A Cloud by Day, A Fire by Night

Author: A.W. Tozer

Publisher: Bethany House Publishers

Release Date: March 5, 2019

Whatever problems may arise in your life, day or night, you can always find God’s will for you.

Everyone that follows Christ wants to know what God’s will for their life is, no matter how firm you are in your faith it is a question we all ask. At different stages in our lives that might change, and we have to be open to following what is in store for us. Tozer uses sermons from his church in Chicago to show the will of God and gives us examples of difficult decisions that will help guide us.

This is one of the few non-fiction books I have read that I wanted to go back and read again and again because of the authenticity of the words on the pages. When struggling with what to do and if we are on the right track to following God’s will Tozer gives us a great tool to keep in our arsenal in dealing with the ups and downs of life. I recommend this book to everyone going through their spiritual journey.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

He Knows Your Name

Author: Paige Allen

Publisher: Bethany House Publishers

Release Date: November 7, 2023

A fabulous book that should be on everyone’s reading list!

No matter what you are going through, God sees you. He hears you and He loves you. Throughout the bible we see women who aren’t given a name but are still close to God’s heart. In this book, Paige Allen gives readers a look at seven unnamed women in the bible and how their encounters with Jesus can be used to help us learn and grow. Not only do readers discover what these women go through, but Paige also gives little glimpses into her personal life with stories about herself and those she is around which are relatable and great for readers to see her in this light as she is helping us grow in faith.

We all have times in life where we feel unseen and unheard, but we aren’t alone, and God still loves us. The way that the stories are written to make it relatable to everyone is so well done and something that I don’t want to keep to myself. When I finished, I found myself buying multiple copies to hand out to friends. Nonfiction books are not normally a quick read for me, but this one was so good that I couldn’t put it down! I recommend this book to everyone!

Walt’s Apprentice

Author: Dick Nunis

Publisher: Disney Editions

Release Date: October 11, 2022

Equal parts memoir, history, and business leadership! A terrific read!

Dick Nunis has led a very interesting life. He was a high-level football player in high school with some great coaching mentors and was able to obtain a scholarship to play at USC in college with dreams of making a professional career out of the sport. But an unexpected injury sidelined his dreams and coming out of college took a job working as a supervisor trainer for the release of a new amusement park called Disneyland. This first job would change his life and eventually become his career. As one of the original workers for Disneyland, he had the opportunity to work alongside Walt Disney the man for a decade. Dick rose through the ranks of leadership and eventually become the chief of Disney World Resort parks. His experience included opening Disneyland, the 1964 Worlds Fair, Magic Kingdom, Epcot, MGM Studios, EuroDisney, and Disney Tokyo. In his memoir, Dick shares his memories and life lessons for others to enjoy.

I’m typically a little skeptical about picking up a memoir of someone that I haven’t really heard much about, but sometimes those are the best stories out there. That proved true in Walt’s Apprentice. I love how this book was equal parts memoir, Disney history, and business leadership! The chapters are short and read fast but contain lots of information held within. My favorite part concerned the history of the Disney Parks and how they were developed and the process that took place. There was so much that I didn’t know about and loved getting to discover it. It was like the magic behind the magic. Plus understanding the challenges and obstacles that they had to overcome to make it what it is today was very inspiring.

If you’re a fan of Disney or just like discovering new things, give this book a try! Or maybe give it as a gift!

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

Rookie Mistakes

Author: Kelly Bandas

Publisher: July 19, 2022

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

We all make mistakes; this book helps us learn to laugh at the mistakes and learn from them so we can have the best life possible.

Kelly Bandas is a comedian that uses her humor to help others by learning from the mistakes she has made and our own at trying to become a functional adult in this crazy world we live in. She was raised in a catholic home and all throughout her childhood Kelly was afraid to upset God, that she would never be good enough. As she grew, she tried to learn what it was like to live in a world that was cruel and hard at times and even though she felt alone, she was never alone. Each story that Kelly shares brings laughter and a sense of head nodding readers can agree with and feel connected to someone in ways they might not have expected.

As I read this book, I found so many of the stories relatable and made me feel better as a parent and person in this crazy life. We all make mistakes, every single day, but if we can learn from the mistakes and learn to do better without judging ourselves or others too harshly for it life will be better. If we can learn from our Rookie Mistakes and not keeping making the same ones over and over, maybe it will all be worth it.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

As Fast As Her

Author: Kendall Coyne

Publisher: Zonderkids

Release Date: January 18, 2022

A fast story with an inspirational and powerful message for young readers. Even those not into hockey will get a lot out of this one!

US Olympian Kendall Coyne brings a message about never giving up on your dreams no matter what obstacles you might encounter, and she encountered many of them. When she was young, her brother was into hockey and as she got old enough to put on skates her parents put her in figure skating. It didn’t take for her to figure out hockey was where she needed to be even though there weren’t many girls playing. This would be a problem all throughout her time playing hockey, the inequality between the men playing and the women. One thing that set Kendall apart from the others was her speed, she was even able to keep up with the men in a national competition she almost won. Even though she was always told, “you’re not enough,” she started to believe it but not long enough to let it pull her in the wrong direction.

Throughout the pages of this book, readers will find inspiration and encouragement to stay the course and follow their dreams no matter how many people tell them they should give up or that they aren’t good enough. It is something that we all hear from time to time, and it can be easy to buy into the lies and let them hold us back from our full potential.

