Wild Grace-Giveaway

Wow, the new book Wild Grace by Max Lucado is all about God's grace for us. This read tells teens all about God's grace, how it shapes our hearts and how teens can extend God's grace to help others.

If you have a teen in your house, you want this book. You can get a free sample by clicking here! Then scroll down and enter using the Rafflecopter to win your teen their own copy of this book.

Disclaimer: As always I received a copy of this book to review and Tommy Nelson publishing will send the winner a copy.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wordless Wednesday--Fall Fun

Fall Fun!

Grace for the Moment--365 Devotionals for Kids--Giveaway

I'm a little behind in my reviews. So this is the first of four giveaways this month. I hope to have them all on the blog by the end of the week.

The first is for Max Lucado's  Grace for the Moment 365 Devotionals for Kids. This is adapted from the adult version Grace for the Moment. You can check out these books by clicking through any of the links in this post.

Each day's devotion has a scripture verse, devotion and kid friendly activity called "Growing in Grace." They are dated so if you aren't consistent or like to use several different devotion books you can just go to that particular day and you haven't missed anything in between.

We have several devotional books that the kids use and they seem to like that this one because it is a quick read.

The winner of this book will actually receive Grace for the Moment for Kids and the original Grace for the Moment for adults.

Here is a link for a glimpse of the kids version Grace for the Moment for Kids.

This link is for the two week challenge which gives you two free weeks of devotionals from each book. They are in PDF and will only take about 15 minutes to do with your family. There are also some great tips for leading devotionals. Here is the link Grace Challenge.

Be on the look out for a book geared to teens plus two other giveaways this week.

I'm trying out Rafflecopter for the first time. I hope it makes it easier for you to register to win. It also gives you more chances to win.



a Rafflecopter giveaway



Disclaimer: Tommy Nelson Kids supplies me with a copy of the books that I giveaway. They mail out the winners copies. Opinions are my own.

Get Unreal-Get Unjunked-Eat Chocolate

Yes, I know it's a HUGE picture, but I don't want you to miss it. I recently hosted an Unjunked candy party for Unreal candy.  It was a big success. Before you start yelling at me because you weren't invited, just know I couldn't invite everyone so I was a little picky. Several of my kickboxing buddies, some kids, and a friend who is a nutritionist where among the party participants. 

This candy is unjunked, meaning that it doesn't have artificial flavorings, preservatives, corn syrup, partially hydrogenated oil,  and no GMO's (genetically modified organisms). They are lower in calories and sugar than the leading chocolates. 

At our sampling party we had Unreal-54 which are chocolate covered chocolates with peanuts. They resemble in shape those little round chocolates with my initial on them. That's their only resemblance, because they have a stronger chocolate taste. They aren't as vibrant colored but, the taste out weighs the muted tones. I don't care what color they are, it's chocolate for Pete's sake and they are delicious. Everyone at the party approved. 

We also sampled Unreal-41, these are the chocolate covered chocolates without nuts. See my previous paragraph about their appearance but know that these are even better than the peanut ones.

The third candy we tried is Unreal-5, the caramel nougat bar. Much more chocolatey than its out of this world sugary companion. I have to be honest here though and say, if I'm going for this amount of chocolate I would probably go for the one I can't name here. I only eat these when the craving is bad.

Unreal-8 is caramel, nougat and peanut butter. I haven't tried it because I don't like the combo with all the nuts, nor do I like it's giggly name brand counterpart. But everyone else said they loved it. 

I saved the best for last, literally. Everyone that tried these candies, voted the Unreal--77, peanut butter cups as their favorite. Much more chocolate and an awesome peanut butter taste. Several have told me this week they stopped at  Wal-Greens to pick up a pack.

Now why am I telling you about this candy? Well because it is new in stores, cost the same as the other "name" brand candies and was created by a 14 year old boy named Nick and his family. I'm a chocolate junky, kickboxing, wanna be healthier momma and this candy would help me kick my craving and keep me from feeling so guilty. 

We tasted all the candy at the party and throughout this last week we have finished it off. I actually just ate the last bag of the Unreal 41 while I was writing this post. 

So here's what you need to do. Everything that is hyperlinked in this post will take you the Get Unreal website, or you can click through any of the links below. Go to your local Wal-Greens,, CVS, Kroger, or other store listed on the website and buy yourself some Unjunked candy. Buy the one that is most like your regular favorite chocolate, eat the Unjunked version and tell that other name brand chocolate goodbye. Not only is it comparable in taste but also in price, it just won't settle on your hips. So go on, you know you need to feed that chocolate craving I've caused.

Disclaimer:

I received samples of all the candy described in this post. I was also compensated for my honest opinion and my honest opinion your received. 

