the sequel to the highest-grossing independent faith film of 2014
God’s Not Dead.
God's Not Dead 2 is about taking a stand. It's
about courage and faith. This movie will encourage us to reflect on our
own lives and ask ourselves the question whether we have the courage and
faith to fight for our God-given right to share
and express our beliefs no matter the cost.
The film's central theme of religious liberty is a hot topic being
addressed in our classrooms, courtrooms and national news today.
The film directed by Harold Cronk stars Melissa Joan Hart, Jesse
Metcalfe, David A.R. White, Pat Boone, Hayley Orrantia, Benjamin Oyango,
Paul Kwo, Ray Wise, Sadie Robertson, and Robin Givens. There are also
cameo appearances by Gov. Mike Huckabee, leading
Christian apologist Lee Strobel and The Newsboys.
Synopsis: From the
college classroom of GOD'S NOT DEAD to the public square in GOD'S NOT
DEAD 2, the name of Jesus is welcomed less and less with each passing
day. If Christians don't take a stand today, will we even have a choice
tomorrow? The film takes you back to Hope Springs, home to the
University, but also Martin Luther King Jr. High School, where beloved
teacher Grace Wesley teaches her passion, history. Her love of teaching,
her love for her students, and her love of life all come from the same
place: her love of Christ. When a student asks a question regarding
Jesus in class, Grace's answer causes her to face an epic court case,
that could expel God from the classroom.
Gov. Mike Huckabee
endorsement, "A riveting story, brilliantly told, and one that is
absolutely plausible as if it were taken from today's headlines. A must
see for every believer!"
Leave a comment letting me know if you watched the first movie: God's Not Dead. Be sure to leave a way for me to contact you if you are the winner. I'll draw a winner for this prize pack on April 9th. Please US residents only.
This giveaway has been made available to me through........
BeachBoundBooks is pleased to be coordinating a Book Blast
for two charming books by Lisa Marie Schinski, That'th what I thaid!
& The Sore Prickly Bear. The blast will run March 28-30, 2016.
About the Books
Title: The Sore Prickly Bear Author: Lisa Marie Schinski Genre: Children's Picture Book Number of Pages: 30 Summary:
Fuzzy has a very bad day that keeps getting worse. He is faced with
many challenges and doesn't understand why these things are happening to
him. Everyone has had a bad day, week, month or even years. He will
make you laugh because everyone can relate to Fuzzy in some way. Things
always have a way of working out in the end and sometimes even better
than it was before!
Title: That'th what I thaid!: R's and S's Author: Lisa Marie Schinski Illustrator: Lauren Panco Genre: Children's Picture Book Number of Pages: 32 Summary:
Stitchie is a happy bunny that is having a hard time saying her R's and
S's. She thinks her friends are making fun of her but they just laugh
because they think it sounds funny. They love Stitchie, and in the end,
Stitchie practices and meets the best teacher who helps her says her R's
and S's perfectly. She runs into the woods to share with her friends
how far she has come!!
I was born and raised in Quakertown, Pennsylvania. I currently reside
in King of Prussia. I wrote the story about the Sore Prickly Bear when I
was 8 years old. My teacher, Mrs. Ulrich encouraged me to write and
also gave me the young author's award. I found this book after my mom
passed away last year. I had a great childhood but when I wrote this
book, my parents got divorced, we moved and I changed schools. A lot of
changes for an 8 year old. So I guess I felt like Fuzzy.
Around October 2015, I took the book into work to show my friends
because this past year and a half has been very hard for me and my
family. I knew when I showed my friends, they would laugh and cry
because my life was again Fuzzy's. My friends, Denice, Dee, Candace,
Rick, Gina, Tara, Nancy, Tamara and Gina encouraged me to publish this
book. So here I am!
I am now 46 years old. I have a great job, great friends, and great
family. But there are still days that feel very bad and very unfair.
My goal for publishing this book is to help children understand that bad
things happen and bad days happen. But when we have friends and family
in our life to help us laugh at ourselves, we can heal and move forward.
Everyone has a bad day, week, month or even years. My dream is to share
this story for children to know they are not alone and everyone has a
bad day.
I am so grateful for my family and friends.
"That'th what I thaid" was published in February 2016. Lauren Panco
inspired me to write this story. It is for children who have a hard time
with their R's and S's. I think many of us have! I want children to
know it's ok to sound different and with practice, it changes. Don't let
anyone make fun of you. We are all perfect the way we are!
