words at one point or another in our lives.

 Content and Rating: I give this book 5 stars.  It is a clean read.  Ms. Williford is very open and honest about some of the struggles she has gone through (for example, sexual abuse and PTSD).  She doesn't go into detail about her abuse. 

I want to thank Tricia Lott Williford and Tyndale House Publishers for the complimentary copy of this book for review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I express in this review are my own. This is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s CFR 16, Part 255.

 

 Click here to visit Tricia Lott Williford's website

 Click here to purchase the book

Tricia Lott Williford's bio as found on her website:

I am a writer, teacher, reader, and thinker.

I am a remarried widow.

I collect words, quotes, books, and bracelets.

I take my caffeine hot or cold:

I believe diet Pepsi is best with a lime,

and coffee is largely about the feel of the mug in my hand.

Sometimes I snort when I laugh,

talk in my sleep,

and cry without warning.

"My Emily" by Matt Patterson Review

My Emily by Matt Patterson is a poignant tale of a precious child's life and the people she touched during her brief time here on earth.  Her Creator made her for a special purpose many years later.  I knew Emily's story would be extremely hard to read because of the many trials her family had to face during her short life.  I also knew that I would be extremely blessed in reading it, but was reluctant to pick it up at the same time.  I was more than rewarded!

I first got to know Matt, the author, through the "International Online Book Club of Clean Reads."  I was so inspired by Matt and how he was always so upbeat and always encouraging and promoting other authors.  At the same time, Matt was also tirelessly promoting his book  My Emily  on the blogosphere, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, etc.  I started to read a few interviews and guest posts that Matt gave on My Emily, and couldn't believe I was weeping over a guest post on a blog I had happened to stumble upon.  Matt's passion just shone through that much on everything he did regarding what he viewed as his calling in life at that time--to get his little book into as many hands as possible and share Emily's story with as many people as possible.  I knew I had to know more about the story of My Emily! 

Don't be fooled--this little book packs a big punch.  My Emily is the story of Matt's firstborn daughter, Emily.  Emily's life is told from Matt's point of view.  Matt shares on one of his blog entries part of this story.  He tells of how excited he was to find out he was having his first child.  The doctor then told him she was born with Down Syndrome.  Matt talks about how he did not even know what Down Syndrome was at the time.  My heart broke along with his and his wife's as I read that paragraph.  THEN, I read on and came to find out that Emily is later also diagnosed with leukemia.  My heart dropped!  I can not imagine! 

But Matt's attitude is so refreshing in today's society in the way he views his Emily.  He loves her so completely.  That blesses me so much.  I love what he said soon after he found out that Emily was diagnosed with Down Syndrome, "I wanted a boy, but now I had a girl--a girl with a disability.  Did I feel cheated?  Heck no...I didn't understand people's reactions...Whatever the case, my little angels had such a tight grip on my heart.  All I could do was think of them.  Forget about going out for a night on the town for two years.  I could not wait to get home to see my girls and tuck them in" (298).  Matt saw Emily as perfect, just the way His Creator did. 

The rest of the story tells of Emily's struggle with these two diseases.  Matt writes the story just as if he were sitting down with the reader.  He does not try to bog one down with any confusing medical terminology.  He just tells things as they are.  He gives his raw, but oh-so-real emotions, laying bare his heart to the reader.  I think that's why so many people love "My Emily" and can relate to it.  He also breaks up the weighty subject matter with a great sense of humor.  Between the tears, I found myself laughing out loud at Matt's quirkiness. 

Most of all, Matt's message of faith is touching and not preachy.  It is just him sharing his beliefs about God's purpose, perfection, and living each day to the fullest.  These are things he came to terms with as he lived them out.  They are lessons we can all learn from as well.  I was especially touched by the quote he shared from Rick Warren, "You never know God is all you need until God is all you've got."  Thank you Matt for sharing Emily's life with us and letting it continue to bless others!

I give this book 5 stars!  It is a clean read. 

To find out more about Matt Patterson and his book visit his website.

I want to thank Matt Patterson for the complimentary copy of this book for review.  I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I express in this review are my own. This is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s CFR 16, Part 255.

Review of "Made to Crave for Young Women: Satisfying Your Deepest Desires With God" by Lysa Terkeurst & Shaunti Feldhahn--Not Just For Teens

 Made to Crave for Young Women: Satisfying Your Deepest Desires
with God by Lysa Terkeurst & Shaunti Feldhahn is a book that speaks to women of all ages.  I was drawn in by the subtitle of the book, Satisfying Your Deepest Desires with God.  I really struggle with this, but I know that is what the Christian life is all about.  I read the rest of the book's description, and it seemed like it had some fresh ideas that weren't what is normally covered in a lot of the Christian Living books out there.  I did see that it is for Young Women and it seemed like it was aimed at high-school teenagers.  I saw that there was also another Made to Crave that is for women, but that one is just all about a woman's struggle with food, eating and weight and how she puts those cravings ahead of God.  This Made to Crave for Young Women seemed to cover a lot more areas of struggles besides food that I thought would be more helpful to me. 

Once I read it, I was so glad I had decided to give it a try!  If you struggle in any other area besides eating, I would recommend this book over the other one because of the wider variety of examples and struggles that the authors cover.  Of course, you have to remember that the two authors are speaking mostly to a teen audience, but as I am in my mid-20s and read a lot of young adult books, it did not bother me.  It is also written in a way so that anyone can relate to it.  Don't we all still deal with the same struggles that we dealt with in high school anyway, in some form or another?  I know I do.  Sorry for those who are still in high school, but those struggles do not go away, they just keep coming back in different forms.  That's why it is so important to learn as early on as possible how to conquer those struggles with God's help!  Lysa and Shaunti give the reader great practical advice on how to do that and make God our number one heart's desire.

The main point of the book is that we as humans put other desires and things in our lives before God.  These "things" are what the authors call "God substitutes."  They are emotional
(the desire to be loved and accepted), physical (to be comforted by physical satisfaction and pleasure) and material cravings (a desire for something that makes us feel special, improved or new).  These aren't necessarily bad desires in themselves.  The problem comes when we automatically go to them first instead of God.  These are desires that God wants to satisfy and only He truly can. 

There are so many good things that I appreciate about this book.  I love how Lysa and Shaunti go through each of the desires and give examples of what they are and how to overcome them.  The authors are honest, genuine and down-to-earth.  Lysa and Shaunti also give engaging personal stories from their lives to which many will be able to relate.

I find it to be very helpful that practical examples are interspersed throughout the book.  Each chapter has a step-by-step action plan at the end that gives the reader a way to apply that chapter to her life.
An example is how Lysa and Shaunti believe one's cravings can be retrained.  You will crave what you are focusing on.  They give ways to change one's thought pattern by replacing the negative thoughts with positive ones through Scripture (they provide the reader with specific Scripture and exercises to help with this).  By filling themselves with God and Scripture, the reader can be satisfied with God alone.

This is truly a wonderful read and I grew in my walk with Christ as a result of this book!  I give this book 5 out of 5 stars.  It is a clean read. 

I want to thank Zondervan, Lysa Terkeurst & Shaunti Feldhahn  for the complimentary copy of this book for review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I express in this review are my own. This is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s CFR 16, Part 255.

For more information on Lysa Terkeurst, go to her website.
For more information on Shaunti Feldhahn, go to her website.
Tons of resources and freebies on Made to Crave for Young Women at this site.
Go here to read the first chapter.