On a Wing and a Prayer: #flyby

Showing posts with label #flyby. Show all posts

Thursday, December 1, 2016

Bible Journaling Kit from Ellie Claire

The winner of the Bible Journaling kit is Diane, who commented on Facebook that her favorite verse is: Jeremiah 29:11. For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Congratulations, Diane!

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Bible Journaling has become quite a popular thing these days. I'm not much of a drawer, so I never embraced the idea fully. I do underline or highlight things though. However, after recently been given the opportunity to review a Bible Journaling Kit, I am now becoming a convert. :)

This kit contains a journaling pen, 8 colored pencil twists (no sharpener needed!), 4 sheets each of word stickers and alphabet stickers, 24 tab stickers, a ruled page protector mat with tracing lines, and a lovely pouch to hold everything in. Everything you need to get started. Well, except for a Bible, but you probably already have one. If not, there are many journaling Bibles to choose from. I have one on my wish list for Christmas.

I still can't draw well, but I'm trying. It's like a person who can't sing but loves to and makes a joyful noise to the Lord. :) Well, I'm spending time in God's word and doodling some in my Bible. That can't be a bad thing.

Here are just a few of the things I have drawn/written in my Bible with this kit.

Like I said, I'm not one whose strength is drawing (remember, I'm a photographer), but I'm willing to give it a try if it helps me to remember God's word better.

If you have ever wanted to get started with Bible journaling or know someone who would, now is your chance. You can enter to win your very own kit! Simply leave a comment on this post telling me your favorite Bible verse. Mine is Philippians 4:13: I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

(Only those in the U.S. are eligible to win the kit.)

The last day to enter is Thursday, December 8. I will randomly draw a winner on Friday, December 9, and announce it here.

Also, Worthy Inspired and Ellie Claire are giving away 5 kits on their website. Check out this link to enter: http://bit.ly/BibleJournalingKitGiveaway. And while you are there, be sure to download the free coloring pages.

Here are a few links to check out for more information or to purchase the kit:

Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/BNBibleJournaling

Amazon: http://bit.ly/BibleJournaling

Books-A-Million: http://bit.ly/BAMBibleJournaling

Christian Book Distributors: http://bit.ly/CBDBibleJournaling

Thanks for stopping by!

"Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the
Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post. Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway. If you have won a prize from our sponsor Propeller / FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days, you are not eligible to win. Or if you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.”

Friday, June 3, 2016

Phil Wickham "Children of God" CD Review

Have you heard the new album by Phil Wickham? It is called "Children of God" and it is incredible!

After discovering a vocal polyp - a small lesion on his vocal cord - in 2014, Phil Wickham didn't know whether he'd ever be able to sing again. Surgery removed it, but the healing process would take time. During that time, Phil cried out to God and felt a strong sense of God's presence with him.

He began writing songs not knowing whether he would ever be able to sing them. The reawakening of his heart is shown in song after song on his new album. And, obviously, he is able to sing again. In fact, according to his bio, two weeks into his healing process, the doctors told him they didn't see any scarring on his throat.

God is good!

As I listened to his songs, I enjoyed the worship that he conveyed through his words. I started writing down my favorite songs so I could highlight them here but found myself liking one after another. There were, however, a few that stood out a little more than the others, such as Awakens Me, The Secret Place, Wide Awake, and My All in All. But the whole album is just wonderful. We will definitely be listening to it over and over.

If you are interesting in learning more about Phil Wickham's new music, check these links out:

iTunes: http://smarturl.it/PW-COGiTunes 

Amazon: http://smarturl.it/PW-COG-Amazon

Spotify: http://smarturl.it/PW-COG-Spotify

YouTube Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQyXsJMkUPg

What's your favorite music these days? Feel free to share in the comments!

Disclosure: I received this product in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was received.

Thursday, May 5, 2016

The League and the Lantern ~ Book Review and Giveaway

The giveaway is now over. The winner is Alisha! Congratulations!

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Hi there!

Long time, no see, huh?

I've been telling myself for months now that I really should write something on my blog, but then I never got around to it. I could give you a gazillion reasons why I haven't posted, but I won't bother. Let's just say it wasn't exactly a priority in my life and leave it at that.

So now here we are at that awkward stage. Long-time silence. :)

For those of you who stuck around, thank you. I hope to post more regularly from here on out.

Anyway, my reason for posting today is pretty exciting! I just finished reading the book The League and the Lantern and I wanted to tell you about it.

About the book:

After a disastrous sixth grade, Jake Herndon is anxiously awaiting his Big Do-Over, starting with his new school's notorious seventh grade sleepover. Awkward team-building games and forced fun quickly become the least of his problems, however, when a dangerous organization invades and the night takes a shocking turn. Jake and two new classmates, Lucy and TJ, barely escape, only to find themselves in a fight for survival on the streets of Chicago. Over the next 48 hours they unravel a mystery dating back to the Civil War and an incredible secret about Jake's family.

Full of unforgettable characters and unexpected twists, The League and the Lantern is a jaw-dropping ride of mind-bending revelations and laugh-out-loud humor. If Jake and his new friends can make it through this weekend, they just might have a shot at seventh grade.

In this debut novel, family television executive producer and dad Brian Wells has created an epic, rip-roaring comedy adventure that's also about courage, family and friendship. The result is an engaging mix of great characters, crackling wit and unexpected twists that 9- to 14-year-olds, entertainment executives and family groups are applauding.

Wells works from the belief that great entertainment is driven by memorable characters and imaginative writing, and it shows. The League and The Lantern delivers all of this and more without objectionable language or inappropriate themes. Throw in a plot that traces back to real historical figures and you've got what some are calling Percy Jackson meets National Treasure.

As an extra bonus, the book also invisibly weaves in 140 of the top vocabulary words for middle school success. A free downloadable study guide is available on the book's website.

I started reading this book to my 10-year-old son and we got through the first couple chapters. He's happy with me reading a chapter or two a night, but I was hooked and kept on reading without him. (Don't worry though. I will continue reading it to him until we finish.) :) I finished the book in two days! I couldn't put it down!

Yes, it is geared towards middle-schoolers, but it is a great story that even adults will enjoy. The best part is that there is no foul language and no inappropriate scenes. Just good, clean action and adventure. With some surprises along the way, of course.

Actually, that's not the best part. The best part is that for every book you buy from the website, they will give a copy away to a child in need!

If you have a son or daughter, grandchild, niece or nephew, whomever; get this book for them! It is the first book in a new adventure series for middle schoolers. I can't wait until the next book comes out!

Here are a few ways you can learn more about the book and the author:

Website: https://leagueandlantern.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeagueAndLantern

Now for the giveaway part. Since I agreed to read and review the book, I have been given permission to also give a copy away to one lucky reader! All you need to do is answer a simple question - who is your favorite children's author? Easy peasy! Thanks for entering!

Winner will be announced here once the giveaway is over, so be sure to check back.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

"Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post.

Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway. If you have won a prize from our sponsor Propeller / FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days, you are not eligible to win. Or if you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.”

Monday, November 9, 2015

Faith of Our Fathers ~ DVD Review and Giveaway

Taking the entries from the blog and Facebook, the winner of this DVD is Lindsey! Congratulations, Lindsey! I'll get your DVD out to you soon. Thank you to everyone for entering!

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Hello there! Just popping in to share about a great movie I had the pleasure to watch recently ... Faith of Our Fathers. And just in time for Veteran's Day.

About the movie:

John Paul and Wayne are two young men in search of their fathers. Problem is...their fathers have been dead for 25 years. Eddie and Steven are two young men in search of their sons...whom they've never met. In 1969, Eddie and Steven are with their squad deep in the jungle of Vietnam on a five-day mission to retrieve fallen comrades. They write letters to their wives, often mentioning their love for their sons, one, who is an infant and one yet to be born. In 1994, John Paul and Wayne go on a five day road trip to the Vietnam Wall in Washington DC to see their fathers' names. Along the way, reading those letters, they begin to get an understanding of who their fathers were and how they died. Trials and mishaps, both funny and sad, complicate the road trip for the boys. The horrors of war and the testing of faith manifest themselves for the young men in Vietnam. Ultimately, in parallel stories - 25 years apart - the fathers and sons are bound together forever.

Runtime: 96 minutes

Genre: Drama

Rating: PG-13 (for brief war violence)

Starring: Stephen Baldwin, Kevin Downes, David A.R. White, Rebecca St. James, Si Robertson, Candace Cameron Bure, Scott Whyte, and Sean McGowan.

Special Features of the DVD:

-The Heart of Faith of Our Fathers

-Honoring Father's Day

-Commemorating Memorial Day

-Si Robertson Interview

-Stephen Baldwin Interview

SOCIAL • CORNER

OFFICIAL WEBSITE

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

OFFICIAL TRAILER

My thoughts:

This movie is a MUST SEE! It has mystery, drama, humor, and a great story line. It caught my interest from the very beginning. I laughed out loud several times. I may have even cried once or twice. Or three times. :) The story really touched my heart. I hope you will buy it, rent it, stream it, whatever, and see what I mean.

One of my readers has an opportunity to win their very own copy of this DVD movie. Just leave a comment on this post. Easy peasy! Winner will be chosen randomly on Monday, November 16, and announced at the top of this post. So be sure to check back to see if you are the winner!

Thank you for stopping by!

Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post.

Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway. If you have won a prize from our sponsor Propeller / FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days, you are not eligible to win. If you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.

Wednesday, September 9, 2015

90 Minutes in Heaven ~ Review and Giveaway

A True Story of Death and Life

The true story that sold over 7 million copies is now a major motion picture!

Pastor Don Piper died January 18, 1989 when a semi-tractor truck crushed his car. Declared dead by the first rescue workers to arrive on the scene, Don's body lay under a tarp for the next 90 minutes. Don's soul, meanwhile, was experiencing love, joy, and life like he'd never known before. Don was in Heaven.

When another pastor's prayers helped bring Don back to life, he became a living miracle! Yet this is one miracle Don wished never happened. Heaven's bliss was replaced by excruciating pain and emotional turmoil. With the support and prayers of his beloved Eva, their three kids, and friends near and far, Don clings to his faith in God and fights to regain a semblance of his previous life. The Piper family's incredible true story of perseverance and overcoming the challenges of life - and death - will bring hope and encouragement to all who see it.

After given the opportunity to watch the opening scene of the movie, I can't wait to go see it! In the meantime, I was also given the opportunity to read the book. While I haven't gotten through the whole book, what I have read so far has definitely kept my interest. I look forward to picking it up and reading more.

About the movie presented by Giving Films:

Releases in theaters everywhere September 11, 2015

Rating: PG-13 (for intense accident and injury images)

Starring Hayden Christensen (Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones, Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith), Kate Bosworth (Remember The Titans, Blue Crush) Michael W. Smith, Fred Thompson, Dwight Yoakam, and Jason Kennedy, 90 Minutes In Heaven is based on the inspiring New York Times best-selling book that has sold 7 million copies.

About Giving Films:

Giving Films is passionate about sharing hope-filled movies and donating ALL of their profits to charities and ministries who serve those in need. Beginning with their first film, 90 Minutes In Heaven, Giving Films is allowing all of us to be a part of making a difference. Anytime you go to a Giving Films movie in theaters, visit http://www.givingfilms.com and select which charities you want to receive the profits from your ticket. Their charitable organizations are Christian Alliance for Orphans, Faith Bridge Foster Care, Hire Heroes USA, Hope International, LifeWater, Street Grace, and World Vision.

OFFICIAL MOVIE WEBSITE

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

GIVING FILMS

OFFICIAL TRAILER

I hope you will go see the movie! But in the meantime you have a chance to win your own copy of the book. Just leave a comment on this post. That's it! Easy peasy! Last day to enter is Tuesday, September 15. Winner will be chosen and announced at the top of this post on Wednesday, September 16.

Once butterfly season (< -- click here to see what I'm talking about) is over I'm hoping to have more time to finish reading this book. And to read a few other books that are on my list. :)

Thank you for your time! Don't forget to comment in order to be entered to win your own copy of this book!

Wednesday, August 5, 2015

Patterns of Evidence ~ Exodus ~ DVD Review and Giveaway

Congratulations to Sam, the winner of this DVD!

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Recently I was given the opportunity to preview the DVD Patterns of Evidence. However, due to being super busy with the photography business and butterfly raising, I set it aside and forgot about it. :( So today's review is brought to you by my teenage daughter, Keira, who graciously agreed to help me out with it.

First:

About Patterns of Evidence Exodus:

For more than 50 years, the vast majority of the world's most prominent archaeologists and historians have proclaimed that there is no hard evidence to support the Exodus story found in the Bible. In fact, they say that the archaeological record is completely opposed to the Bible's account. This view of extreme skepticism has spread from academia to the world. The case against the Exodus appears to be so strong that even some religious leaders are labeling this ancient account as historical fiction. Filmmaker Timothy Mahoney begins with the questions, "Is the Bible just a myth, or did the archaeologists get it wrong?" He decides to tackle this issue wit a deliberate scientific approach. After examining the details in the biblical text, he journeys across the globe to search for patterns of evidence firsthand. The result is the most in-depth archaeological investigation into the Exodus from Egypt ever captured on film. This scientific documentary's goal is to communicate the TRUTH of the Bible and help equip believers with defending their faith and the Bible.

The DVD features stunning animations and a cast including narrator, Kevin Sorbo (God's Not Dead, Hercules: The Legendary Journeys), interviews with leading archaeologists including Israel Finkelstein, Kent Weeks, and David Rohl, and guest appearances by Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu and Shimon Peres.

Released on DVD August 4, 2015

Run Time: 119 minutes

Special Features: Cast Profiles & 17 Extra Interviews

Behind the Music

From Film to Book

Additional Books and Resources

Host a Patterns of Evidence Movie Event

Trailers

Genre: Documentary

Rating: NR

And Keira's review on the film:

I very much enjoyed this take on the history of the Exodus of the Israelites as slaves from Egypt to Canaan and finally as an independent nation. The director/filmmaker Timothy Mahoney was an excellent guide into this view; his determination to prove his faith and the archaeological evidence he was able to uncover were just tremendous.

The most interesting point that he made in the film, in my opinion, were the claims against the credibility of the chronological timeline of the Egyptians. His view that the timeline was warped a few centuries was a mind-boggling claim that he supported with the alignment of the biblical, the Canaanite, and all the other cultural timelines that depended on the Egyptian’s events in history by cutting out unnecessary time in the Egyptian Dark Age after the New Kingdom period. So many scholars and historians who study this particular time in history say there is no evidence to support the actuality of the Exodus because of this warped sense of time in the last Dark Age after Egypt’s New Kingdom. But through the biblical timeline, Mahoney shows the series of events in Egyptian history.

This film shows the different views of many different archaeologists and historians who both support and oppose such an Exodus in the Egyptian and Israeli history.

Wow! I can't wait to get time to sit down and watch this DVD myself after reading Keira's thoughts. And I'm thinking I should have her do more reviews for me in the future. :)

For more information about the film, check out:

Twitter: @PattofEvidence

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PatternsofEvidence?fref=ts

Official Website: http://patternsofevidence.com

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2assFIyLInE

Official Website to Purchase: http://shop.patternsofevidence.com

Blog featuring interviews with director Tim Mahoney and an article by Anne Graham Lotz: http://patternsofevidence.tumblr.com

And now for the fun part: giveaway time!

In order to enter to win, just leave a comment on this post letting me know what fun stuff you have done/are doing this summer. Easy peasy! Last day to enter is Tuesday, August 11. I will randomly pick a winner and announce it here at the top of this post on Wednesday, August 12. If you don't follow my blog and wish to be notified if you win, please leave an email address in your comment. I promise not to SPAM you. No time for that! :)

Lastly, the legal stuff:

Friday, June 19, 2015

Pirate's Code: The Adventures of Mickey Matson ~ Movie Review & Giveaway

Since no one entered to win here on my blog, I took the giveaway to Facebook and Jennifer S. is the winner! This giveaway is now closed.

We are big movie watchers in our house. Friday nights have been designated "popcorn and movie night" so we can make a point of getting together as a family, if only for a few hours. Although now that the kids are on summer break, they watch a movie almost every night to unwind after a fun and busy day. Some nights I join them.

Last night I did just that and we watched Pirate's Code: The Adventures of Micky Matson! again. The boys really like this movie.

About the movie:

In this follow up to Mickey Matson and the Copperhead Treasure, Mickey Matson is at it again; this time pitted against the evil Admiral Ironsides and his gang of pirates who are intent on destroying civilization. They're new invention, the Tesla Coil, is a weapon of mass destruction that will send an electromagnetic pulse throughout the world, destroying every electronic device in existence. With the help of a secret organization, Mickey and his best friend Sully embark on a mission to stop the pirates from taking over a submarine and stealing the last part needed to complete their devastating weapon. If Admiral Ironsides succeeds in his plan, civilization will be sent back to the Stone Age. It's a race against time, and the fate of the world hangs in the balance.

Released on DVD June 2, 2015

91 Minutes // Genre: Adventure // Rating: NR

Nick give the movie 1.5 thumbs up because the fight scenes aren't quite convincing to him. :) Alex gives it 2 thumbs up. He loved the movie! I liked it, though it is definitely geared more towards kids. If you have younger kids in your house that like adventure movies, they will love this one. Oh, and Christopher Lloyd (Back to the Future) is in it. I love him! And the movie is Dove approved for all ages.

Here are some places to find out more about the movie:

Facebook: Mickey-Matson

Official Website: http://mickeymatson.com

Trailer: You Tube Mickey Matson

Official Website to Purchase: http://pureflix.christianbook.com/

One of my readers has a chance to win a copy of the DVD movie! Just enter via Rafflecopter: