For Mom – Page 2

The Captain’s Daughter: A Net Galley Review

July 30, 2019 Grace-Filled Writer

New books and new authors are like a treasure to me! I always have authors I love, but finding a new one to admire and enjoy is always a treat! The Captain’s Daughter, by Jennifer Delamere, is definitely one of those treats!

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I’m always a fan of historical fiction and especially of the time period of this novel, the Victorian Era. I was also intrigued by the premise of following one of the residents from George Muller’s orphanage. This was a new spin on this particular setting and I couldn’t wait to settle into the title!

I loved that this particular series would follow a set of three sisters who depart from the orphanage. Being a mother of three girls myself I found it fun to see their various personalities. This first title focuses on the oldest of the three sisters, Rosalyn.

I found the characters in this story to be intriguing and compelling. I appreciated the personal journey Rosalyn moves through and how she grows as a person. This historical atmosphere and background including George Muller was a wonderful bonus!

The hero of the novel, Nate, is another enjoyable character. The author effortlessly flows between the two character’s perspectives in a lovely example of 3rd person limited as is used in modern literature. He is a young officer who has earned the respect of his commanders. I appreciate the he was never presented as perfect, but definitely as honorable.

If you enjoy historical fiction and a good, clean romantic historical story, this is a good one for you!

Disclaimer: I was given this title through Net Galley in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

Healing Every Day: A Review of Mary DeMuth’s New Book

May 15, 2019 Grace-Filled Writer

It was April. I was 24-year-old newlywed (married just under 2 years) when we joyfully celebrated expecting our first little baby. Just two short months later we mourned the loss of this little one. Not only that, it was determined I had carried this baby for over a month after the miscarriage occurred without realizing it because my body did not react as expected. This was the first really devastating blow in my life. Other pain had happened, but nothing as deep as this. Since then I’ve experienced other pain and heartache and I’ve grown closer to the Lord in the process. I’ve read some books on pain and seeking the Lord, but many were difficult to digest and hard to get through for me. If you are looking for a bite-sized guide to healing through emotional pain, Mary DeMuth’s new title, Healing Every Day, is worth a read. I highly recommend everything about it.

It is worth noting that Mary speaks from experience. While many may have wise words on healing, she speak as one who has walked a broken path and yearns to share what the Lord has and still is teaching her through the process. You can read more about her story here. The pain I walked with was from a very different source, but the Source of my healing is the same as hers, Jesus Christ. Every page of this 90-day-devotional points the reader back to Jesus and reminds us of His healing and redemptive power. That is the first thing I look for when I read a book by a Christian author and Mary does not disappoint.

I appreciate her expository teaching from both the Old and New Testaments. Not once have I read verses taken out of context or meaning changed to fit the narrative. Rather, Mary seeks Scripture and teaches her readers truth directly from its pages. The devotionals are sequenced in order through the Scripture so you see the Lord as Healer throughout.

Fear is an unavoidable side effect of the painful experiences of our lives. Sometimes fear overwhelmed me, especially the next 3 times I was expecting. Each of those pregnancies went to full term, and I have 3 beautiful daughters ages 13, 11, and 9. I falsely assumed that with each pregnancy the fear of miscarriage would lessen. Instead it became worse. I think is because while I accepted God’s sovereignty, I didn’t realize I still had deep emotional wounds I had not worked through yet. A daily journey with the Lord such as this one would have been an incredible help for me and even now as I read through it I am experiencing emotional healing from more recent difficulties.

Whether you have experienced loss, abuse, a chronic diagnosis, abandonment, or so much more the words in these pages will help you find healing. You will not learn how to push through the pain. You will not learn to be strong. You will not find a to-do checklist that promises a magical way forward. No, you will rather find something so much better: Healing through intimacy with the Lord Jesus Christ.

Disclaimer: I received a digital copy of Healing Every Day as a part of the launch team for this title. All opinions are my own. I was not required to write a positive review.

