Monthly book Giveaway--Mr. Portly Finds His Purpose

For more information about Monthly Book Giveaways, click HERE. 

This month's book giveaway is for a delightful read-aloud or alone illustrated picture book, Mr. Portly Finds His Purpose. Please read to the end of the post to enter the giveaway! :-)

This creative, wonderful book is written by my sister, Alicia Ruggieri, and illustrated by her husband, Alex. They are a couple devoted to the Lord, and their teamwork in this endeavor has produced this sweet, endearing story of a pug who discovers his purpose and worth. It is a great read-aloud story for families--or for an individual child or adult. 

Description from the back of the book:

When Miss Cat-Next-Door informs Mr. Portly the Pug that he is Useless, Mr. Portly is heartbroken. He decides to find out for himself whether or not the Cat is telling the truth...and discovers that everyone - even the most seemingly-useless among us - has worth. A sweet and encouraging read-aloud story for children, the childlike, and all pug-lovers!

Alicia writes: This book is available in paperback only, and it is currently available exclusively through Amazon. My hope is that sharing and reading it with your children or grandchildren will bless you with sarcasm-free, humorous enjoyment that also encourages each of us to be thankful for the worth God with which our Creator has endowed us. :-) 

Author Biography: 

The Ruggieris and their emotionally-troubled second-hand pug live on the New England coast. They dream of having their very own "grumble" of pugs someday.

Other books written by Alicia:

The House of Mercy (read my review HERE), 

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A Time of Grace Trilogy:

Book One: The Fragrance of Geraniums (Read my review HERE)

Book Two: All Our Empty Places (Read my Review HERE)

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The Mystery of the Missing Cufflinks (middle-grade fiction) 

Find Alicia on: 
Blog 
Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

Google +

To ENTER the Giveaway, please comment below about WHY you would like to win this book or about one of your family's favorite read-aloud stories. The Giveaway will end one week from this Thursday (last day to enter is April 6th, 2016). The entrants names will be placed in a hat and a winner will be randomly selected. Please be sure to check back here, where I will announce the winner (winner will also be announced on Facebook, but you DO NOT need to be on Facebook to enter!) 

You might find me on these link-ups:


Strangers and Pilgrims on Earth, Inspire Me Monday, Literacy Musing Mondays, The Modest Mom, What Joy is Mine, SDG Gathering, A Mama's Story, Mom's the Word, Rich Faith Rising, Time Warp Wife, Cornerstone Confessions, Mom's Morning Coffee, Motivate and Rejuvenate Mondays,, Raising Homemakers, Hope in Every Season, A Wise Woman Builds Her Home, Woman to Woman Ministries, Whole-Hearted Home, Testimony Tuesday, Tell His Story, A Soft Gentle Voice, My Daily Walk in His Grace, Women With Intention Wednesdays, Messy Marriage, The Charm of Home, Graced Simplicity, Theology Thursdays, Children Are A Blessing, Imparting Grace, A Look at the Book, Essential Thing Devotions, Thought Provoking Thursday, Count My Blessings, Christian Mommy Blogger, Renewed Daily, Soul Survival, Good Morning Mondays, The Weekend Brew, Blessing Counters Link Party, The HomeAcre Hop, Mommy Moments Link Up, Grace and Truth Linkup, Faith Filled Friday, Tell It To Me Tuesdays, SHINE Blog Hop, Faith and  Fellowship Blog Hop, Motivate and Rejuvenate Monday Link-Up, A Little R&R Wednesdays. TGI Saturdays Blog Hop. Totally Terrific Tuesday, RaRaLinkup, Word of God Speak, Booknificent Thursday, So Much At Home Link Up Party

Resurrection Eggs--Discovering the Beauty of the Cross with Our Children

 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.

--John 11:25 NKJV

I had heard about Resurrection Eggs years ago, and decided to purchase them this year for our family. I am very glad that we did! We have two young children (an almost 2-year-old and a 3-year-old) and they have really been enjoying using the eggs to learn more about Jesus' progression to the cross and of His sacrifice for the sins of the world. 

The eggs are very easy to use. The children love opening them up to see what is inside. The parent then has the opportunity to explain about whatever item is inside the egg and its significance and meaning for those for whom Christ died. 

