Seeking Him

So here’s a new bible study that feels more like an experience journal by Nancy Demoss Wolgemuth and Tim Grissom.

So I’ll be honest I had no expectations going into reviewing this bible study because of the personal revival aspect in the title. I didn’t know if it would be super rigorous.

However, what I found is a journal of sorts. The questions in the study are first geared towards scripture then they turn inward. There’s also many passages for additional reading and study. Each week starts with the memory verse and going deeper passages. Then it goes into the study, which broken down into roughly 5 days per week. And studies through several topical passages that are meant to spark an internal revival in us.

I haven’t finished the study yet but I am confident in the writing of it and would highly recommend it for a women’s bible study group as the format of the study is much more conducive to group study (each week has a section to be completed with the group and if you’re doing the study solo you would likely just skip over that section) than to individual study.

Disclaimer: I received a FREE copy of this book through from the publisher in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.

Habits for Our Holiness

Many are the number of books available on Christian Living. 

Rare is a book that puts different habits into one book (outside of the Bible).

So Philip Nation undertook the very high standards and responsibility of composing a book on the spiritual disciplines. He starts with actually loving Jesus and surrendering our lives to Him. 

The second chapter focuses on worship and not just in the manner of singing or rather listening to someone on a stage sing. Completely pleased with the way addresses this because people often think worship is just the beginning of Sunday service, the singing portion. But worship goes beyond that into the way we live and what we spend our time, affection, and resources on. 

The third chapter is on bible study. Praise God! And he makes clear the difference between devotions, basic reading and actual study of the bible. Yes, there is a difference. And unfortunately many I know get to devotions and because they may get a couple verses in the devotion, they stop there as if its a full meal and not a snack. 

Then the fourth chapter focuses on prayer. Yet another spiritual discipline that even I have to rein in. Prayer is a conversation with God, there's dialogue and too often we treat prayer like a monologue simply dumping on God then continuing on with our day OR treating Him like a genie (available to grant our wishes). 

The fifth chapter is on the discipline of fasting. Because it is something we are expected to do. Jesus doesn't say IF you fast but WHEN you fast, meaning it is supposed to happen. 

The sixth chapter covers fellowship. Again something else we are expected to do. We are expected to spend time with other believers in corporate fellowship and worship. Even if large crowds are uncomfortable, there are house churches (we need more of these) and bible study or belong groups, you can join. 

The seventh chapter addresses rest. Because there is a such thing as doing too much and even God rested.  

The eighth chapter focuses our attention on simple living. Something capitalist America struggles with. There's always the quest for more, more bigger, for better, for brand names. And there's the idea of being like the early church, live simple and be generous. 

The ninth chapter reminds us to serve. Jesus did not come to be served BUT to serve others. And we must also remember to serve others. 

The tenth chapter exhorts us to submission. Because that word is dirty, especially to women and almost always comes with a negative retort. Submission is to get under the mission, which is literally what we signed up for when we chose Jesus and when we get married. 

The eleventh chapter concerns spiritual leadership. Knowing that there is good and there is bad and we must always seek to serve God and lead people to God. 

And the final chapter like Jesus final instructions exhorts us to disciple-making. The end of the great commission is to make disciples. Our testimony can't end with us. And we have to help steward those we lead toward Jesus. Help then stay on the narrow path. 

READ AT YOUR OWN RISK. This is one of those books that once you read you're expected to act on what you know. Once you read and gain a base understanding of these spiritual disciplines, you will be held responsible for what you do or don't do.  And on that note, I do recommend reading. Especially new believers who may want and need a base understanding of these spiritual disciplines.

Remember: It's hard to do what you don't understand just like you can't love what you don't know.

{I received this book from Moody Publishers in exchange for my honest review.}

God Made Boys and Girls

So here's another series of God Made books by New Growth Press.

This first book is about helping children understand gender from a godly perspective, which is hugely needed in today's society considering the constant discussion around gender and transgendered persons.

