Channing O’ Banning and the Turquoise Trail: A Net Galley Review!

Grace-Filled Writer
When I was a kid I read constantly. I’m so excited that my own girls are becoming avid readers! They are incredibly excited every time I have a new book to review that is just for them.
The Channing O’Banning series is a new book series by Angela Spady which has captured my oldest daughter’s heart! Channing is a 4th grade artist extraordinaire whose adventures are recorded in these engaging books. The Turquoise Trail is the first in the series. I asked my daughter to read and write her own review. Here is what she had to say! 
“Channing O’Banning and the Turquoise Trail is a really fun story. I really ike it because there are a lot of cool history facts. Chan, as her friends call her, is sort of like me. I really like to draw and I have two younger sisters. I really liked this story and I hope to read more Channing O’Banning stories soon!” – Rose, age 10
As she was reading, Rose would stop and say, “Mommy! Guess what?” And tell me all sorts of things she had learned from the book. She loves that Channing is an artist as that is her main passion. Her big dream is to become an art teacher overseas. She almost always has a drawing pad and pencil along with her. This story opened up her imagination and for several days after reading I found her outside even more with her sketch pad and drawing supplies.
It is so wonderful when I can find books that are engaging and age appropriate for my girls. So much of what is published today for young girls is too mature in content and we try to guard them from experiencing too much too soon. This is a delightfully sweet series that really grabbed my own pre-teen’s imagination. 
Disclaimer: I received this title from Net Galley in exchange for my honest review. I was not compensated in any other way. I was not required to write a positive review.

Nourish Your Family’s Spiritual Health this Easter!

Grace-Filled Writer
Spring-into-Faith-&-Fun

If your family is like most, breakfast is rushed to get everyone out the door. Lunch is spent at school or work. So where does that leave dinner? Nourish your family’s spiritual health as you eat supper together. Adventures in Odyssey and Odyssey Adventure Club want to give you a free resource to help you begin your new dinner tradition of making the most of your family mealtime, beginning this Easter season. Simply head to this page and fill out the form to receive a free sample of Whit’s End Mealtime Devotions.

90-Devotions-for-Kids-Quote-4 

Want new resources to continue to build your family’s faith, even after Easter is over? Consider signing your family up for the Odyssey Adventure Club (OAC). It offers safe and free content for everyone in your family. Membership to the OAC costs just $9.99 a month — or even less if parents make a six-month or one-year commitment. Enrollment provides more than enough content to keep kids engaged throughout the year:

  • Access to exclusive content and first looks at books and select Radio Theatre dramas.
  • On-the-go access to the OAC app for both iOS and Android users.
  • 24/7 streaming access to nearly 800 AIO episodes.
  • A new, members-only AIO episode every month.
  • A subscription to Adventures in Odyssey Clubhouse Magazine, and more.

To learn more about the Odyssey Adventure Club, visit www.oaclub.org, Facebook, Twitter. and Pinterest.

Pitchin’ a Fit: A Book Review!

Grace-Filled Writer

EVERY parenting book I’ve ever read has a child-centered perspective. I have a large library of parenting books from all sorts of Christian author’s, all of which I have gleaned from. I’m always interested in books which will help me parent my kids in a godly way. All of these books focused on how to get a better outcome from your child through Scripture and both traditional and creative discipline methods.

And then came along this book…

Pitchin' A Fit! 
When I picked up Pitchin’ a Fit by Israel and Brooke Wayne I wasn’t expecting what faced me when I opened the pages. I’m already familiar with the Waynes and their ministry to families through Family Renewal so I was just excited to read a book from them. I have read other books by Israel Wayne, but never any of their parenting books. 
This is the best of all the books I’ve ever read about parenting. 
Rather than being child-focused as so many parenting books are, this one is parenting focused, not to mention convicting! Rather than causing my to focus on my child’s heart, I was forced to look at my heart. Wow…that isn’t always easy. It is so much easier to look to my child and pile the blame for reactions and behavior on them.
Don’t get me wrong, this book in no way diminishes the need for obedience from children or downplay their own little sinful hearts. Instead it has helped me see how my my reactions and actions taken when in the throws of battles with my kids deeply impacts them. Do they deserve consequences and discipline? Of course! Do they deserve an emotional reaction that is over the top and unreasonable? Certainly not! 
The Waynes are very honest throughout the pages. I really like their alternating perspectives which tell so much about where they came from and not only why they desire to parent differently than our culture says, but why they want to help other families find a healthier and happier journey together. Their raw honesty is refreshing and it was much easier to search my own heart because they do not set themselves upon a pedestal of perfection as many parenting authors do unintentionally. 

