NIV Real Life Devotional Bible for Women

The NIV Real-Life Devotional Bible for Women is published by Zondervan. I have long been in like with the NIV Bible. This Bible on first inspection is simply beautiful. The flowers (Dogwood? Apple??) are perfect, the colors are stunning.

The Bible has 366 devotionals inside written by such women as: Lysa Terkeurst, Glynnis Whitwer, Renee Swope,  Karen Ehman, and many others.  The writers are all also writers for Proverbs 31 Ministeries. I did not read every devotional, but the one I did read seemed to be biblically based and sound.

I had a couple of “issues” with the Bible.

1. It took forever to get here. I know I shouldn’t complain about that because it was free to me, but it took well over a month to arrive at my house. I know it left the publisher’s facilities late but it still took about 4 weeks to arrive. I have not had a shipment take that long in years. It was not sent Media Mail through the USPS, that would almost be understandable, rather it was sent UPS. 
2. I would rather have all the devotionals together in either the very front of the Bible or the very back of the Bible. As it is they are scattered throughout the Bible. There is almost nothing I dislike more than reading the Word and having to skip every other page because of a devotional page. I have enough ADD/ADHD to lose my train of thought, especially when I have to turn multiple pages to continue my reading.
3. And lastly, I am becoming increasingly less “in-like” with the NIV. I think they are changing the text too much. For example, Hebrews 12:2 used to read, “Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith…” and now reads “fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith…” I have personally used the NIV for 25 years and now verses I had previously memorized in the NIV are not the same.

(I received a free copy of this Bible from the publisher for review. All opinions are my own.)
It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old…or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!

Today’s Wild Card Insight Notes author is:

Lysa TerKeurst

and the book:

NIV Real Life Devotional Bible for Women,
Insights for Everyday Life Notes

Zondervan; Special edition (March 19, 2013)

***Special thanks to Rick Roberson for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Lysa TerKeurst is a New York Times bestselling author and national speaker who helps everyday women live an adventure of faith. She is the president of Proverbs 31 Ministries, author of 15 books, and encourages nearly 500,000 women worldwide through a daily online devotional. Her remarkable life story has captured audiences across America, including appearances on Oprah and Good Morning America. She lives in North Carolina with her husband and five children.

Visit the author’s website.

SHORT BOOK DESCRIPTION:

This Bible will help you live up to your God-given potential. Insightful daily devotions written by the women at Proverbs 31 Ministries help you maintain life’s balance in spite of today’s hectic pace. Dive into the beauty and clarity of the NIV Bible text paired with daily devotions crafted by women just like you—women who want to live authentically and fully grounded in the Word of God.

Product Details:

List Price: $34.99

Hardcover: 1536 pages

Publisher: Zondervan; Special edition (March 19, 2013)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0310439361

ISBN-13: 978-0310439363

AND NOW…SOME SAMPLE PAGES (CLICK ON PAGES TO ENLARGE):

 

Rock Harbor Search and Rescue by Colleen Coble and Robin Carroll

(Review written by my 10-year old)

I enjoyed this book because while I’ve never been put in a circumstance like this, the main character is kinda like me.

Emily O’ Reilly dreams of becoming a a part of the Rock Harbor Search-and-Rescue team and her dad and step-mom are even willing to pay half of the cost of a dog–if she will pay the rest.  Emily is thrilled! But then when an expensive necklace goes missing at the Fall Festival, all the clues point to Emily.

She sets out to find the real culprit. But with the clock ticking it looks like her puppy and reputation are lost forever. And to top it all off her mother, who tried to kill her little brother, is up for parol in a month.

Will Emily find the real culprit before time runs out? You’ll have to read it for yourself and see!

My thoughts….

I have not actually read this book. Both of my children have however. I love that the moment it arrived in the mail my 10-year old was all over it. Not only was she excited to get it she had it read by the next afternoon!  She does love to read but is not one to sit down and read for long periods of time. She needs to get up and move around. I’m pretty sure she gets that from me.  

I also love that Tommy Nelson publishes books I don’t have to wonder if they are appropriate for my children. I love being able to hand them a book to read and review and know there is nothing objectionable in them.

We are giving away one free copy of this book! Yay!!! Please enter below using rafflecopter. The winner will be announced on Wednesday, May 8th right here on the blog!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

And to increase your desire for the book, I’m including the book trailer!

