Book Review: Captivating by John and Stasi Eldredge

Description

What Wild at Heart did for men, Captivating is doing for women. Setting their hearts free. This groundbreaking book shows readers the glorious design of women before the fall, describes how the feminine heart can be restored, and casts a vision for the power, freedom, and beauty of a woman released to be all she was meant to be.

Review

This book is beautifully written and really captures the heart of a woman. With Biblical explanations regarding why we are the way we are, women can stop making excuses for their behaviors and see that God made you beautiful! Women are "the way they are" due to a loving creator carefully sculpting their hearts to to exactly what it does! I would recommend this book to all women and even to men so they can get a glimpse of what God sees when he looks at a woman. I enjoyed the personal stories and the writing styles and would easily agree to read another book by the authors if given the chance.

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.

And the Winner is...

Carol!

Carol said, "HOPE.. that is a wonderful word. My word for the year is COMPASSION.. I pray to be more compassionate each day. As I look around me, I see there are people that still show compassion to others. I know God is working in so many lives... I can see it... and this gives me HOPE!!!"

Thanks for participating and I hope to do a few more of these with other books I have or will review!

Book Review: Scars and Stilettos and GIVEAWAY!!!

This is the first time I have participated in a blog tour! This tour was for Scars and Stilettos: The transformation of an exotic dancer, by Harmony Dust.

Book Discription from litFUSE
Fear of being abandoned keeps nineteen-year-old Harmony Dust trapped in an abusive and cruel relationship. She thinks she has hit bottom-tens of thousands of dollars in debt, struggling to get by, and so controlled by her boyfriend that she doesn't protest when he begins openly sleeping around. Things can't get worse . . . until someone tells her how much money she can make as an exotic dancer. For the next three years, Harmony lives a double life as Monique, a dancer in a fully-nude strip club.Scars and Stilettos is Harmony's stark, honest, and ultimately hopeful story of how God found her in that dark, noisy place and led her out. She has since married, completed an MA in social welfare, and now leads Treasures, an organization helping women in the sex trade discover their true worth."Harmony wrote her story so that you and your friends may get help out of whatever dark tunnel you find yourself in. . . . once you start this book, you will not be able to put it down and you will want to get a copy for every person you know." -Holly Wagner, from the preface.

About the Author
Harmony Dust is founder of Treasures, a nonprofit organization based in Los Angeles that reaches out to women in the sex industry to show them they are loved, valued, and purposed. Find out more about Treasures, Harmony, and her book at http://www.iamatreasure.com/ or http://www.scarsandstilettos.com/. Check out Harmony's Press Page for magazine articles and videos about her work with women in the sex-trade industry.

My Review:
I was pulled into this book from the first chapter. As a LSW I see so many aspects of the authors development that could have possibly triggered her dependence on an abusive boyfriend and a profession that left her feeling alone and worthless...but as a Christian, I see how God used her strengths to pull her out of the desparation she was in and into a place of leadership to help others. The book was very well written and honest. As I was reading, I found it hard to put the book down. I knew from the beginning how the book would end. After all, the subtitle is The transformation of an exotic dancer, so I just couldn't wait to see God scoop her up in his arms and show her that she was truely valued, loved and worth more than rubies or pearls. Harmony is inspiring and I am in awe of the courage it took for her not only to stop stripping, but to turn to God, admit her faults, accept His grace and go a step further and share her story so that others would feel the same hope and love that she feels. AMAZING!

I do feel as if I need to ad the content of the book is mature and includes topics such as child abuse, rape, sexual content, and some foul language. I would recommend this book to adults only with the rare exception to teens who have been abused and/or are considering working in the sexual explotation industry in any aspect.

A very special thank you to LitFUSE Publishing for a free copy of this book to review and a free copy to give away!

That's right! To be entered in this giveaway, just leave a comment below sharing what gives you HOPE! I decided in January that my words for 2010 were HOPE and HEALTH. One thing that gives me HOPE is watching others turn their disappointment into God's appointment and use their skills to lead other to Him! I will have my son randomly choose a name on Friday, July 2 at Noon to determine the winner. Please leave your email address so I can contact the winner!

Book Review: The Six-Liter Club

The Six-Liter Club

By: Harry Kraus

Description

Dr. Camille Weller is the first African American female attending in the trauma surgical department at the Medical College of Virginia (where Kraus earned his M.D.). On her first day, she joins the Six-Liter Club - a reference to an elite group of doctors who have saved a patient after the patient loses six-liters of blood. Exhilarated, she decides to do something about the antiquated "doctors" and "nurses" signs on the locker room doors and changes clothes with the "doctors." She'll also blow their prejudices about skin color out of the water. Yet Camille has far more to overcome than preconceived notions about her skin color or sex...she's having nightmares about her childhood in the Congo , a dark closet, whispered words, and strong arms holding her back.


