Wednesday, September 23, 2020

Book Review and Giveaway --- Different Like Me Author: Xochitl Dixon On Tour with Celebrate Lit

About the Book

Book: Different Like Me

Author: Xochitl Dixon

Genre: Children’s Picture Book

Release Date: August 4, 2020

Celebrate our differences and uncover what we have in common on this whimsical journey that reminds everyone that no matter how different, all of us are a part of God’s wonderful creation.

Whether in looks, cultural background, physical prowess, or academic excellence, there are no two children exactly alike. Different Like Me helps them know that being unique is good and that God has made them as they are for a purpose.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Xochitl Dixon, author of Waiting for God: Trusting Daily in God’s Plan and Pace and the children’s picture book, Different Like Me, serves as a regular contributor to Our Daily Bread and Guideposts’ All God’s Creatures. She equips and encourages others to grow closer to God and others, nurturing spiritual growth through prayerful study and application of Scripture. Sharing God’s truth and love to the ends of the earth, she enjoys serving Jesus with her service dog, Callie. She likes singing, art, photography, hanging out with her husband, Alan, and sons, AJ and Xavier, and connecting with readers at www.xedixon.com.

More from Xochitl

Why I Wrote Different Like Me

What are you?

That question used to trigger anger, frustration, and sadness, especially when people responded in disbelief because my answer didn’t fit the stereotypes they’d accepted as truth. My insecurities deepened, causing me to hate my own light-but-not-white reflection. Years later, when I became a mom of two black sons, I didn’t want them to suffer similar insecurities. I didn’t want them to think their worth as people could be determined by the opinions, expectations, or biases of others. I wanted my sons to love God, to love the way God created them, and to love all the people God created. But my desires and best-intentions couldn’t protect them the ignorance and hate so prevalent in our fallen world.

One day, during a trip to an ice cream shop, an adult male glared at my five-year-old son and said, “What are you?” The sting of his words ripped the scar off the wound on my heart that I thought had healed.

Asking God to help me forgive, I sought ways to help my sons rejoice in their uniqueness and God’s creativity in designing all of His people. While studying my Bible, I began learning how to embrace my identity in Christ. The more I learned about God’s love for me, the more I began to accept I worth loving and the more I began to love others.

I wrote Different Like Me in 2001, shortly after receiving Jesus as my Lord and Savior. Originally, I had planned to use the poem to teach my sons how to celebrate our differences and our sameness as God’s beautifully diverse and purposefully connected people. But the Lord kept nudging me to share the story with others.

In 2016, my agent and an editor read Different Like Me, loved it, but couldn’t move forward with publication. The following year, I signed a contract for my first full-length devotional, Waiting for God: Trusting Daily in God’s Plan and Pace. I set Different Like Me aside as I worked on the other projects the Lord had entrusted to me.

In 2018, shortly after submitting Waiting for God to my editor at Our Daily Bread Publishing, my agent and the editor who had loved Different Like Me in 2016 surprised me with two contract offers.

I scrambled to prepare my first children’s picture book proposal with the help of my friend and prolific children’s book author, Crystal Bowman. I submitted the proposal to several editors before prayerfully deciding to accept a contract from Our Daily Bread Publishing.

Then, I began praying for an illustrator who would avoid stereotypes and include children with special needs as heroes, not sideline characters. Bonnie Lui did a fabulous job. She weaved her own beautiful story into the gorgeous illustrations that breathe life into the whimsical rhyming text I’d written almost two decades earlier. Bonnie even created a character inspired by my service dog, Callie, a Border Collie/Hound mix we’d rescued in 2018 from a kill-shelter after God moved us from California to Wisconsin.

Earlier this year, as I prepared for the August 2020 release of Different Like Me, tragedy divided our world. I truly believe God delayed my path to publication so that He could prepare hearts to receive the message of love, unity, peace, and hope that He has brought to life through each page of Different Like Me.

My Thoughts

This is such an adorable book that reminds us that we are ALL made in HIS Image. That we are all unique and beautiful. I read this book to my 9 and 7 year old boys. It was the perfect book to read to them while all this chaos is going on. One reminder that I made sure to drive home is: We may all look different on the outside, but God designed us all to have the same set of emotions on the inside.I always tell my children, that God gave you many talents and made you like noone else - you want to embrace that. What you do with your talents is your gift to God. This book is beautifully illustrated, it has amazing pictures.

