Are You an Overcomer?

When I think of the word overcomer several things pop into my head.  Mainly, people in history that have had to climb HUGE mountains in their life and have endured to the end.  Moses, Horatio Spafford, Harriet Tubman, Nelson Mandela, Louis Zamperini.

But the reality is, in some small ways we are all overcomers.  We all have things in our lives or times in our lives that we have had to push through.  The human spirit compels us to just keep moving and not give up.  What a gift from the Lord that is!

So, YES, I am excited about the new Kendricks Brothers movie, OVERCOMER, that is set to be released in movie theaters August 23.  I am a sucker for feel good movies and love when we find one that is family friendly.  Not an easy task in this day and time, for sure.

OVERCOMER is about a high school basketball coach whose team faces some hurdles and leaves him without a job.  He agrees to fill in as the school's track coach, a sport is is unfamiliar and unimpressed with.  There he meets a young student facing trials of her own and in the end learns a lot about what we allow and should allow to define us as a person.

Cool bonus!  On the Overcomer website you can find a parent guide, family devotional and a sports team devotional as well!  You can also download posters and more!  Grab your family or a group of friends and make it a special outing and then time of good discussion.

ABOUT KENDRICK BROTHERS PRODUCTIONS

"Kendrick Brothers Productions is the company of brothers Alex, Stephen and Shannon Kendrick that exists to honor God and share the truth and love of Jesus Christ through movies, books, curriculum and speaking. By blending engaging stories with doctrinal integrity, the Kendricks seek to encourage and inspire audiences with resources that positively impact their lives and strengthen their faith, families, and personal relationships."  (Facing the Giants, War Room, Courageous)

“As people are walking out of the theater, we hope that they begin to ask questions about where their identity is found, because too often we find it in our circumstances, in our titles, in what other people are saying about us, in our jobs, in our positions or awards. Those things can be taken away,” said Stephen Kendrick.

“I hope moviegoers will realize their salvation is about much more than just having a ticket to eternity. They were actually given a brand-new identity.

Thanks to FlyBy and Provident Films,we are able to give away two FREE ticket codes to see Overcomer.  Just leave me a comment here on the blog of who you would take with you to see it.  A random winner will be chosen on Friday!

Website - https://www.overcomermovie.com

FB - https://www.facebook.com/OvercomerMovie/

Twitter - @overcomermovie  https://twitter.com/OvercomerMovie?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

Insta - @overcomermovie  https://www.instagram.com/overcomermovie/?hl=en

“Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255:  “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”):  Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway.  Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation.  I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post.

Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway.  If you have won a prize from our sponsor Propeller /FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days on the same blog, you are not eligible to win.  Or if you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again.  Winner is subject to eligibility verification.  No Canadian winners please, Fandango does not reach to our Canadian friends.

Blessings,

30 Days to Understanding the Bible Review

I am always thrilled when I get invited to review Bible resource material.  Between our family devotion time, my quiet time, and time spent in church and numerous studies there, I spend a lot of time in God's word.  But that is not necessarily how I grew up and therefore I often still feel behind the power curve when it comes to basic Bible knowledge.

There is no place better to go to learn about God and His word than to His book - the Bible!  But often times, it is helpful to gain knowledge from those who have gone before us and spent much of their lifetime studying.  How blessed we are to have people like that in the world.

30 Days to Understanding the Bible is the brainchild of pastor and author Max Anders, who has spent many years studying the Bible.  This 385 page, paperback book is his attempt to pass along general Bible knowledge in an easy to read and understand way.  While he admits that 30 days is not enough time to learn everything, he suggests that in 30 days, about 15 minutes a day, you can learn about key people, events, and doctrines in the Bible, as well as a basic framework to increase your knowledge.

Book sections include-

• The Story of the Old Testament
• The Story of the New Testament
• 10 Great Doctrines of the Bible
• NanoSummary of the Bible
• How to Master the Bible So Well the Bible Masters You
• Teaching Plans
• and Bonus Chapters

Each of those sections, of course, are broken into numerous chapters, most being 6-10 pages long.  Specifically, about a 15 minute read.

Included in many chapters are charts, maps, pictures, and more.  There are places for you to treat it like a workbook and fill in the blanks and at the end of each chapter is a self test to see how much you can remember.

