Overcoming Fear by Dawna De Silva

Fear, anxiety, and stress motivate us more than we realize. Our need to control situations can leave us feeling overwhelmed. But God has given us a biblical strategy to battle anxiety, stress, and panic. With practical and activating steps, Dawna De Silva, founder and coleader of the International Bethel Sozo Ministry, shows you how to

· identify the fears, patterns, and lies that harm your connection with God
· resist fear by taking ownership over its influence
· find healing and liberation through the Word and the Spirit

When you master power, love, and self-discipline, you will elevate yourself above the enemy's attacks and be released from fear into abundant, healthy living. You will experience the true healing that can come only from God.

My thoughts: This book gave me a lot of food for thought, since I have struggled with fear and really appreciated a lot of the insight that Dawna shares. While I don't agree with the book 100%, I still found a lot of good information in it to help me. I really appreciated the true stories she shares throughout the books, along with some of her own struggles. This is an excellent book to pick up!
I received this book from Chosen. This is my honest review and is in no way influenced by receiving a complimentary copy.

The Famine of the Human Dream review and giveaway!

An uplifting and thought provoking look at life from a poet’s perspective. The Famine of the Human Dream will challenge you to live with greater passion, to throw off those trifling ambitions that ever grope for our attention, and learn fight for things worth fighting for. The great theologian, CS Lewis, once said:
“It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.”
The ultimate goal of life isn’t a search for happiness. The ultimate goal of life is learning how to fight for things worth fighting for. All of life is a battle. But the battle that defines each one of us isn’t primarily between right and wrong, as you would think. Rather, it’s something much more surprising. Find out what in the inspiring pages of The Famine of the Human Dream.

My thoughts: This is a unique shot book of essays and poems that are refreshingly thought provoking. I really enjoyed how Benjamin weaves scripture and thoughts from writers like C.S. Lewis together with his own thoughts. There is a collection of essays in the beginning, followed by the poems. Both are a delight to read! While I don't agree a hundred percent with the author, I still found this book to be worthwhile to read!
I received this book from Celebrate Lit. This is my honest review and is in no way influenced by receiving a complimentary copy.


About the Author
Benjamin Mester is an author and poet, with a passion for seeing people break away from small and shallow living and to step into the full measure of what the Lord has prepared for them. The destiny prepared for each one of us is to live a life of love and deep gladness. Benjamin Mester was born and raised in sunny San Diego, but can often be found wandering the woods of northern Minnesota, pen and paper in hand. His lifetime goal is to one day build a house in the woods, expanding it over time into a retreat center for authors, artists and others bursting with creativity. God is the most creative being in the entire universe, and as children made in His image, Mester hopes to inspire His people to explore the wonderful gift of creativity placed in each one of us.


More from Benjamin
The Famine of the Human dream was written as a response to something…a quote from a great theologian, CS Lewis.

It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.

When I read that, my heart began to burn. For though, as a younger man, I had often felt a passionate stirring to live my life to the full, though I didn’t quite know how and always felt myself slipping back into the mundane of mere survival. And so, I voraciously began to explore the many facets of life. I studied art, poetry, philosophy, beauty, and theology, prompted by Solomon’s declaration in the Proverbs, Whatever else you get, get understanding! I desperately wanted understanding of a very particular sort. I wanted to understand how to live my life to the full…this precious, brief slice of life we so often take for granted. I wanted true wisdom.

Contained within the pages of the Famine of the Human Dream are a poet’s reflections on life and the struggle to suck the marrow out of life, as Thoreau put it. This book is also an attempt to give the reader a passion for the study of poetry, which has dwindled much in modern society. The second portion of the book is a collection of my own poetry and poetry from other lovers of life that has touched me deeply. My biggest hope is that the reader will come away from this book with a renewed passion for life and an eager desire to dive deeper into poetry, beauty, and the heart of the Father.

For a complete list of blog stops, go here!

Giveaway:
To celebrate his tour, Ben is giving away a $50 Amazon gift card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link here to enter.

