I was given a copy of Jesus, the One and Only by Shelton Interactive.  All opinion’s are 100% mine..there is one affiliate link..full disclosure

Where does one start when reviewing a book or Bible Study written by Beth Moore?!  Word of caution..this review is totally biased…because I am a HUGE fan of Beth Moore!  LOL   I have done so many of her studies and read so many of her books,  that truly…there is nothing that is not published that I don’t try to get my hands on written by her..and Jesus, the One and Only is no exception.

When I was asked to review Jesus, the One and Only written by Beth Moore I was totally honored, humbled and sooo excited.   It’s not just the books and studies she writes…it’s the heart behind it…she LOVE’s Jesus and she LOVE’s women AND she loves God’s Word…  Beth Moore is an excellent Bible Teacher and is on several television programs, including Life Today with James Robison (Wednesdays with Beth)  and is heard worldwide on two internet radio programs (A Quick Word and Living Proof with Beth Moore)

If you have not read any of Beth Moore’s books or done any of her studies..I encourage you to begin here with Jesus, the One and Only.

What is the most important part of your walk with the Lord?  For me it’s knowing Him…knowing His will for me..obeying Him and walking with Him daily.  One of the most amazing ways to know these things is to know His son,  Jesus Christ…the One and Only.  If we want to know Jesus more..we need to study Him..His heart..His Character..because Jesus points directly to the Father…

Beth Moore does an amazing job inviting us to “know” Christ more personally as we read and study His amazing life here on earth. 

“He is Jesus, the One and Only, transcendent over all else,” writes Beth Moore. “To know Him is to love Him.  To love Him is to long for Him.  To long for Him is to finally reach soul hands into the One true thing we need never get enough of…Jesus Christ.  He’s all you need.”

Yes my friend…this is an amazing book..a must read..a great place to know Jesus the Christ more intimately…or for the first time..

Jesus, the One and Only is available for the first time in paperback…

What about you…what is the most important aspect of your relationship with the Lord? 

If you don’t have a relationship with Jesus…what keeps you far from Him?

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Comfort and Harmony. All opinions are 100% mine.

Well as you all may well know..we have a new baby to cuddle…He is now almost 3 months old..sooo beautiful and sweet!  I have also started to babysit him 2 days a week…whoosh I forgot how much work a little tiny baby can be..LOL  He's a good baby..happy too..just a cat napper though..

I just love all of the new and innovative products that come out for new Moms…they deserve the BEST!  It's hard work being a Mommy!  One such product is this fun and I would say luxurious nursing pillow!  It's called Mombo by  Comfort and Harmony!

The Mombo is firm on one side and cushy and soft on the other…giving Mom AND baby tons of comfort!  When you are not using the pillow for nursing you can turn it over and let the baby have tummy time on the soft side!  I love that!!

When I was a new Mom..well lets just say..there were not many luxuries..I remember taking a really looong walk to Kmart… back in the day, with that Mommy in that picture in MY ARMS when SHE was a baby…I was so tired that when I got there..I scraped up every penny I had in my purse to buy a stroller just so I didn't have to carry her back.. and THAT was a luxury..LOL.

Honestly..I'm sooo happy that life is easier for Moms..because the Mommy job is a tough one.. 

So follow… 

Comfort & Harmony on Facebook

Comfort & Harmony on Twitter

for making Moms lives easier!

You can find Comfort and Harmony Products at Toys R Us and Babies R Us!

Tell me what products you love that make your life easier as a new Mom?

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Miracle-Gro. All opinions are 100% mine.

   Well the Weather Man says go ahead and plant your Tomato's!  Yay!  So on to my next Garden Project!

Tomato's are a little picky…they like some things and hate others…with that being said though, they are really pretty easy to grow and there is nothing like the taste of homegrown tomatoes.  

Here are some important Tomato Plant Facts:

• You only need one plant because Tomato plants are self-polinating..this is great when space is limited
• Tomato plants grow best in warm weather and full sun
• Tomato plants love and need warm and fertile soil.  There roots go deep into the ground so good aerated soil is best
• When planting…bury the plant all the way up to the first leaves.  Roots will develop off of the bottom of the plant..making it more stable and healthy.
• Tomato's LOVE water but HATE too much rain
• Water regularly and deeply
• Tomatoes don't grow well when planted next to Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower or Kale

I love to use Miracle-Gro as the foundation for my outdoor projects.  I have been using it for over 30 years!  I'm not kidding!   Remember that the most important part of growing veggies is in the nutrients of your soil.  Not only that..they make is so easy to be successful in you growing projects.  

