Category Archives: Book Reviews

Book Reviews, Devotional Studies Through the Bible, Proven Path Ministries

It’s A Giveaway

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The Giveaway has begun! I am excited to have bloggers from around the world, from Australia to Canada, to be a part of  launch team to help promote my book series, Devotions From The Torah.  Some great authors have also offered some of their books to prizes in the giveaway.

Devotions from the Torah is a series of Devotionals that are and will be written from the first five books of the Old Testament, Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. The Lord put it on my heart to write  these books to help today’s church, especially the American church, see how relevant these books still are today and how much they can teach us about our Saviour.

I was burdened by the thought process I seen in believers as I would here them say, “well we are in the New Testament, the Old Testament doesn’t really matter” .

Let me tell you, I just thought I knew God until I began to read the Old Testament. I made it to the book of Chronicles and I realized then that I knew about God, but I did not Him at all. I learned that without the Old Testament the New Testament loses so much authority and understanding. Jesus quoted often from the Old Testament Scriptures and if we don’t know the context in which He quotes, then we will not grasp the full impact of His Words. Moses is the writer of the Torah and this is what our Lord had to say about the words written by Moses…

For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me, for he wrote about Me.

But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?”

John 5:46-47

I believe my Devotions from the Torah series will be a great tool in the hands of anyone who wants to know more about God… even if you don’t quite believe in Him yet, but are willing to check Him out for yourself… I encourage anyone at any time to open these devotionals up and use them as a guide and a help through the pages of the Torah, the Books of the Law… Genesis and the first 20 chapters of Exodus are ready for you know!

You can find them on Amazon, Barnes & Nobles, Christianbooks, and directly from my publishers at Tate,

And you can also enter to win a free copy below through my Launch Team!

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The Devotions from the Torah Launch Team is excited to help Nicole celebrate the release of the first 2 books in this series — Devotions from Genesis and Devotions from Exodus Part One — with a special giveaway of incredible books, several of which will enhance your study of the Torah! This giveaway is a $160 value!

We would like to thank the following companies for their generous sponsorship of this giveaway! Be sure to stop by their websites to say thank you!

Home School Adventure Co.

Knowledge Quest

Great Waters Press

PhyllisSather.com

To enter the giveaway, use the Rafflecopter at the bottom of this post. One winner will be selected and announced by noon ET on December 5, 2013. U.S. residents age 18 and older only please. Other Terms and Conditions can be found in the Rafflecopter.

Here’s what you could win!



Devotions from Genesis by Nicole Halbrooks Vaughn

See for yourself how Genesis, the book of beginnings, is not just ancient history and that the Word of God is still alive and timeless. Nicole Vaughn’s Devotions from Genesis will take you on a journey from the garden of Eden to the courts of Pharaoh in Egypt, allowing you to see your own hurts, struggles, and joys through the lives of patriarchs from Adam to Joseph. You will gain insight into your heart and more importantly, insight into the very heart of God. One day at a time, you will be reminded that you are not alone with these Devotions from Genesis.

Devotions from Exodus Part One by Nicole Halbrooks Vaughn

Devotions From Exodus Part One will take you from the bondage of the children of Israel to their freedom. The children of Israel were set free from their bondage in Egypt, and they had to learn how to live in this new freedom. As you study through these first twenty chapters of Exodus, you will see that after God delivered the children of Israel out of Egypt, he still had to get Egypt out of them. Our deliverance in Christ is no different. God delivers us from the world, but he still has to get the world out of us. We, like the Israelites, are learning to live in this freedom.

Philosophy Adventure: Pre-Socratics (digital download) by Stacy Farrell

Philosophy Adventure™ is designed to help students 6th-12th grade cultivate and defend a biblical worldview by teaching them how to write skillfully, think critically, and speak articulately as they explore the history of ideas.



Philippians in 28 Weeks (digital download) by Stacy Farrell

The Bible is banned in many countries. Countless believers have sacrificed their freedom—and many, their lives—to spread the message of God’s love and salvation contained within its pages. Are we exercising our freedom responsibly. Memorize the entire book of Philippians in 28 weeks!

