Dare U to Open This

As I looked through the pages, I was excited for the future. I plan to have more than one boy and I can see their excited faces already as they leaf through the pages. This is a great devotional for boys to get engaged with Bible truths and Bible verses that pertain to things boys are interested in.

Even though I'm not a guy, I felt excited just reading some parts of the devotional. Drawing and doodling about the Bible is a great way for families to get familiarized with the Bible.

Dare U 2 Open this Book is not your typical 90-day devotional for guys. It’s an all-out open space for you to explore and learn more about yourself and your faith. With prompts to get your mind thinking and your creative ideas flowing, turn your thoughts and emotions into dynamic doodles, fill in the prayer blanks, solve puzzles, and more.

Each of the short, single-page devotions includes a topic, quote, Scripture summary, plus doodles, journal prompts, lists, puzzles, quizzes, fill-in-the-blank prayers, and unique activities that explore Bible truths and ways to apply them—everyday. — Dare U 2 Open this Book challenges guys to follow Jesus. Best. Idea. Ever.

Being a Warrior

I thought this book was amazing in every way. And I thought this book was very practical and very inspirational. The author has a good grasp on the concept of taking command. Even though this book is geared more towards business leaders, I felt like education is sometimes also a business because it requires the same things as a business does.

My path in life is leading me towards a position that may be leadership in education. I felt as though Jake Wood wrote this book for me. I'm even quoting some passages of the book for my application into a PHD program. 

The ability to have clarity of mind and purpose when surrounded by chaos.    To operate at peak performance under risk. To be able to see clearly when others are blinded by fear, and act when others are paralyzed. To craft plans even with incomplete information, then execute those plans decisively –while still being nimble and adaptable enough to iterate as the terrain changes. To deliver in the clutch. To build teams with high impact, and then inspire those teams to follow you into the fire.

In this groundbreaking book on high-stakes leadership, Co-founder and CEO of Team Rubicon and former Marine Sniper Jake Wood, shows how to apply hard-learned lessons in leadership and teamwork from the battlefield and disaster zone to your professional life. 

While most of our jobs don’t involve leading a tour of Marines through an ambush, or rushing into a relief zone just decimated by a hurricane, in today's fast-paced, hyper-competitive business environment, we are ALL on the front lines. And in an entrepreneurially-minded world where technology is constantly reinventing how we work, global competition is fierce, and industries are being disrupted overnight, success requires a new kind of leadership. This book is about how to become the kind of leader who gets results when the stakes are at their highest—how to Take Command.  

The Best Year of Marriage

When this book came in the mail, I was a little surprised. It looked like a leather Bible. It was kind of funny actually. The way to a good marriage is talked about in the Bible, so maybe Jim and Jean Daly meant their book to look like a Bible. 

I think Jim Daly's name sounds really familiar. So I typed it into Google, and realized that Jim Daly is in charge of Focus of the Family show. That's why his name sounded so familiar. He's a really good speaker because I heard him speak once at Liberty University for convocation. 

I really liked the devotions in the book. Even if I still have some time before I get married, I like reading books that prepare me for future life or self-improvement. As a I was leafing through the pages, I got the feeling that most marriages fail because of the lack of communication between a couple or wrong expectations.

I have heard that you shouldn't marry to complete your second half. Your other half of the person should be filled by God and then your spouse should be added to that half. Different expectations will warrant some deep disappointment later, so it's best not to tack on high expectations. 

This 52-week devotional provides Christian couples an easy way to read Scripture, pray and discuss things to strengthen their relationship and marriage. 

 Presented in a relaxed and easy-to-use way and edited by Focus on the Family president Jim Daly and his wife, Jean, each devotional offers foundational, practical, and wise material from members of the Focus counselling staff.

The content is divided into 13 sections, with topics including getting to know each other better, listening, mastering money, building a Christ-centered home, going the distance, and more. Each section is introduced by the Dalys, and each of the 52 devotions is followed with discussion questions and activities.

