Lioness Arising; Wake Up and Change Your World by Lisa Bevere

I've had this book for quite a while. I was going to read when my mom looked it over and decided that it was a bit too mature for me now, but that it would be good to read when I'm older. Well, I wasn't quite sure what to do since I wanted to do a review, but wasn't alowed to read it. That's when I remembered that my sister-in-law, Paige, read the book and wrote an excellent review of it on her blog. So, for the more mature readers of my blog that may benefit from reading this book, here is Paige's review:

"“If ever there comes a time when the women of the world come together purely and simply for the benefit of mankind, it will be a force such as the world has never known.” Matthew Arnold, Nineteenth- Century British Poet and Philosopher




This quote author and speaker Lisa Bevere uses in her latest book, Lioness Arising, just about sums up the theme for the entire book. If women will band together and rise up like a lioness then there is no telling how the world around us will change.



As Lisa was studying the scriptures she came across the verse in the book of Numbers 23:24 which said, “These people rise up like a lioness, like a majestic lion rousing itself. ” This verse along with a vision to see women change their world, inspired Lisa to study the lioness and share with women what we can learn from the lioness and how she behaves. Throughout the book Lisa reveals the characteristics of the lioness and inspires you to learn what it means to



be a stunning representation of strength

fiercely protect the young

lend your voice to the silenced

live in the light and hunt in the dark

raise a collective roar that changes everything.

I received a review copy of this book a few weeks ago, and while having three little ones has slowed my reading time down a bit, I had a hard time putting this book down each time I had a chance to read a chapter. I was engaged immediately in the book and inspired right down to the last word. All that is left now is for me to figure out how I can go and make a difference in this world we are living in.



If life has gotten you discouraged, frustrated or just bored and your ready to awaken the Lioness with in you then I highly recommend reading this book. As Lisa says on the back cover of the book…



“Women, it’s time to awaken.

AWAKEN…

God did not save you to tame you.

AWAKEN…

to a life of fierce passion.

AWAKEN…

to dangerous prayer, stunning power, and teamed purpose.

AWAKEN…

your response could very well change your world.



Sincerely,

Paige"

Thank you Paige for allowing me to use your review!

My Review for The Priest's Graveyard by Ted Dekker

As a die-hard Dekkie, I always approach Ted's newest books with more than a little trepidation. That's because I don't want to be disappointed. Thankfully, The Priest's Graveyard not only met my high expectations, it surpassed them a hundred fold! First of all, this story has heart. It's so genuine and heartfelt that I could almost feel it beating in my hands. Danny is a gun wielding vigilante priest from Bosnia who's on a one-man mission to rid the world of injustice one "viper" at a time. Renee is a recovered drug addict seeking revenge. Together they head out on a journey of discovery, justice and love. Ted Dekker grabs hold of you from the start and never lets you go with a plot that's just my type--like a roller coaster; fast paced and full of unexpected twists! I immediately fell in love with Danny and Renee, who are, in my opinion, two of Ted's most believable and lovable lead characters to date. The writing was smooth and flowed well throughout the entire book. Most importantly, The Priest's Graveyard left me feeling changed, challenged and inspired to love, forgive and seek The Truth.

Love,
Beth

Homeless for the Holidays

Homeless for the Holidays is a wonderful, charming, inspirational, heartwarming, family friendly movie! This is the perfect movie to watch this time of year. I really enjoyed watching Homeless for the Holidays with my family. I especially loved that it’s a movie with an important message. In Homeless for the Holidays you follow the story of a successful man who goes from climbing the corporate ladder as fast he can to losing everything he has just in time for the holidays. Along the way he realizes that the important things in life are not the things that are bought and sold, but that faith and family are what life is really about. He also discovers the importance and joy of giving. This movie was awarded five out of five Dove Seals by the Dove Foundation which means this movie is family approved and you can’t say that about very many movies now. Another “fun fact” about this movie is that it is based on a true story. I really enjoyed watching this movie and I hope that you do too.

(I received this product for free from the BuzzBlogger 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)

The Seven Minue Difference and The Seven Minute Daily Planner by Allyson Lewis

After her life changing seven minute experience, Allyson Lewis wrote The Seven Minute Difference. She has laid out a practical plan for success full of easy-to-accomplish small steps. Allyson Lewis has a great writing style which makes this book one of the few nonfiction books that I can really say that I’ve enjoyed reading. She points out and explains everything that you need to know to succeed including the importance of knowing your purpose, having written goals and using small steps. The Seven Minute Life Daily Planner is the perfect companion to the book. It is easy to use and practical. All of the pages are laid out well and it provides plenty of instructions so that you can be confident that you know what you are doing. It provides a place where you can define your purpose, prioritize, and set goals (big or small) and achieve them one small step at a time. I’ve already recommended this book and planner combination to friends and family and will continue to do so because I believe that everyone can benefit from reading this book and using the planner.

