Beloved: 365 Devotions for Young Women {Review}

My daughter is not yet a teenager but I am always eager to find ways to learn and grow with her because I know that the years pass quickly, and so, when I had the opportunity to review Beloved: 365 Devotions for Young Women, from Zondervan I was not going to pass it up. We have quite a few books from them and we have not once been disappointed. I am a big lover of books; always on the lookout for ones that will encourage and inspire my children at every age, to look to Jesus. One thing that matters so much today, is knowing our identity. We need to know it; have our own experience and relationship with Jesus.

Do we really know whose we are?

I did not grow up in this. Jesus was just another name to me for so very long. And I struggled as a girl, the older I got the harder it was for me. Finding my way, finding my identity. Without Jesus. I cannot imagine today how much more difficult it is. For girls (boys too but for now, this is about us gals). For my daughter, I am grateful that I know what I do and can share with her, so she can be more confident and sure as she grows into the woman God made her to be.

Can I just say what a beautiful hardcover book this eat ways? My daughter is only seven but she fell in love with it immediately when it arrived. Pink is her favorite color and this is nothing but! A dainty, feminine, flowery devotional, page every packed with loveliness and the power of God too. There are definitely so many great ways they could be used. Whe

Every day there is a short devotion to read, along with a verse of Scripture. These are both inspirational and educational. Some of them are very simple ( the Bible is for girls too!) and others can be a bit more in depth (modesty, body appreciation, dangers or distractions to be aware of in life).

Gosh, I wish I had this when I was younger! To know this truth deep within, that is so powerful and peaceful.

The simplicity of each reading; how it clearly ties it to our life today.

I think of how in our kids Bible Quizzing group they are always taught:

“Learn it, Live it., Quiz it.”

We have to do so much more than just learn the Word of God. We must live it!

This is definitely not something my little girl is ready for. Not yet. But one day this will be a great blessing, helping her to understand and see her place in His plan. In a few years this will be something wonderful for us to work through together. Great gain comes from being secure in our identity; confident in who we were. When our girls can embrace who they were designed to be, we can see and experience God in everything. We can be truly free to worship our Creator in our life.

There is a devotion for every day of the year; there is also a space to journal (I do wish there was a bit more space) as we ponder all we have read.

I love how we learn about Esther and Ruth, Abigail and Mary – these women, their stories instruct us in the way we are to go. Sometimes they warn us against things like vanity or pride.

Our daughters can experience their life, the blessings and the trials, they can see what it looks like to cast their cares before Him. And they will see how, again and again, He cares for every one of us. This is such a precious tool for our young women today. In a crazy world where there are so many mixed messages and so many challenges, from what to wear to who you know; it is vitally important for our girls to know they are chosen. They are valued. They are adored.

This is definitely something that every teen girl can appreciate. I know when mine is older this is definitely something we will enjoy each day, together, with some tea and sweet treats. It isn’t easy walking this path; Jesus says that trials and tribulations will come. The storms might rage around us but when we know who we are, and whose we are, we will not be shaken. This is a wonderful resource for every young lady to have; that she may see and experience for herself the examples of her Sisters of long ago. Because Abigail and Ruth, the woman who touched the hem of Jesus’ garment, they are all a part of HIs body, as we are. When we see how we are all connected it is then that we shall be able to walk in faith and in victory. Growing in grace. Strong and bold for Jesus!

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Growing with Jesus as we Read

We love to read. In fact, as we move forward in our home education I am thrilled to find more and more books that are powerful teaching tools. And have wonderful lessons of faith and integrity; characters of great value – Simple truths!  It is especially fun when we receive these as gifts, for a simple review.  So right now, and many of these are related to the season, and our children – this is what we are reading. 🙂

I was thrilled that Fly By Promotions offered to us for review “Easter Stories – Classic Tales for the Holy Season,” compiled by Miriam LeBlanc. I love to find stories to share with my children that show the true meaning of Christ’s death and resurrection. While we choose to focus on Passover in our home, I do appreciate stories that are able to show us the Holy Week and are well written, high quality, engaging stories for all ages. These stories contain a wonderful combination of suspense and drama, capturing the attention of young listeners from beginning to end.

There are so many great stories that I had never read before that capture the true essence of what we ought to be honoring this time of year. These stories capture the meaning of the sacrifice that Jesus made and the transformational power within the born again experience that we all can share. Many of these stories are told to encourage us to consider how we perceive and treat others, to examine ourselves for that heart of Christ as we show the love and hospitality of Christ himself. As a mother and home educator I want nothing more than for my children to grow up with an understanding of what it truly means to live for Christ and to take up their cross as He did for us.  These are wonderful, historical, inspiring stories ~ Some of the tales retell bible stories like “John,” by Elizabeth Goudge, however most of these are parables and fables that share the Gospel message itself.  The pictures are beautiful black and white woodcuts (I love black and white myself) by Lisa Toth at the beginning of each story.

