Grandma Niswander's book about Alzheimer's

As many of you know, Sara's maternal grandfather, Dean Niswander of Bluffton, Ohio died about 2 years ago from Alzheimer's. A man of many talents and well known for his love of his family, it was hard for us to watch him endure the loss of his memory and other complications from the disease. Grandma (Joanne to the rest of the world), a writer and essayist shares some of her journal posts day by day along with the difficulty of slowing watching her husband die.

If you know someone who is showing signs of this dreaded disease, or if you have lost a loved one to Alzheimer's, I think this book will shed some light on the journey that many people either dont' talk about or don't know how to express. We are proud of Grandma for sharing their story in hopes to help others. You can buy the book at Amazon using the link below. 

An Alzheimer's Primer

Book Review: Behemoth

Sara and I often read together at bed time, but "Behemoth" was such an exciting read we got to bed late a few nights. Often, we found ourselves reading just one more chapter, as the excitement grew with each turn of events. Following the life of Dr. Stephen Gregory, a science professor and former atheist turned creationist, this thrilling adventure takes the reader into the swamps of Africa to settle the question once and for all whether or not dinosaurs are truly extinct. A second story  is that of Jim Thompson, caretaker of a large game preserve who diligently hunts down a mysterious creature that is killing some of the larger animals in the game preserve.

Delving into the cultural stereotypes against Christians and believers in intelligent design and creation, this book honestly deals with the fact that all scientists have the same evidence available to them and yet a great divide exists between those who approach the facts with faith in God or faith in humanistic philosophy.

Well Equipped Ambassador- evangelism website

Our new website is designed to bring together resources from all over the world wide web for the purpose of equipping Christians to share the Gospel. It is called "Equipped Ambassador for Christ" and can be viewed at http://www.equippedambassador.com/

Please bookmark this site and check back often for audio, video, and printed Gospel materials along with information on free speech, recommended resources, and encouraging quotes from God's Word and faithful witnesses from ages past. There is plenty to find here, and we hope you will share the site. 

We also have an attached Amazon Store to purchase associated resources through our affiliate program. All purchases through ads on our site will help support the ministry. Thank you.

Love and Respect Experience Devotional - Review

We didn't plan for this, but today seems like good timing to do our book review of
"The Love & Respect Experience: A Husband-Friendly Devotional that Wives Truly Love"  by Emerson and Sara Eggerichs. My wife and I have never been too excited about holidays, and like to think that we express our love to one another often enough and well enough that we don't need a holiday to remind us. That being said, many folks do enjoy having a special day to celebrate, so if you are one that likes to give gifts we would suggest that you might enjoy this devotional book.

Sara and I have been reviewing this book from Booksneeze.com, having received a free e-copy for our Kindle for PC. As we recently watched the Love and Respect DVD series with a small group at our church, many of the principles and concepts were fresh in our mind. Some of the things learned during the DVD series have already begun to take root in our lives and the Lord has brought blessings from our understanding of Biblical principles and practical knowledge. We are learning together, and we praise God for our the materials along with our wonderful friends who introduced us to Love and Respect. 

The devotional is, in my opinion, true to the title. It is husband-friendly and my wife also loved it. With short devotionals that open up topics of discussion, we found it best to read the devotionals together. The author suggests that it may be well for husbands and wives to read separately, but our preference has always been to read things together and discuss. I believe either way would be beneficial, but as it is a marriage devotional it seems to make sense to spend this time together talking about your marriage and how you can work together to build it up in Christ. 

The Kindle version seemed especially appropriate, as folks tend to spend a little time before bed reading. This relaxed and uplifting material seems quite appropriate to read before bed, as making other time during the day or even once a week other than in the evening for us tends to become neglected, rushed, or muddled with the chaos of having 4 children in the house. We have enjoyed so far all the materials produced by Love and Respect Ministries and look forward to learning more about ourselves and our relationship as we practice the principles of God's Word and this material.

The link above is for the Kindle version, which is cheaper. That is what we preferred, using Kindle for PC which is free from Amazon. To buy a printed copy, use our Affiliate search tools in the right column of this blog. Thank you for supporting our ministry through your regular purchases. 

