How Do You Use Your Bible?

        


  Several years ago I was privileged to be part of a mission team to Monterey, Mexico. Our goal was to make physical improvements to orphanages, love on the children living in them, and witness to the villagers living in the communities around the orphanage.

            One of the orphanages we visited was fairly remote, requiring several hours of travel from our base camp and a two night stay. The second day we were there, the Carlos and Martha (houseparents at the orphanage), a team from Back2Back Ministries (the mission organization we partnered with), and our church team made our way to another nearby village.

The event was similar to a street festival with free food, games, music, clowns, and lots of people. The Word was preached and testimonies from the team were given through an interpreter. Some of us went door-to-door throughout the little village to invite people to come.

Near the end of this event, two carloads of us traveled  another hour to an even more remote village. The town, if you could call it that, looked abandoned as we entered. The make-shift homes sported ragged strips of cloth for doors. Each one had a small clay oven in the dirt yard for cooking. A community well was the only source of water for the villagers.

  The folks from the orphanage bring clothes, shoes, underwear and socks to these villagers three to four times a year. Even though there were no signs of life, we set up the rickety tables that would hold the wares we brought. A boom box and amplifier soon spread lively Christian music through the air.

That’s when it happened. Like hungry ants moving toward a picnic lunch, young and old poured out of those huts and gathered near the tables. Excited mothers held clothes for each of their children, broad smiles on their faces.

The shopping completed and sweet smiles of satisfaction on faces, I was pleasantly surprised as everyone stayed for the singing and preaching that followed. Martha opened her Bible and read scripture as a blazing 110 degree sun beat down on her.

At one point, still delivering the message, she closed her Bible and held it over her head to shield herself from the sun. That’s when God nudged me and whispered, “Don’t miss this lesson. It’s for you.”

Do you think of God’s Word as a means of shelter from life’s heat? I don’t think I did until that day. I knew it would offer light for my path and answers to my questions, but a place of shelter?

I’ve thought about the lessons of that day many, many times. I’m thankful God chose such a concrete, visible way to teach it to me. My heart is full of joy because He thinks I’m teachable.

Going out with joy today, sheltered in His Word-

Cathy

You Choose

         When we travel by car, I enjoy looking for clues that might tell me what a community is about. I ask myself questions like, “What draws people to this place? How do they make a life? I live in a small township in North Carolina and it always intrigues me when people move here with seemingly no connection to the community.

         On Wednesday I heard about two cities I’ve never visited and knew I had to tell you about them. They are totally different in their nature and make-up, suited to some but not to others.

         City One holds no security for its residents. The bubbling, lava-like core in the space below the city gives the impression of walking on an undulating floor, similar a carnival Fun House effect. There is a sense of instability, of falling. Satisfaction here feels like treading water – no gains, no progress. Sunshine doesn’t reach this city and the darkness brings depression and a perpetual feeling of mourning what could have been. Rivers of tears flow down these streets. There is an absence of hope in City One.

         City Two’s residents find security in its high, impenetrable walls. It is built using the pattern of an ancient city, safe and securely protected by the walls surrounding it. This city is built on twelve solid, stable foundations. Satisfaction is found from spending each day doing activities ordained from the beginning of time. Like City One, there is no sunshine in City Two, but there is a glorious light living there that warms the spirit. Life is ideal here making weeping and mourning obsolete.

        

Which city would you choose to live in? Fictitious cities, you say? The kicker here is the fact that these are real destinations and we each get to choose for ourselves which city we will live in. Consider your choice carefully; you’ll be living there for eternity. City One represents life in Hell and City Two parallels life in Heaven.

         You choose.

Going out with joy today looking forward to Heaven-

Cathy

P.S. Need help with making the right choice? Contact me at hiskid410@gmail.com  I’ll be glad to help.

Weight Loss Isn't for Sissies

           “You would feel so much better if you would lose thirty pounds,” my family doctor said. “You might even be able to quit taking some of the medicines you’re on.” They were two enticing reasons, but not enough motivation to make me embark on a weight loss adventure.