This 374 page softcover book contains 27 stories from authors such as C.S. Lewis, Leo Tolstoy, Oscar Wilde, Anton Chekhov, Ruth Sawyer, and Selma Lagerlof.  All truly wonderful stories to share and grow by!

 

 

HOW DO YOU TEACH YOUR CHILD ABOUT JESUS?

“Jesus Sees Us” Doll and Book!

Our children love the Bible, church, singing and worship ~ It’s all about Jesus, but not being able to see Him, how do we encourage and grow that faith, especially as they get older?

  This doll is a great visual aid, and a reminder to ALL of us that Jesus sees.

My daughter, who is 3, loved the doll right away.  It’s a soft body but a hard head, a friendly, joy filled face, and arms open wide.  And it comes with a lesson book too 🙂

According to the creators:

The Jesus Sees Us accompanying book is designed to be read with your child. The illustrations and easy-to-read lessons, along with the Jesus Sees Us doll, have the power to ignite your child’s love of Jesus. The book will assist them in their comprehension of who Jesus is and all the amazing things He did while He was on the earth. Children are able to understand the key concepts of the lessons and will amazingly begin using them in their everyday lives.  A child’s ability to learn about Jesus comes in stages. Jesus Sees Us assists your child in taking those first steps by breaking down many of the most important lessons that make up the root of our Christian faith. Each illustrated story introduces Jesus in a relatable way, allowing them to better understand how they can carry out regular everyday tasks that make Jesus smile. The Jesus Sees Us book is illustrated in a way that draws children into the pictures, and therefore, into the lessons. Children learn about God’s love when they learn about Jesus’ actions.

We have read and continue to read this one, engaging in conversation (mostly with my older son who is 9 and his brother who is 5)  about how each story relates to our own lives and experiences. This is a great little book to read and growing; as our children get older what a great way for them to see how the Bible is so much more than just a book of stories. No doubt if we are not teaching them how to live this out, there is much that they will miss out on of the Gospel. May we show them what it looks like to live out this powerful faith and how within it too!

Jesus Sees Us is available for purchase:

http://jesusseesus.com/buy-now/

And right now the creators, Maureen & Kelly, are offering a $10 off promo code to our readers ~JSBlog10~

 

 

Holy Days and holidays   ~ It can be confusing for us as adults, so how about for kids? As I said before we partake in the Holy Days rather than the man made holidays but we do feel it is important for our children to understand the history of these days. And I love materials that can help point my children to the Word of God itself that they may grow to be as the Bereans…

 

 

Why Easter? and Why Christmas? are written by Barbara Reaoch, and illustrated by Carol McCarty. Both of these books have short and simple daily readings, about twenty-eight in each book. Each reading directs you to the scripture itself, as well as providing a memory verse, and questions for discussion (I especially like this for my oldest son). There is also a song for each week of “study” within the book, another great benefit, since all three of mine love music!

This is so much more than just Bible stories; rather Why Easter? and Why Christmas? consist of a Bible passage, a Bible lesson, discussion questions, a song, and Bible memorization for each day, in small portions ideal for little people!

I believe parents will find Why Easter? and Why Christmas? to be helpful additions to their library, and our children will definitely enjoy the interactive Bible lessons within these books. Why Easter? and Why Christmas? are very well-written, and full of beautiful, yet simple, illustrations. While these are two holidays that we do not partake in ourselves, it is wonderful and refreshing to be able to have materials that we can use with our children that point them to God’s Word itself in every way.

 

 

We are all called to be missionaries, to preach the Gospel, where we are which is exactly where God has planned for us.

Not sure how? In A Field Guide For Everyday Missions, there are 30 days and 101 ways to demonstrate the Gospel, right there for you.

From the Back Cover

Surprise-If you call yourself a follower of Jesus, He calls you a missionary!

 

You may never go halfway around the world, but because of God’s work in you, you are on mission. As everyday missionaries, God has sent us to live out his Great Commission in the ordinary, all-too-busy, and even mundane moments of our lives.

But what exactly does an everyday missionary do?
Where and when does everyday mission happen?
And how can you possibly share the gospel without killing your relationships?

Your reading begins with six different questions: 1 – Who is my everyday mission field? 2 – What does an everyday missionary do? 3 – When does everyday missions happen? 4 – Where does everyday mission happen? 5 – Why should I even care about everyday mission? and 6- How do I share the gospel without killing a relationship?

This book is compiled of six week segments with daily readings and ideas for applying what you read, to your mission field.  If you need a better understanding of what the mission field is, how to be a missionary yourself, this is quite helpful and will give you a new perspective on how you can reach out and help to build the Kingdom of God.  This is such a down to earth, practical book. ILet’s face it, we could all do more and this can help us to take it to the next level and really “live missionally” and “do evangelism”.  After al if theKing of Kings came, not to be served, but to serve, how much more ought we to seek opportunities to serve?