I cannot recommend this book enough and it is going to be the first I tell people about now when they ask for books on parenting. After reading this I’m really interested in getting their other parenting book, Full-Time Parenting.

Disclaimer: I received Pitchin’ a Fit from Cross focused Reviews in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. These opinions are my own. 

Easter Devotions and Activities for Your Whole Family

Grace-Filled Writer
Anytime is a great time for Adventures in Odyssey! 
Easter-Download 

We’re down to the final two weeks before we celebrate Easter and Jesus’ resurrection. Do your children understand and grasp the full meaning of why we celebrate the holiday? Adventures in Odyssey and Odyssey Adventure Club want to provide your family with a week of meaningful, fun Easter activities to help make the holiday come alive this year. Simply head to this page and sign up to download your free PDF full of family devotions, egg wraps, recipes, crafts, and cards. Oh, and as a bonus, here’s a free activity sheet from Focus on the Family!

90-Devotions-for-Kids-Quote-3 

If you’re looking to dig into the Easter holiday more and want to build your kids’ faith, consider signing your family up for the Odyssey Adventure Club (OAC). It offers safe and free content for everyone in your family. Membership to the OAC costs just $9.99 a month — or even less if parents make a six-month or one-year commitment. Enrollment provides more than enough content to keep kids engaged throughout the year:

  • Access to exclusive content and first looks at books and select Radio Theatre dramas.
  • On-the-go access to the OAC app for both iOS and Android users.
  • 24/7 streaming access to nearly 800 AIO episodes.
  • A new, members-only AIO episode every month.
  • A subscription to Adventures in Odyssey Clubhouse Magazine, and more.

To learn more about the Odyssey Adventure Club, visit www.oaclub.org, Facebook, Twitter. and Pinterest.

Prepare for Easter with Adventures in Odyssey!

Grace-Filled Writer
We love helping our kids see how exciting Scripture is! Adventures in Odyssey is a great way to do that!

 Witness-the-Greatest-Story-Ever-Told

Easter is right around the corner! It’s an exciting time of year for families, churches, and Christians everywhere as we remember the greatest story ever told: how God loved us so much He sacrificed His Son so we could spend eternity with Him. Take advantage of the Easter season to spend more time with your family investing in your kids’ faith.

To get you started, you can download a fun cutout to have a craft night with your family and to prepare them for Palm Sunday. Plus stop by this page for a slew of crafts, recipes, and stories to share with your family during this special time of year!

90-Devotions-for-Kids-Quote-1

If you’re looking to take one more step in investing in your kids’ faith during the Easter season, consider signing your family up for the Odyssey Adventure Club (OAC). It offers safe and free content for everyone in your family. Membership to the OAC costs just $9.99 a month — or even less if parents make a six-month or one-year commitment. Enrollment provides more than enough content to keep kids engaged throughout the year:

  • Access to exclusive content and first looks at books and select Radio Theatre dramas.
  • On-the-go access to the OAC app for both iOS and Android users.
  • 24/7 streaming access to nearly 800 AIO episodes.
  • A new, members-only AIO episode every month.
  • A subscription to Adventures in Odyssey Clubhouse Magazine, and more.

To learn more about the Odyssey Adventure Club, visit www.oaclub.org, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

Christian Reading Companion for 50 Classics: A Moms of Master Books Review

Grace-Filled Writer

I love literature. I loved it so much it is what I studied as my main discipline in my education courses in college. I’m so very blessed to be homeschooling and at the same time utilizing my degree in Middle School English. Every Monday I teach 10, 12 to 14-year-olds at a learning center for homeschoolers. I’m always on the lookout for new resources I can use with these students as well for my own girls at home.

