Book Description

1. Knowing Why You Fail
2. The Cycle of Obesity
3. Rotations of the Cycle
4. Controlling Anxiety
5. Understanding Guilt
6. Failing to Break the Cycle
7. The Perfectionist Pattern
8. Psychological Phases of Obesity
9. Don’t Choose a Diet, Choose a Transition
10. Here’s To Your Health
11. Your Goal Is The Secret to Success
12. Unhealthy Habits and Vices
13. The Real You
14. Conquer the Cycle
15. Pulling Out The Root Cause

I’m so excited to use this book in helping me get and stay healthy, physically and mentally. Thank you so much Dr. Aguila!! I highly endorse this book for those wanting to get to the “real” reason why being healthy and conquering the obesity cycle has been evading them.

M.D. Wilfred Aguil…

Biography

Wilfred Aguila, M.D. is a native of Florida and has served communities in Florida since he graduated from the University Of Miami School Of Medicine in 1991.

In Tampa, Dr. Aguila completed his surgical residency at the University of South Florida in 1996 and was Chief Resident in Surgery from 1995 to 1996. Dr. Aguila has been in surgical practice for sixteen years and specializes in Bariatric surgery. He founded Surgical Bariatric Centers, LLC which has grown from one office in Tampa to several offices across Central Florida.

Struggling for almost a decade with his own weight problem, Dr. Aguila gained a personal understanding about the process of losing weight. He remembers his battle with binge eating and the lessons he learned that allowed him to finally break the cycle of overeating. He shares with his patients these lessons so that they may break their own Cycles.

Dr. Aguila is an author,nationally syndicated radio show host, and highly sought after national obesity expert. He has appeared on numerous morning TV shows and a regular expert segment on Telemundo. Dr. Aguila is the host of the popular Dr. A Radio show. He is also a regular contributor to the Huffington Post as well as other publications.

Through his motivational speaking engagements, Dr. A touches the lives of those suffering with serious weight problems and empowers them with the knowledge that they need to win their struggle.

Dr. Aguila is currently listed in Guide to America’s Top Surgeons and Top Doctors. Dr. A is a member of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery; he is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons.

Posted by Mindy.

I was invited to a blogger event last week where I was able to hear the T.C. Christensen (director) and Darin Southam (star) of Ephraim’s Rescue talk about this new release from Excel Entertainment.  T.C. Christensen also directed 17 Miracles.

Synopsis

From T.C. Christensen, director of the sensational pioneer film, 17 Miracles, comes the heroic true story of a simple man who was called to do the work of angels. Ephraim’s Rescue relates the story of Ephraim Hanks: a rescuer of the Martin Handcart company.

Follow Ephraim as his adventures lead him to join the LDS Church and ultimately to one of the most heroic rescues in American history. With a unique desire to help andstrengthen others, Ephraim learns that each choice we make can prepare us for what lies ahead. He discovers, through it all, that decisions determine destiny.

Director

T.C. Christensen

Producer/ Writer/ Director

T.C. Christensen is one of the brilliant minds behind the camera when it comes to these family favorites:

17 Miracles (Excel Entertainment); Emma Smith: My Story (Morning Dew); Joseph Smith: Prophet of the Restoration (LDS Church); Testaments (LDS Church); The Work & the Glory (Manchester Pictures); Forever Strong (Go Films); Sea Monsters (National Geographic); Roving Mars (Disney); The Buttercreme Gang(Family Films); Rigoletto (Family Films); The Mouths of Babes (VTA); Finding Faith in Christ (LDS Church); Treasure in Heaven: The John Tanner Story (VTA); Only a Stonecutter (VTA).

T.C. has won over 270 national and international awards for his work in directing and photography. In 2010 he was invited to join the American Society of Cinematographers.

Starring

Darin Southam as Ephraim Hanks

Darin’s passion for acting started with a play in his 7th grade drama class and has evolved into a career, with roles that span from indie films, such as Last Man(s) On Earth, to Disney’s Halloweentown High, Discovery Channel’s I Shouldn’t Be Alive, and Fox’s 127 Hours. A former student of Playhouse West in North Hollywood (Jeff Goldblum, James Franco, Michelle Pfieffer, etc.)

Darin enjoys the method of digging deep into the characters he portrays. At heart, Darin is a family man with a wife and 3 young children; he hopes his performance as Ephraim Hanks in T.C.’s Ephraim’s Rescue will elevate his opportunity to pursue what he truly loves to do – act in film. More info about Darin can be found at darinsoutham.com. Facebook Page.

Links for Ephraim’s Rescue

Website / Facebook / Trailer / Trailer 2 / Theater Listings / Paul Cardall Music Video

I am excited to tell you that I have TWO premiere tickets to giveaway.  Contest ends Friday May 17th, at midnight.  The winner will choose which one they can attend.  Please leave a thoughtful comment below with your email.  If no email address is listed, I will pick a new winner.  

Special Screening Choices

Monday, May 20th — Gateway Salt Lake City 11:00 am

Thursday, May 23rd — Red Carpet Premiere in Centerville 7:00 pm

Saturday, May 25th — St. George, Pineview Stadium 3:00 pm

Tuesday, May 28th — Ogden, The Junction 6:30 pm

Wednesday, May 29th — Logan, University Stadium 6:30 pm

Wednesday, May 29th — Orem, Cinemark 6:30 pm

Author Eric Shuster will be providing a series of blog posts summarizing various sections of his upcoming book Where are the Christians? due to be released this spring from Cedar Fort, Inc. We will feature one post each week from now until May 2013. For more information visit www.findyourchristianity.com.

* * *

SECTION 4: HOW IS CHRISTIANITY TO UNITE? – A Vision

Chapter 17: Strengthening the Community

The fourth and final rung in the Model of Christian Unity following the individual, family and church is the community. The ideal scenario is for a community to be made up of strong individuals, families and churches—a blessing to all those who reside in such a community.

There is a societal lineage that maps to the Model of Christian Unity: individuals make up families; families make up neighborhoods; neighborhoods make up cities; cities make up counties; counties make up districts; districts make up states; states make up a nation; nations make up the world. There is a phrase “think global, act local,” a phrase which has great applicability to the concept of the church community.

The Biblical case for strengthening the community is really a culmination of the Biblical cases given for strengthening individuals, families and churches. Strengthening the community is not something most Christians think about—it is simply not a spiritual priority—this despite the fact that the Savior taught “if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand” (Mark 3:25).

Conventional wisdom suggests the great dividers of the Christian community come from the atheists and other anti-Christian organizations. However, that is not the case. The primary dividers of the Christian community can be found within the walls of Christianity itself—self-appointed judges and protectors of the faith as they interpret it. In short dividers are Modern-day Pharisees (from Chapter 8).

The unifiers of the community come in the form of individuals and institutions that have the vision of strengthening the body of Christ, looking past that which divides different denominations of Christianity and instead focusing on the commonality that can be leveraged. Shuster researches and reports on a number of highly successful global and local ecumenical efforts including intra-faith ministries and inter-faith ministries. Some of these institutions such as Northwest Assistance Ministries in Houston and the Neighborhood Interfaith Movement of Philadelphia are helping thousands of people each year by bringing together dozens of different Christian denominations to work together as one.

