First Giveaway & Book Review: Ramblings from the Shower by Faye Bryant

Yeah!!!
I am so excited...
I have my first giveaway!
Keep reading!!!


We got a bit of unexpected news 

about 2 weeks ago,
it is not lifeshattering,
just a minor hiccup...
BUT,  

I am the type to 

worry over EVERYTHING.

And in order to attempt to prevent

the worrying that I KNOW is coming,

I research and make calls and panic

and attempt to control the situations

and get impatient when 

other people don't share my priorities.

In the midst of all this worry

about what ifs...

I got another book in the mail.

It was one I was looking forward to reading.

The title alone got my interest!

"Ramblings from the Shower"

Ramble - that describes what frequently

comes out of my mouth

and what is constantly going on in my head
and occasionally what you guys
get the privilege of reading on here!

This book was perfectly timed

and I think I actually need to go back 

and read it

again!

This is the first time since college

(actually I am not sure I remember doing it then either)

that I have tabbed so many quotes

and passages in a book!

LOOK!

Here is the information I received on the book:

Faye Bryant | Ramblings from the Shower

ISBN-10: 1439240329 |ISBN-13: 978-1439240328 | Format: Soft Cover  | Pages: 210

What do you think about in the shower?

And where do those thoughts take you?

In “Ramblings from the Shower,” author Faye Bryant shares some of the thoughts that have come her way during the mundane task of everyday hygiene, and how those thoughts have compelled her to ask, “What about this, God? What do You think?”

Follow along as Faye shares through personal experience and revelation her conclusions on just what God does think.

Faye Bryant

Faye Bryant is an outspoken advocate for authentic Christianity, having lived as a mask-wearer for years. She has spoken before several groups on living real and loving raw. She has served on a church staff for over ten years. She is also a hobbyist photographer, a history buff and a menace at trivia games. She has been a wife… then an ex-wife… and is a wife again. Mom… then step-mom. Then step-grandmom. She has been rejected… then accepted. Abused… then loved. And she has learned how to love in return. She was whole… then cancer. She has battled with fear… then was brought to a place of peace. Now she is facing the future with hope and confidence in God. Meeting life right where it happens, through a variety of experiences, Faye has learned that life can hurt, but God’s love is real, and God never expects us to go it alone, or be something other than what He has called us to be. Through her warm and witty sense of humor, Faye now shares her faith and love for God alongside her husband Jack, through their church in the mountains of East Tennessee.

Faye blogs at fayebryant.com and tweets at @rfbryant

My Take:

LOVE!

There is no other way to say it.

It was like she was talking directly to me,

I felt like we were having a conversation.

I didn't have any "revelations" while reading it.

But I enjoyed every minute.

Her writing style was VERY easy to read.

She has wit & humor in the book

and I could definitely relate

to MOST of what she wrote about.

True life events,

integrity,

patience,

control,

finding the "good" in everything,

not judging others...

This book reminded me of what my job was

and what God's job is.

I *know* these things...

but for whatever reason,

I  need frequent reminders.

I have a hard time waiting on Him

to do things in HIS time

so I worry myself silly,

attempt to control things I have NO control over

and 

have little patience...

don't believe me

(ask my kids and husband! - ha!)

I have patience...

I just choose not to exercise that "gift"

as often as I should...

I finished reading the book in about 2 days.

Click on the link below,
Zip on over to Amazon

and grab a copy.

Ramblings from the Shower

by Faye Bryant

Trust me - 

you will not regret the purchase of this book!

As a matter of fact,
I am going to read it AGAIN!
And I am going to sit down with
a notebook and a pen
and go through one chapter
at a time
and really concentrate on each
chapter...

and maybe even underline
and highlight in it!!!
(gasp!)

Ms. Bryant
has agreed to send one of my lucky readers
a copy of her book!!
Whoo hoo!
I can't believe it,
I am just busting with excitement...
can you tell??

Join me on Facebook
Are We Really Doing This???

Then leave a comment below telling me
why you "need" this book!
(Trust me, you do!)

I will use a random number generator
and pick the winner NEXT Friday,
August 10th.

Make sure you "LIKE"
Are We Really Doing This???
On Facebook so I can contact the winner!

Thanks and GOOD LUCK!
Whoo hoo!
I am so excited!!!!

Disclosure:  I received a free copy of this book/Ebook/Product to review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC Regulations. I am part of The CWA Review Crew.

Book Review: Growing Great Kids by Kate Battistelli

As a part of the CWA Review Crew,

I am given the opportunity 

to get copies of books,

hard copies or e-copies,

in exchange for an honest review.

