Though None Go With Me--Review

      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

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

          “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.

Crumbling Spirit - Review

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

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)

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

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

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

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

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.

Simplify! Simplify!

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.

My God is Bigger

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.

Though None Go With Me - Review

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

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

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

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

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

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.

Mountain Top Experience

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

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.