Heidi's Haven

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.

"Heartrending truth all wrapped up in mind-blowing grace. A piercing embrace. That is our Jesus." Pierced and Embraced  by Kelli Worrall is all about the piercing love of Christ. It is a love that is sometimes painful, with "grace filled jabs"that show us the truth. With this book, Kelli Worrall shows us the love of the Lord in His wonderful combination of truth and grace. He pierces our heart and soul while bringing us into an embrace.  She uses examples of how Jesus interacted with women in the Bible. Through these stories, we see Jesus interact with women, show them a truth in their life that is painful to them, and embraces them with love and grace. Then, we see how this is reflected in our own lives.  What I loved the most is how much Kelli Worrall really delved into the details of each story, which made it make much more sense for me, and made it so much more impactful.  Both the author and I would recommend reading this with a journal nea...

Megan lived with a heart disease for many years, until another family's tragedy gives her a new heart and a second chance at life. Megan's twin sister, Crystal, lives the perfect, successful life. When the family of Megan's heart donor contacts her, they give her their daughter's journal, containing a bucket list of things she wanted to do before she died. Along with her sister, Megan goes on a journey to complete all of the items on the bucket list. I am completely in love with this plot, but I felt that the writing wasn't at 100%. This gave me such intense wanderlust, which I loved, but I wished the author hadn't skipped so much of the travel. I wanted to hear everything about each place they went! Instead, the author skipped over a few places and items on the list, and went on to a later one. It was kind of cheesy sometimes, but probably because of the travel and the fact that they go to Scotland (Scotland rules!), I couldn't help but love ...

"Every Christian is either a missionary or an impostor." -Charles Spurgeon This book by Dustin Willis and Brandon Clements is about using hospitality to change the world. They argue from a Biblical perspective that hospitality-- inviting people into your home, taking people in, taking care of people, talking to people-- is the best way to change the world. By doing this, we are following God's order to every single person on earth: to be a disciple and show others the love of God.  They tell the reader that we must see that our ordinary lives are significant. When we invite someone in and show them love, and allow them to see our crazy and imperfect lived that are lived for Christ, we can show them the love that Christ has for us. They use the point that it is much more likely that someone will come over if you invite them for dinner than if you invite them to a church event. These two authors were so relatable, funny, and vulnerable, it was truly a joy...

I received this adorable children's Bible from Thomas Nelson to review. Printed in the ICB translation for kids to be able to understand, this Bible focuses on teaching kids about prayer. This Bible includes 160 pages of special prayer articles that highlight beloved prayers throughout the Bible. Also included are 64 color pages of poem prayers, praying the Scripture, and Q&A's from kids detailing the most asked questions about prayer. In my opinion, the most helpful tool included is this matching prayer journal, for kids to write out their prayers and document them, as well as for documenting anything they learn or any answers they receive. The Bible also includes pages for documenting prayer requests. The book itself is a sturdy, well-made hardcover. I just love the navy and gold cover designs. There is a blue ribbon inside for marking your page. I would highly recommend this for any kids looking for their first Bible. 5/5 stars. *I received a fre...

I picked this book up because it promised a way to create a 3 minute morning routine that would change my life. I was immediately intrigued, and as someone who is decidedly not  a morning person, I will take any advice that promises to make mornings better. This book is the secret to creating a 3-minute morning routine. Who doesn't have three minutes each morning? This can be done while you eat breakfast, shower, or brush your teeth.  Here is the outline for the perfect 3 minute morning routine: 1. Read/memorize/pray Psalm 143:8 2. Look at your calendar for the day 3. Drink a glass of water With this simple recipe that combines God time, plan time, and health time, you can easily work to get your 3 minute routine down, and then be able to build on it. Your morning routine doesn't have to be complicated to be impactful. This is about seeking progress, not perfection.  The author is super funny and sweet, and she's very relatable. At the end, she ...

In his book  The Good of Giving Up , Aaron Damiani explains why he decides to observe Lent each year. A custom that seems harsh and controlling, Damiani describes how it actually is liberating. "Lent is an ancient pilgrimage that the Lord uses to recapture our imagination of and renew our participation in the greatest story ever told." He uses many personal examples of how Lent has changed his life and the lives of his friends, as well as Biblical evidence for practicing it, and a historical background of it. He also addresses most of the common objections to Lent and explains his answers to them. "The entire process of Lent and Easter strengthens our commitment to serve and rule in the kingdom as God always intended." What I found most interesting is the detail Damiani went into regarding fasts. I have always been intrigued by the idea of fasts, but have only been able to find small sections in other books. Damiani, however, went into quite a b...