A Cross to Kill Tour Welcome All readers!

I received the following book from Kregel Publications in exchange for an honest review. The thoughts and opinions are my own.

About the Book

John Cross is a small-town pastor, bent on leading his flock to follow God's calling. He's not the sort of man one would expect to have a checkered past. But the truth is that the man behind the pulpit preaching to his sheep was once a wolf--an assassin for the CIA. When John decided to follow Christ, he put that work behind him, determined to pay penance for all the lives he took. He vowed never to kill again. Now someone wants the peaceful pastor to pay for his sins with his own life. And when a terrorist out for revenge walks into the church, John's secrets are laid bare. Confronted with his past, he must face his demons and discover whether a man can truly change. Can he keep his vow--even when the people he loves are in mortal danger? Will his congregation and the brave woman he's learning to care for be caught in the cross fire? In the end, his death may be the only sacrifice he has left to offer . . . Andrew Huff's thrilling debut is not only a riveting story of suspense, it's also a deep exploration of the moral quandaries that face those who choose to follow the Prince of Peace in a violent world. Click here to read an excerpt.

About the Author

Andrew Huff spent 10 years in local church ministry before pursuing God’s calling into creative storytelling and media production as the Product Director at Igniter Media, a church media company (ignitermedia.com). He is a two-time finalist in the American Christian Fiction Writers Genesis Contest for unpublished authors (2014 & 2017) and also won the Best Screenplay award at the 2015 48 Hour Film Festival in Richmond, VA. Andrew holds a Bachelor of Science in Religion degree from Liberty University and a Master of Arts in Christian Education from Dallas Theological Seminary. He resides in North Texas with his beautiful wife Jae and their two boys. Learn more at andrewhuffbooks.com. Facebook (@huffwrites) Twitter (@andrewjohnhuff)

What others are saying

"An action-packed nail-biter from beginning to end, filled with enough twists and turns to put 24 and Jack Bauer to shame! I couldn’t put it down. Many thanks to Andrew for hours of entertainment and frantic page turning." Lynette Eason, best-selling, award-winning author of the Blue Justice series “What a ride! A Cross to Kill had a lot of amazing action (right from the beginning!) but an even better story to tell. I was amazed at the amount of detail Andrew was able to write into the scenes to bring them alive in my mind.” Rob Thomas, Founder & CEO of Igniter Media “Huff has written a fast paced novel which draws the readers into the adventure from the opening pages. An intriguing story with suspense, action, and danger. The major characters wrestle with faith, forgiveness, and redemption in a believable plot line that holds the readers’ attention to the end.” Glenn Kreider, author of God With Us My Thoughts on “A CROSS TO KILL” This book is fast-paced and has a lot of action, I was hooked just after reading the first few lines, I couldn't put it down.  It is very well-written, every fight scene and car chase written down to the smallest detail, it didn't skip a beat.  The main character, John Cross, is a man of integrity, honesty, and has the ability to snuff out his enemies, well, what do you expect from an ex CIA assassin?  The main thing that I loved about him was his genuine walk with Christ. His belief and faith in Christ was his anchor, it kept him from compromising his character as he went on his missions, and even though he was confronted with a strong and determined adversary, his faith kept from taking a life, not an easy task, as you will read. This is a fantastic novel and if your a fan of Jack Ryan, Jason Bourne, and even the great John Wick, this book is definitely your cup of tea or coffee.  I highly recommend it and I look forward to the next installment of this awesome series.

CLICK HERE TO ENTER:   GIVEAWAY

Welcome to the God Made Me Book Review

I received the following books from New Growth Press in exchange for an honest review. The thoughts and opinions are my own.

