Just a Heads Up

I've been organizing a Christmas Book Sale for the company that I work for. It's going on now, and I knew you would want to know about it - because you're awesome like that. So, here's the scoop:

By visiting our sales page, you can score up to $200 in savings and get over 60 books for free or reduced price. There are both fiction and non-fiction books listed and tons of Christian titles.

After racking up savings on books (or before) you can also enter to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card.

So hop on over and check it out at:
http://bit.ly/ChristmasBookSale

There vs. Here

I've been meaning to write this post for a while, maybe even making a series out of it. But since we just went through a major move - Denver, Colorado to Small-town,  Texas (exact location not disclosed) - I wanted to outline some of the differences. Here's a few:

Colorado - If you wave at someone you don't know, you might get shot, but at the very least, you'll get a dirty look.
Texas - Everyone waves at everyone. If you don't wave, people wonder why you're having a bad day.

Colorado - If you want to say hi to someone, you nod your head up.
Texas - You nod your head down - or just wave.

Colorado - The mail man leaves packages on the ground near the mailbox.
Texas - If you get a package, the mailman brings it to the door. If you don't answer and your door is unlocked, he'll just set it inside for you.

Colorado - If you want to have your electric turned on, you call them up and they need a credit card on file.
Texas - You must physically go in and fill out paperwork, then they don't do cards, you have to pay with a check or cash.

Colorado - If you have a birthday party, you send out invitations and people RSVP.
Texas - You send out birthday party invitations requesting an RSVP and no one responds, then several people show up anyway.

Colorado - The high on Thanksgiving: 62
Texas - The high on Thanksgiving: 87

And here's my favorite:
Colorado - they have already had their fair share of snow - it even snowed 4 inches in October before we moved. School isn't delayed or cancelled for anything under 2 feet, they don't even do indoor recess unless the temp is under 20 degrees.
Texas - we had a quarter inch of snow today and school was delayed 2 hours. Of course, we weren't expecting that anyway and took our son in. There were several other parents dropping off children, so Mr. Amazing let him out of the car and drove away. Little did he know the door was locked and all of the other kids would return to their cars... When he got to work, someone mentioned that school had been delayed for an hour, so he called me to inquire. We don't have T.V. so I have no idea how to find out other than calling the school. No one is at the school - assumingly because school has been delayed. It's 28 degrees, so I'm not overly concerned, but go about getting the small children ready to drive to the school and see what's going on. Planning on making sure he has some place warm to sit, or waiting with him until the door is unlocked. As I'm backing out of the driveway a police car pulls up... Kainen gets out of the back and the officer explains that they would have been their sooner, but Kainen only knew our house number - not the street name. Of course, we've lived here all of 1 week, I'm not surprised by this - actually, I was surprised he even knew the number already. Then the officer explains that school doesn't start until 10 because of the snow - the 1/4 inch that I mentioned. He also suggests registering for text messages from the school - GREAT idea.

Which brings me to the next difference:
Colorado - You want to register for mobile updates, you sign up online.
Texas - You want to register for mobile updates? You go to the schools website, find the number to call for instructions (which you had to search for because it isn't obvious). The man that answers the phone doesn't know how to do that, but thinks it has something to do with Twitter. I should call back after school starts at 10 when someone else is there that might know how I can get set up... I'm from Colorado. I just find them on Twitter (not listed on their website), and sign up to follow them and get mobile alerts for their tweets (as they only have three in their entire history, two being tests at the beginning of the year and one being about the delay this morning, I'm assuming I won't get a ton of updates I don't need).

So yeah... things are a bit different here.

Here's a nice photo of our new house
(still being remodeled, so it won't always look like this) 

with the nice snowfall that delayed school for 2 hours....

Guest Post: When Dealing with Infidelity

When dealing with infidelity 

by Naty Matos

In Today’s society Christian women are not exempt of dealing with the ugly monster of infidelity. Unfortunately in many Christian homes women have had to deal with the fact that their husbands have shared intimacy with someone else.

Adultery breaks the heart of a woman, especially the one that believes that is living with a man after God’s heart. The first question on a woman’s mind is what did I do wrong? I came to bring you the answer. You did nothing wrong.

Although it is true that in a troubled relationship there are two sides of a story and that both parties shared the responsibility, the final choice to act belongs to the individual. You did not make your spouse cheat, he chose to do that.

I think that’s a liberating thought, as many women blame themselves for the actions of their husbands in this particular. There’s no amount of conversation, intimacy or pleasing that would have made him make a different choice. Yes, those things may have influence his decision, but it was ultimately his decision to act on it. Adultery is not the actual problem; it’s just the symptom to major issues in the relationship that were not addressed on time.

Can a marriage be saved after one commits adultery? Yes, but it takes many of things and both parties need to be willing to work together to achieve it.

• The husband needs to repent for his actions; to God first and to his wife.
• The husband needs to end the adulterous relationship Hebrews 13:4 “Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous.”
• The wife needs to forgive her husband. This is very important. If for the rest of your life you will be bringing the issue up is not going to make the healing process any easier. Yes, it’s not going to be easy and that’s where prayer and counseling will have to help. Remember the word on Ephesians 4:32 “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”
• The husband needs to make amends to his wife. Matthew 5:23-24 “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift”
• The wife needs to find her identity in Christ and her security in him and not her husband. When a woman finds out that her husband has cheated on her; many insecurities arise. Am I attractive enough? Was I intimate enough with him? Am I good enough? It takes a toll on her self-esteem. This is when she needs to remember that she’s not who she thinks she is or who her husband says she is. She is who God says she is.
• They should seek counseling to mend the relationship and deal with the issues that triggered the situation.

In my new novella, “Season’s Greetings for Amelia” our main couple deals with the issue of infidelity. Can this marriage be saved? Find out by getting this intense story for your Kindle just 0.99 cents.

About Naty Matos:

Naty Matos was born in the city of New York. She grew up in the beautiful Island of Puerto Rico and now lives in the city of Atlanta.

She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Clinical Psychology with a Minor in Mass Media Communications and a Master's Degree in Mental Health Counseling.

Naty writes Christian fiction and non-fiction. She maintains a blog on Christian Living Topics at www.therisingmuse.com

Copyright © The Rising Muse 2012

Book Description

Daisy has the perfect life, beautiful children and a wonderful husband. And Christmas is right around the corner.  Tis the season to be jolly... Or is it?

Daisy's life is flipped upside down by strange letters that are sent to her by her best friend, Amelia. And as her life continues to quickly spiral out of control, she realizes that something BIG is about to happen.  Can she put aside her confusion, hurt, and anger in order to solve a mystery that may have a horrific ending????

Can Daisy's life ever return to normal regardless to whether she does or doesn't?

You can get your copy of Naty's new book by clicking here.

Book Review: Christmas Uncut

I recently had the opportunity to review "Christmas Uncut: What Really Happened and Why It Really Matters..." by Carl Laferton, and I have to say, this was unlike any book I've ever read before.

Starting each chapter with a scene from a children's Christmas play and fun little drawing, this book was written for adults. It looks like it would be cute for kids, but there are certain parts that parents might want to use caution about.

After the cute little rendition of Christmas plays gone bad, the author covers what really happened during that first Christmas season. After he retells the story he gives the reader the verse reference so that they can look it up for themselves if they wish before plunging into the "Why it really matters" section.

I think my absolute favorite part of the book was the closing remarks. Mr. Laferton covered what to do with the information he presented, whether it was all made up, how we could know that Jesus was the Christ, and  the truth of the Resurrection.

All in all, this was a neat little book. You can get yourself a copy on Amazon.com
You might also want to watch the following video:

As I mentioned, I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review from Cross Focused Reviews. You can read what other reviewers had to say at: http://crossfocusedreviews.com/2012/11/christmas-uncut-blog-tour/

Book Review: Courting Cate

In the country outside of Paradise, Pennsylvania  Cate's life is anything but a paradise - but it could be, if only her father wasn't dead set on her finding a husband. Sure, it's the Amish way for women to wed, but there are those who are known to stay single, and that's what Cate has in mind. Besides, if she doesn't have to worry about the tedious jobs that come with being a homemaker, she can focus on her real dreams and interests. Will Cate be granted the life she dreams of, spend life slaving away to please her father, or will her true paradise be found where she least expects it?

You'll have to read "Courting Cate" by Leslie Gould to find out. You can get a copy from Amazon.com, but I got my copy free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review - and honestly, this novel was simply wonderful! I was captivated from the very beginning and finished the rather thick book in just over 24 hours. Where most novels give you insight to more than one character's POV, this one stuck with just one. I liked the simplicity to that. It left me in suspense to what was going on on the other side of things and really helped me relate more to the main character. Leslie Gould did an awesome job with this book.

Oh, and besides this book being awesome, LitFuse publicity is giving away a Kindle Fire on Tuesday. Find out more below:

A retelling of the Taming of the Shrew! Leslie Gould is celebrating the release of Courting Cate with a fun Kindle Fire Giveaway and a Facebook Author Chat Party (11/20)!

