adam's wife's blog

Am I the only one with a messy life? Probly not. But it always seems that way. If I'm honest, I'm always striving for better. I want to be more organized, more tidy, more crafty, more resilient, more fancy looking, etc. Sheila Walsh's book is spot-on. She writes from a place of honesty and candor. I appreciate the truth in the pages and Biblical insight throughout. This book isn't just for Christians. It's for anyone who feels less-than-acceptable. It's for those looking to get a grip on life and keep climbing. You won't want to put this one down. It was nice to read a book reminding me that I can be whole - in the middle of my own mess. That life isn't perfect or always smooth; and that none of us was meant to stay bent beneath our loads. I recommend this book to the polished and unpolished alike.

Alicia Britt Chole, speaker, author and leadership mentor, recently wrote an excellent and inspiring book. It's called The Sacred Slow: A Holy Departure From Fast Faith . The book is 52 Experiences in Unhurried Honesty with God. And it delivers. This book draws the reader into a slower, more meditative experience with God. It's full of thoughtful readings, guided responses and inspiring passages that help the reader to slow down and focus on the love of God. The author seems to want to foster the intimacy one can have with the Creator by simply slowing down and breathing in the Holy Spirit. With 52 simple passages, this book is easy to pick up and read anytime the need for an unhurried experience arises. In our fast-paced world, it can be difficult to carve out time to be slow and intentional in our walk with God. Chole simplifies even this simple response - and bring the reader into a sacred spiritual respite. I recommend this book for hurried Christians looking for a br...

Mother of two and Christian speaker and author Lynn Cowell wrote an excellent book for girls. Brave Beauty  is an inspiring and empowering book with 100 mini chapters. It's recommended for girls ages eight to twelve. There are lots of questions in a young girl's heart. Some questions they'll be bold enough to ask - some not. Brave Beauty  covers topics that girls may secretly want to ask, but don't. Family, self-worth, forgiveness, being left out, body changes - those are just some of the sensitive topics that Cowell has so bravely addressed in her book for young girls. I have my daughter read a chapter regularly, during her independent reading times. She is nine and seems to enjoy reading the book and reflecting on the chapters afterward (through writing). I think Brave Beauty  is a fantastic book for instilling positive attitudes and courage for girls. I recommend this book for young preteen girls. Five out of five stars!

Beth Moore just released a really good book called,  Get Out of That Pit: Straight Talk About God's Deliverance . And it is just perfect for those of us with a lot of baggage we like to tote around with us. Admittedly, this is the first Beth Moore book I've read. And now I can see why so many women name Moore as their favorite author. She's good. She writes in a conversational tone using life experiences relatable to most women. There's not a lot of pop-psychology and Christian-ease language in the book. It's not a typical self-help reader. Rather it's a book that makes you feel like you're sitting down to coffee with a trusted friend, sorting through some issues you've been struggling with. Really - it's that good. Get Out of That Pit  is an easy to read book that gets you really thinking about how and why God's people sometimes stay in their own homemade pit of despair when they could be living the life God made them for. It digs pretty deep ...

We just love love love this book. I was impressed with the artwork and the quality of workmanship in the book. I also loved that I could write the child's name in the book to further personalize it. The stories were written really well for young people. I enjoyed reading through them. I gave this book to a little girl turning 7. But I read some of the stories aloud to my daughter, who is 9 and son who is 7. They all really liked the stories and pictures. And the love letters are SOOOO good. They will touch the hearts of little girls and make an impact for sure. If you're looking for a book that your child will enjoy for years to come, try this one. It's really excellent. I would recommend this for girls of all ages.

Hello Stars is a really nice book for 8-12 year old. The focus of the story is a Christian girl aspiring to be an actress. The main character's name is Lena. Throughout the book, Lena learns how to balance stardom with real life, family and faith. My 8 year old daughter has enjoyed reading the book. She found it engaging and entertaining. I'm sure most young girls can relate with wanting to be an actress. I found it nice to know that this was a Christian book and that I didn't have to worry about the content being to "mature" for my daughter. On the contrary, the message of the book is inspiring and just right for most 8-12 year old girls. I recommend the book.

I love love love this Bible. It is great for kids (elementary age and up). But as an adult, I would use this too. It has really practical insights and illustrations in the page margins. The photos, drawings and maps really help tell the Biblical story and highlight the messages throughout. In the beginning of each book, there is a listing of the author, why the book was written, what happens in the book, key people, where the events take place, and stories in the book. There are extra illustrations as well. In the book of Ruth, there is an excellent map of Elimelek and Naomi's jouney. Later in the book is a picture of people gleaning fields - or picking up leftovers after the workers were finished. There's an explanation about it too. In chapter 3 or Ruth, there's an illustration of the threshing floor and definitions. Toward the end, there's a graphic showing Ruth's family tree and the line of Christ. For each of the other books in the Bible, there are simila...

