Couples Who Pray by Squire Rushnell and Louise DuArt

This was a well-written book about the power of prayer, especially when couples join together in prayer. Just when you thought the most intimate act between a couple was...well..sex, you are told quickly in the book that that is not the case. The most intimate act between a couple can and should be prayer. The book is divided into three sections, each one building on the other. The first section dives into the benefits of praying couples. Testimonials from celebrities as well as regular people are plentiful. The 40 day challenge is the second section, with factors during the forty days being the third section. The book also provides a couple of appendixis with extra information.

I really liked this book. It was very easy to read, and I loved the plethora of testimonials sprinkled throughout the book. I'm also a recipe kind of girl. If you give me a recipe I will follow it to the letter. If you just throw ingredients at me you will not receive anything edible in return. This book provides a recipe for couples to follow if they want to add prayer to their lives. I think my favorite section was section 3 because there was a lot more practical information there letting you know what you could expect during and after the 40 days. I would love to add that my husband and I took the 40 day challenge and now we pray every single day, but I would be lying. I hope that one day we can get there. We did pray once together, and it lasted longer than 5 minutes. We didn't lock our door so it lasted till our 1 year old son came bouncing in. :) I think I need to challenge myself to do the 40 day challenge--even if it is by myself--and pray for God to give my husband the desire to make it a priority as well. As is the case with most families we are extremely busy--both spouses with full-time jobs, raising 4 kids, responsibilities in our own church, etc. The list could go on and on. If there is anytime that we need to be praying together it's now! I believe both my husband and I have the desire to have closer relationships with our heavenly Father and with each other. Often the hardest step is getting started.

My recommendation would be to go out and get this book. Even if just one person has the desire to make prayer a higher priority I believe it could have huge effects. That's what I'm praying for my marriage. I pray that I will be able to update this post at a later time and sing the praises of how God has done miraculous things in our married life. He has already blessed us with so much already!

Invasion by Jon Lewis

Invasion by J. S. Lewis is the first book in the C.H.A.O.S. series, a science fiction book about a boy's mission to uncover the scary truth about a huge company with some big secrets.

This was a gripping teen sci-fi thriller that grabs a hold of you in the first chapter and never lets go. Even adult sci-fi fans will enjoy this easy read. I saw this as a mix between James Bond and Roswell, the book series. If they had books like this when I was a teenager, I probably would have read more.

The only issue I had with Invasion was the unskilled teens continually fought and out smarted skilled adults. That didn't quite make sense to me. However I am looking forward to the second installment due in January 2012.

Voices of the Faithful - Book 2

I was excited to see a second book in the Voices of the Faithful 'series'. This is a devotional book with 365 readings and is for the person who has an interest in seeing the Christian experience from a missionary's viewpoint. Beth Moore wrote in her introduction that her goal is for the reader to: feel connected to brothers and sisters in Christ all over the globe, change your 'God bless the missionaries' prayer to praying for REAL people, be motivated to cross your river of fear and do the thing God has called you to do. This doesn't mean that we need to become a missionary to a foreign land but to be missionaries where we are!!

One thing different with this book is that each month has a theme, ie. prayer, hope, lost and found, etc. Although I haven't read each day's reading, I am looking forward to seeing what God will work through in my life in regards to these themes. As I read through some of the stories, I couldn't help but be encouraged as I saw missionaries go through similar experiences that I was going through. And it is so uplifting to see God work in their lives and know that he can do the same here in the United States!! In fact, in my own small country church!!

I definitely recommend this book to add to your daily Quiet Time readings for encouragement and the knowledge of community in our commission to spread the Good News.

Note: I received this book free for an advance reading as part of their Booksneeze bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review and therefore, this review is 100% my own opinion.

Really Woolly Bible Stories

This is a board book by Bonnie Rickner Jensen and is illustrated by Julie Sawyer Phillips. It is geared for ages 3-5 and tells several short Bible stories in poetic form. The pictures are illustrated with the Really Woolly characters which the little children love. The story/poem is on one side and the picture of the story is across the page. So it is wonderful to be able to read the poem to your youngster and have them able to look at the picture at the same time. The poem is just long enough to hold their attention and the fact that it is a board book means that it holds up to some sudden and ambitious page turning.

I want to add that our 3 year old daughter loves it and is glad to have a Bible story book of her own. And I can have her hold it or carry it around and I don't have to be afraid of torn pages, etc. I would recommend this book as a sturdy addition to a preschooler's library.

Note: 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. This review is my own opinion.

Jesus Calling by Sarah Young

This is a devotional book geared for children and there is a page for each day of the year. It is written as though God is speaking to the reader and the author did a great job in putting it in language that children can understand.

Right now my husband is reading it each day to my two girls, ages 7 and 9. Our 9 year old reads the Bible passages and both girls are able to answer questions after reading the devotional. I highly recommend this devotional and view it as a great tool in helping children learn about God and how He cares for them.

This book was provided for my by Thomas Nelson Publishing in exchange for a review, either positive or negative.

Andrew's first year!

It's hard to believe that Andrew is over 1 year old now!!! I know these pics are a long time coming, but they don't do him justice. He's got more hair on his head than the last pic gives him credit for. He loves to walk! He also loves to eat anything we do as long as it's soft enough. He has about 6 teeth--3 on top and 3 on bottom. The tooth on the left side of his middle teeth on top and bottom are almost through. They are coming in differently than they did on the girls. Your nap times have been anything but routine until this past week. We had your shots updated yesterday, so today you are taking a morning nap. I'm hoping you'll take an afternoon nap, but we'll see. :) You and Melanie play pretty well. At least, until she decides to lay on you for whatever reason. I've been trying to limit how long you have your paci between sleeping, and Melanie loves to help with that as well, much to your chagrin. You are such a cutie, and I'm so happy God decided to bless us with you!

I Know It's Been a While...

So, since my last post I have been offered a full-time teaching position at Siloam Springs Middle School. With any luck and the Lord's provision I will retire in this school district!!! I'm teaching 7th grade math--which I love!!!! We have also enrolled the girls in the district. This should be the last time we transfer them as far as schools go. ;) I'm really enjoying my math team, and I think it's going to be a great school district to work for.

As I type this I'm listening to Michael Buble on Pandora and trying to maintain some kind of sanity while my 4 children are going crazy--I mean, cleaning the playroom upstairs. :) I was really hoping that this summer would be the time I'd get my life, our house, and our kids organized. Guess again!!! We continue to be in survival mode even though Drew is a year. If I dwell on it long enough I get depressed. It's extremely frustrating. As I've said to others before...you give me a class full of 25 rowdy junior high kids, and I'll have them under my thumb in 5 minutes. You give me my own four children, and you'd never know I have a teaching degree! It's sad, really. Any suggestions? I don't know how others with this many or more kids do it. Or are they in the same boat I am? Where does one even start? Anyway...

Summer is definitely in full swing here! Anne and Naomi are enjoying Terrific Tuesday activities with our church. The same wonderful lady is leading it and does a fantastic job. I need to plan another trip to Silver Dollar City with the kids since we have season passes. The next time we go, Andy and I would like to just take the oldest two. Then we could all ride rides together.

I'll try to get birthday pics of Drew among others posted soon. Maybe I need to start with a schedule...I don't know. Till next time.