Review: Hillsong Kids - "Can You Believe It?" (With a Giveaway!)

One of my favorite worship groups is Hillsong United, so when an opportunity came up to review the new Hillsong Kids DVD/album "Can You Believe It?" - I took it. Especially since I haven't had a chance to sit and write in a while and I thought this would give me a great opportunity to get back into doing so.

This was my first foray into Hillsong Kids and I have to say that I was impressed. A lot of times kids music - even just generally speaking - is very ear-wormy and sometimes, dare I say, annoying. Further, I am so particular when it comes to my worship music; it can't be too campy or I lose interest rapidly and since kids' music is often campy as well I knew that anything with the word "Kids" in it relating to music had a potential to be a danger zone. This was not at all the case with the music on this album. Some of the songs were kids singing some Hillsong favorites ("Oceans" and "What a Beautiful Name") and the ones that were a bit more kid-focused ("My Best Friend") were far from campy and were - dare I say - sweet and fun.

As far as the DVD itself, I snuggled in with a cup of tea and crocheting after the kids went to bed to be able to watch it. The format is fun and reminiscent of the days when MTV actually played music with a real VJ. Hosted by Funny Man Dan (and another guy whose name I completely forgot to grab when I watched it... John? Doesn't matter... the straight man to Funny Man Dan's goofiness), the program itself is about 25 minutes long and easily could keep the attention of a 6-10 year old. I feel like the humor would be lost on anyone younger than that and older you might run the risk of the kids thinking the jokes or attempts at engaging the audience in scripture was a bit, erm, dorky. It alternates between music videos and the hosts conducting interviews with members of the worship team, games, or scripture. Like the music, it is kid-focused without being campy or annoying (unless you're in that "I'm too cool for things" teenager phase).

Speaking of teenagers... if you're a youth leader or middle/upper elementary kids' ministry leader, this DVD is a great tool for pre-teaching/activity worship. In addition to the program detailed above, every song on the album is available in an age-appropriate lyrics-only video format. These videos are perfect for kids/teen worship with fun fonts and bright, flashy, attention-keeping graphics. If you're looking for worship time before classes or retreats or events for kids and teens and don't have a worship band/worship leaders for those groups, this is seriously a great and contemporary tool to have in your back pocket.

Overall, my recommendations/reviews would flow like this: 

- Definitely recommend the CD/album itself for anyone with kiddos that is looking for age-appropriate worship music to listen to at home. I mean, how can you go wrong with Hillsong?

- Definitely recommend the DVD for anyone who leads a kids' or teen ministry. Fantastic tool for worship times with the lyric videos section of the disc.

- Medium recommendation for home viewing. While the video is well done, you'd have to have kids that are interested in watching music videos and that like silly grown-ups. This could be good for a snow-day background viewing while doing puzzles or crafts, but personally at our house we'd rather listen to the worship album on CD than watch it on TV. Could also be good if you have a small group with childcare to play for the kids while you meet or if you have a home church with a kids' portion.

And now... the giveaway!!!

Want to win a copy of the DVD for yourself? I'll make it easy this time:

- Share this post on your page & comment that you did so.
- When you comment that you did so, name your favorite Thanksgiving food.

That's it! Contest ends Monday 11/19/18 at 9:00 AM and the winner will be notified by Monday at noon.

And now... time for me to bundle up the kids and clear the snow from my driveway. I've put it off long enough. 👍


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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 on the same blog, 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.

Review & Giveaway: Illuminated ESV Bible

So you know those fancy journaling Bibles that people have been posting on social media over the last several months?

Well... I had an opportunity to review one, and of course I jumped on it.

I received my Illuminated ESV Bible (Art Journaling Edition) and was immediately struck by the beautiful gold design on the outside. I'm sure there's a fancy art word for whatever it is - embossing? - but it's gorgeous.

It also came in a matching slide-out box.
In full disclosure, I recycled that thing.
I'm not a fan of them. Those and dust covers. Don't understand them at all.

