Nancy Rue, author of numerous Zonderkidz titles such a Dear Nancy, Totally Unfair, and False Friends and True Strangers writes about the powerful connection that you can have to your tween girl, even while she begins to go through the many changes of becoming a teenager. 

As a Zonderkidz author for some (insert muffled voice) years, I’m thrilled to be here as a guest blogger. And three guesses what I’m going to talk about – my fave subject: Mini-Women.

For the uninitiated, that is the 8 to 12 year old girl who is no longer that sweet little baby girlfriend who thought you were as infallible as Elmo, but who has not yet completely lost her mind and become a teenager. Psychologists used to refer to this age range as “the latent period”, though it is anything but. Even the title “tween” was coined by the advertising world to denote a group who is merely “between.”

But this wonderful, changing-daily (or hourly), unpredictable period is full of the potential for crazy fun Mini-Women to someday turn into the godly full-grown versions. This is where it begins. Not three years from now when the eyes start to roll and the most frequently used word is “whatever.” The time is now. Read More…

“We care about how we look. Why is that? Because we’re women, and women love to look and feel good. God made us that way. And this is not a bad thing. In fact, it’s a wonderful thing. God loves beauty. And He loves you and He loves me, exactly as we were created.” – Shari Braendel, author of Good Girls Don’t Have to Dress Bad

Beauty is essential part of God’s creation, and He has hardwired the human brain to appreciate that beauty. In fact, the human spirit desires to create beauty, to breathe life, inspiration, and hope into the world around us.

That’s why Zondervan is excited to sponsor Christian Fashion Week this year! What a fantastic way for the Christian community to engage in the realm of creative fashion design. What is unique about Christian Fashion Week is that the focus is truly about honoring some important Christian values through fashion design, such as modesty, integrity, and a passion to devote our creativity to the Lord. As Christians, we see the world in a completely different light through Christ, so Christian Fashion Week desires to bring this unique perspective to the fashion industry.

What would you like to see featured at Christian Fashion Week?

If you are interested in Christian Fashion Week, check out their website or their Facebook page.

Being a teenager means juggling school, jobs, church, and extracurricular activities. The average teenager’s day is full of activities, homework, and friendships. One great way to make these busy days more peaceful is stopping daily to focus on God’s Word and taking time to reflect on His insights for every teen’s life.

Two useful tools to help navigate a teen’s time with the Lord are both the Once-A-Day Bible and the Once-A-Day Devotional. Each one works as a companion for the other with daily-portioned readings, insightful devotionals, and prayer guides. Each of these will make it easy and convenient for teens to meet with the Lord every day, even with their crazy schedules.

We are giving away both the Once-A-Day Bible and the Once-A-Day Devotional! You can enter to win both below:

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Chances are, your life is stressful. Our work, family, school, and church schedules are a kind of juggling act we maintain while we manage to deal with other unexpected obstacles, like the car breaking down, our kids coming down with a cold, the roof springing a leak. Whatever the case, our day-to-day lives can be so hectic that we forget to stop, breathe, and reflect.

In Psalms 46:10, the Lord declares, “Be still, and know that I am God.” But how often are we actually still? And, even more, how often do we really know that God is God? How often do we make our daily activities become bigger in our lives than the still, small voice inside of us? Instead of Christ becoming our main focus, we let our jobs, relationships, and hobbies become the guiding light in our lives. “Be still and know that God is God” becomes “Be stressed and let Stress become our God.”

Our hearts become a battlefield, one where the quiet, imploring voice of God is drowned out by the many voices constantly vying for our attention. These voices become self-appointed gods, gods that are always at war with each other, at war with The God, The I AM. So, how do we refocus, how do we learn to be still once again?

These questions are central to Kyle Idleman’s Gods At War Bible Study. And on February 27^th, Kyle Idleman will be hosting a Gods at War Simulcast with special musical guests For Kings and Country. Through the simulcast, you can join with your church or small group Bible study while Kyle encourages you to rewire your thoughts and start focusing on a true relationship with Christ. Using true, powerful and honest teaching, the “Gods at War” simulcast and study will help clear path away from the heartache of our 21st century idolatry back to the heart of God — enabling us to truly be completely committed followers of Jesus.

You can register to join the simulcast here, and if you register in January, you and your group can receive 20% off.

Let’s refocus and make our hearts still. Jesus assured us in John 16:33 that “in this world you will have trouble” but He immediately declared after this that we should, “take heart! I have overcome the world.” Christ is bigger than our troubles, our stressful days, He’s much bigger than all our other gods at war.

When the New Year starts, many of us dive headfirst into a flurry of activities, resolutions, and goals. We promise ourselves that this year will be different, that if only we are a little better than last year everything will change. Often, we see no grace in these resolutions, no allowance for slip-ups or accidents – we are to stick to our resolutions no matter the circumstance. If we fail, we have (in a way) failed for the year, have fallen back into old patterns where there is nowhere to go except to wait for the next year when we can start again.