I received a copy of this book through the Celebrate Lit blogging program, all thoughts are my own.

Blog Stops

Inklings and notions, September 14

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 15

Texas Book-aholic, September 16

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, September 17

Splashes of Joy, September 18

deb’s Book Review, September 18

For Him and My Family, September 19

A Reader’s Brain, September 20

Simple Harvest Reads, September 21 (Guest Review from Joni Truex)

Mary Hake, September 21

Book Love, September 22 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Ashley’s Bookshelf, September 23

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, September 24

Artistic Nobody, September 25

Book Bites, Bee Stings, & Butterfly Kisses, September 25

Locks, Hooks and Books, September 26

Sara Jane Jacobs, September 27

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Xochitl is giving away the grand prize package of a signed copy of Different Like Me with a bookmark, sticker, coloring page with a 4-pack of crayons, a key chain, a fish-out-of-water finger puppet, lollipop, and book bag, as well as a $25.00 Amazon gift card to encourage readers to build up their collection children’s picture books that celebrate diversity!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/100e3/different-like-me-celebration-tour-giveaway

Tuesday, September 22, 2020

Book Review and Giveaway --- W!se Parenting Author: Drs. Gil and Dana Stieglitz On Tour with Celebrate Lit

About the Book

Book: W!se Parenting

Author: Drs. Gil and Dana Stieglitz

Genre: Christian Living

Release Date: August 15, 2020

Let’s face it—parenting is hard!

In fact, many parents agree it’s the hardest job they’ve ever had to do. Did you know there are specific reasons why some families do well and others come unglued? Wise Parenting: Creating the Joy of Family offers parents in all stages of parenthood the six essential ingredients that successful and joy-filled families all seem to have. This is more than just another parenting book—this is a book of hope, as well as a practical guide for success in some of the most difficult parenting areas.

For over three decades, Dr. Gil Stieglitz has worked with countless parents and teens involving family issues. He began to see a pattern emerge between families who “did it right” and the absence of that pattern in families who came apart. He, along with his wife, Dana Stieglitz, put this pattern into practice while raising their three daughters. Today, they share an uncommon depth of relationship and joy with each of them. Now they are passing this pattern on to you, so you can create a truly enjoyable family.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Dana Stieglitz has a Doctor of Nursing Practice from Samuel Merritt University. She works as Nurse Practitioner in a Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation practice located in Sacramento, CA. Together, they have raised three beautiful young women who exemplify the Six R’s in their own unique ways. For more information and to check out their other books, visit www.ptlb.com or Amazon.com.

More from Dana and Gil

I can remember thirty years ago, when my wife and I had our first child, we picked up a mentor couple who was there to guide us through the first few years of the parenting process. Their guidance and support made all the difference in our parenting, helping us to be more confident in loving, directing, and guiding our baby daughter.

As our other two girls were born, we went to more parenting workshops and gathered more mentor couples. We also read, studied, and devoured all that the Scriptures had to say about the parenting process, especially the book of Proverbs. Another time, when my sister thought I was being too strict with the girls, she recommended a wonderful book that was helpful to us. All the different advice these mentors gave us and the various resources they offered were invaluable. We would have been lost without their help, not knowing what to do in so many situations. It really does take a village to raise kids wisely.

I am confident that God will guide every parent if they are looking for His wisdom. I am hopeful that my collection of all the wisdom we received over the years, and the scriptural underpinnings, will help you in the stretching, delightful, marathon-process of parenting your children. We truly did have a great time. Our kids were not easy but they were wonderful. And just so you know, we actually did have a staff meeting every week to talk through the six key R’s to try and stay ahead of our kids. I hope that this book acts like a gentle encourager on your parenting journey.

My Thoughts

I have 4 children. They are 22, 19, 9 and 7. The older two are girls, the bottom two are boys. I like to describe parenting as: Being pecked to death by chickens. I feel that my 4 children are all vastly different. I was never one to read parenting books. However, I also did not think that I would be divorced from my boys father and remarried and all the chaos that goes along with that. This book came along at the right time. This book gives great foundations and approaches to parenting. One of the big things they focus on is the 6 "R's" Relationship, Respect, Resources, Rules, Routine, and Responsibility. I feel like the part that got me the most, was when my 7 year old (who has some sensory issues) and I battled all night. Once I got him into bed - I sat down to read this book. One of the questions that the author's ask is: Relationship: Is love flowing between us and all the children. This part was what I call a God 2x4. Where God has clearly been trying to tell me something - and I don't seem to get it.... until I am smacked in the face about this. I sat there and asked myself. Does my 7 year old know that I love him so much. It was at this moment, I got up, went into his bedroom and told him how much I loved him. I told him while I understood he was very overwhelmed (School had just started back and it's hard after being out for 6 months) that I was going to help him navigate. He gave me the biggest hug. This book breaks down the parenting fundamentals and backs it up with God's truth. It is perfect for ALL ages of parenting.

