The Good, the Bad, and the Grace of God by Jep and Jessica Robertson

Our family enjoys watching Duck Dynasty and I have read all of the books from each one in the family. Just like the others, I appreciated the honesty in this book. It takes a lot to admit your mess ups and to share it without knowing how you'll be judged by others. Jep and Jessica both honestly shared the good and bad times they've had separately and together.

I can relate a lot to Jessica's desire to please other people. I never felt it as strongly as her, but being a people please myself I can see how easily it would be to fall into the traps she did. It was interesting to learn more about them because they aren't made to be a huge part of Duck Dynasty. Jep is just the funny younger brother that gets picked on! I'm glad he shared about the whole duck taping incident because I really didn't think they had done that! That would have really hurt!

Jep and Jessica share about how God used their bad in their lives to lead them to not only help others but to easily forgive each other. I say easy, but it's never easy. However, God showed them how He could rescue you from a deep dark spot and forgive for anything. They used that in marriage when it came to the make it or break it decision.

Another thing I love about the them (and all the Robertson) is that divorce is never an option. Every marriage has hard spots and times when you don't particularly have those warm fuzzy feelings. It takes hard work. You get a glimpse of that hard work that Jep and Jessica had to do in their own marriage. Television can make it seem as though they have a perfect marriage. I'm glad they shared their struggles in this book and how God has blessed them since they chose to go through a really dark time together instead of throwing in the towel.

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I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.

Devotion by Marianne Evans

I struggled through the first part of this book, but not because it was boring. I struggled because I could see what was coming and I so didn't want it to happen. I liked Kellen and wanted him to make the wise decisions that would honor God and his wife. To watch his decisions unravel his life and the consequences he would face was heartbreaking.

I also hurt for Juliet. I can't imagine what it would be like to overhear some of the things that she did. Nor do I judge her for how she kept her heart at a distance for some time. However, I loved the redemption part of the story. I loved watching both of them have to work through this difficult time and invest in something they may not have wanted to even continue in.

With Valentine's Day approaching, this is a book that makes you really think about your marriage. We may not relate to every detail, but I do think we can relate to taking our spouses for granite and letting other things crowd in to the point where our spouses have been crowded out of our schedules and lives. The whole time I was reading, I kept thinking about how intentional you have to be in marriage in order to safeguard it from Satan. The temptations are real and everywhere.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

A Word from the author:
My career began at Kensington Publishing, then Wild Rose Press released what will likely be my last secular novel, With This Kiss. This book is very dear to my heart, because, in a way, it memorializes the life of my grandmother, Rachel Alfano. She was a feisty, loving Italian. Back in the day, folks came to her deli in East Rutherford "from the City" (New York, of course!) to get her pepperoni, or purchase her hand-made sausage and pastas. Life and times at 82 Mozart Street are engraved upon my heart, and precious to me. What better place to set a romance?

Now, I'm called to write 'Faith-affirming fiction' (TM). Christian inspirational romance, and Christian themed fiction, is something that both as a reader, and writer, I feel called upon by God to enjoy and create.

This segment of my journey began when I was lucky enough to win a writing contest sponsored by White Rose Publishing that led to the publication of my Christian inspy debut, Hearts Crossing. This humble, heart-felt novella went on to become a series...and an Amazon best seller! A Face in the Clouds, a short story spin-off of Woodland, is also part of my 'best seller' portfolio. What a blessing!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Christian Music agent Kellen Rossiter has everything he ever wanted: A-list clients from coast to coast, a loving wife who honors and respects him, and a faith life that’s never wavered—until now. Juliet Rossiter has the perfect life: a rewarding schedule serving the underprivileged, a husband who loves her as Christ loved the church, and a blessed future as a mother—at least that's what she thinks.

For Better or Worse

But what happens when their rock-solid marriage begins to crumble under the weight of an unexpected and powerful temptation?  How does love survive when its foundation is shaken?