I have read and reviewed one book already

Crossing Values by Carrie Daws

The next review book on my list was:

Growing Great Kids

by Kate Battistelli

Here is what she writes about the book:

Kate Battistelli / Growing Great Kids

ISBN: 967-1-61638-654-2 | List Price: $14.99 | Format: Softcover | Page Count: 238

Partner with God to cultivate His purpose in your child’s life

Successful adults don’t happen by accident. It takes wisdom to raise your children with a strong sense of their destiny in God and a deep knowledge of their gifts and callings.

In Growing Great Kids, Kate Battistelli shares what she and her husband, Mike, learned about parenting during the journey of raising their daughter, GRAMMY-nominated and Dove Award-winning recording artist Francesca Battistelli.

Using anecdotes to illustrate the insights she and her husband gained, she provides practical advice including:

• How to dream God’s big dream for your child
• The value of humility and integrity
• How to interpret God’s seasons in a child’s life
  

Kate Battistelli is a wife, author, speaker, former Broadway actress, and mom to one of Christian music’s most celebrated new recording artists—Grammy-nominated, Christian contemporary singer-songwriter Francesca Battistelli.

Kate currently volunteers at ESTHER Single Mothers Outreach and is thoroughly enjoying her newest role as grandmother to Francesca’s first child, Matthew Elijah.

She writes about parenting, food and faith regularly at KateBattistelli.com.

My Thoughts:

This book has a great premise!

And it is just stocked with thought provoking

ideas and questions.

BUT

I honestly did not make it through the whole book.

I tried,

I tried HARD.

I have carried it around with me for WEEKS 

picking it up and TRYING to get into it.

BUT,

It was really hard for me to relate to the writer.

She has one child,

she and her husband had careers in theater.

I have 4 children

and

my husband and I have careers in science.

And theater does not interest me.

So I had a VERY hard time relating.

I mentioned that I carried this book around with me,

I mean that literally.

I have a binder that I take with me just

about every where I go

to take notes in and keep papers in.

I had this book in my zipper binder

when I went to take a class

at our church so I could volunteer with VBS.

A fellow class member saw the book 

and asked me about it.

I recommended it,

but was honest and told her I could relate

to the writer.

Then during VBS, my games co-leader

informed me that she had 1 child

and he was the puppeteer for 

our VBS mascot for this

year's theme - 

"Octo the Octopus"

I told her about the book...

it sounded perfect for her!

This book is very thought provoking,

if you can get through it.

I did skip around and read parts of it. 

But... 

I WILL be hanging on to this book.

The main idea is

helping your child find their way.

What are they good at?

What "gift" did God give them?

Find that gift and FEED IT!

I will keep this thought in the back of my mind

as I raise my young children.

And hopefully I will eventually make it through the book,

the whole book.

Disclosure:  I received a free copy of this book/Ebook/Product to review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC Regulations. I am part of The CWA Review Crew.

Book Review: Crossing Values by Carrie Daws

I was recently provided with a book to read,

in exchange for my honest review.

My first ever book review!

I am so excited.

I have a couple of books on my "to do" list.

I had been looking forward to this one.

It was fiction

and

not a "self help" 

or guidance book.

This was my first experience with a 

"Christian" fiction book.

But the summary on the back looked very interesting:

For years, Amber traipsed around the northwest avoiding the skeletons in her closet. Job-hopping every few weeks, she refused to let anyone get close to her.

As winter plants itself firmly across the Rockies, she takes a chance on a job at a logging company with a family different from any she’s ever known.

Watching the family interact creates more questions than answers for Amber. Feeling like she’s entered the happily-ever-after written at the end of fairytales, she watches for cracks in the façade.

Surely as the days pass, the play-acting will cease and the real family will emerge.

Or could she be wrong?  Could they be genuine?

Could Faye understand the trauma from her past or Peter think of her as more than just the winter office help? Could this family really hold the key to what she’s seeking?

My Thoughts:

Thankfully it was a quick read.  I needed one of those!

I still can't decide about this book.

It was a bit surreal for me.

I realize it was fiction,

but I couldn't put myself into the book.

And I had a hard time believing the 

events and timeline and the 

whole premise of the book.

Yes, I realize it is "fiction".

Halfway through I knew I didn't love it,

but in the end, there is a reference to a sequel.

I found myself intrigued about the sequel.

I would be interested in reading the sequel,

if it happened upon my doorstep,

but I am not sure I will hunt it out.

I commend Ms. Daws, a fellow homeschooling momma,

 on writing and publishing a book.

Well done and good luck on this journey!

 Disclaimer:  I received a free copy of this book/Ebook/Product to review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC Regulations. I am part of The CWA Review Crew.