Teacher Book Bag's Black and White Nativity Packet

The Publisher's Description:

There’s nothing more meaningful than a nativity scene. It is a visual remembrance of why we celebrate Christmas time as well as all the other days of the year. This packet was designed for children with small hands learning how to cut, but older children find it fun as well. Cut out your stable, assemble it, and cut out your characters in groups or individually. Design the colors to all the parts of the packet. This was made specifically with families in mind who have black ink printers. For families with color printers, save some money and allow your children to be creative!!! What fun for the children as they make each part of the packet uniquely theirs. Stands are included in order to make your stable and characters stand upright. A variety of sizes gives you loads of choices. Enjoy a packet near and dear to our heart.

My Thoughts:

If you are looking for a new way to make Christmas meaningful this is it! This is excellent for personal family use, Sunday School, Children's Chapel, or Home school settings. My children and I sat down with the scriptures and read the biblical account of Jesus' birth. We talked about each of the characters in the story and their significance. This opened up an opportunity to talk with my kids about how God uses ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary things in this world - From the unlikely shepherds on the hill to the believing magi that traveled from afar. From a young girl with a heart turned toward God and a young man willing to follow God's instruction even though the path would be difficult to the Inn Keeper who offered the stable.

My children enjoyed coloring the pictures/figures which I copied onto card stock paper. We put glitter and gems on them and made. Each of the four children worked on their own nativity. I took time during this to ask them each which character in the story they thought they were most like and which they would like to become.

I really liked the fact that the children could choose different sizes of figures - though my children chose to color one in each size. I also liked the fact that they could display these in their rooms and take pride in knowing they could now tell the story themselves.

This by far has been one of my favorite Christmas crafts thus far this season. I am certain that it would be a hit in Sunday School classes and intend to recommend it to our Sunday School teachers as well as to others.

A Holiday GIve Away!!

This is a give away for a free copy of the "My Favorite Bible"

With the vibrant illustrations and engaging text in this Bible storybook, you can enjoy sharing the best-loved stories
of the Bible with the children in your life and encourage a life-long love for the Word of God. My Favorite Bible is
a book of exciting Bible stories and activity pages that guide children through the foundational truths of Scripture.

Each story is fully illustrated and includes a simple narrative full of things kids love: repetition, rhythm, and energy,
along with a key biblical theme, a key Bible verse, and discussion questions to help adults introduce children to the
Bible.

The colorful illustrations will capture the imaginations of children ages 4–8, and the stories will help adults to pass
along the most important truth in life—the Gospel. Families will cherish this time as they read, listen, learn, and
love, growing closer to one another even as they grow closer to God.

To see inside the book:

http://www.amazon.com/My-Favorite-Bible-Best-Loved-Stories/dp/0800719565/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1322074374&sr=8-1#reader_0800719565

If your interested leave a comment with an email. Name will be drawn on Nov 30th. Bible will be mailed from the publisher

The Names of God Bible, God's Word Translation

I have really enjoyed this bible! There is something about reading the Word with the actual names of God in the original language. In addition there is the meaning of each name. This makes the Word of God seems so much deeper as you begin to understand the depth of the character of God.

I have the books Praying the Names of God and Praying the Names of Jesus by Ann Spangler so this bible is a welcome addition to my library. It has quickly found it's place next to my regular study bible where I have started using it in comparison with my ESV.

The added study helps, definitions of the names of God, and the footnotes make this bible very user friendly! In addition each chapter starts out with an over view and the names listed in that chapter.

This is an excellent resource bible and also great for everyday use. As I stated above there is something about having the original language and meaning of the names right there in scripture that adds a whole new depth to your bible study.

Thanks to Revell for this review copy.

Let Our Children Go, Rebecca Greenwood

The forward of this book is written by Cindy Jacobs, author of 'Deliver Us From Evil', a book that covers much the same topic at a different approach. Because of this I was interested in this book as well. As a mother of 4 children and a Sunday School Teacher and youth worker I am very interested in books concerned with breaking the bonds of the Enemy in the lives of children. This world is quickly becoming a dark and terrifying place for children and so many are left with no spiritual covering or upbringing. Even those raised in Christian homes face darker things than I did as a child.