What a fantastic devotional reader. I have been truly enjoying the short, daily readings in this small book. Joni Eareckson Tada writes about the depths of the human soul in such a relatable and authentic manner. This book reminds me of the classic devotional, Streams in the Desert , by L.B. Cowman, written in 1925. Both books offer a timeless message of hope, purity and devotion to God. In addition, if you know someone struggling with a physical disability or chronic pain, this book would make an excellent gift. The author is actually is a quadriplegic who is intensely familiar with pain in life. Reading her writings motivates me to push through difficulties and take full advantage of what God has given me. I've always enjoyed books by this author. So I was excited to read this one. And this daily reader didn't let me down. It's a perfect daily reading for a pause in our hectic days. I highly recommend this book for adults seeking a little more application to their da...

I just LOVE LOVE LOVE this Bible. I ordered it for my daughter for Christmas and I can't wait to give it to her. We got the teal blue version and the patterns on the hard cover are just lovely. The quality of the design is great. It has an elastic band that acts as a bookmark. The space for journaling and drawing is really nice and will be perfect for the little girl who likes to write things down in her Bible or draw pictures in her devotional time. This is a really nice bible for girls. I know my daughter will really like it. I would recommend it for ages 8 through 20. Honestly, I'm 39 and I would carry this Bible and use it.

This is such a cute doll! We got it in the mail for review and my daughter just lit up. She immediately began playing with it and it is now her favorite doll (among waaay too many). The Charms Seven Carat doll is durable and so pretty. It has removable accessories (shoes, dress) and comes with a little butterfly pet. She's 13 inches tall and weighs over a pound. The box says Charms Seven Carat likes to dress up and pretend to be a royal princess. What little girl doesn't relate with that?! Retail price for Charms Seven Carat is $21.99. I would pay that much for a doll of such good quality. I would recommend this doll for girls up to age 8.

So I really liked reading Wisdom of the Sadhu, Teachings of Sundar Singh.  It's a collection of parables, stories and teachings from the sadhu, or holy man, Sundar Singh. It's refreshing to pick up a spiritual book and read from a perspective of someone who likely lived in more of the lifestyle of Christ. Singh was a wander who kept few possessions and no home. The teachings in this book are so Christ inspired and so similar to the original teachings and parables of Christ. Singh was stoned, more than once, for his belief in Christ and conversion (from Sikhism to Christianity). Sadly, he was ostracized further, by Christians when he began his formal Anglican education; Singh was radically following after Christ and many didn't understand him. He returned to the life of a wandering mystic, teaching a leading others in the ways of Christ. Wisdom of the Sadhu  is a really nice compilation of Singh's teachings and would be a nice daily reader, as it is written for contem...

The Healing Quilt By Wanda Brunstetter Available: Amazon.com Excellent book. It took me a while to decide to read this book. Nothing against the genre or the author - I just wasn't in the mood for a fluffy Amish feel good novel. But I am so glad I read it. And this book is far from fluffy. Brunstetter uses her knack for fiction writing to weave the lives of several characters together in 'The Healing Quilt.' Her writing is easy to read. And it's not fluffed up with a bunch of meaningless descriptive, flowery phrases that drag on and on. Rather, she sets the tone and gives enough details for the reader to really understand what's going on and jump right in to the action. This is the first Wanda Brunstetter book I have read, but it won't be the last. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this story. I'm sure that I'll make time in my life to take in other Brunstetter books now that I know how good they are. I did receive an ARC from the...

Sometimes when I buy something for my kids - something special that I know they'll love, I can't wait to give it to them. And when I do, I love to see their little faces light up and it thrills me to watch them enjoy it. I think that must be how God feels when He blesses His children with wonderful gifts. I can imagine that He just can't wait to bless us. And that His heart is warmed when He sees our faces as we receive it. And I'm sure it thrills our Heavenly Father when he watches us enjoy His gift. Lately my family has been blessed by God in a plethora of ways. First - He led us to list our house for sale - a home that we had bought in 2010 for pennies on the dollar. Then - within 3 days of listing it - we had two offers on the home. We accepted an offer that was $10K more than our asking price, walking away with enough profit to pay off all of our debt and invest in a business my husband had been wanting to start for years. After that, we had less than 11 days t...