I received a copy of this book through the Celebrate Lit Blogging program - all thoughts are my own.

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 12

Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, September 13 (Author Interview)

deb’s Book Review, September 13

Texas Book-aholic, September 14

Inklings and notions, September 15

Stories By Gina, September 16 (Author Interview)

For Him and My Family, September 17

Locks, Hooks and Books, September 18

Artistic Nobody, September 19 (Guest Review from Joni Truex)

Ashley’s Bookshelf, September 20

Adventures of a Travelers Wife, September 21 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, September 21

Sara Jane Jacobs, September 22

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, September 23

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, September 24

Spoken from the Heart, September 25

Giveaway

To celebrate their tour, Dana and Gil are giving away the grand prize package of a $50 Amazon gift card and a set of parenting books!! (including W!se Parenting)

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/10099/w-se-parenting-celebration-tour-giveaway

Thursday, September 17, 2020

Book Review and Giveaway --- The Peacemaker -- By Elisabeth Bennet -- On Tour with Celebrate Lit

About the Book

Book: The Peacemaker

Author: Elisabeth Bennet

Genre: Christian Living

Release Date: September 8, 2020

The Enneagram is an ancient personality typology using nine points within a circle to represent nine distinct personality types. This sixty-day devotional is for the Peacemaker, number 9 of the Enneagram personality types. This devotional will help Peacemakers, and those who love them, to better understand how God created them and how best to use their unique gifts to serve Him and love others. It features a full explanation of what the Enneagram is and how it benefits people, followed by a full description of what it means to be a 9, including their deadly sin, sloth, and their greatest strength, their gut feelings. Also covered are motivations, fears, childhood wounds, the lost message they long to hear, their deadly sin, and defense mechanisms, as well as common subtypes, wings, and where they are in the head/heart/gut triad. The sixty days are split into six 10-day topics that include uniqueness, weakness, strength, pain points, and how Peacemakers react in times of stress and growth.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Elisabeth Bennett first discovered the Enneagram in the summer of 2017 and immediately realized how life-changing this tool could be. She set out to absorb all she could about this ancient personality typology, including a twelve-week Enneagram Certification course taught by Beth McCord, who has studied the Enneagram for more than twenty-five years. Elisabeth started her own Enneagram Instagram account (@Enneagram.Life) in 2018, which has grown to more than 55,000 followers. Since becoming a certified Enneagram coach, Elisabeth has conducted more than one hundred one-on-one coaching sessions, focused on helping her clients find their type and apply the Enneagram to their lives for personal and spiritual growth. She has also conducted staff/team building sessions for businesses and high school students. She has lived in beautiful Washington State her entire life and now has the joy of raising her own children there with her husband, Peter.

Endorsement for The Peacemaker

“Elisabeth has written a delightful devotional full of important information for those who want to grow in their own self-awareness and relationship with Christ. I highly recommend reading this book so you can experience transformation on a much deeper level that will bring about the change you desire in life.” —Beth McCord, YourEnneagramCoach.com, author of 10 Enneagram books

“I have been craving a devotional that would not only strengthen my relationship with Christ, but also authentically ‘get me’ as an Enneagram four. This simply knocks that out of the water. I find that, as a four, it’s hard to conform and give in to a generic devotional, and this is anything but that. Beautifully constructed for my four heart.” —Audrey Bailey, artist, mental heatlh advocate, creator of Brush and Barley digital brand (@BrushandBarley)

My Thoughts

I was not familiar with what an Enneagram was before reading this book. I had to do a little research to make sure that I fully understood what an Enneagram is. I do love how God gave us all unique personalities - and this helps you to how to understand how God created, the peacemaker. This book is packed full of information. According the the Enneagram, there are 9 different unique personalities. This book focuses on Personality #9 - which is the peacemaker. I am not sure where I would fall on these traits, but I can think of a few in my family that I feel would be a peacemaker. This is a 60 day devotion that should be unpacked in that time frame. Don't rush through it so that you can take in all that it has to offer.

