Friday, November 30, 2018

Review & Giveaway: beloved 365 Devotions FOR Young Women

Beloved  is a beautiful hardcover book that includes 365 devotions for young women.  At first glance the book is wonderfully feminine.  Beautiful colors and flowers in a size that is just perfect for a young ladies hands.  I personally love the color scheme and it drew me into reading this book for my own devotions each morning.  Each page also has a short area for taking notes about the specific lesson and a nice ribbon to use as a place holder. The devotions are also titled day 1, 2, 3, etc. so you aren't locked into a specific day or time of the year. Our young women today are facing so many obstacles  and need something that is specifically tailored to them. The young women of today are dealing with things that are often even hard for their moms to understand because technology is truly changing our world.





Each devotion is one page long, starting with a verse and then a biblical lesson.  The very first devotional brings up the thought that many think the Bible is a "guys book" when in reality God values women greatly.  As we move through the book we read lessons about stepping out of our comfort zone, dealing with favoritism, feeling like we are on the outside looking in, God seeing all that we do and many other lessons that we encounter in our daily lives.  We want our children to grow up reading the Bible, knowing God's word and living it throughout their lives. I think often young women struggle to see their place in the world and we want them to realize that they need to not follow the rules of the world, but rather the rules of the Lord.  beloved is a great devotional for the young lady in your life or even yourself. We women are often dealing with situations similar to those that our daughters are dealing with, but just with women our age.  This would make a great gift or just a new devotional to start the school year.

I have been fortunate enough to offer one of my readers their very own copy of beloved!! For your chance to win please enter the Rafflecopter giveaway.





“Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255:  “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”):  Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway.  Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation.  I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post. Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway.  If you have won a prize from our sponsor Propeller /FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days on the same blog, you are not eligible to win.  Or if you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again.  Winner is subject to eligibility verification.

Sunday, November 25, 2018

Review: The Stress R.E.L.I.E.F Method by Chou Hallegra



Pretty much every mom I know deals with stress on a daily basis. I'm not sure why, but most of the men I know don't seem too! I'm not sure if it's the way they process things that they just don't put too much thought into what they can't fix.  When a friend told me about The Stress R.E.L.I.E.F Method I was really anxious to read it. I have to admit that I let everything get to me from the big things all the way down to the little bitty things that most people don't pay a second thought too.  One of the first things that touched me in this book was the definition of stress. The definition of stress is "your body's response to a specific situation or an accumulation of the situations we experience.”   We all respond to situations, but it boils down to how we respond! We need to learn to take action, but it's got to be simple because the more complicated it is the less chance there is of us completing it!  One of the quotes that really hit close to home for me was “We become so used to numbing our pain that we completely stop listening to our bodies” I had to stop and think long and hard about that statement. Do I ever listen to my body and when I do can I understand what it is telling me? 





As I was staring to read this book I think what I read on pg. 12 opened my mind the most!  

I used to be a woman who was tossed around by her
challenges. My mood used to be a reflection of my
circumstances. Every little thing stressed me out. I
thought I had every reason (or excuse) to be stressed
out. From being in a new country with not much
support, to raising children with medical and
developmental needs, to being a single mom after
working so hard to maintain a hard marriage for a
decade. I thought I had the right to be stressed out.
I thought it was normal for me to be stressed then I
learned that my circumstances do not have to control
my mood, my emotions, and the rest of my life. I
learned that I had control over how I felt about the
things that were happening to me. I learned that life
will keep happening, but I can do something about
maintaining my peace and my joy.

