Introducing Heather Williams...

I have the great privilege of introducing Heather Williams! Her music is absolutely wonderful. This Time Around is her first full album release. You have probably heard her top 10 song "Hallelujah" and the rest of the songs are just as great. Her songs are full of meaning and heart. You can feel the anguish and joy in the music and lyrics of each song. I hope you will watch the YouTube video and hear more of Heather's story. It makes her music even more real.

One of my favorite songs is "Hallelujah." Heather's story of her "Hallelujah" moment reminds me that in my deepest despair God is with me. The lyrics say:

But don't give up on me now
I'm so close to You now
I'm in need of Your grace today
Wipe the dirt off my face
Hold me in Your embrace
Your love always saves the day

During the past few years, as I have been searching hard for what the Lord has for me to do and seeking to serve Him with my whole heart and life I have fallen many times. I seem to constantly get it wrong or backwards. There is self doubt and dark times of uncertainty but I know the He is near and with each attempt I am getting closer to the prize. And His "love always saves the day!" I love to belt out this song in the car {alone!} and know that with each Hallelujah my will and His will are getting closer and closer to being the same.

The folks are Media Collective have provided me with a copy of Heather's new album This Time Around to give away. I know you will love it as much as I do!

To enter leave a comment below with your name and email address by 11:59pm CST, Wednesday, October19. I would love to hear a Hallelujah story of yours too!

THEO Giveaway!

What better way to start a new week than to giveaway a great prize?! Whitestone Media has allowed me the opportunity to give away a copy of their new release "Introducing Theo."  To enter leave a comment below before tomorrow night, October 11, 2011 at 11:59 pm CST. I will randomly choose one commenter to receive this awesome prize. Keep watch for more opportunities to win!

"Theo" is a great way to teach children the basics of the Christian faith. The series revolves around Theo, an Englishman, who tells bible stories to lay a firm foundation for the fundamentals of our beliefs. It is well illustrated and fun too. There are two little mice who get into mischief and end up very practically showing children how the lesson that Theo is teaching looks in real life. I loved the way God's Word is presented in this format. The segments are very short for very short attention spans also. There is also an iphone app. How cool is that?!

Don't forget to comment and leave your email address so I can contact you if you win!

God's Love Letters to You

God's Love Letters to You, by Dr. Larry Crabb, is designed to be a 40 day devotional. It has a verse for each day from 40 of the 66 books of the bible, a writing by Dr. Crabb that summarizes the book of the bible chosen for that day, a few questions to help you think through the material and a summary prayer for God's help in recognizing Him in our everyday life. The daily passages are short and can be read in a few minutes each day. This a condensed version of the book 66 Love Letters: A Conversation with God That Invites You into His Story, also by Dr. Crabb.

This book would be best understood by someone who is already fluent in the themes of each book of the Bible or as an accompaniment to reading through the Bible. To understand the passages written by Dr. Crabb one must possess a knowledge of the book it is referring to. It would be hard to pick up this book as someone with little or no Biblical background. Even with years of teaching, I found some of it confusing. It does provide the reader with a challenge to see the overall theme of each book individually. I did not really enjoy reading this book.


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

The New Giveaway!!

OK, here are the details of the giveaway I mentioned in my previous entry. I have two tickets for.........(insert drum roll here)...... the WOMEN OF FAITH CONFERENCE!!! It is in Atlanta, GA next weekend, August 12-13, 2011.




The line-up includes:

Luci Swindoll     Angie Smith

Mary Mary         Natalie Grant

Sheila Walsh      Nicole Johnson

Lisa Harper        Steve  Arterburn

Laura Story

 I was given the opportunity to go to blog about the experience, but due to a schedule conflict I am unable to go. The kind people at Women of Faith said that I could do a giveaway on my blog for the tickets so here it is!

The requirements for entering are as follows:
1) You MUST be able to attend the conference and provide your own lodging and food.
2) You must comment below with your name and email address.(Please put your email address in your comment because I can't see it otherwise!)
3) I would also love if you would write a short review when you return so that we will all get a little taste of how great it was.

