Beloved: 365 Devotions for Young Women from Zondervan: A TOS Crew Review

Beloved: 365 Devotions for Young Women from Zondervan

Spending time with God is one of our privileges!  We have been enjoying a new tool to guide us in our quiet times - it's called Beloved: 365 Devotions for Young Women from Zondervan.  This beautiful, hardcover devotional is designed for young women, ages 13-18, but I found it spoke directly to my heart as well!

Written by Lindsay A. Franklin, this lovely book contains 365 short devotionals, one for every day of the year.   Each day begins with a scripture passage, in NIV version, followed by a short devotion.  The devotions are specifically written to encourage young women in their identity, and purpose as Christians.  Each page includes a small space to write/journal your thoughts in as well.

This books highlights Scripture and sixty women of  the Bible.  The Bible has a high value on women, and this devotional focuses on the unique challenges and blessings of being female.  

The focus is truly on bringing the Bible's wisdom and guidance into our daughters (and our) daily lives.  The author does a wonderful job of relating the scripture to our modern lives and the challenges facing our girls in today's world.

The devotional starts at the beginning, with readings that follow along the narrative of the Bible.  I like that!  Each day's devotional becomes part of the big picture story.  

Here's a few examples of the lessons:

• Day 9 - "you are not defined by your mistakes..."  God saw Eve as the complete person she was.  

• Day 16 - "Sometimes we HAVE to stand out... " Just as Noah and his family did before the flood.

• Day 31 - "Rejection hurts."  God was not finished with Hagar, and he's not finished with us.

Great lessons, and the chance for God to speak to our girls - does it get any better?

And, of course - the book itself is truly beautiful!  With floral patterns on each page, and a space to write/journal in, it would make an excellent gift.  It has a pretty ribbon bookmark to hold your page, a nice feminine touch.  Not to mention, it's the perfect size for a stocking stuffer!

I decided to leave this beautiful book on our coffee table and see who would pick it up first...  My teenage daughters (yes, both of them) noticed it right away and picked it up.  They have been reading it ever since.  

 I have also been enjoying this devotional, for myself!  Many of the messages have felt perfectly appropriate in my life, messages like being careful with words, forgiveness, and making sound choices.  Timeless wisdom.

I think this would make an excellent tool for starting conversations with our daughters as well.  The devotions are well written, and introduce many relevant topics.

You will definitely want this one!

Find Zondervan on Social Media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Zondervan/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Zondervan
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKUDMeYSjLvcsSw2JR-fmvg
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/zondervanp/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zondervan/

Hashtags: #hsreviews #devotions #DevotionsForYoungWomen #Beloved #books #reading #bookstagram #christianity #faith

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Master Kitz The Starry Night from Kidzaw.com: A TOS Crew Review

Master Kitz The Starry Night from Kidzaw.com

We love learning about artists and creating.  The Master Kitz The Starry Night from Kidzaw.com contains everything you need to create your very own masterpiece!  We couldn't wait to get started...

Everything you need to create your very own "Starry Night" and learn about  Vincent Van Gogh comes included in the Master Kitz Starry Night :

• Reusable Artist’s Tool Box
• Three Custom Paint Colors
• Custom Van Gogh Paint Roller
• Five Artist Quality Oil Pastels
• Two Pieces Deluxe Art Paper – 16″ x 20″
• Composition Stencil
• Sponge Roller
• Star Mask Sticker Sheet
• Van Gogh Learning Materials
• Easy-to-follow Instructions

Best yet, there are enough supplies to create 2 masterpieces!  You can also check out demonstration videos, PDF instructions and many other great Kitz on their website: Kidzaw.com.  These would make excellent Christmas gifts.

My art loving daughters could barely wait to get started.  The instructions are printed on a nice poster, with information about Vincent Van Gogh included.  

The directions are very easy to follow, it's designed for ages 5 and up.  My testers are in 4th and 5th grade, so it was easy for them to work independently.

First, you use the star stickers on your 16 x 20 heavy paper, don't worry, you can peel them off to use again! After you have placed your stars, you use the fun textured paint roller to cover your paper with paint.  One of the things we liked best - the tools are so easy to use, and really give you a great look.

The next step involved laying down a reusable plastic stencil and using another roller to create the black image over the blue sky and stars.  This step was a bit tricky for my testers to do alone, and we found that taping the stencil down with painters tape helped us keep it in one place.  

After that, my testers moved to the oil pastels to create their "stars".  All along the way, we got the chance to discuss Vincent Van Gogh and his techniques, as well as, experiencing different art mediums like paint and oil pastels.  It truly is a great art lesson, all in one handy box!

My testers loved how their pictures were turning out!  

For the final step, they added details to their masterpieces with the oil pastels.  This is where each of them got to personalize their paintings.  They are so impressed!  The entire project took us a couple o hours, including paint drying time.  It was easy to complete, and didn't leave a big mess.  Along the way, we learned some new facts about Van Gogh.  Great project!