Unifying Christianity is not just a utopian pipe dream that exists in the same universe as wish granting fairies, calorie free ice cream and world peace. The Model of Christian Unity is already in progress and is strengthening communities and unifying Christianity towards reaching its potential. There are hundreds of community building efforts among diverse Christian congregations operating and changing lives around the United States. Therefore the question of whether or not it is possible to strengthen and unify the body of Christ in helping Christianity reach its potential has been answered—the answer is YES. What then will you do to help unify Christianity?

Our 18 week journey has briefly summarized who the Christians are from a historical perspective; what a Christian is from a spiritual perspective; where the Christians are from a behavioral perspective; and how Christianity can be strengthened and more united from a societal perspective. Thank you for joining us.

Go to www.findyourchristianity.com to watch the book trailer, find out what type of Christian you are, and to order the book.

Author: Melissa Lemon

Publisher: Sweetwater Books/Cedar Fort

Published: December 11th, 2012

ISBN13: 9781462111459

Hardcover: 288 pages

FTC FYI: Received a PDF from the publisher in exchange for an honest review, then purchased my own copy.

Reviewed by Mindy

Inside Book Jacket

Katiyana Whyte’s world is only as big as the apple orchard she was raised on.  She can never leave the home where she grew up under the careful eye of her uncle Barney.  But when life at the orchard suddenly becomes dangerous and her childhood friend Jeremy begs her to flee, Kat finds refuge in the Fluttering Forest with seven dwarves.

Meanwhile, the queen of Mayhem, an evil sorceress, learns through her magic mirror that the daughter she believed to be dead, still lives.  Enraged, she sends a servant to kill Kat, the princess of Mayhem, but Kat finds protection in a spell that causes snowstorms whenever she is in danger, giving her the nickname Snow Whyte.

In the wonderfully imagined Snow Whyte and the Queen of Mayhem, nobody is quite who they seem.  Full of romance and adventure, this is the magical tale of Snow White as you’ve never read it.

My Review

4 of out 5 stars.  I was instantly taken with this story.  I loved the narrator (I won’t say who he is for spoiler reasons, but you find out early on).  I really enjoyed seeing each character through his eyes.  The Queen was awesomely evil.  She truly was a wicked queen, and written very well.  Queen Radiance (as she made her subjects call her) stole the show.  There are so many twists in this great story, and lots of fun surprises.  Kat is a sweetheart.  I enjoyed how her little dwarf friends loved her , and how she loved them.  Jeremy was an unexpected surprise, and his story is so cool!  Again, many twists that are very enjoyable.

Author Links

Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

Purchase Links

Amazon / Barnes and Noble / Seagull Book / Deseret Book

Product Detail

• Title: Leona & Me, Helen Marie (A Small Town U.S.A. Novel)
• Author:Lu Ann Brobst Staheli
• File Size: 288 KB
• Print Length: 102 pages
• Publisher: Back Yard Press (January 30, 2013)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B00B8DTP9K
• FTC FYI:  I received a review e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
• Reviewed by Sheila

Book Description:

Leona and Me, Helen Marie (A Small Town U.S.A. Novel) was such a fun book to read. I was smiling through much of it. The stories in this book reminded me so much of the stories my own parents have shared with me through the years. It is so obvious the difference between life back then and life now. There was something special about life in the early 1900′s. Life was so much simpler in many ways and much harder in others.

Lu Ann Staheli beautifully retells the stories of her mother and her aunt as they grew up in the South in the 1920′s. There is a lot of humor as Helen, age seven, is living life with her rambunctious older sister. There were many adventures to be found playing outside. Kids today are truly missing out on the fun that most of us over the age of 40 had.

This book will be enjoyed by those that love a delightful book about siblings, family, and lots of love. There are some sad moments that had me crying, but there were many more that had me LOL! I highly recommend this book to all readers, young and old! I will be reading it again with my own children.

Tomorrow I will be reviewing another book written by Lu Ann called Tides Across the Seas (The Explorers).

About the Author:

Lu Ann Brobst Staheli got her start as a celebrity paparazzi-stalker-chick, which led to her award-winning career as a ghostwriter for celebrity memoirs. A masochist at heart, she has taught junior high school English for 33 years, moved to the school library for year 34, and once spent two weeks summer vacation backpacking through Europe with 15 of her students. She has won three Best of State Medals—two for writing and one for teaching—but refuses to wear them all at the same time because she’d hate to be known as a show-off. Her published works include A Note With Taking, an award-winning MG novel which is currently a Whitney Award nominee; When Hearts Conjoin, the story of the conjoined Herrin twins; Psychic Madman about mentalist Jim Karol; One Day at a Time: Teaching Secondary Language Arts; and Books, Books, and More Books: A Parent and Teacher’s Guide to Adolescent Literature.

M. Russell Ballard

Publisher: Deseret Book

Published: March 2013

ISBN-13: 978-1-60907-522-4

Hardcover: 42 pages

FTC FYI: Received a review copy

Reviewed by Mindy

Goodreads Summary

Do you sometimes wonder if your little efforts could possibly make any difference at all? Consider a simple example from nature.

Honey is “one of the foods that includes all the substances— enzymes, vitamins, minerals, and water—necessary to sustain life,” writes Elder M. Russell Ballard. And yet, “Over its short lifetime of just a few weeks to four months, a single honeybee’s contribution of honey to its hive is a mere one-twelfth of one teaspoon. Though seemingly insignificant when compared to the total, each bee’s one-twelfth of a teaspoon of honey is vital to the life of the hive.”

Your simple, daily acts of service matter, and this charmingly illustrated little book will lift your heart as it demonstrates the power of many righteous people working together to fill the world, one drop at a time, with the sweet truths of the gospel.

My Review

This sweet book is adapted from the October 2012 LDS Conference talk from Elder M. Russell Ballard titled:  Be Anxiously Engaged.  The pictures in this book are beautiful.  Each have different picture of beehives.  I love the story of the honeybee.  How so much work is dedicated and needed for a drop of honey.  This book (and talk) remind me that I can make a difference.  Even if my efforts may seem small to me, they will be noticed by others and most importantly, my Heavenly Father.  There were many quotes I enjoyed throughout the book, but this, I especially liked:

Remember, honey contains all of the substances necessary to sustain mortal life.  And the doctrine and gospel of Christ is the only way to obtain eternal life.  Only when our testimony transcends what is in our mind and burrows deep into our heart will our motivation to love and to service become like unto the Savior’s.  It is then, and only then, that we become deeply converted disciples of Christ empowered by the Spirit to reach the hearts of our fellowmen. (page 27)

Another wonderful book for Mother’s Day.  Give this book to the women in your life, they will thank you.

Happy Mother’s Day!

Purchase Links

Deseret Book / Amazon / Seagull Book

Product Details

• Title: Esther the Queen a novel
• Author: H.B. Moore
• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Covenant Communications Inc.; 1st edition (April 1, 2013)
• Genre: Religious Historical Fiction
• ISBN-10: 1621084175
• ISBN-13: 978-1621084174
• FTC FYI: I received a review copy in exchange for
• an honest review.
• Reviewed by Sheila

Book Description

About the Author:

Author: Brad Wilcox

Publisher: Deseret Book

Published: March 1st, 2013

Hardcover: 232 pages

ISBN13: 978-1-60907-327-5

FTC FYI: Received a review copy

Posted by Mindy

Inside Book Jacket

“I can’t do this Mormon thing,” a friend told Brad Wilcox.  ”I’ve tried, and the expectations are too high.”  And she’s not alone in her thinking.  Many people, as the feel themselves falling short of perfection, are tempted to quit trying.”