That spoke directly to me and basically how I have lived my life. It was time for me to open my eyes and figure out a new way to deal with life!  The author, Chou Hallegra, was no stranger to harsh circumstances.  She'd had health issues, marriage issues and pretty much all the same issues we all have. She decided it was time to take charge and that's how the Stress R.E.L.I.E.F Method was started.  This method has 6 steps that will help you create a life of LESS stress. Isn't that what we all want??  I've always thought of stress as a NEGATIVE concept and one that I didn't want in my life. Stress can be POSITIVE when you think about certain circumstances. If your child walks into the road and you are telling them to come back to you because you see a car coming that is stressful. If they immediately listen and come back and no harm has come to them then that stress was ultimately good. I don't think we think about stress is a positive way and there fore it beats us down further than we already might be.  I know I personally had never though about stress in anything, but a negative way.  

There are three types of stress that we encounter.  Acute stress is the most common. Acute stress is the immediate reaction to a new challenge.  We face many new challenges a day, but often they are quickly taken care of and that stress shouldn't continue on long-term.  We have all encountered acute stress in our lives.  Chronic stress is very intense and long-term.  If you've had severe health struggles or financial troubles that have plagued your life for years you have dealt with chronic stress.  Even though this type of stress is long-term we still can all respond to it differently.  How I might respond to financial issues might not be the way another would. How we respond dictates the stress that we have.  Episodic stress is in the middle of these two and happens on a daily basis.  This might be something you deal with when your child is medically fragile and in the hospital.  

So what is The Stress R.E.L.I.E.F Method??

The Stress R.E.L.I.E.F. method is a step-by-step
guide that was created by Chou Hallegra. She based this method on the principles of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy and Person-Centered Thinking.  Person-Centered Thinking is a set of tools, skills and values that give people control of their lives.  Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy helps us to understand that our feelings determine our behaviors.  In order to deal with stress effectively we must understand our feelings and deal with them accordingly.  The 6 steps are as follows: 


1. Reflect on your stress level

2. Evaluate your stressors

3. Leverage your strengths

4. Initiate self-care

5. Examine your level of control

6. Find freedom


We can't see how our stress level changes unless we know where it started. There are many factors that cause us stress including: 

Mind
Body
Spirit
Relationships
Work
Others

As we figure out how each of these affects us we can then start to see progress.  We started off taking a perceived stress test.  It ranked us into the category of how stressed we currently are. I, of course, was maxed out in the stress level!! We can't measure what we can't identify and we can't track it if we can't measure it. It all starts here with our stress level!

We next have to evaluate our stressors. Most of us probably know what causes us stress, but do we really stop and think about how we can change those stressors? I might not have control over situations, but I can control my reactions. My children could make a decision that hurts them and I don't like it, but I can control how I respond to that situation. The busier we are the more likely we are to deal with stress.  We need to do things because we want to and not because we feel we should. Often times we agree to do something just because we feel we should. That later causes us to feel stress.  Often times there are people in our lives that cause us to have more stress. We might be tempted to just stay away from them, but often times we just need a temporary distance and the friendship can continue. I learned that I often contribute to my own stress level based on my reactions. All this time of thinking I can't control something, but I really could control my response and that could have lowered the stress level.  Our thoughts are a huge factor in our stress levels.  The actions reinforce the thought, the emotions are linked to the thoughts, the stress is linked to the thoughts and we are the only one that can control our thoughts. How many times have I told one of my children that he/she is responsible for his own behavior. Was I listening to that? Yes and no, but not in the sense that it directly was attached to my stress level. It's amazing how reading this book has opened my eyes in such a way that I just can't believe I didn't see it before.  

We have to learn to leverage our strengths. The things we enjoy and are good at is what we should agree to help other do. If I am terrible in spelling and grammar, which I am, then I shouldn't agree to proof someones paper because I'm just going to be frustrated. Since I enjoy baking I should always agree to help in a bake sale or with a potluck. By using our strengths to guide our way our stress level will be reduced.  

How many moms will tell you they don't have time to do fun things for themselves? If we don't initiate self-care then we aren't able to help others. When you are flying in an airplane they tell you if the oxygen masks come out to use yours first and then help a child. If you help your child first then you don't have anything left. We have to learn that it's OK to take time for ourselves. It doesn't have to be hours and hours each day. We can read a book for a few minutes, take a short bath, enjoy a call with a friend, take a short walk, etc. 

