 She's planted firmly on solid ground. He's ready to sweep her off her feet. The only man pragmatic Lilly Hart needs in her life is a six-year-old. Widowed for three years, Lilly has decided to leave the home of her intrusive in-laws to stand on her own. However, her in-laws find her new life as a cook at Lake Manawa utterly unsuitable for their grandson. When an argument ensues, a handsome stranger--who designs roller coasters, of all things--intercedes on her behalf. But Lilly is not about to get involved with any man, especially this cocky gentleman. Little does she know she is about to begin the ride of her life. Filled with the sweet romance of summer, The Ride of Her Life will have you laughing out loud and sighing contentedly as you spend the summer of 1906 at Lake Manawa. 
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Available May 2012 at your favorite bookseller - from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
Disclosure: I received one free paperback copy of The Ride of Her Life in exchange for Joy In Our Journey.com's honest review. No other compensation was provided.
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I am a reformed history-hater.
I hated history when I was in my school years. Ahem. Okay, greatly disliked history. Does that sound more mature?
:)
I've met so many other adults, mostly in their 20s, 30s, 40s, and 50s, who dislike history because of the way it was taught in the public school system in the 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, and to the present.
Now that I'm a reformed history-hater / disliker, I have found all kinds of amazing curricula to use to present history to my children in a fun and interesting way! Even if it isn't their favorite educational subject, they certainly don't despise history the way I did before becoming a home educator.
I hated history when I was in my school years. Ahem. Okay, greatly disliked history. Does that sound more mature?
:)
I've met so many other adults, mostly in their 20s, 30s, 40s, and 50s, who dislike history because of the way it was taught in the public school system in the 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, and to the present.
Now that I'm a reformed history-hater / disliker, I have found all kinds of amazing curricula to use to present history to my children in a fun and interesting way! Even if it isn't their favorite educational subject, they certainly don't despise history the way I did before becoming a home educator.
Heritage History's Classical Curriculum on CD is one of those very interesting methods of teaching history!
I was thrilled to learn that our family would be able to use and review Heritage History's "Ancient Greece" Study Guide this spring. We are excited to continue using it in the fall with a new school year...just three months away!
So, here's the deal. You know that Kindle Fire you've been wanting? Especially if you don't have a "smart phone"? Well, now you can place that Kindle Fire on your educational/curriculum shopping list and show it to your hubby! (Hint, hint!)
See, what's so neat about Heritage History's study guides is that these collections of illustrated "living history" books, maps, timelines, battle and geography dictionaries, biographies, historical summaries, study guide helps, and suggestions for reading are all on this one CD...and the books can all be easily transferred to a Kindle device, iDevice, Nook, etc. Nice!
Heritage History has searched historical literature in the public domain (pre-1923) to find books and texts that would have great interest to students these days! Links to these books are available on their website so that you may read them on your computer screen for no charge. You may also download individual titles (for a small fee), or you may purchase the CD which contains all of the texts plus study guides and many of the items I've already listed for you:
- living history books
- maps
- timelines
- battle dictionaries
- geographical dictionaries
- biographies
- era summaries
- study guide helps
- suggested additional reading lists
- and more!
The #1 benefit of purchasing these books and additional materials on CD is that this program is easily outlined for you and organized so you can quickly pick out which titles you would like your students to read for the various eras of history...and that they can pick out titles for themselves to read. While you can find free versions of these titles online in other places, they often don't translate as well to e-readers. Heritage History has made certain that these historical titles are designed exclusively for your e-reader! You will be able to read the e-books in three different ways: PDF, Kindle or EPUB, and they are easy to transfer to your e-reader because clear directions are provided to help with this. They can also be read on a computer monitor, if your family doesn't have an e-reader.
There are 11 Heritage History libraries on CD, but only 5 of them have full study resources, a printable study guide, curriculum guide, maps, and timelines:
There are 11 Heritage History libraries on CD, but only 5 of them have full study resources, a printable study guide, curriculum guide, maps, and timelines:
Here's a brief description of the Ancient Greece collection I received:
“The Ancient Greece collection covers Greek history from the earliest days of myth and legend, through the Golden Age of Athens, to the Greco-Roman Era. Of special interest to older students is a selection of simplified classics based on the works of renowned poets, historians and playwrights. Includes 46 books, 50+ maps, teaching aids, and a Study Guide.” (from the Heritage History website)
“The Ancient Greece collection covers Greek history from the earliest days of myth and legend, through the Golden Age of Athens, to the Greco-Roman Era. Of special interest to older students is a selection of simplified classics based on the works of renowned poets, historians and playwrights. Includes 46 books, 50+ maps, teaching aids, and a Study Guide.” (from the Heritage History website)
Some additional helpful information from
Heritage History:
About a quarter of the books in the Ancient Greece library could be considered "comprehensive histories", meaning they cover the whole span of Greek history from the Heroic Age of mythology to the conquests of Alexander the Great. Every student should read at least a few of these selections. The rest of the collection is composed of a variety of genres including biographies, mythology, adapted literature, military history, and historical fiction. Only a few books are written below a fourth grade reading level, although they can be read orally to younger students.
In addition to providing book lists organized by genre and reading level, the Ancient Greece Library contains two additional reference pages intended to help students and instructors identify books of particular interest. The Book Summaries page includes a short description of each book in the library. The Series Descriptions page, which features descriptions of overall series rather than individual books, may be helpful to those readers who enjoy a particular book and would like to locate similar volumes.
How is the Heritage History Curriculum different from other history curricula?
- It is based on a Living Books approach, rather than a textbook approach to history.
- It is based on national histories instead of epochal histories. Students study one civilization at a time rather than a multitude of civilizations at the same time
- Instead of being an analytical approach, this is a narrative, story-telling approach to learning history
- American history is introduced in the early grades and again in high school, but it mainly focuses on ancient, medieval, and early modern history during the middle school years.
- It focuses on studying the most important periods of Western Civilization in depth rather than touching lightly upon dozens of unrelated cultures.
- It encourages students to pursue historical topics of personal interest in addition to making selections from directed reading lists.
You should be aware:
- Most 20th century history is omitted because the Heritage library only includes books published before 1923.
- No books in the Heritage collection suffer from the distortions of political correctness, but a few share biases that were common in the early twentieth century.
- Because analysis and commentary are not the key focus of the Heritage collection, this is not an adequate curriculum for teaching civics or political philosophy to high schoolers.
- Heritage Classical Curriculum doesn't include tests or structured learning activities.
How is my family using Heritage History's Ancient Greece classical curriculum?
We will be starting our second "run through" of historical eras this autumn, beginning with ancient history. We'll use a history curriculum we just love - and using Heritage History's CD and materials to supplement it!
I've tried to use more of a literature approach to our history studies over the years, with a couple of different programs. But here's what I've run up against:
1. The literature books are expensive, causing me to need to spend too much money on selections - or else feel guilty about making substitutions or going without. I didn't mind substituting books in the elementary grades, but now that I'll be teaching junior high and high school this fall, substitutions are just not practical.
2. If some of the literature selections are available at our local library (and that's a BIG if), they are often not available in the weeks I need them. And sometimes, I'll admit, we've had to pay overdue fees, especially since our library is no longer open during the most convenient hours for me to pay a visit.
