Simply Love tees!

There are two days left to purchase a Simply Love/Children's Hope Chest tee in support of orphans in Haiti or human trafficking survivors in Moldova!  Check them out!!!

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The Maid of Fairbourne Hall by Julie Klassen

The Maid of Fairbourne Hall is the latest book published by Julie Klassen, and I have always enjoyed her books.  This one surely did not disappoint.  Margaret Macy is a proper lady in London with a nasty, greedy stepfather who wants to marry her off to a very improper gentleman.  To avoid this fate, Miss Macy flees her home and takes a position as a housemaid in the home of Nathaniel Upchurch.  The twist with Nathaniel is the fact that Miss Macy turned down his proposal of marriage years earlier in the hopes of winning the affections of his brother.  Dressed in disguise, Miss Macy has to work for the first time in her pampered life.  If she can keep up the act until her next birthday, she will inherit a great deal of money from an aunt and be free to marry the man of her choice.  The question is, can she keep up the pretense without giving her true identity away?

I thoroughly enjoyed this book!  It was a sweet love story with a lot of humor and suspense.  I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys historical fiction.  The details I learned about the "below stairs" staff of a big house in England were fascinating, too. 

I received this book from Bethany House for the purpose of being reviewed. 

No, We Can't: Radical Islam, Militant Secularism and the Myth of Coexistence by Robert Stearns

Every now and then I like to take a break from reading fluffy fiction to read something that is actually relevant to my life or the world at the time.  No, We Can't by Robert Stearns came across my computer screen and I found myself very interested in reviewing it.  The world is changing and as he says, "Tolerance is prized more than truth."  Our culture is so confusing to me, and reading this book helped me understand some of the problem.  No matter how much we want to believe that coexistence between radical Islam, militant secularism, and Judeo-Christianity is possible, the bottom line is that it really isn't.  Robert Stearns addresses these three sections of our culture in great detail and then explains what it means to the believer and how we should respond.  Some of the topics he covers are the power of radical Islam to reshape Western culture, why Judeo-Christianity is losing its strength, and what believers can and must do.  He says, "The ultimate dominance of any of these worldviews will create a tipping point in global culture." 

I highly recommend this book to anyone wanting to understand more about the worldviews Christianity is up against in our culture.  It was a quick read and very easy to follow with a lot of extremely interesting and helpful information. 

I was given this book in exchange for a review by Baker Publishing Group.

Love on the Line by Deeanne Gist

Love on the Line is the latest historical fiction novel by Deaane Gist.  Georgie Gail is a switchboard operator in rural Brenham, Texas.  She is an independent woman who takes pride in holding her own in a man's world, so she is none too happy when the telephone company sends a man to work the lines (and look over her shoulder).  Little does Georgie know that Luke Palmer is actually a Texas Ranger working a case undercover to get inside a gang of train robbers who have the public's support.  He isn't exactly excited to be working on the telephone lines and taking orders from the likes of Georgie, so of course, sparks fly.   

I have always liked Deeanne Gist's books, and Love on the Line did not disappoint.  It was a little slow in parts, but overall an enjoyable read.  I found the workings of the early phones and phone lines interesting and that was a bonus to the plot.  I would recommend this book.

I received this book in exchange for a review from Bethany House.

The Doctor's Lady by Jody Hedlund

Jody Hedlund's book The Doctor's Lady follows Priscilla White's dream of becoming a missionary in the wild west of the mid-1800s.  At that time, the missionary boards determined the only way men or women could be missionaries was if they were married, but Priscilla had no interest in being a wife!    She finds herself torn between marrying in name only in order to live out her dream of telling the Indians about Jesus or staying single where she is.  Of course this is a book, so Priscilla marries Eli, a man who has big plans in the west but who also needs a spouse.  The majority of the book is their journey west and all that happens to them on the way, both spiritually and emotionally.

I really enjoyed this book.  Maybe it's because I love cheesy historical fiction, but I thought it was entertaining and had an interesting plot.  I would recommend this book.

I received this book in exchange for a review from Bethany House.

