
Rhe’s Bookshelf – No Greatness Without Goodness

Summary: The Little Book of Great Dates will help build romance and fun into any marriage with its creative ideas for a year’s worth of weekly affordable dates. This book—a simpler, gift version of Focus on the Family’s The Date Night Challenge campaign—will help couples to proactively and intentionally build their relationship, showing how everyday activities can become “dates” that strengthen the marriage relationship. It includes plans for special-occasion dates, such as the couple’s anniversaries (first date, engagement, wedding), birthdays, etc. Couples can get to know each other better by sharing fun times and discover dating again in their marriage with this great little book of ideas!
Review: After nine years of marriage sometimes complacency sets in; you get in a routine and there you go. It gets hard, and I know for us the routine because easy. There’s no doubt I love my husband, but there are times I need to be reminded that he loves me. And its not because I doubt that he does, but holy cow marriage is so different than dating!! For us time together is so precious. A Tanzanite is a rare stone. Its only mined in one place. That’s about how rare our time is together. This is something that I’ve been struggling with lately. It’s been a long eleven years of Air Force Life, and I think its finally starting to catch up with me. Greg and Erin Smalley seem to understand that, and about something that pops up in many marriage. This book is filled with great ideas built around specific dates and milestones. Operating on the idea that men and women are, duh, completely different, the date ideas are built around a way to combine the needs of both. Hubby and I went out on a date about a month or so ago, and we went to go see a movie. Before we went to the movies we had ice cream and hung out in the car and just talked. We ended up having a ridiculously profound conversation about something we had never really talked about before. We actually shared our real and true feelings about something and it was completely life-changing. We took the time to really talk with each other open and honestly, and managed to have a little fun while doing it. Sometimes you just need some ideas, and this book is one. I would also stop by the Smalley’s website. It’s full of great resources and information to guide you in the journey of building a strong marriage.
Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars
disclaimer: I was provided this book by Tyndale Blogging Network, in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not compensated in any other way. My views and opinions are my own.
Time or another Rhe’s Bookshelf review. This time, I am happy to give you all a chance to win a copy of the
book yourself. Good luck.
Through 25 rhyming devotions and fun activities, Mom can answer these questions for the curious little one. It’s a great way to introduce kids to faith at an early age yet in an age-appropriate and understandable manner. Each devotion also includes a short Bible verse and a prayer that mother and child can recite together. Some of the activities include creating a card, making a heart wreath, and singing—all of the activities are directly related to the theme for the devotion. These devotions translate to hours of meaningful, faith-filled fun.
The book ends with a touching prayer every mother will want to pray for her children.
What I Thought:
I have a couple different devotions that I’ve used with the kids. I prefer ones that are interactive. My kids seem to learn, engaged and remember better when there is an activity associated with whatever it is we are talking about. Plus it usually gets a moving, or having a discussion for longer. This particular devotion, beautifully illustrated by the way, is perfect for smaller children, probably about 3 I would say. The devotions are short enough that your smaller children could sit and read and stay engaged as well.
The devotions are set up simply: Bible Verse, devotion (something that the children learn – God keeps us safe, God gives us what we need, God is your friend), prayer and an activity. The activities range from simply going outside and looking for things, while some are more artsy.
4 out of 5 stars
This is a great devotional for very young children. While I’m sure older children (my 5 and 7 year old included) wold enjoy this, I prefer a little more in-depth study, and one where they would sit for just a smidge longer. The illustrations are sweet and this would make a great gift and/or heirloom.
I am so excited to be taking part in Tyndale Publishing’s blog tour for Grace’s Pictures, by Cindy Thomson. Please visit Cindy’s blog to find out more about her and the other books she’s written.
9. What lessons can we learn from the pages of historical fiction?
The Bible tells us, “Stop at the crossroads and look around. Ask for the old, godly way, and walk in it. Travel its path, and you will find rest for your souls” (Jeremiah 6:16, NLT). Historical fiction uses the power of story to help us find those old ways. We deceive ourselves if we think no one has experienced the struggles we have. Someone has. Why not learn those stories and be led by them?
10. What is one of the best pieces of advice or encouragement you have received?
I’m always open to sound advice. Here is one that has encouraged me. It’s from a tea bag quote.
What I thought:
Summary:
Darek Christiansen is almost a dream bachelor—oldest son in the large Christiansen clan, heir to their historic Evergreen Lake Resort, and doting father. But he’s also wounded and angry since the tragic death of his wife, Felicity. No woman in Deep Haven dares come near.
New assistant county attorney Ivy Madison simply doesn’t know any better when she bids on Darek at the charity auction. Nor does she know that when she crafted a plea bargain three years ago to keep Jensen Atwood out of jail and in Deep Haven fulfilling community service, she was releasing the man responsible for Felicity’s death. All Ivy knows is that the Christiansens feel like the family she’s always longed for. And once she gets past Darek’s tough exterior, she finds a man she could spend the rest of her life with. Which scares her almost as much as Darek learning of her involvement in his wife’s case.
Caught between new love and old grudges, Darek must decide if he can set aside the past for a future with Ivy—a future more and more at risk as an approaching wildfire threatens to wipe out the Christiansen resort and Deep Haven itself.
**Read the first chapter of Take A Chance on Me, here
Author Q & A:
What I Thought:
Take A Chance on Me was not what I expected when I started reading it. After doing so many reviews of Christian novels I was beginning to notice a pattern among them. I didn’t feel as challenged by the reading perse. The stories seemed to be lost in the attempt to portray God and the reasons to have faith in Him, or seek out a relationship with Him. The characters and what they were going through seemed to be secondary to the faith parts of the book. There have obviously been exceptions to this, but as someone who considered herself to be absolutely obsessed with books, I wasn’t finding satisfaction in the stories. All that being said, let me take a second to praise Susan Warren’s book! The characters were wonderful, deep, complex and relatable. The story was also all of those things. There was real emotion of love, anger, hatred, all honestly laid out, which I had found to be a unique trait in this genre of novel. All of those involved in the book with real and they made mistakes. They didn’t claim to be perfect and they weren’t trying to be. That’s what I loved, loved, loved about this book.
5 out 5 Stars
I received this book in partnership with the Tyndale Blogging Network, in exchange for my honest review. I was not compensated in any other way.