His Steadfast Love by Golden Keyes Parsons

Amanda is a beautiful southern belle from Texas that is dedicated to her family.  Marriage is the furthest thing from her mind because of a promise she made to her dying mother to raise and take care of her siblings.  Then she meets Captain Kent Littlefield and the attraction between them is undeniable. 

Shortly after they meet Texas secedes from the Union and Kent remains a captain with the Union troops.  Amanda's brother Daniel aligns with the Confederate States and now her heart is torn between the two men she is closest to and the two sides of the conflict.  Amanda prays, but does not hear an answer.  She must trust God to deliver her family from the chaos of war and lead her in the direction she should take concerning Kent.  Will she survive with her heart and faith intact??  Read to find out!!

I love reading books set in the Civil War era.   This book has roots deep in history.  I loved reading about the conflict Amanda goes through and how she prays and trusts in the Lord to guide her path.  How hard it would be to be torn between your love for a man and your love for your family and your statehood.  Her brother Daniel proves to be a real hindrance in Amanda and Kent's relationship.  After the war he changes and is bitter and hateful.  It is wonderful to read and see this man come to terms with his feelings and begin to heal.  And who doesn't love a good love story that conquers all!  That no matter what the hindrances or what other's think, they know they must be together, but must they lose everything else....hmmm, I'm not telling. ;)

I give this book 5 stars and recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical christian fiction.

***This book was provided to me by the publisher through booksneeze.com blogging for books program in exchange for my honest review.

Book Review: A Whisper of Peace by Kim Vogel Sawyer

From the back of the book:

Ostracized by her tribe because of her white father, Lizzie Dawson lives alone in the mountains of Alaska, practicing the ways of her people even as she resides in the small cabin her father built for her mother.  She dreams of reconciling with her grandparents to fulfill her mother's dying request, but she has not yet found a way to bridge the gap that separates her from her tribe.

Clay Selby has always wanted to be like his father, a missionary who holds a great love for the native people and has brought many to God.  Clay arrives in Alaska to set up a church and school among the Athabascans.  He is totally focused on his goal...until he meets a young, independent Indian woman with the most striking blue eyes he's ever seen.

But Lizzie is clearly not part of the tribe.  And befriending her might have dire consequences for his mission.  Will Clay be forced to choose between  his desire to minister to the natives and the quiet nudging of his heart.

My Thoughts:

This is a very touching story set in the Wilds of Alaska.  I loved the missionary story line and felt very connected to the characters.  A lot of Christian romance novels do not focus a lot on the Christian part.  Not the case with this book.  With Clay Selby being a missionary it focused a lot on salvation and I found this very refreshing.  It was so nice to read about two totally different people, with different beliefs and from different walks of life, come together.

This book has it all - drama, history, suspense, humor, heartache and love...it is sure to capture your heart as it did mine! 

***I received this book from Bethany House Publishing in exchange for my honest review.

The Prudent Homemaker

This week I stumbled on a website called The Prudent Homemaker.  You can check it out here.   I have been spending most of my free time lately checking it out.  It is full of amazing recipes, money saving ideas and much more.  There are so many recipes that I can't wait to try.  Top of my list is her French Bread recipe and also her recipe for graham crackers.  I also love the idea she has of keeping a price book so you know which store offers the lowest prices.

I've really been trying to find ways to save money on our grocery bill lately.  I've started couponing.  I'm not extreme or anything, just trying to save a little money.  This site has been a great motivator for me so if you are looking for ways to save money or just need some new recipes you should check it out! :)  I'm sure you'll love it as much as I do!

Final Harvest

 The cold air has moved in this week and there is a chance of the temperatures getting down to freezing one night this week so I decided I would harvest some of my herbs for the last time of the season.   I almost hated cutting down the beautiful blooming lavender.  It looked the prettiest it has all season.  I am guessing that is because we have had such a hot summer and the last month or so the weather has been perfect.  My pineapple sage was just beginning to bloom with beautiful red flowers and my calendula has blooms that were just beginning to open.  I decided to leave them alone and hopefully the cold air won't affect them because I am really wanting to harvest them and make some calendula salve. 

My mom purchase a close drying rack at a yard sale for 75 cents and it is perfect for drying herbs.  I harvested plenty today and I can't wait to add them to the already dried herbs, but right now I am enjoying how beautiful they all look hanging on the rack!  We are going to have plenty of herbs this winter for cooking, teas and much more!

A gift wrapped in love...

