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Educator Trades her Grading Pen for Author’s Quill

In her debut work, The Crown Effect: Abundant Life in a Chaotic World, retired Walker County Schools teacher and administrator Kathy Vintson explores the themes of dysfunctional families, alcoholism, bullying and forgiveness. Offering personal examples of God’s life-changing grace, she infuses practical wisdom with humor and applies the truth of God’s Word to share what she learned about her godly inheritance and the transformation that occurred when she chose to believe His promise for her life.
From falling head-over-high heels in front of the entire church congregation to getting back up again with a smile, this book describes the profound effect that God’s unconditional love, unearned help, unmerited favor and undeserved peace will have on you now, if you but choose to receive it.
Be prepared to laugh through, cry over and relate to Vintson’s journey while learning what it means to see yourself the way God does, knowing you can face darkness when you walk in the light of God’s grace, right in the middle of the chaos.

About the Author

Kathy Vintson hails from inner city Birmingham, Alabama. Raised by her grandparents, she learned the importance of trusting and believing in God for everything from a young age. Now retired from a career in education, she writes from a small corner desk that overlooks the lake, where she lives with her husband of more than thirty years.
In addition to creating inspirational blog content, Kathy serves as a motivational speaker for women. She is passionate about encouraging women to claim all God has for them in order to live joyful, successful, abundant lives and to face each season in anticipation of God’s plan for them.

“The Crown Effect makes you feel like a treasured friend is telling you a story that imparts her wisdom rather than an impersonal Bible lesson. No matter what season you are in, you will relate to this heartfelt and humorous book.”
Amy Bowdoin
Honeysuckle Drive

“The Crown Effect: Abundant Life in a Chaotic World by Kathy Vintson is a must read for anyone who has ever found themselves turned upside down by the chaos of life or believing the lies of unworthiness that we are fed by this world. Once we accept Christ, we become sons and daughters of the King, yet we so often settle for less than the peace, joy, grace-filled, life of abundance He offers His children. Kathy’s words are balm for hurting souls as we reorient ourselves to Who Christ is and who we are to Him. What beautiful truth this book gives every reader who is blessed to read these words!”
Jen Thompson
www.trulyyoursjen.com

Johnson Brings Irish Dishes to American Tables in New Cookbook

In her new cookbook, Delicious Ireland: Forty Years of Fabulous Food, Margaret Johnson brings the taste of Ireland to tables all over the world. “Delicious Ireland guides you on a decades-long culinary and photographic odyssey around the Emerald Isle,” she promises and spends the rest of the book delivering on that promise.
Johnson shares that Irish food has evolved over the past forty years, making now the perfect time to learn new recipes from a new culture. A seasoned cookbook author with fourteen previous works, Johnson is eager to share this evolution. Over four sections—starters, mains, sides, and sweets—she delves into unique new recipes, including some of her new favorites: Tipperary-made Cashel Blue and Fig Tartine, Chilli-smoked Salmon Fritters, and Blood Orange & Polenta Cakes.
Many of the recipes in this cookbook do not instantly scream “Irish.” While it includes the classics like brown bread, lamb, boxty, and bread pudding, Johnson also shines a light on new dishes. Delicious Ireland features vegetarian takes on traditional dishes, a focus on Irish cheeses, and delicious desserts. In the course of sharing all of these new dishes, Delicious Ireland also focuses on the cultural diversity of different Irish regions, sharing variations on the same dish that stem from different local traditions.
The introductions to both the cookbook’s sections and each individual recipe abound with information about Ireland and Irish tradition. Cooking these recipes will give you more than just delicious food, although you certainly will gain some new favorite dishes. Each recipe offers a sneak peek into aspects of Irish culture, making the food itself that much richer.
Delicious Ireland is filled with beautiful, brightly-colored photographs. Just flipping through these pages will make your mouth water as you follow Johnson to every corner of Ireland over the course of her forty years of travel there. It will, undoubtedly, whet your appetite not only for Irish food but for Ireland itself.

About the Author:

Margaret M. Johnson is author of fourteen cookbooks—most recently Festive Flavors of Ireland (2021), Teatime in Ireland (2019), and Favorite Flavors of Ireland (2015)—all published by Ambassador International. As a food and travel writer, she has contributed to magazines in both the U.S. and Ireland, including Intermezzo; SIP, For the Love of Drink; and Teatime. She writes regularly for the Irish Echo newspaper, thewildgeese.irish, and irishphiladelphia.com. She hosts food programs at public libraries and frequently appears at Irish food and cultural events. When she’s not visiting her ancestral home in Ireland, she lives in Westhampton Beach, NY.

Katie Cruice Smith on “The Show After the Show”

Katie Cruice Smith had the pleasure of being featured on local radio station His Radio 89.3’s The Show After the Show with Rob Dempsey.

Katie shares with Rob how a void for adoption books to read at bedtime to her 3 adopted kids led her to writing her own, Why Did You Choose Me?

If you missed it, you can catch it here: https://www.facebook.com/HisRadio.Fans/videos/382032879031760/.

Carol Award Semi-Finalist: Addy of the Door Islands!

The Carol Award Semi-Finalists were announced this week, and we’re thrilled that Addy of the Door Islands by Judy DuCharme has been listed as a semi-finalist in the young adult category!

Addy of the Door Islands is the story of Addy, a little girl who arrived on an orphan train with her sister, desperate for a home, love, and acceptance. Lainey and her husband Clifford find themselves on the verge of parenthood—both adoptive and biological—and find that their adventures on Door Island are only beginning.

Learn more about this long-awaited sequel to Lainey of the Door Islands HERE and add it to your Goodreads HERE.

#Throwback Thursday: Pastor & Deacons: Servants Working Together

As we reminisce on the over forty years that God has blessed Ambassador International to remain in business, we are highlighting a different #backlistbook each week in a series called #ThrowbackThursday.

Carl Herbster has served for over 20 years as pastor of Tri-City Baptist Church in Independence, Missouri. The church has started several other churches, operates a Christian school, and a Christian camp (Southland Christian Camp), and is heavily committed to foreign missions.

Ken Howerton is a certified program manager with IBM. He has served as chairman of deacons in two churches. His wisdom and stability and his commitment to the Lord’s work, have made him a gracious servant and wise counselor.

As fellow servants in the same church, Carl Herbster and Kenneth Howerton collaborated in the writing of Pastor & Deacons: Servants Working Together to answer questions such as:

How should a church be organized?
What functions do the pastors, deacons, and congregation serve?
Who qualifies for the offices of pastor and deacon?
How should a church manage its finances?
How does a congregation biblically address problems?

Published by Ambassador International on September 1, 2006, the “on-the-job,” real-life experiences of the authors make this a particularly practical book and no less relevant to churches today.

Pastor & Deacons is a practical exposition and application of biblical principles of church organization and leadership, and is a must-read for pastors, pastoral staffs, deacons, and any other church leadership. Don’t trust us? Trust the word of evangelist Tom Farrell who endorsed this book saying, “Pastor & Deacons is a must-read for all those in church leadership . . . . This book is biblical, practical and helpful. It is chock-full of “how to” ideas that will strengthen relationships and promote spiritual unity in the local church. The principles on church discipline and the chapter on “Dealing with Difficulties” are worth the price of the book. Pastor, get this book and you will refer to it often.”

You can add Pastors & Deacons to your Goodreads HERE and you can learn more and find purchase links HERE. This book is currently available in paperback and ebook.

For a limited time, you can grab the Pastors & Deacons ebook for .99; however, if you have a father in your life who works in church leadership, this book would also make a wonderful Father’s Day present! He will love and appreciate it for years to come!

#Throwback Thursday: Declutter Now!: Uncovering the Hidden Joy and Freedom in Your Life

This week’s featured book is Declutter Now!: Uncovering the Hidden Joy and Freedom in Your Life by Lindon and Sherry Gareis which was published by Ambassador International on August 20, 2012.

Lindon and Sherry Gareis, certified Christian Life Coaches from Glendale, Arizona, are the founders of Action Plan Ministries. Their blended family includes three sons and one daughter – Trent, 25, Ryan, 24, Devin, 22, and Sarah, 22. Lindon and Sherry love being outdoors, love being together, and are committed to a lifelong honeymoon.

Negative clutter can invade every area of your life—not just your closets. Relationships, finances, kids, jobs, health and spiritual wellbeing are all adversely impacted by the unnecessary and harmful stuff we accumulate and hold onto. That could be physical junk or emotional baggage. Husband and wife Lindon and Sherry Gareis, authors of Declutter Now! Uncovering the Hidden Joy and Freedom in Your Life know this from firsthand experience. “This clutter gripped Lindon and I and held us back from the freedom to enjoy what we really felt called to,” explains Sherry. “And that was ministry.”

Declutter Now! encourages readers to declutter every area of life: your heart, mind, body, soul and home. “We find false security in our stuff. We keep company with the wrong people for the wrong reasons. We hold on to negative and painful feelings,” says Lindon. “Think about all of the unnecessary things we gather from these behaviors and choices—stagnant lifestyles, needless and excessive stuff, financial debt, obligation, guilt, extra weight, anger, hurt, discontentment, addictions; the list is endless.” Declutter Now! will help the reader let go of those negative influences that impact our quality of life and our relationship with God. Since decluttering removes what you don’t need and gives you more of what you do, it only makes sense your spiritual journey will benefit too.

For a limited time, you can grab the Declutter Now! ebook for .99! Don’t miss out on this spring cleaning aid!

You can add Declutter Now! to your Goodreads HERE and you can learn more and find purchase links HERE. This book is available in paperback and ebook.

#Throwback Thursday: Biblical Leadership: Becoming a Different Kind of Leader by Ken Collier and Matt Williams

This week’s featured book is Biblical Leadership: Becoming a Different Kind of Leader by Ken Collier and Matt Williams which was published by Ambassador International on April 1, 2004.

Biblical Leadership is written by two long time Christian leaders who have had years of practicing Biblically based servant leadership. At age eleven, Ken Collier accepted Christ as his Savior at a Christian camp in Alabama. In the years to follow, the Lord continued to use camp ministries to mold his life in service for the Lord. After receiving a degree at Bob Jones University, Ken joined the full-time staff of The WILDS in North Carolina, where he now serves as the camp director. In addition to his camp responsibilities, he is a deacon in his local church where he teaches the adult Sunday School class. He and his wife, Mardi, have three sons and one daughter.

Matt Williams is Associate Pastor of Tri-City Ministries in Independence, Missouri where he has served for thirty-two years. He is also Executive Director of the Mid-America Association of Christian Schools and the Missouri Association of Christian Schools. He has spoken at numerous churches, conventions, and the American Association of Christian Schools Student Leadership Conferences across the nation. He is the author of How to Be a Team Player and Enjoy It. Pastor Williams and his wife, Donna, have been married for thirty-three years and have five children.

There are many different types of leaders—leaders in the business world, in government, in the home, and in the local church, but sadly, many times leadership has been completely contrary to what the Bible teaches.

Many leaders are focused on what they can get from their positions of authority rather than on what they can give to the works in which they are involved. While some view it as a tool for popularity and power, leadership is a privilege. Leadership requires responsibility.

Biblical Leadership teaches biblical leaders how to be people of integrity and humility—leaders who are willing to be different.

Biblical Leadership will open up your understanding to a complete new look at Biblical leadership, and for a limited time, you can grab this ebook for 1.99! Don’t miss out!

You can add Biblical Leadership to your Goodreads HERE and you can learn more and find purchase links HERE. This book is available in hardcover, paperback, ebook, and audiobook!

Books for Celebrating Easter

Easter is a great reminder of not only God’s sacrifice for us, but of His powerful love for us. Whether you need a book to stuff inside a little one’s Easter basket, or a title to encourage your child’s walk with God, here are some books that are great for Easter:

Karen Ferguson reminds children of God’s love for them in her book Guess How Much God Loves You. Guess How Much God Loves You is the story of seven-year-old Lucy Lu, a colorful, creatively curious first-grader, who is starting to have serious questions about God.

How old is He? Does He sleep? What does He do all day? And the biggest one of all—does God love me?

After one particularly hard day of being bullied by her classmates at school, Lucy feels like she doesn’t matter. She sits with Papa Joe, who has promised to answer her questions about God, launching them onto a journey to discover God’s never-changing, never-failing, never-ending love.

What follows is a wild adventure through the Bible, where Lucy and her papa find themselves in the middle of each page of the exciting story of God’s love and faithfulness for all people throughout all of history.

In I Know the Plans, author Jennifer Bosma seeks to show God’s love for us through the perfect plan He has for each and every one of us. It is so important for children to have a firm foundation to build upon. “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105). This children’s book, with its beautiful illustrations, points children to that plan.

God has a plan for each child before they are even created. But in this noisy world, it’s easy for our children to not hear God’s voice and forget who they were created to be.

I Know the Plans presents God’s promises to young children with a fun, engaging rhyme, planting the seeds of Scripture into their hearts to help them grow in their love for Him. With vivid illustrations accompanying each passage, I Know the Plans captures a little one’s attention from start to finish and should be the first book in every child’s library.

The Easter Donkey brings the story of Easter into the modern day through a donkey named Drupelet, who gets chosen to play a role in a reenactment of Palm Sunday. This heartwarming tale introduces the topics of Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem, the heaviness of Maundy Thursday, the sorrow of Good Friday, and the joy of Easter Sunday without weighing down the story or character with too much information, making it the perfect addition to your Easter basket. Author Donna Thornton wrote this sweet book not only to offer a fresh telling of the Easter story but also to remind everyone of its wonder.

Don’t forget to check out our pinterest boards with more great ideas for your holidays and more!

#Throwback Thursday: Treasury of Daily Devotions, compiled by Charles Edwards

As we reminisce on the over forty years that God has blessed Ambassador International to remain in business, we’ve decided to highlight a different #backlistbook each week throughout the year in a series called #ThrowbackThursday.

It has been said that “We stand on the shoulders of giants” in reference to the legacy of those who walked with God in previous generations.

Treasury of Daily Devotions was originally compiled by Charles Edwards and published by Ambassador International in 2012. This daily devotional brings us the writings of influential Christians in previous eras, including C.H. Spurgeon, F.B. Meyer, Catherine Booth, Matthew Henry, George Mueller, R.A. Torrey, E.M. Bounds, John Wesley, D.L. Moody, Frances Havergal, J.C. Ryle, Andrew Murray, John Owen, Amy Carmichael, John Bunyan, Robert Murray McCheyne, A.W. Tozer, Martin Luther, J. Hudson Taylor, and many other people of faith.

The zeal of these men and women will challenge us to go forward in the Christian life and be equipped to serve the Lord. Spiritual growth, like physical growth, requires careful nurture. For this we need help from God and from His servants sent to encourage us along the way. May this “Cloud of Witnesses” minister to our timeless needs.

Want to read this book but don’t have time now? Add it to your Goodreads HERE. Ready to get started? Find the link to your favorite retailer HERE. Currently available in print and ebook.

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