 

How we are using this book-
If our family had chosen to work through this book daily, we would indeed be done with it.  Instead we have taken a slightly different approach.

We chose to read one chapter a week out loud as part of our family devotions.  We take turns reading as well as answering the questions.  Then throughout the week we review as needed and test each other's memories.

There is no doubt if you were going through this book alone you could indeed read it in 30 days and have gained a lot of knowledge.  But if you are like my family, or maybe just me, you need more time to chew on the facts, memorize them, and make the yours.  The extra time has also allowed us to dig  deeper, often bringing in application- how does that affect me?  What do I think about that?  Why did it happen that way?  What else does the Bible say about that?

 I love this gem of a book!  While written for older teens and adults, it is easily adapted for younger children and be be read alone or with a group.  Think of it as Sunday School on steroids!

And know that while your head knowledge of the Bible increases, God is most certainly at work increasing your heart toward Him as well!

Here is a great promo video to give you a glimpse of 30 Days to Understanding the Bible.
Blessings,

“Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255:  “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”):  Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway.  Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation.  I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post."

Blessings,

Once Upon a Time Holy Bible and Storybook Bible Review

Another Bible review!  You all KNOW I love Bibles!  If I could get a Bible into the hands of everyone I know, and those I don't, I would have a permanent smile on my face.  One at a time, I am checking people off! ;)

While the Word of God is never changing and ALWAYS sufficient, how you package those words can vary greatly.  While I prefer a pretty plain Bible, others like a place to journal and art work, and others like sparkle and fancy fonts.  Even the translation choices can vary from person to person.  In my humble opinion, those details do not change the message, and so if the specific color or other choices make your heart sing, then go for it.

The Once Upon a Bible is going to make little girls' hearts sing, I just know it!  It speaks of everything princessey (I just made up that word, I know) and sparkly.  Full color pictures similar to the Disney look are sprinkled throughout this NIRV version of the Holy Bible and are sure to attract children and Disney loving families.  While the title Once Upon a Time Bible may make you wince a bit, the publisher is quick to point out, "The Bible is not a fairy tale.  Every great story happened once upon a time," and THIS story had the BEST happy ending!  Features include a Bible dictionary as well as a list of the "great" Bible stories for quick reference.

In connection with the Once Upon a Time Bible Zonderkidz has also produced the Once Upon a Time Storybook Bible.  This 8x11 storybook highlights stories from the Bible.  Each story is 4 pages long with full color illustrations and ends with a Happily Ever After box that contains the scripture verse and reference from which the story comes.
 

 

The Once Upon a Time Storybook Bible highlights 33 stories, 18 from the Old Testament and 15 from the New Testament. For those children you may feel are too young to sit through a full chapter in the Bible or may have a hard time processing at that level, these stories are a perfect way to introduce the familiar people and stories from old.  Building a love of the people in the Bible at an early age may help to transition more easily to a full Bible when they are ready.

Even at 9 years old, my son enjoyed looking at the fun pictures and snuggling up to read the stories, and he had no problem reading the NIRV text as a 4th grader.

I would love to give a copy of both the Once Upon a Time Bible and the Once Upon a Time Storybook Bible to one of our readers!  Just leave me a comment and tell me who you would share these with.  Don't forget to let me know how I can reach you if you are our winner.  A random name will be chosen next THURSDAY!

Both Bibles are available where books are sold and the Storybook Bible is available at Sam's Club or where books are sold.  You can also purchase them here!


Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255:  “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”):  Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway.  Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation.  I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post. Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway.  If you have won a prize from our sponsor Propeller /FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days on the same blog, you are not eligible to win.  Or if you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again.  Winner is subject to eligibility verification.

Blessings,

I'm Going to Give You a Bear Hug- Children's book review and giveaway

Yes, another children's book has found its way into our house.  I know, I know, we do not have little people around here anymore, but a gal can hope right!?  Someday, God willing, I will get to hold little people in my lap once again and read all these beautiful books to them.  Until then, my sweet 9 year old indulges me and lets me read to him every now and then.

