Blessed...Books-Tuesday

Have you ever read a book that stays with you forever? I know, I know, the Bible is that kind of book for you. But I am talking about a book written by earthly hands and heart? "Beautiful in God's Eyes" by Elizabeth George is that book for me. So encouraging was this book for me, that I created my email address to be Proverbs31wife@comcast.net. Now, this is not to proclaim to the world that I have achieved this goal. On the contrary, it is to remind me daily of what I aspire to be. Because to be quite honest with you all, some days I am only a Proverbs 4 1/2 wife!

This beautiful book goes through Proverbs 31, verses ten through thirty-one. Explaining and defining the virtuous woman that we all long to be. I have met many women in my walk with the Lord who are intimidated by Proverbs 31. I can see them tense up when a teaching is going to be covered on these scriptures. I have never felt that way. Don't get me wrong, I do find it challenging, but I LOVE a good challenge. And obviously the Lord does too, if He has laid out this plan for godly womanhood.





Whether you are one of the women who stays away from Proverbs 31, or you are one that digs in with a voracious appetite. You will be blessed by this book, and most especially, so will your family.

Blessed Books - Tuesday

My friend Dana recently attended a women's conference featuring author and speaker Kay Marshall Strom. Knowing my calling to write, Dana purchased a book for me and had it signed by Mrs. Strom. Dana blessed me with it only a couple of days ago and already I am at its last few pages. This book was simply amazing. I could not put it down.



"Daughters of Hope" was written by authors Kay Strom and Michelle Rickett. This is a collection of the stories of women who in the face of persecution, have been a witness for their faith. These authors have traveled the world to share with us the stories of Christian women in the persecuted church. Which I must add is pretty much every country outside of the western world. It was brought to my mind each time I opened this book, to pray for those being persecuted today, right now, even as I type these words.

Though we may not be able to take action in Indonesia, Pakistan, Iraq or China, our actions can be turned to prayer. The greatest defense and offense of all.

You do not walk away from reading this book feeling defeated. On the contrary, this book inspires you. What a great reminder that no matter how many are tortured or killed at the hands of their captors, Christianity still continues to grow. What a great reminder that our God is the one and only true and living God.

Our God can multiply by division!

Blessed Books - Tuesday

'Believing God' by women's Bible study teacher and author Beth Moore is about exactly what the title proclaims...believing God. My girlfriend Celia had gone through the Bible study and read the book quite a few years ago. She loved this book so much that she bought it for me. I loved it too. My husband also has read this book and we are now doing the Bible study together...again another gift to us from my dear friend Celia.



The word believe is a verb, an action. Is your life bearing the fruit of a true believer? Are you just talking the talk? When you truly believe God for who He says He is, who He says you are, you won't just be talking the talk anymore, you will be walking the walk as well.

'Blessed' Books - Tuesday

For those of you wordsmiths out there, (you know who you are)... you are the gals who enjoy playing Scrabble, Upwords or just looking up the definitions of words while working on your Bible studies.

Have I got the book for you!



Being in the same 'word' camp as many of you ladies, I am always curious about what the true meaning of words are. I have found that especially while studying God's word, I am blown away by what some of the simplest words mean. Often words that I thought I knew already, after looking up their meanings, have so surprised me. It has enriched my women's studies and while teaching Bible studies to women, I have used it as a wonderful tool to convey just what God may be trying to show us through the words He has placed in the scriptures.

The American Dictionary of the English language is based upon God's written word, for Noah Webster used the Bible as the foundation for his definitions. This is what separates this dictionary from any other dictionary in existence today. Webster's dictionary, the uncut version, at 1800 pages, uses scripture reference quite regularly.

What a wonderful blessing it is to look up a word and not only receive an in-depth definition but to receive also the scripture reference and where you can go to find this word in the Bible.

'Blessed' Books-Tuesday

As Christians, our marriages should be a living breathing example to the world. Our marriages should look different to people. Unfortunately, just as the secular world, shamefully our statistics for divorce are not much better.




The book 'Love and Respect' is written from the Ephesians 5:33 mandate "But every husband must love his wife as he loves himself, and wives should respect their husbands." I have enjoyed many books on marriage and this one is one of my favorites. It is not only an easy read (my husband and I read a chapter together each night), it is a great encouragement.

My husband and I make a point to attend our church's marriage conference each year. We have also been blessed to attend 'A Weekend to Remember' put on by Dennis Rainey and Family Life Today. We always try to make a point to take what I like to call our 'marriage temperature'. We get a marriage check-up, if you will. When we leave these conferences we go down the check list, marking off the things we are succeeding at and highliting those things that need work. This book was one reccommended to us by friends who had heard author Dr. Emerson Eggerichs speak at their church. It is now a book that I keep on my shelf and as recently as yesterday, gave to a neighbor of mine who is hurting in her marriage.


If you are married, take the time to read this book. Whether you think you need it or not...you will be 'Blessed'!



"My husband and I have never considered divorce... murder sometimes, but never divorce." Joyce Brothers

'Blessed' Books - Tuesday

Have you ever read a book by Christian non-fiction writer Francine Rivers? If your answer was no, then let me be the first to encourage you to do so. Originally a highly awarded secular romance novelist, Rivers opened her heart and her life to Jesus Christ and is now a Christian novelist whose books have been made into movies.




Her book, 'Atonement Child' was one of the first of her books that I read. This book tells the story of a young woman and college student 'Dynah' who lives through a very traumatic sexual assault and soon afterwards finds herself pregnant. Dynah who is almost a child herself, has to make decisions about whether to keep this child or to have an abortion. As you turn each page you find yourself silently praying that she will make the right decision. Throughout this ordeal her faith is not only realized but strengthened.

If you are anything like me, whether you start with this Francine Rivers book or one of her many others, my guess is that you will be hooked!

'Blessed' Books - Tuesday

Are you getting tired of Christian non-fiction books yet? I promise to post a fiction book next week, but for now, here is a book that is on my annual reading list...

'A Woman After God's Own Heart' by author Elizabeth George was one of the first books I read after becoming a Christian. I know that some people read her books can become stressed out over how far they may be missing the mark of godly womanhood. I find her books quite the contrary. I love to read something that encourages me to the high calling which was planned for my life even before I was even born...or should I say re-born to it! If you haven't read this book, get it. You will be 'Blessed'.




Today you are getting a 'twofer' book post! For those of you moms out there with young daughters, here is a book for you. This book would be a wonderful book for a mother/daughter or aunt/niece, youth group leader/preteens and teenagers...'A Young Woman After God's Own Heart', again by author Elizabeth George. If you feel like you just don't have the time to do a daily Bible study with your daughter, take a chapter a week and sit with her and do a devotion. Go over the points in the chapter that speak to your heart and let your daughter share what she thought was important in the chapter to her. It can open a great dialogue between the two of you.

And like I say, there is not much difference between toddlers and teenagers. They both need your undivided attention to grow and thrive from the love and one on one time you give them.

'Blessed' Books - Tuesday

This book is one of my absolute favorites. It was written over twenty years ago yet the words on these pages are timeless. We can all be inspired by a women who was thrown into sharing her home with others, even when she didn't want to. Author Karen Burton Mains is the non-fiction author that penned this book, 'Open Heart, Open Home', and it was her first best seller.

Throughout the pages, she gently bolsters confidence while she teaches Christian women to use their homes as the starting point for sharing the gospel with others. If you are not one to invite a boat load of people over just for the heck of it, she will speak right to your heart and if you have the gift of hospitality you will be doubly blessed.



**CAUTION: Christian books reccommended to you should ALWAYS line up with the Word of God...ALWAYS**