Spring Reading Thingy 2012

Here's the list of books that I plan to read this spring. I'm sure I'll be adding more as the time goes by :).

- A Perfect Pet for Peyton (picture book) by Rick Osborne & Gary Chapman
- The 5 Love Languages of Children by Gary Chapman and Ross Campbell
- Miracle for Jen by Linda Barrick with John Perry
- Great Day Every Day by Max Lucado
- Unveiling the Kings of Israel by David Down
- Living Close to God by Gene Edwards
- Living by Faith by David Venable
- Love at Last Sight by Kerry & Chris Shook

Friday's Fave Five #51

It's time for another Friday's Fave Five (hosted by Susanne at Living to Tell the Story).

My Fave Five this week:-
1. Our annual Father's Day Cookout. We had a full fun family day at my father-in-law's house on Saturday. Yummy feast...playing baseball in the rain...playing Would You Rather...?...talking about all sorts of topics from politics to planes, from earthquakes to eye surgery, mission trip and more :)!

2. Free Christian book, "No Longer a Slumdog" by K.P.Yohannan (the founder of Gospel for Asia)

3. Free download of How Could a Loving God...? (Powerful Answers on Suffering and Loss) by Ken Ham

4. We had a blast playing Family Feud online. Family fun!

5. Cheesecake with a variety of berries as topping. So yummy :)!

Reading Plan--May2011

The books I've recently finished reading included True Courage by Steve Farrar, The Fitting Room by Kelly Minter, Love & War Devotional for Couples by John & Stasi Eldredge.

Here is the list of books I am reading or plan to read in the near future:-

• Lead Serve Love by Gregory E. Lang
• The Defender's Guide for Life's Toughest Questions by Ray Comfort
• We Shall See God (Charles Spurgeon's Classic Devotional Thoughts on Heaven) by Randy Alcorn
• Pressing into Thin Places (Encouraging the Heart toward God) by Margaret Harrell Wills

*I'd like to ask you all for a favor. Would you please click here to go rate my book review of Primal by Mark Batterson (a great book about the Greatest Commandment)? You'll need to verify your email address once for the vote to count. That means you have to click the link they email you after you rank my review. The top ranked review for this month will win a netbook. Thanks so much ♥!

Reading Plan--April 2011

The books I've recently finished reading included Max on Life by Max Lucado and Revise Us Again by Frank Viola.

Here is the list of books I am reading or plan to read in the near future:-

• True Courage by Steve Farrar
• Lead Serve Love by Gregory E. Lang
• The Defender's Guide for Life's Toughest Questions by Ray Comfort
• The Fitting Room by Kelly Minter

Have fun reading :)!

Friday's Fave Five #41

It's time for another Friday's Fave Five (hosted by Susanne at Living to Tell the Story).

My Fave Five this week:-
1. Congratulations to my 17 yo daughter, Alyssa! Her script submission to CSE's Creation Minute audio series has been accepted as a finalist for production! She received a $15 credit in their online store.

2. I finished reading Alyssa's novel manuscript. It's really good :). She hopes to get it published some day soon.

3. Our kids participated in worldmathsday (March 1st) and worldspellingday (March 3rd). They competed against kids around the world in real time. They did a great job at both math and spelling.

4. Life, In Spite of Me by Kristen Jane Anderson with Tricia Goyer.  It is a heart-wrenching yet inspiring true story of a young woman who wanted to end her life but instead discovered life in Christ. Her failed suicide attempt turns into a story of hope and purposeful living for God! You can read and rate my review here. If you know anyone who is struggling with depression or suicidal thoughts, please recommend this book to him/her.

5. My Pick-Your-Book Giveaway. The winner (randomly chosen) will get to pick a book of his/her choice from the list (10 great books to pick from such as Outlive Your Life by Max Lucado, Blue Like Play Dough by Tricia Goyer, The 7 Minute Life Daily Planner, etc.). The giveaway ends 3/13.

Pick-Your-Book Giveaway

I love to read and I enjoy doing book reviews. However, I have too many books, not enough shelves :). So I'm hosting a book giveaway. The winner (randomly chosen) will get to pick a book of his/her choice from the list below. Some of these are brand new (extra copies) while others are like new. You can click on the titles that are linked to read my reviews of those books. This giveaway is open only to U.S. residents. It ends on 3/13 at midnight (Pacific time).

- Outlive Your Life by Max Lucado (Christian Life $24.99)
- Trusting God to Get You Through by Jason Crabb (Christian Life/Inspirational $14.99)
- Blue Like Play Dough by Tricia Goyer (Christian Living/Spiritual Growth/Women $13.99)
- Green Like God by Jonathan Merritt (Christian living $16.99....Disclaimer: I have not read this book yet so I have no idea if it's good or not :).)
- Jump: Into a Life of Further and Higher by Efrem Smith (Christian life $14.99)
- The 7 Minute Life Daily Planner ($14.99)
- Finding Inner Peace During Troubled Times by William Moss
- Finding Jeena by Miralee Ferrell (Christian Fiction)
- Never Blame the Umpire by Gene Fehler (Juvenile Fiction $12.99)
- The Dragon and the Turtle Go on Safari by Donita K. Paul and Evangeline Denmark, Illustrated by Vincent Nguyen (Picture Book $11.99)

To Enter (required): Visit http://www.purex.com/MXTQEPZOXYOMU620AXODMQMFIYLHZ and come back here to let me know one thing you learn about Purex Complete Crystals Softener.

For Extra Entries: 1. Post about this giveaway and link to this post on your blog.
                               2. Post the link to this giveaway on your Facebook page or tweet it. Please also leave your Facebook link or twitter link in your comment.
                               3. Rate my review of Life, In Spite of Me here, then come back to let me know you've done so (you don't need to tell me what rating you give me :)).
                               4. Rate my daughter's review of Radical here, then come back to let me know you've done so (you don't need to tell me what rating you give her).

Life Ready Woman Contest

In celebration of Shaunti Feldhahn’s Life Ready Woman, MomLife Today is giving away 2 Weekend To Remember Gift Packs and much more!

Not only, is MomLife Today helping promote Life Ready Woman, but they are thrilled to announce that Shaunti will be joining MomLife Today as a regular contributor!!!

Weekend To Remember Get-Aways offer marriage-changing principles that you can take home and apply to your daily lives to strengthen your marriage. Whether you are newly engaged or have been married for 50 years, you will find value in the tools provided at the getaway.

Don’t miss this opportunity to receive a conference registration for you and your spouse … and more! MomLife Today will be randomly selecting NINE lucky recipients to receive one of these great gifts:

1. 2 Weekend To Remember Get Away conference registrations for two. $259 value each pair (Two couples will receive this.)
2. 2 Life Ready Woman DVD packs. $149 value each (Two different people will receive this gift.)
3. 5 The Life Ready Woman books. (Book will go to 5 people.)

To enter click one of the icons below then tell your friends. Winner will be announced on March 2nd on the MomLife Today website.

MomLife Today provides encouragement, advice and resources to help YOU with your daily Momlife! Because…every MOMent counts!

Note: You can read my review of The Life Ready Woman and enter to win a copy here.

My Top 10 Reads of 2010

Here are my top 10 reads of 2010 (besides the Bible, of course :)).

10. Start Here by Alex and Brett Harris
9.   Dug Down Deep by Joshua Harris
8.   Follow: A Simple and Profound Call to Live Like Jesus by Floyd McClung
7.   Reborn To Be Wild (Reviving Our Radical Pursuit of Jesus) by Ed Underwood
6.   One Million Arrows by Julie Ferwerda
5.   To Those Who Suffer by Sean Nolan
4.   Costly Grace (A Contemporary View of Bonhoeffer's The Cost of Discipleship) by Jon Walker
3.   True Religion by Palmer Chinchen
2.   Life without Limits by Nick Vujicic
1.   Outlive Your Life by Max Lucado

You can click on the titles to read my reviews or to get more information about the books. There were many more great books that I read this year; it was really difficult for me to pick only the top ten :).  What was your favorite read of 2010?  Please share.

