Book Review and Giveaway: The Essence of Humility By: Lynn U. Watson On tour with Celebrate LIt

About the Book

Title: The Essence of Humility

Author: Lynn U. Watson

Genre: Devotional

Release date: January, 2019

We live in a culture overwhelmed with disrespect, egos, entitlement, rudeness, and offense — lives focused on self, rather than God or others.

The Bible defines love in 1 Corinthians 13. Every descriptive word included in the list whispers humility.

Patience — humility Kindness — humility

Not rude — humility Not arrogant — humility

Rejoices in truth — humility No envious or boastful — humility

Not irritable — humility Keeps no record of wrong — humility

Jesus entered our world and walked among us. He placed no importance on rank or position. Jesus life reflected love because it reflected humility, and He invites us to live and love like Him.

Journey with our hostess, Cinnamah-Brosia and her friends at The Coffee Cottage. They lead us on a journey to meet real life people — our contemporaries and those on the pages of God’s word, who encountered the same real life challenges you and I face each day. Learn the blessings of a life lived like Jesus lived —- with love and humility.

Click here to purchase your copy!

About the Author

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Lynn Watson combines many years’ experience in women’s ministry, love of essential oils, and her passion for God’s word to bring her readers freshly inspired encouragement for their walk with Jesus. Her devotional, The Essence of Courage, was recognized as a ‘must read’ by regional publishing industry leaders. Married since 1973, Lynn and Steve have filled their Bartlett, Tennessee home with handmade treasures and lots of love for family, especially their five beautiful (of course) grandchildren. Aromas of freshly baked bread often fill Lynn’s kitchen. Jasmine, her tuxedo kitty, enjoys sleeping in Lynn’s lap while she writes.

Guest post from Lynn

My first lesson in humility for Volume 3 of Cinnamah-Brosia’s Inspirational Collection came from an assumption. Right. Those are never a grand idea.

When God spoke to me about writing this book, he clearly gave me the subject: Love. I immediately headed to 1 Corinthians 13 – The Love Chapter of the Bible. Of course the book’s title would be The Essence of Love. The end material of The Essence of Joy announced the new “Love” title coming in 2018.

And God laughed. I read 1 Corinthians 13 over and over again. It whispered “humility” over and over again. I called my dear friend – the one I consult with on every one of these books – and said, “You know what? Listen to this. Love is patient – humility. Love is kind – humility. Love is not arrogant – humility. You get the idea. Every single line of this beautiful passage comes down to the barest bones: humility.”

We both laughed a little, too. And we thanked God He clarified His instructions.

To live and love like Jesus requires us to humbly trust God and to humbly serve others.

In Philippians 2, the Apostle Paul presents a lengthy discourse on the humility of Christ. It begins like this:

If then there is any encouragement in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by thinking the same way, having the same love, sharing the same feelings, focusing on one goal. Do nothing out of rivalry or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. Everyone should look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.

~Philippians 2:1-4 (HCSB)

The title morphed to The Essence of Humility. I placed the focus on common everyday botanicals and plants – those familiar to us today – for this third volume in the collection. The fun came as I dug the plants from Scripture. I pray you enjoy the connections as much as I did uncovering them and connecting them to Jesus’ life, and to a whole list of characters who lived on the pages of the Bible, along with our contemporaries here in the 21st century.

Thank you for choosing The Essence of Humility. So very many titles out there shout to be read. I am humbled for you to spend time with me here. I have prayed for every one of you.

Copyright 2018, Lynn U. Watson

My Thoughts

This is the first thing that I have read by this author -and it was just what I needed. The way the author weaves in personal experience along with strong biblical truth. Since I had not read any of the previous books, I was glad that there was a "bio" of the character. I also enjoyed the thought provoking questions to dig deeper with your relationship with Christ. I enjoyed reading this book. I was provided a copy of this book through the Celebrate Lit blogging program all thoughts are my own. 

