Women of the Word by Jen Wilkin

My passion is for women and children to know the word deeply and to love it.  I have long been frustrated that so many times we aren't taught to study our Bibles, but to take our pastor's word or our Bible study leader's word for what the Bible teaches.  I'm very picky when it comes to Bible studies and books about Bible studies because so many times the books talk about how the Bible is about us.  It's not.  It's about God.

Thank you, Jen Wilkin, for a wonderful book on how to be a woman of the Word.  She was clear, concise, and spoke in everyday language.  She challenged me and affirmed me at the same time. I like how she reminded readers that the Bible is not about us.  It's about God.  We have to know who God is so we know who we are. 

While I was reading this book, all I wanted to do was to go back and study the Bible! She tells her readers how to study the Bible with: purpose, perspective, patience, process, and prayer.  I have taken those into my own quiet times and have been purposeful about adding all of these to my quiet time. It's so easy to rush through and I appreciate her reminders not to do so.

I also like the section for Teacher Help.  It was very informative on leading a group of women and things you could do and things to watch out for so as not to do.

I would love to use this study in discipleship, either with a group of women or one-on-one.  It's a good book for personal use, too.

______________

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

I Need Some Help Here by Kathi Lipp

I couldn't help but laugh when I saw the cover of this book.  I feel like this picture sums up some of the days I have and have had! That automatically made me interested in this book.  In fact, it was what made me want to read it.  I knew someone wrote about what I could easily relate to!

Kathi Lapp does a great job encouraging moms who have children that are struggling, making poor choices, not wanting a relationship with God, or who are being left out.  There is so much more talked about in these pages.  This book has something for anyone who has a child from a toddler to a teenager.

Parenting is hard enough as it is, but I think it's also hard to deal with ourselves as moms.  There are so many choices and so many things we want to teach our children so they don't have to learn the hard way.

I liked the chapter where she talks about her child with Down Syndrome.  The gifts she has received from him were simply beautiful.  I think if we stop to really think about it, from atop the trench, we can see the gifts our own children give us.  I laugh because when my children are gone, I always find myself missing their silly quirks and those things that drive me to my wits end!

Each chapter has a story from the trenches, practical steps, prayers for my child, and prayers for myself.  I think it's so important that we're not only praying for our child to change, but also us.

I also liked the chapter on shame.  I think I fall into that at sometimes and will probably fall into this more often than not.  I was very encouraged by her words throughout that section.

____________

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

Mom's Night Out by Tricia Goyer

I read this book and saw the movie and absolutely love them both!  Tricia Goyer did a wonderful job sticking to the movie.  This is one book that resembles the movie very closely, which I'm thankful for!

I found these circumstances hilarious.  I had no problem relating to Allyson.  I felt like at some times during the story, I was reading about myself and my family!  I've had that desperation feeling and I've had that longing for adult interaction.  I've also had those planned trips that never turned out like I thought they would.

I liked the discussion questions at the end of the book. I think this would be a fun book club book to discuss. I can even imagine moms getting together and reading it and discussing it... then perhaps having a mom's night out to watch the movie again.

I hope more movies/books are put out that are like this one! It as encouraging, hilarious, and even brought tears to my eyes.

Read more reviews at http://litfusegroup.com/author/tgoyer.

_____________

 

 

About the Book

Moms’ Night Out is a novelization of the hilarious family comedy that celebrates real family life—where everything can go wrong and still turn out all right.

All Allyson and her friends want is a peaceful, grown-up evening of dinner and conversation . . . a long-needed moms’ night out. But in order to enjoy high heels, adult conversation and food not served in a bag, they need their husbands to watch the kids for a few hours—what could go wrong?

Chronicling one night out gone awry, three harried moms, their husbands, a sister-in-law with a misplaced baby, a tattoo parlor owner, a motorcycle gang, and a bewildered cabbie all learn to embrace the beautiful mess called parenting. This book spotlights the unfulfilled expectations and serial self-doubts many moms feel . . . then reassures us that the key is raising kids in a loving home. Mom’s Night Out is an endearing, true-to-life comedy.

The MOMS’ NIGHT OUT film features Sarah Drew (Grey’s Anatomy), Sean Astin (THE LORD OF THE RINGS), Patricia Heaton (EVERBODY LOVES RAYMOND, THE MIDDLE), Alex Kendrick (COURAGEOUS), Robert Amaya (COURAGEOUS), Andrea Logan White (REVELATION ROAD), Kevin Downes (COURAGEOUS), and platinum-selling country recording artist Trace Adkins (THE LINCOLN LAWYER).

Learn more and purchase a copy at Tricia’s website.

Tricia Goyer

USA Today best-selling author Tricia Goyer is the author of over 35 books, including the three-book Seven Brides for Seven Bachelors series and "Lead Your Family Like Jesus," (co-written with Ken Blanchard). She has written over 500 articles for national publications and blogs for high traffic sites like TheBetterMom.com and MomLifeToday.com. She is the host of Living Inspired, a weekly radio show. Tricia and family live in Little Rock, Arkansas. They have six children. You can find out more about Tricia at www.TriciaGoyer.com.

_____________

I received this book free from B & H Publishers and Litfuse Publicity Group in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.