An Unexplainable Life by Erica Wiggenhorn

Book Description

What can God do with fifty days?

In only fifty days Peter was radically transformed. He went from being a man in the shadows denying even knowing Jesus, to a man boldly proclaiming the resurrection of Jesus in the middle of the temple courts. How did the change occur? And more importantly, can such a change occur within us—today, in the here and now?

For fifty days, I invite you to dwell in the first twelve chapters of Acts. Here we meet Peter face-to-face and encounter the source of his power. We become challenged to grab hold of that power ourselves, believing that God wants to do something in and through us that is unexplainable apart from Him. Let’s give God fifty days and see what He might do.

My Review

I've not done but a couple of Bible study books in my lifetime. In fact, most of the ones I come across never seem to appeal to me or when I do they aren't very well written and I would put it back on the shelf. Not with this one!

From the moment I read the description I knew this one would somehow impact my life, but the little skeptic gremlin in me said hold back on your enthusiasm, it could be just as well written as the others you've read. So, I waited. I got the book in and from page one it was amazing! In the first week I knew this was the book for me! 

Each day is filled with Verse-by-verse study. Sure, when some read that you're going to think "boring" or "tedious." But the way this book is set up it's never that. The questions make you think but without being confusing or obscure. You're asked a question and then a verse to find the answer. You see the connection and pieces of God's plan. How they fell into place when Jesus came, died, and resurrected. And this is all in the first week!

Other books are short and too simple or too complicated and tedious. An Unexplainable Life is perfectly balanced, it inspires me to further read and search and know the answers. It doesn't let me be lazy by just telling me everything, it turns me straight to the Bible for the answers! I think that's what I love most about this book. Erica doesn't give her interpretation of the Bible and expect you to follow whatever she says, she turns you straight to the Bible, to God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit! 

I hope she makes more (like a second book on the rest of Acts perhaps!) like this and that they will be just as amazing. I recommend this book to all my friends. I had one friend just glimpse inside a couple of pages and she was amazed, she said, "I already love it, it makes me think about the answers!"

Great job Erica Wiggenhorn! Thank you!

I highly recommend this book! I give this book a 5 out of 5!

I received this book for free from the publisher’s in exchange for this honest and unbiased review as part of Moody Publishers Bloggers Review program.

I Am Found by Laura Dingman

Book Description

Are you tired of battling shame?
Long to be truly known and deeply loved?
Hesitant to show others the real you?

We are all made for connection, but many of us live with walls up and hearts closed. What would it take for us to let go and stand tall and unashamed?

I Am Found guides us in just that. This six-week Bible study on shame and identity explores how we can own our stories, trust God’s affections, and relate honestly with Him and others.

Each week begins with biblical teaching and is followed by five days of guided reflection. Drenched in Scripture, and allowing plenty of space to journal and savor biblical truths, I Am Found welcomes you on a personal journey of transformation through God’s Word.

Laura Dingman invites you to build your life on a beautiful, liberating truth: Jesus loves us in our weakness, but He doesn’t leave us there.

My Review

When I saw the title of this book I intrigued, when I read what it was about I wanted to read it, when I read it I was pleasantly surprised! I am found is a beautifully written Bible Study to encourage women not to hide in shame but be found and loved by God. We can't hide from God, he knows all, but we do it anyway. He wants us to be upfront with Him, choose to come and share the things that we want to conceal from Him and the rest of the world.

I think the only thing I wish is the word "hide" was used a lot when asking things like "How are you hiding from God?" I felt other words could've been used to describe what was being asked or would've helped better understand some of the questions in my study time. I looked up the definition for 'hide' and that helped and then the synonyms. Words like 'conceal', 'disguise', 'mask,' helped me to see how I was hiding from God and others.


I really enjoyed this Bible Study. It's encouraging, enlightening, and a pleasure to read and share with others. I liked that it didn't take me 2 hours to do each day, in fact, I liked it enough when I had time I did two in one day, but for the average person this is a great day-starter! For those who wanted to take more time could easily go back to and dig more.


