You're Already Amazing: Embracing Who You Are, Becoming All God Created You to Be - LifeGrowth Guide

Holley Gerth is a Wall Street Journal bestselling author, certified life coach, and speaker.  She's also the cofounder of (in)courage.me and a writer for DaySpring, and she loves encouraging the hearts of women through her popular blog at www.holleygerth.com.

Embrace who you are and become all God created you to be.

With her bestselling book You're Already Amazing, Holley Gerth dared and empowered women to discover who God made them to be and pursue his purpose for their lives.  Now Holley helps you build on that foundation and experience even greater life transformation.

In this interactive LifeGrowth study, Holley will guide you through an engaging process that helps you apply heart-freeing truths to every aspect of your life, from relationships to work to how you pursue your dreams.  God's plans for your life are better than you can imagine, and you'll see them unfold in new ways as Holley guides you to embrace this life-changing truth - that you truly are already amazing.



My Thoughts:
Holley Gerth and Revell have created an amazing resource for personal or small group study.  The You're Already Amazing LifeGrowth Guide is a study companion to be used alongside the book by Gerth, You're Already Amazing.  The study is organized with beautiful graphics and easy to follow directions.  All of the resources needed to complete the study can be found at Holley's website (www.holleygerth.com/amazing) making this an affordable resource.  Participants would need to purchase the study guide and the book.  The study is divided into six-sessions covering the following topics:

1. Who God Created us to Be
2. What's True No Matter How We Feel
3. Our Amazing Journey with Jesus
4. God's Plan for Our Relationships
5. God's Purpose for Our Lives
6. How We Can Thrive for a Lifetime

Gerth presents solid biblical principles about personal identity and calling clothed in Scripture.  This will be a valuable resource for many!

*I was given a complimentary copy of the workbook for the purpose of giving an honest review.

Blessings,
Jennifer

Catch A Star: Shining Through Adversity To Become a Champion

Tamika Catchings of the Indiana Fever was the WNBA's 2011 MVP.  A three-time Olympic gold medalist and nine-time WNBA ALL-Star, Catchings was a four-time All-American and a member of the National Chapion University of Tennessee Lady Vols under legendary coach Pat Summitt.  Catchings's story of overcoming adversity, growing in faith, and achieving success despite the many challenges she's faced inspires the Indianapolis boys and girls served by her Catch the Stars Foundation.

Growing up, Tamika Catchings suffered from profound hearing loss, bullying, and the anguish of her parents' divorce.  But she wasn't about to allow those challenges to determine her destiny. Through perseverance and God's grace, Tamika became one of the top female basketball players of all time.

Catch a Star is her story of overcoming.  Of leading the Indiana Fever to its first championship.  Of being named one of the WNBA's top fifteen players in history.  Of earning three Olympic gold medals.  And of founding the Catch the Stars Foundation to help young people achieve their dreams.

Her story will inspire you to fave your doubts and fears and reach for your own dream, no matter what challenges come your way.





My Thoughts:
"There's only one way to go from here...forward."
That is Tamika Catchings story in one simple sentence in her own words.  Tamika partnered with Ken Petersen to write her biography and I'm so very glad she did.  Her story is one of tenacity and of moving forward and not looking back.  My little boy is ten and he loves basketball and has recently developed a love of reading the biographies of sports figures.  He has Tamika's book in his "too be read" pile.  Tamika shares her story with an honesty and transparency that is inspiring.  Her book should be in the hands of every kid aspiring to forge their path in sports.

*I was provided a complimentary copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for providing an honest review.

Happy Reading Ya'll,
Jennifer

Annabel Lee

Mike Nappa is an entertainment journalist at FamilyFans.com, as well as a bestselling and award winning author with more than one million books sold worldwide.  When he was a kid, the stories of Edgar Allen Poe scared him silly. Today he owns everything Poe ever wrote.  A former fiction acquisitions editor, Mike earned his MA in English literature and now writes full time.

Fourteen miles east of Peachtree, Alabama, a secret is hidden.
The secret's name is Annabel Lee.

She doesn't know why her enigmatic uncle has stowed her deep underground in a military style bunker.  He's left her with a few German words, a barely controlled guard dog, and a single command:  "Don't open that door for anybody, you got it?  Not even me."
Miles away in Atlanta, private investigator Trudi Coffey is visited by a mysterious older man calling himself Dr.Smith.  He's been trailing a man for a decade - a man she met through her ex-partner Samuel Hill - and the trail has led him to her office.  The last thing Trudi wants to do is to contact Samuel.  But it will take both of them to unravel this mystery - before it's too late.



