Reflections of God's Glory

To See The Sun - A Review

2012-01-28T15:18:00.000-08:00

I am happy to say that my friend, Peggy Blann Phifer, did a knockout job crafting To See the Sun. After the loss of her parents and her husband, Erin MacIntyre expects her life to calm down. Instead it grows more intense as she faces having a baby and raising it alone. Then two stalkers make it clear that her life is in danger. Although her faith waivers, she keeps talking to God. I stayed up several nights unable to put the book down, wondering whether Erin would accept help from an x-boyfriend or if she would be the victim of another murder. I found myself praying for Erin during some pretty challenging and suspenseful moments. I am still thinking about the characters and story, even a week after finishing the book. I can hardly wait to read the next in the series.

If you'd like to know more about the Peggy, the author, and find out more about her book series, my interview with her will be posted here next week and we'll have a drawing for her book, To See the Sun, from the people who leave comments. You'll be blessed if you're the winner.

Let Your Light Shine

2012-01-22T16:08:00.000-08:00

Both my son and daughter are avid mountain bikers. When Jason told me he was going on a lighted ride, my first response was, "Are you going on the mountain in the dark!?!"

"The lights show up better that way," he said.

As his mom, I guess I was more afraid for him than he was. I've been looking on his FB page for pictures, but haven't seen any, so the pic here is one I found on the Internet. When I look at it, I think of a song I learned (and have also taught) in Sunday school.

"This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine . . ."

Jesus said in John 9:5, "While I am in the world, I am the light of the world." Yet He knew He wouldn't be here in person long, so He taught His people how to be light. In Matthew 5:14, He said, "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, . . ."

Although Jesus was the light of the world, those living in darkness did not like Him or His light, because they preferred to keep their lifestyles (John 3:19). As Christ's followers, many may not like the light we shine either, but be encouraged. Jesus said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life," John 8:12. That means we can trust our loving God to light our path. How? One way is with His word. "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path," Psalm 119:105.

If you are a Christian mountain biker, you might be interested in this: http://www.xschristians.com/sports/mountain-biking.aspx

Application
How do you make your light shine? Teaching? Writing? Encouraging? Helping? Giving? God gives each of us different talents and abilities to use as His beacons of light in this dark world.

Prayer
Thank you, Lord Jesus, for the light You shine into our world. Help us to carry that light so that others may know your amazing love. Amen.

Don't Forget

2012-01-17T11:46:00.001-08:00

Read Deuteronomy 8

God led the Israelites from Egypt through the desert to humble and test them. He wanted "to teach them that man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God," Deuteronomy 8:3 NIV. Yet when they were hungry, He gave them bread from Heaven and
when they were thirsty, He brought water out of a rock. Their clothes did not wear out and their feet did not swell. Still the people grumbled and didn't trust God. A whole generation died in the desert for lack of trust before Israel crossed the Jordan River into the Promised Land.

I, too, lived in the desert, failing to trust my God and my Savior, choosing my ways over His, day after day and year after year. I, too, died there (spiritually). Thinking I was good for nothing, I didn't want to go on. I didn't know how to make things right, but God did. He sent Jesus to take away my sin and give me a new life, a life of trusting Him. Wow! why didn't I do this before? I don't have to depend on my own wisdom or strength because I can trust God for all I need. Oh, life didn't become magical or problem free, but now I have a Friend to walk with me, counsel and comfort me.

Now check this out. The Spirit led Jesus into the desert to be tempted by the devil. It makes me think of my time in the desert. I was tempted and fell into sin. Jesus didn't. He used words from Deuteronomy 8 in response to the devil's tempting to turn the stone into bread. "Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God," Matthew 4:4 NIV. Jesus was tempted as we are--by the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life, but every time He used God's word in defense. That is what He wants us to do too, to know God's word and apply it.

Application
Before Jesus went to the cross, He was with His disciples at the Last Supper and said, "Don't forget me! Don't forget why! Love others as I have loved you. God's love is the answer to our deepest need. Will you let God love you today? forever?

Prayer
Lord Jesus, I pray for those reading this post, that they may know Your amazing love and respond. Amen.

More Than You Can Imagine

2012-01-10T15:37:00.000-08:00

Years ago Asian carp were planted into the Mississippi and Illinois Rivers. At first look, the picture seems like a fisherman's paradise. However, the jumping carp have become a problem to the fishermen and have filled other rivers in the Central United States. They have injured people in their boats and even threaten to invade the Great Lakes.

The picture made me think of the life God wants us to have--not the problem--but the abundance. More than we can imagine. In John 10:10 Jesus says, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." It occurred to me that my lack of faith often limits God's work in my life. Trusting God to become all He wants me to be sends me on the adventure of a lifetime.

Yesterday was proof to me that I can trust God even in a Board of Directors meeting. We had to discuss several hot issues and I was nervous with my presentation. The others and I had prayed and trusted God during the week before, but we were still amazed how God stretched us and brought peace, growth and unity. Each of us left excited about the decisions we made and how they will benefit the people in our organization.

Prayer

Thank you, Lord Jesus, for wanting more for us than we can imagine. Thank you that as we trust you, you increase our faith and love for each other. Amen.

Let God Love You More

2012-01-02T15:29:00.000-08:00

Verse: For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 NIV

Now that Christmas 2011 is behind us and the New Year has already started, I have this great feeling of new beginnings. I want to do all those wonderful things that I bet are on your New Years Resolutions too:

Lose weight.
Drink more water.
Exercise more.
Give more.
Save more.
Spend less.
Get organized.
Stay organized.
Plan my work.
Work my plan.

I have to admit whenever I make New Years Resolutions, I fail within the first week. Yesterday in church I heard a new concept--Let God love you more. How could God love me more? Maybe He can't, but I can acknowledge more of His love if I am quiet in His presence and if I commit more time to prayer. When I think about it, experiencing more of God's love will require a response to love and serve Him better.

I think that means I will be doing the things on the above list--not in my power, but by trusting God in response to His amazing love and knowing He will finish the good work He started in me.

How do you approach the New Year? Are you making resolutions or will you let God love you more, then respond?

Prayer
Thank You, Lord Jesus, for New Beginnings, for the hope we have in trusting You. Thank you that as we face new challenges and dreams, we can look to You for strength, faith and counsel. Amen.

Life With Purpose

2011-12-29T09:14:00.000-08:00

When Tim Tebow became an NFL quarterback, his dad said, "This is the time to write your book. You have a built-in platform." Most writers have to work years to develop a platform so publishers will pay attention to their book proposals. Not only did Tim Tebow write his book, Through My Eyes, he uses his position to let his team players know he cares about them. His life purpose is to find ways to introduce people to God's amazing love.

Zechariah told his son, John the Baptist, "And you my child will be a prophet of the Most High for you will go before the Lord to prepare the way for him, to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of sins because of the tender mercy of our God . . ." Luke 1:76-78 NIV.

While I think it would have been wonderful for my dad to tell me my life's purpose, I am without excuse, because Jesus' last words to His disciples (and every believer) were, "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." John 13:34-35 NIV.

Application
I may not have the benefit of a built-in platform, but I pray for God to teach me to love as He does. I write for His glory whether for magazines, anthologies, blogs or curriculum to reach more people than I could ever come face to face with.

Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank you for giving me a life of purpose. Show me your way and teach me your paths. Strengthen me with your word and mercy that I may accomplish your will in my life. Amen.

Home for Christmas

2011-12-20T16:37:00.000-08:00

Today when I hear the song, "I'll be Home for Christmas," it takes on a new meaning. My precious friend, Kathy Shelby, lost her fight with bone cancer a couple weeks ago. Today she is Home with Jesus and I can hardly imagine how wonderful that is. For Kathy, it not only means the end of her pain and suffering, but knowing the joy of being in our Lord's presence forever. Her memorial service is tomorrow, December 21, 2011, at 1:00 p.m. at Sunrise Community Church, 8321 Greenback Lane, Fair Oaks, CA.

Kathy was a member of the Fair Oaks Inspire Writer's group since its inception two years ago. Her first published story will be released March 2012 in Inspire’s anthology, Inspiring Stories of Trusting God. Hers is a heart moving story of her faith in a loving God through kidney disease and breast cancer.

Kathy’s writing expressed her great love and faith in our Lord Jesus. She brought a smile on her face and a sparkle in her eye to every workshop and critique meeting. Her writing started during her college days and she came to Inspire to learn how to write her memoir. She wanted her story to show how she depended on God for everything. Her sense of humor kept us laughing, but her stories had a depth of faith that ministered to everyone in our group. Although she didn’t get to write her life story, her family and friends will say that her life is her legacy.

I knew I could depend on Kathy for last minute critiques and prayers before submitting my work for publication. She made herself available no matter what was going on in her life and I loved her for that.

As in any critique group, some manuscripts are harder to critique. Kathy was sensitive to how each person received comments. We all wanted to share our comments in a spirit of love and encouragement. I knew that Kathy and Leota prayed during the difficult meetings, and their prayers were answered. Because of their love and prayers, our Fair Oaks Inspire group is a safe place to grow our writing craft today.

Kathy also contributed at the larger workshops by praying for our speakers as well as working the library table. We will miss her cheerful service and beautiful smile. I’d like to think she is serving our Lord in His library upstairs or writing inspiring stories of faith to encourage the saints. Although we will miss Kathy, I am glad she is Home for Christmas.

Prayer
Thank you, Lord Jesus, for blessing my life with Kathy's love and friendship. It brings me peace knowing she is with You. But I miss her beautiful smile and her encouraging words. Amen.

Christ Born in Us

2011-12-20T09:14:00.000-08:00

Mary gave birth to the Son of God by the Holy Spirit. The angel said to Mary, "You have found favor with God," and she responded, "I am the Lord's servant."

Each of us has also found favor with God because He loved us so much He sent His only Son to redeem us from our sin to a forever life with Him. When we accept that He did that for us personally, our response to the love He lavishes on us will be to carry His Son in our hearts and take the good news of salvation to the ends of the earth. Like Mary, we deliver Christ with our own set of gifts, talents and resources.

Prayer
Lord, here I am. Send me--only with your help, for I cannot hope to do this on my own. Expand the boundaries of my ministry so more people will come to experience your amazing love. Amen.

Jesus--God's Gift of Love

2011-12-15T18:47:00.000-08:00

"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called

Wonderful Counselor,

Mighty God,

Everlasting Father,

Prince of Peace.

Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end." Isaiah 9:6-7

Did you know that these two verses, often quoted at Christmas, were written by Isaiah more than seven hundred years before Christ was born? Isaiah worked during troubling times when people had no regard for the deeds of the Lord, no respect for the work of His hands. God spoke through Isaiah to warn the people they would be exiled because of their life choices, but that He would bring hope and peace through one Man.

Application

While we celebrate the first coming of Jesus at Christmas, we prepare for His second coming. That means we respond to God's amazing love by loving Him and others. Loving God means doing what is right and good. Sometimes that means standing alone. Have you ever had to do that? I have and I feel like the lone ranger Christian. Be encouraged! God says in Isaiah 7:9, "If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all." Hard words, but words that hold great hope and eternal life with God. How will you show God's love this week? Will it mean that you will stand alone to do what God wants you to?

Prayer

Father God, thank you for your incredible plan for us. Strengthen us to stand firmly in our faith and to reach out to others with your love, especially during this season when many people feel left out and lonely. Amen.

What Does God Look Like?

2011-12-08T16:57:00.001-08:00

Have you wondered what God looks like? We have many pictures of Jesus, but which ones are right? The Bible gives us some great clues in the books of Genesis, Matthew and Revelation. I am amazed how similar the descriptions are.

Moses stood in the presence of God at the burning bush, but hid his face, afraid to look at God. When he came down from Mt. Sinai with the Ten Commandments (Exodus 34), his face was radiant from talking with God. The people saw and were afraid, but Moses called for them to come near.

Moses and Elijah appeared with our Lord Jesus at His transfiguration. "His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light," (Matt. 17:2).

Check this out! On the island of Patmos, on the Lord's Day, John heard a loud voice like a trumpet behind him. It said, "Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches. He turned and saw seven golden lampstands, and among the lampstands was someone "like the son of man," dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, and out of his mouth came a sharp double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.

"When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: "Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.

"Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later. The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches,"
(Rev. 1:11-20).

Application
The words in red letters are spoken by Jesus. The words in blue letters include descriptions of God's appearance. Is this not absolutely incredible? That is what's so great about God's word. We find nuggets of information in different books of the Bible that agree. It proves to me that our Bible is trustworthy and true.

Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank you for glimpses of You. To be honest, I would have been as afraid as John. Thank you for the encouragement You gave him (and us). We look forward to the day we see you face to face. Amen.

The World of More

2011-11-26T16:54:00.001-08:00

As we enter into the Christmas season it is easy for us to lose our focus on Christ and fall prey to our cravings for more. The packages under the tree trigger all kinds of wonder and expectation for kids of all ages. The trouble is, the more we get the more we want--more money, more stuff, more food, more drink and more sex. It never ends unless we fill our cravings with Christ.

At creation, God, created a void in each of our hearts. That's where the cravings are. He created a hole in us only He can fill. Yet, He gave us a choice. He created us in His image but gave us a choice to chose His ways or our own ways. There is no end to the cravings unless we invite Jesus into our hearts. Once we do, He comes in and makes His home in our hearts. He cleans up the skeletons in the closet and gives us a purpose for living. Life takes on a whole new meaning.

Application
Have you invited Christ into your heart and experienced His peace and purpose? Once we know His amazing love, we want to live for Him and not ourselves. We understand the meaninglessness of our cravings as Solomon did. In Ecclesiastes he said, "Everything is meaningless." He had all the wealth and wisdom a man could have, but he fell away from the God who put him on the throne. He married into the cultures surrounding Israel and got caught up in human cravings and the worshp of idols.

Prayer
Oh God, our Father, help us keep our eyes on You during the Christmas season. Help us discover the world of more of You. Amen.

From Grumbling to Thanksgiving

2011-11-16T19:50:00.001-08:00

When the Egyptians came to the Red Sea to attack Israel, they had weapons. Israel had God, and He defeated Egypt. Do you think Israel trusted God after that? Not really. Moses listened to their whining and complaining, "What will we eat? What will we drink? Where is God? Where's the meat?" Sounds like a bunch of kids doesn't it?

I'm trying to get a picture of this: More than 600,000 people in the desert. No McDonalds, no Starbucks and no Diet Coke. I probably would have complained too. Yet God drew water out of a rock, manna from Heaven and quail flew into Israel's hands. The Israelite's clothes did not wear out and their feet did not swell.

Application
We can be thankful because God really cares about His people. Jesus said, "Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?" (Matthew 6:25-26 NIV)

Prayer
Thank you, Lord Jesus, for loving us and providing for us and protecting us. We could not live a minute or an hour or a day without your love. Amen.

God Remembers the Love You Have Shown

2011-11-08T16:19:00.002-08:00

Do you ever get so busy, you ask yourself if anything you do matters? Sometimes I hear that wicked voice inside me, "Why don't you give it up. It's not that important." Whether I'm going to Bible study, helping my husband or kids, teaching a class, leading a workshop or writing a story, it seems important at the time. However, I receive little recognition or praise for what I do, and I feel like a hamster on a wheel that never stops turning.

Today I went to Bible study and this verse jumped out at me. "God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them." Hebrews 6:10 NIV. So, I asked myself again, is Bible study important? The answer came through loud and clear, "Yes." Today I needed encouragement. Next time someone else might need a listening ear or a prayer. Maybe something we read or hear spoken from a sister in Christ is just what we need for that day. For sure, we can't inspire or help anyone if we stay at home. But that's where I like to stay--where it's comfortable and safe. Do you feel that way too?

The words, "He will not forget your work and the love you have shown," remind me of Nehemiah. He was a fearless leader on a huge restoration project, but he took time to write down the names of the nobodies who supported his work in Jerusalem. Those names are written in the book of Nehemiah and most of those people never became famous. Yet their gifts were a necessary part of God's plan. God still uses people who are willing to serve without concern about getting the glory.

Application
Are you willing to give a helping hand or word of encouragement? You have a place in building God's kingdom that is only yours. No one else will do it for you.

Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank you for loving us and thank you for remembering our gifts of love. Amen.

Where is Your Treasure?

2011-10-30T21:10:00.000-07:00

I asked a couple of young men who came to my door if they knew whether or not they were going to Heaven. They said they thought so--because they were good. I told them they could be sure because the Bible says in Ephesians 2:8-9, "For by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is a gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast." The young men reminded me of the rich young man who came to Jesus.

Jesus looked at him [the rich young man] and loved him. He had asked Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life.

"Keep the law," Jesus said. He meant the Ten Commandments.

"I've kept these since I was a boy," the young man said. But the law couldn't save him or anyone else. Jesus knew that.

He said, "One thing you lack. Go and sell everything you have and give to the poor. You will have treasure in heaven," Mark 10:21. If he did this, he would be dependent on God, not his wealth. While he thought he was good and religious, he actually failed on the first of the commandments, to love God with all his heart. His wealth was his god and he walked away sad, not willing to give up earthly treasure for eternity's gain.

"I tell you the truth," Jesus said, "no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age and in the age to come, eternal life."

Application
What about you? Is something keeping you from knowing the love of Jesus? Maybe it's not wealth or possessions. Maybe it's a relationship or a compulsive nature. We live in a world of sin and it will touch us one way or another. Jesus died for these things and by believing this, we inherit eternal life with God. Whatever is holding you back, you can surrender it to Jesus and experience His amazing love. I can't promise you a life on easy street. That's not something God promised. However, He promised He would always be with us, that He would never leave or forsake us. I know this to be true. Nearly twenty one years ago I surrendered myself to God and although my life hasn't been void of problems, I have found a treasure in knowing He is always with me.

Prayer
Lord Jesus, I am praying for those reading this post, that you would help them trust you and nothing or no one else. Amen.

Our Blueprint for Living Holy unto God--The Ten Commndments

2011-10-23T16:39:00.000-07:00

God wrote the Ten Commandments on stone to give us hearts of flesh. Do you know all of them? Have you obeyed them?

Do not have any other gods before me. I am the one True God.
Do not make or worship idols. Don't let anything become more important than God.
Do not misuse God's name. Only say His name with reverence.
Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy. God worked six days and rested one day. He wants rest for us too.
Honor your father and your mother. Show them respect and appreciation.
Do not murder. Do not kill another person out of anger or malice.
Do not commit adultery. Husbands and wives should not have close relationships with others of the opposite sex.
Do not steal. Do not take what is not yours. The cure for stealing is work. Work so you can give to others.
Do not lie. Do not say things that are not true.
Do not covet. Be content with what you have.

Can you keep all these? The truth is we cannot. Although we may think we haven't disobeyed God, He looks into our hearts and He has a different value system. Jesus said for a person to be angry at another person was the same as murder. He also said for a man to look with desire at another woman besides his wife is adultery. These are hard standards because they are God's ways. We may think that we are better than someone else, but the only person we should compare ourselves with is Jesus because HE is the only perfect one.

Jesus reduced the Ten Commandments to Two:

Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength, and
Love your neighbor as yourself.

