Passion to Action

Passion to Action – How God Uses Ordinary People in Extraordinary Ways.
Written by Jay and Beth Loecken
Published at Guideposts

About the book

Something kept pulling at Jay and Beth Loecken, telling them that there was more to life than the never-ending pursuit of a nice home, nice cars, and all the trinkets and trappings for a suburban family of six. They felt a calling to follow a dream, but knew that they had to do something – something big – to get started.

Passion to Action is one ordinary family’s tale of pursuing a dream. It’s a story about big questions and big faith. What would happen if they made a dramatic change? How would God sustain them? Could they do this, children and all? Find out for yourself while reading about the journey of Jay and Beth Loecken. See just how far God takes them in their desire simply to serve – as a family – in soup kitchens, community projects, and churches across America.

Through the pages, you will hear Beth’s personal story of struggle, Jay’s battles with ambition, and the amazing solution they discover as they inspire others to take real steps to finding meaning and purpose.

Also included throughout the book are 10 Passion to Action Challenges – such as God Gives Each of Us a Unique Dream and Passion, Faith is the Key to Breaking Through Fear, and Everyone Has Something to Give – designed to encourage you for deeper reflection and personal discovery. Along the way, you will also enjoy the Loecken’s hard-won wisdom on discovering how to be inspired, empowered, and mobilized to action.

http://www.passiontoactionbook.com/

Who are the Loeckens?

Originally from Atlanta, Jay and Beth Loecken and their children Ben, Bekah, Abigail, and Noah, have been on the road for more than two years, sharing their story and mission with churches, schools, and groups. They have been featured in Guideposts magazine, Better Homes and Gardens magazine and on Good Morning America. Learn more about their ministry of service at passiontoaction.org. Laura Morton is a co-author of 12 New York Times bestsellers.

My Thoughts

We sometimes think that we should pack our kids and drive around in our RV to discover Canada and the USA.    We didn’t made the jump yet but when I got the opportunity to read about a family who is doing it, I decided it was worth exploring.    I receive an epub version of the book which I uploaded on my iPad and read everytime we were at the trailer.

I loved reading about how the Loecken decided to go on with a life on the road and the steps they did took.    They had people around them who thought they were nuts to do so.    Personally, I envy them a bit…    Sounds like a great adventure to me and a wonderful way to do homeschool on the road.   I laughed when I read some of the errors that Jay did at the beginning of their adventure… because we did similar ones in our first couple of years in RVing.   

I’m still reading the book as school as started in our household and I myself have two courses to go through this Fall session at a college nearby.   But reading about the Loeckens inspire me to open my eyes and look around for opportunities to help and be present for people in need.    I am trying to be a blessing for others as much as I can.   You don’t have to do HUGE things to be the hands and feet of the Lord.   A simple gesture is sometimes enough.    Other times you might have to be more involved in someone’s life.   Recently, we have friends who lost a mom/mom-in-law and we tried to bless them in ways we could.    It’s not easy to loose a loved one…

Reading about a family who sold everything and decided to take the life on the road to be a blessing for others is definitively inspiring.  One day I hope and pray we can do something like this.  At this moment we are not called to do so and I tip my hat to the families who are on the road with their kids.    Funny enough I came across another family who is living on the road as well with their numerous children.   Maybe it’s a sign….  someday it could be us.   In the meantime, I am enjoying reading Passion to Action and pray that God opens doors for us to do something similar one day!

Passion to Action is available at your favourite bookstore, even amazon.ca.

Disclaimer: I received the epub version of the book 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 Christian Mama’s Guide to Having a Baby

The Christian Mama’s Guide to Having a Baby – Everything You Need to Know to Survive (and Love) Your Pregnancy
By Erin MacPherson
Published at Guidepost

About the book

You’re pregnant. You thought you’d be glowing. Instead, you’re glistening with sweat, reeling from nausea and (worst of all) you can’t get your favourite jeans buttoned. You’re irritable, nervous, bloated , and to be perfectly honest, a bit annoyed that it takes nine whole months to grow a baby. Couldn’t God have sped up the process a bit-say, two or three weeks? To top it all off, everyone at church keeps gushing about how ecstatic you must be and what a blessing it is. And, while you are ecstatic about the baby, this pregnancy thing is a whole different story.

To make it through nine months of pregnancy, you’re going to need patience, prayer and an endless supply of Ben & Jerry’s-not to mention some good, sound advice that’s not from your doctor or your mother-in-law. And at the end of nine months, I promise you, you really will be glowing.

This comprehensive guide is full of the information any newly pregnant Christian mama needs, including: exercising while pregnant, a detailed guide to each trimester (including sleep, doctor check-ups, pregnancy sex), how to use the Bible as your pregnancy resource, prepping for labour, naming your baby, expert advice on the baby gear you really need, how to use this time of waiting to really draw closer to God through prayer, a complete topical index, and much more. The Christian Mam’s Guide to Having a Baby is destined to become the go-to resource for any Christian mom-to-be.

Who is Erin MacPherson?

Erin MacPherson lives with her husband and their two adorable children in Austin, Texas.   She was an editor and staff writer for a popular parenting and pregnancy Web site for  years, where she spent hours each week researching pregnancy, talking to obstetricians and midwives, and giving out tips and advice to new and pregnant mamas.   Visit Erin at http://www.christianmamasguide.com !

My Thoughts

Before I start commenting on this book, I need to specify something in case some friends will read this post.    I am NOT pregnant.  

Having said this, I need to specify that I received an email back in September 2010 from the author offering me to review her new book in 2011.   Knowing what the subject of the book was, I did clarified that I wasn’t expecting.   She didn’t mind really.   So I agreed to review the book and in February 2011 I received an uncorrected proof of it.  The official release date in set to March 2011.

The book is divided in numerous chapters.   In the first trimester chapters, the author is presenting a crash course on what to expect during the trimester, a tour of the OB/midwife office, how to deal with morning sickness (or around the clock…), the pregnancy resources available for future moms, nutrition during pregnancy and exercising during pregnancy.   The second trimester chapters will cover what to expect, purchases to do, naming game, and a chapter for future dads.   Finally, the third trimester is covered as well with what to expect, getting ready for the BIG arrival, labor and delivery as well as what to expect with baby.

The author is writing by experience and she uses clear words to explain what changes a woman should expect throughout the pregnancy.    She is very down-to-earth and uses humour in her book.   Erin will make you smile as you turn the pages of this book. She has also included some examples from her experience as well as friends in the book.  She even included a small section about caesareans – which by the way is how I had all my kids (not because I didn’t want to go “natural”) but that’s another story.    Erin also will also encourage the new mom-to-be to use her Bible as her pregnancy resource and to take the time to draw closer to God through prayer during this time of waiting for her little one.

This book is a wonderful guide for moms-to-be and I particularly like the fact that it is Christian based.    I almost wish that such a book would have been available more than 10 years ago.   Christian women expecting their first child can now rely on a Christian book on the subject.  

This book could be a wonderful gift for a friend of family member who has just announced they were expecting their first child.  

The Christian Mama’s Guide to Having a Baby is available at your favourite bookstore, even amazon.ca.

Disclaimer: Thanks to the author for sending me the above mentioned book 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.

An Unlikely Blessing

About the book

An Unlikely Blessing is a heartfelt story about a new pastor and life-long city dweller Alex Armstrong, who reluctantly accepts his first assignment, a two-point parish in the wilds of North Dakota. Hilltop Township, a farming community, blooms from the prairie like a wild pink rose—lovely and prickly all at once, much like the people who live there.

Unlikely

Alex quickly finds that this lovely place is in quiet peril. Farmers are struggling to make ends meet: Jonas Owens, a faithful member of Hilltop parish, is on the brink of losing the farm. Alex believes that part of why God called him to Hilltop was to help turn things around, and steps in with ideas for saving the Owens' land. But can even God's minister help save this rural community?

There are a lot of firsts for the new pastor—the annual Hunter's Breakfast, julebukking (also called Christmas fooling), King Oscar's fish balls, and the melody of the musical saw. And the new, single pastor creates remarkable excitement among the unmarried women in the community. If you could die of hot dish overdose, Alex would be a dead man. Whether performing weddings, counseling his flock, or herding cattle by snowmobile, Alex soon discovers that his new church home has as much to teach him as he will teach them. Day by day, he falls more in love with the people of Hilltop Church. People may leave Hilltop, but Hilltop never leaves them.

Who is Judy Baer?

Judy Baer is the author of over seventy-five books for adults and teens. She has won the Romance Writer of America Bronze Medallion and has been a RITA finalist twice. She lives in Elk River, Minnesota with her husband. Follow the Hilltop characters on Judy’s blog and find out more about Judy and her books at http://www.judykbaer.com

My Thoughts

I didn’t know what to expect from this book.   I read the description and decided that it would be different than what I am used to.   And guess what…. I am TOTALLY hooked on these characters particularly Alex Armstrong and his nephew.   I want to know more about them, the members of the churches where Alex is preaching and how some of the problems mentioned in this book will be resolved in the future.  

I sure hope that Judy Baer will release other books in series.   I have learned to love and discover the characters in this book as I was reading it.   Reminds me of the famous Mitford series written by Jan Karon.   I had come to adore the characters and was always on the edge for when the next book would come out.   That’s how I feel with this Forever Hilltop novel.

I personally feel a connection with Alex, the main character.   Probably because he is 42 and this is the age I will have later this year for my birthday.   But more than likely because we have gone through pastoring ourselves.   Honestly, the reasons behind the arrival of Alex in North Dakota are sentimental and he probably just wanted to leave the big city behind him.  But he seems to be a perfect fit for the two congregations, an agent of peace between them.    He also takes his people into his heart and discover ways to help them.    Various issues happens during the reading of this book and he is genuinely interested in their problems and their lives.    I like that about a character.  Makes him feel more real.  The kind of guy I would like to have for a pastor.

And having the community embracing him is wonderful.   I find it interesting to see the difference between the big city and the country folks.   The support he has and the love poured out at him is simply amazing.  

In conclusion, I think you can see that I really enjoyed the book.   I hope and pray that more Forever Hilltop books will follow this one.   I would love to get transported in North Dakota and spend more time with the characters.

CONTEST

In celebration of the release of An Unlikely Blessing, Judy is giving away a KINDLE prize package worth over $175.

One lucky winner will receive:

• Brand New KINDLE with Wi-Fi
• A $25 gift certificate to Amazon.com

To enter just click HERE (http://litfusegroup.com/Blog-Tours/an-unlikely-blessing-by-judy-baer.html) and then tell your friends!   Winner will be announced on February 21st on Judy's blog, http://www.judykbaer.com/wordpress

An Unlikely Blessing is available everywhere even at amazon.ca.

Disclaimer:   Book has been provided courtesy of LitFuse.  Available at your favourite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.  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.