This easty-to-use deovtional companion to The Princess and the Kiss Storybook covers biblical teaching on purity, relationships, and God's plans for marriage. Includes Princess Ceremony Guide. Can be personalized for any age.
A loving king and queen present their daughter with a gift from God - her first kiss - to keep or to give away. The wise girl waits for the man who is worthy of her precious gift. Where is he and how will she ever find him? The surprising answer in this marvelous parable will touch the heart of parent and child alike.The Princess and the Kiss beautifully portrays the ageless message that "love... comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith" (1 Timothy 1:5 NIV)
“There was once a princess … the most beautiful in all the land.” The search is on! The king determines to find a young man worthy of the hand of the princess. The knights of the kingdom endure tests and challenges to show their courage and strength. But those qualities alone will not win the king’s approval or the princess’s heart. The right knight must prove his kindness and character . . . And the real meaning of true love.
These short, practical, life-changing studies and activities are packed with wisdom from God's Word, truths that young men need to know as they navigate the paths that lead to an adult life of integrity and honor. An optional Squires of the Lantern Ceremony is also included as an exciting and memorable way to formally celebrate a son's growth.
Most every woman dreams about having a family and a building a home. We grow up on a steady diet of fairytales and chick flicks that drive our dreams . . . and leave us with a sugarcoated version of reality. We want it all: the prince, the kiss, the proposal, the ring, the castle, and eventually, the kids in smocked rompers playing cheerfully on the perfectly manicured lawn. Our hopes and dreams are pinned on the world’s version of happily-ever-after. The problem is, the fairytales and chick flicks end where real life begins. We never see that follow-up scene where the prince and princess argue at 3 a.m. over who will get up with the colicky newborn. Or the princess reluctantly returns to work to help pay the bills and feels the stress of juggling work and family. And you certainly won’t see that part where the princess moves her last child into the dorm and realizes the bulk of her identity has been based on being a mother. The truth is, marriage and motherhood are hard. Few of us are prepared to handle the balancing act of being a good wife and a good mother, without one or the other getting the short end of the stick. No matter how much we give or how hard we try, we never quite feel like it’s enough. And heaven help us, we always imagine every one else is doing a much better job. In Ever After, best-selling author Vicki Courtney addresses the realities of marriage and motherhood, the difficulties and the blessings. It offers women a behind the scenes glimpse of what a fairytale really looks like on the average day for the average wife and mom. Poignant, funny, and even cathartic, Vicki shares mistakes made, lessons learned, and memories to keep. Most of all, she reflects the hope and promise that God meets us in the middle wherever we are in the journey.
Talia fell under a spell . . . . Jack broke the curse. I was told to beware the accursed spindle, but it was so enchanting, so hypnotic. . . . I was looking for a little adventure the day I ditched my tour group. But finding a comatose town, with a hot-looking chick asleep in it, was so not what I had in mind. I awakened in the same place but in another time—to a stranger's soft kiss. I couldn't help kissing her. Sometimes you just have to kiss someone. I didn't know this would happen. Now I am in dire trouble because my father, the king, says I have brought ruin upon our country. I have no choice but to run away with this commoner! Now I'm stuck with a bratty princess and a trunk full of her jewels. . . . The good news: My parents will freak! Think you have dating issues? Try locking lips with a snoozing stunner who turns out to be 316 years old. Can a kiss transcend all—even time?
With her parents lost, Princess Benevolence ends up under the thumb of the conniving Queen Sophia. Locked in the castle's highest tower, Ben stumbles upon a mysterious enchanted room. So begins her secret education in the magical arts.
How long does it take to get over heartache? Journalist and teacher Kate Walter wondered if she'd ever feel whole again after her long-term lesbian partnership ended. A resident of Greenwich Village who spent years recording neighborhood life, Walter explores her recovery from despair in her debut memoir Looking for a Kiss: A Chronicle of Downtown Heartbreak and Healing. Dedicated to "women who have been dumped after 25 years," the memoir shares her broke, brokenhearted state of being left by a partner of two decades. While many older women-gay and straight-experience divorce, Walter's break up was more stressful since she was not legally married. But rather than dwelling in regret, Looking for Kiss carries a hopeful message: you can heal your life and land up in a better place. Readers are invited to share her journey to a more conscious life-or at least a hot kiss. With brave and revealing details, Walter confesses her grief and rage and questions her past choices. Seeking answers and spiritual solace, she joins a gay-positive church, visits psychics, throws herself into yoga and chanting, and starts dating again at 60. Like the urban landscape that serves as her backdrop, Walter's fast-paced dialogue has a raspy realness and soulful edge. She describes loneliness and longing with humorous and poetic prose. Anyone seeking hope will cheer this funny, gutsy narrator who loses love but finds herself. For editorial reviews of Looking for a Kiss, please see the Kindle page for this book.
A beautifully illustrated picture book that gives parents a way to discuss marijuana with children without encouraging them to use it. "It's Just a Plant follows the journey of a young girl named Jackie, who becomes curious about cannabis after she discovers her parents smoking a joint in their bedroom. Jackie's education about marijuana includes visits to several members of her community, including a farmer who cultivates the plant and a doctor who advises that cannabis should only be used by adults...Cortés' book offers an opportunity for parents to discuss many aspects of the conversation around marijuana." --High Times "Part of a growing category of books that attempt to explain difficult and complex topics to children, simply. Whether you're looking at Death Is Stupid, by Anastasia Higginbotham, or A is for Activist, by Innosanto Nagara, children's fiction is much less likely to shy away from topics that were previously reserved for those considered to be 'adults,' or to cloud those topics in euphemisms." --Literary Hub, selected by Molly Odintz for LitHub Recommends "As controversial as the topic may seem for a kids' book, [Cortés is]...right. It's crucial for parents to be open and educate their kids about marijuana (and any other drugs, really) in a factual, non-judgmental way--especially if parents are using themselves. After all, keeping drugs' existence a mystery is only going to spark curious kids' interests further." --SheKnows "With more home schooling taking place due to COVID-19, Ricardo Cortés hopes It's Just a Plant can spark family-friendly cannabis education." --Mugglehead "We've all heard the sentiment that the more we keep our kids away from something and paint it as 'dangerous' or 'bad,' the more likely they are to be interested in whatever that is. The same can be said for conversations like his--if we avoid or brush off any questions relating to marijuana for our kids, they're going to get the information from somewhere and it just feels a whole lot safer knowing they're getting the right information from you--or a book like this." --Fatherly "Absolutely 'kid friendly' in tone, organization and presentation, It's Just a Plant: A Children's Story about Marijuana is especially recommended for family, preschool, elementary school, and community library...collections." --Midwest Book Review It's Just a Plant is a children's book that follows the journey of a young girl as she learns about the marijuana plant from a cast of characters including her parents, a local farmer, a doctor, and a police officer. Marijuana can be hard to talk about. Many parents have tried it, millions use it, and most feel awkward about disclosing such histories (often ducking the question), for fear that telling kids the truth might encourage them to experiment too. Meanwhile, the "drug facts" children learn in school can be more frightening than educational, blaming pot for everything from teenage pregnancy to terrorism. A child's first awareness of drugs should come from a better source. It's Just a Plant is a story for parents who want to discuss the complexities of pot with their kids in a thoughtful, fact-oriented manner. The book also features an afterword by Marsha Rosenbaum, PhD, founder of the Safety First Project for drug education and director emerita of the San Francisco office of the Drug Policy Alliance, the nation's leading organization working to end the war on drugs.