 

A New Home for Lily by Mary Ann Kinsinger and Susanne Woods Fisher

(From my 10-year old)

This book is awesome! However the one part I didn’t like was the cover. It wasn’t as well done as the other one, or maybe  I am just a bit more picky. I don’t know for sure.  But the book itself is a very good one.

Lily Lapp moves to a new home and with come lots of adventures. But Lily must watch out for the nasty Aaron Yoder and the persnickety Eve Kuffman. But when Aaron goes missing, is Lily the only person who can find him?

In this book Lily not only moves and has a lot of fun times, she gets a new baby brother, as nice as he is she still really wants a little sister.

Once Lily’s friend Beth, says that if you look in a mirror when the clock strikes midnight, you will see what you will look like in your coffin. And so Lily starts turning her mirror around when she goes to sleep. But one night she forgot and see herself  now. So she tells her mother and finds out it was just a superstition.

I think girls of any age will enjoy this book, it is a page turner for sure. I give it five turning pages.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of review.

Every Perfect Gift by Dorothy Love

Dorothy Love has done it again. She has written a historical romance novel that I like!

Every Perfect Gift is the next  book in the “A Hickory Ridge Romance” series. This book is the story of  Sophie Caldwell and Ethan Heyward.

Sophie is unsure of her lineage and is the adopted daughter of Wyatt and Ada Caldwell. She has returned to Hickory Ridge to reopen the Gazette newspaper office.  Sparks fly when she prints an editorial about a ruckus at the Blue Smoke Lodge.  As is typical of romance novels, sparks fly and then feelings fly and romance happens.

Both Ethan and Sophie meet and forge a relationship from places of pain and a need to hide. Sophie is hiding her supposed ethnicity and pain of being an orphan.

What will she do when a strange woman knocks her door at the boarding house claiming she is Sophie’s mother? Will it change Sophie at all? Will she believe the woman? What will, or what can she learn from the encounter?

Ethan Heyward wants to hide from a tragedy in his past. He longs to forget it happened, to bury it forever but when his half-brother shows up, Ethan realizes he must face his past so he can finally learn the truth. And the truth sets not only him free, it also sets Julian, his half brother free.

I love that my pre-teen girls could pick this up and read it.   They are both voracious readers read well above their grade level. I love that there is nothing in these books that make me cringe.

Don’t you love the cover art? It looks Christmas-y, but it’s not a Christmas book!  This is the perfect book to read on a cold, snowy day when you’re curled up under a blanket and just want a good, feel-good story to get lost in!

 

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of review.

Christmas Stories by Max Lucado

I know Christmas was almost a week ago, and really who can believe that?? Not me, certainly.  I love a good Christmas story. And I love a good Max Lucado book, so what could be better than a Christmas story written by Max Lucado?

My thoughts exactly. I’m not sure there is much better than that.  I can think of better things, like coffee, Jesus, heaven, and friends, but if we’re talking Christmas stories and Max Lucado, not much is better.

Christmas Stories, the title of Max’s new book, is just that. A collection of short Christmas stories.  It starts with the story of the candle maker. 

What’s that? You don’t know the story? Oh well. I’m sorry. You’ll have to get the book to read it.

The next story is the story of The Christmas Child. Oh you say, you know this story. I hate to be rude, but really, unless you’ve read the book, you haven’t heard this story.  A man estranged from his wife travels to Clearwater, Texas because someone sent his father the picture of a church in Clearwater. Neither one knows why.

And neither will you until you read the book.

The most disappointing thing in the book was some of “stories” were taken from some of his other books.  I wish the larger portion of the book was new stories but don’t let that stop you from getting the book.

I loved that the stories were good…no, great stories. I also loved that they weren’t the typical “feel-good-everything-is-great” stories. The story I reference above, The Christmas Child, definitely had a surprising ending. Very surprising.

I plan on trying to remember to read one story/chapter a day next December as part of my preparation for Christmas. It’s a great addition to your Christmas library.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com  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 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

 

Love

I love board books. I feel almost a sense of huge loss when I realize my children are beyond board books. It is a good thing but I loved reading those first hardback books to my children.

Just for grins and giggles I recently read a new board book, God Gave Us Love by Lisa Tawn Bergren and illustrated by Laura J. Bryant.