One lucky winner will receive:

• A Kindle Fire
• Courting Cate by Leslie Gould

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on November 19th. Winner will be announced at the "Courting Cate" Author Chat Facebook Party on 11/20. Connect with Leslie, get a sneak peek of her next book, try your hand at an Amish trivia contest, and chat with readers just like you. There will also be gift certificates, books and a Book Club Prize Pack to be won (10 copies for your book club or small group)!

So grab your copy of Courting Cate and join Leslie on the evening of the November 20th for a chance to connect with Leslie and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book - don't let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the fun, RSVP today. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 20th!

The Accidental Pharisee: Book Review

The Accidental Pharisee - We're all guilty of it in one way or another at one time or another. I know I am. But what is the accidental pharisee (other than a book by Larry Osborne, of course)?

It's judging other people because they aren't at the same point in life as you. It's that simple. We all grow at different rates, and God works in us in His time not ours, but where does that leave those who are a step down from us on the ladder of holiness? That's what really drove home for me in this book. Mr. Osborne did is an amazing writer, and I almost read this entire book in one sitting - I just had to stop because it was so convicting! It couldn't have came at a better time either. God most certainly used this book in my life, and I think it will do great things for Christ.

The Accidental Pharisee by Larry Osborne is a book that every Christian needs to read!

Here's what the author had to say about it:

 

I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review. You can read what other people had to say at: http://crossfocusedreviews.com/2012/10/accidental-pharisees-blog-tour/

Guest Post from Vicki Tiede

I love being invited into someone’s home for the first time. Having the opportunity to join your blog today is a little like that. I get to meet new people, share a little bit about my book, and hopefully make some new friends. So, thank you, Heather, for inviting me to your home blog.

A friend recently asked, “What makes When Your Husband is Addicted to Pornography different than other books written for women on this subject?” I explained that this book is not meant to give her tools and skills to fix her husband. It is for and about her, not her husband.

When I speak for a women’s conference or retreat, I always share my story. As a result, I meet many women who share their own stories. Too often they tell me that after their husband revealed his addiction, he went to counseling, joined an accountability group, used filtering software … in other words, he did all the “right” things, but she is still hurting, doesn’t trust him, feels betrayed, won’t let him touch her, is angry … There are great books that will help a woman understand her husband’s addiction, but I wrote my book to help her deal with her heart and these issues.

I’m not a counselor, but I am a wife whose heart has been restored after experiencing the betrayal associated with a husband addicted to pornography, and I have a deep love for the Wonderful Counselor. I feel strongly that Jesus is best equipped to tend to a broken heart and offer hope and healing to a woman regardless of her husband’s daily choices about pornography.

A husband’s use of pornography is not about the wife. I hope he has told her this, but I suspect that even if he did, she isn’t sure. She should believe it. Pornography is a selfish act meant to meet his own perceived needs. That means she is not in competition with digitally enhanced images of other women. This is not about her appearance, her sexual availability, or her competence in the bedroom. She does not need to be a size 8, get a tummy tuck, or engage in sexual acts that make her uncomfortable.

I want my reader to know that this is not her fault. In the end, we are all responsible for ourselves and how we walk in obedience to God’s Word—or don’t. She can’t control her husband’s choices. I also want to assure her that Jesus can and will take the broken pieces of her heart and make something beautiful of it. Psalm 147:3 confirms that “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”

When Your Husband is Addicted to Pornography by Vicki Tiede from FREEDOM BEGINS HERE on Vimeo.

If we believe the statistics, 50-70% of Christian men are struggling with pornography. As I said on the video, it stands to reason then that the women who love them (wives, girlfriends) are also hurting. How has this been handled in your circles of influence? Do people (women) talk about it? Why/Why not?

~~~~~

More about Vicki: I am an author and speaker who has a passion for opening the Scriptures and pointing women to their true source of grace and faithfulness. For the past ten years, I have been honored to speak for numerous women at conferences, retreats, and women’s events. I am the author of three books including When Your Husband is Addicted to Pornography (2012), Plug Me In and Let Me Charge Overnight (2009), and Parenting on Your Knees: Prayers and Practical Guidance for the Preschool Years (coming January 2013). I live in Rochester, Minnesota, with my husband Mike, daughter, and two sons. Visit her on the web.

You can access Sample Chapters from When Your Husband is Addicted to Pornography: Healing Your Wounded Heart by clicking above.

  

Links to buy the book:

Vicki Tiede 

NGP 

Amazon 

Barnes and Noble (BN’s processing times are lagging, but it will eventually be available there as well)

Nook

CBD