Fresh Brewed Life - a Book Review

Is the daily grind getting you down? Nichole Johnson invites readers to wake up in Fresh-Brewed Life. This book is an updated version of the one she released ten years ago. Much has happened in Nicole’s life since her first book and she’s open and honest about her life. A popular Women of Faith speaker, she’s inspired many women.

In this book, Johnson covers an array of topics: friendships, relationships, beauty, sexuality, dreams, and more. Each topic is handled with a biblical perspective and there are discussion questions in the back for those who want to use the book as a small group study.

Chapters have attractive callout quotes throughout as well as activities called “fresh brewed adventures” for the reader to do. Example: Write a letter to God, confiding in Him your deepest longings. Each chapter also has a box with suggestions for “directed journaling”. Example: What is someone else doing that you wish you were doing?

One of the most effective chapters in Fresh-Brewed Life was the one on anger. Johnson is open about her own struggle and gets to the heart of why people get angry. The other chapter that I found significant was the one on changing your world. So many women are hindered by fear, overwhelmed by life, and unaware of their real passion. This book helps then reconnect with their dreams and let go of what holds them back.

At first I thought this would be a collections of devotions. It isn’t. It’s more of a workbook to help women do just what the title promises—to wake up their souls and live a richer, fuller, more flavorful life.

I received a free copy of this book from Thomas Nelson Publishers for review purposes through their Book Sneeze program. 

Could You Pack Up and Move to Africa? For Coffee?

When you sip your morning java, do  you ever wonder where the beans for that coffee came from? Do you ever wonder about the farmer? I didn't think much about it when I'd make my espresso and blend it up with some milk and ice...that is I didn't until I met someone who does care about the farmer. And he made me think differently about it.

Ben Carlson, a native of my little Wisconsin neighborhood has a passion for helping those farmers get paid what they deserve for their coffee beans. And he's in Africa helping those farmers. But such a passion comes with a price.

As a wife, I cannot imagine what it might be like if my husband's passion took us to the heart of Africa. To a place where the people don't speak my language, and where I'd fall asleep and wake up to gunfire, not peepers and crickets. I cannot fathom raising small children away from grandparents, cousins and friends. But this family is doing it.

I want you to see this stirring (pun not intended) video of Ben and his family. It moved me.


After watching that, I'm ashamed of my petty complaints about my minor discomforts and woes. I'm grateful for the safety of my rural neighborhood and the availability of doctors and clinics. And I'm saddened by the way farmers have been underpaid in Africa for a product that supplies our luxury in lattes and fancy brews.

Kristy and Ben blog about their life in Africa at Long Miles Coffee Project. I encourage you to check out their blog and Kristy's amazing photos and heartwarming posts. And remember, when you sip your next cup of coffee, to pray for Ben and Kristy and others who have given up their own comfort to help oppressed people in places like Burundi. Pray that their faith will remain strong and their hearts will be full of hope as they cope with the daily stresses of such a life.

Practical Advice on How to Clean Your Stove Top

It's everyday Tuesday and I'd like to share a quick cleaning tip with you. If you've never taken  your stove top apart and cleaned it, I think it's about time! Many people don't realize that you can pull apart your traditional stove without damaging anything.

I just finished canning the last load of tomatoes for the season and canning can leave a lot of icky stains on the white stove top. When I put the canner away at the end of the summer, I like to give a stove a polish and shine. That's polish, not Polish, lest those of you who have an aversion to cleaning think I was being politically incorrect.

I won't show a before picture, I'm too ashamed of how bad it was.

Gather your tools for cleaning. Usually a soft cleanser or a powdered cleanser and a scrub pad.

 Lift up the burner and gently pull it from the socket. It's made with ends that unplug, really!

Then remove the drip pan. The drip pan can be washed in hot soapy water that has degreaser.

Remove the knobs from the control panel and wash those in hot soapy water too.

 

 Then, use the scrubber and hot soapy water or soft cleanser to scrub the back panel and all around the burner openings on the stove surface.

  

Did you know the stove top lifts up like the hood of a car? You can clean up all of the spills from things that boiled over because they collect in the big metal drip pan under the surface. Most stoves have little props on the side to hold the stove top up for cleaning.

Then, put everything back together and enjoy the beautiful clean stove. It's almost like getting a new one, only cheaper.

Boys Will Always Find Mischief

My boys have subtle ways of making life interesting. Some time ago, they teamed up (always a recipe for trouble) and they decided to redecorate a little. They thought our family pictures displayed on the wall in the hallway lacked something, so they added a photo of their own.