Growing up Believing

I requested this book for my cousin as a Christmas present and I really think she'll like the format of the book. She is currently 13 years old and she's in 8th grade. She's at that pre-teen, early teen age and she is very impressionable. I think this book is really geared towards young girls because it guides girls through the Bible with practical life applications.

Many times, a devotional book will have a story and then a verse at the end. I like how at the end of each place, there is a "Girl Talk" section and a "God Talk" section. It feels more down to earth because the Girl Talk sections reach out to readers and uses that story/passage to relate to them.

Beauty of Believing combines the talents of Faithgirlz! authors Tasha K. Douglas, Mona Hodgson, Kristi Holl, Lois Walfred Johnson, Allia Zobel Nolan, and Nancy Rue, and their words of wisdom will help your faith bloom and flourish as you grow into the girl God wants you to be.

Featuring 365 days of wisdom from your favorite Faithgirlz! authors, as well as quotes and questions from real girls like you, this devotional offers pages of inspiration on everything from navigating friendships, to taming the tongue, to trusting God in everything, big and small. Growing up can be tough, but Jesus is guiding you every step of the way.

Giggles in the House

I loved this book. Every chapter taught me how to relax and have fun with kids with a different fruit of the spirit or attitude from the Bible. It taught me how to let go and wisely choose battles. The best part about this book is that it suggests activities to do with each of these attitudes that you can do to liven up your family environment.

I would def. want to try this book out when I settle down and start a family. It's good for hectic families and families who needs some down time and unstructured parts of the day. Instead of sitting in front of a screen, you and your family members can do things together.

Courtney DeFeo believes that instilling virtues in children starts with laughter, not lecture. That perspective propelled her to create this idea-packed book, in which she offers motivating reflections, real-life stories, and a sandbox full of inventive ways to help you turn your kids’ hearts toward God.

Each chapter focuses on one virtue that is key for developing your child’s character. Along with insights into how this virtue plays out in the nitty-gritty of life, Courtney includes a memory verse, activity ideas, and discussion questions to reinforce that virtue throughout the month. Here you’ll find a full year of ways to draw your children closer to God through delightful antics like Family Olympics, One Fancy Feast, and Light ’Em Up.

In This House, We Will Giggle shows you how to capture the hearts of your children through fun—so that they experience the goodness of Christ, the joy of following Him, and the difference they can make in the lives of others.

A Christmas Story

When I heard that this book was by Max Lucado, I was excited to get this book or review. When I got it, I wasn't too happy about the illustrations. It seemed lacking and uninteresting.

The story line wasn't too bad, although I would change the biblical fact that Gabriel appeared to Mary in the morning and not at night. I don't know if I would actually read this book to my children because of that apparent typo from morning to night.

The book's synopsis follows the Bible from the Mary and Joseph to the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem. The vocabulary is the right age for preschool to elementary children. And it might make a good Christmas tradition to read the birth of the Jesus during the holiday, but I might need to read another version of a story.

Prayer for Children

This book was so cute. The illustrations are just for children. When I opened the book, the stickers attracted me. I also liked the cute CD that it came with. Parents can just pop the CD into the stereo in the car or this book can be turned into a family devotional for toddlers. 


I am really excited for my future children because they will be able to understand prayer so much better and the pictures are also very appropriate for younger children. Even the explanations are geared towards younger children. 

Train ’Em Up is an interactive, fun-filled, and affordable series that uses a train locomotive theme for teaching kids core Christian beliefs and principles. In Tell Me about Prayer, a friendly train conductor, Mr. Steve, teaches kids what prayer is all about, how we should talk to God, and why our conversations are so important to Him. 

Through bold graphics and interactive songs and stories, Train ’Em Up makes it easy for parents and teachers to explain biblical concepts like prayer in a way that helps with attention, memorization, and recall while building a solid faith foundation. Each book in the series includes a CD with sing-along songs and narrated stories with sound effects, plus a colorful sticker sheet!