The next to the last step is to examine the level of control you have.  I know many people that believe they can control it all where I tend to be on the complete opposite side of the spectrum and think I can't control anything. The difference in these two types of thinking is called "locus of control" and was created in 1954 by Julian Rotter.  People that have this inner locus of control believe they are in charge of their destiny and that they control their lives. People with an external locus of control believe that what happens will happen and it's not in their ability to control it. We might not always be able to control every situation, but again it goes back to how we response. That controls the stress. 

The final step is to find lasting freedom.  If the stress in your life is cyclical, which I believe mine is, then we need to break that cycle and find freedom! We have to learn to apply these steps every single day otherwise these fires will continue. We have to learn to change our thoughts and it will greatly reduce the stress in our lives.

There are quite a few worksheets spread throughout this book that I thought were very helpful. Knowing my stress level gave me a good starting place. I learned that my character trait is humility. I wrote down some of my triggers and and really learned that I have to change my thought process. I can control my emotions and I just haven't been doing it. I've been going through life thinking I couldn't control the things that stress me and that might be true, but I could control how I reacted to them.  

I have really enjoyed reading The Stress R.E.L.I.E.F. Method by Chou Hallegra. She's very transparent in her book and I like that because when I see that others can relate to me I'm more open to what they have to say.  I'm excited to try these techniques and see how much it lowers my stress level!







**I received a free copy of this book from Chou Hallegra for my honest opinion." 








Monday, November 19, 2018

Review: The Light Before Day by Suzanne Woods Fisher



In the 3rd book of The Nantucket Legacy Series we are focused mainly on Henry & Hitty Macy.  Henry has been away for several years whaling and has come home to find out his grandmother has passed away. They didn't know their grandmother very well because she didn't take care to spend much time with them. They are shocked to find that she has left them her huge fortune. As the way of their grandmother she left specific instructions that had to be followed and completed before they could actually receive the money. The biggest one was that they each had to marry a Quaker in good standing within a certain time frame. If they don't complete these tasks then the entire fortune would go to Tristam Macy, the man that stole from their father.  When you live on a small island and it seems than more people are being considered not to be in good standing with the church than in good standing these requirements could prove difficult.

Henry previously thought he wanted to spend the rest of his life with a local girl, Anna, but she seems to be pulling away from good standing in the church. Hitty has thought she could have a wonderful life with local, Isaac and his daughter Bitsy, but he isn't a member of the church. They push aside the worry of who to marry and focus on learning to live in their grandmother's house. It's not a cozy, comfortable place, but when their grandfather and the attorney's secretary move it the house starts to seem a little cozier.  As time goes on it seems that Benjamin, the attorney working on the estate, might be developing feelings for Hitty. Hitty thinks she could return his feelings, but each time seems to focus back on Isaac and his adorable little Bitsy.  Henry has started a newspaper and found a great confidant in Marie-Claire, the secretary.

As the main focus of the story seems to be on Hitty and Henry and the inheritance there is a background story going on as well.  Henry's once love of a lifetime, Anna, is now deeply involved in helping her African American student be admitted to school. She starts a conference where all those opposed to slavery attend. They even had Frederick Douglas, a fugitive slave, speak out about his life as a slave.  With Henry so focused on building his newspaper and following the convention he's not really focused on the inheritance. When we don't keep our eyes open is when danger always seems to hit.  I recommend The Light Before Day by Suzanne Woods Fisher as a quick and easy read with a little touch of romance, mystery and history.





