Heaven Changes Everything By Todd & Sonja Burpo

Live every day with the hope of heaven!
A shattered leg, kidney stones, and a lump diagnosed as hyperplasia. Times were tough, money was scarce, and the bills and frustrations were piling up. It was into this kind of stressed out life that God sent Todd and Sonja Burpo the interruption of a life-threatening illness and emergency surgery for their almost four-year old son Colton. An interruption that included his unforgettable journey to heaven.
How did they cope? And how can they help us keep thoughts of eternity in mind in the midst of our own overly busy, stressed out lives?
In fifty unique inspirational readings based on excerpts from their story, Todd and Sonja share their family’s responses and reactions to the Heaven Is for Real experience. They answer questions about what it’s like to struggle with and question God, to doubt, even get angry with Him. And offer new insights into what God might be doing with those interruptions he allows into our lives. Each reading closes with a scripture to provide biblical reinforcement of the ideas shared and a take-away thought or action point to help readers incorporate the reading's inspiration into daily life.
Keep the hope of heaven alive in your life. Heaven truly is for real, and it changes everything!

My wife told me about the Heaven is for real book, so I decided to check this follow up out! I understand where they are coming from as parents and the doubting they suffered about whether or not this was all real or just made up. I like how they opened each chapter with an exerpt from the Heaven Is For Real book and then go on to explain what has happened since and scripture to back it up. This is more of a devotional book than a novel in how to deal with things from finances to miscarriage.
It's kind of a guide, along with the Bible, on how we should live our life here on earth while we are awaiting the Lord's returning or for God to call us home. It is a very good read!


Book provided by Booksneeze in exchange for an honest review

The Gaither Homecoming Bible By Bill & Gloria Gaither

The Gaither Homecoming Bible will make the Bible come alive for those seeking truth in the twenty-first century, even for those who think they already know it. For years, Bill and Gloria Gaither have reached millions of people across generations with the Good News of Jesus Christ. Their music of joy, thanksgiving, and praise ushers people into the presence of God so that He can do His wondrous work in their lives. Featuring inspirational and insightful Scripture devotions by the Gaithers and other favorite Homecoming artists; articles on beloved hymns, gospel songs, and Gaither classics and the inspiration behind them; original poetry by Gloria Gaither to enlighten and inspire; and quotes by greats of the faith, reflecting on the importance of music in the life of believers, this beautiful Bible featuring the New King James Version® (NKJV) is one that readers will treasure for years to come.
 



I've been waiting for this one for a few months now. Bill & Gloria did a great interpretation and included stories from their homecoming friends as well as devotions among the scripture. There were many people who contributed to this Bible such as some of my favourites, Joyce Martin & Dallas Holm. I've enjoyed listening to them sing and watching the homecoming shows for many years now. Bill & Gloria sure have a marvelous talent and God uses them in many ways.
It does have a section in the front with a messagefrom Bill & Gloria as well as little blurbs about each person who contributed something to this Bible. There's also a family history section for you to fill in as well.
 I will definitely reccomend and thinking about purchasing one for my Mother and Mother in Law for Christmas, it sure will be a welcome gift!

Book provided by booksneeze in exchange for an honest review.

The River By Michael Neale

 

“You were made for The River . . .”

Gabriel Clarke is mysteriously drawn to The River, a ribbon of frothy white water carving its way through steep canyons high in the Colorado Rockies. The rushing waters beckon him to experience freedom and adventure.

But something holds him back—the memory of the terrible event he witnessed on The River when he was just five years old—something no child should ever see.

Chains of fear and resentment imprison Gabriel, keeping him from discovering the treasures of The River. He remains trapped, afraid to take hold of the life awaiting him.

When he returns to The River after years away, his heart knows he is finally home. His destiny is within reach. Claiming that destiny will be the hardest—and bravest—thing he has ever done.

 

First of all, I have to say I absolutely loved the presentation of this book. The pages looked worn and rugged and drew me in right away. As for the book itself, well it didn't disappoint. The story tells of Gabriel and how he cope's with the loss he's experienced. It does show true heartbreak and helps us reflect on our own lives in how we try to deal with things ourselves instead of letting God handle it.

 This story is also about forgiveness and how Gabriel comes to terms with things of the past and learnsto let go and embark on his new way of life, kindof like how a sinner let's go and embraces God in the Christian walk.

I would reccomend this book as I think it's for a variety of people. If you are new in the Christian walk, it helps strengthen your Faith is God, if you're not currently in a walk with God, it can help you too.  