'Til Death Do Us Part

When human frailty and the allure of sin deal a harsh blow to their relationship, it will take more than love to mend the shattered trust and heartbreak. It will take a lifetime of devotion.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Devotion, go HERE.
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I received this book free from CFBA and Harbourlight Books in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.

A New Season by Al & Lisa Robertson

I, like probably many other Duck Dynasty fans, didn't know much about Al and Lisa. I can't say that now after reading this book. They hold nothing back in these pages and aren't afraid to share the good times, but also the dirty, rotten, bad times. They share their good choices and their bad choices. This is their life and although it's rough, it's beautiful. You can clearly see God's hand guiding them even at a young age and taking what was bad and turning it into something beautiful.

I appreciate their honesty. Most people try to hide things and like to give people the persona that their marriages/lives are perfect. However, because Al and Lisa didn't do that, I strongly believe this book will be used to help heal many marriages and to guide many young people back to Christ. Many others have a similar story, but are too afraid to share. I think this will empower others to know that Christ forgives and uses what's bad for good.

This book isn't "preachy." God and faith is so entwined in their lives that it's obviously a huge factor and mentioned, but at no point does the reader feel hopeless. In fact, I think that by their honesty sharing, you feel a big sense of hope for any situation. When they say most people think they can't relate to others, I must admit I had thought the same. They then follow that up with, as soon as they hear our story, they realize theirs isn't as bad! These are two people who know what forgiveness is and how to offer it. It's so neat to see how God has redeemed the time they lost on bad choices and given them a second, third, fourth, fifth, etc. chance to help others.

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I received this book free from Howard Publishers in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.

The 50 Fridays Marriage Challenge by Jeff and Lora Helton

My husband and I have had a lot of fun reading this book.  We have been married for almost 8 years and we still learned new things about each other by using this book as a springboard for our discussions.  My husband is rather quiet (I tell him he has a word quota that he allows himself each day), so it's been a good way for us to open up and really talk.  Add in the busyness of 2 small kids, we needed some intentional, relationship-building conversation going on. 

 

Since I was reading this book for review, I did these questions everyday for 2 weeks.  Some days, I would flip through and ask other questions along with the original one we had discussed.  It's actually made so that you talk about one question every Friday...hence the 50 Fridays question.

 

Each Friday starts with a Challenge question.  Some of the questions are harder to answer than others and require some thought.  I love how it tackles the good things, the bad things (like disagreements, things that each of you could change in certain areas), and the comfortable/uncomfortable things.

 

There's a short chapter (like 1 page if it was condensed) that you can read together or separately.  We read it together.  It was a nice way for us to end our work week together, since the week tends to be incredibly stressful and hit or miss sometimes because of work obligations, etc. 

 

I'm planning to revisit this book and I think I just might be getting this for anniversaries of close friends or even for wedding presents.  I mean, who doesn't want a great marriage that reflects Christ?!  I want my children to see Christ when they look at our marriage and that takes effort and conversation....even when we're exhausted.  Thanks for the very helpful marriage resource!

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I received this book free from Howard Publishers in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.

 

 

The Gospel Centered Woman by Wendy Alsup

As a mom and wife, I have had many moments of where I felt like I wasn't good enough to accomplish all that God wants me to accomplish.  I know it's a lie that Satan wants me to believe and one that I think he knows women struggle with.  I liked this view of the Gospel centered woman.  She's not one who cares what people say or think about her other than God and His Word.  By His power, we can accomplish the many things that are on our plates each day.  We're not "good enough" to do it, but His power helps us do it.

The part that really stuck out to me was the Proverbs 31 wife.  We hear about her a lot and I know there are a lot of differing opinions about her as far as what we should be in comparison to her.  I personally liked how she said that we are to be good managers of our home, even if that means we need to hire someone to help us clean when we are financially capable to do so.  I have struggled so much with feeling like I need to do it all when it comes to the house, since it is my domain.  However, when she talked about managing it, that was so encouraging to me and was brought into a new light for me to think about.

I liked the Reflections page after each chapter.  I felt like there was so much in there that I needed that time to really think about what all I had just read.  