Fall Into Reading 2010

I am late in joining Fall Into Reading 2010 hosted at Callapidder Days.  But I love to read and I would like to share good books with others so here is my list of books I hope to read/finish reading this fall.
- Follow: A Simple and Profound Call to Live Like Jesus by Floyd McClung
- The Sixty Minute Family by Rob Parsons
- I'm Outnumbered! One Mom's Lessons in the Lively Art of Raising Boys by Laura Lee Groves
- An Army of Ordinary People (Stories of Real-Life Men and Women Simply Being the Church) by Felicity Dale
- Costly Grace (A Contemporary View of Bonhoeffer's The Cost of Discipleship) by Joh Walker
- A Million Ways to Die (The Only Way to Live) by Rick James
- No Greater Joy by Jerry Wiles

To see what other participants are reading, visit here.

Friday's Fave Five #18

It's time for another Friday's Fave Five (hosted by Susanne at Living to Tell the Story).

My fave five this week include:
1. Our Annual Father's Day Weekend Cookout.  We always have tons of fun there.

2. Croquet.  My new-found sport that I really enjoy :).

3. My favorite Father of All is God, our Heavenly Father.  My next favorite father is my dear husband.

4. My spring reading's total count was 12 1/2 books.  I enjoyed discovering great books.

5. My two posts on Faithful Feet this week: Filtering Incoming Information and Filtering Outgoing Information.

Spring Reading Thing 2010 Wrap-Up

This spring, I managed to read 12 1/2 books as follows (you can read my review of each book by clicking on the titles):-

- On Guard (Defending Your Faith with Reason and Precision) by William Lane Craig
  
- Storylines (Your Map to Understanding the Bible) by Andy Croft and Mike Pilavachi

- 52 Things Kids Need from a Dad (What Fathers Can Do to Make a Lifelong Difference) by Jay Payleitner
  
- This Little Prayer of Mine by Anthony DeStefano, illustrated by Mark Elliot. 

- The Secret Holocaust Diaries (The untold story of Nonna Bannister) by Nonna Bannister with Denise George and Carolyn Tomlin

- Real World Parents (Christian Parenting for Families Living in the Real World) by Mark Matlock

- Fear to Freedom: Victim to Victory by Rosemary Trible (This is the one book that I started but have not finished.)

- Just Like You (celebrations of life from every continent) written by Marla Stewart Konrad, illustrated by Lin Wang

- Rooms by James L. Rubart

- Let's Have a Daddy Day by Karen Kingsbury

- The Overseer by Conlan Brown

- Reborn To Be Wild (Reviving Our Radical Pursuit of Jesus) by Ed Underwood

- True Religion by Palmer Chinchen
  
Out of all the books on the list above, my favorites are the last two.  I'm not a fiction fan, but surprisingly, I did enjoy Rooms and The Overseer.

To see other participants' wrap-up posts, visit Katrina at Callapidder Days for the links.

Friday's Fave Five #11

It's time for another Friday's Fave Five (hosted by Susanne at Living to Tell the Story).

My fave five this week include:
1. Fun at the park/playground.  The boys had a blast.  I posted the pictures here.

2. Library's book sale.  We got a bagful of nice books and videos for $1.

3. We enjoy living in the country.  We get to see deer up close and varieties of birds.  We see hawks almost everyday and the day before yesterday, we saw California quails.  My sons are becoming ornithologists :).

4. I discovered another wonderful hymn and fell in love with it: "Jesus, Priceless Treasure" (written by Johann Franck, translated by Catherine Winkworth, music by Johann Cruger).  After we read it in the book, Mr. Pipes And Psalms and Hymns of the Reformation, I looked up the song on YouTube.  I listened to  several videos (different choirs/singers); this hymn made me cry and cry (I just love Jesus so much!).  "Hence, all fear and sadness!  For the Lord of gladness, Jesus enters in.  Those who love the Father, though the storms may gather, still have peace within.  Yea, whate'er I here must bear, Thou art still my purest pleasure, Jesus, priceless treasure." (the last stanza in the hymn)

5. "The Signs of Persecution" free webinar featuring Kirk Cameron, Ray Comfort, and Carl Moeller.  It was excellent.  I will post the video here or the link to the video here when it becomes available.  Please join me in praying for persecuted brothers and sisters in Christ around the world.  If you would like to learn more about the persecuted church, please check out The Voice of the Martyrs and Open Doors.

