Welcome to the Blog Tour for A Love Most Precious by Anita Higman, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!
About the Book
Author: Anita Higman
Publisher: DaySpring
Release Date: October 9, 2022
Genre: Devotional Book
What does true love look like?
The book of Ruth has all the makings of a great love story: a grief stricken past, a homecoming, the challenge to survive, a poor Cinderella who chooses to serve, and an upstanding man of status who notices her. He fights to save her future. This Old Testament Bible story is about a love story far more immense than that of Ruth and Boaz. During this 90-day devotional by Anita Higman, you will be inspired by the heartwarming, true story of Ruth containing priceless gems: the power of an eternal love to redeem a bereaved mother, a foreign widow, a reformed prostitute's son, all God’s people, and yes, even you. God has the power redeem our broken spirits, broken hearts, and broken pasts. Come discover a precious, life-changing love hidden within four illuminating chapters of Scripture that will delight your heart and refresh your soul! It's also the perfect gift for a friend on any occasion.
PURCHASE LINKS*: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | ChristianBook | DaySpring | Bookshop/IndieBound
Excerpt:
SUCH BEAUTY IN CONFESSION
These took Moabite wives; the name of the one was Orpah and the name of the other Ruth. They lived there about ten years, and both Mahlon and Chilion died, so that the woman was left without her two sons and her husband.
RUTH 1:4–5 ESV
What do you want most in life? Have you ever made a formal list? People may put love, purpose, peace, and joy on that list, to name a few. But sometimes our personal priorities may not line up with God’s principles. It appears that is the case with the three men in Naomi’s life—her husband and her two sons. They knew they should stay in their homeland and trust God during the famine, rather than flee to Moab. And the two sons knew they were never to marry pagan women. But they chose a lifestyle of ongoing disobedience, and faced the consequences of their decision.
Since the fall of humanity, people have been notorious for craving approval no matter what
they’re up to. We never like to believe that anyone could be chastised by God, but the Almighty did bring suffering onto His people when they persisted in their rebellion against Him. Today, some people ignore or rebel against God, which never brings true fulfillment. The disciplinary measures in Ruth may seem incredibly harsh—deeply unsettling, in fact.
But if we pull back and ponder the bigger picture of real love, we discover that without justice or consequences, there can be no real love at all. No peace. No happiness. God longs for us to flee from what is evil. Proverbs says, “He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but whoever confesses and turns away from his sins will find compassion and mercy” (28:13 AMP).
There are divine rewards for turning away from sin. Such beauty in confession. May we all adopt a repentant heart and experience the sublime peace and joy and freedom that come through God’s forgiveness.
Lord, I am so sorry I have grieved Your Holy Spirit today with my recent thoughts and actions. I humbly confess them to You now. Thank You for Your mercy and compassion in forgiving me.
Amen.
Also Available
About the Author
Anita Higman, an award-winning and best-selling author from Texas, has authored or coauthored fifty-plus books, and she has a BA in the combined fields of speech communication, psychology, and art. A few of Anita’s favorite things are fairytale castles, traveling, antiquing, exotic teas, gardening, and laughing with her family and friends.
Connect with Anita by visiting anitahigman.com to follow her on social media.Tour Giveaway
(3) winners will each receive a DaySpring prize bundle which includes a market tote, Bible cover, canvas pouch, and the Spring issue of Everyday Faith magazine!
Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight May 1, 2023 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on May 8, 2023. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.
Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.
Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!
Blog Tour: Moms Raising Sons to be Men by Rhonda Stoppe (JustRead Tour & Giveaway w/ Excerpt)
March 8, 2023
Welcome to the Takeover + Review Blitz for Moms Raising Sons to Be Men by Rhonda Stoppe, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!
About the Book
Title: Moms Raising Sons to Be Men Bringing up boys isn’t for the faint of heart, but bestselling author Rhonda Stoppe has been there before—and she’s here to help! Drawing on insights from fellow boy-moms and from Scripture, Rhonda reveals why walking with Christ is every mom’s key to parenting well.You’ll discover how motherhood gives you unique opportunities to grow in faith as you draw nearer to God through prayer, Bible study, and mentorship from godly women. You’ll also find practical advice for shaping your son in character and faith as you encourage his passions, teach him biblical masculinity, and protect his spirit without smothering his individuality.Your success as a mother doesn’t depend on what your son does with his life, but on how you obey God’s guidance on this mission of motherhood. Moms Raising Sons to Be Men provides the biblical hope, wisdom, and encouragement you need to help your son live a life without regrets!“You will be encouraged, enlightened, and empowered to become the mom you’ve always wanted to be—and to guide your son into becoming the man God intended.”
—Cindi McMenamin, national speaker and author of When Women Walk Alone
Welcome to the Blog Blitz for Turn My Mourning Into Dancing by Henri Nouwen, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!
