Hosanna in Excelsis

Title: Hosanna in Excelsis: Hymns and Devotions for the Christmas Season

Authors: David and Barbara Leeman

Publisher: Moody Publishers

Synopsis:

Music has always been central to celebrating the coming of Christ into the world. With Hosanna in Excelsis you can experience the hymns of the season like never before. This devotional couples the lyrics and score of a new hymn daily with a devotional message about the hymn’s biblical and spiritual truths. You’ll find hymns of advent like “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” that anticipate the coming of Christ, hymns of Nativity like “O Little Town of Bethlehem” that celebrate His birth, and hymns of Epiphany like “Go Tell it on the Mountain” that marvel at His glory. Go deeper with classic Christmas favorites like “O Holy Night” and learn others that may be lesser-known like “On Jordan’s Bank the Baptist’s Cry.” Each devotional teaches you about the background of the hymn, while inviting you into worship and praise.

Celebrate the coming of Christ by immersing yourself in the legacy of music that truly honors the Christmas season. Hosanna in Excelsis is a great Christmas gift for the musicians in your life or for anyone who wants to go deeper celebrating the birth of our savior. 

My Review:

This is a beautiful hardcover book and makes a wonderful addition to the Christmas season. In the foreword of the book, Gregory Athnos states: "More than an accumulation of carols, it is history, reclaiming expressions of joy and delight from the earliest carols through the centuries to our own day. It is personal, recounting the stories, the people, and the inspirations behind the music." Which is exactly what this book delivers.

This book is broken down into three sections. The first section is about "hymns of advent." The second section is about the "hymns of the nativity." And the third section is about the "hymns of epiphany." There are forty-three songs in this book written by forty-three authors who "share their spiritual view of Christmas-simple, brief, but powerful words about a birth and the surrounding circumstances."

I never really thought about the Christmas season being broken down into advent, nativity and epiphany. You hear about it, of course, but I never really thought through what it means. This book gives brief, but easy to understand thoughts about these three divisions. Once I read this book I decided that we would read this book together, as a family, using this book as a devotional for the Christmas season. It is dated, so the book can easily be used in this way. It starts with November 25th and goes through January 6th. The Scripture that goes with each day is conveniently located in the back of the book, under a section called "Christmas in the Bible."

While many of the hymns are familiar, there were quite a few that we had never heard before. Apparently you can purchase a recording with all the songs listed in the book from Spotify or iTunes, but I did not know this when I got the book. Even without the music it is a great book on it's own. Some songs can be found on YouTube. 

In this book you not only learn about the history behind the music, you also learn a little bit about the author and the composer. I know there are a lot of advent books out there, but I feel that this one is quite different from the others, and as previously stated, believe it would be a wonderful addition to the Christmas season. This is a unique book and one that I highly recommend.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of this review. I was not required to give a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.

 

Fabulous Friday 11/27/20

 Not sure how we are at the end of November and less than a month from Christmas! I am thankful for so many things and this is my list of what is making this week/Friday fabulous:

We are all healthy

We had a great Thanksgiving

We got our Christmas tree up yesterday

Christmas decorations up

Kayla is home!

My kids laughing together

Picking up where they left off

Kayla's semester being over

Matt finished making Kayla's bed

I am almost done with my Christmas shopping

A 4 1/2 day weekend

God's hand of provision while traveling 

A new advent book

some presents wrapped (so early this year, surprised, but thankful!)

Quiet time

books to read

extra rest

answered prayers

Matt being off

First Christmas card in the mail today

Thanksgiving traditions

being loved

God is so good to us and I am thankful for my many blessings.

 

 

 

 

Writing Gratitude on My heart

Title: Writing Gratitude on My Heart

Author: Jean Fisher

Publisher: Barbour Books

Publication date: December 1, 2020

Writing Gratitude on My Heart is a 6-week devotional for women that focuses on one simple Bible memory verse per week. Each day’s devotion explores a different aspect of that week's verse, like
the context of the verse
applying scripture's teaching to your life
how God's Word affects your inner thought-life
salvation, eternity, relationships, and more. 
Equal parts challenging and encouraging, this unique book includes a 2-color interior and 6 full-color tear-out index cards, each with a weekly memory verse printed on it to be displayed as a reminder to write God’s Word on your heart—perfect for the fridge, bathroom mirror, computer monitor, or even as a bookmark. 

