Book Review: Living Rich for Less

Once again, I have the privilege of giving another fantastic book a huge “thumbs up!” And this is a fantastic time of year for a read such as this! Are you making a decision to shore up your financial situation in 2009? Then this book is for YOU!

You really can be rich in every way, every day.

So you want to own the home you love, make memories on wonderful vacations with family or friends, finance college educations, and help others too? You can—starting here and now.

With lively humor, proven know-how, and practical principles for financial health, Living Rich for Less helps you stretch your dollars to realize the lifestyle of your dreams. Ellie Kay’s entertaining and enlightening examples show you simple steps to save, spend, and give smart, and her three main principles are undergirded by dozens of effective rules and hundreds of Cha-Ching Factor™ tips that keep or put money in your pocket.

Ellie knows what it’s like to be financially-strapped or struggling, wanting to be the Joneses but feeling as poor in spirit as in pocketbook. She went, within two and a half years, from being a new wife and mom with $40,000 in consumer debt and seven children (and college educations) to support, to being completely debt-free and within fifteen years able to pay cash for eleven different cars, give away three of those cars, buy two five-bedroom houses (moving from one to the other) and nicely furnish each, take wonderful vacations, dress her family in fine fashion; and support more than thirty non-profit organizations in more than a dozen different countries, giving away more than $100,000.

Isn’t that the kind of transformation to a rich life that you want?

Living Rich for Less helps anyone get there in our taxed-out, maxed-out times. Because financial security doesn’t mean just genuine prosperity, but being able to live luxuriously, give generously, and care for yourself as well as the others around you.

Why keep up with the Joneses when you can be them?

Get YOUR copy of Living Rich for Less at Amazon…

Word of Promise Next Generation New Testament MP3 Set Review

My family and I had the privilege of reviewing....Word of Promise Next Generation New Testament MP3 Set published by Thomas Nelson.

My girls were excited to about hearing some of their favorite Disney stars read the New Testament dramatically. We used the set as bedtime listening and the girls were quiet and listened attentively as the Word was portrayed by their peers in a modern day media form.

THE WORD OF PROMISE NEXT GENERATION uses the International Children's Bible, not my personal favorite version, but a relevant one for its intended audience. (The International Children's Bible (ICB) is designed to be read by children aged nine through twelve)

We found the project to be educational and very well put together. A very wise choice in using such well known actors like Sean Astin, Corbin Bleu, and Haley Osment... plus many more.

If you want to get your kids into the Word, this is a great tool to hook them. I consider it a very wise investment as well!

Stop by Amazon... here and pick up your own copy of THE WORD OF PROMISE NEXT GENERATION. It will not disappoint!

Holiday Book Review: "My Mother's Wish"

My Mother’s Wish
by Jerry Camery-Hoggatt

An affecting tale, My Mother’s Wish will remind you of the power of grand hopes and effect of impossible expectations. You’ll witness the influence every life has on another, and you’ll find new reasons to believe in the comfort and joy in an everyday, American version of the story of Christmas: being known and loved, just as you are. It is a short read , but wonderful story. I plan on reading it to my family throughout December up to Christmas. Summary...

A grandfather’s song turns a diner into hallowed ground, like a church. A contrary girl with a gypsy heart feels the tug of home. A mother, far away, confronts impossible expectations. And a truck driver named Jedidah keeps his foot on the gas to sweep you into an unforgettable story of belonging and grace.

Readers looking for a meaningful, powerful read on a winter’s evening or with the family will love the rich 1960s nostalgia captured in the Midwest of Jedidiah’s and Ellee’s story; the peace found when family strife boils over, and the gentle reminders of the influence and effect every life has on another.

My Mother’s Wish is an unforgettable, powerful tale that ends on a memorable Christmastime note, but will be cherished and reread year-round for its bold message of grand hopes, impossible expectations, and the gift of grace that comes in between.

Buy your copy here....

Author Bio:

Jerry Camery-Hoggatt, Ph.D., is professor of New Testament at Vanguard University, in Costa Mesa, California. A professional storyteller, he is the author of the highly-acclaimed Christmas stories When Mother Was Eleven-Foot-Four (in trade adult and children’s picture book editions) and Givers of Gifts; plus Irony in Mark’s Gospel and Grapevine: A Spirituality of Gossip. His passion is theology and storytelling, which he believes are meant to go together. Jerry and his wife, Shaleen, are the parents of three children.

Book Review & Give Away: Me, Myself and I AM

Another fantastic book review.... and this one has a giveaway!

Me, Myself, and I AM
Author: Created by Matthew Peters in partnership with Elisa Stanford

I love interactive books and studies. As a writer, I particularly enjoyed this book!The questions and prompts open up your heart, mind and memories and help you align your heart with the heart of God.

Me Myself & I AM is a new experience with God that comes one question at a time in this fun and provocative journal. Made up entirely of insightful, profound, and occasionally ridiculous questions, Me, Myself, and I AM invites you to open to any page, open yourself to God, and be the author of your own story.

Questions range from spiritually intriguing—

You overhear God talking about you. What do hear him saying?

to thought-provoking—

You are on a long car trip with a close friend who is not a Christian and the conversation turns to faith. What is your biggest fear about what your friend will ask or say?

to challenging—

Do you believe that all of Jesus’s followers have a responsibility to tell others about him?

to just plain fun—

If your life before you became a Christian were a movie, its title would be:
Animal House
As Good as It Gets
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
It’s a Wonderful Life

Me, Myself, and I AM will entertain, inspire, and get you thinking about your spiritual life from brand new angles. Whether you use Me, Myself, and I AM as a reflective tool, a way to start conversations with friends and family, or as a spiritual time capsule to look back on years later, their own words will create a powerful journey of self-discovery.

