God Has Not Forgotten About You...And He Care More than You Can Imagine by Leslie Haskin

From the Bethany House Publisher website:


When everyday concerns and problems linger--when desires of our heart go unmet--it's easy to wonder if we've done something wrong or if God cares.

Leslie Haskin is no stranger to these feelings, but through adversity she has emerged victorious.

"This book is honest and straightforward. It is about real life for real people," Leslie says. "Whether the struggle is emotional, spiritual, or physical, I write for those who, like me, would like some answers but even more need a revival of spirit.

"Nothing in our lives is too small for God, so be encouraged in your walk with Him today. You indeed can make it to the other side of whatever you are facing and be better for the experience. I assure you, God loves you more than you can imagine."

My Opinion:


There are times when we all think that God has forgotten us and we wonder does He hear our prayers and needs? Of course this also makes our faith stronger in the end when we realize, yes, He does care and He answers us in His way. It is hard to keep that in mind though when trials come our way, it may be a sick child or it could be something major - like a bank foreclosing on the house.


Leslie Haskin's has written a book for all of us who need reassurance that God is present and He is listening and wants to comfort us. Leslie Haskin escaped one of the towers at the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001 and she knows what the lowest of lows can be like, today she is active in mission work. She has founded Safe HUGS which is a ministry that helps women and children.


"God Has Not Forgotten About You" is a book that can speak to the emotional, spiritual and physical parts of our beings that need God so much. There are words to savor in this book and it is a book that takes some time to read as the words are digested and weighed against God's Word. Thankfully this book is Scripturally based, or at least I found it to be and that is what counts for me - there are not enough platitudes that anyone can write to comfort me unless it's based on God's Word.


**This book was provided to me by Bethany House Publishers for my honest review.

***This book can be purchased at Bethany House Publishers website.

Big Truths for Young Hearts: Teaching and Learning the Greatness of God by Bruce A. Ware

I love when a wonderful resource comes out that is done in an easy to read and understand format for multiple ages that can easily explain Biblical truths. Big Truths for Young Hearts is one of those books, geared for parents of children ages 6 - 14, it explains Christian theology in an easy to read and understandable format.


Oftentimes parents can find themselves lost in answering questions and this book can be a jumping off place to start in explaining Biblical truths. The truths covered in this book make it a good read for any denomination of Christianity who believes the Jesus is the Savior and He is the only way to Heaven. One chapter discusses God as Three in One and goes on to break down into there is only one God, one God in three persons, the Father is God, The Son is God, The Holy Spirit is God and how the Father, Son and Holy Spirit relate.


At the end of each chapter are questions for thought, which even the youngest child could answer with rephrasing it for the child's age or ability. Also included are a memory verse - the family can use their own version of the Bible for this or use the book which is using the ESV (English Standard Version). I really enjoy the straight forward approach to teaching children about God - which all Christian parents should strive for.


Overall, this book is a wonderful resource for any Christian family and it will prove to be invaluable to the homeschooling family as it would definitely be an easy way to approach devotionals and teaching about the Bible in a easy to do manner, especially with multiple age ranges.

**I'd like to thank Amy Stephansen at Crossway for providing a copy of this book for my honest review.

the Creation story for children by Helen and David Haidle

There is a book written for children by Helen and David Haidle called the Creation story for children. This is a wonderful hardcover book that tells the story of Creation using Scripture from the King James Bible. The Scripture used comes from Genesis 1-2 and Psalms 139, focusing on God's creation.

On each page there is a Scripture given including reference verse along with writing that relates the Scripture back to the child's life in connection with the Creation story. This is a engaging way to really immerse a child in the true history of how the world was created, by our God. Mixed in with the story are questions that the child can be encouraged to answer so that it leads to better understanding of Scripture and what occurs in our lives. Children need more ideas to grab onto to retain new information and this book really offers a helping hand in the educational arena.

Beautifully illustrated, each page has it's own related picture that goes along with the Scripture and story told. This book does show Adam and Eve in the Garden alongside dinosaurs and woolly mammoths, and if you believe in the literal 6 day Creation this isn't a problem. My children enjoy learning that Adam and Eve walked among the dinosaurs as stated in Scripture. At the end of the book there is a section on God's "amazing creatures" like octopus, hummingbird, hedgehogs, velociraptors among others with information on the animals from a non-evolution viewpoint.

The very end of the book concludes with Psalm 139 telling children how they are made in a child friendly way and again beautifully illustrated. There are beautiful pictures of children enjoying life and some are shown in nature enjoying God's Creation. The most beautiful picture though is that of the baby in it's mother's womb for Psalm 139:13,15 - there is something that words cannot describe seeing an in utero baby - but it is done in a way a child will enjoy (no shock value, in other words).

With child friendly and engaging illustrations this will be a wonderful addition to any families personal library, it would also be a welcome addition to a church or school's library. This book would make a wonderful baby shower or new baby gift or even just for use in an educational way for schools, home school, or Sunday schools. This book will be treasured and enjoyed for many years to come. The Creation story for children is published by Master Books a division of New Leaf Publishing.

Finding an Unseen God by Alicia Britt Chole

Finding an Unseen God by Alicia Britt Chole has a subtitle of Reflections of a Former Atheist so it might actually turn off a Christian from reading it but don't let the subtitle dissuade you - this book has something to offer even the most mature Christian. From Bethany House Publishing site:
" "I sincerely believed that there was no God," she says. "As a young Atheist, I simply considered myself a realist who preferred unanswered questions over fairy tales."

Then one day, without warning, Alicia's Atheistic worldview was shattered.

Creatively written, Finding an Unseen God opens a window into Alicia's surprising spiritual journey. With warmth, intellect, and compassion, Alicia invites us to carefully consider what we believe and do not believe, while she paints a vivid portrait of a God who relentlessly pursues even those who deny him."

The cover is actually what grabbed my attention at first and drew me to actually read the book. The fact that it's an unusual cover, made to look like a word search puzzle, intrigued me. Imagine my surprise when I opened the book and saw an actual word search puzzle that the reader can complete, with answers at the back of the book. The chapters are numbered in an interesting way as well, sort of like a cross word puzzle. This book is also a quick read, a bonus for me, I read it completely in one day. The book comes in at 176 pages and that includes the appendix and notes.

I enjoyed this book, the fact that the author admits to being an Atheist and then giving her life to Christ is a wonderful testimony to God's pursuing even the most resistant person. Alicia also gives ways to lovingly respond to an Atheist when discussing our beliefs with theirs, yes, she points Atheist's do have a belief system. Finding really helped me to understand an Atheist's frame of mind in why they deny an existence of God, also she made it clear that a Pagan is not the same thing as an Atheist. I recommend this for any Christian who enjoys reading awesome testimonies of the Lord's work or wants to know about how to respond to Atheists in a Christian manner.