Guess what!? I recorded a new Conversation Cafe this week! :) Last Saturday, I told you about a book I'd just read, called Pray A to Z by Amelia Rhodes, and this week I had the chance to talk with her about the book! She was fun and easy to talk to, and I learned even more about her unique approach to prayer from talking with her, so here's a bonus podcast for you! Enjoy!
Two.
Speaking of Amelia and Pray A to Z, there's actually a big giveaway going on right now {until December 20th} if you'd like to enter. All the details are found here, but the grand prize is a copy of the book, a set of prayer cards {like Amelia talks about in the podcast}, a custom wood sign made by one of Amelia's friends, and a prayer journal. Pretty fun! :)
Three.
You know I'm always looking for creative, affordable date ideas. Ran across this one involving a dollar store trip. Love this idea!!!
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Five.
Anyone else out there ever secretly dream to own a Christmas village? I have always thought it would be SO GREAT to own one, but where in the world would I put THAT!?!?? {I went on a Christmas tour of homes one time, and the owner had a huge village that she had acquired one piece at a time from a nail client. That was the client's gift to her each Christmas...a new village piece. When she and her husband built a new home, she specifically built an area for the village on a stairway landing. It was stunning.} Anyway. Most of us do not have money or space for a whole village, but I do love THIS idea from the Nester!
Six.
Several weeks ago, I happened upon a new Bible study, just released from Moody Publishers, that offered a 10 week study of Acts 1-12. An Unexplainable Life by author and Bible study teacher Erica Wiggenhorn intrigued me, so I asked to see it. I didn't want to just flip through it and write a review. I wanted to live in its pages, learn from it, and get a full opinion on this study.
I should confess that I'm kind of a stickler about Bible studies. If you know me, you know I do love a good Beth Moore study, complete with all the in-depth homework. I am not a fan of a fluffy Bible study. But I will say that a good Beth Moore study does demand a lot of time, if done properly {and if you're going to invest time in a Bible study, you should do it properly}.
I was a combination of thrilled and relieved that Erica's study was nowhere near fluffy. She worked hard, did research, cross-referenced Scripture passages, and did a magnificent job of introducing important truths about the passion and persecution of the early church. {And I will add, for those of you who are not entirely thrilled about long hours of homework, that these daily study sessions are not so long that they're daunting. Manageable without being fluffy.}
Erica's study focuses on the unexplainable events of the early church: the change, courage, mission, vision, unity {and more} of that first group of Believers. She brought out points I'd never before considered and asked hard, convicting questions that sometimes I didn't have ready answers for.
I appreciated her theology, and I also appreciated the real-life stories she included, making it easy to relate to what she has to say.
I will also say that while this book is written as a women's study {and Erica's ministry is focused on women}, it is written in a broad enough sense that this easily fits men, too. When Ryan and I started leading a Bible study this fall, I easily recommended this as the book we should study. For the past several weeks, a group of both men and women have gathered to study and discuss this book, and we're learning so much from our discussion together.
I am so glad I studied this book and have learned important truths to carry with me as I push forward in my own walk with the Lord. I appreciate Erica's hard work, her heart for ministry, and her insights into the early church. If you're looking for a study to do heading into the new year - whether on your own or in a group - I heartily recommend this one!
** Moody Publishers provided a copy of this study to me at no charge. All opinions are my own! **
2 comments:
That Christmas Village is magical and so gorgeous!!
My Grandma collected those villages and left them up year round. she had HUNDREDS of them! She's been gone almost three years and I am still selling the ones I wasn't attached to on ebay.. eesh!
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