My Review:

Jean Fisher wrote "Writing Gratitude on my heart will help you enjoy life fully, lift your spirits, and lead you toward a more positive perspective when obstacles get in your way." While I agree with her words, I would add that this book will draw you closer to God and through self-reflection change your heart along the way. There is a lot of depth to this book, with quotes from many different people, it is obvious that a lot of work and research went into this book. It really enhances the stories that Fisher tells, to have taken the time to add these quotes. Throughout the book Fisher offers up different suggestions on how to memorize Scripture and incorporate it into your daily life. She uses humor in some of her illustrations, discusses the benefits of gratefulness and the importance of memorizing Scripture. At the end of each week, day seven is putting it all together. 

The topics covered in-depth in this book are: A grateful heart, relationships, miracles, seasons, grateful for God, our Heavenly Potter, and Grateful for God's character. Fisher does an excellent job of combining scripture verses into each of these sections, along with things that really make you think. It is not a book that you will want to rush through, it encourages you to sit and simply soak it all in.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to practice more thankfulness/gratefulness. I would also recommend purchasing as Christmas gifts to anyone you know who might be interested in a "meatier" devotional, that if done correctly, can be life-changing. What a great way to start out 2021, by reading this devotional and starting out the new year practicing the habit of writing gratitude on our hearts. I read this book on Kindle, but plan to purchase my own copy of this book, because it is one I can see doing over and over again.

Thank you to Barbour publishing and Net Galley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a review. I was not required to give a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own. 

Autumn Skies

  Title:  Autumn Skies 

Series: Bluebell Inn Romance #3

Author: Denise Hunter

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

Genre: Inspirational Contemporary Women's Fiction 

When a mysterious man turns up at Grace’s family-run inn, it’s instant attraction. But she’s already got a lot on her plate: running the Bluebell Inn, getting Blue Ridge Outfitters off the ground, and coping with a childhood event she’d thought was long past.

A gunshot wound has resurrected the past for secret service agent Wyatt Jennings, and a mandatory leave of absence lands him in Bluebell, North Carolina. There he must try and come to grips with the crisis that altered his life forever.

Grace needs experience for her new outfitters business, so when Wyatt needs a mountain guide, she’s more than happy to step up to the plate. As their journey progresses, Grace soon has an elusive Wyatt opening up, and Wyatt is unwittingly drawn to Grace’s fresh outlook and sense of humor.

There’s no doubt the two have formed a special bond, but will Wyatt’s secrets bring Grace’s world crashing down? Or will those secrets end up healing them both?

Fabulous Friday 11/20/20

 I am struggling this morning. I am overtired and feeling cranky. It has been a hard week, and while I was tempted to skip a "fabulous Friday" post, I want praise to continually be on my lips, even when I don't feel like it. So these are the things that are making this Friday fabulous for me:

I am off of blood pressure medication for the first time in 15 years, praise God!

I have finished some projects this week

We are all healthy, so incredibly thankful

 There are lessons to learn during the difficult days

I may not be able to control how I feel, but I can control how I react

God has never failed me

God's promises are true

God answers prayers

God hears all my prayers, whether He answers them in the way I want or not, He hears them

God never gets tired of hearing from me

God is in control, in a world that feels out of control

God loves me like I am 

The song Clarity, I have heard it quite a few times and it is so appropriate for this season

God's not finished with me yet

God will never give up on me

A chat with my sister-friend Lynette

Friends

What are you thankful for this week? Have you also had a hard week? I hope that you have things that are making this week/Friday fabulous for you!!

 

