Family, Reviews

Meet Mandy Farmer!

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Guest Post. Meet Author Mandy Farmer! I’m happy to have her join us today.

Mandy Farmer

Mrs. Mandy (as the children call her) is passionate about children, animals, and music. She grew up on the family farm in Louisville, Ohio and Cambria, Wisconsin. After 25 years of pastoral ministry, she and her husband have retired to Savannah GA near their adult children. Mandy blogs about chronic pain and she is working on a children’s book about fibromyalgia- Soft Hugs for Mommy is close to being released. Also, in the works is a devotional book for the chronically ill.

Holly, the Holstein Talks About Milk Cows

The Birth of Holly the Holstein

Who knew that a simple favor to a friend could grow into a children’s book that the children love? Only God.

At the beginning of the year, I was determined to get busy writing and compiling my devotions for a book. For several reasons, I decided I would self-publish. I attended a writer’s workshop where I met a young mom. She created a course for homeschoolers to help moms encourage their children to write and publish their stories. She asked me to be a BETA tester. Thinking it would be a good introduction into the self-publishing world, I said yes. It was a wonderfully fun experience and I ended up with Holly the Holstein Talks About Milk Cows. The course is now available at Mommyscribbles.com

I grew up on a family dairy farm and always had a passion for animals. So, when we came together to decide what to write about, this was only natural. I figured I would sell a dozen books to family and friends but before I knew it Holly was quite popular. In the first week, the book ranked number 10 in one category on Amazon. So, I created a Facebook page and a website offering free coloring pages. Then the reviews started coming in…

“I have to read this book ten times a day to my kids!”

“My grandkids take this book on their car trips.”

“Every night without fail, this is the book the kids want to read.”

When you read this book, you will meet Holly the Holstein and learn about the life of a milk cow on a family farm. This book is interactive, in that, Holly questions the reader throughout while she explains how much milk she produces, how much food she needs, and where the milk ends up.

Ideas for more Holly books are flooding my brain and I hope to offer more in a series very soon. There will be titles like, “A Day in the Life of a Milk Cow” and “Holly and her Farm Friends.”

Thank you for dropping by, Mandy!

Sally

Facebook Pages

Mandy Dawson Farmer Mandy Dawson Farmer | Facebook

Fibromyalgia Is it for Real? Fibromyalgia Is it For Real? | Facebook

Websites

www.mandyandmichele.com

www.thefarmersplace.com – Holly’s Book Club

Follow Mandy’s Writing journey and know what’s coming next at www.mandyfarmer.com

Retreats

Book Review & A Giveaway: Renewal of the Mind

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Renewal of the Mind

Renewal of the Mind is a twenty-eight-day guide to a new mindset. It provides a place to implement change with journaling, prayer and God’s Word. The author, Jacob Bowker affirms God wants a connection with us because He created us to be in relationship with Him. This guide is a tool toward experiencing community with the Lord.

Jacob Bowker is an artist, author and musician with a heart to bring transformation to culture and lives. “He is a member of the board of Story Ministry and in charge of ministry programs and development. Jacob has 20+ years of experience in media, marketing, business development, and launching start-ups. He has a son who is in a mental health hospital, and through his journey with his son, he grew a heart for individuals dealing with drug addiction and mental health.”

Do you want to give up when trying to make change in your life? Jacob says, “Transformation is not about the amount of time it takes but to make sure the transformation is complete.” He adds, “Complete transformation is not just fixing the areas we have conditioned, but also living how God asks us to live and how Jesus showed us to live.”

5 Minute Mental Health Check

Jacob reminds us change requires structure, organization, and truth. He provides that while celebrating daily wins and says they build confidence for the long-term results desired.  Jacob says, “Celebrating the small wins helps us to see the blessings God is providing daily.”