Call Of A Coward By Marcia Moston

The problem with promising God you'll follow Him wherever He leads you is that you just might have to go.

When her husband returned from a church mission trip and disrupted her tidy, middle-class afternoon with the conviction they should pack up and move to a Mayan village in Guatemala, Marcia Moston had to wonder: faithful or foolish?

On a journey that leads from the highlands of Guatemala to a small Vermont village, Marcia follows God's call for her husband even though it seems to conflict with her own dreams, requires credentials she lacks, and demands courage she doesn't feel she has.

Written with humor and insight, Call of a Coward is a candid account of a modern-day seeker and a very real God who makes cowards courageous, ordinary lives purposeful, and dried-up dreams fruitful.

This was a great read and I would definitely reccomend if you love reading about missionaries and the work they do for God. We have a general idea of what their work entails, but we never know the struggles they face amongst other cultures as well as within themselves. In this book the author talks about the ministry work her husband was involved in and how she was to trust God's plan, once she did, oh what a plan it was!
I enjoy reading true stories from people like me and you and would definitely read another by this author!
Read more about Marcia, her life and her books at http://www.marciamoston.com/.

Globe Quake By Wallace Henley

Biblically based, practical strategies to stabilize your life, church, home, school, government, and business during global turmoil.

People across the globe sense something big is shaping up. The anxiety is over the fact that they don’t know what. Global collapse? Fiery wars? Worldwide depression? It’s as if the tectonic plates of society and culture are being reshaped right under our feet! Turbulence and change have gone viral, and can only be described as a “globequake.” How can we be stable personally and anchor our families, schools, governments, churches, and businesses in the middle of such upheaval? People wonder:

How can I protect my children from all the thunderous change? 
Who can I trust for leadership in the pulpit, in the schoolroom, in the courthouse, in the CEO’s office?
Where is God in the middle of this upheaval? 

The good news is that behind the anxiety-stirring uncertainties about the future there are wonderful, strong certainties given by the Lord of history himself! Globequake presents answers to the troubling questions with solid biblical truth on which we can ground our lives when the times are shifting at what seems like light-speed.

The point of the whole book is to teach us to trust Jesus, especially in these uncertain times of the last days. He talks about how to prepare for the things taking place and for us to rise to the challenge as believers and help conquer and overcome.

"Redemption" by Olympian Gold Medalist Bryan Clay

The inspiring and gritty story of the World's Greatest AthleteRedemption tells the story of Bryan Clay, winner of the 2008 Olympic gold medal and the 2004 Olympic silver medal in the decathlon. By the grace of God, Bryan went from being a fist-fighting, drug-using, presuicidal kid in Hawaii to world champion in the toughest Olympic sport. His secret? A dramatically rediscovered faith and his mother’s relentless prayers.Redemption goes beyond standard sports memoirs, giving a clear storyline of an athlete’s misspent youth, his desperate Christian conversion at a time of utter personal defeat, and his mother’s fervent prayers that helped transform him into a top athlete, family man, and loving father. Bryan’s story will inspire mothers, fathers, and young readers alike as they experience the rise of a champion from obscurity and failure to the pinnacle of athletic achievement.The world will be watching Bryan, at the age of 32, defend his gold medal at the London Olympics in 2012.

There's always so many scandals when it comes to the Olympic athletes but we never know the story behind why something happened, only that it happened. The media seems to want to jump all over the issue, but not tackle the why. It was great to read why Bryan was so angry and the things he went through as a child. I'm glad he chose to write the book himself rather than have someone else do it for him as I believe the emotion felt from this book was raw and uncontained. It was from the heart, not from someone else's perspective.
This book was a great eye opener to others that no matter how broken and tore up you are inside, God can make all things beautiful for his name sake.
I would definitely recommend!

"I got this book from Booksneeze.com in exchange for an honest review" 

Momaholic: Confessions of a Helicopter Parent by Dena Higley

This is a story showing the speed with which a “normal” family can fall apart. No one dies. No one gets kidnapped. They just have to deal with each of their own issues….and then one unwanted and unplanned pregnancy. This was a church-going family whose kids were taught abstinence until marriage. With the family running around as the tornado sirens roared warnings to take cover, mother, Miss Drama, becomes the biggest mess of all and ends up finding a whole new freedom for her soul.

