Teaching Children About Sex Blog Tour

Welcome to the blog tour for Teaching Children About Sex: Using the Temple as Your Guide by Cherri Brooks!

It’s time for the talk. Teach your children the truth about sexual intimacy in a world of shifting values and ideas. With expert advice and age-appropriate wording, you learn how to use the temple as a beautiful analogy to discuss with your kids the sacred subject of sex. Timely and clear, this book is a must-read for parents, teachers, and leaders.

About the author:

Cherri H. Brooks grew up in Centerville, Utah and attended Utah State University where she earned her M.S. in Family and Human Development. She is the author of the LDS Living Magazine article, “Talking to Kids about Sex.” Her blog is www.timelesstemples.blogspot.com. She lives in Clarksville, Tennessee, with her husband and three children.

Review:

Ah sex. Talking about it to children is often viewed as trial to be endured. However, it is a very important topic the becomes even more important as the world around us changes. This book uses the temple and temple preparation as an example for a way to discuss everything with your children starting from a young age. It gives straightforward answers from both biological and value viewpoints. By keeping the lines of communication open, you can allow for a truly wonderful experience.

My son isn't old enough that I've had to worry about going into a lot of detail about sex, but I have tried to be honest and truthful about things like where babies come from. I was both excited and a little scared about reading this book. I wasn't sure if it would approach things from a point-of-view that I would agree with. I was so pleased to be surprised. This book is amazing! I love how positive this book was. So many times talking about sex becomes a negative thing because we want them so much to understand the importance of chastity. This is not always the best approach though. We need to find a balance so that children and youth understand how important sex is and why we save it for the appropriate time and place.

I love that this book emphasizes the need for communication on this topic starting from a young age. This book helped me see areas I have done well and areas in which I could use some major improvement. There are questions and answers for each age group that have some great help in them. At the end of there book there is some dealing with "special" topics in this area. They were absolutely full of fantastic information and direction. I wish that everyone would read this book. It manages to be very sex positive while using the temple as a guide to show why chastity is so important to us. This is a book I know I'll reference for years to come. With it's beautiful message and positive tone, it takes what could be a touchy subject and makes it approachable for everyone. 

Book provided for review.

Fearless Fabulous You Blog Tour

Welcome to the blog tour for Fearless Fabulous You! by Melanie Young!

Stay Fearless and Fabulous at every age and stage of your life with inspirational insights, motivational quotes and helpful checklists to face challenges with grace and make the changes in life that are right for you.

Make yourself your Number One priority and project your Amazing Authenticity and Brilliance. Motivational muse, wellness advocate, business woman and breast cancer survivor Melanie Young, author of International Book Award- winning, Getting Things Off My Chest, shares her tips on how to:

• Recharge your mental batteries and revalue your self worth
• Release negative energy and embrace positive change
• Reconnect with your amazing talents and turn road blocks into building blocks
• Reframe the vision of who you want to be and how you want to project yourself
• Reclaim the person you are destined to be and the life you want to live

If you feel stuck in a rut and need a re-energizing mental boost, keep this book by your bed to remind yourself every day that You can choose to be Fearless & Fabulous.

Author Melanie Young has made a career of turning challenges into opportunities as a wine and food marketing and communications specialist. When breast cancer took her on an unexpected detour in 2009-2010 she seized the opportunity to make positive lifestyle changes to stay healthy, manage stress, eliminate fear of recurrence and rethink how she wanted to live her life with renewed purpose. Writing was her therapy and voice to help inspire others to face life’s challenges with grit, grace and wit. Her first book, Getting Things Off My Chest, helps newly diagnosed women navigate their breast cancer journey with confidence. In Fearless Fabulous You! Melanie’s message is: “Be CEO- chief empowerment officer- of your life. Find your passion and purpose; be your own wellness advocate and believe in your self-worth.”

• Follow Melanie on Twitter @mightymelanie
• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/FearlessFabulousMelanieYoung
• Blog: www.melanieyoung.com
• Email: melanie@melanieyoung.com

Review:

Everyone needs to reevaluate things from time to time. This book shows some ways that you can take charge of your life. It gives helpful quotes, ideas, and tasks to help you take charge of your life. Some of the things in this book are very broad and inspiring ideas, while some are so simple that you begin to wonder why you hadn't already done this. However, all of them focus on helping you be come the best you that you can be.