God Made Me Unique, a beautifully illustrated picture book, helps parents and caregivers teach children that God creates every person in the image of God and each individual has tremendous value, regardless of his or her appearance or abilities. The story is set in a Sunday school classroom where a new girl, Brie, is introduced by her mom. Brie’s Sunday school teacher takes the time to welcome Brie and to explain to the other children why she is wearing headphones. Through getting to know Brie, the children are guided into a biblical understanding of the uniqueness of each of God’s children. Along the way they learn to ask questions and gain an understanding about their new friend. Told in a charming rhyming style, this colorful, hardcover book will help eliminate fear and misconceptions about those who have special needs and emphasizes that every person deserves to be treated with kindness and respect. The back of the book contains a special section just for parents and caregivers that will guide them in how to have biblical, loving conversations with children and gives them additional information and resources to equip them in talking about this important subject. Like God Made All of Me by Justin and Lindsey Holcomb and God Made Me AND You by Shai Linne, God Made Me Unique gives parents the tools to have important, impactful conversations with their children that will grow their understanding of God, themselves, and others.

About Joni and Friends

Joni and Friends is an organization that accelerates Christian outreach in the disability community. Founded in 1979, their mission is to communicate the gospel and equip Christ-honoring churches worldwide to evangelize and disciple people affected by disability. The organization authors numerous books including the new releases The Gospel in Hard Times and The Gospel in Hard Times for Students (study guides about suffering in which participants are guided to look to Jesus to understand who God is in the midst of their own suffering and the suffering of others), God Made Me Unique (a children’s book helping parents and caregivers teach children that God creates every person in the image of God), and a series of minibooks providing personal insight & encouragement for tough circumstances. You can learn more about Joni and Friends at www.joniandfriends.org.

My Thoughts on "God Made Me Unique"  I work at a school for special needs children and I was very excited to read this book.  It's very important to teach children of all ages and backgrounds one important aspect, that we were all created uniquely by God and created in His image. 💗 What I loved about this book is how it approaches young children to be open about their curiosity when they encounter children with disabilities, that it's okay to ask questions.  Children with disabilities are like everyone else, and that they deserve to be treated with respect and kindness.  They will be able to interact with these children and not be afraid to befriend them or play with them. I do recommend this book for parents and teachers who teach at Sunday school, home schooling, and if at all possible, even public schools.  Children with disabilities may seem different but they don't have to be treated that way.

God Made Boys and Girls helps children understand that their gender is a gift from the God who made them and loves them. The story begins as the girls and boys at Grace Christian School are discussing if boys will always be boys and girls will always be girls. Their teacher explains that God gives each of us the gift of being male or female before we are born, and that you continue to be a boy or a girl whether you like to climb trees or play house, play tag or color pictures, cause a ruckus or sit quietly. In a world where there is so much confusion about gender and identity, pastor and best-selling author Marty Machowski shares the simple, clear truth that all of us are made in God’s image as either male or female—and what God made is very good! Included in the back of the book is a special section just for parents and caregivers that gives biblical guidance and help as they have this important conversation with their children.

About the author

Marty Machowski is a Family Life Pastor at Covenant Fellowship Church in Glen Mills, Pennsylvania, where he has served on the pastoral staff for thirty years. Machowski leads Promise Kingdom, the gospel-centered children’s ministry of Covenant Fellowship. He is the author of numerous resources for churches and families, including The Gospel Story for Kids series, The Ology, and Parenting First Aid. His latest release is the children’s picture book, Don’t Blame the Mud. Machowski and his wife, Lois, reside in West Chester, Pennsylvania. They have six children and two grandchildren. He is also the Executive Editor for Children’s Resources at New Growth Press. Learn more at www.martymachowski.com. He can also be found on Twitter (@MartyMachowski). My Thoughts on "God Made Boys and Girls"  This book couldn't have come at a better time.  We are living in a age where people are confused about gender.  It's rather shocking that this has happened at all, but now that our young children are being indoctrinated into believing there are more than two genders, this book will help parents and teachers to confront this detrimental issue and equip them with the knowledge that God created male and female.  It will help them from becoming confused about what society is pushing on them to embrace. Genesis 1:27 "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them." This book was wonderfully well written and easy for young children to understand.  The setting is as at a school, and it's about how a little girl, Maya, who ran faster than the boys in her classroom, and one of the boys had remarked about that and that if she kept it up, she would become a boy, which sparked the gender discussion.  It's a great opening to start with and it explains to children how girls differ from boys.  It explains about the double XX gender code that makes females and the XY gender code that makes males. And that this gender code is deeply embedded in every cell of our bodies, which makes each of us all unique.   The book also shares the story of salvation and how Jesus died for every one of us, and that God loves us all, and that we should be kind to one another. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO PURCHASE THESE BOOKS JUST CLICK ON THE TITLES

