The Gospel Centered Woman

The Gospel Centered Woman -- Understanding Biblical Womanhood through the Lens of the Gospel
by
Wendy Alsup

MY THOUGHTS:
This book is heavier on theology than most Women's Bible studies, and I liked that. Wendy goes into depth on the passages she has selected and she uses scripture to justify her perspectives. this would be a great study for women who want to go beyond the 'fluff' of studies that make you feel good and really dive deep into what the Bible says about being a woman.

I love that Wendy uses Jesus as the role model we should aspire to instead of the typical Biblical women (Ruth, Esther, etc.) or the ever difficult Proverbs 31 woman. She clearly shows that these women have important lessons for us to learn, but that our true example should be Christ.

I also appreciated Wendy's focus on ALL women, not just those who are married and have children. While I fall into that category, I have several friends who are single or who are unable to have children, and they are often ignored in women's studies, which just hurts them more if those are things they desire.

This would be a great small group study for women who are seeking to truly understand the Biblical role of women in today's world.

  Link to buy the book: http://ow.ly/jgKJd 

ABOUT THE BOOK:
Many Christian books written to women claim to present God's good instructions for their lives. Some expound on the value of marriage and children. Many extol the virtues of the Proverbs 31 wife. A good number teach the value of love, submission, and respect in Christian marriages. Though this book deals with these topics, The Gospel-Centered Woman addresses women from an entirely different perspective. The most important part of the Bible's instructions to women center around the gospel. Jesus' life, death, and resurrection brought about a seismic shift in our understanding of Scripture. After His resurrection, His disciples understood words written thousands of years before with a clarity they never had previously. The good news of Christ illuminates all other Scripture, including instructions to women.  

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Wendy Alsup is a wife, mom, and math teacher. She is the author of "Practical Theology for Women: How Knowing God Makes a Difference in Our Daily Lives" and "By His Wounds You are Healed: How the Message of Ephesians Transforms a Woman's Identity". 

 

Find out more about Wendy at 

www.theologyforwomen.org.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SEE WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING!

Landing page: 

http://litfusegroup.com/author/walsup 

 

Thanks to Litfuse Publicity for providing a copy of the book for this review.

When the Morning Glory Blooms

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing When The Morning Glory Blooms Abingdon Press (April 1, 2013) by Cynthia Ruchti

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Cynthia writes stories of hope that glows in the dark, merging her love for storytelling with inextinguishable hope for inexpressible hurts.

Cynthia spends her days diving into words, worship, and wonder and celebrating 40 years of marriage, three grown children, and five outrageously adorable grandchildren. One of her greatest joys is helping other writers grow in their craft. To that end, she served as the assistant director and a faculty member of the Quad Cities Christian Writers Conference, has served as worship and devotions staff for the Write-to-Publish conference, and teaches at other conferences as opportunities arise. She speaks to women’s groups, at mother-daughter banquets, and for women’s refresher days and retreats. It is her delight to serve on her church’s worship team. Rather than “busy,” she likes the term “active.”

For 33 years, Cynthia wrote and produced the radio broadcast The Heartbeat of the Home. The scripted radio drama/devotional broadcast aired on as many as 50 radio stations and two cable/digital television stations over the years. Cynthia was the editor of the ministry’s Backyard Friends magazine, a twenty-page, twice annual publication that reached 5,000 homes, churches, and parachurch outreaches.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Becky rocks a baby that rocked her world. Sixty years earlier, with her fiancé Drew in the middle of the Korean Conflict, Ivy throws herself into her work at a nursing home to keep her sanity and provide for the child Drew doesn't know is coming. Ivy cares for Anna, an elderly patient who taxes Ivy's listening ear until the day she suspects Anna's tall tales are not the ramblings of dementia. They're fragments of Anna's disjointed memories of a remarkable life. Finding a faint thread of hope she can't resist tugging, Ivy records Anna's memoir, scribbling furiously after hours to keep up with the woman's emotion-packed, grace-hemmed stories. Is Ivy's answer buried in Anna's past? Becky, Ivy, Anna--three women fight a tangled vine of deception in search of the blossoming simplicity of truth.

If you would like to read the first chapter of When The Morning Glory Blooms, go HERE.

Rescuing Hope

by

Susan Norris

 MY THOUGHTS

 This is one of those books that you wish was purely fiction -- that things like sex trafficking don't really happen in our world. Unfortunately, it is all too true (while the book is fiction, it is based on interviews and research done by the author).

Rescuing Hope is intended to raise awareness of this horrifying crime, and it delicately takes the reader behind the scenes as Hope, an innocent young girl, is raped. She is terrified to tell anyone, and it eats her up inside and changes her perspective on life. She becomes an easy target for the tactics of those who kidnap young girls and hold them as prisoners, requiring them to perform sex for hire.

Rescuing Hope is well written, and Norris makes it easy to comprehend how so many people get pulled into this illicit world.

This book needs to be read by as many people as possible. Sex trafficking isn't something that just happens in third world countries, it is rampant here in our cities in the US. I hope this book will spur people to action.

