Tough Guys and Drama Queens Book Review

Tough Guys and Drama Queens: How Not to Get Blindsided by Your Child's Teen Years
By: Mark Gregston

     Parents of preteens and teens can move from scared to prepared with a new approach to parenting their adolescents.

     Parents of preteens intuitively know that no matter how good their kids are, there is turbulence ahead. Many feel lost and unprepared as they watch the damaging effects of culture collide with their child's growing pains and raging hormones.
     For the past 35 years Mark Gregston has lived and worked with struggling teens and knows what it takes to reach them. He says, "A parent's success has little to do with either the validity of their words or their intent as messengers, it's more about how they approach their child and engage with them."
The book is divided into three sections:
     *What's so different about today's culture *Why traditional parenting no longer works *A new model for parenting teens
     Foundational and practical, and written from the crucible of experience, Tough Guys and Drama Queens answers the questions that parents are asking, helping them become the parents their children need them to be.

     As the mother of 8 year-old twins, I was intrigued by the thought of what it will be like to raise teenagers in today's world and I hoped to gain some insight as to things I could do now, to help prepare us for the years ahead.  It is hard to think that in just a few short years, my children will be teenagers.  In the book, Gregston describes the cultural shifts that have taken place and how the world is much different than the world in which we grew up.  The issues facing our children are serious. 
     One of the things that really struck me was in Chapter 3, Overresponsible Parents, Irresponsible Kids.  "Parents who are quick to accept the responsibility of making sure their teen is happy, provided for, and protected from all potential harm, many times don't realize how their "overresponsibility" keeps the concept of responsibility from transferring to their child.  This transfer of responsibility is so important because if a teen isn't held accountable to take control of their life then they remain overly dependent on parents...The longer a parent holds onto repsonsibilities that should be gradually transferred to a child to help him or her grow up, the longer it will take for that child to mature."  This is something I struggle with even now, knowing how much responsibility to transfer to my children so that I am not one of those "helicopter parents" that hovers over their children and don't allow them the opportunity to grow and mature as they should.   
   I enjoyed Part 3 of the book, Parenting Practices That Really Work.  In this section, he gives practical tips that encourage spending time with your child and ways to interact to build even stronger relationships with your children. He says, "It's all about relationships.  If they don't have a relationship with you, they'll have one with someone else...If they don't spend time with you, they;ll spend it with someone else."  I want to be that person that my children are in relationship with.  I want to be that person they spend time with.  
     I will keep this book near-by on a shelf and refer to it again, I am sure.  I would recommend this book to any parent that is concerned for the welfare of their teen or so to be teen. 

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review and I am not obligated to give it a positive review.  

Mind of Her Own ~ Book Review

Mind of Her Own is a story of Louisa Copeland, a stay at home mom, who feels the pressures of trying to be the perfect wife and mother exhausting.  When she receives a nasty bump on the head, Louisa wakes up thinking she is Jazz Sweet and remembers nothing of her former life.  As Jazz relearns what her former life was like, she is also searching for the key to unlock her past so she can remember who she really is.  As her husband Collin tries to help her remember, they realize that their relationship had grown stale and their love is rekindled. 

Diana Brandmeyer is funny and creates a story that many women can relate to.  I thoroughly enjoyed this book and couldn't put it down once I started it.  I love the thought that we all have this person inside of us that is waiting to come out if we will cast away some of the everyday-ness of our lives and allow ourselves to dream and rediscover who we are.  The dramatic ending of this story created a more serious tone, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.  I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a good read.

I received this book from Tyndale Publishing in exchange for a fair and honest review.  The opinions expressed are my own.

Goodbye to Yesterday Review

I enjoy reading Amish fiction, but haven't read one in quite a while.  Goodbye to Yesterday was a good way back in.  It is the first of a new six part series by Wanda E Brunstetter.