Sometimes I come upon a resource I expect to use strictly for my children, but end up enjoying for myself. This is one of those gems! In Christian Reading Companion for 50 Classics by James P. Stobaugh (from Master Books, an imprint of New Leaf Publishing) a variety works of classic literature are highlighted in a very easy to use format. Each novel has a brief introduction including some historical context and author information. Following this is a brief objective test and a few suggested vocabulary words along with their corresponding chapter for location. 
My favorite part of each chapter is the discussion questions. The thoughtful questions steer students to think for themselves. They also guide them to consider more than just comprehension and delve deeper into the finer nuances and context within the pages, encouraging students to consider the work in light of God’s Word. I love this part for myself personally as I have been reading through many great works of literature I never got around to reading. 
Another good use of this book would be for a book club. While many of the books are more appropriate for high school because of content some works for younger students are represented as well. This would also be excellent for an adult book club if you are looking to read classic works together. 
One of the nice things about the works represented here is that they are readily available at your local library or free as e-books. This is a great way to save money and study classic literature at the same time while still having quality, thought provoking study guides.

So right now I’m using this book for my own personal pursuit of knowledge. I do plan to incorporate some of the study guides for books such as Uncle Remus and Brer Rabbit and also as my daughter begin to read these great works of literature throughout their schooling but for now it is just for me and I am loving it!

Disclaimer: I was provided this book to review as part of the Moms of Master Books review program. I was not required to write a positive review. My opinions are my own. 

Forty Names of Jesus: A Lenten Devotional for Families: A Review and Giveaway!

Grace-Filled Writer
As a family we are always looking for ways to point our girls back to Christ. Our faith is so much more than just a Sunday morning thing and we want to convey that to our daughters. Sometimes that means we fly by the seat of our pants as the moments just happen. Those unplanned moments are amazing gifts from God that allow us to impart His truth to them. 
The problem is that if we leave all opportunities just come up and never really plan anything ahead of time, I don’t personally feel that we are completely fulfilling our mandate as Christian parents to train and teach our kids to know and remember the faithfulness of God. This year we will be participating in Lent. I am thinking of it as Advent for the Resurrection, a countdown to lead into the most important moment of remembrance all year long as a wonderful opportunity to focus us all on the Savior as we approach Resurrection Sunday. 
This delightful devotional was written by a homeschooling friend of mine. While we’ve never met in person we used to live in the same state for a while and chatted extensively about homeschooling as we both use Heart of Dakota for our curriculum. I’ve enjoyed getting to know her over the last several years. After a series of brief careers in electrical engineering, nuclear power, and teaching mathematics Jennifer was led to move into a new full-time calling…raising her three precious children in the fear and knowledge of the Lord. She has been formally homeschooling now for 5 years and she loves what she does!
I was super excited when she asked if I would like to review her new devotional. I jumped at the opportunity and can’t wait to begin this for Lent with my daughters. Each of the devotions are brief, but theologically deep. She communicates in a kid-friendly way that also penetrated my own heart as I was reminded of the wonderful names of Jesus.
What I love most is that each devotion begins with a Scripture to look up together. Then there are several additional passages to look up if you desire. This is perfect for families to decide exactly how long their devotional time should be. Those with younger kids can keep it nice and short while those with more mature children can have further time to reflect together. 
The devotional content is biblically grounded and theologically sound, yet at the same time written in a gentle and engaging way that will bring forth great conversations with your kids. We already have devotional times with our daughters. I am anticipating a lot of really good conversations after our studies. 
Although this was originally written as a devotional for Lent, it can be used anytime of the year as it is not necessarily specific to this season. That is really great because anytime is a great time to study the names of Christ! 
And now for a giveaway! 
I’m so excited to have the opportunity to giveaway a copy of this wonderful devotional to one of my readers! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Devos for the Rest of Us: A Tyndale Blogger Review

Grace-Filled Writer

Devo for the Rest of Us is a new Devotional written by a pastor from Las Vegas. It is very down to earth and light to read. I appreciated the personal stories as they often brought biblical ideas into the perspective of present day.