I give this book a 4.5 out of 5!

I received this book for free from the publisher’s in exchange for this honest and unbiased review as part of Moody Publishers Bloggers Review program

Happy 25th Anniversary!

My parents celebrated their 25th Wedding Anniversary yesterday! Original plans were for them to set out for the beach for a couple days, but God had other plans. The weather turned out bad, the water heater sprung a leak, and turns out the beach is closed due to a bacteria levels (because of all the rain). I'd say God was protecting them! They stayed home and celebrated with us!

Dad, the Romantic

It's hard to believe its already been 25 years! God has blessed me with amazing parents. My sisters and I could not have been shown more than or cared for as much as they have. They've shown us the love of Jesus and shared that love with us. Guiding us through our walks and trials in life. Teaching us everything from the moment we were born, from talking to reading and writing. Making friends and being a friend. Sharing and loving others.
All the things the Lord calls us to be my parents have taught me. I couldn't be more grateful to them for that and showing me Love.

As we were out eating lunch today, the waitress heard that it was my parents 25th Anniversary and you know what she said?

"That is just wonderful!" A real awe in her voice and sincerity. "You don't hear that much anymore in this day. People come here to celebrate their 5th or 10th, but their much older and it be their 2nd or 3rd marriage. Congratulations!"

That really touched my heart to hear yesterday. I know my parents will be together until God takes one or both of them home or comes to take us all home. But until then, they'll keep celebrating each year for the next 25 years until the end. I love my parents for setting such a great example for me and others out there that marriage is not easy but with Jesus as their center they can walk hand in hand all the way to the end!

Until The End

Once A Shy Little Butterfly

So, I've been thinking... I really want to involve more of your readers out there in this blog of mine. I used to think "Oh, they'll just jump in when they feel like it." But then I realized, I have to really give you something to jump in with! So far, I haven't really done that. I've always enjoyed talking to people but at one time I was the very shy butterfly (sometimes I still am that!).

If you have any suggestions, I'd love to hear them. Just leave a comment in the box below. How can I involve you, my readers, in my blog posts?

Now to give you a little taste of my day, a tweet from this morning!

Woken by one of our cats jailbreaking😼the kittens out of the bedtime carrier! 🙀 Why? So she could could get in! #sillycat #needsleepnow #lol
— Victoria (@MissTadoodles) May 14, 2014

I'm Tired of Crying Over Spilled Milk

You've all probably heard the saying

"No use crying over spilled milk." ~Uknown

Why does that mean? It means, what' done is done. You can't un-spill milk. If we could rewind time than, yeah, that saying would probably not exist. lol. That's how I feel. Why am I still crying over it?

Remember the guy I spoke about last month? The one who pretty much broke my heart? Well, I stumbled across something of his online (hard not to do when your in the same community of friends) and the bruises I thought had healed turned out just to be far under the skin. Also, known as deep bruises. When I saw I it, it was like someone took a pencil (hey, it used to be a rolling pin!) and rolled on every sore spot.

I cried. It hurt. But now that I'm done I'm trying to remember that everything I went through is a part of God's plans.

"For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope." ~Jeremiah 29:11

Deep breaths. I'm going to make it.

GOD BLESS.

A Lady's Honor by Laurie Alice Eakes

Description

Elizabeth must realize her worth doesn't lie in her inheritance. In order to avoid a forced marriage to a dangerous man, Elizabeth Trelawney flees London. An unexpected stranger arrives to help her, and as they elude her pursuers across Cornwall in the night, Elizabeth realizes her rescuer, Rouan Curnow, is familiar. Their differences in social status kept Rouan from pursuing a courtship with the lady his heart wouldn't let him forget. Now because of dangerous smugglers and local murders, the two are plunged into a reckless alliance that rattles Rouan's fledgling faith in God. The closer they get to Bastian Point---Elizabeth's true home---the more she realizes it is the only place she longs to be.

