Becoming Like Jesus

Cynthia Heald has written a six-week personal devotional or small group Bible study entitled 'Becoming Like Jesus: Reflecting Christ in Your Everyday Life'. Scripture encourages us to follow Jesus' example. Therefore, how can we allow Him to transform our hearts, motivations, and actions so that we are ever more reminded of the One we follow?

Our navigation through 'Becoming Like Jesus' will be guided by four key questions:

1. How did Jesus live?

2. How can we reflect him?

3. What does Scripture tell us?

4. How shall I pray?

There are 6 lessons in 'Becoming Like Jesus' which include:

1. God's Master Plan

2. Beholding

3. Holy Obedience

4. A Humble Servant

5. Unconditional Love

6. Trusting God's Plan

There is always a question at the beginning of each lesson. Example: Lesson 1: God's Master Plan - What is his plan, and what is his purpose for me? Scripture references, quotes from godly writers, and the author's commentary follow. As another question is raised, How can we reflect Him? More scripture references, quotes, and commentary follow. An additional question is posed. Scripture is provided for you to look up and space for you to write in your verses. You have some questions to answer. There is another question posed, followed by scripture references, quotes, commentary and more questions to answer, along with scripture to look up and write down. Each lesson concludes with an Author Postscript and a prayer.

A prayer taken from one of the lessons is as follows:

May we be children who continually pray,

"My life is yours, Father. Mold me, however

you choose, into the likeness of your Son.

I freely and joufully consent to become an

obedient servant who is holy, loving, and

surrendered to your will. May I bring you

glory as I become more and more and more

like Jesus. Amen"

In Ebook format, it was hard for me to really review this book thoroughly. As this was a devotional book where the purpose was to highlight and write within the book, it was a bit difficult to get the full experience. I read through all the lessons. Answering the questions on paper just isn't as personal as writing them down in the book. I enjoy highlighting text and scripture references when I am doing a devotional study. In the margins, I like to make notes and really personalize the book. Therefore, it is difficult for me to comment on the entire six-week course. Though I thought the material was good, I would have loved to have received the actual book to do a thorough review.

 Disclaimer - I received this Ebook in exchange for my honest thoughts. 

In Time

 

'In Time' by Marina Ruiz is a beautifully written book about stopping and appreciating nature's beauty and what only time can create. "Time seems to be passing so slowly," the little girl says. My mom always says, "A little while." or "Just a moment." I just want time to speed up like a roller coaster. It would be nice to whizz through the days. In a blink of an eye, a tree could grow taller than a mountain from seeds. As I wait, I see things I've never seen before. The petals of a beautiful flower open one by one. As it moves forward, a tiny snail leaves a trail. The wind stirs the leaves and branches in the forest. I hear them whisper..."We had to wait to grow mighty and strong. Just like you, we were once little before. But time thickened our trunks and lengthened our roots. Now, when storms come, we can dance with the wind."

'In Time' is a fantastic book. The book teaches children to be patient, to look at what nature can offer, and to appreciate each day for what it can provide. Marina Ruiz is both author and illustrator. The illustrations are amazing. Check out this book.

Disclaimer - I received this Ebook in exchange for my honest thoughts. 

Come Again, Pelican

 

Don Freeman's 'Come Again, Pelican' is about a boy named Ty and his family who spend the summer camping on a beach in their trailer. Ty is now old enough to go fishing on his own. Every summer, Ty wonders if the old pelican will still be there. Ty puts on his new red boots, grabs his fishing pole and pail and heads to the ocean. He is delighted to see the pelican. In order to see the fish, Ty takes off his boots and climbs up one of the posts, just like the pelican. In the midst of catching fish, the boy does not realize that the tide is rolling in. Upon coming in, it sweeps his boots into the ocean. He catches one with his fishing pole and one disappears from reach. The minute his father calls him for dinner, he knows he will not be happy that he lost one of his new boots. But...

My favorite part of this book is how it ends. Don Freeman has written the best-selling book 'Corduroy', which has been loved by millions. I am sure you will fall in love with this book as well if you haven't already read it. I absolutely love the illustrations. This is a book everyone should have on their bookshelf.

Disclaimer - I received this Ebook in exchange for my honest thoughts. 

