Dec. 1, 2009 Treasured by Leigh McLeroy and God Gave Us Love & God Gave Us Christmas by Lisa Tawn Bergren

Cigar boxes. Refrigerator doors. Scrapbooks and sock drawers and top shelves. These are the places we store our treasures–the keepsakes that tell the story of whom and what we’ve loved, how we’ve lived, and what matters most to us.

God is a collector, too, whose treasures are tucked securely into the pages of his book: a golden bell here, an olive leaf there, a scarlet thread, a blood-stained cloth, a few grains of barley. Each of these saved artifacts reveals a facet of his heart and tells the story of a Father whose most precious possession is…us.

In Treasured, Leigh McLeroy considers tangible reminders of God’s active presence and guides us in discovering evidence in our own lives of his attentive love.

Leigh McLeroy is the author of The Beautiful Ache and The Sacred Ordinary.  An avid collector and recorder of everyday moments, words, and wonders, Leigh’s keen eye for God’s presence in ordinary life infuses her writing and living with a deep, insistent joy.  A frequent conference and event speaker, the author makes her home in Houston, Texas, and posts often on www.leighmcleroy.com and www.wednesdaywords.com.

Heidi Says:  This book was just what I needed - a reminder that, though it doesn't always seem this way to me, I am a treasure to God.  I love how the author takes "treasures" from the scriptures - starting with a fig leaf and ending with one smooth stone - and weaves them together with tales from her life.  You'll find yourself easily relating to the stories in this book. 

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As Little Cub and Grampa Bear’s fishing adventure is interrupted by mischievous otters, the young polar bear begins to question why we must love others… even the seemingly unlovable.

In answering her questions, Grampa Bear gives tender explanations that teach Little Cub about the different kinds of love that is shared between families, friends, and mamas and papas. Grampa explains that all these kinds of love come from God and that it is important to love others because…

“Any time we show love, Little Cub, we’re sharing a bit of his love.”

This sweet tale will warm the hearts of young children as they learn about all the different sorts of love, while the gentle explanations of each provide a valuable opportunity to encourage children to share with others a “God-sized love.”

As Little Cub and her family prepare to celebrate the most special day of the year, the curious young polar bear begins to wonder… “Who invented Christmas?” Mama’s answer only leads to more questions like “Is God more important than Santa?” So she and Little Cub head off on a polar expedition to find God and to see how he gave them Christmas. Along the way, they find signs that God is at work all around them. Through Mama’s gentle guidance, Little Cub learns about the very first Christmas and discovers that… Jesus is the best present of all.

This enchanting tale provides the perfect opportunity to help young children celebrate the true meaning of Christmas and to discover how very much God loves them.

Lisa Tawn Bergren is the award-winning author of nearly thirty titles, totaling more than 1.5 million books in print. She writes in a broad range of genres, from adult fiction to devotional. God Gave Us Love follows in Lisa’s classic tradition of the best-selling God Gave Us You. She lives in Colorado, with her husband, Tim, and their children, Olivia, Emma, and Jack.

Heidi Says: If you've already seen God Gave Us You, then you've already fallen in love with the adorable bear family that Lisa Tawn Bergren introduced us to in that book.  I was excited to see these new additions to the God Gave Us . . . collection, and I was not disappointed.  These books are precious stories to be shared with your little ones.  They help introduce important lessons in an easy-to-understand way.  Kids can relate to Little Cub and will love looking at the lively, colorful illustrations in these books.  These are both perfect books for your Christmas gift-giving.

The above books can be purchased at Random House, using the following links:
Treasured
God Gave Us Love
God Gave Us Christmas

NOTE: The above mentioned books were provided to me from Random House, in exchange for my honest reviews.