A Child’s Geography: Explore the Holy Land by Ann VoskampIraq, Jordan, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Turkey…your family probably hears or reads about these names frequently. In an increasingly complex world, it is vitally important that children learn to see the world through their Creator’s eyes. As we explore the Holy Land you and your family will delight in incredible, mysterious landscapes, hidden wonders and beautiful peoples – all created in God’s image.
A Cry from Egypt by Hope Auer

Have you ever wondered what life was like in ancient Egypt? As an Israelite? And a slave? Want your children to understand the Bible is history? Adventure, excitement, love, and faith come together when Jarah and her family fi nd themselves at the culmination of four hundred years of history.



Purposeful Planning eBook by Phyllis Sather

Do you need a plan to keep your family moving in the direction the Lord is leading you? Perhaps you don’t know where the Lord is leading you. Phyllis takes you step-by-step through the process of planning a time together for your family to help determine the path the Lord is choosing for each area of your life. Her family has followed this format for over 12 years and has found that it provides the compass they’ve needed to plan and stay on course.





a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Thank you!

 

Book Reviews, Children's Ministry, Proven Path Ministries

Is Your Child Manipulating You?

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This is probably one of my most favorite chapters. This is a chapter that I find of utmost importance because it is so easy as a parent to find yourself on the receiving end of it, before you even come close to realizing it.

There are two things that get in my crawl more today than ever before because I fell prey to it often before my eyes were opened and my heart strengthened enough to stand against it… being patronized and being manipulated.

There are some that are very good at this… and there are many I once respected greatly, until I realized this was their trade, and after several interactions, I have forgiven, but no longer trust them.

So knowing how these two tools of getting what we want greatly hurt others, the last thing I want to do is teach my children to do this to others by allowing them to practice and perfect this trade on me.

Our girls try.

Why of course they try… and sometimes had not my husband and I been working together and been very careful to have each others back our girls would have been successful in using manipulation to get their way. It’s easier to see from the outside looking in than when you are caught in the middle of it.

Our girls have never raised their voice to us, but when not taking no for an answer they have resorted to trying to change that no to a yes by pulling out guilt initiating cards. You know, make us feel bad for the no, by throwing in a completly unrelated, “but you said…” Our girls know how much we value keeping our word and how much we value them keeping their word, so trying to make it appear that we have not done so is their favorite tool of manipulation to get what they want.

In this chapter Dr Scott Turansky and Joanne Miller share:

Don’t allow your children to convince you to make changes you know aren’t in their best interest. Furthermore, don’t let them use manipulation to get what they want. Habitual manipulation over time damages relationships. Many adults are manipulative. It’s time to address this dangerous area now, in children, before it develops into a lifelong pattern.

Being able to accept no as an answer is a spiritual skill all people need to learn. A lot of temptation is out there, and children need to learn to say no to themselves in order to stay within appropriate boundaries. Salvation provides a framework for us to know what to say no to. Titus 2:11–12 shares these helpful words, “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say ‘No’

~ The Christian Parenting Handbook (from chapter 30, Don’t Give In To Manipulation)

 

When I wholly surrendered to the Lord, I for the first time had the power, insight, and discernment to say “no”. I could really say no to things that before I could not. The grace of God and the Holy Spirit in me gave me authority that I had never owned before. If our children know the Lord, then they have the power to say “no”. We have to teach them that the grace of God teaches them when to say no. Until they understand this, and especially if our children do not know the Lord, we have to say no for them, and we have to stick to it, because they have not the power within themselves to stick to it.

No matter how many times, or how many different tools our children try to use to get our no turned into a yes, we have to hold our God given parental authority ground.

In this chapter Dr Turansky and Mrs Miller also point out that we need to recognize the difference between perseverance and demandingness. They share that the line has been crossed when children value their issue more than the relationship. When a child yells at a parent or says unkind things because he doesn’t get what he wants, he’s crossed the line.

In this chapter they also point out that badgering, arguing, whining, dramatics, silent treatment, and passive resistance are all tools children use to manipulate their parents into giving them what they want. Our children can be very stubborn and very persistent in their stubbornness… Let us not forget that our beautiful little rays of sunshine are still selfish sin sick creatures.

One thing my husband often tells our girls is, “I promise, you cannot out stubborn me.”

They will try.

We have no doubt they will try.

However, my husband and I are on the same team… and we have been down this road before… we know the tools… we have tried them ourselves on our own parents when we were kids. You see, we are ready to stand together. Yes, that’s right. It’s us against them, yet working with Him, to get us ALL on the same team: The Jesus Team.