But what if there was a different way, one that promised to change our lives not by our own efforts and not by a whirlwind of our own activities and efforts, but by quiet reflection? What if what we really needed was a time where we listen for the quiet voice of God rather than relying on our own busyness to instruct us? A resolution to strengthen your prayer relationship with God is one that’s forgiving: this is about a relationship, not a quota, not a certain number. This is about you making time for the best and purest relationship that you’ll ever have with the very essence of mercy and forgiveness.

Mark Batterson’s The Circle Maker 40 Day Prayer Challenge is a great guide to start a fulfilling prayer-life in the New Year. By reading it, you’ll be encouraged to not only dedicate a portion of your day to prayer, but you will also be inspired with daily devotionals that can help you focus on a topic for your daily prayer time, topics like surrender and praise.

A prayer journal can also be helpful in helping you keep track of how the Lord is leading you into different areas of your life. Written prayer can often make prayer feel even more tangible and can open up new topics in your life that you might have never known you were thinking about.

In 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, we are encouraged to “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” Prayer is something that not only strengthens our personal relationship with Christ, but it also helps us become parallel with the will of God. So, let’s make 2013 one that is about a quiet, small voice rather than the bustle of impossible goals. Let’s make 2013 the time where we focus on a relationship with the Maker of the universe.

Did you make a New Year’s resolution to read more in 2013? We can help! Zondervan is giving away a prize package of some fantastic titles (and a great calendar as well). We’re giving away three prize packs that include one of each of the following:

1. Jimmy Carter Through The Years
2. Undaunted
3. Who is this Man
4. Betrayal (Hatcher)
5. Material Witness (autographed by Chapman)
6. Circle Maker
7. Circle Maker prayer Journal
8. Fire of the Raging Dragon
9. 2013 Amish Calendar
10. My One Word
11. Daniel Fast
12. NIV Once a Day Bible for Teens
13. The Adventure Bible, NIV: Book of Devotions
14. God’s Messages for Little Ones
15. The Beginner’s Bible Kid Sized Devotions
16. Thoughts to Make Your Heart Sing
17. Grace, Gold & Glory: My Leap of Faith
18. The Circle Maker, Student Edition
19. The Purpose Driven Life

You can enter to win by clicking here. Good luck and happy 2013!

What goals do you have for the New Year? Are you looking for a daily reader to start out 2013? Then take a 60-day journey with Lysa TerKeurst’s Unglued Devotional. This companion devotional to the bestselling book Unglued provides encouragement to help readers handle emotional struggles. Including a daily opening Scripture, Thought for the Day, devotion, and closing prayer, this book helps readers begin a journey in learning to positively process raw emotions, such as fear, anger, and regret.

And, of course, you will need something to carry your Unglued Devotional in, and what better to do that with than the Unglued Purse? This mustard colored purse can be found on the covers of both Unglued and the Unglued Devotional and it’s perfect for toting everything you’ll need in the New Year!

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‘Where Is God When It Hurts?’ Looks To Provide ‘Healing and Comfort’

December 20, 2012 (Grand Rapids, MI) – Grief has blanketed the nation. As the community of Newtown, Conn. prays for peace and reason, best-selling author Philip Yancey will be joining a local church to speak about where God is in this emotional tragedy.

On Friday December 28th through Sunday December 30th, Philip Yancey will join Walnut Hill Community Church, just outside the Newtown community, to speak at an open-to-the-public weekend event. Yancey will address the question posed in the title of his book, “Where is God When It Hurts?”

Yancey will be joining the church‟s senior pastor, Clive Calver, as they meet and listen to the community‟s families, teachers, first responders, parents and students who have been deeply affected by the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting.

“Healing and comfort—that‟s what I want most for those dear people,” said Yancey. “Words can only do so much, and certainly cannot take away the pain, yet I hope that this event could be a place of safety and honesty where people can bring their grief and come away with a new appreciation for why the gospel is good news—even now, especially now.” The event will also host a question and answer opportunity to address attendees’ individual questions.

Mark Schoenwald, President and CEO of HarperCollins Christian Publishing commented, “I am humbled to know that a member of our Zondervan author family has been asked to help comfort the community of Newtown. Asking, “Where is God in all of this?‟ is something many people in our nation are currently doing. I pray that Philip Yancey’s words will help these families heal.”

Zondervan, the publishers of “Where is God When It Hurts?” will be providing free copies of the book for the individuals who attend the region-wide weekend event. In addition, the “Where is God When It Hurts?” e-book is currently available to all for free download* on the Amazon, Apple, Barnes and Noble, Christian Book Distributors, Google and Kobo websites until January 2, 2013.