I appreciate many of the things in this book. There were so many things that I read and though, "Wow, I totally need to work on that." One of the main ideas in here is that you cannot be helpful to others without first taking care of yourself. I liked that this book really helped me to see that sometimes it is OK to focus just on myself. I also liked the discussions on supporting other women and just loving others and ourselves more. Those are things that I am always trying to work on, and this book motivated me to keep trying. I think every person can find something in this book that will inspire and help them to become even better than they already are. It is a fun and helpful book!

Book provided for review.

What Good Men Do Blog Tour

Welcome to the blog tour for What Good Men Do by David S. Baxter!

From slavery abolitionist William Wilberforce to Olympic gold medalist Eric Liddell, great men throughout history have left an example for us to look to. Elder David S. Baxter takes a closer look at the characteristics and attributes of good men so that you can apply them too. He acknowledges that there are no perfect men, but the works and attributes of good men have profound effects. There is no end to the good that a man can do!

David Baxter was born in Stirling, Scotland, and became a General Authority of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in 2006. He previously worked in senior leadership roles in the telecommunications industry, and on the boards of various UK Government agencies, and holds a BSc degree in economics. In his Church service he has been a bishop, a stake president, a member of a mission presidency, and an Area Seventy. He has served in Church area presidencies in Europe and the Pacific. His early home life was traumatic and disrupted, and in 2009 he underwent surgery to remove two brain tumors. He and his wife, Dianne are the parents of four children and nine grandchildren.

Review:

There are a lot of great examples of good men throughout time. In this book, Elder David S. Baxter gives examples of some very good men and details what helped to make them good men. Their diverse stories give great inspiration and great examples to follow. Elder Baxter also gives some ways to be "good boys" for younger readers. All of this combines to make for a good read for everyone.

I loved a lot of the ideas presented in this book. Several good men were covered. Their stories were told, and then detail was given as to what made them good men. I found this to be very interesting and inspirational. Even though this book was directed at men, I learned a lot too. I even learned some history as there were a couple men that I was unfamiliar with. Their stories often tied in with Elder Baxter's life as well. I particularly enjoyed the chapter written for boys. As the mother of a boy, I liked the guidelines set down to help boys keep themselves on a good track. Overall I think everyone can learn something from this book. It will help keep your eyes lifted and your life good.

Book provided for review.

The No-Stress Holiday Organizer Blog Tour

Welcome to the blog tour for The No-Stress Holiday Organizer!

Get organized this holiday season! Make you plans for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s as enjoyable for you as it is for your guests. From calendars and checklists to budget sheets and journal pages, this book saves you the time and money to enjoy family traditions old and new – year after year!

Review:

The holidays are full of fun, but they can also be full of stress. This planner aims to relieve some of that stress by making it easy to plan and prepare for all of your holiday events. From Thanksgiving to New Years, this book has got it covered. Full of checklists and helpful hints, make your holiday season more fun and relaxed.

Wow, this book has everything. Check lists, recipes, calenders- everything you need to plan out your holidays. One of the things I try really hard to do is plan out my cooking so I'm not trying to do everything all at once, and this book even has a planner for that. How awesome! This is a book that you'll definitely want to use if you are very busy during the holidays. It has so many places for information and even a chance to reflect after the event. This is going to become an essential part of my holiday season from now on.

Book provided for review.

Diary of Two Mad Black Mormons Blog Tour

Welcome to the blog tour for Diary of Two Mad Black Mormons by Zandra Vanes and Tamu Smith!

You’ve read the title, and now you’re scratching your head, wondering if this book is for real, right?

It is. Yes, the authors are bona fide Mormons. And hilarious, too! They call themselves Sistas in Zion.

Did we mention they’ve got enough faith to move mountains? Well, they haven’t moved any mountains just yet, but that’s not stopping them from keeping right on praying and believing and knowing that the gospel of Jesus Christ is worth it.

Their unique perspective on their own diary entries will have you laughing one minute and exclaiming “Amen!” the next. They talk about personal experiences and lessons they’ve learned about relationships, sisterhood, standing up for what you believe, embracing diversity, and dealing with adversity—what being a Christian is all about.

The Sistas’ humorous and poignant outlook on life will strengthen your faith and remind you of the joy to be found in living a Christ-centered life. You’ll soon realize that the authors aren't mad-mad—they’re crazy-mad, funny, and inspiring!