If you are looking for a breakthrough in your mental, spiritual or physical stamina, then Renewal of the Mind might be just what you’re looking for. I am giving away not one, but two copies of Renewal of the Mind to two readers in the continental United States. Leave a comment on my blog (at the top of this post, under the title). You will be entered into the drawing to be held on Monday, March 20. Tell me a verse that encourages your heart. Get an extra chance to win, when you share this post on social media (let me know where).

Sally

Disclaimer: I received copies of this book from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Retreats

Meet Eric Speir!

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Guest Post. Meet Author Eric Speir! I’m happy to have him join us today.

Eric Speir is a writer, pastor, and Bible college professor. He’s been a freelance writer for various publications, including Relevant Magazine, Charisma, FivestarMan, Family Share, and ChurchLeaders.com. His books include Grit and Grace and The Struggling Parent. Eric holds a Doctor of Ministry degree in leadership development and creative communication. He and his wife, Roshelle, have four children and live near Atlanta, GA. You can sign up for a free daily devotional and learn more about Eric at www.EricSpeir.com.

The Struggling Parent

About the Book:

Parenting is not for the faint of heart. It can be the most rewarding experience, and at the same time, it can be the most discouraging. Recently, the author found himself going through a season of difficulty with his teenagers. At times he felt helpless and hopeless as he witnessed their struggles and as he felt the tension in their relationship. During this challenging season, the author began to search God’s word for encouragement.

In a season of desperation, the author began searching God’s Word for promises related to families and children. He began to compile a list of scriptures and began to pray over the lives of his children. During this time, the author talked to several other parents who were going through similar struggles. Surprisingly many of these families looked perfect on the outside, but on the inside, they were also struggling. It was in a morning of prayer when the Lord whispered to the author to write the devotional book to encourage other parents facing similar struggles.

The author has four children, two of them teenagers, and he has spent the last fifteen years pastoring and teaching young adults at the university level. Over the years, he has personally experienced the heartache of parenting and encouraged many parents who have struggled with their children.

The Struggling Parent is a 30-day devotional for parents facing struggles with their children. Whether you have tweens, teens, or adult children, this book will help you to develop your parenting grit. You will be encouraged to move past your feelings to praying the promises through God’s Word. You will understand that even when you do not know what to say, you can say what God has already said.

The Struggling Parent is ideal for those:

  • Parents who are struggling with how to pray for their teenager or adult child.
  • Parents who are facing relationship struggles with their children.
  • Parents who are dealing with a wayward child.

The Struggling Parent is not a formula for how to have a new kid by the weekend. It’s a devotional book written for parents who need a breath of fresh air for their souls. While it may not promise an immediate turnaround in your family, it can provide peace for the journey.

Book Drawing!

Eric is giving away a copy of The Struggling Parent to one reader in the continental United States. Leave a comment here (at the top of this post, under the title). You will be entered into the drawing to be held Monday evening, October 31. Tell me something that encourages you as a parent. Get an extra chance to win, when you share this post on social media (let me know where).

Thank you for dropping by, Eric!

Sally

Retreats

Meet L.A. Darroch!

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Guest Post. Meet Author L.A. Darroch! I’m happy to have her join us today.

L.A. Darroch

L.A. Darroch is a Christian author with a heart for the persecuted church and other stories that touch the hearts of readers for God’s glory. She seeks to use her writing to encourage readers to “Speak Life.” She credits her late father with introducing her to a passion for reading, which led her to pursue a B.A. in English, with a focus on creative writing. She lives in Winnipeg, Canada and is owned by a very smart cat named Bathsheba. Besides writing and reading, she enjoys history, playing tennis and spending time with Bathsheba, family and close friends.

The Road From Damascus

About the Book:

The Road from Damascus: The Inspiration Behind the Novel

The inspiration for The Road from Damascus came to me during the height of ISIS’s rise to power. I saw the persecution of Christians in Iraq and Syria were experiencing while watching CBN in 2015 and I felt a burden for them. I began following what was happening through charities that serve persecuted Christians, including Open Doors. Through the information I received from the charities and various news articles, I discovered the plight of not only my brothers and sisters in Syria, but in many nations around the world where it isn’t safe to follow Jesus.