Review

A lady's honor takes place in in England, 1811, along the coast Bastion Point was the only real home Elizabeth had ever really known, but six years with her parents in London changed the young woman into somewhat of an Ice maiden. It became impossible for Elizabeth to believe anyone could love her for more then money and connections, such as the man her parents chose for her. I don't wanna give too much away, but I will tell you this, upon reaching Bastion Point two things happened to our heroine; She was offered Bastion Point, should she find the treasure that all the possessions and money in the world could not buy, the second was meeting a very special man from a ball she attended prior to her escape, but alas he was in a lower class than herself.

In that time period marrying a man of lower class is purely unthinkable. Still the want we have for a easy and secure future is always with us, who would want to put their lively-hood in something that looked so risky you could see no way to get through it? That's where we tend to forget God is in control, and that he would never allow us to fall into despair. Just as is said in Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you," says the LORD. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."

Elizabeth had a lot to struggle with, something I know I've had to struggle with many times over the years and still have a little bit of a hard time understanding unconditional love. God offers this up so freely, but after her six years in London, with her parents say she was too skinny, too tall, her hair too straight, that none would marry her unless her dowry was large enough. How would you feel with someone constantly belittling you? Making you feel unworthy of any love offered to you? And that all love comes with strings, even God's? It's a painful and horrible state of mind that is just not true. God gave his only son to wash us free of the sins that made us dirty. 

"Such love has no fear because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of judgment, and this shows that his love has not been perfected in us." ~1 John 4:18

I think this verse is a good example for Elizabeth, she was so afraid of everyone judging her for her mistakes and looks that she could not know what true love is. And this book is a perfect example I think we all need to take to heart on showing true love, not just to family, but to others who have trouble accepting love. I am excited for any more books related to this series, and hope to read the next one as soon as humanly possible!

Be Still: Part III

Welcome back. Here is my last post on Be Still. I hope you've been able to gain something from this. I'm still learning it and striving to do better.

That weekend my parents had planned to go to a christian gospel concert "The Crabb Family" concert. I was excited for them to go (they don't get much alone time or get to go anywhere just the two of them) and have a good time, but due to some sudden circumstances that week my parents decided to take us with them. My sister and I got to stay in the hotel and watch "The Hobbit"! Which neither of us had seen yet. It was nice and fun to get away for a while.

However, during that quiet and peaceful time someone kept surfacing to the forefront of my mind. I cried quite a few times during the movie because it made me think of him (LOTR's were his favorite movies). Long story short, this boy broke my heart not too long ago. After he pushed me away I tried to forgive him because I knew it was the right thing to do. And, honestly, the only way I was going to move past it all. It had been a few months since I thought about him. I'd been focusing on recovering because I had a lot of emotional pain. I really loved him, but not just in a romantic way.
That never got in my way of our brother/sister friendship. But it was all tossed away like a scrap of paper and I lost the only brother I ever had (I'm the oldest of three sisters). It truly tore me apart.

Through our entire relationship God had helped me keep any feelings from dissolving our friendship. No matter what my feelings may have been so long as we kept the brother/sister friendship I would be okay. Romantic feelings will pass, especially when you hand them over to God {1 Peter 5:7}. And so I did.

Even after I told this guy I had feelings for him and he said he wasn't interested, I helped him pursue another girl. I even made friends with her and we got along really well. Ironic, right?


After I finally said enough was enough, I'd been finding it extremely difficult to forgive him. He'd hurt me so bad in the months leading to the end. The arguments, pushing me away, etc,. They churned in my mind and heart until a bitter poison coursed through my veins; that bitterness aiming for my heart. It became so embedded in me that I couldn't read God's word for encouragement and comfort without feeling hurt, angry, argumentative, and confused. When I realized how bad it had gotten it made me even sadder because that's not what I wanted. I didn't want my relationship with Christ to be estranged. He stuck by me, helped me through all those times, and he hadn't stopped now. He didn't want to me lock myself  away with the lights off. He didn't want me to be sad, hurt, and alone. But the only one who could ask for help was... Me.

