Raising Successful Teens by Jeffrey Dean

What an amazing book!  Wow! I have to admit I didn't think I needed to read this book, BUT I am so glad I did! Jeffrey Dean offers great insight into the world of teenagers. AND, I would recommend this book for parents of children ages six to eighteen! Why? Because there is so much great insight that parents should plan ahead for the teen years!

In Raising Successful Teens, Jeffrey Dean offers practical ways to connect with your teenager. Will they all work? No, but there are many good suggestions and ideas. I found myself taking notes and printing off information form the author's website!

I would encourage parents of younger children to plan ahead by reading this book and coming up with strategies and even personal convictions of how they will parent your teen through the upcoming years. However, I found this book was also relevant to parents of children who are already teenagers. I was challenged and given some additional resources!

I was given a free copy of Raising Successful Teens by Jeffrey Dean by the publisher for my honest review,  which I was happy to do.

Raise Them Up Praying God's Word Over Your Kids

I had the awesome opportunity to read Raise Them Up Praying God's Word Over Your Kids by Sally Burke and Cyndie Claypool De Neve.

First, a disclaimer. Sally Burke is president of Moms in Prayer International. I am involved in Moms in Prayer.

Second,  I LOVED this book! It offers great insight into praying for your kids. But not only that, it offers practical insight!  This book is for moms yet-to-be, moms of toddlers, moms of preschoolers, moms of elementary school children, moms of high school and middle school students, moms of college students and moms of children who are no longer in school. It also is for moms who home school!  This book will also resonate with anyone who works with children and wants to learn how to pray for them!

Sally and Cyndie review a practical method to use when praying and then launch into prayers for children. (Note: these can be used to pray for family members, co-workers, friends, etc.)

In Raise Them Up, you will read practical prayers for praying for Christian character, salvation, schoolwork, protection, praying through suffering, peace, for freedom from addiction, relationships, purity, boldness in faith, their future, for teachers, coaches, and mentors, and praying this generation will impact others for Christ. Cyndie and Sally also share how to teach your children to pray, the importance of praying with others, and praying God's Word.

This book offers fresh new content. This would make a great gift for yourself and a great gift to any mom!

I was given a free copy of Raise Them Up from the publisher for my honest review which I was happy to do. (And plan on purchasing some to give away to friends!)

A Mamma of Girls MUST READ!!!

I make it no secret that I am a fan of Dannah Gresh and her work! I did have a chance to review Lies Girls Believe by Dannah Gresh. Honestly, I thought A Moms Guides to Lies Girls Believe & the Truth That Sets Them Free would just be a simple recap of the book for girls.

Boy (pun intended), was I wrong.

This book is a GIFT. A TREASURE. A handbook for MOMS!

In A Moms Guides to Lies Girls Believe & the Truth That Sets Them Free Dannah looks at lies girls are told. It does contain the entire workbook for girls, AND it also contains insight, research, data, advice and wisdom for Moms.  If you know Dannah's work, Dannah does not "beat around the bush" she is straightforward in calling moms to do their job and to educate their daughters.

I throughly enjoyed Dannah's insight, and was quite honestly challenged.

I would recommend this book for mothers of daughters ages 6+! Yes, that's right age 6! Dannah addresses hard issues that it would be ideal to "get ahead of" while your children are young! This book is a practical how to for mammas!

I was given a free copy of A Moms Guides to Lies Girls Believe & the Truth That Sets Them Free  from the publisher for my honest review which I was happy to do!

Mammas - grab this book as a resource for yourself!

Resources Part 2

Vigilance. Please note: As a parent it is your responsibility to be vigilant. Please do not take these resources and use them without checking them first for your family!

See Part One. 