So, we'll be starting with ancient history again this year, and we'll use our regular history course for our "spine." In addition, I'll use the planning guide/study guide on the Heritage History CD to schedule out the various historical literature selections for my girls for the entire school year. It will be easy to do because they are arranged by age level and by era. I love that!
No more big purchases of selections from the stores; no more endless trips to the library. Wonderful!
Heritage History recommends that each age group reads at least 3 core selections each year and four choices from the supplemental book list (biographies, episodic histories, folklore, or historical fiction) or several other choices.
They recommend that students plan to spend about 3 hours per week reading from their assigned book list. A Book Selection Register is provided for parents to use to assign reading lists. In addition, two types of Weekly Reading Registers are provided for students to keep track of their reading. It's great that these types of accountability forms are provided with the curriculum!
They recommend that students plan to spend about 3 hours per week reading from their assigned book list. A Book Selection Register is provided for parents to use to assign reading lists. In addition, two types of Weekly Reading Registers are provided for students to keep track of their reading. It's great that these types of accountability forms are provided with the curriculum!
In summary . . .
This has been one of my favorite curriculum products to use and review this year! I've enjoyed it so much that I'm planning on purchasing Heritage History's Ancient Rome Classical Curriculum this summer, to also use with our ancient history studies this next year. The price is perfect for our limited curriculum budget! And now that I have a Kindle Fire (Mother's Day gift) and our oldest daughter won a Kindle Keyboard version, the girls can both read their historical literature texts at the same time. I'm excited!
Each Heritage History CD sells for $24.99 each at the time of this review, or the entire 5-disk set may be purchased for $99.99. To learn more about this and some of the other collections in the series, please check out the other TOS Crew members' blogs or visit the Heritage History website.
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Disclosure: I received one printed copy of Heritage History's Ancient Greece Study Guide plus the Ancient Greece CD in exchange for my honest review of this product. No other compensation was provided.
 | The giveaway has ended, but we are also selling Mockingjay pendants! These are one-of-a-kind Mockingjay necklace made from lightweight polymer clay. They measure 2" x 3" in size, and they come with 24" jute cording. More Mockingjay pendants and necklaces are available for purchase at the Amazin' Minis Etsy shop! |
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Today’s families are BUSY! But they don’t have to survive on fast food!
This new cookbook has 150 great recipes for tasty and nutritious meals that are designed to please your family, without requiring as much hands-on preparation as traditional meals.
We're all busy, but that doesn't mean we have to eat like we are. You don't have to settle for feeding your family commercially packaged meals full of sodium and preservatives or fat-laced fast food. Quick and healthy meals from your very own kitchen are easy with delicious recipes like:
- Southwestern Baked Cheese Dip
- Thai Chicken Wraps
- Walnut Spinach Salad
- Homestyle Mac & Cheese
- Slow Cooker Pork Chops
- Oven Roasted Orange Chicken
- Grilled Flat Iron Steak Sandwiches
- Spicy Shrimp and Asparagus Stir-Fry
- Fruit Pizza
- Mexican Chocolate Mousse
- and many more
Some of these meals are designed to make large batches - if desired - so the ingredients lists on the recipes are two-fold. The regular list is designed for 4-6 servings, while the second "large batch" list is designed for making extra for a large crowd or putting away some freezer meals for another busy evening.
My family enjoys when I get to review a cookbook! New recipes to try, and some good food on the table! Here are two of the recipes I have made so far:
My family enjoys when I get to review a cookbook! New recipes to try, and some good food on the table! Here are two of the recipes I have made so far:
Chicken Divan
I've decided that "Chicken Divan" actually means "Chicken Divine" in French.
Now that I've told you that, I thought I'd better go look it up, to see what it really means.
Oops, I was wrong. I obviously don't know anything about French. It doesn't mean "divine", although I had really hoped I was right!
According to Wikipedia.org, "Chicken Divan is a chicken casserole usually served with broccoli, almonds, and Mornay sauce. It was invented at and named for the by-gone Divan Parisienne Restaurant in the New York Chatham Hotel.
The Divan Parisienne served Chicken Divan as its signature dish in the early twentieth century. The chef or chefs who originally created it are unknown. In France, the word "divan" refers to a meeting place or great hall. This name was chosen to attract the attention of the Divan Parisienne owners by implying a kind of continental elegance.
The dish is now commonly prepared with regular Parmesan cheese and remains one of the most classic American casserole dishes today.
Well, at least I got the French part of it correct! Ha!
Here's the recipe for Chicken Divan:
 Recipe Yield: 6 servings Prep Time: 20 minutes Total Time: 45 minutes | Chicken Divan
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Steam broccoli until crisp-tender. Arrange broccoli in an even layer on bottom of a 9 x 13" baking dish.
For sauce: Melt butter ina medium saucepan over medium heat; then, stir in flour, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Add milk and broth all at once. Cook and stir until bubbly; then, continue to cook 1-2 minutes more until thickened. Stir in wine. Add Swiss cheese and stir just until melted.
Pour half of sauce over broccoli; then, top with sliced chicken. Pour remaining sauce over chicken. Sprinkle parmesan and paprika on the top. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes or until heated through and bubbly. Then, broil 3-4 inches from heat for up to 2 minutes or until golden brown.
Nutritional Information (per serving):
Calories: 276.0
Total Fat: 13.0 g
Cholesterol: 57.2 mg
Sodium: 430.0 mg
Total Carbohydrates: 21.2 g
Dietary Fiber: 6.3 g
Protein: 19.6 g
For sauce: Melt butter ina medium saucepan over medium heat; then, stir in flour, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Add milk and broth all at once. Cook and stir until bubbly; then, continue to cook 1-2 minutes more until thickened. Stir in wine. Add Swiss cheese and stir just until melted.
Pour half of sauce over broccoli; then, top with sliced chicken. Pour remaining sauce over chicken. Sprinkle parmesan and paprika on the top. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes or until heated through and bubbly. Then, broil 3-4 inches from heat for up to 2 minutes or until golden brown.
Nutritional Information (per serving):
Calories: 276.0
Total Fat: 13.0 g
Cholesterol: 57.2 mg
Sodium: 430.0 mg
Total Carbohydrates: 21.2 g
Dietary Fiber: 6.3 g
Protein: 19.6 g
Family thoughts on this recipe ~ Chicken Divan:
Kelsi (age 14) and I thought it was absolutely heavenly! I think that's because we love cheese fondue and cheesy recipes, and while this recipe doesn't act like it has a lot of cheese in it, it does have a beautifully smooth Swiss cheese/wine flavor, which we really enjoy. Yum!
Elmer (my main squeeze!) enjoyed it, but I'm not sure he would place it on his "Top Ten Recipes of All Times" list.
Brittany (age 12), my usually NOT picky eater, did eat her serving, but she really didn't prefer it. She doesn't prefer the wine/cheese flavors. That's okay. Ya' can't please everyone, right?
I chose to double this recipe so we could have leftovers for lunch after church. I should have cooked the sauce longer so it would be thicker than it was after baking in the oven. Next time!
