Book Review: Drawing Strength from the Names of God

Drawing Strength from the Names of God by Catherine Martin (Harvest House, 2010) is a gift book enhanced with beautiful photography.  Martin shares eleven names of God and how we can draw strength from His character. Just under fifty pages, the book can be read in one sitting, or you could read one or two names of God at a time and meditate on them.

Each four-page spread begins with a photo of a majestic nature scene and a verse followed by encouraging thoughts about that name of God. The next two pages cover ways to draw near to God and to delight in Him as you reflect on His name. The text is written in two side-by-side columns, with two-thirds of the page used to share thoughts and one-third of it filled with corresponding Scriptures. Each section ends with a prayer.

Martin begins at the beginning with Elohim, God our Creator. “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). We can draw strength from God our Creator, knowing He has a purpose for our lives and created us for His glory. Other names of God include El Elyon, He is our Sovereign; Adonai, He is our Lord; and El Shaddai, He is enough for us. Although all the names of God reveal wonderful aspects of His character and strength, I especially appreciated reading about Yahweh Jireh, our faithful Provider; Yahweh Rophe, our compassionate Healer; and Yahweh Ro’i, our good Shepherd.

No matter what our need, we can come to Yahweh, He is everything we need; or El Shaddai, who is enough for us. We can bring our worries to Yahweh Shalom, who gives us peace; and it’s comforting to know El Ro’i sees us. Martin ends with Abba, Father, which shows God’s tender affection for us.

Reflecting on these names helped me know God better and encouraged me to draw near to Him in prayer. No matter what we face, we can draw strength from God and find meaning for each day by reflecting on His names.

Written with warmth, compassion, and reverence toward God, this book offers comfort and reassurance. It’s a book to reread in a quiet moment or use during your devotional time. It also makes an encouraging book to give friends to remind them God always cares, and they can draw near to Him during any season of life.

Drawing Strength from the Names of God

 

 

Sweet Ideas for Mother’s Day

Need some inspiration for Mother’s Day gifts?

Mom’s Love Rub

Jan Nellis’ creamy soaps, scrubs, and candles are simply glorious. I have used the peppermint soap and cannot rave enough about it. Made with goat’s milk and a light mint fragrance, this soap is creamy and moisturizing. I love, love the scent. It is not strong, and smells good enough to eat! There is also a line of massage candles, a Dead Sea Salt Foot Scrub, and a variety of scrumptious soaps. Jan’s signature Mom’s Love Rub lotion is made with no preservatives and includes aloe vera, shea butter, and honey (from bees she raises!). It is good for dry skin, bug bites, stings, and even sunburns.

I appreciate Jan’s dedication to all-natural products and high standards. Along with her husband and five children, Jan leads a self-sustaining lifestyle. She also has a great book on dehydrating called Delicious, Delectable, and Dehydrated.

Check out her beautiful site at Mom’s Love Rub.

Pouchee
Have you heard of this? Let me share!

Pouchee is a purse insert that holds all the most important things such as makeup, cards, checkbooks, money, and a pen. It even has three slots that can be used to house a cell phone, small camera, and iPod. The best part…when it is time to change out purses, it is as quick as putting Pouchee in the new one!

Now where was this nifty invention when I was carrying a diaper bag? Perfect for all you Mommies who like to consolidate and carry your important things in a diaper bag when out with the kiddos. When it’s time to carry your purse, it is as simple as putting Pouchee in and you’re set! Here’s a video showing how Pouchee organizes everything:

Last summer the Pouchee company sent me a cotton Pouchee in khaki  to try out. I have used it ever since! It is available in a variety of colors and in leather. In fact, for Christmas I gave my mother and mother-in-love both Pouchee’s in leather. To make it a bit more fun, I filled their Pouchee with some extras such as a pack of Kleenex, a card, mints, new pen, hand sanitizer and a gift card.

 

Perfect Books for Summer Reading and Gift Giving

Many of the writers here at MMCW are authors. They volunteer their time to MMCW, sharing their wisdom and insight weekly. If you enjoy their writing, check out their books:

Women of the Secret Place: A collection of inspirational stories and personal moments with GodBy Ruth Ellinger / Ambassador-emerald, Intl.