The volume itself is a good, hefty what I call desk or table Bible. It's got a nice hardcover and while the pages have that characteristic what I call "Bible-thinness", they weren't so thin that I was worried I would rip one of them if I turned them the wrong way. This is actually pretty important to me because I'm a known clumsy person who tends to rip/spill/otherwise unintentionally break things - so feeling like I could read it safely in my kitchen where little hands are often pulling on me.

Once the Bible is opened, reader is graced with a 9-pt Lexicon font - so be aware if you are the kind of person who prefers a large-print Bible that the larger size of the book is not indicative of the size of the font. All pages leave margin space for journaling and most pages feature the illustrations/designed verses of Dana Tanamachi whose work has also been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Google, Target, and Time Magazine (among others). You guys - it is gorgeous. I'm not going to lie: even though this is technically a journaling Bible, I have zero desire to write in the margin and rather gently highlight key verses instead so as to not tarnish the gorgeous drawings with my doodles.

See? Isn't it pretty?

While I would not call this a portable Bible (unless you carry a backpack everywhere you likely aren't bringing this to church), it's definitely one that's well suited to the prayer journaler, the person who sits at a table with a cup of coffee to read scripture, or someone who just appreciates an absolutely stunning Bible.

If you're interested in purchasing one of these beauties for yourself or as a gift for Christmas, they are available at Amazon in a few different colors as well as a leather edition (fancy!). Alternatively, I'm giving one away here! Entering is SO SIMPLE - everyone can have up to 2 entries to win. All you have to do is:

- Share this post and comment here that you did so AND/OR
- Leave a comment below with your favorite verse. 

That's it! Entries will be accepted until December 2, 2017 at 12:00 PM and a winner will be notified by December 4, 2017 at 12:00 PM.

For more information about this gorgeous Bible visit https://www.illuminatedbible.org/.

Happy Thanksgiving!

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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.

Review & Giveaway: "Glory Song"

I'm going to start this review by saying that if you start your CD with a powerful worship song that will hold up to a Sunday morning worship, you're probably going to get a decent review from me on the rest of the album.

This is indeed the case with the new Matt Redman release "Glory Song", whose opening track "All Glory" immediately had me thinking about how awesome it would be to hear our church's worship band playing it before a weekly message. The chorus "All glory to the Father/ All glory to the Son/ All glory to the Spirit/ The Spirit of our God/ As it was in the beginning/ And will be in the end/ All glory to Your everlasting name" is catchy and immediately engages you into the rest of the tracks. There's not a single song on this CD that I did not enjoy, and indeed the only "questionable" part of anything is the random rap in "Gospel Song" that didn't seem to fit with the rest of the music on that particular track - but even that wasn't intolerable, just a little strange.

My favorite tracks on this CD are the well-placed "Questions (You Are Faithful)" and "Still I Will Sing" on tracks 8 & 9. I absolutely love the sentiment behind "Questions" - "In all of our questions/ All of our searching/ When we are wrestling/ You don't let go". This song is a wonderful reminder that no matter what season of life we are in - good, bad, tragedy, celebration - God is there. When we have fears, doubts, anxieties, or are blind to God's presence - He is still there. That song ends and the upbeat "Still I Will Sing" comes on, and the table turns from God's being there for us to a song of praise for Him no matter what the storms of life are. "Sing in the battle/ Sing in the blessing/ Sing through the shadows/ Shout with the heavens/ I won't be silent, no/ I won't be silent/ Still I sing, still I will sing" - no matter what the season of life is, this song is a reminder to praise God and know that He is still there for us. Also worthy of mentioning is track 7's "It Is Finished", a song worthy of an entire congregation's voices on Easter Sunday. "No more condemnation/ You had the final word/ There's nothing that can hold me/ There's nothing now to dread."

I'm going to openly admit now that I've listened to these three songs on repeat several times already. It's actually pretty amazing that I even listened to tracks 10-13 at all - but I did, and they're also good.

Want to hear some of this CD yourself? Take a listen to "Gracefully Broken", a song about surrender to Jesus.