Blog Stops

Carpe Diem, January 24

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, January 25

Splashes of Joy, January 25

A Reader’s Brain, January 26

Bibliophile Reviews, January 27

A Baker’s Perspective, January 28

Creating Romance, January 29

Mary Hake, January 29

Aryn The Libraryan, January 30

Texas Book-aholic, January 30

Older & Smarter?, January 31

The Becca Files, February 1

Godly Book Reviews, February 1

Pause for Tales, February 2

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, February 2

Janices book reviews, February 3

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, February 4

Through the Lens of Scripture, February 5

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, February 6

Bigreadersite, February 6

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Lynn is giving away a grand prize of a wire basket that includes a hand-stamped “Gratitude, Kindness, Humility, Love” spoon necklace, Hillhouse Naturals fresh Linen hand lotion, locally hand-crafted Lavender-Eucalyptus body and foot scrub, embroidered “Love One Another” hand towel (nice ‘n soft), cozy Chamomile herbal tea, and a paperback copy of The Essence of Humility!!

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/d93b/the-essence-of-humility-celebration-tour-giveaway

Children's Book Reviews! New Growth Press

I recently got the opportunity to review several children's books courtesy of New Growth Press. We were super excited to get these books. The books that will be reviewed are:

• God Made Me and You by Shai Linne
• God Counts by Irene Sun
• Buster’s Ears Trip Him Up by Edward T. Welch
• Jax’s Tail Twitches by David Powlison
• Zoe’s Hiding Place by David Powlison

GOD MADE ME AND YOU: CELEBRATING GOD'S DESIGN FOR ETHNIC DIVERSITY

by Shai Linne

ABOUT THE BOOK: 

This beautifully illustrated children’s book invites kids to explore God’s design for ethnic diversity and challenges readers—both parents and children—to learn and live out counter-cultural, biblical views, fostering a lifelong celebration of diversity for the glory of God. Designed for four- to eleven-year-olds, God Made Me and You by Shai Linne is the second book in the God Made Me series, starting with God Made All of Me by Justin and Lindsey Holcomb.

Because Scripture teaches that ethnic diversity is not something that should be tolerated but rather enthusiastically embraced, Christian hip hop artist Shai Linne helps children, parents, and caregivers to celebrate this biblical truth through a lyrical, rhyming style and colorful illustrations.

God Made Me and You is an approachable guide for families to begin conversations about cultivating a God’s perspective on ethnic diversity, confronting the sins of racism, bigotry, and ethnic pride.

Because children learn from family members, media, or peers, parents and caretakers have a responsibility to teach their children what God has to say about the beauty of diversity in his image-bearers, with a particular focus on ethnic diversity.

This colorful and compelling children’s book serves as a resource and lifelong gift for children and parents, helping families understand diversity from a biblical perspective and with a clear picture of the beauty and glory of God.

MY THOUGHTS:

This was a great conversation starter. It was a great way to show the boys that God made us all different, yet we are all made in his image. This book is such a great way to introduce kids to diversity. Beautifully written and illustrated. The boys really loved this book. 

I received a copy of this book through New Growth Press, all thoughts are my own. 

ABOUT THE BOOK:
In this engaging, illustrated children's book by Irene Sun, young readers learn how numbers declare the glory of God, discovering Bible stories and the truth, beauty, and goodness of our sovereign God through numbers and patterns. With countable illustrations and an easy-to-learn structure, children who are always seeking, finding, tracing, and counting numbers will be captivated by God Counts.

MY THOUGHTS:

This book is super cute. My 5 year old was captivated by the pictures and story. He is in kindergarten and this book helped with his numbers. God has given us great beauty in his world - and this book is a great reminder of it. 

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Buster was sure he was the fastest bunny in the meadow. But during a race at summer camp, nothing goes as planned and Buster gets tripped up. After his epic fall, his older sister, Ivy, helps him see that failure is an opportunity to grow. As Buster remembers God’s love, he is able to let go of others’ opinions and accept that it is okay to try your best but not always be the best. Edited by Edward T. Welch, Buster’s Ears Trip Him Up ends with a special section that guides parents in teaching children how the gospel of Jesus Christ comforts and sustains us through failure and turns our focus away from ourselves and toward others. Also included is a tear-out page of Back Pocket Bible Verses that will remind children and adults of God’s love and help for those who get tripped up.

A new series of hardback, illustrated children’s books for three-to eight-year-olds—each centered on an animal family—bring gospel help and biblical counsel to families. The animal characters, colorful illustrations, and the real-life issues each animal family face will captivate children. The first three books address anxiety, anger, and failure bringing biblical help and hope to issues every child faces. The last page of each book contains information for parents on how God, in his Word, helps children apply biblical truth to specific issues. Together children and parents will be guided by the stories into meaningful conversations about living by faith in the details of everyday life.

