Their names are two of the most well known in Christian writing today. Both have authored books aimed at their own gender, diving into what the Bible has to say about why we are created so differently and how it is that God brings us together. Two unique sexes each with their own purpose.

It is in their new collaborative work–Love & War–that John and Stasi Eldredge discuss how men and women operate in marriage offer their advice on how to find “the marriage you’ve dreamed of.” I usually go into books like this with a critical eye because I’m not sure that anyone has it figured out, but I am always up for listening to wisdom from those who have been married for many years. The Eldredges have a good track record and more than likely I would have bought this book on my own had I not be offered the opportunity to review it before I had the chance to get to the bookstore.

There is so much to learn from this book. There’s no way I could cover it all in this review and I won’t begin to try. What I will tell you is that I love the way these two write together. It flows, isn’t choppy, and doesn’t feel like a constant narration of other people’s stories (which “Christian living” titles are wont to do).

One of my favorite parts of the book was at the beginning, when they brought up something that came up again and again throughout the rest of the text. In the first chapter they discuss how our marriages are a part of a much larger story–one that God has written. To quote them, “The Bible begins with a marriage, and ends with a marriage.” Like them, I’m not sure that I had ever noticed that before. The Bible is a story of love, devotion, and redemption. There are so many parallels to be drawn there and the Eldredges do a fabulous job of captivating the reader, drawing us into the story they weave, and telling us how, in their experience, the marriage of our dreams is possible. Not to say that it will be without the bumps in the road and various struggles that plague all human relationships. But with the love of Christ in our hearts we can learn to give ourselves fully and in turn experience a connection far beyond the fairy tales of childhood dreams.

At 222 pages it is a quick read and one that I will be going back through very soon.

This was book was provided for review by WaterBrook Multnomah.

This was a refreshing read and I have to be honest with you: I can’t wait to get back in it, do more studying, and glean as much as I can from it. Angels by Dr. David Jeremiah is a definite win.

I come from a religious background that really emphasizes spiritual experiences and it always struck me as odd that angels weren’t often included. Dr. Jeremiah’s book is a great bit of wisdom for those wondering how angels come into play in our daily lives, how God uses them, and how some people abuse the term “angel” and distort what the being truly is.

I was impressed with the amount of research the author put in and believe that you can trust the conclusions he comes to. There are plenty of references to the passages he uses from the Bible, along with a number of anecdotes he employs to show both sides of where most people stand on angels — including anecdotes featuring those that misuse the beings for the most part. It’s interesting because he brings up the fact that they are either telling a falsehood or that they are being betrayed. And I think we all know who the betrayer is here.

This book was such an interesting read. I would recommend to anyone who has ever wondered about angels and what their roles are — in Heaven and on Earth.

This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.

I was so excited to read this. I mean, it’s got two things that I love: the Gospel and LOST. Where could it go wrong?

A lot of places, as it turns out. Without getting into all of the theological concerns I had about the book, it just wasn’t the spectacular read I was expecting. It is interesting, but most likely only for those who have a pedestrian knowledge of the series and who haven’t thought very deeply about the meaning of some of the symbolism. What Seay gives us is a very basic look at some of the Biblical symbols used in the series as well as examples of how redemption is a main theme.

I think I got that from the first season of the series, how about you?

The difficulty here is knowing who he is aiming this book at. Clearly, you must have some knowledge of the series before going in, but not too much or he’s going to lose your interest pretty quickly. Maybe this would be good for someone who is in the middle of Season 1 and who doesn’t know much about what’s going on. Then again, it’s riddled with spoilers and it is easy to see that the author put the finishing touches on right after Season 5 concluded. It doesn’t appear that the book will be relevant at all after the beginning of Season 6 (tonight, folks!), much less after the series has concluded.

One thing I hope I don’t see is this book in a religious section of a book store. It is a light commentary on some of the Biblical symbols as they are presented in the series. In no way does it make the deep connections that I believe may be possible to draw between what the creators of this series are doing and the Bible. There just isn’t a lot of quality material here.

Save your $14.99 and do the research yourself. Breaking out your Bible and employing a working knowledge of very basic Sunday School curriculum will provide you with a much deeper understanding of what the author is trying to get at than what he does himself.

A complimentary copy of this book was provided for me by Thomas Nelson.

