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.

The True Account of Adam and Eve by Ken Ham

The cover of this book attracted me to hurry and read this book.  I thought it was very pretty and it had a look about it that could make it either a children's book or a coffee table book to be read and/or discussed by adults.  Once I opened up the book, I was excited that the pictures in the book were just as beautiful as the one displayed on the cover.  The pictures made this book come to life and really drive home what Ken Ham was writing.  I don't know that I've seen a book with such elaborate drawings lately. 

I read this book with my children because we are and studying Genesis in our Bible Study.  I thought it would be fun to read together and see if it lined up with what we have studied the Scriptures to teach.  I have never known Ham to stray from biblical accounts, but I always like to double check.  I was pleased to discover that he stayed true to Scripture and did, what I thought was, an excellent explanation of Adam and Eve and how sin brought with it destruction.  I like how he showed from the beginning that everything pointed to God, even in the beginning.  He ended by talking about God's plan for redemption and it had Scripture references so you could discover for yourself if what he was saying was true.

Throughout the book, he addressed the theory of Adam and Eve being real people and not just a parable.  He also talked about God's plan for marriage, and how the age of the earth couldn't be billions of years old.  I personally liked how he included the food for humans and animals in the beginning, because we overlook that a lot and many people don't even realize that it wasn't until after the flood that God told them that they could then eat meat. 

Filled with biblical history, this is a book that you'll want to have in your collection.  I read it to my kids, but as I was reading it, I realized it didn't necessarily read like a children's book or an adult book.  There weren't simple sentences or simple explanations.  He did thorough explanations that I think could be elaborated more with your children through discussion about his topics. 

I saw that he had a book on Noah out, so I definitely want to get that one!  It's by the same illustrator, too, so I know the pictures will be just as amazing.

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If you would like more information on Ken Ham, click here.

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I received this book free from Master Books, a division of New Leaf Publishing Group, in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.

Twice Promised by Maggie Brendan

I am really enjoying this series so far and am looking forward to more books about the Blue Willow Brides.  I imagine that it might have something to do with Greta's sister Anna, but I'm not positive. 

This story had me laughing many times at the horrible misunderstanding between the all involved.  Cora and Jess are to be wed and Greta and Zach are to be wed.  How did this come about?  Well, Zach wrote letters to Cora and Greta pretending to be his brother Jess looking for a wife.  So when both girls arrive, they are shocked to learn that they are both going to have the challenge of winning over Jess  The only way Jess will even consider courting one of them is if Zach courts one too.  Thanks to their Granny and her insight, they flip a coin to decide who courts who.  But then hearts start to go in different directions, how will the air be cleared when no one wants to hurt anyone else? 

I liked all of the twists in the book, but by the end, I was definitely more than ready for the admissions!  I liked how spite wasn't involved at all and that no meanness was involved.  I also enjoyed the Caleb and how he was given a second chance.  I really hope that we hear more about him, as well.  I know he has a story that is just itching to be told!

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

Strength Renewed by Shirley Corder

I can think of so many people who would be encouraged by this book.  I have never had breast cancer but have had many friends walk through this diagnosis.  As I hear them pour out their hearts, I can't even begin to imagine the many confusing and discouraging thoughts that would pour into my head.

As I was reading this book, which is full of short meditations, I felt like I was reading a woman's private journal, full of ups and downs.  Each meditation is accompanied with Bible scriptures that encourage and remind of God's promises.  Concluding each meditation is a prayer.  I also thought it was very helpful to read how to help someone who is walking through this journey.  It was good to know some things of what not to say and how to actually be an encouragement.

I really liked how she shared some of her journey, and things that the Lord had taught her along the way in the form of a devotional. I think, though, the most insightful things for me to read were the application questions that were tucked within the meditation.  Many of the questions were ones that I had never realized had to be dealt with on such a frequent basis.  Just reading them and trying to envision what life would be like with a whole new schedule was exhausting.  I can't even begin to imagine how draining it would be to actually carry out and deal with all of the appointments, medications, emotions, schedules, family, etc.

No one, including me, wants to go through cancer.  However, I pray that if I do that I will glorify Christ in my diagnosis.  I think that's what made me like this book so much and want to give it away.  It wasn't like many that are focused on the patient.  This is focused on the patient, but it reminds them that there's a bigger goal in mind while journeying through breast cancer.  There's someone more powerful to depend on who will renew our strength when we feel like we can't go on and that it'd be easier to give up. 

If you know someone who has been diagnosed with breast cancer or someone who has been on this journey for awhile, give them this book.  I'm sure that they could relate to Shirley Corder and her own personal journey.

