Bible Study for Busy Mamas

Thirty Days in 1 Corinthians 13

Bible Study for Busy Mamas

Pam Forster

Most moms are incredibly busy. We barely have time to breath, let alone spend time reading. So the author has designed short little study sessions that are concise, but deep. Each lesson begins with the assignment. The assignment is for the mother and usually takes about 5-10 minutes. But each minute is packed with some serious contemplation and Bible study. The next section is a bit longer, but is for the mother to do with her children. These sections vary in complexity, but can easily be adapted for any age child.

I really enjoyed reading through this. The depth of the study really drew me into the chapter and helped me focus on things I missed just reading it through. I've incorporated several of the assignments for children into our evening worship and the kids loved it. The author has taken a simplistic approach that works well with anyone who has a busy schedule. The appendixes in the back are packed with additional resources and ideas for further study. The author also writes about how to make the time to study more, a truly great resource for those of us in a time crunch. These would make great gifts for that busy mother in your life. The author has several other Bible studies that I look forward to checking out.

I received this book free of charge from BookCrash in exchange for my honest review.

The Velveteen Mommy

The Velveteen Mommy

Laughter and Tears from the Toy Box Years

Jenn Doucette

Are you worn out from being a mommy and need a little laughter and company? This little book is designed to make you laugh, but also to give you a few thoughts to take with you throughout the day. The author has been where you are at and can commiserate with you in your overwhelmed and harried state. 

I definitely laughed. And it was because I can relate to almost every single thing she talked about. Being a mommy, especially when you are in the thick of the toddler years, can be overwhelming and exhausting. But take heart, and pick up this little book by someone who has been there. Taking cues from the Velveteen Rabbit, the author draws lessons from the daily life of poop, puke, pets, and messes. I think every new mom should get this book at their baby shower. It would help them not take the small stuff so seriously. But enjoy the little moments before they are grown.

I received this book free of charge from Tyndale in exchange for my honest review.

Rival Hearts

 Rival Hearts

Quilts of Love Series

Tara Randel

Molly and Ben are both in the running for a magazine editor position at the publishing company they both work for. Their boss has come up with a creative way for him to judge their strengths. He proposes they both step into each others world and learn. This means that Molly will need to learn to kayak and Ben will need to sew a quilt. What will happen to their attraction when only one of them can win the position?

This is a sweet story that focuses on trust and sticking to something regardless of circumstances. It also stresses good work ethics, compassion for others, and taking chances. The length is rather short at a little over 200 pages. There were quite a few grammatical and spelling errors that were sprinkled throughout the book. Since my copy is an ARC, I’m hoping this will not be a problem in the published version. I also felt, personally, that the character development was a little weak. But since the book is more a novella size this is probably typical. It's a cute little story for those that like light romances.

I received this book free of charge from Goodreads in exchange for my honest review.

The Cattleman Meets His Match

The Cattleman Meets His Match

Sherri Shackleford

 John, a cowboy in desperate need of a new crew, is walking through an alley when trouble lands on him. He can't just leave a bunch of orphan girls at the mercy of a crooked deputy so he reluctantly takes them back to camp. Despite all of his protests, he finds himself with a bunch of female cowboys. It wasn't anything like he's planned when he set out with his longhorns. But maybe God has a reason for this strange change.

The plot concept was different. It definitely made the story interesting. The author gave all of the characters their own unique personalities. Because there were so many characters in the story I felt a little overwhelmed with all of the details and directions the story took in such a short time. It made the flow a bit choppy. The book ended with all of the loose ends tied up, but with no real sense of purpose. It was a guy meets girl, there is some conflict, they fall in love, end of story. I enjoyed it, but it wasn't super romantic or gripping.

I received this book free of charge from Goodreads in exchange for my honest review.

The Orphan Train

The Orphan Train

Christina Baker Kline

Molly isn't like everyone else, a fact that she works very hard to achieve. Only months before she ages out of foster care, she is caught stealing a book at the library. Her discipline is community service. Helping a 91 year old lady clean out her attic isn't exactly her idea of a good time. But its juvenile hall is she can't complete her hours. And this is how a friendship begins between two people who, by appearances, couldn't be more different. But Molly learns that her new friend is a lot more like her than she'd ever imagined.

The story begins with Molly, but then transitions to Vivian, the elderly woman. The story moves back and forth between the two, entwining them seamlessly. The characters had depth and were engaging. I appreciated how she showed the good and bad of foster care without making the book depressing. While I really liked the two main characters, I also really liked several of the secondary characters. The plot focused mainly on the orphan train and made the historical story come to life. I also enjoyed the pictures and pieces of history that was attached to each them that the author shared at the back of the book. The author did her research and it showed throughout the book. The author has a beautiful writing voice and I'm looking forward to reading another book by this author.

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Thank you for participating. 

Your Core

Your Core

Callie Grant

Lots of things have cores. Those cores serve a purpose. We have a special core inside of us that serves a purpose too. Our core is where God is. This little board book will delight young children with its colorful pages and rhyming words. It will delight parents with its message of God in our hearts.

The illustrations fit well with the theme and help tell the story.  The spiritual message that is being presented will be understood by the young children, but is full of depth. The book ends with a Bible verse. I noticed that the book helped start a conversation about our hearts with my young daughter. My son, while a bit older than the intended audience, enjoyed the book and wanted to talk about what the words meant. This book would be a perfect start to a young child's library or would make a wonderful gift.

I received this book free of charge from Shelton Interactive in exchange for my honest review.