Review & Giveaway: 30 Days to Understanding the Bible

Wow, it has been a long time since I've had the pleasure of doing a review! Almost 2yrs! It seems super fitting that the book I get to do a review on is not a brand new book, but one that is celebrating it's thirtieth anniversary and is an expanded edition!

About the Author:

Dr. Max Anders is the author of over 25 books and is the creator and general editor of the 32-volume Holman Bible Commentary series. He has taught on the college and seminary level and is a veteran pastor. Max was also one of the original team members with Walk Thru the Bible Ministries. He provides resources and discipleship strategies at MaxAnders.com to help people grow spiritually.

 About the book:

If you’ve ever confused the ark of the covenant with the ark of Noah, or Jericho with Jeroboam, Max Anders’ classic book, 30 Days to Understanding the Bible, is for you. In just fifteen minutes a day, you’ll learn the Bible’s key people, events, and doctrines to get more out of God’s Word. This simple-to-use, straightforward guide has been recommended by Bible teachers and pastors for thirty years, and now it’s available in an expanded thirtieth anniversary edition—with the most requested topics from the original edition restored and updated for today’s readers. 

MY REVIEW: 

 When I first saw the title of the book, I will admit, I laughed hard.  Because in our family the Bible is the blueprint for our lives, most of our decisions are based on what we've read in the Bible and the idea that it can be understood in 30 days was, well, laughable!  And then I started reading, and reading and loving it and making plans to implement it into our homeschool routine! 

As a kid, we had sword drills (who can find the verse the fastest) and Bible memory challenges. Somehow this has not happened as much with my kids (soon to change!) Part of the reason was because of the different layout of the books of the Bible in our preferred version, CJB.  But enough with the excuses, let's get on with the good stuff!

So this book starts out with the structure of the Bible and learning the very basics, how many  books are in the New and Old Testaments, how many historical, poetic and prophetic books there are and then we get to see a timeline and how the various books fit into the timeline, this is just a basic overview. And then we dig a bit deeper into the Old Testament and check out the geography and the historical eras, poetry and prophetic books. We then do the same thing for the New Testament, starting with the changed geography and learning the historical books, Pauline Epistles and General Epistles, again placed beautifully on a timeline chart (yes I'm a nerd and thoroughly LOVE charts!)  

This takes care of the first 2 sections of the book, the next section, I will admit had me a little worried, Doctrines of the Bible😒😟😨  This can be a controversial subject, and I am not quite at this part in the book yet, but I went ahead anyhow to get a feel for it.  And my fears were put to rest...Mr. Anders did a solid job addressing this in his overview of Bible Doctrine, he says and I quote:

It is difficult to get two people to agree on all points of doctrine.  There is an old Irish prayer that says:

 "O Lord, turn the hearts of our enemies,

And if You can't turn their hearts,

Then turn their ankles,

So we can know them by their limp." 

There are many people limping, in the eyes of others, over certain doctrinal distinctions. However, there is a basic body of doctrine that nearly all Christians have agreed upon. We will turn our focus to that body in this section.  pg.183-184

 Well that set my mind at ease!  SO, he breaks it down into 10 main doctrines and goes briefly into each one of them. Without getting into the controversial stuff. For example, The Doctrine of Christ is broken down into subdivisions but we don't go deep into the subdivisions....Jesus was God incarnate, Christ was a man, After being killed Jesus was raised to life again, Jesus will return at some point in the future.  That's it. oh he does give a Bible reference for each subdivision, but it is very broad and doesn't lend itself to argue with the author.  He did SUCH a good job!

Next is a great chapter called How to Master the Bible So Well that the Bible Masters You!!!

I don't think much needs said on this except that it's a chapter that excites me!

AND THEN.....every teachers dream....THE TEACHING PLAN!

 One cool thing about this book is that it has downloadable charts and images that can be printed or used in electronic presentations. The teaching plans are very well laid out and I'm SO excited to do this with my kids! 

I realize that my review is rather lengthy, but I am SO excited about this book it was really hard to be short winded. 

You can check out more details on the book here.

Don't want to wait for the giveaway? You can buy it here.