ABOUT THE BOOK
Title: Turn My Mourning Into Dancing How do you find hope in hard times? Why is it important to have hope during difficult times? Turn My Mourning into Dancing will help you survive the difficult seasons and learn how to live a full life in the midst of them and beyond. With practical advice, Henri Nouwen will gently point you towards a way of life that is grounded in God’s constancy and rooted within eternal hope.In this updated edition, Turn My Mourning into Dancing discusses five movements we experience during hard times:• From Our Little Selves to a Larger World• From Holding Tight to Letting Go• From Fatalism to Hope• From Manipulation to Love• From a Fearful Death to a Joyous LifeHealing begins with taking our pain out of its diabolic isolation and seeing our sufferings in communion with all humanity, and all creation. Nouwen teaches us that our little lives participate in something much larger. Turn My Mourning into Dancing is a must read for:• men and women looking for growth and insight on life• anyone going through the grief process and searching for real solutions• anyone who has experienced a loss, betrayal, or hard timesEveryone grieves differently. It is a process, not a science experiment. Mourning shouldn’t last forever. Do you want the kind of life that allows you to dance even in the middle of the darkest night? Get the answers and find hope within your hard times with Nouwen’s works on spiritual growth.
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EXCERPT:
From Holding Tight to Letting Go
For years I have loved watching trapeze artists. The love began when my then- eighty- nine- year- old father came for a visit. Let’s go to the circus, we decided one day. That evening we watched five South African trapeze artists—three fliers and two catchers. They danced in the air! The fliers soared and all was dangerous until they found themselves caught by the strong hands of their partners. I told my father that I had always wanted to fly like that, that perhaps I had missed my calling!
I am constantly moved by the courage of my circus friends. At each performance they trust that their flight will end with their hands sliding into the secure grip of a partner. They also know that only the release of the secure bar allows them to move on with arcing grace to the next. Before they can be caught, they must let go. They must brave the emptiness of space.
Living with this kind of willingness to let go is one of the greatest challenges we face. Whether it concerns a person, possession, or personal reputation, in so many areas we hold on at all costs. We become heroic defenders of our dearly gained happiness. We treat our sometimes inevitable losses as failures in the battle of survival.
The great paradox is that it is in letting go, we receive. We find safety in unexpected places of risk. And those who try to avoid all risk, those who would try to guarantee that their hearts will not be broken, end up in a self- created hell. C. S. Lewis wrote in The Four Loves,
To love at all is to be vulnerable…If you want to make sure of keeping [your heart] intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket of your selfishness. But in that casket— safe, dark, motionless, airless— it will change. It will not be broken—it will become unbreak-able, impenetrable, irredeemable…The only place outside of Heaven where you can be perfectly safe from the danger of love is Hell.
In so many ways, the more we insist on control and the more we resist the call to hold our lives lightly, the more we have to deny the reality of our losses and the more artificial our existence becomes. Our belief that we should grasp tightly what we need provides one of the great sources of our suffering. But letting go of possessions and plans and people allows us to enter, for all its risks, a life of new, unexpected freedom.
How can we live with greater willingness to let go? Another step in turning our mourning into dancing has to do with not clutching what we have, not trying to reserve a safe place we can rest in, not trying to choreograph our own or others’ lives, but to surrender to the God whom we love and want to follow. God invites us to experience our not being in control as an invitation to faith.
Taken from “Turn My Mourning into Dancing: Finding Hope During Hard Times” by Henri Nouwen. Copyright 2001 Estate of Henri Nouwen. Preface Copyright 2001 Timothy Jones. Used with permission from Thomas Nelson Publishing. www.thomasnelson.com
PURCHASE LINKS*: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | IndieBound | Christianbook | BookBub
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
TOUR GIVEAWAY
(1) winner will receive two print copies of Turn My Mourning into Dancing (one to keep, one to give!)!
Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight April 26, 2022 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on May 3, 2022. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.
Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.
Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!
*NOTE: This post contains affiliate links.
Welcome to the Blog Tour for A Book Called You by Matthew Stephen Brown, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!
ABOUT THE BOOK
A biblically grounded Enneagram book that looks at the Enneagram numbers of people in the Bible so readers can discover more about themselves and gain specific wisdom about how and why they are uniquely made.Who am I? Everyone asks that question, no matter their age or status in life. If we truly are supposed to be real with others, shouldn’t that start with learning how to be real with ourselves? We think so. But we have to be willing to look inside and ask, "Okay, God, who am I? What is it that I don’t see about myself that you see?" A Book Called YOU will help us learn about who we are as individuals and how a biblical view of self-discovery can improve every part of our lives.Based on his widely successful teaching series "A Series Called You" and his personal experience using the Enneagram personality assessment tool in his marriage and other personal relationships, pastor Matt Brown offers a groundbreaking, entertaining, and heartfelt guide that highlights biblical truths alongside the Enneagram to help us better understand ourselves and how we relate to the people around us.
