EmpowerMoms

The Berenstain Bears Easter Fun Sticker and Activity Book (Berenstain Bears/Living Lights) by Jan & Mike Berenstain
Released February 7, 2017
32 pages-Paperback
ages 4-8

My 6 year old and I are big fans of The Berenstain Bears books, especially the newer “Living Lights” series. In fact, I’ve been reading them for over 30 years now!

This “Easter Fun” sticker and activity book has crossword puzzles, patterns, numbers, coloring, stickers-all things my son enjoys. Some of the activities would be a little hard for ages 4 and 5 and would require some help.

This would be the perfect present for young readers during the Easter season. I love their holiday activity books and highly recommend!

I received a copy of this book complimentary for blog and social media review. All opinions are my own.

About the Book
The Berenstain Bears come to life this joyful Easter season with puzzles, activity pages, and more than 50 reusable stickers in The Berenstain Bears Easter Fun Sticker and Activity Book.

Featuring Papa, Mama, Brother, Sister, and Honey and the rest of the Bear Country gang, kids are sure to find lots to do helping Honey Bear find hidden Easter eggs and chocolates around the Bear family treehouse, doing crosswords and word searches with Brother and Sister, and even helping out at the Easter sunrise service at Chapel in the Woods.

Purchase a copy here:

About the Author
Stan and Jan Berenstain introduced the first Berenstain Bear books in 1962. Mike Berenstain grew up watching his parents work together to write about and draw these lovable bears. Eventually he started drawing and writing about them too. Though Stan died in 2005, and Jan in 2012, Mike continues to create the delightful Bear adventures from the family home and studio in Pennsylvania, in an area that looks much like the sunny dirt road deep in Bear Country.

I will be starting this challenge TOMORROW!! Will you be joining me?

1) The challenge starts Ash Wednesday, March 1 and ends the day before Easter, April 15 (no interaction on Sundays). Each day’s post will include Morning Motivation, Scripture to Say, and Pause to Pray. Live videos, special guests and GIVEAWAYS will also be included!

2) It is strongly recommended that you have the book to follow along and participate, but it’s not required. There is a paperback copy and an ebook available here: http://www.karenehman.com/zip-it/.

TOMORROW IS THE KICKOFF of #doinglenttogether!

Remember, the schedule looks like this:

Morning Motivation Posts at 7am EST

Say the Scripture at 3pm EST

Pause to Pray at 9pm EST

No posts on Sunday.

We use our words everywhere: with family members, coworkers, the stranger in the store—even the words we text or post online. Our daily words can impact our relationships for better—or for worse. (Been there. Said that. Wish you could take it back. Can you relate?)

Karen Ehman’s 40-day devotional challenge Zip It—based on her New York Times best-seller Keep It Shut: What to Say, How to Say It, and When to Say Nothing at All—offers practical ways to use our words to build, not to break; to bless, not to badger; to encourage, not to embitter; to praise, not to pounce.

Zip It covers eight major topics: taming our tempers, sarcasm, gossip, gracious speech, sweet and salty language, asking for forgiveness, whether to speak up or remain silent, and how God’s word can alter our words.

Each topic includes five daily interactive entries, so the 40-day challenge may be used over an 8-week period, Monday through Friday. Each day includes:

a scripture focus for the day
an anchor story with a teaching point
reflection questions to ponder
a challenge for the day based on the verse
a prayer prompt

FULL DETAILS OF THE 40 DAY CHALLENGE ARE HERE:
http://www.karenehman.com/zip-it/

purchase a copy of your book here:

“One Fell Down” by Ronda Gibb Hinrichsen

Mikaela has two deaths in her immediate family within a one year span that leaves her feeling broken and devastated. After each death she receives a weird nursery rhyme condolences card, which makes her wonder if either deaths were accidents.

Her grandfather asks her to visit his bed and breakfast that’s being renovated in New Zealand. When she arrives at the bed and breakfast freaky things start happening- like finding an evil doll and a skeleton of a human body is found in the back yard.

I did not find this story overly suspenseful, but it did have a good steady pace and plot.

I received a copy of this book complimentary for blog and social media review. All opinions are my own.

About the book
When Mikaela York opens an anonymous blue sympathy card with the nursery rhyme “Jack and Jill” written inside, she doesn’t know what to make of it. But soon after, Mikaela and her fiancé are in a tragic car accident, resulting in her husband-to-be’s death. Then when Mikaela’s grandmother loses her life in a hiking accident one year later, an old man gives Mikaela another mysterious blue card at the funeral.
After the service, Mikaela’s grandfather asks that she oversee the renovations on his bed & breakfast in New Zealand. When she arrives, Mikaela meets Tui Davies the inn’s manager and Brentin Williams, the man Tui expects her daughter to marry. Tui helps Mikaela retrieve a doll from the cellar vault, but the doll turns out to be an evil omen that Mikaela is told she must get rid of before someone is murdered.

Meanwhile, the old man from the funeral is bent on revenge and is plotting against everyone who has ever wronged him, and Mikaela is next in line. But until she discovers the killer’s contact in New Zealand, whom can she trust? And while Brentin attempts to help Mikaela overcome her grief, she must decide is she ready to love again?