You still have time to enter the book giveaway.

And if you miss the giveaway you can order one from here.

And once again if you live anywhere around Somerville AL, join us in January at Shiloh as we go through the book and it’s study guide together.

 

 

Book Reviews, Devotional Studies Through the Bible, Proven Path Ministries

Lost Island Review

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Genesis Devotion by Nicole Halbrooks Vaughn

reviewed by Sara at Lost Island of Book Reviews

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Over the years I have read many different devotion books, from the standard short paragraph ones with a question and verse at the end, to the in depth ones where you are searching the Bible in detail.

What I found with this devotion is a fresh new perspective. This devotion is different from other ones I have read. There are no questions to answer, but a lot of verses throughout and wonderfully worded prayers at the end of sections. They are great reminders to always be in prayer.

Each section is filled with worded illustrations of the stories in a way that makes it easy to relate to. They show how the stories in Genesis are still relevant today. I loved the personal touch the author added which gives the material a relatable aspect.

We learn the great stories of the beginning, with the reminder that God will never leave us. The rainbow after the flood shows his love for us. Another important thing I came away with was the fact that our salvation is personal. We can’t save anyone else. It takes a personal obedience to Christ for it to be real. We can put our faith and trust in God for everything.

With the authors honest writing and ability to weave all the great truths into a book that is easy to read and understand, I look forward to reading more devotions on other books!

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Sara is a wife and homeschool mom who resides in Orlando Fl with her family. Check out her blog Lost Island of Book Reviews for more information on authors and their writing.
To experience Devotions From Genesis, It’s Not Just Ancient History for yourself go here to get a paperback or ebook edition! Purchase on Amazon and leave a review.
Devotions From Exodus Part One, Learning to Live in Freedom is also now available for pre-order here: Pre-Order Devotions From Exodus.
The official release date is October 1, 2013
Devotions from Exodus Cover
Book Reviews, Devotional Studies Through the Bible, Proven Path Ministries

A Review on Devotions From Genesis

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A review on my book Devotions From Genesis, It’s Not Just Ancient History 

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Review of “Devotions From Genesis” by Nicole Love Halbrooks Vaughn

reviewed by Marilynn Dawson

at Songdove’s Musings

 

Nicole asked if I’d review her devotional, “Devotions From Genesis” back in January 2013.  I was looking for devotional avenues at the time and agreed, choosing to do it Monday to Friday every week.  At 50 chapters in Genesis, I thought at first I’d be done by mid-March, but discovered that Nicole had other plans. 

 

Nicole draws parallels from the characters in Genesis to God’s desire to interact with mankind throughout the Bible and how we might apply that to ourselves today.  She divides Genesis into three parts:  Discovering God’s character through the fall of man, learning obedience to God and the consequences of disobedience, and the final section, learning about the parallels between Joseph and Christ.

 

This is a fresh look at the Book of Beginnings.  I very much enjoyed all the Scripture she used throughout the study.  Not once did she take any Scripture reference out of context, which is a big thing for me.  Her use of Scripture even in her closing prayer of each session is sure to help the reader who might not be familiar with the thoughts she expresses to God.

 

This study is not a workbook.  There are no places to answer questions or to write things down.  To that end, the devotional reader will want to keep their journal nearby to jot down thoughts, Scriptures, and answers to questions that the text might raise for them.  Many find it a healthy practice to keep a prayer journal or a study journal nearby anyway, so going through this particular study will continue that habit.

 

This study is also not a historical expose’ of the times in which the events occurred.  Nicole’s primary focus is on the spiritual applications of the events and people in Genesis moreso than matching up those events to verifiable records.  That would require a much more indepth look at the book of Genesis and has been covered by other authors.  As a devotional, there isn’t room for this kind of discussion.

 

So if the reader is interested in how the lessons found in Genesis apply to their lives today, this is the devotional to pick up.  Read each chapter in Genesis before you carry on in the text.  This gives a great background for the day’s session.  If you are not pressed for time, taking time to open your Bible to each of the remaining Scripture references for that day will help to internalize that day’s thoughts as well.  Then, if you are like me, you will be tempted to write out your own commentary on what God is teaching you as you travel with Nicole through the pages of Genesis.  It was all I could do at times not to begin writing my own commentary of what God was teaching me.  But to keep from potentially overshadowing Nicole’s efforts for the purposes of this review, I refrained except for a couple times.

