The Invested Life

The Invested Life making disciples of all nations one person at a time by Joel C. Rosenberg & Dr. T.E. Koshy

If you looking for someone to invest your life in or needing someone to disciple you then this is the book for you. I really like how the Authors explained not only in detail but also with scriptures from the bible that we need someone investing in us. Not only do we receive Christ as our Savior we need to have a pastor or older person in the church disciplining us. Just like the Father told his Son Jesus to disciple the 12 men who became his apostles. Jesus was to spend time with each one of them, eating with them, spending time with their friends, and family, working with them and teaching them the things of God. Jesus was equipping them for the Kingdom and that way they can disciples others and so on. We are to do exactly what Jesus did while he was here on earth and more. I also like at the end of the chapter there were questions and they give you the verses to look it up in the bible. I like how Mr. Koshy talked about his mentor and trusted him enough to leave his country and start a church in America during a time where everything was a mess which was in the 60's. Mr. Koshy started off with small groups at college and cooked for them to feed their bellies and feed their soul with word of God. How he meet his wife and their meetings got bigger.

I received a free book "The Invested Life making disciples of all nations one person at a time" by Joel C. Rosenberg & Dr. T.E. Koshy Tyndale Publishing House so I can review. In no way am I obligated to give only good reviews.

Rebecca Adkins

Rules of Engagement

Rules of Engagement by Derek Prince

This is the first time I ever heard of Derek Prince and read any of his books. If you like books about Spiritual Warfare then you will like Rules of Engagement. I love how Derek Prince put in Life Applications, Memory Versus and Faith Responses in his book. It is so true what the author says that we don't see ourselves the way God sees us. This is a quote from his book. "We need to be less concern with how we see ourselves and more concerned with how God see us. In Christ, each one of us is a "new man...created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness" Ephesians 4:24. Viewing ourselves like this will inevitably affect the way we engage in warfare".  I truly love that, we just need to get a hold of that in our hearts and quick listening to what the enemy says. God tested His children not to punish us but to prepare us to see if we trust and wait patiently on God; Just like God did with Job. Job may have not of been happy with all that was going on with him. However, he still trusted in God and didn't stumble. We need to live by the spirit and not be lead by our soul which is our flesh. I really like reading Rules of Engagement it prepares us for spiritual growth and spiritual battle.

I received a free book "Rules of Engagement" by Derek Prince, from Baker Publishing Group so I can review. In no way am I obligated to give only good reviews. 
 Rebecca Adkins

Nothing To Hide

Nothing To Hide by J. Mark Bertrand

I have never read any of J Mark Bertrand book before. I am really surprise that I actually liked the book once it started to get interesting after a slow start. If you are into detective novels then this is the book for you. Once you think you have the story figured out something else happens and shoots your theory down; which I really liked since it wasn't predicable. What I didn't care for were the preludes, once you get involved with the story the author throws in a prelude and I just thought oh man! I understand that the author wanted us to know how Detective March knew a certain person or persons  before he became a detective. I was really surprised by the ending. Without giving it away, I was wondering how did that person know where to meet up with March each time if he wasn't involved with those people.
I received a free book of Nothing To Hide by J Mark Bertrand from Bethany Publishing House so I can review. In no way am I obligated to give only good reviews.

Rebecca Adkins

My Journey to Heaven

My Journey to Heaven by Marvin J. Besteman

If you have not read My Journey to Heaven yet, It is an amazing detail account of Marvin's journey to heaven. I haven't read that many books on heaven, I guess you can say I am kind of skeptic when it comes to people saying they have died and went to heaven and what they saw. I am not saying it hasn't happened, I am sure it has. I am glad that I read My Journey to Heaven. I like the way Marv wrote his experience in plain simple English, it was like he was talking directly to you as you read about his journey. I am glad that when he saw 6 people he knew in heaven he took the time to tell us how he knew them and what they meant to him. You can feel the love and compassion he had for the people he knew. I also liked how he described what heaven looked like, the walls, the door, the gate and the lights that he saw there. I am glad he added scripture reference as well, you get a better understanding of what you are reading. I really enjoyed My Journey to Heaven, I can't wait to meet Marvin J. Besteman when I leave this earth.

I received a free ebook of My Journey to Heaven by Marvin J. Besteman from Baker Publishing Group so I can review. In no way am I obligated to give only good reviews. 

Rebecca Adkins

Full Disclosure

Full Disclosure by Dee Henderson 

I finished Full Disclosure a few hrs ago. This was my first time reading a book by Dee Henderson. I liked how Dee went into detail regarding her characters and the investigations. It was really nice to read how the characters made God the center of their lives. What I was not to happy about was how Paul compromised his wanting a family for a woman that was so difficult to get close to. I also new there was more to the story regarding the VP, I just didn't know what until close to the end and I was truly surprised. I will be reading Full Disclosure again.
* I received a free Advance Reader copy of Full Disclosure by Dee Henderson from Bethany House Publishing so I can review. In no way am I obligated to give only good reviews. Rebecca Adkins

Banana Cream Cheese Cupcakes

Banana Cream Cheese Cupcakes

My grandsons wanted me me to make Banana cupcakes so I experimented a little to see what I could come up with.

Bake at 350 decrees
For 20 - 22 minutes

Makes 24 cupcakes

Cupcake Ingredients:

1/2 Cup shortening
1 Tbs unsalted organic butter
1 1/2 cups organic sugar
2 eggs
2 large mashed ripe bananas
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups organic all purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking soda ( I used (3) 1/4 teaspoons)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup organic whole milk

In large bowl cream together shortening, butter, and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time beating well after each addition. Beat in bananas and vanilla. Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; add to creamed  mixture alternately with milk, beating well after each addition. Fill paper lined muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake until golden brown or until toothpick inserted in center of muffin comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan. Cool on a wire rack completely then frost.

Banana Cream Cheese Frosting

4 ounces unsalted organic butter softened
4 ounces cream cheese softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 large mashed banana
1/2 cup of organic whole milk

In large bowl beat together butter and cream cheese with an electric beater on low speed or plastic spatula. Add powder beat until smooth and creamy. Add bananas mix well, add vanilla and milk, mix well. Put frosting in refrigerator until cupcakes are completely cooled. Stir frosting then put in frosting bag and pipe away or frost cupcake with a plastic spatula. I added a sliced banana to the side of the cupcake and red sugar crystals, since that's what my grandsons requested. Enjoy your cupcakes.

* If you live where it's humid you will need to keep your cream cheese frosting cool while frosting the cupcakes or it will melt. I had to frost the cupcakes quickly since I live in good old Charleston, South Carolina.

Cocoa Orange Muffins

Cocoa Orange Muffins

Bake 400 decrees
for 18-20 minutes

Makes 12 - 18 Muffins

Ingredients:

2 Cups of Organic All Purpose Flour
1/2 Cup of Brown Sugar
1 Cup of Organic Sugar
2/3 Cups of Hersey's Cocoa ( I used the Special Dark Dutch Cocoa)
1 Tbsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Sea Salt
1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
1 tsp Folgers Crystals Instant Coffee
2 Eggs beaten lightly
1 Cup Organic Whole Mike
1/2 Cup Vegetable Oil
1 tsp Pure Orange Extract

In a large bowl combine Flour, Sugars, Cocoa, Baking Powder, Sea Salt, Ground Cinnamon, Coffee. Mix dry ingredients with a fork. In another bowl beat Eggs lightly, add Milk, Vegetable Oil, Pure Orange Extract and stir gently. Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour the eggs mixture into the well. stir all the ingredients until moistened. With an ice cream scooper fill paper lined muffins cups 2/3 full. If you do not have lined paper cups, grease muffin pan instead. Bake until dark ground or test with tooth pick in the center of the muffin to see if it comes out clean. Cool in muffin pan for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack. Cool completely before storing, or if your like me and have kids, grandchildren you won't get a chance to store any...lol