no diet seems to be working, so how about a different approach?

A lot of Americans struggle with their weight. I can relate, I have certain body issues, and I am not exactly the poster child for healthy eating. Marianne Williamson can relate as well, which is why she wrote, A Course in Weight Loss: 21 Spiritual Lessons for Surrendering Your Weight Forever. Her weight-loss journey is a lot like many of ours. Overeating, and giving food a power that it does not actually posses. There comes a point when you just need to stop. You ask God for help in so many other aspects of your life, so why not put your trust in Him to help you become a healthier person?

The principles that guide these lessons are:

1. Your body itself is completely neutral. It causes nothing; it is completely an effect, not a cause.
2. Neither poor diet nor lack of exercise are the cause of your excess weight. Mind is cause; body is effect. The cause of your excess weight is in your mind.
3. The cause of your excess weight is fear, which is a place in your mind where love is blocked.
4. Fear expresses itself as subconscious urges, which then express themselves as either excessive and/or unhealthy eating habits and/or resistance to proper exercise. The ultimate effect of this - that is, excess weight - will only be permanently and fundamentally healed when the fear itself is rooted out.

When reading a self-help book, the program or main idea needs to make sense to you. As you can see, Williamson's principles make perfect sense. Considering you've probably tried everything else under the sun to lose weight, why not give this a try? Why not? And the upcoming New Year is the perfect time to begin.

the most perfect christmas story ever.

Christmas will be here before we know it! Take time to enjoy your family and friends, and also take time for yourself. Relax. Watch the corny Christmas specials, and  more importantly read the array of Christmas novels gracing the shelves of your favorite book store. My recommendation? Call Me Mrs. Miracle by Debbie Macomber.

Macomber's style is the light and fluffy, which is exactly what a Christmas story should be.  This book is about Jake Finley, of the New York City department store Finley's. He is young, handsome and single. As fate has it, he meets Holly Larson, who is young, pretty, and also single, and lives in Brooklyn with her nephew, Gabe. Gabe's father, Mickey was sent to Afghanistan, which left Gabe in Holly's custody with a lot of adjustments to make.

Mrs. Miracle is a grandmotherly woman who has joined the team at Finley's in the toy department. There is something magical about this woman, and how she interacts with the people she meets. From the beginning of the story you can see that she has a plan for Jake and Holly, and she works her magic on them, and the rest of their families.

Such a beautiful story about falling in love and overcoming loss. Perfect for Christmas.


**Side Note: Hallmark made a movie based on this book, it is AWFUL. They do not follow the book like they should, and ruined a perfectly good story. If you caught the movie on television, do not base your opinion of this story on it, please read the book!

you'll laugh, you'll cry. you'll laugh & cry.

Tell me, who DOESN'T love inspiring stories? Hands? Yeah, I didn't think so. Everyone loves a good story that is filled with heart, especially when they are true. Angels on Call: Inspiring True Stories from the ER, is exactly that, a collection of inspiring stories from a real life Emergency Room. 

Dr. Robert Lesslie compiled this collection based on those who visited his ER in Rock Hill, SC. We are talking about real people here, and what Dr. Lesslie and his staff experienced first hand. Through these stories you will see that life is fragile, and beauty can be found in the strangest of places. They are funny and heartfelt. I promise you will enjoy every one.

Angels are everywhere, they come in all forms, and I am pretty sure that Dr. Lesslie has received his wings.

an amish christmas.

Sarah Beachy's life is starting to change. She has been dating her boyfriend Adam for three years, and will soon need to start thinking about marriage. This nineteen-year-old Amish girl is growing up fast. She lives on a farm with her parents and two sisters, her life is extremely fulfilling, but there is something, or someone that is missing.   Her brother Caleb took off to work for a construction company in Cleveland five years ago, and has never returned. Sarah makes it her goal to bring her brother home for the holidays. Leaving her beau and worried parents behind, Sarah heads to Cleveland to find Caleb, and is using this independent adventure to look for answers and find out what she really wants to do with her life. 

Mary Ellis has created a short but sweet Christmas story in Sarah's Christmas Miracle. 

hometown mysteries.