But are there only two options?  Think of it this way:  When a person is learning to play the piano, are the only two options performing at the Carnegie Hall or quitting?  Similarly, in mortality, are the only two choices being perfect or giving up?

“No,” writes Brad Wilcox.  ”Growth and development take time.  Learning take practice.  Discipleship is a journey, and true conversion is a continuous process.”

In this hope-filled book, Brad shares his keen understanding and testimony of the Atonement of Jesus Christ as it relates to our own conversion.  Conversion occurs, he says, “when we stop trying to earn heaven and start trying to learn it….As we take each little step to show faith, repent, make and live covenants, seek the Holy Ghost, and endure to the end, we are not paying our way into heaven.  We are practicing for it.”

God isn’t just proving us, He’s improving us.

Product Review

I am so blessed to receive these amazing books that I get to tell you about.  The premise behind this book is beautiful.  As I go through my life, I find that it is all I can do to get through the day, sometimes.  My daughter said something to me just this last Sunday.

Mom, Sunday is my favorite day of the week.  I love going to church, and I love being with my family because we are there together, and we get to learn about Heavenly Father and Jesus and how to be better.

How blessed are we to have a loving Heavenly Father and Savior in our lives.  Reading this book will give you the reminder that perfection is not required of you, just strive to do your best.  The heading for Chapter 3 says it well.

A Mighty Change is Slow.  True conversion is not instantaneous.  It is continuous.  It includes making daily choices to reject the path that leads to becoming a natural man and to choose instead the path that leads to becoming a saint.  (page 53)

If you are looking for a Mother’s Day or Father’s Day gift, this book is it.

About the Author

Brad Wilcox is an associated professor in the department of Teacher Education at Brigham Young University, where he also works with programs such as Especially for Youth and Campus Education Week.  As a young man, he severed his mission in Chile, and he was later called back to that country to preside over the Chile Santiago East Mission from 2003 to 2006.  He currently serves as a member of the Sunday School general board.

Brad is the author of the bestselling book The Continuous Atonement and the BYU devotional “His Grace is Sufficient.”  He and his wife, Debi, are the parents of four children and grandparents of three.

Purchase Links

Deseret Book / Amazon / Barnes and Noble / Seagull Book 

Author: Heather B. Moore 

Publisher: Mirror Press, LLC

Published: May 1st, 2013

ebook: 60 pages

FTC FYI: Received a free review copy.

Reviewed by Mindy

Goodreads Summary

Welcome to the Aliso Creek Novella series

Liz, Gemma, Arie, Jess, and Drew have been best friends since creating “the Five” at Aliso Creek High School. But that was over ten years ago, and each is still trying to find that perfect someone… if perfect is even possible.

Arie, at the top of her career as VP of an established real estate company, discovers that her success has led to a less-than-successful dating life. But she may have just met the ideal man in work-a-holic film producer, Dustin Jacobs. Seeing each other once a week, or even once a month, is no big deal since they are both ambitious… until Arie realizes she wants much, much more.

My Review

As always with Heather’s book, I was immediately taken into the story in Lost then Found.  Arie is an instantly likable character.  I also enjoyed that we were able to get to know Valentina a bit in this book, as well.  Valentina is an ex-girlfriend of Drew’s that I have been curious about.  I really like the novellas in this series and I have become a huge fan of short stories.  Arie has a lot happen to her in this “short” story and she handles herself well.  Dustin is a high-powered producer who seems taken with her from the start.  Their relationship hits a few snags at the beginning, and one at the end that I didn’t see coming, but enjoyed.  Each of these novellas are unique and are fun, fast reads.  They do not need to be read in order, either.

4 out of 5 stars.  Heather is the author of many fabulous books and short stories.  Read more about her awesomeness here.  The last Aliso Creek novella, One Chance, comes out June 1st, 2013.  Heather is also apart of the Timeless series of short stories.  Summer Weddings came out May 3rd.  Five other authors also contributed:  Sarah M. Eden, Annette Lyon, Melanie Jacobson, Julie Wright, Rachael Renee Anderson.  These are books you don’t want to miss.

Author Links

Goodreads / Website / Facebook / Twitter

Purchase Links

Amazon / Barnes and Noble

Product Description from Deseret Book.com

Posted by Mindy

Motherhood. We cherish and celebrate it, and sometime we complain about it. Sometimes we yell at our kids, and sometimes they teach us the most profound lessons we could learn in life. The kids scribble on the walls, and they kiss us on the cheek when we’re feeling down. LDS Living wants to help you celebrate the ennobling and empowering journey of motherhood this year with a collection of our favorite articles on motherhood. Some will make you laugh, some will warm your heart, and some will make you think about the issues we as women and mothers face. We hope you enjoy the journey. Articles include: -”How to Love Life, See Good Days, and Not Doubt Your Ability as a Mother” -”What Not to Say To Stay-at-Home or Working Moms” -”A Mommy Time-Out” -”Celebrating Parents: Gifts That Give Back to Mom and Dad” -”Mothers Without Children” -”The Grass Isn’t Always Greener” -”Say It With Flowers” -”Happy Stepmother’s Day!” -”Mommy Knows Best”

LDS Living contacted me to help spread the word about this fabulous ebook.  It is a compilation of LDS Living’s best articles on motherhood.  There is a great variety from humorous, inspirational,  and some that address issues surrounding motherhood.  The best news, this ebook is free!  All you need to do is download the Deseret Book app.  Here are the links for Android and Apple devices, and also Web Browser.  Also, when you download the Deseret Book app, you receive 8 free ebooks! So, what are you waiting for?  This is a great idea for Mother’s Day, too.  Use this link download the book.

Authors: Josi S. Kilpack, Annette Lyon, Heather Justesen, Sarah M. Eden, Heather B. Moore, Aubrey Mace

Published: February 1, 2013

Publisher: Mirror Press

Format: ebook

FTC FYI: Received an ePub copy in exchange for an honest review

Reviewed by: Mindy and Shanda

Goodreads Summary 

Six Award-Winning Authors have contributed new stories to A Timeless Romance Anthology: Spring Vacation Collection. Readers will love this collection of six sweet contemporary romance novellas, centered on a Spring Vacation, all with one thing in common: Romance.

In Moonlight Kiss, a delightful story by Josi S. Kilpack, Sarah is looking forward to the company retreat, namely because she’ll finally meet Clint—the man she’s been Instant Messaging for a few months. As a single mom, Sarah gets out . . . well, never. So adding vacation days onto the retreat so she can spend time with Clint is daring, yet exciting. She just hopes that the suave on-line Clint will live up to the man she hopes to share her heart with.

In Annette Lyon’s charming novella, Chasing Tess, Tess had been patiently waiting through three years of law school for James to pop the question. The night has finally arrived—at his graduation party. But his big announcement turns out to be completely unexpected . . . and devastating. Tess flees the party, promising herself she’ll never let herself waste time on James again. But as she makes a desperate cross-country drive, James makes his own plans on how to win her back.

Dancing at the Flea Market is a sweet romance by Heather Justesen. Mara, fresh out of the cold North Dakota tundra, spends her spring break in Texas with close friend, Anna. When the two women run into Carter, an impatient man with a painful past, it takes hearing Mara’s stunning voice at the local Karaoke club to thaw his heart. But as Mara gets to know Carter, she has to decide if the distance between their lives and homes is worth trying to bridge.