**I received this book free from Revell for my honest review**

Sunday, November 18, 2018

Review: Ellie Claire Journals

Journaling is something I have struggled with to do consistently. I also don't consider myself a good artist, but I do enjoy drawing little designs on my papers. Even back in school I remember having pages of little designs that I found myself drawing when I was bored in class! I was recently blessed with these beautiful  Ellie Claire art journals from Worthy Publishing. I'll be honest that typically when I have journaled I've just used a spiral notebook because it was cheap. When the box arrived I had NO idea what was in it. It seemed too big for anything that I was expecting. When I opened it up I realized why the large box. These books were so beautiful that such care was taken in the packaging as to not have them damaged in shipping! There was even a heavy card stock type paper in between each book, so they weren't rubbing against the other. In the book were Faith & Lettering Journal, The Illustrated Word and Illuminate your Story Journal



I jumped into the Faith & Lettering journal first.  I liked the very first page because you could "present" it to a beautiful lady in your life and she could have some fun journaling through scripture.  I then read the introduction to have an idea how to best use the journal.  I decided to jump right in and work on trying my hand at copying Ezekiel 36:26. I liked that the script was written out and then I had four sections to practice.  As I moved through the book I found I really liked the way the book was bound. It was done in such a way that the book lay as I needed it to for writing, but the spine wasn't damaged in anyway.  The spine also has the title of the book as any other book would have, so if you stack these on your shelves you'll know just what you are looking for. The Faith & Lettering Journal also has an elastic band on the spine to keep a pen handy. There are plenty of pages to journal your own thoughts, journal based on specific scripture verses that were given or just practice writing in a fancier way then you normally would.





I next delved into The Illustrated Word Journal.  The front cover looked "old" to me, like a treasure found on a bookshelf from long ago!  It has the title as well on the spine, so it's easily found on your shelf. It is also bound in the way that allows it to easily open for for writing without breaking the spine.  The verse on the very first page says it all! Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good. 1 Chronicles 16:34  This book contains 40 illustrations to color as well as full-color illustrations from the archives of the Museum of the Bible.  We are now able to bring our scripture journals to a new level just as monks brought scripture to live in the past.  


On One side of the page is the above illustration with a full page for journaling.  Below is the other side of the page for you to color yourself.  




Last, but most definitely not least is the Illuminate Your Story Journal. This actually was my favorite of the three books I received. I really love the color of the spine as well as it has the pen holder on the spine, an elastic band to keep the book closed and a bookmark. There is also a little envelope on the very back for "treasures" that you might want to keep! Illuminated manuscripts came from using gold or silver leave decorations within the texts that illuminated when the light caught them. I've always admired the history books that we've read that have the beautifully illustrated letter to start the book or chapter. It's like I could see in my mind the person that spent so much time and effort to make that one letter so beautiful.  In the beginning there is a wonderful introduction with a history of illuminated letters.  I think the Insular and Romanesque styles were my favorite, but the Gothic was right there with them.  It was nice to read the history of the different styles.  There is a supply list as well as a section on how to use the journal. I didn't have any fancy pens or markers, so I did all my work in colored pencil. I do plan to get some pens because I see how the colored pencils left it a little flat and they just didn't pop like they could have with the use of pens.  I figured I'd start out at the beginning of the book with the first letter, the letter A. This book is filled with letters, borders, animals, flowers etc. Everything you need to journal beautifully.  







I've basically been choosing a different one of these three journals to use while I do my quiet time. It's a nice way to read and expand on scripture. Some of the illustrations are so beautiful you could easily take them out and frame them to enjoy. There are just so many ways that you could use any of these books. You can follow their style which is actually the way I enjoy using it. I'm not as creative as I used to be when I was younger, so when the section wants us to create our own I just stick to drawing what I was shown. The nice thing about these journals is that you are free to use them any way you'd like. The quality is so nice, that they are wonderful for gifts. The covers are beautiful, the paper quality is nice and thick and honestly just looking at them puts a smile on my face! These Ellie Claire Journals are available at Amazon as well as Barnes & Noble.  


FAITH & LETTERING
Amazon: http://amzn.to/FaithAndLettering-Amazon 
Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/FaithAndLettering-BN 

THE ILLUSTRATED WORD
Amazon: http://bit.ly/Illustrated-Amazon
Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/Illustrated-BN

ILLUMINATE YOUR STORY
Amazon: http://bit.ly/Illuminate-Amazon
Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/Illuminate-BN


I received these items free from Worthy Publishing for my honest review. 