            Four months later at check-up time, she backed it down to twenty pounds, and by the next check-up, she was down to ten pounds. She is very encouraging, noticing even a one pound loss.

            I’m not sure what it takes to get someone to do the things they know are good for their health and well-being. Nothing she said broke through the fog of my own self-will. I know I don’t have any will power. I’ve tried it before but when I hit the first plateau, my thoughts turn to what’s the use. The struggle isn’t worth the effort. I know some of you have been at that place.

            I don’t know what happened in my head to motivate me to begin a medically supervised weight loss program a few weeks ago, but I went to the information session and signed up. Do everything they recommend and you can lose five pounds a week. I’ve now figured out, four weeks in to the six week agenda, that I am not normal. Weekly weigh-ins have shown my loss at  5.4 pounds, .4 pounds, and 5.6 pounds. I have another weigh in tomorrow and it looks like it will be about 1.1 pound.  At this rate, I will only lose fifteen pounds of my thirty pound goal.

 I’ve kept a food diary, recording every bite I put in my mouth. I’ve eaten the correct proportions and drunk nothing but water, maybe the hardest part for me. All meat has been broiled, baked or grilled. All salad dressing has been fat-free. I’ve taken the supplements they recommended based on the answers I gave to a battery of questions. I’ve gone twice a week for acupuncture treatments designed to curb cravings.

            In spite of the lackluster weight loss, there have been some benefits. I do feel better physically. It’s been a long while since I actually felt like doing some of my household chores. I’ve had to force myself to do them. This week I actually found myself doing some of those things willingly and feeling good about it. I have more energy. My pants are loose enough that I have to wear a belt, and that hasn’t been the case in twenty-plus years.

 The Bible tells us “your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God. You are not your own, ²⁰ for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”
                                                                                          (I Corinthians 6:19-20 ESV)

My desire is to make my body a suitable temple for the Holy Spirit – regardless of what I weigh or how my clothes fit. “O Lord, make my body a fit vessel for your Holy Spirit’s home. Help me present myself before you as a living sacrifice. Amen.”

I’m going out with joy today, praising Him for my healthy body-

Cathy

P.S. Hi! It's Friday afternoon and I am just checking in after my weigh-in today. I came in at 3pounds lost this week - better than I thought. That puts my total at 14.4 in four weeks. Maybe there is a temple hiding in there somewhere! See you next week.

Where was Jesus?

            I’ve often heard people ask, “Where was Jesus when…?” You are welcome to insert whatever tragic circumstance has brought disorder to your life. I’ve done it myself. Years later, I even asked Him to show me where He was. He answered by showing me a picture of the events as they unfolded. Where was He? Right there in the midst of the chaos with His arms lovingly surrounding me, restoring order to my broken world.

            Where was Jesus when five thousand men, their wives and children gathered on a hillside? Some had traveled great distances to hear Jesus speak. They were road weary and hungry, and Jesus was right there in the midst of them meeting their physical needs before He spoke to them of spiritual issues.

            Where was Jesus when a man whose demons had driven him mad, was forced to live chained and naked outside the city? He was there in the filth and depravity, casting out the demons and giving the man his life back.

            Where was Jesus when a woman whose life was in disarray because of her less than holy lifestyle found herself at the well in the center of town, thirsty and outcast? He was there offering her a drink of living water that would quench her thirst forever.

            Where was Jesus when the crowds gathered in Jerusalem for the Passover layed their cloaks and palm branches on the road and shouted “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!”? He was in the middle of the road riding on a donkey, making Himself vulnerable to the crowd who would soon yell, “CRUCIFY HIM!”

            Where was Jesus on His last night on earth? He was eating supper with His disciples, even sharing a bowl with the one who would betray Him. He gave Judas one last chance to fess up and do the right thing.

            Where was Jesus when the soldiers came to arrest Him and bound Him in chains? He was in the middle of the garden where He often prayed. He was not hiding somewhere hoping to evade capture, but went willingly, as a Lamb to slaughter.

