S Club Mama

My greatest desire would be to fulfill this Scripture:  "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth." 3 John 1:4 Truly, the Lord has blessed me with my children and I try my very best to instill in them a love for the Lord. My hope is that this discipleship of my children will lead to their ownership in their faiths. That they may walk in the truth. One way I've found necessary in our lives to teach them is through books. We are bookworms, my children and I (my husband has come very far in his non-reading ways lol). My boys naturally lounge with a book daily. Even Princess, as small as she is, likes to be read to. One of her first words was "buh" which means "book." She is quite violent in placing them on your lap for you to read to her but it's with a good heart, a bookworm heart. image via amazon.com I love to have books that speak of God. Our favorites include "Look What God Made," "G...

If you're unfamiliar with Nick Vujicic, then please check out his website, Life Without Limbs , before proceeding. Nick Vujicic was born without limbs - no arms, no legs, and two feet (one bigger, one smaller). His father, Boris Vujicic wrote "Raising the Perfectly Imperfect Parent" to inspire and encourage parents raising special needs children. When his wife gave birth to Nick, they were unprepared to raise a child without limbs. However, through grief and uncertainty and a great faith in Jesus Christ, they managed to raise Nick - and his siblings - with great faith. Nick has become a very famous speaker, sharing encouragement and the light of Christ with so many people, especially those with special needs in need of inspiration. I really enjoyed how brutally honest Boris was in his book. He and his wife actually contemplated whether they could care for Nick and, so considered putting him up for adoption. They eventually came to the conclusion that God would prov...

Adult coloring is all the rage right now but why? Because who doesn't remember coloring as a kid? Maybe it wasn't your favorite thing (although I remember enjoying it), but we all did it in preschool, kindergarten and beyond. I personally remember coloring in high school and college.  image via WaterBrook Multnomah "Whatever is Lovely: A Coloring Book for Reflection and Worship" is not my first coloring book as an adult. I did one review over another and a friend bought me one. However, "Whatever is Lovely" is my favorite! Why, you ask? Because of the encouragement I get from the Scripture in it and quotes from some of my favorite authors (Emily P. Freeman's book "Simply Tuesday" is awesome!). And these are picture I could hang up in my home! Not Avengers and Batman or Hello Kitty (nothing wrong with those if you wish to hang them up in your house either, just to each your own).  I will admit, I don't have a lot of time to colo...

Boys. If men are from Mars and women are from Venus...where exactly are boys from? They are definitely a type of their own, right boy moms? I have read many books concerning boys and raising them and shepherding them and teaching them and disciplining them. I'm well-read (and getting to be well-experienced in the 0-6 age group) about boys. Having read so many books, I will say that "Raising Boys by Design" by Gregory L. Jantz, PhD and Michael Gurian is probably the most boring I've read. They have the right idea with the subtitle "What the Bible and Brain Science reveal about what your son needs to thrive." But the actual writing in the book did not hold my attention well. Here are the few things I gleaned from this book. When boys are at rest or zoning out, their brains mostly are in a resting state. Girls' brains, in opposition, still have much activity even in a resting state. My question to this is then, is it possible for boys to obey right away...

I first read "Redeeming Love" by Francine Rivers in college (this newest copy is a 20th anniversary edition). A dear friend of mine recommended it and I devoured it. I was a new Christian, stepping out in faith and walking in the light. I still love being around new Christians; they have such an enthusiasm. I had such enthusiasm when I read this book, which is a love story that tells you about God's unconditional love, I believe I read it in a few hours. In "Redeeming Love" a man named Michael Hosea takes a leap of faith when God leads him to marry Angel, a woman sold into prostitution as a young child. He (Hosea) loves her unconditionally, despite her checkered past and often disgruntled attitude toward him. Angel feels her heart softening and runs (if your heart is hardened that much, I imagine it'd be scary to feel it thaw out). She runs back but realizes that she cannot run from the One who loves her even more unconditionally than her husband: God. I...

I read this post awhile back about the "new fundamentalism" of Christians being bombarded about going and living on the mission field in foreign countries. I can't find the exact post (bothering me!), but it made me wonder. Doesn't God call some of us " to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody" (1 Thessalonians 4:11-12). I don't feel the call to the mission field beyond short-term - right now. I am open if God calls us but He could very well keep us where we are.  Anyway, "Sent" by Hilary Alan is about God's calling on an upper-middle-class family who sells almost everything they own to go serve God in a Third World country in Southeast Asia. I felt throughout the book a bit of 'I'm an amazing Christian because my family sold everything and lived around poverty. And...

I have seen a few of Andy Stanley's DVD series - Guardrails and currently my small group is watching iMarriage. Both are very insightful but he brings humor in to the series which helps people better understand the material, I think. When I had the opportunity to read Next Generation Leader by Andy Stanley I was excited. Next Generation Leaders has some really good insight into how to become a capable leader, some of which may seem counterintuitive. Stanley says to not do too much but to focus on where your capabilities and talents lie. That seems wrong when you're starting in a career because you want to be willing to do everything. But I understand what he means - you want to hone your skills rather than wasting time on things that aren't your thing. Stanley also talks about having courage and that fear does not mean you are an incapable leader. You just have to have the courage to take risks that scare you sometimes; not foolishly but risks demand you to take a cha...

