The Hope Jar by Wanda Brunstetter

The Hope Jar was defninitely a storyline that I did not expect. I didn't read the back of the book, so I came into the story not knowing what to expect. (I like to be suprised sometimes!) However, I like Wanda Brunstetter so I knew I wouldn't be disappointed in her book.

The story starts with Michelle in a rough situation. I like how abuse was talked about, but it could be a trigger for someone who has been abused. I liked how decisive Michelle became.

Michelle is mistaken for the granddaughter of an Amish couple. Instead of Michelle coming clean and telling them who she really was, she plays along for months. Well, that is, until the real granddaughter come along and Michelle is forced to come clean. But her heart longs for this family and to be loved. If only they could understand why she did what she did.

Michelle was a very well-developed character. She had her flaws, but readers just can't help but like her as the close the last page of the book. Maybe it's because there's a little of us all in her in some small way.

The start of this series is great and I can't wait to see where she goes next. The story definitely leaves the reader with a "well, what happens next?" kind of feeling!

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I received a complimentary copy of this book. No review was required, and all thoughts expressed are my own.

Redeeming Money by Paul David Tripp

I appreciate the wisdom from Paul David Tripp when it comes to family, parenting, and marriage. In everything I have read of his, he is constantly pointing his readers back to Christ. I greatly appreciate that.

Redeeming Money is no exception. Most Christians know that what is in your heart flows out in your actions. How you handle your money is no exception. Tripp reminds his readers where our money comes from....which is God. He challenges His readers to have a "Gospel Worldview." It reminds readers to look at money as a gift from God and it's not ours to keep, but to manage.

When I think of this book, I think of it as focusing more on the heart-issues that surround money. It's not a how-to book, but it's one that helps you ask hard questions in your own life. Has money become an idol? What do I think of money?

Often we think about money and how-to books. That's great. Except without the heart, it's only behavior modification. We have to change the way we think and our hearts before our behavior changes. I appreciate that Tripp doesn't miss the biggest issue when it comes to money...our hearts. But be honest with yourself as you're reading and asking yourself these hard questions!

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I received a complimentary copy of this book. No review was required, and all thoughts expressed are my own.

Sequin Sparkle and Change Bible: Pink

As soon as I saw the cover of this Bible, I knew that I needed to get this Bible for my daughter. She loves the sequins that change, so I knew she'd love this Bible cover! My only complaint is that I really do wish it was in softcover instead of hardcover, but that may not be something that could even have been done.

The Bible opens with several pages of a Bible Time Line. It also has a presentation page and a family history page. My daughter loved being able to write that page in by herself.

The version this Bible is in is the International Children's Bible. It's an easier-to-read version for children.

I really like the Key Verse Highlights in the beginning of the Bible. It's a topical index for many of the things taht children have questions about or would like to find verses on. As you are reading through this Bible, you will see these particular verses highlighted so that kids can easily find it, read it , and learn it. It also gives a good explanation to kids on why we study the Bible.

Tucked inside the pages are common questions that kids have, like "How do I know Jesus loves me?" or "How do I pray?" or "How do I forgive?" Also included in those pages are Bible verses to know and a page so your child can write down their favorite verses.

The end of the Bible is complete with a very nice dictionary that is easy for kids to use. Then, there's a "Where do I find it" page. That page has some of the well-known people or stories in the Bible so children can quickly find the book of the Bible these stories or people are found.

Another favorite page of mine is the one called "What God Promises About." We have to know God's promises for us and realize that not all promises are for us. This does a great job at showing kids what God promies about salvation, my prayers, obeying, wisdom and so much more. It's followed by several pages that kids can use as a memory verse challenge. They are memory verses for my life, which is a lot of verses that kids can pray and memorize.

The very last pages are full of the Names of God, who the disciples are, the miracles of Jesus, and who some of the kids are who are named in the Bible! How sweet is that page?!

There is also a small maps section, as well.

All in all, my daughter is very pleased with this Bible. As a mom, I really appreciate the layout of this Bible and the intentional pages placed into it. It refers children back to the Bible constantly, and I appreciate that!

