A Very Quick Survey of the Bible

Here’s a simple Bible 101 course: 

There are 66 books in the Bible; the Bible is comprised of 39 books in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament. 

The Old Testament books tell of mankind going back and forth between worshiping/obeying God and then turning away from Him and being idolatrous/immoral. 

Man’s behavior requires judgment. 

Throughout these books God’s plan unfolds.

300 Plus Teacher Hacks and Tips - new release - $7.25 on Kindle

300 Plus Teacher Hacks and Tips

This amazing compilation of advice, tips, hacks, and resources is the perfect gift for any teacher or soon-to-be teacher. The list of sites alone is worth the price. Buy it in paperback, too, but the Kindle version really is more useful as teachers can pull it up on phone, computer, or tablet and have it handy at all times. Click on the technology hacks. Check out the dollar store finds. Read what veteran teachers do for lessons, discipline, classroom management, organization and more.

Curated from hundreds of teachers, websites, and educational forums, only the most useful and tried-and-true tips are included. Over 300!

If you buy the Paperback for $9.99, you can download the digital copy for $2.99.

The better deal is the Kindle copy for $7.25.

EXODIA and OUT OF EXODIA now released as boxed set on Kindle

Both books now available as THE EXODIA LEDGERS 

$4.99

Based loosely on the ancient story of Moses, this two book dystopian journey (EXODIA and OUT OF EXODIA) crosses genres, combining young adult, new adult, sci-fi, magical realism, and speculative fiction for an adventure full of symbolism, hidden codes, and thematic imagery.

By 2093 American life is a strange mix of failing technologies, psychic predictions, and radiation induced abilities. Tattoos are mandatory to differentiate two classes, privileged and slave.

Dalton Battista fears that his fading tattoo is a deadly omen. He's either the heir of the brutal tyrant of the new capital city, Exodia or he's its prophesied redeemer. Shy, handsome, smart and in possession of powers he doesn't yet realize, he escapes an order for his execution by fleeing the city with the help of Lydia, who quickly captures his heart. But can he escape a destiny that will force him to marry another girl and return to Exodia as its liberator?

is 

THE TIME BENDER series is now sold as a Kindle box set of 4 books

A KINDLE DEAL

ALL FOUR TIME BENDER BOOKS FOR ONE LOW PRICE ON

AMAZON

A shy Earth girl, her brave friend, and a daring alien warrior tell their epic stories in this sci-fi fantasy. Only $6.95 for all four books.

How to Help Your Child Succeed in School - new release

HOW TO HELP YOUR CHILD SUCCEED IN SCHOOL

Written by veteran teachers with experience in several public schools teaching various subjects at all levels, this guide presents proven strategies and teacher tips to help your child succeed in school.

Your child is more likely to succeed with your support. You’ll find out how to handle concerns in the areas of homework, outside activities, teacher relationships, goals, testing, study habits, health, learning tricks, motivation, discipline, and more.

Learn the answers to questions like: How can parents make a difference in the education of their children? What are some of the tricks to learning? How can students and parents relate better to the teacher? How can parents help with homework? What can parents do to be more involved?

Filled with practical solutions, advice and tips to give your child an edge, this book gives parents insight from the teacher’s perspective.

Available in paperback and Kindle.

A Quick Look at Psalm 126

Psalms 120 through 134 are the 15 “songs of ascent” that were sung as the priests walked up the 15 steps to the temple, stopping on each step to sing the next psalm. Let's look at Psalm 126. Here is the passage:

1 When the LORD restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dreamed.
2 Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, “The LORD has done great things for them.”
3 The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.
4 Restore our fortunes, LORD, like streams in the Negev.
5 Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy.
6 Those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with them.

Every time you see the word LORD in all capital letters it means that the original Hebrew text used the tetragrammaton, God's 4 letter name (you may know it as Yahweh or Jehovah, Jews will say Ha Shem or Adonai to avoid pronouncing it). God’s holy name is used 4 times in this short psalm. This is a wonderful song of praise alluding to the recognition of God’s work given even by the Gentiles/heathens. “The nations” in verse 2 refers to everyone other than the Israelites.

When the Israelites returned from 70 years of exile it must have seemed like a dream. Notice the laughter and the joy (4 times!) and the songs.

At Thanksgiving and Advent (Christmas) many churches include Psalm 126 in the pulpit readings because of its emphasis on rejoicing. The rejoicing comes as a result of the great things God has accomplished on behalf of His people.

I especially like the theme of going from weeping and tears to songs of joy. This is tremendously encouraging.

Crossing the Scriptures, The Amazing Bible Study

Discovering old truths in a new way

Christians sometimes wonder if there is any value to studying the Old Testament, with its genealogies, strange laws, violence, and vengeance. This Bible study shows how the entire Bible ties together in a beautiful tapestry of God's truth.

If you know someone who has become a doubter, lost their faith, or just plain can't accept that every single word of the Holy Scriptures is believable then this is the book you should get for them.

I recommend the paperback over the Kindle version.

How to Blend Families (A Step Parent's Dilemma)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07MP12FRL

Step families are quite common. 

Blending families after divorce and remarriage is a difficult process.

The secret to co-parenting is negotiating change

But change is hard.

This guide gives step by step advice from experienced educators and also provides several fill-in worksheets to help you resolve family relationships, deal with discipline, navigate the financials, and create a balanced family with happy parents and children.

Available only on Amazon in paperback and also for Kindle.

Fill Your Kindle with These Books

I began writing in high school. I would turn the music up really loud and let the words flow. Mostly it was poetry and short stories. I showed my work to my English teacher who, of course, encouraged me.

I also kept a diary which I would encourage everyone to do. It makes you think about what was important every day of your life and you get to really know yourself when you look back through the years. What was going on in my life on January 5th of eighth grade or May 5th of twelfth grade, who I was friends with, what I was stressing about, what my hopes were, etc., are more real because they are on paper and not faded or altered by my memory.

An Ideal Step-Father

I’d like to honor my husband, Paul, who became step-father to my daughters when they were 8 and 11. He had custody of his own children, too, who were then 6 and 10. The kids are grown up now with nine (going on ten) kids of their own.

As a step-father Paul was as fair with my kids as his own, and still is. He loved and treated them all the same. He was a great example to them of how a husband should treat his wife. Our daughters have chosen men who cherish them and our son shows great respect and care for his wife.

I'd like to focus on four personality traits that Paul exhibited to the max:

Walking on Water - The Whole Story

Photo by Milo Miloezger on Unsplash

The story of Jesus walking on water is told in Matthew 14, Mark 6 and John 6, but only in Matthew’s account do we learn of Peter’s feat, too. The disciples had just seen Jesus heal thousands of people and then feed them all (5000 men plus women and children) with just five loaves of bread and two fish. Afterwards Jesus sent the disciples off in their boat to sail to Capernaum while he went to pray. The crowds of people were so impressed with him and his miracles that they wanted to make him king right then and there but Jesus sent them off, too.

1 Free Book and 5 "99 cent" Deals Today

These 5 books are only 99 cents on Kindle for the next couple of days.

A Psalm for Thanksgiving Day

Psalm 113 is the first of six psalms (113-118) called “the Egyptian Hallel” (Hallel means praise).The Jews sang the first two psalms before the Passover meal and the other four afterwards. I’m going to go out on that limb and say that Jesus and his disciples probably sang these psalms in the upper room on the night of the Last Supper.

Here it is:

¹ Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord, you his servants; praise the name of the Lord.² Let the name of the Lord be praised, both now and forevermore.³ From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the Lord is to be praised.⁴ The Lord is exalted over all the nations, his glory above the heavens.⁵ Who is like the Lord our God, the One who sits enthroned on high,