The Healing Power of Essential Oils

 

The Healing Power of Essential Oils by Eric Zielinskie, DC is a wonderful resource for essential oils.  I am very new to the essential oil world and have been searching for something to help get me started. This book contains 150 recipes and remedies. There is a link to videos that are very helpful. There is also very basic information on getting started to more advanced methods.

This book is written from a Christian perspective which I absolutely love. I suffer from migraines and have been hoping to find a more natural way to treat them. I hate the way my medications make me feel. There is a recipe in this book that I did and I can honestly say as long as I use it several times and at the onset of symptoms it has helped tremendously at keeping them at bay. I’ve used the mixture several times and have had great results. I’m hoping this is a long term thing. I am not sure it will keep all of them away but any help whatsoever is good for me.  I have recently purchased more oils to try out some other things and cannot wait to see the results.

The author gives good advice on choosing oils and his top 8 must haves are included. He also gives good advice on how to store and use oils in different ways from diffusion to bathing. There is also a recipe for Mrs. Z’s carrier oil that I can’t wait to try.

The only thing negative I can say about this book is I am not a huge fan of the paper it is printed on. Several pages were slightly creased when it arrived and I managed to get a few pages damp with a towel and they crinkled pretty badly. The paper is the equivalent in my opinion as what you would find in a child’s drawing or sketching pad. I would not let this deter me in purchasing or recommending this book to anyone who wants to learn more.

I highly recommend this to beginners and novice people who want to learn about oils and get started easily with them.  I have other essential oil books and this is my absolute favorite.

I received this book at no charge from bloggingforbooks.com in exchange for an honest review. You can purchase a copy here.

I Can Only Imagine

I love I Can Only Imagine: A friendship with Jesus now and forever by Bart Millard of Mercy Me. The song has such a special meaning and now in a child’s book it is just as good.

This book has very bright and colorful illustrations that will automatically pull kids. It goes through what a child might imagine spending time with God would be like but the final message is that we don’t have to wait to spend time with Him, He is with us all of the time.

I look forward to reading this over and over to my child. This is one I believe we will cherish and enjoy for years to come. It will stay in my library.

I received this book at no charge in exchange for an honest review.

Faithful Finance

 

 

Faithful Finance: 10 secrets to move from fearful insecurity to confident control by Emily Stroud is intended to help people make wise financial decisions. I’ve seen firsthand the struggle many people have with financial security or just taking care of their money in general. I was interested to see what she had to say. Schools do a very poor job of teaching children how to plan for their futures and many adults aren’t very good at taking care of their money.

In this book the author shares 10 tips to help meet financial goals. She gives 10 based on biblical principles.  She helps one understand how to create a budget and stick to it. She talks about avoiding debt and investing wisely.  She includes topics about purchasing a home and life insurance even college savings for children.

I feel like there was some really good advice in this book. Most things we already implement in our household but I will be passing this book on to my young adult daughter as she prepares to go out into life. 

I believe this book would be beneficial to anyone who is trying to get a handle on their finances as well as I believe this would be a wonderful gift for a college graduate or a young couple who are just starting out in life.

I received this book from handlebar publishing in exchange for an honest review.

.

Little Critter: Little Blessings Collection

 

 

Mercer Mayer's Little Critter: Little Blessings Collection includes four books in one. The books are You Go First, It’s True!, Being Thankful, and We All Need Forgiveness. Each book teaches valuable lessons for little ones.  It shows children through fun and colorful illustrations values that God would be pleased with even though sometimes we all mess up.

You Go First is a story where Little Critter is always wanting to be first, he isn’t thinking about anyone else’s feelings but his own. By the end he has learned that being with his friends and taking turns is much better.

In It’s True learning that even telling partial truths was the same as lying. Little Critter quickly learns that God is more pleased with us when we tell the truth.

Being Thankful is exactly what it says. Little Critter learns to be thankful for the things he has and does even though he may not always get exactly what he wants.