 

Prayer is powerful. It is so often neglected too. We are all so busy; I have felt that way too often myself. I forget, or I do a great disservice to Jesus in my prayers to Him.  You know those kind…the ones that we quickly mumble before we eat, or before we roll out of bed. They are so empty and meaningless – our relationship with Him does not grow because of those prayers. And they stink. There is no sweet fragrance to them going up. So I was curious to read Prayers for Today by Kurt Bjorklund: A Year Long Journey of Contemplative Prayer. Filled with so many quote-able sayings, and prayers there is much to learn within this little book!  Inspirational and encouraging 🙂

This is much like a devotional too. Each day begins with a scripture, which leads into an historical prayer sometimes by a saint, pastor, or even just one unknown from long ago. From intercession to thanksgiving and surrender, renewal and wisdom ~ these are powerful prayers to meditate upon as you grow in your own prayer life.

 

Can you Discern the voice of God? Let’s face it we live in a day in age where it can be a challenge. Between the busyness of life in general, and all the spirits that are about us, we must be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.  Do you know:

Throughout the Bible we see how He spoke to His people.  To Moses through a burning bush, to Daniel when he endured the lion’s den, to Jonah in the belly of a large fish….the list goes on. Today many wonder where He is today but we are the ones who limit God! Certainly it is most important to ensure that what we hear aligns with the Word itself since God never changes and we know that He cannot lie. His word, it is always true and faithful. May we consider when we hear those voices: Will it bring glory to God? Is it consistent with His truth? Is it confirmed by external circumstances? Do you have a sense of peace, even if the decision is challenging? While there were some times that scripture used, seemed to be, to be rather, made to fit, certainly we are able to wait on the Lord, to be still, and to search as the Bereans, to ensure what we are told lines up with what He says in His Word.

 

² Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God, until that he have mercy upon us.

Be Inspired

It has been a challenging couple of weeks for me. I have never felt more under attack, more invaded than I have recently. I do not write this to complain or whine about my troubles but to share the glory of God in my recent trials. I have stumbled, I have contemplated what was once comparing it to what is now. I have admitted the ease of living in the world versus the struggles that come with living for Him. I have been on my knees – I have prayed, not always daily as I should – but I have prayed – Lord strengthen my belief, my faith – Give me a word, give me strength – Direct my steps. And in all of this – as I sunk down and lashed out in anger, and mean spirited words – still He provided. I got this message from a dear friend yesterday and it truly touched my heart and showed me that these trials are from Him – and I need to rise up and trust in Him and His purpose.  Oh how great God is -Let me mean it more when I say that I will praise Him in the storm.

 

 

“Rise up, and be counted as a child of God that you are! Accept Him and His ways, and He will lead you and guide you, and make you into the person that He made you to be! Remember, that anything that you are willing to accept, you will neverchange….ANYTHING YOU ARE WILLING TO ACCEPT, YOU WILL NEVER CHANGE!!!! 

Change your way of thinking, change your way of living, change your way of speaking things, change anything that is in your life that is holding you down, and causing you to feel worthless!! That feeling does not come from God!! It is LIES OF THE DEVIL!!!!

Stand up today and begin to reach out for those things that are yours….don’t keep accepting rejection, and stop living in fear…Jesus tells us in 2 Timothy 7:3 that “God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and a sound mind”. Begin to stand on that today, and BELIEVE you are somebody, and that you are going through whatever it is you are facing, and are coming out on top and that you will go over and not under and that “With God all things are possible” Matthew 19:26

Don’t be a victim of circumstances…make your circumstances work for you to bring you to victory through the Mighty Blood of Jesus Christ!

Believe, believe, without doubting, that God is able to do it, and that will be one of the biggest steps you can make in beginning the process of overcoming all that you are going through!

May this message enrich your walk with the Lord, and bless you above and beyond all your expectations.” 

How much more of Him do I need!~ Never enough 🙂

Lord let me believe TODAY, let my mind change TODAY, let me no longer be troubled and worried and anxious about ANY THING.  In Jesus name bring me the healing within, bring me higher, closer to you. Lord help me to forgive myself and to move forward, not looking back. Jesus this is not where I belong but as long as I am here use me Lord. Mold me into your Esther, your Ruth….Thy will be done. And I shall lift my hands in praise giving glory to you alone who are worthy!

Guest Post: Joy Comes from Perseverance | Shelia Walsh

Welcome to Pearl Girls™ Mother of Pearl Mother’s Day blog series – a week long celebration of moms and mothering. Each day will feature a new post by some of today’s best writer’s (Tricia Goyer, Sheila Walsh, Suzanne Woods Fisher, Bonnie St. John, and more). I hope you’ll join us each day for another unique perspective on Mother’s Day.