In Sarah M. Eden’s captivating novella, The Best Laid Plans, Madison gives up a vacation to Cancún with her office friends to return home and babysit her mother, who is in another sketchy relationship. The only problem with returning home is running into Derek, her ex-boyfriend who she decided to break up with before he could break up with her—Madison believes in always being one step ahead. When Derek teams up with Madison to investigate whether her mother is dating the right guy, Madison has a hard time ignoring what her heart is telling her about giving Derek another chance.

Picture Perfect, an exciting story by Heather B. Moore, follows Gemma who has never done anything out of the ordinary, until her boyfriend Randy starts to ignore her. But even cutting and dyeing her hair doesn’t get his attention. She decides to join her old high school friends for spring vacation, only to be faced with Drew, her best friend who suddenly seems interested in her as more than a friend. Gemma must determine if her heart is on the rebound or if it’s finally met its true match.

In Aubrey Mace’s enchanting romance, The Science of Sentiment, Rosie will do anything to forget Kevin, his completely perfect kisses, and the fact that he dumped her. When she arrives at her grandfather’s mountain cabin for a spring getaway, she discovers her worst nightmare—Kevin has been invited to stay the weekend too. Since there is only room for one in such a small space, Rosie is determined to kick Kevin out. But Kevin has other plans . . . which might include a reminder of why he’s the perfect kisser.

Mindy’s Review

This is a very enjoyable book full of six well-written and fun short stories.  Each one is very unique, and most importantly, clean romances with awesome characters.  I was quickly taken into each story with their fun plots and spring settings.  As I was reading each story, I was sure it was my favorite, then I would start the next one, and it became my new favorite.  Each story has its share of great kisses.  The kiss in Heather Moore’s Picture Perfect… WOW!

5 out of 5 stars.  As you finish each story, you will be happily wanting more.  I can’t wait for Summer Wedding Collection in May.  

Shanda’s Review

The A Timeless Romance Anthology series has proven that a short love story can still be big on romance. I enjoyed each one, amazed at how well each author packed a full story into a smaller page count without making it feel rushed or incomplete.

My favorite was Sarah Eden’s The Best Laid Plans. I’m going to quote my notes directly: “Sigh (big smiley face). Loved it. Maddi & Derek – great couple. Good story. Nice romance.” I agree with Mindy about the kiss in Picture Perfect. I was pleasantly surprised with the little turn the story took in Chasing Tess. It was happily not what I expected.

If you like a good romance, check out A Timeless Romance Anthology: Spring Vacation Collection. I’m anxiously looking forward to the next installment, A Timeless Romance Anthology: Summer Wedding Collection. I got a sneak peek at Melanie Jacobson’s Love Bytes and, well, I loved it.

 
Purchase Links:

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE

Anthology Links:

BLOG | GOODREADS |  FACEBOOK

Author links are listed above.

Author Eric Shuster will be providing a series of blog posts summarizing various sections of his upcoming book Where are the Christians? due to be released this spring from Cedar Fort, Inc. We will feature one post each week from now until May 2013. For more information visit www.findyourchristianity.com.

* * *

SECTION 4: HOW IS CHRISTIANITY TO UNITE? – A Vision

Chapter 16: Strengthening the Church

The third rung of the Model of Christian Unity, following the individual and family, is the church. Strong individuals and strong families should make for a strong church; however, that is not always the case. Bringing together two or more strong families full of righteous individuals does not guarantee church unification where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. The lesson behind this unfortunate reality can be illustrated with food. There are some who love a thick juicy steak and also love a good bowl of ice cream; however, steak a-la-mode is not likely to be a winning menu item.

Ideally one plus one equals three in the synergistic realm or at a minimum one plus one should equal two in the compatibility realm. However, one plus one can equal one, or even a negative number when there is no synergy. Such is the potential when bringing people together in church to form a congregation. This is why strengthening the church is a critical and challenging aspect on the journey to unifying disparate Christians toward a stronger society.

The Biblical case for strengthening the church comes from the 12th chapter (verses 12-27) of Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians as he addresses the diversity of spiritual gifts and the various positions within the church. Paul provides a detailed analogy of different parts of a body and how they work together to create one body of Christ.

There is no shortage of elements that weaken and divide the church including politics, social Issues, sin/pride, racism/prejudice, culture, ministerial conflicts, generational differences, gender conflicts, personality conflicts, bigotry and harsh evangelism. At times these elements, especially when combined, can become powerful deterrents to unity in the body of Christ within a congregation.

Strengthening the church focuses on the individuals and families within the church. Humans are complex beings and follow basic physiological patterns that when understood can help motivate people to reach their full potential as children of God. Shuster applies Maslow’s model of needs hierarchy to the church to create a Spiritual Hierarchy of Needs including: 1) Faith (physiological level); 2) Well-being (safety level); 3) Belonging and Affection (level of the same name in Maslow’s model); 4) Value (Esteem level) and 5) Discipleship (Self-Actualization level).

As church members move up the pyramid of the spiritual hierarchy they also move from left to right in the Christian Continuum. For example, the Laboring Christian is one who has effectively realized the four bottom components of the Spiritual Hierarchy of Needs and has entered true discipleship in Jesus Christ, while the Departing Christian is struggling with faith and well being.

The Spiritual Hierarchy of Needs integrates the object lesson taught by Paul in the analogy of the body of Christ regarding the psychology of human nature and the serialization of needs fulfillment. When churches begin focusing more on strengthening individuals and families than on programs and fund raising then the body of Christ will be strengthened and unified.

Next we look at strengthening the community.

Go to www.findyourchristianity.com to watch the book trailer, find out what type of Christian you are, and to order the book.

Author: Julie K. Nelson

Publisher: Cedar Fort

Published: March 12, 2013

ISBN: 978-1-4621-1168-8

Paperback: 192 pages

FTC  FYI: Received a review copy in exchange for an honest review

Reviewed by Mindy

Backcover

“I wish children came with an instruction manual!”

How many times have we heard this lament by a frustrated or overwhelmed parent?  Perhaps we have said these words ourselves.  There are “how-to” manuals for practically anything:  installing a new faucet, building a remote control car, baking an apple pie, refinishing an antique chair, or assembling a bicycle.  Is there a formula or a perfect manual for raising children?  Yes!  The scriptures.

In Parenting with Spiritual Power, Julie Nelson examines the lives of mothers and fathers in the scriptures (the best instruction manual) and the parenting principles we can learn from them.  Discover powerful parenting examples from Adam and Eve, the brother of Jared, and Captain Moroni, along with suggestions for personal application in this essential book.

My Review

Wow!  This book is exactly what parents need for some wonderfully inspired parenting advice.  While reading I thought to myself, yes, I need to do it this way, or this can make it so there may be less contention, etc.  Some things are so helpful, it is almost common sense.  These are lesson that we all can be doing as parents, especially myself.  I loved how the scripture references were used to support each chapter.  I am far from being perfect parent, ask my kids, but I know with the Lord’s help, I can become a better parent.

I took some notes while reading this book that I wanted to share.