            Where was Jesus when He was hanging on a cross at the top of a lonely hill called Golgotha? Again, He was found in the middle of the chaos, flanked on either side by a real criminal. They both got another chance to confess Jesus as Lord. One accepted the gift Jesus offered, one didn’t. One moved from life to eternal paradise that day. One moved from life to death to an eternal Hell.

            Where is Jesus today? He is right in the middle of your life. He knows the strife in your days and He knows the joys. He wants to meet your every need. Are you tired, hungry, naked, bound by demons, needing a second change? He sacrificed His blood for you and for me as He hung on the cross. He paid the price and took on the full wrath of God for our sins. After we accept Jesus as our personal Savior, when God looks at us, He sees the blood of Christ covering us, not our filthy sins.

            Where is Jesus today? He is standing at the door of your heart knocking. Will you receive Him and the free gift of eternal life He wants you to have?

I’m going out with joy today claiming all Jesus has for me-

Cathy

P.S. If you want to receive Christ into your life and don’t know how to do it, it’s as easy as A-B-C.

The A B C's of Salvation
 

Admit:

Admit to God that you are a sinner. Repent (turn away from) of your sin.

Romans 3 : 23 "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God"

I John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins

and purify us from all unrighteousness."

Believe:

Trust that Jesus is God's Son and that God sent Jesus to save people from their sins.

John 3 : 16 "For God so loved the world, that He gave His one and only Son, that whosoever

believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life."
 

Commit:

Give your life to Jesus. Ask Him to be your Lord and Savior.

Romans 10 : 9-10 That if you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord', and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved."

Perseverance

Please welcome Dick Kendrick to my blog today. Since I was at the Write2Ignite Conference over the weekend, my usual time to write my blog, I have asked Dick to be my Guest Blogger this week. This spot was originally written the first of this year, but it is never too late to start improving your Spiritual life. I think Dick's hints will be helpful to those who are traveling the path to a closer relationship with God. Blessings, Cathy

“-- And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us.”

Hebrews 12:1(b)

 

I love to garden. When the ground starts to thaw I have the itch to get my hands dirty and start working the soil. I have good intentions but I don’t persevere. Just like in my spiritual life.  

               Numerous Januaries I have promised God and myself that this year would be different. I would develop a plan and stick with it. I would read the Bible, pray more, serve more and love more. I would “finish the race.” Before long, the plan is a shambles and life has triumphed over resilience. Sound familiar? 

Gordon MacDonald, in his book A Resilient Life, states, “Resilience belongs to the person who pursues it relentlessly.” It’s at that word “relentlessly” where most of us fail. Scripture tells us success is within our reach if we will endure and finish the race. 

Here are five goals for 2013 that will help finish the race which “God has set before us.” 

1. Define your current Spiritual life.  Determine how you need to improve it. Be honest when you do this. Admit past failures but also identify your victories.  

2. Share your plan with someone you trust. Be accountable to them. This is a critical step. Without accountability failure is inevitable.  

3. Read the Bible every day. A wide variety of plans are out there to help with this task. Go online to find one you like or ask someone else what they’re doing. Don’t assume you can accomplish this goal without a plan -- you can’t.  

4. Pray daily. Set aside an actual time to pray every day and be faithful to it. Prayer is the underpinning of everything else in your plan. If it helps, determine how long you are going to pray and actually set a timer. This is one way to stay focused. 

5. Journal. This is a step many will want to by-pass because they don’t see the benefit. Journaling is a spiritual discipline that will accelerate personal growth in a number of ways. Google “Christian Journaling” to learn more. 

Just as a garden requires attention and nurturing, so does our spiritual life. How well our spiritual garden grows in 2013 is entirely up to each of us. Have a good year.

