"The Choice is Yours" by Barbara Dahlgren Book Tour and GiveAway

About the Book

Book: The Choice is Yours

Author: Barbara Dahlgren

Genre: Religion/Christian Living/Devotional

Release Date: November 2019

Do you stress over making decisions? Does the possibility of making the wrong choice paralyze you? In The Choice Is Yours: 52 Choices for Happier Lives, Barbara Dahlgren explores decisions we face daily. She does so with the spiritual insight and practicality developed through fifty years of ministry. The Choice Is Yours is drawn from Dahlgren’s blog, Barbara’s Banter: taking my faith but not myself too seriously, and is suitable for a devotional or a Bible study tool. Each chapter includes practical suggestions, a key Bible verse, and the option for the reader to jot down their own tips for making better choices in daily life.

Click here to purchase your copy.

"The Choice is Yours" by Barbara Dahlgren is a book that has 52 short chapters about 3 pages each. These chapters covers topics that are part of every day life. This book is easy to read and understand. After each chapter there is a section titled  consider this and suggestions for practicing this choice and then it asks you list your own suggestions for prating this choice. 

The suggestions are ones that if we were to follow them they would draw us closer to Jesus.  They are not hard to do and there are ones we should already be practicing as Christians.

This books has scriptures to look up for each topic, therefore it could be used as a Bible study. If you only study one topic a week it would take you a year to finish this book because there are 52 chapters. I read the book in one setting for this review. I really think this is another book that Christians should have in their own library to reread again and again because it  deals with things that we tend to forgive because life gets busy or we get  distracted.   It is good to be reminded of how much God loves us and this book really stresses  that along with we need to pray daily and read our Bibles. 

This book also points out that God does  forgives us but that our choices still has consequences that not only we have to pay and sometimes others in our lives has to pay also. I could go on and on about what's in this book, but I won't. I will just say get this book and read it for yourself and practice just a few of the suggestions and see you growing more like Jesus.

I was given a complimentary copy by the author and Celebrate Lit. These opinions are my own.

About the Author

Barbara Dahlgren is a humorist, freelance writer, and speaker whose articles have appeared all over the world. Married to a pastor, she and her husband have served churches in Florida, West Virginia, Kentucky, Washington, Michigan, and California where they currently reside. She blogs at Barbara’s Banter: taking my faith but not myself too seriously and is the author of Zorro and Me, a humorous look at the couple’s adventures in ministry.

More from Barbara

When my granddaughter was in preschool, she came home one day and was sad. Her mom asked what was wrong. Sophia replied, “My teacher said I didn’t make good choices today.”

I always felt her teacher had a great deal of wisdom. Instead of saying Sophia was naughty or bad, she planted a seed of thought into her little life about making better choices. Better choices lead to happier lives. In a way, that was the inspiration for my latest blog theme which led to this book.

My first book was called Zorro and Me. It was about my husband, whom I’ve nicknamed Zorro, and our experiences in 50 years of ministry. Usually known as a humorist, I try to intersperse a lot of personal experiences in my speaking and writing. My philosophy is to take my faith, but not myself, too seriously. I think we would all be happier if we chose to laugh more and criticize less.

Here’s a little quiz to get to know me better. Which one do you think is false?

1. I was born many years ago in the foothills of the Ozarks in a town with a population of 10.
2. While on a mission trip to Nigeria, our children were held captive by the police for a few hours.
3. My son was unexpectedly born in a hotel room while we were traveling, so we used a dresser drawer as a baby bed.
4. I’ve mounted a camel near the Great Pyramids in Egypt, climbed the Great Wall in China, leaned with the Tower of Pisa in Italy, and been on safari in Kenya.
5. While on a teen trip touring the White House, one of my children became ill, so the Secret Service took him outside where he barfed behind a big bush on the White House lawn. It’s the one on the left when you look at pictures of the White House.

Guess what! They are all true. There’s more, but I don’t want to give all my secrets away today.

Blog Stops

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, November 23

Jacquelyn Lynn, November 24

Mary Hake, November 24

For the Love of Literature, November 25

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess , November 26

Older & Smarter?, November 27

My Devotional Thoughts , November 28

Adventures of a Travelers Wife, November 29

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, November 29

CarpeDiem, November 30

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, December 1

Texas Book-aholic, December 2

janicesbookreviews, December 3

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, December 4

A Reader’s Brain, December 5

Inklings and notions, December 6

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Barbara is giving away the grand prize of a  $50 Amazon gift card!!

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/ed97/the-choice-is-yours-celebration-tour-giveaway

"Snowflake Sweethearts (Bayside Treasures Series Book 3) by Carrie Turansky

For these two searching hearts, it will take the love of a community to help heal painful memories and bring them together.  

Annie Romano has her heart set on starting her own business as a personal chef when she returns to Fairhaven, Washington, with her young daughter Emma. But her business gets off to a slow start, and she must search for a part-time job to help make ends meet. When her former employer and bakery-owner, Irene Jameson, has a health crisis and needs a live-in caregiver, Irene’s grandson offers Annie the job. Motivated by her love for Irene, Annie puts aside her own plans and moves in to care for Irene. 

Consumed by his work as marking director for a hotel chain and painful memories from the past, Alex Jameson only plans to stay in Fairhaven until issues with his grandmother’s care and the future of her struggling bakery are settled. He doesn’t seem to realize how much he needs faith, family, or love. But the deeper meaning of the holiday season, his grandmother and her matchmaking friends, and one fatherless little girl start pulling at his heartstrings . . . just in time for Annie and Alex to enjoy a very special Christmas.

About Carrie Turansky

Bestselling Inspirational author Carrie Turansky writes historical and contemporary novels set in England and the US. She has won the ACFW Carol Award, the Holt Medallion, and the International Digital Award. Readers say her stories are: "Heartwarming and inspiring! I couldn't put it down!" . . . "Touching love story. It captured me from the first page! Rich characters, beautifully written" . . . "My new favorite author!" Visit her website and sign up for her email newsletter at Carrie Turansky.com. Follow Carrie on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram

"Snowflake Sweethearts (Bayside Treasures Series Book 3)  by Carrie Turansky is a wonderful story. I have not read the other two books in the series, and I really enjoyed it so I believe all three books could be read as a stand alone.

Yes, this book is a love story as the title suggests but it is also a story about how God wants to heal the past and make our future more than we could ever hope for. 

This is a story about second chances at love. 

I don't have a favorite character in this book because they all are my favorites. 

I am glad that Alex and Annie made the choices they made when they could of have made different choices. This book clearly shows that choosing love is the best for everyone.

I received a complimentary copy by the author. These opinions are my own.

" Be a Disciple, Make a Disciple" by Ellie M. Littleton Book Tour and GiveAway

About the Book

Book: Be a Disciple, Make a Disciple

Author: Ellie M. Littleton

Genre: RELIGION / Christian Ministry / Discipleship

The twenty-first century Church has the same Holy Spirit power and many more modern-day resources than the first century Church, yet the first century Church had greater success in making disciples. Why? They followed the plan Jesus gave them, and He blessed it. But the more worldly progress we’ve made, the more we’ve deviated from Jesus’s plan by choosing programs, entertainment, and socials with only surface-level encounters.  

We neglect to make a connection with the lost, and they see no real commitment from the church. So they come and go as we continue to meet and plan more programs. To end the cycle, we must go and make disciples as Jesus taught—investing our lives in the lives of others.  

Do you long to live the Great Commission and make disciples, but you’re not sure how? In Be a Disciple, Make a Disciple, Ellie Littleton offers biblical examples and concepts that break down the hard work of discipleship into sixteen thought-provoking lessons.  

So go and make disciples. “This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples” (John 15:8 niv). 

Click here to get your copy.

"Be a Disciple, Make a Disciple" by Ellie M. Littleton is a short book of 170 pages. But, these 170 pages are filled with truth. This book is a Bible study that is written to be used as both a group study and individually, and I want to see if my group Bible study would be interested in studying it. I have read the book but I haven't really done the study but I want to just as soon as I can.

