ADORED: 365 Devotions for Young Women

Adored: 365 Devotions for Young Women by Zondervan tackles tough topics girls face, from bullying and social media to friendships and dating, all the while showing readers how infinitely precious they are in God’s sight.

Each day contains a devotion that is relative to a young woman's life with room to journal for an even more personalized experience. Scripture is also included that is perfect for memorization, a starting point for daily Bible reading, or to simply remind the reader that the Bible still connects with our lives even hundreds of years later. Adored will resonate with girls searching for truth and guidance given with honesty and a touch of humor.

It's a wonderful gift for tweens, teens, and young women with it's compact size and beautiful, foiled cover, with two-color interior pages. The hard cover is durable and the pages are strongly bound (in my case, tested and proven by a curious 2 year old) to easily handle every day use. I also love that it does not have a specific date, making this a good gift for any time of the year AND you don't feel like you have to play catch-up (or simply abandon the book) if you miss a day or more. My only complaint was that it seemed like it would be a bit awkward to write in and I would like more space for journaling.

For a 7 day download, go to Zondervan - Adored devotional
Buy Adored at Christianbook.com/Adored-365

GIVEAWAY! Enter to win a copy for yourself or as a gift. Leave a comment on this blog post (or on the social media post where you found this by end of day December 7, 2017.

“Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255:  “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway.  Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation.  I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post. Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway.  If you have won a prize from our sponsor Propeller /FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days on the same blog, you are not eligible to win.  Or if you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.

#AdoredByGod
#FlyBy 

1 Girl Nation cd

Landing in the space where One Direction meets TobyMac, 1 Girl Nation is an exciting blend of upbeat pop music, with lyrics that are totally focused on living life for God, even while you’re young. 1GN, as they’ve already been dubbed, stars Carmen, Kayli, Kelsey, Lauryn Taylor and Lindsey, five girls with a passion for telling their fans about Christ through their music. Their first single, “While We’re Young,” can be heard on radio stations across the country and their self-titled debut album is available now! (from promoter)

Watch the video below for "While We Are Young":

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this cd from Propeller FlyBy Promotions in exchange for a fair and honest review. I was not required to give a positive review and all opinions are my own.

I confess that when I read the description, I thought, "Who is "One Direction"?. So I did listen to a couple of those videos to get a grasp on their style. and I agree that they are very similar. Bottom line, if you are a fan of one, you will probably be a fan of the other. I also confess, this really is not my favorite style of music, but that does not take away that I did find myself tapping my toes as I listened to it. There is no denying that this high-energy, upbeat music has a huge fan base, and these young ladies certainly have the enthusiasm and talent to go far. My particular favorite was the 4th track, "In The Eyes", but they are all good. The entire cd is filled with upbeat music and lyrics that deliver a positive message. I will be passing along my copy to my teenaged granddaughter, but see details below of how you can win a copy for yourself or a special person in your life.

Stay Connected:

1 Girl Nation website

1 Girl Nation on Facebook

Twiiter @1girlnation

1 Girl Nation YouTube

7 Steps To Knowing and Doing the Will of God

More teenagers than ever before seem to be spinning their wheels a long time before gaining any traction in life. Based on the world-renowned Experiencing God teachings of Henry Blackaby, Seven Steps to Knowing and Doing the Will of God for Teens provides students with relevant spiritual direction as they move toward adulthood.

Throughout, authors Tom, Mike, and Daniel Blackaby (Henry Blackaby's son and grandsons) utilize fun formatting with cartoon illustrations (Cory Jones), jokes, real-life stories, and graphically engaging treatments to bring strong focus to a message teenagers need in their often random settings.

 I received this book from Shelton Interactive at no charge to me in exchange for a fair and honest review. 
  
Although I am well past my teen years, I enjoyed reading this book myself. The stories, both Biblical and personal anecdotes, are written in a manner that is both easy to grasp and very relatable to others. I also loved the cartoons and bits of pop culture included. The 7 Steps:

1. God is always at work around you
2. God pursues a love relationship with you 
3. God invites you to become involved with Him in His work
4. God speaks by the Holy Spirit
5. God's invitation leads to a crisis of belief
6. Adjustments
7. You come to know God by experience as you obey Him and He accomplishes His work through you

 By giving examples and asking questions, each step is explained---not in a formulaic pattern, but as a process for the reader to have a deeper relationship with God. I have teenaged grandchildren, and this is a book I think each of them needs to read...and one I believe they will enjoy reading. Very well done!