Cool thing for YOU, is that you can enter to win a copy of this book!!! I will be holding a draw on Feb 1st. Simply leave a comment here on my blog to enter the draw!

“Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255:  “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”):  Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway.  Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation.  I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post. Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway.  If you have won a prize from our sponsor Propeller /FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days on the same blog, you are not eligible to win.  Or if you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again.  Winner is subject to eligibility verification."

 

Review & Giveaway: When We Last Spoke

About the book:"Humor, heartbreak, and triumph are served with whipped cream and lots of local nuts in this heartwarming tale of family, friendship, and forgiveness in Fireside, Texas.
Meet Juliet Cranbourne, local radio personality and owner of a whimsical kitchen gadget store, and her sister Evangeline, a fruit tree geneticist who works for Oregon State University.
When a rift due to their orphaned past affects their sisterhood, Juliet convinces Evangeline to come home for Christmas and choose headstones to honor grandparents Walt
(a tenderhearted, good looking rancher) and Ruby (a blue-ribbon fiddler, fabulous cook, and expert in the art of making family feel loved).  As they cruise through Fireside in Ruby's
Thunderbird, Juliet hopes that healing memories will somehow smooth rough roads ahead.
Does the tremendous love that marked Walt and Ruby's lives still have the power to renew their sisterhood and help them find their place in the world?"

About the Author:Marci Henna was born in Austin, Texas and lived as a child in Kenya, East Africa with the Wakamba tribe where her parents managed a medical research station. She later moved to the Hill Country ranch which has been in the family since the 1800's and currently lives in Austin.

My Review: I really enjoyed this book! I don't know that I can say it any better than the above paragraph but what I saw was a story of reconciliation, and THAT is worth any read! Not one of us is too far from the reach of our Creator's love and He went to great lengths to be reconciled to us.

You have an opportunity to win your very own copy of this book! All you need to do is leave a comment below! I will draw the blessed winner on Feb 24th.



“Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post. Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway. If you have won a prize from our sponsor Propeller /FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days on the same blog, you are not eligible to win. Or if you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification."

Don't want to wait for a copy of the book? You can buy it at these links:
Softcover
Kindle
The author is giving away a free kindle version from Feb 20-24th!!!

Review & Giveaway: Bible Belle: Abigail, The Belle of Bravery

About the book: With the help of her angel Mari, Rooney has learned that she has two real superpowers: Prayer and Patience. The adventure continues in Book Three of the Bible Belles series, as Rooney faces her toughest challenge yet.
After a tough afternoon with her brother and some neighborhood kids, Rooney is faced with a difficult choice: can she be brave enough to do the right thing?
Through the story of Abigail, Rooney learns that she can call upon the courage of God to boldly face any problem with the confidence that He will see her through it.
Join Rooney and Mari on another exciting adventure to becoming the best kind of superhero—a Bible Belle!

About the Author: Erin Weidemann is a teacher turned professional author. A former college athlete, Erin is also a five-time cancer survivor. She lives in Encinitas, California with her husband Brent and their daughter Rooney. In addition to being the co-founder and CEO of Bible Belles, Erin is the host of the Heroes For Her podcast.

I really enjoy the Bible Belle series! Just when I think they couldn't improve, they do! Now available is a downloadable devotional and free coloring pages and everything! You can find it HERE
I highly recommend this book, as well as the others in the Bible Belle series. What a sweet gift for our young girls! For more information on other products by this author visit Here

If you'd like this book, just leave a comment here on my blog and you will be entered to win your very own hard copy!
I will draw the winner on Dec 5th, so enter quick!

Review & Giveaway: The Blessings of Unity

About the book:
The Blessings of Unity offers insight and ideas for creating godly unity in our marriages centered around two key concepts:
1) Abiding in the Vine and walking in the Spirit, and
2) Learning and applying the concept of unity.
Unity is achieved when a man and woman strive for agreement with God by processing His Will on every decision and in every issue. Through Biblically-centered discussions of discord, division, unity, discipleship, and prayer, and through exploring Biblical examples of unity, Richard Case offers husbands and wives practical and spiritual advice for working together in unity in the Spirit so that they can more perfectly present themselves to God for his divine approval.

