Book review for Unforeseeable by Nacy Mehl

Nancy Mehl once again has done an amazing job writing this romantic/suspenseful novel.  Unforeseeable is the third book in the series after Inescapable and Unbreakable.  In Inescapable we met Lizzie Engle whom moves away from her hometown because of her troubled past. Five years later decides to go back to her town where with struggles, she manages to make life better and her young daughter. In Unbreakable, we met Hope Kauffman, whom helps her father run a quilt business. She battles between the decision of keeping her commitment to the man she is engaged to, or fall for the charismatic young man who is after her love. 

In Unforeseeable, we met Callie Hoffman who young lady engaged to the new Mennonite pastor.  Many of the previous characters are reintroduced in this story. Lizzie Engle (Housler) is among the previous characters from the first story.

The main event in the story is body is found outside of Kingdom, which seems to be the work of a serial killer.  The people of Kingdom are in great fear.  This story will take you on a suspenseful ride.  It will keep you guessing who the killer might be. 

I deeply enjoyed reading this story, not only because Nancy Mehl has become one of my favorite authors, but the first two book were filled with great suspense and great story line.  This one might yet be the best of the three.  Read it. You will like it.

***I was given this complementary copy by Bethany House Publishers for an exchange of a review.

If You Have A Craving, I Have A Cure: Experience Food, Faith, and Fulfillment a Whole New Way by Sheri Rose Shepherd

If You Have a Craving, I Have a Cure: Experience Food, Faith, and Fulfillment a Whole New Way by Sheri Rose Shepherd

Summary:

A fresh encounter with three amazing gifts from God - food, faith, and fun!

Do you find yourself constantly thinking about what you should not eat, or the things you cannot do?  We've all been there, and it leaves us feeling deprived and depressed.  Instead of being energized by following Christ, we waste our days feeling bored and burned-out on our faith, while battling the guilt that comes from craving food and other things we enjoy.

In If You Have a Craving, I Have a Cure, bestselling author and speaker Sheri Rose Shepherd encourages you to embark on a new adventure with faith and food.  She reveals the coaching tips that enabled her to lose over fifty pounds and keep them off,  shares specific alternatives to common cravings, and offers fun recipes (for food and for life) in celebration of the healthy meals and activities our God created for us to enjoy. It's time to let go of guilt, grab hold of grace, and recapture the life God craves for you to live!

Taste and see that the Lord is good.  Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him! ~ Psalm 34:8

I love books that draw me in the instant I read the first line.  This book is one of those.  From the very first moment that I read the title of this book, I was captivated. I'm always searching for books that books that will help me with daily life and struggles; and what better than a book that will guide you in cooking healthy with more than 100 recipes that are divided into categories of what you crave, along with Biblical verses to encourage you daily.  

Sheri Rose Shepherd not only encourages the reader to eat healthier, but also to exercise, hydrate the body and soul, eliminate excess in life (pray so that God will reveal to you what you should let go of), and to power up with PRAYER. 

I guarantee that you will enjoy this book as much as I did....specially because there are so many wonderful recipes to try (I have yet to try). One of my favorite tips she offered were to write notes to Jesus and to put post- it notes on a mirror as a reminder to become healthier.   

*** I received a complimentary copy from Tyndale House Publishers.

Book review for Unbreakable:The Road To Kingdom book two

After having read Inescapable, I eagerly awaited the second book Unbreakable: The Road To Kingdom-book two.  Like Inescapable, this book is set in the Mennonite town of Kingdom. It was a great pleasure for me to continue reading about Lizzie, Charity, and Noah, although, the main focus and narrative was about Hope Kauffman, her father Samuel, Ebbie Miller; engaged to Hope, and Jonathan Wiese. Throughout the story, we learn that Hope develops feelings for Jonathan. She then realizes that she must focus on her faith and let God lead her towards choosing the right man meant for her.

The story begins slowly, and begins to develop some good action towards the second half - a series of life threatening events. Some of the characters try to encourage others to take matters into their own hands, which becomes of great conflict with Mennonite church beliefs of forgiveness and non-violence. The elders believe that the main focus should be to remain faithful to their beliefs of leaving it to God.

As the story's excitement builds, Hope has to deal with her own dilemma of having to choose between two men who really do love her for who she is. Then we get to know the characters of the first book a little more.     As these events unfold Hope comes to realize who she really is meant to be with.

Nancy Mehl incorporates a series of Biblical quotes to encourage and show the importance of faith, praying for our enemy, forgiveness, and believing that God will protect us in times of distress.  Here are some of my favorite verses/quotes that she used:

"Remember that God offers us blessing and protection, but we must receive it by faith. By trusting Him. God does not force blessings on us, Hope. Especially blessings of the heart."  -Ebbie.

"They are incredible creatures, Hope. Every time I watch them, I'm reminded that with God nothing is impossible.  If they can lift fifty times their body weight, what can we do through God who strengthens us? I believe ants are a message sent from God to encourage us."

"God has given us beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness."

* I was provided this book for free by Bethany House Publishing Group in exchange for a review.

