I have three great new children's books to give away!

Today I have the privilege of reviewing 3 new beautiful children's books written for 4 to 8 year olds. These would be an excellent addition to any family library. The stories and rhymes are clever and memorable and the illustrations are truly works of art. These would be wonderful gifts for kids, grandkids, baby showers or for any little tikes in your world.

Add your comment to this post by noon on Thursday to be in the drawing to win these books!

"God Gave Us Heaven" by Lisa Tawn Bergren, illustrated by Laura J. Bryant is a story of a young polar bear cub asking questions about heaven. A nice story, with lovely illustrations, a bit of imagination and a hint of the gospel sprinkled in.

What was it like "When God Created My Toes"? Author, Dandi Daley Mackall, wrote a lyrical rhyme of a young girl asking about God's thoughts about her as she was created. The question encourages loving affirmation from the reader to the child about God's loving hand in how uniquely they were designed. The book is exquisitely illustrated by David Hohn. Check out more of his amazing art on his website here.

Also illustrated by David Hohn and written by Dandi Daley Mackall, my favorite of the three is "God Loves Me More Than That". With child-like examples, this lively rhyme sets a strong foundation for the little ones in your life about how immense, high, deep, and wide God's love is for his children.

Much of the fun of reading books with children is the adventure of helping them search for all the little details in the illustrations. All three of these books have gorgeous detail and beauty, unique perspective and wonderful full color illustrations. I'm sure that they'll become family favorites that you'll pass down thru the generations.

If you don't win the drawing and want to buy the books, just click on the titles above to order.

Spread the word about the give-away and be sure to comment on this post before the drawing on Thursday evening, for a chance to win .

And the winner is...

Thank you to all who commented on my book review and give-away from July 16th for the book Love as a Way of Life by Dr. Gary Chapman.

As promised, I gathered all the names from the post and asked my husband to choose one out of a hat (o.k., it was a bowl) . So...the winner is...(long pause)

...my old friend (but not as old as me) Allen Lyle. Just a little background on Allen. I met him when I worked for a residential construction company in Valencia, CA. I think it was about 15 years ago, but really can't remember exactly the year. It was a high stress job doing customer service for new high-end homes in a very hot market and everyone in the customer service and construction departments became best of friends because we all worked very hard and depended on each other to get things done. I'm still in touch with many of them even now. I was looking thru photos the other day and came across this one from a Valencia Company Christmas party. Allen is the one on the far left. (notice the Alabama sweatshirt) and that quartet did an amazing job!

Allen was only in So Cal a few years, then decided to move back to his hometown of Mobile, Alabama (yes, he has a southern accent).

Since moving back we touch base about once a year or so and he has enjoyed much success in many areas. He is now the producer and co-host of an Emmy-nominated TV show called "Today's Homeowner". I'm very proud to say that I know him! Congratulations Allen, on the Emmy nomination and on winning the book drawing (which is just about as important).

And guess what everyone? I decided that I would give away a 2nd copy of the book too! Terry drew and the second winner is Jenni D. I also know Jenni from So Cal. We met at Placerita Baptist Church and enjoyed many wonderful times together as friends and families. We also had such fun being aunt and uncle to their kids, Noah and Danni, since their extended family was not nearby. Now, I'm sad to say that I looked for a photo of them and could only find this old one that doesn't include Danni. It's pretty embarrassing to say that I have probably dozens and dozens of photos of them and can only find this one. Of course, there are at least 15 boxes of photos to search thru that are obviously not organized at all. (That project is getting moved up on my list.) So Jenni, if you show this to the kids please tell Danni I'm sorry that I don't have her picture here and tell Noah that I realize that he's a much more grown up young man than we see here. You and Dave look great, so no apologies there.

The books will go out this week. And by the way, stay tuned because sometime in the next month, I'll be reviewing (and giving away) some children's books that would make great gifts for kids, grandkids, nieces, nephews, etc.

And don't forget, you can't win if you don't play!

Love as a Way of Life - a new book by Dr. Gary Chapman

I've recently had the privilege of reading Gary Chapman's latest book, "Love as a Way of Life". Good news is that I have another one of these (hardcover) books to give away as well! You don't even have to pay shipping. It's a great addition to any library or even a wonderful gift. I will be drawing one name from everyone who comments on this post over the next week, so please add your name to the list. I'll be announcing the winner in the evening on Tuesday, July 22nd.

In the book Gary teaches us how to cultivate a lifestyle of love and how doing so leads to satisfaction and success in every area of life.

His emphasis is on the seven characteristics of authentic love: kindness, patience, forgiveness, humility, courtesy, generosity, and honesty. It sounds a little bit like a Boy Scout pledge, but actually many of these principles are not new to our society...they've just been lost in our selfish lives somewhere along the line.