Meredith and Luke Stoltzfus are an Amish couple who are faced with the greatest challenge of their young lives. Financial struggles. Arguments. A suspected pregnancy. A last-minute trip to Middlebury, Indiana. A drug addict on the run. A deadly encounter at a Philadelphia bus station. Will their love and faith be enough to bring them back together again, against all odds?

Once I started reading, I couldn't put it down.  It left a real cliff hanger and I can't wait until the other parts of the series come out.  I must say that I would have much preferred for Brunstetter to publish the entire story in one book and I found it a bit jarring to stop mid-way through the story with no closure.  I also think that while $4.97 seems to be a reasonable price for a book, when you figure there are six parts to the story, you are actually paying almost $30 for what might ordinarily be in one book.  That seems a bit on the pricey side to me.  However, it is still a good read if you are into Amish fiction.

I received this book from Handlebar Publishing for a fair and honest review.

Isaiah 26:3

A few weeks ago I met the most amazing Christian woman.  I attended a conference in Nashville and she was my roommate.  The more we talked and got to know each other, the more we seemed to click.  Before we parted ways she told me that she was committing to fast and pray for me for 3 days each month.  This touched me so deeply.  I had never had anyone to pledge to do that for me and this act of sacrifice and love was so heartfelt.  We had just met after all. 

Earlier this week I received an email from this special friend that she was beginning her time of fasting and prayer and wanted to know if I had any specific needs or prayer requests.  I replied that I would appreciate prayers for my upcoming surgery.  She replied back that she would be in prayer for me and that she had neglected to tell me earlier, but that God had given her a promise for me earlier that morning.  The verse was Isaiah 26:3 "You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you."

I was so touched that she sent this to me.  I knew that this was truly from God, given what I have been dealing with. 

Later that evening I was reading a book for a blog review and it was about an Amish couple that were newlyweds.  I got to the very end of the book and about 3 pages from the end, there it was again.  Isaiah 26:3 "You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you."  Hmmm...strange.  I guess God wanted me to be sure to pay attention so he gave me the verse twice.  I had been doing pretty well with feeling peaceful about this upcoming surgery, knowing that He is in control and giving it back to Him again and again, when I do start to feel anxious. 

Yesterday morning as I was reading my daily devotion in Jesus Calling, there is was again! Isaiah 26:3.  It was at this point that I KNEW this was a promise from God if only I will trust in Him.  God wants me to meditate on this verse and feel His peace.

I have begun to get a little nervous and worried again.  As it gets closer, I just want it to be over.  This must be the reason God gave this verse to me 3 times.  He knew that I would need to have it ingrained in my mind and embossed on my heart so that when the nerves do kick in, I will remember that God promises His peace, perfect peace.

I thank God for my new friend and her heart for Him.  I thank Him for using her to shine down His love and peace upon me and I know that He has promised to keep me in perfect peace because I trust in Him.

When God Whispers

There are times when God speaks so clearly into my life that I stop and am truly amazed.  The God of the universe loves me enough to speak personally to me.  He pursues me and whispers encouragement through friends, books, His Word and sometimes it happens when I least expect it.  Perhaps that's when my defenses are down and I am more open to hearing. 

Last week I learned that I needed to have some surgery, which is to be done next Monday.  I had several tests and doctor appointments and was nervous about the outcome, and when I learned that surgery was required, I was less than thrilled.  I don't know anyone who wants to have surgery, but this was kind of a blow to what I thought was really nothing to worry about. 

One morning I awoke early and knew I needed to just get up and have quiet communion with God.  As I prayed, I poured my heart out to God.  God, why?!  God, is it all going to be OK?  God I need you!  In the stillness of the morning, He said to me, "Do you trust me?"  My immediate response was, "Yes, Lord I trust you but..." He said, "You either trust me or you don't.  There is no but.  Do you trust me?  I have brought you through much more than this.  I am in charge and I have a plan." 