If you're wanting to purchase and download a copy of "Glory Song" for your own listening pleasure, you can do so on iTunes by clicking here. If you're old-fashioned and want a hard CD copy, it's also available on Amazon (and Amazon digital download). If you're thinking "Danielle, you said you'd be giving away a copy - maybe I can see about maybe winning that first" - yes. Here's how you do that:

1. Share this post on social media and comment below that you did so (add your username if Twitter/Instagram). (1 Entry)

2. "Like" Danielle's Brain Bits on Facebook and comment below that you did so. (1 entry)

3. Comment below with your favorite Matt Redman song AND/OR the song on "Glory Song" you're most interested in hearing simply based on the title (can be found on the iTunes link above). (2 entries)
Each person can have a total of 4 entries possible - so earn those entries! Giveaway closes at 9:00 AM on Wednesday, October 4 and winner will be drawn and notified no later than 3:00 PM on Wednesday, October 4.

Good luck and happy listening!

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“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 on the same blog, 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.

It's Been A While - Let Me Give You Something Smurfy!

When I was a kid, one of my favorite cartoons was the "Smurfs". I loved watching it and to this day I even catch myself occasionally humming the "La-La-Lalalala-la-lala-lala" of the theme song. My favorite? Brainy Smurf... maybe it was the glasses or just a bit of an insight into the nerdier side of myself, but he was for sure my favorite - totally smurfy.

(Side note: The spellcheck function recognizes the word "Smurfy" which is just absolutely amazing. Moving on.)

The one thing that I think has struck everyone though over the years as odd though is that there was only ever one female Smurf. There was Smurfette, the beautiful blonde-haired blue-skinned token chick in the sea of dudes. Why? Why was there only ever one? WHERE ARE ALL THE OTHER FEMALE SMURFS???

On April 7th - we will finally have our answer in the new Smurf movie "The Smurfs: The Lost Village": "In this fully animated, all-new take on the Smurfs, a mysterious map sets Smurfette and her best friends Brainy, Clumsy, and Hefty on an exciting and thrilling race through the Forbidden Forest filled with magical creatures to find a mysterious lost village before the evil wizard Gargamel does. Embarking on a rollercoaster journey full of action and danger, the Smurfs are on a course that leads to the discovery of the biggest secret in Smurf history!"

In just a few short days, our old familiar Smurf friends will be finding the answer that an entire generation has been seeking. I for one am pretty excited to see how they handle finding an entire village of female Smurfs - and am interested to see how Papa Smurf handles an Alpha Female counterpart.

For more about this movie, check out their website www.smurfsmovie.com where you'll find a synopsis of the movie, lots of activities, downloadable desktop wallpaper, and much more. If you have little ones that you might be bringing to the movie, you can make an entire family activity day around the resources on the website - color in a few of the downloadable coloring pages, head out to lunch and view the movie at your local cinema, and then come home to enjoy some Marshroom Houses or Smurfberry Pie (available in the "Recipes" section).  If your kids are a bit older/artistic, there's some directions available on how to draw the Smurfs. Want to talk about the movie with your kids? Here's a link to a discussion guide: Discussion Guide

There's so much available for this movie that you can have a Smurftastic time no matter what Smurfy thing you decide to do! And let me help you out with this - I have 2 tickets to giveaway to one lucky winner!! There are 3 ways you can earn an entry:

1. Comment below with something you LOVE about the Smurfs? Brainy's cheekiness? Hefty's "muscles"? Gargamel's cackle? Papa Smurf's odd resemblance to Santa Claus? Whatever it is about the Smurfs - share it below!
2. Share this link on Social Media and comment below that you did (if Twitter, add your username). 
3. "Like" Danielle's Brain Bits on Facebook and comment below that you did. 

I'm totally Smurfed for this giveaway you guys - we're finally going to find out where all the other female Smurfs are!!!

Oh - the giveaway closes Thursday April 6th at noon and winner will be announced by midnight on Thursday. The movie opens on Friday, April 7th and the winner will be emailed codes to buy tickets through Fandango that will be good from April 7-16th only.

