JoeShopping = Smart Shopping

I'm excited to find JoeShopping.com, a social site where users can compare prices, review and discuss products, and more, while earning JoePoints and winning prizes! I like to be a smart, frugal shopper so this site appeals to me. On this site, you will find product reviews from real life users, hot deals, coupons, active forums, most popular stores, new releases, and more.  It's cool to earn JoePoints by doing different activities and then JoePoints can be used to enter monthly sweepstakes. You can post your status updates just like you do on Facebook or Twitter.  You can also post your blog, upload photos and videos. It's free to sign up. I just signed up today and I already have two friends :). I will be asking questions in the forum soon when I get a chance because I have been wondering what people consider the best vacuum cleaner (brand and model) for power and durability.

~This post is my entry to the contest being sponsored by JoeShopping.com.

Review: T-Shirt

I received a grey Cheeky Monkey T-shirt from TShirtPrinting.net for review. I really like wearing it. It's cute, comfortable, and modest. It goes great with so many skirts and pants in all sorts of colors (like denim, black, blue, etc.)  The colors of the college I attended in Thailand were grey and pink so I was glad to see those two colors together :). I also like monkeys because they are fun-loving, curious, active, and smart. I think this shirt is fun to wear and is comfortable for a person wearing it to stay active.

If you ever have a need for personalized T-shirts, hooded tops, sweatshirts, or workwear, check out TShirtPrinting.net.

~ This post was written for Family Review Network and TShirtPrinting.net who provided the complimentary product for review in exchange for my honest opinions.

Review: Life of John Knox

Life of John Knox
American Missionary Fellowship
5 x7 • 144 pages • Case Bound
ISBN: 9780890516027
Retail Price: $14.99

Book Summary:
Rare vignettes featuring the Protestant Reformation’s fiercest defender! John Knox had a life of exciting adventure, harsh imprisonment, and brilliant scholarship. Fighting battles both political and religious, Knox bravely defied royalty, nobility, and the established power of the Papacy to speak the truth. A fiery and inspirational preacher, he fiercely upheld the authority of Scripture and salvation through Christ’s sacrifice. In perilous times, Knox risked his life daily in a fearless and tireless defense of the faith!

This biography was originally published in 1833 by the ASSU (American Sunday-School Union), now called American Missionary Fellowship.

MY THOUGHTS AND REVIEW:
I really enjoyed reading this book. Almost like watching a movie. Wow..so much drama! Do you know if John Knox's life has ever been made into a movie? If not yet, it should :). Political turmoils. Distorted Christianity. Persecution. Scary and wicked royalty. Through it all, John Knox (1505-1572), the reformer of Scotland, never wavered in his stand for God and His truth! John Knox's devotion to the service of God and his firm faith & boldness, in spite of opposition, are truly commendable. He never beat around the bush or sugarcoated sins, even when he talked to royalty and nobles. I wish more Christians nowadays would be like him, instead of being politically correct or sacrificing Biblical truth on the altar of "grace". John Knox was never afraid of being labeled "judgmental" or "unloving" or "unChristlike" or "unGodly" when he spoke against papacy/popery, idolatry, Queen Mary's unwise marriage, corruption, murders, anything unBiblical. He continued to speak the truth in love until his death even though many hated him for it. Accused of rebellion and treason, imprisoned, despised, and wanted dead, nothing deterred John Knox from defending God's Holy Word and the sufficiency of Christ. He was a champion of the faith, a Christlike mentor, a beloved minister who left a powerful legacy that inspires many believers around the world, including me. He consistently lived for God with integrity, humility, and courage, always aiming to please & honor God alone. He did not care what men thought of him; He only cared what God thought of him and them. God blessed him with divine protection and with a long life and used him in a mighty way for His glory. If I could have a dinner and chat with someone from the past, John Knox would definitely be one of my choices :).

Some of his last words before he peacefully left this earth to be with our Savior: "I have been often tempted by Satan to despair, but he could not prevail. Now he has tempted me to trust in myself, and to rejoice and glory in my labours, as if I should merit heaven by the faithful discharge of my duties. But I have expelled him with these passages of Scripture, 'What hast thou that thou hast not received?' "Not I, but the grace of God in me.' 'By the grace of God, I am what I am.' Therefore, I give thanks to God who has given me the victory; and now I am sure that, without pain of body, or distress of mind I shall soon close this mortal and miserable life, for that happy and immortal life which shall never have an end." (chapter XI, page 126)

Note: Please turn off my music playlist at the bottom of this page before starting the trailer.

~I received this book free for review from New Leaf Publishing Group.

Be Linked As Believers at MyBlab.com

Have you heard of MyBlab.com? MyBlab.com is a community for all Christians and Christian organizations to Be Linked As Believers (BLAB). It's free to sign up. If you sign up, please let me know and I'll add you to my friends list there. It's wonderful to be able to connect with other brothers and sisters in Christ around the world without having to travel. You can also create groups for people who share your interests. If you're a budding musician, this is a great avenue for you to promote your music and attract fans :).

