The Stained-Glass Pickup: Glimpses of God’s Uncommon Wisdom
By Cathy Messecar
(Leafwood Publishers 2006)

Newspaper columnist Cathy Messecar shares a collection of stories that will deepen the faith of every woman. The title comes from the first devotional in the book, about a rancher who prays aloud for his high school age daughter while he drives her to school in his truck. I can certainly relate to praying in extremely humble places.

The book contains an eclectic mix of uncommon wisdom gleaned from the Bible and the author’s… Read More

Mozart’s Sister
By Nancy Moser
(Bethany House 2006)

For all the music or historical fiction lovers on your gift list, Nancy Moser’s exquisite novel will whisk them away to 18th-century Vienna. Did you even know Mozart had a sister? Six years his senior, Nannerl was every bit as talented as her precocious and highly acclaimed brother. Yet because she was a woman, she was overlooked by society, as well as her father.

The book is told from Nannerl’s point of view and reads like a piece of music, with sections… Read More

Beyond Green Gables:
Kevin Sullivan’s Designscapes
By Kevin Sullivan
(Davenport Press 2005)

One of the most popular stories of all time, Anne of Green Gables, captured our hearts even more when we saw Anne’s beloved Prince Edward Island come to life on the silver screen. But did you ever stop to think about the artistic genius required to create the spectacular movie sets? Kevin Sullivan is a photographer extraordinaire, and in his stunning, full-color book, you’ll be taken behind the scenes of the filming of Anne of Green Gables, as well as… Read More

Queen of the Castle: 52 weeks of Encouragement for the Uninspired, Domestically Challenged or Just Plain Tired Homemaker
By Lynn Bowen Walker
(Integrity 2006)

Author Lynn Bowen Walker begins her book with this disclaimer: “OK – so let’s get this out of the way right up front: I am not homemaker of the year.” That said, this is a book every homemaker won’t want to live without. Written with a light and humorous touch, Walker combines inspirational storytelling with an endless cache of organizing, craft, and holiday ideas –… Read More

The Three Wise Women: A Christmas Reflection
By Christin Ditchfield (Crossway 2005)

You’ve heard of the three wise men; they’re an integral part of every Nativity. But what about the three wise women who each played a significant role in the birth of Christ?

Three women–one single, one married, and one widowed –have much to teach us about following God’s will, even when it doesn’t make sense at first. Mary was chosen while still a teen to become mother of… Read More

Claire Knows Best,
by Tracey Bateman
(Warner Faith 2006)

Tracey Bateman’s mom-lit is a hoot, and I can’t say enough fabulous things about her Claire series: Leave it to Claire, Claire Knows Best, and I Love Claire (coming in Jan. 2007). Single mom Claire Everett’s plan for her life is tossed out the window when a tornado rips through her home, crashing her computer, and forcing her family to move. She’s dating Greg, the cute widower down the street, but there are mega-problems–her teen daughter’s rebellion, her ex-husband’s pregnant… Read More

(Bantam Books, 2002)
By Marla Cilley, A.K. A. The FlyLady

Are you a FlyLady fan? If so, then you’re one of over 300,000 women around the world who have discovered FlyLady’s system for coping with the chaos in your home. I joined her newsletter group about a year ago and always felt like I was missing the whole story, so I finally bought and read her book.

Sink Reflections gives you a behind-the-scenes peek into how the FlyLady system came into being. Marla Cilley was once a frustrated… Read More

RV There Yet?
WestBow Press, 2006
By Diann Hunt

I started laughing from the very first page of this book, and I didn’t stop until I finished it. What plot could offer more fun? Three middle-aged women crammed together in an RV for two weeks of non-stop adventure. Diann Hunt’s playful narrative is a hoot.

Here’s the first line, “Remind me again. I left a shop full of chocolates behind, why?” Millie, Lydia, and DeDe have been friends since childhood; they met at a Christian camp. Now, coinciding… Read More