Have a Smurfy Day!
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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 on the same blog, 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.

Album Review: Kari Jobe's "The Garden"

Can I just tell you guys how excited I was when an opportunity came up to snag a copy of Kari Jobe's latest release "The Garden" to review? I LOVE Kari Jobe's music - her version of "Revelation Song" is one of my favorite songs to blast in the car and worship to when I'm alone. Her song "Healer" is one I first heard at a girls' youth retreat and is one that has spoken to my heart and helped me to see where God can heal even the deepest of wounds and hurts.

So when the CD arrived in the mail in that bright yellow bubble mailer, I ripped it open and the next day excitedly popped it into my car's CD player (much to the complaints of my kids who would rather be listening to an audiobook or their own worship CD). Over the following week, I listened to it several times and wanted to share some of my thoughts with you about it.

And also offer you a chance to win your own copy - but that's later.

If you haven't heard Kari Jobe before, let me just tell you that she has an absolutely hauntingly beautiful voice. You can hear her passion for singing worship in every note that she sings, hear the feelings that are coming from her heart with each lyric. Her latest songs are just as beautiful as those that have come before it; her voice carries through the peaceful music and the lyrics are incredibly reassuring. Each song is a reminder that God is with us, God wants to heal us, God loves us, God lifts us up, God is faithful. One of my favorite verses from the title track says "I can see the ivy / Growing through the wall / 'Cause you'll stop at nothing / To heal my broken soul"; the entire song is full of lyrics like that, reminding us that God wants to be there for us and help heal.

In a song that's more of a sung prayer, Jobe cries out for God's help in the third track "Heal Our Land". This is by far my favorite song on the album, I honestly cannot get enough of it. The lyrics "Spirit of God / Breathe on your church / Pour out your presence / Speak through your word / We pray in every nation / Christ be Known / Our hope and salvation / Christ alone" is a prayer that God come down on his nations and help us to heal. We are living in a time of worldwide and nationwide division, and this song is an incredibly timely prayer. I'm not saying that this would be an awesome song to sing in church - but John Emery, if you're reading this, may I put this one in for consideration for worship one day? (wink wink, nudge nudge)

From the heartfelt "Miracles" to the passionate "The Cause of Christ", this album is well worth your investment. If you don't believe me - give it a listen. You can preview and grab yourself a copy on iTunes (click here) or Amazon (click here) or listen to the album before you seek yourself out a copy on Spotify (click here). I've already added the entire album to my Worship Music playlist on Spotify because it's truly amazingly beautiful. Or - if you'd rather - enter to win a copy below!

Here's all you have to do to enter to win a copy of Kari Jobe's "The Garden". It's SUPER easy and everyone can have up to 5 entries!

1. Like the blog on Facebook (and comment here that you did/do).
2. Share this post on Facebook/Twitter/Pinterest and comment here that you did (bonus entry if you share the link to your share post).
3. Comment below with your favorite worship song - title & artist (bonus entry if it happens to be a Kari Jobe song).

That's it! Contest closes on Sunday, February 12 and winner will be announced/contacted on Monday, Feburary 13 on the blog's Facebook page and be sent a copy of "The Garden" by FlyBy Promotions soon after.

You guys - get this album. You won't regret it.

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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 on the same blog, 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.

Book Review & Giveaway: The Beginner's Bible

When my son was born, I began my hunt for an age-appropriate Bible that I could sit and engage with my kids. After much researching and opinion gathering, I narrowed it down to 2 - The Rhyme Bible and The Beginner's Bible - and settled on a copy of The Rhyme Bible. While The Rhyme Bible certainly had a level of engagement appropriate for the under 3 crowd - great rhythm, colorful pictures, and simple language - I was disappointed with the level of detail left out of many of the major stories in scripture. With one of my kids approaching 5 and the other approaching 3, I wanted something that was still age appropriate but more complete in its detail.

I no sooner had thought to myself "I should look into The Beginner's Bible again" then I got an email from FlyBy Promotions asking if I'd like to receive a copy of the latest edition to review.