The story starts revolves around a little girl named Maya who prefers to play sports like football at recess. She's also really fast. So fast that when they line up for recess, her classmate (a boy) remarks that if she keeps playing with boys then she'll turn into a boy. This sparks a discussion about gender and how it does not change because of what we do or how we act. Gender is a gift from God and even if you like to do things that are considered "boy-ish" it doesn't change that gift. Gender is what you're born with and it doesn't change. It's ingrained so deep in us, it goes beyond what we can physically see down into our DNA and cells.

Again!  New Growth Press does it again with another good book with a much-needed lesson.

This is definitely worth reading, especially those who may have children or even teens who are struggling with gender identity and as a parent, you want to take a God-honoring approach to discuss it. This book does that and points them back to Jesus.

{I received this book from the publisher, New Growth Press, in exchange for my honest review.}

New Book Review: You Can Trust God to Write Your Story

So one of my favorite authors is Nancy Demoss Wolgemuth. And I received the delight to be able to review her newest book authored with her husband Robert Wolgemuth.

When I'd first heard of the book, I thought it would be just about their story and seeing God in their lives but thankfully after reading it it is an accumulation of stories. Starting with their story and seeing God work in their lives. And just reading their story is simply amazing. Like seriously, Robert Wolgemuth's deceased wife actually said who she wanted him to marry BUT she didn't tell him, she told her friends. And once he and Nancy were engaged those friends recounted that conversation. The woman his wife chose was Nancy. God had heard her request and wove together the stories of their lives and knit together their hearts. 

And the rest of the book is filled with stories of people that could look back over their lives and see God in the details. Both real-life people and those from the Bible like Esther, Ruth, Joseph, and Mary, mother of Jesus. It is in these stories that we, the reader, can also place our faith in God to write our story in such a way that is for our good and His glory.

I definitely recommend if you're in need of an encouraging read.
You can purchase here.

{As always I received this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion.}

Empowered

Rarely do I read books about the saints of the past. Yet here is a book that tells the story of 11 women who stood strong in their faith. 

Catherine Parks effortlessly weaves short stories about these women that leaves me ready to research their lives. And at the end of each chapter are questions and Scripture and encouragement that we can be just as effective as these women. These are women who faced persecution simply because they believed in Jesus Christ and they didn't back down. That's FAITH. To know torture, prison, starvation is coming yet to stand strong in the faith and not deny Jesus. We are called to this level of faith even now. Granted some of us may live in a country where Christianity is accepted, even as it is twisted to fit others agendas. So many more of us live in countries where Christianity is not accepted and to believe is to be persecuted. And we must stand strong and support those in those countries where their faith can mean torture and persecution.

Now mind you this is a book for preteens & teens, it is just as good for adults as well. That's how well written it is. I am enjoying learning about these women, and am looking forward to each of my kids learning about these women as well. (And don't worry there is one for boys as well. I'll review it soon.) 

{FYI: I received this book for FREE from the publisher in exchange for my HONEST opinion.}

Disciple Her

Discipleship, a fastly growing topic in contemporary Christian circles.

Kandi Gallaty addresses a very much needed and widely gaining notice topic. 

Discipleship is the act of teaching through life lessons another to be a disciple. But in order to make disciples, you first have to be a disciple. Jesus was able to tell the 12 to go forth and make disciples because they had first been disciples of His. And so Kandi Gallaty, who has discipleship groups at their (her & her husband, whose book will be one of the next books I review) church. 

Note that this book's table of contents is awesome. There is a breakdown of the topic of each chapter, which makes sharing the topic of the book that much easier.

So what makes this book great on discipleship is the fact that (as you can see below) Kandi Gallaty goes beyond talking about the need for discipleship but she goes into HOW to actually accomplish discipleship. She goes starts with the prep work that goes into starting a D-group (discipleship group). From prayer & planning to actually starting the group. She explores the elements of development, so you get an idea of what maturity looks like in your group. Then she does something else amazing: she breaks down the difference between a D-group and all of the other small groups that are in a church because yes there is a difference. 

