This is one of the many books on my Summer Reading List for you!

There is just no one anywhere like my luminous friend Christa Black Gifford. She and Lucas are the living Word of restoration and revelation essential for our generation to experience a holy heart resurrection. We learn to acclimate and compensate for the dead corners of ourselves that have been locked away in shame and pain. But most of us put a band-aid on a Rembrant and just keep going. I share Christa's passion for whole-hearted living but I do not share her story. I have my own brokenness. And although one could argue that broken is broken- there's no comparing the shattered heart she so beautifully and humbly shares in every moment of Heart Made Whole. Many of us can argue that we've had it harder, been more devastated or felt more abandoned than a given author/messenger- therefore we dismiss the message. This is a book you don't know you need until you read. And once the honeycomb of truth fills you, you find it sticks to the lost and forgotten places.  You can't dismiss this message and truly you won't want to... If it goes for you as it has for me then your journal will be lined with questions and more importantly filled with answers. One of my favorite gifts to give and to receive are book recommendations. Don't say I never gave you anything...read this book. You will read it and weep. Then you will read it and leap. A GIANT spiritual step awaits you, #heartmadewhole is your invitation.

Made to Crave: Satisfying Your Deepest Desire with God, Not Food, by Lysa Terkeurst

When I picked up this book I thought it would be “another” take on weight loss success when Jesus is in the mix.  God has a funny sense of humor.  I was allowed to choose this book and I had just lost 17 pounds. I came in a little confident and thought I had this issue figured out.  My number on the scale had changed after all.  I had on skinny jeans.  I could read a book and be on the other side of needing answers...Boy, was I wrong!

Instead, I found a very real woman, Lysa, with food issues (apparently she has been living in a parallel universe with me) ready to get to the core of a life-long struggle with her weight and battle the heart issue behind it.  I apparently still had issues to address in my own life.   I simply was riding the roller coaster and happened to be on the downward slope.  The concept that food can be an idol was introduced and explained practically in a way I had never conceptualized it before.  Our need to crave something is God induced, but WHAT we are craving may not… ouch!

Thankfully, I found biblically inspired answers to stop the roller coaster ride with this book.  

Every other line addresses the secret and not so secret cries of a woman’s heart when food is an idol (the ride).  Lysa sheds light and revelation while she herself shares her weight loss story.  She explains that cravings are real and food is a huge symbol of our need to be fulfilled, fed, nurtured, and provided for.  Food is repeatedly used in the Bible as God’s way of provision (Manna for Israelites), as the ultimate temptation (Eve) and Jesus with Satan on the Mount, so no wonder food continues to be a battle for so many of us. 

The world and the images we live with in our society are also mentioned, not as a crutch or excuse, but certainly as a factor when measuring our worth against our bodies. 

Lysa’s words trickled from the pages with so much Truth that I often caught myself reading and re-reading the text highlighting it as reference, hoping to absorb and ingest its revelation. She uses scripture for both reference and emphasis, but not the prescribed diet for success, making her story practical and doable. 

Nothing is sugar coated or left too theologically crusted (if we stick with the food analogies), as she shares her own repeated failures, despite her own heaping dose of spiritual enlightenment.  I found I could relate over and over to the words on the page: “tying my happy to skinny jeans, food can never fulfill my soul, if no one sees you, the calories don’t count ...”  

The personal reflections section at the end of each chapter allows this book to become a girlfriend’s journey, opening the opportunity for discussion and accountability.  Chapter after chapter, I found answers, comfort in similar struggles, and empowered to take charge and make changes. The take-away for me was this:  My value is NOT connected to the number of pounds my body weighs on a scale (pg74).  Not the number, but the freedom of that statement.  

I highly recommend this book if you find yourself somewhere on a roller coaster ride with your weight.  The lie is that once you stop things, you are missing out on the thrill that the ride brings.  The truth is that victory is achieved and maintained with His Truth! Made to Crave, invites you to that place of Truth.  It’s a place of rest, and believe it or not, feasting on Him. 

This book is a Holiday read that will keep your waistline in order.

Jen Mango is a Senior Gold Ambassador currently with Plexus Worldwide. In addition to finding personal success with the products, Jen has built a large organization of like-minded entrepreneurs who are achieving and exceeding their personal health and financial goals. In a short period of time, she has become passionate about helping others see success in these areas. Jennifer Mango is also a licensed Speech Pathologist since 1997. After interning at Children’s Medical Center in Dallas, Jen graduated from the University of Texas at Dallas Suma Cum Laude. She then pursued and received her Master’s in Speech Pathology from UTD graduating Suma Cum Laude. She has been practicing ever since, working specifically with children ages 0 to 6 years in the areas of speech and language disorders, motor speech issues, feeding disorders, and Autism spectrum disorders.

In addition to her work, Jen’s passion extends to her husband Phil, and three children: Reilly, Emma, and Halle, and she makes her home in Frisco, Texas. When she is not with her family, building her business, or working with children, Jen dons her alter ego as the “Dime Diva”. She enjoys blogging about “dishing the deals in DFW” and all things shopping. She has written for Boys Scouts of America, Collin County Kids, and Kaleidoscope Kids and has been written about in the Dallas Morning News. She also speaks on various topics for mom’s groups and schools.