I started this book even though I am not a hockey fan and had honestly never heard of Kendall Coyne. This was an inspirational story from start to finish with great moments from her family and harsh moments with teammates and rivals. Throughout every moment and difficulty encountered, Kendall showed that it would have been easy to give up, but it wasn’t what she was meant to do. Not once did she give up and she finally made it to achieve her dreams and if we will believe in ourselves the way Kendall did over the years anything is possible.

I’ll Start Again Monday

Author: Lysa Terkeurst

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

Release Date: January 4, 2022

So much more than a book on eating healthy, readers will find great advice for not only healthy eating, but also a better overall way to live.

Eating healthy is never something that sounds fun but can sometimes leave you feeling worse for wear. Lysa TerKeurst delivers a wonderful new look at how eating healthy isn’t just about the food we put in our bodies. If we continue the cycle of losing weight and gaining it back, eventually we will see it’s not just about the food, the issue goes much deeper. I can think of many times I have craved foods that were not good for me, especially when I was trying to avoid them. Once I had them, I found out the craving didn’t always go away and I never fully felt satisfied.

I’ll admit, I’m not the target audience for this but was able to gain a lot of insightful information and came away after reading it feeling lighter and more satisfied than I had in a long time. It’s not just about the food, that is the main point driven home in this book; if we will look at the deeper meaning of our cravings and look to a higher power to help provide the sustenance we need, our lives will be fuller than we could have hoped for.

I recommend this book for everyone looking for something to fill the spaces they keep trying to use food for and see that God created us to crave Him instead of all the processed things that will never leave us satisfied.

100 Prayers Every Christian Should Know

Publisher: Bethany House

Release Date: October 19, 2021

This book is packed full of prayers. Literally! It is broken down into different categories that readers may be seeking answers from: Peace and Comfort, Guidance, Adoration, Changed Hearts, Justice, Moving a Nation, Pain and Grief, Strength, Thanksgiving, Mercy, Faithfulness, and Humility. Each prayer comes from a historical figure that gives personal background for both the author and the prayer. This is a great resource for many!

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

Conquer Your Deliverance

Author: John Rameriz

Publisher: Bethany House

Release Date: October 12, 2021

In Conquer Your Deliverance, evangelist John Rameriz shares his personal story of being ensnared by the devil and how he was shown the truth and freed! This is written in a very plain manner that readers can use the information to apply to their personal lives. If someone is struggling with their belief system or understanding what is happening in today’s world, this book is a key resource to help them either get their life on track or back on track.

While it does read as a manual, it is also probably the closet thing to an autobiography for Rameriz to understand his past and why he is so passionate about what he does!

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

Messy to Meaningful: My Purse Runneth Over

Authors: Monica Schmelter, Rhonda Rhea, Kaley Rhea

Publisher: Bold Vision Books

Release Date: February 2, 2021

A fun, engaging book that kept me laughing and smiling with the turn of every page and an uplifted spirit.

Do you ever feel weighed down with extra baggage, both spiritually and physically? Whether you carry a backpack, purse, fanny pack or small clutch, we all have something that holds the things we need as we go throughout the day. Some of us have everything plus the kitchen sink while others get by with the bare minimum. What we carry with us can say a lot about us and what is going on in our lives and what we value. I make sure anywhere I go I have a book in my bag, you never know when a line might be long or stuck in traffic that could allow you to get a few pages in. We also have the baggage the world can put on us, feelings of failure and a lack of peace. Each of us need to find a way to let go of the things that won’t bring us anything good and fight for what matters to keep in our bags. When we have what we need in our bags, our purse will runneth over and we will feel full inside and out!

I’ve read Rhonda and Kaley Rhea several times before and knew that anything they teamed together to write would be on my shelf. Now, with the addition of Monica Schmelter, there was so much more to love and laugh about within the pages of the book. I love when you get a group of writers that can craft a story in a way that makes you laugh but also leaves an impression with you of what they are trying to teach you. Each chapter gives a lesson with humor, one of the best nonfiction tools for me. A lot of times nonfiction is very hard for me to get through, just doesn’t hold my attention, but with these books it is easy to let the pages fly and enjoy the lessons within. I recommend this book for all those struggling with what is right and best to keep in their “bag.” No matter how big or small the bag we carry may be, we all need the right tools to help us through the crazy times we are living in.

This is such a fun book that I believe many readers will enjoy it. Find it on Amazon!

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

Fix Her Upper: Christmas

Authors: Beth Duewel & Rhonda Rhea

Publisher: Bold Vision Books

Release Date: November 24, 2020

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

Fix-Her-Upper Christmas is a wonderful addition in this season, especially in the year we are all going through. Everyone can gleam something wonderful from this spectacularly fun book!

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, or the most stressful time for some. If this season of shopping, family, decorations is getting a tad overwhelming, you are not alone. Throughout the pages of this book, you will find story upon story from Beth and Rhonda of trials and struggles they have gone through and the way they worked through them with humor and faith to discover the real reason for the season was worth more than any gift they could buy. The message is clear, even in the frantic season we are in, our focus should be on Jesus, He is the reason for the season, and if we forget that, there really is nothing to celebrate. Less is more is a main theme throughout, and I love that. The devotions are spot on with just the right amount of humor and insightful tidbits to bring us joy and helpful holiday tips.

Anytime you pick up a Rhonda Rhea and Beth Duewel book you know you are going to be rolling on the floor laughing and come away feeling refreshed. This time of year, we could use with a little laughter and refreshing. No matter how hard this year has been, and for some it has been unbearable, we can all find some cheer within the pages and rely on the hope that Christmas is about the birth of our savior and nothing is more important than that. If we fix our eyes on Him, this could very well be the best Christmas we have ever had.