The 5th Quarter

The death of a promising young athlete just days before his 16th birthday inspires his older brother to lead his college football team to new heights in The 5th Quarter, the moving saga of the Abbate family of Marietta, Georgia. Aidan Quinn, Andie MacDowell, and Ryan Merriman star in this true story from writer/director Rick Bieber.

When 15-year-old Luke Abbate (Stefan Guy) is killed in a tragic car accident, the loss leaves his close-knit family reeling with grief. Fueled by faith and their deep familial bond, the Abbates try to rebuild their lives without Luke, fulfilling his wish to help others by donating his organs to save the lives of five other people. But despite the support of loving friends and family, his death leaves a void in their lives that threatens to tear the family apart. Struggling with the devastating loss, Luke’s older brother Jon (Ryan Merriman), a gifted football player at Wake Forest University, decides to honor his brother’s memory and love for the game by dedicating the 2006 season to him.

I really wanted to like this film. I usually love football films and this is based on true events. I feel horrid for saying I dislike a film about a grieving family because I definitely do not want to diminish their grief and life. So, keep in mind that this is no reflection on the family...and more on my admiration for them later. However, the film had some definite over-acting and scenes that didn't quite make sense to me. I understand that each family member had good days and bad days, so that didn't bother me...much. It just had a disjointed feel to it, and odd moments that I guess were supposed to be inspirational. The film started out good, and even if they express their faith differently than I do, I never did understand what part their faith had with the healing process.


What I like about the film is the awareness it brings to both reckless driving with teens and organ donation. There are some very graphic scenes in the film about the accident. This is certainly not for younger children, but I think 14+ should see exactly what can happen when they drive carelessly or are in the car with someone who does. One of the most emotional scenes for me was "Luke" telling the driver to let him out or to stop the car. I also keep thinking of that driver and how he has to live with his mistake for the rest of his life. So, I would recommend this film to be shown to teens. The Abbate family formed the Luke Abbate 5th Quarter Foundation to make the seriousness of this issue available to young drivers. The other reason for the foundation is to talk about organ donation. Through Luke's death, 5 other people were able to receive his organs. I am a strong believer in this gift of life to others, and have always let my family know that I want to to let others use any part of me they can after my death.

So, not a really good film, but a couple of messages that make it worth your time to watch.

Anne Wells: BTFS Characters

Anne Wells 

 Anne Wells is the Goth teen daughter who struggles with depression and cutting. She feels rejected by her parents, especially her dad, and has placed an emotional barrier around herself. This latest move to the small town of Leonard, Texas, is another reminder that she is an outsider who cannot find her own niche...although she has found one person who wants to be her friend. Will she found the truth she is searching for?

Cherami Leigh stars as Anne Wells in Beyond The Farthest Star.

Follow @CheramiLeigh
Cherami Leigh on IMDb

Important Info:

• LIKE Beyond The Farthest Star on Facebook
• BTFS website
• BTFS on IMDb
• Follow @beyondmovie on Twitter
• Subcribe to Beyond The Farthest Star on Youtube
• Follow BTFS on Pinterest

  What Would You Do To Save Your Family?

Plot outline:

A twist of fate brings the national spotlight to a forgotten Texas town and a once famous preacher has an opportunity to either regain his former glory or seize one last chance to restore his fractured family. Narrated by his fifteen-year-old daughter, we watch as Adam Wells, a minister driven by the prospect of achieving greatness as the next nationally-syndicated TV Evangelist, faces the possibility of laying down his opportunity at “celebrity” and even his own life in order to become something even greater... a loving husband and father to his wife and daughter.

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Beyond The Farthest Star will be in theaters in 2013. If you want to help get it to a cinema near you, click BRING IT and let them know you want to see this film!