I’m always interested in reading new devotionals. I also admit that I’m very cautious when reading them. I think authors have a great responsibility when it comes to guiding others in what God is saying to us through Scripture. I was unfortunately very disappointed with this particular book. for several reasons.

The first is the seemingly light treatment of sin. While I appreciate those who are willing to admit they are not perfect, I do not think very highly of individuals who relish or even seem to take pride in actions which are dishonoring to God. There were a handful of incidents of this used as examples in this devotional. The seriousness of sin should never be diminished and anyone who does so makes me very nervous about the rest of their perspective on Scripture.

I see the trend in many of the popular speakers and books becoming a flaunting of sin and a lack of reverence. I see many of the most sought after teachers parading their trespasses as badges of honor and it breaks my heart. While we should never resort to an attitude that becomes holier-than-thou, holiness is our aim. Scripture teaches us this, and any action which draws us away from the holiness of God should be mourned, not applauded.

Another reason I was disappointed in this devotional was the abrupt writing style. Now this is just a personal preference, but I like to read devotionals which encourage me to think and with thoughtful writing. The simplistic style of this devotional did not really appeal to me.

The latter complaint is really just my preference in devotionals. My first issue, however, is serious enough I cannot recommend this book to anyone.

Disclaimer: I received a e-book copy of Devos for he Rest of Us from Tyndale Publishers as part of  the Tyndale Blog Network in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review and did not receive any other compensation.

Biff and Becka’s Stupendous Vacation: A BookLook Blogger Review

Grace-Filled Writer

My girls really like reading books on their tablets when they have the chance. This time it was a sweet little chapter book and they found it very nice.

This is a sweetly written story which can help kids and parents learn about dealing with disappointment. I did like the premise and personally thought it was nicely written. However, my daughters were not all that interested. They are avid readers, but this particular story did not really grab their attention. 
I really like that it centered around a Christian family and echoed our own faith. I appreciated the values which were woven throughout and really did feel like it was a sweet story. 
I can’t say why my kids didn’t particularly care for the book. It may just be the genre of fiction written as a fable. They tend to gravitate more towards stories with actual children as the main characters rather than animals. 
I do recommend this chapter book, especially if you have a reader who really loves animal stories!

Disclaimer: I received Biff and Becka’s Stupendous Vacation as part of the BookLook Bloggers review team. I was not required to write a positive review. I was not compensated in any other way.   

Money Making Mom: A Book Look Blogger Review

Grace-Filled Writer

I’ve been a fan of Crystal Paine ever since I found her blog, Money Saving Mom, right after we moved to North Carolina in 2008. We’ve always lived frugally and I was very excited to have a new resource. I frequently browse her blog for deals, tips, and stories. Of all the frugal living blogs out there this one has remained my favorite because of her willingness to share her faith and desire to give generously. Needless to say I was super excited to have a chance to review her new book, Money Making Mom: How Every Woman Can Earn More and Make a Difference.

Most stay-at-home moms are striving for frugality while also bringing in extra income. Choosing to be home rather than bring a second income is not always an easy road. I am so blessed to have opportunities to work part-time from home and on a schedule that allows my husband to be there for my girls. This book was a great way for me to assess how I’m doing with my side jobs to bring in money and give me some potentially new ideas. 
I like how the book is organized. It is clear and flows in a natural way. The chapters are concise and easy to read. I also love that the practical advice is given through real, personal testimonies from both Crystal Paine and many other women around the country. 
The other thing I love about this book is that her purpose in writing this book is to encourage us to be generous with the blessings God gives us. This is something we try to practice as a family. While it is definitely counter cultural, we live with the perspective that all we have is a gift from God, not ours to hold tightly, but ours to express His love to others tangibly. It was quite refreshing to read something that reflected our own ideals. 
If you are a mom looking to both stretch your dollars and find ways to give generously to the ministries and groups that matter to you, this is a great read and will inspire you in many ways!
Disclaimer: I received Money Making Mom as part of the BookLook Bloggers review team. I was not required to write a positive review. I was not compensated in any other way.