Growing Up Duggar

Growing Up Duggar
By Jana, Jessa, Jill, and Jinger Duggar

About the book:

With a backdrop of the key relationships in their lives—relationship with self, parents, siblings, friends, boys, and God—the four Duggar girls open up about their own personal faith and convictions, boys, dating, manners, living in a large family, politics, and much more. You’ll learn how the family navigates the difficult years between twelve and sixteen and what the girls look for in a man, all in a frank and fun book that will inspire teens and adults alike. Including lighthearted stories about the younger kids’ antics, Growing Up Duggar is a wise and entertaining trip into a family like no other.

My thoughts:
I don't know exactly what to say about "Growing Up Duggar" except that it's very Duggar. If you watch the show you know exactly what you are getting in reading this book.

The Duggar's show great strength in their ability to hold to their convictions and not let others opinions take them. The four oldest Duggar girls Jana, Jessa, Jill, and Jinger explain in depth how they view and navigate relationships in their daily lives and give advice and answers to questions they are asked frequently in emails or speaking at events.

*I received this book free for review from Howard Books through netgalley.com*

Rating: 4 carats

The Grace of God

The Grace of God
By Andy Stanley
About the book:
Learn how God's grace can and will transform you.

None of us deserves what God offers, a life free from sin and hope for a glorious future, but unbelievably it's ours for the taking. Why? Because of God's grace. The unmerited favor, the lavish love and kindness he pours out on us, and has, since Creation.

But if it's so available then why do we live a graceless life? Why are our churches filled with disillusioned Christians, weary of religion's demands, struggling with personal defeat because of issues or behaviors?

Join pastor Andy Stanley as he traces grace through the Old and New Testaments, observing God's grace at work in the lives of some of the best—and worst—characters. He also uses personal stories from his own life to reveal how grace is not a natural response but is the most essential one. Together these stories unravel the mystery of grace and tell of its transforming power to set us free.

My thoughts:

The foundation of the Christian church is built on the grace offered by God to all, received only through a personal faith by man. Churches, preachers, teachers, and every-day people share the grace of God with those who are willing to listen. Yet I have never had the principles of God’s grace shared in a manner in which Andy Stanley does in ‘The Grace of God.’




Andy gave me a new perspective of God’s grace; not changed, more renewed. Andy chose a unique approach, a better approach in sharing how God has revealed His grace through scripture. God’s grace does not begin at the cross of calvary but began ‘in the beginning’. Andy uses the Bible stories we have grown to love to expose how the grace of God has been woven into history since the beginning of man.



This book is a wonderful read for a seasoned Christian, stands to be a powerful teaching tool for a new believer, and a great witness to those who have yet to gain a personal understanding of God’s grace.



Favorite Quote:

“Grace is not reserved for good people; grace underscores the goodness of God.”


*I received this book free for review from Thomas Nelson publishers*
Rating: 5 carats

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Made To Crave

Made To Crave

By Lysa TerKeurst

About the book:

Has food become more about frustration than fulfillment? The New York Times Best Selling book Made to Crave is the missing link between a woman’s desire to be healthy and the spiritual empowerment necessary to make that happen. Author Lysa TerKeurst personally understands the battle that women face. In Made to Crave, she will help you:

Break the cycle of “I’ll start again on Monday,” and feel good about yourself today.

Stop agonizing over numbers on the scale and make peace with your body.

Replace rationalization that leads to diet failure with wisdom that leads to victory.

Reach your healthy goals and grow closer to God through the process.

This book is not a how-to manual or the latest, greatest dieting plan. Made to Crave is a helpful companion to use alongside whatever healthy eating approach you choose — a book and Bible study to help you find the “want to” in how to make healthy lifestyle changes.

My Thoughts:
Made to crave - oh yes, aren’t we all. The problem is allowing our cravings to rule our desires.




It was refreshing to read Lysa Terkeurst’s straight forward yet gentle guidance on how people allow the God given ability of craving to morph from God’s intention for humanity to crave after Him into cravings which please the physical body. Lysa mentors every reader through personal struggles on the road to personal successes.



The best thing about this book is the principles outlined can take any reader on a journey to turn any personal struggle, whatever that may be, into a God craving.



Favorite Line:

“Our flesh buys right into Satan’s lie that it’s not fair for things to be withheld from us.”

*I received this book free for review from Zondervan Publishers*

Rating: 5 carats

Visit Lysa TerKeurst's website
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The Shelter of God's Promises

The Shelter of God's Promises
By Sheila Walsh

About the Book:
In a world of uncertainty, pain, and struggle, where do you find solid assurance and unshakeable truth? Gifted Bible teacher and inspiring Women of Faith speaker Sheila Walsh offers powerful, heart-filled teaching on ten bedrock promises of God, providing the foundation for daily confidence, joy, and hope. In The Shelter of God's Promises, Sheila searches Scripture for what God has promised us, what God's promises mean, and how encounters with Christ are the eternal fulfillment of His unrelenting commitment to us. In this riveting walk through some of the Bible's most compelling stories, Walsh unveils ten foundational promises of God that secure our lives during even the most difficult times. Sheila weaves her hallmark storytelling, inspiring personal experience, and Scripture to help readers gain a trust in God that will sustain them for a lifetime.


My Thoughts:



I was pleasntly surprised by this book. The back cover synopisis sounded good but before I even finished the first chapter I was excited to hear the stories that lay ahead.


Sheila Walsh takes us on a journey of exploring specifics promieses of God and illustrates ways He has used them with indepth despriptions of Bible stories.

She divides the book into nine promises. As she covers each promise you will not be disappointed. You have most likely heard these promises before but she helps you to see them promises in new light. This is a great Bible study.


I listened to the audio version of this book. The narrator is a Scottish woman who talks in a soothing tone and takes great pauses at moments when we need to digest what she just said, which is really nice with all of the profound quotes and thought provoking things said.

*I received this audiobook free for review from Christianaudio.com
Favorite Line:
"when the pain of staying the same in greater than the pain of change, than you will change"

Rating: 5 carats

Visit Sheila Walsh's website
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Found: God's Will

Found: God's Will
By John MacArthur
About the book:
GET READY FOR A SURPRISE!




You may want to jump and shout when you read the sixth principle for knowing when you have found God's will.



The sixth principle is "Do whatever you want" as long as the first five principles are operating in your life.



Read about all six principles to better understand what the psalmist means when he urges, "Delight thyself also in the Lord; and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart" (Psalm 37:4).

My Review:
This is small but powerful little book. John MacArthur outlines six steps listed in scripture to help the reader find God’s will for his/her life. MacArthur does just that as every step is based in scripture, clear, and easily understood. I think any Christian would benefit from studying this book.




I listened to the audio version of the book which was not read by John Macarthur. The narrator for the book did well; he was pleasant to listen to and flowed right along with the narration.



Favorite Quote:

“The only way to saturate yourself with Christ is to saturate yourself with the book that is all about Him”


*I received this audio book free for review from christianaudio.com*
Rating: 5 carats

Visit John MacArthur's website
Buy the audiobook

The Faith Dare

The Faith Dare
By Debbie Alsdorf

About the Book:
Debbie Alsdorf wants women to experience the radically transforming difference that 30 days can make in their lives. It’s what she calls the Faith Dare, in which she challenges women to develop the habit of focusing on God and living out their faith in every situation for 30 days.




Alsdorf, a popular author, speaker and ministry leader, equips women to undertake this 30-day challenge in her new book, The Faith Dare. To cultivate a lifestyle of daily, passionate faith, she helps readers learn, day by day, to develop habits that will help them connect intimately to God.



Every day, readers will be challenged to go deeper. Examples of the daily dares include:



o Dare to live in the miracle of who you are.

o Dare to believe in God’s power in all circumstances.

o Dare to surrender to the process of change.

o Dare to speak praise, sing praise, and live with confidence in God.



Readers will also learn practical ways of applying God’s Word to their own lives, whether it’s in their personal relationship with God, learning to surrender to self, or living out God’s love to others.

With a personalized study guide, including daily readings, affirmations and challenges, Alsdorf’s 30-day challenge helps readers learn to live out their faith like never before and discover the incredible difference 30 days can make.

My Review:

In the first chapter of The Faith Dare Debbie writes, “The goal of this book is to look at life the way the Bible shows us.” Part one of the book explains what faith is, the common places we put our faith and questions to identify where our faith is. She then talks how God uses trials to test and strengthen our faith explaining placing our faith in the right person, God; we can learn to have peace through trials.



Part Two is the Thirty Day Faith Dare Challenge. Each day has a new challenge beginning with a short devotional writing and prayer/praise passage. Debbie then writes a Biblical truth pertaining to faith and goes on to explain what the Bible passage means. After that Debbie list a few dares to try throughout the day ranging from questions to ask yourself to activities like taking a walk specially paying attention to the scenery and wildlife around you. Wrapping up the day is a section to journal three things how the day’s truth spoke to you, what God is asking you to do, and what your challenge is to do. Debbie then closes with a prayer and a new belief to apply throughout the day.



Just reading the introductory chapters I was hooked and really anticipating the 30-day dare. Debbie writes what faith is, how our faith is tried, and common struggles we all have with faith. Yet she doesn’t just tell you, she gives you specific examples to explore where your faith is at. Debbie also breaks down what Bible verses mean and makes them easy to understand and apply. Often times she’ll quote the same verse then list different translations of the verse. I don’t think I’ve ever seen that in a book before.



Taking the time to do the dare and truly absorb what Debbie talks about has the ability to really teach and strengthen your faith. The only downfall I really see is that there is a lot of content focused on each day. When you have a busy life you may be tempted to speed through it. I think it would be best broken down maybe into weeks or smaller parts over a longer period. Debbie does state in the opening chapter that if feel you need to take more time on one challenge than spend as much time as you need on it. Grab a copy if you dare!



Favorite Line:

“You and I cannot generate faith for very long through human determination. Determination does not equal faith. Determination is a by-product of faith; it doesn’t cause faith. God gave us His words and promises to use as gifts. Take them and let them make a difference in your life.”



Rating: gem parcel


Learn about Debbie's Ministry HERE
Buy the book HERE
Rating: a whole gem parcel!

Captivating

Captivating
By John and Stasi Elderegde
Captivating is set around the premise every little girl asks the questions, “Am I lovely? Am I beautiful? Am I captivating?” Throughout life we go on with the daily grind but deep inside our hearts we are still asking ourselves these questions and looking to external things to answer them. Captivating explains how God places these desires into our hearts and how ‘looking time’ can help answer the questions and what it takes to become truly captivating.




John and Stasi Elderidge talk candidly about how we all can easily fall into a fantasy world of the way we think things should be. When our lives don’t play out the way we thought they should many women escape to mindless movies, romance novels, food, or whatever else brings comfort. What many of us miss is how all our struggles and longings stem from the fall of Adam and Eve.



As the pages are turned, Captivating doesn’t promise if you do A and B you’ll get C but explains how we are beautiful because we are made by Christ and everyone’s shortcomings stem from the fall of man. The chapters are filled with thought-provoking questions of where we stand in certain areas followed by a prayer asking God to help us turn to Him and away from the lies we have believed.



I first heard of this book a few years ago when it was newly published. Friends of mine had talked about being captivated by it just as the title says. So that’s exactly what I expected - to be drawn in and unable to put the book down by the way it explains the questions all women ask. I wasn’t as captivated by this book as I thought I would be, possibly because all had I heard previously about it. However I do think there are many good points scattered throughout the pages, they just seemed hard to find. It is definitely a book to read when you want to sit down, really digest each chapter and ask yourself tough questions.

Favorite Quote:

“We have never considered that by living a controlling and domineering life we are really refusing to trust God. And it has never dawned on us that something precious in us is being squelched, diminished, or refused. Something that God has given us to bring to the world.”



I received this book as a review copy for free from Thomas Nelson Publishers
Learn about John and Stasi's minstry HERE
Buy the book HERE
Rating: 4 carats

The Divine Dance

About the Book:

e want to be liked—that's why we put so much energy into pleasing others. Life has become a dance that we perform for others, auditioning for a place in the hearts of everyone we meet. We put our energy into performances to please our parents, friends, teachers, boys—even people we don't know. It's simple: We all desire to be loved and accepted. But in this busy, complicated world, we should be dancing as we were designed to—for the One who really cares. When the audiences are gone and we take off our masks, that's the part the Director likes best. Away from the alluring lights and demanding crowds, we can know ourselves and God in a powerful, meaningful way. When we realize that the One who matters already loves us, we will flourish in this life that is the Divine Dance.

About The Author:

rom the moment she learned to talk, author and speaker Shannon (Kubiak) Primicerio has been engaging audiences with her wit and wisdom. A writer from the second she could hold a pencil, Shannon brings a deep passion for God and a keen awareness of the issues teen girls face to both the page and the stage. Whether you are reading one of her books or sitting in a room listening to her speak, you will feel like you know Shannon—and like she knows you. Using Scripture, personal illustrations and questions that provoke reader interaction, Shannon is able to bring the Bible to life so that teen girls can apply it to the daily drama of their own circumstances. Some of her favorite biblical illustrations are teen girls themselves—Leah, Hagar, Miriam and Mary. Shannon has a B.A. in journalism and a minor in Biblical studies from Biola University, and was the recipient of the North County Times Excellence in Writing award in 2000, and the San Diego Christian Writers' Guild Nancy Bayless Award for Excellence in Writing in 2003. Her first book, The Divine Dance, was published while she was still in college. She has been interviewed on radio and television programs across the nation and featured in such media outlets as PBS' Religion and Ethics Newsweekly, The Harvest Show and TIME magazine. Her ministry spans the globe, as her books are available in several languages. Shannon also served as a mentor to young authors through the Jerry B. Jenkins Christian Writers Guild for three years before creating her own writing curriculum for tweens and teens. Her articles have appeared in Marriage Partnership and BRIO magazines. In 2006 Shannon and her husband, Michael, traveled to Lima, Peru as part of the annual BRIO missions trip. Although Shannon and Michael live in Southern California they are avid fans of the New York Yankees. They also partner with Compassion International to help eradicate global poverty. Shannon enjoys interacting with her readers and can constantly be found updating them on her whereabouts from her Blackberry via Twitter and Facebook.

My Review:

“If the world is your stage, who are you performing for?” It’s a simple question but a tough answer. As Shannon Primicerio explores in this book written towards women, people get caught up in performing for the approval of others whether friends, family, guys, teachers, or anyone we come across.

At the beginning of the book Shannon writes, “The Divine Dance is my life message. Writing this book brought me freedom. Continuing to live out its purpose is what keeps me free. It is a lesson for women of any age.”

As soon as the music began in chapter one I was captivated by the dance and how we can easily miss the dancing steps for the One who gave us the ability to dance in the first place. Shannon explains dancing for God is a form of worship while dancing for the world is a form of idolatry which is the reason we feel unsatisfied.

The chapters gracefully move through situations we have all faced and how we perform in them, whether for the world or for God. The book is written with practical information and help to enlighten how we lose sight of who we are dancing for. Ending each chapter is four or five questions to invoke further thought. The purpose of these questions is to help the reader think through the actions and “dancing steps” we can put into practice as we learn the divine dance.

Shannon writes with sensitivity, passion, and a streaming beautiful metaphor woven through the pages of a small girl in a pink dress standing on stage hoping to please everyone. Grab your dancing shoes, your ballet tights and begin to ask the question, “If the world is my stage, who am I performing for?”

Favorite Line:
“You may look around and feel completely alone in whatever you do. You may be embarrassed to get up on the worlds stage and dance because your dance is choreographed a little differently than everyone else’s. But if you don’t dance the way that you were made to dance, God will be robbed of some of His glory. Better to dance to a different beat than to dance to one that just isn’t you.”

Rating: Gem Parcel

Catch up with Shannon http://http//beingagirlbooks.com/