Review: One Glorious Ambition

One Glorious Ambition: The Compassionate Crusade of Dorothea Dix, a Novel by Jane Kirkpatrick
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Kirkpatrick never fails to get the reader interested in the character and fall deeply in love from the very beginning. Dorothea Dix by all accounts was a woman growing up in an era when she was supposed to find her prince charming and be satisified with that. Dorothea had different ideas though. She felt as if God called her to be more, and more she did!

I loved her enthusiasm for life and all it could offer her was contagious. Her ideas and thoughts made me smile and laugh. Dorothea was a true gem and inspiration. I love how she thought, well every time I do this, I get sick, so maybe God has different plans for me. And she went from there to explore what really was her purpose and what God's plans were for her, to that if what she really wanted to do. She let that be her guide, which God blessed her greatly I feel.

Every Kirkpatrick book makes me want to know more about the person and I really love that in an author. I highly recommend this book as well. You will be inspired and what a good lesson for all of us, to let God guide our paths. I really wanted her to be a mom to Marianna, but that wasn't meant to be, no matter how hard Dorothea tried. I really felt bad every time she would mention it to Grace, she would be cold. Also, her relationship with Anne's family. I am sure her not having any real family but Charles, she longed forever for a family, but perhaps it wasn't meant to be.

Read it, you will love Dorothea's rising to the challenges God has set forth! May you be blessed by this book and inspired to really think of what God might have for you, instead of what you might have planned for you. It will be better, we know that!

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Review: It Is Well With My Soul

It Is Well With My Soul by Shelly Beach
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a wonderful devotional help for people struggling. I can see it being for a lot of different problems throughout life. Shelly Beach tells some of her story, so you can know where she is coming from. She too has been there!

What I liked about this devotional is it is rooted firmly in scripture, turning back every time to a verse. Read and re-read them. They will grow in your head, so when you face troubles in the future, you will have verses handy to turn to. I also liked the prayer guides in the back. Just small prayers, but ones to get you really talking with our Lord about your troubles and worries.

I love how at the end of each section there are just 2 questions. Questions that really are worth thinking about and doing.

Shelly Beach is one author that I haven't had the pleasure of reading till now, but I will not be a stranger much longer! I highly recommend this book. Even if you aren't going through a trial now, as we all know, in this life you will be. So be proactive and prepared! Get those verses in your head. Pass this book along to others you know as well and be a blessing!

I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for my honest opinion.

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Review: NIV Real-Life Devotional Bible

NIV Real-Life Devotional Bible for Women: Insights for Everyday Life by Lysa TerKeurst
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I was thoroughly excited to get my hands on this new NIV devotional Bible. However, I didn't know that some of my other favorite ladies at Proverbs 31 had done devotionals for it too, like Wendy Pope, Melissa Taylor, Karen Ehman, Micca Campbell, Renee Swope, Lynn Cowell, Suzie Eller and more! Each of these ladies really know how to speak to us women and with God's directions, speak to my heart each day.

For a few years now I have followed all these ladies, so I will treasure this devotional Bible. The cover is divine. Each day brings some new words from our Savior, and a brilliant little nugget the ladies have shared with us.

Add this Bible to your daily devotions, what a blessing I know it will be for you!

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Review: The Hope of Spring

The Hope of Spring: Part 3 by Wanda E. Brunstetter
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I love this Discovery series! I was chomping at the bit to read this one which will come out April 1st, 2013.

We continue with Luke still not awake, and Meredith still thinks he is dead. No one knows he is alive, or at least not dead.

Meredith is 6 months pregnant and an old flame so to speak has come onto the scene, but Meredith thinks love might be blooming between him and her sister Laurie.

Meanwhile, Luke's nurse and the sisters meet, unknowingly having this bond! Isn't that awesome. When I read that I was screaming inside!!!

I won't give anything away, but you don't want to miss out on this series. I love it. I love the heartwarming message of God's grace and mercies are new each day. I love all the reminders Wanda tucks in each book.

I received a copy of this book from netgalley in exchange for an honest opinion.

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Review: Nowhere But Home

Nowhere But Home by Liza Palmer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Palmer is a genius. She has created such a wonderful, wacky character I was instantly in love! How can you NOT love a girl with spunk, a woman really who we can all identify with? I love the whole yelling at the customer because he put ketchup on the eggs thing. Queenie has been trying to find her place all over the US. In New York she thought she could make it but she gets fired yet again. With only 2 days left in the hotel before they deactivate her card for her room, she decides she might go home, just a few days anyway. Too see her nephew get star quarterback. Then she will move on. But will she?

Her home town in Texas, North Star, is a hoot. Her sister, Merry Carole, larger than life personality. Everyone should have a sister like her! Journey with Queenie as she discovers some things about herself she never knew and where her place REALLY is!

I loved Palmer's writing and I hope she never stops writing! This book was laugh out loud hilarious. She has such a quirky fun personality I couldn't help but smile. Even some of the seriousness still made me laugh. I mean, who thinks this stuff up? Palmer!!! Enjoy, you won't want to put it down, and it will end before you are ready!

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Review: The Fruitful Wife

The Fruitful Wife: Cultivating a Love Only God Can Produce by Hayley DiMarco
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Excellent source of wisdom, but most importantly taken right from the Bible. Lots of information to glean from this wonderful book.

The cover always catches my eye first, and I love this one. I highly recommend this book to everyone. I have tabs on mine, different colors for different things I want to be able to go right back to! I love easily Hayley is to identify with. A true treasure these days.

Cultivate a love only God can produce. I love this statement. Without God, our love for our husbands won't truly be what we desire it to be! We can't change anyone else, but ourselves. Each chapter deals with a fruit of the Spirit; love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Each of these you will find yourself poring over it again and again.

Grab your Bible and this wonderful book and be prepared to do some work, but it is all worth it! God bless.

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Review: Halos

Halos by Kristen Heitzmann
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

New author, new favorite. Fantastic! Blew my socks off.

Most books play nice, but this one had real people, real problems, real solutions. I wondered from the very beginning where we were going with the halos, and I loved every second. I could picture different people and places with halos. I really loved the different perspectives and different challenges.

Evil really exists and the consequences of sin, Carl's family's lifelong sin problems. God was in this book, but not in the yea right way, in the real believable way!

I could imagine being Alessi, but I can imagine being Steve too. Who really knew if Alessi was serious about what happened, or it was truly as she was saying.

Can you imagine being Alessi, thinking you saw the Halos and stopped in this quaint little town, Charity, loving seeing snow fall for the FIRST time, and someone STEALS your car. Then NO ONE believes you?

Excellent story, one that I have never heard. I loved every minute of it.



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