All women need to read this book and strive to be the Gospel Centered Woman.

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For more opinions on this book, go to http://litfusegroup.com/author/walsup .

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About The Gospel-Center Woman: 

Understanding Biblical Womanhood through the Lens of the Gospel

Many Christian books written to women claim to present God's good instructions for their lives. Some expound on the value of marriage and children. Many extol the virtues of the Proverbs 31 wife. A good number teach the value of love, submission, and respect in Christian marriages. Though this book deals with these topics, The Gospel-Centered Womanaddresses women from an entirely different perspective. The most important part of the Bible's instructions to women center around the gospel. Jesus' life, death, and resurrection brought about a seismic shift in our understanding of Scripture. After His resurrection, His disciples understood words written thousands of years before with a clarity they never had previously. The good news of Christ illuminates all other Scripture, including instructions to women. 

Link to buy the book: http://ow.ly/jgKJd           

Meet Wendy:  

  

Wendy Alsup is a wife, mom, and math teacher. She is the author of "Practical Theology for Women: How Knowing God Makes a Difference in Our Daily Lives" and "By His Wounds You are Healed: How the Message of Ephesians Transforms a Woman's Identity". 

Find out more about Wendy at 

www.theologyforwomen.org.

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I received this book free from Litfuse Publicity Group in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.

Firefly Island by Lisa Wingate

I was hooked on this book from the first page.  There are many times when I have difficulty switching from one book to another and it takes me a few chapters to get into the book.  That wasn't the case with this book.  I found the storytelling in this book to be beautiful and captured the reader straight from the beginning.

There is an air of mystery surrounding Jack West, Mallory's husband's new boss.  Did he really kill his wife and child?  Where are they and why have they disappeared with no trace at all?  Why is everything so remote on Moses Lake?  Moses Lake, Texas sounds beautiful but the house seems to be lacking in feminine decor.  Something about stuffed animals on a wall watching over a shower is a bit weird!  

I liked how Mallory's romance bloomed with Daniel so fast and how the reader was able to watch their new marriage play out before their eyes.  You experienced the stress of a move and the newness of becoming a step-parent.  You saw the questions she had and the independence that she battled with.  I did laugh at her talking in her sleep and the things she talked about!  I also loved their honeymoon "suite" and how they tried to dress it up a bit.

I haven't read the other two books in this series, but now I plan to.  I can't wait to read more by Lisa Wingate.

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I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.

Fight Your Way to a Better Marriage by Dr. Greg Smalley

I really enjoy reading marriage books and learning new ideas to implement into my marriage.  My husband and I don't fight a lot, but this book was full of tips that I found very insightful and helpful.  I have heard people tell others that if they have a lot of conflict in their marriage, then there's trouble.  This book debunks that truth. In fact, conflict is not only important, but it's going to happen.  We can choose how we are going to resolve the problems though and what attitude we will take in resolving it.

If I had to pick a favorite chapter, it would be the chapter called "Lies Written on Your Heart."  Satan loves to tell us lies in our marriages and it was encouraging to read a few that I know Satan has wanted me to believe.  Another great chapter was the L.U.V.E. Talk chapter.  It was so good to hear how we sometimes invalidate our spouses even if we don't mean to.

This is a book for both healthy marriages and those that are struggling.  It would also be a great gift or premarital counseling book, in my opinion.

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I received this book free from Howard Publishers in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.

The Marriage of Your Dreams by Rick Johnson

What wife doesn't want to know more about their husband and what he's really like?  My favorite part of this book were when women asked Rick Johnson questions and he answered them.  Some of them made me laugh because they were a simple one word answer when I'm sure the women really wanted more of an explanation....because that's how we are!  His answers were so much like my husbands, which made me realize that perhaps my husband isn't that odd after all.  Maybe more guys really do think like that. 

Johnson talks about the relationship with the husband's mother and your husband (which was very enlightening and kinda scary!), his relationship with his father and his relationships with others and how they affect his marriage and his family.  He then goes on to discuss their communication styles, their work, sexuality, and their need for respect and admiration. 