 ABOUT THE AUTHORS:  

Zandra Vranes and Tamu Smith are popular multimedia personalities and the authors of the online blog -SISTASinZION.com. Zandra (Sista Laurel) and Tamu (Sista Beehive) also host a weekly online radio program, Sistas in Zion Radio. Their media identities, which focus on humorous aspects of faith and Mormon culture, seek to uplift, inspire, bridge religious divides, and create healthy dialogue.

Zandra and Tamu are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter—day Saints. They enjoy the fact that their Christian values and their work coincide.

Their lives are blessed by amazing family and friends. Zandra is thankful for her boo, the love of her life. Tamu enjoys spending time with her husband of twenty years and their six wonderful kids.

Review:

As real live "Sistas" in Zion, Sista Beehive (Tamu Smith) and Sista Laurel (Zandra Vranes) have been using their experiences to teach and entertain. Through as series of short tales written jointly and longer diary entries written seperately, the Sistas use humor to back up their knowledge and faith. They live their beliefs on their sleeves, and they aren't afraid to share everything they've learned (good and bad) with everyone. 

I'm not sure love can encompass  how much I enjoyed this book. These two women are smart, funny, and very faithful. They are able to take everyday experiences and less frequent happenings in their lives and turn them into lessons that everyone can use. They don't shy away from any issues. The Sistas are even willing to call out their own errors in order to help teach valuable lessons. It takes a lot of bravery to do that I think. They also managed to bring up a lot of really good points. I found many things that I felt like I could work on, and the ideas presented were relatable to me.  

I really loved the Sistas ability to make me feel welcome and a part of their lives. This just really draws you in, and you almost feel like you're just chatting with your best friends about anything and everything. I loved their unflinching look at how their faith has been shaped by so many things in their lives including their race. Let's face it, there are a lot of different scenarios the Sistas had to deal with as opposed to your average (ie white) Mormon. I hope that as people read these experiences, they are able to learn lessons to apply in their own lives as well. I did laugh a little at the "translations" of some of the words that were used, because I was unsure why they needed to be put it. It was pretty standard slang to me, but talking to my husband and mom I guess I see what the target audience for that was. Read this book. It is so worth your time. This doesn't just go for Mormons either; this was written in a way that anyone can understand and find lessons in. This was a fantastic book!

Book provided for review.

A giveaway is being offered for this book, and five copies are being given away. Enter below, and thanks for stopping by!

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Heaven's Just a Prayer Away Book Blast

Welcome to the book blast for Heaven's Just a Prayer Away by Diony George!

Before we came to earth, we lived in heavenly realms. We knew our Heavenly Father. We walked and talked with Him. We heard His voice. We felt His love. In Heaven’s Just a Prayer Away, beloved author Diony George teaches us how to reestablish that relationship with Him here on earth. With the help of this book you will:     

• Learn that nothing is too small or unimportant to discuss with Heavenly Father   
• Find peace and contentment through daily communication with God   
• Gain a better understanding of why some prayers seem to go unanswered   
• Develop a greater knowledge of the power of prayer   

The inspirational and enlightening experiences found within these pages will change your life forever by strengthening your relationship with God and filling your life with peace, teaching us that heaven really is just a prayer away.   

Amazon * Barnes & Noble

Author Diony George

Diony George is a wife, full-time mom of seven, grandmother of three, and a published author of uplifting women’s fiction and inspiring nonfiction. She is also a regular contributing writer for Deseret Connect and FamilyHow. Originally from Alaska, she currently lives in Salt Lake City with her family. Besides writing she loves to read, especially romantic suspense, bake, sew and craft. Her current fiction WIP, Inside the Heart, is based around the kidnapping and disappearance of four-year-old Emma. Her newest nonfiction book, Heaven’s Just a Prayer Away was just released by Cedar Fort, Inc.  

Website * Twitter * Facebook

Goodreads * Amazon

 

BookBlast Giveaway

$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 8/1/13
Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Living Your Covenants Every Day Blog Tour

Tour Schedule

Welcome to the blog tour for Living Your Covenants Every Day  by Jennifer Brinkerhoff Platt!

