Cooking in 2020, A Healthy Recipe

One of the most popular resolutions for the New Year is to cook and eat healthier.  Anyone trying to do that?  Me, too!  There are many recipes, cookbooks, blogs, and sites out to offer us help.  Honestly, if I used more common sense and less sugar I believe I could figure this thing out myself.  Well, with prayer, too.  Couldn’t you?

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First off, pray for guidance.  Secondly, I know I need to eat more vegetables.  I love them so that should not be a problem.  Right?  Well, it can be.  Creativity is the issue with me.  Do you get bored with the same old way of fixing veggies?  It is time to experiment.

Do you like cucumbers?  Have you tried them in a salad with tomatoes, green peppers, and feta?  Delicious!  With a light dressing this fresh salad comes alive with flavor and has very few calories.  Winner!

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This Fresh Cucumber, Tomato, Feta salad comes from Pampered Chef.  Yes, I’m a Pampered Chef Lady.  My daughter-in-law brings a praise-worthy version of this to family gatherings.  This would make a nice lunch choice.  Even adding a lean protein and doubling the portion of the salad the calories would total less than 500.

The three lowest calorie cheeses are feta, Swiss, and mozzarella.  Bummer about cheddar, I know.  My cheese of choice is Swiss which I substitute in this recipe.  I am an onion fan so occasionally I will toss in a few.

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If I would just eat what God has given us, I know my body would be healthier.  Just look at the historical account of Daniel in the Bible. CEADFDB9-773B-46D3-87EF-4553A1B55134God has provided so many fruits, vegetables, and proteins for us.  Absolutely I love desserts, but I do not need them as often as I indulge.  They will be reserved for a special occasion or treat.  (I may need you to remind me of that later.)

My body is a temple for the Holy Spirit so I need to make 2020 a year of repairs on it.  What about you?  What shape is your temple in now?

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Enjoy the salad recipe!

Salad

  • 2   seedless cucumbers, cut into 3″ (7.5 cm) pieces and in half lengthwise
  • 4   plum tomatoes, tops removed and cut in half lengthwise
  • 1   yellow bell pepper, seeded and quartered
  • 4 oz (125 g) chunk feta cheese, cut in half lengthwise
  •  Black pepper

Dressing

  • 1/4 cup (50 mL) white balsamic or white wine vinegar
  • 1/2 cup (125 mL) olive oil or vegetable oil
  • 1/2 tbsp (7 mL) sugar
  • 1 tsp (5 mL) Italian seasoning
  • 1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt
  •  garlic clove, pressed

DIRECTIONS

  1. For salad, cut cucumbers with the Quick Slice, place in a large serving bowl; repeat with remaining ingredients, except pepper.
  2. For dressing, combine all ingredients in Measure, Mix & Pour®. Mix until blended.
  3. Drizzle 1/3 cup (75 mL) dressing over vegetables; toss.  Refrigerate remaining dressing for another use. Top with black pepper, if desired.

Yield:

  • 12  servings of about 3/4  cup /175 mL

Nutrients per serving:

Calories 45, Total Fat 2.5 g, Saturated Fat 1 g, Cholesterol 5 mg, Sodium 170 mg, Carbohydrate 4 g, Fiber 1 g, Protein 3 g

 

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My 2020 Challenge for You

 

Happy New Year, my friends and welcome to 2020!  Are you excited about a brand new year with endless possibilities?  I know that I am.  Are there things you want to do differently this year than last?  Me, too.  Let’s work on that together.

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Contemplating the next twelve months, what would you like to accomplish?   Do you have things you really yearn to do or maybe stop doing?  I think some people call that resolutions.

Since I am a list maker, I took pen in hand and began.  My list started and soon became overwhelmingly long.  Immediately I felt discouraged.   I would encourage you to keep yours challenging but still attainable.  Don’t begin the year feeling defeated.  Asking God to hone your 2020 aspiration list will make it perfect for you.

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Tell me, do you have a strategically crafted plan to fulfill your dreams for this year?  The first thing on that list should be to pray for that plan.  Ask God to show you what to do and how to do it.  That is what I intend.  With His help it will be much easier.

Scripture tells us in Psalm 32:8 “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.”

I find the above bible verse comforting.  God, the Creator, will teach me what I need to know to accomplish my plans.  Really?  Me?  God cares enough about me to do that?  Absolutely, and He cares that much for you, also.  He might place people in my life that will be able to help me.  Perhaps a book or article will be brought to my attention.  The ways He will help you and me are limitless.

My challenge for you for 2020 is to pray.

I want to challenge you to join me this year.  Commit yourself to daily pray over your 2020 goals.  Adopt a system using a prayer jar or journal.  Record your specific prayer requests in a prayer journal or place them in a prayer jar.  As your prayers are answered  and results seen, make notes by the request.

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Besides praying for yourself, add 20 people to your list.  Ask God to place those people on your heart for prayer.  Place these names after your list or in your jar.  Each day lift one or all of these people up to our Heavenly Father.  Maybe you are praying for health, healing, salvation, or financial issues.  Perhaps you don’t even know why Abba brought this person to your mind.  Just intercede for them in prayer.

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Get a Prayer Partner

A prayer partner is someone that will be there for you to take your requests, thanks, and  praises to God.  My prayer partner lives many, many miles away but is ready within a few minutes of a text to pray.  There is a deeper level of prayer coming before Jehovah with another Christian.  She keeps me accountable, too.  If you do not currently have a prayer partner, I would encourage you to try it.  Ask at church or in your circle of friends.  Better yet, ask God to send you one.

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Let me know if you accepted my challenge and how you are doing.  I’d love to hear if you are using a prayer journal or prayer jar.  As always, if you have a prayer request for me, leave it below and I will most assuredly pray.  Thanks for spending some time with me today.

Philippians  4:6 “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”

 

Wings Like a Dove Celebrate Lit Book Tour and Giveaway

My Thoughts

Wings Like a Dove by author Camille Eide is a Christian Historical Romance set in 1930’s America.  It is a story of hope, resilience, prejudice, redemption, and love.  This captivating story grabbed my attention immediately and refused to relinquish its hold until the very end.

Author Eide is new to me.  This is the first thing I have read by her.  I was impressed with her lovely writing style.  Words flowed easily into a well planned story. Her subject matter was deep and haunting.  It hurts my heart to read how cruel people were to those of different races and religions.  Unfortunately the same holds true today.

From Poland Anna along with her mother and siblings now live in America.  Their father came earlier but is nowhere to be found.  Anna decides to search for him after having some trouble of her own.

The fictional town of Corbin, Indiana was not an ideal,  Mayberry type town.  It had residents filled with prejudice, hatred, bigotry, and lives that needed Jesus.  My heart broke for the destruction and pain caused to so many.

The author did an exceptional job crafting her characters.  They were realistic and relatable.  I enjoyed the small town, rural setting.  There were children that gave the story a sweet touch.  Throughout the book Anna makes Challah bread, described in mouthwatering detail.  Readers are rewarded with a recipe at the end.

Author Eide has penned a novel filled with mystery, misunderstandings, religious and racial prejudice, forgiveness, encouragement, faith, hope, love, and redemption.  Scripture and faith are woven into it beautifully.  It is a deep story that stayed with me.  I hated for it to end because I became so attached to the characters.

I highly recommend this book.  Early teen readers are too young for much of the subject matter.  It has discussion questions so this is the perfect selection for a reading group or small group.  My rating for this is 5 out of 5 stars.  A copy was provided by Celebrate Lit but these are my honest words.

 

About the Book

Book:  Wings Like A Dove

Author: Camille Eide

Genre: Historical fiction/romance

Release Date: December 1, 2019

Wings like a Dove coverCan the invisible walls that separate people ever come down?

In 1933, Anna Leibowicz is convinced that the American dream that brought her Jewish family here from Poland is nothing but an illusion. Her father has vanished. Her dreams of college can’t make it past the sweat-shop door. And when she discovers to her shame and horror that she’s with child, her mother gives her little choice but to leave her family. Deciding her best course of action is to try to find her father, she strikes out…hoping against hope to somehow redeem them both.

When Anna stumbles upon a house full of orphan boys in rural Indiana who are in desperate need of a tutor, she agrees to postpone her journey. But she knows from the moment she meets their contemplative, deep-hearted caretaker, Thomas Chandler, that she doesn’t dare risk staying too long. She can’t afford to open her heart to them, to him. She can’t risk letting her secrets out.

All too soon, the townspeople realize she’s not like them and treat her with the same disdain they give the Sisters of Mercy—the nuns who help Thomas and the boys—and Samuel, the quiet colored boy Thomas has taken in. With the Klan presence in the town growing ever stronger and the danger to this family increasing the longer she stays, Anna is torn between fleeing to keep them safe…and staying to fight beside them.

Oh, that I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly away, and be at rest

 


 

 

About the Author

Camille EideCamille writes poignant, inspirational love stories some call “more than a romance.” She lives in Oregon with her husband and is a mom, grandma, office admin, lead foot, cinnamon roll baker, and a bass guitarist. She’s a fan of muscle cars, tender romance, and Peanut M&Ms.

 

More from Camille

If Only I Could Fly Away…

“Oh, that I had the wings of a dove! I would fly away and be at rest. I would flee far away and stay in the desert; I would hurry to my place of shelter, far from the tempest and storm.” -Psalm 55:6-8

What do you think of when you read this passage from Psalms? Does the idea of escape tempt you? Have you ever cried out for relief from life’s storms?

In Wings Like a Dove, Anna faces growing difficulties in her life. Psalm 55:6 is brought to her attention and she ponders it more than once, especially as the difficulties in her life steadily increase.

As Polish Jews in the early 1900s, Anna’s family lived in constant upheaval, so fleeing danger is nothing new to her. The problem is that Anna craves connection and community. While she was often uprooted, at least Anna enjoyed the security of family—until now. As the story begins, she is turned out of her home and must journey across the country alone, a heartache that only intensifies the persecution she faces as a Jew, an immigrant, and an unwed woman with child.

But her journey is temporarily delayed out of necessity, and she quickly falls in love with those who have taken her in. The idea of leaving them is as painful a prospect as leaving her own family, but because of the troubles that follow her, it seems she has no choice.

Psalm 55:6 isn’t tempting Anna to leave her surroundings; it tempts her to escape the negativity that robs her joy.

For Anna, and for the rest of us, we can’t flee trouble any more than we can grow wings and fly. The desire for relief is understandable. But what if there is a purpose in the difficult situations we face? What if we are called to more than simply outlast life’s storms? What if our weakest moment is exactly what God wants to use to show his power, love, mercy, and grace?

What if God is waiting for us to stop fluttering our wings and find joy in knowing that we are in the very place we need to be, for a purpose, for such a time as this?

Quote from Anna:

“If these past months have taught me nothing else, they have taught me that though I am only a seed blowing in the wind, I must still be fruitful wherever I land. I have learned that wherever we find ourselves, we must have the courage to stretch out roots and produce something useful, even in times of difficulty. We must bloom boldly in whatever field our seed has fallen.”

 May you find the sweet spot of joy and purpose in the midst of your storm!

 

-Camille

Blog Stops

KarenSueHadley, December 17

My Devotional Thoughts, December 17

Reflections From My Bookshelves, December 18

Mia Reads, December 18

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, December 19

Genesis 5020, December 19

Emily Yager, December 20

mypreciousbitsandmusings, December 20

Betti Mace, December 21

To Everything A Season, December 21

Christian Bookaholic, December 22

April Hayman, Author, December 22

For the Love of Literature, December 23

For The Love of Books, December 23

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, December 24

Bloggin’ ’bout Books, December 24

Adventures of a Travelers Wife, December 25

For Him and My Family, December 25

Christian Chick’s Thoughts, December 26

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, December 26

Locks, Hooks and Books, December 27

Deanne’s Book Thoughts, December 27

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, December 28

janicesbookreviews, December 28

Pause for Tales, December 29

Texas Book-aholic, December 29

A Reader’s Brain, December 30

Inklings and notions, December 30

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Camille is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon card & a signed book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/f2ec/wings-like-a-dove-celebration-tour-giveaway

Christmas, Cookies, and Memories

Christmas and cookies just seem to go together.  Kids of all ages love cookies.  Don’t you?  From the simple chocolate chip and peanut butter to fancier bonbons and cookie press spritz, a tray of cookies is always a welcomed delight at any home.

I remember making Christmas candy with both of my grandmothers but not cookies.  My mother and I made those along with treasured memories.  Mother is a wonderful cook and baker.  She is also a true Proverbs 31 woman even to this day.  I am blessed to have a Christian mother to teach me many things, especially about Jesus.

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One of our family’s favorite cookies is Spritz or Cookie Press Butter Cookies.  A hint of almond mixed with pure buttery goodness in small shapes of wreaths, Christmas trees, stars, and hearts give the kitchen a heavenly aroma when baking.  These are scrumptious any time of the year.  The best thing about them is the fun I have when making them with a loved one.

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Christmas memories don’t need to be about a gift you received.  Make sweet memories this year by making cookies for family and friends with your mother, daughter, sister, or friend.  Actually, that will be a gift in itself.  I still smile when I travel back in time to a little red brick house and am making cookies with my mother and little sister.   The smiles on faces of friends and family when we gave them a tin of homemade cookies warmed our souls.  Yes, the gift we gave became a gift returned to us.

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Need a cookbook for some great recipes?  Amish author Wanda Brunstetter has a Christmas cookbook that even has a recipe for these cookies:

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I love the Amish cookbooks.  If you are not familiar with Amish, they love to cook, bake, and eat!  Now that is a recipe for a great cookbook.  Get it at Amazon or wherever you normally buy books.

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The Wedding Dress Christmas Book Tour and Giveaway by Celebrate Lit

My Thoughts

During December I love reading Christmas books.  They set the tone for celebrating our Savior’s birth with family and friends.  Author Rachel Hauck has penned a mesmerizing novella with The Wedding Dress Christmas.

Rachel Hauck has an inspirational writing style.  She includes God and what He does in her characters’ lives to subtly help readers in their walk.  I love and appreciate that. Her story was well thought and written in such a way that I was drawn in immediately.   High School friends, Christmastime in Tennessee, a country music star, and a vintage 1912 special wedding dress all blend together for a page turning  read. Maybe a Hallmark Christmas movie, too?  We can only hope.

JoJo and Buck are main characters with issues, but they are so likable.  All of the “people” in this book are well-defined and relatable.  The excellent writing took me away to the quaint town of Heart’s Bend and introduced me to new friends.  I did not want the book to end so soon, but novellas have a tendency to be quick reads.

This is a lovely book filled with grace, hope, and trust.  It will put a smile on your face and a little joy in your heart.  Take a couple of hours and read this.  You will be so glad you did.

I highly recommend this book.  It is a perfect holiday escape.  I rated it 5 out of 5 stars.   A copy was provided by Celebrate Lit but these are my honest words.

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About the Book

Book:  The Wedding Dress Christmas

Author: Rachel Hauck

Genre: Romance, Christmas

Release Date: October 22, 2019

The Wedding Dress Christmas CoverDecember covers quaint Heart’s Bend, Tennessee with a blanket of white and the glitter of Christmas lights.

For JoJo Castle there’s no place like home. It’s her safe place. Her one-time love of adventure ended when life in the big city shattered her hopes and dreams. Now that she’s returned to Hearts Bend, she never wants to leave again.

Buck Mathews, the biggest country singing sensation in decades, has the world on a string – his guitar strings, to be exact. However, when news of his mother’s illness sends him back to Hearts Bend for the holiday season, he remembers how good it can be to live among family and friends.

Working with her cousin Haley in The Wedding Shop, JoJo has no aspirations of love. Leaving home, surrendering her heart again, is just too risky.

When she runs into her friend and high school crush Buck Mathews, she discovers Love might have other plans for her[BV1] .

Buck’s career is on the verge of an momentous leap. But seeing JoJo awakens feelings he’d buried long ago. Falling in love is easy, but winning her heart will take more than one of his melodic tunes and clever lyrics.

JoJo and Buck want opposite things for their lives, leaving no room for compromise. Can love, especially the kind that touches hearts at Christmastime, overcome her fears and his quest for greatness?

When a very special gown – the wedding dress – begins to make its presence known, JoJo and Buck’s hearts bend in a way neither ever thought possible.

 

Click here to get your copy.

 

About the Author

rachel-hauck-HR-5Rachel Hauck is an award winning, New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author.

Her book The Wedding Dress was named Inspirational Novel of the Year by Romantic Times Book Reviews. She is a double RITA finalist, and a Christy and Carol Award Winner.

Her book, Once Upon A Prince, first in the Royal Wedding Series, was filmed for an Original Hallmark movie.

Rachel has been awarded the prestigious Career Achievement Award for her body of original work by Romantic Times Book Reviews.

A member of the Executive Board for American Christian Fiction Writers, she teaches workshops and leads worship at the annual conference. She is a past Mentor of The Year.

At home, she’s a wife, writer, worship leader and works out at the gym semi-enthusiastically.

A graduate of Ohio State University (Go Bucks!) with a degree in Journalism, she’s a former sorority girl and a devoted Ohio State football fan. Her bucket list is to stand on the sidelines with Ryan Day.

She lives in sunny central Florida with her husband and ornery cat.

More From Rachel

Hello Royal Rockstar Readers!

I’m thrilled to share The Wedding Dress Christmas with you. I’ve heard from so many how much The Wedding Dress has touched them, and as I noodled over new story ideas, my thoughts drifted toward the wedding dress and Christmas. What’s more romantic than a Christmas wedding?

This novella is set in Hearts Bend, Tennessee, the fictional town ofThe Wedding Chapel and The Wedding Shop. Even if you’ve never read one of books inThe Wedding Collection, you’ll enjoy this story, the mystery of the dress, and the women whose lives it changed.

I love weddings. They remind us of the purity and the hope of love, the power of commitment. Something powerful is released when two people pledge to spend their lives together, loving and serving one another in both good and bad times. Every wedding I attend reminds me of the vows I made to my husband and I sign up all over again.

Stories are a powerful reflection of life. Yes, fictional stories are often told with wild hyperbole, but that’s what makes them fun to read.

I also love wedding stories because they remind us of God’s love for us, and that one day there will be the grandest wedding of them all. Isn’t it wonderful that God planned a wedding before He created the earth?

In The Wedding Dress Christmas, JoJo and Buck have their issues, but love proves strong enough to conquer them all.

Thanks for going on this little tour with me and The Wedding Dress Christmas.

Yours,

Rachel

Blog Stops

The Avid Reader, December 18

Through the Fire Blogs, December 18

Livin’ Lit, December 18

Robin’s Nest, December 18

Reading Is My SuperPower, December 19

By The Book, December 19

Wishful Endings, December 19

All-of-a-kind Mom, December 19

Among the Reads, December 20

Genesis 5020, December 20

Life as Lanhams, December 20

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, December 21

Daysong Reflections, December 21

Christian Chick’s Thoughts, December 21

Bigreadersite, December 21

Simple Harvest Reads, December 22 (Guest Review from Mindy Houng)

Remembrancy, December 22

Britt Reads Fiction, December 22

She Lives to Read, December 23

Empowermoms, December 23

Inside the Wong Mind, December 23

Mia Reads Blog, December 23

Splashes of Joy, December 24

Christian Bookaholic, December 24

Hallie Reads, December 24

Jeanette’s Thoughts, December 25

Where Faith and Books Meet, December 25

Blogging With Carol, December 25

For Him and My Family, December 26

Hebrews 12 Endurance, December 26

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, December 26

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, December 26

Book Bites, Bee Stings, & Butterfly Kisses, December 27

My Devotional Thoughts, December 27

Locks, Hooks and Books, December 27

Mamma Loves Books, December 27

Betti Mace, December 28

Batya’s Bits, December 28

The Christian Fiction Girl, December 28

Quiet Quilter, December 29

mypreciousbitsandmusings, December 29

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, December 29

janicesbookreviews, December 29

A Reader’s Brain, December 30

Inklings and notions, December 30

Texas Book-aholic, December 30

Carla Loves to Read, December 30

Back Porch Reads, December 31

CarpeDiem, December 31

Stephanie’s Life of Determination, December 31

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Rachel is giving away a print copy of the book and a Visa gift card for $25. Swag!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/f1fe/the-wedding-dress-christmas-celebration-tour-giveaway

Let Me Tell My Story

Do you like stories?  Me, too.   I love reading novels.  Those fictional tales take me away to places and times that are captivating.  An excellent wordsmith is able to compose the most realistic tale.  Each author should have an incomparable style and storyline.

Not all stories are written.  Do you ever hear stories from someone that happen not to be theirs to tell?  That, my friend, is called gossip.  The dictionary defines gossip as “casual or unconstrained conversation or reports about other people, typically involving details that are not confirmed as being true.”  Whether true or not, information shared about another is gossip.

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My husband has been ill for a few years.  Recently a friend called to see if I wanted to join a lunch group now that my husband is in a nursing home.  Totally bewildered, I thanked her and explained that he was sitting right beside me on the loveseat.  Someone had told my story and evidently not correctly.

Scripture tells us in James 1:26 “Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.”  Did that step on anyone’s toes besides mine?  After the gossip incident about my husband, I have been increasingly more careful about not telling someone else’s story.

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We should all be able to tell or keep our stories.  Have you had someone tell something that was only for you to share?  What were your feelings?  Mine ran various directions.  I was upset, embarrassed, confused, humored, and saddened.  The information shared was not malicious.  In fact, it was probably spoken lovingly and possibly even asking for prayer over my situation.  The issue is it is incorrect and was given by a second or third editor and not the author, me.

Do you unintentionally gossip?  Perhaps you don’t realize during an innocent  conversation with your best friend that you are transgressing.  It happens unknowingly and often.  Be on guard with your words especially if you are sharing information about someone else.  Make certain you have facts and they uplift your friend.  Remember, unless you have heard the story from the leading character, chances are it is not a verified edition.

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Crown 30 Wife-Changing Lessons Celebrate Lit Tour & $50 Card Giveaway.

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My Rating

My Thoughts

Author Nancy Kaser has written a Christian book for wives, all wives.  Whether you are a new blushing bride or a seasoned golden one, you will enjoy and glean things from this encouraging book.  Her title, Crown, and book are “Based on Proverbs 12:4, “An excellent wife is the crown of her husband,” Crown includes concrete, scriptural truths and real-life examples that will equip you to be the excellent wife God created you to be.”

There are thirty lessons in this biblically based book divided into six chapters.  Topics are  so relevant to marriage that they seem simple.  Her chapters are on yield, help, smile (yes, really), order, gift, and increase.  Each lesson includes discussion and application questions. For those wanting to dig even deeper, additional materials are available on the author’s website.

There is so much I loved about this book.  The author has an inviting style of writing.  It is open, sincere, humorous, and inspirational.  There were times I felt like I was chatting with a Christian friend about our marriages.

I highly recommend this book and will be gifting it to many.  This would make a lovely wives’ small group study.  It is going on my “keep” shelf because I know I will need to refer to it at times.

This gets a solid 5 out of 5 stars from me.  A copy was provided by Celebrate Lit but these are my own, honest words.

 

About the Book

Book:  Crown

Author: Nancy Kaser

Genre: Christian Non-Fiction, Biblical Marriage

Release Date: August 20, 2019

crown coverWhether you’re in the honeymoon stage or celebrating your fiftieth anniversary, you have never before been in this season of your marriage. Your family dynamics, finances, health, emotional state, location, ministry, employment status—all the factors of your life—are in a perpetual state of transition. As a married woman, you are continually wife-changing. The Scriptures never change, but they can always be freshly applied to every season of marriage.

Crown is a resource that combines solid Bible teaching, humorous and humbling tales from the author’s own marriage journey, and dozens of compelling stories from real women just like you. Based on Proverbs 12:4, “An excellent wife is the crown of her husband,” Crown includes concrete Scriptural truths and real-life examples that will equip you to be the excellent wife God created you to be. Complex issues such as biblical roles within marriage, physical intimacy, communication, forgiveness, and home management are all addressed with candid honesty, encouragement, and biblical substance. In thirty wife-changing lessons, you will be instructed, challenged, and motivated to walk in obedience to God’s beautiful design for marriage.

 

Click here to get your copy.

 

About the Author

Nancy Kaser Bio PicNancy Kaser is a passionate pastor’s wife and veteran missionary. For over twenty-five years, she has taught women’s Bible studies, provided biblical counseling, and been a dynamic women’s conference speaker. Based in Southern California, Nancy teaches literature and history classes at The Writtenburg Door. She and her visionary husband also lead short-term mission trips with the Calvary Chapel movement and run a child-sponsorship organization.

 

More from Nancy

Closing the church door after my seventh counseling appointment that week, I was overcome with the realization that every appointment had been relatively indistinguishable. The women I counseled our congregation were generally unsatisfied, disappointed, and disillusioned with their marriages, and some were downright rebellious in their role as wives. The same anxieties, the same troubles, (and the same sins creating the anxieties and troubles) came up in almost every meeting. Though these church ladies may have been well-versed in the scriptures, no one had taught them how to live out biblical principals in their everyday lives.

As a pastor’s wife, I wished I could meet with every married lady in my church and offer practical discipleship with this hope: that a glorious, fulfilling, and God-honoring marriage—to the same guy she is married to right now! —is absolutely possible through obedience to God’s word.  

Crown – 30 Wife-Changing Lessons is a resource that combines solid Bible teaching, humorous and humbling tales from my own marriage journey, and dozens of compelling stories from real women just like you. Based on Proverbs 12:4, “An excellent wife is the crown of her husband,” Crown includes concrete, scriptural truths and real-life examples that will equip you to be the excellent wife God created you to be. Complex issues such as biblical roles within marriage, physical intimacy, communication, forgiveness, and home management are all addressed with candid honesty, encouragement and biblical substance.

Whether you’re in the honeymoon stage or celebrating your fiftieth anniversary, you have never before been in this season of your marriage. Your family dynamics, finances, health, emotional state, location, ministry, employment status— all the factors of your life—are in a perpetual state of transition. As a married woman, you are continually wife-changing. The scriptures never change, but they can always be freshly applied to every season of marriage. In thirty wife-changing lessons, you will be instructed, challenged, and motivated to walk in obedience to God’s beautiful design for marriage.

Blog Stops

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, December 13

Mary Hake, December 13

Inklings and notions, December 14

Artistic Nobody, December 15

All-Of-kind Mom, December 16

Just the Write Escape, December 17

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, December 17

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, December 18

Texas Book-aholic, December 19

janicesbookreviews, December 20

Simple Harvest Reads, December 21

For Him and My Family, December 21

A Reader’s Brain, December 22

As He Leads is Joy, December 23

Lots of Helpers, December 24

Quiet Workings, December 25

Godly Book Reviews, December 26

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Nancy is giving away the grand prize package of 2 copies of Crown and a $50 Amazon gift card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/f23e/crown-celebration-tour-giveaway

Darling Hedgehog Goes Down a Foxhole Celebrate Lit Tour

My Thoughts

Darling Hedgehog Goes Down a Foxhole by author Auralee Arkinsly is a whimsical Children’s book for ages about four to eight.  Hedgehogs seem to be popular so children will be excited about reading a book about the adventures of one.
The writing in this chapter book is nice.  Kids will learn about hedgehogs while being entertained.  Older children should be able to follow along as you read to them or possibly read it to you.
I loved that the little hedgehog was named Darling. The lesson taught of being friendly to other people while being aware of potential danger is timeless.  Today especially we need to guard our little ones.
The only problem with this book is that it might scare some of the younger ones.  I was unsettled with some of the tale.  It could be frightening to children.  I expected this to be a Christian book but there was no sign of that.
With some editing this could could be a really good story.  The way it is written, I am hesitant to recommend it.  Celebrate Lit provided a copy but these are my own true words.

About the Book

Book: Darling Hedgehog Goes Down A Foxhole

Author: Auralee Arkinsly

Genre: Early reader chapter book

Release Date: September 13, 2019

Darling HedgehogDarling Hedgehog learns about the animal nature of things in high humor and carefree, cute, and winning episodes. This childhood story reads a bit like Aesop’s Fables or a retelling of Little Red Riding Hood, for children 4-8 or preschool and kindergarten, as a read-to-me picture book, and first grade and second grade as a chapter book.
Pictures similar to the Mercy Watson series are characterized and painted in full-color, though the pages are set up like a chapter book.
This book helps to train children in natural wisdom, analysis, and discernment. It helps to balance the teachings of acceptance of everyone and friendliness to all. There may be good purposes for everyone to exist under heaven, yet all purposes may not be good for a child. So, beware, be discrete, and flee from crafty foxes especially when they are holding your parents in the pantry.

 

Click here to purchase your copy.

 

About the Author

Auralee ArkinslyAuralee Arkinsly writes in good humor about serious subjects because kids of all ages can learn a lot from laughing. She is a strong believer in right and wrong but knows that getting onto the right path can mean falling down a slippery slope. She reckons if she can save some from the bumps and bruises, then she has done her job

 

More from Auralee

I’m so excited to launch my children’s book, Darling Hedgehog Goes Down a Foxhole with the Celebrate Lit crew!  You are a river of hope for a new author.
So, here’s the story behind the story.
My friend and fellow author, Kathy Joy, left me a small hedgehog in a tutu as a going away gift on her guest bed after she had been visiting. I put it on the windowsill in my bedroom, and every morning, I would see it when I awoke.
I don’t know if you can relate to this experience, but I often wake up from a good night’s sleep with the gift of a problem being solved.  Sometimes, I wake up with a creative idea.  Well, one day, I awoke to find that I had the beginnings of a child’s story about where the hedgehog found her tutu.
Initially, it was a simple story about Darling Hedgehog finding a foxy friend who helps Darling find her calling.
I wrote out the story and then asked a talented neighborhood girl if she would like to draw the pictures for the tall tale. Having seen a lot of Julia’s sketches as she grew up, I thought that she might like to know what it felt like to earn money from her talents and at the same time, learn about the process of creating a book with an author to propose to a publishing company.
She agreed. Julia was in ninth grade. She was at the age where she was beginning to think about high school jobs and even to make plans for college and a career.
The same day we wrote out our contract, Julia sent me her first image of what she imagined Darling to look like. It clearly was not a mistake to hire this young artist!
When I awoke another morning, I believed God had given me another bit of advice. I needed to do better research on the nature of hedgehogs and foxes, their habitats and characteristics. The outcome caused the story to take a turn towards intrigue.  It became a fable. It became an action-adventure animal story. It became better.
A librarian encouraged us to continue with it no longer as a picture book for very small children but as an early reader chapter book for second graders learning about similes.
I hope that we can teach children to notice facts and objective truth as they are being trained for life. So, I’ve accepted that my child’s fantasy had to grow some legs of gravity and wisdom.  I’ve trusted my editors and beta readers that this is true, but I’m not above being told off.

Blog Stops

A Baker’s Perspective, December 11

A Diva’s Heart, December 11

Girls in White Dresses, December 11

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, December 12

For Him and My Family, December 12

Older & Smarter?, December 13

Emily Yager, December 13

For the Love of Literature, December 13

Just the Write Escape, December 14

Blogging With Carol, December 14

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, December 15

Bigreadersite, December 15

janicesbookreviews, December 15

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, December 16

Jeanette’s Thoughts, December 16

Blossoms and Blessings, December 17

Southern Gal Loves to Read, December 17

A Reader’s Brain, December 17

Aryn The Libraryan 📚 , December 18

Lights in a Dark World, December 18

Remembrancy, December 19

Inklings and notions, December 19

Lighthouse Academy, December 19 (Guest Review from Marilyn Ridgway)

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, December 20

Live.Love.Read., December 20

Book Bites, Bee Stings, & Butterfly Kisses, December 21

Sara Jane Jacobs, December 21

The Christian Fiction Girl, December 22

Where Crisis & Christ Collide, December 22

Maureen’s Musings, December 23

With a Joyful Noise, December 23

Texas Book-aholic, December 24

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, December 24

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Auralee is giving away the grand prize of a set of Darling Hedgehog greeting cards!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/f33e/darling-hedgehog-goes-down-a-foxhole-celebration-tour-giveaway

An Amish Christmas Bakery Celebrate Lit Tour

Merry Christmas!  Welcome to my stop on Celebrate Lit’s tour for An Amish Christmas Bakery.  I hope you enjoy reading about this lovely book which includes four delightful stories.  They are all fantastic.

My Thoughts

Christmas is one of my favorite times of the year.  I love celebrating the birth of Jesus, my Savior.  Everyone seems to get into a holiday mood and becomes a bit nicer.  The sights, sounds, and smells of the season are exhilarating.

Reading Christian romance books about Christmas is the best in December.  Add the Amish genre, Christmas baking, sprinkle on some inspiration and you have a captivating winter book.  That is what I found in An Amish Christmas Bakery.

Four Amish novella, each standing on its own and unrelated, are penned by well-known Amish authors.  The stories are sweet, engaging, and entertaining.  All were  page turners and easy in which to become invested.  Characters were simple Amish folk with distinct characteristics.  Each one had good points as well as flaws which made them relatable and believable.

Each tale was well written.  The authors all have smooth writing styles that are easy to read.  Descriptive prose took me to Amish Country where I could almost smell the sweet treats my imagination envisioned.  This book made me want to take a trip to see the shops myself.  I really enjoyed it.

I highly recommend this book.  It is a nice way to sample each authors work.  This would be a nice gift for that reader in your circle.  I rated it 5 out of 5 stars.  Pour a cup of your choice hot beverage, sit by the fire, and grab this collection of four novella.  Everything will be cozy and right for a while in your world.  It was in mine!

A copy was provided by Celebrate Lit but these are my honest thoughts.

 

About the Book

Book:  An Amish Christmas Bakery

Author: Various Authors

Genre: Amish Fiction, Romance

Release Date: October 2, 2019

Amish Christmas BakeryFrom bestselling authors in the Amish genre come four delicious novellas perfect for celebrating love, joy, and the holiday season.

Cookies and Cheer by Amy Clipston
As Christmas draws near, Alyssa Byler dreams of a window display for the bakery where she works. When she decides to design and build a sugar cookie nativity scene, all she needs is the right cookie cutters-and handsome blacksmith Kyle Smoker is the one she asks for help. Using Kyle’s handmade cutters, Alyssa creates a striking display that brings more tourists to the bakery than she can handle.
And when shoppers request handmade cookie cutters of their own, Kyle finds himself overwhelmed by the demand. As Christmas approaches, Alyssa realizes she’s been too caught up in work to focus on the true meaning of Christmas-and too distracted to explore the feelings she has for Kyle. Together, they put aside the holiday rush and spend their time celebrating the season that has brought them together.

Loaves of Love by Beth Wiseman
As the only girl in a family of eight, Katie Swartzentruber has been left in charge of her family’s bakery while her mother recuperates from surgery. At first, Katie doesn’t think tending to the bakery alone will be difficult. She’s worked alongside her mother for years. But Christmas is coming, and with the holiday comes a flood of patrons, both regulars and tourists. When Katie becomes overwhelmed with the orders she is receiving, she is tempted to move her Old Order family into the modern world by purchasing propane ovens to help with the workload. She finds help from an unexpected source-childhood friend Henry Hershberger, who has harbored a secret crush on Katie for years. He’s been afraid to tell her how he feels, but he’s sure that this Christmas is his moment. As the demands of the bakery only get more intense, both Katie and Henry have to decide what really matters . . . and find the courage within themselves to go after it.

Melting Hearts by Kathleen Fuller
Mattie Shetler is an expert baker, so when her aunt Carolyn begs for help during the busy Christmas rush, Mattie eagerly packs her bags and heads to Birch Creek. What she doesn’t know is that her uncle has also asked for help with the bakery’s new expansion, and he’s asked none other than Peter Kaufman, Mattie’s sworn enemy. As the two work side by side, though, Mattie discovers not all is as it seems. With Christmas just around the corner, Mattie and Peter open their hearts for the greatest gifts of the season: forgiveness and maybe even love.

Cakes and Kisses by Kelly Irvin
Martha Ropp works hard at her family’s bakery, making cakes and pies in preparation not only for Christmas but the many community weddings, including her sister’s. To help during this busy season, Martha’s mother hires Ambrose Hershberger to make deliveries. Martha remembers Ambrose as a gentle giant from her school days, but soon discovers that still waters run deep. The more they work together, the more they want to spend time together outside of the bakery, but both Martha and Ambrose are too timid to make the first move. That’s when the town matchmakers step in.

 

Click here to get your copy.

 

Read an Excerpt

Read an excerpt of An Amish Christmas Bakery here.

Blog Stops

The Power of Words, December 7

The Avid Reader, December 7

Chas Ray’ Book Nerd Corner, December 7

Inklings and notions, December 8

Books, Life, and Christ, December 8

preciousbitsandmusings, December 8

Quiet Quilter, December 9

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, December 9

Life as Lanhams, December 10

Britt Reads Fiction, December 10

D’S QUILTS &BOOKS, December 10

Emily Yager, December 11

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, December 11

Texas Book-aholic, December 11

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, December 12

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, December 12

Older & Smarter?, December 13

Miss Tinas Amish Book Review, December 13

janicesbookreviews, December 13

Bigreadersite, December 14

Batya’s Bits, December 14

For Him and My Family, December 14

Splashes of Joy, December 15

Lighthouse Academy, December 15

Jeanette’s Thoughts, December 15

Adventures of a Travelers Wife, December 16

Nighttime Reading Center, December 16

EmpowerMoms, December 16

My Devotional Thoughts, December 17

Blossoms and Blessings, December 17

Hallie Reads, December 18

Inspiration Clothesline, December 18

Mary Hake, December 18

Southern Gal Loves to Read, December 19

Stephanie’s Life of Determination, December 19

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, December 19

A Reader’s Brain, December 20

Locks, Hooks and Books, December 20

Breath of Joy! Winter Whispers Celebrate Lit Book Tour and Giveaway

My Thoughts

Breath of Joy!  Winter Whispers by author Kathy Joy is a book celebrating winter, hope, and God through prose, thoughts, and pictures.  It is a simple yet deep book.  Even those that do not like winter will glean something from this small book.

Do not expect a story beginning on page one and continuing until the end of the book.  Each page and picture are combined to make their own beautiful, poignant statement.  The author writes that this is “to her growing tribe of widows” so I felt a sense of loss and yet comfort in this book.

It would make a nice winter coffee table book.  The pictures are beautiful and the writing  permeates my heart.  For someone grieving this would be a comforting easy to read book.  I would give it as a gift.

I recommend this book.  It receives a 4 out of 5 stars from me.  A copy was provided by Celebrate Lit but this is my honest opinion.

About the Book

Book: Breath of Joy! Winter Whispers

Author: Kathy Joy

Genre: Non-fiction, Gift Book, Picture Book

Release Date: October 1, 2019

Winter whispersThe final book in the series, Breath of Joy, Winter Whispers speaks of the deep quiet earth movements that echo human proving grounds and transitions during rest. Photo Art and Prose. Three everyday celebrations on every page spread are not commercially Christmas but rather interrelational and spiritually poised. This is simply, because in Winter when the earth’s axis is the farthest away from the sun, people warm themselves and grow in the wonder of darkness, where God still sees us, breathing life.

 

Click here to get your copy.

 

About the Author

Kathy Joy's Publicity Photo E (Winter)Kathy Joy enjoyed being a popular Christian radio D.J. in Colorado for many years. When her husband wanted to move to Pennsylvania to take over the family farm, Kathy Joy accompanied him with their two young daughters. Four years later, Kathy Joy found herself a widow raising two teenagers. To stave off despair, she began writing three every day celebrations in a journal. Friends on Facebook began prompting her to write a book, and so the beginning of the Breath of Joy series began. Kathy Joy now works in human services, speaking wonder on the weekends to grief therapy groups, motivational corporate meetings, and women’s retreats. Some of her topics include Vision Board workshops, Being a Harbor Pilot, Mirroring the Savior, The Fifth Season, and A Christmas Tea.

 

More from Kathy

I’m so excited to join Celebrate Lit for this first real blog tour of my Breath of Joy series!
 
As a collector of celebrations, curating pithy delights and sharing them with my readers, I do hope you enjoy the visual experience and personal comfort offered in my Winter Whispers book.
 
Wintertime, especially Christmas and Valentine’s day, can be some of the toughest times of the year for people who have experienced trauma, or significant loss and grief. I’m one of those people.  Collecting three everyday celebrations for me was a means of refocusing on common joys in my life. They were a means of turning my despair into faith. Now, by publishing four books in less than two years, I have encountered another ladder of faith and I continue to face fear in order to live the adventure that God has for me.
 
Don’t you know, the Lord gives us many different kinds of gifts, and some of those gifts we would rather return to Him?  However, my seasonal “Breath of Joy!” books helped me not only to be thankful for the phase of life in which I found myself, but writing these books also built depth into my relationship with my real self, not my public persona, and specifically with the real God of the Bible.
 
It brings joy to my heart to collect snapshots of life and give my readers an opportunity to experience simple blessings in fresh, new ways. My books were borne out of sudden loss and grief when my husband of 23 years died of a massive heart attack. Gathering up my will to go forward, I remembered he always encouraged me to collect “beautiful moments” and write them down.
 

Now, when people connect with me, they say things like, “I couldn’t sleep, and so I picked up your book, and it gave me a new perspective that has helped me go on. If you can do it, so can I.” / “I went to one of Kathy Joy’s vision board making workshops. When I posted my board on the refrigerator, I had no idea how much I would rely on it to get me through the next year.  I am writing this to thank you for helping me stay out of the hospital for a full year.” /

“Just downloaded your file/book. Absolutely beautiful. I thought you wrote prose/poetry. Forgive me for putting you off. I loved perusing the pages. I went through it too fast. I need to sip it. I will peruse it again tomorrow. Totally different from what I thought it’d be. Hmmm. It’s more than a coffee table book. Gift book. Calming book. Nice, very nice.  Let me sit with it and ponder it. Lovely creation.
These kinds of receptions make my day. They let me know that God still has adventures for me to take and purposes for me to speak wonder into other people’s lives.

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Kathy is giving away the grand prize of a copy of the book in reader’s choice of format!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/f1fc/breath-of-joy-celebration-tour-giveaway