Bible Study Review: Chase by Jennie Allen

I recently reviewed the dvd-based study, Chase, by Jennie Allen.  The study is published by Thomas Nelson and contains an eight session dvd, member's bible study book, leader's guide and discussion cards for use during group discussion times.  In the Chase study, Jennie Allen leads us to explore the question, "What are you chasing?" by looking into the life of David and the defining events in his life.

The dvd contains eight video segments approximately 10 minutes each of bible teaching from Jennie Allen. The segment titles correspond with the study and include:
1) Chase - the introduction
2) Identity
3) Courage
4) Obedience
5) Belief
6) Repentance
7) Surrender
8) Chased Down

The leader's guide provides tips and information for preparation and leading a small group.  Each session is broken down into two parts: the main idea and the main goal.  The main goal section includes homework discussion questions to help foster direction in small group time.

The medium sized, 156 page member book provides focused bible study and projects designed to be completed individually throughout the week.  Each week includes approximately 15 pages of individual study and projects with plenty of "white space" for notes and answers to your study questions.  I did not find this study to be as intensive as previous studies I have completed by authors such as Beth Moore, but the study will provide many opportunities to respond and grow as you read and study the life of David.

My favorite part of the study is possibly the most unique way I've seen the use of discussion questions in a bible study.  The "ask" question cards.  There are approximately 12 question cards and a scripture card for each week.  It is suggested that you distribute the cards for each week and take turns reading the questions and discussing them as a group.  Also included is a scripture card for the week to help bring home the focus of the scriptural truth for the week's study.

This study is designed to be flexible and meet the needs of your specific group.  It can be used for a one-hour study group or expanded to a longer time frame that allows for more in-depth conversation among group members.

I found Jennie Allen to be real and transparent in her own struggles of what she loves in life and those things that often take priority over God, His kingdom and His word.  She uses personal examples of her life, her children and her family's adoption experience throughout the video segments.  I especially liked how she spoke directly to the camera in her video segments to her viewing audience.

I received this study for free from the Booksneeze blogging program in exchange for my honest review of this material.

All I Want...

Rockstar had planned to be singing "All I Want for Christmas is My Two Front Teeth."  She was super excited when she lost the first upper tooth in early December and the second one began to loosen soon after.  Although Christmas has come and gone, she returned from school yesterday ecstatic to have one less tooth.  Now if she only had a tooth fairy who wasn't so forgetful...

Book Review: The Breath of Dawn by Kristen Heitzmann

I recently had the pleasure to read Kristen Heitzmann's novel, The Breath of Dawn. This is the third book of a series, following Rush of Wings and The Still of Night.  I have enjoyed many of Heitzmann's novels and I was excited to get my hands on this newest addition. The Breath of Dawn lived up to the high expectations I had for it.

The Breath of Dawn picks up with success guru, Morgan Spencer, adjusting to the tragic loss of his wife, Jill.  After a couple years regrouping at his brother's ranch and learning how to be a father to his little girl in the midst of all his pain, he meets Quinn Reilly.  Quinn has a past of her own she is trying to escape.  When Quinn begins to realize her past is catching up to her, she turns to Morgan for help. Although Quinn is initially offended by the unconventional solution Morgan offers, she soon realizes it is her only real option for safety.  In what maybe one of Morgan's riskiest moves yet, his family steps aside and prays he knows what he is doing. 

If you enjoyed Rush of Wings and The Still of Night, follow Morgan and Quinn on this wild and crazy ride of suspense, romance and healing in this third installment of the series and you will be glad you did.  I enjoyed it so much that I returned to it and revisited the last half of the book before writing this review.  Please be aware that Quinn's character is threatened by a person from her past.  If you are sensitive to violence of any form, you may not enjoy this book.  

I received this book for free from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Book Review: Inescapable by Nancy Mehl

I recently read my first romantic suspense novel set in the Mennonite community.  Inescapable is the first in the Road to Kingdom series by Nancy Mehl.  Inescapable follows the life of Lizzie Engel as she runs back to her hometown of Kingdom, Kansas.  Lizzie never intended to return to her father or the Mennonite community that wanted to have nothing to do with her and her young child born out of wedlock.  However, mysterious letters and glimpses of a stalker and trouble in her workplace force Lizzie to leave her new life and return to Kingdom, a place so far off the map she hopes no one can find her there.  When Lizzie returns to Kingdom, she is met with a town in limbo.  There are many struggles within the town and the changes people are pushing in the church community.  Lizzie finds friends that help her to adjust to her return and her time in Kingdom presents her with many new options to consider for her and her young daughter.

