Joyce Meyer's latest non-fiction release is a call to Christians to stand up and ACT. Meyer wants to wake us up to the injustice and suffering going on around the world. She calls us to to a part of what she calls the "Love Revolution" whose creed is this:

I take up compassion and surrender my excuses. I stand against injustice and commit to live out simple acts of God's love. I refuse to do nothing. This is my resolve. I am the Love Revolution.

I was struck by what Meyer had to say in this book. She began, on page 1, with statistics that quite simply broke my heart. 963 million hungry people; more than 1 billion people earning less that 1 dollar per day; 30,000 children a day dying because of poverty - 11 million each year - and most are under the age of five.

After reading these statistics and many more that Meyer includes on page one and beyond, I was hooked. I wanted to know how to be a part of this revolution, how I can possibly make a difference and impact the lives of these hurting people around the world. Meyer's answer: Love.

After sharing about needs of people around the world and then drawing our attention to those with needs in our own communities and even our own families, Meyer shares ways to reach out and make a difference. Some of the things she shares are as simple as allowing another driver to take a parking space that you were both waiting for (and doing so with a smile on your face) or mowing the lawn for an elderly neighbor.

She includes a chapter on how to "find out what people need and be a part of the solution." She calls us to look inside ourselves and ask ourselves tough questions like, "How selfish am I?" and "How much am I truly willing to help others?" These are tough questions to have to face the answers to - most of us aren't as unselfish or as giving as we wish we were.

Overall, The Love Revolution delivers exactly what it promises - ways to find a need and act in God's love to be a "part of the solution." If we would all read this book and live up to it's call, what a different place this world would be!

Today I'd like to welcome author and speaker, Jill Savage. Jill's recent book Real Moms...Real Jesus, just released, and I wanted to ask her about her real mom moments..

Jill, tell us a little bit about yourself and your family.

Mark and I have been married 25 years and we have five children. Anne is 24 and married to our wonderful son-in-love, Matt. Evan is 21 and married to our beautiful daughter-in-love, Julie. Erica is 18 and a college student at Heartland Community College. Kolya is 15 and in the 8th grade. We adopted Kolya at the age of 9 from Russia - the God story about his adoption is included in the Real Moms...Real Jesus book. And Austin is 12 and in the 7th grade.

Tell us about your newest book Real Moms...Real Jesus?

Real Moms...Real Jesus is a book designed to help moms understand that when Jesus lived on this earth he was fully God, yet fully man. We don't often think about the fact that he was a human being and he lived the full human experience: pain, hunger, fatigue, frustration, betrayal, disappointment. He experienced it all!

There's one verse in the Bible about Jesus that simply says "large crowds followed him everywhere he went." Well, isn't that the life of a mom? Large crowds follow her to the bathroom. They follow her to the kitchen. To the grocery store. She's in high demand! And when Jesus lived on this earth, He was in high demand, too.

Why did you want to write this book?

Most of us long for a friend who understands. Yes, we need girlfriends who understand what our life is like. But we also need to understand that we have a friend who understands in Jesus. Too many of us think of God as being distant and unable to relate to our daily struggles. But nothing could be further from the truth! He understands and he wants us to build our friendship with Him. He wants to not only be our Savior, but also our Friend.

What do you hope your readers will gain from this book?

I hope that readers will gain a new perspective about their relationship with Jesus. I also hope to weave God's truth into the daily life of a mom.

What unique elements will the reader find in Real Moms...Real Jesus?

Each chapter looks at some character trait in Jesus' life that can help us in our life as a mom. In between the chapters are interactive vignettes that provide brief, refreshing glimpses into our real, messy, busy lives.

There are also questions at the end of the chapter for further consideration and suggested Bible reading in the book of Matthew. If the reader chooses to pursue the suggested reading, she will have read the book of Matthew completely by the end of the book!

There is also a leader's guide in the back of the book so it can be used in a group setting.

This is a Hearts at Home book. What is Hearts at Home?

Hearts at Home is an organization that encourages, educates, and equips women in the profession of motherhood. Hearts at Home encourages moms through annual conferences, our extensive website (www.hearts-at-home.org), a free bi-weekly electronic newsletter, a radio program, and an entire line of books designed to meet the needs of moms all over the world!

Any closing thoughts?