If you've read God Gave Us You, you've heard of Lisa T. Bergren. Wonderful children's book! Bergren's new book, Upside-Down Prayers for Parents, will be released February 19, 2013. It's a 31-day devotional that helps parents help their children - and themselves - to trust God. I like that this devotional doesn't take me very long to read but I get a lot out of it. It's challenging to me at a Christian and a mother. It's called Upside-Down Prayers because you will be praying for things for your children that sound like stuff you wouldn't want to happen to your children. For instance: I pray you'll know what it is to be lonely. Wow. I don't want my kids to be lonely! But if you finish the prayer, "and find intimacy with the One who is always beside you" then it makes sense. I don't want my kids to be lonely, but if their loneliness leads them to the Lord, then be lonely children! A few other prayers you'll be praying ...

David Platt's books Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream and Radical Together: Unleashing the People of God for the Purpose of God have been New York Times bestsellers. I haven't read these books but I have friends who are Platt fans, so I thought I would read The Radical Question and A Radical Idea by Mr. Platt. The Radical Question basically challenges the American Dream and the affects of it on the contemporary church. He writes of people who have given up large salaries (either by leaving the job or by giving the money) for God's work. I agree with the pretense of giving up all one has for the Lord, I don't think that necessarily means giving it up. It can merely mean using those things (money, time, homes, cars, etc) FOR the Lord. I believe that everything I have is the Lord's...unfortunately, I do know that I don't USE it that way sometimes...probably a lot. I felt that this book was more of a guilt trip, trying to make people fee...

Oops! I'd forgotten I read this book to write a review over rather than for fun. I'm sure you were all on the edge of your seat - all of you that comment, especially. Ha. How We Love Our Kids by Milan and Kay Yerkovich was really interesting. The jist of it is that perhaps your children aren't the problem, like many other parenting books suggest. Perhaps not problem but if you change your children, then the problems go away. How We Love Our Kids suggests that perhaps we parents are the problem. It discusses five love styles (not to be confused with The Five Love Languages): avoider, pleaser, vacillator, controller, and victim. I leaned toward the vacillator . I have a push and pull with my children. Either I'm distracted or preoccupied OR I work toward closeness. Not necessarily a bad thing but I must be careful that when I'm distracted that I don't lash out at my children for wanting my attention. Also, I need to realize the consequences of such a push and...

I honestly wasn't sure what to expect from To Be Perfectly Honest: One Man's Year of Almost Living Truthfully Could Change Your Life. No Lie. by Phil Callaway. I gathered he was a comedian, so I thought, at most, I'll get a few laughs. Well, I was right about the laughs. Phil is a funny guy. And his honesty throughout the books - good and bad - made him very personable. I felt like I was talking to a friend. It was really neat to see him come clean about how he's bashful about sharing the gospel (so am I), how he spoke with God about his mother's Alzheimer's, and the questions his friends came up with for him during this year stint. One of my favorite quotes from the books was this prayer: "I'm sorry. I love you, but I have trouble understanding you. Your servant, Phil" I sometimes I a lot of trouble understanding God or His ways. I know I don't need to know and sometimes He doesn't want me to know, but it's hard. Doesn't m...

Before you jump to conclusions about my reason for writing about this book (and you may if you have read Every Man's Battle or know what it's about), know that when I pick books to review, I only have a few to choose from. I, myself, had heard of Every Man's Battle about men's sexual battles, so I thought this would be a good book worth reading. Every Woman's Battle is about "discovering God's plan for sexual and emotional fulfillment." When a friend saw this book sitting out, he was curious "I thought you guys didn't struggle with that." But I told him that we struggle with emotional temptations, not (necessarily) physical temptations. Men are visual and give love to get sex (in a non-Christian way) while women are emotional and give sex to get love. While I'm not struggling with most of the battles within this book, I saw so many areas I have previously struggled with. I wish I had read this years ago (as in high school)! I woul...

I'm a little behind on my reviews, so I'll apologize now for the lack of personal posts for the next few days. Once I get pictures uploaded, I'll share some of my cutie boys with you! We've been reading "His Mighty Warrior: A Treasure Map from Your King" little devotions book in the mornings. I guess, we've been off schedule a little with the holidays, but I really enjoy opening my day with my sons by reading The Word in a way that is age-appropriate for them. "His Mighty Warrior" is just that: a letter to my boys from their Father in heaven. image via I love how boy this book is. There's a pirate on the front, maps in the book. All the pages are rugged like a map or have a compass on them - all about exploration. And that's what I want to show my boys; that Jesus wasn't just a nice guy. He was a warrior, He was manly, He was strong! I think too often, our young men see Christianity as a feminine religion whereas it's full...

