Fun DVD Giveaway!

With Star Wars in the news so much these days, it's kinda cool that I get to offer to you a giveaway of a kids' DVD that sort of plays off of Star Wars and Star Trek! Galaxy Buck: Mission to Sector 9 is from the creator of Veggie Tales, Phil Vischer. so it's as corny, funny, cute, and full of lessons from the Bible as you'd expect. I turned it on for my kiddos and, as I figured, my 7-year-old son was thrilled, while my three older daughters groaned and begged to watch something else. As it played, however, two of my girls, ages 10 and 13 wound up laughing along with my son (while rolling their eyes to let me know that they were definitely too old to watch it....;) ) It got a definite "YES" vote from my son. 

About the movie:

Buck Denver has a simple dream - to save the galaxy.  Working for the Galactic Mission Board, Buck dreams of carrying God's love to every corner of the Milky Way!  Except he doesn't have a starship.  Or a crew.  Or even a captain's license.  He just needs a chance.  But when that chance comes and Buck finds himself leading a real mission into deep space, things don't go at ALL like he imagined!  If he's doing what God wants him to do, why is everything going wrong?  From VeggieTales® and What's in the Bible? creator Phil Vischer, Galaxy Buck: Mission to Sector 9 is a wild, galactic adventure that teaches kids a powerful lesson about trusting God with everything - even our dreams! 

Run time: Approximately 40 minutes

Galaxy Buck: Mission to Sector 9 is a must-see for all ages, from VeggieTales creator PHIL VISCHER! Kids will enjoy Buck Denver's latest adventure with his friends from What's In the Bible? and parents will appreciate the humorous nods to Star Wars and Star Trek.  More importantly, Phil Vischer's gifted teaching delivers a clear message to kids and adults about God's love and purpose for our lives.  Galaxy Buck communicates important Biblical truths that will add to everyone's faith foundation, whether a life-long Christian or a new creation in Christ.

For some fun stuff related to the movie, and to enter a giveaway for Galaxy Buck Space Training Kit, check out these links! 

OFFICIAL WEBSITE

OFFICIAL TRAILER

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

PINTEREST

INSTAGRAM

HEY, YOU GUYS! One of you will win a copy of the DVD! This would make a great Christmas gift, by the way. To enter, simply comment below! That's it! Oh, and please share! Giveaway ends Wednesday, October 28th, at 5:00 pm. 

And the winner is...Ruth Distad! Congratulations, Ruth!

Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post.

 Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway. If you have won a prize from our sponsor Propeller / FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days, you are not eligible to win. If you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.”

The Time Garden, a Magical Journey, by Daria Song

Adult coloring books are all the rage right now, and why not? Coloring is fun and helps to relieve stress. It's about time that someone designed some coloring books for us "big kids". ;) The Time Garden is marketed to middle school aged children and up, but is perfectly suitable for kids and adults of all ages. It is exquisitely  done! The dust jacket is actually like a heavy duty coloring page, with beautiful, metallic text and scattered metallic leaves. The story, explained in more detail below, is what you make of it, which is nice, and stirs the rusty imagination.

I wasn't drawn to a lot of the pages, unfortunately. While some were imaginative, very detailed,  and "artsy", others were rather sparse and seemed monotonous to color. This was a disappointment, but I still enjoy the book. The Time Garden would make a great gift, especially for patients in the hospital, those who are home bound, or for anyone. 

This book gets 4 out of 5 stars from me.

More about the book:

A dazzlingly beautiful coloring book for all ages, The Time Garden will sweep you away into a whimsical cuckoo clock–inspired world, created in intricate pen and ink by the internationally best-selling Korean artist Daria Song. 

Journey through the doors of a mysterious cuckoo clock into its inky innerworkings to discover a magical land of clock gears, rooftops, starry skies, and giant flying owls—all ready for you to customize with whatever colors you can dream up.

Cuckoo . . . cuckoo . . . cuckoo . . . When the clock strikes midnight, you’ll wonder, was it all a dream?

The Time Garden features extra-thick craft paper, ideal for non bleed-through coloring, and the jacketed cover with flaps is removable and colorable. Special gold-foil stamping on the cover and spine and a To/From page make it perfect for gifting to adults and kids alike.

Then, explore the magical world outside the clock through the eyes of a fairy in the sequel, The Time Chamber: A Magical Story and Coloring Book! 

Paperback
Published by Watson-Guptill
Sep 01, 2015 | 80 Pages | 9-13/16 x 9-13/16 | Middle Grade (10 and up)


More about Daria Song: 


DARIA SONG is an author and artist with a master’s degree in fiber arts from the Ewha Womans University Graduate School of Fine Arts. Winner of the Kyung Hyang Arts Contest, Song has exhibited at numerous galleries and museums in Korea, Singapore, Turkey, and Hong Kong. She is a lecturer at the Kaywon School of Arts and her illustrations can be found in Amore Pacific and SK Planet. She spent five years of her childhood in San Francisco before returning to Korea, and the sense of wonder and mystery that comes from living in a far-off place inspired her internationally best-selling adult coloring book, The Time Garden.