1. Our Heavenly Father is never too busy to listen.  His back is never turned.  (page 12)
2. Each child’s feelings should be validated.  When resolving conflicts, we need to ask, gather information, and listen, listen, listen.  (page 15)
3. Catch the child being good…  Focus on the positive we see in our children.  Teach doctrine when guiding and correcting children.  (page 21)
4. “Parents are never failures when they do their best to love, teach, pray, and care for their children.  Their faith, prayers, and efforts will be consecrated to the good of their children.”  (Elder Robert D. Hales, page 25)

These are just a few of the helpful examples that I found while reading Parenting with Spiritual Power.  You will be lifted up and feel, that even on your worst days, you can do this.  We all need a little help and a spiritual boost.  This book gives you both.

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Author: G.G. Vandagriff

Publisher: Orson Whitney Press

Published Date: April 2012

Paperback/ebook: 202 pages

Genre: Regency Romance

ISBN# 978-0983953678

Reviewed by: Shanda

FTC FYI: “purchased” a Kindle version when it was free on Amazon

Summary

Meet the Duke of Ruisdell, the unlikely hero of this traditional Regency Romance, after the manner of Georgette Heyer and Candice Hern.

The duke has just returned wounded from the Napoleonic wars. He is weary, cynical, and very bored. Known as the worst rake in England, he finds he has no interest in upholding that distinction, when his friend, the Marquis of Somerset, proposes a bet: “Five thousand guineas says that seducing Miss Elise Edwards will cure your ennui.” Because his friend has just lost a packet to him, he agrees that the bet be posted in White’s famous Betting Book.

The following day, while walking in Green Park, he spies a mysterious young woman, veiled, and obviously grieving. A disembodied voice, sounding strangely like that of his late adjutant, informs him, “The jig is up. That is the girl you are going to marry!” He scoffs, but is nevertheless intrigued by something about the slight figure. He even sketches her and asks if he can be of assistance to her. She declines his offer kindly.

At the opera that evening, he is captivated by a beauty across the Opera Hall. He hears the same voice, saying the same thing. The marquis informs him that the woman in question is Miss Elise Edwards. When he meets her, he recognizes her voice as that of the woman in the park. Now she is surrounded by a surfeit of ex-fiance’s, one of them dangerously unbalanced. Ruisdell discovers an actual bond between them which renders him honor bound to protect her.

Thus begins a train of unstoppable events–dangerous, humorous, devilish, and amorous–that carry his life along at such a pace that the duke soon knows not whether he is on his head or his heels. And then there is that bet . . .

Enjoy this delicious romance that will carry you back to the Regency period in English history, where manners were dictated by strict rules of fashion. It is the Jane Austen era, populated by gentlemen and ladies of leisure. These books are best enjoyed with a box of chocolates, and are guaranteed to enliven any boredom (ennui) that you may be experiencing!

Review

The heroine of The Duke’s Undoing, with her three ex-fiances, her writing of novels under the pen name “A Gentlewoman,” and her unconventional personality, intrigued me from the start. What sounded in the description like an unlikely scenario was presented quite believably by the author.

I really liked both the hero and heroine. The supporting characters were interesting, entertaining, and villainous where applicable. I was pulled into the Regency time period, with descriptions and dialogue that felt authentic and encompassing. There were scenes of fast-paced action intermingled with more sedate, dignified discourses that resemble traditional Austen-like prose.  (Didn’t that sound so Regency-ish?)

There were a few unexpected plot twists, some of which made me wonder of the Duke and Elise would ever get their happily-ever-after. The romance, when they were together, was toe-curling but clean. The main characters had some great chemistry that the author effectively portrayed without using graphic description, something I appreciate. It was easy to get caught up in the main characters’ emotions, particularly during one heart-wrenching scene that I don’t want to spoil.

The story slowed for me near the end (about 80% in) but picked back up. I liked the ending but felt like I wanted to know more. What happened later? Did things ever get resolved regarding the Duke’s circumstances? Were they ever able to settle at his palace? Considering that this is Book One of a series, I’m hoping we will get to see glimpses of the Duke and Elise’s future and have those questions answered.

The Duke’s Undoing was an enjoyable read that I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend to anyone who loves a good Regency romance. I look forward to reading about the other two rogues and their ladies.

Content: some innuendo; a few references to breasts; one “curse” word; mild violence (a stabbing, a duel, attempted kidnapping) and references to war experiences

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Author Eric Shuster will be providing a series of blog posts summarizing various sections of his upcoming book Where are the Christians? due to be released this spring from Cedar Fort, Inc. We will feature one post each week from now until May 2013. For more information visit www.findyourchristianity.com.

* * *

SECTION 4: HOW IS CHRISTIANITY TO UNITE? – A Vision

Chapter 15: Strengthening the Family

The second rung in the Model of Christian Unity is the family. Each individual born on earth is part of a family. Ideally that family consists of a mother, father, siblings and extended members (i.e. aunts, uncles, cousins, etc.). For too many individuals however that ideal falls short resulting in single parent families, families where there is no parent at all, and every other variety one can imagine.

Family reaches beyond genetics or a physical home. It is not uncommon to hear about persons in the military referring to their family in the service or close friends calling one another brother and sister. Whatever the configuration, strengthening the family is of critical importance in the spiritual unification process on the road to Christian Unity.

The Bible as a historical record provides stories of close-knit blood-related families such as Mary, Martha and Lazarus (John 11); close in-laws such as Ruth and Naomi (Ruth 1:16); dysfunctional families like that of King David (2 Sam. 11-13) and Jacob with his 12 sons (Gen. 34-37); and even families where one brother murders another in Cain and Abel (Gen. 4:8). The Bible outlines the establishment of the family (Gen. 2:18), the institute of marriage (Matt. 19:4-6), the importance of children (Psa. 127:3) and the dynamics of family relationships (Ex. 20:12 and Eph. 6:4).

The importance of the family to the greater whole of Christianity is unmistakable. Strong families translate into strong churches and strong communities. Because the forces of evil know this the family is constantly under attack. Inspired spiritual leaders have spoken publicly about the criticality of the family including Pope John Paul II who said “As the family goes, so goes the nation and so goes the whole world in which we live.” Yet, despite decades of warnings society continues to ignore the obvious and pay the consequences including increased crime, child abuse, and abandonment.

At the core of the disintegration of the family is divorce. The absence of both parents in the home and the associated economic stress has not only been linked to an increase in child abuse, but a new phenomenon of technology as a babysitter. A study released by the Kaiser Family Foundation in 2010 revealed 8 to 18 year-olds in the United Sates devote an average of just over 7.5 hours per day to entertainment media including TV, video games, computers, iPods, and cell phones. The impact of such tremendous exposure to media has a devastating effect on children and youth.

To strengthen the family Shuster offers a unique lesson in the Divine Triangle whereby family unity is enhanced through the pursuit of Christ and His gospel. For those times when certain family members are in need a little extra support the Divine Triangle can transform to buoy those who are struggling. The chapter ends with practical counsel and tips from authors and family clinicians on healthy family dynamics—all designed to strengthen the family on the road to Christian unity. Next we look at strengthening the church.

Go to www.findyourchristianity.com to watch the book trailer, find out what type of Christian you are, and to order the book.

Product Details

• Paperback: 378 pages
• Publisher: AugustCorp Press (April 24, 2013)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0985251336
• ISBN-13: 978-0985251338
• FTC FYI: I received a review e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
• Reviewed by Sheila

 Book Description:The Big Debate (Literary Loom #1)

A bizarre corpse . . . A strange girl . . . A creepy teacher . . . A cool invention . . . Combine these with an old school and a new student anxious to fit in—and the adventure begins. Fifteen-year-old Josh’s big mouth gets him in trouble at first. But after walking in the shoes of great men of history in the Literary Loom, he uses that mouth to bring down the bad guy and ultimately solve the mystery behind the murder—and the strange girl.

“But I would like to think that my invention is like a literary loom, weaving a tapestry of images spun by the author but woven into an experience by the reader that delights their mind and warms their soul.” This is what the character, Uncle Reuben, has to say about his invention. I loved this very clever idea found in this new book by Author Carolyn Twede Frank!

The Big Debate is a YA book with a very creative twist on time travel.Having books come to life is the heart of this series. You can actually go experience the book by becoming one of the characters. I really liked the main character, 15 year old Josh. He is trying to fit in at his new school and get’s stuck having to do his report with the “strange” girl Ester. This girl and her uncle open a whole new world to Josh. The students at this school are written realistically with teen personalities that ring true. The mystery in this story is compelling. The action in The Big Debate is exciting and it’s great to have such wonderful Heroes for you and your teens to cheer for. I can’t wait to read more books in this series!

Meet: Author Carolyn Twede Frank

Author: Rebeca Rode

Publisher: CFI/Cedar Fort, Inc.

Published Date: March 2013

Softcover: 224 pages

Genre: Parenting/Religious Nonfiction

ISBN# 978-1-4621-0407-9

Reviewed by: Shanda

FTC FYI: free digital PDF review copy in exchange for an honest review

Summary

How can I have inner peace as a mother when I feel so stressed and scattered? For mothers who feel they are constantly juggling multiple demands, How to Have Peace When You’re Falling to Pieces is packed with uplifting stories, poems, quotes, and scriptures that instill fresh perspective on the work of a mother.

Review

Reading How to Have Peace When You’re Falling to Pieces was just what I needed this past week/month/15 years. There were so many things I loved and appreciated about this book. If you are a mother or know a mother, finish reading this review, then go right out and buy a copy of this book.

Do you love motherhood? Your answer is probably mixed. Yes, we all enjoy being moms, but man, is it hard! We are stretched to the limit, more maxed-out than a credit card, and weary in body and soul. Ours is the work of angels, but it is work. (page 11)

I love that Rebecca addresses the issue of guilt early on in the book. It’s a serious issue that so many mothers struggle with, myself included. When I get my hands on a hardcopy, “Chapter 2: How to Win When You Just Can’t Win” is going to be the most underlined section of the book, followed closely by the chapter about perfectionism.

Moms have only one supervisor: ourselves. So we make up for that by becoming our own worst critics. We correct and cross-check and second-guess ourselves until we can’t see straight.  (page 14)

I loved the visual comparison of the things holding us back to barnacles on a ship. I loved the idea of a “Judgement Free Zone” where there are “No critics allowed.” I loved the spin she put on “How Not to Make Everything Work” in Chapter 12. I loved her conversational, comfortable writing style, like reading an encouraging email from a friend. I loved the examples and quotes from poems, prophets and scriptures shared throughout the book. I loved the The Motherhood Quiz at the end. (After 15 years of mothering, I Aced that thing. Which means I sound a lot more like my mom than I thought.)

Even on the best days, those have-it-all-together days, we still have to admit that perfection is painfully far away. (page 21)

I highly recommend How to Have Peace When You’re Falling to Pieces. I read the book straight through and look forward to going back to read certain sections when I need a boost or a reminder. I’m pretty sure every mother I know can relate to the thoughts, feelings, and experiences Rebecca shares. I don’t usually give star ratings on my LDSWBR reviews, but this one gets 5 stars from me.

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Author: Jenniffer Wardell

Publisher: Jolly Fish Press

Published Date: April 27, 2013

Hardcover: 302 pages

Genre: Fairytale Romance

ISBN# 978-0-9886491-4-9

Reviewed by: Shanda

FTC FYI: received an uncorrected digital proof in exchange for an honest review

Goodreads Summary

In a world where fairy tale situations are as much a fact of life as death and taxes, everyone knows hiring Fairy Godmothers, Inc. is the best way to assure that your beautiful daughter or enchanted frog of a grandson will get the happily-ever-after he or she deserves. Sure, sometimes a little love potion is required to make sure those quotas stay up, but what Prince Charming doesn’t know won’t hurt him. 

Kate, an experienced Fairy Godmother, who’s enough of a romantic to frustrate her rigidly rule-bound boss, has just received a specialty assignment from one of the company’s board of directors. Cinderella—Rellie for short—was placed with an appropriately wicked stepfamily years before, and now needs the dress, ball, and handsome prince to complete her happily-ever-after. The fact that Rellie isn’t sure this is her dream come true—balls are fun, but princes tend to be less interesting than fluffy bunnies—isn’t something management considers a problem.

Complicating things a bit is Jon, the youngest son of the royal family, who meets Kate, and is smitten, but isn’t quite ready yet to reveal his true identity. After all, it’s his older brother Rupert who’s supposed to marry Rellie, which means pretending to be a lowly civil servant will give him the chance to spend more time with Kate. (As long as he can get the ball arranged, and stop Rupert from getting himself into trouble over his “self-actualization” business, he should have the perfect opportunity to explain everything and get started on making a little magic with the Fairy Godmother of his dreams.) 

But, of course, things never ever happen as planned.

Review

Fairy Godmothers, Inc. was such a fun read. I was entertained from the first chapter to the last. I laughed out loud on more than one occasion. I loved Jon, Kate, Lawton, and even Rellie by the end. As a romance, I knew Jon and Kate would eventually end up together, but there were a few unexpected twists with other characters I didn’t see coming and I wasn’t sure quite how things would work out until the very end.

I read Fairy Godmothers, Inc. pretty much straight through. (The kids had to eat and I had to sleep, at least for a few hours.) Even though the  book is approximately 300 pages long, it moved at a good pace and didn’t seem overly long. I was pulled into the story and thought it was well-written and pretty clean overall. The characters were interesting (Bubbles was effectively intimidating, considering her name), and I cared about what happened to them.

It’s obvious that the author had fun writing this story. A lot of fairytale, a bit of magic, some intrigue and a generous dose of romance all combine to make Fairy Godmothers, Inc. easily one of my favorite reads this year.

Content: There is some mild innuendo; a few side characters consume alcohol but I don’t recall the main characters ever partaking; one mild “curse” word; older teens and adults will probably enjoy this book

Visit Jenniffer Wardell: 

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Author Eric Shuster will be providing a series of blog posts summarizing various sections of his upcoming book Where are the Christians? due to be released this spring from Cedar Fort, Inc. We will feature one post each week from now until May 2013. For more information visit www.findyourchristianity.com.

* * *

SECTION 4: HOW IS CHRISTIANITY TO UNITE? – A Vision

Chapter 14: Strengthening the Individual

Christianity has been in a state of increasing division since its inception. Consider the 2nd century observation of the Greek philosopher Celsus who wrote that Christians “…slander one another with dreadful and unspeakable words of abuse. And they would not make even the least concession to reach agreement; for they utterly detest each other.” Although a known opponent of early Christianity, the words of Celsus ring true to this very day causing one to ask… How is Christianity to Unite?

The four chapters of Section 4 answer the question by examining the unification process from the smallest unit of Christianity—the individual—to incrementally larger units including the family, church and community. This is a concept Shuster calls the Model of Christian Unity. As each unit is strengthened spiritually the impact on society is not merely cumulative, but rather exponential as a result of spiritual synergy.