Well... how about that?

My copy of The Beginner's Bible arrived as I was in the midst of Advent with my little ones and it was the perfect timing. I immediately cracked open to the Christmas story and the first thing I noticed was the the New Testament was clearly separated from the Old Testament. This was something that drove me crazy about The Rhyme Bible; I use that separation in my own personal Bible and find it incredibly useful to have.

The next thing I noticed is that this Bible reads much more like a story and less like a poem. Not only does it read like a story, it provides many more details to the little ones than the Rhyme Bible did. I love this aspect; having the stories of the Bible simplified for the younger crowd is hugely important, but there still needs to be enough detail to offer a complete story that can be impactful and memorable.

To continue on the example of the Christmas story - here is something I really appreciated about this Bible. This was the first time I saw the chronology of Jesus' birth story - from his birth to the arrival of the wise men - completely in line with true scripture. I truly appreciated that after the birth of Christ and the angels delivering the news to the shepherds - they did not skip the presenting of Jesus at the temple and the blessing of Anna and then followed it up with the visit from the wise men later on when Jesus was a child. In almost every other presentation of the story - including the famed movie "The Nativity Story - the wise men arrive as part of the events surrounding Jesus' birth.

The illustrations are very cartoony and the expressions are very well drawn and show the emotions of the stories very well. In the story of when Jesus stays behind at the temple as a child talking to the teachers, when they tell the reader that Mary was distraught that she and Joseph couldn't find Jesus - the drawing shows her with tears and a nervous expression. I love that the illustrations are so in line with the narrative; this is another level of detail that will help to make it stick with the kids in the younger age bracket.

Overall, I am highly impressed with The Beginner's Bible. The kids have enjoyed looking at the pictures while I read aloud, and the illustrations and prose have already started to spark questions and conversations. Usually when I write a review, I can think of something that I can offer as a pro - and for The Beginner's Bible I cannot think of a negative or a con or even a "meh" to offer up. If you're looking for a Bible that does a great job engaging kids, distilling the important stories of the Bible to a level that is great for kids but still is complete, and is a wonderful way to get your kids to start asking questions about God - grab yourself a copy of The Beginner's Bible.

Or... OR...

Enter to win a copy for FREE right here on the blog! 

I'll be giving away ONE copy of The Beginner's Bible to one lucky winner chosen at random. Here's how to enter - you can earn up to 3 entries by doing the following:

1. Share this post and comment below when you've done so.
2. Comment below with the story from the Bible that was your favorite as a kid.
3. Follow my blog on Facebook (click this link) and comment below when you've done so. 

Good luck if you enter - and if you're looking for a great Bible for kids, definitely consider getting this one! Oh - one other thing... entries will be open until Friday, January 6 at at 6:00 PM. I'll be announcing the winner by Sunday, January 8 at 9:00 PM at the very latest, but probably sooner.

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For more information about The Beginner's Bible, check out any of the following:

The Beginner's Bible Official Website
The Beginner's Bible - Facebook
The Beginner's Bible - Twitter
The Beginner's Bible - Read more reviews & maybe buy yourself a copy on Amazon

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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.

Book Review: Every Day with God (A VeggieTales Book)

**Contest is closed and we have a winner!! Stephy has been notified - please stay tuned for future contests and read the review below for information on how to get a copy of this wonderful devotional!**

About a year ago, I started a search for a bedtime devotional that I could read with my son. I looked through bookstores, I searched online, I asked other moms... what I found were some really cute, really engaging devotionals for children but nothing that really fit my son's personality.

So when the opportunity came up to review the Every Day with God: 365 Devos for Boys (or Girls) VeggieTales daily devotional book - I took the opportunity. Will has recently gotten a bit more interested in VeggieTales thanks to some music CD's and Spotify streaming music we've been listening to, so I thought that this might be a good way to engage him a bit more in the process.

Turned out it did.