 ABOUT THE BOOK

Every two minutes evil plunders the innocence of a child somewhere in the United States. These victims of human sex trafficking are as familiar as the girl who lives across the street. Hope Ellis is one of those girls. Trying to help her mother with their move across town, Hope finds herself in a situation she isn’t equipped to handle.
This single encounter opens the door to drugs, deception and more. Attempting to manage things on her own, she pushes her best friend away and seeks comfort in destructive relationships. Ultimately Hope’s vulnerability captures the attention of a man she meets on the subway. He pledges his affection, promises her love and wins her over with his smooth-talking ways. Will he help Hope find her way home, restored?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR-SUSAN NORRIS

In her novel, Rescuing Hope, Susan Norris frames the realities of sex trafficking in the US. After learning that girls her daughter’s age were being trafficked in her own quiet suburb outside of Atlanta, she set out on a quest to protect them and other girls in her path. This woman of boldness has spent countless hours with survivors, their families, and detectives sworn to protect them. She even met with a former pimp.
Through this two-year journey of discovery, Norris emerged a voice for victims of human trafficking. A sought-after networker of organizations fighting trafficking, such as Not For Sale, A Future Not A Past, Nightlight and Wellspring Living, she lobbies for stronger laws to protect victims and walks alongside rescued girls trying to piece together their shattered lives.
Founder of Righteous Relationships and a poplar international speaker for women and youth on topics such as purity, freedom and spiritual identity, Norris graduated from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro with a Master’s of Education degree. She has taught in public and private schools and served as a leader for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes before becoming a Bible teacher and author.

Thank you to iUniverse and Glass Road for providing a copy of this book for review.

When Jesus Wept - CONTEST!

 When Jesus Wept
by
Bodie and Brock Thoene

MY THOUGHTS:
This is an incredibly powerful book that follows the life of an ordinary man, Lazarus, into the heart of God's extraordinary plan.  The Thoene's have outdone themselves with this tribute to Jesus Christ and his ministry. The setting and historical facts are impeccable, and the story line takes you right to the heart of this dear friend of our Lord. With Biblical accuracy, they have given life to those surrounding one of the most amazing miracles in the New Testament.

With a passion for helping others become self sustaining, Lazarus manages one of the finer vineyards in Israel. The story is told as if you are sitting at his feet while he chases grasshoppers from his vines, works tirelessly to save young boys from a terrible plague, and learns the true meaning of love as he leads his household in following the Messiah.

I have always loved the historical novels written by Bodie and Brock Thoene, and this one has quickly moved to the top of the list of my favorites. I am anxious to see what they do with the rest of the Jerusalem Chronicles series.

 
ABOUT THE BOOK:

Book 1 in the Thoene's new Jerusalem Chronicles.

 Lazarus occupies a surprising position in the Gospel accounts. Widely known as the man Jesus raised from the dead, his story is actually much broader and richer than that. Living as he did at Bethany, near Jerusalem, Lazarus was uniquely placed to witness the swirl of events around Jesus. When Jesus Wept, the first novel in The Jerusalem Chronicles series by bestselling authors Bodie and Brock Thoene, unfolds the turbulent times in Judea during Jesus' ministry, centering on the friendship between Jesus and Lazarus. With rich insights from vineyard owners and vine dressers, the Thoenes explore the metaphor of Jesus as the True Vine, harvesting the ancient secrets found in the Old Testament. Weaving the life of Lazarus, who owned a vineyard, into the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ will help you understand it is the hand of Love Divine that holds the knife, that cuts and breaks with such tender and loving touch, and that we who have born some fruit, after the pruning, can bear much more. 

 

Link to buy the book: http://ow.ly/jubpF            

  

Meet the Thoenes:  

  

 Bodie and Brock Thoene (pronounced Tay-nee) are bestselling authors of over sixty-five works of historical fiction. Their timeless classics have sold more than thirty-five million copies and won eight ECPA Gold Medallion Awards. The Thoenes have four grown children and eight grandchildren. They divide their time between Hawaii, London, and Nevada.

Find out more about Bodie and Brock at http://www.thoenebooks.com/.

AND THE CONTEST!

Celebrate the release of When Jesus Wept with the Thoenes by entering their iPad Mini giveaway and RSVPing to their {4/23} Facebook Author Chat party!

One fortunate winner will receive:

• A brand new iPad Mini
• A book club kit - 10 copies of When Jesus Wept

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on April 22nd. Winner will be announced at the "When Jesus Wept" Author Chat Party on 4/23. Connect with the Thoenes, get a sneak peek of the next book in the Jerusalem Chronicles series, try your hand at a trivia contest, and chat with readers just like yourself. There will also be fun giveaways - gift certificates, books, and more!

So grab your copy of When Jesus Wept and join Bodie and Brock on the evening of the April 23rd for a chance to connect with the authors and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book - don't let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the fun, RSVP today. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 23rd!

 

Thank you to Litfuse Publicity and Zondervan Books for providing a copy of When Jesus Wept