My Thoughts:
This is my very first book to read by Mike Nappa.  I must say that I am now a fan.  If he writes it, I will read it!  Annabel Lee is the first of Nappa's Coffey & Hill Mystery novels.  The second installment, The Raven, releases Fall of 2016.
I loved that Nappa tells the story from the different perspectives of Annabel, Trudi and The Mute. Nappa fills readers in on the backstories of the characters with fluidity that does not interrupt or confuse the story line.  I could not put this book down!  This is one amazingly written novel that is both narrative and character driven.  I can't wait to read more from Nappa.

*I was given a complimentary copy of Annabel Lee by the publisher for the purpose of giving this review.  All opinions are my own.

Happy Reading Ya'll,
Jennifer

A Powerful Secret

Dr. Kevin Leman is an internationally known psychologist, radio and television personality, speaker, educator, and humorist.  Leman has taught and entertained audiences worldwide with his wit and commonsense psychology.
While most noted for his The Birth Order Book and Have a New Kid by Friday, Leman is the author of over 50 titles.  The Leman Academy of Excellence, a classical charter school founded by Dr. Leman, launched in 2015. Leman is originally from Williamsville, New York.  He and his wife, Sande, live in Tuscon, Arizona, and have five children and two grandchildren.

Jeff Nesbit was Vice President Dan Quayle's communications director at the White House and was the director of public affairs for two prominent federal science agencies:  the National Science Foundation and the Food and Drug Administration.  He provided leadership to Shiloh Media Group for almost 15 years.
Nesbit was the co-creator of the Science of the Olympic Winter Games and the Science of NFL Football video series with NBC.
Jeff has also written more than 24 inspirational and commercially successful novels with publishing houses such as David C. Cook, Tyndale, Zondervan/Thomas Nelson/HarperCollins, WaterBrook/Random House, Victor Books, Hodder&Stoughton, Guideposts, and others.  Jeff is executive director of Climate Nexus and writes a weekly science column for U.S. News & World Report called At the Edge.

Sean has always felt like an outsider in his own family.
Now he must risk never achieving what he wants most - his father's love.

Billionaire glob-trotter Sean Worthington is stunned when his older brother suddenly abandons the Senate race in New York and walks away without a backward glance.  As campaign manager, Sean's left to handle the media feeding frenzy with no answers. Worst, their father - as usual - backs Will, the "perfect" son.
Frustrated by his father's lack of belief in him, Sean determines to finally move on and forge a unique path.  But when a powerful secret is revealed, threatening everything Sean has counted on, he must wrestle with shocking truths...and combat the power brokers behind the scenes who have the Worthington family in their crosshairs.


My Thoughts:
A Powerful Secret is the second book in the The Worthington Destiny series by Leman and Nesbit. The first book in the series was A Perfect Ambition.  My only regret is that I did not read book one in the series first.  A Powerful Secret read fine as a stand-alone, but I feel that there were pieces of the back story of the three Worthington siblings that I missed.  Book one focuses on Will and this book focuses on Sean.  My guess is that book three, A Primary Decision, which releases in the Fall of this year will focus on the sister, Sarah.  I WILL be going back and reading book one and anxiously anticipate the release of the third book!
Leman and Nesbit have come together and offered readers an inside peek at a family of money, privilege and intrigue.  The authors have showcased family dynamics and sibling interactions with exceptional skill.  The personalities of each Worthington sibling as well as the parents are captured in such a way that makes them easy to identify with and easy to champion.  The mystery and suspense is palpable and keeps you turning the pages.
The book includes a bonus feature that is helpful - Birth Order Secrets as well as a resource guide from Dr. Leman.
Don't miss this series!

*I received a complimentary copy of A Powerful Secret from the publisher for the purpose of giving this review.  All opinions are my own.

Happy Reading Ya'll,
Jennifer

Finding God In The Ruins: How God Redeems Pain - REVIEW and a GIVEAWAY

About the author:

Matt Bays is a writer, speaker, and musician with a passion to call people out of their hiding places. In ministry for twenty years, he and his wife, Heather, live in Indianapolis with their fun-loving and insightful teenage daughters.