One-Pan Baked Omelet
I decided to try this recipe on a Sunday morning. Since Sundays can have a bit of a "rushed" feel to them, I diced the onion the night before, and I also cooked the sausage ahead of time.
 Recipe Yield: 2 large servings (very large!) or 4 medium to large servings Prep Time: 20 minutes Total Time: 35 minutes | One-Pan Baked Omelet
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If using sausage in this recipe instead of bacon, crumble the sausage into a pan and sauté over medium-low to medium heat until cooked through, stirring to break up pieces. Drain on paper towel, and continue with recipe directions.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut bacon into 1-inch pieces. Using an 8-inch ovenproof skillet or sauté pan, sauté bacon over medium heat for 5-7 minutes. Stir occasionally and cook until browned and crispy. Drain bacon on paper towel and remove excess grease from the pan.
Over medium-low to medium heat, add 1 Tbsp. butter to the pan, followed by onion and potatoes; cook for about 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender and onion starts to brown. When potatoes are almost done, add green chiles and sauté for 30-60 more seconds.
While onion and potatoes are cooking, beat together eggs, milk, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Stir in 1 cup of the cheese. At this point, set aside about 2 Tbsp. of bacon for the topping, and add remaining bacon to the cooked potato mixture. Pour the egg mixture over potatoes. Place pan in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, just until the omelet puffs and eggs are not quite done in the center. Sprinkle with remaining shredded cheese and bake for 1 minute more. Do not overbake, as eggs will continue to cook once removed from oven. Garnish with the reserved 2 Tbsp. bacon and a sprinkling of parsley or green onion, if using. Serve immediately with salsa or hot sauce, if desired.
Nutritional Information (per 1 large serving):
Calories: 523.7
Total Fat: 35.1 g
Cholesterol: 349.7 mg
Sodium: 1467.3 mg
Total Carbohydrates: 22.6 g
Dietary Fiber: 2.5 g
Protein: 29.5 g
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut bacon into 1-inch pieces. Using an 8-inch ovenproof skillet or sauté pan, sauté bacon over medium heat for 5-7 minutes. Stir occasionally and cook until browned and crispy. Drain bacon on paper towel and remove excess grease from the pan.
Over medium-low to medium heat, add 1 Tbsp. butter to the pan, followed by onion and potatoes; cook for about 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender and onion starts to brown. When potatoes are almost done, add green chiles and sauté for 30-60 more seconds.
While onion and potatoes are cooking, beat together eggs, milk, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Stir in 1 cup of the cheese. At this point, set aside about 2 Tbsp. of bacon for the topping, and add remaining bacon to the cooked potato mixture. Pour the egg mixture over potatoes. Place pan in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, just until the omelet puffs and eggs are not quite done in the center. Sprinkle with remaining shredded cheese and bake for 1 minute more. Do not overbake, as eggs will continue to cook once removed from oven. Garnish with the reserved 2 Tbsp. bacon and a sprinkling of parsley or green onion, if using. Serve immediately with salsa or hot sauce, if desired.
Nutritional Information (per 1 large serving):
Calories: 523.7
Total Fat: 35.1 g
Cholesterol: 349.7 mg
Sodium: 1467.3 mg
Total Carbohydrates: 22.6 g
Dietary Fiber: 2.5 g
Protein: 29.5 g
Family thoughts on this recipe ~ One-Pan Baked Omelet:
I have to admit, up front, that I didn't have sharp cheddar or cheddar jack cheese in my home at the time...so I substituted Mexican-blend cheese instead. I think this was less flavorful than the sharp cheddar would have been, so the results may have been different if I'd followed the recipe exactly.
Elmer, Kelsi, and Brittany wished that this recipe didn't have diced potatoes in it, even though they were soft and tender. I think they aren't used to the "breakfast bowl" concept. They felt like this recipe was low on flavor due to the potatoes.
My thoughts? I loved it! I did feel, though, that the potatoes took away some of the flavors of the recipe. I make a similar oven omelet, although in a large baking dish instead of a skillet, and although it only includes eggs, milk, ground sausage, cheese, salt, and pepper, it has more flavor than this One-Pan Oven Omelet did.
I'd like to make this a second time, but make certain to have the correct cheese on hand...and add more diced green chiles and a tad more salt. Hopefully, it becomes a family favorite over time!
Overall Thoughts of
Don't Panic: Quick, Easy and Delicious Meals
for Your Family:
The front cover of this softbound cookbook is so beautiful! Can we say, "drooling" here? In all fairness, though, I want you to be aware that this cookbook doesn't contain any photos or drawings inside. For those of you who absolutely must have photos or graphics in your cookbooks, this may not be the cookbook for you.
If you are a "whole foods" person, some of the recipes contain convenience food ingredients. You can adapt the recipe to fit your needs, but it will probably take longer to prepare many of the recipes than the directions say.
I personally have enjoyed the recipes we have tried. If you need a comparison as to the style of this cookbook, I'd say that the style of cooking is similar to Pioneer Woman's cookbooks, without the photos. If you are familiar with Pioneer Woman, you'll know what I mean!
I would also like to note a pet peeve of mine in recipe cookbooks. When the preparation times are listed for recipes, and the ingredients list calls for "cooked and diced chicken" or already prepared meats or cooked pastas, etc., I think the prep time to cook those items needs to be added to the time in the recipe. Only those who have unlimited funds to spend on groceries are going to be able to afford to purchase "already cooked and sliced or diced" meats, etc. For the average American family, this isn't practical because it is too expensive. So when I made both of these recipes, I needed to add an extra 20 minutes to the prep time because I needed to cook chicken and ground venison sausage.
Other than that, Don't Panic: Quick, Easy, and Delicious Meals for Your Family is a great option to fast food! I'm looking forward to trying additional recipes from this cookbook!
Details about the authors:
Bonnie Garcia is a busy mother of three sons. She works as a part-time pediatric nurse, where she enjoys working with newborns and their parents. In her free time, she enjoys downhill skiing and reading. An Iowa native, Bonnie has been married to her husband, Steve, for twenty-six years. She is active in her local church, where her husband is the senior pastor. After recent trips to Greece and Israel, Bonnie has discovered that she is hooked on international travel.
Vanda Howell is a busy mom who works part-time as a kitchen design consultant. Vanda is a Denver native and has been married to her husband, Mike, for twenty-seven years. She is absolutely in love with (a.k.a. addicted to) dark chocolate, espresso lattés, and going to movies. In her free time, she enjoys gourmet cooking, gardening, and wakeboarding with her husband and teenage son.
Susie Martinez is a professional counselor with a private counseling practice in Colorado. She has been married to her husband, Joe, for twenty-two years and has two teenage children. Susie adores her family, her Kitchen Aid mixer, and her purple PT Cruiser. In her free time, she enjoys shopping with her daughter, taking long walks, and home decorating. Susie also struggles with a particular weakness for palm trees and white sandy beaches.
Don't Panic: Quick, Easy, and Delicious Meals for Your Family is available April 2012 at your favorite bookseller ~ from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
Cookbooks in this series:
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Disclosure: I received one softbound copy of Don't Panic: Quick, Easy, and Delicious Meals for Your Family from Revell in exchange for my honest review of this cookbook. No other compensation was provided.