This book is an excellent resource for parents, grandparents, pastors, Sunday school teachers and all others working with children. I believe that it is of the utmost importance to prayerfully study the things that our children face and to study the strategies of the enemy. This book is well-written and easy to read. It is not like some books on this subject that are far reaching or seem to attempt to scare parents. Instead this book is written for the purpose and intent of teaching parents about the things that might affect their children. It does explore the bondages and lies of the enemy and give parents appropriate tools to better battle against the spiritual darkness that is creeping across our nation.

I highly recommend this book to all those working with children.

Thank you to Charisma House for this review copy.

Common English Bible

If you are looking for a reliable and accurate translation that is easy to read and understand this is the bible translation for you! The new Common English Bible (CEB) is very close to the ESV. This translation is not wooden but instead is very fluid and easily understood. Anyone, of any age would be able to pick it up and read it with full assurance of understanding the verse. I think that such translations help modern Christians get a better grasp of the richness and depth of the scriptures. I find, as a Sunday School teacher and youth worker, that many younger people get hung up on the archaic language and vocabulary of older translations such as the KJV. I however, do not discount the beauty and poetic flow of the KJV or its unique richness. This newer translation, though, is easier for the modern reader to pick up and understand without losing the original intent of the scriptures. This is not like the other modern "translations" that are based on a paraphrase or a translation based on the "idea" of the text nor is it loose like the newer Message bible that has been confused as an actual translation when in fact it is a loose paraphrase modern re-telling of the scriptures.


The following is a scripture and the other translations. As you can see this translation does not lose any of the meaning, depth or beauty of the original language but instead makes it more readable for the modern reader.

I Chronicles 16:8-9

(CEB) Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name; make his deeds known to all people! Sing to God, sing praises to him; dwell on his wondrous works!

(ESV) Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name; make known his deeds among all peoples! Sing to him; sing praises to him; tell of all his wondrous works!

(HCSB) Give thanks to Yahweh; call on His name; proclaim His deeds among the peoples. Sing to Him; sing praise to Him; tell about all His wonderful works!

(KJV) Give thanks unto the Lord, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the people. Song unto him, sing psalms unto him, talk ye all of his wondrous works!

(NKJ) Oh, Give thanks to the Lord! Call upon His name; make known His deeds among the peoples! Sing to Him, sing palms to Him; Talk of all His wondrous works!

You can comment on this post and you will be entered to win a free copy of this bible from the publisher. Please leave an email address. I will notify the winner on Friday, December 2, 2011.

Other ways you can learn about the CEB translation:
http://CommonEnglishBible.com
http://twitter.com/CommonEngBible
http://facebook.com/groups/CommonEnglishBible
http://vimeo.com/CommonEnglishBible

Precisely Terminated, Amanda L. Davis

Precisely Terminated is a book that transports readers to a desperate and terrible time. It reminded me somewhat of Ayn Rand's writing as well as 1984. The Dystopian society is clearly illustrated in the pages of this book. Each character is well-developed, and easy to empathize with. Amanda Davis does an excellent job with her descriptive writing making this world real and believable and causing the reader to become deeply connected with the cause and condition of the slaves.

I loved the themes of self-sacrifice and love that are deeply embedded in the story. This is true heroism at it's highest - people willing to go the distance for others. All of these slaves believed in a higher goal and held a hope of a brighter future. This hope was tied up in one child that did not have a chip, yet keeping this one child alive was difficult and required a great deal of sacrifice on the part of others. In this we see Monica develop into a young lady with mercy, and kindness guiding her thoughts.

I can not wait to read the coming books in this series. Amanda Davis has written a book that could quickly make it's way onto the reading lists of public schools along side the classics of 1984, Atlas Shrugged, and The Handmaid's Tale. This book is truly exceptional.

