NIV Bible for Men

NIV Bible for Men – Fresh Insights for Thriving in Today’s World
Published at Zondervan

About the Bible

This is not your dad’s Bible. The highly approachable yet spiritually challenging NIV Bible for Men takes the insights from today’s young pastors and authors—who look and sound the same as you, facing the same expectations and temptations—and the truths of Scripture to create a devotional experience that enriches your spiritual life and brings you closer to God every single day.

My Thoughts

This new bible for men will inspire the man in your life in digging deeper in God’s word in order to become the man He wants him to be.   The daily reading in this bible are challenging, and thought-provoking and will encourage him to grow spiritually and deepen his relationship with God.  

Each reading begins with a tweetable statement that introduces the day's meaningful, concise topic designed to address the challenges and expectations that will instantly connect with today's guys, such as career, sexuality, leadership, pornography, relationships, financial stability, spiritual growth, substance addiction, culture, character, education, self-image and more. NIV Bible for Men features include: 260 weekday devotions from young pastors and leaders such as Matt Chandler, Shane Claiborne, Craig Gross, and Gabe Lyons.

It contains two methods to engage: reading through the Bible canonically from Genesis to Revelation or by topic using the topical index 52 "Myth Articles" state commonly accepted myths in our culture today, then refute those myths with answers from God's Word.   Each devotion is based on a specific verse from the bible and the reader will get a main idea at the top of the devotion.  This main idea could be tweeted if desired.  After reading the devotion, the reader can bring it to life by pondering on questions to see how it can apply in his life.  For an easy access to the next myth the reader can discover the page at the bottom of the devotion.  The following authors have participate in providing devotions in this bible: Sammy Adebiyi, Danny L/ Akin, Thabiti Anyabwile, Steve Arterburn, Simon Baker, Mark Batterson, Jon Bloom, Johnathon Bowers, Stephen Brewster, Kurt Bubna, J/ Budziszewski, John Burke, Matt Carter, Tim Challies, Francis Chan, Matt Chandler, Shane Claiborne, Neil Cole, Wayne Cordeiro, Steve Cornell, Larry Crabb, Clay Crosse, Brent Cunningham, Jim Cymbala, Matt Dabbs, Kevin DeYoung, Matthew Dickerson, Greg Dill, Eric Douglas, Ron Edmondson, John Eldredge, Andrew Farley, Nick Farr, Tom Gilson, Bob Goff, Billy Graham, Jim Grassi, Ryan Griffith, Craig Groeschel, Craig Gross, Randy Hageman, Hank Hanegraaff, Josh Harris, Brandon Hatmaker, Chris Haw, Christopher D. Hudson, Todd D. Hunter, Michael Hyatt, Bill Johnson, Dr. James Kennedy, Dan Kimball, David Kinnaman, Ted Kluck, Jared Latigo, Rick Lawrence, Jonathan Leeman, Jason Locy, Ben Lowe, Max Lucado, Gabe Lyons, Jeff Manion, Mike McKinley, Rick McKinley, Scot McKnight, Erwin Raphael McManus, Steve McVey, Erix Metaxas, Tony Morgn, David Murrow, Jeremy Myers, Rory Noland, John Ortberg, Jonathan Parnell, C. Michael Patton, Mike Pettengill, Joel C. Rosenberg, Jonathan Ryan, Chris Seay, Christopher Shaw, Ronald J. Sider, Jerry Sittser, Steve Sjogren, Charles Specht, Andy Stanley, Glenn T. Stanton, Jarrett Stevens, Halim Suh, Dr. Dennis Swanberg, Leonard Sweet, Charles Swindoll, mark Tabb, Tullian Tchividjian, Joe Thorn, Bill D. Thrasher, Chris Tomlin, Paul Tripp, Jon Tyson, John H. Walton, Rick Warren, John White, Darren Whitehead, Steven Wickham, Timothy D. Willard, Jared C. WIlson, Pete Wilson, Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove, Micael E. Wittmer, Philip Yancey, and Dr. Ravi Zacharias.