.

Saturday, November 17, 2018

Review Stratagem by Robin Caroll



Suspense and mystery have not been the style that I typically enjoy reading. I've recently read and few and seemed to be getting hooked.  When I was picked up Stratagem I was hooked almost from the beginning.  Psychologist Grayson Thibodeaux makes a living by using his background to make adventure games for businesses. He uses knowledge that he learns about those in the game to push them to the limits in areas which they would normally avoid.  When his ex-wife, Anna-Belle, is murdered in one of these games Grayson becomes the prime suspect.  The spouse is always the first person looked at in a murder, but when your the ex as well as you created this game they aren't looking any further than you. When you also took time off at the exact time this adventure game/murder occurred you look even guiltier.

Grayson has previously worked with and developed a good relationship with the local police department.  When his friend, Brandon Gibbons, and his partner, Danielle Witz, start the murder investigation they have differing opinions about Grayson. Brandon doesn't think he has anything to do with it, but Danielle feels he's the first, last and only suspect. Anna-Belle had a food allergy that not many knew about. She was so very careful to not let others know about this allergy as well as to carry multiple epi pens around just in case. Nobody seemed to understand what happened on that day. Even though Grayson trusts his friend he knows that he can't just sit still while others work the case. He and his assistant, Pam, jump feet first into their own investigation. As they watch the video from the adventure game weekend they realize that there is a block of time missing. As they discover this someone vandalizes Grayson's house and they realize than more than Detective Danielle blame him for Anna-Belle's death. Can Grayson and Pam find out who the real killer is before the detectives arrest Grayson for his ex-wife's murder?








"I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review."

Saturday, November 10, 2018

Review: Cozy, Snowy Cuddles Touch and Feel Book by Thomas Nelson

When I had younger kids my favorite type of book for them was anything that was touch and feel. I liked that the books had more dimension because of it being the story as well as having a textural aspect. I have a two year old grandson that I've been spending some time with and he loves books. I knew that this one would be great for him and he'd love it even more because of the animals.



When I first looked at the Cozy, Snowy Cuddles I noticed right away that even the cover had a textural element to it. The ice on the ground as well as the letters had a rough texture to make little ones think of snow.  It's also got the baby polar bear kissing it's mama which warmed my heart.  Little bear is on an adventure in the cold and as he travels he gets to see different animals. We start out with the Narwhal and we are able to feel the rubbery texture of his body.  As the snow is floating down the little bear meets the huskies. How soft and fluffy the huskies fur is to the touch!  The seals cuddle as the wind blows.  As the night gets closer we see the moose curling up together to stay warm.  The little bear is home safe and sound and thanking God for the wonderful kisses he gets from his parents.  As they snuggle and say goodnight we can touch the soft fur of the mama bear.

Such a sweet story of the little bear's adventures in the cold. It's a nice, sturdy board book which is always best for the little ones. Children love exploring their world and being able to touch the different textures in this book is wonderful to help expand their minds.

A big thanks to Thomas Nelson and BookLook Bloggers for allowing me to review this book.



Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers <http://booklookbloggers.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Friday, November 9, 2018

Review: Hillsong Kids DVD- Can You Believe It? and Giveaway!



I love hearing Christian music and especially when it has a little "r&b or rock" to it. Makes me feel like it's music I grew up on, but with more of a Christian content.  I was recently given the Can You Believe It? DVD from Hillsong Kids to watch.  I like the fact that the DVD offers a "talk radio" type section with Dave and Funny man Dan. Then there and music videos, live in the studio videos and lyric vides. I liked that there were several ways to watch the songs because often one way appeals to someone more than another. 

I really enjoyed the songs and I think my favorite was What a Beautiful Name.  What an amazing voice the lead singer has in this song!  