I’ve always been a very sensitive person. Their stories of pain, struggle and triumph for Christ amid persecution drew me in. I read as many as I could, drawing inspiration for my struggle with depression. During this time I wrote emails to several officials in the Canadian government begging them to give special priority to religious minorities, including Christians, for resettlement. I received no response.

I wanted people to understand the struggle of Christians in the Middle East. So many people in the west just didn’t know or understand, even those in the churches. I wanted to share what I knew with others to help them connect with the persecuted on a personal level. I’ve always loved writing and storytelling and I wanted to write a novel someday.

I decided to write it from the perspective of a 14-year-old Christian girl whose family was attacked by ISIS. I started my first draft solely from Istir’s perspective, but as I continued writing, I discovered new events that Istir couldn’t fill in because she wasn’t there. It was at that point that I knew I needed to rewrite and add other character perspectives. I wasn’t expecting that, but God led me and it resulted in a much more insightful and emotional story. It was through this that I discovered the reason for the title, The Road from Damascus. Though I won’t reveal the reason here, because it would spoil the book.

Thank you for dropping by, L.A! Check out her Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/ladarroch and be inspired to pray for our brothers and sisters around the world!

Sally

Reviews

Meet Beth Jones!

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Guest Post. Meet Author Beth Jones! I’m happy to have her join us today.

Beth is an International Speaker and Author of 25 books, wife to fire chief-paramedic Ray, and mom of 3 beautiful daughters, Heather, Eden, and Leah. Beth’s mission is encouraging women to use their gifts for God’s glory, fulfilling their purpose, and living a life they love. You can find out more about Beth’s speaking at women’s conferences, retreats, and online events at www.BethJones.net. Her Amazon Author Page is at www.amazon.com/author/bethmjones.

Walking With God

About the Book:

Have you ever prayed for something, and the answer(s) didn’t come? You wondered if God has taken the day off, is on vacation to a tropical island somewhere, or worse, He doesn’t notice you or just doesn’t care about you. Does prayer even work? Indeed, it does. Prayer is like dynamite power!

In Beth M. Jones’ book, Walking With God, she shares God has given to you and me an invitation, to just be with Him every day in the quiet, secret place of prayer. (Psalm 91) Through hers and her family’s difficulties in life, Beth has been in the trenches of spiritual warfare for years.

Her hard, painful marriage, severe financial issues, a house foreclosure and bankruptcy, medical problems with her children, heartaches, false accusations and attacks against her, and more, Beth has persevered with faith in Jesus.

Beth has learned the secret power of prayer and simple, childlike trust in God and His word, the Bible. She has a lifestyle of prayer, based on Philippians 4:6-7, New Living Translation:

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”

Beth has been writing since childhood, but she wrote this book out of her personal experience in the “war zones” of life, praying for herself, her family, and others, and seeing God’s mighty power at work in response to her cries for His help.

You too can discover this amazing force of prayer and trusting Jesus, and know the joy of answered prayers, even God’s miracles. God wants to answer your prayers.

You will discover what to do when your prayers seem delayed. You will learn the key to fulfilling your destiny and your great purpose in Christ. Jesus is holding the door of intimacy with Him wide open. Will you enter in?

Book Drawing!

Beth is giving away a copy of Walking With God to one reader in the continental United States. Leave a comment here (at the top of this post, under the title). You will be entered into the drawing to be held Monday evening, October 3. Tell me a Psalm that draws you into prayer. Get an extra chance to win, when you share this post on social media (let me know where).

Thank you for dropping by, Beth!

Sally

Writing

Live & Learn Book Club!

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We’re looking for women who love to read! Come hang out with 27 authors and hear their stories. You are invited to the fun book club WordGirls is hosting. We are enjoying pre-book chat right now, getting to know one another.