Welcome to the Good News for Little Heart Book Series

I received this book from New Growth Press in exchange for this review and the opinions expressed are my own. Introducing the latest three releases in the Good News for Little Hearts series! This series of hardback, illustrated children’s books for three-to eight-year-olds—each centered on an animal family—bring gospel help and biblical counsel to families. The animal characters, colorful illustrations, and the real-life issues each animal family face will captivate children. The last page contains information for parents on how God, in his Word, helps us turn to Jesus when we are experiencing different emotions (anxiety, fear, sadness, anger, etc.). Together children and parents will be guided into meaningful conversations about living by faith in the details of everyday life. Also included is a tear-out page of “Back Pocket Bible Verses” that will give children a practical way to remember God’s words. To purchase these wonderfully, faith-based children's books, please click on the titles.

Gus, a raccoon who loves all things sweet, learns what happens when you want something too much. After Gus gets caught taking candy from the store, Papa reminds him that temptation might be strong for us, but it’s not too strong for Jesus. Both Gus and Papa can ask Jesus for help when they want something too much.

Henry Says Good-Bye.   Henry the hedgehog loves his pet ladybug. She keeps him company and entertains him, his family, and his friends with her flying tricks. But one day, he has to say good-bye to his ladybug. Henry and his whole family are sad, but they learn to go to Jesus with their sadness and ask him to comfort them.

Tori the turtle feels all alone. She has just moved to a new pond and a new school with her family and it seems like everyone has a friend except her. Her teacher notices she feels alone and helps her remember Jesus is always her friend and then along the way she makes some new friends. MY BOOK REVIEW:  First I haven't or not sure if I will receive "Henry Says Good-Bye." But since this is a three book series, I felt it was important to post it with the two other books that I did read. Let me start with "Gus Loses His Grip," this cute little story is about Gus who happens to love candy, which most of us can relate, however, Gus becomes greedy in wanting more and more candy, which leads him to disobey his parents, which leads to stealing and gets caught.  Afterwards, Gus must apologize for stealing but in turn, his papa has a strong lesson to teach his son about what God has given us and to appreciate what we have and to see that sometimes more isn't necessarily a healthy thing, but can lead to bad decisions. There are biblical references to teach Gus about God's gifts to us, a fresh breeze, birds singing, fish in the water, but the greatest gift of all, giving us Jesus Christ, His only son.   I felt that this was a beautifully illustration on to enjoy what we have and to be content with it.  Too much of anything is a bad thing, if he leads a person down a dark path.  I loved this story and I also like the fact there are some great lessons in the back of the book for parents to teach their children the lesson Gus learned. "Tori Comes Out of Her Shell."  This lovely story is about  Tori, a shy little turtle who is afraid to come out of her shell.  She feels lonely and afraid because she's new and is afraid to reach out to make new friends.  However, her teacher notices Tori hiding in her shell and coaxes her out and teaches her that with Jesus, she's never alone, eventually, Tori makes a friend and she begins to understand that no matter what, she's never alone. It's wonderfully written to help children to cope with shyness, and insecurity.  I loved this story, it really touches the heart and moves parents and children to embrace the Lord as a friend who is there no matter what.  So, when a child feels alone, or shy, they can always reach back into their minds and  hearts and remember, that with Jesus, they are never alone.