A Wedding Invitation by Alice J. Wisler

Samantha Bravencourt returns home from teaching English in a refugee camp in the Philippines to lead a quiet, uneventful life working with her mother in her boutique in Virginia.  Early in the story, she receives an invitation to attend a college friend's wedding in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, but the wedding isn't what Samantha was expecting.  Instead of simply attending the wedding and heading back to her mother's house, her life is changed when she runs into a fellow teacher from the Philippines who also broke her heart.  After reconnecting they have to work together to help a young Amerasian girl named Lien find her way.  The dilemma for Sam comes when she has to decide if she can forgive Carson for his past mistakes with her heart.

I found this book interesting because I didn't know very much about the Amerasian culture or about the refugees living in the Philippines.  The author does a good job focusing on the issue of the Philippine refugees and their struggle to fit into American culture.  The "love story" aspect also kept my attention, but the book had some dull moments.  However, I would recommend this book to a friend if they were looking for something light to read. 

I received this book in exchange for a review from Bethany House.

Red Light Prayer

...pray continually...  - 1 Thessalonians 5:17

The term ‘Modern Slavery’ sounds like a paradox, doesn’t it? One would believe that humanity has progressed and slavery had ended in the battlefields of the American Civil War. But, that is not the case as over 27 million enslaved people across the world are victims to human trafficking as it remains the battlefront of the century.

Regardless of nationality, victims are systematically stripped of their identity, battered into gruesome submission and made to perform humiliating sexual acts with multiple strangers every night. Held against their will, most are forced to take illegal drugs and are kept under constant surveillance. On average, victims are thrown into such ghastly oppression at age 13. Some are outright abducted, while others are lured out of poverty, romantically seduced, or sold by their families.

Kezia Hatfield, is the Director of Restoration for Exodus Cry (www.exoduscry.com ) which is a group that ministers to the victims of human trafficking. Their objective is to rescue victims, restore them physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually, and reintegrate them into society. Their approach is threefold through local outreach, international missions, professional counseling, and micro-development. Prayer, awareness, and action is key to the fight to end slavery.

Human ( Sex ) Slavery Facts

· 27 million people are enslaved in the world

· Human Trafficking ( sexual, domestic, industrial, and agricultural ) is a $32 billion dollar annual industry

· 2 million children are involved in the international commercial sex trade

· 80% of trafficking victims are women and children who are forced into the commercial sex trade

· The average age of entry into commercial sex slavery in the United States is 13

  Facts from the United Nations, Unicef, US Dept of State, and US Sept of Justice

Many have heard of the ‘red light district’ in Amsterdam, Netherlands. This is an area where ‘legal prostitution’ exists in the streets and alley ways typically in single room cabins illuminated with red lights. Over the past several weeks, many across the country have viewed the documentary entitled Nefarious : Merchant of Souls (www.nefariousdocumentary.com) which is footage including interviews, dynamics of the sex trade, and focus on unveiling the sex industry.

 

 

Exodus Cry’s prayer request is this :WHENEVER STOPPED AT A ‘RED LIGHT’ PRAY FOR THE ABOLITION OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING, THE AWARENESS OF, AND FOR THE WORK OF EXODUS CRY.

A Christmas Challenge

Am I the only one who feels like Christmas has taken on a whole new meaning completely apart from the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ?  I am not a shopper, so Christmas has always caused me stress and panic with trying to find the perfect gifts for everyone on my list.  And the endless traffic jams and crowded stores don't do anything for my Christmas spirit. 
After talking this dilemma through with Janeena, we've decided this year to challenge ourselves to try something new.  What if every gift we give to a person on our lists actually helps someone in desperate need of love, help, aid?  Wouldn't that truly be the perfect gift?  I can't help but wonder if after the Christmas season has come and gone if I will look back and think about how much I enjoyed celebrating Jesus' birth with my family and friends instead of stressing over gifts.  That sounds so much better to me than standing in a line to return gifts I didn't need or want in the first place. 

If this is hitting home with you, too, check out this video about how you can take back Christmas and help change the world.  We're also working on a list of websites that offer ways to give "gifts" to those on your list while helping someone in need at the same time.  We hope you'll use the list and let's see what a difference we can make in the lives of others this year!