Me and My Great Ideas: Portable Watercolor Palette

November 7, 2018 Grace-Filled Writer

My poor husband indulges me endlessly with my crazy ideas! He supports me like crazy, but I have a feeling he feels like this more often than not…

So my latest idea comes from my desire to pursue my long forgotten love of drawing. I want to learn more about watercolor, especially with regards to painting nature. So I got it in my head a few weeks ago how great a little portable palette set would be. So off I went searching and scouring. Trying to find cheap, but questioning if they were any good. Then I stumbled upon “do it yourself” palettes. I found one I liked and off I went!

Here is the original post where I was inspired.

I’m incredibly pleased with how this turned out!

I’m well known for saving any little container I can. You never know when it will come in useful to store something! This is one I’ve had for ages, maybe since high school? I honestly have no remembrance of its origins. It has something to do with Coke because that’s what is on the inside, but otherwise I’m clueless! I’ve seen a variety of little boxes used, but I was looking for something compact, but not too compact, metal, and close-able. I don’t care it’s a bit banged up and dented.

So based on the idea from the blog post I found on pinterest I used hotglue to create a divided palette. I lined the bottom with tin foil because I wasn’t sure how well the glue would stick to the container. I made 3 layers total of my grid and had this sweet little palette when I finished.

I then filled in each compartment with liquid watercolor. You can see some of my colors are a little old, but I don’t care. I’m not trying to sell my art or anything. This is just for my own personal joy.

I read a fantastic article a few weeks ago about how people are getting away from artistic endeavors which simply bring joy because they are so concerned about perfection and mastery. I am choosing to enjoy art and painting without desiring to become a master!

Next I mushed the paint into the corners so it would fill the spots. I started with a brush to do this, but ended up using tooth picks.

Next I made little labels identifying the colors of my palette so I know what they look like and their names.

I painted the lid white, stuck on my labels, and glued in some bottle caps to make color mixing areas. It’s now sitting up on a shelf drying out because the idea is to have dry pigment rather than wet. I think it’s just adorable and I can’t wait to give it a try! It will be a few days while it dries, but I’ll post some art I create using this fun little tool!

Have you created something recently?

Balancing Diapers and Deadlines from Lisa Tanner Writing: A TOS Crew Review

October 31, 2018 Grace-Filled Writer

When we moved to North Carolina I remember praying the Lord would provide just 5 piano students for me to teach from my home. Initially I was discouraged because I didn’t even have one student! Then I discovered I was pregnant with Grace. After she was born the Lord provided 1 student. That was nine years ago. Last year I was teaching 36 students! Woah! The growth that happened meant I had to quickly figure out how to manage it all with littles all around me! We weren’t homeschooling until a few years into my piano teaching business, but when we did that added a completely different dimension. I floundered around as my time became more and more limited. Oh how I wish I had Balancing Diapers and Deadlines from Lisa Tanner Writing during those early years of my at-home business!
Sitting down with this course was like sitting down with a cup of coffee and chatting with a good friend. The author’s writing style is easy going and easy to read! You will feel encouraged and challenged throughout every section. I appreciated that they were “bite-sized” and I could work at my own pace. If you have ever tried to get anything accomplished with your kids running around, you know why this is important! Thankfully by the end of this course the author will have guided you so that you can accomplish lots with all of your littles underfoot. For the most part, I have already implemented many of Lisa Tanner’s ideas into our home, but it took me years to figure out these needed changes. As I said before, I really wish I’d had this course years ago! Some of best advice concerns how to handle chores.

I knew I could relate to the author when she admitted her hatred of laundry! I felt like I could have written what she did about how she used to handle the laundry, and honestly how I often do handle the laundry much to my family’s frustration! I have the beginning of a plan implemented, but the post-drying plan is non-existent so it piles up clean. I appreciated reading her real-life example of her laundry plan and although her particular way of structuring this frustrating chores works for her family, I don’t think that it will for ours. The great thing is that it doesn’t have to! The author has inspired me to think outside of the box and find something that will work so that I have one less stress in my life.

Another section that has me thinking differently is meal planning. I already typically plan meals, but it does take quite a bit of time and I often think there must be a better way! The author suggests a FULL YEAR of meal planning! WOWZA! That is quite an undertaking. She even provides meal plans for you for five full years which is completely amazing! We definitely could use a different system although, again, I’m not certain a full year will work. I plan to start with a month at a time to see how that works. The one issue we are facing that makes this harder is we have had to make some diet changes for 2 of us in the last 6 months. Buying in bulk is difficult because of our small pantry. However, a monthly plan may work out for us. I can’t wait to give this a try!

