The Beautiful Garden of Eden by Gary Bower

This bright and beautiful book has been adding some color to our gray winter days! The Beautiful Garden of Eden by Gary Bower is part of his series, The Faith that God Built.

This story uses rhyme and repetition to teach young children the story of the Garden of Eden. I'll be honest, sometimes very repetitive books drive me nuts. I usually cannot wait to get to the end because I'm tired of saying the same thing over and over. The content starts to feel dry. However, this book manages to keep the interest level up by its interesting and fresh wording. It's just fun to read and hear. This book combines difficult and new vocabulary in a really accessible way. Words like upheaval, comely and calamitous. It also has some great verses that are fun to say, my favorite being "This is the fruit, so slurpy and sweet, that God warned his gardeners never to eat." 

The book does a good job of retelling what happens in the story in a simple way. It explains the curse and how it came to be. The last page of the book has a small square at the bottom of the page that says- Galatians 3:13, Christ has rescued us from the curse. I wish that this had been woven into the rhyme or added into the story in some way instead of feeling like an afterthought at the end of the book.   

      

The illustrations by Barbara Chotiner are really bright and cheerful. Her style throughout really ties the book together, The illustrations repeat as the verses repeat. My kids pointed this out immediately, "we already saw this picture mom". I wish that these had been changed up a little with different pictures because it makes the illustrations lose their appeal after seeing them so many times.  

If you're looking for a fun series that introduces Biblical concepts, check out Gary Bower.



I received this book in exchange for my honest review from Tyndale Publishers.

Same Kind of Different As Me-- For Kids! BY Ron Hall and Denver Moore

I remember years ago picking up Same Kind of Different As Me. I was pregnant with my fist, nearing the end and highly emotional. Insane hormones + extremely moving book = emotional perfect storm. Seriously, I'm not sure if a book has made me cry like that to this day. When I saw that there was kids book coming out based on the adult version, I had to get a hold of it! Sort of neat that I read this while pregnant, all those years ago, and now I can read the kids version to my 6 year-old!

Same Kind of Different As Me For Kids begins with Denver as a child. The book explains how he lived during the Great Depression. His family was very poor and worked on a plantation. He had to work and couldn't go to school and didn't have anyone to teach him. He desired to travel, learn and get out of his situation. However, when he leaves for the city he is homeless and can't get a job because he has no education. He lives as a homeless man for a lot of years and becomes very angry. He eventually meets Debbie at a homeless shelter and she tells him that God loves him and so does she. She and Ron help him and amazing things begin to happen!

I thought that the book did a great job of retelling the story in a way that children could connect to. This is a hard story, about homelessness and poverty and the way that people with less are treated. Talking about Denver's childhood, his bike, his dreams, it shows kids that people who end up on the street are people. They were children, like them, who might have had a really hard life and even when they try to rise above their situation, like Denver, they find they can't without some help.
That is the real heart of the book, sharing God's love and kindness. It opens up a lot of great conversation with children about homelessness and the power of one person who is willing to help.

This is a longer picture book and I would say it's probably best suited for children who can sit for longer periods, probably 4+. The illustrations are lovely and were actually done by the author. This is a kids book that touches the heart of the child and parent alike.

"Nobody can help everybody but everybody can help somebody." 

Denver Moore

I received this book in exchange for my honest review from BookLook Bloggers.

  

The Shattered Vigil by Patrick W. Carr

  After reading a lot of non-fiction lately, it was a nice change of pace to pick up this fantasy by Patrick W. Carr. The Shattered Vigil is the second book in this series. I reviewed the first book, The Shock of Night about a year ago.

I really enjoyed the first book and was excited to read what would happen the Willet and the Vigil.
Even though they had pulled through, there were so many mysteries and loose ends.

This book starts in the wake of the daring and nearly disastrous save on Bas-solas. They are trying to put right all of the wrong and hoping that the situation is contained. It quickly becomes obvious that there is a lot more to the indecent and the evil that lurks in the darkwater is expanding and active.