Kathleen Morgan has done it again! Her new book, A Love Forbidden, is a delightful, fascinating fictional account of life and times in the late 1870's.
At that time, women were only to be wives and mothers, and were not to have a career or an opinion which did not match that of their father or husband. Indians were considered unwashed savages and not to be allowed off their reservations.
At that time, women were only to be wives and mothers, and were not to have a career or an opinion which did not match that of their father or husband. Indians were considered unwashed savages and not to be allowed off their reservations.
Shiloh Wainwright is different. She has not only prepared for a career as a teacher, but her desire is to teach the children of the Ute Indian tribes. She wants to help the Indians and even to make friends with those who were, at best, not considered to be on the same social level as she was.
As a child, Shiloh had, as a friend, a young Indian man named Jesse, who worked as a field hand for her father. Jesse was an embittered young man, spurning God and the white man's ways. How Jesse and Shiloh overcome their differences to become friends and learn to forgive - not only each other, but those who would wish to harm them - is a well told story.
Descriptive language, true-to-life situations, and a talent for painting word pictures so vivid that you can see, smell, and even taste as if you were there, make this a book you will not want to miss.
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A Love Forbidden is available May 2012 at your favorite bookseller - from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
Disclosure: I received one paperback copy of A Love Forbidden from Baker Publisher Group in exchange for my honest review here for you. No other compensation was provided.
 | Welcome to Day 4 of Growing Godly Girls! Want to read the other days of this 5-Day feature? Day 1: Consistent Parenting with a Loving Smile Day 2: Study Them Well Day 3: God's Word at Their Level Day 4: Surround Them with Godly Friends Day 5: Coming soon! |
Day 4: Surround Them ~
Godly Friends and Role Models
I can pray often, asking the Lord to protect our children from harm and to guide them into right relationships. After all, prayer is the #1 thing I can do to help my children! My husband and I can spend quality (and quantity time) with our girls in Bible study and family worship. And yet, poor company corrupts good character.
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Our children and our families are still a part of society, no matter how much we may want to hide from it all.
Jesus never told us to hide from society, to escape into the woods, to avoid "the world." How we choose to deal with the world of unbelievers and "pretend" believers can greatly influence our children, though, so it's important to think through how you want to handle this with your own family.
More importantly, we as Christian parents need to search the Holy Scriptures to find out what Jesus said about being a part of the world.
What did Jesus say about being involved with "the world"?
Matthew 5:14-16 ~ "You (believers/followers in Christ) are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."
Mark 16:15 ~ He (Jesus) said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation."
It's pretty evident from those verses that Christians aren't to hide their heads in the sand or hide out in the countryside, never to show their faces among their culture. But there's a balance, isn't there?
The Bible also tells us clearly in James 4:4 ~ "Don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God."
So, what does it mean to be a "friend of the world?"
Well, "the world" is not the physical, geographical planet Earth. Nope. Nada.
"The world" is our world system: earthly ways of thinking; people who are currently in rebellion against God and alienated from God; a viewpoint/ world view that is opposed to God's views in the Bible.
Our #1 goal is to choose to line up our own views of life with God's views of life. If we are reading the Bible consistently with a prayerful heart, we will clearly see God's views of life and how our families should live.
While it is also very important to share the Good News (the Gospel!) with those around us, we also need to surround ourselves with people who are godly.
Jesus chose to frequently hang around sinners.
But they weren't His best friends. Or, they didn't become close friends of His until they placed their faith and trust in Jesus as the Messiah.
In Matthew 9:9–13, we find Jesus having dinner at the house of Matthew the tax collector. Matthew and Jesus were joined by "many tax collectors and ‘sinners'" (v. 10). Jesus initiated this dinner party with "sinners," and Matthew later went on to become one of Jesus' 12 disciples.
If you think tax collectors are hated these days, it's nothing like it was back in the time of Christ, where tax collectors had the freedom to swindle people out of extra money and claim that the extra monies were "taxes", when in fact they were going into the tax collector's own pockets.
We must ask ourselves, Why? Why did Jesus choose to hang around sinners at times?
Jesus didn't hang out with sinners because they were the most popular people around town. He wasn't thrilled about being around the danger and rebellion that filled their lifestyles. He didn't hang around with a rough crowd in order to get back at His parents. (Ha!) His only purpose for spending time with non-believers was that He wanted to point them toward His Truth.
This must be our only motivation for choosing to hang around those who are unbelievers. And we must be very strong in our Christian faith in order to influence our unbelieving friends to have a true faith relationship with Jesus Christ...instead of them negatively influencing us for evil.
It is not easy to be strong enough in our faith in Christ, especially as children and teens, that we are not pulled away from our relationship to Christ and pulled toward worldly thought patterns, interests, and rebellion toward parents and ultimately, toward God.
How can we guide our children to have godly
friendships and relationships with others?
1. If you are an active follower of Jesus Christ, and your children are in the public school system or a secular private school, join a Moms In Touch prayer group (or start one)! From the other Christian moms you meet, find out which children in your kids' classrooms are believers or come from Christian families. Build relationships with these Christian families. Encourage social activities between your children and Christian peers in their classrooms.
2. If you are an active follower of Jesus Christ, and your children are in a private Christian school, talk with your children's teachers about which students in the class come from Christian homes. You may be surprised to learn that possibly only a few students in the classroom come from homes in which the parents are dedicated followers of Christ. Help your children connect with children who are being raised in active Christian families.
3. If you love the Lord, and you are a homeschooling family, seek out other like-minded families who have a strong desire to seek the Lord in all things. Find a Christian homeschooling co-op in your area. Check to see if a local Yahoo group or Facebook group exists for Christian homeschoolers in your area. Ask questions. Meet a lot of families! But be discerning.
What about associating with families from my church?
Believe it or not, this is also going to take a lot of discernment. The average American church is filled with quite a few people who are either very new believers who haven't yet been discipled and taught about the truths in the Bible, or they are people who have been believers for many years and still don't know much of the Bible, mainly because they don't have regular study time in the Word of God.
You will also find imposters in our churches these days.
We have many godly people in my church. But this is also the place where my children learned about prejudice, segregation, and cliques, first hand. Why?
Because churches are made up of people. Some of them are very sincerely seeking God's will for their lives, and are regularly praying and reading the Bible. Some of them are not. Some of them are actively sharing the Scriptures with their children and guiding their children regularly in the Lord. But many of them are not. And that is where the problem lies.
Even in your church, you need to be very discerning about the close friendships you and your children form. Notice that I said "close". We should always be kind and loving to everyone we meet! But our closest friendships and relationships need to be with those like-minded Christ-followers who are actively seeking Him!
How can I tell if a friendship is not in my child's best interests?
1. Would my child agree that the purpose for her relationships with her closest friends is for spiritual growth and to serve them? Or would she state that the main reason she is friends with them is because they are fun to hang around with? Doing activities with our friends is a part of friendship, but the main purpose, as a Christ-follower, is to edify and build up our friends as well as grow spiritually from that friendship. In other words, our friends need to also build us up spiritually. We can't believe that this friendship is the source of our identity. We need to begin teaching this concept to our children when they are young - and repeat it often!
