Heidi's Haven

This is a beautiful daily devotional, perfect for the summertime, all about the beauty of nature and God's love for us. Each  day had a short devotional and a prayer after.  It is the perfect thing to read outside in the summer, or keep open on a table at the cabin. I adored this, and though I read through it all already, I want to keep it around and read through it each summer. I definitely would recommend it to anyone, and I gave it 5/5 stars. 

I recently received a copy of the NIV Journal the Word Bible for teen girls from Zondervan, and OH MY WORD. This is the most beautiful Bible that I have ever seen! Probably the most beautiful Bible ever made! The cover is a lovely gold with a gorgeous floral design, and the pages have ( eeee!!! ) pink dusted edges! The one that I received has a soft but sturdy imitation leather cover. As you can see, the text is written in one column, and there is open, lined space on the side for journaling right inside of your Bible.  Other than a subject index in the back, there are no study tools in this Bible. This is for teen girls to read and journal in as they go. I am completely in love with this Bible because OH MY GOODNESS is it beautiful!!! 5/5 stars without a doubt! *I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via the BookLook Bloggers review program. All opinions are my own.

The NIV Thinline Bible from Zondervan is the perfect Bible to take with you on the go. It is thin and very light, with no study materials included. This would be a good Bible to take with you to church or to a Bible study. There are thumb tabs along the sides, so you can easily flip to the right spot. There is a red ribbon bookmark attached. The cover is a soft, black leather. The Bible comes with a small box to keep your Bible safe, perfect for throwing it into your purse or your bag when you're on the go. I would give this 5/5 stars, and I'd recommend it if you are looking for a Bible to take with you. *I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via BookLook Bloggers as part of their blogger review program. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

This study Bible from Thomas Nelson was created to inspire Christlike thought, belief, speech, and action by unapologetically applying Biblical principles. This Bible takes a look at difficult and complex issues, and helps us to understand them and to respond like Christ. It includes notes and resources from all over the world. There are eight subject areas that are covered: church, corruption, economics, education, family, government, sanctity of life, and virtue. I am really looking forward to reading completely through this Bible, because I think that it will be really beneficial for me. I am hoping that this will lead to more understanding of the topics and issues presented in the Bible. This Bible is a sturdy hardcover with a dust jacket. If you take the jacket off, the book itself has the same image printed on it, which I really like. The pages don't seem as thin as typical Bible pages, which is another plus. The text is written in the typical two columns. ...

I received a lovely copy of the NIV Color Code Bible from Thomas Nelson Publishers. This is a gorgeous, sturdy, hardcover Bible aimed toward kids in order to teach them important key verses. Verses within each chapter are highlighted in different colors based on the topic the verse is about. Included topics are God, sin/evil, Jesus, new life, spiritual growth, prayer/praise, heaven, love, family/children, love, and animals. I feel like this would be really helpful for a kid reading the Bible through the first time.  Like I said, this is just a gorgeous book. I love the colors on the cover, and there is a ribbon attached to mark your place. The pages are thin, as is typical for a Bible, but are a little bit thicker and stronger than in most Bibles (perfect for kids, who tend to be a little rough on things). I would recommend this Bible to a parent looking for their kid's first real Bible. A good step up from children's Bibles. *I received a free copy of this...

I recently read 365 Devotions for Living Joyfully  by Victoria York. This devotion shares a verse for each day along with a couple of short paragraphs encouraging the reader to take on life with a more positive perspective in order to live with more joy. There is also a short prayer at the end of each devotion.  It is ideal to start reading this on January 1st, since the date is printed on the top of each page. You would read one page every day for a year. Also, this is definitely geared toward women.  The book itself is a beautiful, small hardcover. It is very sturdy. The pages are shiny and glossy, and there is a pretty ribbon bookmark (though it was stuck to the pages and left a mark when it arrived). Overall, I really enjoyed this devotional. I thought that the material was really well written and stood out to me in a new way. I would recommend this to someone, and I gave it 4/5 stars. xx Heidi *I received a free copy of this for review ...

This NIV Bible, by Zonderkidz, is intended to allow children to read the Bible along with images that will allow them to really explore and understand the stories, people, places, and history. It also had footnotes all throughout the Bible, as it is a study Bible intended for learning. I honestly didn't think that the Bible had that many images in it, just a few small ones every few pages. I didn't think that it had enough pictures to call itself a "visual" study Bible. However, the images included were very interesting, and the rest of the study material was informative and done well, in my opinion. It was all well organized, too. The Bible is hardcover and very sturdy. I think it would hold up well over a long period of time. It has the nice glossy pages, Bible-thin of course. It has a nice ribbon attached to mark your place.  Overall, I didn't think that this Bible was special really, or better in any way than lots of other study Bibles for k...

The NIV True Images Bible is a Bible for teen girls. It is full of extra content designed to help teen girls with stuff like body image, decision making, friendships, and sex, more.  This Bible starts with helpful information for the reader about reading the Bible, whether they are very familiar with the Bible, or if this is the first time they've picked one up. The back of the book has guides for reading, study ideas, and Christianity basics. Included throughout are 52 profiles of women in the Bible, topic guides, "love notes" from God and space for reflection. Each book begins with the author, date, setting, verses to remember, themes to consider, and life lessons. This Bible relates the stories within to things a teen girl might experience. I would recommend this Bible for pre-teens (rather than teenagers) who have never read the Bible before, as the content is geared toward a younger audience. The physical Bible itself is very nice. It is a sturdy hardcov...

"God dwells where there is prayer." This book by Dutch Sheets, originally published as The Beginner's Guide to Intercessory Prayer , is all about the power and importance of intercessory prayer, praying for one another. Sheets stresses that we pray for others as part of the service Jesus has called us to, and also as a way of finding peace and getting closer to God. Prayer is how we maintain a relationship with love, so we should pray with the intention of building a loving relationship with Him, and everything in life flows from that relationship. Relationships based on love are the relationships that last. Most importantly, God works miracles through us on earth. However, we need to pray and allow God to use us to make it happen. We are God's link to activity on earth. Finally, we must always remember to persevere. Intercession is a marathon, not a sprint. It was really interesting reading about intercessory prayer. I have read many books on prayer, but...

This book is all about using what means you have to change the world. Justin Dillon, founder of Slavery Footprint, argues that you don't need much to change the world, just your passion for a cause, and whatever resources may be available to you. Changing the world is for everyone. How to change the world...big question. Dillon suggests asking yourself: what bothers you? What do you  think is broken? Finding these issues that really tug your heartstrings and make you angry is the starting point. Dillon states, "When you say, 'I wish someone would just fix it,' there's a good chance that person is you." As I mentioned before, Justin Dillon created slaveryfootprint.org, a website where you can find out how many slaves it takes to provide the things you use everyday. As much as we like to think that it is a thing of the past, slavery is still rampant today, and Dillon is working to stop it.  Dillon also argues that changing the world is selfish, ...

In this book, Natasha Bure gives advice for teens, from dealing with boys and breakouts, all the way to keeping your faith and being true to yourself in today's world.  Though the intended audience for this book is teens and younger girls, and I'm a bit older than that, at 21 I still really enjoyed the advice in this book. It gave me a new perspective on a lot of things, and made me realize actions that God has taken in my life in the past. It led to quite a bit of journaling and thought on my part.  Honestly, I just chose this book to review because it was written by DJ Tanner's daughter, and I was hesitant going in due to the fact that I'm a bit old for some of the themes. However, I loved this book so much. Natasha Bure seems like such an honest, genuine, and mature young woman. She is a great role model, and I would have loved a book like this when I was in high school. She was very open and honest, so I could really relate to everything that she talked...

The Dawn of Christianity: How God Used Simple Fishermen, Soldiers, and Prostitutes to Transform the World  by Robert J. Hutchinson gives a detailed history of the early Jesus Movement, starting just before Jesus' death and ending with the apostles.  The book went very in depth and informative, yet was written simply enough so it was very easy to understand. It was filled with pictures of the places and things that were being discussed. Everything was explained so clearly, and events in the Bible made a lot more sense to me after. Surprisingly, it did not read at all like a textbook, and I found myself immersed and unable to put the book down.  This book was so interested, I really loved it. I have it 5/5 stars and I'd definitely recommend it.  *I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via BookLook Bloggers in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Acceptable Worship  by Dr. C.H. Snyder helps readers understand what kind of worship God accepts and what pleases Him. The author's goal was to write a book that would help people understand what the Bible says about worship. The focus of the book is to more from correct understanding to wise and proper obedience.  God designed man with the need to worship. However, it is important that we choose to worship God and no one/nothing else. In order to give acceptable worship, our actions need to be for the glorification and honoring of God, and not for our own benefit. We should worship God in order to be close to Him, because we are in awe of Him. In good times and in bad, we should always be glorifying God. Not only in church on Sunday, but throughout the rest of the week as well in our everyday lives. Obedience is also an act of true, acceptable worship. The book is Biblically sound and easy to understand. I really enjoyed reading it, and I feel like I learned a lo...

The Story: 365 Devotions  is a daily devotional from Zondervan with the purpose of helping you discover your role in God's story. Each day shares a short Bible verse, which an explanation and a connection to the reader's life. I started this on January 1, and I will continue to read a page each day until the end of the year. So far, I have really enjoyed the devotionals. It only takes a minute or two to read the devotion of the day, and each day comes with an impactful personal take-away. The publishers created this book to help the reader find their place in God's epic story and to help them understand how God's plan works.  It slowly goes through the Bible and is split into Old and New Testament. On Day 45, I'm still in Genesis, so it's a very in depth study.  The book itself is a small paperback. I really like the size, and it's really good quality. I haven't finished it yet, but I am loving going though it a day at a time, and ...

The goal of this study Bible from Thomas Nelson is to aid in understanding the Bible. Understanding meanings, events, and stories in the Bible is something that a lot of people often struggle with. This allows you to study the Bible in three different ways: Book by Book, Verse by Verse, and Topic by Topic.  I received this as an e-book. and I didn't like it. I think the Bible itself is fine, I am just not a fan of the e-book version. It seems very disorganized and it is really hard to find anything. Flipping through the pages, I had no idea where I was half the time. I do think that this study Bible could be useful, but I would definitely recommend the physical copy for study. I'm sure the content itself is great, but to be honest, flipping through, I couldn't find anything I can talk about here to give you some examples. I really wish that I had the physical copy to compare it to, but I would have to give the e-book Bible 1/5 stars. xx Heidi *I rec...

Shannan Martin and her family lived in this amazing farm house out in the country. It was idyllic and rustic, and pretty much perfect for that farm girl lifestyle she always wanted. However, after a few pretty big changes in her life, she and her husband felt like God was pushing them out of their rural home and into the city. In this falling from their snug place of security, they found freedom.  Now, they make less money, they have less space, and their lives are extremely hectic, but they are happier than ever. You know how God says to love your neighbor? Well it seems that is made a lot easier when you have lots of neighbors really close by. This book talks so much about generosity, and what it really  means to be truly  generous. It's the difference between caring about and caring for . She reminds us that God's "more" often looks like less. I really loved reading this book. Shannan Martin is absolutely hilarious, first of all. I was honestly laughi...

Hello everyone! I am back today to share my thoughts on Saving the Saved  by Bryan Loritts.  This book explains many common mistakes that Christians make: primarily trying to work our way into God's affection, which just leaves us all exhausted. Instead, he proposes ways in which we can live happily in God's performance-free love, while serving him out of love and not duty. He explains the importance of still doing service and good works, but we should be doing them out of a love for God, not because we're trying to earn his favor (because that just won't work). We do these things because of,  in response to , God's love. Serving God will usually require you to make sacrifices in your life, whether that's giving away money and possessions, or simply forgiving a person when they've really hurt you. While it usually seems to go against our nature to do these things, Loritts explains how important it still is, and though it may be uncomfortable o...

Hey guys! Today I am reviewing the NKJV Word Study Bible by Thomas Nelson Publishers. Often, people can get confused by the translation of the Bible. Different versions use different words or translate the original in different ways, so a Bible like this is really helpful when it comes to Bible comprehension. First of all, let's talk about the features. This Bible includes, in additional to the full NKJV text, almost 2,000 translation word studies, book introductions, translator's footnotes, and maps.  Next, looks. This is a big hardcover Bible. The dust jacket and they physical cover look the same, and the physical cover is smooth and shiny (a guilty pleasure of mine). It is of very good quality, and Thomas Nelson Bibles all also come with a lifetime guarantee. I really like what I've seen of this Bible (I obviously didn't sit down and read the whole thing), and I'm looking forward to learning more from it. xx Heidi *I received a copy...

Hello everyone! Today I am sharing my review of Greater than Gold: From Olympic Heartbreak to Ultimate Redemption  by David Boudia. David Boudia is a US Olympic diver who competed in the Olympics both in 2008 and 2012. In 2008, he did pretty poorly and was extremely discouraged, but then he went on to win the gold in 2012. This is also the story of Boudia's testimony and how he came to be a Christian. Going into this book, I really didn't know what I was expecting or how much I'd like the book. I had honestly never heard of David Boudia, so I thought that I may not be super interested in his memoir. However, I really loved this book and often had a hard time putting it down. First of all, I loved how open and honest Boudia is in his book. He readily points out his own faults and weaknesses, and acknowledges his mistakes and times when he probably wasn't a fun guy to be around. He does not seem shy at all when it comes to saying that he isn't perfe...

Hello everyone! I just finished reading Outlaw Christian: Finding Authentic Faith by Breaking the "Rules"  by Jacqueline Bussie and I'm going to share my thoughts on it. This book is all about how the unspoken "rules" of modern Christianity actually does more harm than good, and can even end up pulling us away from God. Rules such as never getting angry at God and comforting using only Christian cliches need to stop for Outlaw Christians.  An outlaw Christian is defined in this book as "a new, life-giving faith for those who ache for a more authentic relationship with God and other people by no longer having to hide their doubt, anger, grief, scars, or questions", or "an honest, outside-the-law faith for those seeking a hope that really speaks to the world's hurt." I completely agree with both of definitions, and I think that's what Christianity should be about. In my opinion, doubt and questions are necessary in or...