Thanks to the publisher for this review copy.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jTNcQYK0Jk

Fierce Beauty, Kim Meeder

This book is one that every woman should read. As a Pastor's wife and leader and Women's Ministry I highly recommend this book to all women even teens. In fact it would be an excellent stocking stuffer for the teen in your life.

Without excuse or hesitation Kim confronts head on the lie that today's woman has accepted regarding beauty. She carefully tears apart this lie exposing the great untruths that have been twisted into something that closely looks like the truth.

Through applicable stories and scripture Kim opens up the truth of what real and lasting beauty is. This simple truth is the very thing that most women so desperately need to hear. Furthermore, this is a truth that most women need to take hold of.

This is a book that leaves you wanting to trade in your crown of jewels and entitlement for a sword and beauty that radiates from deep within. Her challenge is to be like Jesus and to be the hope that others need to see.

Excellent job Kim Meeder.

Thanks to the publisher for this review copy.

21-Day Dad's Challenge, General Editor Carey Casey

This book is in response to the movie Courageous and is a challenge to men to step up to the call of Fatherhood. This is a daunting task in today's society and many men feel over-whelmed and ill-equipped. This book is written with the evidence of the heart of Jesus - in that it is very encouraging and edifying to men who are in the season of Fatherhood. Though it challenges men in areas it also encourages them to continue in the daily work of being a father.

Like mothers, fathers too need the mentorship of older men. This is simply the call in Timothy spelled out. In this book men will find the advice of other father's who have been down the path. They impart their wisdom that has been gleaned from experience and scripture in a way that will empower the father's of today to become great leaders.

Father's you will not be disappointed. Women - encourage your men, but don't nag them. Point out what they are doing right and allow God to show them through this book and other godly men what scripture says they need to work on. If you buy this for your husband be sure to remind him that you are proud to be married to a godly man that would be willing to read a book like this. As a mother - I know I am constantly encouraged by the huge amount of books on the subject of motherhood. I am glad to see this well-written book for men.

Thanks to the publisher for this review copy.

Song of the Unmaking, D. Barkley Briggs

Briggs has written a book that is deeply involved. I now wish that I had read the first two in this series of tales. However, I came upon this series through an offer for a book review. I will be going back now to collect the first books in this series.

As a mother of 4 I am on the constant outlook for good books for my children to spend time in. This is one of those books. Much like the writing of Lord of the Rings this is an epic tale of an ancient world removed far from our own. Pre-Teens, Teens and young adults who love fantasy fiction will immediately find themselves drawn into this world of conflict and heroes - of war and victories.

I will say the action is fast-paced and there is much information to take in. I had to often refer back to previous pages to sort out names and locations - However, this is due mainly to my in-experience with reading fantasy fiction and the names and descriptions are confusing to me (even in well-known classics like Lord of the Rings and Narnia). The world of gnomes, witches, elves, ogres, etc is not usually my forte. However, my children had no problem sorting the information. In fact they liked the characters and could visualize the places much more vividly because of Briggs excellent and deep story telling abilities.

Thanks to Glass Roads Publication for this review copy.

A Woman's Guide to Fasting, Lisa E. Nelson

Lisa E. Nelson has done an excellent job at teaching on a subject that has become legalistic and religious in a way that brings back the spiritual beauty of seeking fully the Lord. This book is very well written and extremely concise.

Lisa addresses not only the physical aspects of fasting and how to be successfull at it, but she also addresses the spiritual. She does this in a such a friendly manner that the reader truly is introduced to the heart of God. As the book unfolds Lisa teaches that fasting is more about the relationship with God - a true and deep hunger and thirst for knowing God more closely and personally.

I absolutely enjoyed every aspect of this book as it caused me to search deeper into the scriptures and find for myself what God had hidden there for me. Fasting truly is about a relationship not a religion, not rules, not legalism - but a faith that seeks to grow stronger in the Lord.

Thank you for this review copy.