(I received this product for free from the BuzzBlogger 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)

The Falling Away by T.L. Hines

I’ve read several books by Hines and have loved every one of them. This one is no different. The Falling Away is a supernatural thriller about a crippled veteran ironically named Dylan Runs Ahead. Whether he realizes it or not, Dylan has been running all of his life. He’s been running from the reservation, from his past, from his future, and from his destiny. Quinn and Li are about to make him face all of the demons that Dylan’s been running from. The writing, as always, is superb. It all flows perfectly and you’re hooked after just a few words. One of my favorite things about the book is the fact that Hines gives you the background story on his characters and that really brings them to life. The plot is original and takes many twists and turns. If you like a supernatural thriller with lifelike characters and a captivating writing style then this book is for you.

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 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Immanuel's Veins by Ted Dekker

Ted Dekker really takes you for a ride in Immanuel's Veins! Immanuel's Veins is a redemptive romance where it all comes down to wooing the Bride. The characters are well developed and easy to relate to. The whole story is laid out so well that it really is believable. Good and evil materialize in Toma, one of Catherine the Great's best and most loyal warriors, and Vlad, a mysterious Russian royal. Amidst all of the revelry, wine and love bites there is a desperate battle raging for Lucine's love. It was invigorating and inspiring to read a story that hits so close to home for all of us who share a fallen spiritual history, but now live redeemed by the blood of Jesus.

Jesus Lives by Sarah Young

Jesus Lives by Sarah Young is an awesome devotional book. It is uniquely written, is Biblically based, and talks about topics that can really be applied to your life. Sarah Young wrote this book in a writing style that I have never seen before. Each of the one hundred and eighty devotions is written as if from Jesus to us. Every devotion is based on the Bible, (which is important because we all need to be feeding on the word every day), and she includes several verses that apply to each topic. My favorite thing about this book is that all of the topics really do apply to my life. The topics include: Adversity, Control, Depending on Him, Desiring Him, Endurance, His Faithfulness, Fear, The Future, Heaven, Grace, Prayer, and Renewing your mind. One of the devotions that I found to be really true is the one on fear. “Fearfulness is a form of bondage. … People are born into a world in spiritual bondage, including bondage to fear. Because you inhabit both a fallen world and a fallen body, it isn’t easy to break free from fearfulness. However, the spirit of adoption can help you in this struggle, enabling you to see yourself as you truly are: a much-loved child of God!” Isn’t that true? Through these devotions (and many more) Sarah Young addresses real questions and problems that you and I face in our everyday lives. As a result of tackling these real life issues, spending time in God’s word and in prayer you grow in your relationship in Jesus.

Good Books

There are many sayings concerning books including "Don't judge a book by its cover.", "Anyone who says they have only one life to live must not know how to read a book.", "A good book has no ending.", and "The worth of a book is to be measured by what you can carry away from it." While these quotes tell us some about good books they don't help you know how to find one. Well, I know from experience that a good book is hard to find. There are millions of books. There are classics and new best sellers. But how do you know which book will make a good read? I know that I read books based on suggestions or reviews so I have decided to compile my own little list of favorites. I hope that you'll decide to pick one up, read it and enjoy it.

Classics:
A classic book is an older book that despite its age hasn't lost any of its meaning. Here are a few classics I recommend.
*The Lord of the Rings trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien. Not only are these books filled with magic, mystery and adventure but they are backed with a Christian allegory telling of the struggles of a Christian with temptation and sin. Tolkien is also accredited with basically creating the whole Sci-Fi genre.
*Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
*Call of the Wild by Jack London
*The Time Machine by H.G. Wells

Modern Greats:
A modern great is a book that I believe will one day be a classic but is too recent to be.
*The Circle Series (Green, Black, Red, White) by Ted Dekker. The Circle series about a young man named Thomas. You follow Thomas from our planet to "Other Earth" and back. It's a tale of love and forgiveness that is filled with action and power. You could begin the series as I did and read the books in the order they were written in (Black, Red, White, Green) or you could start with book Zero and read the books in the order the author now intends them to be read in (Green, Black, Red, White). You decide because these books truly do form a circle.
*The Oath by Frank E. Peretti
*The Noticer by Andy Andrews
*A Million Miles in a Thousand Years by Donald Miller

Miscellaneous:
Any other good books I could think of.
*The Paradise Novels (Showdown, Saint, Sinner) by Ted Dekker
*This Present Darkness by Frank E. Peretti
*The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
*Black Beauty by Anna Sewell
*Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
*Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
*The Phantom Stallion series (24 books) by Terri Farley
*The Summer Hill Secrets series by Beverly Lewis
*The Left Behind series by Tim LaHay and Jerry B. Jenkins

Green by Ted Dekker

Do you know what over a million people, including myself, have been waiting for? Green-- The beginning and the end of the famed Circle Series by Ted Dekker. With high expectations, I began reading. As with the other Circle books I was on the edge of my seat from the start. Ted Dekker's writing style really brought the characters alive in my mind. Green is the birth and fulfillment of a great story that spans two realities about love, forgiveness, redemption, second chances, war, peace, Elyon, and a man named Thomas Hunter. With all of its twists and turns I'm sure that You'll be reading late into the night like I was.

TIME: Great Discoveries

Besides the obvious faults that a creationist can find with a book like TIME: Great Discoveries, I really enjoyed this book. The information that it provides and the wide range of topics that it covers from all kinds of geographical locations is great just as the title implies. From mummies in Egypt to Yellowstone Nation Park. The photos are always in the right place to perfectly illustrate the meaning of the words. I do have one warning to readers. If you purchase this, some of the pictures are graphic and could be disturbing to younger children. These include the illustrations in the "mummy" and "bog people" sections.

Hope: Lessons From A Hummingbird

Unfortunately, I really couldn’t identify with William M. Cuccia’s book, Hope: Lessons from a Hummingbird. However, I did learned many facts about hummingbirds. Cuccia used those facts to draw parallels about life and living. Many points of the story are good, especially the point made about redemption. Cuccia suffered from rage and depression which was destroying his marriage. He and his wife rescued a hummingbird and by learning lessons from a hummingbird, God brought healing and hope. I really don’t like to find fault in a book, but I must point out a few of the book’s downsides. The writing, though heartfelt I’m sure, sometimes came across as hokey. William Cuccia repeated himself often and because of this I had a hard time enjoying the book. His ideals and faith, to me, seemed somewhat shallow. He talks about being a normal guy and I agree that we are all pretty normal, but God takes normal people and transforms them into extraordinary vessels for His work. Cuccia didn’t seem to reflect that in his book.

And The Winner of Letters From Beth's First Book Giveaway Is...

Emily!

Congratulations, Emily, for winning a free copy of A Million Miles In A Thousand Years by Donald Miller.

Thanks to all of my contestants for participating in Letters From Beth's first book giveaway! Be sure to keep your eye out for future giveaways and other fun stuff here on my blog!

A Million Miles in a Thousand Years by Donald Miller

Donald Miller’s book is great for writers and readers alike. As an aspiring writer, I found his insight very helpful. Not only do his writings refer to writing better stories on paper but he also talks about how he wrote a better story for himself and how you can too. Follow Don on his character transformation journey as he edits his life for the big screen and ends up editing his life for real. And we learn with him what makes a story and a life meaningful. As a Christian, I found Don’s writings of life as a story and God as the author of all of our stories and lives refreshing. I am sure that you will be moved as I was by his book.

P.S. Comment on this post and include your name and email address in the body of the comment to enter in a drawing for a free copy of this book on Saturday. Good luck and spread the word. (By the way, when you include your name you will be automatically subscribed to receive email updates from my blog. You will receive a confirmation email and are free to accept or decline.)

TIME For Kids: President Obama

I was pleasantly surprised by TIME For Kids: President Obama. As someone who is not infatuated with President Obama I was afraid that the book would sing his praises on every page and have little to no facts. I was happy when I began reading and found that the book was full of so many wonderful facts and pictures. The images go perfectly with what the book is saying and the book features tons of fun facts about President Obama. It also talks about his family, his daily schedule, the jobs that come with the presidency, past presidents, the White House, important people in Washington, and lots of other things besides. This is a great book for children and adults! I'm sure everyone who reads this will learn something new!