Married Mom, Solo Parent: Finding God’s Strength to Face the ChallengeBy Carla Anne Coroy / Kregel Publications Married Mom, Solo Parent is a common-sense, down-to-earth look at the struggles wives and mothers face when their husband is not actively involved in family life. Writing from her own experience as a married single mom, Carla Anne Coroy will help wives and mothers sort through their questions, such as: Can I do this alone? How do I raise kids to honor their father? How do I give my children a healthy perspective of marriage if they never see one in action? With practical suggestions, anecdotes, and biblical teaching, this book will encourage moms to see their position as a high calling, to find healing for their worries and frustrations, and to tap into God’s strength for help in facing the daily challenge of being a married mom, solo parent.

Preparing My Heart for Grandparenting: Passing on a Legacy of Faith

A Secret Hope – eBook By Vicki Huffman / WestBowPress

Creative Slow-Cooker MealsBy Cheryl Moeller / Harvest House Publishers  Short on time? These taste-tested dishes are long on convenience! Sharing more than 200 recipes, Moeller shows you how to use two crockpots to prepare delicious, healthy, frugal meals. In the morning just combine the ingredients in the pots and come home to Harvest-Time Halibut Chowder, Mediterranean Rice Pilaf, Rhubarb Crisp, and more delicious dishes. Spiral Bound.

 

What do you have planned for Mother’s Day this year?

 

 

 

 

The opinions expressed are my own. I was not asked to give a favorable review of any item referenced, compensated for a review, nor was a review sponsored. I was sent a Pouchee last summer to try out. All outgoing links access the product referenced. All book links access our affiliate, CBD.com.

Titanic: The Movie and the Lie

Since the Titanic’s demise, there has been much speculation of what went on aboard this ship, when finally those left behind did not have an ounce of hope to board a lifeboat. Some of the lifeboats were whisked and whirled in a downward effect from the suction of the steamliner going under, those aboard them losing their lives.

The Captain could not comprehend that his ship was in such deep distress until the water was ankle deep in the mail room. It was then he realized the multi-layered hull had been cracked, making sinking inevitable. Ships that could have been sent to rescue the Titanic were not called upon until it was too late.

While we have to give the movie, Titanic, originally released in 1997, now Titanic 3-D, high points for its accuracy in portraying the facts, the message of the movie is a hopelessness about death and life.

Some people say they have an uncanny, almost eerie fascination with the Titanic and the Titanic movie. Some people will go and see the movie because everyone else is. Some will go many, many times.

How can it be that the movie so many people have claimed to be so powerful and beautiful is really an idolization and exaltation of sin and and living large when last breathes on this earth are breathed? Faced with death, sinning greatly in the last moments is not a beautiful thing. Sin never celebrates life, but breeds death. It’s being proud of what we should be ashamed of.

I read a one-sentence review: “The movie, Titanic, makes me cry …it’s so full of love ♥”

Really? Is it?

The movie, Titanic, in the 15 years since its release has lied to its viewers. Having pre-marital sex as you face eternity is not beautiful. This is not love.

It’s really powerful, but the power is not of God, so it’s not the kind of power that you want or should desire.

Some of you reading this article will say, don’t worry about it, it’s just a story.

The problem is that people, young and old, leave the theater believing the lie that drama in life or death, as long as it is powerful, is also beautiful. And some of them, more than you know, will be inspired to pretend and play out the “beauty” and the “power.” But friends, life is not a drama, we are living real lives and the winner takes all, heaven or hell.

The movie, Titanic, makes me cry. It makes me cry because it is a lie.

But the truth is, as a non-believer, IF you are given any notice that this will be your final moments, I pray that you would call out to Jesus to save you from your sins, not delve deeper into them.

If you know Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and you are awake to face your final moments, may your voice be filled with the Gospel message to all those who can hear and your hands be lifted high to welcome the angels coming to carry you to your eternal home.

My fascination is not eerie with the Titanic; it’s a heart filled with sorrowful concern and love. Jesus looked over a city and wept. Those that don’t know the Lord today in 2012 are on a “Titanic.”

The Good News of Jesus Christ is that there are unlimited lifeboats for ALL who repent and believe.

 ”But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

1 Corinthians 15:57

Two Great Giveaways this Week!

We have two great book giveaways going on this week. This is a great opportunity to get some good books for yourself or save for gift-giving.

Don’t forget to click through the links and enter one or both.

The Person I Marry and Other Bower Family Titles
Deadline to enter is Friday night, April 27th, at midnight.