Willet gets involved in solving the mysterious death of a nobleman's daughter. His investigation leads him close to home and the vigil. The vigil is in danger from unseen assassins and the church itself. As they set off in different directions, they attempt to figure out what they are facing and just stay alive.

The beginning of the book felt painfully slow to me. I couldn't set the first book down, but this one lived on my nightstand for a while. I would pick it up and then lose interest and put it down. I didn't want to give up on the series altogether so I pushed through. By the time I had made it near half-way, I was genuinely intrigued and interested again.

The book finally gets going and the characters hit their stride. The addition of the urchins as apprentices added some fresh voices to the mix. I felt like their characters were among the most intriguing.  This book also features more of Gail, Willet's love interest. Her character felt very flat to me in the first book and I had hoped she would be left behind here. She is eventually added into the story line instead of just feeling like a loose-end though.

Overall this book just didn't feel as strong to me as Carr's previous works. It expands the story but it felt like it lost a lot of the first books momentum. Fans of the first book will appreciate learning more of the story, but be prepared for a slow beginning.

I received this book in exchange for my honest review from Bethany House. 

Winner!

The winner of the Bible Basics book is--

Natural Color By Sasha Duerr

Loving to sew means loving fabric. It seems no matter the hobby, the more I enjoy it, the more I want to take it back to its roots. I want to learn every aspect and create the all the materials myself. When I learned to knit it wasn't long before I was researching spinning wheels and contemplating alpaca ownership. Dyeing my own fabric has always seemed like an exciting and worthy adventure. But where does one start?

Natural Color by Sasha Duerr is the perfect book for beginners like me. I wish it was as simple as throwing some pretty, colorful things in a pot, but making and dyeing fabric is a bit of an art. The fiber maters and there is scouring and things called mordants. Basically I need somebody knowledgeable to tell me what to do and what to buy.

Sasha makes the process understandable and leaves the reader with so much inspiration. The book highlights the peak colors of each season-- rhubarb in the spring and blackberries in the summer. I really loved that this book gave options for anyone interested in natural dye. If your only option for foraging materials is your local grocery store, you can still do this. Save your onion skins and avocado pits because those are just waiting to be used as dye! With a few supplies available on Amazon and some kitchen scraps, you're in business. That type of accessibility is really exciting to me.

Sasha not only tells the reader how to dye but offers a wide range of project ideas. Each dye process has a project associated with it, but with any imagination you could switch these projects up very easily.  She explores many techniques and methods. Her love for natural dye is evident and makes this inspiring book a pleasure to read!

I received this book in exchange for my honest review.

Bible Basics Board Book-- PLUS GIVEAWAY!

We have at least five different counting primers on our bookshelf. Cute board books, counting fruit, animals or colors. I can definitively say that we don't have anything like this book on our shelf though. 

Instead of counting cows, this book counts through key tenets of the Christian faith. Danielle Hitchen does such a great job in the Bible Basics at explaining the "basics" in a deep way. This may be a small book intended for young children, but the content is purposeful.    

So what is being counted in Bible Basics?

 1 God

 2 Natures of Jesus

 3 Persons of the Trinity

 4 Gospels

 5 Books of the Pentateuch

 6 Days of Creation

 7 'I AMs' of Jesus

 8 Beatitudes

 9 Fruits of the Spirit

10 Commandments 

I believe young children are capable of learning and understanding more of the deeper truths of scripture than one might guess. My own children surprise me with what they can retain. I like that this book doesn't shy away from the deep things. Instead, it invites children into the conversation. Some of the content might be challenging, but I don't think challenging is necessarily a bad thing.  

The quality and feel of this book is just top notch. The illustrations by Jessica Blanchard make this book a true pleasure to look through. The pages are thick and pictures vividly colored with a matte finish.

From the great content to the beautiful pictures this board book is a new favorite. This is one counting primer you can count on.

AND I have one to give to you! If you would like to win a copy of Bible Basic leave me a quick comment here. US residents only, 18+. Giveaway closes December 31st!



I received this book in exchange for my honest review from the BlogAbout Network, all opinions are my own.
   

