Buying Our First Home

In the 16 years that we have been married, we have been renting our homes. When we were younger, the thought of buying our own home did not cross our minds as much. We were busy with having our first baby and making ends meet. I’m sure the other main reason why we have not made purchasing our own home is because our own families have not given it a priority, too. Online casino Ireland. ###

Now that we are 16 years married, we see the importance of owning our home. There are times that I regret not having given it a priority when we were younger, but I don’t dwell on that so much. It is time to look ahead and hope for a better future. And that better future includes owning our own home.

First thing I did is to do research about real estate online. Doing this is quite an overwhelming task because you are presented with so many options. Do we buy a newly built home or an old house that is less costly? Do we try our hand at purchasing an ‘as is where is’ home and renovating it? What location should we look at? In doing my research, I learned that it is important to know your parameters or family requirements first before going out to look at houses.

Next consideration is do I try to purchase a home by myself or do it with the help of an agent?  When I searched online for a list of realtors, again I am inundated with a wide selection. Therefore, as with any other major buying decisions, I decided that I will look for an agent from personal recommendations of friends and family.

Of course, the most important consideration is our family budget. How much can we afford in downpayment and monthly amortizations? Will we be approved for a loan?  The first action we did regarding this is to go to our government housing loan program and inquire about a loan application. There we learned that we will have to be armed with the actual property in order for them to discuss our loan application with us.

For our family, it is exciting to look around and try to find a home for us. Our young children don’t understand for now why we want to transfer homes. They don’t know why it is of utmost importance for their Dad and myself. But when they grow up, I’m sure they will see the importance of it. I will also make sure that we encourage them to prioritize the purchase of their own homes when they start earning their own incomes.

Guest Post by Suzanne Woods Fisher of Amish Values for Your Family

Five More Things I’ve Learned from the Amish that Have Nothing to Do with being Amish and Have Everything to Do with being a Christian:

Live humbly. This is the basis of the Amish life. They don’t waste, they reuse and recycle, they live simply and without luxury, they provide for each other’s needs. Daily life is embroidered with gratitude for all God has given them. Two prayers bookend every meal—a meal begins with thanks to God for the nourishing food, and ends with gratitude for what was received.

Amish proverb: “The blessing of sharing outweighs the blessing of having.”

The Lesson: Choose simplicity over clutter. Economy over luxury. And give thanks!

A task takes as long as it takes. It seems like such a paradox—the Amish are busy, yet unhurried. They have a deliberateness in their actions—one job isn’t more important than the other. And they don’t have televisions or computers or radios or telephones—which gives them more time to cook, fish at the lake, enjoy a good book, and spend with their children and grandchildren. They have time to slow down a bit—to smell the roses along their path.

Amish proverb: “Every day that dawns brings something to do that can never be done as well again.”

The Lesson: Reduce the time where attention is focused on electronics (computer! Cell phone! Television!) and strive to be more emotionally present when with others.

Success and Size are not related. The Amish have rapidly adopted to the demands of the modern business world. Their self-owned businesses are remarkably successful, but not at the cost of everything else. They view money as a tool, not the goal.

Amish proverb: “Love, peace, and happiness in the home is of infinitely more value than honor, fame and wealth.”

The Lesson: Never let ambition destroy life’s better goals.

They teach us not to seek vengeance but to forgive. The Amish take the Lord’s Prayer seriously—if they are asking God to forgive them their sins, they must be willing to forgive others who have sinned against them. Being a forgiving person is an everyday intention.

Amish proverb: “It is far better to forgive and forget than to resent and remember.”

The Lesson: No doubt you’re familiar with the Nickel Mines tragedy. If the Amish can forgive the killer of their children, can’t we forgive a friend for not inviting us to a party? Or a driver who cuts us off? Make forgiveness your default button. A habit. An everyday intention.

God has a plan. To the Amish, everything passes through the hands of God. Everything. Joys and sorrows, both. God is sovereign over all—from weather to illness to births to who’s in the White House. They yield to God’s perfect will, trust Him for what they don’t understand, and thank Him for what they do.

Amish proverb: “God’s hand that holds the ocean’s depth can hold my small affairs. His hand, which guides the universe, can carry all my cares.”