Carla Anne Coroy’s new book, Married Mom, Solo Parent
Deadline to enter is Saturday night, April 28th, at midnight.

Let your family and friends know too!

 

Book Review: Married Mom, Solo Parent

Several years ago, while munching on chips and salsa with fellow MMCW writer Carla Anne Coroy, we talked about the book she was writing for an often unrecognized group of mothers. Late last year Married Mom, Solo Parent: Finding God’s Strength to Face the Challenge hit shelves in both Carla’s native Canada and adopted United States.

In her new book, Carla Anne discusses the growing challenge faced by many women nowadays–parenting alone because a spouse travels for work or may be addicted or disengaged from his family. These married women struggle to raise children, run a household, and in many cases work full time without the help or support of their spouse.

Carla Anne shares her personal story of raising four children while her workaholic and computer game-addicted husband was either physically or mentally absent for years. Married Mom, Solo Parent is the real-life testimony of a broken family and the redeeming power of Jesus Christ. Carla Anne shares private struggles openly, even broaching subjects many would consider taboo. She encourages women in similar circumstances to not give up, but to give it all to Christ. Her book is also sprinkled with testimonies and tips from wives who successfully manage homes and raise children while their husbands are away. Think military, truck drivers, oil rig workers, and husbands whose work requires extensive travel.

Married Mom, Solo Parent is not a three-steps-to-a-perfect-family book. Carla fills her book with practical tips and advice. I was surprised at the amount of meaty information such as: emotional divorce, discipline divided, making the most of mealtimes,  and honoring the man you don’t see enough. If you are a solo parent, this book will be a goldmine of encouragement and practical nuggets for everyday issues. What you will not find is a husband-bashing or dishonoring book.

Published by Kregel Publications, Married Mom, Solo Parent was reviewed by Focus on the Family and is available through their online catalog and other book outlets. Carla Anne is also a ForeWord Book of the Year Finalist for Married Mom, Solo Parent in the parenting category.

Along with the book, Carla Anne has a companion small group study guide and journal available for free at Carlaanne.com. Be sure and check her out on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest too.

Sitting in the Mexican restaurant sharing lunch years ago, I saw the passion the Lord has placed in Carla Anne’s heart to point women to Jesus. I recommend this book for any woman who is in a marriage filled with loneliness and heartache, raising children while her husband is elsewhere, or for any wife who is overwhelmed with responsibilities falling largely to her.

I have a copy of Married Mom, Solo Parent to give away this week. To enter, just leave an encouraging word or Scripture by midnight, Saturday, April 28th. One winner will be chosen using And the Winner Is and notified by Monday, April 30th. Winner has three business days to respond with mailing address or a new winner will be chosen.

If you are not a Married Mom, Solo Parent, enter the drawing with a friend or family member who could use it in mind.

 

 

 

 

All outgoing book links go MMCW affiliate CBD.com.

I was not paid or compensated for this review. Carla Anne did bless me with a review copy of her book. The opinion is my own, and I am biased–Carla Anne is a good writer and friend.

Meet Engaging Today’s Prodigal Author Carol Barnier

You’ve said you put off writing this book for years. Why is that?

In truth, I was embarrassed. It was just so much easier to let people think I’d always been a Christian, that I’d always been faithful to God’s plans for me, that I’d never left the church. But that wasn’t truth. And I eventually felt this strong nudge from God saying, “It’s not enough to just receive my grace and be quiet about it. It’s time to tell.”

So this book is your story?

Actually the book isn’t truly memoir. I do tell my story, but only as a backdrop It takes up very little of the pages. Instead, it’s about things I’ve learned about prodigals that would be helpful to families who are dealing with a prodigal of their own. The first big section deals with all the myths surrounding prodigals. We do a sort of mental “clearing the junk off the table.” Myths like: Perfect Parenting Makes for Perfect Children, I Can Rescue My Child, It’s My Fault—Says So in the Bible. The other big section is a list of Dos and Don’ts to help parents provide better, healthier, less damaging responses to the challenges that this child is bringing to them. Things like Do Advise, Don’t Badger; Do Focus on Boundaries, Not on Behavior. It’s a book that will not only give parents encouragement, but will give them things to do.

What’s the last thing you’d like to share with these parents?

