Many people have no trouble saying they follow Jesus, but what does that mean? If Jesus is an afterthought in your life, is he really a priority? Jesus should be the number one priority in our lives. Sadly, most would say our actions don’t show that. “I Surrender All” by Priscilla Shirer will help you to move beyond being a believer and become a disciple of Jesus.
Discipleship is not easy, it is a daily choice to lay down your life and follow Jesus. However, the author tells us that the few believers who do this will experience the abundance only a surrendered life can offer.
This book guides you and gives you meditation points, spaces to write, and of course things to pray about. Below you can enter a giveaway to win your own copy of “I Surrender All”. You can check out the book on Amazon. You can also see more on the publisher’s website.
From bestselling author Priscilla Shirer comes her latest work calling readers to radically follow Christ, encouraging them to not fear what following Jesus might cost them, but to fear what they are missing by withholding anything from Him.
Giveaway:
Giveaway: 1 copy of I Surrender All Lifeway Christian Resources is sponsoring a giveaway and will send a copy of “I Surrender All” to a randomly drawn winner. Winners must submit their info by 11/29 or will be disqualified. Open to US Residents Only. Enter Below. Good Luck!!!
I was thrilled to be selected to review the new film Lost on a Mountain in Maine. This movie is based on an incredible true story set in 1939. The film has the same name as the book about the inspiring story of a twelve-year-old who is separated from his father and brothers on a hike. His unbelievable will to survive for nine days on his own in hazardous conditions is beyond amazing. Sylvester Stallone who most of us know from the Rocky movies is the producer of this film.
From the start we are able to see that something is consuming the father/husband, Donald Fendler. It is evident that his boys are crying out for his approval, affection and time. In fact, at the beginning they are looking forward to going on a 2-week fishing trip.
The twin 12-year-old boys, Donn and Ryan, are coming of age and feeling their oats. They get in a few scuffles before being called into dinner where their father announces that they will not be able to go on that fishing trip because he has to work. At this, one of the twin boys, Donn, is very upset. His father says that they can go on a hike instead for a couple of days. This does not sit well with Donn and he is already resentful of the time his dad is away working.
On their way up the mountain with the son of a friend guiding them, the weather starts to change. At one point, Don says that they are not dressed for this and must head back down the mountain. Donn is very upset and tells his father that he wants to go on ahead. Donn persuades his father to let them go up twice the mountain with their guide and his father heads back down the mountain with their younger brother.
The weather gets worse and the boys get into another scuffle during which Ryan tells Donn if he wasn’t so angry that maybe their father would be around more. At that, the weather turns fierce, Donn runs off and things get chaotic. We next see dad and younger brother waiting for everyone to return. Ryan returns and tells his dad that they lost Donn.
For the next 9 days, we see how this 12-year-old boy endured incredible pain, and treacherous conditions. Donald tells his wife that he told the boys if they were ever lost in the woods to remember 3 things, never lose your head, always follow a stream and always press on. Donn remembers those three things and it saves his life.
Ruth Fendler, the boys’ mother jumped into action making calls with Ryan to the newspapers and other organizations. Before long their are volunteers from all over helping with the search. We hear from locals about how people in Maine come together and how they count on their neighbors. We also see clips of Donn’s friend, brother and mother talking about their feelings at the time.
During his time in the wilderness, Donn realizes how much he misses and cherishes his family. He also recounts how he misses his dad’s bedtime stories and how sad he was when his dad stopped reading to them. He felt bad that his dad started pushing them to be men. Meanwhile Donald tells his wife how he regrets not scooping his boys up when he returned home from work that day. He says they were so happy to see him and instead they shook hands because he wanted them to be like men. He told his wife he had failed them and she told him that he didn’t. He said he wanted a second chance.
Donald got that second chance when Donn is found. We see clips of the real life news stories and photos. We see photos of the twins at 90 celebrating a birthday. We see Donn talking about how he survived an over 80 mile trek through the mountains of Maine.
If you are looking for a movie that shows the unbelievable will to survive against all odds, this movie will not disappoint.
Enter a giveaway below for your chance to win a $10 Amazon Gift Card.
Unless you’ve lived in a cave for the last several decades, you surely recognize the dainty, sparkling bracelets we call tennis bracelets. If you are a thinker like me, you may have wondered why they’re called tennis bracelets.
I did some research and found they were originally called eternity bracelets. The name change came in the late 1970’s when Chris Evert’s eternity bracelet flew off her wrist onto the court at the 1978 US Open. The match had to be halted while the bracelet was located. The whole debacle made the world aware of this gorgeous piece of jewelry, that became known as the tennis bracelet.