Website | Facebook | Twitter 

About the book: 

Finding God in the Ruins (David C. Cook, March 2016)

If God is love, why do we hurt so much?

When the reality of your pain doesn't line up with what you've been taught in church, then what? While many abandon their faith or embrace hopelessness, it is possible to discover the God who heals your heart in the midst of the pain.

Matt Bays has been where you are. His unforgettable stories of loss and healing will usher you into a life where gratitude overpowers anger, hope overcomes despair, and hunger for God replaces indifference to God. With a fresh and original writing style, Bays demonstrates that true redemption is far more powerful than the temporary fixes of sanitized Christianity.

Purchase a copy: http://bit.ly/1Mkv8QQ

Finding God In The Ruins Book Trailer/Music Video

Matt Bays' Testimony

Read a excerpt from Finding God in the Ruins on New York Times bestselling author Ann Voskamp's website: http://bit.ly/1Pa4R7C

My Thoughts:

In Finding God In The Ruins, Matt Bays leaves everything on the table.  Bays shares a very transparent look into his own personal "ruins" and offers a bold challenge to not move over or around our own personal ruins but through them.  Matt writes with an urgency that is palpable on every page of this book.  Bays' encouragement is that we find God and know Him in the hard places of life and that we trust Him with everything.  The book includes Discussion Questions at the end.  This book would be a powerful discipleship tool in a small group setting. 
*Some other reviewers have cited problems with Bays' use of Scripture primarily noting his comments regarding Psalm 44:11.  Matthew Henry's commentary on Psalm 44:9-16 say this:

"The believer must have times of temptation, affliction, and discouragement; the church must have seasons of persecution.  At such times the people of God will be ready to fear hat he has cast them off, and that his name and truth will be dishonored.  But they should look above the instruments of their trouble, to God, well knowing that their worst enemies have no power against them, but what is permitted from above." 

I believe many of the negative things being said about the author's message is the very thing he warns believers against.  We want Christ to come into our lives and make everything all neat and tidy;however, it just doesn't work that way.  God's greatest work often arises out of the biggest, darkest messes.  That's the message of this book and Bays' tells it well.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book for the purpose of giving my honest review.

*You can see what others are saying about Finding God In The Ruins HERE.

I have an Advanced Reader Copy of Finding God In The Ruins to give to one of my visitors to this post!  All you have to do is:  1.  Follow Mother of Three (You can do this in the left sidebar of the blog.)  2.  Leave a comment answering this question -  What is your testimony of finding God in your ruins?  3.  Be sure and leave your email address in your comment in the event you are the winner.

Blessings,

Jennifer

Welcome!

I'm so excited to be a part of this scavenger hunt blog hop in celebration of the launch of Mesu Andrews' second book in her Treasures of the Nile series, Miriam!

I realize most of you are probably already "on the hunt", but if you just happened on this page first, you'll want to hop on over to the start of the hunt at Mesu’s blog and then you'll finish your journey at Mommynificent.com. At the bottom of this post, you can find the full list of stops for the entire hunt. Between March 15th and 20th, click on the next link, head over to the page, meet a new book-lover, and read their thoughts about Miriam. Somewhere in each post there will be a single word that is in BOLD AND ALL CAPITALS. Write it down. (The words “Home” and “Good Luck” are not secret words for anyone.)

Then, go to the next stop. That post will also have a word that’s bolded and capitalized. You will need to visit all 14 blogs as each one will have a word that you need. Once you reach the end and have found all the words, you will have found an inspirational quote from the book Miriam. There are 14 words in this quote. Enter the quote into the Rafflecopter on the last stop and you will be entered to win a Kindle Fire from Mesu Andrews! (Open to U.S. residents only) If you have any questions, get lost, or experience any technical difficulties, you may email Tina at tina{at}mommynificent{dot}com for help. Now, let's talk about this fantastic book!

About the Book

Title: Miriam

Author: Mesu Andrews

Series: Treasures of the Nile, Book 2

Publication Date: March 15, 2016

Publisher: WaterBrook Press

Print Length: 384 pages

Summary from the publisher: At eighty-six, Miriam had devoted her entire life to loving El Shaddai and serving His people as both midwife and messenger. Yet when her brother Moses returns to Egypt from exile, he brings a disruptive message. God has a new name – Yahweh – and has declared a radical deliverance for the Israelites.

