The God Puzzle by Valerie Ackermann

The God Puzzle is a wonderfully done resource book geared towards kids ages 7-12. This book is great for daily devotionals either for the child alone, or to be done as a family. The truths of the Bible are presented in a way that is fun for children and makes it easy to remember what they have learned.

Each chapter focuses on a topic from "Who is God?" to "What are we looking forward to?" The chapters are well designed, very colorful and engaging activities. There are specific Bible verses to work on and could be used for memorization.  For younger children, some adult help is needed, but easily adapted in a family group.

This is a devotional which definitely has the child in mind. I think every Christian family has the desire to see their children desire a relationship with Christ, and The God Puzzle is a great tool to get them there.

Here is a fun interview with Valerie Ackermann where you can see more of where her heart is in teaching children...Enjoy!

You can purchase the book HERE



Q: Whom was The God Puzzle created for?

The God Puzzle was designed to equip any parent, regardless of background, to teach their children about God and the Christian faith in a way that combines deeply Biblical and ordered lessons with complete ease of use on behalf of the parents. It is a resource to bring quality Bible learning into ANY parents’ hands, even if they know nothing about the Bible or Christianity. In fact, a parent who knows very little can learn right along with their child. It also makes sure the longtime Christian parents actually teach what their children need to know to understand their faith.

It is my heart is to reach the Christian parents who are not satisfied with what they are teaching their kids at home or who bounce around from one devotional to the next, struggling with knowing everything their kids are supposed to understand and/or how to teach it. I hope to connect with both the new believers and the ones who’ve grown up in the church their whole life who want their kids to know God through Jesus Christ and the important aspects of the Christian faith.

Q: Why do parents need a Bible study program they can use within the home?

As a full-time children’s ministry director, I feel the church has invested too much into programs within the church doors and not enough into resources parents can use at home where most faith learning and observation takes place. Somehow throughout the past 200 years, faith-learning has been taken over almost entirely by church programs, leaving most parents feeling inadequate or without resources to teach their children. Well-meaning parents think their children are getting all the Bible education they need at Sunday school, and the truth is only about 10 percent of faith-learning happens in church programs.

While equipping their own programs, the church has made mostly weak devotionals available for parents to use within the home where kids spend most of their time. On the other hand, few parents have the time, knowledge or resources to use some of the good-quality materials available out there that are mostly utilized by homeschooling families. I find parents are hungry for something they will actually use and is easy, yet affordable.

Kids from Christian homes are scoring badly on Bible-college entrance exams because what we have been doing isn’t working. Not only that, but too many kids are walking away from the faith when they reach young adulthood.

Q: What encouragement do you give parents who are intimidated about teaching their kids about faith?

I see too many parents in the church frustrated at their time with their kids teaching them about God. It shouldn’t be that way. Teaching about God is not only for parents who are gifted teachers, or homeschoolers, or pastors’ kids — it is for EVERY parent even if he or she is very new to the faith. It is our job as a church to equip these parents with a book that is deep, yet simple, affordable and engaging, and requires no prep or background in the faith to get through. That is what I set out to do with The God Puzzle.

Q: How is The God Puzzle structured to be used?

Parents can work through The God Puzzle with their kids at whatever pace works for them. It’s something easy enough for a child, yet deep and structured as a theology textbook is. Faith should be able to be explained in terms a child can understand, and that’s what I have set out to do with this book. The workbook is interactive, and each lesson requires a personal response to the truths presented. No preparation is required, and only a Bible and pencil are needed.

Disclosure: I received a print copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are always my own and may differ from others.

Related by Chance, Family by Choice by Deb DeArmond

Book Summary (from AMAZON)

The caricatures are everywhere, the jokes are inexhaustible, and the stereotypes fill the screens. From Marie Barone (Everyone Loves Raymond) to Viola Fields (Monster-in-Law) to Internet sites and social media pages like ihatemyinlaws.com and a Facebook page for ihatemymotherinlaw there is no shortage of examples of the caustic relationships that can develop between the two women in a man’s life.

Deb DeArmond and her three daughters-in-law have conducted their own exhaustive research into the status of the women-in-law relationship. Their research, which incorporated online surveys, interviews, and discussions, included asking about the faith factor in the relationships they studied. Of the respondents, nearly 90 percent claimed they were Christians, and 79 percent said their faith was foundational and guided their actions and decisions. As discouraging as it may be, the numbers of those they surveyed who reported that their women-in-law relationships were “bad” were nearly identical to those in a survey conducted by a popular secular website that recorded no statistics on faith.