At first I thought the author was missing some key elements of love, but there are several times where he mentions affirmation under these various headings, which I believe to be a critical characteristic of showing love. And although he doesn't use the word too often in the book, his definitions of patience can also be defined as grace in many ways. In one instance, I don't necessarily agree with part of his outlook on forgiveness, but I'm wondering if it's just a difference in terminology.

The book also includes self tests, practical ideas for building daily habits of love, and inspiring examples of love’s power to change lives.

Convinced that in a world of constant conflict people desperately need authentic love, Chapman paints a compelling vision of how life can be richer and relationships more satisfying for anyone who practices Love As a Way of Life.


Author's Bio: Gary Chapman is the author of twenty-five books, including the New York Times bestseller The Five Love Languages, with more than 4 million copies in print. His daily radio program, A Love Language Minute, is broadcast on more than 100 stations nationwide. Chapman, a graduate of Moody Bible Institute, Wheaton College, Wake-Forest University, and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, serves on the pastoral staff at Calvary Baptist Church in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

Don't forget to add your comment below for a chance to win your own copy of this book. (over a $15 value if you include the shipping.) I will be drawing the name in the evening on Tuesday, July 22nd. If you don't want to wait for the drawing, or need more than one copy, you can order it here.

Book Review - Family Squeeze by Phil Callaway

If you’re in the “Middle Ages”–sandwiched between the “greatest generation” and the “gimme” generations, busily juggling both with no relief in sight, then this book's for you. Children are driving, and parents are not. Money is tight and so are your favorite jeans. And things that never ached before are beginning to give you trouble! For every baby boomer who wonders if it’s possible to navigate the Middle Ages with grace and style, Phil Callaway offers plenty of hope and a little hilarity, too. Because there’s nothing like a smile to make wrinkles less noticeable.

This book was of interest to me because I am seeing more and more of our friends beginning the process of helping to care for their aging parents. My mother turned 84 this year and although she's living on her own now, we know that it's just a matter of time before we'll need to help even more, or potentially have her come and live with one of us. Phil takes some very difficult situations and helps us to see how to make the best of them. More importantly, he shares how he has learned to give them over to God, who is the ultimate helper in all situations anyway. I recommend this book to anyone going thru or anticipating that next phase of life.

Sorry, I don't have any extra books to give away this time. It's too bad, because it's a great read! Visit Amazon here if you want to buy the book.

Author Bio:

Described as “Dave Barry with a message,” author, speaker, and television host Phil Callaway has written twenty books, many of them bestsellers and is a popular speaker at conferences, camps and marriage retreats, coaxing laughter and tears from audiences worldwide. Of his personal accomplishments he rates the following highest: shutting off the TV to listen to his children’s questions (twice), taking out the garbage without being told (once), and convincing his high school sweetheart Ramona to marry him (once).

And the winner is....

...well the competition was fierce, but after all was said and done, Linda is the winner of the "Experiencing The Resurrection" book!

CONGRATULATIONS, Linda. I'm sure you'll like it. It will go out in the mail today.

Thanks for entering.

Come on guys...leave a comment on my last post so I can send this free book to someone.

Thanks!

You can win a FREE copy of this hardcover book if you comment on this blog entry!

I will be honest and say that I haven't had a chance to read the whole book, so I can't really comment on it personally. Below is a quick summary to give you an idea of what it's all about. I hope that you have an awesome Easter!

I will be drawing the winning name and announcing it next Friday, March 28th, to allow time for more folks to add a comment.

What does the resurrection of Christ really mean for us? What does it reveal about the heart and mind of God? And what real differences can the miracle of the resurrection make in your life today?

Discover answers to those and other questions as you examine God’s Word with this book, Experiencing the Resurrection by Henry Blackaby and Melvin Blackaby, and it's companion study guide. You will receive the hardcover book (not the study guide) if you win the drawing

The Experiencing the Resurrection study guide is packed with practical notes, advice, and questions for reflection, this highly interactive guide—ideal for small group or individual use—shows you how to witness Christ’s resurrection in and through your life. Each chapter of the book is explored in a flexible one-week format with “life change objectives” that arise from applying the truth for each day to your life.

Author Bio:

Dr. Henry Blackaby, president emeritus of Blackaby Ministries, is the author of more than a dozen books, including the best-selling classic Experiencing God. He has spent his life in ministry, serving as a music director and as a senior pastor for churches in California and Canada. Today he provides consultative leadership on prayer for revival and spiritual awakening on a global level. He and his wife make their home in Atlanta, Georgia.

Dr. Melvin Blackaby coauthored with his father, Henry Blackaby, the Gold Medallion winner Experiencing God Together. He travels extensively as a conference speaker. He and his wife and their three children live in Cochrane, Alberta, Canada, where he serves as senior pastor of Bow Valley Baptist Church.

If you don't win the free book and want to buy your own copy, please visit Amazon.com here.