Miriam and her beloved family face an impossible choice: cling to familiar bondage or embrace uncharted freedom at an unimaginable cost. Even if the Hebrews survive the plagues set to turn the Nile to blood and unleash a maelstrom of frogs and locusts, can they weather the resulting fury of the Pharaoh? Enter an exotic land where a cruel Pharaoh reigns, pagan priests wield black arts, and the Israelites cry out to a God they only think they know.

My Thoughts about Miriam by Mesu Andrews

For me, Miriam was not a book to rush through but was one to savor slowly.  I went back and forth between Mesu's book and my Bible as I made my way through the novel.  Mesu's writing makes me want TO immerse myself in God's Word all the more. Mesu's writing is robust and supported by a keen attention to the biblical narrative as found in Scripture and impeccable research that brings the Bible to life.  You feel as if you are there crossing the Red Sea with the Israelites and singing with Miriam and Moses.

I also appreciated the human aspect of the characters Mesu highlighted in Miriam.  These were not just make-believe people in old fairy tales, but real people with emotions and families and struggles in their faith and understanding of The One True God.  I think you will particularly enjoy, as I certainly did, the feisty side of Miriam.  I won't give away anymore about that here...you will just have to read and enjoy for yourself!

Finally, I want to leave you with some of my favorite quotes from the book.  I don't typically highlight or mark up my "fiction" novels, but since Mesu's books are practically pre-cursors to in-depth study of the Scriptures and perfect for small group studies, I could not help myself.  Her books are ones to return to over and over again and definitely keeper shelf material.

"I am Miriam, old but of use.  I am a slave, a midwife, a healer with herbs.  This is what I do, but El-Shaddai makes me who I am."

 "Never be grateful for tragedy, but always trust that God can use it in His good plan for you."

"Who else could rescue a babe from certain death, educate him in Egypt, refine him in the wilderness, and return him to his family?  No one but You, Shaddai."

"Moses held her gaze.  'This isn't about you or me, Miriam.  This isn't even about Israel or its deliverance.  What we're going to experience is about Yahweh showing the world He is the One True God.'"

"When God is silent, He expects our patience and will reward our faith. Rest in the silence, and trust He's near."

 I could share many, many others, but I encourage you to order your copy of the book today.  You will have much joy, as I did, in coming across these nuggets of truth that point to Yahweh, the One True God.

*I received this book from the author for my honest review.  I was not required to write a positive review.  The opinions I have expressed are my own..  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 "Guides concerning the use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

*If you are a real book nerd like myself, you will enjoy this interview Mesu did with cover artist Christopher Orr about how he created the beautiful cover for Miriam.

About The Author

Mesu Andrews is the award-winning author of Love Amid the Ashes, Love's Sacred Song, Love in a Broken Vessel, In the Shadow of Jezebel, as well as two books in her Treasures of the Nile series: The Pharoah's Daughter and Miriam. Winner of the 2012 ECPA Christian Book Award for New Author, she has devoted herself to passionate and intense study of Scripture, bringing the biblical world vividly alive for her readers. She lives in Washington.

Mesu's Website * Facebook * Twitter * Goodreads

Stops on the Scavenger Hunt

1. Mesu Andrews
2. A Holland Reads
3. Mother of Three
4. Just A Second
5. Grace and Glory
6. Angela Arndt - Joy on the Back Roads
7. God's Peculiar Treasure Rae
8. What If
9. Carole Towriss
10. Kate Hodges, Storyteller
11. Backing Books
12. Creative Madness Mama
13. Climbing to the High Calling

WaterBrook Press has given me permission to give away one copy of each of Mesu's Treasures of the Nile novels to one lucky winner so to enter to win your own copies of both The Pharoah's Daughter and Miriam, all you have to do is follow "Mother of Three" and leave a comment below telling me what biblical person you would most like to see featured in a biblical fiction novel.  In your comment be sure and leave me your email address so I can contact you if you are the winner!  (Open to U.S. residents only.)

