1 Peter - Lesson 1 (Sue Edwards Inductive Study)

I've joined a graduated study on 1 Peter by Sue Edwards.  The fact that it was an inductive study made me want to do it because I knew I wouldn't be getting someone's opinion.  Instead, I would be studying the Word and letting Scripture interpret Scripture. 

This study has 3 different levels so you can choose how deep into 1 Peter you would like to go.  I chose to do all of the parts, so I'm doing the level 3.  It was in depth, but it honestly didn't take a ton of time.

During Lesson 1, the message that most stood out to me was the Word itself.  It was the reminder in 1:3-5 that Jesus Christ has given us a new birth into a living hope THROUGH the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.  Not only that, but it doesn't stop there.  We have an inheritance that is kept in heaven for us beyond the reach of change and decay.  How amazing!  When our focus is on Christ and our inheritance, we won't be swept away by the challenges of today that we face.  We will keep our trials and suffering in perspective and we won't lose hope.

Even if you don't do this study, I challenge you to study through 1 Peter with me over the next 9 weeks. However, I'd love for you to join me doing this particular study, as well.

____________________

I received this Bible Study free from Kregel Publications in exchange for my honest opinion of this study over the next 9 weeks.

Small Space Organizing by Kathryn Bechen

I absolutely love the cover of this book.  Just looking at this cover made me want to clean out my entire house!  I has a peaceful look about it that I want for my house.  It all looks so clean and neat, and well, organized.

This book is a great tool for someone who is downsizing their home, are moving to college and trying to figure out how to pack up things, or anyone else who is living in a small area.  It didn't really apply much to me (I don't live in a big house, by any means.  I just also don't live in a condo or some small  studio.)  Despite the differences I have in my living arrangements in which this book targets, I did find helpful tips to use in my own house. 

Kathryn goes room-to-room with tips of how to organize each area of your house and how to declutter.  I loved how she described her closet spaces because our closets are quite small.  I plan to now hang up our mop and broom to get it off the floor to provide more floor space.  I also intend to put our sweaters in tubs and stack them so everything looks organized from floor to ceiling.  I also liked her tips for decorating the outside and making it friendly and inviting.  It doesn't matter how small it is on the inside as long as it's warm and cozy and inviting. 

This book came at a time when I had already decided I was going to start decluttering because I'm convinced that I have a lot of things in my house that I really don't need or use.  I'm going to keep this book handy for the different ideas as I go throughout my rooms so I can make our house more functional and yes, organized!

____________________

Taken from an interview with Kathryn:

Q:  What does "rightsized" living mean?

A:   I think "rightsized" is a relative term, personalized to you and your family.   A home that seems small to one family might seem big to another.  A home that seems small to you at one phase of your life might seem large at another time in your life.  When I personally think of small space living, I think of about 400-1200 SF, but some people might think my 1200 SF apartment is big.  I've heard people say they're downsizing to a "small 2700 SF house."  To me, 2700 SF is big!    Again, I'd like to inspire people to make very conscious choices as to the size of home space they live in, so they're happy, because I believe when you're happy at home, it radiates out in a positive way to others in the world.  Kind of like when you find the perfect jeans that fit just right!   And likewise, I'll be bold enough to declare here that when your home space doesn't feel appropriate and supportive to you, you sadly radiate that crankiness out into the world too! 

Q:  What are your two best small space organizing tips?

A:  1. Keep your gadgets and appliances simple by buying only what you'll truly use.

2.  Use all-white dishes and clear glassware to cut down on how many dish sets you buy.  If a dish breaks, you can easily find a new similar white piece and not have to get a whole new set.

___________________

I received this book free from Revell Publishers, a division of Baker Publishing Group, in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.

First Date by Krista McGee

The President's son and a girl from a Christian school in Tampa, Florida, who wouldn't normally be in the same social circles, find themselves on a game in which a prom date is up for the winning. 

Addy doesn't like attention.  She has goals in life and none of those goals include going on a reality television show where the President's son gets to choose his prom date.  However, her school was chosen to send someone and so Addy was the one appointed to go.  She tries to resist, but figures there must have been some reason God wants her there so she goes.  None of the girls like her, except for one, Kara.  They all think that she is trying to get all of the votes and will do anything to win the attention of Jonathan.  She is far from that, though.  She really is the opposite of what everyone is making her out to be.  She's a girl who is struggling to let Christ shine through her discomfort and has to find a way to stand for Christ in a place where Christ is not popular.

