She Prays by Debbie Lindell

About the Book
One of the most wonderful things about walking with God is that we can have an intimate and real relationship with him. He wants us to know him so well that we are comfortable talking to him about anything and everything. Yet, there are times when we feel disconnected and insecure. We desire to grow in prayer, but we don't know where to begin, what to say, or how to listen for his voice.

In She Prays, Debbie Lindell invites you on a 31-day journey to experience a confident and conversational relationship with your heavenly Father. She shows you how to replace the pressure to perform in prayer with a faith-filled expectation--trusting that God is delighted with every conversation and every word we whisper to him. Her desire is that your soul will be transformed as your confidence in prayer grows, and that your faith will be strengthened as you see God work through your prayers in ways you never imagined possible.

My Thoughts
This book would be a great tool for those who are new to Christianity and prayer. There was a lot of truth and helpful tips jammed into this small book. Each day's reading is the perfect length to fit into busy schedules and just the right amount of information to be easily digested.
As some who has been a Christian all of her life, nothing in this book was new information or even information told in a new way. But it was extremely well written and I know that it will be very useful and informative for many other people and I know that I will be recommending it.

Meet the Author
Debbie Lindell is the author of She Believes, and she and her husband, John, serve as lead pastors of James River Church in Springfield, Missouri. In 2003, Debbie launched the Designed for Life Women's Conference, which today draws 10,000 women annually from across the nation and around the world. As a dynamic leader and speaker, she has a passion to see women of all ages embrace their unique design, understand their purpose, and connect to one another through life-giving sisterhood. Learn more at DebbieLindell.com.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own. 

Go Big or Go Home by Scotty McCreery

About the Book
It was just a simple singing competition that would be fun to audition for. Who knew what kind of doors it might open for a sixteen-year-old from Garner, North Carolina.
Go Big or Go Home is the story of a kid with country songs in his soul. The special thing with Scotty McCreery, however, is that he has this God-given ability to sing those tunes the exact way they should be sung. Daring to enter the limelight at such a young age, Scotty finds himself embraced by the nation, and even overseas, as he competes on "American Idol". This is his journey from his North Carolina roots to winning America’s most popular singing competition and launching a musical career he had always dreamt about.
Go Big or Go Home narrates Scotty's journey from a kid imitating Elvis on the school bus to 30 million across America tuning in to see him win Season 10 of "American Idol”. Now as he completes his ground-breaking fourth album, Scotty shares a glimpse of where he came from and the impact his faith, family and friends have had on a humbled guy who keeps asking “why me?”

My Thoughts
I've been a fan of Scotty's music from the moment I first heard him sing. We didn't have cable so I didn't get to watch him on American Idol but when I discovered his debut album I listened to it on repeat and did the same when his second one released. From all the things I'd seen he appeared to be a genuinely nice person so I thought it'd be cool to see his journey through his eyes. And I was right. I was actually way more caught up in this book than I expected and I found myself reading chapter after chapter (while his music played in the background of course). It was fun to look up the different moments he talked about on YouTube and view them kinda seeing both sides of the story. It was so cool to get to know more about the guy behind the songs and he really seems like such a honest, humble, hard-working person. It's awesome to see someone using their God-given talent and giving the glory to Him for it! I definitely recommend this book for all the Scotty McCreery fans out there!

Meet the Authors
Scotty McCreery burst onto the national music scene in 2011 at age 17, quickly establishing himself
as one of country music’s hottest new stars. By age 21, the talented singer/songwriter has sold nearly 2.5 million albums and received both Platinum and Gold album certifications, debuted three consecutive albums at No. 1 on a Billboard chart, achieved three Platinum-certified singles and two Top Ten hits, toured with Brad Paisley, The Band Perry, and Rascal Flatts, headlined his own tours, earned industry and fan accolades, amassed more than three million followers on Facebook and Twitter, received more than 150 million YouTube views, and he’s just getting started!


Travis Thrasher is a bestselling author of more than 40 fiction and nonfiction books. He has written inspirational stories in a variety of genres, from love stories to supernatural thrillers, and collaborated with filmmakers, musicians, celebrities, and pastors on a variety of projects, including memoirs and novelizations. Before becoming a full-time author, Travis worked with New York Times bestselling authors for many years as the author relations manager at Tyndale House Publishers. Travis and his wife, Sharon, live in a suburb of Chicago and have three daughters.

