The Sparkle Box by Jill Hardie, Illustrated by Christine Kornacki

A Gift with the Power to Change Christmas

The moving story of an uncommon gift and how giving to others shows a little boy the true meaning of Christmas. Sam is so excited about Christmas! He’s thinking about his Christmas list, anticipating holiday parties, and puzzling over one very mysterious gift—a sparkly box sitting on the mantel above the fireplace. In the midst of the festivities, Sam and his family participate in various acts of kindness to others. On Christmas morning, when Sam finally opens the Sparkle Box, he finds only slips of paper that record the family’s good deeds. Sam’s parents explain that the things that they’ve been doing for others are, in fact, a gift for Jesus—for Jesus said that whatever we do for the least of these, we do for Him. This heartfelt story will inspire readers to adopt this faith-centered tradition in their own homes, using the included Sparkle Box.

My review:

   This is a different kind of Christmas book, as it encourages participation and comes with a box to use. The box is to write down things to give Jesus for His birthday by giving to those in need. i.e kids could put in a slip of paper saying "buy gloves for homeless people", etc.

   The book is done in story form, and is done very well with great illustrations. Through the fictional Sam, kids can learn the true meaning of Christmas, which is giving to Jesus. The story is interesting, has a great lesson and moral, and accompanied by the included box is a great way to help kids get their focus off of getting and onto giving during the Christmas season.

 The box is square, measuring 4 inches on each side. It does not have a removable lid or openings, and must be opened each time something is put inside, which may make the box not last as long as if it had a lid that came off completely or a slit to put papers in. It is still a very neat idea and is a book I would recommend to all parents who want to get their kids engaged in the giving side of Christmas.

About the author:

Author Jill Hardie, her husband, and their two children began the tradition of placing a Sparkle Box for Jesus under their Christmas tree approximately seven years ago. The first time they opened His gift, the commercialism of the season melted away and they experienced profound peace and happiness. It's Jill's hope that The Sparkle Box book will ignite a new Christmas tradition that helps center Christmas in the true joy of the season.

"There are many traditions that help us remember the remarkable and beautiful story of the birth of Jesus. My hope is that The Sparkle Box will help us remember Jesus as he is today – in the present. It encourages us to ask the question, 'What gift can we give Jesus on His birthday that will bring Him joy?'

Jesus taught us that whenever we do something for someone in need, we do it for Him. I think loving and caring for each other in His name is the greatest gift we could give to honor Jesus on His birthday."

– Jill Hardie

You can contact Jill Hardie at info@thesparklebox.com.

- See more at: http://www.thesparklebox.com/author.aspx#sthash.7rMDY7kK.dpuf


About the illustrator:

At a very early age, Christine Kornacki developed a love for painting and bringing stories to life. After receiving a BFA in illustration from the University of Hartford, her dreams of illustrating children's books began to take shape. She spends her days painting in her studio, which adjoins a charming café in New Haven, Connecticut.



The Sparkle Box is available from Worthy Publishing.

Thanks to Worthy for the review copy.

The Word Of Promise New Testament (Audiobook)

Hear the Bible Come Alive in Dramatic Audio Theater™!

This multi-voiced, scripted dramatization of the New King James Version (NKJV) features a star-studded cast of actors, an original music score, and incredible feature film quality sound effects. This world-class production creates a dramatic audio theater experience that makes you feel like you’re really there with Jesus and His disciples. Listen in your car, on your MP3 player, or with your family or small group to gain a new perspective of the Bible.

The Word of Promise® New Testament Audio Bible is a 20-CD set and includes a bonus “Behind-the-Scenes” DVD.

Cast Includes:

Jim Caviezel (The Passion of The Christ, Déjà vu) - Jesus
Academy Award winner Richard Dreyfuss (Mr. Holland's Opus, The Goodbye Girl) - Quotes from Moses
Academy Award winner Marisa Tomei (My Cousin Vinny, What Women Want) - Mary Magdalene
Golden Globe winner Stacy Keach (Prison Break, Hemingway) - Paul
Academy Award and Golden Globe winner Louis Gossett, Jr. (An Officer and a Gentleman, Roots) - John
Kimberly Williams-Paisley (According to Jim, Father of the Bride) - Mary, Mother of Jesus
And many others

My review:

  I have never been a fan of listening to someone read a book on an audio recording, and not even when it is the Bible. This, however; is no ordinary audio Bible. It has different people doing the different voices of people in the Bible along with music and sound effects. There is no monotonous droning of one voice, and when there is one voice for any length of time; they make it sound more dramatic and interesting.