Jonathan likes Addy from the beginning and would love to go on a date with her but Hank stands in his way.  Hank hates Addy and will do anything for Addy to be off the show.  How far will Hank go to get rid of Addy?  Who will Jonathan choose?  Or will his choice even really be his choice?  Will Jonathan and Addy be together or will it be Jonathan and someone else?  All these questions but one thing is clear: Addy wants to make it known that she will obey Jesus when her heart is scared.

This is a cute book that I enjoyed reading.  I'm not sure what category it would fall under because it was almost a chick lit book but would make a great read for a teen.  Some of the ideas were far fetched, but honestly, I never mind that when I'm reading a book.  I think that a book is a place for me to escape to anyway, so anything can happen within the pages of a book.  Some people don't like that though, so that would be my only caution about the book.  Like I said, though, I liked that and it didn't deter me from enjoying this book.  If you have a teen daughter who likes to read, this would be a great book for her.

I should also say that this book is a modern retelling of Esther and Mordecai.  That in itself requires some scenes that are hard to believe.  So do keep that in mind when you are reading this book.  You may even want

_______________

I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze® 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

________________

The Keeper by Suzanne Woods Fisher

Julia, Sadie, Mary Kate (M.K.), and Menno Lapp are pulling together to do as much work as they possibly can since their father, Amos, is sick with a bad heart and probably won't be alive much longer.  Their mom passed away a few years earlier, which meant that Sadie took over the kitchen duties while Julia helped hold the household together with the outside chores.  Menno is a special child who needs direction.  No one really knows what is wrong with him, but it is suspected that something happened to him at birth.  M.K. is a highly enthusiastic girl that goes full speed into everything she does and has some tricks up her sleeves.  Uncle Hank lives on the Windmill Farm with the Lapps but he is a different breed, or so everyone thinks.  He makes life interesting, but has a hard time focusing on doing the things that need to get done.  Uncle Hank writes for The Budget, which Fern happens to read.  She heard about how the family was needing lots of help around the farm, so she offered to come stay and help.  Fern was a  blessing in disguise, despite the objections the Lapps had to her coming. 

Once spring came, the Bee Man, Roman Troyer (Rome) showed up and decided that the farm needed lots of help and so did Amos.  After having roamed for 6 years, Fern opens up a small house for him to stay in.  Rome and Fern have a connection from Ohio that Rome is trying to stay away from facing.  Rome did Julia's to-do list and then some while he was living on the farm, all without Julia ever acting like she noticed his good looks.  Oh, did I mention that Roman played a part in Julia's postponement of a wedding to Paul?  Twice.  Each time when the Bee Man came into town.  Julia is downright mad at Roman for the breaking of her engagement.  However, through a series of events, they are able to at least become friends.  Or will they become more than that?  Will Amos decide to have a heart transplant to save his life?  Will Roman stay or will he continue on with his roamin' ways?  How did Fern and Roman meet?  Why is Roman always wondering?  And you think I'm going to tell you?! 

This book had me laughing, smiling, and crying.  I never predicted the ending.  Some may have, but I found myself crying at the ending because I was in shock.  Suzanne had me tied to her book for 2 straight days.  Any spare moment that I had, I had her book in my hand.  It is Amish fiction, but it's also a love story and a story of hope and all entwined into one.

Being the first book in the Stoney Ridge Seasons book, I can't wait to read the second.  I do hope she mentions what happens to Julia and Rome in her next book!
_______________

Join the giveaways:

The iPad giveaway: http://promoshq.wildfireapp.com/website/6/contests/183799 Running now until January 17th

The Facebook Party: http://www.facebook.com/events/209723589116292 Party is on January 17^th, and the winner of the prize package will be announced there.

________________

Available January 2012 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

_________________

I received this book free from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.

The Harvest of Grace by Cindy Woodsmall

The third book in the Ada's House series, this book brings the trilogy to a nice conclusion.  I'm sad to say goodbye to the characters in this series.  I'd love to find out what happened to them all later in life, but I guess that's where I can use my own imagination!  It's just hard to end a series when you love the characters.

This book picks up where Aaron Blank has been to rehab and has gotten out.  He desires to make things right with his family so he goes back to the farm to attempt reconciliation and to hopefully have his parents realize that they need to see the farm and move in with him to help run a store.  His desire for farming has long left him and he is seeking a new start to life.  While Aaron was in rehab, he didn't realize that his dad had hired a farm hand, Sylvia Fisher, to help run his farm. 