2. Friendships are given to us to teach us how to love like Jesus loves. We need to realize that our friendships are designed to help us grow in a spirit of grace and unconditional love, because we, too, will fail our friends at times. We, too, will need forgiveness and unconditional love...because we, too, are sinners - but saved by God's grace. If the reason for the friendship is selfish, then it probably isn't the best friendship to have.
2. Friendships are given to us to teach us how to love like Jesus loves. We need to realize that our friendships are designed to help us grow in a spirit of grace and unconditional love, because we, too, will fail our friends at times. We, too, will need forgiveness and unconditional love...because we, too, are sinners - but saved by God's grace. If the reason for the friendship is selfish, then it probably isn't the best friendship to have.
A Friendship Checklist for my children*:
1. Are you careful about whom you select to be your closest friends? Are you cautious about how you behave around your closest friends?
Proverbs 12:26 says "a righteous man is cautious in friendship, but the way of the wicked leads them astray."
The writer of this passage warns us that as we seek to live righteous lives, we need to approach friendship with caution. I don't think this means that we need to be hermits who fear the dangers of friendship. But I do think that we should be mindful about who we are friends with and how we behave in the context of our friendships.
2. Are you more concerned with having true friends or many friends?
There's a lot of pressure in middle school and high school to have lots of friends. Popularity can seem like the most important thing when you are in this stage of life. But the Bible warns against seeking the friendship of many.
"A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother" (Proverbs 18:24).
I strongly encourage you to seek to have one or two really solid friendships that fill you up and help you in your walk with Christ rather than seeking to be loved and admired by a large group of acquaintances. Here's a secret I wish I had known as a young woman: Popularity doesn't mean diddly, but true friendship is worth the effort.
3. Are your friends a good safety net?
The Bible makes it clear that friendship is part of God's plan for our lives. Friends are great! But the purpose of having friends is not to stroke our egos or occupy our time or fill our Facebook profile.
Ecclesiastes 4:9–10 puts it this way: "Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!"
Our friendships are designed to hold us up when the going gets tough. A good friend will be a safety net when you fall. And being a good friend means doing the same for others. Do your friends help you up when you've fallen? Do you make it a point to do the same for them?
4. Are you friends with God?
Here's a doozy! In John 15:13–15, Jesus calls us His friends. Check it out:
"Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends."
When you think of friendship, does Jesus come to mind? Are you taking the time to build a friendship with Him like you are with your peers? When the going gets tough, do you run to Him like a friend or call your besties for an emergency mocha intervention first?
It's great to have friends. In fact, our friends can be one of our greatest blessings. And I think that it's important that we explore the specifics of having godly friends and being godly friends. But our friendships must be built on the solid foundation of God's Word and an intimate relationship with Jesus.
Looking at this list, how healthy are your friendships? Are there areas where you need some work? Does God's truth about friendship line up with the way you approach having friends and being a friend?
*Taken from Erin Davis's blog post, "A Friendship Check-Up." www.liesyoungwomenbelieve.com. Used with permission.
Ultimately, it comes down to seeking the Lord's wisdom for our friendships. . . and lining our hearts up with His.
Tracy from Praying Proverbs 31.com has written a beautiful eBook, Praying Proverbs 31: Prayers for a Daughter's Virtue.
 | Praying Proverbs 31: Prayers for a Daughter's Virtue is so applicable to all moms who have daughters! Not only is it richly steeped in the Word of God, especially the Proverbs, it provides opportunity for moms to pray specifically about many areas of their daughters' lives...and to answer questions in a simple journaling format. Praying Proverbs 31 is about touching the hearts and lives of our daughters through praying Scripture. It is both a devotional book and prayer guide, taking the truths of Proverbs 31 and using those truths to pray more specifically for our little women. One passage a week, one prayer a day for 10 weeks covering issues that are at the heart of womanhood: A Valuable Virtue, A Pure Life, A Rewarding Work, A Heart for Home, and more. |
Join me here for all four segments of 5 Days of Growing Godly Girls...and check out some other fabulous "5 Days of..." blog posts by other homeschooling parents:
 | |
THE PURSUIT OF LUCY BANNING, authored by Olivia Newport
This story begins with the premise of a woman’s search for personal freedom and escape from the “rules and regulations” of society during the early 1890's in Chicago. Young Lucy Banning is the only girl, with three brothers, in a very wealthy family. She has every privilege of wealth, from home, fashions, and social opportunities, that anyone could imagine. She is also engaged to a young man from a like family; the two families have been very close friends since before their parents even married.
While life could be very scripted, Lucy desires more, much more than her very strict, lady-like circumstances can allow. She manages to enroll for a class at the very new University of Chicago but has to keep it a secret or she would never be allowed to do so; this, of course, involves making many excuses in order to protect her “secret.” She also has taken a great interest in a local orphanage and volunteers there on a regular basis. Her life is a series of “secrets” which she has to carefully maneuver through in order to maintain her heart’s desires.
Lucy has becomes involved with planning for the Chicago World’s Fair, which is due to open in the summer of 1893, and spends much of one day a week helping to plan the exhibits in the “women’s center” for the great Fair. She is a busy young woman.
A new maid hired to help serve in the home, Charlotte, comes to the home with a great secret of her own, which Lucy soon discovers and then decides to help the girl with her problems. They become great friends and confidants, which plays a major role in their relationship.
Lucy’s dilemma with her fiancé comes as she realizes she and Daniel have very different objectives in life. She is perplexed as to how to handle this, and Daniel is very forceful in attempting her to conform to his wishes. It is a very difficult situation. In the midst of all this, a new young man is introduced into the mix, a man of whom the family knows nothing - but Lucy is smitten. It makes for a fascinating drama within the network of personalities and comes to an amazing conclusion.
The novel as a whole is well-written, interesting, exciting, and dramatic. There are no dull moments, though some events are predictable. However, it gives excellent insight into the lives of the rich and famous of that day, and helps us who live more than a hundred years beyond, a feeling of being blessed by the freedoms we have!
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The Pursuit of Lucy Banning is available as of May 2012 at your favorite bookseller - from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
Disclosure: I received one paperback copy of The Pursuit of Lucy Banning in exchange for Joy In Our Journey.com's honest review of this book. No other compensation was provided.
Disclosure: I received one paperback copy of The Pursuit of Lucy Banning in exchange for Joy In Our Journey.com's honest review of this book. No other compensation was provided.
Discipline.
Not many people like or appreciate that word.
But it's really what makes the world go round. I mean, if I didn't discipline myself to work on keeping our home clean, we'd end up on an episode of Hoarders.
And that wouldn't be pretty.
I'm not sure how/why I was sent this book to review. After all, I only have daughters! But since it arrived in the mail for some unknown reason, I decided to go ahead and read it - ahem - skim it, so I could let you know what I thought of it. After all, some of you have sons at home, alongside your daughters.
Not many people like or appreciate that word.
But it's really what makes the world go round. I mean, if I didn't discipline myself to work on keeping our home clean, we'd end up on an episode of Hoarders.
And that wouldn't be pretty.
I'm not sure how/why I was sent this book to review. After all, I only have daughters! But since it arrived in the mail for some unknown reason, I decided to go ahead and read it - ahem - skim it, so I could let you know what I thought of it. After all, some of you have sons at home, alongside your daughters.
