Stepparenting With Grace: Encouragement For Blended Families by Gayla Grace

BOOK INFORMATION
Genre: Christian living; Devotional; Family

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Worthy Inspired (August 7, 2018)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1683972686
• ISBN-13: 978-1683972686

Synopsis: These devotions provide companionship, encouragement, understanding, and biblical insights from a veteran stepmom. This trusted resource will help you gain strength, wisdom, and comfort as you navigate the rocky terrain of creating a blended family.  You will learn how to:
Trust a loving God when the kids do not.
Find unity in your new marriage and parenting through grace and understanding.
Explore your worth in Christ amid rejection.
Gain confidence in the stepparent role as you take on the armor of God.
Persevere through challenges and obstacles toward healthy, thriving relationships.
Each devotion begins with Scripture along with an encouraging thought for the day and closes with prayer.

Review: This is a resource I would highly recommend for any blended family. The devotions are relatively short, and each one is practical and filled with encouragement. The author writes from her own experiences and does so with understanding, love, and knowledge. The index is arranged so that the reader can easily find a devotional about a specific topic or immediate need.
Thank you to Worthy Publishing for providing me with an advanced copy of this book.

Rating: Five stars

About the author

Gayla Grace is the leader and co-founder of Sisterhood of Stepmoms, a non-profit organization designed to create community and a retreat for stepmothers. She holds a master's degree in Psychology and Counseling and founded StepparentingWithGrace.com more than a decade ago to offer coaching services, resources, and other encouragement to stepfamilies. Gayla and her husband, Randy, have five children in their blended family, ages sixteen to thirty-two, and reside in Bossier City, Louisiana, with an ours child still at home.

When Jesus Was A Green-Eyed Brunette: Loving People Like God Does By Max Davis #JesusGreenEyedBrunette #FlyBy

BOOK INFORMATION

Genre: Christian living

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Worthy Publishing (November 1, 2016)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 161795800X
• ISBN-13: 978-1617958007
• List price: $15.99
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Synopsis: When Jesus Was a Green-Eyed Brunette weaves heartwarming and miraculous stories of Jesus showing up in ordinary people, revealing that He knows us and is fully present in our everyday circumstances, especially in our difficulties. Those hurting and weary from worn-out religion are longing for a fresh touch from the living Jesus. Best-selling author Max Davis challenges us to do more than simply receive God’s grace—we need to allow grace to soften, change, and shape us. As you read this book you will laugh, cry, and come face-to-face with the living Jesus, much like Davis did, when he found Him living in a green-eyed brunette. As Davis puts it, “Jesus is very much alive today and still does incredible things—sometimes supernatural things—through us!”

Product URL: http://worthypublishing.com/books/When-Jesus-Was-a-Green-Eyed-Brunette/

Review: I was fascinated by the title of this book, and loved reading it. I found so many great quotes throughout. Here is one of my favorites:

**Religion is man's way working hard to try to be accepted by God. True Christianity is about receiving what God has done for us and His Spirit coming inside us to have an ongoing relationship with us.**

To me, those two sentences sum up the lesson of the entire book. We need to receive God's grace, let His Spirit live within in, and let it change our entire life. Everything about us should reflect His unconditional love.

The discussion of people-pleasing and what a HUGE burden it can be truly hit home for me. I've spent pretty much all of my 55 yrs. trying to make everyone around me happy--from parents to teachers to husbands to children. Between some real life events and the things I read in this book, I think 2017 is going to be a year of real, lasting change in that area.

I highly recommend this book to every Christian--I will be personally recommending it to those near and dear to me over the next few weeks, and will gladly share my copy with anyone who has an interest in reading it.

Rating: Five stars,

About the author

Max Davis is the author of over 20 published books and has been featured in USA Today and Publishers Weekly and has appeared on The Today Show and The 700 Club. He holds degrees in Journalism and Biblical Studies and is a much sought-after speaker for churches and organizations worldwide. He and his wife, Alanna, live on 50 beautiful acres in Greenwell Springs, Louisiana.

VEGGIE TALES THE BEST CHRISTMAS GIFT EVER by Melinda L.R. Rumbaugh #worthypub #veggietales

Product Information

• Age Range: 2 - 5 years
• Series: VeggieTales
• Board book: 24 pages
• Publisher: WorthyKids/Ideals; Brdbk edition (October 4, 2016)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0824919904
• ISBN-13: 978-0824919900

Synopsis: In this festive VeggieTales book, the Veggies are celebrating Christmas—decorating the tree, singing carols, and exchanging gifts. But in the middle of all the activity—though it’s so much fun to give and receive presents—the Veggies all know that the greatest gift of all was God’s gift of Jesus, his Son. Children will love the colorful art featuring their favorite Veggie friends. Parents can use this book to introduce little ones to Jesus’ birth as the reason we rejoice at Christmastime.

Review: This is a wonderful board book for Christmas.  All the Veggies are celebrating, doing things that most children will relate to as they enjoy looking at the brightly colored illustrations.  

The last four pages of the book turn toward the real meaning of Christmas, beginning with the lines "But the best Christmas gift wasn't wrapped with a bow or paper or ribbon--it came long ago." Then it goes on to discuss the birth of Jesus, and that He is the gift that gives us the most joy.

The book is very sturdy and designed to last through the wear and tear of young readers. I plan to share my copy with my infant grandson during this Christmas season, and hopefully for many Christmases to come. 

**I received a complimentary copy of this book from Worthy Publishing. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.**

Rating: Five stars

PRICELESS: SHE'S WORTH FIGHTING FOR by Joel and Luke Smallbone @Worthypub, @4KingandCountry, #PricelessBook

• Genre: Christian Fiction
• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Worthy Publishing (September 6, 2016)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1617957305
• ISBN-13: 978-1617957307

Synopsis: The powerfully compelling novelization of the major motion picture by Joel and Luke Smallbone of the band for King & Country.

James Stevens was, at one time, a good man with a great life. After the tragic death of his wife and losing custody of his little girl, James is at the darkest crossroad of his life. Angry, desperate, and unable to hold down a steady job, he agrees to drive a box truck on a shady, one-time trip cross country for cash—no questions asked. When he discovers what he is delivering is actually a who, the questions in his mind begin haunting him mercilessly. James becomes an unlikely hero who must fight to save the lives of two young women and finds himself falling in love with one of them.
Can love, strength, and faith redefine his past and change the course of his future?

Review: This is a hard-hitting story with several realistic, horrifying themes. My heart broke for the young women and the disgusting things they were forced into just to survive. James had his own struggles and demons, and it was heartwarming to see him grow and mature as the story progressed. 

The major theme of this story is how women should be valued by men. James shows us how that should be done, with the women he discovers in the truck as well as with the daughter with whom he is trying to rebuild a relationship. 

I was quickly drawn into this story, and couldn't put it down once I started. I finished reading it in one day. I was just that anxious to find out how it was all going to play out! I am recommending this book to all my family and friends, and I am looking forward to seeing the movie as well.

**I received a copy of this book from Worthy Publishing in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.**

Rating: Five stars

About the authors

In 2012 JOEL and LUKE SMALLBONE founded for KING & COUNTRY and were named Billboard's New Artists to Watch. Since then, they've exceeded expectations with 750,000 albums sold, 100 million streams, sold-out shows, two GRAMMY Awards, six K-LOVE Fan Awards, and appearances on national shows such as The View,  Jimmy Kimmel Live!, The Tonight Show, Fox & Friends, and others. The "Priceless Movement" has been part of the band since the beginning, reminding women of their worth and encouraging men to respect and honor women.