Remembering Christmas, Dan Walsh

Often we leave behind our family, our childhood, the things that we want to forget and forge for ourselves a new path. We long to reconcile the aching in our hearts, to fill the void that is in our lives. So we search out success and wealth, relationships and fun to fill our days. We build up walls around the past, the pain, the hurt, the memories we just can't seem to put into a proper place or make fit into a perfect world that we seek.

This is the case with Rick. Leaving home years ago he had found success in the business world, including wealth and relationships. By all worldly standards he had attained what all seek. A life separate from his childhood - carefully removed from the imperfect memories that he could not make fit into his ideal world. He had shut off his mother, created a life that was suitable, and workable by his standards. Then came the call to return home and help his mother while his step-father was in the hospital.

In this time Rick comes face to face with the memories he had carefully constructed and the truth. The longer he stays the more his eyes are opened. He is asked to run the bookstore that his mother and step-father had - little did he know that this seemingly simple task would cause his carefully constructed world to unravel piece by piece.

The journey begins with the introduction of two completely opposite people - a homeless man and a single mother. Both of these people bring about a change so complete and so absolute that Rick is never the same. The things he held as truth and the world he had created come crashing down and a peace and forgiveness that he had never known follows this breaking.

Dan Walsh has a way of unfolding a story that draws a reader into the very midst of it. It is as if you, the reader are more than just an onlooker. This story is so powerful in its simplicity that it is nothing short of amazing.

Thanks to Revell for this review copy.

The Christmas Shoppe, Melody Carlson

An eccentric old lady with strange ways, a small town, a ruthless City Councilman and a new to town City Manager fleeing a past of brokenness and pain are thrown together in a story that effects every one in this sleepy little town.

Melody Carlson has woven together a heart-touching story of faith and redemption. This book is just the right length to read on a lazy fall day as you cuddle beneath a stack of blankets. The story is easy enough to read that from the first page the reader is drawn in and hooked.

The Christmas Shoppe at first glance is a store filled with worthless odds and ends. The owner is an odd old woman that has captured the thoughts and imagination of the towns people. Every one has their own opinions of her and her odd dress and mannerisms. However, no one that steps into the little shop comes out the same. One can not help but be changed when they encounter the power of forgiveness - the facing of the brokenness in each person. This shoppe's power is in the facing of one's past, the acknowledgment of brokenness - and the shedding of truth on lies.
In a matter of weeks this small sleepy village ruled by tradition and steeped in silent pain held by each person is changed by the power of truth unleashed with love and compassion.

This book is so sweet. If you are a Secret Santa this year put it in your basket for your person with a mug, some cocoa and marshmallows and a small fleece blanket. Everyone needs to face something in our past and be released from a bondage of some sort. Though the book is not intrusive personally it will be one that makes the reader wonder what worthless piece of "junk" still has a hold on their life and is holding them back from the very best that God has for them.

Thank you so much Revell for this review copy. I am already recommending it for others to purchase.


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Praying the Names of God, Ann Spangler

Last year I received "Praying the Names of Jesus" by this same author and enjoyed it greatly. This is no less enjoyable! This is a book that seems so simple upon first look but it delves deeply into the richness of God's Word exposing the beauty and depth of the original language and the importance of the different names given to God. We are taught the words Lord, God, Almighty, the I Am - yet rarely do we truly understand the depth and meaning of these words or how they reveal the rich and wonderful character of God.

Upon reading a book like this it is hard to view the scriptures in the same context. For all of the sudden you have a more complete knowledge of what the author, under the divine inspiration of God, was trying to convey. It is like stumbling upon a treasure in the midst of what you already thought was good and unearthing more than you expected at each turn. It is like finding a well in the midst of a desert, then discovering it is actually a spring that runs eternally deep and will never run dry.

I really enjoy that only one Name is explored for the entire week. This gives the reader time to absorb the meaning - to make it personal and to experience the true character of who God is. The questions cause the reader to dig deeper and apply the knowledge that has been taught.

Absolutely worth the read - more than once!

Thank you Zondervan for this review copy.