Tennis bracelets come in all kinds of styles, they are so versatile, you can wear them alone or pair them with other bracelets, even bangles. Whatever your price range, you can find the right bracelet for you.
Some opt for cubic zirconia or birthstones set in sterling silver or yellow or white gold. You can even choose more economical gold-plated options. Whatever you choose, you will love that you can wear a tennis bracelet anywhere. Whether you are dressed to the nines or in sweats, tennis bracelets add just the right touch.
I like to wear several tennis bracelets together. I have some tennis bracelets with the birthstones of my children, others with sparkling cubic zirconia set in sterling silver or yellow gold. Whether I am heading out to a wedding or going apple picking, they are the perfect accessory choice. They are not cumbersome or heavy, which really appeals to me. I hate having anything clunky or distracting on my wrist.
Tennis bracelets are a great gift because their beauty and style is timeless. A tennis bracelet in the recipient’s birthstone make a beautiful birthday, graduation or Christmas gift. Get a new mom a tennis bracelet with the birthstone of her baby. What a great gift idea that is! Can you imagine having a tennis bracelet to commemorate the birth of every child? That would be amazing!
Brides look stunning with a diamond or cubic zirconia tennis bracelet that adds just the right amount of bling. Whatever the occasion, I don’t think you can go wrong with a tennis bracelet.
Let me know what you think of tennis bracelets in the comments. I would love to hear your thoughts.
I had the chance to watch the movie White Birdtoday. White Bird is a deeply moving coming-of-age story and a testament to the courage it takes to extend kindness and love during the harshest of times. White Bird’s message of kindness is so needed, especially today.
WHITE BIRD is the right story at the right time. From the best-selling author of WONDER, the book that sparked a movement to “choose kind,” comes the inspirational next chapter.
The movie begins at a private school in New York. A teenage boy named Julian seems out of place on his first day. He is seated alone at an empty table in the cafeteria. When a girl comes by with her lunch tray and asks Julian if anyone is sitting with him, he barely acknowledges her. It is not long before a boy comes by and says he knows Julian’s family and tells him that he is welcome to sit with them because he is sitting at the loser table. After the boy walks away, Julian says nothing to the girl.
Julian rides the subway home with his hood on and earphones in. He appears angry and uninterested in anything around him. Arriving at his upscale apartment on Park Avenue he barely acknowledges the doorman. When he arrives inside, he is surprised by his grandmother who is visiting from France. They sit down to dinner together.
Julian’s grandmother reminds Julian that he is in a new school because he was expelled from his old school for being mean to another boy. To get through to him, the grandmother, played by Helen Mirren tells her grandson the story of her life in France. The movie flashes back to show the captivating story of a young girl with two professional parents, living comfortably to one hiding in a barn when the Nazis invaded France.
We learn that, you can forget many things but you don’t forget kindness. Julian is the boy that hides a young Sara away and visits her every night to share imaginative adventures. Sara is an artist and her sketch book was taken from her when she went into hiding. Julian sees the book, takes it from the headmaster’s office and returns it to Sara. Another boy sees him and follows him with others who beat Julian to a pulp. This kind gesture brings Julian tremendous pain.
This is a story of light in the darkness. It is a warning of how the darkness of the past should never be repeated. I would highly recommend this film. It is an amazing film choice to share with your family.
Living in beautiful New York State is such a blessing. With our busy lives, we sometimes don’t take time to smell the roses or admire the changing fall colors. I was thrilled to be able to take an 8 hour cruise with my family this past Sunday.
The weather was overcast and drizzled a bit at times but it did not dampen our spirits. We boarded our Circle Line Sightseeing Cruise from Pier 83 in midtown Manhattan and set sail on an amazing Oktoberfest journey up the Hudson River Valley to Bear Mountain State Park.
On board we had an informative tour guide who told us all about the Little Red Lighthouse, Washington Irving, Sing Sing Prison and so much more. While we cruised our Premiere tickets entitled us to all the yummy treats and drinks we wanted before a meal of authentic German food. If you like beer, this is the cruise for you and you can sip your choice from collectible, souvenir mugs.
We had a great time when we docked at Bear Mountain State Park for a couple of hours. We had a nice hike up to the Bear Mountain Zoo. There was also a small farmer’s market, the Bear Mountain Inn and a lake to explore.