I absolutely loved Making Your Minutes Count and have found this the easiest and best implementation for me. When you homeschool and work every minute counts! Not only that, I have two part-time jobs as well as a slew of church responsibilities since my husband is the pastor. I’m also pursuing free-lance writing more fervently. This means that my “spare minutes” are precious few. Having a game-plan in place ahead of time is just what I needed to make this more reasonable.

Over the summer I acquired a desk just for me in our schoolroom! I love having this space just for me to sit and work. After getting it organized the next step was to get a plan in place. I have a sweet little notebook I use to organize my various roles, jobs, and responsibilities. On separate pages I use a different color ink for a to-do list. I also include due dates so I have an idea of what needs to be done first. This has worked really well for me to organize the craziness of my life and include some down-time for me as well!

Productivity is one of the harder areas for me. I’m learning to fight against my natural bent towards procrastination and be as productive as possible. What is beautiful about this course is no matter where you are in your life, how many kids you have, or your personality, you will glean wonderful helps and insights. If you are a work-from-home mama, or hope to be one day, grab this course and start your journey to productivity!

Building my Confidence: My Year-Long Journey to Understanding and Appreciating Mathematics!

August 9, 2018 Grace-Filled Writer

I’m starting here with Exploring The World of Mathematics from Master Books. As I read a chapter I’m then reading through the corresponding mathematical concepts in this book:

Next I’m reviewing concepts through practice using the Green & Gold series from Math Mammoth and some concepts from the Real-Life Math series.

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The final aspect of my plan is to read through a series of books by Dankia McKellar. They were written for middle schoolers and I’ll be honest I’m not a fan of all the titles or the constant references to boys, dating, being “sexy” and pop culture. STILL, her writing style is easy for me to follow and they have been very helpful for review! I’m not intending to have my daughters read them simply because they present a worldview contrary to what we want for them. I wish there was something like this that didn’t include the need to do this. So I am NOT recommending them for your daughters, but I AM recommending them for YOU if you need a more down-to-earth way to review mathematical concepts. Our local library had all 4 available.

Do you have any resources you want to recommend to me? I’d love to hear about them!

The Oprhan’s Wish: A BookLook Blogger Review

July 11, 2018 Grace-Filled Writer

Melanie Dickerson has done it again! I completely adored this adaptation of Aladdin from page one. Dickerson’s fairy tale renderings to justice to our love for the classics while removing the mystical instead replacing it with characters who develop and grow in their faith. Aladdin, a young orphan, is rescued from a life of forced crime in the Holy Land and raised by a kind man of God who offers him a new opportunity. Once in Germany, Aladdin finds new purpose in life and discovers his many talents. As this favored young boy grows, so does his friendship with Lady Kirstyn. Intrigue, peril, and mystery flow throughout this tale and will leave you captivated from start to finish!

I love that Aladdin was the central figure for this tale. Lady Kirstyn is definitely important, but the shift to telling his story at the start is perfect for our times. We sadly live in a world where human trafficking is a common practice and children around the world are stuck in situations not of their choosing. This novel, although taking place in the 1400s, reminded me of the need to pray and support those who are rescuing these children.

One of the things I adore about this author’s writings is I never feel as if she is trying to teach me a biblical message, yet I’m always left with that. She is a masterful storyteller and if you have not yet read her other fairy tale adaptations you need to do so! They are excellent summer reading. Make sure you have plenty of blocked time to read. You won’t want to put it down!

Disclaimer: I received a FREE copy of this product through BookLook Bloggers in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC Regulations.

Teach Them Diligently by Leslie Nunnery: A NLPG Review Crew Review

March 10, 2018 Grace-Filled Writer

I’m not sure if every generation feels this way, but raising kids seems harder than ever. Parents are constantly undermined at every turn. The values we instill at home and in church are mocked outside those walls. The availability of depravity is at an all-time high with an ease of accessibility which boggles, and terrifies, the mind. So what do we do?

