Celebrating a Christ-Centered Easter by Emily Belle Freeman

Would you like to make Easter a more meaningful celebration in your home?

 

Once, several years ago, I had a conversation with Truman G. Madsen and his lovely wife Ann in their Provo home. I was attending BYU, and Ann Madsen was my New Testament teacher at the time. She had invited me, along with a few other members of the class, to visit her home. As the others were leaving, I found myself with Truman and Ann in their kitchen. Soon the discussion turned to Easter, and more specifically Easter Traditions and I found myself listening with my whole heart to every word that passed their lips. Here were two people who had lived in the Holy Land for many years, had studied the holy prophets, had dedicated their lives to the scriptures; here were two people who when they talked about the Savior, it felt as if they had met him before.

I left that day with a new love and appreciation for the opportunity we have to celebrate Easter and for the sacred words, "He is Risen."

Since that day, nearly 20 years ago, I have truly loved the Easter holiday and tried to incorporate special Easter traditions into my own family's celebration.

This new book by Emily Belle Freeman is an incredible resource and opportunity for you to transform your Easter into a spiritual, healing, and inspiring holiday for your family. It is filled with testimony, love and the hope found in and through Jesus the Christ.

Emily has been generous enough to share simple traditions and teaching opportunities that have worked in her home. I can't thank her enough for sharing these messages with me.

This book focuses on the experiences that people had with Jesus the week before his crucifixion and resurrection. It includes the stories of Lazarus, Simon, Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, Mary Magdalene, Mary and Salome, The Disciples on the Road to Emmaus and Jesus Christ himself.

Each of the 7 experiences included in the book detail scriptures and also a simple craft or token to represent the story shared and the meaning behind it. They are set up like small devotionals that you can share through out the weeks leading up to your Easter Celebration. They are well written, well thought-out and easy to implement in your home.

Emily Belle Freeman is a gifted writer. One of the things that she excels at is opening the scriptures and likening them to our day. She often helps me find myself with in the pages of the written word.

From Deseret Book:

Discover how the personal experiences of people who were closest to the Savior during the final week of His life can change the way your family celebrates Easter. Learn the meaning behind the wheat baskets, the forget knot, the red egg, and other traditions that will help Easter become a "High Holy Day" in your heart and in your home.  

Celebrating a Christ-Centered Easter offers hope for an Easter filled with the Spirit of Christ as we offer our finest to Him in deepest gratitude for His sacrifice. Return to the spiritual roots of this holy celebration with this beautiful gift book that will help bring you and your family closer to Jesus Christ.

Purchase at Deseret Book / Amazon

Some of my other favorites of hers are:

21 Days Closer to Christ

Written on Our Hearts

Love Life and See Better Days

Celebrating a Christ-Centered Christmas

Discover America: From Sea to Shining Sea

I think this new children's book is so sweet and patriotic.  

"Follow the patriotic journey of a little red balloon as it makes its way from the West Coast to the East Coast of the United States. Accompanied by the words of one of Americas most beloved anthems America the Beautiful, From Sea to Shining Sea shows the diversity and beauty of our great country through the eyes of our nations children. To add an interactive experience, kids all across the United States will be able to go online to send their own balloons on their own journey." 

 (From the Press Release) 

I found Julie Olson's illustrations magical. I love water color (wish I was more talented, but my last attempt scarred me for life). Parts of Katharine Lee Bates poem "America the Beautiful" is recited on each page as this little red balloon makes it's way across our great America. My kids loved this book. Especially the little ones.

 Make sure to visit her educational interactive website for free printable and free lesson plans.

www.discoveramericabook.com 

• Send your own virtual balloon to friends or family members, who can then send it on.
• Discover and track on the website your balloon's progress as it floats across the United States.
• Discover facts for fun or for school reports by clicking on each state.
• Print out coloring pages from the website for each state's flag,flower, and bird.
• Discover what you know about the book and other places in the United States by taking the online quiz.
• Discover on the website a video of the illustrator, Julie Olson, painting and talking about the book.

Deseret Book / Amazon

Longing for Home: Hope Springs, by Sarah M. Eden

  *The following book review is written by my dear cousin Lisa McCarthur . A huge thank you to Lisa for helping me out!.

Longing for Home: Hope Springs is the anticipated sequel to Sarah Eden's Longing for Home.  As we read, we see Katie continue to struggle between her feelings for Tavish and Joseph.  Should she choose Tavish, who makes her feel carefree, or should she choose Joseph, who listens to her and gives her the courage to face life's difficulties? Not only is Katie torn by her feelings for both men, she is caught in the middle of the conflict between the Irish Road and the Red Road, when she goes to work for Mr. Johnson at the mercantile in an effort to stabilize prices for the Irish residents of Hope Springs.   All the while, Katie grows closer to Joseph and his two daughters.  As her love for them grows, she realizes she will do anything to protect Hope Springs and her future. Tensions reach their boiling point and lives are lost on both sides of the conflict.  It is only through all the heartache that Katie finally comes to a decision, heals the hurt of the past, and brokers the peace essential to her future in Hope Springs. 

Longing for Home: Hope Springs is a must read that will leave the reader cheering Katie on in her fight for her future.

Blackmoore by Julianne Donaldson: A Book Review & Giveaway

Kate feels as if she is a caged bird, wanting to escape, but completely helpless. She is smart, witty, strong willed, and yet a touch annoying. You love her and yet you want to sort of slap her and wake her up from her limited views of her reality.

"Kitty" is tormented by her flirtatious mother and she has sworn off men for fear of ever being compared to her mother or her sisters.. Her mother is a beast and an embarrassment. Think Cinderella's step mother with a flirtatious air, a loose tongue, and no social graces.

And then enters Henry. He is strong, good, kind, noble and her best friend. They have the kind of history and fondness that makes for the best of relationships...and yet the problems and wheels working against them seem to make it an impossible match. Kate and Henry are powerful characters and I really enjoyed watching their history unfold as the story moved from present time to past throughout the chapters. I read this book nearly in one sitting and stayed up into the night to finish it. I like it more that Edenbrooke.

If I was to give it one criticism it would be that I had other ideas for the ending;)

I recommend this book completely. It is a clean read, the kind you can recommend to your teenage daughter. It will make you swoon and for me it brought back all the tender feelings, excitement and emotions I felt when dating my sweet husband Scott.  The characters felt real and honest and I enjoyed it. 4.5 Stars

You can pick up a copy at Deseret Book at Deseret Book E Shelf or at Amazon.

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