She Reads Truth

In a lot of ways, I think it's a lot harder to review books that I really like. How do I communicate how really good, really excellent and really life-changing this book is? I have read a lot of books this year, and this is one of the best. I wasn't planning on connecting with this book. I like the She Reads Truth ministry and I figured this might be a nice read. I guess I expected some sad stories and then the glorious tale of how they launched their business? I dunno, it just didn't fit my preconceived notion.

She Reads Truth, by Raechel Myers and Amanda Bible Williams, shares their life stories and what they mean in light of God's big picture. Even though my life was vastly different that either of theirs, I felt such a kinship with them. I really related to parts of their stories in ways I wasn't expecting. I won't go into detail, but to suffice to say, there was lots of underlining and praying and little bit of crying (which is rare for me).

This book is a powerful reminder of where truth is found. There is truth that is unchanging and unshakable. A large portion of this book looks at truth, and the truer truth. Our truth is what is going on in our lives and our world. The truer truth is all of that in light of God's promises, plan and nature.

The world feels like a really scary place sometimes. I find myself so frustrated as I research any issue because there is conflicting and contradictory information at every turn. What is true? Can we even know? I read this book during the election season and it did my heart good. When all the information out there was spinning a story one way and then another, I was fed up. This book encourages you to zoom out from from the up close, detailed view of our present and look through the lens of God's Word.

This book has stuck with me. I actually read it months ago and I still frequently find myself thinking about it. I have pulled it off the shelf over and over to re-read bits. Both of the authors have such a beautiful, humble, real voice in this book. This is not the story of how they had hard lives and then learned lots lessons and became super holy. This is a book about what God can do and is doing, and the power and truth of His Word!

"Truth stands and it will stand, period.
God's promises are permanent when the world's promises pass away.
God's covenant is permanent when our good intentions pass away.
God's love is permanent when our good behavior passes away.
God's mercy is permanent when our bodies pass away.
God's hope is permanent when our plans are passing away.
God's sovereignty is permanent when our power is passing away.  

The gospel is permanent when our belief is passing away.
The permanent is there for you....
You cannot change the truth. You cannot earn it or lose it or escape it. 

But you can hold on to it, knowing that it holds you." 

(She Reads Truth p.172)



I received this book in exchange for my honest review from B&H Publishing.

I'm Going to Give You a Bear Hug!

It's been rainy and dreary and just the best sort of book reading weather.  I was going to save it for under the Christmas tree but with antsy rained in kids, it seemed like the right time to enjoy it. New books are a hot commodity and this new read is being enjoyed non-stop.

I'm Going to Give You a Bear Hug!  by Caroline B. Cooney is a fun and easy to love book. This is the perfect bedtime or anytime story. In playful verse the book tells all the ways you might receive a hug.

 "I'm going to give you a bear hug.

 A show you how much I care hug. 

A good night 

Sleep tight 

Way beyond compare hug"

This book creatively explores how a pig, a duck or even a whale might give a hug. It instinctively invites kids to try these hugs out. We weren't half way through and my kids were trying out how these silly hugs might look and feel.

I have found that books that aren't fun to read or fun to look at don't get read much at all in our house.  Cooney delivers in the fun to read department. The book easily rolls off the tongue. It is the perfect combination of sweet and silly. Tim Warnes illustrations capture the mood of the book perfectly.  They are bright, engaging and fit the this book just right. I just loved this full spread picture with the galloping horse.

This is a book any child could enjoy and one to add to your bookshelf!

I received this book in exchange for my honest review from Booklook Bloggers.

NKJV Journal the Word Bible from Thomas Nelson and *GIVEAWAY*

Years ago I searched and searched for a Bible with wide margins to write in. I was so disappointed at how few options there were. Now journaling Bibles are everywhere, but they are definitely not all created equal.

The newest Bible I had the pleasure of reviewing comes from Thomas Nelson. I love journaling Bibles because I think they are an excellent way to interact with what you are reading. I see a lot of people painting and coloring in theirs. However, that is far from the only way to enjoy them.