After I began to read Disciplines of a Godly Young Man, though, I know that this book and its principles are very valuable to fathers and parents. In this day and age, boys are blessed to just even have a father in their home, let alone have one that is guiding and mentoring them.
This book is tough. It is tough on young men who want to live godly lives. This book will ask young men to make some very tough decisions on how they will live their lives, how they will make choices, what kinds of habits will be a part of their lifestyles, etc.
Disciplines of a Godly Young Man covers many disciplines that all Christian young men need to consider and then add into their own lives:
Disciplines of a Godly Young Man is easy to read; it is very understandable and speaks clearly to young men. It would be an excellent book to use as a young men's Bible study. Each chapter provides heartfelt discussion on vital topics to a young man's life, in an interesting and challenging way. Questions are asked at the end of each chapter about how all of this information works into our own lives, and then an application section concludes each chapter.
If I had sons in our home, we would definitely be using this book with our sons in their upper junior high and high school years. It would be an excellent study to do as a family, as well, because many of the chapters can also apply to young women.
If you have sons in your family, are you spending regular time with them discussing many of these topics? What have you done to encourage your sons to live a disciplined life?
This book is tough. It is tough on young men who want to live godly lives. This book will ask young men to make some very tough decisions on how they will live their lives, how they will make choices, what kinds of habits will be a part of their lifestyles, etc.
Disciplines of a Godly Young Man covers many disciplines that all Christian young men need to consider and then add into their own lives:
- Purity
- Friendships
- Refusing to think on some topics
- Filling the mind with godly topics and thoughts
- Being devoted to Christ
- Prayer
- The tongue and how we talk to others
- Work - how hard? How well?
- Perseverance
- Being a part of a church (attendance)
- Giving tithes and offerings
- Witnessing and sharing faith with others
- Being involved in ministries
Disciplines of a Godly Young Man is easy to read; it is very understandable and speaks clearly to young men. It would be an excellent book to use as a young men's Bible study. Each chapter provides heartfelt discussion on vital topics to a young man's life, in an interesting and challenging way. Questions are asked at the end of each chapter about how all of this information works into our own lives, and then an application section concludes each chapter.
If I had sons in our home, we would definitely be using this book with our sons in their upper junior high and high school years. It would be an excellent study to do as a family, as well, because many of the chapters can also apply to young women.
If you have sons in your family, are you spending regular time with them discussing many of these topics? What have you done to encourage your sons to live a disciplined life?
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Disclaimer: Disciplines of a Godly Young Man was provided to me as a hardcover book by www.Crossway.org in exchange for sharing my honest review here on Joy In Our Journey.com. No other compensation was provided. To see what other new Crossway books will be available soon, visit www.crossway.org/blog
 | Welcome to Day 3 of |
Day 3: God's Word ~ At Their Level
My topic today can be slightly controversial among Christian families.
Well, I think any topic can be slightly controversial - or really controversial - among anyone.
My hope today is that instead of getting upset, you will gain some inspiration in leading your daughters (and sons!) into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ, or at least, pointing them in that direction. I also pray that you will nurture your children in their faith with God. Ultimately, the decision is up to them on whom they are going to serve and worship as adults. As Christian parents, it's our honor and responsibility to point them in a godly direction that can bless them for the rest of their lives!
If you feel strongly that you should provide spiritual guidance to your children in a specific way that is different from what I've shared here, that is fine. Today, I'm merely sharing what the Lord has led our family to do with our daughters over the last 14 years.
An interesting fact . . .
When I was a teacher in the public school system, one of the problems we dealt with was trying to enrich students' knowledge of life/culture/history as well as encourage them to enjoy reading books on their own.
For those students whose parents read to them when they were very young, and especially if they continued to read to their children as they grew, those children typically had much depth in their knowledge bank of life. I'm not talking about any New Age kind of thing, so don't get scared off! They would have more understanding of cultures, differences in people and families, and an awareness that there is more to this life than just inside my home, playing video games, and going to school for 9 months of the school year.
For those children who had no one to read to them at home, their knowledge and depth of understanding of the nuances of life just wasn't there.
Children who had heard many hours of books from their parents or guardians were light-years beyond their peers who hadn't. And it was almost impossible to make up the difference. Children could read for 30 minutes a day at school as part of their school day, and still never catch up to the others who had been read to at home.
After observing many children over the years, at my church, other Christian functions, and within the homeschooling community, I am seeing the same principle developing in our youth.
Those children who have been exposed to the Holy Scriptures over and over again by their parents have such a great knowledge base of the Bible. Not only do they know more, mentally, but they have a greater respect for the Christian faith. They can give logical reasons why they believe what they believe. Instead of just hanging onto Mom's and Dad's faith, they are taking this faith for themselves, making it a part of their own lives.
They can view movies and read books that contain concepts contrary to Christianity, and they can wisely and logically point out what is wrong with that book or movie. They show discernment. They aren't perfect, but they are using wise judgment in their lives.
Now, hear me out: I'm not saying that if you, as a Christian parent, don't share your faith regularly with your children, that they will grow up without Christ and have no relationship with the Lord Jesus. I'm saying that the chances of this are much more slim, especially if they attend public or private school. 80% of public/private schooled children from Christian families reject their Christian heritage when they leave home. 80% of homeschooled children from Christian families continue to embrace their Christian heritage and faith when they leave home as young adults. You may not be a homeschooling parent. If you aren't, you will need to work all the harder to build up your child's knowledge of the Scriptures and to disciple your children. But ultimately, your child's choice to follow Christ will be her own.
Unfortunately, many churched youth in my area don't have parents who are making it a priority to spend time each week in teaching and guiding their children in the Christian faith. In the last several years, I've had youth pastors and youth group leaders tell me that sometimes, only one family in their entire youth group program is spending time reading and discussing the Bible together on a regular basis.
One family! It shocks me to hear this. Just imagine how Jesus Christ feels when we ignore our primary responsibility with our children.
I cannot tell you how sad this makes me! Just as a parent provides dinner each evening (or most evenings!), a Christian parent also needs to be providing spiritual food for their children at some point during most days. This should be one of their #1 priorities as a Christian parent! But sadly, this is often not happening among Christian families.
Those children who have been exposed to the Holy Scriptures over and over again by their parents have such a great knowledge base of the Bible. Not only do they know more, mentally, but they have a greater respect for the Christian faith. They can give logical reasons why they believe what they believe. Instead of just hanging onto Mom's and Dad's faith, they are taking this faith for themselves, making it a part of their own lives.
They can view movies and read books that contain concepts contrary to Christianity, and they can wisely and logically point out what is wrong with that book or movie. They show discernment. They aren't perfect, but they are using wise judgment in their lives.
Now, hear me out: I'm not saying that if you, as a Christian parent, don't share your faith regularly with your children, that they will grow up without Christ and have no relationship with the Lord Jesus. I'm saying that the chances of this are much more slim, especially if they attend public or private school. 80% of public/private schooled children from Christian families reject their Christian heritage when they leave home. 80% of homeschooled children from Christian families continue to embrace their Christian heritage and faith when they leave home as young adults. You may not be a homeschooling parent. If you aren't, you will need to work all the harder to build up your child's knowledge of the Scriptures and to disciple your children. But ultimately, your child's choice to follow Christ will be her own.