 

Great read, great devotional, nothing out of context, even the prayers have Scripture in them. . . I give this devotional a five out of five.

 

Marilynn is the author of a series entitled Becoming the Bride of Christ: a Personal Journey. She lives with her two teenagers in Kelowna BC Canada.

You can also follow Marilynne at her Facebook page

 

To experience Devotions From Genesis, It’s Not Just Ancient History for yourself go here to get a paperback or ebook edition! Purchase on Amazon and leave a review.
Devotions From Exodus Part One, Learning to Live in Freedom is also now available for pre-order here: Pre-Order Devotions From Exodus.
The official release date is October 1, 2013
Devotions from Exodus Cover
Book Reviews, Children's Ministry, Confessions of a Christian Wife, Proven Path Ministries

Speaking To The Heart of Your Child

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I shared with my church family last Wednesday night about how excited I am about the National Center of Biblical Parenting coming to our church to do a Parenting Solutions Seminar. I came across this organization, when I received the calling to children’s ministry and was researching curriculum and ideas. I followed a link from a DiscipleLand link that led me to the NSBP. As I perused their site I found myself saying, yes! Yes! This is great stuff!

Why do I feel it is great?

This organization is focused on teaching you how to apply the precepts of God to your parenting. How many times have you heard a parent say, this kid didn’t come with an instruction book? 

But the truth is they did.

God has faithfully left us His Word…

 Your word is a lamp to my feet
And a light to my path.

Psalm 119:105

So the problem really is not that our children didn’t come with an instruction book… it’s that we, as parents, need help learning how to read the Instruction Book and how to apply it to our parenting.

For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

Hebrews 4:12

If you have ever looked at your kids and said How many times have I told you?

or Do you not understand the words coming out my mouth?

(or maybe that’s just me :-/)

I think a lot of parents feel like they come home and all they do is “get on” to their kids until bedtime.

I think a lot of parents are growing weary of correcting the same behavior over and over and they just finally say “whatever”

I think a lot of parents feel as if they are losing their mind… Remember that one of the signs of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results… so stop.

Stop now and choose to look at your child in a new way.

Choose to give your style of parenting a remake.

Choose to let someone teach you how the Word of God works in parentings… learn to live out the Word inside your home and see it at work in your heart and the heart of your child. I don’t know about you, but I want to speak to the heart of my child… not just correct their outward behavior or control their circumstances.

You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.

2 Timothy 3:14-17

Everything we need to reach the heart of our children is in the Word of God.

Parenting comes with many trials and many tribulations… so parenting requires great perseverance. It is that perseverance through these trials that will bring about proven character in your child… and yes, precious one, in you as well.

 And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Romans 3:3-5

 

Yes, everything we need to reach the heart of our child and to be successful at this parenting thing is found in the Scriptures. It’s all right there in the Word of God.

The Christian Parenting Handbook will teach you to find it and apply it. You’ll discover simple advice like this:

Grouping offenses around character qualities is freeing for many parents. First, it provides some perspective. Instead of working on fifty different negative behaviors, now you can focus on three or four positive character qualities. Furthermore, once you develop a strategy for character development, you begin to see many of the offenses in your child’s life as opportunities for growth.

This approach also helps parents focus on what their kids need to be doing instead of simply focusing on the wrong behavior. Listen to your words of correction. Are they primarily focused on the problem, or on the solution?

In this book you will learn how to take the Word of God and realize that in it is all the parenting tools that you need that can apply to your own unique and beautiful children. My favorite thing about this book is that it takes away the formulas and steps and procedures that are in a lot of parenting books. I don’t know about you but I rarely even cook from a recipe… there is always something that I am out of, something we don’t buy, something I don’t like, something I forget to do or forgot to get… so I definitely can’t parent from one.

This is why I recommend purchasing this book… it takes parenting out of the box.

Trust me… you will not regret it.

Purchase the The Christian Parenting Handbook here.

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I recommend any of their Parenting Tools. Go here and find the parenting solutions you need to meet the needs of your individual child and your own unique family. You can also purchase the Handbook Companion Guide here.

Parenting seminar

 

If you live in the North Alabama area I would love for you to come and meet Dr Turansky and Dr Miller in person as they come to my church to share with us. They are very laid back and are coming ready and willing to spend one on one time with the attending parents.