I have one that I read through and write in the margins prayers for my family. Another idea is as you read daily, keep a prayer list and record answered prayers. You could write the things you're thankful for or how the Lord is blessing you. It's a great way to journal as you read. 

I am not a fan of tissue thin pages, tiny print and a frail cover and in these areas, this Bible delivers.

• This Bible is solid. The cover is heavy duty and looks like it could endure the various trials I put my Bibles through (spilled coffee, sticky baby hands...) 
• The cream pages are soft but relatively thick for a Bible. They don't do great with really wet markers or highlighters, but if you stick to a drier pen or pencil they hold up well. 
• This Bible is considered large print (10-pt). I really appreciate how easy it is to read, even in low light. 
• The margins are wide and lined, with ample space to write or draw.
• There is a nice little ribbon to mark your page.
• The whole things closes with an elastic band, keeping all my random bookmarks, shoved pens and church bulletins (mostly) neatly contained.  
• It lays flat when opened and doesn't constantly flop closed. This is important to me, as I usually read on the couch or in bed. 
• Personally, I like that this Bible is a little classier and doesn't have a bunch of additional coloring features or pictures. There are a lot of other journaling Bibles out there that come with various decorative stuff in them already. The lack of "pretties" makes this Bible perfect for men or women. 
• While this is a NKJV this same Bible comes in KJV too

This Bible is very simple in that there are no additional study notes, maps or concordances. Study Bibles are an awesome resource and lifelong companion. If your looking for something along those lines, I have a study Bible from Thomas Nelson that I have used for years and love. This Bible is different but still great.

Another great thing about this Bible? I was sent two! One to review and one to giveaway to a reader. Here's how to enter-- Go to the comment section and tell me one of your favorite verses or books of the Bible. One person will be randomly selected December 11th. US residents only please and 18+ years old!    Now Closed :)

(Thanks to Thomas Nelson and BlogAbout for providing me with these two copies. All opinions expressed are my own.)

Moments & Days

Seven years ago, when my husband and I began our journey of making life together, one of the things I was most excited about was making our own family traditions. What would we celebrate and how would be celebrate it? I began learning about Advent in an attempt to keep our eyes on Christ during the holiday season. The richness and anticipation that brought, made me wonder, is there more to the Christian calendar that I am missing? 

When I read the tagline "How Holy Celebrations Shape our Faith" from Michelle Van Loon's book Moments & Days I was really intrigued. I find myself pretty ignorant about Jewish Biblical and Historical Feasts. Not knowing or understanding these has caused me to miss meaning and nuances in the Bible. Even a lot from the Christian calendar I know of, but don't really know about. What is Lent or Epiphany really about? Needless to say, I had some learning to do.

The first part of the book covers the Jewish Biblical and historical feasts. She explained the Jewish calendar and had chapters on the Sabbath, Passover, Shavuot, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot and Jewish history's holy days. In the second half of the book she looks at the Christian Calendar, which features, Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Holy Week, Easter, Pentecost and Ordinary Time.

I found Michelle an informative and easy to understand teacher. The book was an quick read and I didn't find myself dragging along trying to finish. The descriptions of the Holy Days are brief and succinct but do not feel glanced over or trivialized. Michelle does more than just inform the reader about Holy Celebrations. She examines how time shapes who we are, our faith and families. Our calendars and what we choose to celebrate can either offer richness, reflection and a heritage or they can strip us of that. During this hectic season this book was very refreshing!

I received this book in exchange for my honest review from Tyndale Publishers.  

The Radical Book For Kids

Watching my children grow in their knowledge and love of Christ has been the most rewarding and humbling experience. I have never felt so powerless but also so responsible?! Titus is turning 6 soon and I'm constantly asking myself, how do I encourage his faith to take root?

The Radical Book For Kids was written for kids like ours, for parents like us. This book is specifically for kids 8-14th but I read many of the relevant pages to my kids.

The aim of the book is to look at the "ancient roots of our faith". This book has a ton of content. It explores many different areas of knowledge from science to archeology. There is a section about how to read stories from the Bible and one about how to make a sling like David. It goes deep into numerous passages of the Bible and looks at martyrs of the faith. It is serious and studious but also at times really fun and silly. Above all it keeps the focus on Christ and your relationship with Him.