Happy Reading Ya'll,

Jennifer

Synced: Living Connected to the Heart of Jesus

Jennifer Kennedy Dean is executive director of the Praying Life Foundation and a respected author and speaker. The author of numerous books, studies, and magazine articles specializing in prayer and spiritual formation, her book Heart's Cry has been named National Day of Prayer's signature book, while her book Live a Praying Life® has been called a flagship work on prayer. Widely recognized as an unusually gifted communicator, Jennifer speaks all over the country calling God's people to discover the difference between a prayer life and a praying life. Jennifer is the author of such books as Altar'd, Clothed with Power, Conversations with the Most High, Life Unhindered!, Power in the Blood of Christ, Power in the Name of Jesus, Secrets Jesus Shared, Set Apart, The Power of Small, and much more. A highly demanded speaker, her engagements include respected organizations such as the Billy Graham Training Center at the Cove and Focus on the Family. She is a board member for Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, a member of America's National Prayer Committee, a member of National Professional Women Association, and national prayer director and board member for Christian Women in Media.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram

About the book: 

Synced: Living Connected to the Heart of Jesus (New Hope, February 2016)

Prayer can become extraordinary when we live connected to the heart of Jesus.

Synced encourages you to emulate the way Jesus lived His life. With real-life stories of people walking closely with Jesus, finding themselves in the right place at the right time, readers are challenged to examine what staying in step with the Spirit looks like. National best-selling author and known prayer expert, Jennifer Kennedy Dean, uses the familiar passage of the Lord's Prayer as anchor points to present the way Jesus lived His life in step with the Father through prayer.

Every moment is pregnant with purpose. Every moment is drenched in power. Prayer is no longer the means by which you attempt to get God to perform for you and becomes, instead, the means by which you connect with His heart and mind. A praying life is a life of peace and soul-rest. A praying life is lived in sync with the heart of Jesus.

Purchase a copy: http://bit.ly/1U7102O

My Thoughts:

"Jesus lived a praying life.  Prayer was not an activity with set boundaries and assigned wording but a way of walking in the power and provision of the Father every minute of every day."

Jennifer Kennedy Dean has offered a resource that beautifully makes the connection between Jesus' power and His prayer life.  Dean provides Scriptural support for the example we should follow in our own lives through obedience and faithful prayer.  We often bemoan the lack of the power to effect change in our lives and in our world.  Dean patiently helps her readers to understand how the power to live our lives in a fallen and sinful world is in direct proportion to the depth of our prayer life.

The only criticism I have of the book is in relation to Dean's writing style and has nothing to do with the content of her message.  Dean tends to overuse incomplete sentences.  I have the feeling she may be doing this for emphasis; however, it was somewhat of a distraction for me.  She also quotes lengthy portions from her previous books.  I have not read her other books, so these were all new insights for me.  However, if you have read Dean's other books, you may find Synced to be somewhat redundant.

*I received a complimentary copy of the book for the purpose of this review.

To read what others are saying about the book you can visit HERE.

Blessings,

Jennifer

Scavenger Hunt and GIVEAWAY

I have the privilege of being a part of the launch team for Mesu Andrews' newest book, Miriam, the second installment in her Treasures of the Nile series. Several of us on the team decided to get together and have a scavenger hunt and giveaway to celebrate the book's release. We want to invite you to be a part of the fun next week!

From 1am Eastern (US) time on March 15th, the book's release date, until 11:59pm on March 20th, there will be a scavenger hunt with stops on 14 different blogs!

You'll start at Mesu's blog and finish your journey at Mommynificent.com. At the end of each post, you’ll find links to all of the stops in the hunt. Between March 15th and 20th, click on the next link, head over to the page, meet a new book-lover, and read their thoughts about this fantastic book.

Somewhere in each post there will be a single word that is in BOLD AND ALL CAPITALS. Write it down. (The words "Home" and "Good Luck" are not secret words for anyone.) Then, go to the next stop. That post will also have a word that’s bolded and capitalized. You will need to visit all 14 blogs as each one will have a word that you need. Once you reach the end and have found all the words, you will have found an inspirational quote from the book Miriam. There are 14 words in this quote. Enter the quote into the Rafflecopter on the last stop and you will be entered to win a Kindle Fire from Mesu Andrews!

In addition, each blogger will be running their own giveaway of a set of paperbacks of Mesu's two Treasures of the Nile books - The Pharaoh's Daughter and Miriam! If you have any questions, get lost, or experience any technical difficulties, you may email Tina at tina{at}mommynificent{dot}com for help. Good luck and have lots of fun!

Happy Reading and Hunting Ya'll,
Jennifer