A young man was getting ready to graduate college. For many months he had admired a beautiful sports car in a dealer's showroom, and knowing his father could well afford it, he told him that was all he wanted. As Graduation Day approached, the young man awaited signs that his father had purchased the car. Finally, on the morning of his graduation his father called him into his private study. His ...father told him how proud he was to have such a fine son, and told him how much he loved him. He handed his son a beautiful wrapped gift box. Curious, but somewhat disappointed the young man opened the box and found a lovely, leather-bound Bible. Angrily, he raised his voice at his father and said, "With all your money you give me a Bible?" and stormed out of the house, leaving the holy book. Many years passed and the young man was very successful in business. He had a beautiful home and wonderful family, but realized his father was very old, and thought perhaps he should go to him. He had not seen him since that graduation day. Before he could make arrangements, he received a telegram telling him his father had passed away, and willed all of his possessions to his son. He needed to come home immediately and take care things. When he arrived at his father's house, sudden sadness and regret filled his heart. He began to search his father's important papers and saw the still new Bible, just as he had left it years ago. With tears, he opened the Bible and began to turn the pages. As he read those words, a car key dropped from an envelope taped behind the Bible. It had a tag with the dealer's name, the same dealer who had the sports car he had desired. On the tag was the date of his graduation, and the words...PAID IN FULL. How many times do we miss God's blessings because they are not packaged as we expected?

Cappuccino Mix Recipe

I have been on a cappuccino kick for a while now so I decided to see if I could find a recipe where I could make my own mix and hopefully save a little money.  I found this recipe on allrecipes.com and I absolutely love it.  I did do a little tweaking to it to suit my personal taste. I put in a little less coffee, I added 1/2 cup powdered sugar and a little more creamer. 

2/3 cup instant coffee granules

1 cup powdered non-dairy creamer
1 cup powdered chocolate drink mix
1/2 cup white sugar
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Directions

1. Put the instant coffee into a food processor, and process to a fine powder. If you don't have a food processor, put it into a large plastic bag, and crush with a rolling pin.

2.In a large bowl, combine creamer, chocolate mix, instant coffee, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir together until well mixed. Spoon into storage container

Mix 3 tablespoons of powder with 6 fluid ounces hot water.
 
I also use about half the mix it calls for when making a cup full.  To complete it I add a Tablespoon of Coffee Mate Pumpkin Spice liquid creamer!  DEEE-Lish!!!

Great Devotional Book

I received a devotional book from Tyndale as a part of their Blogger Review Program.  The book is the Life Application Study Bible Devotional and it has been one of the best devotionals ever! 

It is set up as a 52 week, 6 day a week devotional on the life of Jesus taken from the gospels.  Each  week focuses on a different event in Jesus' ministry.  Each day has "reading of the word" that gives you Bible scriptures to read, "setting the  scene" which reflects on the passage of scripture, "getting personal"  with questions and thoughts to help you reflect and apply the lesson to your life, and "talking to God"  which gives suggestions for your prayer time.  I really like this set up especially the "setting the scene" because it helps you dig deeper, think about the scriptures and meditate upon them. 

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is desiring a closer walk with God and would like to set up a daily devotional routine!  It would be a great Christmas gift for family and friends!  That way they can start the devotional January 1'st! :)

Saving Grace by Annie Jones

Book Description:

This book is about Grace, an elderly woman who sits on the porch of her home every year on the night of the Splendor Bell Gala in New Bethany.  Due to rumors and gossip the residents of the town thinks she is nothing more than a batty old lady.  Four friends - Rose, Naomi, Gayle and Lucy decide to reach out and help Grace and as they do their friendship strengthens.

My Thoughts:

I was instantly drawn to this book.  The story description had me thinking it would be an excellent read.  I was disappointed.  It was not as good as what I had built up in my mind.  It is book 2 of a series and maybe if I had read book one I would of been more connected to the characters and it would of made a difference.  To me it was boring, it was a struggle to keep my attention on the story.  The last two chapters did pick up interest a little, but overall I just didn't care for it.

**I received this book as an  ebook from Multnomah Waterbrook Publishers in exchange for my honest review.

Denim Pocket Purse

Check out these darling little purses I've made this week!  I absolutely love them!  So perfect for the girly girl! 

I've been saving the pockets off worn out jeans for quite some time and I decided it was time to be creative with them.  I sewed on a grosgrain ribbon for the purse strap and then sewed two pockets together.  To complete it I made little matching bows and hot glued them on to the front!  So easy and so cute!