Building and Protecting Famlies

“Unless the Lord builds a house, its builders labor over it in vain.” [I can’t lead my family with my plans and principals – no matter how wise they may be in the world’s eyes.  I must seek and follow the Lord for each decision. He must map out the blueprint – I’m only one of his builders.]

“Unless the Lord watches over a city, the watchmen stand alert in vain. [I cannot protect my children from worldly influences. I’m a player in the protection game, but thankfully the Lord is their guardian. And HE goes before them, with them, and behind them everywhere they go. They are HIS children, his lights, his warriors, his lambs. He is the Overseer of their souls.

Help me to remember that you already have plans for our family.  Help me to willingly be a part of YOUR plans.  Remind me constantly of your love for my children, and help me to rest peacefully in your loving care.  Help me ENJOY the days you give me with my children, and not spoil the days with fruitless worry.

The Lord is Faithful

2 Thessalonians 3:3 says “The Lord is faithful”.  It’s important to remember how faithful God has been to us.  Here is one of my journal entries about God’s faithfulness to me.  Maybe it will spark some reflections for you.

You rescued me. You speak to me. You abide with me. You saved me. You fill me. You created me. You love me. You embrace me. You forgive me. You strengthen me. You guide me. You planned for me. You protect me. You teach me. You surround me. You prepare me. You stay with me. You cherish me. You equip me. You cover me. You are faithful to me. Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace, I love you.

Letting Go and Trusting

“To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul; in you I trust, O my God.”  Psalm 25:1

I give you my mind, body, and spirit to hold, mold, and care for.  And I know you will shepherd me.

I give you my husband, my children, and my family to hold, mold and care for.  And I know you will shepherd them.

I lift every part of me up to you, because I trust that you will cherish me and grow me into the woman you want me to be.  I lift my family up to you, because I trust that you will cherish us and grow us into the family you want us to be, so we can give you glory in all that we do.

Book Review: Prophet by R.J.Larson

I thoroughly enjoyed reading R. J. Larson’s new novel, Prophet.

It’s a quick-paced novel with good twists and turns, good character development, and descriptive settings.  It is not a Christian novel, per se, but it is full of scriptural truth shared in an allegorical fashion.  I don’t think the word God or Christ was ever uttered, yet, I clearly heard God speaking through the plot.  It was a powerful reminder to listen for God’s voice, walk in his ways, and follow his truth.  The tales are somewhat reminiscent of the prophetic books in the Old Testament, but woven into a suspenseful story that will leave you captivated.

I was thankful for the list of characters in the front of the book – without that reference, I would have gotten confused with all the strange names.  That was the only thing that slowed me down in devouring the book.

The book would be a good read for adults, teens, and mature preteens.

I’m grateful for this book, which I received from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for an honest review.  I’ll be watching for Larson’s next novel.

Family Activities Books

Amazon has some great book lists through listamania.  I thought you might enjoy their list of books with ideas for family activities.  I stumbled upon it because she has one of our books listed on there, but enjoyed perusing her full collection. 

Happy reading!!

Book Review: Legacy Road by Graham Garrison

Legacy Road is the story of a young man Wes Watkins’ struggles and discoveries.  The main pieces of the story revolve around Wes’ post-graduate studies of the Civil War, reconciling a relationship with his father who has been in prison, helping his mother through sudden illness, and working through a relationship with Wes’ girlfriend.

It has several interesting themes, including love and loss; communication in family and close relationships; uncovering and understanding secrets from your past; forgiveness and reconciliation; and supporting loved ones through tough times.

It is a well-written tale of human life and relationships set against the backdrop of the Civil War.

It’s a good book for teens or adults who are interested in history and interpersonal relationships.

I read this book before reading Graham Garrison’s prequel, “Hero’s Tribute”.  I would suggest that readers read “Hero’s Tribute” first, so they’ll have a better understanding of the storyline.

I received this complimentary book from Kregel Publications, who asked me to share honest feedback with readers.