UPDATE: Entries must be in by 9:00 PM(CST), Saturday, August 6, 2011.

All that is left to do now is comment and tell your friends to enter too! -Now don't be selfish! :0)

Help Wanted: Moms Raising Daughters

I have finally finished another book! It is so much harder to find the time to read while the kids are home for the summer! We have had a great time these past few months playing in the pool and just hanging out. I can't believe it is almost time for school to start back. Like my Ems says, "I'm not ready!" It is also time for another blog giveaway, so stay tuned, over the next couple of days I'll be telling you how to enter. You won't want to miss this one! On to the book review....

Help Wanted: Moms Raising Daughters is a manual of sorts for the mother who finds herself at a loss raising daughters. It is full of helpful advice and instructions to navigate many areas of rearing those precious girls God has blessed you with. As the mother of a girl and a boy, I found that many of the lessons are applicable to both daughters and sons. This wasn't a "quick read" by any means. The author, Darlene Brock, has packed a boat load of information in the 215 pages of this book. 

Each chapter covers a topic that you are sure to face as a mother. She sets them up as job descriptions and describes in detail the qualities a mom must posses as she tries to fill each role. The topics include:

• Coach
• Creative Counselor
• Time Manager
• Media Director
• Academic Advocate
• Professor of Gender Studies
• Relationship Counselor
• Sex Ed Teacher
• Financial Consultant
• Bodyguard
• Communications Specialist
• In-Home Demonstrator
• Military Strategist

Mrs. Brock doesn't take a light view of the role of mother and encourages you to take it seriously too. I think this quote is a good summary:

So, as mothers, why should we work so hard in this unrelenting battle? Why should we look for the enemies and create a strategy? Because the result is ultimately important. You are helping to shape a human life-your daughter's. It is not the book we write, the car we help manufacture,the store we run,the letter we type,nor the house we clean that will truly affect the generations that follow.It is the daughters we bring into this world and help to mold. They are our treasures, and they will be this world's treasure as well. Your parenting has a profound effect on your daughter's life.

I highly recommend this book as a help for raising daughters (and sons as well.) I will be holding on to my copy as a source of encouragement to fight the good fight for my daughter and as a reminder of what that fight entails.

 

Voices of the Faithful - Book 2

 

Voices of the Faithful - Book 2 is a compilation of devotions written by missionaries stationed around the world. The devotions are very inspiring and give a insightful peek into the lives of those valiantly spending their lives to spread the gospel in foreign lands. It gives a new focus to your prayers for those missionaries. As you read each day's entry, you receive a dose of scripture, a story from one serving in Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas, and a prayer written from the heart. The goal of the book as stated by Beth Moore in the introduction is to make you "motivated to pray."  There is a section in the back of the book to help you further your support of missions individually and as a church.

I found the stories inspiring and convicting at the same time. It is great to be able to see into the lives and hearts of those giving their all for the Kingdom. I am inspired to pray more faithfully for them and their work of faith. I hope you enjoy this book as I have!
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

What If We Were Real

Those of you who know me well know that I am not very athletic. I exercise in fits and spurts. I am having one of those fits now. My goal is to run a 5k by October. Did I just really type that?!? I am really committed now! I have a much better chance of reaching this goal than ones I have made in the past. I have a secret weapon, Hope in the Lord. I am literally claiming the promise of

Isaiah 40:31- 

but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.

My encourager in all this has come from an unlikely place, my ipod. I was given a review copy of Mandisa's new CD What If We Were Real. I really liked the sound and put it on my ipod. I decided the upbeat tempo would be great to run- OK walk/run- to. Little did I know what inspiration the lyrics would provide. Here's a sample of the most inspiring lines:

"Good Morning"- Good Morning, You give me strength, You give me just what I need, I can feel the hope that's rising in me!

"Stronger"- The pain ain't gonna last forever, Things can only get better. He knows that this is gonna make you stronger, stronger.

Every song on the album has lines that make me want to run or at least not give up. Mandisa herself has lost 100 lbs recently. I am sure that she has poured out the motivation for her victory into this project. I am thankful to benefit from it!

So I ask that you all hold me accountable to my goal.