Lastly, We All Need Forgiveness, Little Critter is forgiven when he makes mistakes at home but he doesn’t always extend this forgiveness to others when they do something to him. Then he makes a mistake at school and all of his friends get mad at him and aren’t so quick to forgive him.  His mom teaches him we should always forgive others just like God forgives us.  Eventually they all forgive each other and everything is good again.

I love this book and would recommend it to families who have small children who may need a gentle reminder of good behavior. I can’t wait to read it to my little one. I received this book at no charge in exchange for an honest review.

NKJV Faithlife Illustrated Study Bible

 

 

The NKJV Faithlife Ilustrated Study Bible has beautiful colored illustrations chocked full of information and study material. It has historical timelines, and 27 family trees. The introductions to each book is very in depth.

I love how so much information is packed into this bible especially with the illustrations. I am a very visual learner and the illustrations intrigue me and give me a visual to help me learn even more. I also love the verse by verse study notes. In some bibles the study notes only cover a few verses this one is much more thorough and does a great job. I absolutely love the timelines included

The introductions to the different books give so much information including things such as outlines, themes, backgrounds, and structure of the book.  It gives a great overview of what the author of the book is trying to tell us.

The font in this bible is very easy on the eyes and is a little larger print. It does make for a more bulky bible but my eyes are very grateful. The words of Christ are in red in this version and the headings are in blue.

This is one bible that will remain in my collection and I can honestly say I would recommend it to anyone who is looking for a great study bible. I received this book at no charge from booklookbloggers.com in exchange for an honest review.

365 Bible Answers for Curious Kids

 

365 Bible Answers for Curious Kids by Kathryn Slattery is a yearly devotional for children. I would say it is probably most appropriate for younger children.  Each devotion includes a question, a scripture, a description or answer to the question and a brief prayer.  Most of the scriptures are KJV but there are other notations of different versions included (NIV, NKJV, and The Message Bible are a few).

I would suggest reading over the devotion before presenting them to your child. There are some devotions that I would consider controversial or maybe just one of those things that a person may or may not agree with. There is one asking about Jesus living with dinosaurs, some about various holidays and some that you may not want to introduce to younger children such as the Oct 30^th devotion that talks about horoscopes, fortune telling and Ouija boards, although these are subjects that I would want to introduce to older kids in may be hard for a 5 or 6 year old to grasp.  The one about dinosaurs may be controversial according to your belief but doesn’t go into great detail so it could be a good discussion point but just be prepared. Other holidays such as Valentine’s Day is included and it talks about the death of Saint Valentine, again not sure it is completely appropriate for younger children.

For the most part I believe this devotional gives pretty good answers to questions people may have, even as adults but I would suggest reviewing them and researching on your own before presenting them to children. I’m not sure at this point that I would recommend this particular devotion to others because I haven’t dug into it deep enough but I doubt that I would.  I will keep it and use it with discretion.

I received this book at no charge from booklookbloggers in exchange for an honest review.

 

A Prairie Girl's Faith

 

A Prairie Girl’s Faith gives us an insight to Laura Ingalls Wilder’s faith. Most of us are somewhat familiar with the Little House on the Prairie series and the life of Laura Ingalls Wilder this book elaborates on her spiritual journey which was researched by the author Stephen Hines.

 Her family was a big source of where her faith was learned because they weren’t always close to a church. They often faced hardships in their lives but their family had faith in God and they taught their children. If you are a lover of all things from Laura Ingalls Wilder grab this book and add it to your collection.

I received this book at no charge in exchange for an honest review from bloggingforbooks.com. You can get your copy here.

 

NKJV Unapologetic Study Bible

 

 

 

NKJV Unapologetic Study Bible has over 220 articles near relevant scripture passages, quotes from historical figures and profiles of historical figures.  It addresses relevant issues in today’s society focusing on different areas such as family and church issues as well as government, and education along with other areas. The bible includes an index of “features for canonical study” and “features for topical study.”  It includes colored charts.