He was already there and waiting. I began praying. Asking him to heal me. I wanted my that closeness back with Jesus so badly. I had a lot of healing left and only He was going to get me through it.

It took some time. At first it was very hard to push through that hurt, but God sent a random person (though she couldn't have been truly random if God sent her!) my way that helped and put some salve on my wounds.

I posted previously about her: Getting Over Your Ex w/ Jesus! by Deeanna Scott. If your having trouble getting over an Ex-bf/gf than I highly recommend reading her posts. Or even if you aren't, its worth sparing a few minutes to read. Her message felt like it came straight from God! It was exactly what I needed to hear.

Back to that weekend, it had been two months since I started asking for God's help and healing. I had been thinking less and less of my friend so it was strange when I suddenly kept thinking about him for no real reason.
After The Hobbit, I got a notification that he signed up for an app that I had. Coincidence? It made me think twice about it and so I began asking God to show me what it was he wanted me to do. A week of praying and I got my answer: I needed to tell him I forgave him. I didn't know if he harbored any hard feelings towards me since I was the one who technically ended it, but when I thought about it I didn't want him to grow in the same bitterness from regret and guilt as I had been. No matter how much I wanted him to know the pain he caused, I didn't want him to live with that burden forever.

I composed an email (there was no way I could talk to him, if he would have even talked to me) and sent it. I didn't care if he emailed me back; I almost asked him not to. I wasn't there to be a friend to him again. I just wanted him to know I forgave him and even apologized for anything I may have said or done wrong.
He replied back an hour later. Sometimes I really wished he hadn't and just left it to me to assume he received it and did with it whatever he wanted. At least I had forgiven him, finally, and could truly move on.
I was scared to read it, I didn't know if he was going to be angry or want to try being friends again. Neither of which I wanted. But I had to trust in Jesus that there was a reason he wanted me to go through all this. So, I opened it.

I cried. He wasn't angry, but the reply was... so forced. He only said what he said out of obligation. There was no heart or sincerity like before. I might have even overlooked it, but some things he said kind of hurt. Like when he said he had 'already forgiven any feelings he had hurt from me'. So he didn't forgive me but forgave himself for being hurt by me? So did he forgive me or just himself?
After reading his apology, forced or not, I was glad he saw what he had done wrong (he apologized for things I never thought he'd see) and prayed again he would continue to grow from it and would be able to do better now.
However, he couldn't leave it at just that, he had to tell me how he is now (less than two months later) engaged to be married (to a different girl). Why did he need to add that? Why couldn't we have just parted ways without knowing anything else about the other? He already made it clear we could never be friends and I had made it clear I wasn't coming back. So since we're not going to be a part of each other's lives, neither of us needed to know how the other was doing or what we've been doing or what our future plans were. As sad as it makes me to say it, I think he wanted to see what my reaction would be. Why? I don't think I want to know. Since it would just raise more questions and hurt that much more.

Though the apology was bittersweet, instead of letting the bitter part come back inside I asked God to help me accept the good in the email and say goodbye. That's when I realized this wasn't about me freeing my friend from pain and guilt, but freeing me! I had yet to completely let him go. I had been in that healing process and I was finally at the next step: forgiveness for myself. I didn't know it, but God had it all planned out. I sent my final goodbye email, thanking him for apologizing and wishing and blessing him on the rest of his journey.

It was a grieving yet humbling experience. Never in my life so far had I had to let someone once so close and so precious to me, go. But I know he's in God's hands. I'm not God, I can't fix him or change him. I was brought into his life to help him for a season in his life. I didn't walk away empty-handed though. I gained a lot from the experience during and after.