I received this book from New Growth Press in exchange for this review and the opinions expressed are my own. Building Radically Different Relationships Champ Thornton helps middle schoolers use God’s word to untangle the twists and turns of life  As adults it’s hard to figure out how to live as Christians in a morally murky and increasingly hostile world, so how do we teach the next generation to develop relationships in the world in which we live? There are so many areas of life to navigate when growing up, but in his new book, Radically Different: A Student’s Guide to Community (New Growth Press/August 5, 2019), best-selling author Champ Thornton provides an insightful guide for middle schoolers and young teens who want to live radically even though life and relationships are complicated. Radically Different equips middle schoolers to untangle the twists of life by presenting them with in-depth study of good, bad, and new—creation, fall, and redemption. By understanding these three concepts, students can discover their unique identity in Christ. Living through the lenses of good, bad, and new makes them radically human, radically biblical, and radically different. “To get an accurate picture of life in this world, we must simultaneously view all of life through three lenses. The first lens provides the view that originally God made everything very good (Genesis 1). The next lens reveals this good world is now also bad, broken and tainted by sin (Genesis 3). The third clarifies Jesus came to make new everything that was broken by sin (Romans 8). Creation, Fall, Redemption—good, bad, new. If you leave out any of these lenses, you will neglect some aspect of reality God intends for us and our children to embrace,” Thornton writes. Radically Different consists of thirteen lessons and is available in both a student’s and teacher’s guide. The teacher’s guide provides the outline and activities for the weekly group discussion of the material. The student’s guide (to be completed before the group discussion) provides three devotionals per week that can be completed in ten minutes each.   Radically Different doesn’t aim to be exhaustive or provide a topical dictionary of issues, but to help middle school students begin to think biblically about life and relationships. Each lesson explores how to navigate a different relationship such as parents, friends, siblings, difficult/annoying people, and individuals within the church. “People often decry modern politics and say that the real problem is culture. They’ll say that culture lies upstream of politics. Consequently, the need is to change/transform the culture. But my contention is that what lies upstream of both politics and culture is the next generation,” shares Thornton. “This study aims to pass along a biblical worldview regarding relationships and community, in order to help the next generation see the world through Bible lenses, and change the world, one person at a time.” “It’s not easy for Christian young people today who want to live in a way that’s pleasing to God. However, Champ Thornton has provided an invaluable resource to help middle school students be distinctive. Radically Different is a practical hands-on study offering solid insights and biblical guidance for relating to others,” praises Jim Daly, President of Focus on the Family. Radically Different: A Student’s Guide to Community (Student/Teacher Guide) by Champ Thornton August 5, 2019 / Retail Price: $13.99 Print ISBN (Student Guide) 978-1-948130-17-2 Print ISBN (Teacher Guide) 978-1-64507-032-0 Religion / Christian Education / Children & Youth

About the Author

Champ Thornton is associate pastor at Ogletown Baptist Church in Newark, Delaware. He has pastored in South Carolina and served as director of SOMA, a ministry training school in Columbus, Ohio.   Before arriving in Newark, Thornton lived most of his life in the Carolinas. After seminary, he pastored at Grace Bible Church near Spartanburg, South Carolina.   He is host of “In the Word, On the Go,” a ten-minute podcast for families and is the author of several books, including The Radical Book for Kids, Why Do We Say Good Night?, Pass It On: A Proverbs Journal for the Next Generation, and his latest, Radically Different: A Student’s Guide to Community.   Thornton enjoys hanging out with his family and friends, drinking coffee, listening to music, doing genealogical research, and reading theology, biographies, and fiction. Thornton and his wife, Robben, have three children.   Visit www.champthornton.com to learn more. He can also be found on Twitter (@champthornton) and Instagram (@thorntonchamp).  My Review:   This book is AMAZING! It is an invaluable tool for parents and teachers alike. It teaches that everything is very good good when God created it, next, reveals the bad in the world and how tainted it has gotten because of sin, and thirdly, that Jesus came to the world to make everything new again and repair what was once a broken and shattered world.  It is written in a way that will make sense to the kids, and easy for them to grasp the enormity of the good, the bad and the ugly but with sound biblical theology and doctrine. It is a well-written book with a lot of biblical scripture and prayers to help both parties to embrace the goodness of our precious Heavenly Father. It gives the reader hope, and the skills to evoke on a daily basis. This world has gotten to be a very terrifying place and we NEED God back in our schools, our homes and at church and most importantly our hearts.