You can register to attend here: Register for Parenting Solutions Seminar

 

 

Disclaimer: “As a member of The Christian Parenting Handbook Launch Team, I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review and the opportunity to promote related giveaways and activities to my readers. All opinions are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with FTC Regulations.”

Book Reviews, Children's Ministry, Confessions of a Christian Wife, Proven Path Ministries

The Giveaways Begin!

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Remember that Mayday I sent out?

Well now is the opportunity to get some tools in your hands for free!

The giveaway begins!

Beginning today until the official Launch Week (April 29th – May 5th) of the The Christian Parenting Handbook you can enter to win one of these 5 prizes right here on my site:

parentingshifts5 (2)

 

Set of 5 Parenting Shifts eBooks by Dr Scott Turansky and Joanne Miller,  RN BSN

The Parenting Shifts Series gives specific parenting advice for that particular age group. A team of experts, working together with Dr. Scott Turansky and Joanne Miller, RN, BSN, have collaborated to bring you the best in a heart-based approach to parenting at any age. Wherever you are in your parenting journey these books will help you move forward with confidence and effectiveness.

Set Includes:

• The Baby Adventure (Birth to 12 Months)
• Toddlers on the Move (Ages 12-36 Months)
• Preschool Explorers (Ages 3-5 Years)
• Elementary Foundations (Ages 5-8 Years)
• Cultivating Responsibility (Ages 9-12 Years)

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bpuclass

Biblical Parenting University

This online class will give you the practical tools to develop more responsibility and cooperation in your home. Parents often comment that giving instructions to their children is the greatest source of conflict in family life. Nagging and angry episodes on the part of parents and kids result when children don’t cooperate. In this class you’ll learn how to adjust your own action point to teach your kids when you mean business. You’ll also learn a five step instruction routine that teaches children the skills they’ll need to follow instructions for the rest of their lives. This class is excellent for teachers as well as parents. You’ll learn how to use rules in your family to teach convictions and values. If you’re looking for a place to start, this is a great class that will help you change significant dynamics in your family using positive strategies.

Access to this class allows you to come and go at your convenience. It’s resident on the Internet so you can view segments whenever you’re online. The 4-hour class is broken into 4 lessons, each with 10-12 five-minute segments. View one segment at a time, or any number of them as you have time.

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Disciplemaking at Home eBook:

Parents have a job to do–pass the faith on to their kids. This book will show you how. Parents are the primary spiritual and moral trainers of their children and much of the everyday work of family life is the classroom where children learn. Here’s what you’ll learn in this book.

You will learn

•  Fun ways to pass the faith on to your kids.
•  How to use spontaneous moments to teach children what the faith is all about.
•  A biblical understanding of the conscience.
•  How to develop internal motivation in kids.
•  A plan to help children take responsibility for their part of an offense.
•  Ideas for teaching kids to take initiative instead of relying on parents to get things done.
•  Ways to move from behavior modification to a heart-based approach.
•  Tools to develop integrity in a child.
•  How to get kids to be others-focused instead of self-focused.

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Honor-CDs

Say Goodbye to Whining, Complaining, and Bad Attitudes, in You and Your Kids Lesson 1 Complete Package: 

Includes Lesson 1 on Video, as an MP3, includes Study Guide pages, and the Kids Honor Club Children’s Program.

Honor is a biblical concept that changes the way people think and the way they treat others. Honor is a relationship term and teaching honor in the family equips children with the relational tools they’ll need for the rest of their lives. This package gives you instructions for both parents and children so that honor can transform the culture in your home.
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bookandhandbook

The Christian Parenting Companion Guide

50 Heart-Based Strategies for All the Stages of Your Child’s Life

by Dr Scott Turansky and Joanne Miller,  RN BSN

The Companion Guide is a workbook of 50 lessons along with 50 audio tips to take you through The Christian Parenting Handbook step by step. Each lesson contains advice from Dr Scott Turansky and Joanne Miller in a 5 minute audio tip and then offers teaching, an assignment, a Bible verse, and a prayer to help you apply each idea or strategy in your family.

