Resources Books

This was my first bible study and I thought it was great. Easy to follow and kept me hungry for more. I recommend it - the video is nice, but not necessary. I took the study through my church and found the quiet time study on my own plus discussion later in my group were enough. The video only added more insight into Beth's take on the three feasts.

Stepping up is a wonderful study of God's word spoken through the Psalms of Ascent. Beth Moore has a way of speaking life into the written word and with her love for God she is able to speak things into the word that we may not have seen. It has touched my life in so many ways and I hope that Amazon will carry more of her studies. She truly has a God given gift. Praise God!

This is a very interesting Bible study by Beth Moore. The homework is different from any of her other studies. You will learn to personalize the psalms of ascent. The lectures are outstanding on the Jewish feasts and their application to our lives.

Another great study by Beth Moore. the shorter 7 week legnth was perfect for us to do over the summer and many in our group are new to Beth Moore so 7 weeks was a great intro.

Beth Moore Studies are absolutely wonderful. Our all-women Bible Study Group are almost Beth Moore junkies. We have done several of her studies and have never been disappointed. Amazon.com was really quick to send it to me as well. I received mine before others that ordered else where but on the same day. Thank you Amazon.com for the great transaction. I will only order from Amazon from now on and Thank you Beth Moore....keep them coming. The Daniel Study was fabulous too!

In Straight, Francis gives us another of his honorable and vulnerable heroes who find themselves in trouble through no fault of their own. True, part of Derek Franklin's problems stems from not getting to know his much older brother, Greville, but the rest of his problems just seem to happen. Being in the wrong place at the wrong time is never in one's favor.

Derek is a successful jockey whose ankle is broken in a fall in a race. Just after he learns that his brother has been killed in a freak accident. Now, Greville was a gemologist who tended to be more than a little paranoid. He loved gadgets and puzzles and lives in a house outfitted like a fortress. Unfortunately, the strength of the house does not prevent Derek from being pummeled and otherwise abused nearly to the point of death. The worst thing is that he doesn't know why. This is a story of many mysteries most of which have nothing to do with one another. True to form, though, the villain once identified, proves to have no compunctions about doing whatever it takes to get what he/she wants and for self protection. Or is that villains?

As the story unfolds, the reader finds out as much about the deceased Greville as Derek, his brother and sole heir. (There are two sisters who live abroad.) It's difficult not to care about both and to feel the regret about not getting to know someone before it's too late.

Straight is a typical Francis novel in that it's a fast read, one cares about the protagonist, and pretty much despises the antagonist. Few surprises when it comes to it, but one of Francis's good ones.

I hve been reading Dick Francis books for at least 15 years. My father introduced me to them. When I go on vacation this summer, some of them will accompany me. "Straight" will be one of them.

Greville and Clarissa had concealed their love affair for three years.

Greville was a middleman, who had traveled the world to search out reliable sources of semiprecious gemstones. The successful London company he founded would have the stones cut in Antwerp, Tel Aviv, New York, or elsewhere, then distribute the gems in quantity to creative designers and producers of fashionable jewelry. Greville also owned racehorses, starting when someone had given him one in settlement of a debt.

Clarissa was the attractive wife of an older British lord, who had pursued her. Greville became Clarissa's first love, as she became his. When he was not on a trip, and she could come to London, they would meet. When apart, which was most days, they had agreed to pause at a set time of day to think of each other, knowing that each was doing the same.

A sudden accident ended all this. Greville had been walking down the High Street next to a construction site, when collapsing scaffolding from high up, struck him, sending him to the hospital, where he never regained consciousness and soon died.

Here are Dick Francis's very first words of the story: "I inherited my brother's life. Inherited his desk, his business, his gadgets, his enemies, his horses and his mistress. I inherited my brother's life, and it nearly killed me."

The speaker is Greville's brother Derek, younger by nineteen years. Too tall for flat racing, Derek is a steeplechase jockey, which is especially dangerous because of the jumping. In the story he is, in fact, on crutches recovering from a broken left ankle injured in a race.

Derek's racing world and Greville's business world collide throughout the book. Derek must pick up the complex gemstone business traces, while undergoing continuing pressure from racing owners and trainers to hurry up and heal.