Little Cub is fishing with his grandfather when he gets mad at the otters because they are scaring away all the fish.  His grandfather turns that into a lesson on love. How we can love the otters because that is what God wants for us.

The story is cute and well-written.  The lesson is timely and important. I’m not sure though it fits in a board book. The print is small and there is a lot on each page. Being a parent who has had children reading board books (and eating them too),  I don’t think children will sit still and listen to this story at the age board books are designed for.

The illustrations are superb! I think they could be a bit more colorful and bright. They could also be a bigger on some pages. Children love looking at bright colored pictures.

If this book was put in a format for slightly older children, even children reading on their own it would be a better fit.

 

(I received a free copy of this book from Waterbrook Press for the purpose of review.)

Mondays

You know, every now and again a book keeps coming to your attention and you keep rejecting it until finally you can reject it no more. So you find yourself reading this book you’ve passed over so many times. You’re sure you won’t like the book. You have the “why bother” attitude.

And then you’re sucked into the good book vortex and you have no hopes of ever getting out alive. I just read such a book.

Bet you couldn’t have guessed that, right?

If you are debating reading Mondays with My Old Pastor by Jose Ruis Navajo, please, debate no further and read the book!

Jose Ruis Navajo is a young pastor who is really struggling with every aspect of ministry life. His wife encouraged him to speak to his hold pastor.  Now I do need to interject here a moment and let you know the use of “old pastor” is not at all derogatory, but is in reference to his being older and a former pastor.

He calls his old pastor and sets up a time to visit on Monday. Without really the real situation Jose was dealing with he spoke to every aspect of the struggle.

They meet for several weeks and there is a chapter for each Monday. And each one will have you reaching for your pen, or pencil as you underline great truths you’ve known for years but never really thought of it that way.

There are a million quotes I could post here but I want you to read the book. So I’ll just give you one.

“My life has sprung forth from the shade of the cross. I have always lived protected by it, and I want the cross to be the ladder that lifts me up to His presence when my times comes.”

Honestly, dear readers, you need to read this book!

I received this book free from the publisher which in no way affected my positive review.

 

Spring or is it sprung?

It would appear that spring is definitely here. At least to the uninitiated. You see I’ve lived here for most of my 4+ decades and I know it’s just teasing.

You see where I live we get very cold and snowy. Although this year has been quite weird with it’s snowfall…or lack thereof. We haven’t had much at all in the way of the white precipitation at all. We had one good storm a few weeks ago. The snow from that actually lasted a few days instead of a few hours.

Yesterday though was a high of 68. Almost completely unheard of for this part of the world. Today’s high is supposed to be 70-75. I like that.

I really like that. Unfortunately I’ve read ahead in the forecast and I know it’s not going to last. Tomorrow is supposed to be a high of 36 with snow and rain.

Personally I’d prefer the rain. Snow just says you’re stuck with winter a bit longer while rain clearly says “Welcome Spring!”

It’s funny really. A number of years ago I loved winter and snow. Absolutely loved them. I would start praying for snow in July.  Now that I’m older and wiser I know that snow brings clouds, dark, gloomy clouds. I don’t like dark, gloomy clouds. I like bright sunshine. Which could be why I live in an area that has 300 days of sunshine a year.

I love having my windows and doors open. I love hearing the birds chirp cheerfully. I love watching my cat watch the birds chirping cheerfully. I love the happiness sunshine brings to my heart.

Clouds just make me tired, gloomy and in a horrible funk.

Bright sunshiny days make me want to play outside in the dirt. I long to see new growth on the flowers in my garden. I live for the day I can see buds on my tulips. I enjoy it when I can see shoots coming up on my hosta.

Life is just good in the spring isn’t it?

My First Study Bible

I think it is very important to teach our children to not only read the Bible for themselves but also to study it themselves. I love it when my children come to me and share some nugget they gleaned from their personal Bible reading.

I looked at and read part of “My First Study Bible, Exploring God’s Word on my own”.  It is a picture Bible based on the New King James Version of the Bible and is published by Tommy Nelson. It retails for $16.99 and I think it would be a good investment. The pictures are colorful and on every page, just perfect for young readers.

I would guess the book is written on a 1-2 grade reading level, but the pictures would be great for someone much younger. This is definitely a BIble that could grow up with a child.

 

(I received a free copy of My First Study Bible from Tommy Nelson for the purpose of review.)