The devotionals are short (only about a paragraph long), use simple language that kids can understand, and ask easy questions which is perfect for the 4-year-old who is trying to calm down at bedtime. Each one has a scripture presented in a translation that makes it easy for my kiddo to relate to it and a prayer starter that is a great segue into the nightly prayers that we were already doing together. There are illustrations on each page that repeat throughout the book of one of the VeggieTales characters, but they're cute and it gives my son something to look at besides words.

Another added bonus to the way the book is presented: the first letter of each devotional is larger than the rest, bold, and a different color from the rest of the text. Whenever I've read with my son, the first thing he does on the page is point out the letter and either identify it or ask what it is, repeat it, and then we make the sound together. As if the simple language and easy questions weren't enough, the simple format of the page makes it another great tool for engaging your preschooler in conversation.

Kids feel that they need to identify with things, and my kids have decided that one of the things that will define them is their gender. The first thing that Will ever said he wanted to be when he grew up was "a man", and so I was not surprised that he became very possessive of the devotional when I told him it was a "for boys" devotional. Having said that - do not be fooled by the title; if you decide to purchase or receive one of these as a gift or, oh, I don't know, win one in a blog giveaway and you have kids of multiple genders in your home - worry not. The devotionals themselves are as gender neutral as they can get; they have a key scripture, a discussion of how the scripture applies to and can be lived out in their lives, and a prayer starter. This could make it a great devotional for a family devotional time as well if your kids are all younger and not quite into the "well that's my thing and this is their thing" possessiveness phase yet. I cannot speak for the "for Girls" version of the devotional as I haven't seen it personally, but I would imagine it's quite similar in its format and delivery.

The best thing about this - or any devotional book really - is that it allows the parent to sit and pray and talk about God with your child. Very quickly my son wanted to have his devotional and prayer time by himself with whatever parent was putting him to bed and we had to separate out each kid's prayer and devotional time. It's brief, but even that 5-10 minutes with your child talking about God, praying, and spending 1-on-1 time together can have such an impact longer term.

Or... so I've been told. I mean, my kids are only 4 and 2, but I've heard that longer-term impact is achieved by early beginnings.

All of that to say - I definitely recommend this devotional if you've got little ones at home. The recommended ages from the publisher say ages 4-7, and I would agree. My son doesn't answer the questions very in-depth now when we read, but I can imagine that over the next couple of years as we go through and restart every year his answers will change, mature, and have different insights that are age appropriate. Definitely click on the links at the end of this post to check it out if you're looking for a simple, approachable, and engaging devotional for your family (that's also reasonably priced! $10 or less!).

OR...

You could enter to win your own copy!! Entry is VERY simple. All you have to do is...

1. Share this post on Twitter or Facebook and comment below that you did.
2. "Like" this post on Facebook or Twitter and comment below that you did.
3. Comment below with your favorite daily devotional or scripture or ritual that gets you through the daily grind. 

That's up to 3 entries per person to win your very own copy of this adorable devotional for your kiddo or a family with little ones as a gift. Go on and enter! Winner will receive a copy from FlyBy Promotions of EITHER devotional - "for Boys" or "for Girls" - you just have to let me know when I announce the winner.

UPDATE - DEADLINE EXTENDED!! Contest will be open until 12:00 AM on Wednesday, October 12 and winner will be announced no later than 12:00 AM on Friday, October 14 on my blog's Facebook page. I'll contact the winner as well. 

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Links for your reference: 

Every Day with God: 365 Daily Devotionals for Boys

Every Day with God: 365 Daily Devotionals for Girls

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"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.”

Book Review: "Night Night Farm" by Amy Parker

Every night we read to our kids and have since they were old enough to have an established nightly routine. We put on pajamas, we brush our teeth, we go potty and change diapers, we read a story, we pray, and then we read one or two more stories before we ultimately tuck-in. Whenever an opportunity arises to add a book to our bedtime collection, we are usually quick to jump at the chance. So when FlyBy Promotions offered up a chance to review Amy Parker's "Night Night Farm" - I quickly volunteered.