Are you tired of the same ol garden projects?  Well Miracle-Gro is steppin it up a notch with some fun garden projects that you and your family can try out on Pinterest!  Be sure and follow their boards for more and more exciting projects!

Step outside friends…plant a little tomato…plant a little flower and smell the roses..

you will be so glad you did!

Join with The Gro Project!

Miracle-Gro also has a huge library of helpful videos and tutorials that you can acces from their website! 

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Miracle-Gro. All opinions are 100% mine.

   Well the Weather Man says go ahead and plant your Tomato’s!  Yay!  So on to my next Garden Project!

Tomato’s are a little picky…they like some things and hate others…with that being said though, they are really pretty easy to grow and there is nothing like the taste of homegrown tomatoes.

Here are some important Tomato Plant Facts:

• You only need one plant because Tomato plants are self-polinating..this is great when space is limited
• Tomato plants grow best in warm weather and full sun
• Tomato plants love and need warm and fertile soil.  There roots go deep into the ground so good aerated soil is best
• When planting…bury the plant all the way up to the first leaves.  Roots will develop off of the bottom of the plant..making it more stable and healthy.
• Tomato’s LOVE water but HATE too much rain
• Water regularly and deeply
• Tomatoes don’t grow well when planted next to Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower or Kale

I love to use Miracle-Gro as the foundation for my outdoor projects.  I have been using it for over 30 years!  I’m not kidding!   Remember that the most important part of growing veggies is in the nutrients of your soil.  Not only that..they make is so easy to be successful in you growing projects.

Are you tired of the same ol garden projects?  Well Miracle-Gro is steppin it up a notch with some fun garden projects that you and your family can try out on Pinterest!  Be sure and follow their boards for more and more exciting projects!

Step outside friends…plant a little tomato…plant a little flower and smell the roses..

you will be so glad you did!

Join with The Gro Project!

Miracle-Gro also has a huge library of helpful videos and tutorials that you can acces from their website!

The other day I had the weirdest experience..It really creeped me out and I can’t get it out of my mind…especially in the wake of the news with those 3 beautiful girls that were held captive for over 10 years and thankfully found…

It’s Sad That We Need Reminders..but sometimes we just do

While shopping the other day with my beautiful 14 year old..some older guy kept following us around the store..I wouldn’t really have thought much about it..but he kept showing up where we were.. and kind of ducking in and out of clothing areas where you know he wouldn’t be interested in.  Even ducking in so that he could find a way to walk behind us…Creepy.

It was a beautiful hot day and my daughter had shorts on..I would imagine that was the attraction..

But it gave me a good chance to one again,  go over some safety guidelines with her..

Source:mspy.com

Have you reminded your kids lately about safety issues and strangers?  It’s an ugly topic..but it has to be talked about.

Well it’s been about a month since I planted some of my Veggie’s and I’m just dyin to know how your garden is growing!  Also wanted to touch on Companion Planting because it’s so easy and so effective! 

So this post is mostly pictures because what can you say…the plants are growing..except for the little pests that are eating some of them..Grrrr.  I left the dates on some of the pics so you could see the progression of growth. 

You could call this sort of a Wordless Wednesday…Ummm except I’ve already talked! LOL

This pic shows one of the places where I made room in my flower garden for the veggies…

Broccoli, Leeks, Lettuce, Brussels Sprouts, Sugar Snap Peas…

Of course what garden is complete without a few pests….I’m going to put sandpaper around my plants to see if that helps..it’s said that Snails don’t like to crawl over rough stuff..we’ll see.  I’ve tried egg shells and a little bark..nope…

Growing….

The secret to keeping weeds down is to plant really close together…enough room to grow..but close enough together that no weeds grow..You can plant at least 1/2 of what a package says to plant apart and still have a great harvest!

I also have done Companion Planting…Wonderful way to plant!  Here is a chart that shows..what plants do well when planted next to a certain other plant.  AND what doesn’t grow well together…it really works!

