​It has surprisingly taken me over 5 years to get around to reading this book. I’ve been a fan of Jeff since he shared his spoken word poetry on YouTube and had followed most of his earlier books, especially It’s Not What You Think and Love that Lasts (both of which I was on the launch team for). However, the timing of this launch prevented me from getting involved and it took a while to get a copy and even longer to get around to reading it. But when I did, I was not disappointed. While the title admittedly made me a little hesitant, I found this book to be just as inspiring as the other books I’ve read by Jeff. The contents of this book are still incredibly relevant in our overconnected world, and I highly recommend this book ~ Bethel

Our world is more connected than any generation before. Between the internet, social media, cell phones that are the equivalent of super computers in our pockets, and even smart appliances, we have more knowledge and technology at our fingertips than ever before. However, we are also more disconnected and unsettled than any generation in history. Between a mental health crisis and the rising number of broken and dysfunctional relationships in our world, most of us are running on empty, attempting to fill the emptiness with busyness and work. Yet, none of this is solving the problem. It makes us ask the question: is there a way to reconnect and recharge in our overconnected and overdemanding world?

​In his book To Hell with the Hustle, bestselling author Jefferson Bethke walks readers through what it means to recharge and reprioritize in our overconnected world. Through personal stories, relevant research, and powerful insights, Jeff lays out the reasons why being overconnected and participating in the race to work as hard as possible for as long as possible is negatively impacting us as individuals as our world as a whole. Instead, we can choose to change our pace and prioritize what really matters. He challenges his readers to consider his family philosophy of setting “formations” for himself and his family instead of setting goals and to learn how to respond to invitations with “no” as a default so that family and authentic relationships are prioritized. We are also encouraged to establish a Sabbath, a day once a week set aside to rest and truly recharge. Through it all, you will be inspired to rethink the way that you use your time and your family’s time. This is a great book for anyone that wants to learn the right way to slow down and refocus on what matters most. Get your copy today!

​When I heard that Kristen and Bethany of Girl Defined Ministries were planning to release another book about biblical womanhood, I was quite excited. It had been a few years since their last book was released and I was looking forward to reading another book from them. But I was pleasantly surprised when they reached out to me last year to ask me to read and give them notes on the first draft of Made to Be She. I was honored that they asked me to help and trusted me to give them honest feedback on everything from the flow of the content to the theology of their teachings (which says a lot about their desire to get this book right that they would ask for honest feedback from myself as well as several other people). When I read the draft, I knew that even in this unfinished form, this book was incredible and had the potential to be their best book yet. Now that I’ve read the finalized book, I believe that it is their best work, and I am excited to see the impact it will have on the next generation of Christian women that read it. I was quite blessed to be a part of it, even in a small way. ~ Bethel
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PS – If you do purchase the book, you can find my name in the acknowledgments 😊

In their book Made to Be She, authors Kristen Clark and Bethany Beal dive deep into what it means to be created as a woman in the image of God. They start by addressing the ways in which our views of womanhood have gone wrong, explaining that there are not only pitfalls to believing in feminist womanhood to give you a satisfying identity, but also in religious womanhood that tends to rely on personal works and legalism rather than God’s grace and redemption. Both of these ditches (feminist womanhood and religious womanhood) are examined carefully through the movements that influenced their current state while helping readers see that the only way to find a fulfillment in your identity as a woman is to rely on the truth God reveals about your design through His Word, providing guidance on how to improve your biblical literacy and diving deep into six core traits that God designed into males and females respectively. The fallout of many difference aspects of feminist womanhood are explored, including transgender ideology, the birth control pill, and the normalizing of choosing a career over motherhood. Through it all, you are encouraged to find hope and confidence by reclaiming God’s timeless design so that you can live out fearless femininity.

​This book is full of wisdom and inspiration for women of all ages. Kristen and Bethany tackle some difficult topics with clarity and bring biblical truths to areas that are often hidden beneath ideas that rely on feelings and human reasoning. They are honest about the aspects of womanhood and their faith that they got wrong so they can help others get it right. No matter where your views of womanhood are, you will hopefully find a fresh and must-needed perspective that will ground your identity in the truth of God’s Word. It’s a must-read for women who desire to find their identity as a redeemed daughter of the King of Kings. Get your copy today!