We pray, arm ourselves with the truth, and teach our children diligently.

The newest title from New Leaf Publishing Group, Teach Them Diligently: Raising Children of Promise by Leslie Nunnery, is an excellent resource for any parent of this age. This timely book will encourage you to grow closer to the Lord as you continue to move forward on your parenting journey. It is not a how-to book in a formulaic way so as to produce perfect parents. Rather you will find within these pages practical ways to intentionally disciple the precious little humans entrusted to your care for such a time as this.

You will be encouraged by what God’s Word has to say about parenting and how to keep this perspective in a society which constantly diminishes the role and authority of parents. Nunnery reminds us that parenthood is a calling. Wow…that is something I need to hear on the hard days that feel as if they will never end. We were never promised an easy road in life or parenting, but we do have the Holy Spirit to guide and direct our paths. The most important part about this book is how Nunnery urges the reader to search their heart before the Lord and make sure they are parenting in the right spirit, recognizing this as perhaps the most important part of the parenting mandate in Scripture.

Just as important as teaching our children is listening to our children, hearing what the Lord is doing in their little hearts and helping them along their own life journey. I love that this particular part of parenting is addressed as one of the most important parts of parenting throughout the chapters. Also sharing with our children our own stories and testimonies of faith. We must be faithful in giving God the glory for His goodness and generosity to us in front of our children. The author tells a story her parents shared with her when she was growing up that greatly impacted her about God’s provision in what seemed to be a very small matter and how this story impacted her own faith. We strive to do the same and it is good to be reminded why it matters!

This is one of the deepest, most beneficial books on parenting I have come across because it has nothing to do with behavior or rules, although both are aspects of parenting. This book is all about my heart before the Lord, making certain my ways are straight so I can effectively disciple my children. I know many, many parents of my generation who were raised attending church, but have drifted away from belief in God. While every child must choose for themselves whether or not to follow the Lord, I cannot help but wonder how many parents never dealt with their own hearts first or never intentionally discipled in the home.

My prayer is that I may never be as stumbling block to the faith of my children. This beautiful book will help that be your prayer as well.

Disclaimer: I received this title as a part of the New Book Review Crew at NLPG in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. I was not required to write a positive review.

Science for Every Teacher from Novare Science & Math: A TOS Crew Review

June 26, 2017 Grace-Filled Writer

As much as I love homeschooling and teaching my girls, I’ll readily admit one thing: Science and Math are not my area of expertise. I did well enough in school in these subjects. Honestly, I did very well in all of my schooling, but for science and math, especially as I moved to higher and higher levels in these areas, I had to work harder and harder to earn those grades. Let’s not even get started on whether or not I retained any of it! There are some wonderful resources out there for curriculum, but I haven’t seen anything written for the teacher to learn. I was highly intrigued by the opportunity to review Science for Every Teacher from Novare Science & Math. A book written for me as my daughter’s teacher is something I rarely have the opportunity to enjoy.

The scientific area covered is Physics, probably my least favorite of all the sciences I studied in high school. Even so, I read this with an open mind and an eagerness to re-learn (or maybe even learn for the first time) some of the fundamental laws of physics which govern our world. I was very interested as I read through the various chapter titles and saw how the various subject matters were things we deal with in everyday life. Sound and light waves, heat and temperature, Momentum, Pressure and Buoyancy…these are just a few of the areas covered. Each chapter has a very clear explanation of the laws as well as the mathematical equations needed to determine how to apply them to real-life problems.

The structure of the chapters are visually helpful as well. I really like That before beginning each chapter there are clear goals presented. Much like the objectives we write for a lesson plan, this gives a clear guide of where the reader will be led. I also like that different sections are color-coded for easy referencing at a later time. One of the most valuable parts of each chapter is the applications for use in the classroom. There are several ideas for each topic and all are doable whether you are in a homeschool or traditional schooling setting.

I found the information to be presented in a way which was completely relatable even for someone like me who has forgotten most of what I learned in high school. What was really neat for me was to see how what feels to be lofty ideas are actually concrete facts I use on a weekly and sometimes daily basis for cooking, driving, and more. I don’t remember my physics class bringing the reality of what I was learning into perspective in quite this way. I also liked how the history of our understanding of the laws of physics progressed through the ages.