Johann Christoph Arnold  wrote a really great book called Rich In Years: Finding Peace and Purpose in a Long Life .  I was really impressed with how Arnold wrote about a variety of subjects affecting older adults. He told stories, showed pictures and included beautiful quotes and scriptures throughout the book that really captured the essence of aging gracefully.  Why can't the final years be the richest years of your life? The stories in this book help readers to enter into the 'Golden Years' with optimism and confidence.  In a society that tends to devalue those who are older and/or infirm, Arnold gives hope and highlights the value of those who've lived through decades and seen so much. If you pick up this book, you won't be quick to put it down. Each chapter is well written and easy to read. I found myself smiling as I read this book.  We are all getting older. I recommend this book to anyone - especially those planning to live richly to the end. 

I'm a mother of two small kids - so of course I'm looking for ways to sneak vegetables into tasty dishes. I came across a recipe for Chow Mein and decided it was a great way to sneak in several cups of vegetables. And my kids gobble it up every time I make it. This dish literally takes about 20 minutes to make - and it's one of my favorite weeknight dinners. You can add in just about any shredded fresh vegetable you have on hand also - zucchini, peppers and parsnips are all easy to add in if you like. Here's what you'll need to make it: 1 lb. cooked whole wheat spaghetti noodles 2 cups shredded cabbage 1 cup shredded carrots 1 cup shredded mushrooms (optional) 1/2 bunch green onions sliced in long thin strips 3/4 cup water 1/2 tsp. salt 1/4 cup soy sauce 1/4 cup sesame oil 1 Tbsp. ketchup 1 Tbsp. honey 2 Tbsp. oil toasted nuts for garnish (optional) First, heat 1 Tbsp. oil (I used grapeseed oil)  in a large pan or wok. Add in cabbage, carrots, ...

We don't do much television at our house - in fact, we don't have a television. But our kids like to watch little shows from time to time on the computer. Lately they have been enjoying episodes of Mr. Rogers that we watch from Amazon Prime. Recently, we saw him teach a method for making large building blocks out of two milk cartons. I started saving milk cartons and other sturdy boxes to make my little ones a set of giant blocks as well.  First, I opened up one of the milk cartons and removed the plastic pour spout. Then I gently squeezed the top of the other one so I could easily stuff it into the first. I pushed it all the way down and used packing tape to secure the edges.  It made a pretty sturdy little block.  I did the same sort of thing with a couple of cracker boxes. And lots and lots of other boxes.  And now we have a nice set of large building blocks.  I figure the kids can build with them - and also play "grocery store" wit...

Here's a great way to make a cool scratching post/tree house/hangout spot for your cat without making your home look like you've become a cat lady. Materials I used: -old side table that was ready to be thrown out -potted fake tree that had seen better days -burlap -sisal rope -drill and 1" drill bit -piece of scrap wood -hot glue gun Here's how I did it: I wanted to use only items I already had. So, I found an old side table that was stuck in the corner of an upstairs playroom. It wasn't being used much and was pretty ugly. Perfect. I drilled two large holes in the top. The largest drill bit I had was 1" - and not big enough, so I ended up drilling several one inch holes right next to eachother to make two large flower shaped holes (see photo). Then I stapled some burlap over the top of the table and cut slits where the holes were. You could also use a carpet scrap for this - but I only had burlap on hand, so that's what I used. I po...

Shannon Polson wrote an amazing account of her parents death, her own grieving and her wild adventure to the remote Alaskan arctic to reenact her parents last trip. Polson's parents were killed by a grizzly bear as they rafted the Hulahula river and camped in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in 2005. Polson, her brother and another traveler take on the journey to find healing and closure. Throughout the trip they encounter all sorts of feelings, adventures and trials. And Polson recounts memories of her father - both good and indifferent. She gives a very honest rendering of her greif and takes the reader on an exciting trip to the arctic. I recommend this book. It's a very well done memoir of the author's dealing with loss.

We Heart Grandma Mother's Day Card Create cute birthday cards & birthday invitations at Shutterfly.com . View the entire collection of cards.

What an amazing book. Honestly - I didn't expect Invisible , by Ginny Yttrup, to have much of an effect on me. I knew the premise of the book and the main characters were three women - one overweight, one depressed, one anorexic. I thought it would be a nice, fiction book and that I would be able to learn about the struggles of other women when I read it. However - I really learned a lot about myself when I read it. I'm not anorexic, overweight or depressed, but I do really struggle with my body image in general. For the longest time, I've brushed it off and tried to focus on what's inside - I've tried to work on being a good person and not superficial - pretty much ignoring my outer self. But while reading this book, I realized that I was avoiding something important - the Image of God  in which I was created. God sees me as beautiful - even though US Weekly  would never classify my looks as anything but pathetic. But Yttrup's book really gave me insight ...