The Gift of Friendship edited by Dawn Camp

Whether next door or in the next time zone, our friends provide some of our most important relationships. We cherish time spent with them, bemoan time spent apart, and look forward to the next time we can have coffee or rush to greet them as they walk toward our door. And nothing warms our hearts like stories of true friendship.

Collecting over fifty true stories from some of today best writers, Dawn Camp offers readers a chance to sit back and experience the gift of friendship. With its beautiful photographs and poignant prose, this collection is a great gift for a dear friend and the perfect pick-me-up any time you need a boost. Contributors include Crystal Paine, Liz Curtis Higgs, Tsh Oxenreider, Myquillyn Smith, Jennifer Dukes Lee, Lisa-Jo Baker, Jessica Turner, Lysa TerKeurst, Bonnie Gray, Holley Gerth, Renee Swope, and many more.

A Christmas to Remember

It has been a long week!

Wrapping presents, making cookies and candy, spending time with friends and family.

I haven't really blogged at all this week with everything going on, but I thought I'd take a minute to tell all y'all about my Christmas week.

My girls and I had such a blast last Tuesday baking yummy treats with friends to have with our Christmas. I always enjoy spending time with these friends, as they can always lift my spirits and make me smile. On Christmas Eve I spent the morning with my Nana making candy for our Christmas dinner. Later that evening I went to a Christmas Eve candle light service. What a wonderful way to focus on our Savior, not just His birth but on the cross as well. On Jesus coming to save us from our sins.

We spent Christmas with my extended family. Cousins, Aunts, Uncles and Grandparents! All total I think there are almost 30 of us! It is usually a fun time of visiting and talking and laughing. Of course there are also PRESENTS!

We spent Christmas with my parents the day after Christmas. We had even more fun and food and fellowship.

This Christmas my husband and children and I are treading new waters. My mother in law passed away a couple months ago and Christmas was her favorite. That being said she spent Christmas in heaven, which to us is a wonderful gift. For those of you who might be experiencing the same thing this Christmas season, I completely understand.

I have enjoyed this Christmas, even with all of the ups and downs. I always love to watch my girls open their presents and play with their new toys and games. They have such grateful hearts and I only hope I can continue to cultivate that as they get older.

I have actually been thinking about something a friend of mine asked me the other day. She asked me about my word for the year. She explained that each year she chooses a word to use as a goal, so to speak, for the year. I have been thinking about trying this for myself. Something to keep me focused on Christ and my goals for my family this coming year. I will be updating you all on my word for the year, so stay tuned.

Happy New Year!

A Sparrow in Terezin by Kristy Cambron--Review

                                   

Two women, one in the present day and one in 1942, each hope for a brighter future. But they'll both have to battle through their darkest days to reach it.

Today. With the grand opening of her new gallery and a fairytale wedding months away, Sera James appears to have a charmed life. But in an instant, the prospect of a devastating legal battle surrounding her fiancé threatens to tear her dreams apart. Sera and William rush to marry and are thrust into a world of doubt and fear as they defend charges that could separate them for life.


June 1942. After surviving the Blitz bombings that left many Londoners with shattered lives, Kája Makovsky prayed for the war to end so she could return home to Prague. But despite the horrors of war, the gifted journalist never expected to see a headline screaming the extermination of Jews in work camps. Half-Jewish with her family in danger, Kája has no choice but to risk everything to get her family out of Prague. But with the clutches of evil all around, her escape plan crumbles into deportation, and Kája finds herself in a new reality as the art teacher to the children of Terezin.


Bound by a story of hope and the survival of one little girl, both Sera and Kája will fight to protect all they hold dear.

You can find it at these retailers and many more!

