The Woman's Study Bible: NKJV

The Woman's Study Bible  

poignantly reveals the Word of God to women, inviting them to receive God's truth for balance, hope, and transformation.

Special features designed to speak to a woman's heart appear throughout the Bible text, revealing Scripture-based insights about how godly womanhood grows from a woman's identity as a Christ-follower and a child of the Kingdom.

Now with a beautiful full-color redesign, The Woman's Study Bible reflects the contributions of over 80 women from a wide variety of ethnic, denominational, educational, and occupational backgrounds. Since the publication of the first edition of The Woman's Study Bible under the editorial guidance of Dorothy Kelley Patterson and Rhonda Harrington Kelley, this landmark study Bible has sold over 1.5 million copies.

Features Include:

-Beautiful full-color design throughout

-Detailed biographical portraits of over 100 biblical women

-Thousands of extensive verse-by-verse study notes

-Over 300 in-text topical articles on relevant issues

-Insightful essays by women who are recognized experts in the fields of theology, biblical studies, archaeology, and philosophy

-Book introductions and outlines

-Hundreds of full-color in-text maps, charts, timelines, and family trees

-Quotes from godly women throughout history

-Set of full-page maps of the biblical world

-Topical index

-Concordance

Learn more and purchase a copy.

About the publisher:

In business since 1798, Thomas Nelson is one of the oldest Bible publishers in the world and the largest publisher of the King James Version. Their mission is to inspire the world by using our talents, assets, opportunities, and influence to engage and equip people with Scripture and draw people to a deeper study and understanding of God's Word.

Find out more about Thomas at https://www.thomasnelsonbibles.com.

My Thoughts:

*I received a complimentary copy of The Woman's Study Bible, NKJV.  Any opinion shared here are my own.

The bible I received is the imitation leather cover pictured to the left.  The cover is very sturdy and the binding is strong.  The dual tone cover is attractive.

The floral design is found throughout this Bible as indicated here as a border around the character profile as found in 1 Samuel.  I appreciate that the profiles are not just simple profiles with basic information, but are concise snapshots with word meanings such as here in Hannah's profile.  Her son Samuel's name means "heard by God" and the original Hebrew word is given as well, "shemu'el".

Also included in The Woman's Study Bible are charts like the one from 1 Samuel pictured here.  These charts are very helpful in breaking down important information in a colorful and easy to follow format.  

Peppered throughout this Bible are quotes from women, past and present.  They are strategically placed near the biblical text to which they pertain.

Last, but certainly not least are the study notes at the bottom of each page.  These notes are by no means an exhaustive study, but they do provide cultural background, some context and word meanings.  The font to the notes are a bit small, but are still readable.

The Woman's Study Bible also includes a helpful full concordance and the words of Christ are in red.  I found this Bible to be aesthetically appealing, but also a deeply helpful resource for any woman looking to dig deeper into a study of the Scriptures.

Blessings,

Jennifer

Smurfs: The Lost Village...In Theaters April 7

I'm really excited about the new Smurfs movie; Smurfs:  The Lost Village.  Here's a synopsis:

In this fully animated, all-new take on the Smurfs, a mysterious map sets Smurfette on a thrilling race through the Forbidden Forest. Along with her best friends, Brainy, Clumsy and Hefty, Smurfette encounters magical creatures in hopes of finding a mysterious lost village before the evil wizard Gargamel does. This rollercoaster journey filled with action and danger leads the Smurfs to the discovery of the biggest secret in Smurf history! 

You can visit HERE to find Fun Activities like:

• Recipes
• Coloring Sheets
• How To Draw A Smurf
• And much, much more!

There is even a faith-based discussion guide.  If you are interested, leave me a comment telling me who your favorite Smurf is along with contact information and I'll send you the discussion guide!

Happy Movie Viewing,
Jennifer

Deep Extraction: An FBI Task Force Novel

DiAnn Mills is a bestselling author whose novels have appeared on the CBA and ECPA bestseller lists; wone two Christy Awards; and been finalists for the RITA, Daphne du Maurier, and Carol Award contests.  When she's not writing, DiAnn is busy teaching and doing reserch through the FBI Citizens Academy.  She and her husband live in Houston, Texas.