The author has done incredible research and studies on the Enneagram. She knows her subject material, and I feel that her writing was God led.

I received a copy of this book through the Celebrate Lit Blogging program - all thoughts are my own.

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, September 16

Mary Hake, September 16

Sara Jane Jacobs, September 17

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, September 18

A Reader’s Brain, September 19

Texas Book-aholic, September 20

deb’s Book Review, September 20

Inklings and notions, September 21

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, September 22

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 23

Sodbusterliving, September 24

For Him and My Family, September 25

Artistic Nobody, September 26 (Guest Review from Joni Truex)

Locks, Hooks and Books, September 27

Ashley’s Bookshelf, September 28

CarpeDiem, September 28

Spoken from the Heart, September 29

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Elisabeth is giving away the grand prize package of a $20 Starbucks gift card and a copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/100e5/the-peacemaker-celebration-tour-giveaway

Wednesday, September 16, 2020

Book Review and Giveaway - Second Chance at Love Author: Shirley Quiring Mozena, co-authored with James P. Mozena --- ON Tour with Celebrate Lit

About the Book

Book: A Second Chance at Love

Author: Shirley Quiring Mozena, co-authored with James P. Mozena

Genre: Non-fiction

Release Date: July, 2020

Whether your marriage was blissful or challenging, lengthy or short, it didn’t end the way you imagined. Regardless of how you found yourself without a life partner, you may be at a point where you’d like to experience the love of a spouse again. Authors Shirley and Jim Mozena experienced devastating losses and then struggles in their relationships before finding renewed love with each other, and in Second Chance at Love they offer their insights to these difficult questions:

Are you really ready?
Is now the time?
How do you know if you’ve found the right one?
Is the potential pain of losing another spouse worth it?

The authors approach their answers with practical reality and their own vulnerability. They share the experiences of their first marriages, their second marriages, their journeys through what seemed like devastating losses, and the gifts of finding love and another chance to share their lives with a spouse after death and divorce.

In addition to the down-to-earth guidance on the situations you face when considering marrying again, Shirley and Jim have created valuable questionnaires to identify issues and facilitate discussions with potential mates. The information contained in this book will give you confidence and peace as you navigate these hopeful waters.

Click here to get your copy of the book!

About the Authors

Shirley Quiring Mozena is a speaker for Stonecroft Ministries and publishes a weekly blog on encouragement and hope. She and her husband, Jim, facilitate GriefShare, where they work with those grieving the loss of a loved one in death. Shirley has also written Second Chances at Life and Love, with Hope and Beyond Second Chances: Heartbreak to Joy.

James (Jim) P. Mozena was owner and president of Mozena Consulting Group (MCG Inc.) for thirty years. He has taught university business classes and authored four books on improving organizational performance.

More from Shirley and Jim

Did you know remarriage is on the rise for Americans aged 55 years or older—widowed or divorced? Author Shirley Quiring Mozena, with her husband Jim, know the demands of remarriage, blending families from divorce and being widowed. They came from long and enduring marriages and found marriage to be fulfilling. They discovered that in spite of their love for each other, there were challenges before their wedding took place.

Together they wrote Second Chance at Love. Join them as they share their joys, sorrows, and even misfires in pursuing a marriage partner. This book will show you through their own experiences through divorce and widowhood what’s important in what a couple might face in second or third marriages.

My Thoughts

This book is most definitely geared toward those that are older then me. I am not a widow. However, this book is a great book to read if you have lost a spouse. This book is full of personal joys and sorrows that go along with the loss of a spouse and the paths you will navigate. I love how they use their personal experiences. It always makes me feel closer to the author when they share their real life experience. The book opens up with Shirley sharing her experience losing her husband. She also shares how she was widowed a 2nd time. I cannot imagine losing my husband, but then losing the man I married afterwards also. Jim also shares his experience of losing his wife. My heart broke when I read about their spouses final moments. It felt real. I liked how the authors share their story about ones they met that did not work out. How the red flags were there. There is even a questionnaire you can take to see if the person you are dating is right for you. This book would be a good widows study book. There is a lot to unpack and can really speak to those who have lost spouses (no matter what state they are at)

I received a copy of this book through the Celebrate Lit Blogging program - all thoughts are my own.