More Than Words Can Say

After fulfilling a pledge to a dying friend, Zacharias Hamilton is finally free. No family entanglements. No disappointing those around him. Just the quiet bachelor existence he's always craved. Until fate snatches his freedom away when the baker of his favorite breakfast bun is railroaded by the city council. Despite not wanting to get involved, he can't turn a blind eye to her predicament . . . or her adorable dimples.

Abigail Kemp needs a man's name on her bakery's deed. A marriage of convenience seems the best solution . . . if it involves a man she can control. That person definitely isn't the stoic lumberman who oozes silent confidence whenever he enters her shop. Control Zacharias Hamilton? She can't even control her pulse when she's around him.
When vows are spoken, Abigail's troubles should be over. Yet threats to the bakery worsen, and darker dangers hound her sister. Can she put ever more trust in Zach without losing her dreams of independence?

My thoughts: I enjoyed this historical tale set in a bakery! Karen brings up some interesting questions with Abigail being a professional baker and wanting to continue to do so, going against the norm for that time period (1896). I enjoyed exploring her story, with it's obstacles, as life takes a very different turn for her than she could ever imagine. I also loved the side story.
I received this book from Bethany House. This is my honest review and is in no way influenced by receiving a complimentary copy.

Accessing the Riches of Heaven

I just want to be in heaven. When we enter seasons of hardship or shortage, we yearn for the peace, tranquility, and abundance we know we will find in heaven. But did you know that God has given us access to the riches of heaven here on earth? Bestselling author and entrepreneur Patricia King dives into Scripture and answers questions like
· What does accessing the riches of heaven look like?
· What kinds of riches are there?
· How can I receive my spiritual inheritance?
· What impedes me from accessing this heavenly abundance?
· Does God bestow different kinds of riches on different people?

The Father provides for his children and has given you the means to access his riches here and now. Will you accept his invitation?

My thoughts: This book was unique and thought provoking! While I didn't agree with everything written in it, I did think that it was well written and had some good, Biblically sound wisdom in it. I really appreciated the chapter on contending for your realm and how we don't always see answers to prayers or immediate results to our prayers, but are encouraged to keep fighting the good fight of faith. This is a great book to pick up!
I received this book from Chosen. This is my honest review and is in no way influenced by receiving a complimentary copy.

A Marvelous Redeemer Review and Giveaway!

She knew the decision would change her life. But she didn’t know she’d have to fight to survive. When Amira put her faith in Christ, she knew life wouldn’t be easy. But hiding her conversion from her Muslim family soon becomes the least of her worries. Forced to leave the only home she’s ever known, she travels to the island of Gabeburough, trying her best to make a fresh start. Two escaped convicts and a treasure map. A leafy paradise that becomes her home. Amira begins to wonder, where is her Redeemer when she needs Him the most? Caleb Haddington is prince of Carpathia. Life should be perfect, but he can’t get a certain dark-haired girl out of his mind. Amira was his best friend when he lived in France, but her letters to him have suddenly stopped. Her last letter is filled with terror that her faith will soon be discovered. Only a single hope keeps him alive; when the time is right, he’s going after her. He’ll bring her back and prove to the kingdom that he’s a man. But the journey proves to be more perilous than he’d ever imagined. Ridicule, comfortless days and the threat of a hurricane are just the start of his problems. Lying becomes easy for Caleb until his own life crumbles before him. Brought to his knees under the pressure of his actions, he comes to realize the sweetness of his Savior. Forgiveness, grace, and mercy are granted fully to those who ask. Caleb and Amira soon discover that they don’t just serve a gracious Savior, but a wonderful, magnificent, marvelous Redeemer.

My thoughts: Aleigha does a wonderful job of drawing the reader in with this story! I thought that the characters were interesting, and I enjoyed their story, with all its twists and turns. Amira is an incredibly brave heroine to give up all she has ever known when she encounters Jesus. Both she and Caleb must go through many trials throughout the course of the story, due to their decisions.
This is an interesting story to pick up!
I received this book from Celebrate Lit. This is my honest review and is in no way influenced by receiving a complimentary copy.

