Happily Ever After: Six Secrets to a Successful Marriage By Gary Chapman Book Review

Happily Ever After is a book that helps readers to solve conflicts in their marriage. We must learn to respect and listen to our spouses. We have to give up the selfish attitude and the perception that our point of view is the only correct one. If you want to change your spouse we have to realize we can't change others. The plank must be removed from our only eyes before we try and fix someone else. Gary Chapman encouraged readers to ask their parents, God, in-laws, friends, and their spouses how they could improve their relationship in their marriage. This is where you can see your flaws and the issues that you may have that hinder your relationships from growing. Then you must work to fix the issues that you find.

An important part of the book is finding out your love language. The five love languages are gifts, acts of service, physical touch, words of affirmation, and quality time. The book will describe and give an example of how each love languages work. Once you find how you receive and feel loved you need to discover your spouse’s love language. Then if you have children you may want to find out how your children receive and feel loved. This section will greatly mend your relationships.

Happily Ever After is divided into six parts, “Everybody Wins”, “Home Improvements”, Profits Sharing”, “Now What?”, “Making Love”, and “In-Law Relationships”.  

Gary Chapman has also included discussion questions at the end of each chapter. The questions will help you to dig deeper into the book.

I would recommend this wonderful marriage book to improve and fix broken marriages. Anyone can benefit from learning their love language, their spouses, and their children love language. The book has provided me with great resources and ideas to resolve conflicts in my relationships. I have learned that I must fix and change myself before I try changing others. I am the only one that I can control. I can’t control others and their opinions. It’s important to stop arguing and listen to the other persons concerns. Marriage isn’t about being always right it’s about coming together for peace and harmony. Making love isn’t about just having sex it’s about showing each other love and respect. We have to learn to listen closely and understand how the other person feels and thinks. If you will apply these six secrets to your marriage it will change your marriage for the better. I am not married yet but when I am, I will be rereading this book to help me in my marriage. This is a great book to give to couples who are getting married or already married! I would also encourage both spouses to read the book together it help you in your marriage. Learn to enjoy each other!

Tyndale House Publishers has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book. 

If you would like to purchase a copy of Happily Ever After then check it out on Amazon.com:

http://www.amazon.com/Happily-Ever-After-Successful-Marriage/dp/141436444X/

Paper Angels: A Novel By Jimmy Wayne with Travis Thrasher

Paper Angels is a story based on the concept of the Salvation Army angel tree program. The Salvation Army angel tree program is a program that helps needy children get Christmas presents. Most of these children wouldn't be getting any presents without the help of people who care. People can pick up a paper angel from one of the Christmas paper angel trees. They buy the presents for the children out of the kindness of their hearts. They are changing lives and they don't even realize the positive impact it will have on these children. Jimmy Wayne has written this story to bring awareness to this wonderful life changing program. He was a child who was apart of the paper angel program growing up. He has witnessed the impact it had on his life and he had to share it with others. It is a fiction book but it is also based on the true meaning of the angel tree program.


Thomas Brandt is the one of the main characters in this Christmas story. Thomas has a father who is addicted to drinking alcohol. His mother got abused and hit by her husband. She eventually wised up and decided to take her two children and leave. Thomas and his sister, Sara realized that their whole lives are about to change. They move to a small trailer where they don't have very much. Thomas is also getting picked on at his new school by a bully. He wears the same clothes every day and they aren't new. He is made fun of during school and the attacks eventually escalates to online bullying.


The second main character is Kevin Morrell. His business is struggling to survive in the tough economy. His wife is having twins soon and he is about to be without a job and income. The wife sees the angel tree and talks her husband into picking an paper angel off the tree. 


Both of these familes lives are about to change forever. The story will show you the true meaning of Christmas and why it's important to be kind all year long. Everyone is hurting in some way and we can help change the world if we listen and help one another.


I immensely enjoyed reading this book. I felt changed after reading it. Kindness and love are important to have towards one another. This book is a true Christmas meaning story. But we must also keep the kindness all year long. I needed to be reminded to be thankful for what I do have. Someone always has it worst than I have. I have been blessed with so much and I need to start giving some back! This is a life humbling and awakening novel. It also has a wonderful idea on how to stop some bullying. How Thomas turns that around will touch everyone and cause them to think about their own lives. It's a true story about kindness and forgiveness. I think every teenager and adult should read Paper Angels and learn what kindness really is. This book is so good that it needs to be made into a Christmas movie in a few years! Let's really love each other and show kindness!




