A Maze of Grace by Trish Ryan

by Carol7 Comments
A Maze of Grace by Trish Ryan Tish Ryan lets us into her life, discussing the early years of her marriage. She candidly tells us about the happiness, the struggles, temptations and struggles, and how God has been with her through all of it, even if it doesn't always feel that way. She attempts to inspire and encourage us through relating what she has learned. I have mixed feelings about the book. I like Ryan's attitude that marriage is not "hard," that it can be a fun adventure, a life shared. I like her honesty and the importance she places on prayer. I found some of her comments about marriage and relationships insightful and am glad I read the book. I don't like that she spends over half of the book talking about wanting to have a baby, craving to be a mother, but never resolves those feelings. I know that it's a memoir and the baby's not going to magically appear like...
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The Confident Woman by Joyce Meyer

by Carol2 Comments
The Confident Woman by Joyce Meyer When we have confidence in God and His love and kindness, we can progress to living confidently and enjoying the life He wants for us.  (pg. 6) Throughout this book, Meyer gives points on how to have that confidence through scripture, examples and her personal testimony. I like that she writes in a straight-forward, down-to-earth way, so positive, wanting every woman to see that no matter what her past involves or where she is now, she can be that confident woman she was created to be. Meyer discusses the the characteristics of a confident woman and how to overcome the fears and stress that sometimes stand in our way. I can see this being a very inspirational book, with concrete steps to take. I liked the advice to do something outrageous, not stupid, but something creative and unexpected for you. Keep life interesting. I also liked her emphasis on being who you are, focusing on your strengths. That...
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“I don’t like you.”

by Carol4 Comments
This woman can do it all; she's a great wife, mother, she manages the house, she runs a business, she cooks, she sews—what she doesn't seem to do is get tired! She seems absolutely perfect. Maybe that's why my first response to reading about her was, "I don't like you." (pg. 55, The Confident Woman by Joyce Meyer) Meyer is discussing the woman described in Proverbs 31,  a woman who I actually hadn't given much thought to before. I'm looking forward to reading the chapter about her. Teaser Tuesdays is hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Play along. The rules are easy and I only cheated a little. Grab your current read, open to a random page, and give us two teaser sentences. Remember, no spoilers. [tweetmeme source=”carolsnotebook” only_single=false http://carolsnotebook.com/2010/07/06/i-dont-like-you/ ‎] I won my copy and the above is my honest opinion. I am an Amazon associate....
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Giveaway of Eat the Cookie…Buy the Shoes by Joyce Meyer

by Carol13 Comments
Eat the Cookie...Buy the Shoes: Giving Yourself Permission to Lighten Up by Joyce Meyer Here's the blurb: Engrained in our culture is the belief that unbending discipline is the only sure way to success. You must go to the gym five times a week, never order the dessert, and don't even think about buying that dress you keep staring at in the store window. Breaking from such a regimented lifestyle is a sign of weakness, right? Wrong!-and Joyce wants to tell us why... Though setting rules in our lives are important, it's just as important that we break them from time-to-time. Structure is a powerful tool, but when diverging from your own goals is seen as catastrophic, it can have a hugely negative effect on us. Balance is a core value in life and every once in awhile we deserve to indulge in a guilty pleasure or two. So don't feel bad about ...
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Green Like God by Jonathan Merritt

by Carol6 Comments
Green Like God by Jonathan Merritt I have to say that I was a little skeptical when I first started this book. Environmentalism and "Go Green" is so politically correct and cool, I guess, that I didn't want want a re-hash of what we've already been told over and over again. But this was so much better than my expectations. I usually use post-its in books, both fiction and non-fiction, to mark passages I find interesting, beautiful, thought -provoking, that strike me in some way. Usually, there's maybe 5 marked pages when I'm finished with a book. This time I think I've got like 20 pages marked, which is pretty impressive for such a short book. It just grabbed my attention. Of all things I've grown to love most about God, topping the list is that He is so unexpected. Parting the Red Sea? Who would have predicted that one? Feeding a crowd from a child's lunch box? No way. Wrapping His...
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A teaser from my Earth Day read

by Carol6 Comments
The revelation of God through creation is so powerful and so obvious, Paul says that no one is excused for refusing to believe our Creator exists. The world is God's apologetic about himself. (pg. 73, Green Like God by Jonathan Merritt) I haven't started reading this one yet, but it does seem like it may fit in well with Earth Day Thursday. Teaser Tuesdays is hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Play along. The rules are easy. Grab your current read, open to a random page, and give us two teaser sentences. Remember, no spoilers. My copy was sent by the publisher for review and the above is my honest opinion. I am an Amazon associate....
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