If you are interested in learning more about Jen's business, check out her website at www.plexusslim.com/jenmango

I first encountered Francine Rivers’ books about two years ago when the Women's Ministry at Covenant Church decided to do a multi-campus book study of her wildly popular series Lineage of Grace (the story of the 5 women whose names and stories are shared in the Bible as part of the lineage of Jesus Christ the Messiah). I was captivated by the tapestry of history and poetic license Francine Rivers wove together to cause well-known stories to leap off of the page and draw the reader in. It was good to know I wasn’t the only “captivated” one. The Covenant Worship study group of which I was a part had plenty to talk about, laugh about, cry about, and consider as a result of what we read each week. Since then, I've read many more of Francine Rivers’ books. So, when I was gifted with this one, A Voice in the Wind, it took a great amount of self-control for me not to begin reading it that very evening - a school night. You see, I know how Francine Rivers’ books work: I begin reading after work around 6pm, look up to realize it's after 10pm, set the book aside, ready myself for bed, come back, read for another hour or so, force myself to put to book down to get some sort of sleep, wake up four hours later, and then sleepily attempt to functionally carry on the day - praying for God’s mercy and strength.  It's a deliciously vicious cycle I get into every time I pick up a Francine Rivers book. 

When I finally began reading A Voice in the Wind on a Friday evening – two long days after I had originally received it, I knew I was done and I would once again be swept into the aforementioned cycle. The strategically chosen words generate vivid pictures of the face, fear, and torture of Hadassah, a young girl who is entangled in the prophesied ruin of Jerusalem, the diaspora of its people, and the dominance and established debauchery of the Roman Empire. Hadassah's journey of desperately clinging to the hand of God - through trials that make my own look like child's play - took me on a roller coaster of emotions as I recall gasping, aching, and calling - aloud, mind you - various characters, idiots, or spawns of Satan, then finally I was left stunned, absolutely speechless.

Though I had no words, one character had plenty to say as he spit his disdain against the remnant saying, "but those who call themselves righteous, never relent." Hadassah is one of those relentless ones. Though her story is set in a time I can only read about, those who are relentless are timeless. A Voice in the Wind isn't just fiction for entertainment's sake. It’s purposeful fiction that leaves the reader convicted to consider the Voice in the Wind that whispers, "I am with you, Daughter. I love you, Mighty One. Be relentless." Despite knowing how Francine Rivers’ books work, I really thought I'd be able to read this one and come away unchanged - silly me. Thank you, Francine Rivers.

This book is the first in a series called Mark of the Lion. Upon finishing A Voice in the Wind, I promptly downloaded the rest of the series. Yep, it's just that good, ladies.

Shelli currently resides in Dallas, Texas where she teaches high school Spanish. She uses her diverse classroom experiences & knowledge of well-researched instructional strategies to train, coach, and support colleagues on her campus, in her school district, and across the state.

With a heart for education, her boundaries are edges of the world. Urged to "GO," Shelli has found herself profoundly impacted by various & sundry people, cultures, and languages.

Shelli is actively involved at Covenant Church, founded by Pastors Mike and Kathy Hayes in Carrollton, Texas.

Find Shelli on Twitter: @ariel_lioness

When I picked up the green-covered, decorative book and read the title, I was immediately intrigued.  The title, Becoming Myself, was of course interesting; but it was the little caption underscoring the title which fully captured and piqued my attention- “embracing God’s dream for you.”  God, Himself, has dreams and desires in His heart of me?  God is a dreamer and His desires for you and me are that we walk in the incredible possibilities laid out for our lives.  I realized that I was in sync with the author’s sentiments right from the start and this was no longer a simple book review assignment but a drawing into more of the understanding of the calling of who I am and who God has shaped me to be…the very person God has dreamed me to become.  

These fourteen beautifully written chapters, rich with imagery and richer still with teaching insight and inspiring stories from Stasi’s life and journey, along with the examples of friends along the way, drew me not only into a deeper place in God, but deeper within myself.  You immediately identify with the author’s vulnerabilities shared through her hurts, failures, frustrations, joys, victories, and celebrations in her own becoming.  

Because I’m a little unconventional perhaps, and it seems I have become more so over the years, I started with chapter 3, The Landscape of Our Lives.  When I flipped to the page, it was as though by a Divine magnetic pointer; I had found my landing place (it was the section titled…the mystery about hormones…ah yes, I knew all too well this was for me since I’m bridging that perimenopause/menopause season).  There it was and I was quickly hooked by every illuminating word flowing from Stasi’s heart.  I did not want to put the book down.

Have you ever prayed for something and then God answers through a simple word from a friend or from the words floating off the page?  It is like connecting to a book, a teaching, or a person, and although your story is different, your life, message, and passion are the same.  God not only showed me that He had given me permission to be uniquely me, He reminded me and affirmed me- validating for me the unique vein in which I walk.  As we often do as women, we apologize for who we are.  Through her affirming words, Stasi reveals that we never have to apologize for who we are, what we like and what we want.  