I received this book free from the publisher in exchange for my review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Worship Changes Everything by Darlene Zschech

About the Book
What Does Worship Look Like the Other Six Days of the Week?

With wisdom and joy, Darlene Zschech shares her thoughts on what worship truly is and what it looks like in real life--during your weekday commute, when the laundry's piling up, even while you're out for coffee with a friend. In Worship Changes Everything, you'll discover how to let praise and wonder invade every facet of your being and experience God in every moment of life. Get ready to be transformed by the purpose and freedom that come from living a life of worship.

My Thoughts

First of all, my apologies for how long it took me to get this review up! I started this ages ago but it wasn't really resonating with me and life got in the way so it just sat on the shelf. I decided to pick it back up but sadly I didn't enjoy it anymore this time around. Honestly there were just so many disconnects for me that I had a hard time really sinking my teeth into it. The main problems for me were the extensive use of quotes instead of original content and the fact the Message paraphrase was used most frequently instead of a translation of the Bible. Honestly it isn't a bad book, it just wasn't for me! So please don't take my word for it and check out some more reviews!

Meet the Author

Darlene Zschech and her husband, Mark, are pastors of Hope Unlimited Church (hopeuc.com), which meets in various campuses across the Central Coast of New South Wales, Australia. Acclaimed worldwide as a singer, songwriter, worship leader, author, and speaker, she is perhaps most famous for the chorus “Shout to the Lord,” a song that is sung by millions of churchgoers every week and has been covered by many other artists

Many years ago, the Zschech family made a life commitment to do everything they could to bring the message of Jesus Christ and to bring relief to human suffering. One of their great joys in life has been to work with Hope Global (hope-global.org), serving the world’s poorest of the poor, offering many different projects in many different developing nations.

Darlene and her husband and their family live on the Central Coast of New South Wales, Australia.

I received this book free from the publisher in exchange for my review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Top Ten Non-Fiction Books

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

Today's topic is technically books that you've read recently that weren't your typical reads or out of your comfort zone. But I actually have a rather wide comfort zone and I've gotten pretty good at knowing whether or not I'll like a book. So I had no luck trying to put a list together and decided to feature ten of my favorite inspirational non-fiction reads! They aren't in any particular order!

#1. Glory Days by Max Lucado

#2. I Would Die For You by Brent and Deanna Higgins

#3. i am not but i know I AM by Louie Giglio

#4. Grace for the Good Girl by Emily P. Freeman

#5. Beloved Dust by Jamin Groggin and Kyle Strobel

#6. Sex and the Single Christian Girls by Marian Jordan Ellis

#7. Outlive Your Life by Max Lucado

#8. In A Pit With a Lion On A Snowy Day by Mark Batterson

#9. Shine by Newsboys

#10. Being a Girl Who Serves & Being a Girl Who Loves by Shannon Kubiak Primicerio

You're Made For a God-Sized Dream by Holley Gerth

About the Book
If you have a desire in your heart that just won't disappear...
If you don't want to let fear get the best of you...
If you're not sure what to do...
Help is on the way.
We all long to live with more purpose, passion, and joy. Yet in the middle of our hectic lives, the God-sized dreams that have the potential to lead us into all God has planned for us are the ones that tend to get lost. With her intimate, approachable style and constant encouragement, Wall Street Journal bestselling author Holley Gerth invites women to rediscover the desires God has given them--and then dare to pursue them.

With the enthusiasm and honesty that we all want from our closest friend, Holley encourages women to overcome excuses--too busy, too late, too far out of my comfort zone--and believe that their God-sized dreams can become reality. She takes readers by the hand and says, "Yes! You can do this! Let's go!" then guides them forward with grace and wisdom. A licensed counselor and certified life coach, Holley insightfully combines inspiration with practical application in this powerful, positive book.

My Thoughts
I have loved every Holley Gerth book I have read and this one was no different! She always presents things in a deep but easy to understand way and I always learn so much from her books! In this book Holley addresses dreams and plans and how they affect our lives. She shows how God gave us those dreams for a reason and when we pursue Him, He will guide us to where we should be. And as we surrender to Him that is where we will find our greatest successes. She also talked about not letting fear stop you from chasing your dreams. The one thing that really stuck with me from this book was being content where you are even as you dream for the future, because God may have something for you here that will help you later in your journey. All in all this was a fantastic book and I highly recommend it!

Meet the Author
Holley Gerth is a best-selling writer, licensed counselor, certified life coach and speaker. She is cofounder of (in)courage, an online destination for women, which received more than one million page views in its first six months. She also reaches out to readers through her popular blog at www.holleygerth.com and a partnership with DaySpring. Holley lives in the South with her husband, Mark.

The Chase by Kyle and Kelsey Kupecky

About the Book
Kyle and Kelsey Kupecky couldn't have dreamed a better love story for themselves had it been scripted by a bestselling novelist like Kelsey's mom, Karen Kingsbury. In fact, if you asked them, Kyle and Kelsey would name God as the author of their story. And they're glad they trusted him to write it for them.
Unfortunately, too many girls hoping for their own happily-ever-after have taken matters into their own hands, chasing after boys when they should be chasing after God. And that inevitably leads to heartache, low self-esteem, and poor choices as girls give in to pressure from media and peers to look and act a certain way to attract guys.
Kyle and Kelsey want girls to know that it's never too late to trust God with their love lives, that wherever they are, there's always hope for the future. Through their own story and the stories of others who long for love, they show girls how to put God first, how to value and protect their purity, how to deal with loneliness and bullying, and how to see themselves as God does--a one-in-a-million girl who deserves no less than God's best.

My Thoughts
I've been a fan of Kyle's music since he was part of the group Anthem Lights and I thought he and Kelsey were an adorable couple. So when I heard that they were writing a book about relationships I jumped at the chance to read and review it! And let me just tell you that this book should be read by young adult girls everywhere. I completely agreed with everything that Kyle and Kelsey had to say and it was awesome to see how God worked to bring them together. Growing up in the church and in a Christian family many of the truths in this book were things I have heard many times over the course of my life but I loved the way that the Kupeckys presented them and I highly recommend it!

Meet the Authors

Kyle Kupecky is a Christian recording artist who has toured with Lecrae, MercyMe, and Steven Curtis Chapman. His self-titled debut album released in 2014 and his Christmas album, Snowed In, debuted in the Top 10 on the iTunes Holiday Chart. Through his soulful pop music and speaking with his wife, Kyle is passionate about sharing Jesus with today's youth.

Kelsey Kupecky is a designer and an actress who has appeared in several faith-based films, including the Emmy-nominated The Heart of Christmas. She is the designer of Possibilities, a DaySpring greeting card and gift line, with her mother, #1 New York Times bestselling author Karen Kingsbury. Through acting, designing, and speaking with her husband, Kelsey's dream is to encourage girls to chase after God, allowing him to write their happily ever after.

Kyle and Kelsey live in Nashville, Tennessee. For more information, visit kyleandkelsey.com.

I received this book free from the publisher in exchange for my review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Breathing Room by Leeana Tankersley

About the Book
Leeana Tankersley, like so many of us, began to feel overwhelmed by life. And like so many of us, she assumed she was struggling not because life is inherently difficult but because she was personally failing in some way. She knows firsthand what it is to bully yourself, to put yourself down for not being able to keep it all together, to compare yourself to others and find yourself lacking. But she's also discovered that all of the hurt and hostility and pain only add up to a life of holding your breath. What if we could exhale and let go?
Breathing Room is her beautiful release of self-condemnation, her discovery of the rest that comes when we give ourselves some space to breathe. She draws readers in through shared experiences of perfectionism, jealousy, and striving and shows them how to let go, how to be radically on their own team, and how to experience the broad grace that Christ has offered all of us.

Anyone who has been trying to do it all, who has been putting on a strong front and yet secretly struggling, will find in Breathing Room both a trusted friend and a generous Savior.

My Thoughts
This book was very well written and I really enjoyed hearing the author's story. That being said there wasn't too much in this book that I could personally apply. There was a lot of truth packed in among Leeana's tales of her experiences and I can definitely see how it would be helpful to others! So if the description sounds like it fits you then I highly recommend this book!

