Forever Beloved

About the book:

A cookbook and backyard gardening and homesteading guide for women who want to grow food efficiently, cook seasonal recipes, or even try foraging, camping, and living off the land.

Self-sufficiency is the ultimate girl power

Georgia Pellegrini, outdoor adventurer and chef, helps you roll up your sleeves and tap into your pioneer spirit. Grow a small-space garden and preserve a little deliciousness for the cold months; assemble the makings of a self-sufficient pantry; learn to navigate without a compass for your next camping trip; or even forage for plants that give you energy.
Whether you’re a full-time homesteader, a weekend farmer’s market devoté, or anyone looking to do more by hand, this overflowing resource will help you hone new skills in the kitchen, garden, and great outdoors. It includes:
· More than 100 recipes for garden-to-table dishes, preserves, and cured foods
· Small-space gardening advice on building a raised bed, choosing what to grow, and saving seeds
· DIY projects, such as Mason jar lanterns and homemade notecards
· Superwoman skills like assembling a 48- hour survival toolkit in an Altoids tin

Packed with beautiful photographs and illustrations, Modern Pioneering proves that becoming more self-sufficient not only means being empowered, but also having a lot more fun.

So, I may have squealed a bit with delight when I saw this book available.  I mean, hello, I’m all trying-my-best-to-homestead over here.  We’ve even recently added chickens to our family (I know, we are super stoked too).  Well, not quite yet, they’ll be here next week.  And when I saw this book, clicked on it and read the description, it was like fate.  This book HAD to have been written just for me.

This book contains everything, seriously, from making your own butter to curing your own bacon.  Who would have ever thought of preserving lemons in salt?  Not this girl.  And honestly, who knew you could eat marigolds?  Yep, not me.

Half of the book is made up of recipes. These are combined with chapters about the garden, the home, the wild and the rest. Mixed in are tips and tricks for almost any situation. Ever wondered how to be your own compass if lost in the woods? Or how to start a fire without matches? Yep, this book contains that as well. She even teaches readers how to pick a lock.

If you are a homesteader, gardener or consider yourself a modern pioneer you need this book on your shelf.  I can see this being used as a resource in this home time after time.

WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group provided this book to me for free in exchange for this honest review as part of their Blogging for Books program.

This is the true story of Ora-Jay and Irene Eash, Amish farmers from northwest Montana whose lives changed in an instant when a semi-truck struck the family buggy, killing their two young daughters. 

After the accident, the couple turned to their Amish community for comfort, but they remained haunted by the thought that they might not see their girls again in heaven. Would their deeds be good enough? Eventually Ora-Jay and Irene learned that grace—not works—was enough to ensure their place in eternity. But with that knowledge came the realization that they could no longer live in an Amish community that didn’t share this precious belief. Could they sever their connection to the Amish family they loved? 

This is the story of their journey to the hope that is heaven, a hope stronger than the loss of children, family, and a way of life. Fans of Amish fiction will appreciate such a real-life look into the Amish community, co-written by bestselling author Tricia Goyer, and readers of all kinds will resonate with this tale of courage, resilience, and the redemption found in the grace of Jesus.

In the past year, we’ve had quite a few Amish families move into our area.  A buggy going past the house is a normal, every day occurrence now.  I have to admit, they do make me smile!  So when I saw this book, it intrigued me.  When I received the book and started reading it, I wasn’t disappointed.  Learning more about the Amish lifestyle was super interesting.

I admit, I anticipated shedding many tears while reading this book.  I thought it would be a sad story about the loss of their two daughters in a horrific buggy accident.  But it wasn’t that at all.  It was a moving, interesting story of a family who used this heartbreak to reflect on their own beliefs and how they tie into the Bible.  The “rules” they had to follow for generations…were they Biblical or man-made?  They worked through this hard process, asking themselves difficult questions, and ended up with the sweetest faith.

This book was provided to me free of charge by Book Look in return for my honest review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

You believe in God. You’re trying to serve Him.

But do you know how to truly love Him—and let Him love you?

As a Bible-believing churchgoer, author Shellie Tomlinson harbored a secret in her good-girl heart. She longed for something more than routine faith; she wanted to love God with a genuine, all-consuming passion. So she got honest with Him: “I admit it. I don’t love you like I should, but I want to love you. Help me!”

In Heart Wide Open, Shellie invites you to answer the call of your restless heart and refuse to settle for anything less than the intimate friendship of God. Through her heartfelt and honest words, you’ll find practical inspiration to help you…

• exchange your “just enough Jesus” mindset for an all-out pursuit of Him
• put sizzle in your Bible study by asking God to show you the wonder of His Word
• trade formulaic devotions for a devoted life

Are you ready to stop struggling to make time for God and instead live every moment with God? Discover how to live with your heart wide open.

When I saw the title and description of this book, I was intrigued and ordered it straight away.  I couldn’t wait to dive into it.  I mean, read the description above, put sizzle in your Bible study?  Trade formulaic devotions for a devoted life?  Count me in!

I have to say, her honesty and transparency along with her southern charm make for a fun read. She leads you through a variety of topics such as “Are some of us stuck with messed up mustard seeds” and
“When all you can bring Him is a broken want-to”. She gives sample prayers to pray that hit home to me. I’ve said before, I’m a “God talk” girl. I talk to Him like He’s sitting right beside me. My words aren’t fancy, and they don’t need to be, it’s the heart attitude to which God responds. She includes prayers like, “Jesus, I know I don’t love You like I should, but I want to love You” and “Lord, teach me how to live devoted beyond my daily devotional.” In the back of the book she includes a Bible study and discussion guide that would help individuals and small groups go deeper.

Click here to download chapter one of Heart Wide Open. 

WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group provided this book to me for free in exchange for this honest review as part of their Blogging for Books program.