Back on board it was time for our dinner of Pork Schnitzel or you could choose Bratwursts with a variety of side dishes. There were pizzas, chicken fingers and other options at the concession stand as well as huge Bavarian pretzels.
Hot cider and cider doughnuts, fresh fruit cups,yogurt parfaits and so much more were available. Hot coffee was so good and always brewing where we could help ourselves. Tubs of ice cold water bottles and orange juice were always available in our Premiere seating area.
Live music was amazing and we met so many wonderful people. It was such a fun-filled day and we learned so many things about the great state that we live in. We are so grateful that we had rgw the opportunity to cruise and explore with The Circle Line. It was the ideal combination of fall scenery, great food, good music, and Oktoberfest fun. If you would like to book your ticket, just click HERE.
Disclaimer- We were provided with tickets for our cruise from The Circle Line. My views and opinions are my own and were not influenced in any way. Thank you to The Circle Line.
God has a purpose for your life in this moment. You have a part to play in what He is doing in the world. But knowing why you are here starts with knowing who God says you are. The Life in Christ Bible invites you to embrace your identity and purpose as you:
Discover why you matter-not because of anything you do, but because you are made in the image of God.
Explore how the gospel of Jesus Christ makes you a new person.
Learn how who God says you are changes how you think, speak, work, and move through the world.
Order your copy of The Life in Christ Bible today!
Embrace your purpose as you discover why you matter, how the Gospel makes you a new person, and learn how that changes the way you think, speak, work, and move through the world.
I was thrilled to receive a copy of The Life in Christ Bible. It is a beautiful Bible with a easy-to-read comfort print. The Bible contains 70 articles addressing 16 identity focused topics. There are 100 encouraging quotes and 17 charts. The book introductions that feature identity-related themes and topics. Check out the video below for a closer look.
Giveaway: Harper Collins Christian Publishing is sponsoring a giveaway. One lucky blog reader will win their own Life in Christ Bible. Enter for your chance to win below. Good Luck!!! Open to US Residents.
I had the great pleasure to speak with author Dr. Warren Farrell recently. We will be talking about Dr. Farrell’s new book, Role Mate toSoul Mate that was released at the end of July. Dr. Warren Farrell has coached couples and psychologists nationwide in couple’s communication for the past 30 years.
His courses, both live and the online video versions, are also titled Role Mate to Soul Mate. Dr. Farrell has been chosen by the Financial Times of London as one of the world’s top 100 thought leaders. His books are published in 19 languages. They include The New York Times best-seller, Why Men Are the Way
I had a very interesting conversation with Ricardo Jiménez, Author of “Crash Course” A Founder’s Journey to Saving Your Startup And Sanity. For every Miracle Mop, Bombas Sock, or Squatty Potty, there’s a Plushky. What’s a Plushky? It’s a stuffed, colorful plush toy shaped like a country. For 6 years, Ricardo Jiménez engaged in a relentless pursuit to find the market, customers, distributors, investors, partners and sellers to make his line of Plushkies the next big thing.
The fact that you’ve probably never seen a Plushkey on any retail shelves or online stores gives you a clue to how Ricardo’s hot toy idea never even reached a simmer. Ricardo’s book, “Crash Course” shares the mistakes he made despite holding an MBA from Duke University. Ricardo has convinced himself that his tale of failure is needed more than a Cinderella success story. On the pages of his book, Ricardo recants how he faltered in his efforts to become the next American Dream. Ricardo’s book seems to me a way for him to turn his lemons into lemonade.
He wrote this book to offer advice that may have helped him reach his dreams. Maybe it will help you reach yours. However you decide to look at it, this book will show you what not to do in your quest for success. Ricardo’s biggest mistake was not thinking about the target market for his product. He latched on to, “Build it and they will come” before he decided if there was even a market for his idea. Ricardo is candid about his missteps, misguided decisions and mismanaged expectations that all led to missed opportunities.
Check out our interview below.
This book also shows readers that an MBA does not mean you won’t set yourself up to fail by overlooking the most important things.
I had an amazing time speaking with with Geri Spieler, Author of “Regina of Warsaw, Love, Loss and Liberation.” Journalist and investigative reporter Geri Spieler trained her research skills on her grandmother, and in the new book, Regina of Warsaw: Love, Loss and Liberation, Geri traces her grandmother’s brave steps as she escapes violent antisemitism in Poland with an infant and finds her way to the United States.
Hello, I’m Carolyn! I am a PR Savvy, WAH Mom to 5! I love Photography, Baking, DIY Projects, Crafts, Cooking and making memories with my family. I love sharing reviews and giveaways too!
