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Intentional Intimacy

January 26, 2012 by Jennifer Slattery

There’s a video circulating cyber-space. I’m sure you’ve seen it. It talks about the difference between having a heart-felt relationship with God vs. following rules and traditions. Although I don’t agree with everything presented in the video, I find the basic premise valid. Christianity is more than a club to belong to. It’s more than going to church on Sundays and saying X number of prayers. It’s about total surrender. It’s about authenticity, intimacy. Christ didn’t die so we could put a bumper sticker on our car. He died to remove the barrier–sin–that kept us from fellowship with a holy God. But you can’t be intimate with someone you don’t know.

Today, Ava Pennington, author of One Year Alone With God, encourages us to draw near to God. To allow Him to reveal Himself as He truly is, not who we think He is or should be.

Intentional Intimacy by Ava Pennington

How intimate is your relationship with God? How intimate do you want it to be?

I’ve always heard that if we want to be close to God, we must be intentional about spending time with Him – have a regular time of prayer, read the Bible, obey His Word, and fellowship with His people.

Is that all there is to it? Is intimacy with God simply a matter of checking off items on a to-do list? That can’t be true, because too many Christians do these things, and still lack intimacy with the Lord.

It may be because all these activities – prayer, Bible-reading, living a moral life – while good, can become rituals. We can go through the motions with our hands, but not our hearts. So while these should be part of our daily lives, we should not stop there.

There is another possible reason for our lack of intimacy with God. Think about how we move people from acquaintances to personal friends. We get to know them by spending time with them. We learn what they say about themselves. We also want to know if there is a disconnect between their words and their actions.

However, when it comes to learning who God is, we often depend on what other people say about Him. We learn from our parents, from religious traditions, even from our culture. But that’s not necessarily who God says He is.

Even if we grew up attending Sunday School every week, we still might have trouble understanding what God has said about Himself. It doesn’t help that the names and attributes of God which brought comfort to countless generations are now often misunderstood in our culture.

For example, what does God mean when He calls Himself Jealous or a Consuming Fire? A famous celebrity talk show host once said she could never trust a god who was jealous. After all, jealousy can be a petty, controlling, and self-centered attribute. And most people would not be eager to pursue intimacy with a God who calls Himself a Consuming Fire!

More familiar names and attributes may still yield misconceptions. The Bible tells us God is love (I John 4:8). But how do we define love? Hearts & flowers? Terms of endearment?

If we want a more personal – a more intimate – relationship with God, it’s not only important to learn what God says about Himself, we must also understand these names and attributes in the context of what God intended, rather than what our culture now dictates.

One characteristic of intimacy is trust. It’s difficult to trust a stranger. But when we are intentional about learning what God says about Himself, and we see that how He relates to us is consistent with what He says, our faith is affirmed. The more we learn about who God is and how He works, the easier it is for us to trust Him.

The foundation of that trust is a complete picture of God. All the names and attributes of God combine to reveal His nature and His glory. We misunderstand who God is – and are therefore not as intimate with Him – when we focus on one name or attribute of God to the exclusion of all others. For example, those who focus only on God’s characteristic of love often end up with an anything-goes god who tolerates sin. Others who focus on God’s holiness to the exclusion of all other characteristics create a fire-and-brimstone god who is unloving, unmerciful, & uncompassionate.

God is love and He is holy. He is merciful and He is just. He is all these things and more. To truly know Him – to be intimate with Him – we must be intentional about learning all that He is – not just one or two characteristics that appeal to who we want Him to be.

Ask God’s Holy Spirit to show you who He is. Then mine treasures from His Word as He reveals His nature and His ways through His names and attributes. The result will be intentional intimacy.

One Year Alone With God:

Perfect. Almighty. The One Who Sees. Jealous. Forgiver. 

Every name of God revealed in the Bible shows us something about his character and his ways. As the facets of a diamond combine to reflect its brilliance, the names and attributes of God combine to reveal the transcendence of his nature and the glory of his ways. One Year Alone with God offers readers a wonderful opportunity to spend time each day getting to know God more intimately. At the end of a year, they’ll be able to say they know him better than they did a year ago.

This insightful guide to the names of God provides 366 life-changing, personal devotions for new Christians and longtime believers. As readers explore 122 names and attributes of God, they will discover something special about who God is, who they are, and how they relate to others. Includes a Scripture and name index for easy navigation to favorite verses.

Ava Pennington is a writer, Bible teacher, and speaker. She is the author of One Year Alone with God: 366 Devotions on the Names of God (Revell), endorsed by well-known author and teacher Kay Arthur. Additionally, Ava is the co-author of Do You Love Me More? and Will I See You Today? (Standard Publishing).