You will learn

• A practical tool to stop children’s arguing
• How to separate firmness from harshness
• A strategy to help children change their hearts
• Ways to teach kids to add energy to family life
• Solutions for sibling conflict
• The relational side of parenting
• What to do when parents don’t agree
• How to help kids who are blamers
• and much more.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Now here’s the thing… Click here:Launch Week to find out why you will want to wait until April 29th – May 5th to purchase the The Christian Parenting Handbook.

This is why you want to purchase this amazing heart based parenting guide.

It’s taking everything in me to not just blog away about the content in this book… but I am here to promote it and I really want you to have your own hands on it so that you can apply it to your own home.

*** This giveaway is open to Residents of the U.S. only.  Void where prohibited. Must be at least 18 years of age. 

Book Reviews, Children's Ministry, Confessions of a Christian Wife, Proven Path Ministries

MayDay! Have Kids. Need Help!

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I am currently reading through The Christian Parenting Handbook by Dr Scott Turansky and Dr Joanne Miller. These two are the founders of the National Center of Biblical Parenting. I have been following their ministry for over a year now. I have yet to come across any of their parenting tips and teachings that I have not found to be useful.

I am drawn to their heart approach to parenting.

biblical parenting philosophy

It seems the past few generations have been stuck somewhere between a behavior modification approach to parenting, an I just need to be their friend approach and allow them to express themselves, and a lack of parenting in general because they just don’t know what to do or have the time to figure it out.

nagging and yelling

 

My only hope in my battle against this sin is Jesus Christ, my Savior and Redeemer. As the Spirit continues to use my parenting to reveal to me my sin, I am reminded anew of my great need for a Savior.

~ Christina Fox

The one thing that parenting has taught me is that my God has a lot of work to do on me… and I need His help desperately as I try to raise these beautiful gifts He has allowed my husband and me to shepherd.

I need Him to work on my heart and guide me as I work with Him on the hearts of my children… the last thing I want to do is work against Him.

I don’t won’t my children to just comply to my demands while they are in my presence and just sweetly nod there agreement on the outside while on the inside they plot their escape and deception.

I want to help my children see the true condition of their heart and see the grace of our God. I don’t want to guilt trip them into submission or emotionally manipulate them into compliance. I do not want to provoke my children to anger (Ephesians 6:4) or exasperate them so that they lose heart (Colossians 3:21), but I so desire to bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

This takes parenting with purpose.

The National Center of Biblical Parenting is here to help equip us parents to do just that. God has given us everything we need to know in His Word. Everything that we need to raise our children in love and godliness… and I am thankful that God gifts His children with certain passions so that they might help His body.

God has blessed Dr Turansky and Dr Miller with insight into this thing called parenting and He has blessed them with the ability to get this information to all of us… I suggest we take advantage of it.

Buy The Christian Parenting Handbook between April 29 and May 5 and get a package of free resources valued at more than $400.00. You can learn more on our website about the 8 items contained in the Bonus Parenting Package. In addition, you can get The Christian Parenting Handbook Companion Guide (This is a workbook with audio clips that will help you apply the material in The Christian Parenting Handbook.) for free if you purchase 5 copies or more of the book. Simply make your purchase from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, BAM (Books A Million), CBD or Parable.

To  claim your premium, simply forward your purchase confirmation to Gift@biblicalparenting.org and we will send you your special product code for the $400.00 package. If you purchased 5 or more copies of the book, we’ll send you the PDF version of the Companion Guide as well as the audio package.

Keep a watch on my blog… I will continue to post about this new book and will be offering some parenting tool free giveaways pretty soon… well as soon as I figure out how to do all that anyway… I have never done a giveaway campaign before, so bear with me 🙂

 

*** Disclaimer: I received a free advanced copy of this book as a member of their Launch Team. I am not required to share any information with you, and all comments and reviews are my honest opinion. You can trust me on this. 

Book Reviews, Proven Path Ministries

The Bible or Not?

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I have finally had an opportunity to sit down and watch the first episode of the new History Channel special The Bible. I sat down and watched it due to all the controversy that is floating around about it with in christendom. I have heard criticism over its inaccuracy, over the liberties taken, over the things left out, over the things added in… even heard some say they would never watch another episode because the gospel was missing and they believed this show was leading millions of people astray.