These kitz are very well done!  I think they would make a great gift - they have many different paintings and artists to choose from (and sculpting kitz too!) They would be excellent for coop class as well.

We can't wait to do more creating!

Find Kidzaw.com on Social Media: 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Kidzaw-160167827376266/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/kidzaw
Pinterest:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/kidzaw123?blend=1&ob=5


Hashtags:
#hsreviews #art #homeschoolart #masterkitz

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Balancing Diapers and Deadlines from Lisa Tanner Writing: A TOS Crew Review

Balancing Diapers and Deadlines from Lisa Tanner Writing

Don't let this title fool you.... Balancing Diapers and Deadlines from Lisa Tanner Writing is for every mom.

This online course is designed to help you maximize your time by streamlining your home systems.  I am a busy, homeschooling mom-of-eight...plus -  I am a work-at-home mom as well!  In addition to a wonderful 20 hours per week position with The Texas Homeschool Coalition, I am part of the The Old Schoolhouse Homeschool Review Crew team of bloggers.   I am in my 9th year of writing reviews of homeschool products and curriculum.

Even though we are past the "diapers" portion, this course was exactly what I needed.  It is a 30 lesson course you work through at your own pace.  It is very easy to use, and designed by a fellow mompreneur (with nine children too!). 

The lessons are in sections:

• Welcome to Balancing Diapers and Deadlines 
• Building Your Foundation with the Basics 
• Minimize Your Decisions 
• Minimize Your Decisions: The Annual Meal Plan 
• Sustainable Growth 
• Growing a Business with Your Kids Around 
• Boost Your Productivity 
• Closing Thoughts

Each of the units is made up of multiple lessons.  The lessons are easily read in about 10 minutes, or less.  The lessons consist of helpful tips and encouragement from the author with multiple "action steps"  you can take to begin to implement these productivity boosting tools in your home.

I found myself with plenty of extra time during my husband's surgery and recovery, and this was the perfect time to invest in my "professional development" and use some "think time".  As I read through Lisa Tanner's course - I found plenty of useful reminders,  things like meal planning and chores have been long-time staples for survival in our household.  However, I also realized that I have gotten a bit too relaxed in some of these areas, and this course was just what I needed to get back into these helpful routines!

Throughout this course, the author provides extra links to helpful articles and other courses with downloadable forms you can use and personalize.

One sections I loved was the "Growing a Business with Your Kids Around" - in this section, she offers sections for every age group.  Each sections gives you specific ideas to help keep your children productively engaged, so you can focus on your business. She even offers ideas for helping integrate your children into your business (my children have been testers for my reviews for years...) She understands the challenges of having a child with special needs, and offers great practical tips here as well.  This is a great list for all parents, not just those who are building a home business with children around!

One of the things I really enjoyed with this course was the ability to work at my own pace.  Some topics didn't necessarily apply, and I could breeze through them.  You simply mark a section complete after you finish, but you can easily return to it again, if you want to.  It's well organized, and packed with useful information.

I highly recommend this course - You will definitely find help and encouragement that you need!



Find Lisa Tanner Writing on Social Media:

Facebook: https://facebook.com/lisatannerwriting
Instagram: https://instagram.com/lisatannerwrites
Twitter: https://twitter.com/lisatannerwrite
Pinterest: https://pinterest.com/lisatannerwrite

Hashtags:
#hsreviews #mompreneurlife #workingfromhome #productivity

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St. Bartholomew's Eve from Heirloom Audio: A TOS Crew Review

St. Bartholomew's Eve from Heirloom Audio

Get ready to get swept away into history!  We have been listening to another new favorite St. Bartholomew's Eve from Heirloom Audio.   We have been enjoying these fully dramatized audio adventures for the past several years, and were so excited for another!

This 2 CD set is over 2 hours of action packed adventure.  Recommended for ages 6 and up, my entire family loves to listen.  It is filled with some big name actors like -Brian Blessed, Elizabeth Counsell, David Shaw-Parker, Brian Deacon, Andy Harrison and Hugo Docking just to name a few.  The music has been written by Emmy Award Winning Composer John Campbell.

Based on The Extraordinary Adventures of GA Henty, this story takes back to 1572 and a true historical event, the St Bartholomew's Eve massacre.  My boys have been long-time GA Henty fans.  His stories are full of edge-of-your-seat adventure, but also of noble characters and godly wisdom.  I highly recommend introducing your family to his writing and these audios are the perfect way!

In the story we follow young Philip Fletcher, a young Englishman with French family ties, and his friends as they find themselves inside the religious war between Catholics and the French Hugenots (protestants).  We are currently studying the reformation time period, and this story brings the struggles these Christians faced to life, and makes the time period unforgettable.  I love this short video from Heirloom Audio about the power of stories...