The Lesson: Trusting God isn’t passive—it takes a lot of work! But what peace and joy are available to us when we put our faith in the Almighty God. Everything, ultimately, works out for good.

Suzanne Woods Fisher is a bestselling author of Amish fiction and non-fiction and the host of a weekly radio program called Amish Wisdom. Her most recent book, Amish Values for Your Family released in August. The Waiting is a finalist for a 2011 Christy Award. Amish Peace: Simple and Amish Proverbs were both finalists for the ECPA Book of the Year (2010, 2011). Her interest in the Amish began with her grandfather, W.D. Benedict, who was raised Plain. Suzanne has a great admiration for the Plain people and believes they provide wonderful examples to the world. When Suzanne isn't writing or bragging to her friends about her first new grandbaby (!), she is raising puppies for Guide Dogs for the Blind. To Suzanne's way of thinking, you just can't take life too seriously when a puppy is tearing through your house with someone's underwear in its mouth. Keep up on Suzanne's latest news on Facebook, Twitter and on her blog!

Suzanne Woods Fisher is thrilled to announce the release of Amish Values for Your Family, her latest non-fiction release. "It offers loving ways to bring your fractured home back to life-Amish style. Read it and apply generously! It’s a beautiful book-funny, charming, soulful, and beautiful." -Mary Ann Kirkby

Read the reviews here.

To celebrate the release of Amish Values for Your Family, Suzanne has teamed up her publisher Revell Books to giveaway a Kindle, and with Bill Coleman (the amazing photographer used on Suzanne’s book covers) to give away a signed Bill Coleman original.

One Grand Prize winner will receive an Amish Values Prize Package (valued at over $200) and includes:

* A brand new KINDLE
* A Signed Bill Coleman original
* Amish Values for Your Family (for KINDLE)

Click on one of the icons to enter. Winner will be announced on 9/2 at Suzanne’s blog. Be sure to stop by the blogs on Suzanne’s blog tour – many have copies of Amish Values for Your Family to give away.

But, wait there's more! Suzanne is running a Bill Coleman caption contest during the month of August on her blog. Title one of Bill’s gorgeous photos for a chance to win a print from Bill’s Amish Photo site and/or a copy of Amish Values for Your Family.

Guest Post by Suzanne Woods Fisher – Author of Amish Values for Your Family

Five Things I’ve Learned from the Amish that Have Nothing to Do with being Amish and Have Everything to Do with being a Christian:

Being Amish is not a lifestyle. Life among the Amish has to do with faith. Faith can’t be squeezed to an hour or two on Sunday morning; it infuses their entire life like a teabag in hot water. What they do and how they do it is rooted in the spiritual question: What is pleasing to God?

Amish proverb: “Letting go of earthly possessions enables us to take hold of heavenly treasures.”

The Lesson: To pray about my day’s activities and offer them to God, first, for His purposes. And then trusting interruptions (seeing a friend in the grocery store, for example) or de-railings (those days when everything goes wrong!) to be God-managed.

Cherish your family. A family that works together, grows together. Amish families spend a lot of time together and try to keep their work close to home. Children are valued as gifts from God, wanted and enjoyed. They’re included in all of Amish life—from barn raisings to three-hour church services. An Amish bishop once said, "We don't prepare our children for the future, we prepare our children for eternity."

Amish proverb: “Tomorrow’s world will be shaped by what we teach our children today.”

The Lesson: Involving children in chores and activities may not be the most convenient or efficient way to accomplish a task, but the benefits are long lasting. Look for ways to get everybody involved—cook together, sweep out the garage together, set the table together. And have fun while you’re doing it!

Draw a land in the sand. The Amish want to be good stewards of God’s resources—time, money, material goods. They know that convenience comes with a cost. They don’t want to be dependent on outside sources (such as electricity or gas!). Convenience means loss of something valuable. For example, fast food means less nutrition. More stuff means more maintenance. They’re willing to say no.

Amish proverb: “Things that steal our time are usually the easiest to do.”

The Lesson: Technology has its limits. And technology isn’t all good. Evaluate purchases more thoughtfully. Think of where a purchase or an added expense will lead your family. More time together or less? More stress or less? Reframe your view of time and money and goods as God’s resources.

Watch Your Words. The Amish continually stress the importance of filtering their speech.

Amish proverb: “Words break no bones, but they can break hearts” and “Mincing your words makes it easier if you have to eat them later.”

The Lesson: Say less. Prayer more.

Nothing replaces face-to-face visits. Back in the day when telephones emerged on the scene, the Amish bishops made a deliberate decision to keep the telephone out of the house. They didn’t want to interrupt family life. But they drop everything for a face-to-face visit.

Amish proverb: “Use friendship as a drawing account, but don’t forget to make a deposit.”

The Lesson: Nurture relationships by investing face-to-face time in them. No technology can substitute for the real thing.

Honor the Sabbath. An Amish person would never think of working on a Sunday. But it’s more than that—they truly cherish their Sabbath. They spend time on Saturday to make Sunday a smooth and easy day.

Amish proverb: “Many things I have tried to grasp and have lost. That which I have placed in God’s hands I still have.”

The Lesson: Strive to make Sunday a different day than other days. A day of rest is important on so many levels—time to worship, time to reflect, time to re-energize. A re-charge your battery day.

Suzanne Woods Fisher is a bestselling author of Amish fiction and non-fiction and the host of a weekly radio program called Amish Wisdom. Her most recent book, Amish Values for Your Family released in August. The Waiting is a finalist for a 2011 Christy Award. Amish Peace: Simple and Amish Proverbs were both finalists for the ECPA Book of the Year (2010, 2011). Her interest in the Amish began with her grandfather, W.D. Benedict, who was raised Plain. Suzanne has a great admiration for the Plain people and believes they provide wonderful examples to the world. When Suzanne isn't writing or bragging to her friends about her first new grandbaby (!), she is raising puppies for Guide Dogs for the Blind. To Suzanne's way of thinking, you just can't take life too seriously when a puppy is tearing through your house with someone's underwear in its mouth. Keep up on Suzanne's latest news on Facebook, Twitter and on her blog!

The 5R’s for Godly Womanhood by Lorrie Flem – A Gabby Moms Review

Being a mother is hard enough, aiming to be godly and holy in all you do is even more difficult. This is because it is not natural for us to choose to act godly. What is more natural is for us to give in to our sinful ways. But the Lord is so good to us that He gave us the Holy Spirit to act as our Counselor, our Guide, the One who tells us to act righteously, to serve God and do His will. Though I firmly believe that the Bible, the inerrant Word of God, has everything for us to know how to live righteously,  the Lord also sends us people to help us along the way.

When I began listening to Lorrie Flem’s audios and reading her ebooks, I have learned so much about becoming a godly woman. The 5R’s for Godly Womanhood is a set of audios with it’s corresponding ebooks to help mothers in five important areas of life. These include:

Refresh: A Woman Who Kneels Before God Can

Stand Before Anyone

Lorrie shares to us that the first priority of a busy wife and mother should be to read the word of God and to kneel before Him in prayer. She talks about the differences between having a personal devotion and doing a Bible study. She also shares practical ways of studying the Bible and praying despite our busy schedules. I thought her suggestions were applicable to a busy woman’s life. In fact, I have followed a few of her suggestions, specifically telling my children that while I am reading the Bible and praying, they must not disturb me. Now, they know how to ask, “Mom, are you done praying?”. Another good suggestion is to invite my children to join me in my daily devotions which makes it even more memorable.

Rekindle: Red Hot is So Cool

This audio/ebook is one of my favorites. Lorrie shares her wisdom in how to care for our husbands especially during our intimate moments. I cannot forget the advice she tells us that when we were single ladies, we are told to be modest, now that we are married, all that modesty goes out the door! This was a fun audio/ebook indeed. I’m sure many husbands will thank Lorrie that she is talking about this topic to us wives.