For more information about Advent Conspiracy, check out their website - http://www.adventconspiracy.org/.

• World Vision - Fund much needed items for children in need around the world. 
• Funky Fish Designs - Really, really cute jewelry that helps fund a Ugandan adoption.
• Wild Olive Tees - 10% of the sales by Wild Olive Tees goes to support 60 Feet and An Orphan's Wish.  Lots of cute tees!
• Given - Clothing line inspired by World Vision whose proceeds go to benefit the work World Vision is doing.
• MFG (Made for Good) - This is a website listing brands who are aligned with a non-profit partner and use their proceeds to help the global community.
• Bow in the Clouds - This website sells items to benefit Dube Bute, a village in Africa the Alexander family is raising money for through the Soli Deo Gloria blog.  They have committed to building up this village with schools, wells, doctors, etc., and are raising money for it.  Lots to see!
• Amazima Store - This website is a result of the labors of Katie Davis in Uganda.  It features beautiful, hand made paper bead jewelry.
• 147 Million Orphans - This website has so many great tees and other products to raise awareness.  I like the magazine bead necklaces the best!
• World Crafts - Hosted by the WMU, this is a catalog full of gifts made by artisans around the world who depend on their craft for survival. 
• Good News Goods - Buy fair trade products! 
• Samaritan's Purse -  Interactive online catalog.  Funding of some projects also includes a gift made by artisans in impoverished areas.
• Simply Love - Tees help adopting parents fund their adoption process.
• Ordinary Hero - This website has great tees.  Their sales go to support adoptive families and mission trips. 
• Rafiki Foundation - Shop the Rafiki Exchange and find handcrafts from East and West Africa.  The Exchange is in place to assist widows and impoverished women with a source of income.  Lots of beautiful things!
• Living Water - Great website with lots of info on the water crisis facing many around the world.  Donate!
• World Relief - This website gives the opportunity to give many gifts to show you stand with the most vulnerable.  Good ideas to check out with kids.  (For example, volleyballs to be sent to children in rural areas of Indonesia.)
• Gobena Coffee - Gourmet, fair trade, organic coffee!  100% of profits are reinvested into the lives of orphans in charitable programs. 
• Compassion - Donate to enrich the lives of those in need.
• Open Doors USA - Help support the persecuted church around the world
• Show Hope - Steven Curtis Chapman and his family started Show Hope.  They have several ways to donate by sponsoring a child, a surgery, or donating to where aid is needed.  Their online store has some really cute tees.
• Danita's Children - This website features a group working in Haiti to rescue and care for children orphaned and in need of care.  Lots of ways to help out this group!
• Project Hopeful - Buy tees to support and raise awareness for families adopting children with HIV/AIDS in Africa. 
• Neverthirst - Wonderful local group who is working to bring clean, safe water and the Gospel to those who need it most.
• Charity: Water - Very cool tees and water bottles to help raise money for sustainable clean water solutions in developing countries.
• One - Help this group fight extreme poverty and preventable disease, primarily in Africa, through raising awareness.  Tees, phone covers, bags!
• One Verse - End Bible poverty by translating verses for an untranslated people group.  Sponsor a verse in someone's name who is on your list!  They also have tees to promote One Verse available. 
• The Hunger Site - Help fight famine in the Horn of Africa and hunger in the US by purchasing fair trade items.
• International Justice Mission - Help give aid to the victims of human trafficking around the world.
• 58: Store - Resources for living out Isaiah 58.
• Hello Somebody - Purchase products to help feed and educate children to break the cycle of hunger and poverty.
• Noonday Collection - Fashion + Orphan Care
• Exodus Cry - A Prayer Movement to End Slavery
• NightLight - Shop jewelry and accessories to support this international organization committed to addressing the issues surrounding human trafficking and prostitution.

