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Love stories are all around

April 22, 2019 by Kristin 14 Comments

“It’s a Love Story” by Lincee Ray had me laughing, thanking God for all the little things I love in my life, and remembering where I feel at home.

“When we say ‘I love Dr Pepper,’ that really and truly is part of our love story as human beings who were made in the image of God. Because those feelings of love — for people or places or things — all reflect the very essence of who He is. The squishy feeling is for Him. I believe we were created with this specific longing ingrained in our souls that can be fulfilled only by the One who loves us most. I wrote this book to encourage anyone reading to recognize that feeling. Although we’ll never be wholly fulfilled this side of heaven, love lives in our hearts and souls to remind us that day is coming. And it will be glorious.” – Lincee Ray in “It’s a Love Story”

I especially loved the chapters on serving others and how we don’t have enough romantic comedies these days. And I’ll never hear Black Eyes Peas’ “I Gotta Feeling” the same. That’s what Lincee does. She takes a pop culture reference and makes it relevant to a bigger picture and more entertaining than it would be otherwise. Plus, like me, she’d choose Pacey Witter over Dawson Leery any day.

But she does conclude with the greatest love story there is. We were separated from God long ago when Adam and Eve wandered and sinned in the garden. But God loved us so much he sent his Son as our sacrifice so we could know God, who is love. It’s a Love Story where there’s no surprise ending even though it’s still being written.

“Until we reunite with our Maker face-to-face, we’ll settle for substitutes to satiate our longing. Romantic movies and poetic storylines will fill us with faith. Gorgeous lyrics will fill out ears with hope. And intentional relationships with our families and friends will fill out hearts with love.” – Lincee Ray in “It’s a Love Story”

Reading acknowledgments is one of my favorite parts of books. Weird, I know, but, y’all, Lincee has the very best acknowledgments. For this book, she dedicates love songs to her people, so it reads like a playlist. Well done.

About the book

Human beings love to be loved. And we love to fall in love. As children, we pour our love into our pets and our friends. As teenagers, we fall in love with musicians and actors and the boy whose locker is next to ours. As we mature, we long for romantic love that will last a lifetime – sacrificial love, unexplainable love, familial love, desperate love. Clearly, we were created with the longing for love ingrained in our souls.

With lots of wit and a bit of wisdom drawn from a lifetime of falling in love, Lincee Ray invites you to an unabashed celebration of that loving feeling. As she reveals the loves of her life and encourages you to recall your own, you’ll discover alongside her that there is only one who can ever truly fulfill the deepest longings of our hearts. And he made us to be part of a divine love story.

“It’s a Love Story” is a 208-page paperback published by Revell (April 30, 2019).

But preorder it now and get some fun freebies, including behind-the-scenes footage with Lincee Ray, a romantic comedy movie guide, a “It’s a Love Story” mixtape full of your favorite love songs, a tutorial on how to fold a paper heart, and a free electronic copy of Lincee’s first book, “Why I Hate Green Beans.” Learn more about the book and the preorder bonuses at Lincee’s website.

About the author

Lincee Ray is the author of Why I Hate Green Beans and an accidental blogging superstar who now writes for Entertainment Weekly online and the Associated Press. An active speaker and pop culture podcaster, she can be found at her popular website www.ihategreenbeans.com, where she makes it clear that she believes it’s important to tell your story – even if it makes you seem a little crazy. She lives in Texas.

Giveaway

I’ve got two copies to share! Who wants them? Just use the Rafflecopter widget below to enter to win between now and Monday, April 29. I’ll choose two winners on April 30.

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*****

I got an early copy of “It’s a Love Story” for free for being on the book’s launch team, but I also preordered an actual copy of the book to share with y’all. These opinions on love are my own.

Sharing Spring Break with Nancy Drew

April 2, 2019 by Kristin 5 Comments

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment provided me with a free copy of the DVD/Blu-ray I reviewed in this blog post, but the opinions I share belong to my kids and me.

*****

We started off Spring Break with a movie that seemed well suited for both my sixth-grade girl and third-grade boy. I was right – they both enjoyed “Nancy Drew and The Hidden Staircase.”

After the death of his wife, Carson Drew decides to leave Chicago behind and make a fresh start with his daughter in River Heights. But for 16-year-old Nancy Drew, life in a small town is mighty dull. She longs for excitement, adventure, and the chance to make a difference. Nancy gets that opportunity when she is asked to help solve the ghostly activity at the Twin Elms mansion.

Can she help explain the creaking footsteps, exploding lightbulbs, and the ominous creature? Is it the handiwork of high-school bully Derek Barnes? Or is it possible that the ghost of original owner Malcolm Colfax is back for revenge? Recruiting her best friends George and Bess, along with local “mean girl” Helen, Nancy Drew is on the case!