About the Author
ALEIGHA C. ISRAEL writer of inspirational fiction and poetry is an author of multiple books and enjoys sharing God’s love through the powerful art of storytelling.
Aleigha loves being a Community Assistant at the Young Writers Workshop and teaching writing classes to her talented students.
When she’s not daydreaming about a new story idea or playing with her sidekick “Marley” (a Pomeranian mix) she can usually be seen traveling with her family’s gospel bluegrass band, “Fret Not” or making personalized author swag for her business Literary Treasures.
She doesn’t have to search very hard for inspiration.
Living in the Israel household, it’s guaranteed there’s an adventure waiting around every corner!
More from Aleigha
I’m beyond excited to finally share Caleb’s Song with you all!!
Something I love doing with my stories, is writing songs that become the character’s life songs.
I’ve done it for most of my books.
In A Marvelous Redeemer, Caleb suffers his way through learning several valuable lessons. But His Redeemer never left his side for a single moment.
We don’t have to try and make it through this world alone, because Jesus walks beside us all the way.
Through Jesus, we can find freedom, victory, peace, love and forgiveness. We can find ultimate joy in the sweet presence of our gracious, Marvelous Redeemer.
I hope you enjoy Caleb’s Song!
You can also check out his song on YouTube at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXykDvOTGVc
And read an exclusive interview with Caleb Haddington and more of the royal family on my blog: https://thepenofthewriter.weebly.com/character-fun.html
(And even have the chance to ask Caleb a few questions of your own!!)
Caleb’s Song:
“A speck on the horizon, nothing big, nothing tall.
Just an ant on this earth,
trying to break down this wall.
A trembling wind, a small ship on the sea,
Understanding this world is not all about me.
Trying to fix all my problems, trying to right all my wrongs.
I just need someone stronger to carry me along.
I can build up walls, and hide within,
but the pain is still there, with no way to win.
I need love,
I need a Savior,
I need the Prince who was born in a manger.
I need strength, in all my weakness.
I need a light to chase all my darkness.
I need Jesus, I need Jesus.
My well is so empty, my spirit is dry.
No relief from this pain, though I try and I try.
I can’t do this anymore, my life is a mess,
I just want to win this battle, nothing more, nothing less.
This world offers answers that only appease for a day.
But I’ve finally found my life source, the only One, the only Way.
My burden’s now been lifted, I’ve found a life boat on the sea.
My walls are broken down, I’ve found victory!
In His love, in my Savior, in my Prince
who was born in a manger.
He is strength, in all my weakness.
He is the light to chase all my darkness.
I’ve found Jesus, I’ve found Jesus.”

For a complete list of blog stops, go here!

Giveaway!
To celebrate her tour, Aleigha is giving away a grand prize package that includes “My Foolish Heart” by Susan May Warren, “The Blessing” by Wanda E. Brunstetter, “Hidden Treasures” by Aleigha C. Israel, Song of the Mountains candle by @BookBurnCandles, a $10 Amazon gift card, and chocolate!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link here to enter.

The Noble Guardian Review and Giveaway!

A Cross-Country Trip through Regency England Brings Intrigue, Rogues, and High Adventure
The must-read conclusion to Michelle Griep’s Bow Street Runners Trilogy: Life couldn’t be better for Abigail Gilbert—but it’s been a long time in coming. Having lived with a family who hated her, it’s finally her time for love. Abby sets off on a journey across England to marry one of the most prestigious gentlemen in the land—until highwaymen upset her plans and threaten her life.
Horse patrol captain Samuel Thatcher arrives just in time to save Abby. But she’s simply another victim in a job he’s come to despise. Tired of the dark side of humanity, he intends to buy land and retire.
Abby pleads with him to escort her for the rest of her journey. He refuses—until she offers him something he desperately needs to achieve his goal. . .money. Delivering her safely will give him more than enough to buy property.
So begins an impossible trek for the cynical lawman and the proper lady. Each will be indelibly changed by the time they reach her betrothed, if they don’t kill one another first—or fall in love.