The audio is full of sound effects, swords clashing, hand-cannons firing, and beautiful music.  A Mighty Fortress is our God, a Martin Luther song, is unforgettably sung by our heroes in a dark hour.  To be persecuted by other Christians simply for a difference in expression of worship to the same God, is a sobering history we share.  My testers and I will never look at this historical time period the same.

The story is an intense one, so be sure your young children are ready to listen.  This time period is violent, and the audio does a great job showing an accurate picture of the time.  The story focuses around the question, Whom shall we obey? The King of France, or the King of Kings?  I think it's so important our children know and understand our Christian history... if they don't, they will be destined to repeat it.  This story gives them a clear charge to obey God, whatever the cost.

All through the stories, we hear our hero, Philip and his friends quoting scripture, and openly displaying their Christian values, even at great personal cost.  I love how these stories demonstrate true heroic values like courage, friendship and devotion without being preachy.  Our families need heroes to look up to, and their are few better that those GA Henty has given us and Heirloom Audio has brought to life for us.

We highly recommend them!!  Be sure to check out our reviews other audios we have enjoyed:

• Under Drake’s Flag - the story of Sir Francis Drake 
• In Freedom’s Cause - William Wallace and Robert the Bruce in their fight for Scottish independence 
• With Lee in Virginia - the American Civil War 
• The Dragon and the Raven - the Viking invasions of England 
• Beric the Briton - the Roman invasion of Britannica 
• The Cat of Bubastes - Ancient Egypt
• In the Reign of Terror - the French Revolution
• Captain Baley's Heir - American West
• Wulf the Saxon - The Batlle of Hastings

Find Heirloom Audio  on Social Media: 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeirloomAudio
Twitter: https://twitter.com/HeirloomStories
Google+: https://goo.gl/d8btpX
Instagram: @HeirloomAudioOfficial

Hashtags: #hsreviews #HeirloomAudio #LiveTheAdventure #BringingHentyBack #AudioAdventures

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Season 6: Underground Rising by Brinkman Adventures: A TOS Crew Review

Season 6: Underground Rising by Brinkman Adventures

Hold on to your seats... it's time for another amazing audio adventure - Season 6: Underground Rising by Brinkman Adventures!

These fully dramatized audios are part of a family favorite, the Brinkman Adventures.  We enjoyed Season 4 last year, check out our review.   Season 6: Underground Rising continues following the fictional missionary family - The Brinkmans around the globe as they encounter true-to-life adventures.

My family loves to listen to these audios in our van together.  This edition has about 2 hours of listening, which we received as a download.  It's simple to copy it onto a cd to take it with you, or from your mobile device.  Season 6 the recent addition in this series which has 60 episodes now!  Each episode is around 20-30 minutes, short enough to enjoy in one trip.

• 55 -  Dutch Underground Part 1
• 56  - Dutch Underground Part 2
• 57 - Twice Born Fly
• 58 - I Wonder Why
• 59 - Free Burma Rangers Part 1
• 60 - Free Burma Rangers Part 2

Most of my children want to be part of missions when they grow up.  I really love getting to share a taste of what adventure their lives will be, and the Brinkman's give us a real, up-close view. Their goal is to "inspire, motivate, and facilitate the next generation of Christian world changers!"

The audio stories are very well done, with sound effects that make it come alive.  In this season, history comes alive as we travel to the Dutch Underground during WW2 all the way to Burma to fright for freedom.  Other episodes take us around the globe as we experience real-life stories of sharing the gospel.

My favorite episode was "I Wonder Why" - it follows a real life family that decides to move to India to become missionaries.  Young Sam (Samanatha) is the main character as she adjusts to a difficult new life in a foreign country.  I just connected with so many points in this story - I've had a miscarriage, I LOVE India - and in fact, I've been there twice, my son (who wants to be a missionary in India) is named Sam, I worked with Indian orphans(and know who naughty they can be), and I never ever get enough of hearing Indian accents.  It was truly inspiring to see it through Sam's eyes as she learns compassion and love for the Indian orphans as she trusts God's plan.

One of the best parts of this series is found online, in the "Real Stories" section.  You can read the true stories behind the audios.  They have interviews, photographs, even recipes you can explore the reality behind the stories better.  It is a wonderful way to expand the conversations with your family.

For a limited time - you can use a coupon code for 10% off of what you purchase from the Brinkman Adventures website.  The coupon code to use at checkout is FALL10.  The coupon is good from October 10th - the 31st.

We highly recommend these inspiring stories!

Find Brinkman Adventures on Social Media: 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Brinkman-Adventures-152895116079/

Hashtags: #hsreviews #AudioDrama #MissionaryStories #AudioMissionaryDrama #BrinkmanAdventures


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