Deeper Shopping

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

About the Author

Kristy Cambron has been fascinated with WWII since hearing her grandfather's stories. She holds an Art History degree from Indiana University and has 15 years industry experience as a corporate learning facilitator and communications consultant. Kristy writes WWII and Regency fiction. She makes her home in Indiana with her husband and three football-loving sons. Website: www.kristycambron.com Twitter: @KCambronAuthor Facebook: Kristy-L-Cambron-Author

My thoughts:Suspense, romance, love, friendship and forgiveness all of these things and more are found in this book! Kristy takes you on a ride to the past and brings it to life like nothing I have seen before. The vivid pictures she brings to your mind through each seen will leave you wanting the next chapter and then the next. This was my first time reading one of Kristy's books and I couldn't put it down. Her characters are so lifelike and I felt as if I were right there in the middle of every scene and every place that the book takes you. This book spoke to my heart and desire to know more about the holocaust and World War 2. I was overcome by grief, joy and love all in what seemed like the same chapter! The lives of Kaja and Sera intertwine beautifully throughout the book. This book is the second book in the series but it reads well as a standalone. I understood the hints about the first book easily and it only made me want to read the first book more. You will definitely not be sorry for buying this book. It's well worth the money. 

I received this book through the booklookbloggers.com blogger program in exchange for my review. A positive review was not required.

My Top Five

Ok so I know I have posted a lot this week but I came up with this idea to give y'all a top five of the best books I have read. I thought I might do this ever so often, to give y'all some options to fill your reading lists. I am going back to my younger years with these. These are the books that first turned me on to adult Christian fiction.


1)  Love Comes Softly by Janette Oke

This book was probably the first adult christian fiction that I read growing up and to this day this is probably still my favorite. Here is a complete list of this series:

1) Love Comes Softly

2) Love's Enduring Promise

3) Love's Long Journey

4) Love's Abiding Joy

5) Love's Unending Legacy

6) Love's Unfolding Dream

7) Love Takes Wing

8) Love Finds a Home

2) Roses For Mama by Janette Oke

This is another one of my favorites and yes it is by the same author. This one touched my heart as a sister with younger siblings and again still one of my all time favorites.

3) Nana's Gift by Janette Oke

Same author I know, but once you start reading her stuff you won't be able to stop!

4)  Saint Ben by John Fischer

Get your Kleenex box out for this one! This is an amazing story of true friendship and learning how to fill the Jesus shaped hole in our hearts. Be for warned you will cry! There is also a second book to this called The Saints and Angels Song, which is also a good read. I had trouble finding his online so if you find it, snatch it up!

5) Seasons of Grace Series by Beverly Lewis 

This is a fantastic series by Beverly Lewis. I read this within the last year or two and I couldn't put it down. I was at my library everyday trying to get the next one, because I wanted so much to see what was going to happen. This is a three book series. The Titles are:

1) The Secret

2) The Missing

3) The Telling

These are some awesome books I hope you will try as I know I have several friends searching for new books to read. The best part about all of these books is you don't have to wait for the next in the series to come out. These are oldies but goodies and they are sure to please.

Happy reading, y'all!

A Review From My Mini Me

My daughter Elizabeth has recently read a book by author Miralee Ferrell. She was asked to give a review of the book, So I thought I would post it here as well.

A horse of her own would be awesome. But Kate figures that might be a long way away, especially since she had to give up riding lessons and move to her late grandfather’s farm. Besides, it would be a lot more fun to have a best friend to ride with. When Kate discovers a barn on their new farm that’s perfect for a horse, and a dusty bridle too, she starts to think that her dream might come true. Then she meets Tori at school, who is totally the best. So when they discover a thoroughbred that appears to be all alone, could it be the answer to her prayers? Maybe. If she can convince her dad … and figure out what’s going on with that horse.

Elizabeth's thoughts: This book is about a girl named Kate who has had to move to a new town and she isn't very happy about. But when she gets there she ends up finding a new friend in a girl named Tori. She has always wanted a horse and this new farm would be perfect for a one. Can she convince her parents to allow her to have one? 
I thought this book was written very well and was easy to read. It kept my attention and I finished it very quickly. I enjoyed all the characters, but my favorite character was Pete. Pete is Kate's brother and he has autism. Pete Doesn't talk much, but he has an adventurous side.  I had so much fun reading this book, that I can't wait for the other three in the series to be released! I would highly recommend this book to any girl who loves to read.  


Elizabeth was given a complimentary copy of this book to review. She was not required to give a positive reveiw.