I did find it funny when Johnson gave an example about breaking an unspoken "girl rule" when he commented to his wife, while on a date, that the girl behind him (whom he couldn't see) had a pretty laugh.  His wife got mad and he couldn't figure out why that would bother her.  He then went on to warn women to tell their husbands of any unspoken rules because they don't need any more help to get into trouble!  Poor men...they really aren't blessed with the communication skills for the most part.  He shed light on how their communication is so different and how they need time to process what they just heard.  It's not that they're insensitive or uncaring...they just don't know how to express their thoughts on the matter, yet.  His examples on that issue showed me how many times my husband and I had experienced that misunderstanding in communication.

Continuing on, Johnson speaks on his odds of meeting your expectations, his emotions, his desires in a wife, his cheating heart, and his needs of his woman.  I always hate reading the cheating sections because it scares me a bit, but I do like to know what I can do to keep his eyes from straying and his heart from yielding to temptation.

Overall, this book touched on some different topics that I hadn't read in other marriage books.  It was also nice to get one's opinion who wasn't a therapist or a counselor.  He had polled men and got some responses back, which I thought made the book for enlightening and the men were probably more honest.

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I received this book free from Revell Publishers in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.

Be Still My Soul by Joanne Bischof

Sometimes love just doesn't happen as we think it should always happen.  There are times when two people fall in love "at first sight" and then there are times when love needs to have a chance to grow and bloom and given a chance.

In the first book in a new series, Cadence of Grace, you meet a young man and a young woman who give love a chance.  Sure it wasn't necessarily something they wanted to do, but at the end, they were extremely pleased with the results.

Lonnie is forced into a marriage with Gideon by her father.  Neither are happy with this arranged marriage, but neither can argue either.  Gideon is downright mad and doesn't want to let Lonnie have even an inch of his heart or his life.  Lonnie keeps praying to God and pleading with Him for help and eventually Lonnie's heart begins to soften.

This book hit on marriage aspects that I think any couple could relate to.  Even if we didn't have an arranged marriage, it's still a reminder of how to make your relationship with your spouse better.  Not only that, but it's a wonderful reminder of how much work marriage is and that marriage vows aren't taken lightly.

Can't wait to read the next book in the series!
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I received this book free from Blogging for Books program in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.

After All by Deborah Raney

This was a different kind of book for me.  It was very good and I had a hard time putting this book down.  It's hard to describe why the book felt different and was so enjoyable.  Maybe it was because the plot was more complex or perhaps it was the layout of the book.

Starting with the front cover, it made me want to pick it up.  As I was reading it, I loved the layout!  It was different than most books because it had quotes on one side at the beginning of each chapter.  Then it had a cute decoration on top of the chapter page.  It was very appealing to me as I was reading and it was something I had never stopped to really think about until I picked up this book.  The chapters were short, so it was easy to stop and start without losing my place or feeling like I needed to go back a few pages to remind myself of what had happened.

The story focuses on three people.  The first is Susan Marlowe.  Her husband was a firefighter and died fighting a fire at a homeless shelter that she had started.  It wasn't her fault but her husband and several other men and one woman never made it out of the fire.  They had problems in their marriage like the typical marriage, and had hardly seen each other, but Susan was convinced they still loved each other.  That changes when she receives some news about a secret that David, her husband, never told her.  Just as she was moving forward, the news makes her go back to the beginning of the grieving process again.

Andrea Morley is the second character.  She also lost someone in the fire, but she can't really express her sorrow about him.  After all, she's not really supposed to talk about him to anyone else.  Why is that?  Apparently she's attracted to people that she can't have...people like missionaries and military people or pretty much anyone who can't give her what she wants.  Oh, and married men should have been included on that list.  She wants to be married and have children, but she doubts that will ever happen now.  Will she come clean about her affairs or will she continue pursuing men that need to be left alone?

