LAVISH GRACE by KATHY HOWARD

If only I could fully accept the grace that got gives me, I could be free from so many things.  How many of us have whispered those words allowed? With this book, I have had the privilege to not only study about grace but to be taken into a deeper understanding of grace. I love the way this book is set up. It is easy to read and really has helped me.

The book is  a nine week study where we follow Paul as he experiences and teaches on grace. I sat down in my quiet place and began a journey that has not been completed yet. I wanted to rush through it, but I knew I would miss what God wanted me to absorb. It is funny how I have always thought,  why does that person always seem to get a pass on things they are doing wrong? Ok so I found myself being judgmental and oh so jealous of others. I can have that same grace if only I would open my heart to receive it. I love the depth the study goes into and especially like the activities at the end of each chapter .

Oh how I loved this passage in the book, "The Heavenly Father draws us to the Cross of Christ because there-and only there-can His grace be applied. " To be at the foot of the cross and experience the true grace poured upon me is something I desire and want to fully understand. Can you see The Heavenly Father as He reaches down to say, " My child I have loved you always. Your sins are forgiven and my grace surrounds you? Yes that's the kind of relationship I want to have with God. The authors illustrations throughout the book are very eye opening and really gives readers a clearer understanding of how much He loves us.

I continue to grow spiritually everyday and this study has really helped me in my walk. I have always thought of myself as unloved and not worthy of His grace and mercy. I can see now how my thinking has held me back from so many opportunities to share his word. I have received His grace many times, but didn't really acknowledge it. How many times have we had the chance to give grave to someone, but instead was to  prideful? In our everyday walk, we encounter people who may not drive fast enough for us, are slow to move down an aisle at the grocery store or talk so much you want to pull your hair out. Wouldn't it be nice if we took the time to say hi  to that person who walked slower than we did? What if we sat and listened to that person and gave our undivided attention to them?"

I'm thankful that I was able to read this very powerful book. It has opened my eyes to areas in my life I need to work on. I will continue my journey with this book knowing that His grace is enough.

"Our Gracious God never wastes a trial He permits to enter our lives. If we cooperate, He will use every difficulty , heartache , and hardship for our good and His glory."

I received a copy of this book from The BookClub Network for an honest review.

A PROMISE IN DEFIANCE by HEATHER BLANTON

I really enjoyed this third installment in the Romance in the Rockies series. After reading the first two , I was very anxious to see what would happen next in Defiance. The author has once again given readers a story that flows easily and has many surprises in it. The characters were amazingly well developed.   It was nice to be able to revisit some of the characters from the first two books.

Is it true that anyone can change? Does God forgive everyone? This book does  a great job of examining those questions with a riveting story that is at times heartbreaking and sad. I must mention Delilah as one of my favorite characters. I loved how the author handled her journey as a woman who had been hurt in the past and turned her back on anything good. She reminds me of someone who wants so desperately to be loved, but chooses to follow a dark path to destruction. She is greedy and has revenge on her mind and doesn't care who gets hurt.  What happens when someone from her past comes to Defiance?

The town reminds me of the old west where saloons were filled with smoke, men gambling , drinking and ladies walking around trying to catch the eye of one of them. I thought about the show Gunsmoke. Just like in Gunsmoke, Defiance has its unsavory characters but the law is there to protect the people of the town. The town is growing and trying to make a place where everyone feels safe and welcomed.

I enjoyed the footnotes at the bottom of some of the pages. It gave readers a glimpse of the past and really added to the story. The story is filled with subjects like survival, grace, mercy and forgiveness. It also touches on how some people in the old west didn't care for Native Americans. I'm glad that was included because it was a vital part of history. I am part Native American and have always been interested in their stories. I haven't mentioned a lot of the characters in this book because I don't want to give anything away. Thank you for writing such an emotional story that had me on the edge of my seat. The ending is explosive and quite surprising. I will say that it leaves you with a clear understanding of grave, forgiveness , mercy and unconditional love.

"Grace is not an excuse to sin, but it is His  love in action."

I received a copy of this book from The BookClub Network for an honest review.

FAMILY PRAYER MADE EASY by TERESA J. HERBIC

What a great book to use as you have family prayer time. I love the way the author has set up each day. It starts with a little prayer and reinforces it with scripture. I love the book  because it helps the entire family read the Word together .  There are different subjects you can prayer about and even has scriptures for holidays and how you can pray for that particular day. The author also includes a story that is very encouraging and gives us a glimpse into her family life and friends. We live in a society where everything is rushed and an urgency to get tasks completed.  Now is the time to take back some of the time that the  enemy has stolen and begin a prayer night  with your family.

I know prayer is powerful and I know it works. We just need to discipline ourselves to make prayer time with our family a priority. I love the different options the book gives for interactive prayer time. The book is easy to understand and gives lots of examples of prayers and activities to build on your prayer time. Families need to be strong , stand together and pray for each other. Through this wonderful book you can lead your children to be more bold in their prayer life. It is a great way to build a stronger relationship with your children and allow them to share what is on their heart.  I love to see a young person praying for someone. It is very powerful to watch and reminds me of "The faith of a child."

After you have completed the ten devotionals with your family, the author has included "100 More Simple Ideas For Family or Group Prayer." There are so many diverse ideas that really encourage readers to extend prayer time by doing things like bring a bible night or family reading night. This is so exciting to read about and I'm encouraged to instill this in my home.

My youngest one is sixteen and the only sibling still at home. We were discussing prayer the other night. I was a bit anxious about a medical test I was going to have done. We started talking and without blinking an eye, my hands were grabbed and my wonderful child started praying for me. I was overwhelmed with joy and tears. We have taught our children how important prayer is and to pray for  each other daily. It was a humbling experience to hear my child prayer with confidence over me. After reading through this book I am excited to start implementing this very well written book into our daily family time.

"The Lord cherishes our focus on prayer , especially when we do so as a family."

I received this book from The BookClub Network for an honest review.