Real Marriage DVD Kit by Mark & Grace Driscoll

I have read a lot of marriage/couple books and one thing that I feel people should know is that no one book is going to have all the answers or perfectly fit your couple experience. So if one book has some answers and helps, great, keep reading and take the good and leave the bad.

There are some things that I really appreciated about this Real Marriage DVD kit and study guide by Mark & Grace Driscoll.

1) They were honest. I appreciated their vunerability in their personal lives. Often marriage/couple books leave someone feeling like "If only I had done such and such, I could have a great marriage like _____." That's not how the Driscolls presented their book/DVD. They talked about their struggles and how to overcome them.

2) The study guide was great to do as a group as it has discussion questions and then personal questions to do later on your own time. These questions allowed the person to hear others' thoughts as well as further develop your own. If you were single, they had a section of questions for them to answer as well which I thought was very well thought out.

3) Each section had a portion of scripture at the beginning and then at the end time for prayer. While there could have been more scripture in the study guide I enjoyed having the prayer aspect included.

4) Each week there was an "experience" that you were to do with your spouse. This could be a date time that involved something fun, introspective, deep and hard talking time, or just enjoyment of being together. I thought this was a great thing to have for couples to do. They also had a part for singles to do.

5) Each section had about a 10-minute video of Mark and Grace Driscoll talking (basically to each other) about the topic that was going to be discussed. I found watching them interact added to the study guide. It made me appreciate the struggles they'd had, research they'd done, and thoughts they had put into making the book and study guide. I like the way they interacted as a couple, it was a good role model.

I only had the DVD and study guide, I did not receive the book to review. In the study guide they want you to read the corresponding chapters. Since I didn't have the book, I couldn't do that part, and I think it would greatly enhance the experience to have the book as well as the DVD study guide.

As I mentioned in the beginning, no book/study guide is perfect and I didn't agree 100% with everything they shared but I would still definitely recommend this to other couples.

I received this study guide/DVD kit from BookSneeze for my honest opinion.

God Gave Us Love by Lisa Tawn Bergren

God Gave Us Love
by Lisa Tawn Bergren
Illustrated by Laura J. Bryant

From the back of the book, "As Little Cub and Grampa Bears fishing adventure is interrupted by mischievous otters, the young polar bear begins to question why we must love others...even the seemingly unlovable."

This is a small cardboard book that children will enjoy looking through. The illustrations are cute with a family of polar bears dressed in little winter scarves and coats.

The book is easy to hold for toddlers but the words are definitely for adults to read aloud to the child. The book is well done as it talks about love and loving others. I like that this book discussed how we don’t always like others or feel like loving them but even when we know that we should.

For being a simple cardboard book this book is a great teaching tool for all ages about love and God’s love that lives through us and our actions.

I received this book for free in exchange for my honest review form WaterBrook Press.

Spiritual Warfare for Women: Winning the Battle for Your Home, Family, and Friends

Spiritual Warfare for Women: Winning the Battle for Your Home, Family, and Friends

by Leighann McCoy

This book came to me at a time where I was just swamped with life and had to put it on the shelf to review later. Then, some things happened that knocked me spiritually off my feet. I was groping for help. I remembered this book. So I picked it up and decided to fight.
What a blessing this book was. I recommend this book to anyone who is struggling with an attack in their lives. It could be an attack to their personal lives, their church, family, friends, etc. This book grounds the reader in God’s love and promise for their lives and then helps the reader know how to fight their battles.
As women we might feel helpless and weak, but through McCoy’s transparency in her own life, she enables others to fight in Christ’s strength. None of the things she shares in this book are done in our own strength, but in reliance on Jesus’.
A part that I particularly found powerful was the sections at the end of each chapter. This is where you took what McCoy had been saying and applied it to you own life, in prayer, journaling, and memorizing of God’s Word. This takes the book to a deeper level. It is one thing to read a chapter but to apply it to your life and have the deeper connection really sets this book apart.
I was incredibly strengthened and blessed by this book and I know others will be as well.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book for review purposes by the publisher. The review written was my opinion and I was not required to write positive review.

Three Cups

From the publisher:All parents want to teach their children good money habits from an early age. Many start by giving them an allowance. But it’s equally important to teach children a positive, generous attitude as they learn to use money responsibly.

This is a wonderful book. As an adult I have learned the adventure that comes from having giving, saving, and spending in my life. This book is agreat way to not only introduce to concept but have your child(ren) begin to practice it.

What I really liked about this book is that it didn’t say that spending was a bad thing, but rather that all three cups (give, save, spend) were all part of the adventure.

I have been wondering how to teach my students (I am a teacher) how to see the importance of giving money to help others (we already talk about saving and spending) and this is a great way for me to introduce it.

I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to teach a child about life and money and the adventure that can come when all three are in their lives.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Mikasa Giveaway

I know this blog is for book reviews but I saw this Mikasa giveaway on a friend's facebook page and wanted to enter.

http://stonegable.blogspot.com/2011/10/on-menu-monday-week-of-october-24-2011.html

This is a link to the Stone Gable blogspot and the giveaway information is at the bottom of the blog. The contest ends tonight, so enter quickly if you want to!

Thank you, God for loving me by Max Lucado

From the publisher: Little Hermie and the baby bug garden friends teach little ones about God’s love for them.

God loves all of His creatures. Little Hermie explores all of the ways God loves him and his friends in this sweet board book with glitter on the cover.

I had my husband read through the book and then he asked me, "What did you like about it?" I told him that I liked how siimple and sweet the book was. It is for younger children, but I liked the simplicity of it. What I really liked about this book and the other one about Hermie that I reviewed was that I feel that this is teaching children to look at their lives and see how God loves them. God loves us in so many ways that we just take for granted. I like that Max Lucado took the view point of Hermie thanking God for loving him in all different kinds of ways.

I would definitely recommend this book.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Thank you, God for Blessing Me by Max Lucado

From the publisher:

Meet Little Hermie—the cutest baby caterpillar in the garden! Little Hermie’s thankful heart shows toddlers how to be thankful for God’s blessings.

Little Hermie is thankful for everything God has given him. He goes through his day thanking God for his many blessings in this adorable board book with flocking on the cover!

This really is an adorable and sweet book about a little caterpillar who is thanking God for all he has. I think this should be read to children and discussed with them about how to be thankful for all that God has given them. I love this book and would definitely recommend it to others. I am looking forward to other Hermie books!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.