God Gave Us Christmas

God Gave Us Christmas

God Gave Us Christmas by Lisa Tawn Bergren is a vivid and colorful picture book to be enjoyed by children of all ages. Set in the Arctic Tundra, God Gave Us Christmas is a story of a young polar bear cub and her mother. The story begins when the Little Cub asks her mama, “Who vented Christmas?” Together they go on an adventure as the mama bear shows her daughter how God Gave Us Christmas.

There are so many aspects of the story that are relevant to the mother-child relationship. One aspect has to do with the parent as a teacher. Every young child at some point has asked one or both of their parents a question of some importance. This book demonstrates a parent as teacher when the Mama Bear takes Little Cub on an adventure to answer her question.

Another relevant aspect of the mother-child relationship addressed in the book is very subtle, and that is the desire in every child’s heart to be special. At the beginning of the story before the adventure begins, Little Cub asks her mama, “Can we leave them at home?” in reference to her siblings. Every child wants that special one on one time to spend with either mommy or daddy and that is something children and parents can connect to in the story.

I liked this story for so many reasons. One reason is that it is a book that should be read while cuddling your child /children close. God Gave Us Christmas has a warm and cozy feel, which makes for a wonderful time of snuggling up and creating memories as you read. Another reason I like the book is because of the element of science in the book. The book is set in the Artic Tundra and the author uses the wonder of the Northern Lights for Mama bear to teach Little Cub at one point during the story. But my favorite part about the book is how it is a tool to teach your children about the true meaning of Christmas, the birth of Jesus. The author weaves this into her story so beautifully and while the Mama Bear is teaching her cub, she is teaching you and your child as well.

God Gave Us Christmas is a wonderful story with beautiful illustrations to make the story come alive. Each page contains just the right amount of words to keep the reader engaged as well as beautiful illustrations that perfectly match the text. I highly recommend this book to any parent with small children, no matter how young. Read it to your infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and elementary aged children. God Gave Us Christmas is a fantastic story that can be read at Christmas, put away, and brought out at Christmastime every year.



You can purchase this book at barnesandnoble.com, lifewaychristianstores.com, and christianbook.com.

Other children's titles by Lisa Tawn Bergren include God Gave Us You and God Gave Us Two. For more information on the author, go to http://lisatawnbergren.com/.

God Strong-A Military Wife's Spirtual Survival Guide

Upon gazing upon the title, God Strong by author Sara Horn, you are immediately aware of what the book is about. God Strong, The Military Wife’s Spiritual Survival Guide is a work of nonfiction designed to encourage military wives of all branches in their walk with God, especially during a time of deployment.

Sara, a military wife herself, wrote this book after separation from her husband, a Navy reservist, due to a deployment. God Strong is heartfelt work of encouragement as Sara shares her personal struggle going from “I” can do this deployment all by myself to leaning on God, and His strength.

Arranged in chapters God Strong deals with issues every military wife faces during times of deployment and times of everyday military life. Chapter titles include, “Fear Blocks My Focus,” and “I Am Not Alone.” Topics Sara addresses in her book are faith, fear, loneliness, grace, hurt, worry, and worship. Each chapter ends with “Strength Builders”, scriptures aligned with subject matter of the chapter, as well as “Strength Trainers”, questions designed to assess where the military wife is at in her walk with God.

The book is very insightful into the life of the military wife. As a military wife, Sara is very much in touch with the challenges all military wives face. I enjoyed reading the book because I could relate to the things she says because I am an Army wife. I connected with many of her stories and struggles on a personal level because I have had some of the same experiences. I recommend this book to any military wife who wants to deepen her walk with God and begin to focus on Him more as her source for strength and less on herself. If you have been relying on yourself, thinking I can do it all without anybody’s help, and failing miserably, get this book. It will help you grown in your walk with God and encourage you on the journey of military life.

Many thanks to Sara for writing God Strong, A Military Wife’s Spiritual Survival Guide. I appreciate her willingness to share her private journey in order to encourage military wives everywhere to find their strength in God.



For more information on the author go to www.sarahorn.com. Also be sure to check out the website, Wives of Faith. Sara Horn is the founder of Wives of Faith, a Christian organization for military wives by military wives. You can order God Strong-A Military Wife's Spiritual Survival Guide at zondervan.com.