I was pleasantly surprised to find this cute book in the mail the other day. Being in a ministry that targets women of all ages, I like to keep informed about what’s out there for the youngest of our sisters. For Girls Only! Devotions, written by Carolyn Larsen and illustrated by Leah Sutherland, is right on target.

I give this one my stamp of approval. They succeed in using language that is relevant to pre-teens (Wait, you call them “tweens” now, right? I’m old. Forgive me.) with images that are just cutesy enough to appeal to those on the younger end of the spectrum they are aiming for, without making it feel too young for the older girls. I enjoyed this and I’m 25.

The subject matter is definitely age appropriate and focuses on key Biblical concepts that are important to grasp early on. Devotions are labeled by topic, all of which were things that girls of this age deal with (friends, relationships with parents, and one topic I found that accurately describes the opinion of many a middle school girl — “It’s Not My Fault!”).

For Girls Only! Devotions would make a great gift for any pre-teen girl and is the perfect starter to get our younger ladies in the habit of doing devotions.

A complimentary copy of this title was provided to me by the Tyndale Blog Network for the purpose of reviewing.

If there is one thing I’ve learned in my first six months of marriage it’s that communication is key. I know, you hear it everywhere, but if you’re married you know that it’s true. It’s the application of this fact that can be tricky. In his book, The Language of Love & Respect: Cracking the Communication Code with Your Mate, Dr. Emerson Eggerichs continues to bring light to truths about core values essential to a joyful marriage.

This isn’t an easy read. Eggerichs quickly dives into some serious issues that couples deal with in their relationships, bringing up topics that aren’t always the most pleasant to discuss. But I think that’s the point. Talking about things and learning our different styles of communication can help us to overcome so many obstacles.

I can’t say that I learned a lot of new things in this book. There were a few books we read in our pre-marital counseling that covered the same topics and did it in a few chapters rather than a book. Honestly, I feel I got more out of those chapters than this whole book. It’s not a throwaway though. If you feel like you could stand to learn more about the importance of communication in marriage and how women and men really do speak different languages, this book is a great pick. If you’re already familiar with the topic you won’t find much new information here.

A complimentary copy of this book was provided for me by Thomas Nelson.

You asked, now I’m answering!

Anonymous asked:
Why do you use the word ‘goddess’?… it sort of comes across as non-Christian. :/
I’m afraid you may be misunderstanding the definitions of “goddess.” While it often means “female deity,” the word also means “a woman whose great charm or beauty arouses adoration.” And if you’ll look, I don’t say I aspire to be a goddess, period, the end. Nope. Domestic goddess. Literally a woman whose prowess in the kitchen and home arouses adoration. I aspire to have the adoration of my husband, family, and future children in those areas.

Where did you get your wedding dress? It’s GORGEOUS!
At a tiny boutique in Oklahoma City called Pomp & Pageantry. I tried prom dresses on there years and years ago. The dress I ended up with was custom made for someone else who decided they didn’t want it. It took a while to figure that one out, but we realized it when we couldn’t find my dress anywhere. It looks like the skirt of one gown with the bodice of another. It’s by San Patrick and is made mostly of lace, crafted in Barcelona.

Becca asked:
What is the biggest surprise to you concerning marriage?
The biggest surprise to me was how quickly everything about being married felt normal. We hadn’t lived together before our wedding so everything literally happened all at once. It was perfect, I won’t lie. We’ve been extremely blessed and I know that we are both thankful for the great pre-marital counseling that we had. So much heartache has been spared by what we learned about communication styles.

Misti (my long-lost, newly found, second cousin) asked:
What was your favorite tv show growing up?
Tough one, but the ones I remember being excited to watch in the evenings were TGIF shows like Full House and Perfect Strangers. ALF, Family Matters, Reading Rainbow, and Mister Rogers were all favorites.

What song reminds you of your husband?
Man, it’s so cheesy, but “Love of a Lifetime” by Firehouse is it. We made it each other’s ringtone when we were dating and, by accident, it was what we were listening to in the reception hall in our first alone moments after the wedding, right before we ran out to the car to leave. With all that birdseed raining down on us.

If you could have a pet of any kind, what would it be?
I would like a goat, but right now I am really happy with my Scoodle (or Scottie Poo, if you like) and brand new guinea pig (who doesn’t have a name yet).