Thank you to Blogging for Books for my review copy. 

Our Man in Charleston (Britain's Secret Agent in the Civil War South)

This beautifully bound book will take you back to early Charleston, when the city, according to this author, was anything but beautiful: it was hot, dirty, disease-ridden, and reeking with the stench of slavery, and Robert Bunch called it "home" as he worked tirelessly to bring an end to one of the greatest evils ever known. 

I am ashamed to admit it, but I still don't know the truth of the origins of the Civil War. Was slavery really the root cause? According to this book, it was, and the attitudes and practices of the day were even more despicable than I knew.

I must admit that this book wasn't exactly what I had expected. I found it a little exhausting to read because there were so many names, places, and dates that I couldn't keep up. I felt like I was cramming for a history exam! Still, I did learn much about a critical time in our nation's history. As "mentally stretching" as it was to read, I felt myself drawn to it again and again. A more intellectual reader might enjoy it a lot more than I did. *sheepish smirk*  

4 out of 5 stars.

Available at Amazon.com.Amazon.com

I received this book from BookLook Bloggers in exchange for my honest review.

The Colson Way: Loving Your Neighbor and Living With Faith in a Hostile World

Charles "Chuck" Colson was no superhero. No saint. But he was a born again believer, dedicated and willing to work to spread the gospel to people who are forgotten. He saw a need, and worked to meet it as the founder of both Prison Fellowship International and Angel Tree.

I remember hearing Chuck Colson's Breakpoint several times, and I had, of course, heard about the Watergate Scandal and Colson's involvement, but I knew very little, nothing, actually, about the man. Owen Strachan gives a snapshot of Chuck Colson and his faith that made me truly appreciate this man and his work. 

The Colson Way offers to "show Christians a way of living a public faith with conviction and generosity toward all." And it delivers. It's an easy read and one that I plan to reference again and again. The emphasis on being a witness in our culture, being effective and relative, is a message that is sorely needed and all too rare these days. 

I was inspired by this book, and I highly recommend it. 

5 out of 5 stars.  

Book Description

A leading young theologian and public intellectual shows how the life and legacy of Chuck Colson can equip Christians to live a bold and loving faith in the public square.

During his life, Chuck Colson was the preeminent evangelical in American public life. He dedicated himself to public witness in the mold of Dietrich Bonhoeffer and William Wilberforce, creating and leading efforts such as Prison Fellowship, Angel Tree, Breakpoint, and the Centurions program. He worked tirelessly on behalf of humanity because he believed that all people needed help to flourish. He knew the importance of working practically to advance truth and justice in public. And he knew that to be courageous-and to speak and act courageously in line with Scripture-was by definition to be loving.

Chuck Colson's life reveals there is no division between truth and love, between embracing biblical guidance and loving our neighbor. The Colson Way uses the legacy and wisdom of Colson to show Christians a way of living in a public square increasingly hostile to evangelical conviction.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers <http://booklookbloggers.com> book review bloggers 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 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

The Bridge Builder: The Life And Continuing Legacy of Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein GIVEAWAY!

I've always believed that the Bible teaches that the Jews are God's chosen people, and that Israel is their promised homeland. I've always been taught that we are to stand with Israel; to "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.... " (Psalm 122:6;  When I read of how Israel came to be, and the miraculous birth of that tiny nation and hear of the miraculous way that it has survived, I feel deep emotion. However, I blush to admit that I know very little about Jewish beliefs and way of life. I did already know that Christians and Jews don't exactly see eye to eye, and that the name of Jesus is taboo, but that's pretty much the extent of my "knowledge".

The Bridge Builder is a fascinating read about one man who is attempting to bring about a mutual understanding between Christians and evangelicals. Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein is described as a complex, hard working man whose desire to better the lives of his people is his consuming passion. As an evangelical, obviously I don't agree with the rabbi's religious views, but I do appreciate what he has done and is doing, and I hope that his efforts continue to bear much fruit. 

The bridge builder included eye opening details about historical events, as well as insights into how Jews view Christians, and especially the way they feel about efforts to evangelize. I still feel pretty clueless about the Jewish beliefs and views, but reading this book increased my desire to learn more. 

A quote I found particularly enlightening:

"The question is how Christians ought to {witness}; whether they'll bang us over the head with the gospel (as was done with catastrophic results over the centuries) or sensitively present this ' good news' and then let God and the Holy Spirit bring about whatever change God will." p. 103

The Bridge Builder gets 4 out of 5 stars from me. 

Enter to Win!

One of my readers will win a copy of this book! To enter, simply leave a comment here or under the giveaway post on my Facebook page. That's it! :) 

About Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein:

Founder and President of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews and Goodwill Ambassador for the State of Israel, Rabbi Eckstein has devoted more than 35 years to building bridges of understanding between Christians and Jews and broad support for the State of Israel.  He is recognized as the world's leading Jewish authority on evangelical Christians.  Rabbi Eckstein received Orthodox Rabbinic ordination from Yeshiva University in New York.  He holds master's degrees from Yeshiva University and Columbia University, where he also completed studies for his doctorate.  Rabbi Eckstein has served on the faculties of Columbia University, Chicago Theological Seminary, and Northern Baptist Seminary.  He currently serves on the executive committee of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee.  

About the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews:

The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews was founded in 1983 by Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein to promote understanding between Jews and Christians and build broad support for Israel and other shared concerns.  Their ministry's vision is that Jews and Christians will reverse their 2,000-year history of discord and replace it with a relationship marked by dialogue, respect, and cooperation.  Among the many things they do as an organization, they also create materials for teaching about the significance of connecting Israel and Christianity through such resources as A Woman of Valor: Celebrating The Proverbs 31 Women In Our Lives, A Man Of Faith: Reflections On Godly Leadership From The Ancient Shepherds Of Israel (both devotionals by Rabbi Eckstein), and Seven Fruits of Israel: Recipes And Devotions From The Holy Land (by Yael Eckstein).

About the book and the author:

Hardcover; 272 pages

Zev Chafets is the bestselling author of fourteen books of fiction, media criticism, and social and political commentary.  He has been a frequent contributor to the New York Times Magazine and is a former columnist for the New York Daily News. 

Thanks to FlyBy Promotions for my copy of The Bridge Builder, and for the giveaway copy.   

"Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post.

 Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway. If you have won a prize from our sponsor Propeller / FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days, you are not eligible to win. If you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.”

Hiding in the Light

                                 

I first heard of Rifqa Bary when a video clip of her interview with Pat Roberston (link below) came up in my daughter's newsfeed. My heart went out to her--I couldn't iamgine my faith costing me so much; couldn't imagine living in fear that my own father would put me to death. 

Rifqa tells her story with intense joy and hope, her deep faith shining through even the darkest moments. God is so real to her--you can feel it in every word. From the "Presence" she sensed as a small girl in Sri Lanka, through her her discovery of Jesus and her experience of meeting Christians, her conversion, her secret-keeping, escape, and the eventual court battle for her freedom and her very life, I was glued to every page. This book unlike so many autobiographies, is well written and intensely interesting. 

5 out of 5 stars.

Video: Rifqa Bary Interview

Facebook: Rifqa Bary's Author Page

More about Hiding in the Light:

“After four years of hiding my faith from my family, I knew that it was time. I wrote with shaky hands, ‘Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior. I refuse to deny him….’ There was no turning back now. I had to get out of that house if I wanted to live. Was this worth risking everything for? Yes.”

Rifqa Bary grew up in a devout Muslim home, obediently following her parents’ orders to practice the rituals of Islam. But God was calling her to freedom and love. He was calling her to true faith. He was calling her to give up everything.

Leaving Islam for Christianity cost her more than she imagined

but gave more than she could have dreamed.

Hiding in the Light is the story of Rifqa’s remarkable spiritual journey from Islam to Christianity. It is also the untold story of how she ran from her father’s threats to find refuge with strangers in Florida, only to face a controversial court case that reached national headlines. Most of all, it is the story of a young girl who made life-changing sacrifices to follow Jesus—and who inspires us to do the same.

More about Rifqa Bary here.  

Thank you to Blogging for Books for my review copy.

Standing Tall--On One Leg

It's one of a parent's worst nightmares...their child being diagnosed with cancer. Joel was an athletic 16 year old in seemingly great health before his diagnosis and the subsequent amputation of his leg. In Standing Tall, Joel's mother, Kathy, tells the story from a mother's point of view, with Joel's input. Kathy relates her heartache and the trials of the entire family during Joel's incredibly difficult battle with cancer, as well as Joel's faith, courage, and the the way their community stepped in to support them.

Osteocarcoma, a childhood cancer, took the life of a dear friend of ours just one year and a half ago. Because of this, Joel's story was even more poignant to me.

3 out of 5 stars.

More about the book:

Book Description

When Joel Soukup was diagnosed with osteosarcoma at the age of 16, the diagnosis changed him and his family forever. This family traveled down an unknown path and emerged from their journey in a way they never expected. Read how this young patient and his family handled the devastating diagnosis with strength, love and faith in God.

About the Author

Kathy Soukup was born and raised in Minnesota and resides near the town of Pine River. She and her husband, Verdale, have raised three sons and now have six grandchildren. Kathy continued to work, mostly part time, during the years her sons were growing up. She now enjoys spending more time enjoying outdoor activities, as well as quilting, gardening, cooking, visiting with friends and neighbors, and spending time with her grandchildren.

Joel Soukup grew up in northern Minnesota near the town of Pine River. He is the youngest of three boys. Joel is attending college at St. Cloud State University in central Minnesota and will soon receive his degree in community psychology. He hopes to use his education and experience to help others who have been handed an unforeseen, life-altering diagnosis such as the one he received at the age of sixteen. When he is not busy with school, he enjoys outdoor activities and sports, hanging out with friends, watching movies, listening to music (especially attending concerts), and rebuilding motorcycles with his brother

Thank you to BookLook Bloggers for my review copy.