The Lightkeeper's Ball by Colleen Coble

I just finished A Mercy Falls novel by Colleen Coble called The Lightkeeper's Ball.  Socialite Olivia Stewart is an heiress in New York City at the turn of the century who finds herself in a difficult situation.  Her father has recently been killed, and her older sister has died under suspicious circumstances across the country in California where she was to marry Harrison Bennett, one of the wealthiest men in America.  She needs an advantageous marriage to keep her and her mother living well, but she also wants to find out what happened to her sister.  She leaves the city under the guise of her English title, Lady Devonworth, to learn more about Harrison and the cause of her sister's death.  What begins as a scheme to solve this mystery turns into an exciting novel full of drama, suspense, mystery, twists, and romance. 

I very much enjoyed reading this novel and was truly surprised by some of the twists Coble threw into the story.  I haven't read the other two titles in the Mercy Falls series, The Lightkeeper's Daughter and The Lightkeeper's Bride, but I am interested in giving them a chance. 

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Here Burns My Candle by Liz Curtis Higgs

Author Liz Curtis Higgs has always been one of my favorites.  She has a fascinating way of re-telling a Biblical story set in Scotland of old.  Here Burns My Candle is a take on the Biblical book of Ruth and is set in 18th century Edinburgh during the Jacobite Rising.  Lady Elisabeth Kerr is a Highlander by birth and a Lowlander by marriage.  She is caught between the auld ways and those of her husband, Lord Donald Kerr, and the novel follows this family as secrets come out amid Prince Charlie and his rebel army riding through the streets of Edinburgh in September 1745.  Due to circumstances, Lady Elisabeth is left with her mother-in-law, the dowager Lady Marjory, to sift through family secrets and pick up the pieces as they lose everything they hold dear. 

I would highly recommend reading Here Burns My Candle, and I am looking forward to reading the follow-up novel to find out how Lady Elisabeth and Lady Majory's journey ends. 

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

God Gave Us the World by Lisa Tawn Bergren

Following in line with the other great books in this series, Lisa Tawn Bergren's book God Gave Us the World follows Little Cub as he learns something new about God and His creation.  Little Cub takes a trip to a museum exhibit called "Bears Around the World."  He has all kinds of questions about why bears from the different parts of the world look different from him, so Mama Bear explains to him where God has put the different bears to live, what they eat, and the kind of fur they have.  Little Cub is curious about why God didn't just make all the bears the same.  Mama Bear teaches Little Cub that God created all the bears and each bear has a special purpose for being in the world.

My two children really enjoyed this book and brought up thought provoking questions of their own.  They loved the bright, colorful pictures, and were quick to point out the difference they noticed in the bears and where they lived.  This is a great book for families to use when teaching young children about their roles in God's world and about diversity among the people around them.  We loved it!

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

Turmoil in the Middle East

Dear Friend,

The media is full of reports of turmoil in the Middle East and North Africa. Uprisings have rocked the governments of Egypt, Tunisia, and Jordan. Angry crowds are protesting in Lebanon, Syria, Algeria, and Yemen. South Sudan has voted to secede from Sudan, and demonstrations have broken out in the capital city of Khartoum.

This is a critical time of unrest and uncertainty, and Christians need to join together in prayer for this volatile region.

I've probably spent more time working in this part of the world than any other. Over the years, Samaritan's Purse has helped hundreds of thousands of suffering people with medical care, food, and other aid. We have helped train and equip hundreds of pastors, distributed thousands of Bibles, and even built over 400 churches in Sudan. More than 2.5 million children in the Middle East and North Africa have received shoe box gifts from Operation Christmas Child.

Please join with us in praying for the Christian minorities who could face increasing persecution in the days ahead. Pray that God will use these current crises to open doors and hearts to the Gospel and that many will find "peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 5:1). Ultimately, we know, true peace will come to this region only when Christ returns in power and glory.

One of our most faithful ministry partners sent a note saying, "Throughout the Middle East, there is a new generation of evangelists ready to continue the work of our Lord until that blessed day when He returns to us. I ask you to pray that they will be fearless in their work in any circumstance."

We are committed to lifting up Christ in the region in any way that we can. Thank you for your prayers and support.