Resources for Children/Teens/Tweens:

For Girls Like You (Founded by the late Wynter Pitts) https://forgirlslikeyou.com

GEMS girls club https://gemsgc.org

Dannah Gresh - Secret Keeper Girl (Not just for girls! Soon to be renamed True Girl) http://secretkeepergirl.com

Dohardthings.com- https://www.dohardthings.com

Answers in Genesis https://answersingenesis.org

Jonathan Park https://www.jonathanpark.com

Focus on the Family Brio Magazine https://www.focusonthefamily.com/parenting/promos/brio-parents

Lifeway girls (More of a teen ministry but they are starting to have some resources for girls and tweens)  https://girlsministry.lifeway.com

Your Story Hour https://www.yourstoryhour.org

Confidence Conference (Local girls conference. Will not be held in 2019, slated for 2020) https://confidenceconference.com

Adventure in Odyssey: https://www.whitsend.org

iShine: https://ishinelive.com

Life Love and God http://lifeloveandgod.com/about/whats-llg/

Down Gilead Lane https://www.keysforkids.org/Home/DownGileadLane/ReadListen

World Magazine for Teens OR World Magazine for Kids https://world.wng.org

5 Love Languages: https://www.5lovelanguages.com/profile/

(Ask your child to take the quiz - depending on age.)

A Challenge to RISE As Parents!!!!

I had the opportunity to read Parents Rising by Arlene Pellicane and I loved the book!  Parents Rising takes a look at practical advice for parents of children ages newborn to about age 13. And I love practical advice!!!

In Parents Rising, Arlene gives "eight practical strategies for raising kids who love God, respect authority and value what's right".  I really enjoyed the way Arlene expanded on the eight strategies. They are:

• Amusement is not the highest priority
• Parents call the shots
• Routine and Boundaries provide security
• The Bible and Prayer everyday
• Marriage takes a front seat
• Good food served on the table 
• Love is spelled T-I-M-E
• Launching adults, not babying children

Arlene gathers advice from MANY sources and combines it all in one book! I loved how she used many well know sources to expand on each topic.

I think one of the things I liked most about this book is that Arlene has a one stop shop for parenting and marriage advice in this book.

It is written for the parents of today and very revenant.  Best of all it's not just parenting advice but marriage advice that will in turn affect your parenting!

This was the first book I read by Arlene (I did hear her speak once ~ or rather not. Check out her story and maybe you will see why she didn't speak! 😀)

I was given a free copy of Parents Rising by Arlene Pellicane for my honest review which I was happy to do!

Warrior Moms ~ Prayers for the Battlefield!

I was recently blessed with the opportunity to read Prayers for the Battlefield by Heidi St. John.  First, I was unfamiliar with her work or her ministry.  However, I was quickly delighted by her writing. In Prayers for the Battlefield, Heidi shares relevance wisdom and insight from her journey of raising her children and launching them.  This book is relevant both to mothers who have young children as well as mothers who have already launched their children from the home. It is a quick simple read that offers amazing insight based on scripture.

When I start reading a book I have to make a decision, will I underlined in the book or not? I'm happy to say that this book was definitely a book to underline. In it, Heidi St. John offers is invaluable insight to all mothers. This book is a great reference to have handy when needed!

Heidi shares, "Parenting is faith work at every stage..." She also shares practical wisdom on having VICTORY through Jesus in your parenting.  Heidi shares that, "God put the right arrow with the right warrior" (Meaning the right child with the right mama!)

I was given a free copy of Prayers for the Battlefield by Heidi St. John for my honest review. I was happy to provide this review and will be recommending this book to others!

Brave Moms, Brave Kids Book Giveaway!!!!

Giveaway has ENDED! Congrats to Dawn!
I'm so excited! Not only is today my mom's birthday, BUT it's also the day of my giveaway!!!! Whoooo hooooo!!!

Brave Moms, Brave Kids by Lee Nienhuis can be purchased here. And remember preordering on Amazon is usually a good deal! I've found that's it a lower price on the day it releases and then the price goes UP.  (Remember if you preorder you will get the lowest price from the time you placed your order up until it ships. So if you preorder for $15.99 and the price drops to $12.99 you will get the lower price. Although last I checked the price was lower than that!!!!)