The desire of Jesus Christ in the unification of his disciples was the subject of his heartfelt prayer to God the Father when he pleaded “that they may be made perfect in one,” with Christ dwelling within the disciple and God dwelling within the Savior (John 17:23). Each of the four chapters examines the Biblical case for strengthening the entity along with the forces that divide and unite.

The most basic unit in the kingdom of God is the individual comprising the first rung in the Model of Christian Unity. The Savior said “I am the vine, ye are the branches,” and as branches nourished from the same vine we are to “bringeth forth much fruit: for without me [Jesus Christ] ye can do nothing” (John 15:5).

The cornerstone scripture for strengthening the individual comes from Luke 22:32 with Jesus telling Peter “…when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.” In this passage the Savior teaches a profound yet simple lesson that those who are converted are to strengthen those who are not. Because conversion is a continual process it may be more accurate to say that those who are more mature in their conversion to the gospel of Jesus Christ (along the Christian Continuum) should lift up and help those who are not as far along.

Through the conversion process individuals are strengthened in both faith and works. The 16 Believing attributes and the 16 Practicing attributes from the Chapter 13 exercise are covered in detail allowing participants of the exercise to examine their scores leading to an action plan of improvement.

32 attributes—16 relating to faith (believing) and 16 relating to love and works (practicing)—can easily overwhelm even the strongest of Christians. Just remember, spiritual growth is a journey and not a destination. The prophet Isaiah taught “precept upon precept… line upon line; here a little, and there a little” (Isa. 28:10). We are all a work in progress on earth laboring on these things everyday with the goal of continuous improvement, not overnight perfection. Next we look at strengthening the family.

Go to www.findyourchristianity.com to watch the book trailer, find out what type of Christian you are, and to order the book.

Product Details

• Title: Replacing Gentry
• Author: Julie N. Ford
• Paperback: 286 pages
• Publisher: WiDo Publishing (April 9, 2013)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1937178315
• ISBN-13: 978-1937178314
• FTC FYI: I was given a review e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

Book Description:Replacing Gentry

I already knew that Julie N. Ford knew how to write a great romance, but now I know she also knows how to write a fantastic mystery/suspense novel. From the minute you meet Marlie and she becomes involved with the rich senator, Daniel Cannon,  so quickly you know that something is up. As the pieces unfold in this novel, everyone is suspect. I felt for poor Marlie not knowing who to trust, her husband or another man, Johnny, that she was so attracted to. Even until the very end you still are wondering and trying to piece things together.

Replacing Gentry is a novel full of lies, betrayal, murder, a cult, conspiracies and of course some romance. The ending is a surprise, but I think I had it figured out several chapters before the end. You will love this new novel by Julie N. Ford. It is now one of my favorites!

Replacing Gentry is just $1.99 on Amazon

Meet:Author Julie N. Ford

Author: Lisa Rumsey Harris

Publisher: Sweetwater Books (Cedar Fort)

Published: November 13, 2012

ISBN13: 9781462110261

FTC FYI: Received a PDF in exchange for an honest review.

Reviewed by Mindy

Goodreads Summary

With her love of sweaters, goofy hair, and awkward manners—not to mention her family curse—Treasure Blume knows love is not in her future. That is, until she matches wits with Dennis Cameron, a divorced chef with a six-year-old daughter. Full of mischief, mayhem, and laugh-out-loud humor, this is an unlikely love story you’ll want to read over and over again!

My Review

4 out of 5 stars.  This book is a delight.  I thought it was so funny.  I was laughing out loud many, many times.  Treasure is an amazing lady.  I felt bad for her at times, but she is a pillar of strength.  Treasure is a genuinely nice person, who truly wants to help others.  Even if she is cursed.  This book has a great message of kindness and love, with a lot of humor.

Excerpt

Micaela went into the bathroom to change while Miss Treasure stood guard. When she came back, she handed the Ziploc to Miss Treasure who (as agreed) stuck it in her non-descript bag. Together they went back to class. Miss Treasure put the bag in the closet and started math time. She hadn’t even had time to think about the wet-pants episode until right now, with Micaela’s dad staring her down.

“Mr. Cameron, I’m so sorry about the situation with Micaela today. I guess we couldn’t get a hold of you . . .” Treasure started to say, intending to explain that she had handled the situation and that he didn’t need to worry.

But she didn’t get that far before Dennis jumped in. It bugged him that she called him Mr. Cameron instead of Dennis, like he was an old man with a walker. “Well, it’s not like you tried very hard, from what I hear,” said Dennis with heat. “Did you even try to find me? Or did you just hand her off to the office? Bonnie says she was sobbing, and for Bonnie to notice, it hadto be bad.”

Treasure glanced out the glass rectangle in the door. Micaela was absorbed in her lima bean observations, sitting on the concrete sidewalk. “Of course I took her to the office, Mr. Cameron. That’s school policy.”

“I don’t give a flip about policy. I care about my daughter, and obviously, you don’t.”

So that’s the way it’s going to be, is it? thought Treasure. It wasn’t an unfamiliar scenario. People often accused her of their own inadequacies. Projection. Her father had taught her the term.

“She trusted you, and you betrayed her . . .” Dennis said.

At this point, Treasure went icy. Accused of betrayal and buying the children’s affections in the same day? She wasn’t going to apologize for doing her job. And frankly, she was not in need of another verbal beating right now. “I’m sure I don’t know what you’re talking about. I do care about your daughter, and I didn’t betray her, but obviously, you feel that you did,” Treasure said.

“How I feel is none of your business,” said Dennis. He felt his ears turning red. Most likely, they’ ll explode off my head, he thought.

Reacting to his obvious anger, Treasure began to blurt. “And obviously, based on your response time, you must not have thought it was much of an emergency at all.”

Dennis was too mad to speak. He sputtered, trying to begin several sentences, unable to get them out. “Don’t tell me to . . . You have noright . . . Of course I . . .”

Luckily, it gave Treasure time to imagine her mental duck. I am a duck’s back, she mentally intoned. These words roll off me like water.  She drew a deep breath and started to speak in a low tone. “We took care of the problem. You’d know that if you had taken the time to talk to Micaela before you barged in here. Did you even speak to her?”

Treasure looked at him, waiting for him to spit out the venom that was clearly pooling in his throat. She wasn’t angry anymore. Instead she was a little bit sad. She’d liked this man. She always chose his line for lunch, eager to see how he arranged the food on her tray. Based on his plating alone, he was more suited to Kitchen Stadium than the lunchroom.

With a nearly convulsive effort, Dennis swallowed and closed his eyes. He raised his hands and drew them through his surprisingly thick hair. Treasure had never seen it outside of a hair net before. It was nice: reddish brown and shaggy, a bit like the ears on an Irish setter. Then he looked up at her: “I want you to know that I blame you for this.”

Not the first time I’ve heard that, thought Treasure, but instead she drew herself up and mustered all the dignity she could. “For what, Mr. Cameron? For the small capacity of children’s bladders?”

“Yes,” said Dennis, “and for poisoning her against lima beans. If she won’t eat them, I’m holding you accountable.” And with that, he slapped the top of a desk and left the room.

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Author: Gale Sears

Publisher: Deseret Book

Published Date: April 2013

Hardcover: # of pages unknown

Genre: Historical Religious Fiction

ISBN# 978-1-60907-159-2

Reviewed by: Shanda

FTC FYI: free digital review copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

***Scroll down for details on how to enter the Belonging to Heaven Blog Tour Giveaway***

Summary

Descended from the Hawaiian royal line, Jonathan Napela became one of the first—and most influential—converts to the Church in Hawaii. A man of intelligence, social status, and wealth, he used his considerable reputation to further the gospel in his native land. He developed a lifelong bond of brotherhood with Elder George Q. Cannon, helping to translate the Book of Mormon into Hawaiian and establish a gathering place for the Hawaiian saints in Laie, Oahu. But when his beloved wife, Kitty, was stricken with leprosy, Jonathan made the defining decision of his life. He would leave his life of privilege to become her caretaker and spend the rest of his life on Molokai, the island of lepers. To those who suffered similar heartbreak and banishment, Jonathan’s self-sacrifice became their lifeline. Based on a true story, this is an extraordinary novel of a man who chose love in the face of death.

Review

Gale Sears has a passion and talent for historical fiction. I was reminded of this once again while reading Belonging to Heaven. This fictionalized retelling of the history of the LDS Church’s early beginnings in Hawai’i was full of memorable characters, spiritual experiences, and inspirational sacrifices.

I didn’t know much about George Q. Cannon or the events surrounding the early days of the Church in the Hawaiian Islands (then known as the Sandwich Islands). I haven’t seen any of the movies made about those events, either. Reading Belonging to Heaven was not only an education for me, but also revealed a desire to learn more about the efforts of George Q. Cannon and others.

Beyond learning some Church history, I was swept into the story of the early Hawaiian Saints, particularly Jonathan Napela. The author’s portrayal of this dedicated elder and his relationship with George Q. Cannon was moving and memorable. The first part of the book was mostly about “Missionary Cannon” and his work on the islands. The last half of the book, though, was focused on Jonathan Napela and his efforts to continue to build the Kingdom of God on the earth during what would be the most difficult circumstances of his life.

Readers who love history, particularly Church history, will enjoy Belonging to Heaven. It is a book about love, sacrifice, dedication, and faith. I was easily pulled into the story, not because there was a fast-moving plot, but because of how well the characters’ stories were told. I was moved to tears more than once. This story will stay with me for a long time.

Visit Gale:  WEBSITE | GOODREADS

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Author Eric Shuster will be providing a series of blog posts summarizing various sections of his upcoming book Where are the Christians? due to be released this spring from Cedar Fort, Inc. We will feature one post each week from now until May 2013. For more information visit www.findyourchristianity.com.

* * *

SECTION 3: WHERE ARE THE CHRISTIANS?—A Categorization

Chapter 13: What Kind of Christian are You? Take the Test

Christians in America are spread out among those who are departing, feeling adequate, hesitating, and laboring (understanding there are very few who are latent). These Christians—meaning all Christians—move along a continuum based upon the exercising of faith unto works in an often erratic and volatile way. There may be a time when a Christian is inactive and disillusioned only to be inspired by a life-changing event that increases their faith towards becoming a more active Christian. Conversely, there may be a time when a Christian is active and faithful only to lose motivation and interest in life towards becoming a more inactive and indolent Christian.

The question of “Are you a Christian?” now becomes irrelevant and is replaced by “What kind of Christian are you?” The Christian community can eliminate the judgmental spirit of deciding who is a Christian and who is not by moving to a more useful and productive dialogue of where believers are along the Christian Continuum.



To accomplish this author Eric Shuster developed a unique exercise that accurately categorizes individuals into one of the five Christian types (Departing, Adequate, Hesitant, Laboring and Latent). The exercise contains 32 simple questions divided into three parts, all of which are answered on a scale of 1 to 5:

• Part One of the exercise evaluates individuals on a primary set of five attributes relating to belief (or faith). If the participant is not a Believing Christian then the test is concluded.

• Part Two of the exercise evaluates individuals on a secondary set of Believing Christian attributes. The eleven attributes in part two measure the depth of belief using tenets that are closely associated with faith in Christ and support the belief system of the Christian.

• Part Three of the exercise evaluates individuals on a set of Practicing Christian attributes. The sixteen attributes in part three measure the degree to which the individual is a Practicing Christian ranging from weak to strong.

After completing the exercise the scores are added up on two different axes: 1) the Believing attributes on the vertical axis (or the y axis from your high school math days) and 2) the Practicing attributes on the horizontal axis (or the x axis). The simple calculation and plot shows the participant exactly where they are on the continuum at the time of the exercise. Readers can use the manual form provided in the book or immediately complete the exercise and discover what type of Christian they are at www.findyourchristianity.com.

The remainder of chapter 13 is dedicated to helping the reader interpret the results, along with an enlightening exercise of charting the five Christian denominations discussed in chapter 7 onto the Christian Continuum—an revealing exercise you won’t want to miss.

Go to www.findyourchristianity.com to watch the book trailer, find out what type of Christian you are, and to order the book.

Book Description:
Seventeen-year-old Tayla will never forget Beast’s fiery-venom spreading through her body like an infection. Now, with her best friend Chel’s help, she must find a human true love before the last petal falls from her enchanted rose or the full moon will transform her into a wolf forever.

Available as E-book: Kindle, Nook, Smashwords; and  paperback: Amazon

Author: Frank L. Cole

Publisher: Bonneville, an imprint of Cedar Fort

Published: April 9, 2013

ISBN: 978-1-4621-1056-8

Paperback: 122 pages

FTC FYI: Received a paperback copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Reviewed by Mindy

Back Cover

“If you knew what was good for you, you would’ve stayed in your precious little tree house.”  She reached over to stick a piece of paper into my hands.

“What’s this?”  I asked suspiciously, reading the paper.  It was a flyer announcing tryouts for underwater ballet.

“I just figured once we cream you tonight for the championship, you’re going to need a new sport to play.”

I wadded the paper into a tight ball and clenched my teeth.  ”Just you wait.  Tonight’s going to be different.”

Hashbrown Winters is still living in the shadow of Melanie Thumbs, who he can’t beat at anything, not even laser-tag.  But when he turns to the Oracle for guidance, he is given some unexpected advice that could change the game forever.

Let the fourth installment in the bestselling Hashbrown Winters series transport you and the tree house gang to another dimensions.  This action-packed page-turner will have you asking an important question:  ”Would I go thorugh a portal and steal the identity of someone in another dimension just to become a winner again?”  Crack open Hashbrown Winters and the Whiz-tastrophe to find out!

My Review

Hashbrown finds himself, where he never has before.  On the losing end of everything.  Melanie is on a roll and Hashbrown consults the Oracle (Fibber himself) to see what can be done to beat her.  After a test, Hashbrown finds the Oracle speaks in opposites, and Whiz is absolutely, not supposed to play in tonight’s laser-tag game.  Right away, Hashbrown knows what he is supposed to do.  But, how can Whiz play if he is banned from Laser World?

Oh, Hashbrown.  What am I going to do without you?  Hashbrown Winters and the Whiz-tastrophe is the end of an era.  I have really enjoyed reading this series.  This installment does not disappoint.  It takes a funny turn with portals and stolen identities, and is full of laughs.  I think my favorite character is Pigeon.  I love how Frank has written him, head bobs and all.

4 out 5 stars.

Author Links

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Purchase Links

Amazon / Barnes and Noble / Cedar Fort / Deseret Book