Audrey Bunny - A book review and a giveaway

 - a story by Angie Smith

 - illustrated by Breezy Brookshire

Ways to get connected:
Website
B&H Kids Facebook 
B&H Publishing Twiiter - @BHKidsBuzz 

About Audrey Bunny

From best-selling women’s author Angie Smith (I Will Carry You, Mended) comes this sweet children’s book about a stuffed animal named Audrey Bunny who fears her imperfections make her unworthy of a little girl’s love. She'll learn the truth soon enough, and young readers will learn that everyone is special and wonderfully made by God.

[Also included]: The Parent Connection (last page of the book) shares discussion questions and activities reinforcing God's love for us.

Angie Smith is the wife of Todd Smith (lead singer of Dove Award winning group Selah), best-selling author of Mended, I Will Carry You, and What Women Fear, and one of the most popular speakers and blog writers in the country. She holds a Master’s degree in Developmental Psychology from Vanderbilt University and lives with her husband and daughters in Nashville, TN.

Written by: Angie Smith

Publisher: B&H Publishing

Hardcover with jacket:  32 pages 

$14.99

My thoughts:
This is a cute children's story about a little stuffed bunny who fears she will never find a forever home.  She worries that her imperfection will keep her from being loved and accepted.  Children will come along on Audrey's journey where she learns that she is completely loved and accepted just as she is.

Each of us is fearfully and wonderfully made by our Almighty God and He loves us just as we are.

This story is charming to read, in and of itself.  But it also serves a greater purpose, to teach children that God created us just the way we are and that are differences are what makes us special.  Jesus truly does love the little children.

In addition to the story, the illustrations are absolutely precious.

This delightful story captures the beauty of childhood and a child's desire to be accepted and loved just the way they are.

One lucky reader will receive a copy of this book, courtesy of FlyBy Promotions.  Just leave a comment on or before November 9, 2013.  I will choose one comment at random.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

One Way Love - A Review and a Giveaway

Tullian Tchividjian is the senior pastor of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida and the founder of LIBERATE.  He is also the grandson of Billy and Ruth Graham.

"Our world tells us: If you work hard, you’ll get the promotion.

 If you finish your broccoli, you’ll get dessert. 

If you do these three things, you’ll have a great marriage.

But grace isn’t from our world. 

Grace is unconditional, unpredictable, and way out of your control. 

And it will change your life." - page 21

My Thoughts:

At first, I was only reading this book because I had a review to write.  I needed to read the book, so I was reading it.  Then, the more I read of this book, the more interested I became. 

The words of this book touched me deep in my heart.  Feelings of not being good enough.  Feelings of guilt for the mistakes I have made.  This book has shown me that these feelings aren't  necessary.  God already knows I am not good enough - not good enough to deserve His love, and not good enough to deserve His salvation and grace.  That is why He sent His son, Jesus Christ.  Jesus Christ is good and through His Grace we are saved.  I truly am a Sinner saved by Grace.  Once saved always saved... by Grace (not by works, lest anyone should boast).  There is nothing I can do to keep my salvation and on the other hand, nothing I can do to lose my salvation.  It is by God's "One Way Love"... by His grace that I am saved and forgiven.  This book has been like a medicine to my soul, soothing and reassuring.  It is a reminder that God doesn't expect me to be perfect; in fact, He already knows I am not.  It is also a reminder that those around me are not perfect; they will disappoint.  We are all imperfect humans.

"One Way Love" is one of my favorite non-fiction reads.  This book has had a great impact on my heart and on the way that I view God and myself.

I will close my thoughts the same way Pastor Tullian closed his book, with this quote from Robert Capon. 

"What role have I left for religion? None. And I have left none because the Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ leaves none. Christianity is not a religion; it is the announcement of the end of religion. Religion consists of all the things (believing, behaving, worshiping, sacrificing) the human race has ever thought it had to do to get right with God. About those things, Christianity has only two comments to make. The first is that none of them ever had the least chance of doing the trick: the blood of bulls and goats can never take away sins (see the Epistle to the Hebrews) and no effort of ours to keep the law of God can ever finally succeed (see the Epistle to the Romans). The second is that everything religion tried (and failed) to do has been perfectly done, once and for all, by Jesus in his death and resurrection. For Christians, therefore, the entire religion shop has been closed, boarded up, and forgotten. The church is not in the religion business. It never has been and it never will be, in spite of all the ecclesiastical turkeys through two thousand years who have acted as if religion was their stock in trade. The church, instead, is in the Gospel-proclaiming business. It is not here to bring the world the bad news that God will think kindly about us only after we have gone through certain creedal, liturgical and ethical wickets; it is here to bring the world the Good News that “while we were yet sinners, Christ died for the ungodly.” It is here, in short, for no religious purpose at all, only to announce the Gospel of free grace," Robert Capon

Stay Connected:

One Way Love website

#OneWayLove

@PastorTullian

"Tullian captures the wonder of grace and offers it to us all.  I urge you to read this book."

-Max Lucado, pastor and bestselling author

Tullian is also speaking with author Matt Chandler at 3 upcoming events.

One lucky reader will receive a copy of this book, courtesy of FlyBy Promotions.  Just leave a comment on or before October 28, 2013.  I will choose one comment at random.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.