Looking at the list of the men who wrote the devotions I will admit that I recognize some of the names but many are unknown to me.   However, I am slightly disturbed to see the name Tullian Tchividjian and to see that the biography included in there has not being update.   This man has resigned as the pastor of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church after admitting to an adulterous affair (on both side from what has been revealed) and has since filed for divorce back in August.    I would have hoped that the publisher would have been careful in not incorporating a leader who is having personal struggles in this bible geared to uplift men.  So I was curious and checked what he has written in the bible.  Through the list of devotions, I was able to identify four that was written by him (D148, D204, D220, and D238).   I then preceded to check the theme of each of these – one was about legalism, one about idolatry, one about God’s spirit living in us, and finally the last one is about morality vs moralism (the trap of emphasizing the importance of “good” Christian behavior.   To be honest, I wished there would be only one devotion of him in this bible but it isn’t the case.  Nevertheless, though he has issue to resolve in his personal life, I am sure some men can benefit from the devotions written by him.  It is just sad that the autobiography is not reflecting the current position he held and the fact that he is in the midst of a divorce.

As I flipped through the pages of this Bible in order to review it, I can see how it would be beneficial for any men whether old or young (even with the issue mentioned above).  

NIV Bible for Men is available for purchase at your favorite bookstore, even on amazon.ca and amazon.com.

  

Disclaimer: Thanks to Thomas Nelson for sending me the above mentioned product for review purposes . I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.

My Little Pony Mealtime Set

My Little Pony Mealtime Set
From ZAK

I recently received a complete dinnerware set for a child based on the My Little Pony television show.    The set is composed of a PP tumbler of 9 ounces, a melamine place of 8 inches and a melamine bowl of 5.5 inches.   Friendship is definitively magic with this cute little dinnerware set for anytime during the day.

The whole package also come in an easy-to-wrap gift box and would make a perfect gift for a birthday, Christmas or a special celebration for a young child in your life.   The set is recommended for a child ages 3 and up but nothing can stop you in blessing a mom-to-be with such a set so that she can be prepare when the child is in age of eating in a plate.   It could also be very useful to have in your own home if you have friends with kids who come to visit every once in a while.

These durable dishes are the perfect size for little hands.   The character images are large and easy to see which will add fun and flair at mealtime.   Whether you are serving cereal, soup, a snack or dinner, your child will be delighted to eat with Twilight Sparkle and all the friends from My Little Pony.   

 

And at the back of the box you will find some fun eating and exercise tips to help your kids to stay healthy.   The set is completely BPA free and dishwasher safe.  However, it is highly recommended not to microwave it. 

If you know a child that is completely enamored with My Little Pony, you might want to consider getting this wonderful set this Christmas season or just because you want to bring joy in her life.

My Little Pony Mealtime Set is available at a store near you, even on amazon.ca and amazon.com.

  

Disclaimer: Thanks to Hasbro Canada for sending me the above mentioned products for review purposes . I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.

Star Wars Board Games

With the new Star Wars movie – Episode VII The Force Awakens – coming out on December 18th, you must have expected a panoply of numerous toys and games coming out with the Star Wars theme.  Well, already on the shelves of stores around you, you will see such items.   Imagine how delighted I was when I saw a new Monopoly Star Wars, a Star Wars Battleship and a Star Wars Risk at my local Wal-Mart recently.   It was just in time for the Christmas holidays and I wouldn’t be surprised whatsoever if these would sell like cupcakes this year. 

Monopoly Star Wars

In the new Monopoly Star Wars you must be prepare to conquer worlds like Coruscant, Kashyyyk, Hoth, Genosis, Dagoban, Tatooine, Kamino, and Endor.    Inside the box you will find four characters available in this version; Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader, Finn, and Kylo Ren. Personally, I am a bit disappointed that there isn’t more characters to play with.  With our family of six, it isn’t even possible to have a game where everyone can play.   I understand that nowadays families are generally smaller but not everyone stops at 2 kids… 

The board itself has a circle shape compare to previous editions and you will find that even the money is different than previous editions as well.   This Star Wars version of a classic game will challenge you and your friends to dominate the universe.  The game is somewhat similar but the twist is that you will end up trading planets and bases instead of properties.   You will find Force cards to change your destiny as you play whether Empire or Rebel ones.   Also included in the package of this game, you will have 44 bases (22 Rebel and 22 Empire which are double-sided).

Prepare yourself to conquer the galaxy with your token with this out-of-this-world Monopoly version.

Star Wars Battleship

This new Star Wars Battleship game has everything you will need to play the classic game with the twist of being in the Star Wars Universe.  The game is composed of ships from the movie Star Wars: The Force Awakens.  All you have to do is hunt, strike and win in order to conquer your opponent.

The game includes a space grid base, a vertical target grid, 8 plastic starships, 8 clear risers, 8 clear starship bases, 60 red hit pegs, 140 white miss pegs, an easy to store case.   You can chose to play as the light side or the dark side and battle head-to-head with a friend. 