October 3rd, we will start discussing “Live & Learn: Unexpected Lessons from God’s Classroom.” Each day we’ll read a new essay together and hear from the author. We’re giving away lots of great gifts, too! Our reading schedule will be five essays a week, with the weekend for catch-up. Click on the link below to request to be added to the group. Be sure to answer the question, how you heard about the group (from me!).

My article will be featured Oct 11 😍

(NOTE: If you don’t have a book yet, you can get one from me or any of the authors in the collective, or you can purchase from amazon.)

https://www.facebook.com/groups/455822792770424/

Live & Learn Book Club
Reviews

Book Review: Potiphar’s Wife

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Potiphar’s Wife

Potiphar’s Wife is the untold story of the woman who accused Joseph of rape. Looking at Joseph’s life through Zuleika’s eyes, we begin to see the backdrop of politics, people, and power struggles, and how they collide to ruin the lives of all caught in their path. Or, so we thought.

The author is no stranger to calamity. When Mesu was diagnosed with chronic illness, bedrest led to rest in God’s Word, and her love for writing biblical novels awakened. Now, “Mesu Andrews is the Christy Award-winning author of Isaiah’s Daughter whose deep understanding of and love for God’s Word brings the biblical world alive for readers.”

As one of her avid readers, I was immediately pulled into the story by envisioning the choppy sea and tasting the salty mist. Descriptions and dialogue convey surroundings and scenes in Zully’s story world, and I was drawn to the woman who was torn from her homeland in a time of crisis and despair.

Potiphar’s Wife tackles the age-old question of “Who does God favor?” His promise was made to Abraham’s seed, but what about the rest of us?

Mesu says she opened a hornet’s nest in researching Joseph, and research she did. Intricate details unlock the life he might have lived in Egypt. The story arc is one from her own imagination, but the tenants are true to both. Through the crises of living in times of war, to secrets inside the palace walls, Joseph’s growth continues to astound. The God of Truth Joseph knew is the same God who sees me and you. We can be confident He knows and He cares about every detail that concerns us.

Potiphar’s Wife is an excellent tool for better understanding of the Biblical narrative.

Sally

Disclosure of Material: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the WaterBrook/Multnomah book review program in exchange for a fair and honest review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s CFR Title 16, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

See more reviews of Mesu Andrews’ work:

ISAIAH’S LEGACY

OF FIRE AND LIONS

ISAIAH’S DAUGHTER

MIRIAM

Reviews, Writing

Book Review: Published. The Proven Path From Blank Page To 10,000 Copies Sold

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Published.

Do you want to be published? Chandler Bolt gives you the tools in his book, Published. The Proven Path From Blank Page To 10,000 Copies Sold. Actually, rather than feeling like you’re reading a long tome, it’s more like sitting down with your own manuscript coach. Chandler’s writing style comes across as a conversation loaded with practical tips. Chandler’s approach is “Let’s move away from getting your book done someday and have a discussion about making it happen now!”

“Chandler Bolt is the CEO of Self Publishing School and Selfpublishing.com, the author of six books, and the host of the Self Publishing School podcast. He believes that ‘Books Change Lives’ and has helped 6,000+ aspiring authors publish a book.”

Published promises:

  • How to write a quality book and save time in the process
  • How to produce a quality book on a budget
  • Proven launch strategies and marketing methods
  • How to sell books and get booked for speaking opportunities
  • Three ways to grow your business with a book

Published came through on fulfilling those promises by showing how to have a clear vision for your writing, providing a strategy for organizing words, and tackling limiting beliefs. Chandler says when you have an outline, you create your own GPS that will help you navigate the writing process. He not only shows you how to map out an outline, but to also use it to create your rough draft.

I like the down-to-earth way Chandler works through the nuts and bolts of putting together a book. Checklists and Next Steps provide clarity and ingenuity. From mind mapping your outline to marketing your finished product, Published gives you a sound vehicle to arrive at your destination. Chandler’s contagious enthusiasm makes you believe you can do it and want to tackle the work to make it happen.