Time

 2020 might have thrown a lot of stuff at us, and spring might have drug by with all of us safer at home, but time has seemed to speed up since summer began. I feel like I blinked and the summer was gone. I woke up this morning and realized that November is more than half over! I am not even sure how that is possible. Does anyone else feel like this year is speeding by? I know we are all anxious for this year to be over. We feel that 2021 couldn't possibly be worse than this year has been, am I right? I have to tell you that I can remember thinking the EXACT same thing at this time last year. 2019 was not a good year for me, it had a lot of HARD in it, 2020 has been the same, only worse. I have seen the memes, and I am sure that you have as well, that say "Before I agree to 2021 I need to see some terms and conditions." While this is funny, we find some truth in it too. We want some assurances that next year is going to be better. I don't know why we do this to ourselves. We never know what is coming and I believe that is for our own protection. The Bible does not assure us that life is going to be easy, quite the opposite in fact, "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world" John 16:33. So, while we know we will have trouble, we also have the assurance that God has overcome the world, and I hope that brings you the same measure of comfort that it brings me. If 2020 has taught us anything, I hope that it has taught us to cherish these moments. Life is fragile and we need to handle with prayer. It is ever changing, but we need to cling to what we know is true. One of the Scriptures that has been speaking to me during this season is Psalms 90:17-"May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us-establish the work of our hands." This is almost a daily prayer for me. With SOOOOOO many distractions, it has been hard to focus. But I cling to what is true, and I pray that God will establish the work of my hands, leading me to do the most important work each day, and leaving what is less important for another time. I know that even when I cannot see it, God is working. I also know that God promises to work things out for our good. Let's not get so distracted and bogged down by the bad and everything going on in the world that we miss the good!!! There will be hard moments, but there will also be good, focus on the good and try as much as possible not to dwell on the bad. I heard a song yesterday and again this morning that really resonated with me, it seems to be the theme of 2020. It is called Clarity by For All Seasons, here are the lyrics:

[Verse 1]
I'm caught in a haze, stuck in a daze
Fearing the waves, don't let it overtake me
Thick as a cloud, bringing me down
Drowning You out, don't let my faith escape me

[Pre-Chorus 1]
You're my guiding Light in the darkness
Lead me through the night

[Chorus 1]
You're my harbor on a moonlit night
The kindest calm in the fiercest fight
The brightest star in the darkest sky
My clarity, my clarity, yeah

[Verse 2]
You're not falling apart, here in the dark
I feel Your heart, I hear it beating for me
Making it known deep in my soul
You're in control and that You won't forget me

[Pre-Chorus 2]
Oh I don't need to know what is coming
'Cause I know who You are

[Chorus 2]
You're my harbor on a moonlit night
The kindest calm in the fiercest fight
The brightest star in the darkest sky
My clarity, my clarity
Strong when I can't decide
Leading me on when I lose my sight
'Til that day You make all things right
You'll ever be my clarity, yeah

[Bridge]
If it's not good, You're not finished
If it's not good, You're not finished
If it's not good, You're not finished with it yet
If it's not good, You're not finished
If it's not good, You're not finished
If it's not good, You're not finished with it yet
If it's not good, You're not finished
If it's not good, You're not finished
If it's not good, You're not finished with it yet
If it's not good, You're not finished
If it's not good, You're not finished
If it's not good, You're not finished with it yet

[Chorus 3]
You're my harbor on a moonlit night
The kindest calm in the fiercest fight
The brightest star in the darkest sky
My clarity, my clarity
Strong when I can't decide
Leading me on when I lose my sight
'Til that day You make all things right
You'll ever be my clarity, yeah

 

The part that really struck me this morning was "If it's not good, you're not finished." You all, hold this as a promise. God is not finished, not with us, not with this year. I will say it again, He desires good for us and He will work this out for our good. I hope that encourages you today. Make the most of your time, keep putting one foot in front of the other, even when it is hard, God is working, friends, we can do this, and we will survive 2020!!!

One of the hardest jobs

 When I was a child some of my cousins went into foster care. This broke my heart and I wished that I was old enough to do something about it. Fast forward many years and Matt and I decided to make that dream come true. We became licensed foster parents in January of 2019. We were told that a typical foster placement is usually a year to two years and the goal is always reunification of the kids to go back to their biological parents. 

We got our first placement on March 1, 2019. I cannot/will not give a lot of details about this placement. But, I will say that after we had  our kiddos for a while that the social workers told us this was the most complicated case they had ever had. They were learning with us. Not very reassuring. We were only supposed to have them for a weekend, we had them several months, and we became very attached to them. Then, they went back to the foster family they were with before they came to us. There are no words for how difficult this was. I love kids and it was very difficult to see them go. We always knew they would, but that didn't make it any easier. I was not a hundred percent it was the right decision (emotions), but we were able to keep in touch with them and as a little time passed, I knew it was the right decision. Yesterday I found out that these kiddos were adopted by their foster family! A success story, I was so excited. They were in foster care for almost 3 and a half years before they were adopted. They are not with all their siblings, but they are finally settled and no more wondering if they will be shuffled to another house, or end up back at home.