To be close to God, we cannot have sin in our lives. He knew we would choose our ways instead of His, so He made a way for us to have a relationship with Him. He loved us so much He sent His son, Jesus, to die on the cross for our sin. When we admit our need of Jesus in our lives, believe that He died to forgive us, and confess our sin and ask Him into our hearts, we will live with Him forever. He promises He will never leave us but will always be with us, through good times and bad.

When you follow Jesus' ABC plan, He will never leave you but always be with you, to encourage, inspire and comfort you. I hope if you haven't, you will. I'm praying for you.

Admit
Believe
Confess

Lord Jesus, I am praying for the ones reading this post. Give them new hearts to love you. Amen.

Mercy or Judgement-Luke 7:36-48

2011-10-17T15:36:00.000-07:00

A sinful woman followed Jesus into the Pharisee's house. As she wept, her tears fell on Jesus' feet and she wiped them with her hair. She poured perfume on them and kissed them. The Pharisee thought to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is--that she is a sinner," Luke 7:39.

Knowing the Pharisee's thoughts, Jesus said, "Simon, I have something to tell you."

"Tell me, teacher," he said.

"Two men owed money to a lender--one 500 denarii and the other 50. Neither could pay their debts so the lender canceled what they owed. Which of them will love him more?"

Simon said, "I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled."

Jesus said he was right. Then He looked at Simon and said, "Do you see this woman? I came into your house but you gave me no water for my feet. She wet my feet with her tears. You did not greet me with a customary kiss, but she has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my head, but she poured perfume on my feet. Her sins are forgiven for she loved much. Yet he who has been forgiven little loves little," Luke 7:44-48.

It is easy for us to judge people as Simon did, but Jesus showed mercy. Because I am forgiven of much, as the woman in this story, and know God's love, I want others to know His love and forgiveness too. Do you know God's love, my friend? If not, say His name, surrender your soul to Him, and you will never be the same. His amazing love will change you, and He will give you a new heart.

This Act Triggered His Betrayal-Mark 14:6-9

2011-10-11T15:53:00.000-07:00

Jesus said, "Leave her alone. Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. I tell you the truth, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she as done will also be told, in memory of her," (Mark 14:6-9 NIV).

Judas, the keeper of the disciples' money, became indignant. He considered this woman's act of worship a waste and it's this act that triggered his betrayal of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. It would have been better for him if he had never been born. Yet what he did led to the fulfillment of Scripture, that God loved us so much that He gave His only Son to die for our sins so we could be forgiven and inherit eternal life.

Today people, like Judas, are indignant at the name of Jesus--the name above all names--the only name by which we are saved from our own sinful natures. Our world is in trouble but God is with us. He looks on the hearts of those who love Him and has promised He would never leave or forsake us. That is good news for our times. Do you believe this? If not, it is not to late to admit that the way you have lived is against God, believe He loves you and ask Him to help you live your life for Him. Then obtain a Bible if you don't have one. Begin reading in the book of Psalms in the Old Testament and the book of John in the New Testament. I am praying for you.

Thank you, Lord, that what we do for you will last forever. Give us courage and strength to be your followers. Amen.

Do This in Remembrance of Me

2011-10-02T14:01:00.002-07:00

Jesus was with His closest friends the evening before His betrayal, suffering, and crucifixion. He knew the mockery of hearings, the spitting and ridicule He would endure that night. So while He was with His friends He washed their feet and treasured every moment with them. Although He tried to tell them what was to come, He knew they didn't get it.

I can imagine Jesus saying to them, "Don't forget me. Don't forget why. Don't forget to do this. Don't forget how much I love you. Don't forget that I'll always be with you." He told these things to ordinary men who finally got it, men who would tell others how much Jesus loved them and how much He did to forgive them so they could have eternal life with Him.

Today the words, "Do this in remembrance of Me" took on a deeper meaning for me when I saw Jesus at the table with His friends for the Last Supper. Self-examination penetrated my soul as I heard God's word, humbled myself and surrendered into His presence.

Oh God, forgive me for trying to live my life (again) on my own strength. Open my eyes to see the wonders of You, Your word and presence every day. I love you. Amen.

God's Servant

2011-09-25T18:17:00.001-07:00

So often I am thankful the Bible was written before my time. If Moses or Abraham or David knew we would study their sin, I wonder if they would decline having their stories published. How much better to be the the deliverer of God's people or the father of the twelve tribes of Israel or a man after God's own heart. Even though these men accomplished these things with God's strength, they were not perfect and we learn about their anger, deceit, and adultery.

Jesus said the greatest in Heaven must be the servant of all. That's what He was and is. I'm happy to serve and find myself looking for new ways to help others. Yet, it has also occurred to me that God uses my testimony, what I was like before letting God work in my life. The ugly and painful stuff I wanted to hide, are the things God uses to reach other's hearts for His glory and their eternity.

You and I might be the only Bible someone will read. A smile, a touch, a story of how we overcame sin or suffering. God uses imperfect people today as He did when the Bible was written. The strangest thing is, when God uses me I feel wonderful--even if it means sharing in my vulnerabilities.

By the power of God's love, the Bible is still being written today in the hearts and lives of His people. It's how we honor and serve our Lord and Savior. How do you serve? How do you feel when God uses you? When you share how you experienced God's love the first time?

Blessed and Bruised

2011-09-19T10:31:00.003-07:00

Do you feel like you can only show your face when everything's going well with you? Me too. Only the Christian sisters with whom I have bonded closely do I feel I can share my emotional frustrations and hurts, my pain and suffering, my fear and failure. It's no wonder people think Christians should be perfect.

Yet the Bible shows how Abraham, Moses, David, Job, Peter and Paul (among many others), made mistakes and experienced despair while following God. In Ecclesiastes 3, Solomon talks about the seasons of life--"a time for everything and a season for every activity under heaven."

Although Jesus called us to be light and salt to the world, we are human. People in the world need to know how we handle suffering--that we don't give up, but keep our focus on God regardless of our situation. We have a comforter and healer. Out of God's love for us, He promised to be with us always, never to leave or forsake us. We are blessed and bruised. May we show this kind of faith to the world we live in.

Lord Jesus, help me show my trust in you no matter what I experience. Amen.

If Heaven Ain't a Lot Like This--It's Okay

2011-09-13T10:12:00.000-07:00

Walking on a wooded trail near the shoreline of Lake Almanor, California, I feel close to God. The sun pours through the tops of the trees and a breeze kisses my brow. I hear sweet songs of birds and see families of deer. Lizards sometimes skitter through the manzanita. My walks often turn into prayer walks when I praise God for the glorious setting, His mighty deeds, His word and grace, His love for my family and me. I talk to Him about things that concern me and draw strength knowing He is near. How could anything be better? As soon as the question comes to mind, the answer comes with it. Jesus promised He would always be with us. That means on earth as well as in heaven. When our mortality changes to immortality, we will see Him face to face. What hope we have in Jesus!

"You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand," Psalm 16:11 (NIV).

Thank you, Lord Jesus, for your love and the hope your bring. Amen.

Sneak Preview

2011-09-04T16:17:00.000-07:00

Have you wondered what the end times will be like? God gives many clues in the Bible. Have you noticed the similarities in the book of Exodus and the book of Revelation? In Exodus, God's people had been in slavery for over 400 years in Egypt when He sent Moses to the Pharaoh to say, "The God of Israel says 'Let my people go!'"

"Who is this God?" asked the king. He didn't know and he didn't care. God destroyed him and all of Egypt. He used every one of the ten plagues against the gods of Egypt and all who worshiped them. The gods had eyes that couldn't see, ears that couldn't hear and mouths that couldn't speak. They had no power to fight against the one true God of Israel.

Life on earth changes through the ages, but God never changes. Our gods may not be made of wood or stone, but if they separate us from a relationship with God, we can be sure that we will not survive the coming destruction. God rescued His people before the flood of Noah's time and before the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, and of Egypt.

It may appear that our God is judgemental and unmerciful. Nothing could be farther from the truth. He lovingly created us in His image. We are the only beings on earth that have the abilities to choose and create and control. Yet He made us for His pleasure and for relationship with Him. He knew we might choose our ways over His, so He made a way for us to change that and spend eternity with Him. That was through His Son whom He sacrificed on the cross to redeem us from our sin. Jesus did that willingly because He could see the treasure on the other side of the suffering--all of us together in God's kingdom.

Have you accepted God's amazing love? If so, you have a great hope in heaven, eternity with a God who loves you more than you can imagine. If you haven't, you can say His name now. Don't put it off. No one knows how much time we have left, but God is waiting for the last person who will surrender to Him. That is awesome and merciful. Maybe that person is you. Say yes to God's love today. He will never leave you nor forsake you. He is waiting at the door of your heart, (Revelation 3:20).

When you say His name, simply pray this prayer: Thank you God for loving me. I'm sorry I haven't lived my life pleasing to you, but I want to change that today. Come into my heart and help me live for you. Amen.

Any Old Bush Will Do

2011-08-28T20:24:00.001-07:00

Although Moses was Hebrew, he grew up in Pharaoh's palace as the king's own son. At the age of forty, educated and eloquent in speech, filled with pride and power, he thought he would save his people from slavery, but God had a different plan.

After an Egyptian caught Moses in murder, he fled to Midian where he became a shepherd, married Zipporah and had two sons. All his education, power and eloquence came to nothing. He traded his royalty for life in the desert, but God wasn't finished with him. He showed up in the fire of a bush that didn't burn up to command Moses to return to Egypt.

"I have seen the misery of my people and heard their cries. I have come to rescue them from the hands of the Egyptians and lead them to a spacious land flowing with milk and honey."

"Who am I?" Moses asked. "I can't even talk right." What happened to his eloquent speech? Once powerful and controlling, now Moses was afraid to speak out for his people. He couldn't look back and neither can we. We can't live on our own wits, but with God's strength nothing is impossible. Any old bush will do, because it's not about the bush, or Moses or any of us. It's about God and what He can do to humble and empower us to live for Him.

Moses learned to trust God in the desert. With all of life's busyness, I often feel like I'm running in circles in the desert, but I know God has a plan and a future for me in a spacious land where I will want for nothing. What about you? Have you experienced God's amazing love? If so, you know you can trust Him to lead you through today's circumstances.

Maybe you have shattered dreams, loss of work, home, car or loved ones. I've been there, my friend. Fortunately for me, I called out to God and He heard my cry. He lavished His love on me and I've never wanted to live a minute or an hour or a day outside of His presence. He promised He would always be with us so if you're feeling like He is far away, be sure it is not Him who walked away. You can call His name, as I did, and experience His amazing love and mercy. I hope you do.

Don't Pray Like Them

2011-08-21T20:39:00.001-07:00

Jesus usually used parables when He taught, except when He taught people how to pray. He used direct speech. "Don't pray like them." The hypocrites liked to make appearances and show off with eloquent words. Jesus saw through their empty prayers. He said, "But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you," (Matthew 6:6 NIV).

I've thought I'm okay because I pray in private and not in public for recognition. Yet, today when I read the Lord's Prayer in the sixth chapter of Matthew, I asked myself if my life matched my prayers. How often have I prayed for the homeless and hungry and done nothing personally to help them? Can I honestly say, "I gave at church," and think it is enough? How often have I prayed for the sick and failed to call or visit or send a card? I've been in the hospital and I know how important those calls, cards and visits are.

I've thought that my prayers are good Christian prayers. "Lord, bless me and expand the boundaries of my ministry." But when I looked at the Lord's Prayer, I didn't see one single personal pronoun--not one. Check it out:

Our Father who art in Heaven,

hallowed by your name,

your kingdom come,

your will be done

on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread,

Forgive us our debts,

as we forgive our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

For yours is the kingdom and the power

and the glory forever. Amen.

Prayer is not about me, but about God and others. Yet, I live in a selfish and self-centered world. God's thoughts and ways are higher than mine. He made each of us in His image and desires more for us. He loves us so much He has made a way for us to be with Him forever. We can learn to work and pray and love as He does but only with His power and strength.

Lord Jesus, thank you for loving us. You are the awesome and true God. You have life and love everlasting. Empower us to love as you do, to live out our prayers after we say "Amen."

The Father's House

2011-08-13T15:02:00.002-07:00

In Bible times, when a man was betrothed, he built a new section of his father's house where he and his bride would live and raise their family. Jesus said, "In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am," (John 14:2-3 NIV).

The bride of Christ is the church. Have you wondered what the Father's house looks like? Sometimes when I survey the mansions near my home, I wonder what kind of place Jesus is preparing. "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him, but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit, 1 Corinthians 2:9-10 NIV).

The Bible is filled with hints of what our new home is like--the river of life that flows from the throne of God, the tree of life that bears twelve kinds of fruit, one for each month of the year, streets of gold, fortress walls made of precious jewels, and much more. The best part is that when it's finished, Jesus will come to take us there.

Will you be ready? Be sure that no sin, nothing you have done against God's laws, will be able to enter the place where Jesus is. He gave all He had so you could be with Him in that glorious place. Will you accept what He did on the cross and choose to live for Him? I hope your answer is 'yes.' He does too. He stands at the door of your heart waiting for you to ask Him in. I am praying for you.

Lord Jesus, if there is anything in the lives of the people reading this message that is outside of your will, please send your Holy Spirit on them and make them aware of their need for your amazing love. Thank you for all you have done and will do for those who love you. Amen.

Is This Really Necessary?

2011-07-31T14:45:00.000-07:00

When I've arrived at church the last few Sundays, seeing the parking lot torn up, I asked myself, "Is this really necessary?" Knowing nothing about engineering or construction, that's an easy question for me. Then I reflected on the theme of the Sunrise Community Church restoration project--"Transformed Inside/Out," and asked the same question about the hardest area for me to cultivate in my spirit life--prayer. "Is this really necessary?"

I know the answer before I begin. Of course, it's necessary. I've witnessed great answers to prayer and experienced God's lavishing love. Yet, I find after spending time in God's word and recording lessons in my journal, when it comes time to pray, it's tempting to close things up and pray as I go on my way, and sometimes I do. Yet, God especially blesses me when I spend alone time, heart to heart time with Him.

The prayer team at church demonstrated to me the power of heart to heart prayer. Cheryl Marvelli, who also coordinates the watering of trees and plants during construction, said the faucet on the northeast side of the church leaked so badly, it was not usable. On one of their prayer walks, Cheryl and June Lake prayed over the faucet. Does God care about a faucet in the middle of a huge restoration project? Yes! He does.

That afternoon, Joe Hartin, who owns a pool service company, came to the church and volunteered to help with the watering. When he found out about the leaky faucet, he said, "I can fix that," and he did the same day Cheryl and June prayed.

I am encouraged to spend more alone time in heart to heart prayer with God, whether sitting at His feet or walking my dog. Thank you, Lord Jesus, for using Cheryl, June and Joe to help me grow inside-out. Amen.

WOW Sunday

2011-07-24T14:56:00.001-07:00

The construction and traffic problems from our church restoration project did not discourage the Walk on Water (WOW) kids from leading our worship service today at Sunrise Community Church in Fair Oak, CA. Four years ago Dan Brown's eyes slipped away from Pastor Rich's sermon to the basketball hoops in the multipurpose room where we worship. He had a vision of young people with disabilities playing basket ball in that room, and that day gave birth to the WOW program.

Dan wrote notes as fast as he could during church, sorry Pastor Rich, and afterward began praying and putting the program together. He doesn't really like to call it a program because it's become a great opportunity to meet and build friendships. After he sent invitations to the first meeting, he expected maybe five or six kids would show up. Imagine his surprise to see twenty kids, many in wheelchairs, come to the meeting. More than thirty went to camp this year.

After the first year, Dan prayed for a partner and this year Young Life partnered with him to take the kids to a Young Life camp near Flagstaff, AZ. Videos of these kids having the time of their lives brought tears to my eyes. We heard story after story from the kids about their favorite activities, and several letters to God. The letter that touched my heart was from a young man who thanked God for loving him and giving him WOW friends. He said, "I hope to see You soon," and after signing his name, "P.S. I hope you like basketball." What a fulfillment of Dan's dreams!

Thank you, Lord Jesus, for using Dan and his WOW team to transform lives inside/out. Amen.

Come to the Water

2011-07-17T19:36:00.000-07:00

Whoever is thirsty, Come to the water, take the free gift of the water of life, (Revelation 22:17 NIV). I hope you'll take the link to Tenth Avenue North's YouTube video and song to experience God's amazing love.

Time and again the Bible refers to water as an image of God's love. Did you know that under Memphis, Tennessee there is a huge aquifer (spring) that holds billions of gallons of water 1000 feet under ground? It is inexhaustible for the people in Memphis. Think of Jesus as the living water that springs up into our lives to overflowing. We cannot possibly hold God's love inside us. It overflows to those around us as we learn to love as He loves.

Have you expereienced God's amazing love? If not, my friend, I am praying for you. Say His name and you will know His presence. I have been without His love, and I never want to experience that again. No one has to because God knocks at the door of our hearts, waiting for us to invite Him in. Will you do that today?

My Hiding Place

2011-07-04T13:20:00.000-07:00

My husband, John, and I enjoy exploring the streams near our camp at beautiful Lake Almanor in Northern California. Eight miles off of Highway 89 on a dirt road we found postcard picture perfect Yellow Creek, nestled in the pines near an emerald meadow, rich with wild flowers and pampas grass. Birds sang their songs and squirrels barked in the trees.

We met a man who said, "This is my hiding place, my sanctuary away from the world." Then he told us how river otters feasted on the brown trout and how the whirling disease had destroyed the rainbow trout population. Not good news for my fisherman husband.

Sometimes, like the man we met at Yellow Creek, I need an escape from the world, but instead of driving to a lonely stream, I call on the name of my Lord. He is my fortress and hiding place. In Him I find rest and strength and joy.

What about you? Do you have a hiding place in God's awesome creation or is it a quiet place within your own soul?

The River of Life

2011-06-19T14:51:00.000-07:00

Our hope is built on Jesus' love and faithfulness. He keeps His promises. We can be sure of the New Jerusalem and certain of the River of Life. Check out these words from Revelation 22:

The River of Life will flow from the throne of God. Its waters will be as clear as crystal.
Rising on each side of the river is the tree of life bearing twelve kinds of fruit, one for each month of the year.
There will be no night--no need of light from the sun or a lamp--for the Lord God will be light.
No curse.
The throne of God and the Lamb will be in the city and we will serve Him, even as we do today.

God is preparing a wonderful place for those who love Him. Verse 7 says, "Behold, I am coming soon!" Will you be ready?

Lord Jesus, I pray for those reading your word. Inspire them and move in their hearts to love you and live for you. Amen.

