Shame Off You by Denise Pass Blog Tour and Giveaway

I received this book from New Growth Press in exchange for this review. The opinions I  expressed are my own and are my honest opinion of the book. About the book

Learn to recognize and process feelings of shame in a biblical way to restore God-ordained self-worth and hope. “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” — Romans 8:1  Shame is an assault on the core of who we are. It assassinates our character, minimizes our worth, and dashes our hope. Like Adam and Eve, we often hide shame, but hiding never heals it. Left unattended, shame can develop into a crippling reality that paralyzes us. Like an infectious disease, shame impacts everyone . . . but not all shame is bad. Shame can either be an oppressive and powerful tool of worldly condemnation or a source of conviction that God uses to bring his people back to himself. Having the discernment to know the difference and recognize shame in its many forms can change the course of one’s life. In a transparently honest style, Pass shares of her experience dealing with shame after learning that her former husband was a sexual offender. Having lived through the aftermath, she leads you into God’s Word where you will see for yourself that God is bigger than your pain, shame, mistakes, and limitations. Shame Off You shares how freedom can be found in choosing to break the cycle of shame by learning from the past, developing healthy thinking patterns, silencing lies, and overcoming the traps of vanity and other people's opinions. Learn more at https://shameoffyou.life/the-book.

About the author

Denise Pass, author of Shame Off You, is an award-winning CCM recording artist and singer-songwriter, accomplished writer/blogger, speaker and worship leader at women’s conferences as well as a worship leader on staff at her home church. After a crushing discovery of her former husband’s hidden life as a repetitive sex offender, and surviving a painful divorce, she now shares an inspirational message through her ministry, Seeing Deep Ministries, about seeing the deeper truth in God’s word when life hurts. Denise also founded and directed a home educational co-op for 12 years and engaged in many educational pursuits, including forming and directing a classical children’s choir. A graduate from the University of Maryland, Denise now resides in Virginia, with her “Kinsman Redeemer” husband and five children. Find her online at DenisePass.com. www.facebook.com/deniseduboispass www.twitter.com/thedenisepass www.instagram.com/thedenisepass               GIVEAWAY

                         BOOK TRAILER                             

MY REVIEW:     This book was enlightening and refreshing.  It addresses what most people, Christian or non-Christian at some point in their lives have to battle with, shame.  It's a hard and lonely process and sometimes we just don't know how to handle or cope with it. 

I truly believe this book will help guide many people on how to recognize the signs of shame, and how to cope with it, how to understand it and most importantly how to heal and recover from it.  Shame can be traumatic, it can trigger intense anxiety, it can bring back horrible memories, and sometimes, and most times all we can do is break down and cry.  We feel so helpless on how to make it stop.

The author shares a very horrid experience in her own life and by her journey to healing and recovery from shame, she shares her revelations and experiences with her readers. She arms us with the tools we need to shake it off for good. It's not easy, it is a process, but with patience and determination, and most importantly prayer and trusting in our Lord, it can be done.  She also provides a reference guide and scripture to accompany the many aspects of shame. 

Welcome to the "Don't Blame the Mud Only Jesus Makes Us Clean" book tour

I received this book from New Growth Press in exchange for this review. The opinions I  expressed are my own and are my honest opinion of the book.

ABOUT THE BOOK
Marty Machowski helps parents talk to their children
about temptations, choices and consequences

For young readers and families, Don’t Blame the Mud paints a vivid and accurate picture of sin and God’s plan of redemption. Written by best-selling children’s author Marty Machowski, this beautifully illustrated picture book teaches children how to recognize the lure of temptation and the truth that bad choices lead to bad consequences.

One day, Max takes the muddy path along the creek home, disregarding his mother’s reminder to keep his school clothes clean. After crashing into a mud puddle, he tries to hide his mistake and discovers the stain of his sin goes deeper than the mud he can wash away. In this lovable, relatable, and heartwarming tale, Max learns his heart needs to be cleaned, and Jesus is the only one who can wash away his sin.