I will be planting more warmer weather Veggies soon..when we have some consistent heat going here in the Pacific Northwest..

How is YOUR garden growing?

Affiliate links in this post, please see full disclosure

Welcome to the $200 Toys R Us Gift Card Giveaway!

Hosted by Giveaway Promote.

Sponsored by author Carole P. Roman.

Carole P. Roman recently released volume four in her award winning series, Captain No Beard!

She’s celebrating the new releases by giving away a $200 Toys R Us Gift Card or $200 USD via PayPal and a copy of each book!

Captain No Beard and the crew of the Flying Dragon welcome a new crew member, when Cabin Girl Cayla joins the ship. Responsible for his little sister, Captain No Beard is not very happy because he finds his newest charge a distraction. When faced with danger, the captain must find a way to escape.

While learning valuable lessons about strangers, the crew realized not to judge somebody because they are young or small.  Strength comes in all sizes! Be sure to read Captain No Beard: Strangers on the High Seas, Book 4 of the Captain No Beard Series (Volume 4). It is available on Amazon!

If you were me and lived in… France…: A Child’s Introduction to Cultures Around the World is the second book in Carole P. Roman’s remarkable series about countries all over the globe.

With each book covering a different nation, Roman opens up a world of wonder while highlighting the fact that underneath it all we are far more alike than we might have imagined. Focusing on what life would be like from a child’s viewpoint, she examines the diversity of the people who make up our planet. It is also available on Amazon!

About Carole P. Roman:

Award winning author Carole P. Roman is happy to add "Strangers on the High Seas- A Captain No Beard Story vol 4" to her successful series. The first book of the series, "Captain No Beard-An Imaginary Tale of a Pirate’s Life" was named to Kirkus Reviews’ Best of 2012, as well as received the Star of Remarkable Merit. It was also named as one of the Best Indie Books of 2013 with the Pinnacle Award.

Roman has two other series, "If You Were Me and Lived in…", a children’s non fiction book on cultures around the world and an introduction to yoga for kids. She lives on Long Island with her husband and very close to her children and grandchildren.

Enter to win a $200 Toys R Us Gift Card and a copy of Captain No Beard: Strangers on the High Seas and If you were me and lived in France

Complete the tasks below to earn entries into this giveaway.

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One winner will be chosen at random from all valid entries.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Ok, ok…just one more Basketball thingy…because I just couldn’t resist letting all my local readers know about this fun and amazing clinic coming to the Seattle area!!  Oh how I wish my kids could go to this!  But they are too old..boo hoo!

This is a great deal to inspire the fun and love of basketball in your kids!

Now everything awesome – kids, basketball, teamwork, and having fun – comes together at destination awesome:

Harlem Globetrotter Summer Skills Clinics,

the ONLY clinics coached by stars of The Harlem Globetrotters!

Everyone loves The Globetrotters, the stars who always put smiles on kids’ faces. At Globetrotter Summer Skills Clinics, our stars coach kids in limited size groups and bring laughs, encouragement and high fives for everyone!  Globetrotters direct, motivate, inspire AND entertain, keeping it inclusive and fun for ALL boys and girls, aged 6-12, of ALL skill and experience levels. 

Each session is $59 and includes a free ticket voucher to see the Globetrotters live in 2014! 

But you can save $10 with promo code USFAMILY! Code is valid through 5/31.

Each child will receive:

• A free ticket voucher (valued up to $40) to see the Globetrotters during their 2014 World Tour
• Autographs and photos with the stars!
• Official Globetrotter certificate of completion with a personalized Globetrotter nickname

You can find the Clinic Locations here

(These are just the clinics – the games for your tickets are in 200 cities)

Save $10 on registration! Enter the Coupon Code USFAMILY on the cart page after completing your registration 

So remember those questions..that were swirling around in my head from Part 1 of  “why playing a basketball game is like the body of Christ?”  Well the more I thought and prayed about those questions..the more I could see how in the body of Christ that sometimes we tend to do the same thing as that little basketball game.

Do you know your gifts and talents?  Do you use them well?  Are you always “in the game” for Christ?   Good..but are you dominating the team? 