About the author/ministry:
Before his current role in developing retreats and serving this ministry, All for Jesus, Richard Case worked for many years with Fortune 500 companies in management and consulting roles. He holds a BS in Management and Finance from Bradley University, an MBA from the University of Southern California, and a seminary Masters degree from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. Richard has been a featured speaker at conferences and seminars; he has hosted a radio show and is a published author. Richard and his wife, Linda, answered the call from the Lord to Abide in Him through the Spirit. Together, Richard and Linda have started up several churches that remain strong today, and have served as interim pastors of troubled churches, bringing reconciliation and new vision to these situations. Richard and Linda began conducting marriage retreats in 2001. Richard and Linda currently live in Castle Rock, CO.

Here is a link to a free ebook, Unshakeable (6 pgs)

My Review: Oh I loved this book! The very first chapter starts out with an evaluation of your marriage for both myself and my husband, to be done separately and very honestly. I loved that. It is so important to honestly evaluate things so that you can address things so that healing can happen. The author shared his own testimony of his marriage and how they were able to overcome division and become unified.

One of the primary keys to unity is a desire to go to unity....Ephesians tells us that we are to walk worthy of our calling---which is to walk with the Father in the Spirit, surrendering to Him and seeking His will. This requires humility, gentleness, patience and walking through the difficulties with each other in love. We are called to work (attend to carefully) to keep the unity of the Spirit in the "Bond of Peace--Shalom."

One of the big take aways I got from the book is the importance of walking in the Spirit and not in the flesh. Dying to self and putting my sweetheart first.

I so think this is a book worth reading! It is not a long read, easily read a chapter every night with my husband.
You can enter the giveaway by leaving a comment below. I will draw for the giveaway Nov 24th.

"Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the
Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post. Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway. If you have won a prize from our sponsor Propeller / FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days, you are not eligible to win. Or if you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.”

Review & Giveaway: Say & Pray Devotions

Author: Diane Stortz is an author and former editorial director whose heart’s desire is to “tell the next generation about the glorious deeds of the Lord” (Psalm 78:4). Diane’s books include Words to Dream On, The Sweetest Story Bible, I Am, Say & Pray Bible, and A Woman’s Guide to Reading the Bible in a Year. Diane and her husband reside in Cincinnati, Ohio, and have two married daughters. Diane enjoys walking, gardening, and visiting her four young grandsons.

About the book: Bestselling children’s author Diane Stortz has sold nearly 300,000 books—Bible storybooks, devotionals for children, and more. This brand-new title, Say & Pray Devotions, is the perfect beginner devotional for little ones.
Parents who already know and love the Say & Pray Bible will love Say & Pray Devotions as it helps their youngsters continue to engage their faith in a personal way. Featuring the same fun style of artwork and the educational elements as Say & Pray Bible, this devotional for little ones will teach the basics of identification and comprehension while sharing biblical principles for life. Each devotion offers a topical message to help little ones learn and follow biblical principles.

My Review: The cover of the book is very much what you find on the inside! A perfect book for toddlers, with it's cardboard pages and short sentences. Each devotion is 2 pages, the first page says something about God's World and the second page is a short Scripture verse and prayer that relate to the previous page! The verses are short enough for our speaking toddlers to memorize! We are never too young to hide His Word in our hearts!

For more information on the book, you can check out the official website: http://store.faithgateway.com/say-pray-devotions

To enter the giveaway to win your very own copy of this book, all you need to do is leave a comment! I will draw the winner on Nov 18th.

“Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post.

Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway. If you have won a prize from our sponsor Propeller /FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days, you are not eligible to win. Or if you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification."

Review & Giveaway: Parenting, 14 Gospel Principles

In the midst of folding laundry, coordinating carpool schedules, and breaking up fights, many parents get lost. Feeling pressure to do everything “right” and raise up “good” children, it’s easy to lose sight of our ultimate purpose as parents in the quest for practical tips and guaranteed formulas.