Do you think you chose the right profession in life? What other path might you have chosen or still could choose?
Sometimes I wonder if I should have gone into marketing. I think I have a good head for it. Which is the countrified way of saying that some of it comes naturally to me. I don’t really have a profession. I have had jobs. Writing is my passion and I plan to stay home and raise a family. And maybe sell custom invitations and stationery.

What is your favorite thing about Oklahoma? I’ve only been a few times and it has been beautiful the times I’ve seen it, but I’m not all that familiar with it.
Everything really isn’t an answer, is it? The landscape. We have everything here. The weather. Again, everything. The sense of family that most people in small towns still have. The richness of culture and tradition.

Jennifer (a former teacher at my high school) asked:
What kind of books do you like to read?
Literary fiction. That is my book snob answer. And classics.

What is your favorite book?
I can never answer this. The last book I read to make it onto my favorites list is No Country for Old Men.

If you were to write a book, what would it be about? Or at least what genre would it be? (Of course, you may have already written a book, and I just don’t know it yet.)
I write Southern Gothic. I like to focus on family dynamics, crazy people, secrets, lies, small town culture, and religion. I have written hundreds of short stories, but never finished any of my novels. At least not by my own estimation. Maybe they are all they ever will be. The first novel-length story I made headway on was an 80 (typed) page manuscript that I carried around in black and white composition notebooks in 7th and 8th grade. All I can say is still waters run deep.

Vanessa asked:
If you could meet anyone, from any period of time, who would you choose to meet?
Either Hannah, mother of Samuel or Elisabeth.

Remember last year when I started my 200 Year Reading Challenge? It’s still going and I’ve actually made some headway! Thanks to Emily for reminding me to update it.

Here’s the deal though. I still need some suggestions! This thing is growing by the year (I decided to extend it to the “present,” whatever the present may be at the time) and I would love to know the books you all think are must reads.

I have updated the list, but there are TONS of empty places. So if you wouldn’t mind, mosey on over there and tell me what to read!

Today I am participating in Bethany’s Read. Read. Readathon. You can find out more here. Not too late to jump in!

It’s 11:31 and I’m starting off with Sarum. Maybe I’ll finish it today? We’ll see.

12:31 pm – I do not recommend reading books with tiny print for a readathon. It makes your reading totals look dismal. Taking a quick break for some laundry and to grab some lunch.

2:12 pm – Sarum was just not holding my attention for any length of time and the 8pt font wasn’t helping either. So I started a new book. No Country For Old Men. It’s been in my “to read” pile for a while and now I’m going after it. LOVE. IT. Fast paced and such great writing.

6:20 pm – So…I took a nap. Back to reading though! I’ve knocked out 110 pages of No Country For Old Men. Can’t wait to see the movie now.

7:28 pm – Reading in the bathtub. It’s the way to go. Oh, and I had some chocolate Malt-o-Meal earlier. I love that stuff. It’s like hot chocolate in a bowl. That you eat.

10:40 pm – I am turning in for the night. It’s been so much fun meeting and interacting with all the bloggers participating today. There are so many blogs I have added to my feed reader today and I just can’t wait to do this again! Goodnight, all!

Time spent reading: 260 mins
Total pages: 240 pages

Taking part in I Heart Monster’s Breaktime Shindig. I typed “Sindig” on accident, but fixed it. That’s a totally different thing.

1. Lose Your Cred – I love the colors she uses on her blog! They make my heart smile. What a bright, cheery place.
2. This Bookshelves of Doom lady? Hilarious. I mean, you can kinda gather that from the header. But yeah, I think she’s really funny.
3. Okay, Emily says that we don’t have to take her too seriously, but there is just something about the header at Seriously Reading that makes me feel like I should. I’m loving the header. The red is so striking against the black and white. Hey, Emily? I don’t have anyone to talk books with either. Glad we both have outlets for that!
4. tuulenhaiven has some awfully serene colors going on over at her blog. I love it.
5. Brown Girl has got some clean lines going on and I LOVE clean lines. A sucker for them even.

I have been wondering how other people go into readathons. So far I have only taken part in one official readathon with a group and then one by myself, but when I see other people gearing up for a weekend of reading most of them take a pile of books in. Me, well, I have brought in an average of 3 pretty long novels to either finish or read from start to finish that day.

