Cookbook review: Third Thursday Community Potluck Cookbook

Third Thursday Community Potluck Cookbook is an amazing collection of seasonal recipes put together by Nancy Vienneau and Gigi Gaskins.

These recipes look amazing.  I can’t wait to try them.  A lot of them.  One of the main thing I love about the collection of recipes is that none of the recipes use cream of…, or any other premade concoction.  The recipes are organized by months and what is in season at that time.  Summer recipes are cooler and lighter.  Winter recipes are heartier and warmer.

This cookbook includes all kinds of recipes.  Main courses, sides, veggies, dips, soups, desserts, etc.  There is also a special cocktail or mixed drink for each month highlighting some ingredient in season.  And in December’s chapter they include a few gift ideas – bath salt soaks, spice mixes, etc.

Some of the recipes call for finer/pricier/harder to come by ingredients.  I’m okay with that considering this book is not meant to be a everyday use cookbook but more of a special occasion cookbook.

I am very excited about adding this to my library collection of cookbooks.  As soon as my pears and figs are ripe in our orchard, I will be completing many recipes on my want to try list from this book. 

Note: I did receive a copy of this book for free to read and review.  The opinions above are my own and I was not compensated for a positive review.

Book Review: NIV integrated study bible.

The NIV integrated study bible “written”/edited by John R. Kohlenberger III, published by Zondervan is a chronologically ordered study bible to help the reader understand where all the parts of the bible fall in a timeline.  The old testament is divided into 5 sections; creation through the patriarchs, exodus to conquest, conquest through united kingdom, divided kingdom to exile, and return to the land.  The New Testament is divided into two sections; the life of Jesus and the early church.

I really enjoy the setup of this study bible.  The editor did an amazing job of easily setting out the writings in order; showing parallel stories recorded in multiple books, showing references in place of quoted scripture from Old Testament in the New Testament, etc.  One of my favorite additions is the timeline on the bottom of each page showing the historical section the passages are from overall timeline. 

I am really looking forward to read more of this as a study bible to better understand how the individual books of the bible fit together in a cohesive timeline of God’s amazing story.  This book is a great addition to my devotional library. 

Note: I was given a copy of this book for free to read and review.  The opinions above are my own and I was not compensated for a positive review.

Book Review: Where the Wind Leads

Where the Wind Leads: A Refugee Family’s story of loss, rescue, and redemption by Vinh Chung is the story of Vinh’s family journey from Vietnam to America.  The Chung family had a good life in Vietnam.  Everything changed with the communism overtook the country.  His family fled on a boat that floated aimlessly in the South China Sea left for dead from pirate attacks.  Miraculously they were found by the World Vision Mercy ship and relocated to a small town in Arkansas in the United States.  They spoke no English, they no one in America and had no distinct skill to rely on.  Through much adversity they family came together and made a home. They succeeded far beyond what they ever believe with children graduating from top colleges and having successful careers.

This story is an amazing tale of the strength of family, determination, faith, and overcoming any obstacle.  The book is very easy to read and hard to put down.  I enjoyed it immensely.  This is the kind of book that after reading you look around at your life and you realize the small obstacles in life are nothing and should not stop you from pushing through and succeeding.

 Note: I did receive a copy of this book for free from the publisher to read and review.  I was not compensated for a positive review and the opinions above are my own.