There are twelve eggs and each holds a specific symbol. One egg is left empty, signifying the open tomb. 

We have opened the eggs and read through the booklet--my 3 year old especially likes to do this with me while her brother is taking his nap, but I am planning to focus on opening one egg each day as we approach Easter Sunday and reading the corresponding page in the booklet given. We then discuss what was inside the egg and talk about the object and its meaning/significance. 

The Resurrection eggs are wonderful for families doing a devotional time together, for use during the Easter season, and for directing our focus upon the cross and the Resurrection. The meanings behind the symbols can be simplified for younger children and elaborated upon for older children. They are a wonderful way to grow as a family in focusing upon the Lord and what He has done for us during this season. We have really benefited from them! 

Another resource that we have enjoyed has been the book The Story of the Resurrection Eggs in Rhyme and Song; my little ones really enjoy it, especially the songs (I usually make up tunes for them as we go along!). 

I am looking forward to reading Benjamin's Box to them when they are a little older as a supplement with the Resurrection eggs. 

Another book we've been enjoying . . . 

It is amazing how much children pick up! Teach them while they're young! Fill them with good and beautiful truth--fill their hearts with the Scriptures--talk to them about His mercy--sing to them about Jesus--sing them hymns--make up songs and pour out your heart with them. You will never regret it. 

I pray that your Easter season is filled with His beauty and gladness and joy; happy Spring, dear children of the Heavenly Father! 

You might find me on these link-ups:

Strangers and Pilgrims on Earth, Inspire Me Monday, Literacy Musing Mondays, The Modest Mom, What Joy is Mine, SDG Gathering, A Mama's Story, Mom's the Word, Rich Faith Rising, Time Warp Wife, Cornerstone Confessions, Mom's Morning Coffee, Motivate and Rejuvenate Mondays,, Raising Homemakers, Hope in Every Season, A Wise Woman Builds Her Home, Woman to Woman Ministries, Whole-Hearted Home, Testimony Tuesday, Tell His Story, A Soft Gentle Voice, My Daily Walk in His Grace, Women With Intention Wednesdays, Messy Marriage, The Charm of Home, Graced Simplicity, Theology Thursdays, Children Are A Blessing, Imparting Grace, A Look at the Book, Essential Thing Devotions, Thought Provoking Thursday, Count My Blessings, Christian Mommy Blogger, Renewed Daily, Soul Survival, Good Morning Mondays, The Weekend Brew, Blessing Counters Link Party, The HomeAcre Hop, Mommy Moments Link Up, Grace and Truth Linkup, Faith Filled Friday, Tell It To Me Tuesdays, SHINE Blog Hop, Faith and  Fellowship Blog Hop, Motivate and Rejuvenate Monday Link-Up, A Little R&R Wednesdays. TGI Saturdays Blog Hop. Totally Terrific Tuesday, RaRaLinkup, Word of God Speak, Booknificent Thursday, So Much At Home Link Up Party

When You Just Can't Do It

HE GOES BEFORE! Be this thy consolation!

He goes before! On this my heart would dwell!

He goes before! This guarantees salvation!

HE GOES BEFORE! And therefore all is well.

--J. Danson Smith (from Streams in the Desert)

I didn't think that I would be able to do it, and I was right. 

Coming here, to a tiny town in the Midwest, moving away from everyone, everything that I held dear--

I came here weeping. 

I didn't think that I would be able to do it -- to be without the constant loving interactions with my family members in my day-to-day life--

Moving away from the home that I had called home for 33 years -- the home that I have lived in all of my life -- first as a baby and a little girl, then with my husband and children -- We lived with my mom after we married. 

I didn't think that I could do it. 

And I left with the physical ties cut, bleeding -- it felt like a death--

The death of the things that I love most, cherish most, hold the most dear--

Beloved family, beloved friends, beloved New England, beloved memories. 

To come here where nothing was familiar. To come here where people do things differently -- where the buildings and the houses and the landscape are so different. Where everything is farther apart, where I can't find all the familiar things that I'm used to. 

I didn't think that I could do it--

Do what the Lord had called me to do -- years and years ago, pressing a burden on my heart to begin a ministry here with my husband. 

And before I left, my little daughter curled up beside me on blankets on our floor -- our bed was packed, ready to go -- I took comfort in the closeness of her little person beside me -- close to me -- and I held on to the promise that the Lord had given me months before. 

That His Presence would go with me. 

My brother-in-law pressed a notecard into my hand as we left -- a promise written in his beautiful calligraphy--

My Presence will go with you and I will give you rest.

And I couldn't do it -- but God could--

He could do His work through me--

He could give me the strength that I needed to face changes and separation and uncertainty and fear.

Because He promised to go with me -- and He is greater than all of these things. 

Just before we made the decision to come here and the Lord opened doors in miraculous and unusual ways--

I was still pleading with Him not to go -- not yet. 

I was listening to a message given by Ravi Zacharias -- about the missionary David Livingstone--

The Lord spoke to me powerfully through it; his words pierced me--

Zacharias shared a quote from David Livingstone--

God, send me anywhere, only go with me. Lay any burden on me, only sustain me. And sever any tie in my heart except the tie that binds my heart to Yours.

― David Livingstone

The Holy Spirit spoke to me through his words -- Weeping, I surrendered my will to the Lord and knew peace.

I knew that He would go with me. 

And I went. 

The pastor at the church that we've been attending said this in a sermon recently, and his words touched my heart--

"The idea that God never gives us more than we can handle -- He does -- God gives us more than we can handle so that we can run to Him and cry out to Him, so that we can see His magnificence in it all -- when I am weak, then I am strong."

The Lord gave me more than I could handle. 

Called me to do something that I didn't think that I could do -- so that I could see His power worked through my weakness and know His sufficiency in it all and depend upon Him in my loneliness and trust that His Presence has gone before me. 

These months have been some of the most difficult for me and some of the most blessed. I have held on to His promises and He has held on to me. He has given me His strength and His joy -- an indescribable joy and peace in my heart -- through a Midwestern winter in a drafty rental house -- a knowing that I am where He wants me. 

Joy. Strength. Peace. Only because of Him. 

And when we surrender and feel like we are falling and losing and dying--

We find His arms beneath us,

We find our hands full of His promises,

We find His life.

As I keep explaining to my little daughter -- the trees lose their leaves during the winter so that they can be clothed in fresh new leaves and life in the spring--

Spring is coming.

And I know that I am here with Him, 

And He is with me.

You might find me on these link-ups:

Strangers and Pilgrims on Earth, Inspire Me Monday, Literacy Musing Mondays, The Modest Mom, What Joy is Mine, SDG Gathering, A Mama's Story, Mom's the Word, Rich Faith Rising, Time Warp Wife, Cornerstone Confessions, Mom's Morning Coffee, Motivate and Rejuvenate Mondays,, Raising Homemakers, Hope in Every Season, A Wise Woman Builds Her Home, Woman to Woman Ministries, Whole-Hearted Home, Testimony Tuesday, Tell His Story, A Soft Gentle Voice, My Daily Walk in His Grace, Women With Intention Wednesdays, Messy Marriage, The Charm of Home, Graced Simplicity, Theology Thursdays, Children Are A Blessing, Imparting Grace, A Look at the Book, Essential Thing Devotions, Thought Provoking Thursday, Count My Blessings, Christian Mommy Blogger, Renewed Daily, Soul Survival, Good Morning Mondays, The Weekend Brew, Blessing Counters Link Party, The HomeAcre Hop, Mommy Moments Link Up, Grace and Truth Linkup, Faith Filled Friday, Tell It To Me Tuesdays, SHINE Blog Hop, Faith and  Fellowship Blog Hop, Motivate and Rejuvenate Monday Link-Up, A Little R&R Wednesdays. TGI Saturdays Blog Hop. Totally Terrific Tuesday, RaRaLinkup, Word of God Speak, Booknificent Thursday, So Much At Home Link Up Party

Monthly Book Giveaway Winner--Hudson Taylor's Spiritual Secret

And the Winner of the Monthly Book Giveaway (for a paperback copy of Hudson Taylor's Spiritual Secret is ). . . 

Ashley (:-)) 

(name was randomly drawn from a hat--actually, a mug :-)). 

Please e-mail me your address through the BLOGGER CONTACT FORM (found on the right -hand side of the blog) so that I may send this book to you! 

Winner will be given three days to respond before I randomly select another winner.

Thank you all for participating!  

Blessings in Christ,

Rebekah