So of course I had to watch it so I could add my two cents into this debate 🙂

You know what I saw…  I saw inaccuracy.  I saw lots of stuff left out. I mean it started with Noah and jumped to Abraham and went straight to Moses. But you know what else I saw… I saw this thing at the very beginning of the episode that read that this was an adaptation 

An adaptation means

the act or process of adapting : the state of being adapted, adjustment to environmental conditions:

as adjustment of a sense organ to the intensity or quality of stimulation

modification of an organism or its parts that makes it more fit for existence under the conditions of its environment

something that is adapted; specifically : a composition rewritten into a new form
Therefore, before you watch one second of this mini-series you have been told upfront this mini-series has taken the true stories of the Bible and modified them to make them fit under the conditions of the environment in which it exists. Any watcher has been forewarned that this composition has been rewritten into a new form.
And well as my husband said, “everyone knows the book is always better than the movie“
So this movie is played out in such a way that it leads someone from the movie to the book, the WORD.
As for the gospel not being displayed? That’s absurd. The gospel was woven all in this first episode. How could anyone who knows it and has it miss it?
From the beginning and all the way through this first episode, over and over again, I heard “trust God!”
Over and over again, I heard “God promised”.
Over and over again, I heard “God created”. 
I even saw, clearly displayed, the pre-incarnate Christ standing with Abraham.
I saw God provide the lamb in the place of Isaac.
I even heard Moses say, “our freedom comes at a price“
The gospel was there my friends… it was indeed there. The gospel was there because it was the gospel that put it in the hearts of the people to even put together this project.
My spirit was stirred to worship as I watched. I was there on the Ark with Noah and I could truly imagine that as they rode out the destruction of mankind and the earth as they knew it, Noah told of the original creation. Being strengthened by the truth of the power of their God. Knowing that if He created it out of nothing once, then He would be fully able to restore it to a place of provision for them again.
I was there with Abraham as he learned to walk by faith. As he learned that it really was never about proving his faith to God, but about God proving Himself to Abraham so that Abraham’s faith would be strengthened and that by his faith he might be saved, being counted as righteous.
Without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah’s womb; yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform. Therefore it was also credited to him as righteousness. Now not for his sake only was it written that it was credited to him, but for our sake also, to whom it will be credited, as those who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, He who was delivered over because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification.
Romans 4:19-25
I was there cheering Moses on as he looked at his Hebrew brethren and reminded them that God had not forgotten them. When he looked at them and reminded them that Pharaoh did not create the heavens and earth and he did not create them. Pharaoh was not god, he was just a man. When the Red Sea split and they were on the way to the other side walking on dry land… the hope of the people as they passed through the walls of water… yes I loved it.
The fact that every “t” was not crossed and every “i” dotted was pretty irrelevant when I took hold of the possibilities that are wide open to our amazing God with this mini-series. I believe God allowed it. We need to be thanking God for it and praising Him being glorified and exalted on our television screen in a day that He usually only shows up as the butt end of a joke, instead of criticizing it with our “biblical knowledge”. How pharisaical is that?
I mean… really… think about it. Satan and the powers of darkness certainly didn’t sit around and say, “hey I gotta great idea, how about we put a show on tv that reminds people of the Book and the people of the Book, how about we put a tv show out there that makes people remember what they were taught when they were young, or makes them wonder about the things they were never taught, how about we put a tv show out there that shows how God keeps ALL HIS PROMISES”… yeh I am certain that Satan would so do that (sarcasm intended).
My resulting thoughts from episode one… watch it. Watch it and support it.
Book Reviews, Proven Path Ministries

Review for “Becoming the Bride of Christ”

 

I was contacted by Marilynn and asked if I would be interested in doing a book review for her… and well I love reading and research into the Word of God and so of course I said yes.

So I began flipping through the pdf format of Becoming the Bride of Christ.

I have to admit at first it seemed like it would be slow read… but I read on and received a blessing for doing so as I read,

The Psalmist chooses the path that pleases God by choosing to be humble
before Him. The Psalmist goes so far as to say that the circumstances God
has allowed in his life, have humbled him. How many of us would say the
same thing if we were honest with ourselves? That the circumstances God
has allowed have humbled us? I know I have to say that. I can point to time
after time when God has had to humble me for various reasons, to remind
me that I am completely and totally dependent upon Him and not anything I
can say or do of myself. 

~ Marilynn Dawson

As I read further I found myself in tears… and then in praise… and then in tears… and then in praise again.