Beyond the statistics and their analysis, Deb brings to this book more than thirty years working with adults to improve communications and deal constructively with conflict. Aside from her research and her professional expertise, perhaps the most important asset Deb brings to this work is her own relationship with her three daughters-in-law that is so obviously and unusually positive that she—and they—are often asked to explain the secret of the relationships they share.

This practical and unapologetically scriptural book covers issues of personal perceptions, strained communication, the roles of sons and fathers in the relationship’s success, how to begin these relationships on the right foot, and the necessity of trust and love. Deb’s one motivating objective is to help womenin- law move from women who are simply related to strong and confident members of a truly spiritual family.

My Thoughts:

I really enjoyed this book. When I first saw I could review this, I was excited. I know from personal experience how miserable a bad Mother/Daugher in Law relationship can be. My MIL has always been difficult and has on many occasions tried to get in between me and my husband. 

I have a son, and I know that's not the type of relationship I want with my future daughter in law.

I think this is a book that needs to be read multiple times to catch everything it has to offer. I love the assessments at the end of chapters. You can't just read this book and forget it, you really have to dig deep and assess where you are and what you want out of it. 

There are action steps which allow discussion and thought provoking realizations. I think every mom should read this book, especially mom's of boys because there is something different about that when it comes to marriage and letting go. 

So much wisdom in learning how to change the stereotypes of this relationship and turn it into something amazing. 

I encourage you to check this book out and let others know about it also. You can find it HERE.

Disclosure: I received a print copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are my own and may differ from others.

Organic Matcha-Green Tea Powder by Kiss Me Organics

These days everyone is looking to find healthy ways to live and eat. With Organic Matcha Green Tea Powder, you can add some healthy additions to any dish from smoothies to lattes to baking.  When you add Matcha to a meal, you gain 4-6 hours of additional energy which both energizes and relaxes. You are able to focus better on getting done what needs to get done. Let's be real, this time of year, everyone gets so busy with holiday stuff, traveling, family along with work, that we sometimes are left feeling overwhelmed (and exhausted!).  Matcha gives a safe way to help stabilize your system and leave you feeling better overall. It's also a great natural way to burn calories. Our bodies normally  can burn 8-10% daily energy expenditure, but with Matcha that can increase to 35-43%! With all the health benefits of green tea, it's definitely worth checking out.

I tried adding Matcha to our stew the other night. I normally don't gravitate towards green tea. I tend to like the taste of black tea better, but knowing the health benefits loved the idea of a powder I could add into regular meals. I think it worked great. It blends wonderfully into the dish. I can't wait to try it in other meals also. Smoothies are something we drink year round, so we will be adding Matcha into them on a regular basis. My son is looking forward to trying it in icing.

You can find it at MATCHA . I hope you enjoy it as much as we have!


Disclosure: I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Mere Christianity Critical Analysis Journal giveaway!

  

What an exciting time this is! Mere Christianity Critical Analysis Journal is here! This will be a wonderful addition to your reading and learning time.

The Home School Adventure Co. Launch Team is excited to help celebrate the release of the Mere Christianity Critical Analysis Journal with a special giveaway filled with books that will compliment your classical studies, as well as a couple of special surprises.  

The best news is that there will be two winners, each receiving a very valuable prize package!  

We would like to thank the following friends for their generous sponsorship of this giveaway! Be sure to stop by their websites to say thank you!

Institute for Excellence in Writing
Nancy Pearcey
Trivium Pursuit
Bright Ideas Press
Raising Real Men

Here are the prize packages you could win! 

Prize Package #1

Our first prize package contains all of the print resources from Home School Adventure Co., as well as wonderful books, curriculum, and even a marriage retreat. This prize package, sponsored by the Institute for Excellence in Writing, Nancy Pearcey, and Trivium Pursuit, has a value of $500!

Mere Christianity Critical Analysis Journal $28.95
Philosophy Adventure - Pre-Socratics Complete Set $89.95
Philippians in 28 Weeks ESV $28.95
The Wise Woman with Literaray Analysis Journal Questions $28.95

IEW Teaching Writing/Student Writing Value Pack (Winner's Choice of Levels A, B, or C) $249

The Soul of Science $11.99
Total Truth $25.00
Saving Leonardo $26.99

Teaching the Trivium Christian Homeschooling in a Classical Style $20.40
The Fallacy Detective $22
The Thinking Toolbox $22

Prize Package #2

Our second prize package is filled with all of the resources offered at Home School Adventure Co. in their downloadable editions, as well as a set of all 3 volumes of The Mystery of History by Linda Hobar. This prize package, sponsored by Bright Ideas Press and Raising Real Men, has a value of $300! 

