book review: "philippians" by sue edwards

Paul's brief letter to Philippi highlights what strengthens authentic connections - skills like trust, humility, appropriate self-sacrifice, and generosity. It also sheds light on how to overcome toxic connection-killers like envy, comparison, and a critical spirit. 

Join Sue Edwards on this inductive study of Philippians, where you will discover how to find and maintain beloved, organic, healthy community.

This is a great book study, allowing you to take a deeper look at Philippians. It's designed to be completed with a group but I think I would like to take it slower and work through it on my own. There are eight chapters in the book. The first chapter has you reading in Acts, giving you a little background on Paul and how he came to meet those in Philippi. And I think the first chapter might be my favorite. I highlighted things in the sidebars in the Digging Deeper sections included in the book. This chapter has more open-ended/thinking questions than it seems the other chapters do. More of relating what's going on to things in your own life. And maybe that's why this is for a group study - the personal connections in the first chapter would allow those in the group to get to know each other as they begin this study. In one of the Digging Deeper sections, the words really stuck with me. The subtitle for this book study is called, Discovering Joy Through Relationship. This book talks about the importance of relationship and the benefits of it. "This is a call to wake up to the fact that we can never realize the likeness of Christ by ourselves alone; we will never transform the world as individuals; we will never discover fullness of life in Christ if we stay solo. We are distinct as people of God because we were made to live in dependence on the head and interdependently with the diverse parts of the body...Community that is distinctively Christian will host the presence of God in the midst of it! It is God himself who makes community possible." I feel like this quote sums up why we need community in the church so much! I like that this book study can be used in different ways. In a group or not in a group. You can simply go through the questions in each chapter and then move on or take the time to read the Digging Deeper sections in the sidebars to get even more out of it. A great book study!

I received a copy of this book from Kregel Publications for my honest review.

hello 2016

My 2015 was a really good year. It really was! So many things happened - a third trip to Guatemala, beginning my third year teaching, paying off my student loan, working with middle school girls at my church and a pretty great birthday! 2016 has barely gotten off the ground but I know it's going to be even better! Happy New Year!

spicebox review

My Spice VoxBox arrived the other day and was full of some great goodies! VoxBoxes are boxes full of free products for you to review. You can learn more by visiting their website.

Botanics Organic Hydrating Day cream

I like the day cream. I've been using it at night. It's not greasy and goes on easy. It smells good and leaves my skin feeling soft!

Foot Petals

These wool inserts are made for boots and designed to offer support but also keep your toes warm! They're one size but on the back are small, medium and large guidelines. You just cut to the size you need and stick them in your boots! Super easy and super comfortable! I have a pair of boots I wear a lot but they don't offer much support. I put my Foot Petals in them and they're so much better! Now I can wear them when I am all my feet all day!

Sinful Colors Sinfulshine Nail Polish

I was sent Diamond in the Raw along with a top coat. I liked the metallic color and it lasted for about a week - I consider a week long lasting. Because it's glittery, removing it takes a little effort but I liked the color and how easy it went on. 

Good Health Veggie Straws

I tried these and maybe if I were to eat them again I might like them but I wasn't a fan. They didn't have a whole lot of flavor.  I was sent the Sea Salt flavor but there are other flavors to try.

SoapBox Shampoo and Conditioner

I like this shampoo and conditioner for two reasons. One is that it leaves my hair feeling soft but whenever you buy a SoapBox product, you provide clean water or soap to those in need. The only thing I didn't like is that the shampoo didn't lather well. I had to use quite a bit to feel like it was getting my hair clean. I like that it's gently on my hair and safe for color-treated hair. 

Yogi Tea

I was sent Sweet Tangerine and Vanilla Spice. The Sweet Tangerine was ok but I really liked the Vanilla Spice flavor! I added a little creamer to it and it was really good! Definitely a flavor I would buy! There are so many other flavors as well and some are available in Single Serve Cups. I want to try the Peppermint and their Chai teas. You can look at all the different teas and their purpose at Yogi's website.

Not Your Mother's Whip It Up Cream Styling Mousse

I've used Not Your Mother's products before but haven't tried the mousse until now. And I love it! It's whipped so a little goes a long way and it smells like vanilla cupcake! It doesn't leave my hair feeling sticky or heavy. I haven't been able to find it in stores so I've already ordered some from Amazon because it's that great!

 I received free samples of these products from Influenster for my honest review.

book review: "the wedding chapel" by rachel hauck

For sixty years, the wedding chapel has stood silent and empty. Retired football hall-of-famer Jimmy "Coach" Westbrook built the chapel by hand, stone by stone, for his beautiful and beloved Collette Greer, whom he lost so many years ago. The chapel is a sanctuary for his memories, a monument to true love, and a testament to his survival of the deepest pain and loss.

Photographer Taylor Branson left her hometown of Heart's Bend, Tennessee, to make a new life for herself in New York. She had lots to run away from, not least of all a family history of broken promises and broken dreams. Love catches Taylor off guard when she falls for Jack Forester, a successful advertising executive, and their whirlwind romance leads to an elopement - then to second guesses. Jack, in spite of his very real love for Taylor, is battling his own demons and struggles to show her his true self and the depths of his love for her. 

Taking a photography assignment to Heart's Bend, Taylor is thrown back into a past of family secrets buried deep beneath the sands of time. When Taylor and Coach's journeys collide, they each rediscover the heartbeat of their own dreams as they learn that the love they long to hold is well worth the wait. 

I knew I had to read this book for two reasons. It's by Rachel Hauck - I love anything she writes - and it's set in my home state. This was such a great read! Because the story is being told from four different points of view, I had to really pay attention at first, trying to keep up with everything. The story also jumps from the past to the present. But I love how Taylor, Jack, Collette and Jimmy's stories intertwined! Rachel did a great job of spreading humor throughout the book. There were a few references to The Royal Wedding series which made me smile. I love the underlying theme of this book: it's never too late. Collette thought she would never see Jimmy again and had given up on that dream. Even when Collette walked back into her chapel, she still didn't believe she and Jimmy had a future together. She felt too much time had passed; she had made too many mistakes. Towards the end of the book, someone mentioned "love well." That was what stuck with me from How to Catch a Prince. Both Collette and Taylor had to figure out how to accomplish that. Taylor and Jack had huge hurdles to overcome because both had seen the effects of divorce and were afraid of opening up. But Jack, bless his heart, refused to give up on Taylor without a fight. I'd like to think their brokenness helped led to each others healing. This was such a beautiful story of love, forgiveness and pursuing what you want instead of letting it slip by. And oh, the chapel! I wish such a place actually existed! I can picture the beauty and peacefulness of it. Everything is quiet and you're able to feel God. Rachel did a great job not only with the characters but creating such beautiful visuals.

I received a copy of this book from Litfuse Publicity for my honest review.

 

#thankful

 I've been a blogger slacker. Ever since July, life has been moving at a crazy pace! It's been good...but busy. But I guess life is always busy, right? It's just about prioritizing what matters most and letting other things sit on the back burner for the moment. And that's where blogging has been for me. In July I went on my third missions trip to Guatemala and as soon as we got back, I was running full speed preparing for another year teaching kindergarten. And then it was all of the back to school things and commitments at church...and it's now almost December. I've managed a few book reviews here and there but want to do better! I'm trying to do better with managing my time - I'm working on it :)

Another thing I'm working on is being more thankful. I have a habit of thanking God when I get in my car after work each day. Thanking Him for my job. Thanking Him when the day goes well...and even when it doesn't. But I'm wanting to be more specific. The worship leader at my church encouraged us, in those moments when things aren't going as we want, to stop and name things you're thankful for. So Monday and Tuesday that's what I did. When I left work each day, I named five things I was thankful for that day. Monday was hard. It wasn't the best day so coming up with five things stretched me a little. But then Tuesday was much easier. I found myself thinking through the day of what I could include in my five things. 

With it being Thanksgiving, it's easy to have the thankful mindset but this is something I want to continue year long.

book review: "the golden braid" by melanie dickerson

Rapunzel can throw a knife better than any man. She paints beautiful flowering vines on the walls of her plaster houses. She sings so sweetly she can coax even a beast to sleep. But there are two things she is afraid her mother might never allow her to do: learn to read and marry.

Fiercely devoted to Rapunzel, her mother is suspicious of every man who so much as looks at her daughter and warns her that no man can be trusted. After a young village farmer asks for Rapunzel's hand in marriage, Mother decided to move them once again - this time, to the large city of Hagenheim. 

The journey proves treacherous, and after being rescued by a knight - Sir Gerek - Rapunzel in turn rescues him farther down the road. As a result, Sir Gerek agrees to repay his debt to Rapunzel by teaching her to read. Could there be more to this knight than his arrogance and desire to marry for riches and position?

What a great read! I like how Melanie tied in things that are familiar to me about the story of Rapunzel (all thanks to Disney) but she put her own spin on it. This was a story full of action, humor, suspense and a splash of romance. I think every girl likes a good fairy tale and this book made Rapunzel's story possible. I loved Rapunzel's determination...to learn to read and find her freedom. She and Gerek made me laugh - especially when he was teaching her to read and was anything but happy about it. They fell in love without even realizing it. Melanie did a great job of telling this story - I liked how all the little details came together. How the book Gerek let Rapunzel borrow is what led him to finding her. How the scar on her hand ultimately led to her discovering the truth about her parents. Just a good read that will leave you believing in fairy tales :)

I received a copy of this book from Litfuse Publicity Group for my honest review.

 

book review: "the methuselah project" by rick barry

Shot down over Nazi Germany in 1943, Roger Greene becomes both a prisoner and an unwilling guinea pig in a bizarre experiment. Seventy years later, Roger still appears as youthful as that day he crash-landed - and he's still a prisoner. Nearly insane from his long captivity, Roger finds his only hope in an old Bible.

Not until present day time does Roger finally escape from the secret society running the Methuselah Project. When he does, the modern world has become a fast-paced, perplexing place. His only option is to accept the help of Katherine Mueller - crack shot, go-getter, and attractive to boot. Can he convince her of the truth of his crazy story? And can he continue to trust her when he finds out she works for the very organization he's trying to flee? 

I found the plot for this story interesting! I liked the way the story jumped back and forth between Katherine and Roger, telling each of their stories until they meet. It took me a little while to get into the story but after that, I wanted to keep reading to see what would happen next! I found myself holding my breath as I read of Roger's first attempt at escape only to be returned to his prison. And then as he discovered what had happened to the world since his capture, I can't imagine how overwhelmed he must have felt. In a way, Roger reminded me of Captain America; even his personality. I love the way he found God and He became Roger's stabilizing force through his time at the Kossler Estate. This was a story of action, faith and a dash of romance. A good read!

I received a copy of this book from Litfuse Publicity for my honest review.