Powerful Prayers for Your Son: Praying for Every Part of His Life

Parents know that their children need their prayers. But sometimes, they aren't sure where to start. For moms and dads who long to lift their kids up in prayer, Powerful Prayers for Your Daughter and Powerful Prayers for Your Son offer hope, encouragement, and practical help.

Rob and Joanna Teigen assure parents that just because they don't always understand their son or daughter, that doesn't mean that God doesn't. Collecting specific prayers parents can use, along with stories from other parents about how God has answered their prayers, Rob and Joanna give readers a strong foundation to build a lifelong habit of praying for their kids. They also explain what boys and girls need to learn as they grow up, including character, courage, modesty, self-control, forgiveness, and more, so parents can pray for every part of their kids' lives. 


Publisher: Revell, 2014
Genre: non-fiction, parenting, prayer
Authors: Rob & Joanna Reuben



My Review
I requested this book because I have three sons, two of which are teenagers. As we're diving into new territory with first jobs, driver's licences, college scouting, and dating, I've upped the intensity of my prayers. Will they make the right choices when Mom and Dad aren't around? Will they stand up for what's right when the pressure is on? Are they taking their relationship with God seriously? I know I'm not alone with these thoughts feelings. So I was delighted when I got the opportunity to read and review this book. 

With 77 short prayers, the authors guide readers to the various topics specifically geared to young men. Using their own son's life as an example, they share their expertise, fears, and lessons learned. The book also contains stories from other moms and their testimonies of faith. 

This is a book I'll keep on my shelf and come back to offen, I'm sure. I give this book four stars. 

Day by Day Through the Gospel of John

During the second half of the nineteenth century, Great Britain was home to some of the greatest preachers, biblical scholars, and Christian writers in all of church history. Legendary names such as Charles Spurgeon, George Müller, Hudson Taylor, Catherine Booth, and George MacDonald stand out as giants of the church. Their predecessors, such as John Wesley and Matthew Henry, left them a rich tradition of biblical and evangelical excellence to follow. Americans R. A. Torrey and Charles Finney and South African Andrew Murray were cut from the same cloth.

From the classic writings of these revered saints, Lance Wubbels has edited and compiled the best of the best of their inspirational insights into this 365-day devotional. Verse by verse through the Gospel of John, readers will gain an unforgettable understanding of the life, words, and ministry of Jesus Christ. Here is a one-year devotional that is packed with profound biblical commentary, brilliant wisdom, and practical application that will enrich readers and be read for a lifetime.

MY REVIEW

This devotional is packed full of wisdom from some of world’s best preachers and teachers. From Charles Spurgeon to Hudson Taylor and many more, this book guides the reader through the gospel of John a little each day. The book opens with a brief biography of each contributor and the sturdy hardback cover makes for easy reading and bookmarking. 

I received this book in September and have read each daily passage since, so my review is based off of my experience thus far. I’ve enjoyed this devotional because it covers one verse a day and the accompanying teaching is short enough to read before work in the morning yet full of knowledge so I learn something too. The wisdom inside is not a new-age take on the Bible. It sticks to the original Word of God from solid biblical teachers. Different versions of the Bible are used at times in the opening text, but I followed along with my King James Bible. This is definitely a devotional I will keep around for years to come. 

I give this book five stars!

Praying God's Promises by Linda Evans Shepherd

The Scriptures tell us that when we pray the will of God, he delights to answer our prayers. But what is God's will in any given situation? How can we know it? And if we don't know it, how can we pray it?

Linda Evans Shepherd shows readers that God's will is not a mystery--it's clearly laid out in his Word through his many promises. Through stories, practical application, examples of prayers, and guided reflection, Shepherd leads readers toward a more powerful prayer life. Arranged by topic for ease of use, this book shows how to pray God's promises

- of his presence
- of love
- of peace
- of joy
- of hope
- for provision
- for health
- for breakthroughs
- for our relationships
- over children and loved ones

Shepherd includes a chapter on God's powerful answers to prayer that will inspire readers to search the Scriptures, pray God's will, and wait expectantly for his promised answers.