Because the book is divided into short sections (2-4 pages usually) it works great to read as a devotional with the kids. I usually flip through and find a topic that stands out and read it. We pull it out  during lunch or morning time. For readers they can start wherever they are interested. The book all has a similar theme, but doesn't need to be read from start to finish. It's fun to bounce around in. There are also some activities to do with your kids, like make pottery or a sundial.

I can guarantee that your kids will learn something from this book because I certainly have. I find myself constantly thinking "hey, I didn't know that!". The pages are full of bright, beautiful pictures that really enhances the content. The kids insist on sitting on either side of me while I read, so they get the best view of the pages. I also want to mention how lovely the cover is. The letterpressed writing, the gold, just beautiful. It's a sturdy book and very well designed. All around, from content to design, this is a book you don't want to miss.

Thank you to Litfuse for the chance to review this book!

Devotions for a Deeper Life

Like so many other Christians out there, I have immensely enjoyed reading My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers. It's a book I come back to every few years to enjoy.

Having read a few of his other works and essays, I knew that I would likely enjoy Devotions for a Deeper Life.

This devotional book is a compilation of exerts from a few of his lesser known essays. He might have lived and wrote a long time ago, but I always find his writing applicable and enduring.

The devotions are pretty short, shorter than My Utmost. They don't need to be long to be deep, and I found these really thought provoking. I did notice that they felt a little choppy and didn't feel very cohesive in theme or part of the Bible they came from. They were taken from different essays and put into one book, and it felt that way a bit. Sometimes they would follow the same train of thought for two or three days, but mostly the content jumped around. I didn't find that too bothersome and still have really enjoyed reading through this.


The book itself is smaller and perfect to keep on a bedside table or tucked in wherever you keep your Bible. It has a very sturdy cover and is just all together nice to look at. If you or a loved one enjoys the works of Oswald Chambers, this book is for you!













I received a copy of this book from Booklook Bloggers in exchange for my honest review.

Two New Titles From Tyndale

Today I wanted to share two fun new books from Tyndale Publishers with you guys! The first is this sweet little book by Carolyn Larsen. Has Anyone Ever Seen God is actually one of three books in which Carolyn looks to scripture to answer some of the most asked questions about God.

This is a fairly compact book that looks at answering some very deep questions in a simple way. Through the ages entire books have been written on some of these questions. Keeping the answers to one page must have been hard! She does a pretty good job though and freely admits at times she just doesn't know the answer.

The illustration on the cover and the overall design of this book is pretty cute. It would be a great present to a new believer. The answers she provides are not exhaustive, but they provide foundation knowledge.

Next is Gratitude: A Prayer and Praise Coloring Journal. This book is a part of their Living Expressions collection. This journal aims at pairing coloring with your devotional time. The book has tons of space to color, draw write and pray!

The book has a thick, hard cover and the entire thing lays flat when you open it. Some of the pages take up the entire spread and you are actually able to color the whole page because it lays flat!

I thought the overall design of the book was really nice. I was happy to see that the content was well thought through. The prayer and devotional aspect really added something to the book instead of feeling like an afterthought.

Both of these books were sent to me by Tyndale Publishers for my review. 

The Temple and the Tabernacle

Rainy and wet around these parts today. The perfect day to catch up on a few reviews that I am behind on. This book is one that I have been meaning to review for quite some time! The Temple and the Tabernacle is a full color exploration of the significance and beauty of God's dwelling places.

I knew this book would be a great resource to use with the kids. As we read through the Old Testament so much revolves around the building of the tabernacle and the temple. I thought having this resource with it's beautiful full-color illustrations and pictures would be really helpful. At the same time the book as seriously helped fill in many gaps in my own understanding of the temple and tabernacle. J. Daniel Hays does an excellent job at making what I have previously misconceived as a relatively dry subject really interesting. This book bring together the newest in archaeological discoveries without compromising a Biblical foundation.

 I received a copy of the book from Baker Publishing.