Welcome to the Blog Tour & Giveaway for Praying with Jane by Rachel Dodge, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!
ABOUT THE BOOK
Title: Praying with JaneAuthor: Rachel Dodge
Genre: Devotional
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
Release Date: October 2, 2018
Daily Encouragement for Your Soul through the Prayers of Jane Austen
For more than two hundred years, Jane Austen and her novels have charmed readers from around the world. While much has been written about her fascinating life, less is known about Jane's spiritual side. In this beautiful 31-day devotional, Miss Austen's faith comes to life through her exquisite prayers, touching biographical anecdotes, and illuminating scenes from her novels. Each reading also includes a thematically appropriate Scripture and a prayer inspired by Jane's petitions.
May this journey into Jane Austen's life of faith and prayer ignite and deepen your own relationship with the Father who loves you.
EXCERPT:
“Reading Jane’s prayers is a bit like looking into her heart. In them, we get to know another side of Jane’s personality—a more serious and reverent side. They reveal a genuine, practical faith in Jesus Christ. Every line displays a balance of robust belief and tender intimacy.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Rachel Dodge teaches college English and Jane Austen classes, gives talks at libraries, teas, and Jane Austen groups, and is a writer for the popular Jane Austen's World blog. She makes her home in California with her husband, Robert, and their two young children. A true kindred spirit at heart, Rachel loves books, bonnets, and ball gowns. When she’s not reading or writing, you’ll find her hanging out with her husband and kids, serving at her church, or watching period dramas and food documentaries
CONNECT WITH RACHEL: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter
TOUR GIVEAWAY
Thanks for stopping by!
Review: Stretched Too Thin by Jessica Turner
September 24, 2018
Author: Jessica Turner
Publisher: Revell
Pages: 240
ISBN: 9728-0-8007-2349-1
Publication Date:September 18th, 2018
About the Book:
Working mothers constantly battle the pull to do all the things well. From managing work and home responsibilities to being impacted by a lack of self-care and time for deep friendships, the struggle is real. At the end of each day, many working moms are exhausted and stretched too thin. But this does not have to be the norm.My Thoughts:
In her latest practical and inspiring book, Jessica Turner shows the working mom how to
- work and parent guilt-free
- establish clear work boundaries
- set achievable goals
- discover more flexibility
- develop home management solutions
- prioritize self-care
- invest in her marriage
- cultivate deeper friendships
- feel like a good mom, even while working
Full of compassion and encouragement, Stretched Too Thin will empower women with useful insights and tools to thrive as working moms.
This book came into my TBR at a good time. For the first 7 years of my kiddo's life I stayed home and took care of her. For the last 4 years, I've been a working mom and it has been an experience trying to find balance between family and work. Some days I think I have it, others.....not so much. My ducks in a row turn into squirrels and they are hopped up on caffeine.
I was able to listen to the audiobook copy of this book, while I worked. :-) It was a great book to read and listen to. Not only did Jessica Turner write this book, she also preformed the audio. She was able to really present the book in a way to make you think.
As a working mom, Jessica knows the struggles first hand. Some I can relate with right away, while others are new and I'm not there yet, but with that, it was a good insight in how to prepare and hopefully face those struggles that haven't happened, and maybe prevent them from happening.
Stretchered Too Thin is a book so many can click with. Work, parenting, marriage, family events, aging parents, grandparents, pets, and personal time. It all is apart of life, but it is also how you manage and deal with it. I will admit, I hate going to bed with dishes in the sink, but you know what, sometimes it's best to get sleep and take care of yourself. The dishes will wait. That was hard learned, and Jessica touches on many things that are similar. It made me think reading this book, what other things would work in compromise for the best of the family and me?
The questions at the end each chapter were great. They are very thought provoking, and some have really stuck with me. They offer the ability to journal/answer the questions at your pace. A chance to think and focus on what will work for you.
This is a book I will be going back to and referencing. I may have finished a read through, but I haven't finished the book.
5 out of 5
About the Author:
Thank you to the author and publisher, I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Review: Crack Yourself Up: Jokes for Kids by Sandy Silverthrorne
September 20, 2018
Author: Sandy Silverthorne
Publisher: Revell
Pages: 144
ISBN: 978-0-8007-2969-1
Publication Date: August 21st, 2018
About the Book:
Why are dogs such bad dancers? They have two left feet.My Thoughts:
Knock, knock. Who's there? Alex. Alex who? Alex the questions around here.
What's red and goes up and down? A tomato in an elevator.