You can purchase a copy here:

Biography
Award-winning author, Ronda Hinrichsen (also writing as Kathleen Marks) and her family own a small farm located between the beautiful Rocky Mountains and the Great Salt Lake where she regularly sees eagles, hawks, owls, and ducks. Lots of ducks. She is the author of independently and traditionally published non-fiction, romantic suspense and speculative books as well as numerous magazine articles and stories for children and adults. She also enjoys teaching about writing in conference and classroom settings. To learn more about Ronda, visit her website at rondahinrichsen.com.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This story is book 1 of 2 of the new series called “Memphis Cold Case”. This story was very intense, suspenseful, well written and kept me guessing until the very end. There were several characters and relationships to keep up with, but by the middle of the book I wasn’t so confused. Because Andi and Detective Will are investigating a murder from almost 20 years ago, the book goes back and forth to past and present events so readers can get a glimpse of what happened.

This is one of those books that you want to read from cover to cover without interruptions because it’s so intriguing! I can’t wait to read book 2!

Although this is a clean book for adults, I wouldn’t recommend it to young adult readers due to the violence and other aspects of the book like alcoholism, drug abuse, physical abuse, murder-to name a few. This book isn’t graphic though and I really enjoyed it!

I received a copy of this book complimentary for blog and social media review. All opinions are my own.

About the book:
Book 1 of 2 in the Memphis Cold Case Series

It’s been eighteen years since TV crime reporter Andi Hollister’s sister was murdered. The confessed killer is behind bars, and the execution date is looming. But when a letter surfaces stating that the condemned killer didn’t actually do it, Detective Will Kincaide of the Memphis Cold Case Unit will stop at nothing to help Andi get to the bottom of it. After all, this case is personal: the person who confessed to the crime is Will’s cousin. They have less than a week to find the real killer before the wrong person is executed. But much can be accomplished in that week–including uncovering police corruption, running for your life, and falling in love.

With the perfect mixture of intrigue and nail-biting suspense, award-winning author Patricia Bradley invites her readers to crack the case–if they can–alongside the best Memphis has to offer.

You can purchase a copy here:

About the Author
Patricia Bradley is the author of Shadows of the Past, A Promise to Protect, Gone without a Trace, and Silence in the Dark. Bradley has been a finalist for the Genesis Award, winner of a Daphne du Maurier Award, and winner of a Touched by Love Award. Bradley is cofounder of Aiming for Healthy Families, Inc., and she is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Romance Writers of America. Bradley makes her home in Mississippi. Learn more at www.ptbradley.com.

Control Girl: Lessons on Surrendering Your Burden of Control from Seven Women in the Bible by Shannon Popkin

I was excited to read this book because I feel at times I have an issue with wanting things to be orderly and be in control. Unfortunately, after reading this book I didn’t feel like I could relate to the author’s need for control and examples and stories she shared. I did read the entire book however and felt it was well written and clear to understand.

Although I didn’t find this book helpful for me, I loved that she used 7 specific women from the scriptures (Eve, Sarah, Hagar, Rebekah, Leah, Rachel, and Miriam) and used their stories as examples on how they were controlling and how it affected their lives in a negative way. The author also used her own personal stories and examples through out the book.

I received a copy of this book complimentary for blog and social media review. All opinions are my own.

About the book:
Tension, anger, fear, anxiety-it all begins with a heart that craves control.

Little fights with your husband and kids. Unhappiness when things don’t match your version of perfect. When your perspective of how life should go replaces God’s, you doom your quest for security, peace, and joy before it even starts.

Thankfully, there is a better way.

Join Shannon as she shares what she has discovered about her own control struggles and about God from studying seven Control Girls in the Bible. Whether it was Eve’s desire to know instead of trust, Sarah’s inability to wait for God to move, or Rebekah’s controlling hand on her family’s future, each of these women’s stories contain warnings and lessons for us today.

Learn how you too can lay down this burden of trying to control everything and find rest in surrendering to the One who truly is in control.

Learn more and purchase a copy here:

About the author:
Shannon Popkin is a wife and mom, a speaker and teacher, and a leader of small group studies. She’s been published by “Family Fun,” “MOMsense,” “Focus on the Family Magazine,” and other outlets. She is a contributing blogger for True Woman.com and has blogged for several years at shannonpopkin.com. “Control Girl” is her first book.
Find out more about Shannon at shannonpopkin.com.

Are you trying to stay in control of your quest for peace, joy, and security . . . and you’re exhausted? Shannon Popkin’s debut book, Control Girl, is a must-read for anyone with a heart that craves control. Join Shannon as she shares what she has discovered about her own control struggles and about God from studying seven Control Girls in the Bible. Whether it was Eve’s desire to know instead of trust, Sarah’s inability to wait for God to move, or Rebekah’s controlling hand on her family’s future, each of these women’s stories contain warnings and lessons for us today.

Learn how to give up control to God and become a Jesus girl! Enter to win a prize pack that will help you give up your Control Girl tendencies.

One grand prize winner will receive:

• A copy of Control Girl
• A Vera Bradley tote
• A rose gold arrow bracelet
• A set of Moleskine journals

Enter today by clicking the icon below, but hurry! The giveaway ends on February 21. The winner will be announced February 22 on Shannon’s blog.