We were already familiar with Amy Parker because we own her book "Thank You, God, For Daddy" which is a super adorable tribute to a child's dad. It's one of my favorite books to read with our kiddos (because, well, they have an awesome dad). As such I had a feeling I wouldn't be disappointed with "Night Night Farm"; I was right.

This is my favorite picture.
I can't get enough of this baby horse!

The book is a wonderful way to help your child wind down and get ready to go to sleep for the night. Parker takes her reader through a farm and says good night to all the animals before ultimately saying good night to God. The book is written in such a way that it makes it easy to involve your children in the story; as you meet each animal to say good night, page ends with the sound of the animal ("Oink Oink, piggies! "Moo Moo Cows!" etc.). I don't know about you, but my kids love to make animal sounds and they love to get involved with the stories that we read. The language is beautifully simple and it is written in a classic rhythm that makes it easy to read and keep your tired little ones focused.

From an artistic standpoint, the illustrations done by Virginia Allyn are wonderful. The colors are bright, the expressions on the animals are adorable, and the details are incredible. You can follow a pair of mice on each set of pages as they make sure all the other animals are in bed before they come out to play while everyone's asleep - and the things they are doing on each page are just cute fun and another way to get your kids involved in the story. You can have them look for the mice and tell you what they're doing as you read the book together. While Parker's writing is certainly wonderful, engaging, simple, and perfect for small kiddos - it's the illustrations that are a real winner for me. There's always something new to find or look at every time I open the book.

Sheep counting sheep!

My favorite part of this book, though, is how easily you can make it a part of the nightly routine. If your routine, like ours, includes praying with your children - this is the perfect book to read right before you pray. In the final pages of the book, Parker talks about how God has made all the animals - and us - and say "night night" to Him. I have found that this provides a great segue into our family bedtime prayers - "A great way that we can say good night to God is to pray". Because I have found that anything that aids in making the bedtime routine smoother seems to get my kids to settle down and go to sleep easier - this is a huge win for me with this book.

If you are interested in getting a copy of this book, it is available on Amazon for - get this - ONLY $6.01 (at the time of this post). To get your own copy you can click here OR... OR...

Yep, I'm giving one away. 

Thanks to the fine folks at FlyBy Promotions, one lucky winner can get a copy of "Night Night Farm" delivered right to their door FREE of charge. To enter, you can do one or all of the following:

1. Comment below with your favorite story to read with your kiddo(s).
2. Comment below in a separate comment below with your favorite story that you read as a kid.
3. Share this post on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest and comment in a separate comment below that you did. 

The giveaway will end Wednesday, September 7 2016 at noon and the winner will be announced on Thursday September 8 2016.

You will not be sorry if you either purchase or win this book - it's well written, it's engaging to kids, the illustrations are wonderful, and it's a great addition to your bedtime routine. I definitely recommend this book to you if you have kids and are looking for an easy way to incorporate relating to and learning about God into your day-to-day routines.

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"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.”

Website Review & Give Away: FamilyChristian.com

I recently was given the opportunity to do a bit of shopping at FamilyChristian.com and share my experience with you all as well as share some information about the products that they offer and some deals they have going on right now. I was looking for a gift for a friend anyways, so I decided that it was meant to be and took FlyBy Promotions up on their offer to do so.

Let's start with the "negative" parts of my shopping experience (because let's be honest - whenever people read reviews they really want to know the good AND the bad). The first thing that shouldn't be a surprise to much of anyone is that in some cases, their prices don't even come close to meeting Amazon. For example, the book that I purchased for a gift ("My Great Big Veggie Storybook") retails for $14.99 at Family Christian whereas on Amazon it runs for just over $10 and on ChristianBook.com it runs for $10.99. And yes - I did price-compare even though I had a coupon in my hand to shop on someone else's dime and not my own. This is important to know for future purchases; however - and I'll get to why in a moment - depending on your situation and your personal views when it comes tho shopping, it may still be beneficial for you to shop at FamilyChristian.com over another retailer.

The second "negative" thing (and this will be good for you to know in the event that you win the giveaway that I shall detail out below) is that the voucher that I received did not spell out certain exemptions that it could not be used for. As such I ran into a bit of an issue at checkout and had to call into their customer service line to order my items (I also chose an additional item that I'm going to preview, pray over it, and give away to a person in the near future). Additionally, the coupon did not indicate that it would not cover the shipping charges and so even though the total - including shipping - did not meet the total value of the coupon, I still paid $4.47 out of pocket. Because the intent of the purchase was for gifts, however, I did not have any issue with that.

That was all the negative, however, and now I shall share with you the positive parts of my experience.

Having never heard of FamilyChristian.com before - or their retail stores - I was skeptical of the quality of their website and selection. When my husband and I used to lead the youth ministry at our church, we would frequently purchase from Christianbook.com and so I was familiar with that; I expected far less when I entered in the address for FamilyChristian. What I found, however, is that FamilyChristian.com seems to be competing directly with Christianbook.com (I could be wrong, it just seems that way). In reality they had a wonderful selection and I had many items to choose from while looking for my gifts. Their website was incredibly easy to navigate and I had no problems getting around and finding items. Additionally - they are having a site-wide Buy-One-Get-One-50%-Off sale on many of their media items which meant that my preview-and-give-away purchase was half-off as well. Bonus!

Customer service: When I called about the issues I was experiencing at checkout, there was minimal wait time on the line and the customer service rep that I spoke with was very helpful and kept me on the phone until the issues were resolved and my order was placed. At checkout, I chose "economy" shipping which was standard USPS Media Mail and took about a week to arrive. The packaging was protective (sturdy box and packing tissues for the remaining space in the box) and the items I received were not damaged at all. Friendly, helpful people, receiving product in a reasonable amount of time, and packaging that doesn't risk the integrity of the product - all three of these are big customer service wins in my opinion.

What I especially appreciated about FamilyChristian.com is that they are a non-profit venture. According to their website, their mission is to help orphans and widows in need (James 1:27) and if you read through their "about" page - they have given to several organizations around the world in an effort to do just that. While their prices are closer to full list/suggested retail price, I am more comfortable paying that price when their profits are not going directly to their pockets - but rather to help others. For some people knowing that their dollars are not just going to the pockets of a corporate executive makes a difference in where they spend their money - so I wanted to make sure that I highlighted that here.

If you are a part of a church, bible study, or ministry who tends to buy books in bulk (or just someone who really REALLY likes to buy things and spend lots of money on books and such), FamilyChristian.com offers a frequent buyer program called 1:27 Rewards. As you make your purchases through their website, your dollars accrue and for everyone $100 you spend you earn $5 towards a future purchase. By joining you also receive an email letting you know about deals, get additional coupons, etc. If you are one to tend to buy in bulk, this is an advantage that FamilyChristian.com has over other websites.

So - bottom line: Would I shop here again? Because I so infrequently shop for books, bibles, etc. these days and considering that though they have higher prices their profits are going to a good cause - yes, absolutely I would. In fact, I have a birthday coming and if I get any birthday money, I've got my eye on this gorgeous NIV Compact Bible that would be MUCH easier to bring to my small group or my mom's group than my big, at-home NLT Study Bible.

And now it's time for a GIVEAWAY!!!

Do you want to check out FamilyChristian.com for yourself? Want $25 to put towards a new bible, some gifts, or books for your kids' library? Great! I've been given the power to give away a $25 voucher to FamilyChristian.com to one super-lucky winner! Here's how you can enter this giveaway:

1. Share the link and leave a comment below.
2. "Like" my blog page on Facebook and leave a comment below indicating you've done so (if you already "like" my page, just comment on that below).
3. Comment with one item from FamilyChristian.com that you'd buy with your $25 gift card.

Up to 3 entries per person (see guidelines in the disclosure below for who is qualified to win) and I'll close the entries on Tuesday, August 23 at 12:00 PM EST with the winner announced no later than Thursday, August 25 at 3:00 PM EST. NOTE: You MUST comment on the BLOG POST and not on the Facebook Page or Post in order for your entries to count!

Good luck (and happy shopping!)

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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.