AND … do enter the contest for a chance to win a beautiful hand crafted pearl necklace. To enter, just {CLICK THIS LINK} and fill out the short form. Contest runs 5/6-5/13 and the winner will on 5/14. Contest is only open to US and Canadian residents.

If you are unfamiliar with Pearl Girls™, please visit www.pearlgirls.info and see what we’re all about. In short, we exist to support the work of charities that help women and children in the US and around the globe. Consider purchasing a copy of Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace or one of the Pearl Girls™ products (all GREAT Mother’s Day gifts!) to help support Pearl Girls.

And to all you MOMS out there, Happy Mother’s Day!

Joy Comes from Perseverance by Sheila Walsh

One of the most important lessons I have learned in my own life is the joy that comes from perseverance. Eugene Peterson, borrowing a phrase from Friedrich Nietzsche, wrote his book  “A Long Obedience in the Same Direction …Discipleship in an Instant Society.” He points to the Psalms as the way believers have always learned to pray what they live and live what they pray but it is not a short journey. It is an intentional commitment to keep walking even when you are worn out.

*If we want to see lasting results in any area of life it’s important to keep walking in that direction.

*If we want to have a better understanding of the Gospel of John then it takes time and commitment to dig deeper day after day.

*If we want to be thinner this summer than last summer then the work begins now not then.

So too in our relationship with Christ…..

*If we want to know Him at a more profoundly intimate level, that also takes an intentional seeking after Him every day.

As a grown woman I have come to love the beauty of this gift. Passing this “mined treasure” onto my son on the other hand has been an interesting challenge.  We live in such a fast paced, attention-challenged culture where the latest thing can be delivered to your doorstep by tomorrow for a few dollars more. But, as you know, by the time it is delivered it has already been replaced or updated!

How do we speak then into the lives of our children to help them understand and value perseverance?

For me…part of the puzzle meant a large piece of poster board, scissors, some photos and a bottle of Elmer’s glue. My son, Christian and I spread everything out on a sheet in the game room as I explained our project. “We’re going to make a family faith-tree,” I said. “These are photos of family on your dad’s side and on mine. Many of them have gone on to be with Jesus but the seeds they planted into our family continue to grow.” Then we wrote down their names and when they came to faith in Christ (as many as I knew).  It was quite something to see when we were finished.

“Your life matters Christian. Running your race well matters.”

That night we read these words from the writer to the Hebrews,

“We are surrounded by a great cloud of people whose lives tell us what faith means. So let us run the race that is before us and never give up.”

Hebrews 12:1 (NCV)

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Sheila Walsh is a Bible teacher, speaker, singer, and best-selling author with more than 4 million books sold. Sheila Walsh is the creator of the award-winning Gigi, God’s Little Princess® and her new series, Gabby, God’s Little Angel. Meet Gabby in Gabby’s Stick-to-It-Day. As a featured speaker with Women of Faith®, Sheila has reached more than 3.5 million women by artistically combining honesty, vulnerability and humor with God’s Word. She resides in Dallas with her husband Barry and son Christian. Visit www.sheilawalsh.com for more information about Sheila, her other books or Women of Faith.

Exciting News – the latest Pearl Girls book, Mother of Pearl: Luminous Legacies and Iridescent Faith will be released this month! Please visit the Pearl Girls Facebook Page (and LIKE us!) for more information! Thanks so much for your support!

Simple Secrets

We all have those days and seasons in our life when capturing joy seems to be almost impossible. Certainly we can all use some new tips for how to live with a grateful and joyous spirit. How trying, and how desperately we all seek to grasp and bottle up that joyful spirit for all times in life.

I could describe this book in one work – inspirational. Certainly there are no secrets within – unless perhaps you are new to the Christian faith. However each short and simple chapter is fraught with wisdom that any one would do well to follow in their life.

She is humorous, while honest, in all that she shares within this book. Perhaps an easy way to describe her tips in this is to say we must go back to the basics of life. Habits, and habit training can be seen within each chapter as she guides us towards living for Him and with Him.

If you are looking for inspiration or perhaps need your faith refreshed and renewed – look to the Lord of course and enjoy the sweet chapters within this book.

“Someday when my life is over, I’d like to be remembered for three things, that I was gracious, generous, and grateful. If I can achieve that, I’ll feel like I’ve lived a life of meaning and richness. We can have money, fame comfort, belongings, titles, and all that comes with each of those, but if we are not grateful or generous, we’ve missed the mark of being happy. And if we don’t treat other people graciously, we’ll never have friends.”(from chapter 50)

I received this book free from Booksneeze in exchange for an honest review and was not obligated in any way to leave a positive review.