The New Jerusalem

2011-06-02T18:46:00.000-07:00

Have you dreamed what Heaven or the New Jerusalem would be like? God gives many clues in Revelation 21. Check this out:

The New Jerusalem will come down from heaven prepared as a bride for her husband on their wedding day.
The walls will be of jasper (that means diamonds).
Each of the twelve gates will be a single pearl.
The foundations of the walls will be of precious jewels--jasper, sapphire, chalcedony, emerald, sardonyx, carnelian, chrysolite, beryl, topaz, chrysoprase, jacinth and amethyst.
The streets will be of pure gold.
There will be no evil, shame, or deceit.
There will be no tears, pain or suffering.
There will be no sun, moon or stars because the glory of God will give it light.
There will be no temple because the Lord God and the Lamb will be our temple.
Jesus, the Lamb, will be it's lamp.
The nations will walk by it's light.
The City of God will be as long as it is wide as it is high--1400 miles cubed (as far as from San Francisco to Chicago).

I believe Jesus is coming soon. He told the apostles before He returned to the Father that He would prepare a place for them (and all who believe), so where He goes they will be able to go. Our loving Father doesn't want any to perish but for all to come.

Things in the world are changing rapidly--the weather, politics, nations against nations. No one knows the hour or the day when Jesus will come again--only the Father. As sure as the waters flooded the world in Noah's time, that day is coming. Will you be ready?

Here are some great resources for you to consider:
Heaven by Randy Alcorn
Heaven is Real by Todd Burpo
Zion's Hope

Lord Jesus, open the eyes of everyone to their need for you. Comfort the broken hearted and rescue the suffering. Help our unbelief and lead us to trust You today and forever. Amen.

Lovely Feet

2011-05-22T20:31:00.000-07:00

The Bible says I have lovely feet. Hard to believe that my feet--the ones with crooked toes, callouses, and bunions could be considered lovely to anyone. However, Isaiah 52:7 says, "How lovely on the mountains, are the feet of him (her) who brings good news . . ." NASB.

And I have good news. Are you consumed with cravings and desires that never get satisfied? I've been there and can testify that it is a lonely and empty place. Fortunately for me, I had God somewhere in my past and enough sense to cry out to Him. By earthly standards I was a complete failure. But to God, I was worth picking up all the broken pieces. That's what He did. He took my broken life and gave me a new heart.

I was the prodigal (daughter) and my Heavenly Father was waiting for me with open arms. I was ready to give up but He whispered in my heart, "Could you make it today if I promise to stay with you?" What love God lavished on me! It changed me forever. You know what I learned? That what God does in me, doesn't stay in me. I have to tell others.

If you are searching on line for meaning in life, I urge you to call on Jesus' name. He is waiting to warm you with a love like you've never known before. Say His name and surrender your heart to Him. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

Lord Jesus, I am praying for the person reading this post. He might be out of choices, out or sorts, at the end of the road. Show him your ways, oh Lord, and teach him your paths. Amen.

Though None Go With Me--Review

2011-05-16T08:26:00.000-07:00

      Though None Go with Me begins at the turn of the twentieth century and spans World War I and II, The Great Depression and considerable personal loss. Elisabeth Grace LeRoy wants what all of us want—to love and be loved. When she discovers her deepest longings can only be met by our Lord, she makes a commitment that will shape the rest of her life—to make her life an experiment in obedience to Christ, regardless of the cost.

      As a wife, I learned from Elisabeth to cherish each moment with my husband, even in suffering. As a mother, I related to how she taught her children to love God and how she never stopped loving them and praying for them. I joyfully shared her love story and cried through every loss with her, amazed at her strength. It was hard for me not to pray for her as I read through the novel. I carried the book with me everywhere and read it while I waited for my kids or grandkids.

     The story of Elisabeth's extravagant faith was made into a Hallmark channel movie. Like other books by Jerry Jenkins, it is heart-moving and life changing. Though None Go With Me is one of my favorite books and I've chosen to publish this review for a second time. It is available in paperback, Kindle, audio and DVD here.

Love Each Other

2011-05-09T16:23:00.000-07:00

Mother's Day brought memories of times when my children were little. How I miss those days! My son, Jason, used to hold his stuffed bear over his shoulder, close his eyes and pat the bear gently on the back. Softly he whispered, "O-o-o-o," and it occurred to me that he loved his bear the way I loved him.

Jesus said in John 15:12, "Love each other as I have loved you." That's what Jason showed me that day so long ago, and it became my prayer--that I would love as God loves. Some people are not easy to love, like the guy who cut in front of me in traffic and made me slam on my brakes or another man who yelled at me, shaking his fist at a stoplight. For me to love others as God loves me, I need His help.

Lord, help me love people as you do. Keep me from any temptation to judge those who are not like me. I need your help. Thank you, that because you are always with me, I can do what you call me to do. Amen.

Are You Living With Eternity in Mind

2011-04-22T13:19:00.000-07:00

“Sue, you won’t believe this place!” I dreamed of hearing these words from my friend, Betty, who lost her fight for life after a brief illness. She’s now joyfully home with our Lord and her cheerful voice made me long to be in heaven. Images of Betty walking with God in the cool of the day replaced memories from a few days before when I held her hand in the hospital during times of excruciating pain. No longer would she experience the unbearable suffering—not because of death, but because of life, eternal life with Christ. He rose from death, victorious, and I’m convinced Betty did and so will all who believe in Jesus as their Savior.

While it’s fun for me to imagine my friend feasting under the Tree of Life or splashing her feet in the River that flows from God’s throne, you and I are left here on earth to finish the work He called us to do.

Life Goes on in Heaven

Whatever we do for God, whether in ministry or daily tasks we perform as for the Lord, will last forever. Randy Alcorn says in his book, Heaven, that man’s creativity and technological advancement will not be lost in heaven. Could it be this is how God created us in His image? He says in His Word that His gifts and callings are irrevocable. Certainly, these skills will be necessary in the New Jerusalem, a city as high and wide as it is long (from San Francisco to Chicago—cubed). A city of this size will require workers—people with intelligence, skills and abilities.

Set Your Mind on Things Above

Today God is not as interested in our work, as He is in how we live and show His love to a dying world. Jesus set an example for us. He wasn’t rich as we think of rich, but He fed the hungry, healed the sick and helped the poor. We may think the need around us is too great, but Jesus fed a huge crowd from a boy’s lunch. The boy gave what he had and Jesus multiplied it. I’m amazed how this principle works in my life—that whatever time, talent or resources I offer, God multiplies for His purposes. When I visit or pray for the sick, teach a class, give monetarily or by a word of encouragement, God keeps giving to me so I can keep giving to others.

A few years ago, my friend, Shirley, modeled Christ’s love to me when I fell at work. I didn’t know the fall broke my hip—just that I couldn’t get up. Tears of fear welled up in my eyes. Shirley surprised me when she lay down by my side. Patting her outstretched arm, she said, “Rest your head here and don’t worry about a thing!” She stayed with me until the ambulance came. Shirley’s demonstration of Christ-like love motivates me to find ways to show God’s love by being vulnerable and sensitive to other people’s needs. At our Lord’s glorious appearing, I hope He finds me busy so He will say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

Thank you, Lord Jesus, for making a way for us to be with you forever. Thank you for the hope of never having to say goodbye. Amen.

God is Making All Things New

2011-04-11T19:00:00.000-07:00

In springtime, Daffodils, tulips, irises, and poppies show off their brilliant colors. Heavenly scents and blossoms on fruit trees enhance every setting. Trees that have been bare all winter, leaf and fill in the landscape. Earth becomes a paradise--until the wind blows and fills the air with pollen. Then sounds of sneezing and coughing interrupt creation's symphony.

Not everyone can enjoy the beauty of Spring without symptoms of hay fever. Everything grows in the Sacramento Valley where I live and lots of people, like me, endure the season with sneezing, coughing, itchy, runny eyes and noses. Walmart, CVS and Rite Aid stock up on antihistamines to reduce the symptoms but often turn us into groggy zombies.

Once again, I'm reminded that this is not my home. In my future lies a real Paradise where I long to experience springtime forever without sneezing, coughing, itchy, runny eyes and nose. Jesus said, "I am making all things new," (Rev. 21:5). To me that means beauty without the pollen. Our heavenly home will have no need of it because everything will be perfect and permanent--no need to reproduce.

Thank you, gracious Lord, for the hope you give us of spending eternity with you in the place you have prepared for us. Amen.

Are You a Good Person?

2011-04-07T20:12:00.000-07:00

Are you a good person? Good enough to get into Heaven? By whose standards? Yours? Gods? God's standards are the Ten Commandments. Have you kept them all? Disobeyed one? Jesus said if you look at anyone besides your spouse with lust, you have committed adultery in your heart. He also said if you have been angry (the source of malice), you have committed murder in your heart.

We have all come face to face with God's law at one time or another. This cover picture of the May-June copy of The Upper Room shows how far we have come. Although the religious leaders brought this woman caught in the act of adultery to Jesus, our Lord didn't condemn her. He said, "You who are without sin, you cast the first stone," because the consequences of her sin was death by stoning. One by one, the men dropped their stones, starting with the older men first. Finally, Jesus looked up.

"Has no one condemned you?" He asked.

"No one, sir."

"Then, neither do I. Go and leave your life of sin," He said.

I am reminded how much it cost God for Him to say that. He sent His only Son into the world to pay the price for our sins on the cross so we wouldn't have to. John 3:16 says, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him, should not perish, but have eternal life." Jesus died on the cross, but death could not hold Him. He rose from the grave to give us life, abundant life--forever. Think of the reality of living through eternity with Jesus, cashing in on all His promises. This is what Easter is all about.

Thank You, Lord Jesus, for resurrection power in our lives today. Let us walk in Your spirit today and always. Amen.

God Has a Wonderful Plan for Your Life-The Myth--A Review

2011-03-21T09:19:00.000-07:00

Are you in ministry for our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ? Did you raise your children in the church and see them reject it in their adulthood? We hear of worldwide revival but only a small percentage of people who go forward to invite Jesus into their lives grow into productive, fruitful Christians. Why?

God Has a Wonderful Plan for Your Life--The Myth of the Modern Message by Ray Comfort points to the answer. As Christians we want our family and friends to experience God's amazing love as we have. We live our lives before them, loving them and praying for them day after day and year after year. Could it be our message? The message about God's wonderful plan for their lives, that God loves them and wants to be their Friend? This isn't how Jesus ministered. It is not how Paul or the apostles ministered either. They preached the law. They confronted people with their sin. True repentance comes when we are faced with the reality of our sin and God's amazing grace.

God can deal with a broken and contrite heart. That is how He dealt with King David, a man after His own heart. David committed crimes against every one of the Ten Commandments when He saw Bathsheba. He lusted, stole, murdered, coveted, committed adultery, and dishonored his parents. Above all, David set himself up as his own god, so God was not his only God anymore. He didn't love Him with all his heart, mind, soul and strength. Thankfully, God sent Nathan to rebuke David and he fell on his knees and cried out to God, "Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight . . ." (Psalm 51:4)

This is how God dealt with me too. Without the law, I would not have known how much I offended God. Yet, when I cried out to Him, in His mercy He was there with me. It was as if He wrapped His loving arms around me, kissed me and said, "I love you. I am with you." I don't know how He could touch me and let all my mess get on Him, but He did. He knew two thousand years before I was born that I would need His grace. He took my mess to the cross that day on Calvary. He died and rose again so I could live with Him forever.

This is the salvation message that our world is desperate to hear and experience. I encourage you to read God Has a Wonderful Plan for Your Life-The Myth. We can be real salt and light in our dark world. Find out how.

Lord Jesus, I pray for all the people I've taught about your love. In spite of me, Lord, may they find your amazing grace and love. Forgive me for the times I missed the mark and help me to serve you better by helping people find true repentance. And I pray for all your servants who read this post, that they will know and teach the truth of the gospel and on that day--we will all hear, "Well done, good and faithful servant." We love you. Amen.

Crumbling Spirit - Review

2011-03-13T19:44:00.000-07:00

As you read about terrorist's attacks or see news reports on television, have you wondered what it would be like if something like that happened in your neighborhood? The bombing of a federal building in Oklahoma City affected thousands of people. Many parents lost their children and children lost their parents. Julia Kinser, a fourth grader at James Buchanan Elementary School, recorded her personal experience of terror in her diary. It's in a published book titled Crumbling Spirit on American Soil by D. Ed Hoggatt. Julia turned from tears to strength with God's love, the love of her parents and the love of her teacher.

Every American grieved with the people in Oklahoma City. We cried with them as we put ourselves in their places. Many kids in schools across the United States reached out to the kids in Oklahoma by writing letters and sending stuffed animals. Mr. Atkinson taught Julia and me that we don't have to be victims, but we can find positive ways to reach out to each other even in the midst of our grief. We can all be survivors. For Julia it meant responding to the letters, thanking people for their thoughts, prayers and gifts. After you read the book, you will know what you can do if the times comes for you to rise above your suffering in order to survive. It will make you a stronger and more compassionate person. You can order the book online at http://hoggatt.weebly.com. You will be glad you did.

Heaven is for Real-Review

2011-02-25T08:38:00.000-08:00

Books about Heaven fascinate me and Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo is no exception. Colton Burpo, Todd's son, reported of what he saw and heard in Heaven. It happened during an emergency appendectomy. The days and weeks following, Colton told of seeing Jesus, Pop and a sister whom his mother had miscarried. Each captured memory is told as a little boy would--in a matter-of-fact way. It was almost like hearing my little grandson's voice.

I appreciated how Todd Burpo verified things Colton saw with how the Bible describes Heaven. No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him, but it has been revealed in His word, and through Colton's eye-witness.

Colton said one thing over and over again. "Jesus loves children." It was amazing to me that a four-year-old boy could speak with such urgency about the truth of Jesus and His love. I hope you will read this book. It is available on Amazon's Kindle. Don't forget, if you don't have a Kindle, you can download a Kindle Reader to your PC, laptop or other electronic reader for free.

History (His story)

2011-01-30T18:50:00.000-08:00

Every good story has a beginning, middle and end. God promised it would be true of His story (history) too. I am glad His story is still being told. However, too many things point to an upcoming end. Here are some things to think about:

The world has not seen anything before like the catastrophic storms in recent history. Earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes and tsunamis leave outrageous paths of death, destruction and devastation. Some say all these storms have something to do with the change in earth's atmosphere as well as the change in the sun's gravitational pull. While these things have scientific explanation, I believe they also have spiritual implications. God destroyed the earth in a flood the first time, but He said the next time it would be by fire. Do you see the connection I'm talking about?

Jesus promised at the end of the ages there would be wars and rumors of wars. We have always had wars, but the wars we have now are in the middle east. Although these people have been fighting for centuries, this is where the earth had it's beginnings--in the Garden of Eden. Could it be that this is the place of earth's endings?

As 2012 draws closer, many people speculate the end of life as we know it. Jesus said no one would know the day or the hour, so I don't pay attention to specific predictions. What Jesus said, is for us to be watchful and prepared. Are you ready, my friend? Do you know that if the end came you would be in Heaven with our Lord? You can be for sure. Ephesians 2:8-10 says, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." [NIV]

God saved us with His amazing love, my friend. He loves us just as we are, but He wants us to be like Jesus--doing wonderful things for the glory of His kingdom. Yet He doesn't expect us to do it alone. He promises to be with us always and to strengthen us to stand firm to the end. Isn't it incredible to know that Heaven is within your reach? Believe in the Lord Jesus, beloved. He doesn't want anyone to be left behind and neither do I.

Thank you, Lord for your amazing love and your plan to have us with you forever. I am praying for the ones reading this right now that they may know you and serve you forever. Amen.

Don't Be Afraid--I'm Here

2011-01-20T15:10:00.000-08:00

As a sick little girl, I was afraid of the dark and of being alone. "Don't be afraid," Mama said. "I'm here." She gave me the comfort and security I needed to get through rhuematic fever and scarlet fever, allergies and heart trouble. Mama's home with Jesus now and I have kids and grandkids of my own.

Fear of failure or success and fear of having no value at all replaced my fear of the dark and being alone. That was until I found my personal worth in God, the Maker of Heaven and earth. My poor choices took me down a road of sin and destruction. Facing the next day seemed impossible and in my despair I wanted to give up. It was then that I felt the warmth of God's love and presence. Who was I that He would care for me? "Don't be afraid," I heard Him say. "I'm here."

Just when I think fear is no longer a part of my life, I see catastrophic storms in Australia on the news and hope that nothing like that comes to California.Then the news, thank them for their uncertain projections, says that the West Coast expects a storm that will change the way we live in California forever. When will this happen and what does all this mean? My thoughts go crazy!

Then I remember a horrific storm on the Sea of Galilee. Among Jesus' disciples were experienced fishermen who had been through storms on that lake many times. This one was different. Just when Jesus' friends paniced, He showed up walking towards them on the water. "Don't be afraid," He said. "I'm here." (Matthew 14:22-36)

So if the predicted storm hits California, I will call on the name of the Lord, knowing He is always with me. I hope, my friend, that you will too.

Thank you, Lord Jesus, for always being available to calm the storms of our lives. We love you and trust you to protect us and lead us in your way. Amen.

Continents Apart - A Review

2011-01-13T20:32:00.000-08:00

Continents Apart by Dana Sudboro is the romance of two missionaries, Xavier assigned to Japan and Odette to Africa. Odette and Xavier met at O’Hare Airport during flight delays due to a snowstorm. The attraction continued aboard a plane traveling to the California Bay Area. Within a few weeks, the couple fell head over heels in love with each other.

The story intensifies as Odette and Xavier deal with their love for each other and return to their mission fields. Poetry and romance weave themselves into the relationship. I keep asking myself how Odette could resist Xavier’s proposal, but she remained true to her first love, the Lord God, and His call on her life to minister to Muslim women in Africa. Prayers for someone to replace her or for God to take her out of Africa seemed to go unanswered. Odette’s faith never wavered. God’s strength met her weakness and kept her in ministry to the African converts who faced persecution for their new faith.

Odette inspired me through her faithfulness, love and loyalty to God and His people in Africa. Amazingly, God matched her devotion to Him in a way that keeps me thinking about the story weeks after reading the book.

Kindle Bliss

2010-12-30T19:46:00.000-08:00

The Kindle electronic reader is something I've wanted for a l-o-n-g time and I waited until black Friday to see if it might go on sale for $99. No luck, so I stepped off the deep end and pressed the 'purchase' button. It was so easy!

The next day it was delivered by an angel. It must have been an angel. I never heard a truck or saw a delivery person. I heard a small knock on the door and wondered who that could be because it was before 9:00 in the morning. When I opened the door, there it was all by itself. I rescued it from the porch and tore into the box. It was already set up with my Amazon profile and passwords. Amazing!

Just to see if it was as easy as I heard, I turned it on, clicked on menu, clicked on the Amazon store, and keyed in 'Francine Rivers.' Her two new books popped up on the page. I clicked on them one at a time and purchased them. In seconds they were downloaded to my Kindle. I was so excited!!! I've already read the first book, Her Mother's Hope. I can't wait to read Her Daughter's Dream but I'm on a writing assignment with a looming deadline.

The next thing I downloaded was the NIV Study Bible. Now I don't have to have a big Bible in my car or lug one on the airplane when I travel. I can read it wherever I am and that makes me happy.

The best part is that this Kindle fits in my purse. I don't ever have to be caught in a waiting room without reading material again. The second best thing is that it has a cover with a reading light. This will come in extremely handy when John and I go camping next summer.

Thank you, Lord, for the this wonderful reading tool. It won't require so much shelf space for all the books I purchase and greatly reduces the cost of each book. While I am reading, I'm also becoming a better steward of all the blessings you give me. I love you. Amen.

A Christmas Past

2010-12-24T12:58:00.000-08:00

After working with my little Cherub Choir in Wiesbaden, Germany, I headed over to the nursery to pick up my son, Jason. The year was 1970 and he was two years old. It was dinner time for the kids when I showed up and I waited and waited and waited for the childcare helper to bring my little boy to me. Finally she said, "Mrs. Stratton, we can't find Jason." My heart sunk. "You are welcome to come in the facility and look in any of the hiding places you think he might crawl into. Pregnant with my daughter, I couldn't kneel very well. While I peeked around and called for Jason, thankfully, the helper called the Security Police. "He must have slipped out the door when we released the children to the dining area," the helper told the police.

It was dark outside and I began to panic. Others joined us with flashlights, searching the outside perimeters of the nursery. Cars zipped by and I worried about Jason's safety. It seemed like hours before someone asked, "Are you looking for a little guy this high with a gray, hooded sweatshirt?"

"Yes," I said. My heart leaped.

"My friend, Jennifer, saw him when she was going home from Girl Scouts and took him home with her. She was afraid he was lost."

"Where does she live?"

The kind little girl took me to her friend's house. I could hear Christmas music when we walked up the steps and knocked on the door. Jennifer opened the door to a beautifully decorated home--flickering lights on the tree and presents crowding the base of it. I was so glad to see my little boy, but shocked when he shouted,"I don't want to go home!"

Speechless, I wondered if the people thought I abused him or something. Fortunately he had no marks on him. Then I realized that Jason was caught up in the Christmas spirit. While I was teaching five to seven-year-olds the meaning of Christmas and some carols, Jason was having fun with his new friends. He was safe and I was thankful. After we shared a cup of hot chocolate with Jennifer's family, Jason took my hand and went home with me.

My wish for you this Christmas Eve is that you experience God's lavishing love on you. Merry Christmas.

People Desperate to Hear Handel's Messiah

2010-12-21T09:00:00.000-08:00

After the Galleria Mall in Roseville, California recovered from a fire, its Public Relations Department invited the Sacramento Choir to sing Handel's Messiah on Monday, December 20, 2010 in an effort to kick off its re-opening. The performance was to begin at 7:30 but the Roseville Fire Department closed the mall at 7:00. Here is a news link. Below the video is a slide show. http://www.kcra.com/news/26204541/detail.html

The media says the flash mob caused the event to be a flop. Yet I am praising God that so many turned out to hear the names of Jesus sung by this beautiful choir.

I haven't had so much fun sitting in traffic as I did last night with my friend, Beth. We shared stories of Christmases past and enjoyed the lights, but we had to go home to hear Handel's Messiah on CD.

My wish is for you to have a Merry Christmas, and if you live in the greater Sacramento-Roseville area, I hope you'll visit the Galleria Mall. They've had two strikes against them this holiday season. I have a little more shopping to do, so I'm headed the the Galleria this morning.

Simplify! Simplify!

2010-12-08T15:22:00.000-08:00

Is there any way to simplify this time of year? Please say yes. During the holiday season our lives get as complicated as a New York subway. We find ourselves going from one event to another, caught in traffic and shopping crowds. Our joy fades into a fog of wrapping gifts, decorating the house, and writing Christmas cards. Sometimes we spend money we don't have on things we don't need to impress people we don't like.

Visit a grave yard or a junk yard and you'll discover the things that matter are not the things we think are important. So what is the answer? Henry David Thoreau said it perfectly, "Simplify! Simplify!" Translated at Christmas, it means spending less and giving more of yourself instead of stuff.

Mary and Joseph loved God, but when they went to the temple, they gave two doves for a sacrifice instead of a lamb. They lived within their means and gave what they had even though they were poor. Jesus gave all He had-His life-so we could live with Him in His kingdom. Can we follow these great examples?

Lord Jesus, help me to simply my life now and in the coming year. Show me how to love you and others better by giving more of myself and less of things. I love you. Amen.

Bethlehem Village

2010-11-15T20:49:00.000-08:00

As we gear up for a busy holiday season, you won't want to miss Bethlehem Village at Sunrise Community Church, 8321 Greenback Lane, Fair Oaks, CA. December 3-5, 2010, 6:00-8:30 p.m. It is the best free community Christmas event. Come and experience the miracles and awe of Bethelhem more that two thousand years ago. Here is a sneak preview. Hope to see you there.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ft0a-YBv8nM

The Rose

2010-11-13T12:01:00.000-08:00

Read: Psalm 145:15-16

Verse: The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever. Isaiah 4:8 NIV

Walking through a shopping mall parking lot in early evening, I found a beautiful, long stem, red rose on the ground. Its leaves were torn but the flower was perfect. I thought at first it was artificial. I picked it up, took it home and put it in water. The rose responded quickly. Its loveliness and aroma filled the room and I wondered how anyone could throw it away.

The rose reminded me of myself – not valuable in the eyes of this world, but God saw something special in me. He picked me up from a pit of despair. He rescued me from my selfish, self-centered life. He gave me a new heart of compassion. As the rose lifted its petals and leaves in response to the water, I respond to God’s love by telling others how much He loves them and helping them learn to trust Him with whatever concerns them. God’s love is more powerful in our lives than the water is nourishing to the rose. It works in believers to accomplish good works. With his love he gives each one talents and abilities to perform our tasks and he stays with us to inspire, encourage and strengthen us.

Prayer: Thank you, Father God, for not abandoning me but showing me your love at just the right time.

Thought for the day: God holds blessings for us we know nothing about until the proper time.

All Saints Day

2010-11-01T15:19:00.000-07:00

This All Saints Day in a packed church, I said goodbye to my friend, Greg Cochran, a man dearly loved by his family, church and workplace. Born November 16, 1960 and died October 25, 2010. Author of Saving Grace, a novel, he was writing other books and on his way to more publishing success. I met Greg at our Inspire Christian Writer's Group and soon learned of his quick wit and great sense of humor. We at Inspire appreciated his support and encouragement. Although Greg lost his day job and was applying for work, he coached football at Bradshaw Christian School. After his stroke in early October his team made beautiful get well cards for him which were on a table today for us to see. Filled with color, emotion and scripture verses the young people wrote from their heart. One said, "Please get well Mr. Cochran. If you don't come back to football, I'm going to play soccer instead." To say the kids loved him is an understatement.

Growing up Greg had several eye surgeries and many knee surgeries.

The scripture that got him through much suffering is, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5-6

Greg wasn't sick or expecting to die so young, but he was ready to meet Jesus. Even though I grieve, I know my friend is enjoying the presence of our Lord today and forever.

Lord Jesus, please be with Greg's family today and in the coming weeks and months. Comfort and strengthen them. Let them know your great love for them. Amen.

My God is Bigger

2010-10-24T14:08:00.000-07:00

Would you like to know how a dog thinks differently from a cat? If you pamper your dog, he will think you are god. If you pamper your cat, he will think he is god.

My puppy, Maggie, definitely thinks I am god. The day our neighbor captured this lovely picture of worship, Maggie was so glad she could go in the car with me. She brought joy to an otherwise stressful day. I had just left my husband, John, in the hospital after surgery to repair his broken ankle and Maggie and I were on our way to have dinner at my daughter Janell's house.

At the time of the picture, Maggie was four months old. She is ten months old now and has not lost any of her adoration for me. She follows me everywhere and depends on me for all her needs. Before I eat, she eats. When she sees me put on my walking shoes, she knows we're going for a walk and cannot hide her excitement. While walking, if we get to a busy intersection, she waits for me to pick her up to cross the street. When I read or watch a movie, she enjoys sleeping in my lap. And she sleeps by my bed at night. She gets up at 5:00 or 5:30 and if I don't get up with her, she cries until I do.

I hate to admit that sometimes I let Maggie down. There are times I long for a few more minutes of sleep and put her out by herself. On rainy days or days too packed with busyness, I don't put on my walking shoes. When I tell her good-bye, her eyes seem to ask, "Why aren't you taking me?" or "Why don't you stay home with me?" No matter how long I've been gone, she is always glad to see me. She twirls and jumps until I pick her up.

My God, the God who made Maggie and me and everything else in the world, knows my every need. He provides for me, protects me and is always with me. Even though I can't see Him, I know He is with me. He comforts, counsels and encourages me. Every morning I am amazed how He starts my day with more joy than the day before. I wish I could make Him as happy as He makes me. How wonderful it would be if I could bring Him as much joy as Maggie brings me.

Thank you, Lord Jesus, that you are a bigger and better God than I am to Maggie. Thank you for giving her to me. Thank you for my family and friends, for home and church and freedom to love and worship you. I pray for the person reading this blog, that he/she would experience your incredible, undstoppable love. Amen.

Third House on the Right

2010-10-11T17:00:00.000-07:00

Forty years slipped by nearly without notice and Grandmother went to glory many years ago. I've often thought about her old two story house. She and I used to get up early and go outside and enjoy the flowers in her garden. We walked and talked for hours, about important things and unimportant things. Those were the good old days before work and stress. How did life get so complicated?

I happened to be in New York last week on business, but found it impossible to concentrate on the issues at hand. My thoughts of being with Grandmother, the times she told me about her first boyfriend to the time she fell in love with my grandfather, the times we sat through thunder storms together. She and I read the Bible and sang our favorite hymns.

Longing for a walk down memory lane, after the last meeting, I rented a car and inserted her old address into the GPS. Could it take me back to her old neighborhood? What would her house look like?

My journey ended as "Susie in the Box," the name some give the woman's voice giving directions, said, "Turn left on Elm Street, 3rd house on the right."

Sitting there, tears streaming down my face, I found that Grandmother's house had been decorated by none other than the Creator Himself. He wrapped her house in green with so much life and beauty it seemed to take my breath away.

That's just the way He is. He took the old run-down house and made it something beautiful. He did that with me. When things didn't turn out the way I wanted, I turned away from God and traveled down a road I thought would lead me to love, hope and happiness. It only led to more loneliness and despair. That was until God showed me His lavishing love. He never gave up on me and He was there when my life fell apart.

How could I have wandered so far from His love? How could I disappoint Him with my poor choices? It didn't matter. He forgave me and started to work rebuilding my life and giving me purpose.

He can do the same for you, my friend. He loves you with an unconditional, unending love. He will adorn you with His special gifts and blessings, more than you could ever imagine.

Lord Jesus, I am praying for the person reading this blog today, that he/she will experience your incredible love and cherish it enough to help others find your love too. Amen.

Though None Go With Me - Review

2010-09-29T13:11:00.000-07:00

Though None Go with Me begins at the turn of the twentieth century and spans World War I and II, The Great Depression and considerable personal loss. Elisabeth Grace LeRoy wants what all of us want—to love and be loved. When she discovers her deepest longings can only be met by our Lord, she makes a commitment that will shape the rest of her life—to make her life an experiment in obedience to Christ, regardless of the cost.

As a wife, I learned from Elisabeth to cherish each moment with my husband, even in suffering. As a mother, I related to how she taught her children to love God and how she never stopped loving them and praying for them. I joyfully shared her love story and cried through every loss with her, amazed at her strength. It was hard for me not to pray for her as I read through the novel. I carried the book with me everywhere and read it while I waited for my kids or grandkids.

It’s been weeks since I finished reading the book, but I still ponder Elisabeth’s extravagant faith. The story was made into a Hallmark channel movie and starred Cheryl Ladd. Like other books by Jerry Jenkins, it is heart moving and life changing.

Let the Children Come to Me

2010-08-23T16:16:00.000-07:00

Verse: Let the children come to me and do not hinder them. (Matt. 10:14)

My last birthday happened to be on a Sunday. It was wonderful--everyone saying "Happy Birthday" to me. I felt especially blessed when the children in Sunday school sang "Happy Birthday." Eight-year-old Austin played the piano while the others sang.

Children bless me just about every day, whether I am walking my dog or teaching Sunday school or spending time with my grandchildren. Last Saturday I was feeling really grungy. John and I were coming home from camping. It was a bad hair day for me so I wore a hat and sunglasses when we stopped for lunch. Out of nowhere I heard a precious little voice say, "I like your glasses." My head spun around. "Thank you!" I smiled.

When parents brought their children to Jesus for a blessing, the disciples turned them away, thinking they would bother Jesus. Oddly, He said, "Let the children come to me and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth; anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." I think the children blessed Jesus as they bless me. He took them in His arms and blessed them in return.

Children give me a taste of Heaven. Times I spend with them hold a thread of hope through my life until I reach the banquet in Heaven where every day will be a celebration and everyone will have the innocence, faith and joy of a child.

Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for a taste of Heaven. Make me useful here on earth until it's time for you to carry me home. Amen.

God Bless America

2010-07-18T16:50:00.000-07:00

Suggested scripture reading: Matthew 19:16-30

Verse: If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from Heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 1 Chronicles 7:14

“The trouble with Americans” our pastor said, “is they have everything and that’s all.” Knowing God is key to the lives we live whether in America or somewhere else. God made us with deep longings, but He wanted to be our deepest longing. When He isn’t, so many things in this world clamor for our devotion.

A man came to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?” Now this man had riches and grew up keeping the Ten Commandments. He always did what was right, yet something was missing. The emptiness inside him cried out. Like King Solomon, he concluded that everything was meaningless. So he came to Jesus, but he asked the wrong question. He wanted more to life and thought he could earn it.

“Go sell all you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in Heaven. Then come and follow Me,” Jesus said. The rich young man walked away sad, but imagine what would have happened if he did what Jesus said. His wealth stood between him and God. Without this barrier, he would learn to trust God with his life and gain eternal life. Isn’t that what he wanted?

Americans are like the rich young man. They have everything and that’s all. Like God’s people many times in history, they have lost their way. And like God’s people before us, we can humble ourselves, pray, seek His face and turn from our sinful ways. He will be faithful to heal our land as He has done so many times before.

Would you join me as many Americans are doing and pray for our country for 140 days. It started on July 4, 2010 with Charles Stanley and his In Touch ministry. Here is a link to register your intent to pray. https://www.intouchbookstore.org/du/(wdwsxi45kc0n42iq0yo4um55)/140Days2010.aspx

Thank you and God bless America.

Strengthened Through Weariness

2010-06-29T11:12:00.000-07:00

Suggested Bible reading: Mark 6:30-44

"Let us not grow weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up," Galatians 6:9.

I ran to the garage when I heard my husband, John, call for help. "I think I broke my foot," he said. Later that morning the doctor confirmed John's ankle was broken in two places so he received emergency surgery that afternoon. Without formal training, I became a caregiver, doing everthing for John in addition to regular household chores and shopping. By the end of each day my body ached from exhaustion.

Times when I needed rest, I thought of Jesus, tired from the tasks of ministry and the cares of this world. He sought solitary places away from the crowds but the crowds followed him. Showing no signs of weariness, he had compassion on the people because he said they were like sheep without a shepherd. He healed their sick and taught them how to live.

Christ's example gave me the strength I needed to persevere through tough days. Trusting God during times when I didn't think I could handle another demand, amazingly brought joy. God not only healed John, but he used John's short term disability to bless our marriage.

Thank you, Lord, for working your strength in me.

Interview with Susan King-The Upper Room Part 2

2010-06-13T15:40:00.000-07:00

The following is Part 2 of Dr. Mabry's interview with Susan King, Assistant Editor of The Upper Room.

RM: I know that after acceptance it takes a year or more for a submission to be printed in The Upper Room. Why is that?

SK: Actually, it’s NOT because we sit around every day eating bon-bons! No, seriously, it’s because we have to send the completed manuscript to the editors and translators worldwide nearly a year in advance. Some of these translators are volunteers and have to translate the manuscripts after putting in a full day’s work. Also, some of the magazines are distributed in war-torn countries that may not receive regular mail delivery so we need to send the materials to them as early as possible.

Since all the readings of submissions, further reviews of submissions, multiple editing of final candidates, and preparation of the content of each issue has to be done before the issue is sent to all the editors and translators around the world, the customary elapsed time between submission and publication is nearly two years.

RM: At one time, I noted that each issue has an overlying theme. Do you encourage writers to prepare a piece that ties into the theme of a particular forthcoming issue, or do you get a wide enough variety of submissions that you can find what you need?

SK: Actually, we used themes for only a brief period and are now back to not using themes. However, we do note the Christian holy days (including ones like Pentecost, Transfiguration Sunday) if we have meditations on those subjects and always make sure that we have meditations for all the major Christian holiday themes. As a result, we come up short on devotionals about Christmas/ Advent) and Easter/Lent. Meditations on these themes should be sent in during their respective seasons (for publication during the same time period nearly two years later).

RM: When putting together an issue, do you make any attempt to present meditations from authors who live in different regions? Does gender influence you?

SK: Actually, every few years our Editorial Director, Mary Lou Redding and another staff member conduct writers’ conferences in various countries in Europe, Asia, and Australia in an attempt to generate good meditations from international writers. Also, our editors worldwide are constantly recruiting writers from within their own countries. We go to great lengths to feature no fewer than 16 meditations from international writers in every issue.

Also, as we accept invitations from writers’ conferences in the U.S., we try to choose those located in a variety of regions in our own country to train writers—and receive good meditations—from those regions.

Finally, we would like for each issue to represent a balance of male and female writers. However, since we receive submissions from women three-to-one over submissions from men, this is not always possible. Consequently, we are often desperate for great meditations from male writers (and sometimes even have to “borrow from the future,” which means that a meditation written by a male writer may be published in a shorter time span than two years).

RM: Acceptance isn’t always straightforward. Some meditations are “held.” Others get scheduled, then “deferred.” Can you explain that?

SK: How about an explanation of the entire process?

Our Associate Editor reads all incoming submissions received within a two month period (J-F, M-A, M-J, J-A, S-O, and N-D) and “holds” around 120 to be considered for publication in the issue for that same two-month period two years from that time. After a writer submits, he/she will hear back from us within 6-8 weeks, but only if: 1) we are holding one or more of that writer’s submissions for further consideration or 2) we are not holding any submission but the writer included a self-addressed, stamped envelope or postcard with each submission.

Then, as I say in writers conferences, “No news is good news” for about 9 months because if a writer hears back within that time, it means that he/she hasn’t made it through the next gate—our Editorial Director, who narrows down the selection to 75-80 devotionals/meditations.

Finally, right about a year after the meditations were first submitted, the remaining 75-80 are edited and then copied and distributed to our staff and the senior editors of all our other magazines as well as some staff members from our other ministries, such as the Walk to Emmaus. Over the next two weeks, these staff members read all the meditations so that we can discuss them when we meet together later that month. During the next week of near-daily copy sessions, we decide which meditations will be selected for an issue of The Upper Room. If all make it, then any left over from the paging process for that issue (of 59-62 days, depending on the issue), will go into the deferred file. If we end up with too few meditations, then we pull out meditations that have previously been placed in the deferred file.

