Every year I find a devotional book for my family to use during the month of December as we look forward to our favorite holiday: Christmas.  This year we will be using a devotional coloring book called All is Bright.

All is Bright: A devotional journey to color your way to Christmas is a beautiful coloring book and devotional for the whole family, written by Nancy Guthrie and illustrated by Lizzie Preston.  Unlike many of the coloring books out there right now (and there are a ton), this one is also a full devotional and family activity guide.  Included in the book are 31 days of devotionals laid out like the one pictured below.  Each day’s devotional is well-written and family friendly and included a lovely coloring page that could be used individually or as a family.

At the end of the book, there is a section of family activities including conversation starters and coloring pages.  For example, the first of these family activity pages include a scripture verse (Acts 20:35), three questions for discussion (one is “What do you find yourself dreaming of giving?”), and a short prayer that can be read aloud among your family.  There are twelve of these family activities.  There are also twelve kid-friendly coloring pages at the very end of the book.

Every year as Christmas draws closer, and my kids start dreaming of Santa and all the things they want to get – it’s always really important for us to sit down each night and remember why we celebrate Christmas as a family and what the holiday means to us.  We’ve used many beautiful devotionals throughout the years, but never have we done a coloring devotional, so I’m really excited to see how they respond to being able to doodle and color as we have our family time each night.

Tyndale makes beautiful coloring journals and Bibles.  You can check out my review of one of their other journals here.

You can also check out these links to see the other amazing coloring and journaling products that Tyndale offers:

·         Tyndale’s Inspire Creativity board on Pinterest has downloadable samplers and sharable coloring pages from their coloring and Bible journaling line, the Living Expressions Collection!

·         Check out www.livingexpressionscollection.com for the latest news and information on Tyndale’s coloring and journaling products.

I have been a fan of Natalie Grant for a very long time.  I’ve sung her songs at Christmas and Easter and many, many Sundays in between.  As a singer and songwriter, I always appreciate an artist who writes their own songs – especially when they are as well written as Natalie’s.  I’ve followed her on Facebook for at least the last year, and have really loved watching her fierce love for her babies and husband and her gracious love of her fans.  She is such an awesome gift to the world of Christian music, so when I learned that she had written a book (gasp!) I couldn’t wait to read it.

In Finding Your Voice, Natalie Grant’s voice is strong and kind.  If you’ve ever heard her speaking voice, you know that she has a sweet and tender voice – almost childlike.  Her singing voice, on the other hand, is pretty much the opposite.  It’s strong, loud, forceful even – tender sometimes, yes, but mostly it’s as powerhouse as they come.  This book, Finding Your Voice, is more like her singing voice.  It’s tender when need be, but it’s mostly firm and steady and empowering.  She doesn’t mince words, but gets straight to the point – which I love.

Using tons of musical references (mostly related to singing), and pulling over and over again straight from the pages of scripture, Natalie encourages the reader to not only remember that they have a voice and that their voice matters, but also walks you through how to find that voice and use it well.

There is a vulnerability within the pages of this book that matches the vulnerability in Natalie’s songs and ministry.  It’s refreshing.  I absolutely loved this book and highly recommend it.

Here are some of my favorite “Quotables” from Finding Your Voice, by Natalie Grant:

“God knows exactly where you are and the condition that you are in.  He knows what you need to complete the journey.  And he does provide.” (p22)

“Even when we cower from our callings, God will not fault us for our fears nor will He make us face them alone.  He keeps pace and even goes before us to remind us of our truth – we have a voice unlike anyone else’s, and we are equipped with all that we need to change the world in unprecedented ways.” (p28)

“Even when you are unsure of yourself, He isn’t.  Even if you don’t know the song yet, you still have a voice.” (p29)

“Even when there is an ocean between your heart and His, He will tame every tempest, wave, and current to hold your heart close to His.” (p39)

“God knit you together.  He doesn’t make mistakes.  You are exactly who you are supposed to be.  It is now your decision to embrace and live in the fullness of purpose or to run from it.” (p63)

First of all, I’m not a big fiction reader.  In fact, I read almost zero fiction. I have heard amazing things about Francine Rivers’ novels and although I haven’t read any of them (shame on me), I was excited to see what she could do with a devotional.  This one is kind of incredible.  It’s absolutely stunning – the pictures, the words – all of it.  The above picture doesn’t come close to doing it justice.