This book has been an eye-opener and a welcomed resource for the next stage of life that God is preparing us for. I highly recommend, especially for those who are in ministry as I think it will definitely assist in your ministry work.

If you check out the excerpt below you will see the breakdown of each chapter. 

 {And as always I received this book from the publisher in exchange for my HONEST opinion.}

Open Door Living

How do you feel about hospitality?

Is it effortless for you? Or do you often need a little encouragement and some great tips on ways to show hospitality to others?

Well, me, I fall in the middle of the two. Serving others comes naturally to me. Once we have guests, I immediately fall into service. I think its part of my DNA, although most moms I know are like this. But then there are times when I struggle. Some times it is merely getting everyone in my house on board with opening our home to others (especially when strangers are involved). Other times it is knowing what to do, how to decorate, or what to serve them once they've entered my home.

And enter Open Door Living by Jen Schmidt. I'd already read her book Just Open the Door (which has a companion Bible study). Open Door Living is another companion book to Just Open the Door. While Just Open the Door dealt with getting us to actually be hospitable and invite people into our homes and hearts. Open Door Living is more of a practical, here are some recipes and decor tips with devotions, beautiful artwork and conversation starters thrown in. 

And I LOVE IT. I love the recipes and decor tips, they are easy to follow and tweak to my taste. The conversation starters are great when you're having new friends over and are just starting to learn about them or even having a small dinner/lunch/brunch party. And the devotions are always welcomed. They help get us in the mood and set the tone for each chapter. 

The artwork, though!!! Definitely worth getting printed and put on canvas or framed to put in your home. Your walls will thank me later. 

Feel free to download and frame or put on canvas.

I think this book is great for personal use but also make a great gift. Highly recommend for any gift-giving needs.

(FYI: As always I received this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion.)

Taste and See

How often do you come across a book that combines Scripture with food yet not in the context of fasting?

Margaret Feinberg does just that. She takes her readers on a journey through the Bible to literally taste and see that the Lord is good. 

First, we head to the Promised Land to catch fish in the same sea as the disciples. We learn just the type of fish caught and just how important fishing was to that culture and what it meant when the disciples left their jobs fishing to follow Jesus but also the miracles Jesus performed in that sea. 

Next, Margaret takes the reader to California to learn about figs and fig trees. We learn about the cycles of the fig tree and how huge it was when a tree did not produce. 

Third, we learn about baking bread. The way the Israelites would have for Passover, especially if they were poor. 

The fourth place we head to is near her home in Utah, to salt mines to learn about how salt is mined and the differences in salt as well as to learn that while salt is a common commodity these days, in biblical days salt had to be mined to be of use even to season with. 

The sixth chapter takes the reader to Croatia to pick olives in an olive grove and learn rich history behind olives and how the relate to the Old Testament story of Elisha and the widow. 

The seventh chapter takes us to Dallas, Texas where Margaret gets a lesson on meat and lamb chops. We learn about how modern food regulations relate to biblical times food regulations and how they set the Israelites apart from their neighbors and kept them from food bribery. Understanding meat take up a great portion of the chapter both in biblical times and in modern times.

The last chapter pulls it all together and sums up the experience that Margaret has taken us on.

And if you hurry, you can jump in on the study videos offered through Study Gateway, which can superbly aid in reading and studying this book.

I give this book 2 thumbs us and greatly recommend it to anyone interested in seeing the Bible truly come alive with the food of that era.