Peter Brennan is the last main character.  He is the fire chief who works almost all of the time.  He was responsible for the firefighters who died the night of the big fire.  He was also friends with Susan Marlowe and had heard of the rumor that Susan has just been informed of.  He has befriended Susan since her husband had died and is constantly trying to get over his guilt that something else could have been done to save the men.  He also just might fall in love with a woman who is passionate about something he is not.

This book is third book in the series.  I have never heard of or read any of the other books, but I plan to download the other two now.  I wasn't lost at all when it came to the characters but I'm curious to know who was carried over from previous books.  Deborah Raney is definitely an author that I'm adding to my favorites list.

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I received this book free from Howard Books, a division of Simon and Schuster in exchange for my honest opinion.

31 Days to a Happy Husband by Arlene Pellicane

This book was a delight to read. Because I was reviewing it, I chose to read it in sections and am going back to apply the daily lessons. This book was refreshing because it gave me practical ideas of how to make my husband happier. It's simple things, really. Things such as creating a peaceful atmosphere for them when they come home for work or even finding out what means a lot to them to have ready for them when they step through the doors. Some men like dinner on the table, some want a little bit of quiet, etc. The thing that has stuck with me the most is when she talked about those things that our husbands do that annoy us. Things like coffee cups on the counter, toilet seat up, dishes in the sink, etc. She gave an example of using that as a reminder to pray for them throughout the day. I loved that! The next time my husband forgets where the dishwasher is located, I told him that I would stop and pray for him instead of getting frustrated at his lack of GPS skills! He told me he'd do the same the next time he passed a full laundry basket filled with clean clothes! What a wonderful way to take something negative and turn it into something positive. This book would be a great book for all married women to read! Our husbands need a woman behind them that can build them up and help them as they go throughout their stressful days. Take 31 days to show your husband just how much you love him. It's just 31 days. Take the challenge.
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I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange of my honest opinion.

Married Mom, Solo Parenting by Carla Anne Coroy

In a generation where men aren't fulfilling their roles within the marriage and more men are leaving their wives to raise the children, this book is a great resource for those women who find themselves in this situation.  However, that's not all who this book is written for.  This book is for those who are military wives, those who  have husbands who work long hours or addicted to their jobs, perhaps those women who have husbands that like their hobbies more than their family, etc.  Many moms find themselves in this role unexpectedly. 

I found that this book was a great book that had tips for every mom to be able to be a bit more productive.  Not only was it full of parenting tips, but it had a lot of ideas on things for the children to do to help out around the house.  I was so glad that I read it, as well, because I feel like now I can know how to help those of my friends who are in this situation.  I now know how to better minister to them and that was such a wonderful thing for me to know.  I think every woman should read this book, whether you are in this situation or not.  Sadly, more women are in this situation than we realize.  What a great opportunity for those of us who are not in this situation to be able to ease the load of those who are doing all of the work.

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I received this book free from Kregel Publishers in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Incovenient Marriage of Charlotte Beck by Kathleen Y'Barbo

This book is apparently a part of a series, in which I hadn't read the first books.  That said, there was the typical introduction of characters that I wasn't for sure what their story was since I had not read the earlier books.  That didn't deter me from this book.  Instead it made me want to read the books before this since I was more intrigued about the characters.  I would recommend that this series be read in order so that you can have a complete picture of what is going on and who is involved.

This book did have me laughing at a few points, like when they were "proposing" their marriage.  Their proposal wasn't your typical one.  In fact, it was one that was a deal....between Alex and Charlotte's father.  Or maybe Charlotte's father saw something that neither of them could.  Charlotte has a very strong personality and ends up in things that a typical woman wouldn't encounter.  And there's only one man who stands his ground and doesn't get afraid when he has to deal with Charlotte. 

Charlotte and Alex decide to go along with the plan, but they've devised a plan of their own.  Once they are married, they will both work quickly to have their marriage annulled.  That's their plan.  Their father's plan is for them to stay married.  Which plan happens and what situations will they have to endure during this crazy engagement and marriage?!

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I received this book free from Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing Group in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.