The company employees tell Derek that Greville did not deal in diamonds. In going to the bank, Derek discovers otherwise. The manager tells him that three months earlier the bank had loaned Greville a million and a half U.S. dollars, specifically to expand into diamonds, and would soon be looking to Derek to start repayment.

Where are the diamonds? Stolen? Who are the customers who wanted them? Greville's company business and his house are broken into. Derek is assaulted and shot at. The action is nonstop. The book is a fascinating, literate page-turner.

Note: Probably all of us readers like to notice where a book's title appears in the text, and to see the meaning in context. I frankly lost count after more than a dozen instances, many of them different -- from Intensive Care Unit monitor lines going flat, to straight thinking versus labyrinthine, to honest test reporting versus shadiness, just to name a few. And a big one near the end of the book, which I wouldn't want to reveal here. Your reading will have to decide which of the many applies most strongly. Or perhaps they all do?

This has to be one of my all time favorite Dick Francis novels. It has everything a mystery should have in it - murder, missing jewels, mayhem... In my opinion, it's going to be difficult for Francis to top this one, but I can't wait while he keeps trying!

Straight takes the reader behind the scenes of the jewel trade and it's not an industry that's always on the up and up. Derek Franklin has been on a roller coaster ride of late as his steeplechase jockey career is nearing the end with him sustaining yet another injury. During his forced leave to heal, Derek finds out that his older brother, Greville, has been attacked and is on his deathbed. After his brother succumbs to his injuries, Derek is told that he has inherited his brother's business. Too late to protect himself, Derek realizes that his brother was a target and Derek suspects it has something to do with a fortune in missing diamonds.

This isn't a direct "who dun it" but also has a few subplots that are enjoyable in their own right. When Derek is summoned to his dying brother's hospital bed, the interaction (or lack there of) made me very thankful for the close relationship I have with my brothers and sisters. This thankfulness was reinforced throughout the story, as Derek learns more about his older brother and begins to understand him.

One of my favorite parts of the book is when Derek is sure that a clue is hidden in his brother's computer, but he is unable to access the correct password. Greville's secretary comes to the rescue. After hearing the clues left by Greville, followed by a brief mind struggle, she comes up with the correct code word and up pops a message on the computer screen congratulating her and promising her a raise. Now that's the kind of boss I want - he sounds fun!

The only negative some may have with this book is that it is a detour for Dick Francis. As most of his books revolve around horseracing, his devoted fans have come to expect that background. In Straight the only reference to horseracing is the fact that Derek is an injured jockey.

Want to read a mystery that will have you guessing until the end? If so, then this is the book for you to read next! It's very enjoyable and will have you wondering until the very end.

A reader knows what they are getting with a Dick Francis book. The mystery will be well plotted, the hero (usually a jockey or former jockey) will bravely face whatever trials that face him overcoming his troubled past and/or secret sorrow and the action will center around the some part of the racing world. Every once in awhile though a surprise pops up, this time the jockey is thrust into the totally alien world of gems.

Jockey Derek Franklin has been sidelined by a broken ankle, shortly after his brother Grenville is murdered. As Derek tries to settle the estate he finds himself drawn more and more into his brother's world of finance, gems and quirky little gadgets. Gradually he begins to sort out the mysteries surrounding Grenville's life and death but soon discovers that there are others who are determined to keep him from the answers. In the end, of course all is revealed.

This is a well plotted and clever mystery. The clues are all there for the reader to follow. The characters are well written, and draw the reader into the story.

There seems to be a new trend in business books, titles written by lucrative CEO's and Managers who realize that their success is not based upon their great product, their wonderful organization skills, or their golden management style but based upon finding the right team of people for the job at hand.

Talent Force takes a deeper look at what makes that right team. Groups of employees can't simply be made to fit a specific one size fits all mold. Each company, each circumstance, and each set of problems requires a different set of talents to make the venture successful.

Talent Force does not give step by step directions on how to collect and mesh together the right individuals. Instead, this book gives a lot of examples (historical, modern, global economies, large corporations, and smaller business) of good and bad use of employee talent. These examples and the discussion that is included with each of these situations starts the reader thinking about the obvious benefits of creating a talent force. From here, the reader begins to come up with an individualized plan based upon these concepts.

Back in the olden days of "B school," several--ahem--decades ago anyway, we were all economists and sports writers. To determine the business value of an enterprise, we learned to "line up" the last five years of audited financial reports, calculate "batting averages" and financial ratios, project historical performance into the future, and then "call a huddle" to determine the present value of the future cash flows. This approach is how we made our merger decisions, it was how we purchased capital equipment, and it was how we decided on new product lines. Only as a second thought did we make any attempt to evaluate the management team, or to delve into the important staffing strengths and weaknesses. Those personnel questions would have been too subjective, too qualitative, for our valuation models. The professors would explain, "Quality of the management team is already discounted into the historical performance of the firm, and hence the stock price." We took this to mean we could ignore these issues because good managers generate good numbers. So we followed the numbers.

Predictably, we emerged from school with monetarist attitudes about the power of capital, the amazing quality of market information, and a resulting suspicion of "marketing types," flashy people with pinky rings who advocated controlling our firm's public perception. We were never troubled by the nagging doubts that should have made us wonder, "so how's come none of my models ever determines, with any accuracy, the value of a stock, or the selling price of a company?" We were sure that these discrepancies happen because the market, with its perfect knowledge, knew something about the industry that we didn't know. And too often, we would later learn that we had overlooked an important personnel issue; a looming retirement, a shortage of specialists, an obsolete benefits package, a drinking problem. We should have known. But comforting ourselves with a truism about the focal acuity of "hindsight," we would "get back out there and step back up to the plate."

So it is no wonder that most of my generation still hires, retains, and plans for its workforce in some rough imitation of the way our boss' generation hired. When we have a need for a new person, we concoct a job description, get our bosses approvals, and post the "vacancy" on line. When the hundred thousand resumes arrive, we form a team to winnow the pile down to a manageable fifty. Then we spend the evening with those fifty resumes and in the morning we have ten candidates. After some uncomfortable phone calls, we schedule two or three interviews. Unhappy with the selection, we send the job description out to a small group of "contingency" head hunters. And the same hundred resumes begin filling our inboxes and tying up the fax machine again. But this time, each resume comes with a head hunter advocate, pushing us to meet with this one candidate. By now, everyone in the industry knows that you are hiring, including your own employees, many of whom feel this job would be the next logical stepping stone in their own career track.

If you recognize yourself at all in this short description, you would certainly benefit from a close reading of Rueff and Stringer's Talent Force: a New Manifesto for the Human Side of Business. In the time it will take to meet with a heartbroken and valuable employee who feels "passed over" in your staffing program, you can be reintroduced to the latest tools for maintaining and building the people force that IS your company. More than a motivating "locker room talk," you will learn how to find resources and strategies that you may have overlooked. The most helpful insights may be in the sections on "Emerging Recruitment Practices" and "Strategic Integration Point Person," in which the processes of recruiting, outsourcing, and retaining talent are integrated into a marketing approach prioritized at the top of your organization. Specific advice is offered on how to find qualified talent consultants and specialists. And this is all packaged in an easy to read book that steers clear of theoretical approaches and industry-specific solutions. A copy of this book should be placed in the reading bin of every first class seat on commercial airlines.

Hank and Rusty have teamed to put together a great book that really puts into perspective the vital importance of having an effective Talent Plan at every level of the organization.

Hank's a top recruiting strategist with a great understanding of todays candidate(s) and the actions organizations must take to effectively & consistently recruit and retain Q Talent. Rusty led one of the most successful Talent Strategies with his work at EA enabling them to be the undisputed leader in the gaming industry. A must read for every executive and anyone that hires and manages Talent.

I read this book because one of the authors is a friend of mine from college and because I know that demographics are working against us - the amount of talent leaving the workforce as Baby Boomers retire isn't being replaced - in numbers, experience, or skills. This trend has vast implications for all of us, yet it hasn't become a prevalent part of business conversation yet. I hoped this book would help me think about that fact.

Having read the book, I recommend it somewhat different reasons. Yes it helps you understand this trend, and yes Rusty is a great guy. But you need to read this book because it helps you put your talent in a strategic frame of reference. The skills of the people in your organization are paramount to your success, and this book describes that and reinforces that point in fresh and salient ways.

Initially I thought this book would mostly be for leaders in large organizations with lots of ongoing hiring. I was wrong. As a small business owner, I have many ideas and processes in mind to help me as I move forward. I believe a line manger or leader in an organization of any size will gain value from this book.

If you care about keeping the talent you have and expanding or replacing it rapidly and effectively, you must read this book.

What we have in this brilliant book is a rigorous and eloquent analysis of challenges to which Rueff and Stringer refer in this excerpt from the Introduction: "This book is about how to find, attract, and retain high-quality talent in the midst of a new global economy that makes it more difficult and more important than ever to have the best people contributing to your organization. It's about how technology is changing the ways that both individuals and companies approach the job market. It is about how these forces and others will shape the talent market during the next decade and beyond and what smart companies will do to stay ahead. Most importantly, it is about the human factor involved in all of this and how expectations, views, and approaches to work are changing for participants in today's talent market."

Rueff and Stringer carefully organize their material within nine chapters whose subjects range from "The Quality Talent Imperative" to "Talent Forces of Tomorrow." They address a number of real-world business issues which include those specifically related to developments and challenges when managing talent capital. In a perfect world, every organization will have the right person in the right place at the right time. Also, every organization will have a "deep bench" of talent immediately available whenever needed. In reality, it is possible but highly unlikely that any organization has the right person in every place or even in most places, and always or almost always at the right time. More often than not, organizations must make do with adequate talent in many -- if not most -- positions.

As I read this book, I especially appreciated a number of reader-friendly devices throughout Rueff and Stringer's narrative. For example, their provision of boxed supplements such as "The Parable of the Talents" (pages xx-xxi), "Will the United States Experience a Labor Shortage?" (pages 15-16), "The Benefits of Automated Qualifying [Interview] Questions" (pages 87-88), and "Blogs Bring Media Power to the Masses" (pages 120-122). I also commend Rueff and Stringer for including a number of checklists which summarize their key points and, later, expedite a review of them. For example, a list of proactive, strategic steps that various organizations are taking to meet their long-range talent needs (pages 72-74), five ways that senior managers can contribute to their organization's talent goals (pages 97-98), and "Ten Qualities of Great Recruiters" (pages 138-139). Well-done.

In "The Parable of the Talents," an important question is raised which remains relevant more than 2,000 years later: Do we figure out how to take one talent and turn it into 10, or do we bury our talent in the ground to protect what we have? For Rueff and Stringer, this is an "awesome challenge." I agree. What they offer in this book is a cohesive, comprehensive, and cost-effective response to that challenge. Only a fool would immediately agree with every observation, accept every premise, and implement every recommendation. No system is seamless, much less appropriate to every organization every time and in every situation. However, after modification, what Rueff and Stringer offer in this book can help almost any organization (regardless of size or nature) to find, attract, and retain high-quality talent.

According to an ancient Chinese proverb, "The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The second best time is now." Why wait?

In this book Robert D. Lupton reveals subtle problems that can arise when trying to minister to intercity people. He does an excellent job of revealing the issues, but reveals few solutions. It may be because there are no easy answers, or his later books will reveal the solutions he found later in ministry. Still I would recommend the book to all who work with needy people so they are at least aware of how their attempts to help can cause pain to those they want to help.

"Take no thought for tomorrow...don't worry about what you will eat or wear...don't lay up treasures here...give your coat...share your bread." It is not very sound financial advice and it definitely runs counter to Western values, but sadly it even runs counter to many Christian church's values. Robert Lupton has many years of experience running a ministry in urban Atlanta and this experience has given him valuable insight not only in how to minister to the urban poor, but also on much of Jesus' teachings. Though much of the book focuses on the American inner city, I found much of what Lupton wrote applicable to cross-cultural ministry here in the Philippines. Lupton often struggled in his ministry because of his economic status and the ever important perceptions that the people he ministered to had toward him and his family. Is it hypocritical to be in a higher economic class? While Robert Lupton and his family didn't worry about food and health, many others in the area he was working in did worry about such basic necessities. How does a Christian handle this sort of thing? Give it all away? I don't believe the Bible provides any clear cut answers, but the quotes at the top of this review show that maybe our values as Christians today are different than the values of Christ, the head of the Church. If nothing else, this book shows the importance of the poor and the special place in God's heart for the poor.

The book is written in an interesting style, there are nine parts with several short sections in each part. Often these sections were only 2 pages in length, which made for easy reading. But I found it hard to pull everything together, to make sense of what the author was trying to say. Non-fiction books should make its thesis and supporting points clear and understandable, but this book does not. Overall the book was worth the read if you can get past the unusual, scattered writing style.

By far the best book i've ever read! (and i have read a tons!)

this is a work of compasionate and wise genius. about how to be fully human and truly live out Christ call to an incarnational minstry among the poor. the lessons learned here apply to every area of life and all walks of life. writen in very down to earth language yet extremly deep and rich in content. not one word wasted. it does a great job of stripping all the western trappings that have been placed on the Christian faith and separating the american way of life from the way of life Christ lived and has created and invites us to live out amongts people. a true labor of love!

I would highly recommend this for anyone who is considering the commission of Jesus to journey together in life. Lupton, by simply retelling his own urban experiences, relays profound insights about living the Christian life, and especially practicing ministry. It is helpful when thinking about urban ministry, but would apply to any setting.

Easy read. It shows you that God's grace is everywhere, even where you least expect it!

This book was an excellent resource in recent interview preparations for a new hire and I will definitely keep it in my collection. I was able to quickly compile ones I thought were applicable and have a handy list for the interview. My only wish is that they made more interview books suited towards public sector jobs. Still I highly recommend it.

I have been interviewing & hiring candidates for several years now, but recently decided to do a little more research into the topic. This book is excellent. It is written in a manner that is easy to open and read at any relevant chapter, making for a quick reference style use or for more in-depth reading if needed. The suggested questions are insightful and the analysis for each question helps you take the candidates answers to the next level. The sections on checking references have also helped me move beyond the paralysis of not knowing what I am legally able to ask, therefore making reference checking the useful tool that it is meant to be.

Paul Falcone worked as the Employment Manager for a very large mortgage company. His 96 questions are a compilation of questions that he gathered over the years that help narrow down a candidate pool. These questions are above and beyond the normal tested legal quidelines, they ask whether a person can do the job as described.

If you are a hiring manager, this will help you to have a template to ask great job related questions. For those organizations who like to have structured interviews, this can be used to pick and choose questions for various managers to help compile a great profile from the interview process. Structuring allows you not to repeat the same questions and shows the candidates that you are careful in your selection process and are interested in getting the best.

If you are a recruiter, manager or even a job seeker wondering what may be asked in an interview, this is a great tool to have in your library.

Falcone offers invaluable advice as to how to "identify high performance candidates, probe beyond superficial answers, spot 'red flags' which indicate evasions or untruths, get references which provide reliable information about candidates, and negotiate job offers which attract winners." The value of this book is perhaps best indicated by the results of research conducted by Bradford D. Smart of more than 4,000 executives in 50 of the "Fortune 500" companies, shared in Topgrading which I have reviewed previously. The results confirm Peter Drucker's assertion that "The ability to make good decisions regarding people represents one of the last reliable sources of competitive advantage, since very few organizations are very good at it." For me, the most stunning revelations in Smart's book are found on page 50, in Figure 3.2, "Cost of Mis-Hire Study Results." According to the results of Smart's extensive research study, the sum of total costs of a mis-hire (on average) are as follows:

Base salary Less than $100,000: 14 times salary

Base Salary $100,000-250,000: 28 times salary

All Salaries: 24 times salary

Sobering statistics indeed. In his book, Falcone includes two recurring sections which define the context within which each of the 96 questions is asked: "Why Ask This Question?" and "Analyzing the Response." He also alerts the reader/interviewer to relevant "Red Flags" which might otherwise be invisible. Books such as this (and it's one of the best) can guide and inform a rigorous process by which to identify those candidates which offer the strongest talent, skills, and (yes) character. I strongly recommend this book to any and all decision-makers and decision-influencers who are involved in their organization's hiring process. But please keep in mind that candidates may have also read this book. For interviewers, it is highly desirable to reveal the person "behind the resume." It is also imperative to obtain "real information" from credible reference persons. My own opinion is that they as well as candidates need to be thoroughly checked out.

From a job seeker perspective, this book has been worth personally more than 2000 times its list price. It is like being able to read the other team's playbook before the championship game! If you are seeking a job in Corporate America, don't go in without reading this book because this book will get you half way there......and in some unfortunate "buzz-word company" cases - all the way. It tells you everything they want to hear and why. Satisfy HR first, and then worry about your potenital new boss. Why waste your money on learning what you could say during an interview from other books. This book truly allows you to switch seats with your interviewer. This book is truly deserving of the yellow cover with black stripes and should be entitled, "Interviewing in Corporate America"

I haven't read an animorph book I haven't liked. And I've read them all. Too bad the t.v. show couldn't stick more closely to the books and get Spielberg to do the special effects.

In this book the Animorphs must tell the govener about the Yeerks before it's too late. Marco, Ax, and Tobias are chosen for the job. They fly to the capital to tell the govener. Will the govener beleve them, not beleve them, or is she already a Controller? Read the book to find out!!

Now that the yeerks have the Morphing Power,the Animorphs have a lot more problems...Everywhere they go,everytime they even try to morph,a team of morph-capable Yeerks cut them off...And now the "National Guard" has sent an army of tanks into town,but it kinda obvious for the animorphs to know that the National Guard has been infiltrated by the Yeerks,and those tanks will most likely be for rounding up hosts....But,they have an idea,What if they got the Govenor to back them up,and warn people of the Yeerk threat.....It could work,but then again,mabye not..........

i loved this book,like I aslo love almost all the Animorph books.This one is very exiting,and I loved the part where they tell the Govener that Earth is under attack......i think any Animorph fan will love this book,and i think You will like it even if You aren't really a fan of it...I also recomend the other books from the series,and any book by K.A. Applegate.......

this book is very pivotal in the whole animorphs plot, and has just the right amount of humor. if you like sci-fi books, or even humor books, buy this one. it isn't too expensive, either.

My son wrote the following mini-review:

The team could not be any more surprised than when news leaks out that the National Guard has been captured by Yeerks. This book focuses primarily on the Animorphs' struggle to first ensure that the Governor is not a controller and then to protect her from the Yeerks. Ax, Marco, and Tobias risk their lives to prevent her from being infested; they are successful.

With this installment, K.A. Applegate begins the countdown to the conclusion of this popular series.

I enjoyed the book and it has an incredible amount of resources in it. It addressed a lot of homeschooling concerns for gifted kids. I don't feel it is a stand alone resource and maybe after a few years and some revisions it will seem more "complete".

I read several dozen books on homeschooling when I decided that my kids were going to be homeschooled. Creative Home Schooling by Lisa Rivero was by far the best book I came across. Initially I just checked the book out from the library as I did with the rest of books on homeschooling I read. I actually bought this book and am happy about it. Most of the home schooling books are designed for the average family that pulls its kids out of school, often for religious reasons. Ms. Rivera targets the audience of people who homeschool because their kids are just too smart for normal public school. She discusses different learning styles, the differences between gifted children and high achievers, child-directed learning, and asynchronous learners.

This is absolutely the best book I have read about homeschooling. It is intended for gifted children, but is so much more than that. It talks about all types of homeschooling methods, suggests materials, gives experiences from parents already homeschooling - it is just wonderful. I have given this book to friends considering homeschooling and they agree - this book is a MUST READ!

Book provides many helpful hints for homeschooling gifted children. It does focus more on families that are newly considering homeschooling so it was less of a help to me than expected. It still helped me with some insight into alternatives for gifted children and provided many lists of resources.

If you are new to homeschooling and your child is gifted, this book is a must-have. The different styles of homeschooling are reviewed and presented in an objective manner. The first section of the book deals with gifted children and why homeschooling is an ideal solution for many. The next section helps you to find your homeschool style, and the final portion is a resource guide. Informative quotes from kids and parents are liberally sprinkled through the text. Go ahead and borrow it from your public library, but you're going to want to buy it after you see it!

This is a great book. all the developmental areas have been discussed. Good resource book for parents and for early childhood teacher just lke me.

If you plan on working with the younger crowd, then this is a great book for you. It has a lot of creative ideas to help children in your classroom along developmentally. If you are running out of ideas for your classroom, I suggest buying this book. It will ensure you never get into an idea slump again.

I ordered this book when I started teaching in an infant/toddler classroom. Despite my five years of college, I had little knowledge on what these little guys could do. This book has been an AWESOME resource. I love how the lessons are separated by age groups. It provides detailed explanations as well as additional information on why and how each activity is developmentally appropriate. Of the several books I ordered, this one is most professional and designed for teachers. I highly recommend it!

This is and excellent and useful guide to help you determine what you can do with your baby each day to help him/her develop skills that prepare them for school. The book take time to explain what exactly you are helping to develop and each day can be something different.

Creative Resourcees for infants & Toddlers (Creative Resources for Infantas and Toddlers) is a great book, I wish that I would have gotten it alot sooner. It has really helped me with my homework assignments.

This book is well written! I came to understand what God is saying to me personally, as my reading progressed I just could not put this book down.
My spiritual walk with God, Jesus & the Holy Spirit has gotten closer; my thanks to the authors...

God loves us intimately each and every day! Amen!

Experiencing God: Knowing and Doing the Will of God, Member Book UPDATED
Fabulous updated version of the very popular Bible study by H. Blakcaby and others. Nice to have it updated to the 21st century. well worth your buy.

This is a wonderful and enlightening workbook for how to discover God's will for your life and the necessary action steps to pursue that discovery.

Blackaby's style is easy to read, easy to follow and the content provides a roadmap for a journey worth taking. This is a must read for those looking for meaning and purpose in their lives.

If you are looking for a book that will bring you closer on your walk with God, this is it. I've done a plethora of Bible studies, each claiming that it is the answer to all of your questions and that it can fix your life. This one lives up to the claims that it doesn't make! It is written simply and straightforward, which puts it high on my list. This book, if done the way the authors intended and if you are truly trying to get closer in your walk, can open your eyes to what God wanted you and I to experience with Him.

20+ printings pretty much validates the importance of this workbook. As essential in 2008 as it was when first published. If you Christian leaders out there are not using this as a basic teaching tool, you have missed the boat and have done a disservice to your life groups. The first 11 Units are pretty much intact; the 12th Unit is a rewrite with more focus on spouse and family. But get your hands on the original Unit 12 and include that material as well. It's that important. Suggestion: take your time with this workbook. We took over a year to complete it, meeting weekly. Warning: the sweetness of Henry Blackaby's writing will make you weep.

I'd highly recommend this book for people who already know something about Catholicism, but need a bit more depth in order to understand why Catholics believe what they do. I have used it as a resource for people who are Catholic but it has been a long time since they have had catechesis, or for non-Catholic Christians who want to understand more about Catholicism.

It may be a bit too detailed for someone just beginning the Inquiry or RCIA process unless they want a thorough resource book, but in this case I would definitely pair it with a simplified copy of the Catechism.

It makes a great gift book too!

My seminarian friend recommended it to me. At times Opus Dei can be too black-and-white with no gray in between, but this book is still a wonderful way to connect all of Catholicism. I go to Mass regularly and have gone to a Catholic HS, but I still didn't feel like I knew my faith. This book was able to show me how we do know a lot about our faith, but we just have a problem making sense of what we know. Also, his analogies are brilliant. I use them constantly in explaining Catholicism to others.

This is required reading for the Catholic, literally as many catechism classes require it. It is also very useful for those wanting to learn more about their faith or the Catholic faith in general. It is full of useful information laid out in an informative and well written manner. It is easy to find information and questions. That being said it is also very dry, but its hard to make a book like this a page turner.

I've owned this book now for about 3 years and have read it through all the way, once. I've gone back to sections for refresher information, many, many times. What I like the most about this book is, if you do not have the capacity (time, or stamina) to read the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) all the way through - this is an excellent way to get "more than the basics" of what is in the CCC in a very clear, concise manner.

From the very first page (just like all catechisms of the Catholic church) it starts with the three fundamental questions. Who made me? Who is God? Why did God make me? Just that first page will have you hooked and you will not want to put it down. I constantly recommend this book to anyone over the age of 13 because it is that clear in it's method of explaining the faith. I do not believe this book is for anyone looking for a "dumbed down" version of the faith, and by that I do not mean there is anything wrong with the book written by Fr. Tregilio called "Catholicism for Dummies." Quiet the contrary, these two books are just for different types of readers.

Another interesting observation on this book is the different kind of people that love it. I have met such different personalities and ages of people (13 to 79) who love this book that I think that fact is also a recommendation of the book.

Read it, it's good for answering all your questions AND will untangle any misconceptions you have developed along the way, or just remind you of what you may have forgotten.

I highly and unreservedly recommend this book.

I use this text frequently for inquirers into the Catholic Faith. Every one says it is witten in a very interesting style. Many can't put it down once begun. Well written and faithful to Catholic Church teaching.