My thoughts: Once again, Michelle has written a wonderful piece of historical fiction that brought the time period to life for me! In some ways, when Abigail leaves home to journey on her own to get married, it feels like the journey takes a long time. But, I can imagine that would be fairly accurate, especially when you through in highwaymen, bad weather, and other surprises! When she is thrown together with Samuel Thatcher, she isn't so sure about his wild, rugged looks. All she knows is that she needs someone to help keep her safe on the long journey. As they go through one difficult situation after another, they learn that God just might have something different in store for them then they could of imaged possible. This is a wonderful story to pick up! While it helps to read the other books in the series, since some of the characters are mentioned, this one can be read alone.
I received this book from Celebrate Lit. This is my honest review and is in no way influenced by receiving a complimentary copy.

About the Author:
Michelle Griep’s been writing since she first discovered blank wall space and Crayolas. She is the Christy Award-winning author of historical romances: A Tale of Two Hearts, The Captured Bride, The Innkeeper’s Daughter, 12 Days at Bleakly Manor, The Captive Heart, Brentwood’s Ward, A Heart Deceived, and Gallimore, but also leaped the historical fence into the realm of contemporary with the zany romantic mystery Out of the Frying Pan. If you’d like to keep up with her escapades, find her at www.michellegriep.com or stalk her on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

More from Michelle
Highwaymen Aren’t All Glamorous
Highwaymen are often romanticized in historical romances, but the truth is these fella’s were generally not compassionate thieves at all. They were cutthroat robbers who sometimes killed. Here’s a brief history so that you’re in the know.
The term “highwayman” simply means a thief who steals—usually at gunpoint—from travelers on the road. Not all, but some of those attacks turned deadly, the robbers not wishing to leave anyone behind who could identify them. Others wore masks for the same purpose.
Long, deserted stretches of roads that were main thoroughfares were the particular favorite haunts of these men. Criminals would choose remote highways that supplied regular traffic going to and from major destinations, such as Hounslow Heath, about fifteen miles outside of London.
To combat these villains, in 1805 the Bow Street Horse Patrol was created. There were about sixty men hired to protect travelers on the principal roads within sixty miles of London. Most of the men had served previously in a cavalry regiment. Their most successful achievement was to rid Hounslow Heath of highwaymen.
And that’s where I got the idea for my hero, Samuel Thatcher, in The Noble Guardian. He’s a rough and tumble man who’s tired of life and the wickedness of man. Mostly he’s just biding his time until he retires—that is until he rescues Miss Abigail Gilbert from the clutches of one of the worst offenders of all…Shankhart Robbins.
Sound like an adventure? It is. Settle back with your own copy and see what it’s like to ride the rugged heath in a carriage, bounding along—until you hear the crack of a pistol.
Enjoy!

For a complete list of blog stops, go here.

Giveaway!
To celebrate her tour, Michelle is giving away a grand prize that includes a $25 Amazon gift card and a copy of The Noble Guardian!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link here to enter.

Summer by the Tides

A Summer of Low Tides Could Expose Years of Family Secrets
When her grandmother goes missing from the family beach house, Maddy and her estranged sisters converge in Sea Haven, North Carolina. Being with uptight Nora and free-spirited Emma in the home where their family broke apart is a struggle Maddy is not in the mood to face, especially since she’s recovering from her ex-boyfriend’s betrayal.
As the sisters wait for word of their grandmother, they begin to pack up the family belongings—and unpack memories of the idyllic summers of their childhood. But with those memories come long-buried secrets, and Maddy discovers that all was not as it appeared that last summer in Sea Haven. Meanwhile, Gram’s neighbor, Connor Sullivan, seems overly interested in Gram’s whereabouts. Maddy is drawn in by his quick smile and steady gaze in spite of herself.
Undercurrents of jealousy and resentment threaten to pull the family under again, maybe for good this time. As tensions rise, the sisters must find a way to accept each other for the women they’ve become—and Maddy must decide if falling in love again is worth the potential heartbreak.
“I have never read a romance by Denise Hunter that didn’t sweep me away into a happily ever after. Treat yourself!” —Robin Lee Hatcher, bestselling author of Who I Am With You
“Denise Hunter once again proves she’s the queen of romantic drama. Summer by the Tides is both a perfect beach romance and a dramatic story of second chances as sisters unravel secrets that have torn them apart for years. This novel is Hunter at the top of her game. If you like Robyn Carr, you’ll love Denise Hunter. I couldn’t put it down!” —Colleen Coble, USA Today bestselling author of the Lavender Tides series

My thoughts: I love stories about families and their dynamics. This book was such a delightful story of three sisters who are forced to come together when their grandma goes missing. They must work through past hurts and secrets to see if their relationship can survive honesty. I enjoyed the characters and how each of the sisters were unique. This is an excellent summer read!