Meet the Author
Leeana Miller Tankersley is the author of Found Art: Discovering Beauty in Foreign Places (Zondervan 2009) and the forthcoming Breathing Room: Letting Go So You Can Fully Live (Revell 2014).
Leeana holds English degrees from Liberty University and West Virginia University. She is married to Steve Tankersley, an active duty Navy SEAL, and they are currently stationed in San Diego, California, with their three kids Luke (5), Lane (5), and Elle (2).

Follow Leeana at www.LeeanaTankersley.com.

I received this book free from the publisher in exchange for my review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Uncompromising by Hannah Farver

About the Book
Ask any girl on the street what womanhood is about, and you'll get a blank stare in return. No one knows. Young women are devoid of vision beyond popularity, material wealth, a cute boyfriend or a dream career. Even in Christian circles, significant questions are often left unanswered: What's the point of purity? Modesty? Femininity? What's biblical womanhood?  Most of all, girls wonder at the longing in their souls for something greater.

Uncompromising:  A Heart Claimed By a Radical Love cuts straight to the heart of young womanhood. Rather than setting up rules, it pulls at the desire in every woman's heart to live a life of purpose, fully surrendered to His radical love.  Written in an edgy teen voice, Uncompromising is a collection of "field notes" from the author's own search for answers...and the story of how she stumbled upon the one Cause worth dying for.  Contains study questions for group or individual use.

My Thoughts
I have heard several good things about this book from my sisters and a friend so I jumped at the chance to review it, and it was as good as they said it was! Hannah writes in a clear and refreshing way that is sure to connect with girls of all ages. She never comes across as “preachy” but rather as an imperfect girl who is chasing after God and longs for others to do the same. Hannah addresses many issues that plague girls today and shares what God's taught her in regards to those subjects. I would highly recommend this to girls everywhere!

Meet the Author
Hannah Farver is a girl. She's also a college student, writer, and blogger. She's been interviewed on ABC, and sometimes her writing shows up in places like The Christian Post and WORLD magazine online. She's also embarked on a national conference tour for young women.
Like most people her age she doesn't know exactly what the future holds, but for now she is planning on a career in media--and more writing, of course. (She plans on a novel next.)
A native of Dallas, Texas, Hannah attends Patrick Henry College in Purcellville, Virginia.
Twitter: www.twitter.com/hannahfarver

Website and blog: www.hannahfarver.com

I received this book free from the publisher in exchange for my review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

You're Already Amazing by Holley Gerth

About the Book
Women feel enormous pressure to be perfect. To have the perfect body, to be a perfect woman, to have the perfect career, and to have the perfect attitude. All the time. Under all that pressure and all those expectations are women carrying burdens they were never meant to carry and suppressing the dreams they were always meant to live.
In You're Already Amazing, popular blogger and cofounder of (in)courage helps women understand and embrace the fact that they don't need to do more, be more, and have more--because they're already amazing just the way God created them to be. As a licensed counselor and certified life coach, Holley knows what readers need to hear. Like a heart-to-heart talk over coffee, reading this joy-filled book encourages women to forget the lies and expectations the world feeds them, instead believing that God made them for a purpose and that he loves them right now, at this moment, and always. Holley takes readers on a journey of the heart to discover their strengths and embrace all God created them to be.

My Thoughts
This book was awesome. I loved the way it was written almost as if the author was actually having a conversation with you. There were so many amazing truths in this book, some that I'd heard before and some that I hadn't, but all were ones that I think every woman should hear. So many times I've been inclined to compare my spiritual walk and the way I think or feel to the Christian women around me and often I feel like since I don't do it like them then I must be doing it wrong. But in reality God made me the way I am and He wants me to worship Him the way He created me to. I really liked the way this whole book was laid out and there are things I read that will stick with me. In short I recommend this book to pretty much all women! There are things in here that we all need!

About the Author
Holley Gerth is a best-selling writer, licensed counselor, certified life coach and speaker. She is co-founder of (in)courage, an online destination for women, which received more than one million page views in its first six months. She also reaches out to readers through her popular blog at www.holleygerth.com and through a partnership with DaySpring. Holley lives in the South with her husband, Mark.