It is a 16 week study with personal study and group discussion questions The author uses Jesus's teaching and experiences with His disciples as a model for disciple making today. The topics discussed include grace, the Bible, prayer, fellowship, obedience and witnessing. She shares quotes and other books written by other authors to help make her topics more easier to understand.

I think this book is one book that all Christians should read and study because Jesus does say " Go into all the world and make disciples".

.About the Author

Ellie Littleton has spent most of her adult life teaching both high school and adult Sunday school. She is minister of Vision Teams at her church, and serves as an officer on the planning team of her church’s annual Women of the Word Conference. Her husband of twenty-one years and high school sweetheart, Brad Littleton, serves as minister of music at their church. Their daughter, Hannah Kate, has been active in AcTeens and children’s church. She plans to continue competitive cheer in college. Son, Grayson, is home from a six-month internship at Lifehouse Church in Tokyo, Japan, and is seeking a position as a youth pastor. Ellie and her family love their church, family-and-friend cookouts, volleyball, boat riding, and music. She also enjoys reading, women’s conferences, and sneaking away to occasional girlfriend getaways at the beach. 

More from Ellie

Eighteen years ago, I was blessed to be a part of a church plant in the community where I was raised and still call home.  The new church, South Shelby Baptist, gave me the opportunity to dig in and exercise the spiritual gifts given to me by the Holy Spirit.  As I begin to write and teach Bible lessons, a deep passion arose and bloomed within my heart to grow in the grace and knowledge of our LORD and Savior, Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18) and see others grow too.  I am a people-person and find great joy in connecting with people and seeing people connected, especially within the Body of Christ.  In the past five years, God has been and is pulling me out of that comfort zone of lessons into writing Bible studies.  My pastor, David Warren, leads the vision of our church- be a disciple and make a disciple.  He asked me a couple of years ago, to write a Bible study on the topic of discipleship for our folks as a resource to help us grow and activate the call to make disciples.  And that is how Be a Disciple, Make a Disciple Bible study began.  I wrote this Bible study for my church to use as resource to grow in discipleship, because my heart for ministry is in the local church, especially my local church, South Shelby Baptist.  But God.  God began prompting my heart with the dream to have Be a Disciple, Make a Disciple published… and here it is.  God is good and He is faithful; great is your faithfulness, O LORD!  It is my prayer that you can use it as a resource to help you and your local church grow in discipling others too.  To God be the glory and blessings to you in Christ,

Ellie

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, November 21

Through the Lens of Scripture, November 22

Mary Hake, November 23

Sara Jane Jacobs, November 24

CarpeDiem, November 25

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, November 26

Artistic Nobody, November 27 (Author Interview)

Discipling4Life, November 28

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, November 29

Texas Book-aholic, November 30

janicesbookreviews, December 1

A Reader’s Brain, December 2

Inklings and notions, December 3

Simple Harvest Reads, December 4 (Author Interview)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Ellie is giving away the grand prize package of a Bible study copy of her book and a $50 Visa Card!!

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/ee20/be-a-disciple-make-a-disciple-celebration-tour-giveaway

"Marisol Spanish Rose" by Elva Cobb Martin Book Tour and GiveAway

About the Book

Book: Marisol Spanish Rose

Author: Elva Cobb Martin

Genre:  Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: November 8, 2019

Escaping to the New World is her only option…Rescuing her will wrap the chains of the Inquisition around his neck.

Marisol Valentin flees Spain after murdering the nobleman who molested her. She ends up for sale on the indentured servants’ block at Charles Town harbor—dirty, angry, and with child. Her hopes are shattered, but she must find a refuge for herself and the child she carries. Can this new land offer her the grace, love, and security she craves? Or must she escape again to her only living relative in Cartagena?

Captain Ethan Becket, once a Charles Town minister, now sails the seas as a privateer, grieving his deceased wife. But when he takes captive a ship full of indentured servants, he’s intrigued by the woman whose manners seem much more refined than the average Spanish serving girl. Perfect to become governess for his young son. But when he sets out on a quest to find his captured sister, said to be in Cartagena, little does he expect his new Spanish governess to stow away on his ship with her six-month-old son. Yet her offer of help to free his sister is too tempting to pass up. And her beauty, both inside and out, is too attractive for his heart to protect itself against—until he learns she is a wanted murderess.