Joan of Art

In 'Joan of Art', Lesa Engelthaler showcases the importance of being yourself. Joan has always dreamed of becoming an artist. As part of a school assignment, students had to explain why their parents gave them their names. Joan already knew who she was named after, and she didn't wish to tell anyone. She was named after Joan of Arc, the famous warrior who saved her country, France, and became a saint. She wasn't interested in becoming a warrior. It was her dream to become an artist. Because she wanted to be an artist instead of a warrior, her classmates thought she was crazy. Joan's friends knew she was a wonderful artist, so they came up with a brilliant idea! Do you have any idea what it was?

There is a great message in this book. I enjoyed the illustrations. Colorful and cheerful, they are sure to delight children. The book concludes with a two-page biography of Joan of Arc. There is a quote of hers that says, "Go forward bravely. Fear nothing. Trust in God; all will be well." This is a book I recommend.

Disclaimer - I received this Ebook in exchange for my honest thoughts. 

 

Sidney the Lonely Cloud

 

What if you were a dreary, dark raincloud? Well, in the book "Sidney the Lonely Cloud", children will meet Sidney - the cloud no one liked to see. People got mad whenever Sidney appeared at picnics, kite flying, camping, or walking around town! Why, you might ask? She brought wind and rain with her. Sidney decided to float above a very hot, dry land one day. The earth was cooled by Sidney's shadow. There was confusion among the animals. They enjoyed Sidney's shade from the scorching sun. Sidney was delighted by this. Sidney was moved to tears by this. She brought rain with her tears! Do you know what the animals did? To find out, you'll have to buy the book.

It starts out sad, but by the end you will be so glad you read it! I love the colorful illustrations. This is a book I highly recommend.

Disclaimer - I received this Ebook in exchange for my honest thoughts. 

Help for the Hungry Soul

Kristen Wetherell's Help for the Hungry Soul is a must-read for every Christian. The ever-growing list of commitments, responsibilities, distractions, and often lackadaisical attitude about what we know is important but ignore due to exhaustion harms both our physical and spiritual well-being. This leads us to pursue things in life that do not truly satisfy us. Our souls hunger for one thing, which is feasting on God's Word, spending daily time with our Lord, and listening to what He has to say to us. We find excuses to neglect spending time with God in our craziness. We are taken on a wonderful journey through how we can ignite our hunger and desire for God in Help for the Hungry Soul.

A total of eight chaper's are included in this book. They include:

1. Know Your Hungry Heart

2. Plead for a Holy Hunger

3. Don't Miss Jesus

4. Remember the Privilege

5. Feast with Your Church

6. Feed Yourself Creatively

7. Trust God's Nourishing Work

8. Embrace Your Hunger

Each chapter begins with a topical mini-lesson. There are main topics and subtopics in all chapters. Throughout the chapters, Scripture references are frequently used. There is an activity at the end of every chapter that corresponds to the topic of the chapter. These activities are thought-provoking and definitely take time. Following that, a personal testimony is presented. There are two Bible verses, a quote from a Biblical scholar at the end of this chapter.

I highly recommend Kristen's book. My first reading was just to get a feel for what the book was about. In reading the book through a second time, I plan to highlight, take notes in the book, meditate on God's Word, and work slowly through it. This book would make a wonderful summer devotional. This is a book you should purchase.

Disclaimer - I received this book in exchange for my honest thoughts. 

Nancy Bess Had a Dress

A story worth reading is Nancy Bess Had a Dress' by Claire Annette Noland and illustrated by Angela C. Hawkins. It takes place in the 1930s when times were difficult and war made creativity and ingenuity necessary to survive. "Waste not, want not!" Nancy Bess is heading to town with her parents to shop for various things. A sack of flour is one of the items they would need.

Time for a history lesson. To make flour sacks more usable, manufacturers would print floral patterns on them so that when the flour was depleted, they could be used to make clothing, blankets, towels.

It wasn't long before Nancy Bess found the perfect flour sack with a daisy print. The flour sack eventually was empty. A dress was made by Mama for Nancy. Over time, the dress was transformed into an apron. The apron eventually tore, and Nancy Bess fashioned a satchel in its place. The daisy patterned creations continued to evolve until one day, she gathered all of the various scraps together...

You may be inspired to sew something after reading this book. This was a wonderful book about being resourceful and not wasting what you have. My favorite thing about this book is the message and the history it teaches. I recommend this book. 

 Disclaimer - I received this Ebook in exchange for my honest thoughts. 