In this life-giving book, Paul Tripp offers parents much more than a to-do list. Instead, he presents us with a big-picture view of God’s plan for us as parents. Outlining fourteen foundational principles centered on the gospel, he shows that we need more than the latest parenting strategy or list of techniques. Rather, we need the rescuing grace of God—grace that has the power to shape how we view everything we do as parents.

Freed from the burden of trying to manufacture life-change in our children’s hearts, we can embrace a grand perspective of parenting overflowing with vision, purpose, and joy.

To read an excerpt or hear part of the audio book, or to watch 14 very short videos on each of the Gospel Principles, visit Parenting, where you will also find purchase options as well.

My Review: My attention was first completely grabbed when I read a very controversial statement about people in ministry who have children. It is not often that people share my viewpoint on this very topic, and the author shared my own feelings so very concisely...I fell in love with this book on page 27. A little further on Paul makes a very good statement and ends with an important question, "So if zeal for ministry causes me to be less than faithful to my calling as a parent in the way that I manage my time and energy, I am seeking to get something out of my ministry that I am not supposed to get. Do ministry decisions and commitments make it hard for you to faithfully do your work as a parent?"
When I volunteered with the Seniors for 2 yrs, I had to stop because it became more important to me than taking care of my own family...I loved the recognition and the appreciation I received from them. I felt like I had purpose, a reason to get up in the morning. I look back and realize how very sad that is. My children are worth my efforts, even if I get no recognition or appreciation. I will get that from my Father later, and how much better will it be then!

Hear, O Israel; The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. (Deut. 6:4-9)
When your son asks you in time to come, "What is the meaning of the testimonies and the statutes and the rules that the LORD our God has commanded you?" then you shall say to your son, "We were Pharaoh's slaves in Egypt. And the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand. And the LORD showed signs and wonders, great and grievous, against Egypt and against Pharaoh and all his household, before our eyes. And he brought us out from there, that he might bring us in abd give us the land that he swore to give our fathers." (Deut. 6:20-23)
There's the value that God places on parenting, summarized in a couple brief, but profound paragraphs.

This is not a book that gives you a formula for how to treat certain behaviors, but a book that will change your view on parenting. It gives you a big picture parenting worldview, it teaches you the difference between ownership and ambassadorial parenting. I wish I could buy a case or two and give this book away to every parent I meet...it is that life changing.

Leave a comment below to enter the giveaway!! I will draw the winner on Nov 4th at noon.

“Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post.

Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway. If you have won a prize from our sponsor Propeller /FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days, you are not eligible to win. Or if you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.

Review & Giveaway: The Biggest Story

About: Once upon a time there lived a man and a woman. They were the happiest people on the planet. True, they were the only people on the planet, but they were still terrifically happy. Unfortunately, things didn’t stay happy and wonderful for long . . .The Bible is full of exciting stories that fill children with awe and wonder. But kids need to know how all those classic stories connect to Scripture’s overarching message about God’s glorious plan to redeem his rebellious people.

In The Biggest Story, Kevin DeYoung—a best-selling author and father of six—leads kids and parents alike on an exciting journey through the Bible, connecting the dots from the garden of Eden to Christ's death on the cross to the new heaven and new earth.
With powerful illustrations by award-winning artist Don Clark, this imaginative retelling of the Bible’s core message—how the Snake Crusher brings us back to the garden—will draw children into the biblical story, teaching them that God's promises are even bigger and better than we think.

I must say I really like the artwork in this short film. It gives the basic message of Christianity in under 30 minutes and is great for ages 5-8. I did not have my children watch it as it is not completely Scriptural in it's doctrine but it is definitely a great starting point to introduce kids to the message of the Messiah. It is broken down into 10 chapters if you want to use the individual stories as a starting point for a Sunday School lesson etc. There is a DVD, Audio CD and a Hardcover version of this story available, however only the DVD and audio cd are included in the giveaway.

For more information on the DVD check it out here

The Biggest Story: How the Snake Crusher Brings Us Back to the Garden from Crossway on Vimeo.

If you are interested in winning a copy of this short film and audio cd, please leave a comment below.

"Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post. Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway. If you have won a prize from our sponsor Propeller / FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days, you are not eligible to win. Or if you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.”