The One Good Thing by Kevin Alan Milne

For as long as Halley Steen has known her husband Nathan, he has carried a handful of stones in his pocket. Each day he uses those stones to remind him to follow the Golden Rule, moving a stone from one pocket to the other with each act of kindness. So it's not unusual that Nathan stops to help a stranger on the side of the highway while on his way to his son's football game one Friday evening. But that one act will change all of their lives forever, when a car hydroplanes off the road, killing Nathan instantly.

As Halley and her children Ty and Alice struggle with their grief, Nathan's spiritual legacy lives on. A Facebook page appears, where countless stories about Nathan's selfless acts are shared. But among them is one that stands out, from a woman who says that Nathan saved her life. Neither Halley nor her children have ever heard of Madeline Zuckerman. But soon Halley discovers years of e-mails from this woman to her husband on his computer that refer to "our little girl." How could her husband have kept the secret of this other child for their entire marriage? Why had he lied to her? Was he not the man she thought he was?

Only thirteen-year-old Alice maintains unwavering faith in her father. She knows there's an explanation. When she sets out to find Madeline and learn the truth, she will start to unravel the complex story of The One Good Thing Nathan Steen did that had the greatest impact of all. 

If you want a book that is entertaining, filled with mystery, and edifying...this is a must read! Honestly, I started to pass on it since I had too much going on right now and a stack of other books and films I had promised to look at and was concerned about fitting it into my schedule since the blog tour is this week. I finally decided that it looked like something I would enjoy in between some of the "heavier" books I was reading. This became one of those books I did not want to put down once I got started. The topics of bullying, secrets, and the impact it has on families and told through multi-generational layers and time periods showed a cause and effect that changes a life and determines how you treat others.

One man's life changed when he caught a glimpse of the inner heartbreak of a classmate. His honor and acts of kindness are what he has become known for, but his unexpected death reveals secrets that appear to vindicate those who felt he had betrayed them in the past. Was Nathan the good man everyone thought he was or was he trying to atone for lies he kept covered? The use of many characters voicing their POV in individual chapters, in addition to the comments left by others on the Nathan Steen Facebook Tribute Page "The One Good Thing" gave a well-rounded look at the man.

This also lets the reader ponder what each of us may face and how it appears to others. I loved the actual use of stones Nathan used to help him make a conscious effort to do a good thing. We often hurl stones of indifference, hatred, avoidance ,etc. at others and think nothing of it. Is lack of action, when offered the chance to do good, as bad as doing evil? Two of my favorite quotes sum up my opinion:
"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing" ~ Edmund Burke
"Do to others as you would have them do to you." ~ Jesus Christ

 
GIVEAWAY: Leave a comment letting me know that you would like to be entered in the drawing to win your own copy of
"The One Good Thing". Drawing will be held Tues., March 19, 2013 at 1pm CDT.

Kevin Alan Milne is the author of The One Good Thing, The Paper Bag Christmas, The Nine Lessons, Sweet Misfortune, and The Final Note. He earned an MBA at Pennsylvania State University. Born in Portland, Oregon, Milne grew up in the nearby quiet country town of Sherwood, Oregon, where he currently resides with his wife and five children. 

I received my copy of this book from Sarah Reck at Hachette Book Group and Center Street for the opportunity to review it. I was not required to give a positive review or to participate in the blog tour.

Rise Of The Elgen by Richard Paul Evans

Rise of the Elgen continues the story of Michael Vey, Taylor, Ostin, and the others who call themselves the Electroclan. You may recall that not only was Michael born with Tourette's syndrome, but also with astonishing electrical powers. In book 2, the Electroclan, made up of those with special powers and 3 friends without, have escaped from Elgen Academy in Pasadena. But Michael's mother needs rescued from her kidnappers and the Elgen are still determined to destroy this group of friends.


By using their powers, wits, skills, and Ostin's brain, they manage to escape an Elgen traps, but also must choose whether to trust a mysterious voice. They learn that Michael's mom is being held in the jungles of Peru, and that the Elgen plan on global dominance by controlling the world's supply of inexpensive, natural energy. Michael will stop at nothing to rescue his mom and Hatch is equally determined to stop and destroy Michael Vey.