“We are eager to help and show our support for this community,” said Schoenwald. “Newtown is in the hearts and minds of everyone at Zondervan and all of the HarperCollins Christian Publishing division. We hope that by providing this resource, some comfort will be found and emotional wounds can begin to mend.”

For more information on the event, please visit www.walnuthillcc.org.

Philip Yancey serves as editor-at-large for “Christianity Today” magazine. He has written 13 Gold Medallion Award-winning books and won two ECPA Book of the Year Awards for “What‟s So Amazing About Grace?” and “The Jesus I Never Knew.” Four of his books have sold over one million copies. Yancey lives with his wife in Colorado.

*Free e-book download only available in U.S.

About Zondervan

Zondervan, part of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, is a world leading Bible publisher and provider of Christian communications. For more than 80 years, Zondervan has delivered transformational Christian experiences through its bestselling Bibles, books, curriculum, academic resources and digital products. The company‟s products are sold in multiple formats, worldwide in more than 60 countries, translated into nearly 200 languages. Zondervan offices are located in Grand Rapids, MI. For additional information, please visit www.zondervan.com.

As Christmas draws closer, sometimes gift giving, Holiday parties, and festive decorations can be the only thing that we focus on. But are all of those things really what Christmas is about? Amy Clipston, author of the Amish Christmas novella, Naomi’s Gift, writes about how Amish Christmas traditions inspired her to write a story that highlights the true meaning of Christmas.

My Christmas novella Naomi’s Gift features twenty-four-year-old Naomi King, who has been burned twice by love and has all but given up on marriage and children. As Christmas approaches-a time of family, faith, and hope for many others-Naomi is more certain than ever her life will be spent as an old maid, helping with the family’s quilting business and taking care of her eight siblings. Then she meets Caleb, a young widower with a 7-year-old daughter, and her world is once again turned upside-down.

During my research Naomi’s Gift, I asked my Amish friend how she and her family celebrate Christmas. In the Amish tradition, they don’t decorate a tree or tell their children that Santa Claus brings gifts. When decorating their homes, the Amish may display a poinsettia or candles, but you won’t find any lights or wreaths.

My Amish friend told me about First Christmas and Second Christmas.  In her family, they received their gifts on Christmas morning, which is First Christmas.  She sets up the table especially for the kids, called the Christmas table, and she puts her children’s names by each place setting and places their gifts on the plate.  Children may receive a piece of fruit or homemade cookies and candies. They may also find small toys, such as a new doll, a toy truck, farm animals, or ice skates. They may also receive clothes that they need or a new robe. Older girls sometimes get a piece of crystal or a dish, adding to their collection every year. The gifts are wrapped in newspaper or Christmas bag.

Adult gifts may include a homemade scarf, inspirational books, homemade blanket or towel, or a woven rug.

My Amish friend visits extended family on Second Christmas, which is the twenty-sixth, and the family members share a huge meal. The children have fun playing with their cousins.  Grandparents give each child a small gift, like candy.

Each Amish family has its own traditions.  Since the families are so large, they have to plan when to get together and some have their Christmas dinners as early as Thanksgiving.

For the Amish, the holiday is about family and retelling the Christmas story, which they share on Christmas Eve.

In Naomi’s Gift, readers will get a glimpse of the Amish Christmas traditions, which are very different from our “English” traditions and the expense of lavish gifts.

About Amy:

Amy Clipston holds a degree in communication from Virginia Wesleyan College and works full-time for the City of Charlotte, NC. Amy lives in North Carolina with her husband, and two sons and four spoiled rotten cats.

You can purchase her novella, Naomi’s Gift here.

Have you been racking your brain trying to think of the perfect stocking stuffer? Look no further! We’ve collected a group of books that will inspire you and your loved ones:

1) Be A Circle Maker

Pastor Mark Batterson shares powerful insights from the true story of Honi the circle maker, who prayed for miracles for God’s people—and then they fell from heaven like rain. The Circle Maker will help you bring your God-given dreams into being through tenacious prayers that honor God and make the impossible come true.

2) The Very First Christmas

Children will learn one of the most wonderful stories of all time, the birth of Jesus. By the end of the story, children will understand why we celebrate this special day

3) The Beginner’s Bible Kid’s Sized Devotions

Based on the bestselling Beginner’s Bible brand, this cute devotional is great way to introduce both prayers and Scripture to your child.

4) The Story of Jesus for Kids

The Story of Jesus for Kids is a small book with a big message. This compact booklet uses the text of the New International Reader’s Version (NIrV) to tell kids the story of the most significant person who ever lived.

5) God’s Messages for Little Ones

This 31-day devotional, using the words of Max Lucado, Randy Frazee, and Karen Hill in The Story for Children, guides young children to the knowledge that they are a special and important part of God’s story of love for the world.