God’s not done yet. Don’t give up hope. I was an atheist for 13 years before I could even begin to consider that my worldview was faulty. And one of God’s biggest delights is to take people’s ugliest situations and make something beautiful out of it. So hang on and watch what God can yet do.

Engaging Today’s Prodigal: Clear Thinking, New Approaches, and Reasons for Hope

 Carol Barnier is a popular Christian conference speaker. She is the author of four books, including Engaging Today’s Prodigal, dozens of articles, and a frequent radio guest. Her objective is to have the wit of Erma Bombeck crossed with the depth of C.S. Lewis, but admits that on most days, she only achieves a solid Lucy Ricardo with a bit of Bob the Tomato.  Follow her blog at Carolbarnier.com or her free on-line community for parents with highly distractible kids, www.SizzleBop.com.

* Book link will take you to MMCW’s affiliate link with CBD.com.

Book Review: The Person I Marry and other Bower Family Titles

When I first saw The Person I Marry I knew I had to get it for my kids.  In fact, I was blown away by all the books I saw on the Bower Family Books website!  Jan Bower’s fabulous artwork makes these books unique among anything that is available on the market for children.  Most importantly, each book clearly and winsomely teaches truths of Scripture to children. The Bower’s have generously offered to give one reader the book of their choice…keep reading to find out how to enter to win!

The Person I Marry gently encourages children to look at character qualities such as kindness and faithfulness when thinking about their future spouse, rather than focusing on externals.  The uplifting text includes several Scripture verses and the luminescent pictures are frame-worthy.  This book would also be an appropriate wedding keepsake gift.  Take a look at this video excerpt from the book and you’ll see why I immediately ordered The Person I Marry along with several other titles from Bower Family Books.

 

The Person I Marry from Bower Books on Vimeo.

The Jingle in My Pocket is another great children’s title from husband-wife team Gary and Jan Bower.  In this book, children learn all about handling money, including the topics of earning, saving, tithing, giving, spending, borrowing, honesty, and diligence.  There are many words of wisdom from the book of Proverbs included throughout the book, and Jan Bower’s gorgeous illustrations grace every page.  My children loved this book and it was a great and thoroughly biblical introduction to this crucial topic.  Click play to watch a video clip of The Jingle in My Pocket.

 

The Jingle In My Pocket from Bower Books on Vimeo.

Finally, I adore their Little Lovables baby board books Mommy Love and Daddy Love for ages 0-3.  My baby loves the tender pictures of mommies and daddies caring for their children.  The text speaks of the simple things that parents do every day to show love to their children.  These books make a great baby shower gift and they are among my favorite titles to read to my 1-year-old daughter.  One thing that makes these board books special is that the pictures show families of various ethnicities.

 

Daddy Love, Mommy Love from Bower Books on Vimeo.

* One reader will be selected using Random.org to win the title of their choice from Bower Family Books. To enter, view one of the brief 2 minute videos linked in this post or visit the Bower Family Books website to view their other titles and leave a comment about one book that looks interesting to you. Deadline for entries is Friday, April 27, 2012 at midnight. Winner will be contacted by Monday, May 1st, 2012 and will have three business days to respond with mailing address or a new winner will be chosen.

**If you are viewing this post in an email and don’t see the video players, please click on each video title’s link to view the videos online.

March Online Inspiration

Let’s do something different today. It’s Friday, the end of the month, and spring break is around the corner for many families. Instead of a regular post, I would like to share some posts that have encouraged, challenged, and inspired me during March.

The inspiration for this blog comes from Jeaninallhonesty who does this type of post weekly. I appreciate the time she takes to share her ‘best of the best’ in blogs and books.

Encouraged by

Jean at Jeaninallhonesty writes in Following the Fearful Apostle:I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling. (1 Cor 2:3 NIV) “These words startle and comfort me. They remind me that the apostle Paul felt like I do. He was weak. He feared. He trembled.1 This is exactly how I feel…”

Daphne at DaphneWrites shares in Gimme a Break: “I haven’t struggled with my perfectionism in awhile, and these feelings have actually taken me by surprise. Old issue–new circumstances.”

Challenged by
God’s Word on Humility: a compiled list scriptures dealing with humility from Renewing Our Minds.

Eritrea Leading up to Secret Churchon Good Friday, April 6, daily prayer emails are sent out. Our fellow believers in Eritrea need our prayers…

Carla Anne shares her Vietnamese Salad Rolls with Ginger Salmon which looks like a wonderful spring recipe to try out.