I am very excited about this book! I believe that if a mom can strengthen her relationship with Jesus Christ, she will feel more equipped to be the mom she wants to be. I'm also offering an online book discussion on my blog beginning Tuesday, April 7. If you'd like to join us, you can subscribe to my blog at www.jillsavage.org.

I'd love to hear a reader's thoughts after they read the book, too! You can connect to me through my blog at www.jillsavage.org.

Thanks, Jill, for taking time out of your busy schedule to share your real mom, real Jesus moments with us.

You can purchase your own copy of Real Moms...Real Jesus by clicking here.

And be sure to check out Hearts at Home, their conferences for moms, and all their online resources here.

Still Going It Alone: Mothering with Faith and Finesse When the Children Have Grown is author Michele Howe's follow-up to Going It Alone: Meeting the Challenges of Being a Single Mom. In this second book, Howe speaks to single moms who are preparing for an empty nest.

Topics Include:
* Adjusting to a quieter home
* Supporting grown children as they embrace independence
* Managing your career and finances
* Being a grandparent
* and much, much more

Author Michele Howe has written ten books for women specializing mainly in single parenting issues. Her book, "Going It Alone: Meeting the Challenges of Being a Single Mom" (Hendrickson Publishing), provided hope and practical helps for single moms new to parenting solo. She has also authored "Pilgrim Prayers for Single Mothers" (Pilgrim Press) and a third book of helps for single mothers titled, "Successful Single Moms" (Pilgrim Press.) In addition to these resources for single mothers, Michele wrote four separate titles combining real life stories with inspirational prayer retreats. These titles published by (Jossey-Bass) include: "Prayers for Homeschooling Moms," "Prayers to Nourish a Woman's Heart," "Prayers of Comfort and Strength" and "Prayers for New and Expecting Moms."

This amazing book gives readers a glimpse into the daily life of Christian band Third Day. Written by their road pastor, Nigel James (along with the members of the band), the book shares stories from the road, behind-the-scenes looks at the songs, lyrics and what life is like on tour. James shares many many quotes from the different members of Third Day along with devotions that he has shared with the band over the years.

More About the Book:
Third Day members and Nigel James, their road pastor, share the realities of the trials and triumphs as members of a popular rock band on the road. Third Day and Nigel open up their hearts to you and share amazing spiritual insights from years of being on the road.

This funny memoir is a look into the life of a Southern Baptist pastor's daughter in Kentucky. It's a quirky, fun read.

About the Book:
Growing up Southern and Baptist in Eastern Kentucky, Elizabeth Hancock's world revolved around Sunday School, foreign missions projects, revival meetings and of course, the Kentucky Wildcats, who "glorified God through their goal-shattering, soul-shattering play." Hancock chronicles her childhood misadventures with sardonic wit, detailing her and her sister Meg's mischievous - if harmless - abuses of power (stealing Guess jeans from the Africa donation box, or hawking backyard swimming pool baptisms during her neighborhood's annual yard sale) and lovingly recalling the wisdom imparted by her long-suffering parents as they ministered to their unruly flock. TRESPASSERS WILL BE BAPTIZED marks the arrival of a talented new voice in a coming of age story that is by turns comical and affecting.

About the Author:
Elizabeth Hancock was born to a Southern Baptist minister and choir soprano in Central Kentucky. She abandoned her Bluegrass roots to attend HarvardUniversity, and in 1998, became the first-ever Miss Massachusetts with a Southern accent. She earned her J.D. from Georgetown in 2005, and now practices law in Virginia.

f you tuned into our radio show the day we had Stan Toler as our guest, you'll know what a funny guy he is. And his book, God Has Never Failed Me, But He's Sure Scared Me To Death A Few Times, is equally hilarious. He had me laughing out loud and yet nodding my head at the truths he was sharing. (My husband, of course, thought I was going a bit mad.

Each chapter is filled with stories and humorous anecdotes. Amidst the stories, though, each chapter teaches a lesson - how we as Christians can overcome discouragement, how we can understand God' guidance and how to deal with fear are just a few.

Toler is an expert at taking real-life situations and stories and helping us to understand God through them. If you need a pick-me-up or just a good laugh, this is the place to find it.

Toler has written many (over 70) books, ranging from topics for men to humor to more serious books like his latest release, Rethink Your Life. He's a sught after speaker and teaches at 50 seminars and conferences each year.

