Blog Tour: Surrendered Sleep: A Biblical Perspective

Surrendered Sleep

A Biblical Perspective

Dr. Charles W. Page

www.surrenderedsleep.com

Publisher: Camino Real Pub.

ISBN-10: 9-780-983-138105

ISBN-13: 978-0-9831381-0-5

Release Date: 9/15/2011

Paperback: 189 pages

Retail: $14.95

(Nacogdoches, TX) Sleep Clinics. Sleeping Pills. Sleep Systems. With all the focus on sleep, it’s obvious to anyone breathing (or not—in the case of sleep apnea) that sleep disorders are on everyone’s minds. Can’t fall asleep. Can’t stay asleep. So many problems, but so few zzzs.

Dr. Charles W. Page has been plagued with sleep deprivation his entire adult life. Whether from the rigorous unpredictable lifestyle of a general surgeon or dealing with obstructive sleep apnea, Dr. Page sees sleep as a precious commodity. Many of his surgical patients also report sleep problems on their medical histories. It’s certainly a widespread problem.

Although there is extensive medical literature regarding sleep, insomnia and sleep disorders, there is little instruction about these issues from a Christian worldview. Sleep was God’s idea—why shouldn’t we go to the One who created rest in the first place for answers to our sleep problems. One of the reasons Dr. Page wrote Surrendered Sleep was to heighten people’s awareness of the spiritual side of sleep issues, which often goes neglected in health and medical literature.

Sample Chapter:

CHAPTER 17

Balin Jam

Balin jam (“may you pass your night in peace”)—it’s how the Fulani people of western Africa say goodbye. This Fulani expression best captures the message of this book. Passing your night in peace, from a biblical perspective, involves a whole lot more than sleeping well. It encompasses surrendering every aspect of sleep to God. The prerequisite for having peace as we lay down to sleep is a growing, vibrant relationship with God. Everything in our lives, including sleep, flows out of our pursuit of our loving Father in Heaven. The ability to sleep is a multifaceted gift given by God, who likewise pursues a love relationship with every individual on this planet.

From God’s perspective, sleep (or its absence) is a tool designed to help fulfill His agenda in our lives and in His world. Our response should be twofold. First we must transfer our focus off our personal sleep issues and onto the Shepherd of sleep. We must fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. Second, we need to relinquish control of sleep and allow God to shape our hearts into His image. In so doing, we may find that we sleep better.

“There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven.” A life of surrendered sleep is characterized by the ability to discern the time and seasons that God has prepared for us, and respond with a heart of thankfulness and obedience.

At times we may experience peaceful sleep because we are pursuing a wise heart. Let it propel us on to greater heights of service. When we encounter storms that threaten to steal our sleep, let us cling to God’s presence and promises with a calm heart. If disobedience presents itself in our sleep patterns, we must return to the One who removes our sin as far as the east is from the west. If God interrupts our sleep to call, instruct or intervene in our lives, our hearts must respond in obedience.

Similarly, there are times when we must offer up to God a sacrifice of our sleep. And last, if we suffer intractable insomnia and unrest, let us move forward with a peace that passes all understanding. For an enduring and expectant heart knows that our reward and perfection is waiting just around the bend.

Surrender your heart to the One whose eyes never close. Allow Him to keep you and help you to “pass your nights in peace.”

Balin jam!

Dr. Charles W. Page is a sleep-deprived surgeon. He completed medical school and residency at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas and serves as surgeon in rural Texas. Dr. Page is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons and the Christian Medical and Dental Association. In addition to his involvement in the teaching ministry of his local church, he has participated in medical mission trips to Cameroon, Pakistan, Milawe, Niger, Mexico, Honduras and Nicaragua. He and his wife Joanna live in Texas with their five children.

My Review: 

This book explores an often neglected aspect of sleep disorders. Since sleep is such an important aspect of our lives (we spend 1/3 of our lives sleeping or at least trying to, in my case.) Things like worry, fear, etc., often interfere with our thought life and carry over disrupting our sleep. This book helped me to take inventory to see where maybe there might be conflicts interfering with my sleep and/or was God using this season of sleeplessness to draw me closer to Him. Beyond the spiritual causes, traditional medical treatment of insomnia are also explored including medical reasons for sleeplessness. Tips for good sleep hygiene and pages to copy for a sleep journal are included. I especially appreciated the wide margins containing pertinent bible verses and places to journal your responses.

I received a "Unedited Review Copy" for free for participating in this blog tour.

Grand Prize Giveaway

Read Below How to Enter

Surrendered Sleep Products

Surrendered Sleep - Book

Surrendered Sleep - 8-Volume DVD Series

Sleep Songs - CD of music from Fletch Wiley

SLEEP - Lavender Vanilla Aromatherapy from Bath & BodyWorks

Pillow Mist (4 oz)

Body Wash & Foam Bath (2 oz)

Lotion (2 oz)

Candle (1.6 oz)

Please leave a comment on this blog or on facebook to enter.

I must have a way to contact you - either by logging into Google, on Facebook, or leave your email address. Alternately you may email me your info: homeschoolducks "at" gmail.com

Sidney Area LEAH Homeschool Group

If you are a member of Sidney Area LEAH or New York State LEAH and would like to receive email about activities from this local group, you can request to join. Please give me your name and what LEAH chapter you belong to when filling out the membership form. Otherwise I will not approve the membership.

Click to join sidney_area_homeschoolers

Journal Writing Prompts

We started journal writing as a family. We have a few rules with this "freestyle" type of writing.

1. I don't read it unless they let me.
2. I don't correct spelling or grammar, unless they ask.
3. They can make lists, draw pictures, and decorate anyway they want to.
4. They can just use copywork instead of their own creative writing.
5. They don't have to use my prompt and can alter the promt to suite themselves.

My children love doing this.  We are just using ordinary notebooks right now.  But if they fill a notebook with their own writings, I will buy them fancy journals for their next journal.
 
So here are some websites that came up with ideas:

Homeschooling-ideas.com/journal-writing-prompts

Superteacherworksheets.com/journal-prompts

Tooter4kids.com/journal writing

http://creativewritingprompts.com/

Journaling prompts

http://www.squidoo.com/journalwritingpromptsforkids

BookSneeze Review: Nick Of Time by Tim Downs

This book is about forensic entomologist Dr.Nick Polchak and his fiancee Alena Savard.  A week before his wedding, Nick leaves town to solve the mystery of the death of his friend Pete.  Worried that her fiancee is getting second thoughts Alena tries to go off to find him and gets herself into a tangled mess.

Nick is considered "different" from his peers, having as some would call a strange personality. Nick has a hard time relating to the 'human species" (his quote)  and prefers bugs as they have a neat and orderly life based on instinct and rarely out of character.  The idea of getting married does scare Nick somewhat and takes some convincing from his friends that he is making the right decision.

Being from a Christian publisher, I thought this book would contain a stronger Christian message.  The book is "clean," containing no foul language and no graphic violence. The book is morally acceptable to the Christian offering appropriate marital advice, even if there was little to no mention of God. The beginning of the book did leave me questioning the character of Dr. Nick Polchak, aka Bug Man. But as I got to know him more knew that he really was a good guy.

All that said, it was a very good read.  The plot kept me wanting to continue to read until I got to the end of the story. I was very intrigued by the information on bugs and loved following the mystery through the end which totally surprised me.  It was suspenseful right to the last sentence of the book. I like the short chapter format of the book and the click able links for each chapter in the table of contents of the Kindle version.

If you are looking for a mystery that is totally "clean" and want a touch of romance - this book is highly recommended to the Christian and non-Christian fiction lover.  I give it "4 Stars!"

I received a free Kindle version of this book to give an honest review via the "BookSneeze" program from Thomas Nelson.

Blog Tour: Starting a Micro Business for Teens By Carol Topp

Micro Business for Teens

KCWC Blog Tour - April 11-15

Blog Giveaway - See Below!

ISBN: 978-0-09829245-0-1

Retail price: $9.95

Starting a Micro Business For Teens is a practical and realistic book written specifically for teens that does not expect you to have a whole lot of capital for start up that others do.  It portray realistic examples beyond the lemonade stand for teens, by teens who have been successful in their micro business. 

A "micro business" is often run by and easily managed by one person, needs little start up money, often home based, and is low risk while teaching many important skills.  What I appreciate about this book is the practical examples given in the book along side biblical principles for starting and financing a business. There are worksheets for developing a marketing plan and financial plan. Pretty much everything you need to know to get started is included in this book.  This book is book one of a series of four books called: Micro Business for Teens.  You have a chance to enter to win the complete set!! Read on to find out!


From the publisher:

(Cincinnati, OH) With unemployment rates high, the teen population is finding it harder and harder to find work. Adults are competing for the same minimum wage jobs. But there’s an alternative—starting a micro business. What is a micro business? It is a very small, one-person business that you can start easily and quickly with what you already know or own. No money needed, low risk and no debt! Students can spend as much time running a micro business as they wish and can even close it down during busy times. The best advantage for teens to own a micro business is that it not only brings in extra cash (often more than imagined), but students end up learning a great deal about business, money and themselves. It may lead to an entrepreneurial life or at the very least, prepare students for higher learning opportunities.


Starting a Micro Business will help teenagers earn money while learning how to start their own business. A micro business is simple to start, usually home-based, low risk, educational and easy for a busy student to run. This book offers ideas, a business plan, starting with no debt, pitfalls to avoid and resources to get a teenager started making money running their own micro business.

Carol Topp, CPA advises teenage business owners though her Micro Business for Teens book series. Carol’s day job is accountant to business owners, and she enjoys teaching teenagers to succeed beyond their dreams. Students appreciate how she shares what they need to know in clear and helpful lessons. Her website is MicroBusinessForTeens.com

Spring Cleaning: A Time For a Teenager to Make Money

by Carol Topp

Here are some ideas for a micro business a teenager can start this spring:
•House cleaning: Offer to tackle large jobs like washing windows, moving furniture, etc. Many people are grateful for a young, strong teenager to help them with heavy lifting. What is easy for you might be very difficult for them, especially if they are an older person.
•Routine house cleaning: Some customers need regular house cleaning and may hire you on a weekly or monthly basis. Don't wait for them to ask: offer to come weekly or twice a month and see what they say.
•Attic cleaning: Offer to help people do a job that they put off, such as cleaning an attic.
•Garage cleaning: A big job that can earn you big bucks!
•Yard cleanup: Offer to trim bushes, pull weeds, plant flowers and spread mulch to spruce up a yard.
•Car and van cleaning: People spend a lot of time in their automobiles and their cars and vans need frequent cleaning. Melissa gladly paid to get her van cleaned inside and out every week because her four children could really make a mess in it. You can make some cash by offering to clean a van inside and out.
•Organize. Organize a house, playroom or garage. Charge the customer for any bins, tubs and labels that you purchase for them and then add on the value of your time. Take before and after photos to use on your advertising fliers.
•Declutter: Do you love HGTV shows on organization? You might be able to find someone to hire you to declutter their house like you see on TV.
•Garage sales: Advertise, organize and run a garage sale for your neighbors. Get several neighbors to participate together and really earn the bucks!
•eBay sales: Offer to sell your neighbors' stuff on eBay and take a cut for yourself. Combine the decluttering, garage sale and eBay tasks into a full package to help your customers profit from their excess stuff.

(This is an excerpt from Carol's article. Full article available at docstoc.com)

Win the complete set of books in

Micro Business For Teens Series!

(Winner will receive the four books shown below)



Money and Taxes in a Micro Business

ISBN: 978-0-09829245-3-2

Retail price: $9.95

The Micro Business for Teens Workbook

ISBN: 978-0-09829245-2-5

Retail price: $14.95

Starting a Micro Business

ISBN: 978-0-09829245-0-1

Retail price: $9.95





Running a Micro Business

ISBN: 978-0-09829245-1-8

Retail price: $9.95

Everyone who leaves a comment below (however brief) will be entered into contest by the publisher for a complete set of these books.   Please sign in to leave a comment so I can see your email address.  You will be notified by email by April 22, 2011 if you have won.

Book received from Kathy Carlton Willis Communications for free for my honest opinion of the book and promotion on this blog.

BLOG TOUR: The Me Project by Kathi Lipp



 The Me Project -

21 Days to Living the Life You’ve Always Wanted

Publisher: Harvest House Publishers

ISBN-10: 0736929665, ISBN-13: 978-0736929660

Release Date: February 1, 2011

Paperback: 224 pages, Retail: $12.99

\
Wow! This is my first blog tour and what a great book to start with.  The Me Project by Kathi Lipp. I was so impressed that this book was able to bring out the uniqueness that God has put into all of us so that we can find His unique plan for our lives.  Read through this blog post and you will find out how to enter on my blog to win a Starbucks gift box from the publisher.

Here is a brief description of The Me Project from the publisher:

 

"As women, we forget the goals and dreams of our younger years. The busyness of everyday life gets in the way. To-do lists replace goals. The Me Project provides women with fun and creative ways to bring back the sense of purpose and vitality that comes with living out the plans and dreams God has planted in our hearts. Kathi Lipp’s warm tone and laugh-out-loud humor motivates women to take daily steps toward intentional goals. The end result? We get back our lives and enjoy living in the confidence of a purposeful life in spite of our chaotic schedules. "

"This handy guide coaches women to do one simple thing toward achieving our goals each day for three weeks. A woman experiencing the exhilaration of a rediscovered life offers more as a wife, mother, friend, volunteer, career woman."
 
Here is a great article by the author with tips to start living your dreams today...
 

Three Super-Simple Kick Start Living Your Dreams
– in the next 15 minutes

by Kathi Lipp

Is there a dream that God has given you, but you are waiting until the kids are grown and you have money in the bank before you get started?

You may not be able to enroll in a month long pastry making class or take a week off of work to get started on your novel, but today you can take three little baby steps to making your dream a day-to-day reality.
1. Go Public with It

It’s a little scary to tell the world what you want to do when you grow up—but this is one little step could get you closer to living your dream than almost any other. Plus—it takes very little time and you don’t have to raid your kid’s college fund to make it happen.

When you gather up all your courage and tell your best friend, “I want to learn how to paint,” suddenly she remembers an old art book she has laying around she would love to give you, or her friend from church who teaches art classes. The people you know and love want to be a resource. Give them the privilege of being a part of making your dream happen.
2. Join an Online Group

This is one of the simplest—and cheapest—ways to start exploring your passion. Find out who else is talking about restoring antiques and listen to their conversation. Start by Googling your interest along with the term “online groups.” You will be amazed with the number of people who want to talk about the proper way to care for 1950’s lunchboxes as much as you do.
3. Don’t be Afraid to Pray

I remember the first time I put an offer in on a house—I wanted it more than I had wanted almost anything else in my life. While I knew that I had dozens of other people praying on my behalf, I was too scared to pray.

I didn’t want God to tell me no. I was afraid to pray until my co-worker Kim asked me (in a loving, kind way), why I didn’t believe that God wanted His best for me. Don’t be afraid to pray—as with anything amazing in my life, the path is never what I expected, but it has always been obvious that God’s hand has been on it the whole way.

Kathi Lipp

Kathi Lipp is a busy conference and retreat speaker, currently speaking each year to thousands of women   throughout the United States. She is the author of The Husband Project and The Marriage Project, serves as food writer for Nickelodeon, and has had articles published in several magazines, including Today’s Christian Woman and Discipleship Journal. Kathi and her husband, Roger, live in California and are the parents of four teenagers and young adults. For more information visit her website: http://www.kathilipp.com/
 
 
 
Between Feb. 24th and March 1st leave a comment on my blog to this post.  I will choose a name randomly from those who comment and leave either a email address or have a google profile with contact info in it so I can send there info on to the publisher.  On March 7th the publisher will draw a name from all entries received from the blog tour. 

The Grand Prize Giveaway is:


Deluxe Starbucks Coffee Gift Basket

Three 2.5-oz. bags of Starbucks coffee

(Sumatra, House Blend, and French Roast)

Tazo black tea

Starbucks marshmallow cocoa

Almond roca

Almond roca buttercrunch toffee cookies

White chocolate and raspberry cookies

2 Starbucks mugs

Keepsake black bamboo basket

$62 value
 
(Book received free of charge for my participation in this blog tour)