Engage with her via her website at www.diannmills.com.

You can learn more about Deep Extraction specifically HERE where you will find a complete list of all the places you can buy the book.

A pacemaker should have saved oil and gas magnate Nathan Moore's life.  Instead, it provided his killer with a seemingly perfect means of execution.

A bombing at one of Nathan's oil rigs days earlier indicates his death could be part of a bigger conspiracy, a web Special Agent Tori Templeton must untangle.  But her first order of business is separating the personal from the professional - the victim's wife, her best friend, is one of the FBI's prime suspects.

Clearing Sally's name may be the biggest challenge of her career, but Tori finds an unexpected ally in the newest member of the task force, recently reinstated Deputy US Marshal Cole Jeffers.  As Tori and Cole dig deeper into Nathan's personal and business affairs, they uncover more than they bargained for.  And the closer they get to finding the real killer - and to each other - the more intent someone is on silencing them for good.

My Thoughts:
A book by DiAnn Mills never fails to satisfy!  Deep Extraction, the second book in Mills' FBI Task Force series, certainly didn't disappoint.  The previous book in the series was Deadly Encounter.  The suspense and twists in this book may be Mills' best story plot yet.  I couldn't turn the pages fast enough.  In between readings (I have three kids and a husband that need at least a bit of my attention!), I found myself thinking, "I wonder what is happening with Tori and Cole?" as if they were real people that I knew!  Mills has a unique gift of drawing readers in at the very beginning and taking them on one roller coaster ride that has you hanging on for dear life.  I never want one of her books to end.  The only negative thing I can say about this particular story is that Tori's spiritually journey seemed a bit rushed and stilted as if it was thrown in for good measure.  Regardless, I'm a DiAnn Mills fan and will anxiously await the next book!

*I received a complimentary copy of the book.  All opinions are my own.

Happy Reading Ya'll,
Jennifer

A Fragile Hope

Cynthia Ruchti tells stories hemmed in hope.  She's the award-winning author of 16 books and a frequent speaker for women's ministry events.  Cynthia serves as the ProfessionalRelations Liaison for American Christian Fiction Writers, where she helps retailers, libraries, and book clubs connect with the authors and books they love. Ruchti lives with her husband in Central Wisconsin.

You will be blessed to connect with her at www.CynthiaRuchti.com.
You can also connect with Cynthia on Facebook, and Twitter.

Where does a relationship expert turn when his wife leaves him and he can't explain why?

Josiah Chamberlain's life's work revolves around repairing other people's marriages.  When his own is threatened by his wife's unexplained distance, and then threatened further when she's unexpectedly plunged into an unending fog.  Josiah finds that his expertise, quick wit, and clever quips mean nothing for his relationship that is clearly broken.

Feeling betrayed, confused, and ill-equipped for a crisis this crippling, he reexamines everything he knows about the fragility of hope and the strength of his faith and love.  Love seems to have failed him.  Will what's left of his faith fails him too?  Or will it be the one thing that holds him together and sears through the impenetrable wall that separates them?

My Thoughts:
Every once in a while there comes along an author that absolutely slays you every single time with every single book.  Cynthia Ruchti is that author for me.  Her newest book, A Fragile Hope that releases TODAY, is a story about a man who learns to truly love and encounters the "Grace Giver" in the most unlikely of places and circumstances.  Josiah's story is truly "hemmed in hope" as Cynthia's author byline states.  And, he learns that "Hope doesn't have an expiration date."
Told primarily from Josiah's perspective, A Fragile Hope grabs you from the very first page.  I was quickly invested in the characters who are complex and a storyline that is emotional, heartwrenching, but hopeful, so very hopeful.  Ruchti doesn't shy away from tackling the hard stuff of life and never fails to weave gospel grace into her stories.  I appreciate that Ruchti doesn't tidy things up but writes genuine characters on real journeys of faith learning to trust and rely on God.
So many times books like A Fragile Hope are told from the female perspective.  I appreciated that Cynthia broke away from that mold and told this story from the husband's point of view.  Readers will learn so much right along with Josiah in this story.  How do we extend grace, mercy, and forgiveness like our Savior did "on the night He was betrayed?"  Josiah walks this journey and he learned how. Read A Fragile Hope and be blessed.