Marilynn intertwines this book with her own personal story, a fairy tale type story that is used to illustrate our relationship with Christ, music lyrics of praise and worship, and Scriptural references meant to lead from her book into the Book of all books…

This book is one that I would recommend sitting down with pen or pencil. It could even be used as a group study. I could easily see taking the songs she shares and playing them within the study time as you poured into the Scriptures.

I love the heart that is behind this book, Marilynn’s desire is that you would be able to love Christ deeply and obey Him out of that great love for Him.

If you struggle with God’s love for you… then this book is the book for you.

If you fear that God could not deeply love because of your past, because of your choices, because of your current circumstances… then I recommend this book to you.

If you doubt that God wants you to experience His love in a real and tangible way and have been taught that He is a far off, distant, cold and legalistic God… then please open the pages of this book… and learn to see your God through the pages of His book as you discover more of who He is and how He feels about those who are His.

 The LORD your God is in your midst,

A victorious warrior.

He will exult over you with joy,

He will be quiet in His love,

He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy  

Zephaniah 3:17 

Book Reviews, Proven Path Ministries

When The Hurt Runs Deep

 

“…when we serve an all-loving, all-powerful God, we have no idea of the good He can weave from the tangled, broken, and frayed threads of our lives.” ~ Kay Arthur (from When The Hurt Runs Deep)

Let me ask you… are you hurting?

Have you been hurt?

Is your heart breaking as you read this… or maybe you have just met someone and you have heard their story… and you shake your head in bewildered confusion as you can’t help but ask… “Why?”

If you follow my blog you might have read a story I shared about a child I met this summer… I sat down with this little girl with hopeful expectation of telling of her “how to ask Jesus into her heart”. As I began asking her questions she began to spill out all the abuse and hurt she had suffered from the hands of the ones who were ordained by God to supposed to be protecting and loving her.

As I listened to her story the thought of spewing out the ABC’s of salvation or quoting the Roman Road seemed quite shallow and silly. So instead I just listened and and when a door opened in her conversation I shared how God has told us that we are never alone, and His name is El Roi the God who sees, and I shared with her how to call on Christ , but mainly I just listened.

This girl’s hurt ran deep… and the worst part is she spoke of her hurt in such calmness as though this was just life as it should be… she spoke of it just as if she was telling me what she had for breakfast or what tv shows she liked to watch.

So I spent the next hour and several days just listening to her and loving her… giving her the biggest smile I could every time I caught her eye and praying that God would be able to use what time I had with her to show her His love through me…

I also not long ago heard the story of young girl who had been adopted from overseas. She was older when she was rescued by her American family from this orphanage. So she experienced much abuse. She took the responsibility of doing all she could to protect and care for the younger one’s in the orphanage and she experiences the pain of their hurt and the struggle of carrying her own…

And now here in America, in the safety of her new home, the nightmares are there, and she asks her new mother who bathes her in prayers and the Word… how could God be real if He let that happen to me… and to all the others there. And why did He pick me to leave and leave the others there? As a mother, a parent, how do you answer questions like these?

Kay Arthur’s book When The Hurt Runs Deep will help. She doesn’t shy away from the hard stuff. Real stories of real hurt are addressed in this book and help is given as Kay walks you through the Scriptures.

God has not sugar-coated His word. He has not hidden the ugliness of our fallen world nor the deeds done by sinful man in the depravity of our minds. His word does not pat us on the back with an insincere “there, there”. He gets down in the muck with us and He will grab us under the arm and pull us along and out of our miry pit covered in barbed wire if we will just grab hold of Him and let Him.

He never says it will be easy. He never says it will never hurt. He just says trust Me.

When The Hurt Runs Deep is a book that is meant for you to read with pen in hand. I love a book I can write in. You can see a little about what I am talking about as you look at an excerpt from the first chapter of the book. Or listen to the podcast below.

Now when you get this book in your own hands, and as you read through the book, fill it with your own hurts as you read of the hurts of others. Underline the words of hope and let them resonate on your mind and in your heart. See it through even if you are so mad at God right now for the hurt you have experienced or the hurt that someone you love has experienced. See it through. Write out your anger. Trust me, God can handle it. Lean into Him precious one… Pound your fist against His chest if you need to and cry out in His face if you have to… but lean into Him.

 

Disclaimer: I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.