Mere Christianity Critical Analysis Journal Download $18.95
Philosophy Adventure - Pre-Socratics Digital Download $39.95
Philippians in 28 Weeks ESV Download $14.95
The Wise Woman with Literary Analysis Journal Questions Download $14.95

The Mystery of History, Volume I $49.95
The Mystery of History Volume II $49.95
The Mystery of History Volume III $59.95

My Beloved and My Friend book and Marriage Retreat Online $45
Pollyanna Audio Book Download $18

To enter, use the Rafflecopter below. Residents of the U.S., age 18 and older please.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

A Marriage in Middlebury

Book Summary (from AMAZON)

Charlotte Rose Hill has been serving up country delicacies, uniquely blended teas, and matchmaking advice for her quirky but beloved customers for more than 10 years. But for her, marriage seems like an elusive butterfly, always out of reach. At 18, Charlotte fell in love with a young man, Sam Wilder, but his family convinced her to walk away from their relationship. She did, and
then became engaged to another man, who later died before they were married. Now, more than a decade later, Charlotte finds that she still has feelings for her first love. Initially thrilled to learn that Sam has come home to Middlebury, Texas, Charlotte is devastated to learn that he’s brought someone with him: his fiancée. But all is not lost when the townsfolk decide to get
involved. Will Charlotte and Sam find their way back to each other?

My Thoughts:

What I enjoyed about this book were the characters and the way there was a history involved. It's like getting a second chance to make a different choice. I'm sure everyone has been in a situation they wish they could get a do-over for. I was excited to see where Charlotte and Sam's relationship would go. Nothing was easy and there were many obstacles to overcome, but the dynamics throughout the storyline were great and made me want to keep reading. I couldn't wait to find out if they would end up together or if life had just moved on too much to go back. 
the relationship between Sam and his Father is not a unique relationship, but had a fresh approach to it and drew me in. I recommend this book and look forward to many other of Anita Higman's books!


Disclosure: I received a print copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are my own and may differ from others.

Christmas Time

So here in Florida, sometimes it's hard to get in the Christmas mood when the temperatures are in the 70s and 80s.  I do sometimes miss the snow, but definitely don't miss the cold! The fun thing is though, that it seems everyone goes all out in the decorating to give an extra boost of Christmas Spirit.
We decorate over Thanksgiving weekend. If we could get away with it, I think we'd be one of those people decorating in October..ha!

I love putting up the tree. When my son was little, we started the tradition of getting him a ornament every year depending on his interests for that year. He has things such as Poky Little Puppy, a Clue board game, cooking stuff, karate boy,and many others. Our thought is the same thing my parents did which is allowing him to have ornaments for his first tree with his future family.

Of course, our main priority at Christmas is celebrating the birth of Jesus. Remembering not only his being born, but the gift of coming for us.

Here is one of my favorite ornaments! Being close to Disney we have to represent it on our tree:)

I collect snowmen decorations which are all over so for me this was the perfect combination!

I'd love to hear what you love at Christmas and favorite things!

Andi Unexpected by Amanda Flower

Book Summary (from Amazon)

Twelve-year-old Andora 'Andi' Boggs and her fourteen-year-old sister Bethany move to rural Ohio to live with their eccentric twenty-something aunt after the sudden death of their parents. While dealing with her grief, Andi discovers proof of another Andora Boggs in the family tree whose existence was hidden in a Depression-era trunk in the attic. With help from her new friend and neighbor, Colin Carter, Andi is determined to find out who this first Andora was and what happened to her.

My Thoughts: 

This is a great teen mystery book! It's a quick and fun read with some great characters. It's interesting to watch the relationship of the sisters and how they are dealing with the lost of their parents. I love the different dynamics shown with all the characters. It's a touch of family relationships, with a mystery to solve mixed in. This book is part of a new series which I'm sure will become a hit among teens! You can find out more about this book, and others, on the authors website

This would make a great Christmas gift!

Disclosure: I received a print copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. I received this book as a reviewer for www.booksneeze.com. My reviews are always honest and my own opinions.