The Woman's Study Bible NIV

This is a beautiful Bible.  It is wonderful for personal use or to give as a gift to others.  You can feel that this was made for women.

Here are some of the way information is packed into this Bible:
There are tables and charts throughout the pages organizing information, or expounding upon it.  I loved the table that shared about the flowers in the Bible.  These tables and charts share information that makes the stories you are reading clearer, and also richer and deeper.

At the bottom of every page are notes that help the reader further understand what is being shared as well as some cross references.

Before each book of the Bible there are notes about the author, date, background, themes, and an outline of what is to come.  This is helpful as you begin to go through and study yourself.

There is an index, concordance, and maps at the back of the Bible.

Beyond this the Bible is very ascetically appealing. The Bible is full of soft colors and floral prints that are soft and not bold.  I like to linger in the pages and enjoy not only the Words of Scripture but the layout, font, quotes, and other pieces that make this Bible so appealing.

I highly recommend this Bible for yourself or as a gift.

I received this Bible from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Vegan Comfort Classics by Lauren Toyota

This is the type of cookbook I like! I love that each recipe has pictures. This makes each recipe more appealing and helps me picture what I am going to cook.

The ingredients are directions are laid out clearly.

Lauren Toyota's idea behind the book is fantastic. Some people think that they can't have any "comfort food" if they become vegan.  This book puts that idea to rest with 101 recipes of delicious foods we know and love--yet they are vegan.

I can't wait to try out these recipes.

I received this book free from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

The Prayer Bible ICB

Having been studying prayer myself, as an adult, I was thrilled to read through this Bible.  We often teach our children how to converse with God yet praying God's Word is what really gives life to our prayers.  When teaching this to children it can be very daunting and overwhelming.  This Prayer Bible gives a way to teach it and cover topics of prayer. 

Inserted through out the Bible are questions about prayer and answers.  These questions cover a variety of topics and are great to begin conversations with children about prayer.

Through out the Bible certain promises are highlighted.  This is also a perfect way to begin praying the promises of the Bible.  I love this concept and am so glad it has been done for children.

I received this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

When God Made Light by by Matthew Paul Turner Illustrated by David Catrow

I loved this book.  With its delightful illustrations by David Catrow you are guided along the truths of this book through two precious girls as they discover God making light, not only in the world, but in them.

This book is thought provoking and clever.  Matthew Paul Turner starts with an idea that Christians, and non-Christians, are familiar with. God made light.  It is the beginning of creation.  But that is not the focus of the book, instead Turner develops the idea of light beyond just the physical light we see to the light we carry inside. God makes the light inside of us when He made us. 

This is a beautiful book in illustrations and message. I highly recommend it to others.

I received this book from the publishers. All opinions are my own.

The Sea Before Us by Sarah Sundin

From the publisher:
In 1944, American naval officer Lt. Wyatt Paxton arrives in London to prepare for the Allied invasion of France. He works closely with Dorothy Fairfax, a "Wren" in the Women's Royal Naval Service. Dorothy pieces together reconnaissance photographs with thousands of holiday snapshots of France--including those of her own family's summer home--in order to create accurate maps of Normandy. Maps that Wyatt will turn into naval bombardment plans.

As the two spend concentrated time together in the pressure cooker of war, their deepening friendship threatens to turn to love. Dorothy must resist its pull. Her bereaved father depends on her, and her heart already belongs to another man. Wyatt too has much to lose. The closer he gets to Dorothy, the more he fears his efforts to win the war will destroy everything she has ever loved.

The tense days leading up to the monumental D-Day landing blaze to life under Sarah Sundin's practiced pen with this powerful new series.

________________________

With each book by Sarah Sundin I feel I am more well educated on the time periods she writes about.  This is the first book in her new series and what an amazing start!

I love the details of the Wrens and their jobs as the Allies prepared for D-Day. I had never known all the work that went behind D-Day.  It is fascinating to learn those details. And what makes the details interesting is the way they are woven into a story.  

The story of Dorothy and Wyatt is interesting not just because of the time they are in, but because of their relationship as friends grows into more and as they both need to trust and realize what is important.

I love the added family dynamics from both Dorothy and Wyatt.  I can't wait to read more about Wyatt's brothers.

I received this book from the publishers. All opinions are my own.

Easter Love Letters from God Written by Glenys Nellist Illustrated by Sophie Allsopp

This is a precious book to give at Easter time or anytime....Glenys Nellist creates a way to teach  your child about the Holy Week of Easter.  Each spread contains a short story, a Bible verse, and a "lift the flap" letter to your child from God.

I love how Glenys Nellist has given us a book with different approaches to the Holy Week leading up to Easter. They can enjoy the story in conjunction with the scripture reference for what the story is based on.  This allows the family to dive into the Bible.  Then there is also a Bible verse.  Families could memorize this together.  And of course, the beautiful letter from God makes the story even more personal for the child.

With any good children's book there is a great illustrator.  Sophie Allsopp takes Glenys Nellist'swords and gives them life with real, yet child friendly drawings.  This book will be enjoyed from many angles.

I received this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Finding Selah by Kristen Kill

From the publisher: That something you’ve been looking for in the empty stress of your mad-dash days? It has a name.

The Psalms call it selah—the pause, rest, or interlude between the notes in a song. More than merely an empty space, selah is a chance to stop and resync with the story and song of God. For all the ways life keeps you running, this word and practice offers a way to re-center yourself on the One who holds all things together and makes all things beautiful.

Stretched beyond her capacity in caring for a large family in the middle of Manhattan, Kristen Kill was exhausted, depressed, and desperate for a change. Then something sparked within her when she read the Psalms, and found that often all that stood between the psalmist’s cries for help and celebrations of praise was this simple word, selah.

Join Kristen in Finding Selah for a journey that will transform the way you think about work, rest, and the little spaces in between that make all the difference. This book will show you how to tune your ear to the song God is singing over you, embrace the “selah moments” able to transform your daily rhythms, and most of all, encounter the ultimate Selah in Christ, who stands in the gap between heaven and your most hectic of days. There is hope for the dissonance you feel. Finding Selah will show you not only how to sing a new song, but to live a new way.

__________________________________

When I first picked up this book I thought it was going to be more of a "how to" to find selah.  However, it is more of a narrative of author Krsten Kill's life and how she found her need for selah and how she incorporated it.  This is a small book that I found easy to read through. I could relate to her feelings, even if not her situations, and I believe other readers will feel the same.  Selah is something I think our world craves and this is a book that helps you begin to understand it.  

Kristen Kill is a gifted author, as she writes in a way that is inviting and easy to read. She doesn't over complicate things and instead writes with a style that would be easy to imagine a friend just talking to you over coffee. 

I received this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.