Take a look at the trailer for Rise Of The Elgen:

This is an exciting read for teens and adults. I didn't enjoy this one quite as much as I did the first, but I am not a fan of rats or snakes and both were featured too prominently for my personal taste. However, to see the continued growth of the characters and see them work together to resolve personal differences and challenges to achieve their goals are a good example of teamwork. Of course, trying to stay alive and rescue a parent from an evil genius are not part of most of our lives, but books are an excellent and safe way to have an adventure. This series is well written, imaginative, and each does leave you anxiously awaiting the next book in the series.

The publisher graciously sent 2 copies of this book for me to offer as a giveaways. Please enter the Rafflecopter contest:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I received this material from the publisher for a fair and honest review. There was no requirement that I write a favorable review and all opinions are my own.

Girl In Progress

Girl In Progress, due out in time for Mother's Day 2012  is a story of a dysfunctional relationship between a mother and a daughter. A single mom,  Grace (Eva Mendes) tries to balance work in a nearby restaurant, bills, and her affair with a married doctor (Matthew Modine). Her teenaged daughter, Ansiedad ( Cierra Ramirez), has tired of the constant flow of men, moves, and dead-end jobs in her mom's life and decides to take matters into her own hands. Inspired by the coming-of-age stories she is reading in school, she enlists her best friend (Raini Rodriguez) to help her to devise a series of steps she needs to experience so she will be ready for an early adulthood, and a better life than she now has. 

 I was given an opportunity to see an advance copy of the film recently, and I admit to a few mixed feelings. During the first few minutes, I admit I had doubts, but decided to proceed with the viewing and not just make a snap judgement. Both mother and daughter had too much responsibility to handle and a lack of maturity that caused poor choices. Grace was kicked out of the house when she became pregnant at 17, and was stuck in jobs beneath her capabilities, and felt trapped. She dreamed of better things, but made poor choices. Ansiedad felt like she was having to take on an adult role, so her plan to speed things up and escape had both shades of comedy and pathos. This is not a film for younger children and I was glad to see that it had a rating of PG-13. There are scenes of bullying, drinking, sexual references, and, of course, the mom's affair with a married man. However, there is no bad language or graphic nudity. I have teenaged grandkids and would not object to them seeing this film. There were consequences to decisions made, and lessons were learned from mistakes. I felt a sense of hope for the future of these characters as the film came to a close.

Check out more about this film on Imdb and Facebook:
Girl In Progress on IMDb: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1817676/
Girl In Progress on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GIRLINPROGRESSmovie

Thanks to Buzzplant for giving me to see this film and do a review. I was not required to give a favorable review and all opinions are my own.

Michael Vey by Richard Paul Evans

Michael Vey: The Prisoner of Cell 25 is the first book in a series of 7 by the best-selling author Richard Paul Evans (The Christmas Box, The Carousel). This is also the first release by Glenn Beck’s new publishing company, Mercury Ink. Marketed to the teen/young adult audience, it is a breath of fresh air compared to some of the darker themes that are being offered recently. I admit, though, that it kept my attention, so I would recommend it for 12 and up. Here is the premise of the book (from the author's website):

To everyone at Meridian High School, Michael Vey seems like an ordinary 14-year-old–he likes waffles and video games, hates homework and gets bullied at school. But Michael is anything but ordinary.  He was born with special electrical powers.

When Michael’s best friends, Ostin Liss and cheerleader Taylor Ridley, make an accidental discovery, the trio learns that there are other children with electric powers–and that someone, or some thing, is hunting them.

After Michael’s mother is kidnapped, Michael will have to rely on his wits, powers and friends to combat the powerful Elgen and free his mother. 

This story covers a wide range of topics from bullying, peer pressure, high school crushes, etc. on up to moral and ethical issues that will make anyone stop and consider what their own choices would be. For the hero to be a kid who is picked on due to both his size and for having Tourette's makes him more down-to-earth, and also gives you a clearer reason for his strength of character. Much of the action in the earlier part of the book is more along a typical teenage life, and gives the reader an interest in the growth and development of each one and their interactions with one another.