​In her book The Hiding Place, Corrie Ten Boom tells the story of her life and how it led her to becoming part of the underground resistance to the Nazis in Holland in World War II, which eventually led to imprisonment at a concentration camp. She shares many stories that helped shape her life, including helping to care for her elderly aunts who lived her family, how she fell in love with a young man only to have her heart broken when he showed up with her fiancée, and even being Holland’s first licensed female watchmaker. All of this set the stage for when the Nazis invaded Holland and their family felt compelled to do something to help people who were in need. Corrie eventually turned their house/watch shop into the center of a ring for the underground resistance and a hiding place for Jews that had nowhere else to go. They even build a secret room into Corrie’s own bedroom. Corrie, her sister Bestie, and their father Casper continued their work until they, along with many members of their underground ring, were arrested. While many of the members were eventually released Corrie ultimately lost her father and her sister Bestie through their imprisonment and Corrie herself would endure one prison and two concentration camps over the span of 10 months. She served others even while she was in prison herself and quickly started to serve and help others not long after her release, helping many find healing and restoration. Through everything that Corrie went through, she was not afraid or ashamed of the God she loved so dearly, knowing that remaining in His will was the only true “hiding place.”

​This book is compelling and inspiring, as you will be moved the lives of Corrie, Bestie, Casper, and other members of their family. If you like the original film, enjoy World War II stories, or appreciate inspiring autobiographies, this is definitely a book worth reading. Get your copy today.

​Most people in our world struggle to understand why they are here on this earth. While the world continues to offer ways of identifying ourselves and finding fulfillment, it usually doesn’t satisfy us. As a result, we struggle to know who are and what we are supposed to do with our lives. This is especially true when it comes to pre-teen girls. It makes them ask the question: what is my purpose and how can I live it out?

​In her tween girl Bible study Esther: Becoming a Girl of Purpose, author Dannah Gresh teaches girls how to understand and live out your purpose by looking to the example of Queen Esther. Through this 6-week study on the story of Esther, girls learn how to find their purpose by discovering the plan God has for their life. It clear to see through the story of Esther that God was at work behind the scenes to save His people, and that Esther was a significant part of that plan. Through all the difficulties that Esther experienced, she realized that she came to her position for a purpose and when she realized how important it was, she was willing to risk everything to fulfill it. It wasn’t easy and required her to do some uncomfortable and risky things, but God used her boldness and her wisdom to save His people. Through this study, pre-teen girls are reminded that even when they are discouraged and face things they don’t want to do, God has a good plan and can use them to fulfill it if they trust Him. All these powerful truths and more are shared in the context of a Bible study that is geared to tween girls (between 7-12 years old). This study specifically does an excellent of simplifying and explaining some of the more mature aspects of the story (such as harems and eunuchs) in an age-appropriate way.
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Including fill-in-the-blanks, places to highlight Scripture, and interactive puzzles and prompts, this book will be engaging and impactful to any tween girl that reads it. It would also be a great resource for the moms of tween girls or youth leaders looking for a Bible study for this unique age group. Get your copy today! 

​* I received a copy of this book for the purpose of this review

​When I saw an Operation Christmas Child display at a youth conference a few years ago, I was reminded of the time when I packed a shoebox with a Sunday School class as a kid. However, I hadn’t thought about the ministry in many years. The presentation at this conference peeked my interest, so I decided to look into their ministry more. This led to my journey of being a project leader and processing center volunteer. Even in the short time I’ve been involved in the work of this ministry, I have blessed by the ability to serve children around the world and provide them with an opportunity to hear the gospel, as well as the people that I have gotten to meet and work with through the work of Operation Christmas Child and Samaritan’s Purse. I even discovered while reading this book that there was a student who attended Ozark Christian College at the same time I did who was a shoebox recipient. I am so grateful to be a part of this ministry and for the opportunity to learn more about it through this book ~ Bethel

In his book Operation Christmas Child, Franklin Graham shares the story about how a simple idea of packing gifts into shoeboxes became a ministry that has given 100 million children a chance to hear the gospel in 20 years*. Through a collection of short stories, you learn more about the project’s humble beginnings, when Graham offered to help assemble shoebox gifts for children in the war-torn country of Bosnia for Christmas 1993. Forgetting until right before Thanksgiving, Graham and others scrambled to get some shoebox gifts together and through God’s help were able to get 12,000 shoeboxes in about two weeks with only two contributing churches. Those who had the opportunity to go distribute the boxes saw God’s hand of which child received which gifts and had many children and their families come to know Christ through these efforts. With the success of the first collection, Samaritan’s Purse formed Operation Christmas Child as a project under their ministry and started figuring out how collect more boxes. As Graham shares the stories of shoebox packers and shoebox recipients, employees and volunteers, distribution trips and adoptions, you will gain a glimpse into part of what God has done through this ministry and will probably be inspired to get involved if you aren’t already. This book is a must read for anyone who is involved with Operation Christmas Child or wants to learn more about the ministry. Get your copy today!**
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Learn more about the work of Operation Christmas Child by visiting: https://www.samaritanspurse.org/what-we-do/operation-christmas-child