Inescapable was an enjoyable read.  Two minor things I took note of while reading were the dialogue between Lizzie and her parents and also Lizzie's relationship with her daughter, Charity.  It took a little to get used to the writer's dialogue, especially between Lizzie and her mother and father.  Although Lizzie speaks plainly, her parents speak in a very formal manner, often referring to her as "Daughter" or by her first and middle name.  I also found it difficult to fully identify with the relationship between Lizzie and her young daughter.  Lizzie is a great mom, doing the best she can as a single mom to raise her child. If I recall correctly, Lizzie's daughter is identified as a six year old in the story, yet her behaviors and the mother/daughter relationship make her appear much younger that six in my opinion.

Inescapable is a good choice if you like the combination of modern day romance, suspense and the Mennonite community setting.  The characters are well developed as well as the suspense and desire for reconciliation.  Inescapable also includes 10 discussion questions and a sneak peak of the first chapter of Book #2 of the Kingdom series, Unbreakable, available Spring 2013.

I received this book for free from Bethany House publishers for the purpose of my unbiased review.

Book Review: The Widow of Saunders Creek by Tracey Bateman

I recently read The Widow of Saunders Creek by Tracey Bateman.  This book, while not my favorite, was an interesting, captivating and entertaining read to me.

Corrie Saunders returns to her home that had been in her husband's family for generations. Corrie faces some coldness from family members who think she should have returned the home to the family and moved on with her life after her husband died a hero at war.  Corrie feels somewhat out of place in his hometown, yet it is also the place she feels closest to her late husband, Jarrod.  Corrie believes that the spirits she senses belong to her husband and that maybe he hasn't left her after all.  Jarrod's cousin, Eli, is helping with the renovations of the family home.  He is concerned for Corrie and her safety as she begins to open up about the odd occurrences.  Eli begins to witness the spirit occurrences as well.  Eli, a strong man of faith, is aware of the evil that has been allowed to roam the home for generations, invited to stay by his grandparents.  Eli is aware of many of Jarrod's failings and struggles to hide his somewhat ill feelings from Corrie to not dismantle her hero view of her late husband and her delicate emotions.  Eli and Corrie find themselves drawing closer together, yet being torn apart by differing opinions.  Eli encourages Corrie to grow in her faith and to rely on Jesus in those moments of concern.  However, Aunt Trudy, a old magic practicing medium encourages Corrie that Jarrod is not lost to her and that she can reconnect with him and his spirit.  Corrie must decide how she will choose to live the rest of her life.

The book is full of deep characters, the struggle between good and evil and the growing romance that grief and healing allow.  It had a different plot than books I frequently choose, however, it drew me in quickly and kept my attention.  I would not hesitate to read another book by Tracey Bateman.

If you are interested in The Widow of Saunders Creek, follow this link to a free preview available at Scribd.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

Celebrating Aspen's Baptism

Today was a very special day in the Magruder household.  Today, we celebrated Aspen's previous decision to become a Christian as she was baptized by her daddy at First Southern Baptist Church.  It was a special day filled with many loved ones in attendance including, Grandma and Grandpa Dial, Aunt Sonia and Grandma Magruder.  One of Aspen's best friends, Madison, was also in attendance to share in Aspen's special moment.

Congratulations, Aspen.  Mommy and Daddy love you so very much.  We know that God has very BIG plans for you.  You are our Rockstar for God.  We are privileged to be your parents and to have the opportunity to love you and watch you tell others about God's love everyday.  Love him today, tomorrow and forever, He will never let you down.  Continue to grow in Him and he will continue to open the windows and doors to the plan He has for you.  Serve Him wholeheartedly with joy that the world will see your true beauty, always.

These are the verses I've chosen to pray for you, my young Aspen.  May you grow tall and strong, rooted in the righteousness of God, bearing fruit in all seasons.

Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with scoffers.  But they delight in doing everything the Lord wants; day and night they think about his law.  They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season without fail.  Their leaves never wither, and in all they do, they prosper.  

Psalm 1:1-3

But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence.  They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water.  Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought.  Their leaves stay green, and they go right on producing delicious fruit.