{FYI: I received this book from the publisher in exchange for my HONEST opinion.}

Morning and Evening Prayer Book

This is my first time ever reviewing a prayerbook and I couldn't be more thrilled. It is meant to last the entire year and it has prayers to start the day and end the day. The prayers come from throughout history. There are Old Testament prayers and New Testament Prayers. There are prayers from the Eastern Orthodox church, prayers from the catholic church, prayers from Martin Luther, from Spurgeon. There are prayers from just about every walk of the Christian faith and every era of the Christian faith. And its amazing. It's refreshing and invigorating to pray the prayers of those before us. To have that as a inspiration towards more personal & intimate prayers. And THAT is the purpose of the book.

This book comes as a beautiful deep purple hardback, with a ribbon marker. The paper is fairly thick parchment. It doesn't feel like your usual book paper. Rather it lends an air of ancientness to the book as if to set it apart from any other book you may pick up. The parchment reminds me of what I think a book from hundreds of years ago might be like.  There are also pictures throughout the book, they're usually found depicting an event on the Western Church Calendar (many of the daily prayers follow along with the Church Calendar). Something super helpful to me as I have decided to follow along with the church calendar this year (starting with Advent 2018).

I highly recommend. Especially for those who may struggle to pray. Some days there is no struggle for me to pray and other days I need the assistance.

Below are a few excerpts:

{FYI: I received this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion.}

Praying God's Will for Your Life

Stormie Omartian is highly regarded in Christian circles for her writing and so I was quite interested to finally review a book by her. 

One thing to note from even the beginning chapters of this book is that it is quite personal. It's as if Stormie walks her audience through her life and how she became a Christian. Guiding the reader through becoming a Christian as well. She guides the reader through praying for salvation and if the reader is already a Christian, she guides them through recommiting themselves to Jesus. She recounts how she became a Christian so that others who may be on the fence about becoming a Christian can have that encouragement. 

 The book is organized into three sections: The Intimate Relationship, The Solid Foundation, and the Obedient Walk. Each section focuses on a specific part of the believer's life. The first section is helping the believer come into relationship with Jesus. The second section is to help pour the firm foundation of faith. The third section is living out that faith; obediently walking out the faith.

The chapters are bite sized and have a prayer section at the end of each.  The first four chapters have two prayers: one prayer for the new believer & one prayer for the seasoned believer. The bonus journaling space is at the end of the book. It would have been perfect to have it at the end of each chapter where its easier to journal in response to each chapter. There's also a tools of truth section at the end of each chapter which contain Scripture verses that relate to each chapter. 

At first I was a bit skeptical, but I see why her books are so beloved. This one is good for both the new and the seasoned believer. It requires you to put in work on your end to see results. And it prompts us to open up to the work of the Holy Spirit.

{FYI: I received this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion.}

Seated with Christ

At first, I was a wee bit skeptical about this book as it is the first I've read by this author. However, I can say it will not be my last.  It is TOO raw and it gets beneath my skin in a way that requires me to self-examine.  This book is organized by section and feature Sit & Savor questions at the end of each chapter. The Sit &  Savor questions take it from being a regular book to one that intreats you to highlight, study, and glean what is shared on the pages. 

So I've learned a few things while reading this book:

• To be seated in Christ is to be secure in who Christ says you are. He says that we are loved, that He has prepared a place for us in the heavenlies, that we are heirs with Him in the kingdom of God.
• As one who is seated in Christ, I am not striving for affluence or appearance or attention. I am resting in the Father, knowing that Jesus must become greater and I lesser.
• Once I accept that I am seated in Christ, it frees me to serve others and share the gospel. It frees me to do what God has called me to do. 

I love that Heather addresses the rat race to be rich. She realizes that God didn't call us to be rich on this earth. He called us to HIMSELF. And if He chooses to bestow riches then so be it but money is NOT an indicator of being within the will of God or salvation. 

There's also a section of the book on living at 60%. To live at 60% means we prioritize what's important and learn to say no to quite a bit so that we are not overextending ourselves. A lot of times as moms we are exhausted and snappy and overwhelmed because we take on too much. We live at 99% so when something does not go according to plan we lose our minds and snap. Our kids feel it and so do our significant others. I think the same can even be said of our finances. (Chapter 9)

Heather also addresses discipleship (although not directly in this term). She started a fitness night and walk to school tradition in her neighborhood which has opened the door for her to be available and to share bible with those within a 1-mile radius of her. (Chapter 9) It's an inspiration for hospitality and creating community. Something that the early church did so well.