I liked that the kids were in the videos and I felt the way they were dressed and their actions would really reach other kids. I noticed there was a guitarist with blue hair which really will resonate with today's kids who love changing hair color frequently.  Another favorite of mine
was We Came To Meet With You where it shows the children setting up for an event. The kids prepare the church for service while wearing shirts that say we serve. I think it's always helpful for kids to see others kids helping serving in the church as well as their community.  Here's a great little video that gives a idea about what the dvd shows.  You can also purchase it for yourself here if you are interested in owning your own copy.  

Hillsong believes that teaching children to love God and others takes place in both the home and in the church. For this reason they seek to partner with parents (the greatest teachers of all!) and with church pastors and leaders, equipping them with great resources. Through fun experiences, meaningful music and ministry that encourages kids to participate, Hillsong Kids presents Jesus Christ and His Church in a relevant way, creating moments which children will never forget.

I've been fortunate enough to offer a a Rafflecopter giveaway  for this DVD to one lucky person.



“Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255:  “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”):  Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway.  Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation.  I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post.
Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway.  If you have won a prize from our sponsor Propeller /FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days on the same blog, you are not eligible to win.  Or if you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again.  Winner is subject to eligibility verification.

Wednesday, November 7, 2018

Review: hope your heart needs by Holley Gerth


In this day and age with all the negative we hear from the news we need something positive to start our days.  Holley Gerth has given us hope your heart needs to help jump start our days! There are 52 messages in this book of how God cares for us.  One of my favorites was #7 in the book-Guide.  The verse was For this God is our God for ever and ever; he will be our guide even to the end.  Psalm 48:14 We are often asked to do many things and we always wonder what is the right answer. In this section we are reminded that God is there to help and guide us! He guides me along the right paths for his name's sake (Ps. 23.30) and You guide me with your counsel (Ps.73:24) We are not alone in this world and can lean on God.  Here is a quick look at all the different sections included in the book.





Holley Gerth is an author, licensed counselor, speaker and certified life coach.  She enjoys reaching out to the heart of women through her blog.  She has also given us many wonderful choices to start our morning off with or even turn these sections into a weekly study.  She has written many other books including one of her newest books fierce hearted.  For more information visit her FacebookTwitterPinterest or Instagram sites.  


**I received a copy of this book free from Revell for my honest review**




Tuesday, November 6, 2018

Thankful Tuesday 11/6/2018

Today I'm extremely thankful that Issac seems to be recovering well.  He still has a long recovery process, but I'm amazed at how well he's done since we've been home! He had his spinal fusion on 10/24/2018 and we came home on 10/27/2018. He's been off the heavy pain meds for days as well as hasn't needed anything for muscle spasms. I had heard that was one of the biggest issues for most was the muscle spasms. He still can't get in or out of bed by himself and his sitting and standing time is limited. Each day he gets up more and yesterday without me asking him he asked to get up 7 times. For the most part he's acting himself. Making sure he has his pretend keys, registrations, wallet and phone. He keeps asking when he'll be ready to sit on the couch to "drive" (LOL)

I'm incredibly thankful to Dr. Lark, his orthopedic surgeon. He's a wonderful doctor and really has a way with the kids. He jokes around with them, but also gets right down on their level and will answer ANY questions that they have. The last day we saw him in the hospital he asked Issac how he was feeling? Issac told him his back hurt (LOL) Dr.Lark replied "duh!!" and Issac responded with "it's all YOUR fault!" This was all fun and games and he's just truly a wonderful doctor. Everyone that we met in the hospital spoke his praises and said how lucky we were to have him as our doctor. His "about me" section in his profile pretty much sums up the type of person he is to his patients.

I'm thankful that Issac is doing so well, but I know that we aren't "recovered" totally yet. There is a long healing process, but I'm thankful he's doing so well. Even the day we were leaving Dr. Lark told me that Issac had far exceeded his expectations. He said he really didn't think he would have managed everything he needed to be released. It was hard, especially that first day, but he's doing so much better now!

