A good starter book...

Spiritual Warfare for Women: Winning the Battle for your Home, Family, and Friends
by Leighann McCoy

The author is upfront with the fact that the book took a different path than her original plan due to the circumstances she was facing as she wrote it.  Although I do believe that these circumstances provided some strong material for the book I think in the end it caused it to be distracting.  I was often left wondering if the book was supposed to be a book to provide tips for others to combat spiritual warfare or if it was biography of her life.  It ended up being a bit of both but would have been better had she focused on one or the other.

This is a book that would be suitable for those new to the Christian faith or for those who are wondering what exactly "Spiritual Warfare" is.  Under the context of being useful for beginners I think this book is wonderful and it would provide a good foundation for the understanding of spiritual warfare. 

And so, even though I do not give the book a rave review, it is certainly a book that I will keep on my bookshelf.  I will use it as a resource for those times when I need a devotional, a refresher on combating spiritual warfare or a quick reference for where to find particular scriptures for certain situations.  The scripture referencing is the blessing of this book, because being in God's Word is what will ultimately combat any spiritual warfare that you encounter.

Disclosure: Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group provided me with a complimentary copy of this book as part of their book reviewers program.

A strong lesson in forgiveness

A Place Called Blessing - Where Hurting Ends and Love Begins
by John Trent, PhD with Annette Smith

This story has an incredible message of forgiveness, which is the obvious lesson of this story.  However, I also saw many more lessons such as humbleness, not being judgemental, kindness, overcoming hopelessness and of course unconditional love.  It is amazing that so many lessons can be drawn from such a short story.  This is an easy reading book, I picked it up one evening after the kids went to bed and finished it in about three hours.  A very well-spent, emotional three hours!

The book ends with a few questions for each chapter.  This would be a great outline for a small group and could provide the basis for starting some healing discussions for those in the group.

The book is a fictional story that fits together with the book by the same author called The Blessing, which i described as "Every child needs the blessing - the gift of unconditional love and approval that comes from one's parents. You'll see your child thrive as you learn about and give the five biblical elements of the blessing."   I think I will add that book to my wish list!


Disclosure: Thomas Nelson Publishers provided me with a complimentary copy of this book as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program.

Imagine is still in my imagination

I was invited to attend the Imagine event in Washington, DC that took place last weekend. I am incredibly disappointed that I was not able to attend. I knew I would not be able to attend Friday evening because that was the first day of preschool for Ben & Carlee so I couldn't miss that!

However, I was considering driving up to Washington Friday night so that I could attend the event on Saturday. Only those plans were disrupted by Mean Irene! I chose to stay home with my family during the hurricane that was headed straight for us. 

Although I was not able to attend I know that there are still many other locatons still to come and I encourage you to attend one of them.  Here is a link to see the many other locations



Thanks to Women of Faith and Booksneeze for providing this opportunity! And all praise goes to God for sparing our family and community.

Women of Faith

Check out this exciting event!!



I have been invited to attend the Imagine event in Washington, DC!


   Here is a link to see the many other locations

Thanks to Women of Faith and Booksneeze for this opportunity!

Stepping Up - Session 6

Session 6 - Blessing from Zion

And so we reach the end of the Stepping Up Bible Study.  Funny how it took much longer than 6 weeks to complete...many times we were taking steps off of this particular path!  This session discussed how Psalms of Ascent were centered around the Israelites pilgramage to Jerusalem and how we as Christians are also on a journey.  Beth gave us 4 ways to have a satisfying journey.

1. We are to continually survey the road. Jeremiah 31:21 God gives us signs along our journey and the Holy Spirit helps us to interpret those signs.

2. Hebrews 12:1-2 tells us to lighten our load.  All of our sin entangles us and does not let us get closer to God.  To be able to take those next steps we need to throw off everything that is hindering us.

3. Take the next step with the strength that is provided by Him.  Isaiah 40:28-31 He will give you the strength that you need to walk out of whatever valley that you are in.

4. Know with certainty that the destination is worth the trip. Isaiah 35:3-10  Our pilgramage will come to an end.  We will meet God and have everlasting joy!!!

keep on walking...
keep putting one foot in front of the other...
keep on taking that next step
and every step we take we praise the LORD.

Psalm 134
1 Praise the LORD, all you servants of the LORD who minister by night in the house of the LORD.
2 Lift up your hands in the sanctuary and praise the LORD.
3 May the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth, bless you from Zion.

Stepping Up: Week 6 - Day 5

Day 5 - The Lord Bless You

Psalm 134
1 Praise the LORD, all you servants of the LORD
who minister by night in the house of the LORD.
2 Lift up your hands in the sanctuary
and praise the LORD.
3 May the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth,
bless you from Zion.


Everytime you praise God you are doing what He created you to do.  The lesson states "that we depart times of blessing God with blessings from God."

There are many moments of blessing or praising God through the Psalms of Ascent.  The pilgramage to Jerusalem was all about praising God. Now in this final Psalm of Ascent we see the Benediction, the final words of praise the pilgrams heard and the final words were "May the Lord bless you." It is a final encouragement and a reminder that when we praise God we will be blessed.

Stepping Up: Week 6 - Day 4

Day 4 - Bless the Lord


Psalm 134
1 Oh, praise the LORD, all you servants of the LORD,
you who serve at night in the house of the LORD.
2 Lift up holy hands in prayer,
and praise the LORD.
3 May the LORD, who made heaven and earth,
bless you from Jerusalem.

At the end of the journey to Jerusalem all that is left to do is praise the Lord!  Nothing is more important than that.  A quote from the lesson, "You and I...were created to praise God; so let's spend priority time doing what we came to do".  The lesson also said this "Gratitude follows grace as thunder follows lightning. Has God lit up your sky with lightning that you've not answered with thunder?"

After hearing that metaphor for praising God I don't think I will ever view a thunder storm in the same way again!

Let's praise our Lord...