The Beauty of Grace

Back Cover

In this hectic life, it’s easy to forget that God is always near at hand, even though He sends us frequent reminders.  The beauty amid the mess, the well-timed word of encouragement from a friend, the memories that won’t let go of our hearts—they’re all ways God extends an open hand to us.  But if we’re not paying attention, we can miss it.

Combining heartfelt stories from some of today’s foremost writers with Dawn’s stunning photography of God’s incredible creation, The Beauty of Grace is your haven of calm contemplation amid the chaos.  This inspiring collection includes stories of cultivating friendship, waiting on God, choosing joy, staying connected, learning to trust, and much more.

If you’re in need of a little peace, a little quiet, a little beauty, find comfort in this:  you’re invited to experience them all within the pages of this soul-stirring book.

Review

I really, really enjoyed this book.

The Beauty of Grace is a compilation of various stories from different authors whose purpose is to cause us to pause, breathe deep, and remember the love and grace of God.   In today’s world, with hectic schedules, endless to-do lists, and no shortage of worries, it is easy to feel overwhelmed, drowning in a sea of busyness and losing sight of the Lord.  Some of the stories in The Beauty of Grace include daily struggles, and the writers share how they found calm in the midst of the storm, and hope in the chaos.  Other times they are of personal “aha!” moments or times of reflection. 

Split into seven themes, “Purpose”, “The Big Picture”, “Surrender”, “Trust”, “Lessons Learned”, “Hope and Encouragement”, and “Worship”, the various memoirs highlight Biblical principles, with the constant reminder to keep our eyes fixed upon the Saviour, who will guide us through life – from the daily “mundane” to the bumps in the road.

Beautifully written and very encouraging, this book will make the great addition to anyone’s reading list.

"Book has been provided courtesy of Revell and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.  Available at your favourite bookseller from BakerBooks, a division of Baker Publishing Group."

Stress Point

Back Cover

Body image.  Friendship.  Career.  Money. Dating.  All these issues and more serve as points of stress for the 20-something woman, and combined they can make for a decade of drama in a girl’s life.  Sarah Francis Martin is the slightly older girlfriend who’s been there, done that, and got the not-so-cute t-shirt.  Through this interactive Bible study, Sarah helps young adult women address each stress point by encouraging them to wait on the Lord, worship Him, and make Him the focus of their lives.

In Stress Point, you will:

·         Find interactive chapters covering ten stress points for the 20-something woman

·         Dig through Scripture to apply truth to each stress point

·         Engage with real, raw, and relevant stories from girlfriends just like you

·         Journal through each chapter to engage with God in a meaningful way

·         Interact with Sarah through her video blogs for each chapter

·         Connect with your girlfriends in a Stress Point Survival Group; leader guide included

Review

This was such a fabulous book.  Being an 20-something myself, I have readily discovered that the 20s is the decade of drama.  It’s when everything in your life changes dramatically.  There are no small changes, but rather huge, explosive decisions that need to be made that end up pointing you on your life path.  And in the midst of these big decisions and changes, all a girl wants is some security in her decision, in knowing that she is making the right choices.  In Stress Point, Ms. Martin pushes you to always go to the throne of God when making decisions.  It is so important that God is the number one focus in your life, because in that way, you can then tackle anything that life throws at you.  God is your stable support system that will never waver or break, so it`s okay to lean on Him!

I really enjoyed this book and found it to be a great devotional tool in my own life.  I especially liked the journal breaks through the book, as it encourages you to ``dig deeper`` into the Scriptures and in your relationship with God.  I would highly recommend this for any 20-something woman looking to find that balance in their life and seeking to have a deeper relationship with God, your El Shaddai (``the all-sufficient One`` or ``Almighty God``).

Click here to see a book trailer and read an excerpt from the book.

Book has been provided courtesy of Thomas Nelson and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Thomas Nelson.