This is a book for the times. It's packed with great information and Ms. Kay says she can show you "how you can save $30,000 this year." The great part is, you don't have to search through the book to find her tips on saving 30K - they are all laid out right in the beginning of the book. A couple of examples are:

* Donate a total of $800 in items to Goodwill ... Save $224 on taxes

* Invest one dollar a day for ten years at 10 percent interest ...Yield $6,145

Ellie Kay is known as "America's Family Financial Expert." Living Rich for Less really does what it claims and shares practical, useful information that every family can use to save money.

I was recently introduced to Group Publishing - they have some amazing products available for women! I have been very impressed with each and every item of theirs that I've seen - from devotions to women's retreat materials to prayer helps, so I thought I'd share a few favorites:

Devotions Galore!: Warm-Ups, Wrap-Ups, and Prayers for Women's Groups - This book includes 90 devotions - 30 "warm ups", 30 "wrap ups" and 30 prayers. It's a great way to help break the ice at a new group or add some spice to an existing womens group.

The Sister Circle Handbook - The Sister Circle Handbook is a great companion to the four Sister Circle novels by Nancy Moser and Vonette Bright. Being a huge reading fan, I loved that these tie in with the Sister Circle novel series. What could be better than having my devotional time and my reading time merge?

Tickled Pink Prayer Devotion - I had honestly never seen anything quite like this before. What a great idea to give to a bible study leader, secret "santa" or any friend needing a little spiritual encouragement.

Here's how Group describes it: Tickled Pink prayer devotion is a multi-sensory devotion that uses five simple object lessons to inspire new hope and joy. The Tickled Pink Prayer Devotion box contains the lesson objects and a devotional guide. Tickled Pink is an instant boost in a box - and a mini-retreat women will treasure.

Is your faith dull? Holy Fools: Following Jesus with Reckless Abandon may be the cure - at the very least it's a way to shake up any spiritual life that needs it. Holy Fools is a book that will challenge the reader to the very core and cause him/her to look at life through a new "foolish" lens.

Woodley is open and honest in the book, sharing how he himself came to the place in life where he realized his spiritual life needed to be shaken up. God led Woodley to read the words of some of the prophets of the Bible - all of them considered fools at some time (or all the time) during their ministry. And yet, through the words of godly men like Hosea, Ezekiel and Paul, Woodley began to see more clearly what God desires from His followers. Thus began his journey to becoming a "holy fool."

Who would want to be considered a "fool?" you might ask. The answer is given on the very first page:

Only a fool would attempt to change the world with a simple message of love and peace. So we can conclude that Jesus was a fool. Only fools would agree to follow such a man. ... So we can conclude that all of us are fools. ... So let all happily admit that we are fools. The we will happily commit ourselves to change the world.

Saint John Chrysostom
(pg. vii, Holy Fools)

Part history, part armchair travel-guide, and part memoir, A Walk With Jane Austin by Lori Smith put my travel bug in overdrive. Being a big Jane Austen fan, I can easily imagine what it might be like to walk where she once lived. A Walk With Jane Austin gave me a glimpse of the UK from the comfort of my couch.

When Smith decided to travel to Britain, she was looking for a change of scenery and a chance of pace from her hectic life. Smith heads 'across the pond', and begins her journey in Oxford. She continues on to London, Winchester, Bath and beyond. Throughout the trip, she shares thoughts and feelings straight from her heart. In Oxford she meets Jack, who she finds intriguing and charming. In London, she visits an old friend and writes about the terrorism that is all over the news these days. In each chapter she shares how she's processing her journey and how her faith is being stretched, expanded and deepened.

Mixed in amongst her experiences, Smith shares the parts of Austen's life that took place in each location. She notes that in Oxford, where her journey began, was also where it's thought that George and Cassandra Austen, Jane's parents, met. In Steventon, Smith discusses that this, or something nearvy, is Jane Austen's birthplace. The story intermingles with Austen history and it's a fun walk through time. The book also has a deeper dimension, where Smith shares her inmost thoughts and feelings.

Smith's book began as a blog where she wrote about her experiences. In the preface, she mentions that on the blog she often received questions from readers as to whether the entries were fictional or not. She makes mention that it's very much a work of non-fiction, although having been written after the trip from her extensive journaling, she may have added some additional perspective in hindsight. Put altogether, the book does read like a novel and knowing that it's not makes it an ever better read in my opinion. I identified with Smith in many ways and found myself wishing I had been traveling along with her. Maybe she'll take another trip and invite me along? Hey, a girl can dream...