My Review

Prayer is such an important part of the Christian life, and I’m always looking for books and lessons on how to strengthen my prayer life. Therefore, I jumped at the chance to read and review Praying God’s Promises by Linda Evans Shepherd. My feelings about this book are mixed, however, and completely my own opinion. 

I love the way the book is set up: short, punchy chapters that each have a different theme and the truth within the verses listed. But I had a very hard time following along with my Bible, as I like to do with these kind of books. This author uses so many different versions of the Bible (to keep the book non-denominational, I’m sure) that it got confusing at times. Some references didn’t even match up with my Bible (I use KJV), or the verse used in the book has a different meaning than my version. 

This review isn’t based on my belief over which version of the Bible should be used but is based on how user-friendly and informational it is (or lack thereof). 

The book points people to the promises of God and that can never be a bad thing. But for me, the book didn’t meet my devotional criteria (which is entirely my own preference and opinion). 

I give it three stars.

I Wish He Had Come With Instructions: The Woman's Guide To A Man's Brain by Mike Bechtle

WHAT IS HE REALLY THINKING?

When a woman begins a relationship with a man, she may think she's found her knight in shining armor. As the relationship continues, that armor can begin to feel like a barricade she just can't get past it. What's he hiding in there, anyway? 

Relationship and communication expert Mike Bechtle offers women an insider's guide to the puzzling male brain. Simple and practical, this book provides women with a roadmap for better conversations and improved relationships. Bechtle reminds readers that men and women share many similarities, and by embracing those similarities they can better deal with differences. He explains how men think, act, communicate, and grow in relationships, and even offers tips for communicating in a toxic relationship. 

Wives, girlfriends, mothers, daughters, friends, and coworkers will find real help within these pages.


Publisher: Revell, 2016
Genre: non-fiction, CLWI   Marriage   



My Review
This book piqued my interest for a few different reasons:

1. I've been married for fifteen years and I feel I'm no closer to understanding my husband's mind. We've learned to cope with each other's quirks and differences, but many times we still fail to understand the gap between Mars and Venus. :)

2. I write romance novels from both the hero and heroine's point of view, so the more I understand men the better my heroes will be.

3. I have three sons, two of which are teenagers. On a daily basis, I get frustrated with a lack of communication and all the testosterone (a.k.a. anger and competition) flying around the house. Needless to say, being the only woman around, I need help. :)

First of all, please know my reading material of choice is fiction, so non-fiction writing really has to capture my attention to keep me interested. Mike Bechtle succeeded. His style and tone was informative yet humorous, honest without apology, and very helpful. This book is NOT a set of instructions on how to change a man or how to fix a broken relationship. This book explains the male brain chemical makeup, how men perceive certain things, and how/why they react to various life scenarios.

I found this book helpful in my desire to better understand my husband, thus becoming a better wife. We've been married long enough now we've ceased bickering over certain things and have chalked it up to "things we'll never understand." While reading this book, I came across several things we used to argue over, and I'd wished I'd understood my husband's point of view back then. I wish this book would've been available years ago. :)

I recommend this book to newlyweds and anyone who desires to have a better relationship with their spouse and mothers of boys. I gave this book 5 stars!

*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

My Top Book Picks for 2014

January first, I set a Goodreads goal of reading 30 books in 2014. I surpassed my goal by 235% by reading 73 books. (If you're wondering how I did this, I don't really watch TV. I'm able to block out surrounding noises, which enables me to read in the evenings in the same room with my family while they're watching TV.) So, without further ado, here are my top book pics for 2014.

Novels

These ten romances received 5 stars from me because once I started I couldn't put them down, the swoon factor was astronomical, and the story stuck with me for days afterward. 