In Advent of Mystery, former investigative reporter, Berdie Elliott thought she was done solving cases. She retired, and moved with her husband to the village of Aidan Kirkwood, in England where he was taking over a small parish. This small village turned out to be rather surprising to the couple, when Mrs. Livingston is found dead, and secrets start pouring out. Many members of this intimate community have skeletons in their closets, which makes it more difficult for Berdie and her side kick/best friend Lillian to pin point the real suspect. 

Even with a number of clues, author Marilyn Leach will keep you guessing until the very end. 

change your world.

Recording artist TobyMac has developed a collection of stories in his book City on Our Knees. I must say,    it gives me goosebumps just thinking about it. These stories were anything but average, and this entire collection is anything but ordinary.

It's about making a difference in the world. We all sit around and talk about it, how great it would be if we did this, or that - yet only a few take action.  City on Our Knees inspires its readers, and a reader can be anyone. Adolescent to adult, this book is for everyone, its about becoming united for the greater good of our community, our country, and our world. Included are short stories of how God uses people to change the lives of others, and the world.

No matter what your faith is, City on Our Knees is worth checking out.

the amish way.

After a recent visit to Intercourse, PA - the Amish have intrigued me a bit more than usual. The way they dress and how they live is unlike anything I could ever imagine for my own life. The simplicity is actually rather lovely. I have to say, they are a very polite group, especially with a group of wild girls like my friends and I.

There is so much about the Amish community that I do not understand. I decided to take it into my own hands to learn more about their faith. Authors Donald B. Kraybill, Steven M. Nolt and David L. Weaver-Zercher made my research much easier in the book, The Amish Way: Patient Faith in a Perilous World. 


This book was extremely interesting and I did enjoy reading it. I understand that it is not easy to write books on faith because it's difficult to keep young readers, like me engaged with such a topic. The authors took a lot of time to research the in and outs of Amish life, and you can absolutely see the time put in through every page.

A small taste of my trip to Intercourse, PA. 

i love this time of year.

Yes it's cold, and sometimes your car will be too frozen to access, but who cares? It's Christmas time! Water Brook Press presents one of the loveliest Christmas books I have come across so far this season. Everything Christmas is a bit time sensitive, so go get yourself a copy ASAP. It begins with December 1st and includes every day until Christmas day.

Everything Christmas is filled with Christmas poems and songs, and Advent activities such as crafts and recipes. One of my favorite aspects of this book is the shared history and international customs.

I cannot wait for the first of December!

*For a chance to win a copy of this book before the beginning of the Advent season, e-mail your name, address and this book title to: jenileerose@yahoo.com

another novel for the holidays.

Melody Carlson is known for some amazing Christmas novels, (I have read them all, of course) and her latest, Christmas at Harrington's is no exception.

Lena is an ex-convict recently released from a women's correctional facility. Like many ex-cons, it is extremely difficult for Lena to put her past behind her and start a new life. Unlike many ex-cons, Lena was falsely accused, and actually did the time for a crime that her con-artist ex-husband committed. Lena simply wants to start over, she doesn't want to dig into her past, she just wants to move on. Lena moves hundreds of miles away from her hometown, and meets some extremely supportive people, she even finds a charming job as Mrs. Santa at Harrington's department store; yet she still cannot seem to shake her history.

I would have loved if this book were longer, because I saw more of a story in Lena and her new found community. I hope that Carlson considers a sequel. Perfect for the holidays.

a great holiday story.

It's only October, and I am seriously ready for Christmas. I received Two Tickets to the Christmas Ball a few weeks ago and tried saving it for a bit closer to the season, but failed. I just love the holidays, filled with snow, magic and love. Corny yes, but Christmas is corny - and so is Donika K. Paul's novella - in the best possible way.

Cora Crowder thinks of Christmas as something to get through. She understands the importance of baby Jesus and the whole lot, but when it comes to buying gifts, it's simply a name to check off the list. She walks into the Warner, Werner, and Wizbotterdad's bookstore on Sage Street, on a mission to check her uncle off that list. As she is getting ready to pay for the book that the odd owners helped her pick out, in walks her boss, Simon Derrick.

Simon is very serious. He does not bring his personal life to the workplace, so no one knows a whole lot about him. Once Cora sees him in the bookstore, everything changes. Circumstance brings them together often and they develop this strange connection. They both receive tickets to the annal Wizards Ball, which is a mystery to most. When Simon goes on a mission for an extra ticket to bring his sister, Sandy, the Sage Street magic comes into play.

This story is as dreamy and magical as the picture on the front cover.

seventeen and homeless.

I have read dozens of Melody Carlson books. She is one of my favorite authors, I just love how real she is. I know for a fact that she does her research, and even though her novels may be fiction, a lot of the time they are based on a real person. It's scary to think about, because Melody Carlson writes about a lot of tough issues - mental illness, drug abuse, rape, being homeless, and so on.

Forgotten is Carlson's latest young adult fiction novel about a 17-year-old girl named Adele Porter who lives with her very unpredictable mother, Carlene. Carlene does not have the best track record keeping jobs, or keeping sane. She is bipolar, and Adele never knows when she is going to snap. One day she comes home and her mother tells her they are moving to a new town because she got a new job. No questions asked, off they go.

Carlene uses her pay advance to get things for their new apartment, buys Adele new clothes, and Adele thinks that maybe her life will actually be normal. She starts her new school, falls in with a popular group, and things start looking up. After a few weeks Adele notices that her mother is late for work, and comes home early. She is a smart girl, she knows what her mother is capable of, so she gets a part-time job working at a nursing home, just in case.

After a fight, her mother leaves her with a note saying she needs some space. Adele goes on living her life as normal as possible, lying to her new friends about her mothers whereabouts. After a few days, she is kicked out of the apartment for not paying the rent, and is forced to live in an old black van (which was left by her mothers new boyfriend). Adele doesn't want to tell anyone that she's homeless because she is still a minor, and doesn't want to be put into foster care.

The lies she tells to get by keep adding up, and it's only a matter of time before that ticking time bomb blows. Just when you think Adele's life couldn't get any worse, it does. Just when Adele has a little hope, it's lost. She doesn't know a lot about God, but she is sure he doesn't care much about her if he's letting all these terrible things happen. But as always, God has a plan.

mysterious book of maps.

Mercy Land (yes, that is her name) is not your typical 1930's young woman. She leaves her family and her rural community all by herself, for bigger opportunities in Bay City, Alabama. In this new city, she acquires a job at the local newspaper and spends a happy seven years working for the publisher and editor, Doc Williams being is girl friday.

Doc comes into possession of a mysterious book of maps. These are not ordinary maps however: they map the life choices made and results recorded of every person in Bay City. What roads were taken, what ones were abandoned. Once Doc shares the book with Mercy, she is overwhelmed by the information and its purpose. We all know that the choices we make affect the lives we lead, but what if you can look back and see how your life would have been if you had made a different choice? Would you want to?

Doc wants to use the book to right a wrong, but Mercy wants to follow its predictions through. In The Miracle of Mercy Land, will this information be shared with the rest of the community?

old school reformation turned new school?

Can't say that I like to make a habit out of reading books that challenge me. I lean more towards the light and fluffy - the simple mind type, really. Religion is not simple, it is not light or fluffy, so why did I start reading James R. Payton Jr.'s Getting the Reformation Wrong? I have no idea - but I'm not mad about it.

First off, our friend Payton is not trying to tell us that the Reformation was wrong, he would just like to take this opportunity to clear up a few things. The Reformation was pretty messy - it was pretty sweet too, but the Reformers disagreed a lot, so it was more messy than sweet at the time. Payton wants to clear up some misunderstandings of the time period, and show us how the Reformation can positively affect our churches today - if used correctly of course.

This topic would easily bore me to tears, but Payton doesn't. It's all about perspective, and Payton gave me a bit of a different view.

plane prayers.

I recently traveled to Europe this summer. By recently, I mean I returned about a week ago, so very recently. It was my first time on an international flight. I do not typically get nervous on planes, because I travel by air so often, but being on a plane for over eight hours at a time is rather nerve-wracking.

Okay, I can't lie to you and say I was actually nervous, because I wasn't. Not about the plane ride anyway. They had me all hooked up with TV/Movie on demand. But for those of you who DO get nervous traveling by plane, or traveling in general, I highly recommend Traveling Graces to ease your troubled minds.

Agnes Cunningham created a handy little book of prayers. There is a prayer for the take-off, one for the flight attendants and the cock pit. This book will make a lovely gift if you know someone who is traveling for the first time, there is a prayer specifically for them. If you get freaked out easily, or even if you handle planes rides perfectly fine, saying a little prayer will only make you and those around you, more relaxed.

So sit back and enjoy your flight.

your body is a wonderland.

We like women who are real. We like hearing the good, bad and ugly of their lives. Even better than that? A Christian woman who is real. Insert Margot Starbuck, author of the hilarious paperback, Unsqueezed. A book about accepting the body and the beauty that God gave you and letting go of society's (and your) obsession to be perfect.

I do believe that Christian women have a real difficulty with perfection. They want to be good influences on others, and they assume this means that they're lives and bodies need to appear to be perfect. Wrong. Non-Christians can relate in more ways to a woman who seems real; with relationships and a body that is realistic, rather than a woman who appears to have everything in place.

Margot's book revolves around our body issues. What are bodies for? They were not designed by God to be on the covers of magazines. She reiterates that our bodies were create to love and be loved, by a Heavenly Father who adored us enough to take on a human form - in all its glory and unglory. Think about it.

**To win a copy of this book e-mail your name, address and this book title to: jenileerose@yahoo.com!

out of this world.

Schemes. They are the basis for many novels. The scheming- the schemed - those who are trying to catch the schemers. In Tim Downs' latest novel, Wonders Never Cease the scheme comes in the form of main character Kemp McAvoy.

Kemp is a night nurse to a once happening celeberty named Olivia Hayden. The beautiful actress was in a car accident and is now in a drug induced coma. Kemp's scheme - or as he would call it, brilliant plan? To go to Olivia as an angel giving her messages, while little by little waking her from her comotuse slumber. Her agent is in on it as well. They want her to wake up not only believing that angels are real, but that they spoke to her. Her story will become a bestseller, and Kemp will make millions.

Meanwhile, Kemp's girlfriend Natalie (who is also a night nurse at the hospital) is dealing with her daughter Leah's crazy claims that she's been seeing angels. Odd right? Odd enough to make you pick up a copy of this book? That's what Downs' is counting on. It gets even more odd when the "angel messages" Olivia tells begin to differ from Kemp's script.

not your typical christian fiction.

No one has a perfect past. Everyone has skeletons in their closets, some scarier than others, but they're still there, haunting us. Our heroine, Jasmine Bush, in the novel Sins of the Mother, is a stripper turned preachers wife. Making your past look pretty innocent, hm? You may already know Jasmine's story, author Victoria Christopher Murray has written four other novels about her life. There are many facets of this character - but in a lot of ways she is relate able. It's her temptations that bring her down, we all have a few of those hanging around.

In this story Jasmine has appeared to really have her act together. She hasn't done anything terrible or slutty in a long time. She is married to Rev. Hosea Bush, pastor of one of the largest churches in NYC. Things are looking up for our girl Jasmine, right? Think again. Her daughter Jacqueline is kidnapped on Black Friday and the search goes on for weeks. Jasmine starts to wonder why? Why? Because, getting your life together does not take you off the tragedy list.

Murray definitely leaves you questioning Jasmine throughout the book. It's a really good story - filled with just enough drama to keep you interested until the last page.

romantic, thrilling, & fast paced.

Boy meets girl, boy marries girl, girl dies and her look-a-like returns to boy three years later. It may sound kind of crazy, but if this doesn't spark your interest, then you are simply uninteresting.

Forget Me Not, by Vicki Hinze is a suspenseful Christan fiction novel that will not disappoint. The boy is Benjamin Brandt, the girl - Susan, his wife who died three years ago. The look-a-like? She awakes in the woods, beaten from a car jacking with no memory. After she is found and taken to Crossroads Crisis Center she notices a picture of the founder, a woman, named Susan Brandt. I am assuming you know why I call her look-a-like; it's because she looks exactly like Susan - enough alike that she actually thinks that she actually IS Susan. But that's impossible, because Susan was murdered.

Who is this mysterious woman? What will Benjamin think when he meets her? You will devour these pages, and be left extremely satisfied. Promise.

teenage christian fiction.

Daisy Crispin is a pretty typical seventeen-year-old girl. She goes to a Christian high school, is quite the perfectionist, and more than anything, she wants the boy she likes to ask her to prom. She is typical until you see her homemade clothes, designed by her old fashioned mother and meet her over protective father dressed in his pirate costume.

Let me explain, Daisy's parents are hardcore Jesus freaks. They do not believe in dating, (which they call courting - pretty 1900 if you ask me) until you are at marrying age, which they do not believe Daisy is, of course. The pirate costume is the result of her dad's job as an entertainer. The kid's birthday party type of entertainer - nothing about Daisy's life is cool.

Daisy wants so badly to go to prom. She has made a list of the boys she would like to be asked by. Number one on her list is Chase, who she has known since kindergarten. Throughout the story from the beginning of the school year until prom, Daisy makes some major changes in her status at school, and her relationship with her parents. Some good, some bad, okay...mostly bad. You cannot help but be entertained by Daisy's sarcastic narrating, and her crazy best friend Claire.

Perfectly Dateless, by Kristen Billerbeck (one of my favorite authors), is a great book for you soon-to-be seniors in high school who are desperately trying to fit in.

second installment, better than the first.

You don't see a lot of Amish love stories hitting the bestsellers list, but you will be pleasantly surprised when you read Spring's Renewal, which is the next installment of Shelley Shepard Gray's Seasons of Sugarcreek series. (The first book is called Winter's Awakening).

Our Amish heroine, Clara was severely burned in a fire when she was five-years-old, leaving her feeling deformed and insecure. Her mother doesn't help matters, she tells Clara that she will never find a husband because of her scars, (thanks for the self esteem boost, Mom). In walks Tim Graber, only in town temporarily to help with a family farm, and has a fiance back home. Tim meets Clara, looks beyond her scars, and discovers what a beautiful person she is.

Gray created such a wonderful character in Clara. She has a personality that you would not expect from an Amish woman. Autumn's Promise will be coming out in August 2010, so you don't have to wait too long to learn more about this Amish world.

another hit by mcdonough!

Wildflower Hearts is a three-in-one book by Vickie McDonough. The reason why this christian fiction book is so enticing is because the three main characters of each story are siblings. Adam MacFarland is our first hero in Wild At Heart. Anna MacFarland (Adam's twin) is our heroine in Outlaw Heart. Last but not least, Quinn MacFarland's romantic story in Straight for the Heart will steal your heart.

Each of the MacFarland siblings are dealing with the loss of their father. They all grieve differently, and their vast personalities make for interesting story lines in all three parts of this collection. The MacFarland's take turns growing up in these coming of age stories, filled with important lessons on love, patience and trust.

Wildflower Hearts is a beautifully crafted collection of tales that will delight your heart.

old western.

Author Vickie McDonough is making her way up my top list of authors with every book she writes. Her latest, The Anonymous Bride, was an extremely fun read, I was sad to see it end.

Set in Texas in the late nineteenth century. Look out, Lookout! There is a new Sherif in town! (That was me being funny, because the town is called Lookout). Luke Davis has returned to his hometown to take the role as town marshall. It wasn't easy for him to return after eleven years because he had his heart ripped out of his chest by the woman he loved. It's one thing if a woman stops loving you, but it's an entirely different thing if she chooses someone else.

Rachel Hamilton owns the boarding house. Eleven years ago she decided to let the man she loved go because she wanted what she thought would be a better life for herself, a richer life. Her husband is dead now, and she is left to wonder what might have been. What if she didn't let Luke go? Now that he is back in town, she has to see him every day and realize what she lost.

Will Luke and Rachel get a second chance at love? Here is the twist, three women have arrived in Lookout in hopes to marry Luke Davis. His cousins want him to move on and surprised him with three mail order brides to pick from. Take a wild guess to where these brides are staying? In the boarding house with Rachel, of course!

The other characters that McDonough has designed, capture her readers and put them inside the authentic western world she has created. It's a nice relaxing read, perfect for vacation. Enjoy :)

christian fiction.

Bette Nordberg's latest fiction novel, Genoa Bay tells the story of Brandy, a young widow returning to her roots to start over. After the death of her military husband, Brandy travels to the opposite side of the continent to carve out a new life for herself and her daughter on British Columbia's Vancouver Island. Brandy moves into the large house that was left to her by the woman who raised her, and makes plans to turn it into a bed and breakfast.

Genoa Bay is a story of tragedy and hope, loss and gain. It's believable fiction, that you cannot help but enjoy reading.

Bette Nordberg has the rare ability of being able to paint the scenery like a masterpiece and the good times and the hardships of the characters soon become your own. She gives life to these characters. This is by far her best novel to date. It will capture you immediately.

change your life.

DO SOMETHING! Just the title is strong. DO Something!: Make Your Life Count by Miles McPherson will make you see that life is a gift, a great gift, and we shouldn't waste it. This book is filled with real-life stories that will motivate you to get off the couch and get out there in the world to do something great. Motivate you to reach out to others AND to God. It's the powerful and life changing sort of book.

Read it, DO it.

limelight.

I have never met a Melody Carlson book that I didn't like, and "Limelight" is no exception. This is a novel about a lovely old woman named Claudette, who lived an adult life of wealth and privilege until her director husband Gavin, died (of old age, nothing crazy). Claudette is used to lavish parties, fine dining and a full time staff for her beautiful Beverly Hills mansion. She was not prepared for the news that Gavin's accountant was robbing them blind, paying himself instead of their taxes. The IRS took her house and she had to sell most of her cherished things to survive. Claudette did the only thing she could think of, being in her eighties, and feeling ugly about her appearance and her life, she downed a bunch of pills and tried to end it. She wasn't that lucky. (Kidding, kind of)

After being hospitalized and then released, the only option Claudette had left was to move to her hometown in her childhood home that her mother left to her. She cut all ties with this former life, even with her younger sister who lived in an assisted living home in town. After getting settled in to her new, but old, home, everything went wrong. I got a bit tired for her contemplating suicide, (which she often did). Claudette was lost, she had no idea how to live like a normal person. She had no idea how to do housework, how to properly grocery shop, how to do anything. She was too proud to ask for help, but is lucky when help knocks on her door, and keeps helping regardless.

While living this new life, she finds out secrets of her mothers past, and begins to realize that she not only needs help from others, but from God as well. God is involved in this story, but not shoved down your throat, or Claudette's. It is heartwarming, and extremely funny, with a little of Carlson's notorious darkness mixed in. It's the whole package. I recommend this book for any age.

pure pleasure, seriously.

Guilt and fear for experiencing pleasure? That sounds a bit off eh? How can someone be afraid of feeling good? As Gary Thomas explains in his newest book "Pure Pleasure," it happens to the best of us.

Why do Christians feel so bad about feeling good? In this well researched book, Thomas describes the path of faith as an open door to life's richest pleasures: beauty, art, noble achievement, fine meals, rich relationships, and soul-cleansing laughter. Thomas shows us how to find a healthy balance in our lives. This is such a great message.

I highly recommend this book. It will make you take a step back and possibly re-think how you view God's intentions for your life.

live confidently in every aspect of life!

Fear is a part of life. Growing up I have noticed that I have become more fearful as the years pass. Fear tends to grow with the more people you are responsible for, and the more you have to lose. In "Fear Fighters" author and pastor Jentezen Franklin shows us how to live with confidence in a world full of fear.

Through scripture Franklin teaches us how to live without fear. For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7 Whether it's your financial situation or your family, you cannot succeed in life if you give into fear.

It can feel impossible to be brave. Fear is a paralyzing thing. Read this book and you will become leaps and bounds closer to a life WITHOUT fear. Can you imagine?