By clearly articulating the gospel, Don’t Blame the Mud helps parents create an environment of confession so kids can own up to their own mistakes—in the freedom of Christ—rather than place the blame elsewhere. Parents, teachers, and caretakers can help children identify with the real-life draw of temptation and the real-life consequences of sin, understanding the value of God’s salvation through the cross. Instead of teaching kids how to deal with a problem, Machowski uncovers the real issue of sin and provides a gospel answer.

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.

MY REVIEW:

The first thing I noticed when I opened up the book was the scripture of John 3:16, I'm using the KJV version, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him shall not perish, but have everlasting life"

This sets the setting and premise of the book.  Max is a typical kid who hears the warning of his mother to keep his clothes clean, but just like any kid, he had good intentions of keeping them clean, until he saw a trail and it was just too inviting not to follow along it. One disaster leads to another and of course, Max gets his clothes dirty and muddy.  He knows he's in trouble and does his best to cover up his misdeed.  And I'll leave it at that, I don't do spoilers.

I loved how this book beautifully explains about sin and temptation. Mud being sin and the trail being the temptation.

Max knew what he was doing was wrong, but the temptation to walk that trail was too inviting. Like most people, we choose not to obey God's word and we do things on our own, then later we try to cover up that guilt and shame, by blaming someone else or the object of our guilt.  And no matter what we try to do, that guilt stays on us.  Maybe from the outside we look clean, but from the inside, it's mud and it festers and begins to stink, and we don't know how to get rid of it.  The only way to get clean is through Jesus Christ, He is the ONLY one that can disinfect, wipe clean all of that mud and festering stench from our mind, soul and body.

It's a whimsical book with beautiful illustrations that takes you on Max's journey to salvation.  I highly recommend this read, it's very easy for young children to comprehend and at the end of this book, there is help for the parents on teaching children to understand sin and the gospel of Christ.

 Click here on this link to:  BUY THE BOOK

Welcome to the GRIT AND GRACE Blog Tour

About the Book: Hang in There, Mama!
For those moments when you think you’ll never live up to the Supermoms around you—when you’re elbow deep in the grind of diapers and laundry and peanut butter sandwiches—you need a good dose of Grit and Grace.

This refreshing collection of 90 daily devotions comes from two moms who’ve found themselves face-to-the-floor in need of encouragement and now offer it to you. Through humor and vulnerability, these short messages of truth remove the filters of perfection clouding your vision and bring clarity to your purpose as a mom. As you read the Scripture and prayer that accompany each day’s message, you’ll discover more fully who you are in Christ and how to raise your children to reflect His love to the world.

In giving yourself grace, you will find you have even more grace to give from the One who is present in your life right now and in every moment.   

MY REVIEW:  Such a wonderful devotional for moms.  It really has a way of encouraging tired and stressed out moms.  Being a mom is the greatest blessing, but sometimes we just need some encouragement when we just don't think we can get through another day.  What I loved about this devotional is how many topics they addressed, sick children, rejection, loneliness, etc.  So many things that mom's struggle with on a daily basis.  

One particular devotion really spoke to my heart, "Just Move."  This devotion speaks of the Holy Spirit, our beloved Comforter, guide and friend.  Beautiful.

I truly enjoyed this devotional and the honesty of the two authors, some of their stories were straight to the heart.  God bless them both for sharing their life with the rest of moms.  

ABOUT THE AUTHORS: 

Suzanne Hadley Gosselin and Gretta Kennedy first met as roommates at Multnomah University. They are quick to admit they did not like each other when they first met due to opposite personalities. However, they worked out their differences and became best friends who roomed together for all four years of college. Two decades later, during a phone conversation, they realized God was laying on their hearts the desire to write a devotional for moms of young children to encourage and strengthen them in their role as mothers. It was then the idea for Grit & Grace: Devotions for Warrior Moms was born.
 

Suzanne Hadley Gosselin is a regular writer and editor for Focus on the Family and David C Cook and previously served as an editor for Clubhouse and Clubhouse Jr. Gosselin has written books for Zondervan, Harvest House and Tyndale and is the author of Expectant Parents: Preparing Together for the Journey of Parenthood.
 
Gosselin lives in Bakersfield, CA with her husband, Kevin, and four children. The family enjoys escaping to the ocean.
 
Learn more about Gosselin at www.suzannegosselin.com. She can also be found on Facebook (suzannegosselinauthor), Twitter (@gosselinsh) and Instagram (@suzannegosselin). 
 


Gretta Kennedy is a speaker, mentor and writer with a degree in women’s ministry from Multnomah University and over 20 years of ministry experience. She passionately supports her husband, Jay, and his full-time camp ministry. They are raising their three children on Vancouver Island and report their adventures on the travel blog Traveling Islanders.  
 
Grit & Grace is her first book.
 
Keep up with the Kennedy family’s adventures at www.travelingislanders.com and on Facebook (travelingislanders), Twitter (@traveislanders) and Instagram (@travelingislanders).
 
Fellow Grit & Grace Warrior Moms can connect on Facebook (gritandgracemoms), Twitter (@Gritandgracemom) and Instagram (@gritandgracemoms). 

Social media links

Facebook (gritandgracemoms) Twitter (@Gritandgracemom) Instagram (@gritandgracemoms) www.harvesthousepublishers.com/books/grit-and-grace-9780736976244 Facebook (HarvestHousePublishers) Twitter (@Harvest_House) Instagram (@harvesthousepublishers)

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Children Go Where I Send Thee by Tennessee Ernie Ford best version

Never gets old!!  I love this video and that cute little boy!  He can jam with the best of them!

Welcome to New Growth Blog Tour

I received this book from New Growth Press in exchange for this review. The opinions I have expressed are my own and are my honest review of these books.

ABOUT THE BOOK:
Everyone gets frustrated when something important to them goes wrong. In Jax’s Tail Twitches: When You Are Angry, the whole Squirrel family ends up out of sorts when acorn gathering doesn’t go according to plan.

Although Papa, Mama, Jax, and Caspian Squirrel all get angry, they also learn about the power of saying sorry, seeking forgiveness, remembering God’s words, and praying together.

Edited by David Powlison, Jax’s Tail Twitches ends with a special section that guides parents in teaching children how the gospel of Jesus Christ changes how we respond when life goes wrong. Also included is a tear-out page of Back Pocket Bible Verses that will help children and adults remember to turn to God for help when they are angry.

MY REVIEW: I loved how this story teaches children about anger and forgiveness, by following what the bible says about Jesus forgiving by following His example. It highlights how quickly we can become angry and lash out at people we love or even at friends. It's an excellent visual aid on showing children what can happen when your anger gets out of control, but it also depicts the positive aspects of asking for forgiveness, once the anger has passed.

It all starts as a beautiful day. The family is out gathering acorns, when the fights begin, first with Jax and Caspian and then Papa Squirrel fighting with their neighbor, Mr. McNuffle, because Mr. McNuffle came to the Squirrel tree and without asking for permission, began to gather acorns for his family, and so a fight ensues. I was kind of on Papa Squirrels side on this one, but he could have handled the situation a lot better than just by telling off Mr. McNuffle. Mama squirrel's acorn crisp gets burned and so she begins to get angry.

When the family comes inside, Papa squirrel takes the opportunity to share some words of wisdom from the "Great Book" about dealing with anger and how God shows kindness even when we are not so kind.

This is a great read! Absolutely love the story and the Squirrel family. It's a wonderful representation of how in certain situations our anger gets the better of us, but it teaches about asking forgiveness and forgiving by following the example of Jesus Christ.

ABOUT THE BOOK:
In this engaging, illustrated children’s book by Irene Sun, young readers learn how numbers declare the glory of God, discovering Bible stories and the truth, beauty, and goodness of our sovereign God through numbers and patterns. With countable illustrations and an easy-to-learn structure, children who are always seeking, finding, tracing, and counting numbers will be captivated by God Counts: Numbers in His Word and His World.