There are 52 devotionals for the 52 weeks of the year and each one has a scripture verse, a quote or song lyric and three sections for personal application: Reflect, Apply and Connect with God (which is a prayer).  Each photo in the book has a super short description or tidbit of info about the part of nature or the animal(s) it depicts.

Did you know that we can learn a lesson about loyalty from geese?  Or about risk-taking from a turtle?  Or about the need for community from redwood trees?  Or even that you could learn about friendship from a crab spider? This devotional is full of beautiful observations about God’s creation and how those observations can serve as lessons for us in how to live a deeper faith, in true community and in communion with God the Father.

It would make a fabulous gift for just about any adult – especially those who are nature or animal lovers.

Here are some of my favorite quotables from the Earth Psalms devotional:

“Why joy?  Because troubles test our faith, which builds endurance.  And endurance helps us blossom into the people God created us to be.  Faith blossoms.  Courage inspires.” (p42)

“Our prayers are an act of worship because when we pray, we are acknowledging that God is there, that He is Lord, and that we need Him.  God breathes in our prayers and smiles, answering in His time, in His way, and for our best.” (p50)

“We don’t always see the Holy Spirit moving within us, either, but the evidence of His presence is that our “lifescape” is changing.” (p75)

“The beauty we see around us not is a reminder of His majesty and beauty, and it’s a promise of even more majesty and beauty to come.” (p90)

“Sometimes the things that look dead are just getting ready to grow.” (p114)

“Avoid the crab spiders.  Seek out the honeybees.” (p143)

Have you ever felt like you were afraid to just be your true self with God?   With others?  Maybe even with yourself?  If so, this Bible study is for you!  I Am Found, by Laura Dingman, is a study about shame and identity which guides the reader in learning a healthier way to relate to God, others and self.

From the back cover: “We are all made for connection, but many of us live with walls up and hearts closed.  What would it take for us to let go and stand tall and unashamed?”

This is a six week study, each week consisting of an introduction and five days of study.  At the end of each week’s lessons, there is also a section called “Truth, Lies and Action”, which looks at the truths learned throughout the week, a lie that needs to be exchanged for truth and gives an action step to help move the reader further in their journey to being “found”.  Some of the days have the scripture printed for you, while others require you to have your Bible ready.  There is a prayer printed at the end of each day’s lesson to give you an opportunity to talk with God.

While the majority of the study is centered around why we hide, why we don’t need to hide, ways in which we hide from ourselves, others and God and other shame-related ideas, some of the other topics included in this study are: having spiritual friendships, our identity in Christ, God’s immense love for us, how to love one another and remembering our worthiness.

I truly believe that the topic of worthiness is such an important one for women especially in our current culture of comparison, perfectionism and do-it-all idea of womanhood.  Pinterest-perfect parties, Instagram-worthy photos of our well-behaved kids, Facebook photo albums of exotic vacations (sans kids) showing our perfect marriage.  Social media has convinced us that we can only show the perfect parts of our lives – and in doing so, we spend all our effort and energy trying to hide the not-so-perfect parts and begin to wonder if our lives are good enough to share at all – or if we are good enough.  It’s an epidemic of shame and it’s not God’s best for us.

To really get the full nature of this study – you’ll have to go through it on your own.  I can say that it’s very simply laid out and easy to understand but it’s also very personal and deep.  There are questions asked that will require a lot of self-reflection.  There are verses shared and prayers written that will help you to determine why you might be hiding and how you might move towards being found and fully known.  It’s a beautiful journey to take and one that I believe could make an enormous difference not only in our individual lives, but also in the dynamics of our families and the direction of our society as a whole.