*I received a complimentary Advanced Reader's Copy of the book.  All opinions are my own.

Happy Reading Ya'll,
Jennifer

Maybe It's You

Candice Calvert is a former ER nurse and author of the Mercy Hospital, Brace Medical and Crisis Team series.  Her medical dramas offer readers a chance to "scrub in" on the exciting world of emergency medicine.  Wife, mother, and very proud grandmother, Candace makes her home in northern California.

You can connect with Candace on her website:  www.candacecalvert.com.

Nurse Sloane Ferrell escaped her risky past - new name, zip code, jog, and a fresh start.  She's finally safe, if she avoids a paper trail and doesn't let people get too close.  Like te hospital's too-smooth marketing man with his relentless campaign to plaster one "lucky" employer's face on freeway billboards.

Micah Prescott's goal is to improve the Hope hospital image, but his role as a volunteer crisis responder is closer to his heart.  The selfless work helps fill a void in his life left by family tragedy.  So does a tentative new relationship with the compassionate, beautiful, and elusive Sloane Ferrell.

Then a string of brutal crimes makes headlines, summons responders...and exposes disturbing details of Sloane's past.

Can hope spring from crisis?

My Thoughts:
Maybe It's You is the third book in Calvert's Crisis Team series.  The first two, By Your Side and Step By Step I have not read.  This book is actually my first to read by Calvert.  While this book is part of a series, it can be read as a stand-alone novel.
Maybe It's You is an intense story with complex characters.  Calvert's writing is a mosaic of redemption, restoration, healing, grace, faith, mystery, suspense, and romance, all against the backdrop of medical drama.  What more could you ask for?
Calvert writes a deeply emotional story that held my attention and my emotions in its grip until the very last page.  Simply put, this book was a joy to read.  It made me think and it made me feel.  I won't miss another by this author!

*I received a complimentary copy of the book.  All opinions stated here are my own.

Happy Reading,
Jennifer

Lost & Found: Losing Religion, Finding Grace

Kendra Fletcher writes on faith and education for a variety of publications, including her blog. She is also a frequent speaker at homeschooling conventions, but she spends most of her time with her very large family. The Fletchers reside in California, where they play in the Pacific Ocean as often as possible.

Find out more about Kendra at  http://www.kendrafletcher.com.

   

The "right" homeschooling philosophy. The "right" brand of theology. The "right" meal-planning, home-managing, keep-it-all-together parenting.

Kendra Fletcher, homeschooling mom of eight, had it all "right," until it all fell apart. In the course of eighteen months, Kendra found her baby in a coma, ran over her five-year-old, and nearly lost her eight-year-old to a septic ruptured appendix. 

Lost and Found is the story of how God used those events to transform her family's self-righteous religion into freedom in Christ.

Fletcher's debut book is the gripping true story of how God used suffering to save her family from empty religion. As wave after wave of crisis hit, the Fletchers discovered that getting religion "right" wasn't a good substitute for a living relationship with a loving God. Through their suffering, they learned about misplaced identities and false hope, and they threw themselves wholly into the arms of Jesus-where they found the grace they needed.

Fletcher, a well-known writer and conference speaker in Christian homeschooling circles, addresses the quiet legalism that so easily infiltrates Christian communities and exposes the dangers of focusing our hopes on the "right" ways of worship, work, and family life. More than a memoir, Lost and Found invites all of us to give up the things that hold us in bondage and find our value, worth, significance, hope, and identity in Christ alone.

Learn more and purchase a copy.

To see what others are saying about the book, visit HERE.

My Thoughts:

Lost & Found by Kendra Fletcher may be short on pages (less than 100), but it is certainly NOT short on wisdom and grace gained through the crucible of suffering. Fletcher transparently gives readers a peek at her family's journey from a focus on religion to a heart to heart relationship with God.  It's a story of a family grasping grace and mercy and letting go of stale "rule keeping".  This book is a blend of Scripture and personal story.  And it will change the way you think about and embrace suffering and your relationship with the Creator of the Universe.

*I received a complimentary copy of the book.  All opinions are my own.

Blessings,

Jennifer