Heidi's Haven

Loving Your Community: Proven Practices for Community-Based Outreach Ministry  by Stephen Viars acts as a guidebook for churches wondering how to become more involved in their community. Viars says that the greatest way that we as Christians can show love to our community (which is exactly what we are called to do) is to serve them in every way we can. He says, "Always say yes unless you have to say no." He points out that churches have facilities that usually sit vacant for 6 1/2 days a week that can be used to serve the community. He also goes over the importance of asking and listening to your community to discover the needs of the community, and also working alongside other, sometimes secular organizations to make a difference in the community, such as United Way. Finally, these services should be offered to everyone in the community, not just the churchgoers. Viars wants people to connect help with the church. When someone has a problem or a difficulty, he wants the...

Good morning everyone! Today I am coming at you with another book review. This time I will talk about Holy Noticing  by Charles Stone.  This book is all about being present and noticing the things around you in a holy way. The author wants his readers to live with more awareness. This book contains guidance to engage the present moment and notice what is happening in your environment with a holy purpose. Stone says we can use this mindfulness to become more like Christ. Charles Stone seems really down to earth. He often make jokes at his own expense, which I think makes a writer more relatable and enjoyable to read. It's important for the author to show that they are not perfect, in my opinion. Unfortunately, I didn't think this book was very clear or made a ton of sense. I really love the idea of mindfulness, but I think the execution was poor. I gave up after about 125 pages. Once he introduced the idea, I didn't feel like I was getting any more new infor...

This is a short devotional that only takes about 10 minutes of your day. It takes you through a few verses of Proverbs each day, along with some devotional content, a prayer, and questions to consider. This book focuses on increasing in wisdom. I loved reading this, and filled up so many pages of my journal as I did. My eyes were really opened to things I am guilty of and need to change, and I have found myself thinking back to what I learned in this book when I encounter a situation where I can be either wise or a fool. I really do think that this book has made a positive impact on me, and I am eager to share it with others! The book itself is smaller than a normal book in size, but very cute with smooth and shiny pages. I gave this book 5/5 stars. *I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a review. I was not required to write a positive view. All opinions are my own.

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. 

This book by Erica and Jonathan Catherman is a guide for young girls navigating into adulthood. This guide goes all the way from talking to boys and how to wear scarves, to asking for a raise and changing a tire. The first part of the book seemed geared toward pre-teens or early teens, while the second part, dealing with cars and cooking, seemed geared toward older teens. I think this would be a nice book to have and reference for things such as cooking and vehicle maintenance.  Personally, in my early twenties, I do not feel that this book is helpful for me, but I definitely would recommend it as a gift for a young girl. Each how-to is listed step by step, including what materials are needed and the time required to complete that task. Overall, I gave this 3/5 stars, though I can see how a younger person might find this more helpful and rate it higher. *I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to w...

First of all, let's mention how absolutely beautiful this Bible is!!! This is The Woman's Study Bible (NIV) from Thomas Nelson! This is a full color, hard cover Bible. meant to inspire and encourage women. Throughout each book, there are little lessons on a number of topics, such as headship, marriage, chronology, and more. These lessons delve into modern topics such as infertility, sanctity of life, codependency, blended families, and even cooking! We also get to see profiles of women of the Bible.  I only flipped through, but I am really looking forward to reading through all of the lessons. I swear, I have so many Bibles because I want to read through all of the amazing educational content included! This is definitely a 5 star Bible, and I recommend it to women who are looking to learn more about the women of the Bible and also learn about the Biblical perspective of many, many things that women deal with every day. *I received a free copy of this boo...

This book by Paul Angone argues the power and importance of good questions, especially in such a scary and uncertain time as in our twenties. Questions such as, "How do I make a choice when I don't know what choice to make?", "Am I being stereotyped in my office for being a twentysomething? If so, what do I do about it?", and "What are my problems and personal pain revealing about my purpose?" If you're struggling to answer the questions he gives, then you're doing it right. "Your twenties aren't about them going as you planned. But how you adapt, change, and grow when they don't." While definitely God-centered, this book is great for any twentysomething who feels like they are lost and don't know what they are doing. Angone was so honest, vulnerable, and really funny, but most of all, he was relatable. He got exactly how I am feeling.  The only thing that I didn't like was the grammar and writing styl...

The Baker Compact Dictionary of Biblical Studies is exactly what is sounds like. A though Z, it details and defines Biblical terms that aid readers and scholars alike in understanding the Bible and other Biblical texts. For each term, we get the definition, some places where it is mentioned in the Bible, and some context. Even though I am not a Biblical scholar, it was still very fun and interesting just to flip through, and I did find myself reaching for it a time or two while I was just reading my Bible at home. I have a friend who is a Bible student, and I think this would be a perfect gift for her! This small and compact resource is packed full of information, and I would recommend it to scholars who are looking for a resource to carry around with them! *I received a free copy of this book from the publisher to review. I was not required to write a positive review.

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.

"A Christianity that's one-emotional-size-fits-all simply isn't fair." At church, in a worship group, or just in our everyday life, I am sure that we all know someone who seems to be completely in touch with God. This person talks constantly about hearing God speak to them, feeling God close to them, and clear answers to prayer. These are the people who have super emotional experiences during song or worship.  When it comes to spirituality, these people seem to have it all. These are the people we aspire to be like. However, much as we try, most of us don't hear God talking to us everyday, and we don't feel His arm around us throughout our day either.  So are we missing something? Are we doing something wrong? This book is for those Christians who are left yearning, feeling there they are missing something. And, the whole book is here to reassure us that we are not alone. Brant Hanson uses humor alongside Biblical proof to reassure tho...

Dr. Gary Chapman believes that there are five different ways that people express love: words of affirmation, acts of service, receiving gifts, quality time, and physical touch. He refers to these as Love Languages. This book is all about learning to love others in their own love language, the way that they feel the most love. This is all about improving the relationships with everyone you know.  This is the singles edition, but you do not have to be single to read it and benefit from it. This book was written after the huge success of his first book regarding the 5 love languages in regards to marriage. This book simply focuses on all  relationships, and not just romantic ones. There are also questions for thought and consideration at the end of each chapter. I completely believe in the five love languages, and through the quiz in the book, I have finally discovered mine: quality time. I have been able to recognize the love languages of my friends and family, and ...

In Lasting Love: How to Avoid Marital Failure , Alistair Begg urges readers to get back to the basics of marriage and examine what the Bible says about it.  Originally published in 1997, this book is written for Christians, whether they are married and feeling the love and excitement slip away, or if they are single and just thinking about marriage in the future. Begg says that the Bible gives clear instructions for marriage, and we need to look no further than the Bible to find the solution to our marital problems. He says that we need to reject divorce as an option and put work into bringing love back into the mix. Alistair Begg is an older man, and many things he said were pretty outdated and awful. This is particularly evident in his chapters about gender roles within marriage. He told a story in the book where he told his hairdresser that he would stop giving her his business when she came back to work after having her baby, because he would not support a woman ...

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. ...

His Last Words  by Kim Erickson is a seven week study of John 15-17, exploring what Jesus did and said in His last few hours on earth. If you knew you only had a few hours to live, what would you do? Would you tell your friends and loved ones all of the things you think is really important? That is Kim Erickson's theory: that what Jesus said and did in His last hours was what He wanted us to know most, what He thought was the most important for us to know.  Each week consists of four short lessons. The reader is to read the assigned passage in their Bible, and then slowly work through the study. The studies consist mostly of a little bit of reading, but mostly journaling and reflecting. After each question, there is a lot of space to write, and Erickson does not pressure the reader to fill in every blank if they have nothing to say. She urges the reader to go through the study slowly, because going fast can mean that you miss out on understanding. This study i...

I think that it is safe to say that we all have struggled with understanding God's role in the suffering and evil in our fallen world. It is something that can turn us away from God. It's something we struggle to explain to non-believers.  Answering the Toughest Questions about Suffering and Evil  was written by Bruce Bickel and Stan Jantz in order to answer some of the questions we have all asked ourselves. If God created everything, did He also create evil? Why doesn't God eliminate suffering and evil? The authors collected and answered ten of the most popular questions they are asked on the subject. I don't like not knowing or understanding things. So when I picked up this book, I wanted something along the lines of "God allows evil because blank  as stated in the Bible here. " I want simple, straightforward answers so I can fully understand. However, that is not the case here, and that is not the fault of the authors. It is due to the nature of th...

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 ...

Included In Christ  by Heather Holleman is an 8-week study of Ephesians geared toward women, with a focus on individual verbs in the verses that influence our lives and our perception of ourselves. While this can be done individually, it is geared toward a group. As I mentioned earlier, each chapter focuses on a verb for the week. This was a really cool and interesting concept, and was done very well. Focusing on individual words really brought the verses into a new light for me and gave me new things to consider.  What you need to do this Bible study is your Bible and a journal. There are a ton of journaling prompts each day in the study. Holleman asks the reader to do lots of journaling, reflection, and imagining. She includes space for journaling, but I would recommend having your own journal. I would also recommend leaving yourself plenty of time to journal and really think about your responses. This way, you're able to give it enough thought. She also i...

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...