The Coat

The Coat by Séverine Vidal is one of those books that gives you a warm, fuzzy feeling inside. "When it's bitterly cold (penguin cold!), is there anything better than having the perfect coat?" Elise has been patiently waiting for her sister Mia to outgrow her beloved poppy red winter coat. The wait is finally over. When it finally becomes hers, she is overjoyed! She is so excited about going to school in her new coat. Her view of the world changes when she sees a homeless mother and daughter out in the freezing winter weather, without anything to keep them warm. Despite everyone's excitement for Elise's new coat, she was sad and it hurt. That night, she couldn't sleep. Do you know what Elise did the next day when she saw the girl and her mother? You will have to read the book to find out.

The book was wonderfully heartfelt, and I would highly recommend it for the classroom as well as for the home. There are several great lessons in this book, including patience, gratitude, thoughtfulness, and giving.

Disclaimer - I received this Ebook in exchange for my honest thoughts. 

Hunter and His Dog

The book Hunter and His Dog by Brian Wildsmith wasn't what I expected. I realized after reading it that you can't judge a book by its title. The illustrations are so colorful and fascinating. Definitely not the illustrations you'd expect to see with a countryside setting, a farm, or a farmer. The story begins with a mother dog and her puppies. A hunter visits the farm to purchase a puppy to train as a hunting dog. Using a stick, the dog learns to play fetch. Afterward, the dog learns how to carry eggs in his mouth without cracking them. The hunter is finally ready to take the dog hunting! BOOM! The gun goes off! The duck falls to the ground. As the hunter commands, the dog runs to fetch it. The dog takes the duck to an island where he licks its wounds. But...he brings a stick instead of the duck back to the hunter. Again and again, this happens. The dog sneaks bread one evening to give to the wounded ducks...

It is a beautiful and endearing story. There are good lessons to be learned if children can move past ducks getting shot with guns and know they won't die.

 Disclaimer - I received this Ebook in exchange for my honest thoughts. 

The Sorry Seeds

 

There are times when children need to work through difficult problems and The Sorry Seeds by Tina Shepardson is a terrific book to have on hand. Courtney has a neighbor that has a delicious apple tree. The most perfect apple catches her eye one day, and she wants it so badly! She began collecting apples from the ground and packing them into her backpack. She began getting scolded by Mrs. Smith, the owner of the tree and also her teacher at school. She was taken home by Mrs. Smith. The shame Courtney felt was unbearable. This made her feel rotten! After dinner that night, she asked her parents if they had ever done something without first asking. Both of them had. In an attempt to determine what to do with the apples, Courtney searched for ideas. The next morning, she tried her best not to go to school. Finally, she came up with the best idea...

"Saying the words 'I'm sorry' isn't always easy and sometimes words alone don't feel like enough. But, with a courageous heart, finding a way to ask for forgiveness can make even rotten feelings grow into something sweet."

As well as being a good read, this book has great mental health benefits for children.

Disclaimer - I received this Ebook in exchange for my honest thoughts. 

Remnant

Based on historical facts, Remnant by Katie Sweeting is a powerful read. In this memoir, Olu narrates her journey as a slave while Joanna, her niece, shares her life as a biracial orphan in search of information about her aunt. It was in 1753 that Oluchukwu, or Olu, and her brother Ledu were kidnapped. A slave ship transports Olu to America. Olu says, "African girls are fearless. We climb trees and scale walls. We start fires and train as warriors. Nothing phases us . . . except kidnappers. This is my story, one more African girl snatched from home, carted across a continent, thrown on a slave ship, and deposited on the shores of America. My story is unique, yet universal; distinctive, yet representative; mine alone, and belonging to all the other African girls who due to terror, illiteracy, or death, cannot tell their own stories." After a long and treacherous journey, Olu arrives at a rice plantation in Charles Town, South Carolina. While the Revolutionary War was underway, she attempted to escape.

Are there any chances of two lives colliding?

An orphan at the age of two, Joanna is bi-racial. Her mother was White English and her father was African. The girl is raised by Uncle John, her guardian, and has trouble making friends at boarding school. It was Mr. William Wilberforce who worked feverishly to change the course of history for the benefit of blacks. The Slave Trade Abolition Bill passed 283-16 in the House of Commons! It is Joanna's wish to find Olu, her courageous aunt. Do they have a chance of reuniting? In order to discover who and where they really are, these women must decide whether unthinkable decisions made for them in the past will hinder their discovery. Is it possible to reunite a family divided by slavery? It is a beautifully written piece of historical fiction. The book is full of twists and turns. Traveling across the ocean takes you through Africa, England, and the U.S. It's an adventure that spans continents. This book is a must-read for historical fiction fans.

Disclaimer - I received this Ebook in exchange for my honest thoughts.