Sincerely,

Franklin Graham
President, Samaritan's Purse

Out Live Your Life by Max Lucado

I recently read Max Lucado's new book, Out Live Your Life: You Were Made to Make a Difference.  The world is a difficult place to live in current times with poverty, disease, natural disasters, and other reasons for hopelessness.  Closer to home, many people we come in contact with on a daily basis are lonely and looking for a reason to hope.  Max Lucado uses 16 easy-to-read chapters to explore ways to make a difference in the world around us, both near home and internationally, by living out our one and only life.  We have one chance to make it count.

After reading several other books dealing with similar issues (like Radical and The Hole in Our Gospel), I felt Out Live Your Life was the encouragement I needed to start living my life the way God intended.  I feel like it is possible for me to make a big difference in my world without feeling overwhelmed myself.  What a waste it would be if I leave this world without making a difference to someone else who needs hope.  Each chapter begins with a Bible verse and then ends with another Bible passage and prayer that corresponds with the chapter.  I really liked that about the book.  I also like the fact that 100% of the author's royalties will benefit children and families through World Vision.  I would recommend this book and give it 4 out of 5 stars.

Disclaimer:  This book was provided by Booksneeze for the purpose of this review.

Merry Christmas!

"Love consists in this: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son."

1 John 4:10

Fall Social on the Farm

Michelle's P & P

Congratulations to Jason, Michelle, and Parker!  Keep them in your prayers as we await the arrival of baby girl Merritt!!

100 Prayers God Loves to Hear: 100 Praise Songs

My kids and I were very interested when we found 100 Prayers God Loves to Hear: 100 Praise Songs in our mailbox.  It is a book created by Stephen Elkins and includes two CDs with 100 praise songs for children.  The book is a great collection of prayers for all occasions, and it is a very useful tool for teaching children how and when to pray - anytime, anywhere, and about anything.  I would characterize the book and songs as creative and fun!  

My children are five and three and LOVE the songs on the CDs.  My three-year-old son insisted on repeating the songs over and over, while my five-year-old daughter enjoyed looking through the book and listening to the stories, prayers, antecdotes, and Bible verses.  Both of my kids give this set five stars!

I received this book for free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as a blogging book reviewer.

God is at work!

Continue to keep Greg and Sarah Mann in your prayers as they minister to the Palaung people in Thailand.  Praise the Lord for the new believer who just last week found the Lord in the middle of a field by her home.  The Manns are expecting a baby in the next few weeks, so keep them in your thoughts and pray for a safe delivery and healthy baby girl. 

We Need One Another

This is a neat post I read today on Beth Moore's blog for Living Proof Ministries:
Thinking About Stuff
July 23, 2010

