Little Things

First let me say that I am NOT a One Direction fan!
I don't have favourite bands perse - I have faviourite songs, and they come from many genres and periods of time.

I am putting this song on here because some of the lines in it made me laugh,
It also made me cry - because I don't have someone in my life - someone to love the "Little Things" about.

ACRBA Tour - Bethlehem's Warrior Baby by Ray Hawkins

9 - 23 November

Australian Christian Readers Blog Alliance

is introducing

Bethlehem's Warrior (31 Day Devotional)

(Even Before Publishing November 2012)

by Ray Hawkins

Available from Light the dark this week for $7.95

About the Author:

Ray Hawkins

Ray Hawkins, retired after over 40 years as a Churches of Christ minister, enjoys sharing themes from the Scriptures through Devotional writing. Married to Mary, multi-published inspirational romance author, they have three children and five grandchildren. Ray shares his insights in his first two books on Marriage and Children with more ideas to come about ministry and much more. Living in Beauty Point Tasmania Ray heads up a new Christian Fellowship as well as doing relief preaching, community work and writing.

Book Description:

Bethlehem's Warrior (31 Day Devotional)

Short Book Description: In 31 daily devotional meditations Bethlehem's Warrior
Baby takes you out of a sentimental nativity scene and into a contest with
eternal significance.

It walks you through God's promise in Genesis 3:15 of Someone coming and the
clues to His identity in the old Testament. You become aware that in the
Christmas event that 'Someone' has come.

I believe Christmas is the culmination of Heaven's countdown to reclaim men,
women and creation from the tyranny of sin, death and Satan. The cost involved
to God to achieve this should make the reader bow in awe and gratitude.

Website - http://rayhawkinsauthor.blogspot.com.au/

My Thoughts:

I haven't finished reading this yet, but I'm getting so much out of it. Ray has linked Old Testament prophecy with Christ's coming in a variety of ways. Many things are thought provoking, and have been about things that I have been thinking about and learning in other ways.
This is not just a devotional book to be read at Christmas, although reading it at this time of year is a wonderful reminder of what the Christmas season is really about.
Get a copy, start reading and listen to what God has to say to you through this.
After reading this, I really want to read some of Ray's other devotional books.

First Wild Card Tours - Still I Will Praise by Renee Bondi

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!

Today's Wild Card author is:

Renée Bondi

and the book:

Still I Will Praise: The Power of Praising God Even When You Don't Feel Like It

CLC Publications (August 24, 2012)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Renée Bondi is a popular speaker and recording artist who has shared the stage with Sandi Patty, Larry King and Point of Grace. She has been featured in magazines such as Today’s Christian Woman and Woman’s World and on shows, including “The 700 Club,” “Hour of Power,” and TBN. Renée is the founder of Bondi Ministries. Among her many awards and honors is Woman of the Year from the California State Senate and recognition for Outstanding Service to the Community from the U.S. House of Representatives. She lives with her husband and son in Southern California.

At age 29, Renée s future was incredibly bright. She was engaged and had a beautiful singing voice, a thriving career as a music teacher, and a loving family. But then one night a bizarre accident left her a quadriplegic. Renée lost not only all use of her arms and legs, but also her singing voice she could barely speak above a whisper. Through even this, Renée remained hopeful and held tight to her faith. Her unbroken spirit and amazing physical progress baffled the medical field and even surprised those close to her. She miraculously began to sing again and went on to live more fully than she ever dreamed. Whether performing or sharing her victorious story Renée are uplifted and mesmerized by her angelic voice, music and messages. Most importantly, all who hear Renée are encouraged to pursue a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Visit the author's website.

SHORT BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Praising God hasn’t come easy for Bondi. She shares, “For most of us, praising God in difficult times doesn't come naturally. We praise God on the mountaintop, not in the valley. After becoming paralyzed, I found when I chose to lift my eyes and heart in praise to Christ, I experienced a much deeper peace and strength I didn’t have before. Praising God changes my focus, which changes my mind and then my heart and ultimately my attitude.”

Her book is filled with personal stories that emphasize how important worship has become in her life and brings to life some well-known and more obscure Bible characters who praised God in the good times and also in the tough times.

Product Details:
List Price: $18.99
Hardcover: 175 pages
Publisher: CLC Publications (August 24, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1619580136
ISBN-13: 978-1619580138

AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:

Please go HERE and press the "Look Inside" button on Amazon to read the first chapter of this amazing book.

My Thoughts:
Sadly I wasn't able to get a copy of this book, but I plan to.
I have read Renee's autobiography, and from that can tell you that Renee knows what she is talking about.

Friday Fill-Ins - November 9

And...here we go!

1. One time, I tried sushi - I didn't like it.
2. Seeing children having fun is something that makes me smile.
3. Seven words I love: "The last child is gone! Let's go".
4. I have never been to the snow; unless you count the time when I was 3 months old.
5. I looked out the window today and saw a rainbow.
6. Hello! and that's saying something!
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to movie night with my sister, tomorrow my plans include going to a friend's birthday party and eating copious amounts of chocolate and Sunday, I want to enjoy the teaching, fellowship and worship at church!

ACRBA - Return to Baragula by Mary Hawkins

5 - 9November

Australian Christian Readers Blog Alliance 

is introducing 

Return to Baragula

(Ark house March 2008)

by Mary Hawkins

About the Author:

Mary Hawkins is a best-selling inspirational romance author with other 825,000 romance books in print. During the first few years of being published she also had five medical romance novels released by Harlequin Mills & Boon before concentrating on inspirationals for Barbour Publishing (Ohio). Return to Baragula is her first single title and the first released by an Australia publisher.

Mary was a Queensland farmer's daughter, became a registered nurse and has a graduate diploma from a Sydney Bible College where she met her husband. Ray is a retired minister who is also a published author. They enjoyed ministries in Australia, three short term mission trips to Africa and two years at a church in England before settling in beautiful Tasmania. They have three adult children and are now proud grandparents. Mary is a member of several writing organisations including American Christian Fiction Writers, Romance Writers of Australia, Romance Writers America, their Faith Hope Love chapter and Australian Omega Writers. She enjoys speaking appointments and writing workshops where she can share the journey she has been walking for many years with her Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

www.mary-hawkins.com

Book Description:

Return To Baragula

Over the years Emily Parker's actions as a teenager have impacted not only her own life, but the lives of many different people. Now, six years later, she returns reluctantly to her home town of Baragula only to discover the man at the heart of those actions, Matthew Davidson, is the community's respected doctor. While Emily's faith is now severely weakened by all that has happened, Matthew's life has completely turned around since he committed his life to Christ. His personal relationship with God is tested when he discovers how his behaviour when a non-believer hurt so many, especially Emily, and feels responsible for her hardness of heart towards the Lord. Disease attacks the community while danger from another source threatens Emily and her family. Through it all, will Matthew and Emily's faith be strong enough to forgive each other and put the past behind them?

 

My Thoughts:

It's been a couple of years since I read this book, but I loved it. Reading a book set in Australia, with cultural things that I totally understood was a wonderful change from all the American books that I had been reading.

This book is about people's journeys through life and the way they come to God, and how God is faithful through all circumstances - even ones that seem hopeless.

I greatly respect the writing of Mary Hawkins because she clearly talks about God and shares the Gospel through her stories.

Return to Baragula is the first in a 3 book series.