RM: What final advice do you have for my readers who are considering submitting to The Upper Room magazine?

SK: First, make sure that you have received training in the skill of writing. This may include: 1) You were an English major in college and remember your instruction in writing well or 2) You have taken a refresher course in English from a community college or other institution or 3) You have taken such a class at a writers’ conference.

Once that’s accomplished, consult our guidelines and adhere to them slavishly. Ideal would be for you to attend one of the writers conferences at which we speak every year so that you can not only brush up on your writing skills but also learn EXACTLY what we are looking for in a devotional. At least every other year, one of our editors conducts a workshop or continuing class at: Florida Christian Writers Conference, Mt. Hermon Christian Writers Conference, Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference, Kentucky Christian Writers Conference, East Texas Christian Writers Conference, Montrose Christian Writers Conference, St. David’s Christian Writers Conference, Sandy Cove Christian Writers Conference, Glorieta Christian Writers Conference (Now “Writing at the Ranch”) and, occasionally, the following conferences: San Diego Christian Writers Guild, Write Canada!, Write-to-Publish, and an assortment of one-day events hosted by local churches*. We also appear at Writing for the Soul. For specific information about the remaining conferences for 2009, click this link.

*We are open to teaching/training at such events sponsored by a church or Christian writers guild or critique group. For more information, contact me at sking@upperroom.org.

Susan, thanks for taking the time to give us this detailed look at The Upper Room. I hope that my readers will accept the challenge and begin submitting meditations to you. It would thrill me to read one of them in the future and know that this interview was the stimulus for its birth.
Posted by Richard L. Mabry, MD at 1:00 AM

Interview with Susan King-The Upper Room

2010-06-03T13:59:00.000-07:00

Susan King is Assistant Editor of The Upper Room magazine. I am happy to post her interview which was originally published by Richard L. Mabry, MD, on Random Jottings. Dr. Mabry is fortunate enough to have a dozen or so meditations accepted for print by The Upper Room magazine over the past five years, and can attest that writing something meaningful in about 250 words isn’t easy, although the effort is well worth it. The process helps you dig deeper into your spiritual life, and the thrill of knowing your meditation will be printed in 76 editions and 40 languages, then read by millions of people in over 100 countries can’t be matched.

RM: Susan, welcome to Random Jottings. Some of my readers may not be familiar with The Upper Room. Can you give us a little background on its history and mission?

SK: From its beginning, The Upper Room magazine has been interdenominational. We seek to build on what draws us together in Christian belief. The intent of the founders of the magazine was that it be non-sectarian and non-doctrinaire, and we work to include many perspectives in what we publish. The magazine was created in response to a call from a Sunday-school-class prayer group in Texas, who asked the church to provide for families a devotional resource to use for home worship each day. It was the time of the Great Depression, and these people felt that prayer and Bible study could help people face the difficult times with faith.

The magazine was begun by the Home Missions Board of the Methodist Episcopal Church South in 1935. This is a predecessor denomination of the United Methodist Church, which still owns the magazine. Though the magazine is owned by the United Methodist Church, it is financially separate from it. We receive no grants or subsidy from the United Methodist Church or from any other denomination. Our income comes completely from sale of our magazines and books.

Where the World Meets to Pray, a new book by Mary Lou Redding, gives details about the history of The Upper Room and its impact during the past 75 years.

The writers of the daily meditations come from around the world. We do not have requirements regarding denominational affiliation for our writers. I am aware of Methodist, Presbyterian, Baptist, Roman Catholic, Church of Christ, Lutheran, Nazarene, Episcopalian, Assemblies of God, and non-denominational believers among our writers, but we do not know the denominational affiliation of the vast majority of those who write for us. We evaluate over 5000 meditations each year in order to choose 365 for publication in the magazine. Our basic criterion in evaluating a meditation is this: Will it be helpful to a reader in a similar situation? We want meditations that show real people struggling to live faithfully in real-life situations, with the Bible as the touchstone for and measure of faithful living. We believe that God wills only good for each of us and that God calls us to lives of love, forgiveness, and service to others, according to the example of Christ.

The Upper Room's mission is to provide a model of practical Christianity, accessible in varied formats, to help people feel invited and welcomed into God’s presence to:

• listen to scripture as God’s personal message, linking their stories to God’s story
• commune with God in prayer
• see their daily choices and small acts of obedience as part of God’s work
• realize our connection through Christ as a universal family of seekers who want to know God
• encounter the living Christ and be transformed into Christ’s likeness.

RM: Your writers guide has a lot of information on how to approach preparing a meditation for The Upper Room. Can you give us an example of a submission or two
that really caught your eye, and why?

SK: I’ll give you three that come to mind:

The Fourth Man
Read Daniel 3:13-30
He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God— Daniel 3:25 (KJV)

One night at church we studied the story of the three Hebrews put into the fiery furnace for refusing to worship an idol. The next day we got a call from our daughter-in-law, who told us that our son had died in his sleep that morning, suddenly and unexpectedly. We experienced our own fiery furnace; but we were also aware of the fourth man, the Son of God. Our Lord Jesus Christ was right there, standing with us, to save us from destruction.

I have experienced other fiery furnaces: the dust storms and depression of the 1930s, the dark days of separation from my family for two years during World War II, the terrible battle of the Hurtgen Forest. Every time, God has been there to deliver me, just as Christ promised his disciples: “Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matt. 28:20, NIV).

Sooner or later, everyone has a fiery furnace experience: a death of someone dear, a life-threatening disease, a crippling accident. It helps to have someone nearby to share the pain. But no one helps us more than Jesus Christ. We hear his voice telling us to take courage and promising to be with us and to renew us in his love. This has been my experience in the fiery furnace.
Eugene F. Gerlitz (Oregon)

In this meditation, the experience is directly connected to scripture (first paragraph). In the second paragraph, the author gives us other examples that we can identify as “fiery furnaces.” In the third paragraph, the meditation broadens out to include the reader, inviting the reader to consider times when he/she has had a similar experience and to identify with Shadrack, Meshack, and Abednego in their time of crisis and reprieve.

I Believe
Read 1 Corinthians 2:6-16
Those who believe in the Son of God have the testimony in their hearts.— 1 John 5:10 (NRSV)

When I was in college, I concluded that all religion is simply an expression of our need to believe in a supreme being and that the notion of God becoming human came from superstitious origins. When I later accepted Christ, it wasn’t a complete acceptance. It was simply a truce with God. I decided God was right and I was wrong, and I wouldn’t argue anymore. I wanted to believe, but faith was slow in coming.

I did not come to active faith through the power of reason alone but rather through experiencing God’s working out the truths of the Bible in my life. When I was in agony over my son’s drug use, God gave me Psalm 37 with its “Do not fret” advice. I clung to it and tried with all my heart, and eventually the “justice of [my] cause” did indeed shine “like the noonday sun” (verse 6, NIV) when my son began to realize that his lifestyle wasn’t working. When I learned I had multiple sclerosis, God gave me the promise in Exodus 14:14: “The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still” (NIV). I had to learn to rest, but I have had very little problem with the disease.

Because I have come to lean on the Bible as truth, I can have confidence in the things that I know by faith, beyond the limitations of my rational mind.
Prayer: Creator God, teach us to believe in you, to trust your promises, and to know that your power sustains us. Help us to lean on you more today than yesterday. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Thought for the Day
Faith is the key that opens the door to knowing God.
(Mrs.) Maggi Clark (North Carolina)

Prayer Focus: PEOPLE ON THE VERGE OF BELIEVING

This one sticks in my mind because it deals with a very important situation—the non-believer coming to strong belief and faithfulness—and also because it is very specific about the early limitations of the writer’s belief and exactly how seeing God worked out the truths of the Bible in her life. It provides a model for all readers but especially for the non-believers in our reading audience and also for the many readers whose ministry is teaching non-believers about God.

The Hamster Hunt
Read Luke 15:1-7
Jesus said, “Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds it?”--Luke 15:4

One Saturday afternoon, my 5-year-old daughter’s hamster made a surprise getaway. We turned the house upside down in a desperate attempt to find him. Finally, we detected a scratching sound in our laundry room. We moved the clothes dryer and removed a wall panel, and I crawled behind the water heater to rescue him. At this point I was tempted to pick him up by his tailless little rump, haul him outside, and call, “Here, Kitty, Kitty!”

It’s interesting to speculate on the amount of time we spent searching for a useless rodent. What makes that hamster special is the same thing that spared him from becoming a juicy snack for our cat that fateful Saturday afternoon: my daughter loves him very much.

I am only one person in a world of billions. What makes me special is the great love God has for me. Remember Jesus’ parable about the 100 sheep? Ninety-nine were where they ought to be, but the missing sheep was the one being sought. Our family dropped everything that busy afternoon to search for what would probably seem unimportant to anyone else. God will leave the ninety-nine to seek us out, no matter how insignificant we may seem to ourselves or others.

Thought for the Day: In a world of billions, God yearns for a relationship with each of us.
Gwyn Williams (Alabama)

The centerpiece of this meditation’s personal experience is a single, dominant and sensory—and thus memorable—image. Then, the writer tied the spiritual application directly to that image, insuring that when the readers think of the image in the story, they will also think of the spiritual message of the meditation.

And, of course, it’s also funny. We rarely receive funny meditations and would really like to publish humorous ones, as long as they also have all the other elements:

1. True personal experience—either 1) the writer¹s or 2) that of someone close to him/her, or possibly 3) that of a person or persons in the Bible. (If #2, then the writer needs to establish this person’s relationship to him/her, as in “my mother/brother/son/friend/neighbor/coworker,” etc.)

2) Direct connection to God (spiritual application within the temporal experience)

3) Possibly a third element would be a small section at the end in which you help the reader to make an application in his/her own life (since he/she may have never experienced what you experienced—or even may not yet have experienced a relationship with God)

Remember that the focus is not the personal experience per se, but to teach the reader something that will cause him/her to live that day differently than he/she would have before reading your devotional. In other words, give the reader concrete, practical tools for dealing with situations that would be in some way like the situation you encountered. (In fact, one of the methods for the third element is to list possible similar life situations that might apply to the readers.)

The first temptation in writing a devotional/meditation is to give too many details in the experience but not enough in the other two sections.

The second pitfall is to not include anything concrete or specific in the second and third sections, to instead use vague, general, and/or abstract terms that do not give anything even close to specific directions for the reader. While some details are important in the personal experience (to paint a picture for the reader—at least of the setting), it’s even more important to be detailed and specific in the second and third sections, since these are the heart of the devotional. They fulfill the whole purpose of the devotional, which is to bring the readers to closer connection with God and to help them apply in their own lives what the writer learned about the way God operates in our lives every day.

Part Two of this interview will be posted on Friday, June 11. Come back for more behind-the-scenes information and suggestions for writing for The Upper Room.

Blasts from the Past

2010-05-31T15:19:00.001-07:00

Yesterday in San Francisco I met Lindsey Kapella (aka Linda Sue Hurst) and her husband Bill and Summer Simonton (aka Jan Stratton), my high school pals to share blasts from the past. We reminisced over our giddy school years forty six years ago. We shared pictures, art, craft and values.

We talked about the years that have flown by since we attended Midwest City High School, the mistakes we made, the loneliness and despair, the joy of family and the depth of grief in the loss of loved ones.

We shared the most important things we learned—forgiveness and faith in God, confidence and belief in ourselves, the strength to pursue our dreams no matter what they were, and dancing. Three sixty-something women (and one man) laughed and loved as we never did before.

Thank you, God, for memories, lessons learned and brighter tomorrows. Thank you for yesterday—for Lindsey, Bill and Summer. Thank you for the beautiful day on the bay. It is forever etched in my heart. Thank you for your love for us and the love we share with each other. Amen.

Mountain Top Experience

2010-04-02T08:54:00.000-07:00

Mt. Hermon is a taste of Heaven. Beth Thompson, Julie Williams, Chris Pederson, Dani Marie and I arrived a day early. Friday morning we went to the beach, sang our praises and prayed at the Walton Light House. We enjoyed viewing boats leaving and returning to the marina. We also watched a sea otter frolicking above the surf.

Chris and I took the Writing Children's Books morning track. Bill Myers made our lessons and homework assignments as fun as reading one of his books. We recommended him for keynote speaker for next year. Little did we know that plan was already in the works. So-o-o we will be returning and I will celebrate my birthday at Mt. Hermon in 2011.

I attended two enlightening workshops on using humor as a tool in writing. They were a blast. Two other workshops I attended inspired me to write personal interest stories taught by B. J. Taylor. I am dreaming of winning the Guidepost contest for a week in New York, all expenses paid, to learn how to write for Guidepost. The deadline for that is fast approaching.

I was fortunate to sell one of my articles and Susan King took one of my devotions home with her to The Upper Room. I came home to rework another article with a request from Tonya Stoneman to resubmit it to In Touch.

Thank you, Lord, for blessing my work and my connections. Thank you for Mt. Hermon and all the wonderful people I met there.

Wanted: Ordinary People

2010-03-19T09:56:00.000-07:00

What would you do if Jesus came to your church and said, “I’m looking for a few ordinary people.” Wait a minute! Why would Jesus waste time and energy on ordinary people? He deserves the highest and best! He is the Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father and Prince of Peace. If Jesus came to my church, quite honestly I don’t know if I would be able to move or speak.

Yet Jesus called ordinary men to be in His circle of friends, men He would spend time with, teach and pray with. Four fishermen, a tax collector, a doctor, and a teacher were among Christ’s early followers. And the more they walked with Him, the more exceptional they became. Before He ascended into Heaven He said to the apostles, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age,” (Matt. 28:18-29).

His faithful followers accepted His Great Commission and the early church grew by the thousands. On the day of Pentecost as many as three thousand were added to the number of believers, people of different nations and languages.

Soon after that the early church had some growing pains and one of them was among the Grecian Jews. They complained to the apostles that their widows were being overlooked in the distribution of food. Maybe it was because of a language barrier caused on the day of Pentecost. The apostles didn’t think it was wise to sacrifice the time they spent preaching the message so they appointed seven men to administer justice, welfare and charity to the widows. This might be considered an ordinary job, but the men were extraordinary, Greek speaking men.

One of them, Stephen, was a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit. Although he was an eloquent preacher, he was not above waiting tables. Later he explained the history of the Jews and the gospel message before the Sanhedrin and was stoned to death for it. While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them,” (Acts 7:59). I don’t know if I could do that. Oh, I could administer food and welfare, but die? I love God enough to live for Him but I often wonder if I love Him enough to die for Him. To be willing to die for someone is not ordinary.

The more I walk with God and experience His great love for me, the more I understand how He wants to grow my faith. It takes my surrendering more of me and my desires so they will be the same as Christ’s. By depending on God instead of my ordinariness, I allow Him to work His extraordinariness in me. So if Jesus came to my church and asked for a few ordinary people, I would volunteer—after I fell on my knees and worshipped Him.

Puppy Love

2010-03-13T15:42:00.000-08:00

John and I have puppy love. Her name is Maggie and she was born Christmas 2009. She has brightened our home since February 18, 2010 with her cute playful ways. She's a toys and twings (AT&T) puppy. She spreads her toys over the family room floor and then she brings in twigs from the yard. Maggie twirls, tumbles, and rolls. She jumps, barks and chews. She chews A LOT! Our grandson Kurt loves to run with her and play ball. They make quite a team.

Thank you, Lord, for Maggie who brings laughter and joy into our home again. She is an awesome blessing to us. Amen.

Heaven is Here

2010-03-03T14:38:00.000-08:00

Jesus said, "I am making everything new,"(Rev. 21:5). The newness started for me when I first believed, but I know a great day is coming when we will see Jesus face to face. What a glorious day! Until then we have these things to remind us His love and promise to us:

Creation:
The pines at Mt. Lassen seemed to stand more majestic. The Feather River flowed with rushing white water over boulders and logs. I wanted to run through the lush meadows as Julie Andrews ran on the hills in The Sound of Music. The fish in Lake Almanor jumped with exuberance whether for fun or feeding on flies. The songs of the birds sounded sweeter.

Friends:
When Jesus was here, He called twelve men to be in His small circle of friends. He knew the value of companionship. He needed relationship and so do we. My friends inspire, encourage and pray for me. When I can do the same for them I feel vital and fulfilled.

My friends know my interests, likes and dislikes. We meet for lunch or prayer or just to have fun. Sometimes we serve in church or community programs together. I depend on them for fresh perspective on issues that challenge me. When I am down, God causes one to call me at just the right time. I am amazed when He uses me in the same way.

Purpose:
The more we experience God’s love, the more need we desire to respond, to give something back. When God created us, He gave each one talents and abilities we can use to tell others about the wonder of God. We love others because God first loved us. Fulfillment comes from using our gifts whether we are preachers, teachers, singers, bakers, doctors, writers or custodians. Whatever we do, if we do it for God and others, we find our purpose.

Animals:
In my favorite picture of Jesus, He is carrying a black lamb on His shoulders. Although I usually relate to being the black sheep in His arms, the picture reminds me that God created animals for His and our pleasure. While riding my bike on the American River trail in Sacramento, I saw a coyote and appreciated the untouchable beauty in his markings. The squirrels on our backyard deck bring my husband John and me great entertainment. They play and chase each other and they eat what John puts in the feeder houses. When their food is gone, they look at us, squawk and bang their front feet on the trellis.

Some day I want to be as wonderful as my late dog, Boo, thought I was. She waited at the door every day at 5:00 for me to get home from work. And when I worked in my home office, she sat on my feet. She loved going on walks with me and she loved teasing John. Even though we miss her, God gave us a picture of her in His arms and He is giving her treats until we get there.

New Heavens and New Earth:
When Jesus said, “I am making all things new,” I believe He means He makes all things new from the first time we believe and trust Him. He also told His disciples that He was going to prepare a place for them (us too) and if He went to prepare a place for us, certainly He would return to take us to that place to be with Him. That place will be better than the Heaven we experience now because there will be no sin, pain, suffering or death.

In the New Heaven we will walk the golden streets of the New Jerusalem. God will be all we need—our light, life and worship. We could dangle our feet in the River of Life or eat of the Tree of Life or we enjoy a good book. Whatever we enjoy doing, it will be there. I can hardly imagine. What glorious expectation.

Thank you, Lord Jesus, for lavishing your love on us and giving us hope. Amen.

A Little Bit of Love

2010-02-10T08:08:00.000-08:00

Many times I searched for pet dogs on petfinder.com and dog rescue sites. John and I got our hopes up on a few but most of the time we never heard from our application submissions.

Last week our luck changed. We heard about Maggie, a one year maltese little girl, that was available. We submitted another application. I was hopeful. John was sceptical. A response came with before and after pictures of Maggie's grooming. We saw so much love in her face and we wanted her. We sent pictures of our home with our application proving that we were good candidates for Maggie's new owners.