Check out all the cool stuff going on at MyBlab.com:
Share your insights, blessings, prayers, encouragements, praises, thoughts, resources, music, videos, etc. with each other by using the features of below!

•Sign up and connect with friends by User Type: Personal, Band, Author, Comedian, Pastor, Youth Pastor, Speaker, Church, Radio Station, TV Station, Organization or School.

•Personalize your profile with unique backgrounds, music and YouTube videos. You can also upload unlimited pictures and albums to your profile. (Don't forget to tag your friends!)

•Our friend's feed keeps you updated with what your friends and bands are up to by tracking comments they are making, who they are adding, pictures they are uploading and videos they are posting.
•Form groups that users can join - either public or by invitation.

•Artists and bands can create profiles and add their songs, upcoming shows, and interact with their fans.

•Events and Event Calendar: Add public or private Events on your "Blab Board" and/or on your Event Calendar.

30 Day Giveaway at Tyndale.com

In honor of Tyndale launching its new book club enewsletter, they are running a 30 day giveaway on their website. The Book Club Hub Newsletter will be an email newsletter geared towards people who are in or are running book clubs. It will feature suggestions, discussion guides and great ideas for your book clubs. You can see a preview by clicking here.

To enter the giveaway, you just need to visit the contest page and click on the book you’d like to sign up to win. You can even go back and sign up for both books. Each day is a new giveaway so you can return to the site each day and try to win. Every few days the books change, so check back! Have fun entering the giveaway :)!

Review: An Army of Ordinary People

An Army of Ordinary People: Stories of real-life men and women simply being the Church.
Author: Felicity Dale
List Price:14.99
ISBN:978-1-4143-2279-7
Trim Size:5 1/2 x 8 1/4
Binding:Softcover

Book Summary:
An Army of Ordinary People contains the key to explosive, transformational, 21st century evangelism. Renowned church planter Felicity Dale shares stories of how God has always used—and is still using—ordinary believers to carry out his work in simple ways throughout the world. Some of these stories are dramatic—people being led to the Lord by the friends who counseled them through drug addictions and criminal pasts. Some are everyday—a dad spending his Sunday teaching Bible lessons to his kids, or a couple inviting their neighbors over to dinner and a spiritual discussion. But in each of them, there is a light bulb moment, when someone just like you thinks I can do that! And as a result, the gospel is spreading . . . and lives are being changed.

Author Bio:

Felicity Dale was trained as a physician at Barts Hospital in London, where she and her husband, Tony, pioneered simple church concepts while in medical school and later in the East End of London. Now living in the United States, Felicity and Tony are actively engaged in training church planters. They founded House2House magazine and have authored several books, including their latest from Tyndale, The Rabbit and the Elephant, and others such as Simply Church and the Getting Started manual on planting house churches. Felicity and Tony speak regularly at conferences throughout the world and reside in Austin, Texas.

My Thoughts and Review:
I agree with the author's definition/understanding of "church" based on the Bible. The Church is the Body of Christ, Christ's followers, not the buildings...not the denominations...not the programs. In this book, the author shares true stories of believers living out their faith and serving God where they are. They bloom where they're planted. It's so encouraging and exciting to read the accounts of ordinary people being used by our awesome God to do extraordinary things for His glory and for His kingdom. We, too, can do the same by sharing Christ's love and compassion and the Gospel with those around us in our families, neighborhoods, campuses, workplaces, communities, and nations. The book talks about "simple churches" (aka organic churches, house churches, or home churches). A simple church is a missional, relational, and reproducible church where Christ is the Head and Christ's followers take the Great Commission seriously. The concepts and practicality of simple churches totally make sense and adhere to Biblical principles. The last chapter includes recommended books, videos, websites, and blogs for those who would like to learn more about or get involved with simple churches. I'd recommend this book to anyone who wants to be in the Lord's army and makes an eternal impact in this world. Read this book, obey God's leading, and go make disciples!
 
You can read the first chapter here.
To learn more about simple churches and/or to find one in your area, visit http://www.site.house2house.com/.
Check out an online community for those exploring simple expressions of church to connect at http://www.simplechurch.com/ .
Connect with Felicity Dale on Twitter:  http://twitter.com/felicitydale
Connect with Felicity Dale on Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/felicity.dale 

~ I received this book free for review from Tyndale House Publishers.

Reverse!

Note: Please turn off my music playlist at the bottom of this page before starting the video.
Christ became poor that we might become rich (James 2:5).
Christ became a servant that we might become sons (Galatians 4:6-7)
Christ had no home that we might have a home in heaven  (Matthew 8:20)
Christ died that we might live (John 5:24-25)

I was a sinner. Because of Christ, now I'm God's child (John 1:12).
I was heading to Hell. Because of Christ, now I belong to Heaven (John 14:2).
I was mesmerized by the world. Because of Christ, the world no longer charms me (1 John 2:15-17).
I was only happy when I got what I wanted. Because of Christ, I am content and filled with joy to be in His will (Philippians 4:11-13, John 15: 10-11).
I was lost. Because of Christ, my life has meaning and purpose (Acts 20:24).
I lived for myself. Because of Christ, I live for Him (Galatians 2:20).