                  Once Upon a Prince by Rachel Hauck                  

  

Walker's Wedding by Lori Copeland

                                                                                                             

                                         Meant to Be Mine by Becky Wade                                     

Love In the Balance by Regina Jennings

          

                                          

                                                Dancing With Fireflies by Denise Hunter                                                 

 Fair Play by Deeanne Gist

The Wedding Game by Amy Matayo

A Match of Wits by Jen Turano

Five Days in Skye by Carla Laureano

A Most Inconvenient Marriage by Regina Jennings

Series

These romance series are my top pics because once I read the first book, I devoured them all. Each individual book received 5 stars from me. 

*The Witness Protection Program Series is not deemed Christian Fiction. However, these romance stories are clean, though the characters' actions and choices are riskier than Christian Fiction. 

*This series absolutely blew me away. I read all three books in a week. Deep emotional, soul-stirring content. Pair with a box of tissues. 

Novellas

These romance novellas were short yet satisfying. All received 5 stars from me. 

Waiting for Lily Bloom by Jericha Kingston

Appalachian Serenade by Sarah Loudin Thomas

Devotionals

These books challenged me with the Word of God and deepened my knowledge of the scriptures. 

Jesus, the One and Only by Beth Moore

To Live is Christ by Beth Moore

*A study of the apostle Paul

Non-Fiction

These books both taught and challenged me.

Here is Where by Andrew Carroll

*Discovering America's forgotten history

Romance-ology 101 by Julie Lessman

*How to write captivating romance scenes

That's my list! What were your favorite books of 2014?

Pulling Weeds

Cute isn’t he? Our youngest is still at the age where he enjoys working—he says it’s fun—because it makes him feel grown up. Our oldest children, ages ten and twelve, found out a long time ago work is far from fun. But enjoyable or not, pulling weeds is vital to a successful vegetable or flower garden. The same goes for our lives. We must pull the weeds of negativity and hurt, even if it means refusing to let others take advantage of us. Except we’re Christians, so standing firm against others when we know we should is wrong if it will upset the other person, right? WRONG!

Jesus called people out when needed and spoke the truth bluntly. Just look at the account of the moneychangers in the temple, or the times the Pharisee’s attempted to trick Him into saying or doing something wrong. The key is Jesus did so in love. He stated the facts and those individuals could choose to listen and change or ignore Him, but either way He still loved them. Enough to die on the cross for them (us), in fact. So what does this have to do with weeds?

I’ve been reading a fantastic book by Paul Coughlin and Jennifer D. Degler, Ph.D. called No More Christian Nice Girl. The truths in this book are profound. You see, from the time we females are born we’re taught to be nice—never intentionally hurt anyone’s feelings, always do what we can to help others, be soft-spoken, never rude, and—if raised in a strict religious household—remain silent, keeping opinions and ideals to ourselves, especially in the presence of men. Problem is these characteristics can be poisonous if not used correctly. Over time we grow so accustom to these traits we let others trample upon us like a doormat. It’s time to take the Welcome sign off our foreheads and be, as the book states, the 360-degree human God created us to be. Yes, Jesus is love, but he’s more than just love. What’s killing a lot of churches today is that His gentle and kind side is the only side of Him being taught. Folks are putting God in a box and refusing to experience the rest of Him. How can we conform to His image if we only choose to study one aspect of His personality?

This book not only walks the reader through the 360-degree Jesus, giving many examples of this truth from scripture, but also provides a study of many women from the Bible who chose to be bold and were blessed for doing so. See, being silent isn’t always the best option. Even when in the presence of men.

          Topics covered in this book include:

*Social and Cultural Pressures

*Harmful Childhood Experiences

*Friendships and Family

*Career

*Dating

*Marriage

*Sex

"Nice girl” syndrome negatively affects every one of these areas. Yes, even sex. So if you want a beautiful, inviting, more productive life garden start pulling weeds!

To purchase your copy of No More Christian Nice Girl, click here! 

*Yes, there's also No More Christian Nice Guy! Click here!