When the call came that we could adopt her, John bought her a bed, food, bowls, collar, jacket and leash. We drove two hours on our 16th wedding anniversary to pick her up. She's adorable and has so much love to give. Her first night here she slept in her kennel all night without complaint. In the morning I got up and took her outside for potty. Then I put her in bed with John and me. She showered John with kisses and then me and then John and then me. This went on for at least twenty minutes. We couldn't stop loving her and she couldn't stop loving us. She is an amazing little dog and fills up the hole we had in our hearts after grieving the loss of our Boo doggie.

Author Interview with Kathi Macias

2010-01-28T20:20:00.000-08:00

Today I am excited to interview award winning author, Kathi Macias. She has written thirty books under her name and edited/ghostwritten approximately one hundred others. Her books have been published in English, Spanish, Polish and Korean.

Sue Welcome to my blog, “Reflections of God’s Glory,” Kathi.

Kathi Thanks, Sue. It’s my pleasure to be here.

Sue Would you start by telling us what inspired you to be a writer?

Kathi I have never wanted to be anything else, though my writing has now expanded into speaking/teaching. My husband, whom I’ve known since we were six, often reminds me of the day when we were teenagers and I told him I was going to be a writer someday. He says I’m the only person he knows who actually followed through on a childhood dream.

Sue What is your foundation for writing? Did you major in journalism in college?

Kathi My husband and I actually married right out of high school, so there was no time for college then. He was in the Air Force, and we soon had two babies in diapers. As a result, I went to college on the “life plan”—took me nearly all my life to complete it! I focused on two main objects of study during those many years—journalism and the Bible. As a result, I am not only a writer but also an ordained minister.

Sue Did you start your career writing books?

Kathi No. I have worn many hats in the publishing world. I worked in-house at Gospel Light/Regal Books as a curriculum editor for a while, worked as a string reporter and a newspaper columnist for a local paper, wrote magazine articles and short stories and poems, and also worked as a newsletter editor.

Sue You have written fiction (historical and contemporary), non-fiction, and children’s books, as well as poems, articles and short stories. Do you have a preference?

Kathi I love writing just about anything, but I suppose my favorite is issues-related fiction. It’s what I prefer to read, so it follows that I would prefer to write it as well. But I also enjoy writing nonfiction Bible study-type books, as I love digging into Scripture and helping others understand its relevance to their lives.

Sue I started reading your books last year after you were interviewed on Dianne Butts blog and have used information in Beyond Me and Mothers of the Bible Speak to Mothers of Today in a couple of my articles. Your writing is inspiring and easy to read. Is that why you are known as the Easy Writer?

Kathi LOL! That may be part of it, but I actually earned that name because my husband and I are Harley-riding grandparents.

Sue Amazing! Do you travel across country or locally? Do you take your ministry on your Harley?

Kathi We primarily ride locally, though my husband is committed to making a cross-country trip this year before he/we get any older. He may have to make it with our nephews/sons/grandsons, though (a guy thing), as I’m not sure my back is up to anything that extensive. And yes, the ministry goes with us, particularly as we often ride with other Christian bikers and watch for opportunities to spread the love of Jesus wherever we go and to whomever we meet.

Sue Kathi, last week I read My Son John and I honestly thought it was one of your non-fiction books. I am glad to know it is a novel but I want you to know I couldn’t put it down. Do you have a background in prison ministry? Or do you have someone in your family or a friend who has had this experience?

Kathi You’re not the first one to think this novel was a true story. Many have written to ask which of my sons I based the story on, and the answer is none. Yes, I have an extensive background in prison ministry. I have travelled with a national prison ministry into some of the highest level security prisons in the country. I have also taught women’s Bible studies at local jails and ministered at CYA (California Youth Authority); once I had the privilege of spending an entire day on Death Row in San Quentin. What an amazing experience that was! I was thrilled when Prison Fellowship opted to run an excerpt of My Son, John in their online ezine, as I have great respect for that ministry.

Sue Would you tell us about your current projects?

Kathi I have five novels scheduled for release in the coming year. Four are a contemporary, international series from New Hope Publishers (their first-ever venture into fiction), and one is a stand-alone historical novel from Abingdon Press. I am also relaunching my radio program soon, with an expanded focus from writing as a ministry to include ALL the arts in ministry. I’m very excited about this, as is my co-host, Christian artist Ron DiCianni. All of the upcoming books are highlighted on my website and blog, and the radio program will be as well once our launch date is confirmed.

Sue Have you always been a Christian? Is all your writing for the Christian market?

Kathi I thought I was a Christian when I was young, even though I wasn’t raised in a Christian home. I suppose because I grew up in an America where the Bible was still read in school and I had heard/accepted the basic tenets of Christianity, I assumed I was a Christian. I wasn’t born again until I was 26, and because my actual writing for publication didn’t begin until soon after that, the majority of my writing/publishing has been in the Christian arena. The one exception would be my newspaper work.

Sue Would you tell us about your writing lifestyle? Do you stick to a discipline?

Kathi I am as disciplined as I can be with the many responsibilities currently on my plate. My 88-year-old mother lives with us, and I am her primary caretaker, so that cuts into my daily schedule and forces me to be flexible. It also reinforces my commitment to discipline because if I slack off too much, I can never meet my many deadlines. I am up very early (between four and five at least five days a week and sometimes six). This is the only way I can be relatively assured of an hour or more of quiet, private time with the Lord before diving into my to-do list. I try to knock off by four or five in the afternoon and spend some quality time with my husband before we fall into bed by nine or so, but occasionally we have to sacrifice an evening so I can meet a looming deadline. Sundays are my day off, period.

Sue Do you have a favorite Bible verse or story that inspires your work?

Kathi I have several, but Habakkuk 2:2 is right at the top of the list: “Write the vision…and make it plain.” I have expanded it in my signature line to read “communicate the vision” because I am now speaking as well as writing, but the focus is the same. God has called me to write/speak/teach/preach the gospel any way I can, every chance I get.

Sue How can our readers purchase your books?

Kathi Many are available in bookstores around the country. If they aren’t physically in the stores, they can be ordered there. They are also available online at the usual outlets: Amazon, CBD, Barnes & Noble, Borders, etc. The easiest way might be to go to my website (www.kathimacias.com) to read about the books and view the accompanying videos, then order them from there.

Sue Thank you, Kathi, for taking time for this interview. You have inspired me and I know my readers have benefited from getting to know you.

Kathi is having a book giveaway, Tuesday, February 9, 2009. We will have a drawing from readers of this interview who leave a comment. The winner will be able to choose any book from the following list:

Beyond Me
Loose Cannons
Mothers of the Bible
My Son, John
Train-of-Thought
Obsession
The Price
Emma Jean

Please take time to visit Kathi's website at www.kathimacias.com and view her book trailers. Also be sure to visit her blog at http://kathieasywritermacias.blogspot.com/.

Sanctity of Life

2010-01-24T18:48:00.000-08:00

My dear friend, consider this. Before the world began, we were in God’s heart. He created us in His image and He loves us. It is hard for me to conceive that God knows all about me and He still loves me. He is always with me and will never leave or forsake me. Amazingly, the God of all creation desires a relationship with me. He knows how many hairs are on my head and has ordained the number of days I will be here on earth.

When God made me in my mother’s womb, He designed me with gifts and callings He promised never to take back, not even if I don’t use them. But if I am willing, He can use my talents, abilities and resources for His glory. He can even use my personality and my past for His purpose. I am overwhelmed.

My Friend, He created you too. You are His masterpiece and He loves you more than you could possibly imagine. Max Lucado says that if God had a refrigerator, your picture would be on it. He loves you with an unconditional and everlasting love. I would like to suggest you let go and let God love you. He cares about everything that happens in your life and He wants to bless you. You can trust Him. He will hear you when you cry out to Him and He will answer. I know because that is how I came to know how much He loves me.

The following verses have captured my heart and I hope they have meaning for you too. I am praying for you.

“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” Psalm 139:13-19

“I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16

Author Interview with Dee Aspin

2010-01-09T18:55:00.000-08:00

Today I am interviewing Dee Aspin, author of Lord of the Ringless, a devotional book that helps singles find contentment, soothe the yearning for a mate, overcome feelings of rejection, depression and anxiety, apply Scripture to singleness, understand God’s love and care, pursue dreams and practice courage. Dee is an RN who has spent over 25 years in Christian ministry with Singles, Discipleship, Missions, Youth camps and currently volunteers with the Juvenile Justice Chaplaincy. She loves the great outdoors, the snow-capped Sierra Nevadas, and hiking in the natural settings and wildlife near California’s rivers and lakes with her happy dogs.

Sue: Dee, welcome to Reflections of God’s Glory.

Dee: Thank you, Sue. I am glad to be here.

Sue: Would you tell us about yourself?

Dee: Yes, I have started a singles group and served as coordinator twice. I attend Bayside Singles and I’m a pray team leader. I have a California School Teacher’s credential, and I’m a freelance inspirational writer. I’ve been a guest writer for cbn.com and written devotionals for Barbour Publisher’s dog and cat books. I am currently attending Western Seminary--Coaching.

Sue: Wow! I am impressed. What prompted you to write Lord of the Ringless?

Dee: I wanted to share the hope I have found as a Christian single.

Sue: Would you tell us more about your book?

Dee: Lord of the Ringless consists of forty devotions or short Bible studies which can challenge group or individual participation, offer encouragement through dating pitfalls and inspire faith while waiting. It builds hope and faith in God through stories, Scripture, quotes, and prayers. It explores our relationship with God, self and others.

Sue: What is your relationship, Dee?

Dee: I have always wanted to be married. However, I saw the damage divorce caused my parents. I have peace in my singleness and have accepted Jesus as my perfect husband. Trusting Him, I know He is aware of my deepest longings for marriage and at the same time has given me fulfillment in ministry.

Sue: What about children?

Dee: I have worked as a school teacher, Sunday school teacher, and spent time with teens in Juvenile Hall. I have also enjoyed time I spent with my nephews.

Sue: In a short summary, what advice does your book have for singles?

Dee: I like to think of my advice in five Ls:
LOOK—Connect with your eyes. Engage. Look at your date when you talk, when he talks. Invest and value your time together. Luke 11:34
LAUGH—Humor, courage, kindness, conversation. Laughter is the sunshine of the heart. Proverbs 31:25
LOVE—Doing the highest and the best for another; blessing our gentle Savior, Shepherd by following His lead in loving. Philippians 1:9
LISTEN—When we listen, we affirm others and begin to understand them, and eventually to know them. James 1:19
LEARN—Life blossoms where we learn and grow. Harvest the lessons of the moment. Dance in the now. Psalm 25:4-5
Hope . . . outside the box.

Sue: Is there anything else you would like to add?

Dee: Yes, I discuss in the book how God blesses us with or without a mate. I also want to mention that many Singles have a difficult time around Valentine’s Day. May I suggest Lord of the Ringless for the Single in your life? To obtain your copy, please visit my website at www.lordoftheringless.com.

Sue: Thank you, Dee. That is a great suggestion. Thank you for taking time for this interview. I know your book will bless and encourage singles.

Dee: Thank you, Sue.

Relationships Instead of Resolutions

2009-12-27T19:45:00.000-08:00

What could happen if we focused on relationships instead of resolutions in 2010? What will have to change in our lives to concentrate on our relationships with God and others?

Paul said, “I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead,” (Philippians 3:10). Ouch! Share in His suffering? Does getting to know Christ and learning how He wants me to live mean sharing in His suffering?

Yes, my relationship with God is personal, painful and powerful. He made it personal with His love for me, painful by Christ's suffering on the cross for my sin and powerful in His resurrection. He did it all for me and you but it doesn’t mean anything to us unless we pursue Him. He said, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened,” (Matthew 7:7-8).

In my seeking God I grew hungry and thirsty for everything about Him and I discovered only He quenches my thirsts and longings. Only He knows the desires of my heart. In my pursuing Him I found Him faithful. He became my refuge and strength, my joy and song. He gave me a new perspective and He is continually transforming me. For many years I was hung up on my past—divorce and broken relationships, but because of Jesus they do not define me. I can forget what is behind me and strain toward what is ahead, (Philippians 3:13).

God reached down to me in the messiness of my life and He loved me. In response I will spend my life loving Him and others. God can use the ashes of my life to speak to someone else who is hurting. “Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands,” (Psalm 63: 3-4).

Anticipation

2009-12-23T15:21:00.001-08:00

My five year old grandson Kurt saw Santa Claus. "Would you like to talk to him?" I asked.

"There's a long line," he said.

"But there isn't!" I exclaimed. "He's waiting to talk with you." I don't know if this has ever happened in history that Santa had no waiting line. Maybe it's because we went when other people were eating lunch. Convinced that he wouldn't have to wait, Kurt went right up to Santa. He looked more grown up than five years old.

"What do you want for Christmas?" Santa asked.

"A smart scooter," said Kurt. That's all he said and he was quite decisive and businesslike. At home he and his brother and sister are filled with curiosity and anticipation as they consider the packages under the tree. All too soon the pretty paper and ribbon will once again be history, but I will ponder the excitement for a few more days.

While we celebrate Christ's birth, we anticipate His second coming, something He promised more than two thousand years ago. Many think because it's been so long that it won't happen, but God keeps His promises. Noah's neighbors didn't believe water would lift the ark, but it did and left many behind. Today thousands of years later a big boat rests on top of Mt. Ararat (in Iran), believed to be Noah's Ark.

The center of the world God created is Iraq, Iran, Palestine, Saudi Arabia and Israel. Many locations in the Bible are in these countries which have endured troubling times since the beginning in the Garden of Eden. Most Bible prophesies pointing to Jesus' return has been fulfilled. The unrest in the Middle East, the movement toward one world government, one currency and dictatorship set the stage for the Rapture when every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord. We will all see Him either by His grace or His judgment.

Do you feel your life out of control? Do you feel loneliness and despair? I did and I cried out to God. I found that He loves me with an unconditional and everlasting love. There is no better time than now to turn to God. He waits at the door of your heart for you to invite Him into your life. His love is awesome to experience. Don't wait another day.

Merry Christmas and may you anticipate Jesus' second coming with confidence and peace.

Me and You and a Dog Named Boo

2009-11-04T11:10:00.001-08:00

God gave my husband, John, and me a little angel fourteen years ago. Instead of wings she had white fluffy hair all over her body and her name was Boo.

She was an energetic and playful puppy most of her life. She loved for us to chase her around the house and yard. She loved sun bathing on the deck or at our favorite Lake Almanor campsite. When we took her for walks on warm summer days, she would lie down at the edge of the water and enjoy the waves splashing over her.

Every day at five o’clock whether we were at home in Carmichael, California or camping in our motor home, Boo went to her chair and barked. This was our special family time of conversation and cocktails before dinner. Boo didn’t care about conversation or cocktails. She waited impatiently for her treats.

Boo brought John and me exceeding love, joy and companionship. She was a great part of our family. She loved the grandchildren and company, but only for a little while. When she had enough she would escape into a closet and we often called her out closet dog.

Some day I want to be the wonderful person Boo thought I was and love as unconditionally as she did. Through her example I learned to worship and wait on the Lord in a more reverent manner.

Our hearts broke the more we saw Boo’s health failing. At the end she had a stubborn kidney infection and she was blind. To complicate matters, she began to have seizures. John and I and Boo’s doctor did all we could for her but she never recovered from the last seizure. We had to say goodbye to our precious pal but she lives in our memories. John barks at five o’clock, but he hasn’t started chasing me around the house—yet.

God gave us a wonderful vision of Jesus holding Boo in his arms where it is always five o’clock and He gives her treats.

Will We see Boo in Heaven?
I hope so. God created animals before people and He preserved each species through the flood during Noah’s time. A golden age is coming when we will live in harmony with all creation. “The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them” (Isaiah 11:6, New International Version).

Thank you, Lord, for the awesome blessing of Boo. We miss her terribly and ask for your comfort and healing. Amen.

How to Write Christmas Letters That Get Read

2009-10-05T14:14:00.000-07:00

The holidays will be here soon and if you are like me, you receive piles of hard to read letters, letters written on dark colored paper in small fonts with small margins and little formatting. With a little planning you can write letters that people want to read, letters that encourage, inform and inspire. Here are ten easy steps I use to make my letters fun to read:

1. I use a four-page newsletter format:

An attention grabbing nameplate (large letters at the top of the first page and the same letters but smaller at the top of following pages). I use “John and Sue’s Yule Log 2009.” It is always the same except for the year.

Catchy article titles and well crafted stories about family members.

Use of columns, pictures and lots of space between articles.

One inch margins on all sides.

2. Instead of writing a rambling journal of things I did during the year, I make an outline of topics for my letter. Then I make each topic a subtitle for an article using large attractive fonts in bold colored print.

3. Small, fancy fonts on dark colored paper do not impress anyone. They make holiday letters hard to read. I use common fonts, Times New Roman or Courier New, for the body of my articles, nothing smaller than size 10. These are the fonts the professionals use for newspapers and newsletters. White paper and bright holiday graphics make my letters attractive and cheerful.

4. My feature article is my Christmas message. Whether it is devotional, inspirational, or humorous, I give it a strong beginning (hook), a cohesive middle and a clear conclusion.

5. I also write family articles that highlight special occasions, events and accomplishments. Children and grandchildren like the attention they get when I write about them, especially when they see their pictures with the articles. Last year I wrote about my grandson who entered the U. S. Navy Coast Guard, my niece who served in Afghanistan, my grandson who played in the Little League All Stars, and my daughter who placed in her first triathlon. These articles inspire and encourage my readers.

6. I relate to current events in my articles which gives my letter a point of reference. After 911 John and Sue’s Yule Log 2001 included a column with the lyrics to “Heal Our Land.” Letters in later years included people in our family who served in the armed forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. This year I could talk about how God is in control, even in out troubling economic times, times of tea parties, town hall meetings, and high unemployment.

7. During the year I carry my digital camera with me to capture memorable moments. When it comes time to write my annual letter, the pictures are on my computer. Each snapshot is documented with names and dates, giving my letter more credibility. Every article doesn’t need a picture, but I have them if I need them.

8. Although my newsletter is for and about family, not everyone in the family makes the spotlight every year. Yet over several years, all family members get their time in print.

9. It is imperative to me that I keep my letter positive. If a family member has suffered from injury, bad health, or loss, I give an update and thank people for their prayers and support.

10. While style and design are necessary, my focus is on content. I want my newsletters to be inspiring and encouraging. My annual letter is one chance I get every year to love on my family and share the meaning of Christmas.
It takes about five minutes at the most to read my newsletter, but I have worked throughout the year collecting information and photos. It’s fun to add recipes, songs or poetry. When I have gathered all my material, I craft a cheerful design; write my Christmas message and family articles. Then I send my letter with love and prayer.

Whether you use some or all of these tips, more people will want to read your Christmas letters and they will look forward to receiving them each year.

What the World Needs is God's Love

2009-08-16T14:53:00.000-07:00

The world has never had more ways to be connected (telephone, cell phone, e-mail, instant messaging, texting, twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, My Space, postal services, and more). Yet people are more lonely and depressed than any time in history.

In the seventies Dionne Warwick sang "What the World Needs Now, is Love, Sweet Love," music by Burt Bacharach and lyrics by the Posies. Dionne thought it should be our national anthem. We all need love but we sometimes look for it in the wrong places. We end up feeling more lonely than before the relationship began. Maybe it is because we thought we were in love when we were actually in lust. Maybe it is because we had no commitment. I have been there.

I know that what the world needs now is God's love. Since the first time I experienced God's incredible for me, I never wanted to be without it. I feel God's love when I read the Bible and spend time in prayer, when I am with my family or church friends, my third grade Sunday school class or Inspire Christian Writers group.

God's love is unconditional and forever. It gives me security and purpose. I have hope for the future and peace in this uncertain world. My hope is built on the promise Jesus made when He rose from the dead and ascended into Heaven. He said He would come again in the same way He left, so all could see. He said He was going to prepare a place for us and if He went to prepare a place for us, He will certainly come back to take us to be home with Him (John 14:1-4). Don't think because it has been two thousand years since He said that, that it won't happen. The people during Noah's time never thought water would cover the earth, but it did.

Once we experience God's love, it is actually too much for us to hold on to selfishly. We have to find ways to give it away. That is what Jesus did. God wants us to love Him and love each other. That is what the world needs now. We need to be connected. We need to experience God's love every day. It's the only way out of hopelessness, despair and depression.

If you are reading this truth for the first time, I am praying for you. You can experience God's love by surrendering your heart to Him. I waited way too many years before I prayed a simple prayer to invite Jesus into my heart, to live with me and help me live for Him. But when I did, I felt loved like never before. I want you to experience that love too. If you prayed this prayer for the first time, would you let me know by commenting on this blog? If you do not have a Bible, I want to make sure you get one. God be with you.

God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16 NIV)

Prayer: Heavenly Father, open the eyes and hearts of people today so they can find truth and meaning to life in your love. Amen.

Friends

2009-07-30T15:38:00.000-07:00

Jonathan loved David as he loved his own soul. (1 Samuel 20:17)

“People who need people are the luckiest people in the world” are the words from the 1964 movie Funny Girl and the song sung by Barbara Streisand. I am lucky to have friends who inspire, encourage and pray with me. I trust them and they trust me. We have the joy of sharing with each other in good times and praying with each other through suffering.

Jonathan and David were best friends even when King Saul, Jonathan’s father, attempted to kill David. They prayed for each other, gave gifts to each other and enjoyed time together.

Jesus chose a circle of twelve close friends to share His ministry with. He loved them, worked with them and prayed for them. Since He needed friends to get through His time on earth, and since we are made in His image, it is no mystery that we have this great need for friendship.

Friends remind me that I am not alone in this boat I’m. My friends are here to inspire, encourage and help me. Together and with God’s help we can weather the storms of life.

Where do your friends come from? Church? School? Work? The gym? Why are they important to you?

God is in Control

2009-07-24T16:52:00.000-07:00

Proverbs 3:5,6

During these uncertain times it is easy for me to lose heart. The day I lost my high stress job and the days and weeks that followed caught me wondering where I fit in this world. Sometimes I felt like I wasn't needed without a job to go to. When my retirement and investments lost value, I questioned how I could I ever get back all I have worked for.

I kept reading my Bible and spending time in prayer. I discovered each day is a glorious gift. When I walk or ride my new bike in the mornings I am in awe of the beauty that surrounds me and I find myself thanking God for blessing me so richly. I have found more time to write and work in Vacation Bible School (VBS). Working in VBS was fun and stimulating. I can't forget the incredible blessing of being at the church among the children. I felt loved beyond any love I have felt in a long time. It brings tears to my eyes!

My husband, John, loves to go to Lake Almanor. It is beautiful and we have been there in June and July this year for a week to ten days each time. We are going again in August for a couple weeks. We love camping and fishing, but we also love driving into the towns of Chester and Susanville, California. Sometimes we explore other, smaller, high mountain lakes and we are amazed by the beauty and simplicity around us.

Sometimes I get stressed, thinking I need to be at home at my desk. I am thankful to God for my laptop and for wireless connections in town. I can stay connected with publishers, friends and family by checking my e-mail in town (John loves going to town). God has blessed my writing efforts whether I am in Sacramento or camping. He is taking care of business!! This summer a couple friends asked me to work with them on a book idea; I have been asked to teach workshops at Sunday school seminars and I have an interview with Sacramento News and Review regarding a letter to the editor I submitted in June. Every day I pray that I can be the wife John needs to bring him closer to God. I believe that prayer is being answered during the same time that God is taking care of my writing business.

I rely on the scripture of Proverbs 3:5,6, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight." (NIV)

What about you? Do you have an encouraging scripture that is getting you through troubling times?

Book Review - RIVEN

2009-05-01T08:42:00.000-07:00

Brady Wayne Darby, an intelligent, good looking guy in high school could have had the world at his fingertips, but he made some bad decisions that set him on a path of destruction. Although he worked hard to get himself out of trouble, he kept getting in deeper and deeper until he finally landed on death row in the Adamsville State Penitentiary.

The faithful work of defeated Chaplain Thomas Carey led Darby to believe that there really was a God and just maybe He loved him. RIVEN is a page-turner novel that brings hope to losers like Darby and people in ministry like Carey. God’s love and His word comfort and encourage, inspire and move in people to impact a prison, a state and an entire nation.

I can’t stop thinking about the characters or the message and I am encouraged to keep praying for the members of my family, that they would be aware of their great need of Jesus, experience His extravagant love for them and grow in relationship with Him.

I have read the LEFT BEHIND series and other books by Jerry Jenkins. RIVEN is his best work! I hope he writes the screenplay and makes it into a movie.

“Let the water and the blood,
From Your riven side which flowed,
Be of sin the double cure,
Save from wrath and make me pure.
From “Rock of Ages”

Sacramento Tea Party

2009-04-16T20:27:00.000-07:00

Inspired by the 1773 Boston Tea Party rebellion against the British colonial taxes, nearly 1,000 tea parties were held across the United States, April 15, 2009, opposing more taxes, out of control spending, stimulus packages, nationalized (socialized) medicine, government control of industry, and redistribution of wealth.

More than 10,000 people attended the Sacramento Tea Party at the California State Capitol, displaying signs that said, "No to Big Government, "No to More Taxes," "No to More Ridiculous Spending," "If Debt is the Problem, How Can it be the Solution?" "We Cannot Spend Our Way to Prosperity," "I Will Pay for my Mortgage, You Pay for Yours!"

Two quotes from Thomas Jefferson were carried by more than one person: "The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not," and "A government big enough to give you everything you need, is strong enough to take everything you have."

It was exciting to be part of this historical event and I am reminded of the scripture given to me at Writing for the Soul Conference in February 2009, "Look at the nations and watch, and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told," Habakkuk 1:5.

Father God, thank you for your word. Thank you for our wonderful country. We pray that you give our leaders wisdom and courage to do what is right and make good decisions for our people. Our faith, hope and love are in you. Amen.

Choices

2009-04-10T09:57:00.000-07:00

Purpose:
There was no stopping the apostles! They talked about Jesus wherever they went. When the Sadducees put them in jail, an angel of the Lord came during the night, opened the doors of the jail and led them out.

“Go, stand in the temple courts,” he said, “and tell the people the full message of this new life.”

When the captain and his officers found them they brought them before the high priest. “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” he said. “Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood.”

“We must obey God rather than men!” exclaimed Peter and again he gave testimony of Jesus’ resurrection after the Jews crucified Him. This made the priests and Jewish leaders want to kill him, but Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, reminded them of Theudas who claimed to be somebody. About four hundred men rallied to him but he was killed, all his followers scattered and it all came to nothing. After him, Judas the Galilean came during the days of the census and led a band of people in revolt. He too was killed, and all his followers dispersed. “Therefore, in this present case,” he said, “I advise you to leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God,” (Acts 5:28-39).

The apostle’s purpose was from God and today it is our purpose too. Although we might experience opposition, nothing can stop us from what God calls us to do.

Wealth:
In contrast to the apostles, a rich young man tried to live right. He obeyed the laws and followed the rules but he felt something was missing. He asked Jesus what he had to do to gain eternal life. He must have thought that he could earn his way into the kingdom. Jesus’ merciful plan from the beginning was that He would lay down his life so that whoever believes in Him would not die in their sins but have eternal life. Why then did He say to the young man, “Go, sell all you have and give the money to the poor”? Simply because He knew if the young man surrendered everything that was important to him he would have to trust God. And that’s what Jesus wanted. The young man had to make a choice to trust himself or God. The Bible doesn’t really finish the story. Maybe it’s because it is a living story. What choice will we make?

Fame and Fortune:
During the Beatles popularity, John Lennon commented (2000 years after Christ), “Christianity will die someday. Christ was a great man but He wasn’t as famous as we are.” John died in his apartment without knowing Jesus. After one of Marilyn Monroe’s performances, Billy Graham visited her. Even though she was desperately lonely she said, “I don’t need your Jesus.” She died a week later in her apartment. Lord James Pirrie said when he built the Titanic, “Not even God can sink this!” He didn’t have to. An iceberg did. How God’s heart must have ached at the pride and arrogance of these people. He loved them with an unconditional and everlasting love, but they chose to reject Him.

Choices:
God made man for His pleasure, but he gave him a choice – to choose God’s ways or his own ways. Adam and Eve chose their own ways and for too many years, so did I. The world has many distractions. For the rich young man it was his wealth. For others it is fame and fortune, and for still others it is sex, power or relationships. The list goes on and on. Yet God chose to lavish His love on us. When I was ready to give up, God met me at my deepest need, the need to know Him. He promised to stay with me; never would He leave me or forsake me. From the time I experienced God’s great love for me, I learned to depend on His faithfulness.

Our Heavenly Father did not create us to be self sufficient. His desire is for us to depend on Him for all we need. He will take care of us. Once we experience His extravagant love and care, how could we choose to trust ourselves or anything in this world over eternity with Him?

A Taste of Heaven

2009-03-12T15:36:00.000-08:00

"Look at the nations and watch, and be utterly amazed" (Habakkuk 1:5 NIV).

At the base of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado Springs, Colorado is the Broadmoor, a five star resort. Here I am with my writing mentor, Dianne Butts, after registering for Writing for the Soul Conference.

We shared a delicious lunch in the Garden Room of the Tavern. Then we hung out in my lakeside room before we registered for the conference. Actually I registered and both of us networked before Dianne had to drive home.

The accomodations and the conference were a taste of Heaven. To say that every session, continuing class, workshop, and editor appointment inspired me is a huge understatement. I felt so blessed at mealtimes to meet other people with the same writing aspirations and goals as me; people who love God and desire to serve Him by developing their craft. The highlight for me was Sunday when we were treated in worship by the Colorado Cowboys for Jesus and with an encouraging message from Habakkuk 1:5 by Rev. Bill Oudemolen. I am watching and waiting to be amazed at what God will do in the nations and in me.

Bethlehem Village 2008

2008-12-09T09:30:00.000-08:00

Standing alone at the well, fetching water, I began to interact with the children walking by. “Would you like to help me fetch water to take home?” Until then I didn’t know how much kids loved playing in the water. They couldn’t wait to get their hands on the ladles and fetch the water. Many stood in line to do this ancient chore and while they were busy I explained that in Bethlehem during the time of Jesus’ birth, there was no running water. The women in the village had to go to the well about four times each day to get water for drinking, cooking, cleaning and bathing. “And when they couldn’t go, what do you think they did?” I asked. Speechless, the children waited for the answer. “They sent their oldest son to do the job for them.”

I pondered the life changing experience of the Samaritan woman in Sychar who met Jesus at the well. The love of Jesus changed her and she went to tell the people in town about the Man who told her all she ever did. “Could He be the Expected One?” she asked. The people from town came to the well to meet their Savior. During quiet moments at the well, I thought to myself that my experience was very much the same as the woman in Sychar. When I met Jesus, He took away my sin and gave me a job to do too. That’s what I was doing at the well – teaching children.

I thought about the visitors to Bethlehem Village set up in the courtyard of Sunrise Community Church in Fair Oaks, California. What did they expect? They came and felt the intimidation of the Roman soldiers. They walked the crowded streets with scared animals. They visited busy shops and the Wise Men’s camp. They visited the shepherd’s camp and heard the angels sing. They saw sweet Mary, Joseph and Baby Jesus. Their hearts must have burned with the wonder of that first Christmas. It is the hope of everyone who worked re-enacting this historical event that our visitors felt the love of God in all we did.

If you have not visited Bethlehem Village in the courtyard of Sunrise Community Church in Fair Oaks, California, I hope you will plan to attend as a visitor or enactor in December in 2009. You will be blessed.

God Has a Better Plan

2008-09-30T18:32:00.000-07:00

Do we possess our possessions or do they possess us? Our society makes it easy to fall into the materialistic trap, but God has a better plan for us.

"Store up for yourselves treasures in Heaven where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:20-21

A good test of our priorities is to consider what we think about most of the time. Do we think about money -- not having enough -- striving for more -- finding there is never enough? Do we worry about what we will eat or drink or wear? Or do we think about loving God and others? Do we consider how we can reach out to others in need?

God doesn't want us to worry about anything . He knows what we need before we ask Him. But asking is part of our relationship with Him, part of our dependence on Him.

Yesterday, during stressful national economic woe when the stock market took a record dive, I was encouraged by God. It was as if He said, "Do not be afraid, I am here." It was similar to what Jesus said to Peter and the others during the storm on the Sea of Galilee. The media said the stock market fell 800 points but when I saw the actual numbers of -777, I felt that God was right here with us. Did you? It was an awesome experience. He will never leave us or forsake us, even during seemingly economic failure in our country.

I am encouraged to pray as never before. Lord, walk through this challenge with us. Give wisdom and discernment to our leaders and help them come to the right decision for our country and our world. Most of all, Lord, I pray for revival in our land, that our people will wake up to their desperate need for you.

Will you join with me in praying for our country, our world, and the coming vote? It is more vital than we could ever imagine.

Contrast of Devotion

2008-08-30T19:19:00.000-07:00

Read Mark 14:12-26

While Jesus was reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, Mary anointed Him with expensive perfume. The heavenly scent filled the room. Judas became indignant. "Why this waste of perfume?" he said. "It could have been sold for more than a year's wages and the money given to the poor."

"Leave her alone," Jesus said. "What she has done is beautiful. You will always have the poor, but you will not always have me." He did not mean that we should not help the poor, but He knew His time on earth with His disciples was running out.

Judas became so angry that he went to the chief priests with a plan to betray our Lord and Savior. Then He looked for opportunities. Sin left unchecked in our hearts will grow and grow. Judas had a problem with greed and as treasurer for the disciples he embezzled their gifts. He didn't care about the poor. He only wanted more money. His anger and greed led him to murderous thoughts and he found someone to help him carry out the terrible crucifixion of Jesus.

Lord, have mercy on us. Help us to love and trust you more, especially when we are angry and upset. Make our hearts tender like Mary's and keep us from temptation and sin.

God's Treasure in Us

2008-07-24T21:14:00.000-07:00

The Kingdom of God is like a man who found a treasure in a field. It was so precious to him he had to have it, so he buried it in a field. Then he went and sold all he had so he could buy the field and have the treasure. We are that treasure to God. He gave His only Son to die on the cross so we would not have to die in our sin. Jesus purchased us from the depths of Hell so we could have eternal life with Him.

And so I have found my treasure in Christ Jesus and as co-heir with Him in God's Kingdom, I am a child of the King, a princess, sharing the abundant life. The important word is "sharing." It is not enough to experience blessings, but to share the blessings with others, whether in words of encouragement or inspiration or monetary gifts or acts of kindness or service.

"Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver," 2 Cor. 9:7.

We don't have to be rich to be generous. When we respond to our abundance from God by giving to others, God keeps giving to us so we can keep on giving.

God's Kingdom Grows and Grows

2008-06-14T15:12:00.000-07:00

In the parable of the King's Ten Servants, Luke 19:11-27, the period between the time the King left and His return is an image of the time between Jesus' resurrection and His return. Some of the King's servants heard the words, "Well done, my good servant. Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities."

When Jesus returns, I want to hear those words, "Well done, my good servant." I doubt that He will put me in charge of ten cities, but whatever responsibility He gives me, I will be qualified to do.

He has given each of us gifts, talents and resources to carry out His plan on earth. When He returns, I hope He finds me busy at work. His Kingdom grows and grows as we faithfully use our gifts to serve Him.

Lord, strengthen me to serve so I won't grow faint hearted or tired.

From Passive Aggressive to Compassionate

2008-05-31T20:36:00.000-07:00

Our first camping/fishing trip for the year got off to a roaring start. The wind whipped against the motor home and brought down the awning before we got out of Sacramento. Once that was fixed we were on our way. We arrived at Whiskeytown and launched the boat in the horrendous wind, hoping that during the night it would calm down. It didn’t. In fact by the next afternoon it brought rain and it rained hard all night. The following morning we pulled the boat from the lake in the wind and rain.

Stuck inside the motor home for two days I read a great book, A Tale of Two Sons, based on Luke 15:11-31, by John MacArthur. By the time I finished the book, I had identified with the three main characters in the book, however, not in the same order as the Bible story of the Prodigal Son.

I first identified with the passive-aggressive elder brother. During my young years I tried to do everything right but I was not happy. I was impatient and judgmental. Frustrated and disillusioned I took the lifestyle of the prodigal son and did things my way. I made some bad decisions that left me lonely and depressed. After I made a total mess of my life, I cried out to God. I didn’t feel worthy of a life with Him and I told Him I didn’t want to go on living.

I heard His small quiet voice say to me, “Could you make it through today if I promise to stay with you?” Tears filled my eyes. “I guess I could,” I whispered. I picked up my Bible and I started reading. Peace came over me like I had never known. The following day I started off the same way, reading my Bible and praying. At first I didn’t know what to say and I just said, “Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Jesus,” over and over. Later I thanked Him for His word, faithfulness, and fellowship. Day by day I added more of His attributes and I talked to Him about things that concerned me. Today He is my best Friend.

Like the Father in the story, I pray for my family. He must have prayed a lot. Why else would he anticipate his son’s homecoming? I think it’s because he prayed for it. And so I pray for my family and I anticipate the wonderful homecoming we will share when we all get home to be with our Lord.

“This son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.” Luke 15:24

Thank you, Lord, for the hope of coming home to You some day.

Pray for Jacob

2008-04-21T21:10:00.000-07:00

Jacob came into my Sunday school class. It was the first time he had ever been in Sunday school. It didn’t take long for me to figure out that he came from a violent environment. He knew how to provoke the kids in my class to anger. Pretty soon all my helper and I could do was stop fights from breaking out.

Jacob aroused the natural instincts of retaliation in my Sunday school kids. Although Jesus died for bullying and anger, I had hoped that my class could show mercy to Jacob. Ironically that is what our lesson was about. But my class has not yet learned how to show mercy. They are kids.

I tried to talk to Jacob but he would not comply with anything I said. He was hateful and rebellious. He had bad language. He broke my heart when he finally said, “I just want to die.” Later I found out that he was diagnosed with depression. He’s only eight years old. His parents are going through divorce.

This was not the first time a problem child has come to my class and I began to think I needed extra skills for dealing with depressed kids. God gently reminded me that His grace is sufficient. Kids need to know His love. I thought it would take a miracle for Jacob to experience God’s love. God reminded me it took a miracle for me to experience His love. He reminded me of others in the Bible who were forgiven for things we call BIG sins; miracles upon miracles.

So I am praying for a miracle for Jacob and I am asking for your help. I realize you get many prayer requests, but on behalf of Jacob, thank you for remembering him. Please pray that he experiences God’s love soon and pray for his protection. If I see him or hear about him, I will let you know his progress.

He is Making All Things New

2008-03-22T13:24:00.000-08:00

Nicodemus went to visit Jesus at night because he had questions, important questions, soul questions. All mankind has the same questions. Jesus answered Nicodemus, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16)

The answer to man's questions and Nicodemus' begins with God and ends with life. Nicodemus accepted Jesus' answer and was born again. He was at the cross with Jesus when the disciples ran away. He heard Jesus say, "Forgive them because they do not know what they are doing." How his heart must have ached to see his friend suffer and die! He and Joseph of Aramathea wrapped Jesus' body in spices and linen. Then they laid it in a borrowed grave and soldiers rolled a stone across the entrance. Little did they know that Jesus would rise from death, roll away the stone and be with His people again.

I wonder if he had the aroma of the sweet spices on Him when Mary and the others saw Him. Someday Jesus will answer my questions as He did for Nicodemus. Until then He is making all things new and He will come again to take us home with Him forever. Thank you Jesus!

Burial Suits Don't Have Pockets

2008-03-11T20:19:00.000-08:00

"Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:20 NIV

Did you know burial suits don’t have pockets? Morticians use burial suits for deceased who don’t arrive with suits of their own. A pastor read this information in a recent article. The thought was so new to him that he called a neighboring cemetery. After introducing himself to the person who answered the phone he asked, “Do your burial suits have pockets?”

“I don’t know,” she said and she forwarded the call. The question went through the whole facility. Finally, the pastor thought his phone call ended up in the room where they clothe the deceased. He overheard someone ask, “Do the burial suits have pockets?” and from a distance he heard an authoritative voice say, “No, burial suits do not have pockets.” I happened to think that the deceased ladies don’t have purses either!

Pockets and purses are for important things like cell phones, driver’s license, ATM cards and credit cards. Last week I saw my boss pull a wad of one hundred dollar bills from his pocket. Since I rarely carry cash, the sight of that much money shocked me. If we lost the things we carry in our pockets, we would most likely feel helpless or even victimized. But when we arrive at the cemetery the last time, what we have in our pockets won’t mean anything anymore.

The things that will have a lasting impact are the things we did for others when we were alive. Were we faithful, generous, helpful, inspiring or encouraging? Will we have books or songs to our credit? Did we make a difference in our family, community or world? Will people remember we loved them?

Father God, I pray that you finish the work you have started in us. Help us know what is really important, that we might be beacons of your light and love in our world.

Our God is Faithful

2008-02-24T12:02:00.000-08:00

Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4 NIV

Has your cell phone ever embarrassed you in a large meeting? If not, you probably don’t have one. Since mine rarely rings, I don’t think about turning it off or on.

During the first session at a writer’s seminar I heard my cell phone and quickly pushed the “hang-up” button. It rang again and I saw that it was my husband, who never calls me! I knew something was wrong and I told him I would call him right back. When the session was over I called to find out my bank had called several times. As a previous victim of identity theft, a sick feeling came deep inside me. I gave John, my husband, my ATM card number and security information but he had no success and called again. By this time I was in my first workshop. I called the number John gave me but was disconnected and transferred from one department to another before I found out that my checking account was wiped out and overdrawn by hundreds of dollars. I was the victim of identity theft again! The compassionate customer service representative assured me that I would not have to pay for the loss, and that it would go to the retailer.

Fortunately I had already paid for the seminar registration, hotel room, transportation and books I wanted. However, the fiction workshops I attended overwhelmed me and I wanted to buy the CDs so I could listen to the lessons again during my commute to and from work. I was a little shocked to discover I could not use my credit card to purchase the CDs. The clerk said, “We can only take cash or check.” Tears welled up and I couldn’t speak at first. Then I remembered I still had some cash--$18, exactly enough to pay for the CDs and shipping.

Thank you, Father God, for your protection going to and coming from the seminar. Thank you for watching over my money, and thank you for helping me buy the resources I need to write the story you have put on my heart. You are awesome and I love you.

Let God Love You

2008-01-01T19:15:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! With the Christmas holidays behind us and a new year ahead of us, I often think about new beginnings (resolutions). I could lose the holiday weight I gained, get better organized, or resolve to stay focused on my writing projects. However, my track record with New Year's resolutions is not good and this year I don't want to make any. Why set myself up for failure?

If you identify with me, I am suggesting an alternative for 2008. Let's let God love us. In 1 John 3:1 God says, "It is my desire to lavish my love on you." Are you ready for God's lavishing love? I am!

Jesus said, "The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field," Matt. 13:44. Amazingly Jesus found a treasure in each of us and He gave all He had, His life, to purchase us from our slavery to sin. In addition, He gave us abundant and eternal life, a life that surpasses our imagination.

"This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us," 1 John 3:16. His love for us is not based on our good behavior or accomplishments. He loved us so much He died for us while we were stuck in our sin. What treasure could He have found in us then? Yet He sees much more in each of us than we are today.

Let us trust Him for what we will become. Let us trust Him with all that concerns us. Let us trust Him when we are tired and weary for He will carry us, strengthen us and help us accomplish all that He has purposed for us to do. "He knows the plans He has for us, plans to prosper us and not to harm us; plans to give us hope and a future," Jeremiah 29:11.

Will you let God lavish His love on you? Trusting Him with who we will become will change us and changed lives change lives.

Home for Christmas

2007-12-21T18:48:00.000-08:00

I have been spending Sunday afternoons with a dear friend in a nursing home. She has had a long fight with breast cancer. She had surgeries and treatments. The treatments made her weak and stole her resistance to infections. She had several bouts with pneumonia. Last Sunday she was in so much pain it broke my heart.

I wet cold rags to cool her burning mouth and replenished her water. I said, "Jesus is making all things new," and she smiled. I grabbed her hand and prayed, "Lord, please rescue Patty from this bed of suffering, either for this world or yours." I knew she was ready to go home to be with the Lord. I could tell that she was exhausted from the pain. "Patty, try to rest now," I told her. "If you go to sleep, it's okay." She went peacefully to sleep and I left.

When I turned the key in my car, Mary's Song was on the radio. Tears flowed and I knew I would never see Patty again. Today she is home (in Heaven) for Christmas. She went to be with the Lord 6:00 Tuesday morning. I will miss my Sunday afternoons with her. We watched church DVDs and sang the songs together. When people gave their testimonies she said, "I remember when he went through that."

Thank you, Father God, for rescuing Patty from her suffering. Thank you that she is home for Christmas, no longer in pain, no longer trapped in her paralyzed body, free to walk in the garden in the cool of the day, free to dance or bow in your presence. Thank you, Jesus.

Bethlehem Village

2007-12-16T17:07:00.000-08:00

Entering Bethlehem Village we signed the census. The (not so) intimidating Roman soldiers seemed to be everywhere at first. Little Luke (4 years old) met three wise men who introduced themselves to him and asked for his help. He was willing so they told him they were looking for the new baby who would be King of the Jews. One of them asked Luke to give the baby king some gold pieces if he found him before they did.

“We’ve been following a star to find him and we believe when you see the star, you will see him,” another wise man said.

Luke was motivated. Looking into the sky in all directions, he found the star and ran in its direction. He found goats, sheep and shepherds sleeping in a field with angels singing “Glory to God in the highest.” The light from the star shined over a stable. Luke found the baby there with his mom and dad. When he held out the gold pieces, the dad (Joseph) graciously thanked him and made him feel important.

Sunrise Community Church in Fair Oaks, California re-enacted the first Christmas in Bethlehem Village set up in the courtyard of the church campus. Visitors signed the census and shopped in typical middle-eastern shops at the time of Jesus’ birth. They petted animals and witnessed the inn-keeper exclaiming, “No room!” They heard a desperate young man calling for Lea, a midwife. As the Christmas story unfolded, visitors participated in the exciting events of that first Christmas night. A highlight of the evening was a bakery where the visitors ate delicious cookies and pastries with cups of coffee and hot chocolate.

John and I, Janell, my daughter, and Morgan, Luke and Kurt, my grandchildren, enjoyed this Christmas experience. We send you our love for a Merry Christmas and peace, hope and joy in the coming year.

Eyes That See

2007-11-03T14:37:00.000-08:00

A fly flew under my glasses into my eye. My reflex action to flick away the fly caused my glasses to go flying through the air. My grandson Cody and I had just sat down in a booth at the Elephant Bar to enjoy a nice lunch. Since I can’t see much without my glasses, it became urgent for me to find them. We looked in the planter by the booth. We looked in the booth seats and on the table but we didn’t see my glasses. Hostesses, waiters and waitresses gathered around this old lady crawling around on the floor, feeling with her hands.

“Did you lose something?” one of them asked.

“Yes, I lost my glasses,” I said and continued groping for them.

“There they are!” someone exclaimed.

I looked up and saw where the young woman pointed. There they were on the dark, printed carpet by the booth behind us. This was an embarrassing situation, but it reminded me of what my life would be like without the focus God gives me. Life would be a real jungle (not just the ambiance of the Elephant Bar) without His perspective to face daily challenges.

He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust. Psalm 91:2

Who Am I?

2007-10-20T14:43:00.000-07:00

Who am I that God loves me and cares for me? David asked the same question more beautifully in Psalm 8: “When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?” NIV

In Psalm 139 David wrote:
“You created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” NIV

I am in awe that the God of the universe loves me, even as I sit here in my t-shirt and blue jeans without makeup and with uncombed hair, a spooky sight for a woman over 60! No one else would even look at me, but He knows my name and the number of hairs on my head.

He actually loves me so much He sent His one and only Son to die on a cross for my sinful nature so I could be in a relationship with Him forever. This has been His plan since the beginning of creation. There is no way I could ever understand this, but I accept it by faith.

The Psalms demonstrate that David had an intimate relationship with this God of the universe. They are filled with prayers of deep emotions. Prayer is the link between us and our awesome God, a God who loves us and knows our needs before we could ever say them in our hearts or with our mouths. Through prayer and reading His word, He has become the desire of my heart, my deepest longings. He hears my prayers and teaches me His ways.

Thank you, Father, for your extreme love. Help me in my response to love you and others more to fulfill your plan and purpose.

In His Presence

2007-09-23T16:53:00.000-07:00

You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand. Psalm 16:11

“Sue, you won’t believe this place!” were words I dreamed I heard from my friend Betty the morning after her home-going.

It was the joyful voice I hadn’t heard in months. I could depend on Betty to brighten my day with words spoken or written. I met her at a Christian writer’s group. She and her husband Ray energized our group with their humor. Their stories were funny reflections of every day experiences.

In June, Betty told me she had the flu but she never got well. The doctors never figured out what was wrong. Their best guess (if doctors guess) was that Betty had a mild stroke that left her with a malfunction of her digestive system. She lost 56 pounds in three months and became so weak she couldn’t even talk.

I am thankful that my friend no longer suffers, but rejoices in God’s presence now and forever. She was a dear, sweet friend and I miss her.

God Made us With Eternity in Mind

2007-08-26T19:39:00.000-07:00

God made us with eternity in mind. Is it any wonder that we instinctively think of living forever? People don’t like to think of physical death but it won’t hold us any more than it did Jesus. Like Him, we will rise from our graves with glorified bodies to live on the New Heaven and Earth. Pain and suffering will not reign in our new bodies. Yet Heaven will be a continuation of this life. That is why it is important for me to finish well. I long to hear the words from God as I enter His presence, “Well done good and faithful servant,” and I am filled with wonder as to what I will do in Heaven. The choices we make today and the things we do count for eternity. Yet nothing really counts except what we do for God. Pleasing God is our legacy on earth and our preparation for living with Him forever.

Glimpses of Heaven start in Genesis with Creation. God was pleased with all He made. Have you made things? I am a knitter and I love to knit beautiful scarves and sweaters. When I make these things, I think they are good and I think they will last forever. That’s how God felt when He created the world. Yet sin brought its curse on us. I cannot blame Eve because I probably would have done the same. I chose my own way for too long and paid the consequences. God in His mercy provided a solution to my sin problem. He sent Jesus to suffer punishment for my sin so I could be with Him forever.

Before Jesus left this world He said, “I am making all things new.” He also said He was going to prepare a place for me and that He would come back to take me to that place so I could be with Him forever. This is the hope of every Christian. If you are reading this and you are not sure about eternity, I want you to know I am praying for you. I invite you to read the Bible, God’s love letter to you. You will find it applicable to your life and you will learn how much God loves you.

Longing for Heaven

2007-07-27T19:36:00.000-07:00

A year ago this week I was with my family in Oklahoma. We buried Mama. I held hands with my niece Darcy as Mama’s casket was lowered into the grave. Tears flowed as I remembered how she suffered her last few years. It is comforting for me to know that she is joyfully with Jesus now, but I miss her. So often I want to pick up the phone and dial her number, but she wouldn’t be there. Will I ever get over losing her?

I long to see her, and I know when I do she won’t be suffering as she did her last few years. I will see her in her new body, her face filled with joy, her enthusiasm ready to meet me. Maybe I will see her dandling children on her knee as she once did. Maybe she will walk with me along the River of Life. Maybe she will take my hand and lead me to see Jesus.

“I Can Only Imagine” what it will be like (words borrowed from Mercy Me). I know it will be wonderful, but God has work for me to do before I can rest in Paradise with Him. Oh God, help me to fulfill the purpose you have for me so I will be ready for that day.

Rest

2007-06-30T19:47:00.000-07:00

I don’t think vacations are all they are cracked up to be. Summer is filled with expectations of getting away to our favorite places to relax and have fun. Yet the last week before we leave work or home we have to work twice as hard to get things ready. Then we go away for a few days, which hardly seems like enough, and we return home and to work, again to do twice as much work catching up.

What do you do when you feel stressed and overwhelmed with a too busy lifestyle? I cry out to God. Some of the following passages from scripture come to mind and give me comfort: “The Lord is my Shepherd; I will not have to want for anything. He makes me lie down by quiet waters.” (My paraphrase of Psalm 23:1) God provides for all my needs. That means I don’t have to worry about anything, and He makes me rest. I often think I don’t have time to rest, but when I do, my sleep is sweet. Sometimes just reading a book for a while can be refreshing to me.

“Come to me all you who are weary and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me. I am gentle and humble.” (Again my paraphrase of Matthew 11:28) This tells me that God is waiting to help me. He has a yoke of lesser burden. I can take orders from a gentle and humble God, instead of inflicting myself with circumstantial stress. I can slow down and learn how to set priorities for what is really important.

God brings me love, joy, peace, hope, gentleness and kindness to soften the stressful nature of my life, and I need to remember to rest in His care more often.

Graduation Honor

2007-06-16T18:36:00.000-07:00

John and I attended Commencement Exercises for the Class of 2007 where our granddaughter, Loren Soukup, graduated from Empire College School of Law, summa cum laude. Congratulations Loren!

What an inspiration! Now I want to encourage our other grandchildren to study hard in school to accomplish their goals and make their dreams come true. Their great education and honors would open doors of opportunity for them, and they would not have to struggle as I did. Yet I know power and wealth can be a big temptation. Working for more money takes little ambition, and it can put people in an endless life cycle where nothing satisfies.

King Solomon had it all. Never before or since has there been a man of more riches and respect. Yet he wrote in Ecclesiastes that it was all meaningless, a chasing after the wind, without the knowledge of God. Because of His love for God, He used his wisdom, power and riches to build the Temple in the City of David, a place where his people could come and worship God.

People who use their education, gifts, and talents to help others will find peace, purpose and fulfillment. During Loren’s internship she began working with children in elementary schools in Sonoma County, California. After she takes the California Bar Exam, she has a position with a law firm where she will be an advocate for children’s rights.

While I will encourage children to study hard to follow in similar footsteps, I want them to do it for the right reasons, and I want to teach them a lifestyle of helping others and living their lives to please God.

Somebody Prayed for Me

2007-05-20T20:49:00.000-07:00

I miss knowing that Mama prayed for me. It was my first Mother’s Day without her. I felt empty without something to give her, but she is gone.

I miss her friendship and talking with her on the phone. She understood my problems, and I could talk with her about anything. Sometimes she offered encouragement. Sometimes she just listened. But I knew she always prayed.

The week before Mother’s Day this year we celebrated my son’s (Jason) and daughter’s (Janell) birthdays. While we were together my family went through a hurtful experience. Damaging words were spoken, words not to be forgotten soon. My heart ached, and I was helpless to change the situation.

Often my prayers were only “Thank you Jesus,” because I knew He would never leave me. I had to trust Him with the outcome. Although Mama wasn’t here to pray for me, the light of God’s love penetrated the darkness of my despair. I knew somebody prayed for me. God’s peace broke through my pain, and I felt His love on Mother’s Day.

Each day when I pray for my children and grandchildren by name, my prayers take on a greater sense of urgency. It’s because Mama is gone, and her prayers are gone. But because somebody prayed for me after Mama died, I will pray for others; my family, church family and friends. It’s a simple gift we give each other, and it’s important.

Choose Joy

2007-04-27T09:45:00.000-07:00

Discovering the purpose God has for my life has made me a very busy person. It doesn’t seem like there are enough hours in the day to accomplish all I must do, and I run out of strength and energy. Overwhelmed, I cry out to God for help.

One day simple words on the radio changed my way of thinking. “If you are overwhelmed, you’re not trusting God.”

Could it be true? I thought I was trusting God. I have experienced His love for me and it is important for me to tell others how much He loves them. That’s why I teach Sunday school and help with children’s choir. That’s the reason I write articles and stories. Doing all this with a full time job and a family is a challenge and I wonder if my life purpose has turned to busyness.

When I interviewed a Christian author for a profile article, she said her favorite Bible verse was Nehemiah 8:10, “The joy of the Lord is your strength.”

I thought about Nehemiah, a spiritual leader as well as a national leader. When he became passionate about rebuilding the wall around the city of Jerusalem, he prayed. When he faced opposition, he prayed. When he organized the work and defense of the wall, he prayed. I wonder if he was ever overwhelmed. His encouragement came from trusting God and he could testify, “The joy of the Lord is your strength.” That’s what I need.

So at the beginning of each day I pray that God would show me what is important. I pray for His peace to fill me, and I choose joy because it is my strength. My days can still get overwhelming, but before I get out of bed I say to God, “I choose joy!” Some days I say it over and over, and I discover like Nehemiah, it really is my strength. Besides choosing joy, I rely on God’s help, for I can do nothing without Him, but with His help, I can finish what He has given me to do.

God worked in Nehemiah and His people to rebuild the Jerusalem wall in 52 days, and He can do extraordinary things in me when I choose joy by trusting Him.