Sharing some favorite Christmas books today
A Christmas Carol
by
Charles Dickens
God Is In The Manger
by
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
The Women of Christmas
by
Liz Curtis Higgs
Corrie’s Christmas Memories
by
Corrie ten Boom
Read more about → Corrie’s Christmas Memories
Please share your favorite Christmas books in the comments below
On Sunday the first snow storm of the season arrived!
The grocery store trip was completed the day before so no last-minute rush for supplies. I had everything needed to make my potato leek soup, plenty of cookies, coffee, logs for the fire, extra cat food and seed for the birds. What else could possibly be needed?
If you are a reader, you know that a book to read is as much a part of snow day preparation as the soup and the cookies… When the first snow began to fall it was time to choose. In my closet is a stack of to-read books and there are the Nook books on my tablet. But this time the choice of which book was easy because some time ago I’d set aside a particular book to read on a snow day.
I started reading as the snow was falling and quickly knew this was a perfect choice for snow day reading. As the storm continued I found myself involved in the story trying to solve puzzles, uncover secrets, and exploring hidden mysteries scattered through the pages.
We ended up getting more snow than was predicted resulting in an additional snow day on Monday. This worked out perfectly allowing me to finish the book.
The Book Of Hours was a very enjoyable read ♥
Bonnie (photo above) loves reading time but was having a difficult time keeping her eyes open.
Have you read The Book Of Hours by Davis Bunn?
What book do you recommend for a snowy day read?
Please share in the comments below
If you love hymns, you will love this book. It is an ideal gift for anyone who appreciates hymns.
Check it out along with the other books in the series at LifeWay
Just when I thought the days of Christian magazines were over, self-publishing came to the rescue. I have discovered a magazine that is serious and refreshing. It does Not contain pages of light, fluffy, cutesy stuff.
The magazine is Memoirs of a Virtuous Woman. It is available in both print and digital.
I love the fact that each issue has a theme.
Issue #1 “Fruitful”
Issue #2 “Restoration”
Issue #3 “Contentment”
Website Memoirs of a Virtuous Woman
MVW also has a free app. Download from the App Store or Google Play.
So who is behind Memoirs of a Virtuous Woman?
I was so thrilled with the quality of the magazine that I asked if I could interview the Founder.
She said yes!
Read the interview below
Meet Danielle Wallace, Founder, and Editor of Memoirs of a Virtuous Woman
How did you know that God wanted you to publish a magazine?
Danielle: I love words and more importantly, I have a passion for Christ! I majored in Broadcast Journalism at Troy University and published my first book “Her Poetic Cinema of Life” during my senior year. Before that, as a child you could find me in my room, writing in journals, reading my Bible, flipping through magazines, tons of other books or even pretending to have my own little radio show – that explains why I’m a news reporter today. Stringing words together has always come natural to me and learning more about God’s word has always been instilled in me by my parents so constantly doing something in the area of writing excites me.
For Memoirs of a Virtuous Woman, I saw that the online content was constantly growing and women were expressing how grateful they were for it’s content. After praying about it, I moved forward with the magazine incorporating more articles with a theme for each issue and interviews with influential women.
Danielle: Memoirs of a Virtuous Woman has certainly evolved since it’s first blog post in 2013, that was simply written to share my thoughts during a dry season in my life. I was desiring to encourage other young women. It didn’t matter if it was only one. The community has grown to over a thousand email subscribers that I’m very thankful for. My goal is to eventually incorporate an outreach part of “Memoirs of a Virtuous Woman.” While reading the journeys of these women online weekly and in print quarterly is great. I believe more women would benefit greatly with face-to-face fellowship in Bible studies and community service projects. Memoirs of a Virtuous Woman sticks to the motto “The Proverbs 31 Women of Today are the Titus 2 Women of Tomorrow.” That’s something I would like for these women to truly experience together-younger women learning from our older women, to in turn teach another generation to walk the narrow path. It’s a cycle that I believe is imperative in the society we live in today.
Founder and Editorial Director ~ Memoirs of a Virtuous Woman
Blessings,
Lynn
I love the Bible and that’s why I enjoy Biblical fiction. I long to be transported back to those times and places. I want to become immersed in the story and discover things I didn’t notice before while reading my Bible. The best authors will cause me to love and appreciate God’s Word even more. Connilyn Cossette accomplishes this and more in her thrilling Out From Egypt series. Wings of the Wind is the third, and final book of the series. 
I placed all three books of the Out From Egypt series on the table and tried to choose my favorite. Well, turns out I can’t pick just one because I enjoyed traveling along with each of the amazing women of these books.
Counted with the Stars starts the series off in Egypt while the Hebrews are still slaves. It prompted me to think about what caused the Hebrews to find themselves in slavery. I found myself pondering what it would it be like to follow Moses toward freedom, especially having never known freedom. Viewing the events through the eyes of Kiya was amazing.
Shadow of the Storm explores the time that the Hebrews spent at Mt Sinai. What was it like to enter this new unknown life? How did this huge group of people interact with each other? I loved following Shira through the challenging time period after the exodus.
Wings of the Wind begins as the 40 years in the wilderness are almost ended. I was immediately drawn into the story of Alanah, a Canaanite. This book was captivating from the first page. Fascinating story with many surprises along the way.
If you like Biblical fiction you should get your hands on this series.
I am looking forward to more from this talented author.
Visit her website at www.connilyncossette.com
What is your process for selecting Bible studies?
Do you tend to select books and studies from your favorite authors? I think most of us do.