I learned:

• What it feels like to be loved
• That God's love is 100x more than even that love
• Who I'm supposed to rely on completely: Jesus!
• That I am capable of more than I thought
• Forgiveness {Ephesians 4:31-32}
• I'm more secure in myself than I realized
• And that I am able to truly live out that kind of love {1 Cor 13:4-7}

And I'm learning more as I seek Him.

Throughout that entire experience starting from part I of this post, was that God was whispering* this to me through everything during those two weeks: "Be still and know that I am God. Though these people have hurt you, I will heal you. Though you are sad, I will dry your tears. Though you feel alone, My arms are wrapped around you tenderly but firmly and they will never let you go. I will take care of you because I Love You."


It's an overwhelming yet calming feeling.

*My youngest sister quoted back to me from one of her books during this time as well.

"God whispers because he is close." -- Crash the Chatter Box, Steven Furtick

That couldn't be any truer. :) GOD BLESS.

Be Still: part I
Be Still: part II

Figgy Friday Spotlight #9

The curtain is rising and today's Figgy Friday Spitlight is...

I started following this author two years ago. It was an exciting action spy thriller type story (I'm still waiting for it to be finished!) but this one was completely opposite and a what wonderful surprise it was too. 

It's a beautiful short story filled with heart. I wanted to cry. You just might too. I don't want to give too much away cause I really want you to read this story! It won't take but a few minutes of your time. But the way she described the boy, his actions leading up to him playing the piano and how he came alive when his fingers touched the keys. It was as if I were the one standing there, watching sand listening to him. It just touched by heart through and through. 

If you like her writing you can find her blog in this link shieldmaidenthoughts.wordpress.com

See you back here March 14th for the next Figgy Friday Spotlight!

Smitten Book Club by C.C; K.B; D.H; D.H

Description

At a rummage sale, Heather, a member of the Fireside Book Club, discovers a turn-of-the-century romantic advice book written by a once-famous Smitten, Vermont, resident. When she shares the precious volume with her friends in the club, they find clues about a hidden treasure rumored to be buried in their tiny town.

As Heather, Abby, Lia, and Molly take turns reading the book, each projects onto it her own literary tastes. Heather sees it as a mystery. Abby discovers delicious dashes of Jane Austen. Lia sees in it the idealism of a bygone day. And Molly just wishes they'd made the book into a movie!

My Review

This was my first time visiting the town of Smitten and I must say. I wasn't sure how these four wonderful authors were going to write this book together, but when I saw they each wrote an individual story I was interested to see how it would come together. 

Heather DeMerrit, a single mom always ready and willing to help her friends. That’s how it all began, the treasure hunt would never had taken flight had it not been for Heather's determination to follow Chambers love advice book. But when it comes to trusting the man she once loved, and still loves, she hastily runs in the opposite direction. Not ready to be humiliated and heart broken by him again. 

Abby Gray, worker at Smitten library and has seemed to catch the eye of a very handsome bachelor. His adventurous lifestyle has her crawling back to her shell but daydreaming for something more. When she finds out her father sent him to deliver a message, she discovers he could be the very angel to help spread her wings and fly. 

Elliana Burton, a kindergarten teacher with a lot of love and compassion but when her best friend from childhood comes back to Smitten with his five-year-old daughter, she doesn't know what to do. With a little help from her mother (loved her!) she boils it down. Let him go and try to move on (miserably) or tell him her feelings and mess up their friendship forever? But even that is put aside when she hears he isn't going to celebrate Christmas with his daughter, hiding her from the haunting memories. But Elliana won’t let the shadows of the past snuff out the spirit and true meaning of Christmas that brought so much healing to the world and to their hearts. 

Molly Moore, recent widow and single mom and Smitten expeditions owner. After her husband dies in a firefighter accident, she’s left with the mess he left behind. The business is drowning and she has no clue what she’s doing. On the very strand of failure, hope comes walking in with an offer of help. Her rival competitor offers to assist her, training her and looking over her books. But what happens when he spends money that she doesn't have? And what about the secret treasure left by her late husband’s great grandmother Pearl Chambers gold mine? If only they could find it she would make it. Except, her growing feelings towards her rival has begun to fill her heart more than any gold could ever fill.  