I enjoyed this bible I wouldn’t think it would be my primary study bible but it will be a good addition to my library and helps with a better understanding of a biblical stance on things going on in the world today.

I received this bible at no charge from booklookbloggers in exchange for an honest review.

 

 

May the Faith Be With You Holy Bible NIRV

 

 

May the Faith Be With You Holy Bible NIRV says it is geared toward ages 6-10 I would say more on the higher end of that age range. The print is quite small.

If you have a Star Wars fan this would make a great gift. Although, I’m not a huge fan of the NIRV printing of the bible this one is still very nice. Throughout there are colored, space themed pages with bible verses for various subjects. It includes a dictionary at the end but no concordance. Jesus’ words are not in red which is something I prefer but it isn’t a deal breaker.  There aren’t any kind of footnotes or study notes other than the few colored pictures so I wouldn’t say it is a good study bible but a good beginner bible.

This would make a nice gift for a young boy. It is probably not one I will keep in my library though.

I received this bible at no charge from handlebar publishing in exchange for an honest review.

In the Middle of the Mess

In the Middle of the Mess: Strength for this Beautiful, Broken Life by Sheila Walsh is a book to help to connect you with God’s strength when you are struggling. At times we can feel overwhelmed and depressed. It can keep us from allowing God to do His work in us and cause us to miss out on His plan for us.  Sheila offers encouragement through her writing and inclusion of scripture to those who are searching for strength.

If you need an encouraging word and strength to get through you may find this book helpful in your situation. It is beautifully written.

I received this book at no charge from handlebar publishing in exchange for an honest review.

 

Get Out of That Pit

Get Out of That Pit by Beth Moore is described as a “stirring message of the sheer hope, utter deliverance and complete and glorious freedom of God.”  It’s “straight talk about God’s deliverance”

We all from time to time get into that pit whether it is by our own doing or because of circumstances around us, but we don’t have to stay there. The author shows us scriptures and personal experiences to lead and direct us. Ultimately, the choice is ours and we have to make the choice to get out of that pit. We just have to let God lead us out.

Get Out of That Pit also includes scripture prayers to pray at the end of the book and also a section broken down by chapter that includes questions to help you reflect on each chapter.

If you are looking for strength to get out of the pit grab this book and give it a read.  I received this book at no charge from handlebar publishing in exchange for an honest review.

 

 

The Master's Mind

The Master’s Mind by Lance Hahn asks “Why are so many of us insecure, depressed, and confused?” This is not the condition God has in mind for us.

Many times we let our minds control us in ways that we really shouldn’t. Lance Hahn a pastor addresses this. He reiterates how God wants us to be much more and that we need to take control of our minds and have a more Christ like mind.

Our minds need to be renewed. The author reminds us this and gives us biblical views on how to have a better mindset.

This book helps us to understand how God intends us to live. At the end of the book there is a section called Getting Down to Business. The author shares 6 steps to gain “mental toughness and a victor mentaility”

If you need to renew your thoughts and get back on the right track, and let’s be honest most of us do, this book may help get you going on the right path.

I received this book at no charge for an honest review from Handlebar Publishing.

 

 

Ordering Your Private World

Ordering your Private World by Gordon MacDonald is a newly revised work to “equip a new generation to live life from the inside out, cultivating the inner victory necessary for public effectiveness.

I know in my world everything is hectic and very, very busy. We rarely take time to enjoy our lives, most days we struggle just to put one foot in front of the other and push our way through our responsibilities. We rarely take time to reflect on our inner self and our spiritual well being.  Life happens and we miss so much.

The author takes the time to show us the importance of evaluating our lives. Teaching us to slow down and reflect on our inner self, teaching us the importance of taking care of our spiritual well being.  He hit my family hard with this book. He could be writing about us easily.  One thing he said that stuck out to me we can start by listening. I find it so hard to listen because I am forever more thinking of what I need to say or do next.