Here are the links for more info:

Get Unreal-Candy Unjunked Video

Unreal on Facebook

Unreal on Twitter

Get Unreal Website

Won't You Help Me--Have Compassion

This week's post for Compassion is to write a letter from the view point of a sponsored child. Honestly I'm afraid I won't do this assignment justice but I will try. As of the writing of this post only 266 children need to be sponsored before the end of Sunday to meet the goal of 3,108.

We have sponsored a little boy named Raul from Dominic Republic in honor of Mollie's little friend with the same name. It happens that our sponsored child shares my birthday. I hope the following letter will convince you to go here Compassion and sponsor a child.

My name is Michelle. Thank you for being my sponsor. I liked the letter and picture you sent me. My parents don't live together anymore. They are divorced. I live with my Mom and siblings. My Mom works as a housekeeper when she can find a job. She doesn't make very much money. We live on about $150.00 a month. Although I'm not very old, I run the errands for my Mom. She trust me and she loves me.

 Our house is made of wood walls and roof and concrete floors. We do not have running water or electricity. We get our water from the local watering source and carry it home. We use it to drink, cook with and take baths. The weather is hot all year round. We get a lot of rain.

My favorite foods are bananas, chicken, plantains and rice. I like to play with my baby doll it's the only toy I have. She's pretty dirty and her hair is missing, but I love her so much. Sometimes I play ball with the other kids in town. I like to go to school. I couldn't go to school before because we didn't have the money for paper and pencils and school things. But I have a special friend who gave me my school stuff. She says that you gave money so that she could give me school supplies. I hope she brings me a new doll one day.

Mom says it's really nice that someone we don't know wants to help me. It makes Mom sad when we don't have enough money for food or school stuff. She gets really sad when we are sick and can't go to the doctor. Maybe next time we can go to the doctor because of you.

Thank you for helping me and making my Mom happy. She's says that it's because you love the man the lady talks about named Jesus. I like to hear her stories about Jesus. I think one day I want to love Jesus too.

I can't wait for another letter from you. They make me happy too.

I love you,
Michelle




Alright, I hope that letter tugged at your heartstrings. Go here NOW Compassion and sponsor a child so they don't have to worry to much about getting better, or eating, or going to school. Don't eat out this week, give it to a child who won't eat at all.

Please, Please, Please Pray for Jordan

I'm being very selfish right now. I'm asking that you stop whatever you are doing and pray for this special young man. This is my dear friend, Jordan. He is 23 years old. His sweet wife of 9 months and his family are sitting by his beside in ICU waiting for God to show them and the doctors what they need to know.

 I took him at the age of 13 to see Chicken Run and he kept asking me what was so funny, I just kept saying I'll tell you when you're older, I still feel a little guilty for the possible corruption of his adolescent brain.

Jordan is a wonderful, Christian guy, who answered the call to ministry many years ago. He knows that his life belongs to the Lord. Jordan's health is failing and he, his family and doctors need all the prayers they can get right now.

So I'm begging you to stop and pray that the Lord's will be done in Jordan's life.

Father God,
I come before you begging, pleading that you will wrap your arms around Jordan and heal him. Lord, I know it's a selfish prayer and that I should truly ask that Your will be done. Lord you know every little detail, you know the why. Lord, I don't need any details or an answer to my why. I just want to plead and beg you to heal Jordan, my kids "Gordon Franken". Lord, be with Audrey, Trina and Scott, Josh and his Audrey and the kids, be with their entire family. Give the doctors the knowledge they need to help him. And Lord just help him to know you are there. Thank you Lord for Jordan and what he means to our family.

In Jesus Name I Pray,
Amen

Lord God, Help Us Choose Your Child

Father God,

Thank you for your love, for the many things you have blessed me with. Thank you for a loving, Christian husband, four wonderful, Christian children, a roof over our heads, a place to lay our weary bodies, food to fill our bellies and clean water to drink.

Lord, As we search through the pictures of the hundreds of children who need to be sponsored through Compassion, open our eyes and hearts to the one you have chosen for us. Lord God, you know our financial needs and the everyday needs of each of those children. You know were the monthly commitment will come from. You have always provided for us and even more so when we use what you have blessed our family with to bless someone else.

It isn't easy for us to choose. We've looked through the pictures several times. We've searched by each child's birthday and each one has chosen an area of the world they would like to help. Lord, as we search one more time this weekend please let "our" child tug our hearts so we know he or she is the one.

Lord forgive me for not taking better care of your children all over the world and help us as we help your children.

Thank you again for your many blessings and guide us in our search.

In Jesus Precious Name I Pray,

Amen


My assignment as a Compassion blogger this week was to write a prayer. We have sponsored children in the past, but currently aren't. We have been searching to find the child that God wants us to sponsor. So I'm challenging you as we make our decision this weekend, to make yours. Will you sponsor a child? Use this link Compassion in purple to be taken to the website where you can search for children who need you. I'll let you know soon who we have "adopted" as our sponsored child.