  Listening to this Bible on CD has been a very enjoyable experience to me. It is easy to pay attention and not tune it out, and it has opened the New Testament up to me in a whole new way. To hear the sound of the whip as Jesus is whipped in the Gospels, to hear the pounding of the nails and the groaning as the crucifixion scene is described puts a whole new meaning to the words from the Bible.

  This review is for the New Testament part of the Word of Promise Bible, and it (and the Old Testament) are read in the New King James Version of the Bible. I highly recommend it, especially for people who find it hard to listen to one person reading the Bible.


The Word of Promise New Testament is available from Thomas Nelson Publishing.

Thanks to Thomas Nelson and BookLook Bloggers for the review copy.

Called to Pray by Linda Evans Shepherd

When you feel a nudge to pray, what will you do?

Most of us have felt it at one time or another: that unexplained prompting in our hearts to stop and pray for a friend, a loved one, or even a stranger. Sometimes we are even awakened from a deep sleep with an even deeper need to go to God in prayer. Where do those urges come from? Are they truly from God? Or are they merely stray thoughts? And if we respond in prayer, are others' lives affected at all?

In Called to Pray, Linda Evans Shepherd shares dozens of inspiring true stories of people who have heeded God's call to pray and the astonishing results of those impromptu prayers. Through accounts of people being protected from harm and rescued from danger, of needs being met and hearts being encouraged, you'll see that God is involved in an active and dynamic relationship with us--and that we can be part of his plan to bless others.

If you have ever wondered if prayer has any real effect or doubted that God communicates with us personally, this heart-stirring book will amaze, inspire, and equip you to respond to those holy promptings.

My review:
  I have always been a fan of books that had several stories in so that you could read one or two every once in a while and go back to it without having to remember what had happened as in a continuous story. And when the stories are true, as they are in this book; that makes it all the more interesting.

  This book is set up into ten different kinds of prayer that people have been called to. Some have been for certain situations, for certain people, or even for oneself. Each story is followed by a short prayer that has something to do with the theme of the story.

 The book is interesting and very encouraging. It is very encouraging to read so many stories from one book of answered prayers and also of how God moved people to pray for needs, sometimes that they knew nothing of. Although this isn't a devotional, it could be used as one since they all have a Scripture verse and prayer with each story. I highly recommend it.

About the author:

Linda Evans Shepherd is the author of over thirty books including When You Don't Know What to Pray: How to Talk to God about Anything and When You Can't Find God: How to Ignite the Power of His Presence, and the co-author of the popular series the Potluck Club and the Potluck Catering Club. Linda is an international speaker and media personality and is the creator of RightToTheHeart.tv and appears as a frequent host of Daystar's Denver Celebration.

She's the leader of the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association and president of the nonprofit ministry Right to the Heart, which has seen over 500,000 people come to faith. She's married and has two children. For more, visit www.sheppro.com.


  Called to Pray is available from Revell Publishing, part of the Baker Publishing Group.

Thanks to Revell for the review copy.

 

 

Proverbs Prayers by John Mason

Experience the wisdom of God in your life as never before

The book of Proverbs is a wellspring of wisdom, offering practical guidance for life and the tools to make good choices, withstand pressure, prioritize relationships, and avoid unnecessary trouble. 

Now bestselling author John Mason helps you make that wisdom a part of your inner life. For thirty-one days, he takes you through each chapter of Proverbs, unpacking the wisdom within and providing a heartfelt prayer based on the insights from that chapter. As you read and pray, you'll discover the principles found in this wisdom-packed book coming alive in your life in ways you may never have imagined.

My review:

  I thought this book sounded interesting when I saw it up for review, and I found it to be so. The whole book of Proverbs is in here, mostly in the New American Standard Bible with some verses coming from the King James. Each chapter is followed by a prayer that is based on the chapter that preceded it. I found the prayers to be well written and well thought out and very relevant to any Christian. They also help bring out the ideas and truths in the book of Proverbs in a refreshing new way.

  At the end of the book is a list of Proverbs on several different topics that are arranged in alphabetical order.

 The book would best be used as a 31-day devotional. It is a new and interesting way to read through the book of Proverbs and get some great application for your life.

About the author:

John Mason is a bestselling author, minister, and speaker. He is the founder and president of Insight International and Insight Publishing Group, organizations dedicated to helping people reach their God-given dreams. He lives in Oklahoma.


Proverbs Prayers is available from Revell Publishing, part of the Baker Publishing Group.

Thanks to Revell for the review copy.

The Christmas Story In 40 Days by Chris Loehmer Kincaid with a giveaway

Do you know the story of the first Christmas, the entire story, not just what you have seen on Christmas specials or heard in Christmas hymns? Take a few minutes each day for the next 40 days to read about the events leading up to this the holiest of nights. Meet the people who were there, Elizabeth, Zachariah, the Angel Gabriel, Mary and Joseph. Travel across the Judean countryside to Nazareth and on to Bethlehem. Witness the birth of Jesus as you never have before. Spend 40 days strengthening your faith. Spend 40 days drawing closer to God. Spend 40 days getting to know your Savior Jesus Christ. 

My review:
  I have accumulated a lot of Christmas books over the years, but none have been anything like this one. Each day starts out with a portion of Scripture from the Message Bible, followed by a reading about someone or something in the Christmas story. That is followed by a section to write notes or thoughts in.

  The book is split up into 40 days, hence the name; and is a great way to cover the whole Christmas story and help focus the mind on the true meaning of Christmas as the season approaches. The readings are well done, interesting, and informative, and covers more details and facts than are normally caught in reading the Christmas story in Matthew and Luke. It is a very well put together book, and is a great tool for this time of year.

About the author (in her words):

 Ever since I was in the third grade, I have been reading and writing anything and everything, from poetry to short stories to inspirational true stories to novels. My dream was always to be a writer, and I thought that would be enough. But in recent years I have come to realize that a much earlier goal – to change the world – can be combined naturally with my writing.

My first book, “A Time for Every Purpose Under Heaven – One Woman’s Trip to Africa: My Story”, was published by Life Sentence Publishing in December 2012. This memoir tells the story of my mission trip to Kenya in 2006 and how it changed how I look at life and how I look at the God I love and serve. After the book was published, I was drawn to return to Kenya, where my daughter had already decided to start a nonprofit organization to help the people we had met there. We may not be able to change the entire world, but we can improve the world for many people.

The Christmas Story in 40 Days is available from Aneko Publishing.

Thanks to Aneko for the review and giveaway copies.

Giveaway:
  Courtesy of Aneko Publishing, I have one copy of The Christmas Story in 40 Days to give away.

To enter, comment with your favorite thing about Christmas, or favorite tradition.

One week from today, December 2; I will pick a winner using Random.org.

Without Proof by Janet Sketchley

"Asking questions could cost your life."

Two years after the plane crash that killed her fiancé, Amy Silver has fallen for his best friend, artist Michael Stratton. When a local reporter claims the small aircraft may have been sabotaged, it reopens Amy's grief.

Anonymous warnings and threats are Amy's only proof that the tragedy was deliberate, and she has nowhere to turn. The authorities don't believe her, God is not an option, and Michael's protection is starting to feel like a cage.

How will Amy find the truth?

Michael's feisty great-aunt and the dead man's university-student sister are the other key players in this Christian romantic suspense set in Nova Scotia, Canada.


My review:
  I was happy to have this author offer me a review copy of her newest book, as I had enjoyed reading and reviewing her other two novels in the Redemption's Edge series.

   This novel is romantic suspense and the main character is related to the ones in the first two books. Janet has again come up with some great characters and an even better plot than the first two books. Authors often tend to get better with each novel that write, and  Janet proves this true in this third novel she has written.

  The suspense aspect is done very well. I wasn't sure for a lot of the book if the threatening texts Amy was getting was from friend or foe, nor could I figure out who the bad guys were. There were a couple of surprises, and especially one big one that I didn't see coming - that would be too big of a spoiler to give away, so that isn't happening.

  I appreciate Christian authors who aren't afraid to put Christian content in their books, and this one had a lot. The issue was dealt with of God loving us even if we have done something bad, or we perceive we have done something bad because of our birth and upbringing. The message came through loud and clear that God loves all of us, and He doesn't view us as damaged good or beyond redemption no matter what we or our parents done. Often, a message like that can be gotten across better through a story, so kudos to the author for addressing such an important issue that is a problem for so many people.

  And I even enjoyed the romantic aspect of the book. As a confirmed bachelor, I don't enjoy romance books; but I can handle it in a story where it isn't the main part of the story. I thought that part was also well done and was silently urging the male hero of the story to get a move on.

  Janet can be proud of this third novel she has penned. It is a suspenseful story that also offers hope to those who struggle to believe God loves them. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and am glad I had the chance to read and review it.

About the author: (from her website) 

I’m a Canadian author who loves stories with strong characters, adventure and hope. My novels, Heaven’s Prey, Secrets and Lies, and Without Proof (coming Nov/15) are stories of suspense and redemption.

Fiction’s my passion, but my story in  the award-winning anthology A Second Cup of Hot Apple Cider really happened.

Random facts: My super-power is untangling yarn and Slinkies™; there are over 50 varieties of tea in my house; I’m Canadian but I worked at the busiest McDonalds in London, England; I’ve taken basic fencing lessons; and I once rode an elephant.

I’m also a wife, mom, daughter, friend, neighbour… a Christian growing in faith, trying to balance relationships and responsibilities. Can you relate?