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I received a complimentary copy of this book. No review was required, and all thoughts expressed are my own.

Once We Were Strangers by Shawn Smucker

I don't know that I have the right words to sum up how much I enjoyed this book. I loved the transparency that Shawn had when he talked about how he didn't know if he could write this book because he didn't know if he could be a good friend to Mohammad, who is a Syrian Refugee.

Mohammad's story is amazing in itself. The determination he had and the love and desire to protect his family is one that every single parent can relate to. I was humbled by how grateful he was for a little house and a job. For him, he wasn't doing all of this for himself. He was doing it so his kids could have a better life.

To try to sum up this book is hard because it's written just like you're sitting across the table from them and joining them in their conversations. It's a story being lived. It's sacrifices made. It's a friendship formed. It's not a "how-to" book or a "you should" book. It's a book that shows how friendships are important, even those that include refugees.

Thank you Shawn and Mohammad for writing your story and for sharing your friendship with the world. I've thought so much on many of the things that you've said and have even found myself quoting part of your words to friends! Thank you for making people more aware of the life of a refugee. I can see Mohammad's smile shining through the pages of the book!

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I received a complimentary copy of this book. No review was required, and all thoughts expressed are my own.

Who I Am with You by Robin Lee Hatcher

I have been looking forward to this book for the past couple of months. The cover intrigued me first since it's so beautiful. But then reading the synopsis for the book made it a definite "must-read" for me. I loved the idea of a modern story crossing with a little bit of history from her grandfather's Bible.

Robin Lee Hatcher is an author that I like because of her clean romance stories. This book does focus on some hard issues that both Jessica and Ridley have had to deal with. They have isolated themselves some and are walking through their different types of grief. And then you get to see Jessica discovering her grandfather's Bible. What a beautiful story is told through his life.

I love how the stories are entertwined and it never got confusing going back and forth. In fact, the story felt richer because of the 1930s woven in.

This book is very much in the style of a lot of her other books. I am looking forward to reading her next books!

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I received a complimentary copy of this book. No review was required, and all thoughts expressed are my own.

Zoe's Hiding Place by David Powlison

This is a book that I recently read to my kids....from 3-10. They have had some anxiety over the death of their friend and I felt they could really relate to this book because of their anxious hearts.

The illustrations are beautiful and the colors are vibrant. That kept the attention of my 3 year old. My 8 and 10 year old liked the simple message reminding them that God is always near. I wouldn't say the book is theologically deep and I'm not so sure it was even meant to be. But the message is clear....when I'm afraid, God is there.

For my older kids, it allowed us to talk about verses that can remind us about God's nearness and not having to be afraid. It led to a lot of conversation, which I think is great if any book can do that. If you want something to bridge several ages, this is a good book for that. It can be adapted to fit the age that you're reading to, for sure. You'll probably want to extend it to the harder questions of "Why doesn't God leave us?, etc." for your older kids. At least, we did and then backed it up with Scripture.

All in all, I think the book served the purpose in which it was written for.

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I received a complimentary copy of this book. No review was required, and all thoughts expressed are my own.

936 Pennies Discovering the Joy of Intentional Parenting by Eryn Lynum

I love books on intentional parenting, so when I read the cover of this book, I had to see what it was about. Reading that we just had 936 weeks between our child's brith and age 18 almost sent me into a panic attack! It seems like such a small amount of time! Putting that into words made me see just how much time I waste. I'll be honest, though, I couldn't bring myself to take a penny out of a jar each week. I can't imagine my heart when I get down to the last week and I don't want to count down. So I opted to not join in that part because I know myself!

But this book should definitely be read by parents of all ages. It would have been such an encouragement to me in those lonely years of toddlerhood.

I really appreciate Eryn's transparency in this book. The stories are thought-provoking and honest. I have found myself thinking even more intentionally about parenting as I have gone throughout my days.  This is a book that has challenged me to think about the time I've wasted and how to better use my time.

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I received a complimentary copy of this book. No review was required, and all thoughts expressed are my own.