Through simple language kids will understand, God Counts shares theological truths and helps children become familiar with Scripture, exploring the patterns of creation, numbers in the plan of redemption, and the intimacy of a personal relationship with God. This children’s book explores how God counts every fish in the sea, every star in the sky, every hair on their heads, and every tear in their eyes.

By discovering numbers in God’s world and in his Word, parents help their children foster a deeper love and knowledge of who God is and how he counts them as his. Families will be enriched as they learn together how numbers magnify God—just as a telescope magnifies the stars—and each numbered lesson points to a larger redemptive story of Scripture. On each page, the illustrations engage readers, displaying not only a picture but a mosaic of patterns.

This playful children’s book serves as a beginner’s theology book for young readers who love numbers and patterns, introducing the Trinity, the God of order, the holiness of God, the problem of sin, the rescue and love of Jesus, and much more. Children who love to count will be filled with wonder, leading them to understand deeper truths about God, themselves, and the world around them.

MY REVIEW:  

What a wonderful depiction on challenging the imagination of children of all ages by using the numbers 1-12 in teaching them how they are and can be related in the bible.  Number One: It tells us that God is the first and the best and after that is a verse from the bible, and so it flows beautifully from them on, with the number 2 thru 12.  Each number tells a story backed with a verse from the bible. 

I wish I would have had this book when my two boys were little.  It’s such a great teaching tool, not only to love numbers, but to embrace the Word of God and how numbers were utilized by God.  The Trinity, the 12 Apostles, God is with us, etc.  This book was a joy to read, and as adult, I actually learned the significance of numbers in the bible.  Apparently, you can teach a dog new tricks. 

  

ABOUT THE BOOK:

A Fever, a Flight, and a Fight for the World is a compelling African adventure story that will enthrall eight- to fourteen-year-old youth who love adventure and learning about faraway places. In the exciting fourth and final book in the Rwendigo Tales Series, readers will be inspired by ordinary people who make the extraordinary choice to stand against great evil. Written by J. A. Myhre, a doctor living and working in East Africa, this adventure story teaches readers of all ages important truths about justice, overcoming evil, and the courage to make a difference.

In A Fever, a Flight, and a Fight for the World, A doctor volunteering in a village plagued by a mysterious virus wakes up on a deserted island injured, sick, and near death—with no memory of how he got there. As Dr. Mujuni slowly regains his memory, he pieces together the horrific reality of what happened to the community and learns just how far the government-backed officials will go to silence all knowledge of the epidemic. As a young girl named Nyakato, the only other survivor, nurses him back to health, Dr. Mujuni must devise a plan to make their way back to the mainland, but what they discover on their journey is even more dangerous than they could ever imagine.

Through a series of perils and hazards, Mujuni and Nyakato must fight for more than their own lives, learning the true cost of overcoming evil and greed. Through their adventures, readers will find hope in the midst of great loss, triumph and courage in the midst of death and injustice, and love in the midst of darkness.

MY REVIEW:  In all honesty, I have not read the first 3 books of this series.  So, I can only base my opinion of this book and not of the whole series. 

This book is more geared towards pre-teens.  It has adventure, suspense, and at times can be a bit intense, it is a tale of good vs evil, although fictional, the story takes place in Africa, which you will references. 

Teens need to be aware that we are living in dangerous times, and that the world is not a safe place, there is good but they must also realize there is evil at the extreme.  And what is a bit terrifying is that this book could become a reality in regards to biological warfare. 

It's a great read, and just from reading this book I can almost guarantee it's predecessors are just as exciting and intriguing as the last of it's series. 

 

Welcome to the New Growth Children's Book Tour

These three books focus on anxiety, failure and ethnic Diversity.  These are great tools for parents and children on how to stand on the Word of God when trouble arises, and how to deal with them.  The last page of each book contains a reference for parents and bible verses in helping their child/children work through each situation.
Also included is a tear-out page of "Back Pocket Bible Verses" in the Zoe and Buster books that will give children a practical way to remember God's words when they are experiencing any kind of difficult situation.  They could put them in their backpacks, notebooks, etc.  