Maybe it’s because I can’t get into more than 2 or 3 books at one time. I used to, but nowadays I start getting them really mixed up.

And the snacks. What do you snack on? I haven’t found anything that’s been a good standby to have on hand. I try not to eat a lot of carbs and that can be difficult when it comes to quick snacks.

Drinks. What do you drink? I’ve been started the day off with my normal 1-2 cups of coffee, followed by a variety of herbal tea throughout the day, and water. Occasionally I’ll change it up a little with a Diet Dr. Pepper. I know that’s Ronnica approved.

So, how do you approach a readathon?

I wanted to preface my Green Gables post with a little history, so that you’ll understand a little better what the trip meant to me.

There is a clouded memory of sitting on the couch with my mother, the year must have been 1986 or ’87, and laughing at two girls on the television. They’d been chasing a cow and had fallen into the mud. I was two.

I’m sure the only reason I remember any of the film at all was because of that scene and because of how shockingly funny it is to a two-year-old to see people dressed in finery falling into a muddy field.

For as far back as I can remember my mother had this book up on her bookshelf. When I was still very small and my naps occurred on my parents’ bed in the middle of the afternoon, my mom and younger brother (I only had one at the time) would be asleep, but it would always take me quite a bit longer to get into my nap. I had too much running through my mind. Whatever was going on outside and across the street at my great-grandfather’s country store. Watching the birds landing on telephone wires outside the window. And running my fingers over the titles of books sitting on the shelf (their headboard was a long bookshelf).

Anne of Green Gables. Bound in a deep, red-brown leather, the titles of the volume were printed in gold leaf—Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery—Anne of Green Gables—Anne of Avonlea—Anne’s House of Dreams. “Green Gables,” “Avonlea,” “house of dreams,” it all sounded so magical to me. Now, I wasn’t reading much at that point (3-4 years old), but I knew enough about how to sound things out that I managed the smaller words and had mom’s help on the bigger ones. Avonlea is a doozy for a kid who hasn’t started kindergarten. Tracing the letters etched in gold was as much as I did for the next six years.

My love for reading had been ignited when I was very small, but it was burning at full force around 3rd grade, thanks to Mrs. Bural and her “reading loft.” I don’t know about the rest of the kids, but that tall, tree house contraption she had in the corner of the classroom was just what I needed to inspire me to finish my work.

It was the fall of 1995 when Mom finally let me take “Anne” of the shelf and begin reading. What a whirlwind that year was. I swept through the first two books in no time and was soon asking around for copies of the others in the series. As luck would have it, one of my classmates had the whole thing and she started loaning them out to me. I was mesmerized by this world and that there was someone out there (like I’ve told people before), who, even if she was fictional, was like me. In Anne I did find a kindred spirit. Someone who liked books, telling stories, wandering the woods, bringing outside things in, and striving hard at the one thing she felt she was good at — school.

That was my life and to see it in print, to see that I wasn’t as odd as I’d once thought…it meant the world to me.

I have carried those stories with me ever since. Through high school and no boys liking me and then boys liking me and realizing that was a little worse maybe than when they didn’t. Onto college and doubts about love and what was really important. College made me jaded. I held little hope that things would turn out much like they do in novels. “Love,” to me, had become a series of decisions. In a way I still do believe that. Whoever you end up married to, it’s going to be work. You just have to decide to stick with it.

But it was when I met Kevin that my mind was changed. My ideas were turned upside down. The dreams and hopes of a little girl had come alive again. In him I had found someone who took an interest in the things I love, the things that make my heart sing. I had all but given up. When God brought him into my life I got a little embarrassed to mention the sweet things that he did for me, because I didn’t know anyone who had a boyfriend (or a husband, for that matter) who took the sort of care and interest that Kevin did.

It was after we were engaged that Kevin revealed to me where he’d planned the honeymoon — Prince Edward Island. He knew of my love for the books and my desire to see the island. It didn’t hurt that we’re both huge seafood fans. I couldn’t believe how blessed I was.

All this is to say that you don’t have to stop dreaming, ever. God knows the desires of your heart. Things that I had dreamed about as a child and forgotten or brushed aside as an adult, realizing the “impossibility” of my hopes, He brought back to me. No doubt to show me that He doesn’t forget, always provides, and cares about even the most minuscule things.

TOMORROW – I’ll tell you about our trip to Green Gables.