Last night my man and I had the neatest experience and it’s on my mind so I think I’ll share it. We were invited to the 30th birthday party of a young woman we’ve known all her life. Kay’s parents and Keith and I have been dear friends since our early 20′s. Many years ago we served together in our young marrieds’ Sunday School department. Kay’s Dad, Roger (one of the finest men I’ve ever known), taught the men’s class and I taught the women’s. Each set of couples had 2 daughters almost exactly the same age. They grew up together at the same church and have known each other all their lives. We have vacationed together a number of times as families and as couples and leaned on each other more times than I can count. During difficult seasons, we have wept together and in times of victory, celebrated like wild people. Our oldest daughters served in summer missions together and met and fell in love with two guys from Missouri who were best friends. They each married those guys and were in each other’s weddings only two weeks apart.
We got invited to Kay’s birthday party because Roger and Mary Ann (one of the finest women I know) would be the only other older couple there. The rest were all in their late 20′s or early 30′s. As we sat at that table with our life-long friends right beside us, I looked around at those young people and remembered just yesterday when it was us sitting in their positions. We had so much life ahead. So much joy. So much victory. So much defeat. (I’ll just apply that part to Keith and me) So much need. Life – and marriage, for Heaven’s sake – is flat-out HARD. But you really couldn’t tell it last night. It was a celebration and time to put our troubles aside and boast in the graciousness of our God. And we did.
I thought last night how much God used that band of married couples so many years ago to keep Keith and me together through hard times and how much sweeter they made the good times. Many of us from that original young marrieds’ group at our church are still friends today. All but two couples have stayed together (no condemnation to those who haven’t – the devil is relentless) and through many very difficult times. None of us are without scars. None of us are as full of ourselves or as sure of ourselves as we were back then. We’ve been broken over and over and sometimes to pieces but last night there we sat, telling some of those people our stories and hearing a few of them say,
“That’s pretty cool.”
The way God ordained it, we don’t just need our vertical relationship with Him to make it in life and marriage. We need one another. We need Hebrews 10:24-25 kind of people. We need folks around us to cheer us on and even to question us and hold us accountable. We need people who will not only pray for us but laugh with us and cry with us. Eat Mexican food with us. Live life with us! We need more than Facebook and blogs and tweets, as much as I enjoy them. We need real people and real face-to-face, life-to-life relationships. Last night when Kay’s husband, Jerrell, prayed over her before we sat down to the birthday feast, for some reason Mary Ann, Roger, Keith and I grabbed onto each other for dear life and hugged each other with all our might. We are still standing after the enemy has done you-can’t-imagine-what to try to destroy us. Not one of us would take an ounce of credit. Jesus. It’s all Jesus. He’s been so much better to us than He had to be. He did not let the devil bring the destruction he wanted.
It seems only yesterday we WERE those young couples. In the blink of an eye those young couples will be our age, having endured what they were sure they couldn’t and having celebrated more than they deserved.
God is so good.
“But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed but not in despair, persecuted but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed…Therefore we do NOT lose heart.” 2 Corinthians 4:7-8, 16.

Discipline

The following is from author Wendy Blight, seen on the Proverbs 31 Ministries Blog:

Discipline.
Dictionary.com defines discipline as the rigor or training effect of experience or adversity. My parents disciplined me as a child. With a teenager and a tween, my husband and I find ourselves in a continual process of discipline. But me? I am an adult. I don't need discipline. And who really has the right to discipline me?
Hebrews 12:5-6 discusses just exactly who has the right to discipline me…and you. God. Our Creator. Our Heavenly Father.

I love how the writer of Hebrews 5 begins: "And have you forgotten the encouraging words that God spoke to you as His children?..." God intends for the words that follow to encourage us and not discourage us.
In Hebrews 12:5-6, the writer of Hebrews quotes from Proverbs 3:11-12 which says, "My child, don't reject the Lord's discipline, and don't be upset when He corrects you. For the Lord corrects those He loves, just as a father corrects a child in whom he delights."

This word discipline in the King James translation is "chasteneth," which in the Greek denotes "to train" and is most often used with training up a child.

Elsewhere in Scripture it is translated learned or taught, but in Hebrews 12, it refers specifically to the part of training that means infliction of evils and calamities. When I read that, my first thought was surely not, God. But as I continued my study, God's Word helped me understand.

God knows who He created us to be. Jeremiah 29:11 says, "For I know the plans I have for you…plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."

God promises in Romans 8:28, "And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them."

God balances these encouraging truths with the reality that we are sinful and selfish creatures. When given the choice, we will choose to please ourselves, serve ourselves, and put ourselves first. God knows to accomplish the plans He has for us, He must burn away that which is selfish and self-centered. He also knows that we will not willingly surrender to this chastisement.

But we all have faults and follies that need to be corrected. And at the time God led me to Hebrews 12, I was in the midst of struggling with those faults and follies. He wanted me to see that I had to walk through His refining fire to burn off all evidence of self in my struggle. Such a hard truth to hear. But the end result, the wonderful truth is that God promises me that when I emerge on the other side of His refining fire, I will be closer to reflecting His image and closer to being the woman He created me to be.

When we look at Hebrews 12:5-6 this way, we should willingly surrender to His discipline. For it is His discipline that assures us we are legitimate, loved children of God. He is treating us as His own. He is preparing us. He is training us. He is transforming us.

Dear Lord, thank you for disciplining me. It is hard to take but I understand it is for my good and Your glory. In Jesus' Name, Amen.