I hope as you read my blog reviews you will share them with your friends, social media, etc.  This helps spread the wonderful news of our Creator and his ever surpassing love for each and every one of us.  May God richly bless you all and your precious children.

Let's get started!!

ABOUT ZOE'S HIDING PLACE:  
Meet Zoe Mouse.  A sweet young mouse that loves to read fairy tales, who has some trouble with listening while others are speaking. One day her teacher announced they are planning a trip to the museum. The news makes Zoe anxious and fearful. The story is about overcoming her fear and trusting in God. It's a sweet tale and it's perfect for children under the age of 8.

MY REVIEW:  This book is beautifully illustrated and it invites children to remember that they are not alone, God is always with them. He's just a prayer away.  It's a good story in teaching children that any time they feel afraid, God is there, ready to lend a hand.  I thoroughly enjoyed this story.

 

Buster's Ears Trip Him Up:

Here we meet Buster Bunny.  He believes he's the fastest bunny in the meadow and he is excited about the big race at summer camp.  However, things don't go as smoothly as Buster would have liked.  Disaster strikes, and Buster trips over his ears, losing the race.  Through this ordeal, his older sister, Ivy, helps him to see that failure is an opportunity to grow.

My Review:  I really enjoyed reading this book.  I believe there is a little of Buster Bunny in of all us.  We sometimes believe that we can do things without the help of God, and in our pride, we usually wind up on our faces, wiping the dust off.  But this book, is shows us that we can remember that through God's love, we can do all things, and we may not always be with the one that wins, but or we aren't always the best, God still loves us and accepts us, failures and all. It's a wonderful lesson to learn.

 GOD MADE ME AND YOU:

God Made Me AND You begins with school children teasing each other about their ethnic differences.  Their teacher steps in and shares that God's wonderful plan is for our differences to reflect the amazing diversity of God's creation and to bring all nations to worship him. 

My Review:  This book teaches children that God made each and every one of us unique.  Not one person is the same.  It's a strong tool in teaching children that we are equal in the eyes of our Creator.  I hope that when they read this book, they will come to realize that we are all God's children and no one is greater than any other.

The opinions on this blog are my own.  I was given these books for an honest and fair review.  

Why The Media Hates Donald Trump

JERUSALEM, Israel – On Monday, August 27, the White House hosted a dinner in honor of evangelical leadership; it was truly on the level of a State dinner.

I attended and spoke briefly at that dinner but when I saw the media reports about the evening I could not believe what I was reading. As a journalist for over 40 years I can only describe what I read as fake news.  

President Trump allowed us to speak that evening; it was mostly ministers praying, preaching and praising God for His blessings. The only words I can use to describe the dinner at the White House are "Holy Ground."
   
Donald Trump has exceeded our wildest expectations, certainly mine concerning Israel.  Without a doubt he is the best US president for Israel.

Why do we support Donald Trump?  Because America was on the Sodom road. We all saw the handwriting of God's judgment coming like a freight train on America, but God chose the most unlikely person to make America great again, Donald Trump.   What a shock to have a president tell us the truth and refuse to play the political game.

Yes, Donald Trump, like all of us, is a sinner but we have no doubt that he has come to the Savior. And when Donald Trump says "Merry Christmas," it is because of his personal faith.

No president in America has allowed a group of evangelicals to pray over them in the Oval Office. I was there when it happened twice – it was Holy Ground! No president has given an evangelical group a private tour of the residence as he gave us. It seems previous presidents have used us when they needed our vote. Donald Trump does the opposite; he embraces us as family. We are strong leaders with a biblical view and we are free to speak truth to power.

Why does the secular media hate him so? Because the new wars of the 21st Century are fueled and fed by a media that embraces a secular, humanistic worldview; that rejects moral absolutes. I asked a joint chief of staff years ago to tell me what determines when wars begin and end. He whispered in my ear, "the media."