 

Star Wars Risk

Finally, your game night wouldn’t be complete if you don’t take out your Star Wars Risk Edition.    Do you wish to control the fate of the Empire?  Well this fun game will allow you to recreate the dramatic final moments from Return of the Jedi.  The gameboard has a  special shape of a Tie Fighter and features 3 scenes for combat.   The ships include an assortment of Star Wars starships. – 20 X-wings, 16 y-wings, 15 B-wings, 56 tie fighters, 6 rebel fleet markets, Millennium Falcon token, as well as the Executor token.    

• The best part of this edition of the Risk game is that you now have two ways to play – 2 players or 2 teams.   Players (or the teams) will choose to play as the light or dark side of the force.   Special Empire or Rebel order cards are also included in the box as well as five dice.  I personally find that the shape of the board as well as the colorful pieces included in this edition of Risk will make it a hot item for the Christmas season.

 

In conclusion, I know that many families probably have older edition of these classic games but having it under a well beloved theme as Star Wars can incorporate some excitement and fun in your game nights with family and/or friends.

The new Star Wars games based on classic editions of Monopoly, Battleship and Risk are available for purchase at your favorite store, even on amazon.ca and amazon.com.

 

 

 

Disclaimer: Thanks to Hasbro Canada for sending me the above mentioned products for review purposes . I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.

The Polar Express

The Polar Express 30th Anniversary Edition
Written by Chris Van Allsburg
Published at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

About the book

A young boy, lying awake one Christmas Eve, is welcomed aboard a magical trip to the North Pole . . . 

Through dark forests, over tall mountains, and across a desert of ice, the Polar Express makes its way to the city atop the world, where the boy will make his Christmas wish. 

For millions of readers worldwide, this mysterious journey to the North Pole has become a beloved classic. In this 30th anniversary edition, the inimitable artistry of Chris Van Allsburg is revealed in a never-before-seen fashion, with a new jacket design and expanded interior layout. Includes author’s note, downloadable audio read by Liam Neeson, and golden "All Aboard" ornament.

My Thoughts

I’ve always wanted to get this book to read during the Christmas season.  So I was very pleased to have the opportunity to get a copy of the 30th Anniversary Edition of the book.  

Contrary to the movie, the story in the book is not that long.   Beautiful illustrations are complementing the story as you go through the pages.   The story is simple and will present the magic of Santa Claus.   The book itself is a hardcover book and would make a wonderful book to discover during the season of Christmas.  

Personally, I really enjoy this story and I have no problem to read this book and watch the movie with my children.  However, I know that for many Christian parents the subject of Santa Claus is a touchy subject.   We have decided not to dwell too long on Santa because it is a fictitious character.  We prefer emphasizing the birth of Christ in our yearly celebration.    The book is a beautiful story which bring joy to the kids when I read it.    The important thing for us during the season is to spend time as a family.  Reading together brings memory.   And this book will be part of our memories this year.

And to complete the book, a gold All Aboard ornament can be found at the back of the story.   Also, you have the possibility to download the story in order to put it on your portable device and allow your children to listen to it while you are driving.   You can also visit polarexpress.com to discover activities, recipes, and a Christmas Countdown calendar.

The Polar Express 30th Anniversary Edition is available for purchase at your favorite bookstore, even on amazon.ca and amazon.com.

  

Disclaimer: Thanks to Thomas Allen for sending me the above mentioned product for review purposes. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.

Build Your Own Adventure with LEGO

I stumbled of two fun products while looking at the book table at my local Wal-Mart.   When I saw them I quickly snapped a picture with my iPhone to remember the titles.   Today I am delighted to review these two amazing Build Your Own Adventure with LEGO that is published at DK Canada.

Build Your Own Adventure LEGO Friends

Build Your Own Adventure LEGO Friends is a book with bricks that will inspire kids to build, play, and learn all about the fascinating world of LEGO® Friends. It combines fan built inspirational ideas for building story starters. Your child will get inspired to build with creative ideas, then play out her own adventures using her own LEGO collection. The book comes with 77 bricks to build one exclusive model that appears throughout the book.

The book will begin by presenting Liza and her touring car.  The child will have the possibility to build the car using the bricks included in this set and following the instructions found in the book.  Once this is done, the child can now begin the adventures in the book.   Five adventures can be taken with this book: Picnic at the park, the horse show, Heartlake City carnival, adventure weekend, and surprise party.  Obviously each adventure will require the child to use her stack of Lego bricks in order to be able to build what is require for the adventure.  