A list of questions to ask yourself before making decisions.

I found this list of questions to be quite useful as I often like to rush headlong into decisions without stopping to question if the decision is good. And there is always the ever-present difference between good and almost good. But moreover, these questions allow me to put Jesus at the forefront of everything I do and to reject those things that would not bring Him glory.

quick excerpt

another quick excerpt

This book gets ALL thumbs up! Excellent writing, excellent organization, excellent message. A necessary message. I definitely will continue to recommend (already have done so on social media).

{FYI: I received this book from Moody Publishers in exchange for my HONEST opinion.}

God's Blessings Day By Day

If you knew me personally and could view my home bookshelf, then you'd know I love kids devotionals. Why? Because usually, kids have a shorter attention span, so giving them the Word in nuggets each day works SO much better and easier until their attention spans get longer and they're ready for full on bible studies.

So a couple of things to note about this devotional. First, it is of course for kids. Second, it is a compilation of devotionals written by people from around the country. There are 52 weeks of devotions, with devotions for Monday-Friday and then one for the weekend of each week. Each devotional starts with a focus bible verse, which can be easily used as a daily memory verse (make it fun with treats or rewards for actually memorizing) and then has the actual devotional. Ending each devotional with a prayer or praise prompt.

This book is hardback with solid pages, not too thick yet not too thin that they'd easily rip.  I definitely recommend this for kids, up to around 9 years old. After that, it may seem babyish to them and they may require a pre-teen devotional.

(FYI: I received this book from the publisher in exchange for my HONEST OPINION.)

The Better Mom

The Better Mom is the long-awaited book by Ruth Schwenk from the blog, The Better Mom.

So the first thing to note is that The Better Mom does not mean the comparison of one mom to another but that we are striving to be better moms...together.

Ruth does an amazing job in reminding us moms that we aren’t called to perfection but to grace and to Jesus. We are called to steward the hearts of our babes. And it’s ok that the season of parenting that you are in is hard. Parenting was not made to be easy but give yourself grace and turn to Jesus to allow Him to refresh you, to be your refuge, to give you wisdom as you parent your children.

As you see above in the table of contents Ruth covers the real topics and seasons of life. There are days when I feel like I need alone time. I’ve got 5 kids and stay home with 3 of them. There are days when I question if I make a difference. There are days when I question my identity because I feel all consumed with my husband and children. And that’s where I NEED God’s Word to refresh me and remind me of why I do what I do and who I am. And Ruth helps us that struggle with this. But in everything, she points back to the cross instead of to herself. And THAT is what I love most about this book & is my biggest takeaway from this book.

2 thumbs up! 👍🏽 👍🏽

(FYI: I received my book from the publisher in exchange for my HONEST OPINION.)

The Lifegiving Trilogy

If you've been following along, then you know that there are 3 books in the Lifegiving Trilogy. 

The Lifegiving Home (review found here)

Two words that sum up this book: Cultivating HOME.

The Lifegiving Table (review found here)

Two words that sum up this book: Intentional discipleship.

And lastly The Lifegiving Parent (review found here). 

Two words that sum up this book: Intentional parenting.

As you may have read, these are well-written books that expound on being lifegiving. Intentionally Lifegiving in our homes, Intentionally Lifegiving with the meals we serve, Intentionally Lifegiving in how we parent our children. We want to cultivate the intentionality because it does NOT come naturally. It doesn't come naturally for me. If I am not intentional then I will spend entirely TOO much time on social media (if you don't believe me ask my husband). I have chosen to use Lifegiving Table this fall/winter season (along with another book, you can find here) to disciple the hearts around me by simply inviting people for dinner. Inviting my neighbors to Thanksgiving dinner will allow me to use a meal to be intentional in being hospitable and loving towards them. The same with Christmas. I want not only my family but those around us to want to come to our home. And that starts with me. 

