More book reviews... and a giveaway!

Giveaway has ended... the winner is Andrea! 

Yikes, it's been over a month since I've blogged! I've been a horrible blogger lately, I know. Sigh. It's just been one of those difficult seasons... but I still have big dreams in mind for this little blog and am excited to be back more regularly soon, Lord willing.  I have missed writing!

I have been reading though, and today, I have two books to share with you that I recently read to review. The first is a fiction book called At Home in Last Chance.  This is the third book in a three part series by Cathleen Armstrong, and tells a beautiful story of  the power of love and forgiveness.

Kaitlyn, the main character, has come back home to try and build a bond with the 7-year old daughter she abandoned and left her brother to raise just six months earlier.   Through a series of difficulties and hard times, Kaitlyn has realized her need to be near her daughter and rebuild her life back in her hometown.  That doesn't prove to be easy, however, as trust has been broken and relationships need to be restored and rebuilt.  Through her mistakes, pain, and growth, her heart learns to trust both her God and the others that He has put in her life.   Her friends and family also learn to love her in needed ways that help her grow and heal.

This story will encourage you and leave you pondering the ways that you have also changed through hurt and loss, and the growth of character that will come along as a result.  I highly recommend this book as a light and encouraging read.

The second book I recently read was Mothering From Scratch, by Melinda Means and Kathy Helgemo.  Mothering From Scratch was very recently published.  It offers a great perspective especially to younger moms who are just starting out on this journey, by two seasoned mom authors who share nuggets of truth and wisdom from their own journeys. They present important information to consider such as personality types, scheduling, and priorities. Furthermore, they present it all with the perspective that every mother is unique, so their methods and journeys should be as well. The advice to stop comparing and start being the mother that God made you to be is a message that will encourage many women who read this book.

My favorite part of this encouragement was the reminder that our dreams as women do not "spoil", just because we are not able to make those dreams happen right now. If we are focusing on what is most important in this season, which is raising our children in a godly way, we will have another season ahead when we can make dreams come alive for ourselves personally. With motherhood feeling so all encompassing at times, I needed that reminder, and I'm sure others do too.

I am grateful for the authors' honesty with their own stories of successes and failures along the way, so all of us moms coming along behind them can learn to be the best moms possible.  Do you or someone you know need the encouragement found in this book?  I'm giving a copy away of Mothering From Scratch!  

Just leave a comment on this post before 11:59 p.m. Thursday night, and I'll draw a winner on Friday!