Any kid can be a comedian with a little help from Crack Yourself Up Jokes for Kids. This zany collection of one-liners, knock-knock jokes, riddles, puns, funny lists, and hilarious illustrations promises hours of fun. Just be careful. These are the kinds of laughs that make milk come out your nose--so don't drink and read!
I love a good laugh, always have and always will! Crack Yourself Up Jokes for Kids is a fun easy read for kids and adults. This is one of those joke books that works whether you have memorized the jokes, or your reading them from the book itself.
Sandy Silverthrone has complied some really funny and witty jokes, riddles, and dad joke style puns that is appropriate for all ages. My kiddo thought this book was for her as soon as I opened the package. Safe to say, she has taken it over from me. She found the jokes easy to read and understand, which is a big plus!
If you're looking for a fun joke book for kids, or as a stocking stuffer (Christmas is coming up!) this book really is one that would be perfect.
4 out of 5
About the Author:
Thank you to the publisher, I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
Blog Tour: Enough of Me by Priscilla Peters
May 19, 2018
Author: Priscilla Peters
Publisher:Ambassador International
Pages: 272
ISBN: 9781620208199
Publication Date: May 11th, 2018
Book Blurb:
I'm living the dream in my fancy-pants world, and I've got the Instagram feed to prove it.Who am I kidding?
I'm literally holding it together with one more cup of coffee, yesterday's dry shampoo, and a prayer.
So I finally said enough. Enough of me. I'm bidding farewell to chasing emptiness and exchanging it for more of Jesus.If we agree with Paul in Acts 20:24 that our lives are worth nothing unless we use them for finishing the work of telling others the Good News - where are we in our quest to get busy for Jesus? In our world of hashtags, hair color, and having it all together, chances are we aren't accomplishing much. Enough of Me is an 8-week Bible study for women focused on what God's Word has to say about the tug-of-war between our flesh and our mission. The study explores the barriers that stand between where we are today and where God wants to use us to finish His work. Do you have a nagging in your heart for more purpose? Are you right smack dab in the middle of a tug-of-war between your flesh and your mission?
Often we want to live out the purpose and mission God has for us, but we're too distracted, exhausted, and empty. Maybe it's time to say enough to the excuses, anxiety, and interruptions that get in our way. Could it be we're so busy chasing emptiness and playing the people-pleasing game, that we can't find time to live on mission? It's time to take a deep breath and do some inventory. Let's dig in and see what God's Word has to say about this tug-of-war between our flesh and our mission.
Let's figure out ways to quit chasing emptiness and take bold steps of obedience. Let's discover how we can glorify God and steer people to Jesus in our cubicles, at our dinner tables, in our mom-groups, and with people we encounter every day.
What would happen if we said Enough of Me . . . more Jesus.
About the Author:
CONNECT WITH AUTHOR: Website | Facebook | YouTube | Instagram
Grand Prize: (1) print copy of Enough of Me (US Only)
PLUS 5 more winners will receive an ebook copy of Enough of Me (open internationally, except where prohibited by law)
Enter via the Rafflecopter giveaway below. Giveaway will begin at midnight May 19, 2018 and last through 11:59pm May 26, 2018. Winners will be notified within a week of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.
Review: Promises for You Coloring Devotional by Faithgirlz
March 27, 2017
Author: Faithgirlz
Publisher: Zonderkidz
Pages: 128
ISBN: 978-0-310-76119-8
Publication Date: March 7th, 2017
Synopsis:
Take time to enjoy God’s Word and color images from his beautiful world. In this 60-day coloring devotional filled with unique illustrations and patterns, you will read about God’s unchanging promises through NIV Bible verses, paired with detailed line art. Each page is printed on high-quality, thick paper stock that won’t bleed through. And when you’re finished coloring with markers, metallic pens, or colored pencils, you will have a chance to reflect and journal about each promise from Scripture, and find inspiration for every day. Perfect for girls 8-12.Review:
This book has been fun to review. It is also special, with that fact that I had help with this review. My kiddo was so excited to see this book when it came in. She grabbed it from my hands and spent several days reading and coloring in it. So, she is kindly offering her opinion on this book for me today.
To start off, I will say from my thought of this book, it is perfect for the ages mentioned, 8-12 is a good age for this devotional. The different pictures for each devotional offer enough to color and a time to think of the short passage for the day.
Kiddo:
This devotional helped me learn more about God. I liked how the coloring pages allowed for drawing and coloring. The peacock was my favorite page. The pages were easy to read. I did have to ask a couple of times over a couple of words, but I really enjoyed the coloring. It helped in talking about the Bible in a way I could understand.
I love when I have something for the kiddo to help me to review. I enjoyed this devotional in that it made wanting to learn the scriptures for her more engaging. She is an artistic kid and this really connected with her.
Too Read
5 out of 5
Thank you to Zonderkidz, I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
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