Purchase your copy at Amazon here...

Sign up for the drawing for a free copy by leaving a comment below...

Book Review: "How Would Jesus Vote?"

I had the privilege of reviewing another book, How Would Jesus Vote?

The 2008 election is shaping up to be one of the most important political contests in American history. In fact, Dr. D. James Kennedy believes it will be a watershed moment that could impact our very survival as a nation under God.

Values voters—people whose political views and votes are based on their faith in God—are being targeted as never before. As the campaign season moves forward, the significant players will debate terrorism, radical Islam, nuclear threats, global warming, social issues, gay marriage, immigration, education, health care, and many other essential issues that can create sharp ideological divisions.

Into this overwhelmingly complex political situation, Dr. Kennedy and Jerry Newcombe bring a clear, compelling, and nonpartisan exploration of what God’s Word has to say on these critical matters. How Would Jesus Vote? isn’t intended to tell readers which candidates to support; rather it offers a Christ-centered understanding of the world to help readers draw their own political conclusions.

It is an overwhelmingly power read that will provoke your belief system and really make you think! You can purchase a copy here at Amazon.

About the authors:

Jerry Newcombe is senior producer for Coral Ridge Ministries television and has produced or coproduced more than fifty documentaries. The host of two weekly radio shows, he has also been a guest on numerous television and radio talk shows. He is the author or coauthor of more than fifteen books.

Dr. D. James Kennedy is one of the most trusted and recognized Christian leaders of our time. The senior minister of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, he is the featured preacher on television’s “The Coral Ridge Hour” and radio’s “Truths That Transform”, syndicated on over one thousand stations throughout the U.S. The founder and president of Evangelism Explosion International and chancellor of Knox Theological Seminary, he is the author of more than sixty books, including the bestselling What If Jesus Had Never Been Born?

Book Review: "The Shape of Mercy"

Another book review!!! This was truly a great read! If you like history... you will LOVE this book!

Book: The Shape of Mercy

Author: Susan Meissner

Summary: Women of all ages will appreciate this highly-readable, layered, and fast-paced story about self-discovery at all stages of life. With rich undertones of intrigue and romance, this contemporary novel with a historical twist explores personal blinders and how upbringing and conditioning can shape people to judge others in ways that can lead to unhappy consequences.

Lauren Durough is a college student who finds herself on the road to self-discovery as she is hired by octogenarian Abigail Boyles to transcribe the journals of Mercy Hayworth, a seventeenth-century victim of the Massachusetts witch trials. Almost immediately, Lauren finds herself drawn to this girl who lived and died four centuries ago. The strength of her affinity with Mercy forces Lauren to take a startling new look at her own life, including her relationships with Abigail, her college roommate, and a young man named Raul. But on the way to the truth, will Lauren find herself playing the helpless defendant or the misguided judge? Can she break free from her own perceptions and see who she really is?

Readers will identify with Lauren’s struggle to break away from society’s expectations and her attempt to strike out on her own while figuring out what parts of her own story to hold on to.



Author Bio: From early school-day projects to becoming editor of a local newspaper in Minnesota, Susan Meissner’s love for writing has been apparent her entire life. The Shape of Mercy is her latest novel in a string of books that delve into the deeper issues of life. She is the author of nine novels and lives with her family in San Diego. Find out more about her at www.susanmeissner.com.


Purchase your copy here...

Book Review: "For Young Men Only"

For Young Men Only
by Jeff Feldhahn & Eric Rice with Shaunti Feldhahn

I have done yet another book review, I am truly enjoying these opportunities!

The best-selling ONLY series returns with a one-of-a-kind guide for teen guys on how to figure out girls.

Drawing on a fresh national survey of 600 teen girls, as well as hundreds of personal interviews, For Young Men Only reveals the real truth about what teenage girls think, what they want, and how average teen guys can build healthy friendships with high quality girls. Full of surprising revelations and practical advice, For Young Men Only delivers help straight from the girls themselves in a fun, easy-to-read, easy-to-talk about format.

Warm, witty, and honest, authors Jeff Feldhahn and Eric Rice tell plenty of personal stories and draw on solid biblical principles to guide young guys through the often daunting world of the opposite sex. Their goal is to help teen guys build self-confidence and understanding, and show them how to pursue a relationship with a girl while giving her the respect and protection she deserves.

About the Authors...

Jeff Feldhahn is an attorney and the owner of the tech company, World2One. With his wife, Shaunti, he wrote the best selling FOR MEN ONLY.

Eric Rice is the owner/director/producer of 44 Films. Eric lives in Atlanta area with his wife, Lisa, and their four teenage children.

Shaunti Feldhahn is a nationally syndicated newspaper columnist, public speaker, and best-selling author whose books include FOR WOMEN ONLY, FOR YOUNG WOMEN ONLY (with Lisa Rice) and FOR PARENTS ONLY.

If you have a young man in your home, youth ministry or family... get him a copy at Amazon...

I usually do a give away but I forgot to request an extra book this time! However, I am going to sow my copy (I only have girls) to my wonderful friends Pastors Billy and Shelisa Hull of The Winners Church in Valdosta, GA. They are fantastic people who Craig and I love dearly, AND they are also parents to three great young men, Caleb, Blake and Augustine... SO... my copy is going to them! Billy/Shelisa... send me the snail mail address you want it to go to when you get home so I can ship it out to you...

Everyone else...Be watching, I am doing several more book reviews in the coming weeks... and I'll be giving away free copies!!!!