Refine: From Homekeeping 101 to Graduating with Honors

Here Lorrie gets down and dirty as she teaches us how to bless our husbands and our children through homekeeping. She gives us practical ways to clean and organize our homes, how to avoid clutter, to either throw, keep or bless others with our surplus items. But she doesn’t stop there, we are also taught to change and develop better attitudes in our lives. She tackles anger, procrastination, discouragement and encourages us to think only good thoughts, to enjoy life and to accept ourselves as we are.

Rejuvenate: What to Do When Abel is Raising Cain

Lorrie shares the wisdom she has accumulated through the years in raising their eight children. She talks about what the Bible says about child training, when you should start training your child, ways to discipline them and many others. An eye-opener to me was when she talked about not yelling to get your children’s attention. I realize now that the reason my children yell is because I also yell.

Rest: Give It Up and Get It All

The last topic in this set is the best of all. I was expecting to read about the importance of rest and recreation. Instead, Lorrie talks about priorities, focusing our eyes on the Lord and finding strength in Him. It is a beautiful ending to all of the topics that she has shared.

Personally, Lorrie is like a friend who takes my hand, listens to me and gently shares Biblical wisdom. She has taken on the role of that Titus 2 woman who guides younger women along the way. It doesn’t matter that she is American and I am Filipino or that we live halfway around the world from each other. What matters is that she is a mother, a wife and a sister in  Christ who ministers to wives and mothers who desire to be holy and righteous in the Lord’s eyes.

The 5R’s for Godly Womanhood is available at the Eternal Encouragement website starting at $24.97. To read more reviews, check out The Gabby Moms blog here and here.

Would you like to be a Gabby Mom? Get involved now!

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this set from Eternal Encouragement as part of The Gabby Moms in exchange for this review.

Book Review and Giveaway: Young and In Love by Ted Cunningham

*Please read to the end of this post to find out how to 

get this book for free!*

Young and In Love by Ted Cunningham respects young love and tell us not to discourage young couples to marry early. He gives several reasons why marrying young is also right in God's eyes. He also gives us the reasons why people discourage others from marrying young.

I read this book with some doubts because initially I thought he was espousing marriage among the really young, like teenagers. As I continued to read the book, I am relieved to find out that it is not teenagers he is referring to, but to the twentysomethings that are not getting married for one reason or another.

I especially appreciated what he said about the blessing of grandparents to grandchildren. Since I did not grow up with grandparents, I enjoy watching the relationship my children have with my parents. It became clear to me that if I will also encourage my own children to wait to marry when they are older, I may also not enjoy becoming a grandmother for long. 

Ted Cunningham is a romantic - I can tell just be reading the book. But he does not say to marry because of romance. His goal is for people to respect the sanctity of marriage. He said a lot of things in the book that opened my eyes. I can't say that I fully agree with all he said, but it did make me consider many things especially in teaching my own children about love and marriage.

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book through B&B Media in exchange for this review.

GIVEAWAY!!!

Litfuse Blog Tour and Giveaway: Don't Check Your Brains at the Door by Josh McDowell & Bob Hostetler

To celebrate the release of their new book, Josh McDowell and Bob Hostetler have teamed up with their publisher,Thomas Nelson, to give away a brand new KINDLE!

Don't Check Your Brains At the Door answers many of the faith-related questions Christian youth face. It challenges young readers to test gospel truths found in the Bible so they can learn to give an answer for their faith as they mature into thinking adults. A great resource for teens and college-age. Read the reviews here.

One "brainy" winner will receive a Kindle prize package worth over $150.00:

• A Brand New KINDLE with Wi-Fi and Pearl Ink Screen
• Don't Check Your Brains At the Door by Josh McDowell & Bob Hostetler (for KINDLE)

A perfect back-to-school prize package! To enter just click one of the icons below. Hurry! The giveaway ends August 18th. Winner will be announced on the evening of the 18th during the Don't Check Your Brains At the Door Facebook Party! The authors will be chatting with guests, answering questions on "knowing what you believe and why" (it’s okay if you haven’t read the book – who knows, you might WIN a copy!), testing your trivia skills, and giving away tons of great stuff! (Gift certificates, books, and more!)

Bring your friends and join the fun on August 18th at 5:00 PM PST (6 PM MDT, 7 PM CDT, & 8 PM EDT).

Litfuse Book Review: How Huge the Night by Heather Munn & Lydia Munn

In fear of the coming of the Nazis during the World War 2, Julian Losier’s parents decided to go home to Tanieux, south of France. Julian, a 15 year old teen is angry at his parents. From living in a dynamic city with his cousin, he believes he is now forced to live in the province with his grandfather.

In Tanieux, he learns more about his family history but still finds it hard to get accepted by the boys in school. Another boy arrives – Benjamin, a Jew from Germany, who lives with their family. Together, the two young teens traverse their own friendship while also trying to gain acceptance from the boys in school.

Nina Krenkel, a Jewish young, teenaged girl leaves Austria with her younger brother. She is given instructions by their dying father to escape because their country is not safe for Jews. Together, she and her brother go on a dangerous journey to try and secure their safety.

Julian and Nina’s lives will cross paths as Nina and her brother arrives in Tanieux. When Julian meets the two struggling teens, Nina is almost dying, he has to make a decision if he will try to help them, risking his family’s lives in the process.

MY THOUGHTS

I gave this book to my 15 year old daughter to see if she will appreciate it. She has been telling me that she wanted to know more about the World War 2. It took her a long time to finish it and I wondered why. She usually finishes a 400-page book in 2-3 days. She says that the book is sad, sometimes slow and boring. Despite that comment, she continued reading it until she finished.

Then her 19 year old cousin decided to read it, too. He says that he can relate to Julian having the same experience of transferring from the city to the province.

Some common comments from the two teenagers were that the book can sometimes be slow. They couldn’t understand the French words that were scattered throughout the book so there were some parts that they could not understand. They also had trouble with the writing that would sometimes suddenly switch from one character to another without preamble. My daughter said that because she didn’t know much about the war, it added to the difficulty in understanding the book. She thinks that if she had some previous ideas about it, then she’d probably appreciate it better.

I was sad to hear these comments from them because How Huge The Night had really great reviews. I set their comments aside as I read the book.

How Huge The Night evoked sad feelings for me, too. As it should because it depicted the real events of what happened to people during the war. What the two teenagers found slow going, I found to be a very real description of the teenagers’ emotions as they went through life during the difficulties of war. Sometimes, I also found a few parts of the book a bit confusing as it did suddenly switch from one character to another, or from one scene to another. Despite that, I appreciated this book because it depicted stories of people during the war. I especially liked the struggles of Julian in getting to know God and his questions to God about the war. Nina’s struggles about her belief in God as she experienced so much cruelty were so real that I experienced some grief for her.

The beauty of this book is that it not only depicted the events of the war, it showed that God was with His people, that there is hope despite all the cruelty.

How Huge The Night would be a great addition to the library of a homeschool family or any family for that matter. It would be great to read as a whole family with guidance from parents.

Here are other reviews from the Litfuse Publicity Group.

“Based on the true story of the town of Le Chambon-the only French town honored by Israel for rescuing Jews from the Holocaust-How Huge the Night is a compelling, coming-of-age drama that will keep teens turning the pages as it teaches them about a fascinating period of history and inspires them to think more deeply about their everyday choices.”  - quote from the book. 

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book from the Litfuse Publicity Group in exchange for this review.

Who Is In Control?

One day, my fellow homeschooling moms and I were having a conversation about our children. During the course of this conversation, it suddenly dawned on me that maybe one of the reasons why we homeschool is really because we wanted control. Speaking for myself, it's not that I wanted to control my children, it's that I wanted to control the environment where my children are growing up in. If I can take away the daily pressure on the whole family to get everyone ready for school, I would and I did. If I can protect my children from negative experiences in school such as bullying, peer pressure, bad influences, I would and I already am.

If you think about it very well, even if we parents did our best to control the things surrounding our children, do we really have control over their lives? Parents work hard to make sure that their children get the best out of life. We do this to try to ensure that they will have a good future. In the end though, it is the child who will eventually grow up and start making his own decisions. We can only hope and pray that our children will grow up with wisdom to choose and make the right decision.

But that is not all. We have to remember that even before God created these children, He already had plans for each one of them.