Salvation Army Paper Angels Interview

http://youtu.be/kmKcUngRvKU






Jimmy Wayne Interview about Paper Angels:

http://youtu.be/Sy9WQoqoiXQ


Jimmy Wayne-Paper Angels

http://youtu.be/-UVIZpRm8ks

Healing Is A Choice: Ten Decisions That Will Transform Your Life and Ten Lies That Can Prevent You From Making Them By Stephen Arterburn Book Review

In Healing Is A Choice, Stephen Arterburn teaches readers the process of healing the pain you have endured during your life. No one escapes this life without having to heal from their past. The things we go through will only make us stronger. Stephen was married to his wife for twenty years. One day she told him she wanted to get a divorce. He was deeply upset and he didn't know how the Christian community would react. This book is not just about his divorce he shared many stories and examples of healing your own personal hurts.This book will walk readers into making choices that will heal their souls. He explored ten decisions that will change your life and bring in the healing we so desperately need and want. He also revealed lies that can hinder the process of healing.






Here are some examples of the ten decisions we have to make to heal and ten lies we must resist.




Some of the ten decisions we can make are choosing to connect with people who will support and be there for us. We tend to want to put invisible walls up to protect ourselves from ever being hurt again. But that only ends up making us hurt longer and we won't heal. Another choice is feeling our lives where we can become whole again. Another choice is forgive the person who hurt us and forgiving ourselves. Holding on to the past and anger will not help us to heal and to be whole. Another choice is to take healthy risks to enjoy your life and live it to the fullest. A life changing choice is to persevere. Suicide is never the answer to life's problem. We have to make the difficult decision to never give up and to keep living our lives.




Some of the ten lies we must resist is believing that there is no hope to this life. I might as well give up and get depressed. This one is important to stay away from! God made us and we are here for a reason. We don't need to commit suicide to escape the trials of life. Another lie we must resist is time will heal us just keep living and eventually you will be whole. We must take time to heal the pain in our souls. Another choice we have to stay away from is putting up walls to protect us from anymore pain in our lives. Another choice we have to resist is believing we can't serve God while going through our pain.






Healing Is A Choice has a wonderful workout that is included in the revised and updated edition. You are encouraged to journal and answer the questions at the end of the chapters. This will help you to reinforce the knowledge you have learned. The book is quite long but it's worth reading and if it heals your life like it helped heal mine it will be worth the time and effort!  






I would recommend Healing Is A Choice to everyone! If you are struggling with forgiving others and are needing healing in your life pick up this book! The process of healing can be long but if you stick with trying to get well by using these steps it will help you immensely. The pain we have to endure will only make us withdrawn and hide. But there is a better way to live. The healed life is a life of freedom of our past and pain. We can heal our future and become free! Holding on to hurt destroys our relationships but we must connect with others and not wall them out. Life without losing doesn't exist, we all are going to be hurt and let down. We have to stand back up and try again! This book taught me to get well by making the correct choices. I had to reject the lies of Satan. He doesn't want me to get healed. But I can make the decision to go through my pain and come out on the other side stronger than before!








Stephen Arterburn also has a radio show called New Life Live. He help listeners through his radio program. If you need any help or need assist please call 1-800-NEW-LIFE.






Check out http://newlife.com/ for addition resources and information.

“I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program.”

If you would like to purchase a copy of Healing Is A Choice check out Amazon.com:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0785232435/

HELP: WORST Christmas Gifts

Hello, fellow Bloggers!!!


Please share with your friends and vote for me in the Worst Christmas gifts!!! You can vote once per day!!!

http://apps.facebook.com/radioshackholiday/contests/172068/voteable_entries/39644667 

I received a homemade Skunk, a Homemade Santa that says England, a watch that the battery was already dead, a Candy Cane door hanger, a homemade knitted hat that doesn’t hit, an abs cruncher (I don’t know what they were implying), a talking Christmas tree with a motion sensor that screams Christmas carols at you, a singing stuffed animal, a weather thermometer that moves these rain drops up and down.  But you can’t even tell what the correct temperature is. It only has 68, 72, 76, 80 degrees! I guess, the temperature can only be hot and not above 80 degrees and not under 68 degrees!

Thanks so much for your help!!!

Andrew


What are some of the worst and best gifts you have received at Christmas?

Christmas Questions

Tricia Goyer is releasing Remembering You soon and to celebrate she is doing a Christmas Contest.


If you want to participate check it out below:


http://triciagoyer.blogspot.com/2011/12/remembering-you-holiday-meme-chance-to.html



Here are my answers to these questions:


1. What's your favorite holiday song?

My favorite holiday song is Carol of the Bells. As a child, the Addam's Family Movie was the first place that introduced me to the song. I love the choir and heavenly feeling it brings. I am also glad one of my favorite artists, Mandisa recorded part of the song on her Christmas CD.


2. What's your favorite holiday tradition?

My favorite holiday tradition is putting up the tree with my mother and listening to Christmas songs.


3. If you could travel one place with an elderly family member where would you go?

I would go to Tennessee. I have always loved seeing the Smokey Mountains and Pigeon Forge. The Smokey Mountains are breathtaking and adventurous! 


4. What questions would you ask?

I would ask them about how they grew up and how they lived their life to the fullest.


5. What is a non-tangible gift have you received from an elderly relative?

I received wisdom about their life lessons and struggles they have to go through and overcome.


6. What is the best/worst/strangest gift you've received from an elderly relative?

My best gift was spending time with them and learning about their life.



Now share your answers!  

New Living Translation Giveaway

Check out the New Living Translation Facebook page and enter the Tyndale Blog Network exclusive giveaway for a chance to win some awesome prizes!!!!

Here are the NLT Facebook page giveaway details:




Starting on November 29th until December 24th at the New Living Translation Facebook page we're giving away lots of great prizes and something free for you just for singing up.




By visiting the giveaway entry page (located on the NLT Facebook page, the link is under the profile picture) and entering your name and e-mail address you'll be entered to win the following prizes:




One random person each day will win a Life Application Study Bible Family Pack (Guys Life Application Study Bible hc, Girls Life Application Study Bible hc, Student's Life Application Study Bible hc, Life Application Study Bible hc, Life Application Study Bible Large Print hc).




One Random person each week will win an Apple iPad 2!




Everyone that signs up gets a free download copy of the Life Application Bible Study – Book of Luke!



To enter click the link below:


http://www.facebook.com/NewLivingTranslation?sk=app_121121694568521

Raised Right: How I Untangled My Faith from Politics By Alisa Harris Book Review

In Raised Right, Alisa Harris described the challenges she faced with politics and her Christian Faith. She grew up homeschooled and she eventually attended Hillsdale College and received her journalism degree. Her parents taught her the importance of standing up for what you believe in. In her early childhood, her parents protested at abortion clinics and she was picketing alongside them. Alisa Harris believed in standing firm against injustice and standing up for people who didn’t have a voice. One day at a coffee shop she witnessed a nanny degrading her employee. She yelled and screamed about how bad of a job she was doing. She called her fat and other rude comments. Alisa had a hard time sitting and watching this event unfold. She gets outraged and says something in the heat of the moment. Later she found out that it was for a TV Show called, “What Would You Do”. Her part didn’t make the final cut into the hit ABC TV show. She also shared about one of her protests against the Bank Systems. Bank of America hasn’t paid taxes for a number of years. But citizens have to always pay taxes or risk breaking the law. This book is about her beliefs about politics.

This book is enlightening to read about people standing up for what they believe in. They have to risk failure and the belief that it doesn’t really matter anyway. But many are still trying to stand firm on things they think need changed. It’s important to stand up for people who aren’t able to stand up for themselves. I would recommend this book to anyone who cares about politics and has some backbone. Sitting on the sidelines can become all too easy. Her book will encourage readers to live what they believe and stand up and use your voice! Adults and teenagers will enjoy the stories that Alisa Harris shared. They will feel not so alone in their beliefs about bringing change for the American people.

“I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review”.

If you would like to purchase a copy of Raised Right: How I Untangled My Faith from Politics check it out on Amazon.com:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0307729656/


Please rate my review:

http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/bloggingforbooks/reviews/view/14593

http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/bloggingforbooks/reviews/ranking/14593

  

Read Chapter One:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/58103657/Raised-Right-by-Alisa-Harris-ch-1-excerpt