The little things we do on a daily basis don’t just matter—they can make all the difference. Intentional daily acts focused on covenant-keeping will bind us to the Savior as we are deliberate and determined to follow Him in small and simple ways. Drawing upon the teachings and lives of ancient and modern prophets, author Jennifer Brinkerhoff Platt identifies patterns of truth that encourage increased commitment to covenant relationships while diminishing the binding grip of the adversary. Included are chapters on the need to be consistent in covenant- keeping, on recognizing Satan’s tactics and lies, on undoing self-destructive routines, on the role of the Spirit to help us both feel and follow promptings, and on the power of daily scripture study and prayer in establishing habits that reinforce and support our commitment to the Savior.

Amazon * Deseret Book

 Author Jennifer Brinkerhoff Platt

 Jennifer Brinkerhoff Platt is currently an assistant visiting faculty member at Brigham Young University and a recent addition to Deseret Book’s Time Out for Women events. A former seminary and institute instructor, she earned a PhD from Arizona State University in lifespan developmental psychology, focusing on women and social issues. She is married to Jed Platt, and the couple lives in Pleasant Grove, Utah.

Website * Facebook

Review:

At times we can get so caught up in our busy lives that we can forget how important small things can be. In this book, we are reminded about how the little things in our lives can make a huge difference. As we work to better focus our days and our lives, we can grow closer to the Savior and strengthen ourselves against Satan's attacks. By truly trying to live the covenants we have made, we can make big changes in our lives that will make a difference both now and in the future.

This book gives very practical advice, and I feel like the advice is something that everyone can incorporate. Sometimes you read things and think, "That's a great idea, but I'm not sure how to practically apply that to my life." This book manages to give ideas for things that we should already (or may already) be doing, but it gives a different way to approach these things. All those simple things like reading the scriptures and praying can still be improved in simple ways. I thought the ideas presented were insightful, and I really look forward to trying them in my own life.

I particularly enjoyed the end of the chapters. There were homework assignments to help you put the ideas into use and really think about how you stand on a lot of things. There was also further reading. These were talks and books that applied to the subjects of each chapter. I am really looking forward to reading these as well as I think they will be another source of inspiration in my life. The author had an approachable writing style that really helped make you feel as if she understood you individually. I also think that her story of being single for longer than expected was very moving. I know a lot of women in particular who find themselves in this situation, and I think that this book could do a great job of helping them see that they are not alone in their desires and disappointments. Overall I found this to be a great book with some awesome ideas that I'm sure will help out my life!

Book provided for review.

Blog Tour Giveaway
 $25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
 Ends 6/27/13

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Are We Special Blog Tour

Welcome to the blog tour for Are We Special? by Jeffrey S. Reber and Steven P. Moody!

Tour Schedule

 

Are We Special? examines the source of the feeling experienced by so many of us and portrayed in so many films and books, that we are more than merely mortal beings and may even be chosen to fulfill some special destiny. Drawing upon the scriptures and the teachings of modern-day prophets, Are We Special? contrasts the true, divine origin of this special feeling with the worldly counterfeits propped up by the Adversary that lead us away from the love of God and produce feelings of pride, selfishness, and despair. Are We Special? provides insights from the gospel that are reinforced by psychological research and the authors' therapeutic expertise that will help the reader become more vigilant against the subtle manifestations of the Adversary's lie and more receptive to the resources God has provided us to know how truly and wonderfully special we all are.  

Amazon * Deseret Book

 

About the Authors

Jeffrey S. Reber holds a PhD from Brigham Young University in psychology. He’s an associate professor in the Department of Psychology at BYU. His publications look at the relationship between religion, psychology, and interpersonal relationships. He has also worked with LDS Family Services and has served as a bishop.

 

Steven P. Moody received his master’s degree in clinical social work from the University of Southern California. At USC, his clinical work focused on families, including marital therapy and relationships. Steven has worked as a counselor with LDS Family Services. He is now a therapist in private practice specializing in both relationships and addictions.  

Website * Facebook * Twitter

Review:

As members of the LDS church, we often get caught up in the idea that we are "special." We take pride in the truth that you find in the church. However, this idea of being special can be taken in the wrong direction as well. In this book, these ideas are explored. We see how we can balance our pride and our true value as a child of God. This can lead us to become true disciples of Jesus Christ.

I was very intrigued by the premise of this book, and I was not disappointed in the reading of it. I find that our feelings of being special or unique as members of this church can sometimes be off-putting to others. This book helped to clarify that. It separates the truth that we are special and beloved children of God and the lie that we are unique and special in and of ourselves. This lie is really a strong example of pride, and this is where the problem lies. The book separates the different lines of thought into four basic quadrants based on whether they believe the truth of being special children of God and/or believe the lie that we are special in a more worldly way. It then goes through and studies each of these quadrants in depth.

I found myself really reflecting on where I stand. As is mentioned in this book, most people slide through many quadrants at any given time as we work through the things in our lives. I was really inspired by this book. I found myself recognizing that I spend way too much time in one quadrant concentrating on my flaws to excess almost. I need to work to find my unique divine nature while still finding a way to maintain humility in a worldly sense. I found this book answering questions that I didn't even know I had. This book is a fairly quick read, and I highly recommend it. I think that it will help people to see where they are good and where they go wrong, and this will then help us all to become better disciples of Christ. 

Book provided for review.

Tour Giveaway

$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 6/16/13

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Family Ever After Blog Tour

 

Blog Tour Schedule

Welcome to the blog tour Family Ever After by Michelle Packard!

Women frustrated with their marriage and their family will find the help they need to achieve greater happiness and success in their family in the new book, Family Ever After: Simple Ways to Achieve Extraordinary Happiness with Your Ordinary Family by stay-at-home mom, blogger, and ordinary family leader Michelle H. Packard. Family Ever After uses the fairytale concept that once you find your prince charming life is happily ever after. Michelle H. Packard knows this concept, while romantic, is not realistic, and she provides a practical, poignant, funny, and moving exploration of the simple ways you can help find greater happiness and satisfaction in your marriage and family. Packard says, “While the idea of happy ever after is distorted, you can, in fact, achieve a Family Ever After.” Family Ever After brings time-tested and well-researched principles to family life to help you learn specific ways to improve your marriage and your family, whether that family is ordinary or extraordinary. Using real-world examples of best practices and helping woman readjust their media-driven perception of what happily ever after means, Family Ever After gives readers a pragmatic, helpful, and entertaining exploration of:

• How happiness in marriage and family life requires a more educated, real-world perspective
• How proper prioritization and defining what’s important in marriage and family is key to success;
• Why conflict is part of an ordinary family experience and how to peacefully resolve it;
• How to cultivate a sense of humor;
• How to develop a thoughtful and sincere habit of complimenting each member of your family;
• How to improve family relationships with extended family members; and
• Learning how to love a family member in the way they understand and accept that love

More than another how-to-have-a-perfect-family book, Family Ever After helps you gain the understanding and the practical skills of what makes ordinary families successful. Family Ever After is an essential and beautiful resource for all women who want to put more happiness in theirs and their family’s life.  

Amazon * Barnes & Noble

Author Michelle Packard

 Michelle Packard is a mother to her four very human and totally fabulous kids. Her oldest, Ella is always in charge and leads the pack with creativity and curiosity, Daniel follows with loyalty and loves tenderly, Julia is a doll and always buzzing over something beautiful, and Jackson could hunt down the last sharpie on earth to create art on your bathroom wall. She has been married ten years and is quite taken with her guy. Date night is her favorite and she dreams of weekend getaways with her man. She loves creating beauty through floral design, but apparently has no gift with living flowers (They end of upside down and pressed in books). She finds parties alluring. They beckon her to invite people over, spend way too much time preparing food for murder mystery dinners, and totally enjoy friends and family. Michelle holds a bachelors degree in Home and Family Science from Brigham Young University. She has spent a great deal of time working with children and young adults and finds her greatest joy is happy families.

Blog

Review:

Marriage and family can be difficult, and most people can agree on that. It rarely turns out to be the fairy tale many of us imagine it to be. This book offers helpful and practical ways to make your home life peaceful and generally happy. Life can more closely resemble those things we most desire.

I thought this was a really good book. The advice is well thought out and very practical for almost everyone. Sometimes I would find myself wondering why I wasn't doing some of these things already. They just made so much sense. Each chapter begins with an active way to improve things, and then the chapter goes on to explain what this means and how to go about it. There are a lot of real-life examples, and these really help to make you see how these things can apply to many different lives and circumstances.

Much of the advice comes down to prioritizing the things you want in live and learning to truly love your family. It sounds fairly simple when written like this, but I think we all know that it is much more complex. I thought the book made a brilliant point in that any kind of life can be difficult. If we want something to be different, we should remember that in fact life wouldn't be any easier. There will always be things we have to work through, so we really need to learn to love our life as it is while recognizing that there are always things to improve and work on. I was inspired by this book to really focus on the big picture of my family and not get so hung up on the details. This is a book that will help people to refocus on the important parts of their family and ultimately have a much better life.

Book provided for review.

Tour Giveaway

$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 5/19/13

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Family Ever After Book Blast

Welcome to the book blast for Family Ever After!

Family Ever After: Simple Ways to Achieve Perfect Happiness in an Imperfect Family

Women frustrated with their marriage and their family will find the help they need to achieve greater happiness and success in their family in the new book, Family Ever After: Simple Ways to Achieve Extraordinary Happiness with Your Ordinary Family by stay-at-home mom, blogger, and ordinary family leader Michelle H. Packard. Family Ever After uses the fairytale concept that once you find your prince charming life is happily ever after. Michelle H. Packard knows this concept, while romantic, is not realistic, and she provides a practical, poignant, funny, and moving exploration of the simple ways you can help find greater happiness and satisfaction in your marriage and family. Packard says, “While the idea of happy ever after is distorted, you can, in fact, achieve a Family Ever After.” Family Ever After brings time-tested and well-researched principles to family life to help you learn specific ways to improve your marriage and your family, whether that family is ordinary or extraordinary. Using real-world examples of best practices and helping woman readjust their media-driven perception of what happily ever after means, Family Ever After gives readers a pragmatic, helpful, and entertaining exploration of:

• How happiness in marriage and family life requires a more educated, real-world perspective
• How proper prioritization and defining what’s important in marriage and family is key to success;
• Why conflict is part of an ordinary family experience and how to peacefully resolve it;
• How to cultivate a sense of humor;
• How to develop a thoughtful and sincere habit of complimenting each member of your family;
• How to improve family relationships with extended family members; and
• Learning how to love a family member in the way they understand and accept that love

More than another how-to-have-a-perfect-family book, Family Ever After helps you gain the understanding and the practical skills of what makes ordinary families successful. Family Ever After is an essential and beautiful resource for all women who want to put more happiness in theirs and their family’s life.  

Amazon * Barnes & Noble

     Author Michelle Packard Michelle Packard is a mother to her four very human and totally fabulous kids. Her oldest, Ella is always in charge and leads the pack with creativity and curiosity, Daniel follows with loyalty and loves tenderly, Julia is a doll and always buzzing over something beautiful, and Jackson could hunt down the last sharpie on earth to create art on your bathroom wall. She has been married ten years and is quite taken with her guy. Date night is her favorite and she dreams of weekend getaways with her man. She loves creating beauty through floral design, but apparently has no gift with living flowers (They end of upside down and pressed in books). She finds parties alluring. They beckon her to invite people over, spend way too much time preparing food for murder mystery dinners, and totally enjoy friends and family. Michelle holds a bachelors degree in Home and Family Science from Brigham Young University. She has spent a great deal of time working with children and young adults and finds her greatest joy is happy families.

Blog

   

Blog Tour Schedule

Book Blast Giveaway $50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 5/15/13
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Living in the Light Blog Tour

Welcome to the blog tour for Living in the Light by Lacey A. West!

From darkness to light.

Living in a world of turmoil and unrest is trying, but when the disquiet is in your own mind, it is infinitely more difficult to deal with.

With their years of counseling experience and a firm gospel foundation, Lacey A. West and Gary L. Anderson will inspire you to rise above the gloom of this world and discover a happier, more peaceful way of life.

Learn exactly how to conquer feelings of discouragement, anxiety, low self-esteem, and the other negative emotions plaguing our modern world. The gospel’s message of hope is clear: no matter how much darkness is attacking your mind, you can fight back.

This powerful combination of behavior-changing techniques and gospel-centered truths will transform your life. After reading Living in the Light, you will know your own strength and be better armed to fight this war against depression.

Lacey West, a wife, mother, and registered nurse, was born and raised in Delta, Utah.  She graduated with honors from Southern Utah University with a bachelor degree in Nursing.  Motivated by a desire to conquer her own depression, she spent years researching mental health.  She enjoys writing, spending time with family, playing the violin, creating healthy recipes, photography, sewing, and fishing.  She resides with her husband and two children in Wichita, Kansas.

For more information, check out the book's website and Facebook page. 

Buy the book at Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Review:

Depression and anxiety can consume the lives of those who suffer from these afflictions. You often see no way out and begin to give up hope of ever escaping the pattern of constant negativity. However, this book shows that there is a way out. It requires a complete change in how you think about things. Written by someone who has dealt with depression and with the help of a mental health professions, this book is written with the LDS person in mind. It gives practical and spiritual tips to help change your negative thoughts and help to relieve depression and anxiety.

I found this book to be fascinating. I suffer from anxiety. At times it has seemed severe, but for the most part it does not interfere with my life. As such, I have never felt the need to medicate. This book emphasizes that medication can be an important part of dealing with depression and anxiety, but that you must also work on changing negative thought patterns to truly see a change. In reading this book, I have gained some very useful knowledge. Although I haven't had a chance to put it into practice yet, I can see how it might help.

While there is a lot of practical knowledge about dealing with depression and anxiety, there is also a great deal of thought given to the spiritual side of it. Depression and anxiety can seem very dark, while the Gospel is full of light. Just like we must replace negative thought patterns with positive ones, we can replace the darkness in our life with the light of Christ. I think this multifaceted approach is what makes this book unique. I also enjoyed that the author makes it a point to say that these actions won't deal away with sadness and anxiety forever. It merely gives us the tools to better cope with these things do come up. This is a very realistic approach. This book is not meant to replace a therapist if needed, but I think it can offer some very helpful ideas to those of us who find ourselves locked in patterns of negative thinking. Reading it has given me a great sense of hope that maybe I don't have to feel this anxiousness forever. I look forward to applying these concepts in my life.

Book provided for review.

Be sure to check out all the stops on the tour. Thanks for reading!

Allergies, and Awesome You

Launching Today: Allergies, and Awesome You

Do you have a child with allergies? Can you imagine life allergy free?

The AmazingAllergist will show you how!

Allergies, and Awesome You: Believe You Can Get There Too!

This book, through a life story of an allergic child, will empower you and your children.

Allergies, and Awesome You” is a part of the AmazingAllergist’s Awesome Series that empowers allergic children to live and lead great lives, allergy-free. It is a by-product of the author’s extensive medical knowledge, vast experiences as an allergy specialist, and the desire to make a difference, one allergic child at a time.

Learn more here - http://amazingallergist.com/book/

About the Author

Atul N. Shah, MD, FACAAI, FAAAAI, is a celebrated author of this AmazingAllergist book series, founder of www.AmazingAllergist.com, and the medical director of www.Center4AsthmaAllergy.com. He is a board certified allergist who has earned an honor of fellowships in both the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology and the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.

He has personally treated more than 20,000 patients, made a significant impact on more than 100,000 lives as an allergist so far, and earned the nickname “AmazingAllergist” from his patients and peers. His work is rewarded daily with numerous compliments of smiling patients and their families. He has been recognized with various awards, including the America’s Top Physicians’ Award, the Patients’ Choice Award, and the Most Compassionate Physicians’ Award. He believes that every allergic child and individual has a potential to live a great life, allergy-free. His desire to empower allergic individuals translated into this series of books.

Meet the Author

Buy the book - http://amazingallergist.com/book/

Join our online community

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/AmazingAllergist

Twitter - https://twitter.com/LifeAllergyFree

~ ~ ~ WIN A FREE KINDLE FIRE! ~ ~ ~

Pump Up Your Book Tour and the AmazingAllergist are giving away a FREE KINDLE FIRE! Fill out the Rafflecopter form below to win! This giveaway is only open to U.S. and Canada citizens. Deadline is June 1 and announced on June 2. If you are the winner, contact Dorothy Thompson at thewriterslife (at) gmail.com or Tracee Gleichner at tgleichner (at) gmail.com. You have 48 hours to reply. If we do not hear from you in 48 hours, another winner will be selected. Thanks and good luck!

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Blog Tour- Playing Hurt by Brian Goins Review and Giveaway

Welcome to the blog tour for Playing Hurt by Brian Goins!

First of all, a little information on the book and author:

Welcome to the blog tour for pastor and Family Life speaker Brian Goins' Playing Hurt. Everyone admires people who play hurt, from the superstar athlete to the journeyman player who finishes the game even when hurt, sick, or falling apart. Everyone looks up to these athletes and wants to mimic their "never give up" attitude. Except when it comes to marriage.

