Forever Beloved

Faith, Love & Truth

one call away {book review}

One Call Away
by Brenda Warner with Jennifer Schuchmann

once you start reading the first chapter of this book, you won’t be able to put it down.  brenda starts her memoir with the tragic story of her son zach, and what happened to him when he was merely 4 months old.  you are immediately asking yourself why. but her trials didn’t end there, her life has been full of them.  i have to admit, quite a few tears were shed while reading this book.  what is more important are the lessons that she learned, and most importantly, that “God has always been one call away.”
i had the privilege of hearing brenda speak at the women of faith conference i attended last year.  i was absolutely captivated by her story and knew i had to read her book.  

i was truly moved by Brenda’s story, her remarkable faith in every circumstance is an inspiration.  she did not once let her circumstances in life crumble her faith.  through every trial she had two choices, give up or learn from it and move on.  i love how honest she is about her mistakes.

this book is definitely a must read.  thank you brenda for sharing your story with such bravery and honesty.
out for now
~kisses

When God Makes Lemonade {book review}

When God Makes Lemonade
True Stories That Amaze and Encourage
By Don Jacobson

in When God Makes Lemonade, author Don Jacobson has collected stories from the lives of everyday folk.  it’s a collection of stories about people just like you who have discovered unexpected sweetness in the midst of sour circumstances.  these real-life stories all have one thing in common: hope.

we’ve all experienced those “lemons” in our life; out-of-your-control issues with your health, employment, relationships and circumstances that are truly sour.  we wouldn’t wish these on anyone.  but when the lemons become lemonade, oh how refreshing!
i absolutely loved this book.  as soon as i read the first story, i knew it was going to be a great one.  each chapter has a very touching personal story, an encouraging outcome and all the glory given to God.  some of the stories made me laugh and some had tears running down my face.  each and every story was truly an encouragement.  it is such an inspiration to read of other peoples struggles and how God worked through their lives to change them.
this book would be an absolutely wonderful addition to your bookshelf.  it would be great to leaf through from time to time for some extra encouragement and bring those tough times in your life into perspective.

this book was provided to me free of charge by booksneeze.com in return for my honest review.

out for now
~kisses

broken into beautiful {book review}

Broken into Beautiful: How God Restores the Wounded Heart
by Gwen Smith

how thankful i am that God delights in transforming lives. in this book, singer and songwriter gwen smith tells the real-life stories of women with shattered dreams, shameful secrets, damaged souls and the God who makes them beautiful again. her own story is one of heartache and inspiration.

we’ve all been broken at some point in our lives. whether it was by an affair, abortion, widowhood, abuse, and other tragic events, only to discover the joy of being restored by a loving heavenly Father. He takes the mess we’ve made of our lives, forgives us and transforms us into something beautiful

this book will help you to believe His truth and to remember He gives us grace even when we don’t deserve it. we have a beautiful Savior who became broken for us so that all who are broken can be transformed to reflect His beauty.

out for now
~kisses