I really loved the quotes from the Gentleman Guide to Love and Courtship. I wanted a full copy of my own and share it with my friends! Even just for a good laugh or discussion topic; a lot of it was true and accurate. 

The only thing I maybe disliked were some parts felts a tad too rushed in between when it was running so smoothly I didn't want it to end! In the end though I wished each story could have been written into full-length novel. I guess I’ll just have to go back and read the other two, which I highly recommend anyway. Otherwise you won’t know the characters as well and you will feel a bit tossed in the middle of it all, like I did. It was a great book though and I wish Smitten was a real town cause I would move there tomorrow!

BookLook Bloggers provided this book to me for free in exchange for my honest and unbiased review as part of their BookLook Bloggers Program. 

Living Attitude of Gratitude!

I hope y'all are ready for a November! I know I am! Good food, family and friends getting ready for the holidays, crisp air and falling leaves! I'm getting excited just talking about it!

Hopefully you will enjoy this next post, maybe even get a little kick out of it. 

Friday night about two weeks ago, I walked into the bedroom getting ready to watch the new episode of Legend of Korra don't know you! But when my sister and I turned on the TV Spongebob Squarepants theme song begins to play.

OH NO!

Korra would have to wait 30 more minutes. Sad.

Wait, don't go anywhere yet, there's more! Thank you. Comfy? Good.

As we we're waiting Squidward appears at his window (he is a really nosey neighbor!) to find spongebob cleaning and singing! Of course, Squidward being his neighborly self asks:

"Spongebob, whhyyy are you doing such a thing?"

And Spongebob replies (I love this):

"I’m just displaying for all to see, an attitude of gratitude."

"You've been wallowing in filth all morning, what could you possibly be grateful for?"

(cue song!)

"Oh, I've got a whole new attitude, a lifetime subscription to do gratitude, friend you've got to change your platitude, living attitude of gratitude!
I’m grateful for the life I am living who knows how long I'll have it, I’m thankful for all I've been given, we make appreciation a habit
there’s no time like the present day to have a present come your way
so now I think that you will see there’s nothing more you need."

I don't think he could have sang it any better than that! I truly loved what he said about displaying for all to see. It reminded me of how we're supposed to be examples to the eyes and ears around us. Part of me wants to just shout it out. "I'm going to show an attitude of gratitude for all to see!"

Not to be boastful, but just show to that you can be happy by just being thankful.

God wants us to be joyful all the time (1 Thes 5: 16) , but how can we when our hearts are crowded with complaints. Now, I'm no saint. I have my bad days and then I get easily annoyed by even the smallest of things. Left feeling discontent, I complain. It happens to us all, right? Bad day at work, a dispute with a friend or family, or just woke up on the wrong side of the bed.

God's been changing my heart though. Recently, I've discovered complaining makes me sick now! No, literally, it twists my insides in all kinds of knots. Even listening to people around me complaining I start thinking to myself "Can't you do anything else?" Oops, that was a complaint too, huh? That wasn't even a verbal complaint so who cares... right?

Actually, God heard it as did my heart, which is for Him.

Each time I complain I'm not being thankful for all that He has done for me. Who would've thought.

I used to think--sometimes I still fight with this thought, especially when I'm in a mood--

"Why do I have to be thankful for everything when I'm having this problem right now?"

or

"I am thankful, why do I have to keep saying it?"

But that's not right. As Christians, we're called to live in peace  and ALWAYS be thankful. (Col 3:15-18) Even when we're praising and worshiping Him, we're to sing with thankful hearts.

Like Spongebob said there's no day like today to have the gift of peace come your way by having the attitude of gratitude and letting that light shine on the rest of the world! Cause there is nothing better than the peace of the Almighty in our hearts and sharing that with the people around you.