Ava has also published stories in twenty anthologies, including fifteen books in the inspirational Chicken Soup for the Soul series. Her articles have been published in Focus on the Family’s Clubhouse, The  LOOKOUT, Evangel, Light & Life, and other magazines.

Ava is a passionate speaker and teacher, and delights in challenging audiences with the truth of God’s word in relevant, enjoyable presentations.

For more information, visit www.AvaWrites.com

Posted in Faith, God's Authors, intentional living, Let's Get Real | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments »

Easily Swayed

January 24, 2012 by Jennifer Slattery

I’m in a time of waiting. Everything in my life, it seems, is at a fork and I’m waiting for God’s direction. Not for the final destination. I’ve walked with Him long enough to know that rarely comes. He may give me a glimpse now and then, enough to ignite passion, but normally that’s all it is–a glimpse. Most likely because He knows, if given the Mapquest version, I’d trudge ahead in self-reliance.

I’m learning God wants me to stay light-footed, easily swayed, ever listening, ever waiting, ever drawing near.

Psalm 32:7-10 (NASB)

7 You are my hiding place; You preserve me from trouble;
You surround me with songs of deliverance.
Selah.
8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go;
I will counsel you with My eye upon you.
9 Do not be as the horse or as the mule which have no understanding,
Whose trappings include bit and bridle to hold them in check,
Otherwise they will not come near to you.
10 Many are the sorrows of the wicked,
But he who trusts in the LORD, lovingkindness shall surround him.

Posted in intentional living, Let's Get Real | Tagged , , | 5 Comments »

Intentional Strength

January 21, 2012 by Jennifer Slattery

Two weeks ago, my dear friend Fay Lamb, author of Because of Me,  sent me a beautiful email. I had ask her for advice on a few issues, and like the precious child of God she is, she didn’t give me any. She gave me more. She sent me an email filled with Scripture, pointing me to my Savior, the only One who truly had the answers.

She began her email with Matthew 7:11 which tells us, “If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father, which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him.”

She then pointed me to Isaiah 55, which told me of God’s love, His incomprehensible wisdom, and His provisions for His children.

Verse by verse, she reminded me of God’s goodness, centering me in His Father’s heart. I wrote down the verses, prayed over them, meditated on them, but I sensed God wasn’t through. He’d started the conversation, laid the foundation, but there was more He wanted me to know. In fact, the real lesson hadn’t even begun. But before He started His refining, He surrounded me in His love.

The next morning, as I continued to pray over Fay’s verses, God led me to Isaiah 43 and Isaiah 31. I’ll highlight the portions that spoke to me, although I encourage you to read both passages.

1 But now, this is what the LORD says—
he who created you, Jacob,
he who formed you, Israel:
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
2 When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze.
3 For I am the LORD your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;

4 Since you are precious and honored in my sight,
and because I love you,

18 “Forget the former things;
do not dwell on the past.
19 See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness
and streams in the wasteland.

This passage warned me a time of struggle was coming, but not to fear, for God would walk me through it.

The next passage God led me to showed me how. Through the words of Isaiah 31, God reminded me it’s not about my strength, wisdom, or ability, but instead, about His. I can be victorious over anything that comes my way … if I keep my eyes on Him and stay centered in His will:

1 Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help,
who rely on horses,
who trust in the multitude of their chariots
and in the great strength of their horsemen,
but do not look to the Holy One of Israel,
or seek help from the LORD.

The following day, God brought the lesson home by allowing a series of struggles to come my way. This happens every year as the CWG conference approaches, and I’ve come to realize Satan doesn’t want me to go. Satan would rather I stay home in isolation, because that is where I’m at my weakest. He certainly doesn’t want me to surround myself with passionate followers of Christ following the same call.

But let’s not forget, nothing can touch me without first passing through the hands of God, and God only allows those things which are for my good.

Saturday, my van broke down, and I learned I cannot trust in vehicles.

When we got the bill, I realized how fleeting money can be. Nope, can’t trust in that either.

The following day I got sick and God showed me I cannot trust in my health or strength.

My computer started acting haywire and I lost a document. Nope, can’t trust in technology.

Event after event, frustration after frustration, God reminded me how futile everything apart from Him is. Life is unpredictable and unemployment, stock market crashes, computer failures, sickness, can happen in a blink. But God is faithful and lo, though we walk through the valley of darkness, we need not fear for God is with us.

In reality, all of my problems were minor, mere frustrations at best, but what made them beautiful is that God created an object lesson, tailored to me. He began by using a dear friend to speak truth into my life and concluded by drawing me to my knees in worship. Through it all He showed me His love is pure and strong and true.