Monday, November 5, 2018

Review: Second-Chance Dogs by Callie Smith Grant



Most people in life are either cat people or dog people. I always thought myself a cat person until an unfortunate event happened in our life. One night while the kids and I were gone and my husband worked out of town we were robbed. We knew it was by local kids, but it was still unnerving. I told my husband that night I was going to the shelter in the morning and bringing home the biggest dog they had. I saw a rottweiler on their website, but when I got there they didn't have one. I asked them to show us the biggest dogs they had and one of the first ones we saw was the one we brought home. We were told he was a Sharpe/coon dog mix, but most people think he has more German Shepherd in him.  From that day on our house because a cat AND dog house. It's so sad to go to the local shelters because they are so full of animals waiting to be adopted. I see posts every day that sadden me of all those needing forever homes!


Our rescue dog Spike! 


Thankfully Second-Chance Dogs by Callie Smith Grant brings the more joyful side of those animals in shelters.  This book is full of 36 TRUE stories of the dogs that have been rescued and how more often than not they rescue us. Many times we are sad or lonely and an animal can make a huge difference in our lives. Just having someone to come home to and that depends on us can often turn our lives around.  These stories made me laugh as well as cry and hope that one day there won't be any animals sitting in shelters waiting for homes.  

Callie Smith Grant is the author of several other books.  The Cat in the Window: And Other Stories of the Cats We LoveThe Dog Next Door: And Other Stories of the Dogs We LoveThe Cat on My Lap: Stories of the Cats We Love and The Horse of My Heart: Stories of the Horses We Love  I think anyone that loves animals would enjoy Second-Chance Dogs or any of the other books written by this author. This are the feel-good type of books that you can curl up with a cup of tea on a cold day and enjoy. 


**I received this book free for my honest review from Revell** 

Friday, November 2, 2018

Review: Switch On Your Brain by Dr. Caroline Leaf



There is so much going on in our daily lives that we need to remember to take the time and focus on what is truly important. Many people like to start their days with Quiet Time. This might be time to read their Bible, reflect on what is going on in their daily lives etc.  Dr. Caroline Leaf has written a book to help us with our we think which in turns affects us both physically and mentally! Switch On Your Brain Every Day has 365 readings for peak happiness, thinking and health.  

Each day there is a Bible verse, a brainy tip and a reading. It is recommended to get a journal and spend some additional time with the reading using the ask, answer and discuss method.  For the ask portion write down several questions that came up while you were reading.  In the answer section you apply the passage to your life by responding as detailed as you can to the questions you wrote in the previous section.  Last, but not least you discuss.  This is the area where you further think about your own thoughts and actions in light of the passage that you read.  The author wants us to remember that we have power in our minds as we are working through these readings.  The choices that we make can change our lives and the world for both good and bad.  God has given us an amazing power to chose and we need to constantly focus on choosing for the positive. 

Dr. Caroline Leaf is a cognitive neuroscientist with a PhD in Communication Pathology and a BSc Logopaedics specializing in cognitive and metacognitive neuropsychology. Her theory of how we think has helped many people with learning disabilities, autism, traumatic brain injury, emotional health issues and many more.  Dr. Leaf is focused on help people learn how to think, learn and find their purpose in life.

I found this book to be a great way to start my day. To focus on a specific reading and how it can affect my life. To help me to focus more on the positive and what I can change about my own life for it to be more meaningful. This book could be used for a quick read in the morning and to get the day started or for a more in depth approach with a group study.  Dr. Leaf has a website as well as can be followed on Youtube. Many have found her videos to be extremely helpful.  She also has A newsletterFacebookTwitter and Instagram


**I received this book free from Baker Books for my honest review.**






Review: Roar Like a Lion

Raising kids has always been a hard job, but with technology the way it is now I think most parents would say it's become harder.  We al...