It’s time to slow down, do some self evaluating, and a lot of praying.  There has been a study guide to help this journey included in the back of this book. I believe most all of us need to stop and reevaluate what is truly important.

I received this book at no charge in exchange for an honest review from Handlebar Publishing.

 

Kristen Kish

Kristen Kish Cooking: Recipes and Techniques cookbook is a gorgeous cookbook. It has beautiful photography throughout.  It begins with a quite long introduction giving you some insight of her life. Then it proceeds to Techniques and terms. She does a very good job describing various techniques including making meringue, poaching, smoking, searing etc.

Recipes include Snacks, Beginnings, From the Sea, Pasta and Grains, Meat, and Sweets.  I have to admit I’m not extremely familiar with these recipes but the ingredients are easy to find and the recipes are very easy to follow.  I haven’t personally fixed anything yet and I’m not real sure this will be a cookbook that I will keep in my collections. Although it is very beautiful it probably isn’t the cuisine my family would eat. There is a recipe for octopus and my family would probably kill over if I served this to them.

I believe this cookbook would be great for the true foodies out there which my family and I are not we prefer simple southern food.  That being said I can’t say anything negative about this cookbook. It is very nice quality, full of great information and recipes, and overall beautifully done.

I received this book from bloggingforbooks.com in exchange for an honest review. You can get your copy here.

 

Adored: 365 Devotions for Young Women

Adored: 365 Devotions for Young Women is a devotional book geared more toward upper teenage girls to early 20s. There are 365 devotions, each devotion includes a NIV bible verse. There is a very small spot at the bottom of each devotion for a thought or note.

Topics that are included range from things such as bullying, friends, dating, social media, having god-like traits, and God’s love for us. This book would make a great gift for the teen girl in your life.

I received this book at no charge from Handlebar Publishing in exchange for an honest review.

The Sacred Slow

The Sacred Slow: A Holy Departure from Fast Faith by Alicia Britt Chole is “formatted as fifty-two experiences in unhurried honesty with God.”  Reading through this book I realized that we indeed do live in a hurried world or at least I do.

I believe this book is designed to slow us down and let God’s love overflow on us. It could be used individually or even as a small group study. I believe it could be most effectively used by literally slowing down and taking time to ponder and do each exercise included. I think take each chapter one week at a time although you could go quicker if you desire. 

For purposes of reviewing I went through it quickly ( so not the intent) but it will be much more advantageous to go back through it and slow down. If you are looking for something for a small group or just something to help you slow down and cherish God’s word pick this book up and give it a try.

I received this book at no charge from Handlebar Publishing in exchange for an honest review.

My Vinyl Record

 

A Record of My Vinyl is a diary of sorts to keep track of your vinyl record collection. I have to say it isn’t exactly what I was expecting but it is nice nonetheless. The cover is quite clever; it looks like a vinyl record wrapped around a book. It is shiny and textured.

Inside is page after page of spaces to log your collection. It allows you to put the vinyl’s name, artist, label, country, catalog no., year, and grade. It also has a space for notes for each record. There are a couple of pages at the end that gives tips on caring for and collecting vinyl. Also, included is a wish list of sorts.

This is a cute little novelty item for collectors. I got this for my daughter who collects but I’m not sure how much she will actually use it. She uses an app on her phone to keep track of what she has so it is with her always. The book I would think is good if you want a tracking system at home but I think it would be cumbersome to carry with you on shopping trips. My daughter likes it and thought it to be a nice concept and well done, but again she prefers her phone app for portability.  I was kind of hoping that it could be used just as a normal journal but I don’t think that will be possible.

I received this book from bloggingforbooks.com in exchange for an honest review. You can purchase a copy here.