In her book, Becoming Myself, Eldredge answers the hidden heart questions of:

Who we are…

What we like…

What we want…

As I paused to ponder and personally consider these heart queries, I realized that things that I like and am attracted to, and the things that I want out of life are measured in who I truly am becoming and it is freeing to take those risks to become that person.  All I have to do is accept and embrace (as Stasi declares in chapter 5) myself, my personality, my likes and dislikes.  It is and always has been God’s dream for me.  The dreams and desires that He has placed in my heart have been embedded there by design.  It is intended to awaken the sleeping dreamer within.  With wholehearted pursuit we can reach for and step into all the dreams God has for us.  He truly makes impossible dreams, possible.   Stasi confirmed and reaffirmed for me the beauty and grace in the woman I now AM and the woman I’m becoming.

This is just a brief excerpt of what you’ll discover in this book.  There is so, so much more.  Maybe you are in a hard place and you are not sure you like who you are today.  That’s okay.  Through Becoming Myself, Stasi asked the same question- “Does anyone ever really change?”  You may not think so right now, but you can and will change.  Stasi shares that in order to continue moving forward, we must sometimes look back (to places where we have been defeated, hurt, discouraged, or whatever you may have found challenging) to truly become the woman we all desire to be.

This book was exactly for me!  I believe it is also exactly for you.  It is about the journey we all take in becoming the women God has dreamt us to be!  It’s about changing; it’s about healing; it’s about growing; it’s about connecting, and what I’ve personally discovered along the way, it’s about risking (which means sometimes stepping forward in the face of fear to become more of who you’ve always desired and are designed to be).  It’s about flourishing in the beauty of God’s dream of YOU!

When you look back over the landscape of your life, do you want to say you’re glad of the woman you have become?  I know I do.  Let the journey of becoming begin!  Let the journey of flourishing continue!

Shuronda Scott is known as the Possibilities Coach™ and wherever she is planted, she flourishes.  As an author, speaker, and life coach, she combines over 25 years of corporate and ministry background experience in helping others recognize possibilities within and opportunities (without)™ for greater success personally and professionally.  In her recently released book, A Pocketful of Possibilities: Impossible Dreams, Made Possible, she shares how to remove the dream ashes that limit your potential and how to create your own roadmap of possibilities.  She is also a featured author in Dare to Be a Difference Maker, Volume 2.  Connect with her today at www.walkinginpossibility.com.

Have you looked at the calendar lately? I’m not quite sure what happened to 2013, but apparently it’s almost over. And that means it’s time to shop, ladies! Shopping can bring about great anxiety or stress for some, but it is not always a bad thing. But, if it does overwhelm you, we’re here to help. Everything listed can be found on Amazon.com. And if it’s not, we have included the website where you can find it.

 We will start with the littlest ones. 

Toybuzz.org, in their latest article, Top Toys for Christmas, provides a pretty extensive list of some great gift ideas for the little ones. But, here are a few that you might especially enjoy!

	Thinkfun’s Roll & Play is an editor’s choice rated, fun game that boosts the understanding of the basic concepts of learning, such as colors, counting, image and word recognition, and following instructions, while also helping develop gross motor skill at the same time.
	BucklyBoo offers content based on the 3 main stages of cognitive learning and development from ages 15 months up to 4 years.
	LeapFrog Poppin Play Piano is a toddler toy geared towards ages 12-36 months.
	Step 2 Up & Down Roller Coaster brings a little Six Flags to your home! My own granddaughters had this and they had tons of fun!
	Air Storm Z-Curve Bow, by Zing, has been raved about as the best toy bow & arrow. It shoots over 125 feet and has been said to make boys and girls alike, feel like real archers.
	LittleBits are essentially tiny circuit boards with unique and simple functions. The snap and play magnets prevent the incorrect placement of the pieces. Deemed, “Legos for the iPad generation”, LittleBits are the perfect way to get children, today, excited about building things.
	Loopdedoo is a new spinning loom that uses ordinary embroidery floss to create fab and funky friendship bracelets in just minutes.
	AGPTEK Two Way Radio Walkie Talkie Wristwatches are high quality walkie talkie watches. These lightweight, compact two-way communication devices can be used to stay connected with family and friends during indoor and outdoor activities.
	The Skatecycle is what is being called the skateboard of the future. While it glides just like a skateboard on any flat surface or skate park floor, it looks like no skateboard you've ever seen.
	Then, there is the Perpetualkid.com rainbow scratch art not set.  This one is sure to be a hit with those who have a niche for arts and crafts.
	And for the fashionistas, Coach.com offers the trendy, Crossbody Legacy Swingpack in their signature, monogram fabric that looks super cute on girls of all ages.
	And finally, the Air Hogs RC Helix is a high performance, easy-to-fly quad helicopter that performs insane backflips, barrel rolls, and 180 degree flips with the push of a button.

Sandei Struebing is new to the writing world but has over 20 years experience being a mom. She is inspired to write for other women, to share her experiences and offer insight into what she's learned raising four children. Her favorite place is the beach. She currently resides in Dallas, Texas with her children.