DVD review- Courageous

We have been looking forward to seeing Courageous since it came out in theaters, and yet we never got the chance until this past weekend. We borrowed the DVD from Sara's brother, and enjoyed every minute of it. From the opening scene, we enjoyed the action, emotion, and challenge that comes from this overtly Christian film. Sherwood Pictures has outdone themselves yet again as they continue to grow in screen writing, videography, and quality actors.

We found Courageous to be more broad reaching than previous Sherwood films, going beyond following a single family into the lives of 5 families, including 4 police officers. Add in the "Snake King", well created by Robert Amaya as "Javier Martinez" and you have the masterful blend of talent that makes Courageous a winner for families of all backgrounds.

In our opinion, this diversity is the key to the success of the film and its message to men, fathers, and husbands. From the father who cannot connect to his teenage son to the poor immigrant family scraping to keep food on the table and a roof over their heads, this film excels at driving the point home in all family situations. Corruption, integrity, pain, and forgiveness are all included to show the broad range of problems in our families, and also that God can and will bless those who choose to do what is right in His eyes above all else. Top all the action and emotion off with a healthy dose of humor and you have Courageous, a movie that will surely be on the playlist at the Cowperthwaite home for some time in the future.

Check this video below explaining the heart of Courageous.

"Jesus Freaks" book review.... by Virginia

We have owned a copy of "Jesus Freaks: Martyrs- Stories for those who stood for Jesus: the ultimate Jesus Freaks" by Voice of the Martyrs and DC Talk for quite some time. While Sara and I have read the book together and separately, the major use of this book has been by our children. Nathaniel has read most of the stories, but Virginia is usually found in possession of the book. Virginia is going to be 9 years old in May, but starting reading the stories of martyrs for Christ well over a year ago. She loves to read the stories over and over again, and seems to have a good understanding of what the cost of following Jesus Christ is really about.

Here is Virginia's unedited review of the book "Jesus Freaks":

I love the book Jesus Freaks. My favorite story is "Her Last Prayer". It is about a 17 year old girl in China. In an under ground church one time in the middle of the meeting about 10 cops broke in. 1 of the cops went to the pastor and asked for his bible. Amazingly the pastor gave him the bible his prized possession. the cop threw the bible at his feet. and said spit on this book of lies or else you will be shot. The rest of the cops blocked the door. Then the cop called up a man. The man spit only a little but it was enough. Then a woman came up and spit and she was allowed to go. Then a young girl came up and took her dress and wiped off the spit and prayed for them. The cop shot the girl.

I think this review from Virginia says about all that needs to be said. I know many may not like the musical style of DC Talk, while others will be taken on a trip down memory lane watching this video, but we had to include it. The song "Jesus Freak" speaks of the life of John the Baptist who was rejected by men, but was called by God to live a sanctified life, preparing the way of the Lord Jesus Christ, and who would lose his life for speaking boldly of sin, righteousness, and judgement. 

Buy the book from our links in the right column or the direct link below. Your shopping from Amazon, Christianbook.com, and Vision Forum all support our family ministry. Thank you for your support.

Jesus Freaks: Martyrs By dc Talk & the Voice of the Martyrs / Bethany House With life-changing impact, dc Talk's first book, Jesus Freaks, has captured the attention of Christians of all ages with its stories of Christian martyrs who took a stand for Christ against the culture of their day. Re-released as Jesus Freaks: Martyrs, you'll be challenged to examine your own faith and dedication with compelling real-life stories of believers who refused to deny Jesus--even in the face of death.

CBD Featured Product "Courageous"

I won't go on forever with this post. I just wanted to remind everyone that if you have not yet purchased your copy of "Courageous" on DVD, they will start shipping January 17. Buy from our Amazon Store or Christian Book Distributors store to support our ministry through your purchases. 

We are excited to see this movie, though we missed it in the theaters. If you have seen it, loved it, and want to share it, consider buying a copy just to loan out. We do this often, and have been blessed to see how the Lord uses such a simple thing to bless others. 

Courageous: Exclusive Collector's Edition, DVD Pre-order the latest movie from the creators of Fireproof! Police officers Adam Mitchell, Nathan Hayes, and their partners are brave men well-equipped to deal with hardened criminals. But when they remove their badges, they face a more daunting challenge---fatherhood. As their children drift away from them, can these stalwarts find a way to defend and protect those nearest and dearest to them---and draw closer to God? Rated PG-13. Approx. 120 minutes. Special Features: The Making Of Courageous Commentary By The Kendrick Brothers Deleted Scenes Outrageous: Outtakes & Bloopers Courageous In 60 Seconds Heart Of Courageous The Story Of My Father Exclusive Collector's Edition Features*: Casting Crowns "Courageous" Music Video A Church of Prayer The Importance of Fathers Role of a Lifetime: Rev. Daniel Simmons Mark Willard: Ministering Through Music Erin Bethea: Serving Behind the Scenes Sherwood Pictures Retrospective Sherwood Volunteers Plus, Ministry & Resource Videos to Guide Your Next Steps! Languages: English 5.1 (Dolby Digital), Spanish Subtitles: English, Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog, French, Vietnamese, German, Korean * Additional features available only on Collector's Edition

CBD feature Wednesday

Courageous is available for pre-order now, and will be shipping around January 17th for those who get their orders in soon. We are excited to finally see this movie, as we missed it in the theaters. If you have not yet considered purchasing this DVD, check out all the special features listed here in the Collector's Edition from CBD. Buy through this link and a portion of your purchase (no effect on price) will support our ministry. Also available in our Amazon Store. If you are shopping Amazon anyway, we would appreciate your supporting us with your purchases. We are excited to see this movie! The current price is $17.99 on both of our stores, which is the best price we know of right now.

Don't forget to share this and any of our featured resource links with your friends via Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ using the links at the bottom of this post. It only takes a single click, and linking our blog and affiliate stores helps us spread the word, to offer Christian resources that will build you up in your walk with the Lord Jesus Christ.

Courageous: Exclusive Collector's Edition, DVD Pre-order the latest movie from the creators of Fireproof! Police officers Adam Mitchell, Nathan Hayes, and their partners are brave men well-equipped to deal with hardened criminals. But when they remove their badges, they face a more daunting challenge---fatherhood. As their children drift away from them, can these stalwarts find a way to defend and protect those nearest and dearest to them---and draw closer to God? Rated PG-13. Approx. 120 minutes. Special Features: The Making Of Courageous Commentary By The Kendrick Brothers Deleted Scenes Outrageous: Outtakes & Bloopers Courageous In 60 Seconds Heart Of Courageous The Story Of My Father Exclusive Collector's Edition Features*: Casting Crowns "Courageous" Music Video A Church of Prayer The Importance of Fathers Role of a Lifetime: Rev. Daniel Simmons Mark Willard: Ministering Through Music Erin Bethea: Serving Behind the Scenes Sherwood Pictures Retrospective Sherwood Volunteers Plus, Ministry & Resource Videos to Guide Your Next Steps! Languages: English 5.1 (Dolby Digital), Spanish Subtitles: English, Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog, French, Vietnamese, German, Korean * Additional features available only on Collector's Edition

Internet and the Cowperthwaite family

Many have asked us why we are involved in Facebook and other social media. We find that we have been able to use our blogs and Facebook pages for the last 5 years to share the Gospel, teach God's Word, and let people know how to get some great Christian resources for themselves. We also have a chance to offer ourselves for prayer, services such as Gospel material production, and much more due to our web presence. Our blogs (linked at the right) only average a couple hundred or so views per day right now, but we are happy we have the chance to reach out to folks at all. Thank you for opening your lives to our family in so many ways.

Our Facebook page has over 1,100 friends, and the passages of God's Word we post adorn the walls of folks from all over the world, in churches of various denominations and practices. We think this is a good use of our time so long as it does not take too much time. Our Facebook page is the primary source for getting updates on our family, and the blog is becoming a blend of updates and things we think our friends will appreciate learning about. We will do our best to let you know the good and the bad about what we have been reading and watching. Please share your input via the "Comment" section at the end of each post.

The latest addition is the affiliate programs from some of our favorite providers. We buy books, DVDs, and much more from sources like Christian Book Distributors and Vision Forum. We buy diapers and other supplies at a huge discount from Amazon and have our own astore. We recently started reviewing Christian books, Bibles, and homeschool curriculum for a company online. All these have brought new experiences and learning to our family and given us many opportunities for fellowship. As we get more involved in reviews and internet commerce, we don't want folks to lose track of our family.