MY THOUGHTS:

This book is one of our new favorite books.  My kids have dealt with other's opinions being pushed on them. It is a great reminder of how we need to be concerned with God's opinion of us - and not others. The boys loved this book - and they loved the animals. As a parent I loved how it tackled real world issues in a fun Godly way. 

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Everyone gets frustrated when something important to them goes wrong. In Jax’s Tail Twitches, the whole Squirrel family ends up out of sorts when acorn gathering doesn’t go according to plan. Although Papa, Mama, Jax, and Caspian Squirrel all get angry, they also learn about the power of saying sorry, seeking forgiveness, remembering God’s words, and praying together. Edited by David Powlison, Jax’s Tail Twitches ends with a special section that guides parents in teaching children how the gospel of Jesus Christ changes how we respond when life goes wrong. Also included is a tear-out page of Back Pocket Bible Verses that will help children and adults remember to turn to God for help when they are angry.

MY THOUGHTS:

LIke the book before this - this was a huge help in teaching the boys about how to handle their anger and frustration. Life is hard. It does not always go the way we want it to. I love that these lessons are taught through scripture and with adorable animal characters. 

ABOUT THE BOOK: 

This beautifully illustrated book invites children to remember that the Lord is near when they are anxious. Zoe, a fearful mouse, is worried about a class trip. As she talks with her parents, Zoe realizes that she can turn to God for help. Papa Mouse gives her a verse from the “Great Book” that she can read when she is afraid. She learns that she can tell God all about her fears, and he will comfort her. Also included is a tear-out page of “Back Pocket Bible Verses” that will give children a practical way to remember God’s words when they are afraid.

MY THOUGHTS:

With two kids that have been afraid of the dark - this was a great help to the boys. God will always calm our fears with his perfect love. God is love. 

I really enjoyed reviewing these books - the boys enjoyed reading these books. 

BOOK REVIEW: The Biggest Win By: Joshua Cooley

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Foreword by Carson Wentz, Nick Foles, Zach Ertz, Trey Burton, Jordan Hicks, and Chris Maragos.

The Biggest Win gives athletes and sports fans of all ages a unique, insider s look into the lives and faith of six Christian NFL players from the 2017 Philadelphia Eagles Super Bowl team Carson Wentz, Nick Foles, Zach Ertz, Trey Burton, Jordan Hicks, and Chris Maragos. Through the ups and downs of their experiences, author Joshua Cooley shows how these high-profile athletes remain committed to God s Word, genuine Christian discipleship, and sharing their faith. Using their voices and stories, The Biggest Win gives sports-minded readers hope and direction for living out their faith while competing.

The Biggest Win is ideal for pastors, youth, and college leaders to use as a small group resource with students interested in sports. Questions at the end of every chapter will spark helpful conversations about living by faith as an athlete and fan. It is a MUST for coaches to use with every Christian youth sports and school teams. See your youth athletes faith grow as they hear and learn from the amazing stories of these Super Bowl Champions. Also a perfect book for men s church groups.

The Biggest Win combines biblical truths with practical direction on issues that every Christian faces including dealing with adversity, competition, change, success, failure, and how to thrive by faith in a pressurized world. Encouraging male and female athletes in any sport, The Biggest Win guides them in finding their ultimate identity in Christ, not their athletic achievements, and assures them that their greatest prize is eternal life.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Joshua Cooley is the children’s ministry director at Covenant Life Church in Gaithersburg, Md., a freelance writer and a former fulltime sports writer/editor with a journalism degree from Liberty University. His freelance work has been featured in a variety of publications, including Sports Illustrated, Sports Spectrum, FCA Magazine, Focus on the Family’s Thriving Family Magazine, Bethesda Magazine, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Baltimore Sun and The Orlando Sentinel. He has written for teenagers and children in Highlights, Breakaway, Brio, Clubhouse and Susie magazines. Joshua also has co-written two other books: The One-Year Sports Devotions For Kids (with Tyndale House Publishers) and Playing With Purpose: Inside the Lives and Faith of the Major Leagues’ Top Players. He lives with his wife and four daughters in Germantown, Md.