Sylvia is not your typical Amish woman.  She doesn't want to just stay home and raise babies.  She loves her family's dairy farm, but a betrayal by her boyfriend and sister have caused her to run away from the farm to avoid reconciliation and to hid from the guilt.  Her father meets Michael Blank and the two agree that Sylvia could work at the Blank farm.  With Sylvia's love for the dairy farm and Aaron's strong intent on selling the farm, how will these two ever work together?  What will end up happening to the farm?  What will happen when Sylvia must come face to face with her guilt and how can it ever be reconciled?

That is the main story throughout the book, but you also have the story of Cara learning to forgive her father who abandoned her, Ephraim and Cara finding out how long they must wait to get married, Grey and Lena finding out if they will be able to have children without disabilities once they are married, Deborah and Jonathan taking steps toward marriage and Ada and Israel finally figuring out what they want in their relationship. 

If you've read the first two, you must read this book.  If you haven't read the first two, then do it and then get this one.  Cindy writes in a way that makes you keep turning pages and makes you feel as though you are living your life among the Amish, even if it is just for the time that you are escaping to inside of the book.

_____________________

I received this book free from Waterbrook Press through the Blogging for Books program in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.

7 Money Rules for Life by Mary Hunt

This was another book that I was a bit hesitant on.  I had honestly only heard Dave Ramsey's financial advice and had taken his class so I just usually don't really read anyone else's stuff on money.  Not because I think they're bad, but just because I live Dave.  However, after consideration, I figured that I wouldn't be a bad idea to read what Mary Hunt had to say.  I'm so glad I did!  And honestly, so is my husband!

I'm a very visual person so the diagrams that she uses and her thought processes made a lot of sense to me.  She broke it down into terms I could understand but she didn't make it on a level that was insulting either.  She has 7 rules for money that all families should abide by.  Her rules are:

1) Spend less than you earn
2) Save for the future
3) Give some away
4) Anticipate your irregular expenses
5) Tell your money where to go
6) Manage your credit
7) Borrow only what you know you can repay

After I finished reading this book, I was inspired to do our budget myself.  That never interested me before but I actually had a lot of fun with it.  My husband was glad to let me try the budget this month.  He usually does the budget but was willing to let me apply what I learned to see if this budget worked out better.  I'm excited to see how much we'll start saving and to battle that whole materialistic mindset that creeps into our lives and makes us want more, more, more.

_________________

Available January 2012 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

_________________

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

That's My Girl by Rick Johnson

When this book came up for review, I  debated it and skipped it the first time I saw it.  It wasn't until the last possible day that I had to get it did I decide I would review it.  I was very hesitant 1) because it was tailored for fathers and 2) I figured it was just another typical book by someone who was going to write the same things as everyone else.  With that said, you can imagine my suprise when I found myself turning page after page and actually enjoying this book!  After finishing it, I told my husband that he needed to read this book and I'm keeping it on the bookshelf for when our daughter gets a little older and we hit some of these issues that we need to address.

This book hit more on adolescent girls and preteenagers.  However, as a mom of 1-year-old girl, I'm glad I wrote it.  I had honestly forgotten all of the things that I went through as a teen and the feelings I had.  It already has me thinking of what I need to start preparing our conversations to be and what things can be addressed while she's little. 

I love that this book introduces the father to his major role in the life of a daughter.  God intended for the man to be a heavy influence in the home and I believe that is why he is held accountable for the things that happen inside him home.  Rick Johnson doesn't shy away from the major role given to him by God.  He holds fathers accountable for what they need to know and talk about with their daughters and how to have that close relationship that girls so need.  Dads are responsible for their daughters!

He uses some examples of him and his daughter throughout the book, as well as letters written from other women.  He begins by walking the dad through what happens at puberty (and acknowledges that these things are things that dads would rather not know about), the importance of knowing these things, what happens when a father isn't a major part of a daughter's life, what happens when a father is a major part of a daughter's life, and the life-long implications of a present father that loves, cares for, and nurtures his "sweet baby girl."

After reading different paragraphs to my husband, we both agreed that he has a tall order in front of him.  If you really think about all the work that will go into building that relationship with your daughter, it's a lot.  But it's well worth it. 

Reading though the book, I saw my own father.  I saw the love, nurture, and stability that I had and could easily compare it with how I am different because of my loving father.  I know that's not the norm these days, but I'm so thankful that God gave me a father that took his job seriously, just like Rick has taken his job as a father seriously.  Every father of girls needs to read this book.  I, myself, am going to be buying his book on mothers/sons, called That's My Son.

__________________

Available January 2012 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group

__________________

I received this book free from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.