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

A Love Surrendered by Julie Lessman

Annie and her sister are now orphans and have found their life uprooted to a new home....a home that seems less than welcoming.  Annie despises her great-aunt and decides that she doesn't need God and wants to prove herself as a girl with no cares.  She wants to give all of herself away to anyone just so she can say she's not "innocent" anymore.  Having chosen friends and a group of girls to hang out with that her sister Maggie did, losing her innocence is quite easy to do.  Well, it would be if Sergeant Steven O'Connor didn't stand in the way EVERY time she thought she was making progress.  Sure he saved her life and kept her from making bad decisions, but what does that matter?!

Steven is certain that his past can never be forgiven.  He lost his first love, Maggie, and doesn't know Annie is her sister.  He determines that he's only meant to be with those girls who are not so innocent because of his past.  For some reason, though, he thinks he needs to protect that girl that keeps finding herself in situations where boys would easily take advantage of her.  When he hears that Annie has changed her life around, he's happy and thinks that's the end of her.  But somehow, she ends up back in not only his life but in the life of his family.  Will he give up his heart?  Will she prove to him that she's not "wet behind the ears" and is in fact, a young woman worthy of one's love?  What changes her?

I have read the first two books in this series, the Winds of Change series.  I really enjoyed the first two books and was excited to read this one, too.  Not unsurprisingly, I loved it, too.  It was so hard to put down.  In fact, I think I surpassed my normal bedtime by about 2 hours each night just because I wanted to find out what happened next.  Lessman writes in such a way that draws you in from the very first page.  The longer chapters make the book harder to put down because you don't feel like you have a great stopping place.  Perhaps that's a ploy to keep her readers reading longer!  This series is very good and I laughed out quite a bit.  I love the personalities of each one in the family and I can easily imagine a family with these dynamics.  It was funny to see how the girls got into different predicaments and for the first time, the boys were apologizing!  The men in the family seemed to have become less harsh in this book than they were in the previous one.  I liked that because I really liked how they were portrayed in this one. 

Don't worry if you haven't started with book 1 in the series.  You won't be lost if you start with this one.  However, if you are looking for a new series to start, jump in with this one.

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

The Beginner's Bible App Review

I love interactive Bible apps because I think that they help solidify what we teach our children.  We are very cautious when it comes to what our children are exposed to on the iPad because we want to make sure that even the children's Bibles stay true to what the Bible teaches. 

With that said, when we were asked to review an app for children, I gladly did.  I had the Beginner's Bible when I was little and knew that they taught children what God says.  My children, both 2 and 4, had a lot of fun playing with this app.  They loved the coloring pages, but they also enjoyed the part where they could pop the apples on the tree.  My 2-year-old really liked doing the puzzles.  I, as the mom, liked that the add-ons weren't expensive and that they coordinated with the order of the stories in the Bible.  We are homeschooling and are definitely going to start using this app as a closer to our Bible time. 

 I'm looking forward to the updates and the new additions on this app.

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I received this app free (as it is for all right now) in exchange for my honest opinion of this review.

Life with Lily by Mary Ann Kinsinger and Suzanne Woods Fisher

Lily is just a little 6-year-old girl who is Amish and lives with her Mama, Papa, and her two younger brothers.  She experiences the simplicities of the Amish life, but finds such amazement in the little things.  She enjoys helping her mother carry out her chores, playing with her brother, befriending other children, and her life never falls short of adventure.  In fact, some of her adventures made me cringe, but I was so glad to see that my kids share in some of her adventures!  I liked seeing how they participated in certain holidays and special events because we put so much emphasis on the gifts when they put the emphasis on the person and on the event or holiday.  They seem to focus on the the reason of why they are gathered together celebrating.

It took me a few chapters to get used to reading shorter, less complex sentences but once I got the hang of the writing style, I really enjoyed this book.  I only mention that because it is written more for younger children, but it's a great book for a mother to read to her children before bed or during story time.  I actually read a lot of it to my 2-year-old and my 4-year-old.   I got lots of "whys" to some of the stories, but they really enjoyed it.  I liked reading something beside short little books.

I am putting this book on the shelf, right beside the Little House on the Prairie books and the Anne of Green Gables because I know this will be a series that I want my daughter to read and re-read as she grows older.  I love how the book is written from Lily's perspective.  Most of the Amish books are written from the adults perspective, or the teens, but it was neat to think about how a little girl might feel or interact with her peers.  I'm excited about this new series and all the possibilities for Lily.  I kind of could see a new "American Girl" series beginning!  Except for the fact....well...it'd be about the Amish instead!

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I received this book free from Revell, a part of Baker Publishing, and Litfuse Publicity Group in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.  To read more reviews on this book or to find out more information on this book or the authors, go to  http://litfusegroup.com/campaigns/life-with-lily-kindlenook-giveaway-1016-author-chat-party-with-suzanne-woods-fisher-and-mary-ann-kinsinger-and-blog-tour