MY THOUGHTS:

I am a huge Cleveland Browns fan. That being said I am used to my share of heartache. I know that so many football players crash and burn. Fame gets to them. They get caught up about having all the money. This was a very refreshing read. It was nice to read about top players that have put God first and have been able to be huge influencer because of their career. I love that the players shared their favorite scriptures and Godly examples. This is a must read for any sports fan

I received a copy of this book through New Growth Press, all thoughts are my own. 

Package From Santa Review

Dear Parents... Why a Personalized Letter from Santa?

Do you want your child's face to light up in amazement when they get a personalized letter from Santa Claus? Of course you do!

Some of my fondest childhood memories of Santa Claus are extremely vivid and bring me happiness and joy to this day.

My parents actually took the time to create a Santa letter, trying to create it to look as authentic as letters from Santa Claus should look. They even took the time to make Santa's signature look real and use a green envelope. All for the love of witnessing my joy as I received the Santa letter in the mail.

Yes, I remember it like it was yesterday. Just the fact that I received mail was a huge thrill! But the fact that it was from Santa Claus made it just too good to be true. The Santa letter even mentioned my name...wow! It was a priceless moment for my parents as they watched the fantasy of Santa Claus unfold.

The experience and memories of a good Santa letter can last a lifetime, for both the child and the parents.

Every child WANTS to believe, but let's face it, the kids today are much smarter and often demand more proof than just simple letters from Santa. Even if letters from Santa Claus did work, the time it takes just to create one, get the envelopes, paper, stamps, and ensure it's properly mailed can be more time than the average parent even has. Believable Letters from Santa can be a ton of hard work.

What if there was a simple, inexpensive way for today's parents to ensure that Santa Claus remains a strong belief in everybody's heart...young and old?

MY REVIEW

This is a super cute way to brighten your kids day. When we got the package they were so thrilled. The packaging is unbelieveable. There are so many different letters that you can choose from, preview it before you purchase it and everything that comes is high quality. 

The boys were so happy when they opened it. They had been having a bad day and were thrilled to know they were still on the nice list. 

This will be something that I will order every year. It will become a Christmas tradition. 

I received this product courtesy of www.packagefromsanta.com and through the USFamilyguide blogger network. All thoughts are my own. 

Order:: HERE

Ellie Claire Journey Review

Recently I had the opportunity to review three beautiful Ellie Claire journals. I was thrilled for the opportunity. I had not heard of Ellie Claire before this. They are beautiful journals to help you engage deeper in your spirital walk. 

You can see the full selection: Here

Faith & Lettering Journal

The perfect resource to discover and develop your own personal style for lettering and illustrating your faith.

New from professional letterer Krystal Whitten! With guides, instructions, and tutorials, this is a fun and inspiring way to create beauty with words. It is the perfect place for journalers to practice Bible journaling, lettering quotes and verses, or decorating a page with original thoughts and plans. Exploring your God-given creativity has never been so rewarding.

MY THOUGHTS: 

This is a beautiful journal. It helps guide you step by step how to create beautiful lettering. I am not an artist by any means. I can barely draw stick figures. However this journal helped create beautiful letters. I liked that there was alot of space that you can practice on. Another positive thing that this journal has is that it lays flat. Which made it a lot easier to practice. Sometimes with books when you get close to the center you can't make it as nice. 

The Illustrated Word: An Illuminated Bible Coloring Journal 

Glorious illustrations from ancient manuscripts recreated as line drawings for the reader to color.

Create your own masterpiece with this journal that has forty glorious illustrations from ancient manuscripts that have been recreated as line drawings. Just as medieval monks brought Scripture to life through intricate inked illustrations in handwritten manuscripts hundreds of years ago, you can now create your own stunning keepsake that will be treasured for years to come.

MY THOUGHTS: 

This journal is breath-takingly beautiful. It has lined pages and colored pictures that are pulled from the Museum of the Bible. The pages are so beautiful that you do not want to write in it. I used this journal for my morning quiet time. I like writing out what God is teaching me and it gave me plenty of space to write it all out. 