Repent and reverse your direction; receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. He will repair your broken heart and reverse your thinking to get you on the right track (the narrow road). Reverse now before it's too late...Death is the point of no return. The chance of dying is one in one. Please don't leave earth without Jesus!

~Big thanks to Charlotte and Ginger for hosting Spiritual Sundays every week. To see the list of Spiritual Sundays posts, click here.

P.S. I'd like to invite y'all to check out my Pick-Your-Book Giveaway. The winner (randomly chosen) will get to pick a book of his/her choice. There are 10 great books to choose from such as Outlive Your Life by Max Lucado, Blue Like Play Dough by Tricia Goyer, The 7 Minute Life Daily Planner, etc. Ends tomorrow (3/13) at midnight Pacific time.

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).

Book Review: Day by Day with the Best of Spurgeon

Day by Day with the Best of Spurgeon
On the love and loveliness of Jesus
Compiled by: Dolores E. Coupland
ISBN: 978-1-935265-13-9
Publisher: Deep River Books
Publishing Date: 2010
Retail price: $15.99

Dolores E. Coupland's heart was greatly impacted by Charles H. Spurgeon (1834-1892)'s devotional book, Morning and Evening. That led her to research his sermons, collect his choice writings, and put them all together into this lovely, inspirational devotional.  Thanks, Dolores!

Are you passionately in love with Jesus? If not, you need to read this book. If so, you will appreciate this book. This book's central theme is Jesus, His love, His loveliness, and His sacrifice for us at the cross. May you take the time to ponder Who Jesus Christ is to you and what His work on the cross means to you. Charles Spurgeon (aka "the Prince of Preachers") beautifully leads us with his words to places where Jesus lived, suffered, and died. All for us sinners...imagine that! Often, his description is so vivid and poetic.  Spurgeon's teachings are Biblically sound, thought-provoking, and at times soul-piercing. It is obvious when you read Spurgeon's writings that his passion is to extol Christ above all else and to preach the doctrine of Christ crucified.

I highly recommend this devotional. I collect devotional books. Day by Day with the Best of Spurgeon is a wonderful addition to my collection (30th devotional). Yes, I also own Morning and Evening by Spurgeon :). By the way, I think it's so cool that God mightily used Spurgeon for His glory even though Spurgeon never had theological schooling and he struggled with depression most of his life. If you ever wonder how God could possibly use you, please remember to never underestimate His power, grace, mercy, and love! Trust in Him day by day.

~I was provided a copy of this book by Bring It On! Communications in exchange for my honest review. To read more reviews like this one, go to: Tell Us The Truth Reviews.

LB Games Sweepstakes

Inspired Media Entertainment/LB Games is having a sweepstakes on their Facebook page. Sign up here or here for a chance to win an iPad or a visa pre-paid card. The sweepstakes ends 3/22/2011.

Against All Odds

Happy childhood. Deaths of friends and grandmother. Rape. Depression. Overwhelming pain. Train tracks. Failed suicide attempt. Amazing Grace. Miracle of her survival. New nightmare. God's transforming power. Life with a purpose and hope.

Wow...what a heart-wrenching yet inspiring true story of a young woman who wanted to end her life but instead discovered life (meaningful life), in spite of her! I didn't want to put the book down; her story from the very beginning really gripped my heart. Kristen was only 17 years old (same age as my daughter) when she lay down across railroad tracks and was run over by 33 freight cars at 55 miles per hour. Medically and realistically, she should have been dead. But God had other plans. Kristen courageously and candidly shares in this book her struggles, mistakes, depth of despair, challenges of living without legs, and a second chance to live in Christ who gives her strength and joy, hope and purpose. Against all odds, she lives to tell others of God, the Life Giver, encourage others to cherish life because it's a gift from God, and remind them that He has a special plan for each person. This book includes personal notes from Kristen sharing messages she wishes someone had told her when she was depressed and struggling with loss, shame from sexual abuse, and suicidal thoughts. At the end of the book, you will also find a message from Kristen's mom, Jan Anderson, and a list of suicide warning signs. Suicide is never the answer! Jesus Christ is! He turns tragedy into victory.

Life, In Spite of Me is a must read for anyone who is suffering from depression and/or suicidal thoughts. It seems that now more and more people, especially teens, are hurting, living aimlessly, and struggling with depression and suicidal thoughts. May the Lord use Kristen and her book to touch many lives with the truth of the Gospel and the eternal hope in Christ!

"He reached down from heaven and rescued me; He drew me out of deep waters. He led me to a place of safety; He rescued me because He delights in me." ~Psalm 18:16,19



~ This book was provided for review by WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.

- Download the first chapter
- Watch Kristen's interview on Oprah
- Watch Kristen on Life Today
- Check out Kristen's Ministry: "Reaching You"

Note: Please turn off my music playlist at the bottom of this page before starting the video.