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Memorize Scripture – Week 2

One of my favorite book in the Old Testament is Jeremiah. Some people think I’m crazy for that.

God makes some incredible promises to the Israelites through Jeremiah.

I understand that these promises were made to the ancient Israelites contextually. But God is a God who does not change. And many of the promises found here apply, or at least relate, to us today.

This week’s verse is no exception. You can find it in Jeremiah 24:7:

Jeremiah 24:7

Just like last week, the Bible continually tells us that the heart is key.

And I love the reference, which is completely cooincidental… or is it?  We are to love God 24/7.  I love it!

My prayer for myself and my family in 2012, at least in part, is that we may have a heart to know God more fully, more completely.

May you know Him this way as well.

How’s your heart for God? You can share your thoughts in the comments section below.

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Book Review: In The Aerie Of The Wolf by Leonora Pruner

In The Aerie Of The WolfI’m not a big fan of romance novels, so when a friend of mine with Nordskog Publishing asked me to read and review In The Aerie Of The Wolf, I was skeptical. This is simply a genre I do not like, nor am I very interested in even trying to like it.

But I hesitantly agreed to read it, thinking it may be something my daughter would like to read.

I have to admit, it wasn’t exactly what I expected. Taking place in Victorian England, the story is about a young woman, anxious to be a godly woman like the one described in Proverbs 31, who is taken away from her family and the man she loves to be married to Lord Wolverton. Being torn from one she loves, can she learn to love another?

There were several positive elements to Pruner’s story:

In The Aerie Of The Wolf does a great job portraying what love is. The main character, Anne Crofton, leaves her childhood home, and her childhood, behind as she travels to be wed to a man she does not know, leaving behind the one she has loved since childhood. But, as she discovers what love is, her perspective is changed.

As a parallel, as you read In The Aerie Of The Wolf, you can easily see Christ’s love for his Bride, and how that is reflected within human marriage. Pruner even quotes extensively from the Song of Solomon, reinforcing the idea that human love and marriage is only but a reflection of God’s love for mankind and for the Church.

The story is well thought out. There are several plot twists that I didn’t expect. But since I don’t normally read this type of novel, maybe I’m just clueless in that regard. Whatever the case, the story line was intriguing.

Pruner also did an excellent job of defining and describing the allure of temptation and sin. Flirting with the forbidden is very dangerous, and Pruner’s description hits the nail on the head, uncomfortably well.

But there were a few things in the book that I didn’t like:

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Book Review: Go Big by Cory Cotton

Go BigHave you ever seen the shelf full of self-help books found in most book stores? Those shelves are stocked with books full of generic sounding advice and input concerning how to do whatever it is you want to find out how to do.

Go Big belongs on that shelf.

Let me amend that statement just a bit: If I had to rate Go Big on a scale of one to five, I would give it a two and a four.

I would give it a two.
The content is just weak. It’s the same stuff you hear from all the self-help gurus out there: “Do this, so you will be successful at this…” There wasn’t really anything new and enlightening in this book. And on top of that, reading it was difficult because it felt disjointed; it didn’t flow well.

I would give it a four.
The story of Dude Perfect told in Go Big was somewhat interesting, from a biographical perspective. But what was really fun were the QR codes scattered throughout the book that would take you to various websites and videos. I’m not much of a basketball fan, but watching their trick shots was pretty entertaining. And having the ability to scan the QR code with my iPhone and watch the video right then was pretty cool. However, there were more than a few links that either didn’t work at all, or linked to the same video as a previous one did.

Overall, I wasn’t greatly impressed with Go Big. If you’re into basketball or the trick shot scene, you might find it interesting, but otherwise, don’t spend the money for this book. You can get the same information from a lot of other places.

Now, I’m going to go out and shoot a few trick shots, just to see how hard it really is.

Have you read Go Big? What did you think? You can leave your thoughts in the comments section below.

Disclosure of Material Connection:
I received this book free from Tyndale House Publishers as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.“

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Memorize Scripture – Week 1

Last year, I worked to memorize the entire Sermon on the Mount. The continuity was really amazing, and I was able to watch to see how each week built upon the previous ones.

This year, I want to take a different approach. I’ve identified several different passages that stand out to me and seem to be directed to my life. I want to memorize these in 2012.

The first one seems best suited to be a New Year’s verse. Take a look, it’s in Proverbs 4:23:

Proverbs 4:23

The heart is key. The Bible tells us over and over again that the state of the heart describes the state of our being.

It’s too easy in our media-saturated culture to allow the heart to be flooded with unnecessary and unhealthy junk.

The need to guard our heart is imperative.

For my family, that means we will reevaluate everything we watch and read, as a start. I know I need to watch out for my heart, but my kids don’t understand that fully yet. So Heather and I have to do that for them, teaching them the reason for it in the process. That may be somewhat of a challenge at first, but I’m convinced it will work out.

What do you do to guard your heart? You can share your thoughts in the comments section below.

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Book Review: The World Of Science

The World Of ScienceMaster Books recently sent me two new resources: The World Of Animals and The World Of Science.

I am completely enthralled with both of them!

The World Of Science is mind blowing! Covering a wide variety of topics, from the atomic level to the vast reaches of space, The World Of Science does it all.

Each topic is written so that kids can understand it easily, and so can adults! I gained more from the section on electricity and magnetism than I’ve ever been able to comprehend before.

Each section is illustrated with stunning pictures and diagrams that allow you to grasp easily the subject being discussed.

The best part about The World Of Science is section 7, which contains dozens of science experiments that are simple to perform.  My kids already have a list formed of which ones they want to do first!

As a homeschool resource, The World Of Science is worth its weight in gold!

I highly recommend that you add this book to your library right away. You won’t regret it at all!

Have you ever done any science experiments? What did you do? How did it turn out? You can leave your thoughts in the comments section below.

If you are interested in utilizing The World Of Science, you can purchase it at Amazon.com.

Disclosure of Material Connection:
I received this book free from New Leaf Press/Master Books as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Also, some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links”. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.“

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Book Review: The World Of Animals

The World Of AnimalsThe World Of Animals is a fascinating resource!

With over 1000 animals included, The World Of Animals takes a look at their anatomy, behavior and habits.

This book is simply incredible! It breaks the animal world down into seven categories: simple animals; worms, snails and starfish; insects and other arthropods; fish; amphibians and reptiles; birds; and mammals.

Each category is then broken down into numerous sub-topics.These are examined in great detail, but without being overly scientific.

Each page is filled with excellent content and easy-to-read descriptions, and is covered with eye-catching graphics, images, and illustrations.

My kids will absolutely love browsing through this resource, turning page after page, digesting the details about scores of God’s animal creations.

And my wife will love the potential The World Of Animals brings to our homeschool classroom. With excellent information at our fingertips, it will mean less trips to the library looking for information for reports and essays.

The World Of Animals wold make an excellent addition to any home with children, whether you homeschool or not. The entertainment and excitement of learning about so many varieties of animals is well worth it.

What is your favorite animal? You can leave your thoughts in the comments section below.

If you are interested in utilizing the The World Of Animals, you can purchase it at Amazon.com.

Disclosure of Material Connection:
I received this book free from New Leaf Press/Master Books as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Also, some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links”. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.“