The Sparkle Box - Jill Hardie

The story is told of Sam who is excited about Christmas and about the parties, the food, and the presents. But one gift in particular has piqued his curiosity – a sparkling box on the mantel. His parents tell him that the Sparkle box is a special gift they will open together. You can find the rest of the story in The Sparkle Box which is a children’s book endearingly written by Jill Hardie and beautifully illustrated by Christine Kornacki. It is a story that you can read to your children that will shed light on the true meaning of Christmas. Jill Hardie and her family began placing a gift for Jesus under their Christmas tree as a way to highlight the true meaning of the season. The first time they opened His gift, the commercialism of the season disappeared. She hopes her book; The Sparkle Box will spark a new Christmas tradition and point her readers to the true meaning of Christmas.

Defying Normal - By Skip Heitzig and Jeff Kinley

Thoreau once wrote that most people lead lives of quiet desperation. What is more tragic is the fact that they don’t even know it. In Defying Normal, Author and Pastor Skip Heitzig provides his readers with biblical and practical advice to pursue a life of faith and transformation in times of uncertainty and doubt. He draws insights from life of Daniel who was a counterrevolutionary in his own time and made his life count in an era of unprecedented danger and uncertainty. Skip provides eight God-centered truths for us to embrace that will help us to soar above the norm and live a life of faith. He writes, “you don’t have to blend in or give in to find and fulfill your purpose and impact your world…it can happen only when you defy what is popular and rise above the crowd to the new normal.” Christians need to quit embracing every fad from culture which has made them utterly impotent. Tragicaly, many today who claim to be Christians adhere to a paganized form of Christianity or a chirstianized form of paganism. This is because very few are intentionally living out Romans 12. Read this book and be changed for the better!

An Endless Christmas - Cynthia Ruchti

In An Endless Christmas, Cynthia Ruchti delivers an emotional tale that embodies all the grace and giving that fans of Christmas stories love. Ruchti is known for telling stories of hope that glows in the dark through her novels and also when she speaks for womens’ events and retreats. She has been recognized by the RT Reviewers’ Choice Award, Selah Awards, Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence and many others. In this novel, Ruchti tells the story of Dodie and Wilson Binder who are both in their eighties and they celebrate every Christmas as if it were their last. This year, however, their only grandson, Micah, asks Katie his girlfriend to marry him in front of the whole family. Katie says no and things go terribly wrong. Will Katie let herself love and be loved before it is too late? Read to find out!

Sacred Intent: Maximize The Moments of Your Life - By Brent Crowe

“If life were a week,” writes Brent Crowe in his book Sacred Intent, “you would make every moment count.” In his book, Crowe makes an urgent call to his readers to be good stewards of our human experience. He provides a mental map and model for focusing the want to in your life so that you can live a life of sacred intent. The paradigm shift he wants his readers to make in their lives is meant to shrink life into something manageable that can be accomplished and completed. To live with a sacred intent means to be completely and wholeheartedly intentional understanding that each moment is entrusted to us and that we do not own anything but are stewards of our time, talent, and resources. He breaks down each day of the week as follows:

Monday: Influence

Tuesday: Time

Wednesday: Calling

Thursday: Engagement

Friday: Relationships

Saturday: Motivation

Sunday: Dream

Crowe poignantly writes, the manner in which we execute our time becomes the autobiography of our soul. In the end, which is really the beginning, our use of time will be the link on the page that is our story or autobiography…or rather, the preface to a much greater story that will be lived out in heaven.

Knit, Purl, Pray - Lisa Bogart

Why pause to knit? Lisa Bogart says that she loves the peace and quiet that knitting offers. It is the perfect time for reflection. In this quiet frame of mind, her thoughts slow down and her muscles relax. And the insights she garners through this sacred act of reflection, she shares generously in her new book, Knit, Purl, Pray: 52 Devotions for the Creative Soul. Lisa Bogart has gifted over 70 sweaters to Guideposts’ Knit for Kids. Her award winning devotions have appeared in several publications including Guideposts and she is the author of Come On In: Taking the Hassle out of Hospitality. As the subtitle suggests, her new book contains 52 devotions in which Bogart shares that the knitter knows that the time spent creating something beautiful and useful can also be a time to be quiet and reflect. The author sees life’s challenges as something that can be unraveled and reworked into something beautiful. Doesn’t the Author of our lives and the Grand Knitter do the same in our lives as He uses the dark and colorful threads and knits something beautiful for His kingdom and His glory?

Four Secrets to a Forever Marriage - Michael Letney and Karen Hardin

Good Marriages don’t just happen, writes Michael Letney in his book Four Secrets to a Forever Marriage. What is the secret to a happy and healthy marriage? Marriage, argues Letney, like the tiers of a wedding cake requires a solid foundation to support the layers on which the couple can stand firm through the sunniest and stormiest times of life. There are essentially four components to a forever marriage as enunciated by Letney. They are transparency, truth, trust, and unity. These are essential to a relationship to not only persevere through the most difficult challenges but also grow deeper in love, commitment, companionship, and marital unity. Achieving anything worthwhile requires relentless work and dedication. Results don’t magically emerge out of thin air. They must be harnessed through the thick and thin of daily life. Letney states that transparency allows relationships to mature faster, as openness can avoid misunderstandings that can fuel unnecessary tension. This assumes that both parties are mature and empathetic. If one partner is self righteous and not empathetic then this will thwart the other person from being vulnerable and hence, the very foundation cannot be laid. The same can be said of truth, trust, and unity. Letney provides great advice on how to achieve this.