I have been in Women’s Ministry for over 20 years..doing various things.  I used to do WAY more than I should…because what if I didn’t..I was afraid it wouldn’t get done.  Because of course God didn’t know what He was doing or anything..oh brother..LOL  I was like my daughter…running all the plays and playing all the positions…oh yes I would pass the ball to another woman..but it always seemed to end up back in my hands. 

Women willingly seemed pass the “ball” back into my hands…Did I grab the ball away?  Was I too available to play every position?

When you know your gifts and use them..sometimes we tend to just take over..when someone else with gifts and talents in another area should be stepping in.

Now I’m not saying that we knowingly or consciously do this…it’s just that when something comes so naturally..we can get out of balance and just take over a project when it involves our gifting’s. 

“The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts;  and though all its part are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ” 

I Corinthians 12:12

“There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit.  There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord.  There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.”

I Corinthians 12:4-6

So what happens when we take over….we get burned out of course..sooner or later…we just plain run out of steam.  Sometimes it takes weeks and sometimes years.  The thing is that if we get too burned out..the whole team (body of Christ) loses.  If you are a natural leader ..the team is counting on you and me, but we simply cannot play every position and truly use our gifts and talents to the best of our abilities when we are spread so thin…

not only that…

We can become bitter and resentful..wondering “why” nobody else is stepping up to the plate.  This is where true humility comes in..I think as women of God we need to humble ourselves and admit..we can’t do everything!  That we need help…as women we do so much..but God did not create us to do “everything” 

We should not create a dependency on us..we should rather be pointing others to God..who CAN do EVERYTHING, and building them up to use THEIR gifts and talents for His Glory.

You know many of these things I learned long ago..from the school of hard knocks of course..BUT..what I realized was that I had spent a whole season watching my daughter do the very thing that I know is not for the best of the team as a whole…and I didn’t even realize it.

You see being a leader can do one of two things..build your ego..or make you humble. 

I admit..I loved watching my daughter be built up in this way..her ego/self-esteem…everyone counting on her..but in the end..it broke my heart to see the frustration and exhaustion that it caused.  My heart knew…humble is better..

I knew that she felt like she let everyone down…because she was just not physically capable of doing her best anymore..she had taken on too much…and the whole team had learned to depend on her to do everything…

I had done her a great disservice by not teaching her that she only needed to do her part and no more.  To teach her how to encourage others in a way that would build them up to use there gifts and talents on the team.  

We’ve talked about this since the end of that last game..she agreed..Playing a Basketball game is a lot like the Body of Christ…sorta.

So tell me..are you one that stands back and watch’s while others take over?  Or are you one that jumps in and takes over?

As I asked myself the following questions.. God began to speak to my heart…why playing a basketball game is like the body of Christ. 

“Why are those other girls not stepping up to the plate to do their part as a team?”  “Can’t they see that my daughter is too tired?”  “Why does she have to be one of the main girls that always carries the ball (literally)?”  “All those other girls on the team have lots of talent too..why are they putting so much pressure on my daughter to always be the one to make so many points?”  “Why don’t some of the other girls take some responsibility for team play?”

These were all questions going through my head this weekend as we have come to the end of our Basketball season for my 12 year old….Now I never said they were nice questions..I just said that they were questions.  It’s in my own sinfulness that God speaks the loudest sometimes..LOL

So you will know…my 12 year old daughter is quite amazing on the court.  She had many years prior to competitive sports to participate with her brother and sister in basketball.  She knows the game well and God has created her body to go, go, go!  It’s amazing watching her use her gift from the Lord…everyone enjoys it and everyone LOVES to have her on the team..because she loves to win and the game of basketball comes natural for her. 

She works so hard when there is a tournament that she gets a little sick afterwards..she is just soo spent..she has given everything to the game she loves..

Truly I am not bragging…I can truthfully tell you that sports was the last thing on my mind as aspirations for my children..LOL  I’ve just given in to a God that knows more about my children than I do.

Anyway…

I could just FEEL my daughters overwhelming exhaustion and frustration…how could I know..I’ve never played sports..and then it hit me and God spoke to my heart…

Playing a basketball game is just like the Body of Christ…When only one person is pulling the weight of the whole team..sooner or later..everyone will lose.

WOW..I pondered that for days…and the more I pondered..the more I could see the truth in what God was telling me…

Ponder with God and I, will you,  for a day or two…

What do you think about the game of basketball being like the body of Christ?