If you like Christian suspense, sign up for my newsletter. Every month I’ll send you an email with news and fiction tidbits.

Because of Jesus,

Janet

Find more about Janet and her books on her website.


Thanks to Janet for the review copy of Without Proof.

The Aleppo Code by Terry Brennan

Will the code reveal history’s most powerful weapon for destruction—or humanity’s only hope?

The living members of Tom Bohannon’s band of adventurers gather again in Jerusalem—physically battered, emotionally exhausted, spiritually challenged, and in various stages of shock—to examine a copy of the tenth-century Aleppo Code, the oldest complete text of Jewish scripture. What the clues inside reveal could lead to the reuniting of the Ark of the Covenant with its true source of power, a weapon that could lead to victory for this ragged bunch trying to save the world.

Hunted by the relentless assassins of the Prophet’s Guard and caught in the web of an international conspiracy plotting the conquest of Europe, Bohannon’s team searches the ruins of Ancient Babylon. Their search lands them amid the chaos that engulfs western Iraq, but they must press on to accomplish one of the most pivotal pieces of end-times prophecy. This intrepid group will uncover secrets that require them to risk everything for their faith, their country, and the peace of all mankind. 

Unfolding against the backdrop of an Israeli/U.S. strike against Iran and the planned economic overthrow of the European Union by the sinister, secret head of the international Muslim Brotherhood, The Aleppo Code is a heart-pounding race. Brennan takes an epic story on a grand scale and tells it primarily through the eyes of one man who is desperately trying to save the world as he follows God’s purpose for his life.

My review:
  This whole series is exciting and worth reading, but they seemed to get better and more exciting the further I read in the trilogy.

  The Aleppo Code brings back most of the same characters from the other two books and picks up right where the second book ended. The book has a very interesting plot with a race to find a Biblical artifact that leads for a search to find the Garden of Eden. There is all kinds of excitement, drama, and suspense in the novel, and it reminded me a lot of an Indiana Jones adventure, only from a Christian standpoint.

  This book definitely falls into the read-in-one-sitting category. It was one that I didn't want to put down until I finished it, and I did read it in one evening. The author had to have done a lot of research on history, geography, and on Jewish-Muslim relations to come up with a well done novel such as this that takes the reader all over the Middle East. The whole series is an exciting ride from the streets of New York City to the Middle East with all kinds of danger and suspense lurking on each page, and some very likable characters. I learned a lot while being entertained.  I enjoyed the whole series a lot and was sad to see that this is most likely the last book in the series, but it was a terrific conclusion to the series. It is definitely worth reading, but should be read in order.

About the author: 

A Pulitzer-Prize winning journalist and an award-winning author, Terry Brennan's career is marked with triumph in both the profit and non-profit business sectors and now again in his growing following as an author of fast-paced action-adventure novels that mix today's geo-political reality with fascinating twists of fiction.

Brennan's first two novels - The Sacred Cipher and its sequel, The Brotherhood Conspiracy - have received high praise from readers and reviewers alike, and will soon be followed by the third and final book in the series, The Aleppo Code. The Sacred Cipher is the Silver Award winner for Fiction in the ForeWord Reviews Book of the Year contest for 2009. In April, 2013 Publisher's Weekly called The Brotherhood Conspiracy "an international mystery thriller with a rapid-fire plot ... a feast for the senses ... intrigue that teeters on the edge of overdose."

Prior to launching his career as an author, Brennan's 22-year, award winning journalism career included:
* Seven years as a sportswriter and editor with The Philadelphia Bulletin, at the time the largest-circulation afternoon newspaper in the nation;
* Leading The Mercury of Pottstown (PA), as its editor, to a Pulitzer Prize in Editorial Writing;
* Serving as Executive Editor of a multi-national newspaper firm - Ingersoll Publications - with 400 newspapers in the USA, England and Ireland.

In 1996 Brennan transferred his successful management career to the non-profit sector and served for 12 years as Vice President of Operations for The Bowery Mission and three other ministries of the New York City-based parent organization, the Christian Herald Association, Inc.

Now Chief Administrative Officer for the non-profit agency Care for the Homeless in New York City, Brennan also won the Valley Forge Award for editorial writing from the Freedoms Foundation.

His two adult sons and their families live in Pennsylvania. Terry and his wife Andrea live in New York City area. Their daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter live in West Chester County and their son resides in Brooklyn. His first novel, The Sacred Cipher, was published by Kregel Publications and released in July of 2009. The sequel, The Brotherhood Conspiracy, was released in June, 2013.


The Aleppo Code and other books in the Jerusalem Prophecies Series is available from Kregel Publishing.

Thanks to Kregel for the review copy.