Funny thing is, I didn't discover it until I was giving a guest a tour of our house. As we passed the family pictures in the hall, I did a double take.

This is how the display looks. But, what caught my eye was the little picture above the family group picture. I hadn't seen it before.

Turns out, they cropped my husband and me from another family picture, then used some sort of doodling program on the computer to edit the picture and give us more creative features than we normally have. They printed it out and borrowed one of my other frames (who knows who they covered up) and hung it up. 

When they were little, they got into the cookie jar, or scribbled crayon on the walls. They snuck out of their rooms during naps. As teens, the mischief broadens with the availability of technology.

Guess what? I left the picture there in the grouping. It says so much more about our family than the formal pictures do. It paints a vivid picture of life with my funny boys. My funny and very naughty boys.

More Reflecting Him Resources from Carla McDougal

In an earlier post today, I featured a review of a Bible study by Carla McDougal. I'd like to tell you more about the resources she has available.

Q&A With Carla

• What practical steps can believers take to be less self-focused and more God-focused?   
  • Life is not about me, but all about Him. This phrase changed my life. Prayer is the key to keeping your eyes on Jesus. The more we pray, the more God moves us to do His will and not our will! 
• You say it’s important for believers to discover how to pray everyday prayers.  What does this mean? I heard a speaker say she would never bother God to help her find her lost keys or a good parking spot—how do you feel about that statement? 
  • I pray about everything! Jesus tells us in Luke 16:10, “He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much.” We categorize prayers, God recognizes prayers. God wants us to bring everything to Him. Nothing is too small or too big for God! Prayer builds our faith and trust in Jesus!
• What are some of the blessings of having an intimate life with Jesus, and how does one develop that intimacy?
  • Humbleness abounds as I realize there is nothing I can do to earn an intimate relationship with Jesus. I can only obtain it through His grace and mercy, which He gives so freely. Jesus is my all in all.

Discount Offered!

Go to Reflective Life Ministries Online Bookstore, and purchase the items mentioned here for a 10% discount. Simply use the promo code: RHBLOG1

Book Review - Reflecting Him (A Bible Study For Groups & Individuals)

Be sure to answer my question at the end of this post for your chance to be entered in a prize drawing.

Reflecting Him: Living for Jesus and Loving It is a Bible study book by Carla McDougal that takes participants through a study of living for Jesus in the day to day. This is a 10 week study with five daily lessons each week. Each week has its own theme and its own metaphor. The first week has a group lesson and then the daily lessons begin with the chapter for week 2.

Week 1: Reflections in Life (Mirror analogy) Group Session
Week 2: Created for God, by God (Clay and potter metaphor)
Week 3: Senses of the Soul (Metaphor using each of the 5 senses)
Week 4: The Power Source (Metaphor using light)
Week 5: Prayer from the Inside Out (Metaphor of rooms in a house)
Week 6: Prayer Fuels Faith (Analogy of oil drilling)
Week 7: The Control Syndrome (Using metaphor from gardening and soil)
Week 8: Roadblocks Ahead (Analogy uses road blocks, detours, etc)
Week 9: Fit for Jesus (Physical fitness analogy)
Week 10: Reflect Him (A review of all of the weeks) Group Session

Each daily assignment includes 5 elements:

1. An introductory narrative that included story and analogy. About a page long.
2. Scripture Excavation – this part included looking up scriptures and filling in blanks for thoughts about the scripture
3. Hidden Treasures – Ties the weekly metaphor with the scriptures.
4. Celebrating Treasure Gifts – This section includes a practical take-home lesson
5. Reflection Pause- This is kind of a challenge for the day.

Daily homework includes filling in blanks and looking up verses in the Bible. Some of the verses are longer passages and some are shorter. Some readers might think 10 weeks is a little long, however, it’s nice to take some time with a study and not have to search for new group material immediately as is the case with some shorter studies.


What I Liked
The daily homework is a good length for busy people. It’s not daunting for people to stay caught up. I also think the author does a great job of balancing narrative, study, and personal application. The book covers a lot of ground and it’s a great study for a mixed group (people at different levels of spiritual maturity). The study gets to the heart of thoughts and feelings and perceptions, encouraging participants to be transparent with their thoughts—a good group bonding opportunity. I think this study would work very well as a personal study outside of a group too, and many of the questions lend themselves well to journaling.


What I Didn’t Like
Readers have to look hard to find the information for leaders. There is a small link in the front material for where leaders info can be downloaded from the web. In many ways, this study felt more like a personal study than a group study. There were more personal questions than group questions. There were a couple of places where a statement was made followed by some blank lines. It was unclear what the reader should write in those lines. The statement didn’t prompt any personal action to justify having the lines fill space. Here’s an example: “Did you notice how the blind man obeyed before he could see? That is faith!” (p 37) This was followed by 3 blank lines.


Conclusions
I liked that the metaphor for each week was incorporated well into the study, but it was hard to see how each of those fit into the overall theme from the title “Reflecting Him.” The author included many educational tidbits along with the metaphors/analogies used in book.

It’s so difficult to find a good study for a group. McDougal has done a great job of taking Bible study seriously. She’s avoided the fluff that so many studies include and stuck with the meat. As a former Bible study leader, I give her a big thumbs up for that! Reflecting Him is a great starting place for new believers and a great review for those who have grown stagnant in their faith.

Grand Prize Giveaway:

Reflective Life Ministries

Instant Leader Kit:

Video Teaching Series

Bible Study Book
Leader Guide
Music CD

 

 Would you like a chance to win this great Bible study leaders packet from the author? Comment below and tell me what you look for in a good small group or personal Bible study. I'll draw one name on the 7th of  October and send that name on to the grand prize drawing on the 10th. Two of my readers have already been grand prize winners in similar drawings!

Letting Go - Guest Post by Carla McDougal

Today, I'd like to share a guest post with you from Carla McDougal. Tomorrow, I'll give my review of Carla's book and you'll have a chance to enter the giveaway drawing.

LETTING GO

By Carla McDougal

Do you remember the last time you opened the door to your junk closet? You know, the place where you put things you don’t want left out in the open. Maybe an item is old and worn out, so you throw it in this closet. Or, possibly it’s broken, and you don’t know what to do with it.

In my Bible Study, Reflecting Him, I invite readers to take a guided tour through various rooms in our homes, and compare these areas to our spiritual lives. The first day of the tour focuses on the closet—that hidden, dark place no one enters but you. “Out of sight, out of mind” might describe those items tucked away in that small space; but couldn’t the phrase also depict the things we hide in the backs of our minds and hearts? Broken, worn out, or sinful thoughts weigh heavily on our souls, and we need to let go, so they can be replaced by God’s light of love, grace and mercy. June 23rd is National “Let It Go” Day. I encourage you to find something in your spiritual “junk closet” and let it go.
 

Do you harbor bitterness for past hurts against you? Does sin linger in the crevices of your heart and mind? Are you in need of God’s forgiveness? We are all sinners, but we can be free from the closet of sin if we confess and ask for His forgiveness. Let go, and let God shine His light on you.

Just like cleaning out the junk closet, once you let go of those spiritual messes in your life, you’ll be left with room for the new. God’s all about making things new. A new heart. A new life. A new you. It all starts with letting go of those things that fall short of His plan.

When you organize a junk closet, you might choose to use special organizers or aids to make it all work together better. Or perhaps you even hire a professional organizer. In your spiritual closet, don’t forget that you can find all the assistance you’ll ever need through the help of the Holy Spirit and God’s Word.

Are you ready to let God take the tour through the various rooms of your spiritual “house”? When you open the closet, what mess falls out? Give it to Him and see what happens!

CARLA MCDOUGAL is founder of Reflective Life Ministries headquartered in the Houston,
Texas area. Her true passion for her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, shines brightly, whether she is speaking or writing. She shares experiences from her own life to encourage women to live every day for Him. God is sending Carla around the world to speak to women from all walks of life—those living in the best of circumstances to those who have hit rock bottom. 

 

Carla’s book,  Reflecting Him: Living for Jesus and Loving It, pulls back the veil so you can see yourself and your Lord more clearly and reflect Him with transparency when interacting with others. This 10-week study exposes the dark corners of your life, opening your eyes and heart to what Jesus wants you to see. Carla’s refreshing authenticity and humorous style will lift you up from a heaviness you didn’t even know weighed you down. For more information on a growing number of products from Reflective Life Ministries go to: www.reflectivelifeministries.org
 

This article content is provided free of charge by the author through Kathy Carlton Willis Communications. You are welcome to place this article on your site or in your publication as long as 1) it’s used in its entirety, 2) the full bio is also used, and 3) you previously request permission through KCWC at russ@kathycarltonwillis.com. All other standard copyrights apply.