The Full Armor of God by Larry Richards

Paul describes this armor in Ephesians 6 and draws an analogy between the pieces of the infantryman's armor and the spiritual armor God provides so that we can stand against demonic enemies.

Paul explains each part of the armor throughout the entire letter to the Ephesians:
Ephesians 1:1-23 explains the helmet of salvation
Ephesians 2:1-10 explains the shield of faith
Ephesians 2:11-4:16 explains the sandals which is the preparation that comes from the gospel of peace
Ephesians 4:17-5:7 explains the breastplate of righteousness
Ephesians 5:8-6:9 explains the belt of truth
Ephesians 6:10-24 is a summary of everything which includes the sword which is explained as the Word of God

The Full Armor of God is divided into six parts. After the introduction, Richards begins each part with a scheme of Satan - a lie Satan uses to keep us away from God and in sin.

Then he explains a relevant piece of armor. Each piece has an important role for the soldier. And each piece of the armor of God has an important role for us. We need to understand these pieces so that we can stand against the Devil and his lies.

Next he looks at the lesson Paul is teaching and then moves on to how you can claim it and put it into practice. This is a very important part of the book. If we don't learn how to use the armor of God then what good is it to us. We must learn how to use the pieces so that we can become strong soldiers for God.

Although it took me a while to read this book - as does any informational book - I did enjoy it. There is a lot of information in this book and would make for a great small group Bible study. Richards also includes two Appendixes in the back of the book. One is information about Christian counseling and evil. The other is lesson plans for a "Live Free Support Group".

Richards conducts Freedom Workshops where he teaches about the concepts in this book. The lesson plans are used as resources for those who have attended one of his Freedom Workshops.

Chosen Books did supply me with a copy of The Full Armor of God; however, this review is 100% my opinion.

Shattered by Dani Pettrey

I'm such a nerd... : )

I can't tell you how excited I was when this book came in the mail! I've been waiting for it to come out since I finished reading Submerged, the first book in the Alaskan Courage Series. I think I finished this book in less than a week!

Shattered is full of adventure! The McKenna siblings are on the hunt to prove one of their own is innocent of a terrible crime - murder! Reef McKenna is found over the dead body with the murder weapon in his hand. The police chief is positive he's guilty. Reef's sister Piper is positive he's innocent. Deputy Landon Grainger doesn't know who to believe.

On a mission to find the real killer, Piper leads her family from Alaska to Canada to California to Oregon then back to Alaska. She won't stop until her brother is out of jail. However, the real killer has a few surprises for them along the way.

Will she be able to prove her brother's innocence, or will the real killer get to her before she can find the evidence she needs to help Reef?

Everything about this book was great! There were twists and unexpected turns throughout the entire book. Everyone and every situation seemed realistic. I would catch myself throughout the day thinking about the book and it's characters, wondering if Reef really was innocent or did he have everyone fooled. This book is definitely a must read!

If you missed my review of the first book - Submerged - you can find it here.

Bethany House Publishers supplied me with this book; however, the opinions are completely my own.

Full Disclosure by Dee Henderson

Dee Henderson has done it again! She is one of my favorite authors! Bethany House has supplied me with an Advance Reader's Edition of Full Disclosure, and I loved it!

She brings back the O'Malley clan - which I also loved! If you haven't read those, you should definitely do so! - in this book in a very interesting way.

Midwest Homicide Investigator Ann Silver seemingly appears out of nowhere and drops the best lead on a serial murder case that Special Agent Paul Falcon has had in years. But she leaves him with more than just good evidence - he also has a strong desire to get to know this clever cop better. Is he prepared for both the case's and her secrets?

There are twists and turns all throughout the book! I never knew what to expect - which is always a good thing when reading a book. I loved the suspense, the romance, everything about this book. Everyone seemed real, the storyline was believable, and the ending was a jaw dropper! Why don't they make these books into movies?!

Enjoy!

Short-Straw Bride by Karen Witemeyer

Bethany House supplied me with a copy of Short-Straw Bride by Karen Witemeyer. This book was definitely fun to read.

No one steps on Archer land. Not if they value their life. But when Meredith Hayes overhears a plot to burn the Archer brothers off their ranch, a long-standing debt compels her to take the risk. 

Years of constant vigilance harden a man. Yet when Travis Archer comes across a female trespasser with the same vivid blue eyes as the courageous young girl he once aided, he can't bring himself to send her away. And when an act of sacrifice leaves her injured and her reputation in shreds, gratitude and guilt prompt him to attempt to rescue her once again.

Despite the fact that Travis is no longer the gallant youth Meredith once dreamed about, she vows to stand by his side. But will love ever be hers? Or will Travis always see her as merely a short-straw bride?

The story line and characters seem to be a little over the top and melodramatic, but still fun to read. Some of the things said or done in the book I can't imagine happening in real life, but then where's the fun in writing a book if you can't use your imagination, right?

After reading the first few chapters, you kind of know how the book will end. You may not know how it will all happen, but you know there's a happy ending after all is said and done!

Enjoy!

Hello Again

Wow. It's been a long time since I've written anything... I should definitely get back in to the swing of things!! So what's been going on? Well, we have 3 new puppies, in addition to our 3 older puppies, in addition to our 3 adult dogs. The names: Slug (female), Bunctious (female), and Basco (male). Cute aren't they?!

I'm also very excited to announce that The Husband has bought me a new machine!!

That's right. This crafting business is about to get serious....  : )

I've also been working on a few new crosses...  They're still in progress.

And reading a few free books thanks to Bethany Publishing and Dee Henderson! I love free books. So you'll be seeing a few reviews soon.

What's going on in your neck of the woods?

Heaven is for Real by Todd Burp

What an amazing story! I could not put this book down! I think I read the entire thing in just a few days. Heaven is for Real is a  "true story of a young boy's visit to heaven after life-saving surgery. Told by the father but often in Colton's own words, the disarmingly simple message is heaven is a real place, Jesus really loves children, and be ready there is a coming last battle." 


I have been a Christian for 16 years now, and I look forward to heaven; but the selfish side of me wants to stay here a little longer to be married, have children, and grow old. However, after reading this book, after reading the way Colton describe heaven, I long to see it and be there! I long to see the rainbow colors and Jesus' "markers". I long to look into those beautiful eyes of Jesus that captivate you and calms your soul. 


I would definitely recommend this book to anyone and everyone! It is definitely worth reading! Colton has been blessed with a gift of seeing a glimpse of heaven; although, it was a tough road for this family. But I would venture to say that the greatest gifts are given after a dark storm. 


*BookSneeze did provide a copy of this book for me to review; however, the opinions are 100% my own.