To be completely honest, every parent needs to read this book, not just Moms. But it truly is a look inside the life of the hustle and bustle of parenthood. How many times have we all got so lost in the craziness of day to day living that we forget what we even set out to do? This book takes us through the crazy times, the straw that broke the camels back and the recovery. What we don't realize is that it's ok to say no once in a while, it's ok not to do everything for everybody, it's ok not to be perfect and most of all it's ok to ask for help. Definitely a great read!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://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.”

Crazy Dangerous By Andrew Klavan

"You probably want to hear about Jennifer and the demons and how I played chicken with a freight train and—oh yeah—the weird murder . . . you're definitely going to want to hear about that."
Sam Hopkins is a good kid who has fallen in with a bad crowd. Hanging around with car thieves and thugs, Sam knows it’s only a matter of time before he makes one bad decision too many and gets into real trouble.
But one day, Sam sees them harassing an eccentric schoolmate of his named Jennifer. When Sam finds the courage to face the bullies down, he loses a bad set of friends and acquires a very strange new one.
Because Jennifer is not just eccentric. To Sam, she seems downright crazy. She has terrifying hallucinations involving demons and the devil and death. And here’s the really crazy part: Sam is beginning to suspect that these visions may actually be prophecies—prophecies of something terrible that’s going to happen very soon. Unless he can stop it.
With no one to believe him, with no one to help him, Sam is now all alone in a race against time. Finding the truth before disaster strikes is going to be both crazy and very, very dangerous.

This is a great young adult read, about a bored preachers kid (teen) and about how he stirs up trouble with a new notorious group of people and meets a girl who everyone thinks is schizophrenic. This is not just a book for teens but adults as well. It's full of action and adventure and keeps you wondering what Sam is gonna do next.
It really makes one think about the choices Sam made, whether is was wrong or right and you can definitely feel the peer pressure overtones that is so prominant in our society today.
Overall it was a great read, would definitely reccomend!

By Faith, Not By Sight By Scott MacIntyre

A moving story of hope, faith, persistence and the power of dreams.
A piano prodigy, a nineteen-year-old college grad, a Marshall scholar, and an American Idol finalist. This guy had it made. He could sing.
He could ski blind. What couldn’t he do?
Even if you saw him in concert, you might not believe that Scott MacIntyre is blind, and you’d never guess that at nineteen, he faced a diagnosis that rocked his family and nearly took his life.
So how did he do it? How did he overcome the odds?
This is Scott’s story, but he’d be the first to tell you that it’s not really about him. This is the story of how God used a dedicated family, a selfless acquaintance, hardship, and a host of characters to give him life, faith, determination, and experiences most can only imagine.

Well why I requested this book I don't know. I thought it would be a good read, and I wasn't disappointed. This is an autobiography from a past contestant from the famous TV show American Idol.
Scott has his sights set on being a musician, an artist, and in this tell all story he tells of his struggles, his roadblocks and the obstacles that got in his way- one of them, being blind.
While we may think our life is tough, we can never see past our own noses. We don't realize how hard others have it as well. I cannot imagine living with blindness and I commend this man for everything he's went through and still held on to his Faith in God.
This story tells of God's goodness and grace when we put our trust in him. I would definitely reccomend this book to anyone who's struggling and feeling like God has left them, because he is indeed there, always.

Three Hearts DVD By Samaritans Purse

"Graduating college senior, Cissie Graham Lynch, granddaughter of evangelist Billy Graham, takes on an internship at Samaritan’s Purse working with the Children’s Heart Project. This project is dedicated to saving the lives of children by providing medical procedures that aren’t available in many countries. Cissie is charged with spervising the arrival and surgeries of three Mongolian children suffering from fatal congenital heart defects.

But the task is not easy and filled with unexpected challenges. Cissie balances responsibilities as a newly married wife to a professional football player and her tasks with the internship. Meanwhile the Children’s Heart team turns to a Texas family who travels to Mongolia for the adventure of a lifetime to help bring the children to San Antonio for their surgeries. In Texas, two host families make sacrifices to care for these children and their mothers, while a team of doctors and nurses volunteer their time only to stare directly into the face of life and death. How far would you go to save a life?

It’s a fight for survival, a fight of faith, and a fight for a new life for these three hearts."

What a great family friendly movie with such good values! It gives us insight into the Children's Heart project letting us see how the organization really works and helps out children who are suffering. We also get to see the struggles and challenges Cissie faces day to day, but still follows theplan God has set forth for her, trusting and leaning on him.

I would reccomend this DVD to everyone, especially youth groups and churches. It might make a difference to a life! Whether it be supporting the organization monetarily or accepting God's plan for your life to help others!