Spring Reading Thing 2010

 

I enjoy reading, especially non-fiction (it will be obvious in my list :)).  I'm also a book reviewer for several publishers; therefore, most (if not all) of the following books will have my review of them eventually (I'll link the titles to my review posts when each one is ready).  Here is the list of books I plan to read this spring:

- On Guard (Defending Your Faith with Reason and Precision) by William Lane Craig
   Besides the Bible, apologetics books rank up there among my favorites :).

- What He Must Be (...if he wants to marry my daughter) by Voddie Baucham Jr.
   I'm reading this one with (to) my husband.

- Storylines (Your Map to Understanding the Bible) by Andy Croft and Mike Pilavachi

- 52 Things Kids Need from a Dad (What Fathers Can Do to Make a Lifelong Difference) by Jay Payleitner
   I'm a mom, but I'll be sharing the info. with my husband who is a dad.  My husband is too busy to read :).

- This Little Prayer of Mine by Anthony DeStefano, illustrated by Mark Elliot.  A picture book I'll be reading to my boys.

- The Secret Holocaust Diaries (The untold story of Nonna Bannister) by Nonna Bannister with Denise George and Carolyn Tomlin

- Real World Parents (Christian Parenting for Families Living in the Real World) by Mark Matlock

- The Value of Values by Ed Gagnon

- Fear to Freedom: Victim to Victory by Rosemary Trible

- Just Like You (celebrations of life from every continent) written by Marla Stewart Konrad, illustrated by Lin Wang
  This is a picture book for children ages 4-7.  I'll be reading it to my kids.
  
- Restoration Road by Mitch Kruse with Derek Williams

- A Woman's Walk in Grace by Catherine Martin

- Let's Have a Daddy Day by Karen Kingsbury
   This is another children's book.

- Way Back in the Country Garden by Kay Moore

I'm sure I'll be adding more to this list as time goes on.  If you would like to see what others are reading, visit Katrina at Callapidder Days and 5MinutesforBooks. Have fun reading!

Friday's Fave Five #2

It's time for another Friday's Fave Five (hosted by Susanne at Living to Tell the Story).

My fave five this week include:
1. Dates (time alone) with my sweetheart.  Rare but precious :).  I'm thankful to get two this past week.
2. Our family's Bible/prayer time.  We enjoy discussing about the Bible with our kids and training them to be like the Bereans.
3. Reading.  So many good books...so little time. I just finished Life Lessons from A Horse Whisperer by Dr. Lew Sterrett (with Bob Smietana) and now I'm reading One Million Arrows by Julie Ferwerda.  By the way, my 16 year old daughter wrote a review of Thicker Than Blood by C.J.Darlington at Growing In Grace online Magazine.  You can also read her interview with the author and enter her book giveaway.
4. Photography.  I love taking photos of God's creation; I have a photo blog called, "My Father's World."  Right now, I'm hosting a giveaway that may interest people who enjoy photography.  You can win one 18x24 poster print (to be made from your digital photo of your choice).
5. State of the Nation 2 with Ken Ham.  It is close to an hour long, but it's so good!  I hope you'll take time to listen.  Please turn off my music playlist at the bottom of this page before starting the video.

Thankful Thursday #15

 
This week...
1. I am thankful for snow.  We all love snow here.  We had our first snow of this winter on Tuesday and had lots of fun sledding.

2. I am thankful for my husband's time off work from Dec. 24th to Jan. 3rd.  We love having him home with us. 

3. I am thankful for our wonderful neighbors.  We enjoyed our visit with them when we gave them our Christmas goodies.  They are really nice people.

4. I am thankful for books that are encouraging & inspiring and draw readers closer to God and His Word.  You can see my top ten reads of 2009 here (the post below this one).

5. I am thankful for the eternal perspective God has given me.  Trials and sufferings on earth are nothing when we think of spending eternity in either heaven or hell.  "I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us." (Romans 8:18)  May you welcome a new year with an eternal perspective!  "Save some, O Christian!  By all means, save some.  From yonder flames and outer darkness, and the weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth.  Seek to save some!  Let this, as in the case of the apostles, be your great, ruling object in life, that by all means you might save some." Charles Spurgeon