Out of a Far Country is the journey of two prodigals: a mother and son, finding their way to the love of the Lord. Angela Yuan was in a loveless, lifeless marriage with rebellious sons. She was so lost and felt so alone that she was {  } this close to committing suicide. Then she started to read a pamphlet about Jesus and how much He loved her. As Angela began to live for the Lord, her prayers turned to her wayward son, Christopher. Chris was living a homosexual and drug dealer's lifestyle. His description of his life just breaks a mother's heart!! As the book takes you through years of this family's life, I am astounded by the prayer life of Angela - for a redemption of a broken home. The Lord proved that He works miracles by answering her prayers. Angela spent much time on her knees in despair for her life - and not a second was wasted! I love hearing stories of redemption and the power of prayer! I think too often we are too focused on DIY and self-help that we forget ...

I did a bad thing. Perhaps not a sin, but definitely a sin in the eyes of an English major. I judged a book by its cover. "The Charlatan's Boy " by Jonathan Rogers has a great circus-inspired cover. It's very reminiscent of the cover of "Water for Elephants." However, the inside of the book lacks much of what made "Water for Elephants" great. No romance, no real drama, and no face-paced plot. Now, this isn't to say that "The Charlatan's Boy" isn't a good book. It is a pretty good book (3 on a scale of 1-5). It's a slow moving book and took me quite a bit of time to read, just for lack of motivation! Let me share a synopsis. Grady is a side kick to Floyd. Grady is an orphan (at least he's never met his folks) and Floyd never seems to give him a straight answer about where he came from. They are hucksters, fooling people with their "Wild Man of Feechiefen Swamp" routine (Grady plays the role of the Feechie)...

" God Gave Us So Much " by Lisa Tawn Bergren (illustrated by Laura J. Bryant) is a treasury of three stories from the God Gave Us series. It includes the stories God Gave Us the World, God Gave Us Love, and God Gave Us Heaven. How adorable are these books?! I love books that bring the heavenly realm to my children. Heaven and God are complicated things to explain to children. Moose knows that Jesus loves him and we love God, but I don't know how much he truly knows. Books like these God Gave Us stories help parents tell their children (help me tell my children) how much God loves them. God really did give us the world, love, and heaven. And these stories use a very cute family of polar bears to help explain that love! Mama, Papa, and Grampa Bear help explain God's gifts to Little Cub. My boys really liked sitting down to this book, although we take it one story at a time. My boys are creatures of habit so this isn't one of their favorite books...yet! But I kn...

As I started to read "The Chasm," I was skeptical about my choice of books. This was confusing and seemed similar to a mystery. I didn't understand that this book tied in to a larger novel, "Edge of Eternity." Now I haven't read the latter book, so I can't say whether it's good or bad or indifferent. However, I ended up really enjoying "The Chasm." There are beautiful parallels to the Gospel: the Woodsman and Jesus, the tree and the cross, Charis and Heaven. This is a tale of demons and angels, good and bad, and all the gray matter between. My favorite part of the book is the overhead look at the roads. Our lives are really paths that take us to one place or another - and in the end, the final one place or the other. The road you choose to travel may be scenic and beautiful...or even confusing and sorrowful...but where will it end? Charis, the city of lights, full of beautiful music and happy endings...or another city, full of darkness ...

I miss Christmas. I do. The lights, the holiness, the traditions, the family. I realize that with Easter not terribly far away, I will get most of those things back (for a day). However, there is something special about Christmas - so much of it is rooted in history. I was delighted to receive a copy of "Everything Christmas" by David Bordon and Thomas J. Winters! Christmas was back! I have been eating up this book, reading up on other countries' holiday customs and meals, stories of Christmases past, history of carols and other Christmas traditions. It is so fun (at least for me) to learn about where our traditions come from. My family doesn't have a lot of holiday traditions (or family traditions) so maybe this isn't as exciting for everyone like it is for me. That's ok, I still think you would enjoy this book. The only thing I dislike about this book is that it is set up like a daily devotional so you read section A on December 1st, etc. I would have pr...

 " God Loves Me More Than That " by Dandi Daley Mackall (illustrated by David Hohn) is a beautifully illustrated story book for kids. As soon as I got the book, I sat down with my boys to read it. The poetic lines are simple - telling how high, how deep, how long, how soft the love of the Lord is for me (and you). Moose's favorite part of the book was how soft the Lord's love is: softer than a kitten's sneeze. He keeps flipping back to the page with the kitten sneezing. Squirt liked the butterflies on the cover so he kept shutting the book to point to that. The illustrations are beautiful - worthy of being called true art. Even if you don't enjoy children's books much, this book is definitely something for all ages. My favorite part was that the words speak truth - God really does love you more than that. Hohn's art is enjoyable - simple and childlike but done well enough that a true artist would appreciate the work. This book is available for $9.9...