An Amish Second Christmas by Beth Wiseman, Kathleen Fuller, Ruth Reid, and Tricia Goyer

An Amish Second Christmas  

by Beth Wiseman, Kathleen Fuller, Ruth Reid, and Tricia Goyer

 

 

 

 

Book Description
Celebrate Second Christmas, a treasured, lighthearted time of community, with four Amish romance

“When Christmas Comes Again” by Beth Wiseman

Katherine knows the first Christmas without Elias will be hard for her and the children. But when a mysterious Englischer appears with photographs of her late husband, Katherine begins to wonder what other blessings Christmas could have in store.

“Her Christmas Pen Pal” by Ruth Reid

Joy was expecting a wedding proposal from Henry; what she got instead was news of another woman. But when her heartfelt letter to a cousin ends up in the hands of a young cabinetmaker, an unexpected correspondence between two strangers gets interesting fast.

“A Gift for Anne Marie” by Kathleen Fuller

Anne Marie and Nathaniel have been best friends since they were kids. Now things are evolving . . . in ways everyone else predicted long ago. But when her mother suddenly decides to remarry in another state, Anne Marie’s new chapter with Nathaniel looks doomed to end before it begins.

“The Christmas Aprons” by Tricia Goyer

Vanilla crumb pie has been Esther’s mem’s calling card for decades. But when Esther finally gets her hands on the secret recipe, she discovers that vanilla crumb pie is more than just dessert . . . it’s bachelor bait.

My Review

If you enjoy Amish fiction, this book is a must for you! Written by four well known authors in Amish fiction, I thoroughly entertained in each of these stories. For me, the four short stories worked so well because it takes me so long to read a full size book, I enjoyed reading a story so fast!

Each of these stories have their own unique and difficult situations, and in each the characters were like real, and I felt like I was reading about real people! One of the fun parts of these stories was seeing how each family celebrated Christmas. Though the Amish all have the same tradition, each family's Christmas was unique and interesting. You can read above in the book description about each story, and I highly recommend that you try out this book. One of the best Christmas books so far this year that I have read!

This book was provided by BookLook Bloggers for me to read and review. I was not expected to write a positive review. The opinions in this review are mine!

 

About the authors

Beth Wiseman

Award-winning, bestselling author Beth Wiseman is best known for her Amish novels, but she has also written several successful contemporary novels, set primarily in her beloved Texas, including Need You Now and The House that Love Built. Both have received glowing reviews. Beth's The Promise is inspired by a true story.

Kathleen Fuller

Kathleen Fuller is the author of several bestselling novels, including *A Man of His Word and Treasuring Emma, as well as a middle-grade Amish series, The Mysteries of Middlefield.

Ruth Reid

Ruth Reid is a CBA and ECPA best-selling author of the Heaven on Earth series. She's a full-time pharmacist who resides in Florida with her husband and three children.

Tricia Goyer

USA Today best-selling author Tricia Goyer is the author of 35 books, including the three-book Seven Brides for Seven Bachelors series. She has written over 500 articles for national publications and blogs for high traffic sites like TheBetterMom.com and MomLifeToday.com. Tricia and her husband John live in Little Rock, Arkansas where John works for FamilyLife. They have six children.

 

NIV First-Century Study Bible Explore Scripture in Its Jewish and Early Christian Context

NIV First-Century Study Bible

Explore Scripture in Its Jewish and Early Christian Context

 

 

Book Description

Experience the Bible through the eyes of a first-century disciple by exploring the cultural, religious, and historical background of the Bible. This Bible allows you to understand God’s Word in its original cultural context, bringing Scripture to life by providing fresh understanding to familiar passages, beloved stories and all the Scripture in between. The NIV First-Century Study Bible invites you into the questions, stories, and interpretations—both ancient and modern—which introduce you to a world vastly different from your own. Let us read with an eye on the past and with our feet planted in our present questions and circumstances.

Join Kent Dobson as he unpacks the culture of Bible times, and illuminates Scripture passages while asking thoughtful questions along the way. Kent is the teaching pastor at Mars Hill Bible Church in Grandville, Michigan, where he initially served as the worship director. He has been featured on Biblical programs for the History Channel and the Discovery Channel. Kent fell in love with Biblical studies in Israel and had the privilege of learning from both Jewish and Christian scholars. After his time in Israel, he returned to the States to teach high school religion and Bible before responding to God's call to the pastorate. Today, he keeps his connection to the Holy Land strong as he leads tours to Israel that combine study and prayer, inspired by the ancient discipline of spiritual pilgrimage.


My Review

The NIV First-Century Study Bible has a beautiful cover and is very attractive sitting on the shelves of stores everywhere! I thought this would be a really neat study Bible since it focuses exploring Scripture in its Jewish and early Christian context, but some of the notes, I'm just not sure about. There are a lot of interesting study tools in this Bible, the maps would be very helpful in studying the Early First-Centry, and I really enjoyed the pictures and drawings throughout. But I am just not sure this would be a Bible that I would use in my studies. But each person really needs to make the decision for themselves, so pick up a copy for yourself and see what you think!

I received this book from BookLook Bloggers to read and review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 55.

About the Editor

Kent Dobson is the teaching pastor at Mars Hill Bible Church in Grandville, Michigan, where he initially served as the worship director. He has been featured on Biblical programs for the History Channel and the Discovery Channel.