You can also find Brave Moms, Brave Kids at Target, Christian Book, Lifeway and Barnes and Nobles.

What do I love about Brave Moms, Brave Kids? Well, it challenged me! As a Moms in Prayer mom, and as a parent, it really made me think! And I loved the "how to" of parenting! I am not just about reading a book about doing.  I like a book the shares the practical "how to do"! Brave Moms, Brave Kids does just that!

For example: did you ever think about Daniel and his parents? Daniel was 14 when he was taken into captivity in Babylon.  How did his mom feel? (Devastated!? Heartbroken!?) BUT Daniel was able to stand firm in what he had been taught and surely in the wisdom his momma prayed for him.  In Daniel 5:14 it says, "I've heard about you (Daniel)  - that you're full of the Holy Spirit, that you've got a brilliant mind, that you are incredibly wise".

Oh may my children (and me!) be full of the Holy Spirit, have a brilliant mind and be incredibly wise!  In her book, Brave Moms, Brave Kids, Lee teaches you, along with scripture, how to  teach your children in a practical way! It's a practical momma parenting guide!

As I was reading this, I desperately wanted to purchase 50 more copies. There were so many mommas who I thought could benefit from this book.  If I had it my way, I would do just that! Yes, this book was THAT good!

So....here's YOUR chance to win (since I can't buy you all books! 😧)!

See below for your chance to win.

Leave a comment, or visit Lee's site. Update: Please bear with me as all this is new! I would love you to comment on how you have been a brave mom in parenting (something that has worked well or you've learned to do well) or a place where you need to be a brave mom in parenting! (All previous entries will count. And doing this through rafflecopter gets you an entry!)

Some details: The giveaway will close on January 25 at 12 a.m. So get your entry in before you go to bed on the 24th!  The winner's address will be given to Harvest House Publishers and the book will be mailed at the end of January. Good luck! I really wish you all could win. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Brave Moms, Brave Kids

I'm so excited to be doing a giveaway on this blog on January 23! The giveaway is the new book by Lee Nienhuis called Brave Moms, Brave Kids.  I can't wait!

I was excited to be a part of this launch team and did receive a free book for my preview and review!

How was I impacted by this book?

Well, let me start with how I first met Lee.  Several years ago I was able to attend the Moms In Prayer Festival of Joy conference.  It was there that I heard a young mom speak of her journey praying for her children.

More recently I was able to go to an Unshaken Conference for Moms In Prayer and heard Lee speak again.  Then I "happened" upon an invitation to be on her launch team. (God!)

I love that this book is Bible based and reinforces what is shared at Moms In Prayer!


Here's my review:

Brave Moms, Brave Kids is a practical hands on guide for mothers of all children!

In Brave Moms, Brave Kids Lee Nienhuis shares honestly why we, as moms, need to be praying for our children, and not just for their salvation. Lee offers honest advice and wisdom for raising your children bathed in prayer. Lee gives you practical strategies for raising godly children who are heros and warriors for Jesus. Consider this book, paired with the Bible,  the hands on guide for spiritual parenting. 

Lee shares biblical insight on how to pray for and train your children to be Christ followers. Have you ever been taught how to teach your children how to know and obey God, how to value the Word of God, how to pray, the importance of self-control, relationships and service and perhaps most importantly their identity if Christ?  In Brave Moms, Brave Kids, Lee addresses each of those topics with a practical “how to”.  As a Moms In Prayer praying mom, Lee also shares the four steps of prayer that can be used to teach your children how to pray.

This book has challenged me in my faith and taught this mother of five much about godly  parenting. I highly recommend Brave Moms, Brave Kids.

I was offered a free copy of Brave Moms, Brave Kids for my honest review, but I have purchased one to give away as many can benefit from this excellent book!