 

 

Dick Kendrick

Dick Kendrick is a writer, mentor and Master Gardner. Retired from the world of business, he and his wife now live in the mountains of North Carolina where he pursues his passion for writing, gardening and fly-fishing. His desire to disciple others in their Christian walk is being fulfilled through his blog as well as other writing venues. He has been published in magazines and Christian newspapers. Follow Dick's blog at:  dickkendrick@wordpress.com

 

Are You Ready? - Part Two

 As promised last week, I am offering a few tips on preparing for the time when you encounter someone who needs to know about Jesus.

 I want to talk first about witnessing to someone you know of who needs Jesus.  I call this INTENTIONAL WITNESSING. Here’s how we can prepare ourselves for success.

IDENTIFY.  What is the name of the person God has placed on your heart? Write that name on a card and place it in a conspicuous place where you’ll see it several times a day. The bathroom mirror, the refrigerator and my computer monitor have all worked for me. Once I made the name my screen saver.

PRAY.  Prayer is the best place to begin any endeavor. Pray for your person by name as often as God brings them to your heart during the day and every time you see the card you’ve posted. Set a firm foundation by praying for your person for thirty days. Ask God: 1) to help them recognize their need of a Savior; 2) to tenderize their heart to receive the message you will bring; and 3) to give you an open opportunity to share with them.

PLAN.  Think about how to approach them and what you’ll say. What do you have in common that can be incorporated into the conversation to put them at ease? Again, this is an opportunity for prayer, asking God to direct your words and give you the courage to follow through.

RESEARCH.  If you feel you need a proven method to use or as a backup if words fail you, there are many good plans available that are tried and true. I’ve included some helps at the end.

ACT.  This is where the rubber meets the road. No matter how well you have prepared up to this point, you will lose the battle with satan for this person’s soul if you fail to act. Go in confidence, knowing you are prepared. Remember, the ultimate outcome of witnessing is in God’s hands. You are His tool. Don’t be discouraged if your person doesn’t accept Jesus after you talk to him/her. It may take several attempts to win them over. Just like planting a garden, God may use you to prepare the soil, or plant the seed, or water the seed someone else planted, or weed out the stray influences that are choking the life out of the young plant. Sometimes you will get to reap the harvest.  

Often we leave home unaware of the witnessing opportunities we’ll encounter that day. I call this UNINTENTIONAL WITNESSING and preparation is key.

PRAY AHEAD. The opportunity will come, so bathe it in prayer before it occurs. You can even radically step out and pray that God will use you in this way.

PLAN AHEAD. My brother found himself sitting next to a gentleman as they both waited to get their oil changed. The opening came and Tommy turned their conversation to spiritual matters. Tommy had a Gospel of John tucked in his pocket, offered it to the man and asked him to read it. Tommy wrote his phone number on the back of the booklet and asked the man to call him when he finished reading it. Lo and behold, the man did call. They talked and the man accepted Christ as his Savior over the phone.

Do you have a life verse or a scripture you’ve used to get through a rough spot? Use it to witness to God's faithfulness. No one can deny the validity of your personal testimony. Write it out and rehearse it out loud so you can present it smoothly. Carry a tract or other witnessing tool with you and offer contact information in case they have a question later. Remember, you may only have 3-5 minutes to make an eternal difference in someone’s life. Be ready!

Filled with joy because of God’s gift to me-

Cathy


The first help I'm offering you is as easy as A-B-C. Learn it and store it in your arsenal of tools. 

 

 

The A B C's of Salvation
 

Admit:

Admit to God that you are a sinner. Repent (turn away from) of your sin.

Romans 3 : 23    "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God"

I John 1:9  "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins

and purify us from all unrighteousness."

Believe:

Trust that Jesus is God's Son and that God sent Jesus to save people from their sins.

John 3 : 16  "For God so loved the world, that He gave His one and only Son, that whosoever

believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life."

 

Commit:

Give your life to Jesus. Ask Him to be your Lord and Savior.

Romans 10 : 9-10  That if you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord', and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

The following link is for the Steps to Peace with God pamphlet from the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. I believe these are free for the asking.

https://secure.billygraham.org/testimony-tract/images/stp.jpg

* * * * * * * * * * * * * 

The Roman Road to Salvation         

Romans 3:23 "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God."