Jeremiah 17:7-8

Today especially, I have 10,000 reasons for my heart to sing and it seems fitting to end this post about you, my Rockstar, with a small portion of the lyrics to one of your favorite songs.  In the days and years to come when life is not always paved with smooth roads and beautiful flowers, may you always remember - God's Not Dead.

My God's not dead

He's surely alive

He's living on the inside

Roaring like a lion

Roaring, He's roaring, roaring like a lion

Roaring, He's roaring

Let heaven roar and fire fall

Come shake the ground

With the sounds of revival

My God's not dead

He's surely alive

He's living on the inside

Roaring like a lion

Lyrics from "God's Not Dead (Like a Lion)" by Newsboys

Moments of Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is one of those holidays that is jam-packed with family traditions.  From the turkey, dressing and pumpkin pie to the Macy's Thanksgiving day parade, family gatherings, football and even shopping for a few of those crazy people (myself included). As families combine and grow larger it seems the traditions grow larger also.  For several years now I have worked to re-create the Thanksgiving meal my husband remembers fondly from his childhood, which includes more side dishes than I usually fix in a month.  Due to the size of this meal, it's guaranteed we won't be eating it alone.  Most years it's shared with family and friends and even an occasional stranger.  Each year we discuss how we are going to downsize the menu, which we do, but never to the extent we discuss.  In the process of preparing for visitors and cooking a large meal, it's easy for me to become overwhelmed in the process and forget the reasons I have for celebration.  As my husband would lovingly describe it, our "Norman Rockwell" moments usually morph into some reality more suitable for "The Simpsons."

Yesterday I read a devotion about the importance of positive thoughts like those described in Philippians 4:8, one of my favorite verses.  Those positive thoughts can influence our words and actions.  So today, I have chosen to take time before I begin my self-imposed to-do list to ponder those many reasons for thanksgiving and fill my mind of those things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy.  However, to be "gut-level" honest, even the writing of this blog post has brought a test of its' own as I type between moments of peeling oranges, making chocolate and strawberry milk, snuggling, important conversations about current and upcoming Wii games and fitting enough a reading of the Berenstain Bears, Count Their Blessings.

Off and on throughout the year I enjoy the simple devotions of Jesus Calling, by Sarah Young.  Today is one of those days.  Today it tells me that my God is pleased with me.  I don't have to perform well to be loved by God. (i.e. in my world this means I don't have to cook the perfect turkey or keep the cleanest house on the block.)  In some ways my performance focused mentality can become a form of idolatry by focusing on my good works.  It can also provide deep discouragement when my works don't measure up to the expectations I had previously set.  My God wants me to shift my focus from my performance (and that never ending to-do list) to His presence.  I need to be receptive to His unconditional love.  When I remember to thank Him for everything and to trust in Him, I will be open to His presence in my life.

Even though I failed to keep up with the daily thanksgiving posts on facebook (I'm okay with this failure), I have so much to be thankful for today and everyday.  I have a God who lives and He loves me. A God who can do more than I can think or imagine.  A God who knows me and wants to be known by me.  A God who calls me His daughter, His princess.  A God who knows my needs before I even ask.  A God who provides for those needs.  A God who wrote me a love letter to read and guide me through the good days and the bad days.  A God of hope.  A God of peace.  A God of love and joy.  A victorious God full of power and mercy.

I am truly blessed with a wonderful husband and three beautiful daughters, parents, siblings, extended family and friends across the country.  In honor of those many blessings, I will strive to revise my to-do list.  Although my list will still include a turkey and some trimmings and a few household chores.  My goal this Thanksgiving is to live in the moment and to love those in the moment.  My goal is to enjoy this special time with my family in the presence of my Heavenly Father, thankful for all he has done for me through Jesus Christ my Savior and Lord.

Happy Thanksgiving!

"When I think of the wisdom and scope of God's plan, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth.  I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will give you mighty inner strength through his Holy Spirit.  And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts as you trust in him.  May your roots go down deep into the soil of God's marvelous love.  And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love really is.  May you experience the love of Christ, though it is so great you will never fully understand it. Then you will be filled with the fullness of life and power that comes from God.  Now glory be to God!  By his mighty power at work within us, he is able to accomplish infinitely more than we could ever dare to ask or hope.  May he be given glory in the church and in Christ Jesus forever and ever through endless ages. Amen."  Ephesians 4:14-20