After completing his undergraduate degree, Kent lived and studied in Israel where he earned a Masters Degree in History and Geography of the First Temple Period from Jerusalem University College. He also studied Comparative Religion at the Rothburg International School of the Hebrew University.

Kent fell in love with Biblical studies in Israel and had the privilege of learning from both Jewish and Christian scholars. After his time in Israel, he returned to the States to teach high school religion and Bible before responding to God's call to the pastorate. Today, he keeps his connection to the Holy Land strong as he leads tours to Israel that combine study and prayer, inspired by the ancient discipline of spiritual pilgrimage.

Kent lives is Grand Rapids, Michigan, with his wife and three children.

 

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Season's of Tomorrow by Cindy Woodsmall

Season's of Tomorrow

by Cindy Woodsmall

Discription of book

As love restores Rhoda, a sudden tragedy is the test of faith she never saw coming.
More settled in her heart than ever before, Rhoda Byler feels a newfound confidence living in the Old Order Amish settlement she helped establish in Orchard Bend, Maine. Time has helped to heal the wounds of Rhoda’s recent severed relationship, and she finds that even her unusual gift of profound intuition is less of a burden as she continues to seek God’s wisdom for her future. She is happy to be working alongside the King family and the love of her life as they tend and nurture the settlement’s orchard.
Yet when Leah King’s involvement with Englischer Landon Olson becomes known outside of the Maine community, her disregard of the Ordnung could threaten all the Orchard Bend Amish are building. In the midst of addressing the discord, a shocking tragedy challenges the young settlement like never before, threatening to uproot Rhoda’s peace and the future of everything she holds dear.
When several members of Orchard Bend Farms are displaced, the estranged King brother is called upon to return. Can those who founded the new Amish community in Maine unite Or will the lingering pain of past hurts and present struggles result in the end of their dreams?



What I Think

Jacob has left the Old Order Amish settlement and probably won't return, since his brother and ex-girlfriend are now seeing each other in public. Then there is Leah and the Englischer friend Landon that are in love, and Leah will probably leave the Amish. But not if Leah’s dad has anything to do with it. And then a horrible disaster hits one of the family members, and throws their world unside down, and not one of them knows what to do. This family is so mixed up, its really difficult to see how this author will pull them out of their troubles.

But she does, in a surprising way. Cindy Woodsmall weaves together this dysfunctional family with all of its many twists and turns, and mostly bad ones, and come up with and ending that will bless everyone. One thing I love about Cindy Woodsmall’s books is that I know they will be a different Amish story with many unique and exciting twists and turns. With everything going on in this forth and last book in the Amish Vines and Orchards Series, I kept getting nervous because I couldn’t see a way for this story to end without everyone falling apart. But yet again, the amazing Ms. Woodsmall so wonderfully weaves all of the dysfunctions of this family and their friends, as well as the many difficult situations they are forced to face, and comes up with an ending that will delight your very being! I love, loved this series and for me, these four books are keepers for me! If you enjoy Amish books, you need to get this one, and the first three books in the series.

I received this book from Book Look Bloggers for a free review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 55.

NIV Spiritual Renewal Study Bible - Experience New Growth and Transformation in Your Spiritual Walk

NIV Spiritual Renewal Study Bible

Experience New Growth and Transformation in Your Spiritual Walk

Book Description

Experience New Growth and Transformation in Your Spiritual Walk.

Are you experiencing a hunger to know God more completely in your life? Do you long for a deeper connection with him? If so, then the NIV Spiritual Renewal Bible - the recipient of the 1999 ECPA Gold Medallion Award - is for you. Using a time-tested process honed over decades of counseling and teaching, Stephen Arterburn employs 7 core principles of spiritual renewal and refreshment, connecting you more closely with God’s Spirit through his Word and helping you to develop the deep, satisfying change you desire in your spiritual life.
Features:

66 book introductions focused on the thematic study and spiritual renewal aspects of each Bible book

Text notes highlight renewal themes as they emerge from the text of the Bible

Multi-feature character profiles assess how different personalities managed different challenges in their walk with God

Spiritual keys devotional reading plan: Two cycles (OT and NT) of 49 devotions each lead the reader through 7 keys of spiritual renewal with 7 devotions for each key

Spiritual disciplines essays that describe the various disciplines of the faith such as prayer, Scripture reading, and others

Spiritual disciplines profiles: one-page articles that describe how certain characters of the Bible employed the various Spiritual disciplines in their lives.

What I Think

You might say, How is this Bible different from any other, and can't I get the same things from reading just any Bible? The answer is Yes! All NIV Bibles are the same, but the difference is, some have devotions, verses pulled out together or highlighted, and other unique things that will help each person with a particular need. The main thing that stuck out to me in this Bible is 'Spiritual keys devotional reading plan: Two cycles (OT and NT) of 49 devotions each lead the reader through 7 keys of spiritual renewal with 7 devotions for each key.' With this special Bible, you can focus on these 7 spiritual keys and the devotions that go with them. Everything you need about each of these keys is right at your fingertips, and ready for you to read and study them. And to answer my questions more clearly, even though all NIV Bibles are the same, in this particular one, you have a different Bible study unique to only this Bible.

To me, everyone and anyone can benefit from this study. Some of the things may be what you have studied before, but you might just learn something new when you go through this study, just as I did. Check this bible out and consider picking up one for yourself, and maybe a friends. This would be a good Group Study Bible.  I was given a copy of this Bible in exchange for my personal opinion and review. I wasn't required to write a positive review, just my own opinion.