You're Going to Be Okay by Holley Gerth

About the Book
Sometimes it feels like life's falling apart at the seams. Sometimes you're completely worn out by stresses that never seem to end. For every woman who has been disappointed, who has watched a dream die, whose life isn't what she imagined it would be, bestselling author Holley Gerth has a heartfelt message of hope--you really are going to be okay. And it is possible to live with joy, resilience, and strength in both the good times and the bad. In fact, she says, that's what God desires for us.

With her trademark positive encouragement and probing questions for self-reflection, Holley encourages women to spend less of their lives regretting and more of their lives truly living. She shows them how to guard their hearts against despair and look to the future with confidence, remembering that they are part of a greater plan and nothing can stop God's purposes for them.

My Thoughts
This is the second book I've read of Holley's and I loved them both! (I'll post the review for You're Already Amazing sometime soon!) I love how this author has the unique ability write in such a way that it makes you feel like she is sitting next to you actually talking! I write down quotes from the non-fiction books I read and I filled three pages while reading this book! There are just so many truths in here that so many women need to hear!  She also offers really practical ways to put these truths in to practice! One of my favorite parts of this book was how instead of just stating problems and giving suggestions on how to fix them Holley explained why. She explained how the brain works and how that relates to the way we react in different situations or feel different ways about what's going on and for the first time it actually made sense. It was such a refreshing read and I know I will be looking back at it in the future! I highly recommend this to all women!

About the Author
Holley Gerth is a best-selling writer, licensed counselor, certified life coach and speaker. She is co-founder of (in)courage, an online destination for women, which received more than one million page views in its first six months. She also reaches out to readers through her popular blog at www.holleygerth.com and through a partnership with DaySpring. Holley lives in the South with her husband, Mark.

I received this book free from the publisher in exchange for my review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Beyond Heaven's Door by Max Lucado

About the Book

Thoughts of heaven can be unsettling. Life with no end? Space with no bounds? Are we supposed to feel good about these things?
Bestselling author Max Lucado assures us that we can. There is much about heaven that we don't yet understand. And while thoughts on our final destiny may stir questions, they needn't stir our fears.
In Beyond Heaven's Door Max takes us on a journey from finding certainty in our destination to God's great promises of the hereafter. Open the door and catch a glimpse of the joy that awaits you in heaven—and find hope for today in the process.

My Thoughts
This book was really good! Having been raised in a Christian home and finding Christ at an early age Heaven has always been an accepted fact for me. But even though I've heard about it my whole life this book really helped pull it all together. I would highly recommend this book for long-time Christians, new believers, and even those who don't know where they stand. If you've ever wondered about what will happen when you get to heaven this book is the perfect book to help answer your questions!

About the Author
More than 100 million readers have found comfort in the writings of Max Lucado. He ministers at the Oak Hills Church in San Antonio, Texas, where he lives with his wife, Denalyn, and a sweet but misbehaving mutt, Andy.


I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Not A Fan: Teen Edition by Kyle Idleman

About the Book
If someone asked, 'Are you a fan of Jesus?', how would you answer? You attend every movie featuring a certain actor, you know the stats of your sports hero, and you can recite lyrics from your favorite songs. In short, you're a huge fan. But are you treating Jesus the same as the other people you admire? The truth is Jesus wants more than the church attendance, occasional prayer, and the ability to recite Scripture---the fan response. He's looking for people who are actually willing to sacrifice in order to follow him. In this teen edition of Not a Fan, Kyle Idleman uses humor, personal stories, and biblical truth as he challenges you to look at what it means to call yourself a Christian and follow the radical call Jesus presents. So, will you be a fan, or a follower?

My Thoughts
What a book! Kyle Idleman really makes you truly look at your walk with God and see it as it really is. I was constantly being challenged as I read this and I began to see areas in my life where I was behaving more like a fan than a follower of Jesus. I would honestly recommend this book to anyone-it's a life-changer.

About the Author
Kyle Idleman is the Teaching Pastor at Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Kentucky, the 5th largest church in America. He is the author and presenter of the Award-winning video curriculum series H2O: A Journey of Faith and The Easter Experience. Kyle and his wife, DesiRae, have four young children.

I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.