I recommend this trilogy to everyone who wants to cultivate something special in their home, in their family. Even if you do not have children, you can still appreciate at least 2/3 of the books.

Thank you, Sally, for this oh so needed reminder! And if you want to know more about Sally or her books, you can connect with her here. And thank you, Tyndale, for allowing me the chance to experience these books! 

You can purchase the entire trilogy HERE for only $24.49 (prices subject to change).

The Life-Giving Home

Here we come to the first book in the Lifegiving trilogy yet I read it last. This one is a collaboration between Sally and her daughter Sarah, whereas the second was all Sally and the third book was a collaboration between Sally and her husband Clay. You can read about them here and here. This one is about creating a home that is a safe haven for the entire family. What I truly love is that Sally and Sarah think about the ENTIRE year, not just the holiday season which is usually what most books focus on. 

As you can see from the above table of contents there's a chapter for each month of the year (and it also tells you who wrote each chapter). I also like that Sally included Sarah in writing this book because you gain the perspectives of parent shaping the home and the child who benefits from this shaping. 

There's also a planner to go with this book that helps you implement some of the ideas and shape your home to be lifegiving for your family. 

I recommend this book for every family. I think as moms we have to be intentional in cultivating our home to be a safe haven. We have to be intentional in bringing a warmth to our homes all year round so that our families and even their friends WANT to be in our homes.

{FYI: I received this book from the publisher in exchange for my HONEST opinion.}

The Unexplainable Church

The Unexplainable Church, the second bible study by Erica Wiggenhorn on the Book of Acts. This one covers Acts 13-28. It covers what happened to the church! And this is a big deal because we are to live this out daily, so what better way than to study what happened with the church and how God grew them and used them for His glory to further spread the Gospel around the world. The study is ten weeks long with specific questions and reading for five days.

(table of contents)

In the first week, you will go back into the earlier part of Acts (mind you this Bible study is a continuation from an Unexplainable Life Acts 1-12) and read on the forming of the church as well as Paul's conversion because that plays a huge part in early church history.

I really enjoyed this book because it's Scripture driven and centered. It seeks to help us understand and interact with God's Word. Not in it being focused on us (because the Bible may APPLY to us it is not about us) but in its actual context. And by helping us to understand God's Word, Erica helps us to connect with God through His Word. Oftentimes we are called to pray God's Word and speak it back to Him, but how can we do that if we do not know it? So we must study.

Hugely recommend this book as well as its predecessor, An Unexplainable Life, to study your way through the book of Acts.

{FYI: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my HONEST opinion.}

Unwrapping the Bible

Honestly, I did not know what to expect when waiting for this book to arrive. 

However, when it arrived it turned out to be a literal workbook type of study book. Not just mere words telling us what to do but with questions and space to answer. This is the type of book I would think one may end up with in Seminary because it forces you to interact with it, to answer the questions, to build on what you learn and understand. 

Usually, we (or at least I) think Seminary only comes with Academic books that only requires you to read. But I think this book should be in Seminary, likely first semester, to establish a foundational base for new students. 

(The table of contents)

It covers what the author believes to be seven core foundational doctrines (God, humanity, Revelation, Christ, Salvation, Sanctification, and the Church). Then, those are further broken down into bite-sized sections. 

To me, the only thing that could have made this book better is if the book was a hardback with larger font.

I recommend to the new believer heavily. It can help with many questions and to help lay a base foundation from which one can build upon. I also recommend to the seasoned believer who may be in need of a revival of sorts or may be experiencing their foundation being shaken up.

FYI I did receive this book from the publisher in exchange for my HONEST opinion.