We all have sin in our hearts. We all were born with sin. We were born under the power of sin's control.

- Admit that you are a sinner.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Romans 6:23a "...The wages of sin is death..."

Sin has an ending. It results in death. We all face physical death, which is a result of sin. But a worse death is spiritual death that alienates us from God, and will last for all eternity. The Bible teaches that there is a place called the Lake of Fire where lost people will be in torment forever. It is the place where people who are spiritually dead will remain.

- Understand that you deserve death for your sin.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Romans 6:23b "...But the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

Salvation is a free gift from God to you! You can't earn this gift, but you must believe in Jesus to be saved.

- Ask God to forgive you and save you.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Romans 5:8, "God demonstrates His own love for us, in
that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us!"

When Jesus died on the cross He paid sin's penalty. He paid the price for all sin, and when He took all the sins of the world on Himself on the cross, He bought us out of slavery to sin and death! The only condition is that we believe in Him and what He has done for us.
Romans 10:13 "Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved!"

- Call on Jesus for salvation!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Romans 10:9,10 "...That if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you shall be saved. For with the heart man believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation"

-Pray the Prayer of Salvation


This is a great tool to use and only your Bible is required. Find the first verse in your Bible and mark it. At the bottom of the page, write the next reference so you'll know where to go next. At the bottom of that page, mark the next verse you'll need and so on until you finish. The only thing you need to remember is where to start. You references at the bottom of the page will guide you through each step.

The references (marked in black above) are listed first. The explanation of the reference in simpple terms is next (marked in blue). The parts marked in red are action steps for the person you are witnessing to.









  

 

 

 

Are You Ready?

Imagine this scenario:

               You are standing inside a gas station store waiting to pay for the gas you just pumped. In walk three people, clearly dressed as Muslims. They approach the counter and ask the clerk if there is someone who can pump their gas because it is a religious holiday for them and they aren’t allowed to do certain things during this special time.

               The clerk explains this station is a self-service operation and the store doesn’t employ anyone who pumps gas for people. The conversation continues as the three plead their case. They can only drive about twenty miles before they run out of gas unless they find someone who will pump their gas. The clerk responds with, “then you gonna be walkin’ soon.”

               A young man waiting in line for the same reason you are, steps up to the counter and says, “I’ll pump your gas, if you’ll let me tell you a story while I do it. The three agree to the terms, the young man pays his bill and they all go out to the car waiting at the pump island. As you go to your car, you hear him sharing the gospel of Jesus with them. They are respectfully listening as he tells them about his Jesus.

               Are you ready? If God had put you in this situation, how would you have reacted? The Bible tells us “to proclaim the Message with intensity; keep on your watch. Challenge, warn, and urge your people. Don’t ever quit. Just keep it simple.” One version of 2 Timothy 4:2, says to “be ready, in season and out.” Translated, that means whether the occasion seems favorable or unfavorable, when we are presented with the opportunity we are to witness to the goodness of God.

               This account is not just a pretend story to get you thinking. It actually happened to my brother, Tommy. Yes, he is the same one who interacted with The Bible Bandit I blogged about last year. (Click here to read that story if you missedit.) He has had other “odd” encounters with people in places you wouldn’t ordinarily think about as prime witnessing spots.

This afternoon, knowing I was going to write this tonight, I considered the many opportunities Tommy has had to witness. I pondered why one person would be put in so many settings that seem like unlikely places to witness. I decided it’s because Tommy is ready.  

Are you ready? There are ways to prepare yourself so that you will be ready when the opportunity to witness comes your way. And, who knows, once you are ready, God may send someone across your path that needs to hear what God has planted in your heart.

Prepare the soil of your mind this week, then come back next week when I will plant some witnessing tips.

May the blessing of joy be yours this week-

Cathy

Life Lessons from Taco Bell-Part Two

Thanks for coming back for Life Lessons from Taco Bell-Part Two. If you missed Part One and want to read it first, click here.

There I was, sitting in Taco Bell eating lunch and sharing a crowded bench seat with two other family groups. Then I notice the phenomenon I am part of. To my left sits a man, his daughter and his two and a half year old granddaughter. To my right is a man and his twenty-something year old grandson. There is barely two feet between each group so it’s hard not to overhear their conversations.

 The bits and pieces I heard of the conversation on my right indicated these two worked together.  At first I thought they were boss and employee but later it became clear they were grandfather and grandson. Gramps did most of the talking at first, with the grandson listening intently, making few comments.

I was intrigued when Gramps started asking his grandson technical computer questions. The grandson’s eyes lit up as he answered the questions and made Social Media suggestions that might help the business. Grandpa listened to him as intently as the young man had listened to Grandpa only minutes earlier.

Their conversation moved away from business to a more personal level. They talked farm equipment for a little while. Apparently Gramps had given grandson a piece of equipment. Gramps asked how it was running and they discussed that for a couple of minutes.

I thought trouble was coming when Grandpa asked, “You are keeping it covered, aren’t you?” Somehow I knew the boy was going to answer in the negative. And he did. Uh oh, I thought to myself. Here it comes. To my amazement, I felt the wisdom radiating from this man as I heard him say, “It’s really none of my business. I had no right to even ask that question. I gave you the equipment and it’s yours to do with what you want.”

Grandpa continued the conversation by offering two real-life examples of why covering the equipment was a good idea. No condemnation, no insults, only a sharing of what had been learned in the school of life. It was a sweet, teaching moment.

It reminded me of the admonition in the Bible book of Deuteronomy. Fathers are to learn the ways and words of God and then teach them to their children at every opportunity: when they are at home, when they are walking, when they get up and when they go to bed. This Grandpa added: when they are eating together at a fast food restaurant. He didn’t stop with teaching his son/daughter, but went the extra mile and included his grandchild. The reward God promises for obedience in this is the multiplication of the days of the father and the child.

I’m praising God for allowing me to see this scripture come to life in a concrete and practical way and I am praying God’s reward for these men will be abundant.

I’m going out with joy today, ready to be taught-

Cathy

Life Lessons from Taco Bell-Part One

                I confess. I was eavesdropping. It was almost impossible not to in the crowded restaurant. Three separate parties, seated at three tables which shared a bench seat on one side. Six chairs filled the space on the other side of the tables. I was seated in the middle section. The tables, spaced so close together I had to turn sideways to inch my way into the bench seat, gave me a perfect setting for listening in.

               To my left, was an older man, his twenty-something year old daughter, and his two and a half year old granddaughter. The little girl was as cute as she could be with her sparkling blue eyes, curly red hair and sweet disposition. She showed concern for her Pawpaw’s well being; using caring phrases as she mimicked what had been spoken to her as she grew.

After ordering lunch at the counter, she and her mother made their way to a table while Pawpaw stayed behind to pick up their tray of food. Little Blue Eyes noticed he wasn’t coming and called out, “its okay, Pawpaw. Come, this way. Follow me.” As they ate, she gave attention to Pawpaw’s needs. “Here’s your nakkin’ Pawpaw,” or “Pawpaw, you need a fork?”

She was happy being a little Mommy to him, and he was thrilled to let her. Her Mom left the table to get a to-go order. Little Blue Eyes decided to go with her but before she left the table, she said, “its okay, Pawpaw, stay right here. I’ll be right back.” I had to smile.

While the Mommy and Little Blue Eyes were away from the table, I had an opportunity to talk to the grandfather - grandparent to grandparent. With pride, he told me the little red-headed cutie pie was his first and only grandchild. I could tell the little girl was the apple of his eye. And so was her Mommy.

This little girl is blessed to be in this family where love has been passed from generation to generation. Someone along the way taught this man, probably by example, to be a loving parent. His daughter, knowing the love of her father has demonstrated that same love to her daughter. And now, even at two and a half years of age, the little girl is already showing her love for others in her concern for their welfare.

This kind of love for each other is what Father God wants for all of us. He loves us with an everlasting, perfect love. We experience His love and share it with others He places along our path. They feel His love through us and the cycle begins again.

Have you experienced Father God’s kind of love? If you have, will you intentionally share it with someone today? If you haven’t, e-mail me at hiskid410@gmail.com. I would love to talk to you about it. You can be filled to overflowing and be part of sharing it with another generation.

Going out with joy today, because of God’s great love

Cathy

P.S.  Tune in next week for Part 2. Oddly, there was another grandfather/grandchild duo sitting to my right.

God Sent Me a Valentine

         Valentine’s Day is this week, a day when people say and do things to let their loved ones know just how much they are cherished. There will be record sales of flowers, candy, jewelry, greeting cards, and other traditional gifts. Children in classrooms everywhere will exchange Valentine’s.

         When my husband and I were dating he gave me a box on Valentine’s Day. Inside was a large card with a frilly, 3-D heart rising out of the center. The heart contained a music box that played “Love is a Many Splendored Thing.” It meant even more to me because I knew he spent money that he couldn’t spare to buy it for me. I still have it some forty-plus years later.

         My best Valentine, though, came years ago when God showed me how much He loves me by sending His only son to pay the penalty for my sin. Jesus willingly died a cruel death on a cross because He loved me and wanted to make a way for me to be able to live in Heaven with Him for all of eternity.

         And He did the same thing for you. As you read John 3:16 below, substitute your name for "the world."

 

         As you celebrate this Thursday, remember God’s message to you:

 

I’m going out with joy today. Will you join me?

Cathy 

Writer's Advance! Boot Camp 2013

               I spent February 1, 2 and 3, 2013, at the Billy Graham Training Center at The Cove in Asheville, NC. I am now an official graduate of Writers Advance! Boot Camp 2013, a military- themed weekend which trains and encourages Christian writers. The conference is an arm of the ministry of Christian Devotions.

            The Cove offers a gorgeous, spiritually charged setting for meeting with God and His people. As you pass through the gate, the atmosphere changes and you feel like you have stepped out of the world and into a replica of heaven.

            The conference started on Friday afternoon with two early-bird classes. “Writing Big in a Little Space (copywriting)” and “Stressed Out? Chillax! Preparing Your Day to Build a Platform to Speak Out (the value of meeting God early in the day)” held our attention until supper.

            The scrumptious supper, prepared by a gourmet chef, and the conversation over the meal was more than satisfying. Each table of eight was hosted by a Cove volunteer, mostly older women with a touch of Southern hospitality and graciousness in meeting the needs of their guests.

            Cindy Sproles’ welcome included a charge to be like Johnny Appleseed, and spread the seeds of our talents wherever God places us. Delightful author and keynote speaker, Yvonne Leyman, shared the ups and downs of her career, illustrating the times she couldn’t see God’s light shining in her life by turning the lights off and turning the light down in a lantern on the podium. God’s light didn’t stay dark long before He showed up bright again and moved her along her path to success.

            The day ended with snacks and an opportunity to meet other attendees, many gathering around the massive fireplace in the great room.

            Saturday started out early and finished late. Each time slot offered two classes, one Infantry level (beginner) and one Officer level (advanced). When the day was over each person had taken seven classes, taught by award winning, published authors. We studied social media, blogging, writing for magazines, time management, platforms, publishing houses, point of view, scripting books for films, agents and publishers, genres, writing devotions, style, editing, and pacing a novel. Whew! Most of us were exhausted by evening’s end.



Vonda Skelton

            Vonda Skelton’s keynote address on Saturday night, filled with transparency, highlighted the blunders she had made along the way to becoming a successful writer and speaker. The audience was rolling with laughter as she allowed us to laugh with her and learn from her mistakes.

            Sunday started with praise and worship, a State of the Ministry update by Eddie Jones, and brunch. While eating, God blessed me with a lovely wintery display as snow fell,bringing cleansing and peace to my heart as I prepared to come down off the mountain both physically and spiritually.

My Roomies

He put me in places to hear stories about His goodness as we visited throughout the weekend. One woman, whose finances wouldn’t support the cost of the conference, had given up on coming. With the registration deadline looming, God dropped some money into her budget from an unexpected source and she was able to come. Another financially strapped young writer was notified that someone had paid her way. A young man brought some devotionals he had written and blessed people by giving them away.

 Over and over, I heard how God had blessed this one or that one, and I saw how they blessed others in return. My heart is filled with joy at the goodness of God.

Going out with joy because God is good-

Cathy

For the Greater Good?

In 1809, a boy was born to a leather worker and horse tack maker in France. By the time the boy was two, he was following his father to the workshop, playing while his father worked. Although warned many times not to touch his father’s tools, the boy was fascinated with them. At age three, the boy was playing with an awl, trying to make a hole in a piece of scrap leather, when a freak accident caused the awl to glance off the hard leather and into his eye.

Though taken to the best surgeon in Paris, nothing could be done to save his eye. He suffered for weeks as a severe infection moved from the affected eye to his good eye. He managed to survive the ordeal, but by age five, was totally blind.

Trying for normalcy, his parents sent him to school with his siblings. At age ten his teachers suggested his parents allow him to seek higher education. He went to Paris to live at and attend the National Institute for Blind Youth. He was passionate about learning. He devoured the few books available at the school and was left wanting more.

            This was the beginning of a story I heard during Teaching Time at the Community Bible Study I attend. The sixteenth lesson of a thirty lesson study on the book of Revelation brought us to Chapter 13, verses 1-10 this week (see below). Three themes emerged from these verses:

1)     Be alert to the schemes of satan.

2)     Recognize that sometimes God does allow suffering if it accomplishes a greater purpose.

3)     Endure hardship, trusting in God’s faithfulness to believers.

And now, the rest of the story.  This young man had a propensity for music, becoming an accomplished cellist and organist. He wanted to write music, but puzzled over how a blind man could do that. He yearned for two-way communication between the blind and the sighted.

He had heard of a system used by the French Army called “Night Writing.”This approach allowed soldiers to “talk” to one another without uttering a sound and tipping the enemy off to their location. Captain Charles Barbier willingly shared his system of dots and dashes with Louis, but it was too complicated for daily use. Louis began to experiment with Barbier’s system, adding ideas of his own. He designed a plan using a series of raised symbols to represent letters.

You have probably guessed by now the young man in the story is Louis Braille, founder of the Braille System which allows the blind to read and communicate.

But there’s more to this story. On a visit home, Louis went to his father’s shop to look for a tool that would make the perfect sized dots on the paper. Have you guessed yet that it was the awl? The object that crippled Louis Braille was used to enhance the lives of millions of people. By 1824, he had published a book on the Braille system. His second edition, printed in 1829, featured enhancements that brought it up to the system still in use today. His Braille music notation allows the blind to write music.

What is your awl? What is the thing that is crippling you, keeping you from accomplishing your purpose? Give it to God and allow Him to take it and use it for your good or the good of others.

Going out with joy today-

Cathy

Revelation 13:1-10 ESV

 13 And I saw a beast rising out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads, with ten diadems on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads. ² And the beast that I saw was like a leopard; its feet were like a bear's, and its mouth was like a lion's mouth. And to it the dragon gave his power and his throne and great authority. ³ One of its heads seemed to have a mortal wound, but its mortal wound was healed, and the whole earth marveled as they followed the beast. ⁴ And they worshiped the dragon, for he had given his authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast, and who can fight against it?”

⁵ And the beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months. ⁶ It opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God, blaspheming his name and his dwelling, that is, those who dwell in heaven. ⁷ Also it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them. And authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation, ⁸ and all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain. ⁹ If anyone has an ear, let him hear:

¹⁰ If anyone is to be taken captive,
to captivity he goes;
if anyone is to be slain with the sword,
with the sword must he be slain.

Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints.