Tuesday, August 16, 2011

The Blessing: Giving the Gift of Unconditional Love and Acceptance by John Trent, PH.D. and Gary Smalley


“This book can put into words what you missed as a child as well as provide practical, hands-on ways of communicating unconditional love and acceptance to your children and loved ones.”
-Excerpt, pg. 5, The Blessing: Giving the Gift of Unconditional Love and Acceptance


I am a parent. I want to be a good parent. I don’t think this knowledge just comes naturally. Parents need tools and education to be that guide down the path that God has planned for their children. In the book, The Blessing: Giving the Gift of Unconditional Love and Acceptance, John Trent, PH.D., and Gary Smalley demonstrate a biblically- based plan for blessing your child, and helping them to become everything God created them to be.

There are five elements of “The Blessing,” including meaningful touch, a spoken message, attaching high value, picturing a special future, and an active commitment. The book is divided into three parts that include “Why Is the Blessing So Important?”, “Understanding the Blessing”, and “When the Blessing Doesn’t Happen.” Each of these three sections elaborates more on the five aspects of “The Blessing” and shows why it is so important.

This is a very important book in my opinion. The Blessing is focused on the parent-child relationship, but it will benefit other relationships as well. “The Blessing” can be applied to a relationship with a spouse, a friend, a co-worker, and anybody who you feel compelled to help achieve God’s very best for their life.

I liked this book very much. I cried frequently while reading it. I could see where “The Blessing” had been missing in my own life, and where I needed to work on applying “The Blessing” with my children. I recommend this to everybody. If you want to improve your relationships with people, this will be helpful to you. If you want insight into your own behavior, this book will help you as well, because you will be able to see where “The Blessing” was missing in your own life, which might bring some healing to your soul.

Many “Blessings” to you as read.

In Him,
Beth

Disclaimer: I receieved this book free from Booksneeze as part of a books for bloggers program. I was not required to give a favorable review. The thoughts and opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

Sunday, August 14, 2011

It's All About Jesus





There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, and through all, and in you all. But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift.-Ephesians 4:4-7

This has been on my heart for so long. This whole life is about Jesus. Everything we do should come back to Him. When this thing is all over, what will stand is God's Word and the things we did out of love for each other, and out of our love for Him. The body of Christ really needs to start looking for what we have in common, Christ. We need to quit focusing on the differences. It is dividing us and reducing our effectiveness. Let's start loving each other. That is how He said all men would know we belong to Him.

Everybody has been called to do something. I read a lot. One of the things I have been enjoying recently while reading is seeing how God uses these writers to paint a picture of Jesus. It is not a literal picture, but you can see Jesus there, within the pages. Whatever your call is, teacher, doctor, grocery clerk, waitress, Jesus should be pictured there and people should be able to see Him.

Thursday, August 11, 2011

Making Good Memories-Part 1




I have been thinking about this so much lately, making memories. Every morning I awake to the smiling beautiful faces of my children. God has blessed us so much with them. They are so smart and each has their own distinct personalities and gifts. I want their childhood to be a beautiful thing, full of great memories that they created with each other and with us.

To read more of this post, please visit me today over at Growing Your Homeschool.








Monday, August 8, 2011

To Die For: A Novel of Anne Boleyn






You have lived a good life, my dearest, loveliest friend. You have born the weight of England’s Reformation on your shoulders. You have used your influence to place men who stand solely on Scripture”-I looked at her almoner-“throughout the Church of England and they will stand, and lead others, long after you are gone. You have borne a good daughter. You have been a most excellent wife and loyal friend. The rest is now to faith.”
-Meg Wyatt, To Die For: A Novel of Anne Boleyn

I love to read. My mom taught me how to read before I ever entered kindergarten. It has been one of the greatest gifts she has given me. The test of a good book for me is when I am finished, it is bittersweet. Bitter because it is over, but sweet because I got to experience the journey and be a part of the story for just a little bit. For me, To Die For: A Novel of Ann Boleyn, found that bittersweet quality, but in a totally different way. It was sweet because I got to experience the journey. Granted it is a fictional rendering of actual events in history, but still I got to experience the lives of those included during the events surrounding the lives of King Henry VIII and his second wife, Anne Boleyn. It may also be bitter because it had to end; a novel always does. But it is just a temporary ending, for I know one day the story will continue, only in Heaven, and I and many others will be present, including the late Anne Boleyn.

For a long time, the opinion I held of Anne Boleyn was unfavorable, due to my limited knowledge. She even aggravated me a little throughout the book. But now, that is all changed. Told by her closest friend, Meg Wyatt, To Die For chronicles, in fiction form the pursuit of Anne Boleyn by Henry VIII. This pursuit, as history so clearly states, ultimately results in Anne’s demise. Most powerfully along the way, we are drawn into the Protestant Reformation and its withdrawal from the Roman Catholic Church as authority on all matters related to the Church. Tucked in the story of marriage, reformation, and death, is the forbidden romance of Meg Wyatt and Will Ogilvy, called to be a priest, focused on reform in the church, the scriptures being made available to be read by all.

I truly enjoyed this book. Sandra Byrd’s extensive research on Anne Boleyn is evident in this fictionalized account of her life, marriage, and all those involved in the events of the royal court during the time of Henry VIII. The hand of God is revealed so beautifully by Byrd as she brings to light the role that Anne Boleyn’s life played in the reform. Although the author states that most of the story related to Meg, our storyteller, is fiction, her character is compelling. She has many endearing qualities which keeps the reader cheering for her until the very end.

When I read a book that moves me, I always want more, which prompts further research on my part, to separate the fact from fiction. This is another one of those books! The student of history will enjoy this book. Women who enjoy romance will not be disappointed. Lovers of historical fiction will be overwhelmed. I recommend it to all who wish to learn about an extremely pivotal point in the history of the Church. I hope your heart is touched and your perspective of events in history refreshed. Many blessings as you read!


To read an excerpt from To Die For: A Novel of Anne Boleyn, please visit www.christianbook.com.


To order your own copy of To Die For: A Novel of Anne Boleyn, visit
www.amazon.com.


If you would like to learn more about the author and/or the Tudors, please visit her website at www.sandrabyrd.com.




Disclosure Statement: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to give a favorable review. The thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.