It is easy and safe to choose a study from a writer you know and like. I tend to do this often but sometimes I think this pattern may cause us to miss out. When I have ventured out and selected a study from someone unfamiliar to me, it has often turned out to be a great Bible study experience. So I challenge you to give it a try. Be adventurous in your selection. Be open to where God is leading you.
Researching online and reading reviews can be very helpful.
I love to have the opportunity to hear directly from the author about any book or study I’m considering. That’s why I am excited about Friday, March 31st. That is the day of the 2017 Bible Study Expo!
Marnie Swedberg is the hostess of the Bible Study Expo!
Learn about Marnie HERE
This is an opportunity to hear Marnie Swedberg interview 12 different authors all in one afternoon.
Here are the scheduled authors including links to their websites.
This only happens once a year. Last year’s event was fantastic.
What to do
Make sure you don’t miss it.
Have suggestions or comments about selecting books and Bible studies?
Please share in the comments below. I would love to hear from you.
Book review for She Reads Truth 
Authors: Raechel Myers and Amanda Bible Williams
I received this book from B&H Publishing in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are completely my own.
Beginning
This book is a double memoir of two amazing young women. I liked the beginning of the book and found my favorite parts in the first chapters. The authors show how the solid truth of God’s word is steady and unchanging through the ups and downs of life. Their experiences are shared to testify that Jesus has been there for each of them time and time again.
Middle
Before the halfway point, I became a little disappointed in the book. It is almost entirely a recounting of the author’s personal life stories. I was looking for more information about the creation and growth of the online community She Reads Truth. Learning more about the birth and development of the community and Bible studies would be very interesting to me.
End
In conclusion, the book has one great focus and that is to lead readers of She Reads Truth to the Bible. If you want to read the biographical accounts of these two women and experience the encouragement to join them in reading the truth found in God’s word then you might like to get the book. However, if you are expecting chapters on the background of She Reads Truth community and Bible studies, you might want to pass on this one.
I have just finished reading Lynn Austin’s new book “Waves of Mercy”. I received a free copy of the book from Bethany House Publishers. I’m thrilled to be on the launch team for “Waves of Mercy”. Released on October 4th this book immediately became #1 on Christianbook and Amazon in the category of Christian Historical Fiction.
The book is set in Holland Michigan in the year 1897, as the town is preparing to celebrate it’s 50 year anniversary. Geesje begins writing a memoir of her experience emigrating from the Netherlands to Michigan. At the same time, a young woman from Chicago is seeking direction in her life after a broken engagement. The stories of these two very different women are woven together with masterful skill.
Captured from the first chapter, I gobbled the pages during every spare moment and hated putting the book down. Lynn Austin is a gifted writer who does extensive research to ensure historical accuracy. It was great to learn about the Dutch immigrants who came seeking religious freedom. “Waves of Mercy” is bursting with rich wisdom and inspiration for real life.
If you enjoy reading Christian Historical Fiction, you will like this book. My only caution is that you may want to keep tissues within reach.
Learn more about Lynn Austin
If you read the book please leave a comment and answer the following question.
Do you want Lynn Austin to make “Waves of Mercy” into a series?
Happy reading 🙂 
Find “Waves of Mercy” at your local bookstore or order online.
Available in Hardcover, Paperback, e-Book and Audio formats.
Let me begin this post by sharing that I am not one who is easily impressed by new books. As a matter of fact, I feel that we have too many books being published at this time and most are not worthy of our time or money. In the categories of Christian Living and Personal Growth, it is rare to find a book that delivers what it claims in the description. Thankfully there are exceptions.
The Happiness Dare is a soon-to-be-released book by Jennifer Dukes Lee. The release date is August 2 but it is available now to Pre-order at a great price. I am enthusiastically adding this amazing book to my short list of favorites. I’m part of an online book launch group for The Happiness Dare allowing me to read the book in advance of the release date.
This book gets into the nuts & bolts of exactly how happiness happens for you. You won’t just read but actually take action as you travel through the pages. You can start by taking the Happiness Style Assessment. Take the assessment and share your style in the comments.
“Those who are beloved of the Lord, must be the most happy and joyful people to be found anywhere upon the face of the earth.” – Charles Spurgeon
You know this is true, but are you experiencing happiness in your daily life?
Have you been seeking happiness but without success?
Please do yourself a favor and just ↓↓
GET THIS BOOK!
Be sure to have a highlighter & pen handy because you will want to mark many sections throughout the book. You will instantly notice the fresh life here and want to join the merry band who dare to live the life that Jesus offers. It’s not about choosing holy or happy. It is the holy pursuit of happiness.
It’s time for
Join the quest #thehappinessdare
“Let’s do this. Let’s be the happy rebels. Let’s be the lion riders. Let’s be the savorers and the tasters and the joy stalkers. Let’s embrace a way of life where we wake up to the present- tense moments, unafraid of what might happen tomorrow and untethered to the junk that happened yesterday. Right now, this instant, life is a path strewn with jewels, glistening as if they were moonbeams spilling out like diamonds on a lake. Do we see the sparkle under our feet and on the water?”
The Happiness Dare ~ Jennifer Dukes Lee
My little book is old and worn but I love it ♥“The highest potential of God’s love and power is available for us in the trivial things of everyday life.
Can men tell that you love Jesus?
Can they, by your life and mine,
See in daily walk and action
That we have His life divine?
Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Matthew 6:9
Lord, show us today in everything we experience that we are dependent children of a loving heavenly Father.”
“Seek the Lord. Keep seeking through prayer, Bible study, and fellowship with other Christians. Give Him an opportunity to multiply what He gave you. He longs to open His resources to you. God is more grieved by powerless Christians than by powerful atheists.”
God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work. 2 Corinthians 9:8