I find the instructions clear to follow and easy to do.   I am impressed on how easy it is to replicate common day things like sandwiches as well as more complicated things like the swan boat. I can’t believe how detailed the campsite facilities are – even a toilet is included.  To think that all these things can be build using regular bricks that you might have already!It is incredible what can be done with bricks and a bit of imagination…

Build Your Own Adventure LEGO Ninjago

Get ready for your own Ninja adventure with this inspirational book. This fun book will allow your child to play and learn all about the thrilling world of LEGO® NINJAGO™.  LEGO NINJAGO: Build Your Own Adventure combines fan built inspiring ideas with exciting stories. The child will get inspired to build with creative NINJAGO themed story starters, then play out his own Ninja adventures using his own LEGO bricks. The book comes with 74 bricks that can be used to build one exclusive model that appears throughout the book.

The book immediately start with instructions on how to build Lloyd’s Mech.  Once the child has completed this building project, the adventures can start.   There are five adventures included in this book:  trouble at home, jungle battle, going underground, volcano quest, and icy lands.   Please keep in mind that the pieces included in this set only allow you to build Lloyd’s Mech.  To build anything included in the adventures in the book, the child will have to use his own Lego bricks he has at home.

The instructions are easy to follow and the images are very precise in demonstrating what the scene of the adventure should look like.  I am impressed with the creativity included in the scenes to make them realistic as much as possible.   The interior of the cave is interesting and even includes a crack in the wall.  Note that the scenes do not necessarily include step-by-step instructions.  The book could be a bit advanced for a younger child.  However, an older child would take the time to figure out how to build the house or the vehicles.

These two kits could made a great Christmas gift under the tree for a child in your life.   Both Build Your Own Adventure LEGO kits are available at your favorite store, even amazon.ca and amazon.com.

Seven Women

Seven Women and the Secret of Their Greatness
Written by Eric Metaxas
Published at Thomas Nelson

About the book

In his eagerly anticipated follow-up to the enormously successful Seven Men, New York Times best-selling author Eric Metaxas gives us seven captivating portraits of some of history’s greatest women, each of whom changed the course of history by following God’s call upon their lives—as women.

Each of the world-changing figures who stride across these pages—Joan of Arc, Susanna Wesley, Hannah More, Maria Skobtsova, Corrie ten Boom, Mother Teresa, and Rosa Parks—is an exemplary model of true womanhood. Teenaged Joan of Arc followed God’s call and liberated her country, dying a heroic martyr’s death. Susanna Wesley had nineteen children and gave the world its most significant evangelist and its greatest hymn-writer, her sons John and Charles. Corrie ten Boom, arrested for hiding Dutch Jews from the Nazis, survived the horrors of a concentration camp to astonish the world by forgiving her tormentors. And Rosa Parks’ deep sense of justice and unshakeable dignity and faith helped launch the twentieth-century’s greatest social movement.

Writing in his trademark conversational and engaging style, Eric Metaxas reveals how the other extraordinary women in this book achieved their greatness, inspiring readers to lives shaped by the truth of the gospel.

My Thoughts

While I was reading Seven Men to review a few months ago, I realized that the author was going to publish Seven Women in the fall.   I was greatly excited because I was enjoying Seven Men so much.  I was pleased to see the title being available to review through the publisher and quickly jumped on the opportunity to read it.  I wasn’t disappointed.   Seven Women is as interesting as Seven Men was.   Reading about strong pillars of faith is very good because it allows you to discover how they lived their life as Christians.    

The book contains the biographies of seven women who are still a great example of faith to many who discover their lives.   The seven women that you will read through the pages of this book are Joan of Arc, Susanna Wesley, Hannah More, Saint Maria of Paris, Corrie ten Boom, Rosa Parks, and Mother Teresa. Each of these women are extraordinary in their own ways.   Think of Joan of Arc for example.   A young lady who was called by God to lead and liberate the French from the English.  She had to face the fact that back in these days women were not leaders of an army and persuade the future king of France that she would be able to do so.  

I was familiar with some of these women like Joan of Arc, Susanna Wesley, Corrie ten Boom and Mother Teresa and less familiar with the other ones.  However, the author had a way of presenting the information that even if I knew about some of them, I was captivated by their lives and learn a few things about them.  The book is a great introduction to the lives of seven women whose faith was strong.   I think it is a wonderful book, along with the Seven Men one, to discover whether you are an high school student or an adult.   

Seven Women is available for purchase at your favorite bookstore, even on amazon.ca and amazon.com.

  

The book is also available for Kindle.

 

Disclaimer: Thanks to Thomas Nelson for sending me the above mentioned product for review purposes . I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.