I received this book from Celebrate Lit. This is my honest review and is in no way influenced by receiving a complimentary copy.

Purchase a copy here:
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Denise Hunter is the internationally published bestselling author of more than 25 books, including A December Bride and The Convenient Groom, which have been adapted into original Hallmark Channel movies. She has won The Holt Medallion Award, The Reader’s Choice Award, The Carol Award, The Foreword Book of the Year Award, and is a RITA finalist. When Denise isn’t orchestrating love lives on the written page, she enjoys traveling with her family, drinking green tea, and playing drums. Denise makes her home in Indiana where she and her husband are rapidly approaching an empty nest. To learn more about Denise, visit her website DeniseHunterBooks.com; Facebook: AuthorDeniseHunter; Twitter: @DeniseAHunter; Instagram: deniseahunter.

Read an Excerpt from Summer by the Tides
MADDY MONROE WAS COWERING behind a ficus tree near the hostess station when her cell phone rang. Her hands shook as she silenced the phone before it drew the attention of the staff.
She jabbed the elevator button for the third time. “Come on, come on.” A star could be born in interstellar space, a polar valley carved by a glacier in the time it took the elevator to reach this floor. Stairs were not an option, as she was on the twentieth floor of the Waterford building and sporting heels.
She sniffled. Drat. She seemed to be crying. She swiped a hand under her eyes, heedless of her makeup.
She heard voices, Nick’s boisterous laugh. Maddy shrank deeper into the ficus and finally, finally, the elevator dinged its arrival.
“Maddy?” Noelle’s concerned voice tunneled down the hall. “Maddy, wait.”
“Oh, come on,” she muttered, tapping her fingers against her leg until the gold doors crept open. As soon as she could fit, she squeezed inside and punched the ground-floor button.
She didn’t draw a breath until the doors sealed and the elevator began to drop. She placed a palm over a heart that was threatening to beat its way out of her chest. Her white blouse clung to her back, and her skin prickled beneath her arms.
She closed her eyes, the scene that had just transpired playing out in fast-forward in her mind. And then, as if that montage weren’t painful enough, the image of Nick’s face appeared. The look on his face just before he’d kissed her good-bye last night.
Nick. She clamped her teeth together until her jaw ached.
There had been signs. Many of them, really, she was realizing now. They ranged from whisper-subtle to neon-sign obvious. But like so many other walking clichés before her, she was only seeing them in retrospect.
Maddy opened her eyes to the buttery sunlight streaming through her blinds. She scrambled for her iPhone to check the time. But as she did so, the events of yesterday washed over her like a tsunami. She didn’t have to get up at all, because she didn’t have a job anymore.
Her cell buzzed with an incoming call, and she squinted bleary-eyed at the unfamiliar number on the screen before declining it.
She drooped against her pillow, only now aware of how fat and swollen her eyes felt. Of the persistent achy lump pushing at the back of her throat. Her heartbeat made the bed quake. Her eyes burned with tears. Yesterday’s anger had faded, and something worse had filled its spot.
Yesterday she’d come home, changed into yoga pants, and worked in her little garden until she was too exhausted to do anything but flop on the sofa. She hadn’t fallen asleep until after three o’clock in the morning.
She didn’t want to talk to anyone, didn’t want to see anyone. She didn’t even want to be awake today. She pulled the covers over her head and prayed for oblivion.

Required text: Taken from “Summer by the Tides” by Denise Hunter. Copyright © 2019 by Denise Hunter. Used by permission of http://www.thomasnelson.com/.

For a complete list of blog stops, go here.

Giveaway! To celebrate her tour, Denise is giving away a finished copy of Summer by the Tides!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link here to enter.