Fearless by Max Lucado

Fearless is an easy read because of Max Lucado's writing style. The best way to describe how he writes is by saying that he writes the way you would think he would talk to you in person. Everything is brought together and explained well. Not only are the words placed just so. There is actually truth behind the words (which is getting continually harder to find these days). Everything that Max Lucado covers in his book is real stuff. Each chapter addresses a different real fear that we face and how we can use scripture to combat those fears and defeat them. After reading Fearless I am moved to make changes in my life that will help me fear less and rely more on God for the courage He provides.

Faces In The Fire by T.L. Hines

Faces In The Fire by T.L. Hines is a thrilling suspense novel with a story of restoration. It is well written in a unique narrative style and with an equally unique storyline. T.L. Hines takes you through the life journeys of four seemingly unrelated characters. Their lives are all connected and bettered by two supernatural common denominators, a catfish and a list of numbers. At first glance, even the numbered chapters don't seem to relate because they're jumbled and in the wrong sequence. However, in the end, everything is masterfully brought together. Faces In The Fire is a book that I really enjoyed and recommend.

The Zoopendous Surprise written by Boots Hensel and illustrated by Andrea Gabriel

The Zoopendous Surprise is a delightful book, sure to capture the imagination of any child. Boots Hensel, the author, is creative with her use of words but she makes it so that the words are easily understood by the children who are reading or being read to.
My nieces and nephew love the use of vibrant colors in the illustrations by Andrea Gabriel. The animals were lifelike enough that they really looked like good representatives of their real life counterparts but they are still animated and interesting for the children to look at.
What makes the book even better is that it is based on something that actually happened. It is written in loving memory of the author’s daughter, Courtney, who was the keeper and caregiver of the real live Mary and Ellen who live at the Little Rock Zoo. I’m not going to tell you the plot because it’s a surprise but you and your kids are sure to love it! It provides just enough suspense to keep even the youngest kids involved in the story.

Read and Share Toddler Bible stories retold by: Gwen Ellis and illustrated by: Steve Smallman

When I first received the Read and Share Toddler Bible, I admit that I was a little skeptical as to whether or not it could hold my almost-three-year-old nephew’s attention. Those fears were put to rest after reading to him and showing him the vibrant illustrations. He enjoyed looking at the book and listened while being entertained. After we popped in the DVD, I knew I would have little to no trouble holding his attention.
My favorite things about the Read and Share Toddler Bible are the illustrations because they’re so colorful and depict so well what the stories are saying. My nephew found the pictures for creation the most interesting. The narration is put in words that are easily understood by toddlers and do not outweigh the pictures. Even though it is put in such simple words, I don’t think that it lost any of its Biblical accuracy.
The DVD is great! My almost-three-year-old nephew, my three and a half year-old niece and my other nephew, who is four going on five, all enjoyed watching the DVD and were captivated by the lively animated characters.
As a whole, I think that this is a wonderful way to share the accounts from the Bible with toddlers and, more importantly, the love of God and his son, Jesus Christ. I know that my nephew will enjoy this for a long time to come.

The Noticer by: Andy Andrews

The Noticer, by Andy Andrews, is a well written, inspirational story that everyone can relate to, identify with and enjoy.
When you enter The Noticer, you will be inspired because it teaches that we miss lots of things and don’t always view situations in life the way they really are. But it also gives hope for change. It encourages you to do a 180 and forge ahead with a new perspective and an eye for noticing things that might normally be overlooked.
Andy Andrews draws in his reader immediately with his writing in a way that brings the words together in a seamless, flowing fashion and makes the book an easy read.
As you follow the characters’ journeys, it’s easy to relate because their situations and problems are so real. One reason that the book is so good is because mysterious Jones is always there to present workable solutions that the characters and the reader would miss otherwise. All of these things come together perfectly to form a great plot.
After reading The Noticer, I am moved to stop worrying which is a problem that one of the characters faced in the book. I’m sure that after reading The Noticer you will be able to see some of your own faults and be called to do something about them.
Read The Noticer and prepare yourself to be captivated and changed!

Saint by: Ted Dekker

Saint is a book that will hold your attention from the very beginning!
Saint is written in classic Dekker form. Its many twists and turns keep you guessing the whole way through. I ended up reading the book in only two sittings because I couldn't bare to put it down.
Saint did have a good bit of violence and just a couple of cuss words. That said, Saint also has its redeeming christian tone. Saint is a battle of good verses evil in a little less than a typical way. Mixing in the supernatural with the possible is another way that Ted keeps the reader hooked.
Once you pick up Saint you'll have a hard time putting it down again!