Come to the Family Table

The goal of Come to the Family Table is simple, create a place where your family can intentionally slow down and pour love into each other and guests.

I really liked the premise of this book. I want our table to be a treasured place. Somewhere we can share our hearts over a good meal and encourage one another.

Ted and Amy Cunningham obviously have a heart for helping families grow closer together and to God. It's obvious that this is something dear to them and that they take great joy in their own family table.

Unfortunately, this book didn't feel cohesive in any way. Only one or two chapters felt like they were on theme with what the authors were trying to convey. The others, while good information, felt like family/marriage topics thrown in there with some distant table mention. One section is all about counseling couples on the brink of divorce- with the conversation levels compared to meal courses. Again, good information but really reaching to fit the book. The authors frequently quote comedians, other authors or people. They were used so frequently that it felt more like they took away from the book than added to it.

There was a whole section of the book about drinking wine. While I don't personally think there is anything wrong with that, I wasn't a fan of the admonishing tone took towards those who chose to abstain.

The authors told a few personal stories, and while most of those were great, at times they felt more like a brag session... Details about friends grandiose homes, expensive custom chicken "chateaus", details about dates to super fancy restaurants and meals by Food Network chefs. I don't want to sound nitpicky and I'm glad that the Lord has blessed them so that they can experience these things-- but the stories felt more isolating than helpful.

The book really did have some good ideas for games and conversation starters for around the table. I don't plan on making any of the recipes but it was a nice personal touch.

Topped off with a plug for Joel Osteen, I just felt like this book fell a bit flat. I really hope my review doesn't sound to negative against the authors, who I am sure are nice people. However, I feel it's important to share my true feelings about each book I read-- or reviewing them would be pretty pointless. If you like the premise of this book like me, I would recommend A Lifegiving Home by Sally Clarkson.  

I received this book in exchange for my honest review.

Missional Motherhood *The Bible Study*

  

A few weeks ago I shared about my review of Gloria Furman's new book Missional Motherhood. Missional Motherhood goes into depth about how motherhood was created by God, for God with his design and purpose. 

Since reading the book quotes and things I have learned have come to mind numerous times. I knew this study would further that journey and benefit me greatly. 

This six-session study is perfect for a small group. I knew after reading through it that it would work great for the Mom's group at my home church. We are going to be diving into it this fall and I am so excited. 

The study contains-

-Group material with guides to questions and discussion within small groups

-Personal study segments to complete between group sessions

-Opportunity for 6 group sessions with 5 weeks of personal study and homework

-Interactive teaching videos that run approximately 15 minutes each week (available in the Missional Motherhood Leader Kit)

You could also did this study independently but a good portion of the questions do relate to the video, which you have to purchase separate.

If you enjoyed Missional Motherhood and are looking to deepen your understanding of what God has for you as a mom, I think this study is a great fit!

I received this study in exchange for my honest review 

Color Code Bible

My son has been carrying this Bible to church with him every Sunday so I haven't around to reviewing it yet! When looking for a Bible for my almost-six-year-old I wanted something simple and practical.

 This Color Code Bible from Thomas Nelson is just that. The additional information that is provided is helpful and easy to understand. At the beginning of the Bible there is a section that answers in plain terms some very important questions about the Bible- What is the Bible? Who wrote the Bible? Why should you read the Bible? Why did God send us the Bible? It also explains the color coding system.

Verses about different subjects are highlighted in different colors-

Gold: God

Navy: Sin, evil,

Red: Jesus

Orange: washed clean from sin, new life

Green: growth in your new life as a Christian and Faith Walk

Blue: Prayer, Praise and Thanksgiving

Purple: Heaven

The text is a pretty bold size for a Bible, making it easy to read for little eyes. The Bible has a sturdy hardcover that should hold up to the abuse a little boy can inflict. This will be a great resource in the future for him and I hope that it will encourage discovery about the foundational truths of the Bible.