Indescribable: 100 Devotions about God and Science

 

 

Indescribable: 100 Devotions about God and Science is a devotion book by Louie Giglio. I love the messages that Louie Giglio gives so I was excited to receive this devotional book that I plan on using with my son. The book is a very nice quality book with beautiful illustrations by Nicola Anderson.  The book uses a variety of different bible versions to quote the scripture throughout but the most widely used is the International Children’s Bible.

Some things I really like about this book is that it is written in a way that will be able to be understood by small children and it incorporates science into the Word. There is a prayer at the end of each devotion to help teach children to pray. Each devotion has a “be amazed” section that includes some fact that relates to the devotion.  Also, in the beginning of the book Mr. Giglio has broken down each devotion into 4 different areas of study: Space, Earth, Animals, and People that way if you want to do a devotion on a specific subject you can easily find it.

There is only one thing I really was disappointed about. The description on the back of the book says there are hands on activities and so far I haven’t seen or found any activities. I was hoping to find some experiments or maybe some kind of art projects, something but there aren’t any in there unless I have missed them.  I feel I can find activities to go along with each one pretty easily but it would’ve been nice to have them included as mentioned in the description.

I plan on using the devotional as a bible study and a science jump off point . I really like this book and if you are looking to incorporate bible and science with your child I think you would enjoy it also. It would be perfect for the younger children.

I received this book at no charge from booklookbloggers.com in exchange for an honest review.

 

Understanding Color in Photography

Any opportunity I get to check out Bryan Peterson’s photography books I jump on it.  I absolutely love every book I have by him and Understanding Color in Photography is no exception.

My photography goal in life is to capture the image in my camera without having to go through the editing process later. I have not mastered this skill as much as I want to. When I picked up this book I noticed one thing Mr. Peterson said. He echoed the fact that he wants to spend more time photographing and not editing. He wants to capture the image correctly in camera. Of course he is capable of this. J

In his books he breaks things down in easy to understand terms. The book is filled with beautiful photography and examples of the concepts he is writing about. He writes in a way that anyone can understand the concepts. In this book he explains how different colors can affect the mood of the photographs you are taking whether you are photographing blue tones, orange tones, red tones etc.  He also gives wonderful ideas on how to get proper settings for different settings. How to achieve the perfect skin tones, perfect exposures, capture movement effectively, how to balance your pictures.  He fills his books with a lot of information.

I highly, highly recommend any of Bryan Peterson’s books if you are looking to improve your photography!!!They are perfect for the beginner, novice and experienced.  I received this book from bloggingforbooks.com at no charge in exchange for an honest review. You can purchase a copy for yourself here.

 

KJV Know the Word Study Bible

KJV Know the Word Study Bible offers 3 different ways to study the bible: Book by book, verse by verse or topic by topic. I really like the layout of this bible. I do wish there was a guide to help understand how to use this bible affectively. But I believe after looking through it and reviewing it I figured out how to navigate through.

Each book starts with a summary of the book and a “How to study” each book.  There are sections throughout each book that helps to study the book as a whole. At the bottom of each page there are notes on the verses, but not all verses have this note and the scripture itself doesn’t seem to be marked to allow you to know there is a note to go along with the verse. There is ample study material all through the bible.

One area that I’m not sure I would qualify this bible as a topic by topic study bible because of a couple of reasons. First there is a list of topics at the very beginning of the bible. There are only 21 topics listed. I’m not sure that is adequate to study topic by topic. Each topic has a “notes” section in the book that helps study the specific topic. I just feel like there should be more meat to the topics and more topics to make this qualify for a topic by topic study bible. That being said it does seem to cover each topic with at least 5 supporting notes and scripture. And the topics covered are relevant and popular topics to study.

This bible doesn’t have any illustrations through it but does have a map section in the back.  There are a few weights and measurement tables and a concordance. Overall, I will say this is a very nice study bible and gives a lot of good study opportunities.  I would recommend it as a study bible.  There are a couple of places that there could be improvement but nothing that would deter me from recommending it.

I received this bible at no charge from booklookblogers.com in exchange for an honest review.