Hermie, A Common Caterpillar: An Essential Addition To Your Child's Early Reading Library

Hermie is a classic Max Lucado book for children.  Now, released in a Level 2 Reader, your early reader can read it all by herself.  A wonderful book in many regards:

• Great message of God's purpose for your child's life
• Easy to read (for you and your early reader)
• A lesson of science (caterpillar to butterfly)
• A lesson of change
• Reading Lessons
• Religious Studies (Christian Lessons)

I was allowed to download a free e-reader version of the book from the BookSneeze program, in exchange for my honest review.  I am not required to give a positive review, and have received nothing in return other than the e-book.  All of my opinions in this review are 100% my opinion.

The story of Hermie is about a common, everyday, caterpillar who hangs onto hope that God has something more in store for the unsightly "worm".  As Hermie continues throughout his day, he encounters many beautiful friends, such as the lovely-spotted lady bug, a snail who carries his home with him, and others.  He, and his friend, continue to believe God has something more in store for the two of them.  However, they struggle to believe.

One day, Hermie falls asleep.  When he wakes up, he is a beautiful butterfly.  As for his friend, well, I'll let you discover what happens to him as you read this book, with a classic message, to your child.

The story of Hermie leaves you feeling important and beautiful, as God created you.  Now, with this Max Lucado book in a Level 2 reader version, your early reader can read the message to himself.  Of course, it's fun to share a little snuggle time with your child reading along.  So, if you prefer to read it aloud, the message never gets old.

It Couldn't Just Happen Book Review: My New Science Curriculum

I just found my son's new science curriculum for the year!  It came unexpectedly, in the form of a book I was sent to review; and fell in love with.  It Couldn't Just Happen Knowing the Truth about God's Awesome Creation, by Lawrence O. Richards, is incredibly written and perfect for my middle-school aged boy.  The book is published by Tommy Nelson and was provided to me, for my review, from the Book Sneeze program.  My review is 100% my opinion.

The author, who is a retired seminary professor, uses a creation-based approach to answer scientific questions associated with creation vs. evolution.  The book begins with questions of the universe, planets, and how the earth couldn't have just happened by chance.  Using the Bible as a source, the author explains that it was designed by a creator.  It, then, progresses to answer questions about human life - all the time explaining how science in the lab works.  It continues on by presenting evidence provided by living things. The book continues in a scientific progression, unabashedly proving creation to be fact. The conclusion of the book explains the Gospel that is presented in the Bible as truth.  When you have finished the book, you will have a complete set of apologetic-style notes that back up creation from a scientific view.

Including the Index and Notes, the book is 248 pages of a complete year's worth of what can be used as science curriculum for the creation science teacher.  With 20 units, broken down into 5 main sections; the book can easily be used to delve into science lessons from a creationist perspective.

God's Love Letters to You Review

A personal love note from your creator sounds like an amazing idea, especially for the hopeless romantic. But, it's true! God hid love letters inside every book of the Holy Bible. Author Larry Crabb draws them out of 20 Old Testament books and 20 New Testament books for you to explore, reflect upon and change your life. Everyone needs a boost. Have you ever received a love letter from someone you also admire? If not, how were you left feeling after receiving a nice compliment from someone you respect? Best-selling author, Larry Crabb, shares a 40-Day Devotional Experience of Gods Love Letters to You.

The book, God's Love Letters to You is a book that should grace the book shelves of every Christian. It's written in the form of a devotional. The chapters are brief, yet deeply spiritually moving. The author covers an encouraging, "love letter" scripture form books in the Bible. I received this book as part of the Book Sneeze review program, but my review is 100% my own.

The author selects 40 days worth of devotions pulling from his book, 66 Love Letters, where he elaborates upon love notes from each of the books in the Bible. The devotional starts with a scripture from one of the books of the Bible, followed by a brief devotion and then offers points for you to reflect upon, and ends with a prayer. By the end of 40 days, you will fall deeply in love with your Savior.

With 40 days of love-filled devotions, you're sure to discover at least one that speaks directly to you and your life situation. The book selects 20 Old Testament and 20 New Testament books from which it pulls God's message of deep love toward a variety of situations. Each devotion takes only a few minutes to read, and then as long as you choose to reflect and pray. It's a very small investment of your time for such a great return of love filling your heart.