Unfortunately, many churched youth in my area don't have parents who are making it a priority to spend time each week in teaching and guiding their children in the Christian faith. In the last several years, I've had youth pastors and youth group leaders tell me that sometimes, only one family in their entire youth group program is spending time reading and discussing the Bible together on a regular basis.
One family! It shocks me to hear this. Just imagine how Jesus Christ feels when we ignore our primary responsibility with our children.
I cannot tell you how sad this makes me! Just as a parent provides dinner each evening (or most evenings!), a Christian parent also needs to be providing spiritual food for their children at some point during most days. This should be one of their #1 priorities as a Christian parent! But sadly, this is often not happening among Christian families.
It is not my church's main role to provide spiritual guidance to my child.
It is not my pastor's main role to provide spiritual guidance to my child.
It is not my child's youth pastor's main role to provide spiritual guidance to my child.
Guess what? It's my main role to provide spiritual guidance to my children! And if you are a Christian parent, this needs to be your #1 role for your children!
How do we share our faith with our children?
1. Pray with our children, every day. I'm not being legalistic here. If you are away from your child for a day or a few days, then obviously, it may be harder to pray with them. But you can pray FOR them when you are separated.
2. Mention what you are thankful for, especially when you are around your children. Attribute your thankfulness to the Lord. Be enthusiastic in sharing what the Lord is teaching you through His Word! Be excited about the many ways that God is blessing your family!
3. As much as possible, allow your husband to be the leader in reading the Bible and doing devotionals with your family. If a husband is not confident in his abilities, there are many books for parents designed to guide the father in how to lead family worship times. Many husbands who lack confidence in leading family worship time won't mind if their wives seek resources for the family to use, as long as dad has time to prepare each week.
4. Provide Christian movies and books for our children. Keep secular music and books to a minimum unless it is very family-friendly.
5. Keep "electronics" time in your family to a minimum. If your children are spending more time using electronics than they are reading God's Word, guess which of the two will win out as the hands-down favorite during free time?
6. Make family worship time exciting! Don't just drone on and on through a version of the Bible that your young children don't understand. Plan to make your family worship time as something exciting, meaningful, and fulfilling. If you believe strongly in the King James version of the Bible, be prepared for your little ones to have difficulty engaging in what is being read, until they are familiar enough with the vocabulary and verbiage to make sense of it.
7. Between you and the Lord, and around your family, do your best to avoid hypocrisy and anger. These are spiritual "joy killers."
Resources for your family:
There are many Christian resources available for families these days. In my opinion, knowing what I now know about the types and range of materials available for Christian families, there really is no excuse for a family to not have family worship time on a regular basis.
I'm not opposed to families using the King James version with their children. However, I have sat in with families during family worship time who have primarily used the King James version, and the younger children are completely tuning it out, not focusing on what is being read. Keep in mind that I haven't sat with your family, or many families, so if the King James version is working for the young children in your family, go for it!
Our family started out with baby and toddler "Bibles" that focused on some of the true events and Psalms in the Scriptures.
Over the years, we began using full children's Bibles and family devotional materials.
Now, our children use regular adult Bibles and are very comfortable with them.
If you're nervous about starting family worship time with your children, just start small. Don't have grand illusions of what it will look like. Pray, be open to the Holy Spirit for His leading, and just dive in!
I'm not opposed to families using the King James version with their children. However, I have sat in with families during family worship time who have primarily used the King James version, and the younger children are completely tuning it out, not focusing on what is being read. Keep in mind that I haven't sat with your family, or many families, so if the King James version is working for the young children in your family, go for it!
Our family started out with baby and toddler "Bibles" that focused on some of the true events and Psalms in the Scriptures.
Over the years, we began using full children's Bibles and family devotional materials.
Now, our children use regular adult Bibles and are very comfortable with them.
If you're nervous about starting family worship time with your children, just start small. Don't have grand illusions of what it will look like. Pray, be open to the Holy Spirit for His leading, and just dive in!
Bible Resources for Toddlers and Pre-schoolers:
 Herein Is Love: Genesis through Numbers (Preschool) |  The Big Picture Story Bible |  The Child's Story Bible, by Catherine Vos (preschool) |  Comfort for a Child's Heart, by Helen Haidle |
 My Favorite Bible |  Baby's First Bible |
Bible Resources for Elementary School students:
 Church History ABCs |  God's Mighty Acts in Creation, by Starr Meade |  Cookies & Milk, by Helen Haidle |  Journey to the Cross, by Helen Haidle |
 Herein is Love: Genesis through Numbers |  The Jotham's Journey series for Advent, by Arnold Ytreeide |  The Child's Story Bible, by Catherine Voss |  What Does the Bible Say About That? |
 Who is God? series by Apologia |  The ESV Grow! Bible |  Mighty Acts of God, by Starr Meade |  Deeper Roots: Discovering Our Amazing God |
 The DK Illustrated Family Bible |  The ESV Seek and Find Bible |
Bible Resources for Junior High/Middle School students:
 Deeper Roots: Discovering Our Amazing God series |  The God Girl Bible |  Stand |  The Life of Christ (Positive Action for Christ curriculum) |
 Stepping Heavenward: A Bible Study Guide |  Disciplines of a Godly Young Man |
Bible Resources for High School students:
 The Most Important Thing You'll Ever Study, by Starr Meade |  The Victor Journey Through the Bible |  Myth-Busters |  The NIV Daily Bible in Chronological Order |
 Disciplines of a Godly Young Man (I know it's not for girls, really, but it's a great book and girls would also benefit from this book.) |
Tracy from Praying Proverbs 31.com has written a beautiful eBook, Praying Proverbs 31: Prayers for a Daughter's Virtue.
 | Praying Proverbs 31: Prayers for a Daughter's Virtue is so applicable to all moms who have daughters! Not only is it richly steeped in the Word of God, especially the Proverbs, it provides opportunity for moms to pray specifically about many areas of their daughters' lives...and to answer questions in a simple journaling format. Praying Proverbs 31 is about touching the hearts and lives of our daughters through praying Scripture. It is both a devotional book and prayer guide, taking the truths of Proverbs 31 and using those truths to pray more specifically for our little women. One passage a week, one prayer a day for 10 weeks covering issues that are at the heart of womanhood: A Valuable Virtue, A Pure Life, A Rewarding Work, A Heart for Home, and more. |
Join me here throughout this week for all five days of 5 Days of Growing Godly Girls...and check out some other fabulous "5 Days of..." blog posts by other homeschooling parents:
 | |
BEYOND MOLASSES CREEK, by Nicole Seitz
Wow! This was a book with a lot of emotion, a lot of controversy, and many surprises, which are slowly revealed throughout the story. It involves a sixty-ish single woman who makes this interesting by looking back at her history and allowing the reader to become one with her emotional state, her memories, her wishes, longings, desires. She has obviously had an extremely interesting life, and it also involves her nearest neighbor--a loved friend, her father, and a few others who become so important in the telling.
The book is set up almost like a journal, with every entry looking back at explaining some answers to questions that come up in the current time. All three main characters do the same thing, and it is really interesting how they intertwine. Things mentioned in the beginning chapters come to completion near the end.