Ben said it reminded him of the Hardy Boys books. Cate, who has read several Nancy Drew books, said Nancy didn’t look like she expected her to but she did play the part well. Cate also considered the books more serious than the movie. Ben agreed the movie was funny: “If I were going to watch that again, I’d go right to the end because it was the funniest part!”

Both my kids thought they had solved the mystery before the end of the movie, but they were wrong! They recommend this movie to anyone who likes mysteries. They didn’t think it was scary, but it was creepy enough that my 3-year-old girl left the room for other entertainment.

About the movie

The iconic mystery-solving teenager from the classic Nancy Drew books is back with an all-new feature-length film that will keep you guessing until the very end! “Nancy Drew and The Hidden Staircase” stars Sophia Lillis (“It” and “Sharp Objects”), Sam Trammell (“True Blood” and “This is Us”), and Linda Lavin (“The Good Wife” and “Alice”) and follows Nancy Drew in her new town, making new friends and on a mission to solve the case! Ellen DeGeneres is the executive producer.

This DVD/Blu-ray combo officially releases today (April 2, 2019) from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment. The suggested retail price is $19.99 for the digital, $19.98 for the DVD, and $29.98 for the Blu-ray combo. It’s rated PG.

Watch the trailer here.

Giveaway

And there’s a copy of this movie for one of you, thanks to Warner Bros. Home Entertainment! Just use the Rafflecopter widget below to enter this giveaway between now and Tuesday, April 9. Open to U.S. residents only.

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God is faithfully for us

March 25, 2019 by Kristin 3 Comments

When I was 16 years old, I had lots of questions for God. The answers were a process, but he used words and people to draw me to him. The first truth I really grasped onto was Romans 8:28 – “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

Two decades later, I still hold tightly to that promise. I know God so much better now, thanks to words and people and experiences. But there’s still so much I can learn.

I’m slowly working through “If God Is For Us: The Everlasting Truth of Our Great Salvation” by Trilla Newbell. It’s a six-week study of Romans 8.

I keep underlining Trillia Newbell’s words that point me to truths about God’s faithfulness and the freedom he gives. She writes with encouragement and confidence, knowing God truly is for us. I really like the mixture of questions – some focus on studying God’s word and some are personal reflections – and I’m gaining so much context for that promise God showed me when I was a teenager. The margins are jotted with my thoughts as I work through this book and reflect on these past twenty-three years of following God and my recent focus on living faithfully.

About the book

This fresh and inviting approach to Romans 8 with its attractive layout is divided into six weeks of five days each. Every week begins with an overview of what’s ahead and includes prompts to get the reader engaged with the Word. “Respond” questions are for digging into the text and understanding it better. Each day the “Explore” devotions help apply the text to life, and the daily “Reflect” questions guide the reader into prayer and reflection.

The format “If God Is For Us” works well whether done individually or with a group. Newbell shows readers how to find and use various resources to enrich their study: cross-references within the Bible itself, websites, video, and others.

The first week is an overview of the first seven chapters of Romans. Newbell leads up to Romans 8 by examining some great themes of the faith: the fallen human condition and need for salvation; the doctrine of adoption; the struggle with the old nature; peace with God through Christ, and more.

Weeks two through six focus intently on Romans 8. As Newbell goes through the rich teachings of this chapter, the reader not only will become more comfortable with its theology but will appreciate its application to daily life. The keywords called, predestined, conformed, sanctified, justified, glorified are covered, as are major scriptural truths such as the Spirit’s intercession in prayer; our present sufferings compared with future glory; believers being conformed to the image of God’s Son; the promise that God is working all things together for His purposes, which are good. In the final week, five rhetorical questions Paul asks are answered.

Week 1: No Greater Message: an overview of Romans 1–7
Week 2: Life in the Spirit: Romans 8:1-11
Week 3: Heirs with Christ—God’s Children: Romans 8:12-17
Week 4: Future Glory: Romans 8:18-27
Week 5: Our Assurance: Romans 8:28-30
Week 6: Everlasting Love: Romans 8:31-39

When this workable and in-depth study is completed, the reader will better know God, His Son, and the timeless, ringing truths of His Word as declared throughout Romans 8: that God indeed is for us and that absolutely nothing can ever separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

About the author

Trillia Newbell is the author of “Enjoy: Finding the Freedom to Delight Daily in God’s Good Gifts,” “Fear and Faith: Finding the Peace Your Heart Craves,” and “United: Captured by God’s Vision for Diversity,” as well as the kids’ book “God’s Very Good Idea.” (Learn more about Newbell and her books here.) A writer and speaker, she also is currently the director of community outreach for the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission. She and her husband Thern reside with their two children near Nashville, Tennessee.

Giveaway

One of you gets a copy! Whoo-hoo! Just use the Rafflecopter widget below to enter to win between now and Friday, March 29. Giveaway is open to U.S. residents.

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*****

I received a free copy of this study and the giveaway opportunity from Side Door Communications in exchange for a review.