Some of my favorite quotables from I Am Found, by Laura Dingman:

“God is for us.  He showers grace over us, relentless in His loving pursuit of us.  His mercy never ceases.” (p20)

“Nothing in all of creation is hidden from God’s sight (Hebrews 4:13).  You cannot escape God.  You can’t outrun Him, because He never relents.  You can’t choose anything so out of bounds He will not follow you there, because He fiercely pursues you.” (p45)

“Knowing you belong to Christ and you are His own child brings a freedom no other truth can.” (p58)

“You don’t have to perform anymore.  You can come out, come out, wherever you are.  Just as you are.  Grace is yours.  You are forgiven.  You are seen, known, and deeply loved by the Creator of the universe.  You are free.” (p83)

“Jesus calls us to love one another.  The only way this kind of love is possible is if we allow Jesus in us to do the loving.  He is the source.” (p136)

“You are valuable to God the Father.  He will search for you for as long as it takes.  Even when you hide, He comes after you.  He won’t stop until you are found.” (p174)

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.  I was not required to write a positive review.  All opinions are my own.

“Because of God’s nearness, we are never alone.” (p77)

This book.  You guys.  I am so very glad I read this book.  Lisa Sharon Harper has such a firm and confident voice in The Very Good Gospel.  It felt like a lifetime of lessons learned spilled out on the pages of this book.  The first three chapters go back to the first few chapters of Genesis to tell the story of  creation and the fall.  At the very beginning of the book, Ms. Harper tells us basically why she had to write this book and her why is so very compelling.  At one point she says (in response to something she experienced), “The good news of my gospel doesn’t feel good enough.”  This is exactly the way I’ve been feeling for the better part of two years – that if the Gospel excludes, then is it really the Gospel (good news) at all?  I’ve learned in my own journey over the last year or so that the Gospel has always been all-inclusive, and that Christians have been the ones excluding people all along.  This realization has entirely up-ended my life, just as it did Lisa’s.

Although the title of the book is The Very Good Gospel, the subject of the book is shalom – or peace with God, with others, with creation itself and with our own selves.  She covers topics such as race, broken families, gender issues, and so very much more.  Each chapter takes one of these topics and looks at it from the perspective of what should be and what could be.

I truly believe that everyone should read this book.  You may not agree with every single word written (although I pretty much did), but you will certainly come out of the book with a greater understanding of God’s very best plan for humankind and how we have a responsibility as his children to exercise dominion over all God has given us.  Make sure to read the book to understand what the word dominion means – it may not be what you think it is.  It’s mostly about stewardship and taking the best care of the things God has entrusted to us – but it’s also so much more.

In The Very Good Gospel, you’ll find a fresh perspective on the first few chapters of Genesis, what it means for something to be very good (tov me’od), and several other concepts and ideas that were almost entirely new to me (in the best way).  This book is well-researched and superbly well-written, but most of all the content of the book will shift your perspective towards a better understanding of yourself and the people and world around you.  I cannot recommend The Very Good Gospel highly enough!

Some of my favorite quotables from The Very Good Gospel:

“it is not enough to believe a set of principles or doctrines.  Rather, principles and doctrines must transform the way we live.  Our faith is kinetic, lived out in the world through our hands and feet.” (p7)

“Shalom is the stuff of the Kingdom.  It’s what the Kingdom of God looks like in context.  It’s what citizenship in the Kingdom of God requires and what the Kingdom promises to those who choose God and God’s ways to peace.” (p13)

“Shame is insidious.  It hits at the core of our being and emanates from there to affect everything else.  It has nothing to do with the truth.  It is based on lies about the essence of our being.” (p70-71) … “Shame is a counteroffer to the love of God, which is the connection between all things.” (p72)

“Patriarchal interpretations of Scripture fail to start at the beginning.  They start after the Fall, in Genesis 3.  As a result, they present observations of a fallen world as if the current state is in line with God’s good intentions. That is far from the truth.” (p83)

“you will flourish when you stop apologizing for your power and live fully into the woman God created you to be.” (p101)

“The sin-stained mantra of human peace is “Our peace at the expense of their peace!”” (p108)