I received a copy of the Bible in exchange for my honest review from Thomas Nelson

Mushrooms of the Redwood Coast by Noah Siegel and Christian Schwarz

My husband loves to anything outdoors. Even if it's just going for a drive in the woods (actually especially driving in the woods). And I... well I enjoy doing outdoor stuff but find myself bored just driving around. I feel like I need to be doing something practical. Mushroom foraging was something that I could get behind. Outdoors finding food. Last fall we did a little mushroom hunting as a family and my husband did a lot of elk scouting under the guise of "mushroom hunting". We were soon up to our elbows in chanterelles and this funky looking cauliflower mushroom.

 

We really only looked for 2 or 3 types because they were the only ones we were confidant identifying. It became clear that some sort of additional guild would be helpful in identifying all types of mushrooms, edible or not.

Mushroom of the Redwood Coast is not only a great guild for identifying mushrooms but it is also impossible beautiful and fun to flip through.This hefty volume not only helps with identifying but offers many tips and tricks for beginners and more advanced mushroom hunters. Besides a full color picture of each mushroom-- their is an in-depth description of each mushrooms ecology, edibility, toxicity, and look-alike species.

I'm excited to have this as a resource to share with the kids as well. I know that it will be helpful to use during our nature study hikes. It really is fascinating to look at all the vast amount of mushrooms that grow in this region. If you are looking to learn more about mushrooms this would be a great place to start!

I received this book in exchange for my honest review.

Missional Motherhood by Gloria Furman

Sometimes I think I pick up motherhood books just so hoping somebody will tell me how to do this. Not that I really like being told what to do, or that I think some formula will work, because I know that it wont. But maybe the author has some new idea or truth I hadn't heard before. Missional Motherhood doesn't have any new truths in it, but a lot of really, really old truths. This book is solidly rooted in the Word of God.

Gloria Furman's newest book takes a close look at how motherhood was created by God for God with a design and purpose. She spends the first half of the book giving a summary of the Old-Testament. I promise that in the scope of the book this totally makes sense. I really enjoyed reading this actually. It was engagingly written and I thought it really set the stage for the second half of the book.

This book keeps our eyes on the cross and examines what motherhood should look like in light of that. It is so much more than just a book about mom stuff. It's not, how do I keep my kids from bickering- it's how do I nurture life in the face of death?

You don't have to be a traditional mother to enjoy this book either. This is a great read for any lady, or even a man who wants to understand the significance of motherhood.

So, in the end I did find somebody to tell me how to do all this, and like always the answer can be found in the Bible. Gloria did a great job outlining God's simple but challenging purpose for mom's.

I received this book in exchange for my review from Crossway

Vinegar Girl

I just finished Anne Tyler's newest work Vinegar Girl. This was a somewhat strange, unique read, loosely based on Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew.

Kate Battista and her family eat meat-mash for dinner every night. A pureed mixture of meet and vegetables. It provides the optimal nutrients to survive, but not much pleasure of spice. And such is Kate's life, survival. She takes care of her scatter-brained scientist father and generally unpleasant air-headed sister. Kate does the laundry and taxes and well, just about everything practical. She feels absolutely stuck in all directions. Nearing thirty and working at a preschool where she is constantly in trouble, she doesn't see much in her future. 

Her father, on the other hand, has formulated a big plan for her future. Feeling oh-so-close to a breakthrough he is desperate to keep his lab assistant from being deported. Kate seems like the perfect solution to his little problem. Kate, however, is not so willy to marry a stranger.

 I found myself marveling at how connected I felt to this book. Which was odd, because I didn't feel a strong affection for any of the characters. They were all very interesting, but none of them particularly likable. Instead, what I immediately connected with was Anne Tyler's writing style. I felt myself trailing along, vividly imagining each place, each character. The descriptions of the characters appearance and manner especially, where so clear in my mind. They all felt like people I had met before- but not people I have read about before, making them especially unique.   

The Taming of the Shrew has been a controversial play, but I thought Anne did and excellent job staying true to Shakespeare but true to herself as well. I found myself reveling in the witty humor of some passages and contemplating the depth of others. It wasn't my favorite book, but it made for a fun, quirky, clever summer read.

I received this book in exchange for my honest review.