In addition to this title written to teachers there are many courses offered from Novare Science & Math including these titles:
Earth Science: God’s World, Our Home
Introductory Physics
General Chemistry You might also be interested to know many well-loved homeschool curriculum companies utilize resources from Novare Science & Math such as Memoria Press or Potter’s School. It always peeks my interest when companies with such high reputations use the resources at which I’m looking. My only concern is the treatment of religious beliefs. Within the first three chapters the ideas of faith and science and how to approach them at the same time are discussed. I felt that all of the information given was factual and accurate, but I was left with the impression that the author believes faith and science should be approached separately This goes against my belief that faith should shape every aspect of my life. I would have been happier to see a more balanced view of faith and science presented. I would recommend this book to anyone preparing to teach the science of physics whether in the homeschooling community or in a more traditional learning setting. Even with my concerns, I found it to be enjoyable to read and beneficial to brushing up in this area of science. Make sure to check out why my Crewmates have to say about this and other titles from Novare Science & Math!

Biblical Based Science {Novare Science & Math Reviews}

A Secret Courage: A NetGalley Review

May 26, 2017 Grace-Filled Writer

One of my favorite periods of history to read about is World War 2. My own grandfather served in the war and I’m sure this is what fuels my interest in this period. A Secret Courage is the first fiction title I’ve read from Tricia Goyer. I was very excited to give this novel a try and I was not at all disappointed!

A Secret Courage is set in war-time England and centers around the covert operations of the war. Wars are fought and lost upon the backs of the dedicated men and women willing to risk their lives to uncover the secrets of the enemy. It is hard, often overlooked work because of the need for secrecy. I loved learning about how covert photos were taken and analyzed in secrecy. It was a fascinating side of the war I was unfamiliar with prior to this book While the history fascinates me, I do not enjoy reading fiction books which end up feeling like a history text. The author skillfully weaves in the historical information with accuracy and grace so that I was engaged through every page.

I also liked the slightly different take on the love-story. As with most historical, romances I had a pretty good idea from the beginning which characters were going to get together, but rather than the usual cat-and-mouse game authors tend to give their readers, these two quickly came together. Now every good love-story needs some challenges to overcome, and they are definitely present, but I won’t tell you about those and spoil the book for you!

I was also surprised by the ending. Again, I do not want to spoil it, but it was anything other than a neatly wrapped-up story. What I can assure you of is you will not be disappointed. It was one of the best historical fiction books of the World War 2 era I have read in a long time.

Disclaimer: I received this title from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. I was not compensated in any other way. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

A Stranger At Fellsworth: A Net Galley Review

February 24, 2017 Grace-Filled Writer

Sarah E. Ladd is one of my favorite authors! I was only introduced to her writing in the last year, but since discovering the grace with which she weaves story I eagerly anticipate her newest release. A Stranger at Fellsworth is her newest release in the Treasures of Surrey series.

In this story Annabelle, a young lady who has lost virtually all prospects due to her father and brother’s inability to protect the family fortune, seeks help from an essentially unknown uncle, her mother’s brother. He willingly helps her escape a dangerous situation and create a new life for herself. While settling into her new way of life she frequently runs into the gameskeeper, Owen, a man who was integral in helping Annabelle escape her old life. It does not take long for Annabelle to realize she is not as safe at Fellsworth as she assumed she would be.

As with the first two titles in this series (The Curiosity Keeper and Dawn at Emberwilde) I could not put this book down! The characters are delightful and believable. I love how the ideas of faith and following God are seamlessly woven into the story. The characters grow and develop naturally as the story unfolds. I appreciate how effortlessly Ladd changes from the perspective of the heroine to the hero. She has a gift for conveying emotion without directly stating it. I hated to see this novel end!

I highly recommend this series as well as all other written by Sarah Ladd. You will be delighted by her ability to craft an intriguing story often filled with mystery and danger. She easily weaves her faith throughout her stories without it sounding forced. I’m so happy to have found her books and I think you will be to!

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.