Our new book?  I'm Going to Give You a Bear Hug by Caroline B. Cooney. The first time I saw the cover I knew I had to have it for two reasons.  One, we are a hugging family around here.  Get near us, and we will surely give you a hug, whether you want one or not!  We are from the south, after all.  And secondly, I have a daughter who has a fear of bears.  True story.  So I tease her often with books with bears in them. Because I am nice like that! ;)

Even she cannot be afraid of this bear!  Look how cute!  Illustrator Tim Warnes did a beautiful job making Caroline's characters come to life using brightly colored pages filled with whimsical animals and children.  They are sweet and engaging illustrations!

And the story!  Well, I even caught our 9 year old reading this book on his own a few times.  In this 32 page hard covered book, aimed for ages 4-8, Caroline tells the story of all the different types of hugs you can give, from bear hugs to horse and whale hugs.  The cute rhymes are sure to hold a young child's attention, and because there are only a few lines on each page, you can read it quickly or linger on each page to discuss what you see!

Colby's favorite hug was, you guessed it, the bear!  Mine was the whale-

"I'm going to give you a whale hug.

A high tide, Ocean wide, Take me for a sail hug."

And the perfect ending for your child's day,

"Say your prayers and kiss good night, Way beyond compare hug!"  

As always, Fly By Productions is offering one of our readers a chance to win this adorable children's book!  Just leave me a comment and we will choose a random winner next Friday!

“Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255:  “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”):  Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway.  Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation.  I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post.

Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway.  If you have won a prize from our sponsor Propeller /FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days on the same blog, you are not eligible to win.  Or if you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again.  Winner is subject to eligibility verification.

Blessings, 

Blessings of Unity- Book Review and Giveaway

 

The Blessings of Unity by Richard Case is a small, 130 page paperback book with a lot of punch, written to help strengthen marriages and draw us closer to Christ.  By "Abiding in the Vine and Walking in the Spirit" as well as learning what unity really means and applying that to our marriages, Case contends that our lives will be more grounded in Christ and our marriages a blessing.



So what is the definition of Unity?  "When a man and a woman (in the case of marriage) strive for agreement with God in processing His will on every decision and in every issue," according to the author.

There is a lot of practical advice in this book, but more than that, there is a lot of scripture in this book!  Page after page, Case backs up his techniques and advice with Biblical references, pointing back to the one place that has all the answers- the Bible.  






Chapters include-

• Evaluation of your Marriage
• Division and Discord
• Unity
• The Keys to Unity
• Unity Comes Through Abiding in the Word
• How to Handle Disagreements and Differences of Opinions
• Praying Through Unity
• Biblical Examples of Unity 

My thoughts?  Here is a quote I loved, "We knew that if we disagreed...that either God would alter Linda's heart, alter my heart, or show us something brand new that neither of us had considered (p. 39)."  I love that Case repeatedly says that finding resolution or working through a problem is not about one person changing the other's mind or getting their way, but about praying until they are both on the same page- in agreement with God!  "Remember that unity is never a forced agreement or a compromise, but rather, an honest process until unity with the Spirit is reached (pg 80)." How beautiful of an image.  If we desire to follow God, we should desire that His wants become ours.  

Chapter 9 sums it up like this-

• God hates division.
• Division is caused by our natural selfishness.
• Unity is not negotiation or compromise; rather, it is unity with the Spirit.
• The basic key to unity is [to want to have] unity!
• To reach unity in the Spirit requires us to learn how to abide in the Vine...
• When we disagree, we are to process through the disagreement with honor and respect...
• We have the privilege of prayer...  

While there were a few points in The Blessings of Unity that I did not completely agree with, I think this book is a good one, for the newly married to marriages of old.  The scriptural reminders and examples alone deserve careful consideration with regards to how we handle problems and how we view unity from a Biblical perspective!   

Fly By Production is graciously allowing us to offer a free copy of The Blessings of Unity to one of our readers.  Leave me a comment and a way to contact you and a random winner will be chosen next Thursday! 
   All for Jesus Ministry is also offering you Unshakable, a free 9 page book you can download that will help and support growth in Christ!

"Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the
Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post. Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway.  If you have won a prize from our sponsor Propeller / FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days, you are not eligible to win.  Or if you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.”

Blessings,