“I’ve played nine years in the NFL, won two Super Bowl Championship rings, and had five surgeries—injuries are inevitable in the game. You can’t help your team when you’re on the bench. The same is true in marriage. Brian coaches you on how to get back in the game and start winning again.”

—Ken Walter, NFL punter for the Carolina Panthers, Seattle Seahawks, and New England Patriots

Brian Goins speaks a man's language and knows how to move a man's heart."

-Dennis Rainey, President, Family Life

About Playing Hurt:

A marriage book that husbands will actually want to read!

Everyone admires people who play hurt, from the superstar athlete to the journeyman player who finishes the game even when hurt, sick, or falling apart. Everyone looks up to these athletes and wants to mimic their “never give up” attitude. Except when it comes to marriage. Most husbands are willing to take a bullet for their wives in a life-and-death situation; but when his bride fires the bullet--hurls an insult, disrespects him in public, ignores his foreplay in private--he’d rather throw in the towel than play through the pain.

Playing Hurt is a biblical playbook for marriage that speaks in the language most men understand—the language of sports. Using a sports analogy to explain the motivation, means, and methods of playing hurt, author Brian Goins shows men how to overcome the temptation to stay on the bench. Playing Hurt is more about inspiration than instruction. It’s about finding the motivation to stay in the game, despite the pain. It’s about becoming like the One who knew more about nails and thorns than any superstar athlete. Using Ephesians 5 as a biblical basis, this book will call husbands to be the heros they long to be--men who play hurt in order to win at marriage.


About the author:

Brian Goins is the author or editor of numerous study guides, workbooks, and Bible studies that he has developed for Insight for Living (Chuck Swindoll) and Walk Through the Bible. When he’s not traveling across the country as a Family Life Weekend to Remember speaker, he and his family reside in North Carolina.
















My Review:


First things first- this is a Christian book about marriage that is geared toward men. Now that you know what you're getting into, let me tell you what I thought. I was very impressed. Using an extended sports metaphor, Brian Goins does a great job of keeping you engaged and interested in a rather complex topic. Marriage is something that has always been an interesting topic for me because it's one of the few things in this life we cannot do on our own. We are very dependent on someone else's choices to be successful in marriage. This book helps men in particular understand the idea of "playing hurt"- that is, staying in the marriage and working no matter what the circumstances. 


Now if you think that this means that men are told to just shoulder unnecessary burdens or become doormats, you can rest assured that this is not the case. I loved that this book was so clear about laying the responsibility for a successful marriage on both spouses shoulders. However, the book is geared to men, and it mostly tells men what they should be doing to help makes things run smoothly. The book also does a great job of keeping marriage into perspective from a religious standpoint. Knowing that marriage is not just a commitment between two people but also between those people and God gives things a new perspective. 


I was talking about the things in this book with my husband as I was reading. He is not a sports fan at all, but he still understood all the concepts. It was fun to discuss the questions at the ends of the chapters and really get a feel for how differently we saw things. This book is not just good for people looking to better a marriage that isn't quite ideal, but I feel it can also help make a good marriage even better if only by just reminding us of things we should be doing. Everyone could use a reminder like that, and this book will do a great job of keeping men engaged and interested. 


Book provided for review. 

Learn more about the book by snapping a picture of this QR code!

www.playinghurt.org

Help us spread the word and you could win a $50 gift certificate to Amazon.com:

Kregel Publications is sponsoring a $50 Amazon.com Giveway to help promote the release of Playing Hurt. To enter all you have to do is send a tweet (using @litfuse) about Playing Hurt or share about it on Facebook!

If you tweet we'll capture your entry when you use @litfuse. If you share it on Facebook or your blog, just email us and let us know (info@litfusegroup.com). Easy. (All Litfuse bloggers who post a review are automatically entered and do NOT need to email us.)

Not sure what to tweet/post? Here's an idea.

TWEET THIS: Playing Hurt by Brian Goins-coaches men to win the 1 game that truly matters–marriage! http://ow.ly/6arVa RT 4 a chance at $50! @litfuse 

FACEBOOK THIS: Everyone admires people who play hurt, from the superstar athlete to the journeyman player who finishes the game even when hurt, sick, or falling apart. Everyone looks up to these athletes and wants to mimic their "never give up" attitude. Except when it comes to marriage. Learn more: Playing Hurt by Brian Goins http://litfusegroup.com/blogtours/text/13375058 

To see the rest of the stops on the tour, check out the tour page here!

Thanks for stopping by!