In that moment I knew that God already had this all figured out.  I knew that trust was a choice and I can choose to trust Him or not.  I knew that I could sit and worry and wallow, or give it over to Him.  I chose trust.  I still choose trust.  It is a decision every moment of every day to trust that He has a plan and His plan is perfect.  That His purpose for me isn't always what I would choose, but that He will use everything that happens in my life for His glory.  When I begin to worry again, I have to make the conscious effort to choose trust.  It isn't easy by any stretch of the imagination, but nothing about this is easy.  So I can choose to "go it alone," which I'm not alone anyway, or I can choose to trust that God will take care of me.  John Wesley said, "The best of all is, God is with us."  Indeed, that is the very best.  It means that I don't walk alone, but that when I go into the operating room on Monday morning, The Great Physician will be there with my doctors to guide and bring healing.  Thanks be to God.

Beyond Ordinary ~ Book Review

Beyond Ordinary ~ when a good marriage just isn't good enough by Justin and Trisha Davis



Overview:

Justin and Trisha Davis know all too well the dangers of settling for an ordinary marriage.  Their own failure to recognize the warning signs almost resulted in the end of their marriage, their family, and their ministry.  Now, with disarming transparency, they give readers a rare glimpse into the slow fade that eventually led to the near destruction of everythingt they held dear.  Using a compelling "he said, she said" approach, Justin and Trisha share two sides of the same story, exposing the seemingly insignificant comments nad decisions couples make every day that can dramatically alter the course of a marriage.  They also share the invaluable lessons they learned that helped them restore their relationship and transform their ordinary marriage into and extraordinary one!

Review:

Justin and Trisha Davis had a seemingly fine marriage from the outside.  They were building a ministry and a family together and from a distance they were living the fairy tale marriage.  For a long time, they didn't even realize themselves that something was wrong.  The mistake they made, the mistake so many of us made was that they settled for ordinary. 

As I read their narratives there were times I could see my hubby and I in similar situations.  There were times that as a woman I would read Justin's thoughts and shake my head, knowing just how much trouble he was digging himself into.  I became involved in their story because I think we can all identify with rocky times in our relationships. 

I like the way they incorporate Scriptural principals into the book so that the reader can see from the outer perspective how God made us and what our natual tendencies are as couples.  Illustrations from the Bible help put it in context and also help the reader to learn who God wants us to be in our relationships with Him. 

There are questions at the end of each chapter that can help couples as they think about their own marriages seek the extraordinary.  I enjoyed reading this book and reflecting on my marriage and how I can go the extra mile to make it extraordinary.  God wants His very best for each and every one of us and until we seek Him first and obey His calling on our lives, we can't have that.  God has to be at the center of it all.

 I highly recommend this book!  It was a great read ~ so go get your copy today!

Check out the rest of the Blog Tour of Beyond Ordinary here (PDF File) and visit some amazing blogs!

***I received a complimentary copy of this book, courtesy of Tyndale Blogger Network, for the purpose of review

Good News, Bad News



I've been itching to write but haven't had the time.  I honestly don't know where all of my time goes.  I do know that if I don't get enough sleep I am extremely cranky.

Good news: Thanksgiving was truly a season of giving thanks for our family.

Bad news: I spend Monday through Wednesday of Thanksgiving week in the hospital with a bowel obstruction.

Good news: I didn't have to have surgery.

Bad news: I had an NG tube ~ I hate those things.

Good news: The doctors finally sprung me the night before Thanksgiving.

Bad news: I didn't get to eat very much turkey dinner as I was supposed to be on a mostly liquid with some soft foods diet.

Good news: Our family was together.

More good news: We had yummy mashed potatoes that I got to eat.

Even more good news: I got a jump start on my diet and I won't have to worry about gaining weight over the holidays.

Better news than that: Hubby has been by my side the entire time, cheering me on, kicking me in the tail when I overdo, and holding my hand.  I love that man of mine!!

The Best News:  I am getting my energy and stamina back AND have had some great quality family time.  I say this every year, but I love the age my kids are at.  Hubby chose our advent devotionals this year, they are written by Billy Graham.  Princess and Prince are truly getting their little hearts ready for Christmas and pondering what the birth of baby Jesus means for their lives.