This book is just what the title says: AWESOME. I really can't say I've read a children's creation book that has impressed me so as this one. It is right on the button telling the Creation Story in rhyming meter. 7 Days of Awesome is a Dr. Seuss modern day book that is so charming and whimsical it is bound to capture kids of all ages. It is a fun and delightful book to read that I'm sure kids will ask for to be read over and over again. Beginning readers themselves will want to read it over and over again. Children young and old alike will love this book. Colorful, Big, Bold and Pop are just a few words that describe the pictures throughout this book. The humorous illustrations add to the fun and set the right mood for this book. This book is going into our church library for sure without a doubt. I give it two thumbs up and would give it more but I was created with only two. Awesomeness is all I have to say about this book.
It's coming this Friday (like tomorrow. YICKS!).......get ready I can't wait to have sewing machine time. WHOO HOO! Don't know what it is all about check here. Then go here and sign up (it's FREE with a giveaway) and then join the fun.
If your family is like most, breakfast is rushed to get everyone out the door. Lunch is spent at school or work. So where does that leave dinner? Nourish your family's spiritual health as you eat supper together. Adventures in Odyssey and Odyssey Adventure Club want to give you a free resource to help you begin your new dinner tradition of making the most of your family mealtime, beginning this Easter season. Simply head to this page and fill out the form to receive a free sample of Whit's End Mealtime Devotions.
Want new resources to continue to build your family's faith, even after Easter is over? Consider signing your family up for the Odyssey Adventure Club (OAC). It offers safe and free content for everyone in your family. Membership to the OAC costs just $9.99 a month — or even less if parents make a six-month or one-year commitment. Enrollment provides more than enough content to keep kids engaged throughout the year:
Access to exclusive content and first looks at books and select Radio Theatre dramas.
On-the-go access to the OAC app for both iOS and Android users.
24/7 streaming access to nearly 800 AIO episodes.
A new, members-only AIO episode every month.
A subscription to Adventures in Odyssey Clubhouse Magazine, and more.
WHY THE DAFFODILS STILL GROW: A BOOK
FOR GRIEVING DAUGHTERS IS A MUST-HAVE GIFT FOR EVERY LITTLE GIRL GRIEVING
THE LOSS OF HER MOTHER
There are 158.6 million daughters in the
U.S. and any of them could potentially lose their mothers at any time, even if
they are still in childhood.
“Mortality rates for adults in their 40s and 50s
in the past two decades have risen dramatically, making it more likely
that younger children will experience the death of a parent, or a classmate’s
parent. ‘Kids are encountering death more often and at a younger age — It’s
just inevitable,” said Gerald Koocher in an article in Wall Street Journal
(GriefSpeaks.com).
Over 2 million school teachers (69% of
teachers) have a child in their class who is dealing with the death of an immediate
family member or close friend.
About 85% of parents who lost a spouse said
that they wished there were more resources for their grieving children.
According to a survey by New York Life/NAGC: Forty-three
percent of parents “worry daily about how their children are coping,” and
nearly 6 of 10 say that it is “hard to know what (their) child needs
from (them).”
What if they could just hear the words,
see the images and feel the emotions straight from the heart of a child?
The Daffodils Still Grow: A Book for
Grieving Daughters is an
illustrated book that portrays life after a loved one dies as seen from the
observations of a motherless child. It was adapted from real diary entries of a
girl who had just lost her mother — me, Sherri Elizabeth Tidwell — nearly 20
years ago, when I was 14. Those feelings still ring true for millions of people
today.
Why is this book important?
There are many reasons:
1. Young daughters who lose their mothers
often have never experienced a loss with such a great impact before, and they
don't know what to expect. Imagine how scary it is to not know what’s ahead of
you, to not know how to put into words what you feel and to not even know if
what you feel is normal or not. This book prepares young girls for the road
ahead that they will encounter within the first year after the death of
their mothers. It validates their feelings, and it gives them a real sense of
hope to hang onto.
2. For the millions of family members, friends,
guidance counselors, therapists and teachers in the world who so
desperately want to help these young girls who have lost their mothers, this
book provides them with a window of insight into their lives and into their
feelings. This allows them to help the girls in much more meaningful ways
and to be more sensitive and aware of the struggles that they find so hard to
put into words.
3. This book also allows those same family
members and friends to be the hero, in a sense. No one ever feels as
helpless and powerless as they do when someone they care about has suffered the
death of a family member. These people, themselves, need to be reassured
that they have done something comforting and helpful. This book makes the
perfect gift for a girl who has just lost her mom. It is beautiful in its
illustrations. The front page allows you to personalize it with the child’s
name, and it lets that child know that she is not alone. Little girls will
remember everything about the day their mother died and about what happened
right afterward. This book will be something that she keeps for the rest of her
life. It is a beautiful reminder that her mother’s legacy is always carried on
through her and that someone cared enough to know what she needed to hear and
to let her know that she was not alone.
4. Finally, since girls never stop grieving their
mothers no matter how old they are, this book is the perfect gift for anyone
who lost her mom, no matter how mature she is now. According to
statistics, 69% of Americans who lost a parent growing up still think
about their parent frequently. One woman, Ann Pollock from Fort Worth, Texas,
responded to the book by saying, “I lost my mother… when I was 11. I'm now
70, and I cried like a baby reading this. Those feelings, so poignant, so real,
came rushing back. Thank you for putting beautiful words to so many of the
emotions that still come unbidden after almost 60 years.”
More reviews:
- “This touching book so beautifully
illustrates the complexity of a young girl’s grief journey and how love leaves
a legacy and hope. Our counseling team will share this book with their families
to inspire and help them carry the legacy of their loved ones into the future.”
– Kerry Menn, LPC-S, Director of Programs, Children’s Bereavement Center of
South Texas
- “I need this book to help grieving children.
God bless you.” – Jill Powell, Serenity Bereavement Resource Network
- “This is beautiful… important for any
age!" - Katie Etzkorn Wedding of Wicki’s Wings: Gifts for Grieving
Children
- “Inspirational!” – AfterTalk Grief
Support
When I lost my mother at 14 years old, I was a
mess. One of the hardest things I remember was trying to make my dad understand
how I felt, and it wasn't just hard on me. It was hard on him too. Death is so
much different for a child than it is for an adult. If my dad would have had a
book like this to read, it would have let him know that I was normal and that
the feelings I felt were normal – and that it wasn't anything that he was doing
wrong or that I was doing wrong. It’s just the process of grief.
Sometimes, adults need to see that from the point of view of a child,
and children need to hear it too, to know that they are understood.
The Daffodils Still Grow: A Book for
Grieving Daughters does exactly that for children, which is why it is a must-have gift for
daughters grieving for their mothers.
Visit the book spotlight here.
Enter a giveaway here.
Get a copy at Amazon.
a copy of this book was provided in exchange for hosting this tour....
I received my Loved + Blessed box upon coming home from work on a rather stressful day. Setting on my desk chair was my mail and there was this Pink Box with the words....love + blessed on the side.
Oh, what a pick-me-up that was. I had forgotten all about agreeing to this tour and it arrived on a day when I needed it most. It was a day when I got home from work and no one else was around so I could enjoy the love+blessed goodies all to myself. What a beautiful thing to come home too!
As I opened it there was a Stay Encouraged message....on the lid.
One that was need for the events of the day. A message about the words we speak and how they can damage. If you had only known the events of my day on this particular day.
Oh, boy what is under the tissue paper I couldn't wait to see......
All kinds of goodies for me to post around the house and help me to think before I speak.....
Sticker, memory cards, a poster.....
of encouragement for me to think on.....Helping encourage me that I'm loved, strong, blessed, beautiful and a whole lot more....
Then there was a beautiful journal for me to record my thoughts in....
I absolutely felt loved and blessed receiving this box. I recommend the love+blessed boxes very highly. I don't know about you, but I love, love, love, love to get surprise packages of hope and encouragement in the mail and that is what Love+Blessed Boxes are all about. The boxes measure their value differently than other companies.
About Loved + Blessed Boxes:
Each month the box of encouragement™ includes:
a MINI POSTER for your home or office
a repositionable REMINDER STICKER perfect for your mirror, laptop or tablet
a SCRIPTURE CARD sized to fit in your pocket or purse
a removable KEEPSAKE THEME CARD
a special GIFT OF ENCOURAGEMENT
Our boxes are full of little gifts
of surprise and delight that help remind you to walk in faith throughout
your day. Our gift of encouragement changes each month. You'll
receive gifts of jewelry, prayer accessories, stationary, journals, home
decor and more!
Now I have exciting news...You have the opportunity to brighten someones day once a month for a year. Love+Blessed is offering a giveaway. Winner to be chosen April 1st. Enter the contest here.
Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway. If
you have won a prize from our
sponsor Propeller / FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days, you are not
eligible to win. Or if you have won the same prize on another blog, you
are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility
verification.”
*Disclosure
(in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the
Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): Many thanks to
Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway.
Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by
monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange
for this review and post.
We're down to the final two weeks before we celebrate Easter and Jesus' resurrection. Do your children understand and grasp the full meaning of why we celebrate the holiday? Adventures in Odyssey and Odyssey Adventure Club want to provide your family with a week of meaningful, fun Easter activities to help make the holiday come alive this year. Simply head to this page and sign up to download your free PDF full of family devotions, egg wraps, recipes, crafts, and cards. Oh, and as a bonus, here's a free activity sheet from Focus on the Family!
If you're looking to dig into the Easter holiday more and want to build your kids' faith, consider signing your family up for the Odyssey Adventure Club (OAC). It offers safe and free content for everyone in your family. Membership to the OAC costs just $9.99 a month — or even less if parents make a six-month or one-year commitment. Enrollment provides more than enough content to keep kids engaged throughout the year:
Access to exclusive content and first looks at books and select Radio Theatre dramas.
On-the-go access to the OAC app for both iOS and Android users.
24/7 streaming access to nearly 800 AIO episodes.
A new, members-only AIO episode every month.
A subscription to Adventures in Odyssey Clubhouse Magazine, and more.
Readers will join twins Mia and
Maddie, and their little sister, Lulu, as they travel the country finding
adventure, mystery, and mischief along the way. Together with their
father, famous mother, singer Gloria Glimmer, and their slightly wacky nanny,
Miss Julia, the smart and sassy sisters learn lessons about being good friends,
telling the truth, and a whole lot more.
I'm having to do a spotlight here cause this tour was to be posted before today; however, I didn't get the books to review until this past Friday. I'm really sorry I don't have a review posted for this tour. The books were supposedly mailed in Feb. I guess mine got lost in the mail or came pony express OR something. The books were written with 9-12 year old girls in mind. Both books get pretty good reviews. Click here to get more information about the books. London Art Chase A Dolphin Wish Any way I have a giveaway to do. Giveaways are open to residents of the U.S. and Canada. Please leave a comment telling me who you would share these books with. I will draw a winner on March 26th
"Disclosure (in
accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use
of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): Many thanks to
Propeller
Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of
winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary
compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this
review and post.
Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway. If
you have won a prize from our
sponsor Propeller / FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days, you are not
eligible to win. Or if you have won the same prize on another blog, you
are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility
verification.”
In
the center of the nest lay one perfect egg, the color of a spring sky.
The father robin sat on a branch nearby, guarding his family. Tressa
spotted raccoon tracks below and
a blue jay eyeing the nest. “Gran, how are we going to keep the egg
safe?” “We’ll have to leave that one to the Creator,” Gran said. Robins
have built a nest on the window ledge at Grandmother’s house! Tressa is
thrilled―and concerned. What will happen to
the sky-blue egg laid by the mother robin? As more eggs appear, Tressa
witnesses the daily drama of the robins’ nest and learns how God cares
for all creatures. Besides watching the birds, there are Easter eggs to
color. And there is a very special story to
hear―a tale of long ago about one small bird with a very big heart. How
did the robin get its red breast? Tressa is about to find out as Gran
tells her the story of the Easter robin. Brought to life with colorful,
tender illustrations, The Legend of the
Easter Robin will captivate and teach your child about compassion and faith.
Age Range: 4-8 years
Hardcover; 32 pages
Publish Date: January 26, 2016
The Legend of the Easter Robin is a children's book. Easter coming this would be a beautiful book to share with your children or grandchildren. A little girl who learns a what compassion and faith is from her Grandma and a Robin. The message is wonderful, but you must realize it is a legend story, therefore if you are a creationist this book might rub on a negative cord. Read it with your child and point out the message of compassion and faith and don't dwell on how the Robin got his red breast. Or you could use is for discussing the real way the robin got his red breast. It does give us the real meaning of Easter through the Robin. Yes, I would share it with children, but make it a discussion book. You have to keep in mind what a legend is. It is a story passed down verbally by a group of people. However, the message of love and faith is real and the illustrations are absolutely awesome, very detailed. Children of all ages will love this message just in time for Spring. With that said...I have another copy of the book for giveaway.
Leave a comment below telling me how you celebrate Easter in your house. Be sure to leave a way of contact. This giveaway is open to US residents only please. Drawing will be held on March 25th.