Mike Evans is a #1 New York Times bestselling author with 89 published books.  He is the founder of the Friends of Zion Museum in Jerusalem of which the late President Shimon Peres, Israel's ninth president, was the chair. He serves on the Evangelical Faith Advisory Board.

God Bless America and our precious President and First Lady.  

Difference Between a Democrat and a Republican

This sums it up rather nicely. It's a great comparison of the two parties. If you call yourself a Democrat, and support the party, then you are agreeing with what they stand for and when you vote Democrat, then you are confirming that belief.

I am a Republican and a Conservative, but first and foremost, I am a Christian. And I will only vote for a Republican that shares my beliefs. There are RINOs in the party that I wouldn't trust a dead frog with.

But if I go to the voting booth and choose Republican than I am confirming that I stand with my party and their stance.

Thoughts?

Health Benefits to drinking Coffee

For about 3 years, I was "urged" by my PCP to give up caffeine, to help stabilize my BP.  It was dangerously high, as well as my sodium intake.  I blame the sodium and being overweight!


Well, BP is normal, and I've lost 30 pounds, and I'm back to drinking real coffee, not the decaf, rubbish!

"Hello coffee my old my friend."

Top 11 Coffee Health Benefits

1. Cut the Pain
   Two cups of coffee can cut post-workout muscle pain by up to 48%. From the Journal of Pain, March 2007 (link)
2. Increase your fiber intake
   A cup of brewed coffee represents a contribution of up to 1.8 grams of fiber of the recommended intake of 20-38 grams. From the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry (link).
3. Protection against cirrhosis of the liver
   Of course, you could just cut down on the alcohol intake. From the Archives of Internal Medicine (link). Another more recent study also showed coffee’s liver protecting benefits. link. Yet another study showed that both coffee and decaffeinated coffee lowered the liver enzyme levels of coffee drinkers. This study was published in the Hepatology Journal.
4. Lowered risk of Type 2 Diabetes
   Those who consumed 6 or more cups per day had a 22% lower risk of diabetes. From the Archives of Internal Medicine (link). A recent review of research conducted by Harvard’s Dr. Frank Hu showed that the risk of type II diabetes decreases by 9% for each daily cup of coffee consumed. Decaf coffee decreased risk by 6% per cup.
5. Lowered risk of Alzheimer’s disease
   There is considerable evidence that caffeine may protect against Alzheimer’s disease. From the European Journal of Neurology (link).
6. Reduces suicide risk and Depression
   A 10-year study of 86,000 female nurses shows a reduced risk of suicide in the coffee drinkers. From the Archives of Internal Medicine (link). Another study conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health found that women who drink 4 or more cups of coffee were 20% less likely to suffer from depression. Study link.
7. Protection against Parkinson’s
   People with Parkinson’s disease are less likely to be smokers and coffee drinkers than their healthy siblings. Just make sure you don’t get lung cancer on the way. From the Archives of Neurology (link). Even newer research out of Sweden revealed that drinking coffee reduces the risk of Parkinson’s even when genetic factors come into play. link.
8. Coffee drinkers have less risk of heart disease. Korean researchers found that study participants who consumed 3 to 5 cups of coffee a day were less likely to show the beginning signs of heart disease. The study. Other dietary factors should also be noted as Koreans typically have a different diet than do Westerners. A more recent study conducted in Brazil found that those that consume at least three cups of coffee a day tend to develop less calcification in their coronary arteries.
9. Coffee drinkers have stronger DNA. A study published in the European Journal of Nutrition showed that coffee drinkers have DNA with stronger integrity since the white blood cells of coffee drinkers had far less instance of spontaneous DNA strand breakage. Study abstract.
10. Lower Risk of Multiple Sclerosis. Recent research showed that at least 4 cups of coffee a day may help protect against the development and reoccurrence of MS. It is believed that the coffee prevents the neural inflammation that possibly leads to the disease developing. The study was published in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry. 
11. Coffee reduces colorectal cancer risk. Even moderate consumption of coffee can reduce the odds of developing colorectal cancer by 26%. This protective benefit increases with more consumption. The study is described in detail here.