Reading this unique story brought some tears, some laughter, some excitement - all making it very hard to put the book down because of the need to find out what happens next. The author’s writing is concise and easy to read, no blundering about, telling it like it is, but in an appealing way that makes it very special. This book may be considered for a more mature audience than many of the books I review here for you.
A Summary of Beyond Molasses Creek
Three lives are bound by a single book . . . and the cleansing waters of Molasses Creek.
Having traveled to the ends of the earth as a flight attendant, Ally Green has finally returned to the Lowcountry to bury her father as well as the past. But Vesey Washington is still living across the creek, and theirs is a complicated relationship--he was once her best friend . . . and also part of the reason she's stayed away so long. When Ally discovers a message her father left behind asking her to quit running, it seems her past isn't through with her yet.
As Ally's wandering spirit wrestles with a deep longing to flee again, a young woman on the other side of the world escapes her life of slavery in the rock quarries of Nepal. A mysterious sketchbook leads Sunila Kunari to believe there's more to her story than she's ever been told, and she's determined to follow the truth wherever it leads her.
A deep current intertwines the lives of these three souls, and a destiny of freedom, faith, and friendship awaits them all on the banks of Molasses Creek.
$15.99 retail; 320 pages. As a nice bonus, there is a reading group guide at the back of the book!
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Beyond Molasses Creek. While it's not the typical Christian fiction book you'll find on the shelves of your average Christian bookstore, it is a very interesting story.
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 | Disclosure: I received one paperback copy of Beyond Molasses Creek from BookSneeze/Thomas Nelson Publishers in exchange for reviewing this book on my website. No other compensation was provided. |
Hi! I'm Julieanne!
You'll find me in the kitchen
trying new Trim Healthy Mama recipes, loving God, and carrying out that love as I bless my husband and teen daughters.
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Photos from jaakko.hakulinen, theglobalpanorama, Sarah Korf, jeffreyw, crayonmonkey, Joshua Singh, Sam Howzit, kimberlyac, miggslives, rust.bucket, Derick Leony, Big D2112, Violette79, Andrea.Pacheco, youngthousands, niiicedave, mommyknows, Dominic's pics, sleepyneko, madaise, Daquella manera, Arild Andersen, TounoTouji, jchapiewsky, dennis, cooper.gary, supersum (off), advisorymatters, Nomadic Lass, Effervescing Elephant, ralph and jenny, alubavin, brendan-c, ImNotQuiteJack, jeffreyw, iamlemonfilm, Colin_K, Andrew Michaels, ivoryelephantphotography, bennylin0724, Jo Naylor, daveoratox, f10n4, Bludgeoner86, Ack Ook, BiblioArchives / LibraryArchives, pylbug, limaoscarjuliet, Barbara L. Hanson, CapitalK buy design, Vibragiel, matthiasxc, Podknox, qnr, Sadie_Girl, ComputerHotline, pppspics, Anna Loverus, Joi, Rob.Bertholf, Sheyla Ruiz, nachans, ♥serendipity, IsaacMao, *cart-wheels*, TRFPhotography, vxla, lisaclarke, Missouri History Museum, doortoriver, sunshinecity, anna gutermuth, USCPSC, L. Allen Brewer, bluebirdsandteapots, ell brown, vestman, *PaysImaginaire*, mightyohm, Lars Plougmann, Alex_Lewis116, yoppy, HealthGauge, 401(K) 2013, aprilandrandy, Ben Sutherland, Mason Masteka, WillowGardeners, MStewartPhotography, “Caveman Chuck” Coker, kodomut, DanCentury, TrishaLyn, Katie@!, Looking Glass, Nicholas_T, Francis Storr, Allie_Caulfield, Creative Tools, Aidan Jones, Tim Brown Architecture, HerryLawford, Brett Levin Photography, Gudlyf, Chocolate Reviews, greggoconnell, EmilyWhitwam, Phú Thịnh Co, ilovememphis, cliff1066™, Chi King, erix!, Tony Fischer Photography, GlasgowAmateur, ktylerconk, cfourcalvin, David Locke, blhphotography, dominiqs, quinet, stevendepolo, surlygirl, guzzphoto, mikebaird, rich701, coolmikeol, procsilas, • Happy Batatinha •, pmarkham, Luz Adriana Villa A., LisaW123, fireballsedai, CJS*64, gagilas, Christian Haugen, freddie boy, tausend und eins, fotografik, roland, nedradio, makelessnoise, Salvation Army USA West, TheAlieness GiselaGiardino²³, Arenamontanus, 401(K) 2013, f_mafra, trippingbobcat, brooklyn, Viajar24h.com, yanajenn, jamieanne, hardworkinghippy, ccharmon, eofstr, Julia Manzerova, jhoc, Orin Zebest, battlecreekcvb, jmrodri, trekkyandy, timsnell, Salil Wadhavkar, ewen and donabel, Ted Van Pelt, David Paul Ohmer, Kevin May, CCAC North Library, I_Nneska, AlphaTangoBravo / Adam Baker, dwstucke, Bonnie B., elise.y, Bill Selak, sam_churchill, JD Hancock, olga.palma, cbr_case, acme, alyak, creating in the dark, TrishaLyn, jacilluch, hans s, cwwycoff1, Karen Roe, AlexiUeltzen, surrelmar, Jeff Kubina, rich701, adie reed, pacificbro, dwstucke, rharrison, avlxyz, Jim, the Photographer, Danndalf, storebukkebruse, rodaniel, dicktay2000, exfordy, torres21, Mr. T in DC, avlxyz, andrealindenberg, HarshLight, stevendepolo, publicenergy, Jan Tik, aechempati, ume-y, xfce, Pink Sherbet Photography, nlian, bittle, bradleygee, rs-foto, JamieDrakePhotos, SimonDoggett, slopjop, Norman B. Leventhal Map Center at the BPL, BozDoz, GoRun26, prettyinprint, WTL photos, Minnesota Historical Society, www.bluewaikiki.com, stevendepolo, LibAmanda, jspatchwork, Jinx!, ncmichael2k3, Clevergrrl, michaelkmak, Generationbass.com, Dougtone, roger4336, slgckgc, twicepix, lisatozzi, Lee Nachtigal, Kevin Lawver, brianfuller6385, jamieanne, quinn.anya, SupremeCrete, StockMonkeys.com, OliverN5, jeffreyw, Muffet, krossbow, fdecomite, JeepersMedia, jimmiehomeschoolmom, Zanastardust, joyosity, frotzed2, szapucki, Vincent van der Pas, normalityrelief, Emily Carlin, Clevergrrl, allyrose18, sleepyneko, Jeff Kubina, efleming, Artman1122, notjustsquirrels, PhotoAtelier, roolrool, onnola, Charles Williams, greggoconnell, Highway Patrol Images, andrechinn, loop_oh, ayustety, toinerooijmans, vmiramontes, Claricethebakergardener, mind on fire, jimmiehomeschoolmom, Kat Johnston / Sanura Sakai, toinerooijmans, rfduck, stu_spivack, OmegaPoint, ingridtaylar, AdamSelwood, Gog Llundain, pbody