In the course of a little over a year we had 6 kids come through our house, one placement came through twice. For someone who gets attached to kiddos pretty easily this was especially difficult. Our expectation was that we would have the same kids for that amount of time, not a bunch of kids come through in a little amount of time. 

Parenting is hard. Foster parenting is harder. No amount of training fully prepares you for what it is truly going to look like. No two kids (even from the same family!) are going to act alike, or have the same temperament. All foster children come with LOTS of appointments (they do not adequately prepare you for this, or convey this to you). For example you have parental visits (if parents are not together that is 2 separate visits, if they have siblings then it is visits with them too), doctors visits, therapy visits, speech therapy, dentist, quarterly visits with social workers, visits with their guardian ad litem (voice in court), etc. Add in the on-going training and whatever is going on in your life. It is time consuming, and I said every time kids came into our house, it's not the kids that get me, it's all the appointments. It's enough to put you over the edge.

Foster care is important and needed. So many people say that the system is broken, and it is. I saw that in the time that we were fostering (we closed our home in September 2020). However, it's not the social workers that cause the system to be broken, they do their best. They love the kiddos too and want what is best for them. But, they have to follow the system and rules too. What they might feel is best for the kids is not necessarily what the judge or guardian ad litem might feel is best for the kids. It is a long, lengthy decision to decide where the kids will eventually end up, and it requires many people to make that decision.

Someone said on Facebook recently that we should vote for Biden because of abortions, that we don't take care of the children after they are born, so essentially people should be able to abort kids. This is faulty thinking that goes along with our broken world. We do attempt to take care of children after they are born, but again, the system is broken. 

The breakdown occurs before the child ever makes it to foster care. For each case it is hard to determine where the breakdown first occurs, but it starts in the home, or maybe it started in the parents home when they were kids. Maybe we need better sex education classes. Maybe we need better parenting classes. Maybe we need harder punishments for drugs and alcohol. Or better education for the causes of these, not only on yourself, but on an unborn child. The system is broken because the family is broken and the world is broken. Ultimately you have to take responsibility for your actions. There are people who continue to have children, and then her children end up in foster care. Even though she has a lot of children in foster care, she does not choose abortion, she does not stop having babies, she just continues. Who can say why she does this? Why can't we stop her from having babies? Because it is her choice to have them. We can't make her get her tubes tied. Maybe she thinks each time will be different. Maybe she thinks that this time she will be able to stop the drugs and won't drink alcohol while she is pregnant....

During this whole Covid mess we all heard praises for the unsung heroes: Doctors, nurses, teachers, police, law enforcement etc. (as we should have and still should continue to respect and appreciate) What I didn't hear praise for? Social workers. They, in my book, are also some of the unsung heroes. They also had to adjust to working from home, while caring for their own families, who were now home, while trying to take care of their active cases. Not to mention that new cases continued to come in. These ladies and gentlemen, in my book, deserve acknowledgement too. Yes, they work with a broken system, but they continue to get up and go to work every day, trying to save the children that supposedly no one wants. Well, not all children are bad, not all foster children are broken, not all placements are easy, but not all placements are hard either. ALL the children who came through my home were sweet and lovable. They were ALL tossed into situations that were beyond their control, and messes that they did not make. Yet, they were required to try and deal with it. They were trying to understand it (my last foster child's mom kept telling her she was at summer camp!!!), and how can they understand it when we don't fully understand it ourselves. 

Foster parenting is one of the hardest jobs that I have ever done. Mostly because at the end you have to give back the kids that you have come to love and care for. In some cases you get to see them and get updates. In other cases it's like they never existed. I am thankful for the opportunity we had to open our home and love these children. I am thankful for everything I learned in the process and while it was hard, I would not go back and change it for anything in the world. It might not have turned out like I wanted it to, or lasted as long as I thought it would, but I still would not change things. We may open that door again someday, but for now, we had to close it. Not everyone can open their home to foster children. Not everyone can keep their homes open (for whatever reason), but everyone can do SOMETHING to help our broken system.

You can pray for social services in your area and all the social workers.

You can pray for the local foster kiddos.

You can pray for foster kiddos all over the world.

You can look for opportunities to volunteer your time to help (during this season we have the Christmas Bureau, where you go in and get a foster kids wish list, then "shop" from the donated new toys/clothes to fulfill that list, super easy and fun to do).

You can donate toys to Toys for Tots (in our area these end up in the Christmas Bureau to go to foster kids).

You can donate food items at different places (foster families also get a box of food for Christmas).

You can donate money to various organizations.

You can apply to be a guardian ad litem (again, the child's voice in court).

You can be a big brother or big sister.

There are so many ways that we can help the "orphans" around us. 

I encourage you to pray about ways that you can help and be involved.

If you have other ideas of ways to be involved I would love to hear them!!

Fabulous Friday 11/13/20

 Happy Friday the 13th!

Despite the superstitions that surround Friday the 13th I am declaring that today is going to be a good day!

This week has had many ups and downs, but there is still much to be thankful and grateful for. So, here are the things that are making my Friday fabulous:

It's FRIDAY! I realized this as I was doing my devotions this morning, LOL. 

uninterrupted quiet time

Music- currently Alexa is playing "The Blessing" while I type

already picked up my grocery order

a better night's sleep (still rough, but better than previous nights, I will take it!)

God's hand of protection over me and Elijah on Monday

we are all healthy

an early chat with one of my BFF's

small projects getting done

headache medicine

a day off in the middle of the week

no flooding at our house

good books to read

my children

my helpful hubby

God's amazing grace

New mercies every morning

 giving gifts

laughter (always!) 

encouragement

If you need a laugh this old video just did it for me 

"Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:18

What are you thankful for this week???

Have a fabulous weekend, my friends 😀

 

 

Laughter

I am going to be really honest. I am really struggling today. We have quite a few stressful things up in the air, my insomnia is out of control, I didn't get much sleep last night, or really any other night this week, my blood pressure has been low, making me miserable and I could go on, but you get the point. I am beyond tired today, and feeling very anxious and out of sorts. Yet, this kid of mine unintentionally gives me a good laugh.  I told Elijah I was going out to get the mail and that if I didn't come back I drowned in a puddle (it has been POURING here and lots of flooding all over the state), and he said "oh."  I then said, "Or I ran away and I'm not coming back (again the MOOD!)" and he said, "That one would be sad." I started cracking up. I said, "The first one wouldn't be sad?!" He's like, uh...So funny. I know that is not what he meant, but it was definitely what I needed in the moment. Laughter truly is the best medicine and good for the heart.I am super thankful for this kid without a filter. "A cheerful heart is good medicine,     but a crushed spirit dries up the bones."-Proverbs 17:22 What has made you laugh recently?

Motherhood Without All the Rules

I have recently finished the book, "Motherhood Without All the Rules," by Maggie Combs.

Synopsis:

Any mom who has tried to create a godly home for her family knows it doesn’t happen automatically. Through books, blogs, and Instagram accounts, culture asserts that good moms must follow certain standards and abide by certain rules if she want what’s best for her children. She must do everything she can—and she must do it all just right.

Following the suggested steps and recommended rules may seem best, but what if we’re missing the point? This is something Maggie Combs came to realize while seeking to be a good mom to her three sons. Though the world around us may have critical expectations and rules for mothering, Christ instead calls moms to an intimate, abiding relationship with a triune God. In Motherhood Without All the Rules, Maggie identifies the main “rules” moms today often feel pressured to follow and counters them with gospel truth. You’ll discover how the character of each member of the trinity practically impacts your role as a mom. Join Maggie in forgetting the rules, so that instead of being a good mom, you grow to become a holy mom.

My Review:

 This was a pretty easy, quick read. That does not mean that it was a "fluffy" book, quite the opposite in fact. This book was heavy on the Scripture and heavy on the wisdom. I wish this book had existed when my children were little. Even though my children are almost grown, I was still able to glean nuggets of wisdom from this book.
This is my first time reading a book by this author. I found her writing style to be engaging and her stories interesting and relatable. She tells quick stories without drowning you in all the details. While each chapter in the book looks at "one of the world's stressful standards for building a kingdom of mom," Combs encourages us to replace that stressful standard with "a gospel truth about God's love, grace, and fellowship that will transform our hearts." While I like the term "stressful standard" I think better words would have been myths or lies, because that is exactly what she is debunking.
At the end of each chapter she gives several thoughts for us to think through. This is then followed by a "p.s." which typically gives us another passage of Scripture to read and think on.
While I enjoyed all the chapters (there are 12), I think my favorite would be chapter 4, where the stressful standard is "you deserve it." If I am honest I have told myself that lie over and over again. I imagine every mother has said it to herself a time or two. So while I enjoyed this chapter, it also stepped on my toes a bit. The gospel truth is that "Your loving God disciplines you." Again, can I say ouch? Did she really talk about discipline? Yes, she did and while it stepped on my toes, it also makes me see my shortcomings too. Not in a bad way, but recognizing that what Combs is saying lines up with Scripture.
I found each chapter to be relevant and I imagine depending on what stage of parenting you are in, some chapters will seem more relevant at times than others.
The point of this book is to trade stressful standards for gospel truths, and the point the author makes is that we should build on our Kingdom on God, and His truth, not on our motherhood. The other point is to draw us closer to Christ, which I think the author beautifully illustrates.
One final thing I appreciate about the author, was her including a works cited page at the end of the book. She quotes quite a few people, but they are all listed at the end of the book, making it easier for us to read further about that topic if we would like. I make this particular point because I have read other books that quote other people, and do not cite them at all, except maybe a name or something, so you don't know if it is accurate, or how to read the information for yourself, so again I appreciate this addition.
I wholeheartedly recommend this book to mothers, no matter what stage of parenting they find themselves in. There are nuggets of wisdom spread throughout the entire book.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of this review. I was not required to give a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.

Top October Reads

 For anyone who knows me they know I LOVE to read. It is my favorite hobby, and favorite way to learn. I would classify myself as an avid reader/learner and I make no apologies. We all have seasons in our life we have no time to read, and other times where we have a decent amount of time to read. I am currently in a season where I have more time to read and I am so thankful for it. Typically when I start a book, even if it is boring or looks like I am not going to love it, I will do my best to finish it. I made a commitment to read the book and I want to follow through, even if the commitment was only to myself. Matt does not understand this at all, if he does not enjoy a book at the beginning, he simply quits it and moves on. I say this because I read 25 books in October, but I actually started more than that...but there were at least 3 that I could not get into and could not see anything good coming from finishing them, it simply felt like a waste of time. I also mostly read Christian fiction and nonfiction. The reason for this is because I am a highly sensitive person. With very graphic scenes of any sort I have a hard time erasing them from my head. Also, if it has a lot of foul language, when I get angry those are the first words to the surface, which is not what I want, so I guard what goes in so what comes out is good too. I was recently surprised in a book that I was reading, that had very graphic scenes of the way a guy looked after war, and it seriously heart my heart and I have not been able to get these images out of my head. I would have appreciated a warning label.

So, I am going to try to pick my top five books that I read in October and give a brief description and hopefully you will find your next read from my list 😀

The first one was a surprise to me:

This one is a graphic novel, which I had never really read before. However, the title intrigued me, as did the cover. I could not have enjoyed this book more. It really speaks to all the book lovers out there, with humor and even a bit of sarcasm. This was also a new author to me.  My entire family devoured it, and I cannot recommend it enough. It is a very quick read. My full review is here. She also wrote another book that I enjoyed, but not quite as much, about Introverts. 

 

If you like romantic comedies (light on the romance) you will love this one: This book has a positive message about body image, that no matter what size you are, you should be happy with who God created you to be.I literally laughed out loud through this book. So, if you need a light, funny, quick read, I would highly recommend it. It does talk about Christianity, but not in an overwhelming, in your face way. My full review is here. I enjoyed the whole series, but this one was my favorite.For my nonfiction readers, I really enjoyed this one, it is especially relevant to today's culture: 

Our youth are leaving the church at an alarming rate. Why? Mainly because they have more of a worldview than a Biblical view. (only 4%!! have a Biblical worldview) This one is great for parents, youth leaders, teachers, or anyone else who has a heart for our young people. You can view the book synopsis and my review here. This one is written in a very easy and informative manner, but really is a must read for those who care about our youth.

I have never been a historical fiction fan, but over the last few months I have read some that I really enjoy, and have opened my eyes to this previously neglected genre.

I also have never been much of a fan of stories that go back and forth between timelines, but this one does it seamlessly. This was a very touching story (also culturally relevant as it deals with racial issues)and one that I (obviously) highly recommend.

And, last, but certainly not least, this one, a debut novel:

What? Another historical fiction?! I KNOW! But y'all, this book was PHENOMENAL.This book caught my attention from the very beginning, where it talks about a "civilian charged with involvement in prisoner-of-war-related crimes is a complicated affair." I had no idea this was a debut novel until after I had read the entire book, and then read about the author.
This story is incredibly well-written in an epistolary manner (which might be a turn off to some, but I really enjoyed). You can learn more here.

I apologize for the weird formatting, I cannot remember how to align the picture with the text wrapping around it (any blogger friends want to remind me?!).

What great books have you read lately? I am also looking for great, clean reads, they do not have to be Christian in nature, just clean...would love to hear your recommendations 😀

Fabulous Friday 11/6/20

 Happy Friday to you!!!

Things that are making my Friday fabulous this week: 

😀 My hope is found in Jesus

😀Gorgeous sunrise on the way to my appointment this morning, reminding me that God's mercies are new every morning 

😀I ordered new Bible study resources this morning (#booknerd #Jesuslover #noapologies)

😀 Hearing Give Me Jesus on the radio this morning, not only are the lyrics touching, I LOVE to hear Dolly Parton sing, she has an incredible voice

😀 Also hearing Trust in you by Lauren Daigle, reminding me to trust in Jesus no matter what is going on in the world (something we all need right now)

😂 Laughter with Elijah

😀 Getting lots of small projects done this week

🕮 Elijah asking for a different version of the Bible than the two he already has (he might also be a book nerd, lol, but he asked for the message version, which is a paraphrased version, and we kind of think of as the sarcastic/blunt version of the Bible (don't judge!))

😀 It's Friday (yes that makes Friday fabulous!!), meaning it's almost the end of the school week

😀 We are all healthy!!!

😀 It's been two weeks since the youth retreat and we are all healthy and no one got Covid, praise God!!!!

😀 I will pick up Kayla in 17 days (not that I am counting, but she is)

☕ Coffee

😀 Our new pastor and his family are here, and after a year and a half with no consistent pastor, this is a true blessing

🕕 Time to read this week

📚 Books read this week

 😀 Elijah's doctor's appointment went well this week

😀 Hearing from Kayla

😀 Seeing friends in unexpected places 

What is making your Friday/week fabulous?! I would love for you to comment below so I can praise God with you and so others can too, as they read the comments.

The Duke Meets His Match (book review)

I am not a huge Historical fiction fan, but I am finding more and more that are so well-written I am starting to enjoy the genre. Today I finished reading The Duke Meets His Match, by Karen Tuft. This book comes out December 1st, but it is available for Pre-order now.

From the back cover: At thirty years of age, Susan Jennings has long been considered a spinster. Exceptionally intelligent, she has little tolerance for London and the dreaded Season—if that’s how one is expected to find love, it’s not for her. But when an invitation arrives that cannot be ignored, Susan leaves her comfortable life in the country and enters the fashion and frivolity she most despises. She quickly discovers, however, that there is more to loathe in London—and his name is George Kendall.

George, Duke of Aylesham, has learned to keep his distance from cloying females chasing the title of duchess. Susan Jennings, however, proves an entirely different challenge—a woman who has pushed him to the limit of his patience with their every encounter. But their simmering hostility is disrupted by a thoughtless slipup: to avoid a marriage of political strategy, George claims he is already betrothed. And when pressed for the name of the lucky woman, only one name comes to mind: Susan’s. Their forced betrothal proves advantageous, but when their verbal sparring must change in order to be convincing, the line between fact and fiction becomes blurred by something neither expected: love.

My Review: I thought the cover was creative and the title definitely matched the story. This book is really well-written, flows smoothly and comes to a nice conclusion...although I do wonder if we will see more stories about members of Susan's family. Susan is a smart, funny, creative individual, with a mind of her own. When her and the Duke first meet, they clash because they are both so outspoken; and it is not a very common trait for women of that time period. The Duke comes across as arrogant, smug and one who thinks highly of himself. As the story progresses it does become a story of opposites attract. That spark that had them clashing is the same spark that makes them good for each other. They both evolve over the course of the story and we see a completely different side of the Duke by the end of the story. There is a bit of suspense and humor in this romantic historical fiction story, making it a very engaging read. The only character I couldn't stand was Prince Regent, or Prinny as he was also known. He was smug, annoying, rude, demanding, and had had an obnoxious habit of saying "we" when talking about himself! Unfortunately, he does not improve as the story goes along! I would recommend this book across multiple genres, as it truly has something for everyone.

Armageddon Election Day

 H. L. Mencken once said, "There has not been a presidential election since Jackson's day without its Armageddon, its marching of Christian soldiers."

Armageddon is defined as "1.Bible site of the last, decisive battle between the forces of good and evil (Revelation 16 is the only reference to this word), 2. any great, decisive battle."

President Theodore Roosevelt even called his last political fight an Armageddon. Now the word has become trite, suggesting that any battle, literal or figurative, is thought to have great consequences.

I do not know if I would call today's election day an armageddon battle, but it sure seems to be. There have been several articles citing historic numbers of voters. I think it is great that so many people have voted early. What I don't think is great is how people are turning this election into "one" issue voting. There are many issues on the table and we should be looking at all of them, from the president, to the local level, before we vote. 

Before I continue, I want to say that I do not think that any of the candidates are perfect, not as a person, nor for the job (neither am I perfect, nor would I make a good president). Being president is not a job that I would ever want, you could not pay me enough money to even consider the job. It is hard, I don't have to do it to know that it is hard. So, I am annoyed at some of the comments made for this election...for example:

"I am not voting for so-so, because they said this." Well, have you ever said something in the heat of the moment that you immediately regret? I know I have. Have you ever said something that didn't come out how you meant it to be? Again, guilty! Would you want someone to judge whether or not you are good for the job simply based on one comment that you have said? Neither would I! Why do we let that be a deciding factor? Let's give grace and not judge people by one comment they have said that you did not like or agree with, it may not be an exact representation of who they are or even what they stand for.  

My point is that we should not be basing our decisions on things that do not matter. This election matters, who ends up in the White House matters, who ends up in the governors position matters. This election is not about one issue, so stop making it as such and look at the bigger picture. Let's be forward thinking instead of just focusing on the issues that are in front of us in this moment, because three years from now the issues are going to be different, although some will still be the same.

I know that I want the candidates that I voted for to get in office, just as you want the candidates that you vote for in office. At the end of this election, whether my candidates win or lose, God is going to still be in control and He is still on the Throne. To me, that is what matters most. Will I be disappointed if my candidates don't win? Or course I am, but I have a choice on how I handle my reactions. I am going to ask that we consider a few things to help us get through this election:

1. As you wait, don't drive yourself crazy speculating who is going to win or lose. Don't constantly check the headlines for news, you will only drive yourself crazy. This is a process, a waiting game if you will, focus on what is most important, no amount of worry or anxiety is going to change the outcome, it will be what it will be. When you are tempted to worry/stress or find anxiety mounting, cast your cares on the Lord (1 Peter 5:7).

2. Whether your candidate wins or loses/don't gloat or grumble or complain, in 2020 when tensions are running very high, this is not helpful (it never is, but it certainly isn't this year). "Do everything without grumbling or arguing." Philippians 2:14

3. Do not knock down the candidates with memes, nasty posts etc. This has been a hard year for all of us, and a lot of my fellow Christian brothers and sisters have been posting things about our current president that are not very nice (let him without sin throw the first stone John 8:7). This is one of the reasons so many people struggle with "Christians" because we are quick to knock others down and that is not how we are supposed to be. (1 Thessalonians 5:11)

4. Whether your candidate wins/loses, you need to make an effort to respect the person in the position. This is hard for all of us. We do not have to like them, we do not have to agree with them, but we do need to respect and listen to our governing authorities. (Romans 13:1-7 is very clear on this.) I have struggled again, with Christians not being respectful to those who are in authority, deciding instead to do what they want to do. This is not right (you don't have to agree with me), but as long as what my governing authorities are telling me does not go against my Highest Authority (God), then I am going to listen and respect them. 

5. Pray. Regardless of who wins or loses we need to be praying for our governing leaders. Instead of knocking them down, the best thing we can do is pray for them. I have prayed for Trump/Pence that their decisions would be wise, for God to give them wisdom, prayed for their health etc., over the last 4 years. I have not agreed with everything they had said, or everything they have done, but that doesn't matter. What matters is that I have done what I can do to support them, I have prayed for them. I will continue to do this in this election season, I will pray for the winners going forward, for as long as their terms last.

"And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." Colossians 3:23 NIV

The message version puts it this way 3:22-25: "
Servants, do what you’re told by your earthly masters. And don’t just do the minimum that will get you by. Do your best. Work from the heart for your real Master, for God, confident that you’ll get paid in full when you come into your inheritance. Keep in mind always that the ultimate Master you’re serving is Christ. The sullen servant who does shoddy work will be held responsible. Being a follower of Jesus doesn’t cover up bad work."