Review

It took me a while to really be drawn into this book, but by the half-way point, I couldn't put it down. It was really not my usual read, but it did eventually interest me and I began to feel a part of the book. The story line flowed well and the characters felt real. I don't usually read or watch much secular entertainment and some of the topics were in the secular realm but it made the Christian outreach to the main character more real. Overall it was a good read and opened my eyes to how far women have come in the last 20 years in the medical field.

I was given this book as an agreement with Glass Road Blogger and the opinions expressed are my own.

Book Review: God's Promises for Boys

Book Description

An easy way to help young boys see God’s promises and how they can rely on His love in their daily lives.

The promise verses in this book are selected from the bestselling International Children’s Bible® to offer comfort and encouragement when a boy is feeling afraid, lonely, worried, angry, dissatisfied, discouraged, sad, rebellious, impatient, or sick . . . and when they need reassurance of God’s protection, love, forgiveness, help . . . and that He listens when they pray. It’s a great way for children to hide God’s Word in their hearts.

Sample text: Sometimes it’s hard to tell the truth when you feel like you have something to hide. But remember—when it’s hard to be honest: God promises to reward Truth—not Lies!

"You must do these things to enjoy life and have many happy days. You must not say evil things. You must not tell lies." Psalms 34:12-13

Review

God's Promises for Boys By Jack Countryman & Amy Parker is a wonderful book for young boys and is packed with scripture from front to back. My son is too young to really understand these words on his own, but it is never too soon to start reading these scriptures and planting the seeds of the Word. The illustrations are adorable and the quotes at the beginning of each scripture are fitting and understandable for young ones. With kid-friendly topics like, "God's Promises When...You Want to Be Cool", "God's Promises About...The Man You'll Grow Up to Be", and "God Wants You To...Influence Your World", this book will be a go-to for topical scripture searches for our son. Love it!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their 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.”

Book Reviw: If I Could Ask God Anything

Book Description

Awesome Bible answers for curious kids!

If I Could Ask God Anything is a unique kid-friendly book jam-packed with clear, fresh answers to important questions about God, faith, prayer, and Christianity in language that children can understand. Using kid-friendly language, established author Kathryn Slattery tackles "toughies" such as:

If God is invisible, how do I know He is real? Did Jesus live on Earth before or after the dinosaurs? Why should I go to church? When I die, do I become an angel with a halo and wings? How can the Holy Spirit help me? Does God stop loving me when I sin? This book will help young readers establish a closer relationship with God as well as help parents nurture their child's mind and spirit with this well-rounded, Scripture-based guide.

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If I Could Ask God Anything: Awesome Bible Answers for Curious Kids by Kathryn Slattery is a really wonderful book and a great resource for parents. In this book, the author supports answers to every question with scripture. The book answers questions about God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, Church, The Bible, Christianity, Christian Holidays, the Hard Questions, Being a Chrisan here and now and Being a Christian Forever.

While my own child is too young to ask most of these questions, I know this book will be a handy guide as he grows in his understanding of the Lord. While parents may know the answers to these questions, this book has answers in the language that speaks to kids...not at them. I even learned some things while reading answers about Christian Holidays.

I would recommend this book to any parent or child looking to have answers regarding the Christian faith and life. Two thumbs up!

Thank you to the Thomas Nelson Book Sneeze Club for providing me a copy of this book for review. I was not paid for my review and the opinions expressed are my own.

Book Review: Saint Patrick Christian Encounters Series

“Saint Patrick’s Day” probably conjures up images of leprechauns, four leafed clovers and a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. But March 17 is declared a holiday for more reasons than just wearing green to avoid being pinched.

Jonathan Rogers separates fact from fiction about the legendary saint in his biography that is part of the Christian Encounters Series by Thomas Nelson Publishers. I have to admit, before reading this book, I knew relatively nothing of Saint Patrick. So I was glad to learn about the Saint we celebrate in March. He was kidnapped as a teenager and escaped home as a young adult only to return to the home of his captures to preach God’s words and baptize the people of that nation. He was probably the first foreign missionary.

This book was a quick read and I was surprised by how much I could learn in such few pages. The inclusions of the writings of Saint Patrick himself were especially interesting.

Book Description Given by booksneeze.com
Christian Encounters, a series of biographies from Thomas Nelson Publishers, highlights important lives from all ages and areas of the Church. Some are familiar faces. Others are unexpected guests. But all, through their relationships, struggles, prayers, and desires, uniquely illuminate our shared experience.
At age 14, he was captured from his homeland of Scotland by Irish marauders and taken as a slave to Ireland , where he lived for six years tending his master's flocks. In his early twenties, he fled over 200 miles and escaped by ship, returning to his family. By the eighth century, he had come to be revered as the patron saint of Ireland . What did he experience during his years of slavery that proved invaluable to this man who became a revered missionary who “baptised thousands of people,” converted sons of kings, and led wealthy women to become nuns? Learn about the sustaining faith of St. Patrick in this Christian Encounters biography.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their 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 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”