You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body
      and knit me together in my mother’s womb.
Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!
      Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.
You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion,
      as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.
You saw me before I was born.
      Every day of my life was recorded in your book.
Every moment was laid out
  before a single day had passed.

Psalm 139:13-16 NLT

Isn’t it great that we can rest in God’s promise that He has already laid out every moment of our children’s lives even before each of them were born? This means that He is truly the One in control. He planned every day of their lives. Even if we sometimes fear that we have not done enough, have not given them enough, have not taught them enough, we can be assured that God will take care of them. Our role as parents is to teach them, to love them, to guide them, to tell them about God, to do these things as best as we can. The rest, we can leave it all to God.

Yes, we can control what we can. But we must always remember that there is One who is in control, not only of our children’s lives, but also of our own lives.

Book Review: False Witness by Randy Singer

Wow, wow and wow! False Witness by Randy Singer is such a great read! Randy Singer is a great storyteller, weaving a suspense, legal thriller with truths about God and the Bible. This book is so good! Okay, I’m raving here and I haven’t even talked about the actual story yet. So here it goes.

Professor Kumari, an Indian Math professor and a computer genius, had cracked the code to break the world wide web’s security with his Abacus Algorithm. Along with his protege, Rajat, they try to sell the algorithm to a conglomeration of top global encryption companies. They planned to use the money from the sale to build more schools for the Dalit children in India. Unknown to the two of them, the buyers whom they thought represented the conglomeration were actually members of the Chinese mafia sent to acquire the algorithm at all cost. Rajat is killed in the meeting and Professor Kumari goes into hiding.

Clark and Jessica Shealy are bounty hunters and con artists. By kidnapping Jessica, the Chinese mafia forces her husband, Clark to search for Kumari. Clark finds the professor and is struck by his calm demeanor. Together they devise a plan to rescue Jessica.

Jamie Brock, a law student working at their university’s legal aid clinic, meets her new client, David Hoffman. David Hoffman comes in with a case of impersonating a police officer and disturbing the peace. She takes on the case not knowing that she will soon be involved in something deeper and darker than she first thought. Something that could also cost her her life.

MY THOUGHTS

As you can read on the first paragraph, I really, really love this book. I think Randy Singer is a master at what he does – telling a great story while expertly weaving it with the truths of God’s word. From the very first page, the story moves with dynamic speed up to its explosive ending. The characters are well-developed. I got to know each character very well, so well that I started to care about what happened to them. The plot is very interesting - filled with greed, deceit, violence. On the other end, there is love, humor compassion and caring.  There were no boring moments within the story. A very, very great read! False Witness is definitely worth your money and time.

Disclosure: I received a digital edition of this book through Net Galley and B&B Media in exchange for this review.

Winner for Pen Pal Kids Club Giveaway!

Here is the winner of my Pen Pal Kids Club Giveaway that I ran last July 12 in this post.

Tina S. Rodriguez

Congratulations Tina! You won a free 3 month trial use of Pen Pal Kids Club. Enjoy!

A big thank you to all who joined the giveaway!

Book Review: It Couldn’t Just Happen by Lawrence Richards

Before I began homeschooling my children, I didn’t know that there is an ongoing debate between the evolution theory and creationism. I just accepted the evolution theory as part of my studies in high school. As for God being the great Creator of the Earth and all that is in it – that’s already a given for me because I believe in God and the Holy Bible.

Now that I am teaching my children at home and am responsible for choosing their materials, I am realizing that it is important to be knowledgeable about the evolution theory. Even though I have taught my children that God is the Creator, they also need to be aware what other people are saying and know how to defend their faith. It Couldn’t Just Happen by Lawrence Richards is a great resource to have at home, not just for homeschoolers but for all families who are interested to understand how to defend our faith.

It Couldn’t Just Happen talks about several areas of science – planets, Earth and it’s landforms, animals – big and small, and the human body. The author first explains what evolutionists have said then gives scientific proof against the theories of evolution. Throughout the book the author points to God’s word and to God as the Author and Creator of all.

This book is geared for elementary and high school students but is also great for someone like me who has forgotten a lot of science. The scientific proof he gives are well-researched but written in such a way that we ordinary people can understand very well.

I really appreciate how the author keeps pointing to God as the Creator and Inventor of all things. At the end of every chapter is a section called Just for Fun which has suggestions for activities that you can try out at home. This is great to use as part of your students’ curriculum or as a handy reference to have at home.

The book itself is in full color with a lot of lovely pictures inside that prevents the text from becoming boring. I would recommend this book to people who would like to understand the evolution theory and see that there is scientific proof against those theories.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program and Net Galley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Book Review: Made To Crave by Lysa Terkeurst

Made To Crave – Satisfying Your Deepest Desire With God, Not Food by Lysa Terkeurst is not another diet book. It does not have low calorie recipes, nor does it have a diet recommendation. It doesn’t have a set of exercise to follow everyday. It’s definitely not your usual book on health and nutrition.

“This book is not a how-to manual or the latest, greatest dieting plan. Made To Crave is a helpful companion to use alongside whatever healthy eating approach you choose – a book and bible study to help you find the “want to” in how to make healthy lifestyle changes.”

Instead, Made To Crave will help the person who is struggling with issues about food and issues about his/her body. I am thankful that I was given the opportunity to read and review this book. Though, at first, I was afraid to pick it up and start reading. I already had an inkling as to what I can expect. I knew that it will force me to consider some deep issues in my life that I have, so far, been successful at avoiding.

Lysa Terkeurst is a woman who has gone through the same struggles that most overweight women have. She shares her struggles and how she was able to overcome them through prayer and study of the Bible. I can relate to all her funny stories about her own experiences. The truths she points to by focusing on God’s word has helped me a lot to change my mindset about taking comfort in food.

Until I read this book, I never realized how defeated I felt about my weight. Lysa has forced me to think through the reasons why I overeat and to admit that it is a sin against God. At the same time, I saw that God planned for us to be victorious and not victims of our cravings.

I am most happy to recommend Made To Crave – Satisfying Your Deepest Desire With God, Not Food to all Christian women who struggle with food and their bodies in relation to their spiritual lives.

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book through Litfuse Publicity and Zondervan in exchange for this review.

Homeschooling Through Sicknesses, Pregnancies and Other Distressing Times

Through the nine years we have homeschooled, we’ve gone through two pregnancies, two deaths of close family relatives, countless sicknesses and hospital confinements,  and even transferred homes two times. The most distressing periods were the times when Gary D. left to work abroad – one in 2000 and the next in 2008.

My children and I are, unfortunately, plagued with all sorts of allergies. It’s one of the things my genes have passed on to them. It’s hard to have to deal with it. Certain kinds of foods have placed my children in the hospital. Dust mites, pollens and change in temperatures bring on allergic rhinitis, skin asthma and  asthma attacks. The stress of it all has sent me to the hospital with asthma attacks.

These things have caused a disruption in our homeschool schedule. Most of the time, even if I have planned their schedule carefully, we are never able to follow it faithfully. I’m sure it has to do with man making his plans and God having plans of His own.

I admit, the disruption causes me to experience a high amount of stress. I just want to keep teaching the children and stick to the plan, but how can I when I have to deal with one of them getting sick and needing attention?

Although these situations do set us back for a time, I have never thought of giving up. I saw these periods as opportunities for the children to learn practical living. When mom has to attend to one of their siblings in the hospital or attend to some other things, they have to learn to care for themselves at home. They still have to study what they can, help with house chores and care for each other.

A few years ago, I attended a homeschool conference where the speaker’s first statement was “Wherever you are right now in your homeschool is exactly where God wants you to be.” Hearing this from a homeschooling mom has changed my mindset about our disruption in schedule. I was freed from the fear of delaying my children’s studies. You see, though it may be true that the children will experience some delay in their studies, it’s also true that they will learn even more from their first hand experience of real, everyday living.  And it’s also true that you and your children can definitely make up for lost time.

So, moms and dads, when the stresses of daily living seem to have caught up with you, and you start becoming anxious about your children’s education, don’t let the fear overcome you. Consider this an opportunity to teach them about dealing with life’s different and difficult situations. As they watch you pray to God, their young faith will be strengthened. These children will learn much more as they watch their parents handle a stressful period in their lives.