When you’re going through a tough time, cling to these truths:

1) God loves you and longs to shower you with blessings and gifts.

2) He will never leave you.

3) God is still in control, even when your world seems crazy, and He’ll only allow those things that are for your good.

4) Rely on God and God alone for strength for He truly is the only One who can carry you through.

If you’re climbing over a few boulders, you may find these posts helpful as well:

 
Let’s talk about this!

Join me at Living by Grace as we talk about drawing near and staying close to God during times of difficulty.

What about you? Are you going through a difficult or frustrating time? If so, why might God be allowing those difficulties? What might He be trying to teach you? Ask Him, draw near to Him, trust in His goodness and love.

Posted in Faith, intentional living, Let's Get Real, United in Christ | Tagged , , , , | 10 Comments »

There’s No Room for Guilt

January 19, 2012 by Jennifer Slattery

Romans 8:1 is one of my favorite passages in Scripture: “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” It reminds me, no matter how bad I flub things, I am accepted, not because of what I’ve done but because of what’s been done for me. That’s not to say God doesn’t convict me … often, but it is to say, that even when He’s unveiling my heart, I know I still rest in the palm of His hands. That’s a powerful reminder, one that allows me to move past guilt to love-driven obedience. Today Lynn Bell, author of the Gentle Savior, talks about guilt and what the Christian should do about it.

Putting Guilt in its Place by Lynn Bell

As I read a new Christian book recently, I realized that I am often selfishly concerned about my physical appearance and what people think of me. A familiar feeling of guilt rose up in my heart. Like you, I want to please God, but when I compare myself to the ideals of scripture and the sinless perfection of Jesus, it seems like I will never do enough or be enough. Since I know I’ll never get life completely right, it almost seems like it would be wrong not to experience a pervasive sense of guilt.

Sometimes I forget that God actually sent Jesus so I wouldn’t be guilty any more.

Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body…let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. (Hebrews 10:19-22 NIV)

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus… (Romans 8:1 NIV)

Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us. (Romans 8:34 NLT)

So why do Christians still feel guilty? Guilt does have a place in a healthy relationship with God, but it’s not the role we often give it. We’re used to the way other people in our lives use guilt—that is, to manipulate us into doing what they want and to keep us doing it. Some parents do it, spouses do it, our children do it, even our spiritual leaders sometimes do it. God doesn’t use guilt that way, however.

Just as physical pain warns us that something has gone awry with our anatomy, guilt tells us that something is wrong in our relationship with God. Guilt has a healthy purpose: to produce change. It only becomes unhealthy when we ignore it.

When I became aware that I was guilty of self-centeredness, I did something about it. I repented; that is, I experienced a change of heart and determined that I didn’t like focusing on myself instead of others (II Corinthians 7:8-9). If I had hurt someone specifically, I would have apologized. If I had stolen something or destroyed someone’s property, I would have demonstrated my repentance by making restitution.

I confessed my sin to God and, in this case, to the ladies in my Bible study group (I John 1:7-9, James 5:16).

Then I laid my guilt at the foot of the cross. I accepted his forgiveness and rejoiced because I trust that he has declared me “not guilty” (Romans 4:7-8).

You can read how King David dealt with his guilt in Psalm 51, and you’ll find that even though he was guilty of adultery and murder, he followed a very similar process.

Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight; (v. 4)

Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. (v. 10)
You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it….
My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise. (v. 16-17)
Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. (v. 2)
Restore to me the joy of your salvation. (v. 12)

Guilt is not a fruit of the Spirit. It was never intended to be a way of life for the people of God. God gave us guilt to keep us close to him, and he gave us Jesus to take away our guilt.

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free!” (Galatians 5:1)

Lynn Bell is the author of a new Bible study, The Gentle Savior: Seeing Jesus Through the Eyes of the Women Who Met Him. She blogs at http://thegentlesavior.com

The Gentle Savior: 

“Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did!”This 10-week Bible study joins a thirsty-hearted Samaritan woman in inviting you to meet a man who looks into a woman’s heart and knows exactly what she needs. Who values women regardless of their marital status, professional skills, sexual history, or financial position. Who notices both the heroic faith of women in desperate circumstances and the quiet suffering of sisters racked by grief and chronic illness. Who invites women to work alongside Him and use their intellectual capacity to know him more fully. Who inspires women to give extravagantly and to stay by his side when all the world abandons him.The women of the Gospels discovered in every encounter with Jesus that he was no ordinary first-century rabbi, but a gentle Savior who reflected on them the face of his compassionate Father.This Bible study workbook guides the reader through all the Gospel passages dealing with Jesus and women and concludes with a list of the Top Ten Things Jesus Never said to a Woman.

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Intentional Growth

January 17, 2012 by Jennifer Slattery

Today, Catrina Bradley challenges us to be intentional in our spiritual growth. What can you do today to draw closer to Christ, to grow more Christ-like, and to spread His fame?

NAIL CLIPPINGS AND HAIR TRIMMINGS: Are You Growing? by Catrina Bradley

My poor little dog Lady’s toenails are too long. We’ve been meaning to take her to the VetExpress for weeks, but didn’t seem to get around to it with the Christmas crush. She could use a good trimming, too; she’s getting a bit shaggy.

Like me, her nails need constant clipping and her hair grows out of its styled cut because…well, because we are living organisms, and living things are constantly in a state of change and growth.

If our nails stop growing, that means our bodies are dead.

To be alive means to grow.

If you aren’t growing in Christ, are you alive in Him?

My doggy’s toenails made me think again about Sunday’s thought-provoking sermon. Our guest preacher at FBC this past Sunday was outstanding. He spoke to us about the importance of a Christian growing to maturity.

In closing he asked, “Are you growing in grace and in knowledge? Are you growing spiritually?”

How do you know if you are growing or stagnant?

He gave us 10 questions to think about, to help us see if we growing.

Are You Growing Spiritually?
1. Are you becoming more confident in your salvation, not always questioning whether your salvation took or if you are really saved?
2. Do you feel more satisfied, content, and fulfilled in Christ?
3. Are you becoming increasingly aware of your sinfulness and weaknesses?
4. Are you finding new guidance in familiar scriptures?
5. When at church, you don’t feel the need to keep God on the clock?
6. Are you learning to see trials and temptations more as opportunities for your growth and for God’s glory?
7. Is your perspective on life becoming less temporal and more eternal?
8. Are you eager to share with others what Christ is doing in your life?
9. Are you praying for opportunities to minister to those around you that don’t know Christ?
10. Does the way you spend your money and the way you spend your time indicate Christ’s importance and priority in your life?

My automatic and immediate answer to all of the above was “YES”, but I’m convicted I need to take an honest assessment of my situation. I need spend a little time thinking about each question, meditating on the “YES” areas of my life, and praying to uncover the “not quite” places I’ve secreted away and haven’t fully surrendered.

How about you? Are you growing?

Catrina Bradley grew in Iowa but now makes her home in Georgia where she serves her church as Admin & Ministry Assistant. She has been blissfully married for over 20 years and has a beautiful, talented daughter and two precious puppies. Her Christian poetry, essays, fiction, and devotions have been published in numerous on-line and print venues. She posts quasi-regularly at her blog Scattered Seeds and monthly at Jewels of Encouragement.

Visit her online at Scattered Seeds.

Posted in God's Authors, intentional living, Let's Get Real, Spiritual disciplines, United in Christ | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments »

When God Guides, God Provides

January 15, 2012 by Jennifer Slattery

Host of Wielding the Sword of the Spirit Radio Show interviewed Larry Alston, President of Christ to the World Ministries, a ministry that uses radio waves to share the gospel of Christ. During the interview, Larry shared a story of a writer, now in her eighties, who’d always wanted to be a missionary to India. Illustrating his point that serving doesn’t take formal training, but instead, a willing heart, he went on to tell of the series she wrote, how it was aired in India, and of the great response the series received.

This ministry started maybe 7 years ago, and today, broadcasts in 32 countries, by the grace of God. They don’t have a formal fundraising campaign, and yet, God continues to provide and expand their boundaries. Because when God guides, He provides. What an amazing testimony of what God can do with willing, surrendered hearts!

Listen to the interview here:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/btrplayer.swf

Listen to internet radio with Donald James Parker on Blog Talk Radio

Posted in intentional living, Let's Get Real, United in Christ | Tagged , , | Leave a Comment »

With Eyes Wide Open

January 14, 2012 by Jennifer Slattery

Oh, my poor, sweet, white-knuckling honey. He tells me daily he worries about me, to which I respond, “There’s no need.” Then I lose my wedding ring in the laundry hamper before climbing into my van to casually back out … into a half-opened garage door. Nope, no need to worry at all. I’m not flighty. I’m just a bit distracted, with my head plunged in my next story, radio-drama, or article while reality passes through my peripheral vision. But, oh! If I could begin to live with my eyes wide open, not just to the signs and street-bumps, but to the people God places in my path.

When we lived in Southern California, I read and tried to live out The Prayer of Jabez. The thrust of the book is about asking God to expand your boundaries (for proclaiming Christ) then being alert to the God-moments that arise. The results shocked me. Every day, from the playground to the grocery store, God brought people into my path ready to hear the gospel. Why? I don’t believe it was because of the book or some mysterious prayer, but instead, because He knew I’d seize the opportunity. He knew I was walking with my eyes wide open, ready to proclaim His love and truth. And that’s what it’s all about. Christian, that’s the whole reason you’re here. Not to build a home or nest-egg, but to  point continually to the famous One and God of all comfort.

In Acts chapter 3, Peter and John head to the temple to take part in the afternoon prayer service. While in route, they met a man lame from birth. I imagine the temple gates and surrounding area was much like downtown Seattle or Kansas City with the homeless lining the sidewalk with outstretched hands. I’m sure many walked by, but I imagine many gave. Perhaps some even offered a prayer, focusing on the physical need, then moving on.

But Peter and John, although moved by compassion, kept their eyes on a bigger picture.

Acts 3:4-11

4 Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!” 5 So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them.

 6 Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” 7 Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. 8 He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. 9 When all the people saw him walking and praising God, 10 they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

Peter Speaks to the Onlookers

 11 While the beggar held on to Peter and John, all the people were astonished and came running to them in the place called Solomon’s Colonnade. 12When Peter saw this, he said to them: “Men of Israel, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk?

There’s a lot of powerful truth packed in that little passage.

1. Peter looked straight at the man. And to this you all say, “Amen!” and “Uh-huh,” as if this is a normal and expected reaction.  But let us not forget how we feel walking down main street, passing by those men with matted hair, dirt-packed fingernails, and a thick stench emanating from their body. It’s not easy to look them in the eye, is it? In fact, it’s much easier to avoid them, to pretend we don’t see.

2. Peter addressed the man’s immediate need. Preaching a sermon or saying a prayer is great, but love moves beyond that. Love sees the person, notices their deepest need, then makes every attempt to meet it. This may mean baby-sitting for a single mom, going grocery shopping for the elderly, or providing meals for the homeless. There are as many needs as there are ways to meet them. If we want to accurately represent the love of Christ to a hurting world, we’ll actively follow in Christ’s footsteps.

3. Peter saw the man’s deepest need and pointed to the solution. There are countless humanitarian programs out there, but unless rooted in Christ, they lack the power to create long-term change. A sack lunch will be eaten and digested. A home will house a family but won’t heal a marriage. But a life grounded in Christ moves to healing, to wholeness, to rational-thinking and reconciliation, and ultimately, to the life here-after where there will be no more pain and tears.

4. Peter used the opportunity the miracle provided to create a Jesus-loving buzz.

Like Steven Curtis Chapman says in his fun song, “Every Little Thing,” everything we do must be done for the glory of God. Instead of patting himself on the back and walking away from a job well done–which it was. I mean, come on, they’d just healed a man!–Peter saw an opportunity, an open door:

11 While the beggar held on to Peter and John, all the people were astonished and came running to them in the place called Solomon’s Colonnade. 12When Peter saw this, he said to them: “Men of Israel, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? … “

Lord, may we live with our eyes wide open, ever aware of the needs all around us. May we, like You, see the physical and spiritual needs, and may we use every opportunity to point others back to you, the God of all comfort and truth.

Let’s talk about this!

Join me at Living by Grace as we talk about ways to live with our eyes wide open, making the most of every opportunity, continually pointing others back to Christ.

I also encourage you to read Janalyn’s post about the Famous One, and fellow Living by Grace hostess, Lynda Schultz’s post on making an altar every where we go.

What about you? Has God asked you to let go of something? What made that hard? And what was the result?

Posted in intentional living, Let's Get Real, Living by Grace, United in Christ | Tagged , , , , , , | 8 Comments »

Uh…You’re NOT the Famous One

January 12, 2012 by Jennifer Slattery

As I read through Janalyn’s devotional, one of my favorite worship songs played through my mind. “You are the Lord, the famous one, the famous one, great is your name in all the earth.” God blesses, guides, expands boundaries…for one reason. To make Himself famous. If you’re in ministry receiving accolades, it’s easy to forget that. Praise (to man) is a funny thing–it has a dual effect. It encourages us to keep going, but it also threatens to fan our pride. And we all know what happens to the prideful, right? The Lord opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.

Today, Janalyn Voigt, author of the Tales of Faeraven series, reminds us to stay focused on the One who truly is famous, Jesus Christ, the author and finisher of our faith. Come back Saturday as I expand on this further and talk about finger-pointing–in a good way. grin.

Fame is a bee

It has a song

It has a sting

Ah, too, it has a wing.

~ Emily Dickinson ~

Honey tastes sweet. When eaten in moderation, it strengthens the body and brightens the eye. However, eating too much honey can bring on a stomach ache. “If you find honey, eat just enough— too much of it, and you will vomit” (Proverbs 25:16 NIV). In the same way, a little public recognition can boost self-confidence and spur productivity, but feasting on fame makes a writer sick.

Given this, is it wrong to want fame? After all, It can enhance a writer’s discoverability, bring new opportunities and expand a reader base. Nothing grows a platform like fame. And did I mention money?

Fame is a lot like popularity in high school, with everyone jostling to get next to the privileged few. In our culture today, we look to the famous as role models, even when their morals are less than exemplary. Unable to bear the weight of fame, their lives often crumble. Even in the church, we find a similar focus on the elite. While it’s not wrong to honor those who lay down their lives to spread the gospel, honoring shouldn’t cross the line into worshiping. We all need heroes, but we shouldn’t have idols.

Fame itself can become an idol. But striving after it is like chasing the wind. The Bible cautions us not to try. “It is not good to eat too much honey, nor is it honorable to seek one’s own honor” (Proverbs 25:27 NIV).

What is fame, after all, but the approval of man? The Bible urges us to seek after God, not man. “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God” (Psalm 42:1-2 NIV).

It’s not wrong to want influence, which can provide leverage to help us make a difference in the world. But we should examine our motives. Remember that Satan tempted Jesus in the desert with bread, power and position. Fame seems to promise all three (money, influence and status).

Fame, like that fickle bee Emily Dickinson decries, can fly away on a whim. But God never abandons me. How much better it is to focus on the greatness of His name rather than my own.

Dawn Singer:

At a summons, Shae wings through the air to the High Hold of Faeraven, where all is not as it seems. Visions warn her of danger, and a dark soul

Cover design by Anna O'Brien, Janalyn Voigt and the PYP Collaborative team.

touches hers in the night. When she encounters an attractive but disturbing musician, her wayward heart awakens.

But then there’s Kai, a Guardian. Secrets bind him to Shae, and her safety lies at the center of every decision he makes.

On a desperate journey fraught with peril, they battle war-like Garns, poisonous spider-waevens, ferocious raptors and the wraiths of their own regrets. Can they find a way to release the DawnKing — and salvation — into a divided land? And will they learn that sometimes victory only comes through surrender?

Janalyn Voigt creates worlds of beauty and danger in her fiction. She is currently working on her epic fantasy trilogy, Tales of Faeraven, and a full-length western romance. Janalyn’s credits include Focus on the Family, Scripture Press and Pentecostal Evangel. She is a member of ACFW & NCWA.

Visit her online:

Website: Janalyn Voigt

Twitter: @janalynvoigt

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Posted in God's Authors, intentional living, Let's Get Real, Praise, United in Christ | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments »

Intentional Healing From a Haunted Past

January 10, 2012 by Jennifer Slattery

We hear and talk a lot about intentional growth, intentional service, intentional obedience, but not as much about intentional healing. I believe God wants to bring about wholeness, which necessitates deep and total healing, but I also believe we need to cooperate with Him. I’ve seen it go two ways: I’ve seen those who become a perpetual victim, believing life “happens to them”, hiding beneath a blanket of emotional darkness. I’ve also seen those who firmly grab onto what Christ has done for and in them, moving one step at a time toward the abundant life God promised. I’m not saying it’s easy, nor instantaneous, but Christ died to set us free from EVERYTHING that might hold us back or beat us down.

If you read my article on unpacking suitcases, you’ll remember the journey to emotional freedom can be a rough road. Perhaps that’s why some never take it, or turn around halfway there. But today Diana E. Butts, author of Deliver Me, encourages you to keep on keeping on! Christ came that you may have abundant, vibrant life. Although she talks specifically about the pain and shame of abortion, the principles apply to all of us. We’ve all got shame, regrets, those things that hold us back and keep us from grabbing onto the life God plans for us. But God says, “No more! Come to Me that you might live.” He’s waiting…

Intentional Healing for Haunted Pasts by Dianne E. Butts

Are you silently suffering because you’re living with a secret? If a past secret is haunting you, it’s time to get intentional about your healing.

But how might a person get intentional about such a thing?

As I gathered stories for my most recent book, Deliver Me, I talked with many women and men who have an abortion in their past. That may not be your secret, but I learned a lot from them about what they suffered and how they found healing. Each one of them became intentional about their healing, and then God led them to people who could help them, most of whom had “been there” themselves.

From their example, I gleaned two actions a person can take to be intentional about healing from something in their past:

1.)  Find or Give Forgiveness

Almost all of the ten women who shared their abortion stories in Deliver Me expressed in one way or another that they truly believed they had committed the unforgivable sin—that one sin that God would never forgive. They were wrong. That’s just another lie from the devil. There is only one sin God cannot forgive, and that is to reject the Savior He sent: His Son Jesus Christ. All else can and will be forgiven when we bring it to Him. Here is His promise:

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” 1 John 1:9, NIV. [  http://www.biblegateway.com/quicksearch/?quicksearch=faithful+and+just+to+forgive&qs_version=NIV1984  ]

Others may suffer because they are the victim of someone else’s sin. Unfortunately, in Christian circles there is often an attitude that we need to just “get healed of that.” While wounds may heal, they still leave scars. We can experience healing and at the same time we may also have damage that we will live with for the rest of our lives. It is hurtful when the church, or anyone else, overlooks this or communicates that it is wrong. It’s not wrong. It’s just life. But you can still be intentional about your healing. The key is forgiveness.

I know. I felt you tense as you had a strong reaction to that f-word. You may be thinking, I will never forgive them! I found it extremely freeing when I finally discovered that God was not asking me to forgive for the sake of the one who sinned against me, but for my own sake. My anger and bitterness wasn’t harming them at all, but it was eating me from the inside out. Forgiveness is not letting them off the hook; they still must deal with God on what they’ve done.

If you think it is impossible to forgive someone, I recently saw this video about a man, Kirk Martin, who forgave two teenagers who sexually abused him as a child: [ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7dpGWYZMDc&list=PL4C1619755B165CD1&index=17&feature=plpp_video  ] I found it truly amazing.

Whether your secret is your own sin or you are living as a victim of someone else’s, your first step to intentional healing is forgiveness.

2.) Seek out help.

If your secret is a past abortion, you are not alone. An estimated 43% of all women will have at least one abortion by the time they are 45 years old. [http://www.abortionno.org/Resources/fastfacts.html ] Many people report significant symptoms after experiencing abortion [  http://www.sbpcc.net/post-abortion_help.htm ]. But the good news is there is help. Most pro-life pregnancy centers offer individual counseling or group classes that walk participants through finding God’s forgiveness and healing and you can find the center closest to you at www.OptionLine.org.

For other secrets that need healing, God knows what you need and where you can find help. Seek Him and trust that He will lead you.

Comfort from Scripture

For your comfort, here are the theme Scripture verses from Deliver Me found in Psalm 116. [ http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm116:1-9&version=NIV1984 ]

8 For you, O LORD, have delivered my soul from death, 
   my eyes from tears, 
   my feet from stumbling, 
9 that I may walk before the LORD 
   in the land of the living.

No one can change the past—whether it’s a past abortion or another secret you’re suffering in silence. But we can grab hold of the present and choose intentional healing for our future.

Deliver Me:

She stares at the test strip, palms clammy, breathing uneven. She’s never felt more alone. Tears blur her vision. Panic edges in.

An unplanned pregnancy can leave emotional wounds that take years to heal. The options are many: abortion, adoption, keeping the child. The questions are even more: How? Why? Where can you go for help? What do you do?

Deliver Me: Hope, Help, & Healing through True Stories of Unplanned Pregnancy explores each of the choices and their after-effects, highlighting the most sensitive moments women and men in unplanned pregnancies face, and how it affects grandparents, friends, and other loved ones. You’ll find:

  • More than 50 intriguing true stories
  • Facts and statistics about unplanned pregnancy
  • Practical help
  • Valuable resources

Whether you’re a woman currently facing an unplanned pregnancy, a man whose partner is there, a friend or family member wanting to help, you’ll find hope in the stories of others who walked this road and faced the same decisions.

Is your pregnancy experience in your past? Regardless of what its outcome was, you’ll find kindness, compassion, and healing. You’ve dealt with the pain long enough. It’s time to discover your healing.

***

Dianne E. Butts has more than 250 articles and short stories published in over 50 Christian print magazines, including the Salvation Army’s War Cry, Young Salvationist, Focus on the Family’s Clubhouse magazine, Today’s Christian Senior, Enrichment Journal, On Mission, and Encounter. She regularly writes for the online magazine www.TheChristianPulse.com. Her work has been published in Great Britain, Bulgaria, Poland, Canada, and Korea.

Dianne has contributed to seventeen compilations including Chicken Soup for the Soul: 101 Best Stories of Faith, God Encounters: Stories of His Involvement in Life’s Greatest Moments, For God So Loved the World…He Created Chocolate!, and Zondervan’s New Women’s Devotional Bible.

Find her online:

Posted in God's Authors, intentional living, Let's Get Real | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments »

The Silver Lining of Intentional Trust

January 9, 2012 by Jennifer Slattery

On Saturday I talked about letting go and taking a step of faith toward whatever God is calling you to. Today, Naomi Musch, author of  The Red Fury and The Green Veil  reminds us of the pain of not following after God’s will. Throughout the pages of Scripture, we read accounts of strange obedience–washing in a river seven times to be cleansed of leprosy, marching around a wall for seven days, stepping into a river at flood stage. In every account, from the confusing to the amazing, it all boils down to trust. If we truly know who God is, if we truly understand His nature, the God-head, full of grace, mercy, love and truth, we’d surrender fully, completely, instantly, continually.

The Silver Lining of Trust by Naomi Musch

I’ve never been one for New Year’s resolutions; however, for the first time in my life I feel pressed to take inventory. The past year has marked a season of change. I turned 50 in November, and next month my youngest child of five hits that magical 18. I’ve been a nester, a homeschooling mom for the past eighteen years who only took on a part-time job a few years ago. 2011 has been a year of very high highs and extremely low lows. Suddenly, despite moments of tremendous joy, I find I have a lot of soul-rending regrets. Sorrows have clouded the landscape of my heart. In dwelling on the lows, I find that I regret my leniency as well as my severity. I regret some jobs and some seasons. I regret most battles and many words — or the lack of them.

Regret is a grim reaper. It kills hope and faith and turns the joy of love into heartache. And yet…

When I was a teenager I swore I’d live without regrets. I said I’d never be sorry for anything. That was a prideful thing to say, even privately. A person who doesn’t regret lives arrogantly. It’s like saying they never do anything wrong, or if they do, so what? That was me back then.

But I’ve learned that regrets, when put into a right perspective, lead to repentance, and repentance leads to mercy. And mercy makes me grow in Grace.

I wrestle with those things I can’t change as I watch my children grapple with their own decisions. I struggle between the right balances of introspection and putting the past behind.

“Press on toward the mark,” the Holy Spirit whispers to my heart. My choices have consequences. Sometimes the consequence is the knowledge that I can’t have a do-over. Still, if I also choose to repent, or if my regrets aren’t the result of sin, but merely disappointing outcomes to decisions, I can turn them over to the Lord and not be overcome by them.

A new year stretches out before us. It may be a terrific year, but it will likely come with disappointments too. Regrets may surface. Loss could be inevitable. But my goal for the year is to trust God intentionally when it comes to these hurts, heartaches, and the things I wish I had or hadn’t done.

It’s a familiar Scripture He whispers, “But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way (italics mine), and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. Only let us hold true to what we have attained.” (Philippians 3:13-16)

What intentional living and intentional trust!

This morning I wrote in my journal, “Dear Lord, help me to trust in You for the silver lining around the clouds.” Some might call it positive thinking, but not I. I know it is intentional trusting. It’s the course I must steel my heart to take, keeping my eyes on those sparkling edges, holding fast and true to God’s embrace.

The Red Fury: 

Lainey Kade has been spurned twice since the death of her true love in a logging accident. Now there’s been talk. “That Lainey, she’s a shrew all right. Not ever going to marry, likely.” Seeing herself as an unlovable vixen on whom God has turned His back, she hardens herself to the prospect of such a painful emotion again. Walking away from love’s possibilities and from trusting God, Lainey looks for solace instead in seeking adventure and breaking the rules.

Zane and Kelly Beaumont are drifters, brothers suffering their own disillusionment and bitter degrees of “soldier’s heart” since the Civil War. When their paths join Lainey’s, risky actions and emotions long thought buried set their course on edge. Then the Great Peshtigo Fire sweeps across the young Wisconsin wilderness, swallowing thousands of lives and 2,400 square miles in its wrath. And Lainey realizes that if she allows the spark of love inside her to flame again, it may tear them each apart.

Naomi Dawn Musch was born and raised in central Wisconsin and now makes her home in Wisconsin’s vast northwoods where the vistas are ripe to feed the imagination of anyone interested in history.  She and husband Jeff have three grown children and two under wing on their 150 acre farm where they dabble at raising a menagerie of animals.

Naomi has been publishing a regional newsletter for home educators for the past thirteen years entitled Apples of Gold.  See the page “Apples of Gold for Home Educators” for more information. She is also a staff writer for Living Stones News, a regional Christian newpaper; and a regular contributor to Home School Enrichment magazine.www.livingstonesnews.com  www.homeschoolenrichment.com www.applesofgoldnews.com

Besides writing, Naomi enjoys homeschooling her children, gardening, taking walks in the woods, a little basketball, and fellowshipping with friends.

Visit her online.

And join the conversation:

What has helped you to trust God more? What are the benefits of full surrender based on total trust? What do you think hinders our trust?

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