As their paths intertwine on a journey filled with danger, intrigue, and romance, only love and the grace of God can overcome the past and ignite a new beginning for Marisol and Ethan.

Click here to get your copy!https://www.amazon.com/Marisol-Spanish-Rose-Charleston-Brides/dp/1942265131/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1574828436&sr=8-1

"Marisol Spanish Rose" by Elva Cobb Martin kept me turning the pages till the end. I recommend this book to anyone that like pirates and sea adventures.  The main male character is a pirate type of person but not really a pirate. He was a preacher before he turned to the seas. 

How long can Marisol keep her secrets?

A couple of scenes in this book made me really sad, like when Marisol meets Amy and others.

This book is proof that God can make beauty from ashes and that He uses all things for good.

I am looking forward to reading the next book in this series.

I received a complimentary copy by the author and Celebrate Lit. These opinions are mine own.

About the Author

Elva Cobb Martin is a wife, mother, and grandmother who lives in South Carolina with her husband and a mini-dachshund. A life-long student of history, her favorite city, Charleston, inspires her stories of romance and adventure. Her love of writing grew out of a desire to share exciting stories of courageous characters and communicate truths of the Christian faith to bring hope and encouragement. Connect with her on her web site at http://www.elvamartin.com.

More from Elva

A couple of things inspired me to write Marisol ~ Spanish Rose, in addition to my love of historical romance fiction set in the colonial/pirate era of Charles Town and the Spanish Main.

I ran across a teaching of how people often let the one terrible moment of their lives define them and their future. Know anyone like this?

I envisioned a heroine in the 1700’s who let her “terrible moment”—being molested and accidentally killing the Spanish nobleman who attacks her—define her and her future destiny.

My premise for this idea and novel is: Love, forgiveness, and determination can overcome the most horrifying experiences and poor choices when we invite God into the equation.

Loving horses, particularly the white Lipizzaners, I named my heroine Marisol and set the attack on her father’s Andalusian Stud Farm in Cadiz, Spain in 1740. Andalusians are the Spanish horses in the ancestry of the Lipizzaners. And they can be trained to do dancing steps with a dancing maiden called the Flamenco, which my heroine can do well. Click here for a video of a flamenco dancer. https://youtu.be/lSQWQl0u_Ow

Marisol’s exciting Flamenco plays a pivotal part in the novel.

All this story idea needed now was an exciting, handsome Charles Town privateer—sometimes pirate—who will cross paths with my heroine when she flees Spain after killing the Spanish nobleman who molested her.

Captain Ethan Becket, backslidden former Charles Town minister, has returned to the sea, grieving the loss of his wife and child.

By the time these two get together at the indentured block in Charles Town, Marisol has discovered she is with child.

Thanks for stopping by! May you have an exciting, romantic adventure on the high seas with Captain Ethan and Marisol.

Blog Stops

Bigreadersite , November 15

Emily Yager, November 15

Connect in Fiction, November 16

Rebecca Tews , November 16

Moments, November 17

For Him and My Family, November 17

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, November 18

Genesis 5020, November 18

For the Love of Literature, November 19

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, November 19

Betti Mace, November 20

mpbooks, November 20

Back Porch Reads, November 21

Maureen’s Musings, November 21

Locks, Hooks and Books, November 22

Pause for Tales , November 23

Batya’s Bits, November 23

Reflections From My Bookshelves, November 24

Adventures of a Travelers Wife, November 24

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, November 25

Godly Book Reviews, November 25

Inklings and notions , November 26

janicesbookreviews, November 26

Texas Book-aholic, November 27

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, November 27

A Reader’s Brain, November 28

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Elva is giving away a vintage nautical writing journal and a $20 Amazon gift card!!