Sally

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Retreats

Book Review: Jesus Followers

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Jesus Followers

Jesus Followers conveys a legacy of love from the Graham family to our families. Rachel-Ruth Lotz Wright, the granddaughter of Billy & Ruth, writes with her mom, Anne Graham Lotz, the daughter of Billy & Ruth. Their desire to pass the baton of faith to the next generation reflects the unique impact of our witness, worship, walk, and work.

“Rachel-Ruth teaches a weekly women’s Bible Study and shares God’s Word at numerous events around the country. She serves on the Board of Directors for AnGeL Ministries, in addition to chairing the weekly prayer team that undergirds her mother’s ministry.”

“The New York Times named Anne one of the five most influential evangelists of her generation. She’s been profiled on 60 Minutes, and has appeared on TV programs such as Larry King Live, The Today Show, and Hannity Live. Her Just Give Me Jesus revivals have been held in more than 30 cities in 12 different countries, to hundreds of thousands of attendees.”

Jesus Followers will equip you to create your own legacy as you vulnerably share a listening ear and the stories of your own heartaches. Rachel-Ruth reminds us to share our hardships with others and tell them how God brought us through them, “He will be glorified through the pain in our lives.”

Rachel-Ruth tells how her grandmother, Ruth Bell Graham, saw treasure in broken items and upcycled them before recycling was “a thing.” She also saw treasure in people who were hurting and broken, and reminded them they were priceless in God’s eyes.

Continuing with the witness, worship, walk, and work theme, Anne says, “An authentic witness is inextricably linked to a heart devoted to worship.”

Ruth taught Rachel-Ruth that worship is the best way to fight discouragement, and offered practical tips:

  1. Focus on the blessings.
  2. Carry a song in your heart.
  3. Keep a sense of humor.

Jesus Followers is very relatable as the authors share stories of caring for a family and navigating the daily chaos of life. They remind us God is able and willing to walk through life with everyone who calls out to Him. A precious legacy, indeed!

Sally

Disclosure of Material: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the WaterBrook/Multnomah book review program in exchange for a fair and honest review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s CFR Title 16, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Holidays, Reviews

Book Review & a Giveaway: The Scandal of Christmas

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The Scandal of Christmas

The Scandal of Christmas asks how we handle our difficulty to understand God’s ways when He doesn’t answer prayer. It’s one thing to praise God when things go as we desire, but what happens when God is silent?

Dr. William B. Coker, Sr. chose four unlikely personalities to highlight the weeks of Advent—the approach to Christmas. Teacher and then pastor for 19 years, Bill’s “command of the dictionary often stretches our understanding and challenges us to the depth of word meanings.”

Take a look at Zechariah. He remained faithful through years of service, but seemingly had no answers to his plea for an heir. Or, Joseph, an unlikely candidate whose story remains hidden in the shadows. What did he sacrifice for the young bride’s reputation? Obedience was the hallmark of his life.

Bill says Mary is not an object of our faith to be worshipped, but a pattern of faith to follow. “From confusion to amazement to surrender, she offered her willingness for whatever God wanted.”

And then, there’s Jesus—The One of mystery and revelation who defies all protocol.

Take a step back from Christmas this year to consider what it means to prepare for Christmas. Bill says God used ordinary people in the Christmas story to remind us we can do the exceptional to bring His message to a needy world. When we grant God access to our lives, He reminds us He has not forgotten about us, but remembers us and His word.

The Scandal of Christmas has great applications for our culture today, stunning illustrations from artist Dave O’Connell, and personal takeaways to implement. It will encourage you to use prayer as “a personal approach to an approachable God!”

I am giving away a copy of The Scandal of Christmas to one reader in the continental United States. Leave a comment on my blog (at the top of this post, under the title). You will be entered into the drawing to be held on Friday, December 10. Tell me a tradition that draws you into Christmas. Get an extra chance to win, when you share this post on social media (let me know where).

Sally

Disclosure of Material: I received a copy of The Scandal of Christmas from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Help for the Helper: Purpose for the Planner, Respite & Renewal for the Caregiver

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