Illuminate Your Story Journal

Use this almost-lost art of illuminating letters to enhance your writing, Bible journaling, or sermon note-taking. Rich illustrated manuscripts in the Museum of the Bible's collection inspired these gorgeous letters. Easy to follow instructions, practice pages, and encouragements guide you through the creation of amazing start letters, flourishes, and more.

HIGHLIGHTS:

Cloth spine opens for lay-flat journaling; Elastic pen loop on spine; High-quality, non-bleed paper; Uplifting, inspirational quotes sprinkled throughout; Drawing guides, grid background practice pages, plus lined pages for journaling; Ribbon marker, pocket, elastic band closure

MY THOUGHTS: 

This is another beautiful journal that will help you develop skills to expand your journaling. I really liked the color fonts and the ability to practice what they are showing you. This is a great tool if you want to dive deeper into it. I did have to practice on other paper first, since I am not a expert journaler. This would make a great gift for anyone that loves to journal. 

Disclosure:

I received the journals from Worthy Publishing through FlyBy Promotions. However, I was under no obligation to post a review.

Review: Bodyguard for Christmas by Carol J. Post

About the Book:

Someone’s after his little boy. 

She has one chance to save them both.

When his young son is nearly kidnapped, assistant district attorney Colton Gale needs a Christmas refuge—and a live-in bodyguard. Though former military police officer Jasmine McNeal fights to shield them 24/7, she refuses to get attached. But growing close to the little boy and his father might be her only shot at keeping them alive—and becoming a family beyond the holidays.

About the Author: 

From medical secretary to court reporter to property manager to owner of a special events decorating company, Carol’s resume reads as if she doesn’t know what she wants to be when she grows up. But one thing that has remained constant through the years is her love for writing. She currently pens fun and fast-paced inspirational romance and romantic suspense stories. Her books have been nominated for a RITA® award and an RT Reviewers’ Choice Best Book Award.

Carol lives in sunshiny Central Florida with her husband, who is her own real-life hero, and writes her stories under the shade of the huge oaks in her yard. Besides writing, she works alongside her music minister husband singing and playing the piano. She enjoys sailing, hiking, camping—almost anything outdoors. Her two grown daughters and grandkids live too far away for her liking, so she now pours all that nurturing into taking care of a fat and sassy black cat and a highly spoiled dachshund.

Find out more at her website: HERE

My Thoughts

WOW. That is what my reaction was when I finished this book. This book is the 3rd in this series, but can be read as a stand alone. In this story, you meet Colton a widower with a young son. He lost his wife and is raising Liam on his own. Liam has stopped talking. Colton is a assistant district attorney who given the nature of his career, has made some enemies. SO much so that someone has tried to kidnap his son. Enter Jasmine. She is a former military police officer. She has a hurtful past. She does not have a relationship with Jesus.

This book is such a great reminder of how God will always protect us. How God never leaves us or forsakes us. 

This book is a story filled with twists and turns. It had me on the edge of my seat. The author has created well written characters. You can feel their pain. I have been a fan of her book's for awhile. 

I received a copy of this book through the author, all thoughts are my own. 

REVIEW: BELOVED Teen Devotional

About the Book:

Beloved: 365 Devotions for Young Women is a topical devotional that uses the inspiring stories of girls and women in the Bible—such as Ruth, Esther, Mary, and Abigail—to encourage faith and confidence as well as provide insight into topics like relationships, inner beauty, and chasing your dreams.

Each day features an easy-to-read, relevant devotion paired with a scripture verse about a Biblical girl or woman, as well as journaling space to help readers reflect on the day’s message. With honest, poignant, and sometimes humorous text, every page will speak to the pressures and changes girls face, giving them real-world applications to find God in their hearts and in their lives. Perfect for everyday use, Beloved will resonate with girls searching for truth and guidance.

My Thoughts:

When I received a copy of this book I was thrilled to go through it with my 17 year old daughter. We had been looking for a good devotion for her. This was a great book to read and discuss. We both would read the days devotion, pray over it and discuss it through out the day. Each day is a page long. It starts with a verse or two and gives a great and valuable lesson. I love that this teaches young women their self worth in Christ and not the world. This is such an important message for today. I would say that this book is geared toward 16-19, but was enjoyed by all women. I know that I enjoyed each day

I receieved a copy of this book courtesty of the publisher and FlyBy promotions. All thoughts are my own. 

Buy it here: Here