The book would make an excellent gift for any occasion, especially a wedding, anniversary, or purity ring ceremony.

Time With God For Fathers - A Book Review

Fathers, get your cup of coffee ready!  A book has arrived that is aimed at you.  Time With God For Fathers by Jack Countryman is a devotional book designed to fit in with the frantic work pace fathers tend to keep.  In plenty of time for Father's Day, this book would make a perfect gift.  Filled with 90 short devotions that include a brief scripture and a description of that scripture as it applies to life as a dad.  Fathers are rushed.  Fathers are burdened with the responsibility of providing for their family.  Fathers are tired.  Fathers don't typically have enough time to sit down and read anything of substance at length.  Until now!


I had the privilege of reviewing this book through a program called BookSneeze where they provided me with a copy of the book in return for an honest review.  I found the book to be overall exciting because our culture seems to provide very little in support of fathers.  Unlike your typical devotional that provides a snippet for every day of the year, this book provides 90 short devotions that can be read in as little as 5-10 minutes depending on how long you want to meditate on what was written.  By providing only 90 devotions, this makes it possible to read through each one 4 times a year, or to concentrate only on those that speak directly to your situation.  The book also provides a reference section at the end that includes scriptures for crisis situations and scriptures directed specifically for life experiences fathers may encounter such as God's example for fathers, God's promises for fathers, God's responsibility for fathers and when and how God answers the prayers of a father.

I was thrilled to find that the book contains actual scriptures as some devotions only express little stories to uplift.  This book takes the actual scripture and explains it in a way that pertains to fathers.  The quick reference scripture guides in the back provide a chance for personal reflection and further study when there is time.  This book is a wonderful tool in the hands of any father who cares to keep his walk with God pure in how he approaches raising his children. 

My Review Of Sabbath by Dan B. Allender

The Fourth Commandment - The Sabbath!  Entering a day of rest, or just another set of rules to follow?  Or, is it just an ancient command made to the Jewish people?  These are questions I've had in my personal life in recent days.  They are also questions that Dan B. Allender addresses in his book, Sabbath.  Provided to me through Booksneeze.com, I had the privilege of reading and reviewing this book and having many questions I had about the Sabbath answered.  The book was a sheer delight to read.  Once I began to read this book, it literally drew me in and I was compelled to keep reading.  It took me less than a weekend to complete the nearly 200 pages.
 
Mr. Allender paints a picture of the Sabbath that leaves the reader wanting to climb inside and experience like a chalk drawing in the child's movie, Mary Poppins. By the end of the first section, I felt the passion propelling from the author's pen as he described how the Sabbath Day should be one the is embraced and enjoyed not just a mundane set of rules to follow out of duty, but in a celebration of a feast.  He expresses Sabbath as being a time to "taste and see that the Lord is good," through taking part in the joy of the Sabbath that only our creator can bestow.

The book describes more than just a grand idea of something that sounds too good to be true and impossible to attain.  He describes how to practice the Sabbath amidst interruptions and catastrophes of daily life.  He invites the reader to find out how God changes our mourning into joy as he talks through days of sorrow that come and how to experience a Sabbath rest through the sorrows.  He explains how it is in our sorrows and our despair that joy and abundance are allowed to bloom and come to fruition.

The author does address the issue of what actual day the Sabbath should be and stops short of a direct answer, leaving it up to the reader to decide.  While, I personally take God at face value and believe the Sabbath should be from Friday sundown to Saturday sundown, I applaud the author in an attempt to invite all believers to partake in a Sabbath even if that day is not Friday sundown to Saturday sundown to another individual.  The importance of his book is to set a believer in the direction of considering keeping Commandment #4 as well as the other nine.

Even if you've never kept a Sabbath; by the end of the book, you will be longing for the next Sabbath Day where you can enjoy the fourth commandment of your God in the way it was intended.  The book is part of The Ancient Practices Series and now comes with a study guide which I did not review but sounds enticing to use in a group setting.

I give the book 5 stars out of 5.