Inspired by
Jean shares “If women commit to reading books of solid theology, their knowledge of Christ will grow…’This is the most delightful pursuit any woman could ever know’ in her post Why Women Should Read More Theology

Lisa at Abundant Fruit & Olive Shoots inspired me with her post, Resolution, “The resolutions of Jonathan Edwards are perhaps the greatest resolutions ever written. The list of 70, written in the early 1700′s by a preacher, theologian and missionary are still around and are as useful today as they were to this man several hundred years ago.”

John Piper’s older post, Reading as a Lifetime Vocation is an inspiration to this homeschooling mom to encourage ‘active reading’.  He writes,“It is of the utmost importance that college students stop trying to fill their head with facts and start trying to form the habit of fruitful, active reading. Almost all the facts will be forgotten. But the skill and discipline and love of good reading will go on bearing fruit 30, 60, 100 fold.”

Take a nap? Really? Michael Hyatt in 5 Reasons Why You Should Take a Nap Every Day. Sounds like a good idea to me!

Incase You Missed It

Mentoring Moment’s top read posts in March…

Book Review: Let Me Be a Woman

Two hundred years ago Elizabeth Elliot may have been considered to be in the mainstream of acceptable thought when it comes to women’s issues.  Nowadays, however, she represents a traditional view of biblical womanhood which some would seek to put down at all costs, for surely, they say, it is born of men.

In her excellent book, Let Me Be a Woman, Elliot addresses issues of biblical femininity. She challenges the feminist agenda, daring to teach that “equality is not a Christian ideal,” and calling Christian women to rejoice in their womanhood and all that means.  God could have made us different, yet we were born daughters!

She writes, “As the bird easily comes to terms with the necessity of bearing wings when it finds that it is, in fact, the wings that bear the bird—up, and away from the world, into the sky, into freedom—so the woman who accepts the limitations of womanhood finds in those very limitations her gifts, her special calling—wings, in fact, which bear her up into perfect freedom, into the will of God.”

The feminists encourage us to embrace roles, attitudes and norms that are traditionally male, viewing roles as mere social conditioning, rather than God-given creation mandates.  They would have us to believe that no one these days is backward enough to believe in headship and submission, save a few chauvinistic, overbearing men and their cowering, undereducated female chattel.  Yet the feminist ideal actually leads women away from what God intends them to be.  The “freedom” they offer is bondage.

Elliot represents a resurgence among vibrant, intelligent Christian women who dare to celebrate the fact that we are NOT men.  We will not allow feminists to dismiss creation ordinances while we sit idly by! Let Me Be a Woman is a call to arms for women who are not threatened by their God-given roles!

Let Me Be a Woman

Goodreads: A Secret Hope

Do you enjoy Christian fiction? Beginning Wednesday at Goodreads you are invited to join the reading of Vicki Huffman’s A Secret Hope.

On her bio page, Vicki answers a few questions about A Secret Hope:

What is unique about A Secret Hope?
A lot of books about women don’t portray strong characters. Maybe that’s why we like the ones that do. Women know how strong we often have to be, and we don’t appreciate weak, simpering female characters, even in our fiction. Rachel, Becca, and Marina, the contemporary women in A Secret Hope, belong to three different generations, but they are each strong in their own ways. They don’t always act wisely, but they are willing to learn from their mistakes. Through the lives of the characters, the book touches on many subjects from a Christian worldview but without preaching. Adoption, motherhood, death, grief, crime, cancer, forgiveness and love all play a part in the way the lives of these women are shaped–and in the way they shape each other’s lives.

Where did the title come from?
“Youth fades; love droops; the leaves of friendship fall; a mother’s secret hope outlives them all.” (Oliver Wendell Holmes)

A Secret Hope explores in fictional form relationships between women–the mother-daughter relationship especially.

Vicki has made the first chapter available for free here. A Secret Hope is available for purchase here:
Kindle (Amazon) A Secret Hope
Paperback (Amazon) A Secret Hope
Hardback, Paperback, E-book at Barnes & Noble

To visit Mentoring Moments Goodreads bookclub and check out the other books / studies we are conducting:

 

 

 

 

 

* Outgoing links will take you to affiliate sites.

Next Page »