Here’s an awesome video of Lisa Sharon Harper sharing about The Very Good Gospel:

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from BloggingforBooks.com for the purposes of this review.  I was not required to write a positive review.  All opinions expressed are my own

“When we forget about what God has done, it makes us doubt what He can do.” (p132)

Play With Fire, by Bianca Olthoff, is such a treasure of a book.  It felt like more than just a book though.  It felt like a soul opening up and sharing the deepest parts of a heart made whole.  This is real life right here – nothing shallow or artificial – but real, raw stories from people just like you and me.  Stories of faith, perseverance and transformation.  Bianca is such a fabulous storyteller and she has an amazing ability to take each story and learn more about God and life and love through it and in Play With Fire, she shares those stories and those lessons with us.

This book moves fast.  It took me maybe a day and half to read the whole thing – which is a testament to the author’s skillful writing, but also to the power of her stories.  These stories are so very moving.  Stories of loss, grief, fear, illness and everything in between take the reader on a journey through Bianca’s life and also through our own stories.  Her tone and style of writing is so relatable, I found myself remembering my own experiences in parallel to hers.  If you have never seen or heard Bianca speak, you need to.  This woman is fierce and fun and such a wonderful communicator.  I have been looking forward to this book for a long time and it absolutely exceeded my expectations.

If you have ever found yourself in a period of fear, grief or desert wandering, Play With Fire can help you realize the truth of God’s faithfulness and your own value as one of His own.

Some of my favorite quotables from Play With Fire:

“In the desert seasons of life, we must root into the goodness of God, into being known and loved by God.  We need to be rooted in our identities as the treasured and loved creations of a merciful and divine Creator.  We store these truths, allow them to spur growth, to deepen our roots, to bring us to bloom in even the most trying terrain.” (p41)

“When we surrender our control, we hand God not only our faith, but also our fear.  We don’t need to worry about the people who want to silence us, oppress us, or enslave us.  We only need to stand firm on the promises of God and discover that He is mighty to save.” (p73)

“the abundant life didn’t mean I got to skip the desert.  It meant I could experience abundance in the midst of the desert.” (p86)

“And here’s the truth – we cannot worship God for the gifts of freedom and salvation without having known captivity and desolation first.  When we know the cost of our freedom, it drives our worship.  True worship almost always happens in the desert wilderness, and praise is almost always the answer to a plea that rises up in us while we are in the desert.” (p106-107)

“while the enemy knows our name, he calls us by our sin.  But God knows our sin, but calls us by our name.  Sometimes a reminder of who we are is stronger than a rebuke of what we are not.” (p119) 

“When people are in pain or grieving, the last thing they need is a spoonful of religious syrup.” (p124)

“The fulfillment of God’s promises comes when we have the boldness to enter into the fire and embrace the transformation that takes place.” (p180)

Here’s a video of Bianca Olthoff sharing the heart behind Play With Fire:

With the new adult coloring craze and the hugely popular Bible journaling movement, this beautiful new coloring journal is such a fabulous idea.  Gratitude: A Prayer and Praise Coloring Journal is filled with scripture verses, journaling prompts, encouraging words and prayers and absolutely stunning artwork.  The pictures below don’t do it justice as there are over 100 pages within this journal each with a unique design and focus.  Every page of this sweet book can be used to journal your thoughts, prayers, gratitude and words of worship in whatever way is most authentic and meaningful to you.  There are even blank areas to paint or sketch your own designs.

Tyndall’s Living Expressions Collection (www.livingexpressionscollection.com) also has another coloring journal, and several other lovely books and journals that are equally beautiful – including journaling Bibles with beautiful illustrations throughout.  

This particular journal would be such a wonderful addition to any daily quiet time.  I cannot overstate how lovely it is.  If you’d like to download a sample or two, Tyndale’s Inspire Creativity board on Pinterest has downloadable samplers and sharable coloring pages from their coloring and Bible journaling line, the Living Expressions Collection!

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from Tyndale House Publishers in exchange for an honest review.  I was not required to write a positive review.  All opinions expressed are my own.