Before I go: New 3 week FREE Bible Study

Pre-registration for Sarah Koontz' Fall Bible Study is now open and I could not be more excited! 

I was able to review the study early, and it is awesome. For me, it reads like an in-depth devotional. However, I've always been one of those meat and potatoes type of girls. It definitely reignited my love for John 14. So this is good for getting in some focused reading when I only have 10-15 minutes to spare. Something to remember is that while John is one with the Gospels, it differs from the other gospels in that John seeks to get his audience to see Jesus as one who loves us infinitely. There are some teachings of Jesus you find in John that you can't quite get the same anywhere else in the Gospels and THAT is one of the many things that Sarah focuses on in this study. This study focuses specifically on John 14-17.

Here are 5 things you need-to-know about the #JesusBeforeIGo study:

▪        It's a FREE email-based online Bible study.

▪        It is a 21-Day study with two rest days per week.

▪        It takes just 15 minutes per day to complete.

▪        It is full of powerful truths and practical takeaways.

▪        It will help you get to know Jesus Christ better and authentically share your faith with others.

The study starts on October 15, but you'll want to pre-register today! Everyone who signs up early will be entered for a chance to win a beautiful handpainted Bible from Wheat and Honey Co. Visit LivingbyDesign.org/Jesus for all the info & to sign up. 

Beginner's Bible Bedtime Collection

This is a collection of Bible Stories for Bedtime Stories. So instead of the Mother Goose rhymes or other books for bedtime stories, we can further impress God's Word on their hearts.

The cover DOES glow in the dark. It's one of my younger kids favorite features of the book. The stories are from both the Old and New Testaments. And the book is organized in such a way that the stories are placed in the order that they occur in the Bible.

As you can see from the table of contents above, the Old Testament stories are the more popular ones amongst children and the New Testament ones are all about Jesus. The longest story is about 6 pages long, so you can easily incorporate it into your bedtime routine and yet short enough for the little listener to not grow bored. I enjoy that it is very bright and colorful. It's great little ones. 

I see this book as a great early discipleship tool to help children understand God's love for us and the gospel.

{FYI: I received this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion.}

The Lifegiving Parent

There are some authors I instinctively turn to for parenting advice. Sally Clarkson is one of them. She has a remarkable way of showing parents, especially mothers how our motherhood is ministry work even if we never actually serve in a ministry at church. And here we come to the finale of a trilogy of books (the review for book 1 will come after this one). 

The Lifegiving series is one that seeks to transform the way in which we live, in how hospitable we are, and how we parent our children. It's not pushy as you must do these things but is more of showing different ways that she and her husband are doing it and have been doing it for decades. 

The Lifegiving Parent is a joint effort between Sally and her husband, Clay. Prior to reading, I thought it would be equal writing between them as I absolutely enjoy Sally's writing style. However, after reading, I realize that this is really Clay's book. Sally contributes at the end of each chapter little tidbits of momoirs of her take on what Clay has discussed in the chapter.

I'll be honest, it is a fairly good book when it comes advice on parenting. It has 8 touchpoints of ways we as parents shape and give life to our children. Each one is equally important to the parenting of our children and each one plays a huge part in who they will eventually become. And as parents, especially as Christ-following parents who want to be intentional about raising our children to have a strong foundation and faith in Christ, this book is a good point in the right direction for accomplishing that goal.

My only drawback is that I expected more of Sally's writing. Much of the promotion on this book is that it is a Sally Clarkson book, only to realize once you start reading that it is really a Clay Clarkson book and it banks on Sally's name to draw the audience. Clay is a good writer, however, for me, he doesn't have the charm and drawing in the reader quality like Sally does. Sally's words do more than tell a story and convey a message they illustrate the imagery she wants you to see and helps you to imagine the sights and smells that she's telling you about. Clay's writing does not quite have that effect and that's OK because it's what distinguishes him from Sally. 

{FYI: I received this book from the publisher in exchange for my HONEST opinion.}