Then, the true action of the story begins when both Taylor and Mrs. Vey are kidnapped by the mysterious Mr. Hatch and the strange teens with them. We are then whisked to a world where manipulation, greed, self-centeredness, and indulgence are considered normal. Having your every desire fulfilled is commonplace...as long as you show Mr Hatch your unfailing loyalty. The punishment for refusing is imprisonment with electrifying results!! Will good overcome evil? This is going to be a series that stretches your mind, your morals, and your ability to wait for the next exciting installment. I am already eager to read Michael Vey: Rise Of The Elgen.

GIVEAWAY: This time I have been provided with TWO copies of Michael Vey: The Prisoner Of Cell 25 to offer as a giveaway. Leave a comment on this blog (or  send me a message if you can't get logged on) and be entered into a random drawing. I will accept all entries posted no later than 5pm (CST) on December 25, 2011. At that time, I will announce who will be getting a slightly delayed Christmas gift. :)

Michael Vey on Facebook: Michael Vey Official Fan Page

Disclaimer: I was provided with a free copy of this book in hopes of receiving a fair and honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Field Of Vision

Family Movie Night  , presented by Walmart and P&G, returns this Saturday, June 11 at 8/7c on NBC with FIELD OF VISION! 

Synopsis: Mysterious footage captured on an old video camera shows star quarterback Tyler McFarland that some of his teammates have been bullying the new transfer student, Cory Walker. Aware that standing up for Cory might get his friends kicked off the team and cost the school the state championship, Tyler must choose between winning and doing what’s right.

 

As these events unfold, the camera also reveals more surprising footage to Tyler's kid sister Lucy. She learns that Cory has a secret past, unknown even to him. Now Lucy must convince her mom (Faith Ford, Murphy Brown) and family that the camera's revealing insight is not a product of her imagination as she enlists their help to find the answers Cory so desperately needs. It's a compelling and intriguing story that shows both the challenges and rewards of doing the right thing even when it's tough to do.

You can view the trailer if you Click here.

I have to admit that I have mixed views on this one. First off, it is absolutely acceptable for family viewing! I like fantasy movies and I like reality movies, but this was just an awkward mixture for me. Perhaps I wanted the subject matter handled in less of a "fairy-tale" manner with the magic camera. It seemed obvious that Cory was being bullied, yet the principal seemed a little oblivious to the situation. There were just too many scenes that I found unbelievable. I don't want to give away anything, so I won't go into specifics.

On a positive note, I welcome any film that will open a dialogue with family members, especially kids, on topics that need to be brought out in the open. For that reason alone, I suggest you gather the family and watch this film. There were also a couple of lines said that deeply touched me, and encouraged others to take personal responsibility and leadership. One of them, "What counts is what you do from now on", is one I should remember at all times...especially when I feel that I have made a mistake. Another part of the film that I loved was recognizing music from a favorite band, The Afters!!

Since I am not as enthused about this film as I have been with the others, I want you to be able to hear an opinion from a group that has much more experience and prestige than me! Check out the  Dove Foundation Review and see what they had to say! While I would give this a "C", it truly does have its merits.

"Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

The Truth Of The Matter (The Homelanders #3)

This time I decided to find a book within the Youth Fiction genre, since I think it is so important for teens to develop a love of books that goes beyond all they have to read at school. I admit to being a bit dismayed to realize that I had picked up book #3 of a series, but there is more than enough background provided that it was not the stumbling block I feared it to be. You quickly get the general idea of what has gone on before and aren't left confused by what is happening.

Book Description (provided by publisher):
Charlie is certain that if he could just regain his memory, the chaos around him would make sense. But the truth of the matter is even more incredible than he could imagine.
Charlie West was an ordinary high school kid who went to bed one night and woke up in the clutches of terrorists and wanted by the police for murder. He also woke up with no memory of the events of the past year.
Now Charlie has found the one person who knows what happened . . . and who can help him remember. But remembering is painful--as well as dangerous--and figuring out what to do with this new knowledge may be Charlie's toughest challenge yet.

There is loads of excitement and plot twists and turns that is sure to capture the interest of a teen boy. That this book is faith-based and patriotic is a major plus, in my opinion. The fourth and final book in this series is not due out until next August, so this would be the perfect time to get The Truth Of The Matter, as well as the 2 previous books in the series: The Last Thing I Remember and The Long Way Home. This is a very good series to invest in for boys between the ages of 11 & 15.

"Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."