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/ed79/marisol-spanish-rose-celebration-tour-giveaway

"Lone Falcon" by Merrijoy Wennerlind Buist Book Tour and Give Away

About the Book

Book: Lone Falcon

Author: Merrijoy Wennerlind Buist

Genre: Christian Romance/Coming of Age

Release Date: October 2, 2018

What if you had to choose between your friends and your faith?

It is 1971. Eighteen year-old Carrie Falconer goes to college and joins the rowing team, where she receives praise and popularity for the first time. She also finds her first boyfriend. Not just anyone, but the heart-throb men’s crew captain! As coxswain of the varsity squad, she leads her team to four gold medals, allowing them to qualify for Nationals. However, while pursuing her collegiate dreams, she has left behind most of her traditional religious beliefs. While preparing for the National tournament, she is hit by a life changing consequence and is forced to decide between pleasing her team or letting them down by following what she believes to be the right path.

Click here to get your copy.

"Lone Falcon" by Merrijoy Wennerlind Buist is a book that I'm not really sure what I think of it. I did like it somewhat but somewhat I didn't. It is a story about a girl that is a Christian but when she goes away to college she leaves that life style and something happens that makes her realize that she really needs to get back to her faith.

I really felt Carrie's pain at trying to make her father love her.

I think the reason I have mixed feelings about this book is because I really don't like sports and this story is about rowing, which is what Carrie uses to get her father's love. I also didn't like several curse words, even through the characters using them aren't Christians, but I still don't like reading them in books that are in the Christian genre.

I am glad that Carrie made the choice that she did at the end of the book. I am eagerly awaiting the next book to see what next in Carrie's life.

I am giving this book  four stars because the ending is so great.

I was given a complimentary copy by the author and Celebrate Lit. These opinions are my own.


About the Author

The first four chapters of Lone Falcon and the general plot were written when Merrijoy Wennerlind, was a student at the University of Washington. The rest was finished up years later by Merrijoy (MJ.) Buist who worked hard to keep her 24-year-old spirit alive.

MJ. is currently a Diaconal Minister at the Anaheim United Methodist Church. A native of Seattle and a UW graduate, she lives in Santa Ana, California with her husband and two sons. She is currently working on the sequel, Lone Choices, which tells how Carrie lives out her decision. You can reach MJ. at her facebook page: Merrijoy Wennerlind Buist@mjwb

More from MJ

How far would you go to research your book? Would you sit on a narrow crew boat with eight other women and learn to row? That’s what I did to get a feel for what my main character, Carrie Falconer, in Lone Falcon experiences as she joins and excels in the college crew team.

Why did I choose rowing over another sport? I couldn’t resist the metaphor of steering your own boat, which led me to the sport of rowing and its navigator, the coxswain. I fell in love with the idea of choosing your own path and what happens when one goes off course.

You, the reader, will follow Carrie from her strict Christian upbringing to attending a secular college, experiencing her joys and victories as she rises to popularity, and of her first love, the hunky Lenny, men’s team captain. You will struggle along with her as she makes a life decision of whether to turn back to her faith or do what her friends ask.

I originally wrote Lone Falcon in response to all the Young Adult (YA) books and T.V. shows of the times which said, “Your parents and their beliefs are all wrong, do what your friends and the times say.” In the wisdom I’ve acquired in my years of mothering, earning my master’s degree, and becoming a Minister, I adjusted my theme to making your own choices, not what others and society may tell you to do.

I hope this book will encourage other brave young women to live up to what they believe within and not be influenced by what others without tell them to do.

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, November 22

Rebecca Tews , November 23

Blossoms and Blessings, November 24 (Author Interview)

CarpeDiem, November 25

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, November 26

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, November 27

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, November 28

Texas Book-aholic, November 29

janicesbookreviews, November 30

Through the Fire Blogs, December 1 (Author Interview)

My Devotional Thoughts, December 2

A Reader’s Brain, December 3

Inklings and notions , December 4

Godly Book Reviews, December 5

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, M.J. is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Barnes and Nobles Gift Card, autographed copy of Lone Falcon, and autographed copy of Lone Choices when it comes out!!

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/f0bd/lone-falcon-celebration-tour-giveaway