Book review for Undending Devotion by Jody Hedlund

This story takes place in 1883. We are introduced to Lily Young, a very determined and perseverant girl whom is very concerned for her sister who  has ran away. Lily suspects that Daisy might have been exposed into prostitution.   Jody Hedlund does and outstanding job in illustrating the reality of sex slavery, and how women are forced into this disturbing business; if you wanna call it that.
 
I was fascinated with the character Lily, because of her persistent and determined attitude. Not only that, but Lily finds her calling to help end this terrible thing - to help all vulnerable young women.  Lily is a assistant traveling photographer. The photographer is an older man who sees Lily like a daughter. Being a traveling photographer gives Lily the advantage to search logging camps and towns.  She feels that Daisy might be in Michigan- where most of the plot of the story takes place.

Jody Hedlund writes about the reality of sex slavery, and how women are forced into slavery. She shed's light on how real sex trade is to this day. The portrayal of Lily's perseverance shows how one person be the change that this world needs. It shows how we must be activist and expose the evils and reality the reality of social issues like sex trade.

***I was provided this book for free by Bethany House Publishing Group in exchange for a review.

Quotes and Inspirations for the New Year 2013

Each year that we are granted is like a second chance that God is giving us; to start anew and to pay it forward. What a great opportunity to improve our lives, and to become a better person. We are given another chance to make a difference in this world - One person can make this world a better place to live in. Imagine if we all put our part?! What a beautiful difference!

There are so many problems in this world; world hunger, human trafficking, drug trafficking, health problems, infant mortality, still born babies, miscarriages, and child abuse; far too many to name. That is why I want to look far beyond my problems and contribute towards this world. Lets make a difference in 2013!


Here are some quotes for the NEW YEAR:



Another fresh new year is here . . .
Another year to live!
To banish worry, doubt, and fear,
To love and laugh and give!
This bright new year is given me
To live each day with zest . . .
To daily grow and try to be
My highest and my best!
I have the opportunity
Once more to right some wrongs,
To pray for peace, to plant a tree,
And sing more joyful songs!
~ William Arthur Ward

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Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behindand straining toward what is ahead, press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. ~ Phillipians 3:13 - 14

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Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:The old has gone, the new is here! 
~ 2 Corinthians 5:17

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Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man.

~ Benjamin Franklin

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Resolution One: I will live for God. Resolution two: If no one else does, I still will. ~ Jonathan Edwards

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Write it n your heart that every day is the best day in the year. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson


Your success and happiness lies in you. Resolve to keep happy, and you joy and you shall form an invisible host against difficulties. ~ Helen  Keller

An optimist stays up until midnight to see the new year in.  A pessimist stays up to make sure the old year leaves.  ~Bill Vaughan

We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day.  ~ Edith Lovejoy Pierce

Drop the last year into the silent limbo of the past. Let it go, for it was imperfect, and thank God that it can go. ~ Brooks Atkinson 

Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get  it right.

~ Oprah Winfrey

Feeling Unworthy of Love

Article 6:Feeling Unworthy of Love

Article 6
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			Feeling Unworthy of Love May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. (Ephesians 3:19)
			By Sheri Rose Shepherd Bestselling Author and Bible Life Coach
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			There is a battle within most women's hearts to believe they are worthy of love. If we believe the lie that we do not deserve love and are hiding behind feelings of unworthiness, even the most loving man in the world will not be able to break down the wall around our hearts. Can you imagine if every night when you went to tuck your children into bed they refused to let you hug them or express your love because they did not feel they deserved it? As a parent, you would embrace them every time you could to prove to them they were indeed worthy of your love. If they refused to receive it because of how they felt, it would break your heart. I believe that is how our heavenly Father feels when we refuse to let Him love us. But there's so much more at stake when we feel unworthy of love. When we are locked up inside, we cannot become the women we want to be in our men's and children's lives. If we do not love ourselves and do not let God lavish His love on us, it will hinder us and hurt others. There are many reasons we may fight feelings of unworthiness. Some of us had fathers who never expressed how much they loved us, and others had mothers who did not feel they deserved love and did not know how to show love, so we began to see our worth through their eyes and not through God's. We may have been abused verbally, emotionally, or physically. Maybe our first love made us feel we were worthless. Some of us had all the love in the world from our families, but we felt rejected by our peers. The list of things we women believe when it comes to love is endless. But the truth is, how we feel will never change how loved we are by the Lord. And nothing that we have done or that has been done to us can keep God from loving us. The question is, will we open our hearts and let His love in? I believe if God wrote us a love letter, it might read like this . . . My Beloved Daughter, I love you with an unconditional, everlasting love so you can be free to love. My precious daughter, don't allow those who have hurt you to keep you from experiencing the joy of loving others. I know giving a piece of your heart away involves risk, but I am here to heal your heart when someone hurts you. I want you to choose wisely whom you allow in your heart, and I also want you to give those you love the freedom to fail. Remember that no one else can love you as perfectly and completely as I do. Don't look for a perfect love in people, or you will always find disappointment and heartache. If you allow your soul to settle into Mine and become one with Me, you will never doubt that I am forever and always devoted to you. Your Prince Jesus, who can't stop loving you May you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. (Ephesians 3:18) For more teaching from the Your Heart's Desire book and Bible study, visit www.biblelifecoaching.com. Watch the trailer:

Raising a Man of Faith by Sheri Rose Shepherd

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			Raising a Man of Faith
			By Sheri Rose Shepherd Bestselling Author and Bible Life Coach
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			She made this vow: "O LORD of Heaven's Armies, if you will look upon my sorrow and answer my prayer and give me a son, then I will give him back to you. He will be yours for his entire lifetime." 1 Samuel 1:11 I was invited to write a book for mothers of sons titled Preparing Him for the Other Woman: A Mother's Guide to Raising Her Son to Love a Wife and Lead a Family. To be honest, this topic intimidated me on many levels. I had my own insecurities and fears of failing as a mom, and I grew up in such a messed-up family that I couldn’t see how I would ever be qualified to write a book on this subject. As I always do before I write any book, I put this message to the test. I gathered a group of young men ages twelve to twenty and asked them if they felt they would be good husbands when they grew up. Sadly, their comments reflected their fear of women; in fact, they felt marriage was something to be avoided. Many talked as if marriage were a death sentence that caused a lifetime of pain. Others asked why they should get married since marriage usually ends in heartbreak, adultery, or divorce. My mother's heart broke for these boys and all our sons, and their answers were enough for me to fight my fears and write that book for the sake of the next generation of marriages. As I began writing, I reflected on one of my favorite “mommy memories.” It took place on a gorgeous summer evening on a California beach with my husband, Steve, and our son, Jake, when he was three. As my husband tended the campfire, Jake and I snuggled together under a blanket and watched the sun set over the sea. A young couple walked past us hand in hand, with eyes only for each other. My little boy watched them for a couple of minutes before turning his sweet face toward mine and asking, "Mommy, will you marry me when I grow up?" I gently explained that mommies can't marry their sons. I'll never forget the ache I felt as I saw tears well up in his big blue eyes and roll slowly down his cheeks. In that moment it hit me: not only was I raising a son, but I was raising someone's future husband. I decided that day to dedicate my time with Jake to helping him become a good husband when he grew up. I knew I needed to stop focusing on my fears that I would fail him and begin to focus on the fact that God appointed me as the first lady in his life, his mother. Later that night I got down on my knees and prayerfully committed my son's life to God once again. I felt a new sense of peace about being a mom as I realized that Jake ultimately belonged to the Lord and that my faithful God would cover my son where I could not. Years later, just a few weeks before my son would marry his beautiful Southern bride, Amanda, I found myself in a reflective mood. On the one hand, I felt as if I'd done everything I could to encourage him to keep following Christ and to prepare him to be a good husband. I knew I needed to officially release Jake to his new life with his bride-to-be. On the other hand, I wondered, Have I done enough? I feared the years my husband and I struggled in our own marriage might affect Jake's marriage. In my inward battle to believe I had done a good job raising him, God gave me the desire to write Jacob a very personal letter the week before his wedding. With his permission and in my hope to bring some relief to your momma's heart, I want to share it with you now: To my son, Jake, This morning as tears fill my eyes, I reflect on the past twenty years of life with you, from Winnie the Pooh, goody plates, and snuggles to late-night talks when you were a teen. I remember when I first heard your heartbeat in the doctor's office and the doctor saying, "You are going to have a son." Joy and fear flooded my heart at that moment. What kind of mom would I be, coming from a broken home with no foundation? And could I take on the task of raising a son in this perverse world? I was so afraid of failing you, and I became desperate for God, which kept me in a constant state of prayer for you, knowing that our God would cover you where I could not and cover me where I failed. What I did not know is that I was not just raising a son; I was raising a warrior and a world changer! Today I look at your fearful heart for your future, and I see a man who seeks God's face with humility, knowing your God is faithful. I see a man who is passionate to do something great for God's Kingdom. I see a hope in your heart that screams, "I will not settle for less than God has for me!" Jacob, in all my imperfections and insecurities, I am honored God chose me to raise a mighty warrior like you. I know you don't know how your story will be written, and it seems unclear how you will fulfill your calling. Remember, you are not the author of your own life; therefore rest in Him. . . . He is writing your life right now. Any and everything you are about to walk through, good or hard, will prepare you for His ultimate plan. So as I wipe the tears from my eyes and say good-bye as "Mommy," once responsible for your care, I now give you away to care for your bride. And say hello as a friend. I will always hold the memories of my little son as a hidden treasure in my heart. I pray that all you have seen and heard these past twenty years, "good and bad," will become building blocks, as you will now lay the foundation of faith and life for your new family. Jacob, you will fight the good fight, you will finish your race, and your faith will be passed down to many generations long after you’re gone. I love you, Son. Mom For more teaching videos from Sheri Rose, go to www.biblelifecoaching.com. Watch the trailer: