May Powers Ka to be #SuperEpic!

Have you ever thought you were ordinary?

"Imagine if we can be partners with the Lord Jesus in transforming lives and communities? Astig di ba? Still think you're ordinary? Think again."

This is the premise of Mighty Rasing's book, May Powers ka to be #SUPEREPIC. Based on the book, Mighty is part of the Philippine stay of Young People's Ministries, the goal youth ministry affect of the United Methodist Church.

Youth.

The youth, energetic young people that they are, have the potential to change the world for the better. They have the skills, the grit, and the time and energy. However, it is not uncommon to see potentials untapped because of many reasons: lack of support, lack of ambition and determination, or the lack of awareness of this potential.

Mighty's book aims to change this and empower today's youth to follow Christ and become superheroes who can save the day - because they can! We can!

#SUPEREPIC talks about:

- Taking initiative and responsibility
- The importance of training
- Understanding limits
- Planning
- Teamwork
- The proper way to resolve conflicts
- And avoiding getting tempted by power, sex, and money

What makes #SUPEREPIC different?

- Using a comfortable mix of English and Filipino, the book is easy to digest.

- The book is within most young people's comfort zones because of its pop culture references. From superheroes like Superman and Batman to musicians like Ely Buendia. The words, super epic, themselves are from pop culture.

- Mighty wisely occasionally injects humour every now and then. For example, referring to Superman, he writes, "Kaya nyang bumuhat ng isang isla, lumipad papunta sa space, magsurvive sa isang nuclear blast, at syempre magpa-cute sa officemates nyang si Lois Lane pag may time." His words tickle the funny bone and, at the same time, the grey matter and the soul.

- Knowing today's youth's attention span, the writer wisely uses interesting anecdotes to keep young readers interested. An example is the interesting story of Jay Jaboneta, founder of Yellow Boats of Hope Foundation.

- I did not find any piece of advice that contradicts the Bible or attempts to present an inaccurate interpretation of it. On the contrary, from time to time, Bible verses are there to support the writer's words.

- Finally, reminiscent of Ed Lapiz's (author of Siksik, Liglig, Umaapaw) writing style, Mighty does not mince words when it comes to opening the youth's eyes to their (our) common flaws including impulsiveness, laziness, and the lack of self-control.

All in all, I truly liked reading the book. I didn't find a single flaw or, like what I have said, Biblical contradiction. Instead, the book is both light and fun to read and enlightening and inspiring. I am actually planning to keep this book and encourage my son to read it when he becomes a youth himself.

I don't doubt he would enjoy reading it and learn a lot from it. I did.

May Powers Ka to be #SuperEpic is published by OMFLit and is available in all leading bookstores nationwide.

Know more about the book here. You can also read a sample chapter or register for freebies!


Disclosure: Mighty Rasing sent me this book for free in exchange for a review. However, it did not, in any way, influence my opinion. All of the thoughts and points expressed here are my own.

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Are You a Nagger? (Review of "Motivate Your Child" by Scott Turansky and Joanne Miller)

Sometimes, I have no choice but to subscribe to the nagging and bribing academy of parenting.

When my toddler was still a baby, I swore I will never nag or bribe because I know these will never result to anything good. But now, out of desperation, I find myself either nagging to death or bribing my son with a toy or a treat to make him follow me.

The book, "Motivate Your Child" by Dr. Scott Turansky and Joanne Miller, RN BSN, is what I need.

Image from Amazon

The book basically focuses on how many parents today are using external methods of motivating their children. Yes, these include nagging and bribing, and these are very misdirected. These result to short-term effects where the child obeys just to either avoid punishment or get the reward.

Nagging is tiresome. On the other hand, if your child was exposed to a reward system that is basically bribing, you have no choice but to "outdo" the last reward. I actually see this in my sister today who, before obeying, will ask, "What is in it for me?"

The book then ultimately says that the best way to motivate a child is to motivate them internally. The writers call this form of parenting "heart parenting." What does it mean?

This approach entails removing the external reward-consequence system and looking into the root of the matter: the heart.

Book Review: The Sacred Year by Michael Yankowski

Source: booklookbloggers.com

I'm sorry; I just can't be at peace with this book.

I've read many Christian books and this is the first book that drew many questions from me that is not in a good way.

The writer, Michael Yankowski, is a Christian motivational speaker. Paraphrasing the book's summary, he got disillusioned with his lifestyle and decided to pursue a year of "focused engagement with spiritual practices" to experience faith.

Guided by the voice of Father Solomon--a local monk--Yankoski's Sacred Year slowly transforms his life... His story will resonate with those who wish to deepen their own committed faith... for their own authentic encounter with the Divine.

I have conflicting feelings about the book. The summary above alone should've been a red flag. Referring to God as merely "the Divine" and spiritual realizations guided by the voice of a monk? They seem harmless until you realize that throughout the book, there isn't much focus on the Christian God and Jesus' Gospel.

The Book of Revelation Made Clear (Tim LaHaye and Timothy E. Parker)

As a child, the Book of Revelation fascinated and, at the same time, scared me. There was just something mysterious about the symbols and disasters illustrated in the book.

My preception of the chapter only changed when I became a true Christian and I realized it's not meant to be understood in its own; instead, it should be read once you earn a firm foundation of faith and knowledge.

It also should be read through a firm Christian perspective and not as a horror book meant to scare. That's why it is important to study it. Enter the book "The Book of Revelation Made Clear" by Tim LaHaye and Timothy E. Parker. This is a book written as a study guide which dissects the sections of Revelation, helping the readers understand the symbols and points correctly.

A December Bride by Denise Hunter

Image from http://www.goodreads.com/

This is a refreshing read if you want something short, light, and pleasantly romantic. What comes as a bonus is the Christmas setting, which we know is coming sooner than we think!

Layla O'Reilly, our heroine, is about to attend the wedding of the year: her cousin and ex-fiance's. To say she avoided it like plaque is an understatement. As luck would have it, Seth Murphy, her ex-fiance's bestfriend and just another person she has vowed to not have anything to do with, comes to her rescue - the same Seth who has also been secretly in love with her for years.

In a sudden twist of events, the civil date leads them to accidentally announce their own faux engagement! Failing to clarify their mistake, they are "forced" to act as if they were lovers soon to get married. You have to read the book to know the things they have to do to go through the fake engagement, and you have to read it to know how everything eventually falls into place!

There are several things I like about this book. First is how everything is written in a "wholesome" manner, which proves that a romantic story doesn't need to be about sex. Second, I really like Seth's character, which I find to be the most developed one. Finally, as a Christmas-junkie, I love the holiday sceneries Denise Hunter sets up as backdrop to the romantic scenes.

However, if you're looking for an intellectually-stimulating book, this may not be for you. Like what I said, it is a light read. If you don't want cliche romantic plots and characters (like Layla's scheming cousin), you might want to try something else. Finally, if you're looking for something more theologically-heavy, this may not help you as it only subtly touches the subject of faith.

Overall, if what you're looking for is a refreshing, romantic, and heartwarming experience that you can read in one sitting, A December Bride definitely is for you!

Disclosure: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers review program. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions I have expressed are my own.

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BREASTFEEDING: A Journey Worth Taking - Free for a Limited Time!

I wasn't completely breastfed by my own mother mainly because of the lack of information available during their time. While Yuri and I are still happily breastfeeding at 28 months now, I only breastfed for less than three months. Like my mother, I know there are still many mothers today who lack the information about breastfeeding.

Knowing that my mother could've breastfed me properly had there been information available during her time makes me very thankful for the vast resources that are at my grasp. I admit that part of the success of my breastfeeding journey is the acceptance and encouragement of my partner and my family. But when it came to extended breastfeeding, they were not so welcoming, only tolerant.

But I kept breastfeeding, and that's because of the books and articles that I was able to read about the virtues of extended breastfeeding. I don't know these women, but their words kept me going!

One of the great breastfeeding resources you can get your hands on is this book called BREASTFEEDING: A Journey Worth Taking. It is written by a Filipina author! I have been meaning to buy this book but haven't found the time yet. But I know I, as well as a lot of mothers, will benefit from reading it. This is why I'm happy to announce this great news:

Free Download of Breastfeeding Book in Support of World Breastfeeding Week 2014

Love and Respect in the Family (by Dr. Emerson Eggerichs)

I have a painful childhood memory which remains fresh in my mind. I was 6 years old and awoke to the sound of my parents fighting. I huddled in bed and waited for the house to calm down. I was crying. Minutes later, my mom went inside the room and sat on an armchair. Sniffling, I snuggled up to her. She asked, "Why are you crying?"

"Because you're fighting. And you didn't even get to tell me 'good morning.'"

My mother held me away from her. I can still remember the disgust in her eyes and the contempt in her tone when she said, "You're so selfish. You're such a bad girl. All you could think of is yourself. How very selfish."

I was 6 years old with no understanding of what I did wrong. To be honest, I still believe I didn't do anything wrong. I love my mother dearly and I'm sure she does, too, but at that moment, I've never felt more unloved.

I still think that's the reason why I have trouble expressing love and affection to my family.

I needed to understand why that little moment made such a big impact on me. It eclipses the other low moments of my life, such as the times I failed to meet my parents' expectations. They're painful, yes, but somehow, I was able to manage the temporary loss of respect on me (for a while). I mean, I was able to bounce back. However, not the same could be said for the moments I felt unloved, and I wanted to know why.

Thankfully, God answered my prayer in the form of a book.

I am very blessed to have received a copy of the book, Love and Respect in the Family, written by Dr. Emerson Eggerichs, who is an internationally known expert on relationships. I say "blessed" because it opened my mind to the real reason behind the rifts within our families.

To say that this book changed my life is an understatement.

The premise of this book is this: parents and men demand respect while children and women desire to be loved. While both are not mutually exclusive, most conflicts happen when these demands are not met.

When I study the conflicts I've been in, this idea makes so much sense. It's like a light bulb suddenly turned on. Now I understand! Parents get frustrated when they feel they are not respected, while children resent their parents because they feel unloved.

On the other hand, husbands commit sin when they feel their wives don't respect them, while wives get discontented when they don't feel they are being loved. It's a vicious cycle actually. The author even calls it the crazy cycle. 

Come to think of it, everything's already written in the Bible, which makes this book not only credible but also practicable:

For children to respect their parents: Exodus 20:12

For parents to love their children: Psalms 127:3-5

For wives to respect their husbands: Ephesians 5:22-24

For husbands to love their wives: Ephesians 5:25 

The author also offers a very practical guide readers can follow in order to achieve "harmony." The acronym used is GUIDES, and here are the letters' meanings:

G - Give (Not too little and not too much)
U - Understand (Putting yourself in their shoes)
I - Instruct (Not too much but just enough)
D - Discipline (Confront, Correct, Comfort)
E - Encourage (Equipping them to succeed)
S - Supplicate (Praying with confidence!)

What I really like about this book is how it values the imperfection of human relationships. In other books, we are given "tips" on how to handle a clingy child or a secretive husband. If you're looking for tips on how to change another person, well, this might not be for you. However, if you're praying to change yourself, I say that this is a great book to start with.

You see, we always pray to see change in other people. We always pray for them to be more honest, more understanding, more patient. What about ourselves? Change begins in ourselves, and we cannot really do that unless we completely depend on the Lord. This is one of the main points of the book. Human relationships, even in the most ideal families, will never be perfect. However, we can depend on a perfect God whose love is unwavering and unchanging.

Isn't that amazing?

This is life-changing for me because I learned how to treat other people. I can prevent conflict by trying to weigh whether I sound disrespectful or not. I try to avoid being unloving. Finally, I am able to assess my feelings and know when to validate my anger and when to dismiss it.

Of course, I cannot tell you everything I read. The experience is unique because you can read about the cases the writer has handled. You don't need to be a parent to read this and benefit from it. Reading this book does not only teach me how to handle Yuri but also Job, my parents, my siblings, and yes, even the household help. If you are a father, a mother, a daughter, a son, a sister, or a brother, you will benefit from reading this book. 

This just goes to show that every kind of relationship within the family takes work, and you just cannot expect to see results without intentionally treating them with love and respect.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com® book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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