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Archive for December, 2010

Unsinkable Faith by Shannon Taylor Vannatter

Posted in God's Authors, In Time for the Holidays, United in Christ, tagged , , , , on December 15, 2010 | 2 Comments »

Shannon Taylor Vannatter, author of White Roses, had numerous devotions that easily could have made my top 20 of 2010. I chose this one because I am a firm believer in taking our thoughts captive and making them obedient to Christ. Negativity is like a rapidly growing cancer. The minute you let that first negative thought in, another one comes riding on its shirttails, and before you know it, your head’s swimming with negativity. When I read Shannon’s devo, I have a vision of this beautiful sister in Christ holding her shield of faith high as one flaming arrow after another came her way. Yet, she was shielded, protected, wearing her nice rose colored glasses.

Today’s devo first appeared on Inkspirational Messages on July 6, 2010.

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Since I’m an optimist, unsinkable faith is a no brainer to me. Yes, I get down, but I don’t stay there long and when I get up, I put my rose-colored glasses right back on.

For eight years, I’ve put my unsinkable faith into practice in my role as a mom. This is the hardest, most rewarding part of my life. Even harder than getting published. Since I’m the main care taker, I have a large responsibility to mold my son into a Godly boy, a Godly teenager, a Godly man, a Godly husband, and a Godly father. The teenager part already makes me shudder and I’ve been praying about it since before he was born.

For nine years, I put my unsinkable faith into practice while trying to get published. I never said, if I get published, I always said, when I get published. When I got a rejection, I sent out another query, or proposal I kept studying my craft, striving, and submitting. And eventually editors took notice.

For nine years, I’ve put my unsinkable faith into practice in my role as a pastor’s wife. I’ve said it before, but the hardest part to me is that people become part of my family. But sometimes, they don’t stay. I’ve learned to embrace each new visitor or member for as long as they stick around. And know that if anyone leaves, He’ll bring in new people to love.

For twenty-six years, I’ve put my unsinkable faith into practice in my role as a wife. My husband and I are pulled in so many different directions. He works full-time as a dental technician and is supposedly a part-time pastor. Much of his time is spent pastoring and putting together sermons. Much of my time is spent supporting him in those efforts. Often, my days are monopolized with writing, revising, editing, and marketing. All of our down time is spent keeping our son happy and healthy. All of this leaves little time for us.

But no matter how crazy and complicated life gets, even when the valleys come and we think we’ll never see daylight from the mountain top again, I know it will all work out okay. God said it would be: “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28)

And that’s where I hang my unsinkable faith, on a God who keeps all His promises.  What areas of your life have required unsinkable faith lately?

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Shannon Taylor Vannatter married her high school sweetheart. Since then her husband answered the call to preach and they became first-time parents 16 ½ years into their marriage. 25 years later, she is a stay-at-home mom/pastor’s wife/writer. When not writing, she runs circles in the care and feeding of her husband Grant, their eight-year-old son, and their church congregation. Home is a central Arkansas zoo with two charcoal gray cats, a chocolate lab, a dragonfish, and three dachshunds in weenie dog heaven. If given the chance to clean house or write, she’d rather write. Her goal is to hire Alice from the Brady Bunch.

Her series with Heartsong Presents launched in May with White Roses. White Doves follows in October, and White Pearls in January. Each book ships to a 10,000 member bookclub, then to stores six months later. All three books are set in Romance and Rose Bud, Arkansas. Brides and lovebirds take advantage of the re-mailing program to have wedding invitations and Valentines cards mailed from Romance with a unique postmark. Romance also hosts several annual weddings with Valentine’s Day the most popular date.

Order White Roses at http://www.heartsongpresents.com/book/detail/9781602607552/. Learn more about Shannon and her books at http://shannonvannatter.com. Her new blog, The Inkslinger, features true love stories, inspirational author’s real-life romances, insight into the love lives of their fictional characters, book excerpts, romantic destinations, and weekly book giveaways at http://www.shannonvannatter.com/blog.

And a bit about her novel, White Roses:

Pastor Grayson Sterling loves his wife. The problem is, Sara was killed by a hit-and-run driver two years ago. Grayson knows he needs to move on, that the continuing depth of his grief is not healthy for him or his young son. Desperate, he convinces his church to hire Mark Welch as associate pastor to relieve him of some of his load. When Adrea Welch arrives at his church with her brother, Grayson cannot deny his attraction to her.

For years, florist Adrea Welch has been artfully arranging white roses for Sara Sterling. Now those flowers are carried to the cemetery by a faithful, grieving husband. How can Adrea be so attracted to a man still devoted to his dead wife? When secrets from Adrea’s past collide with their budding relationship, both she and Grayson must learn to lean on God’s abiding wisdom.

 

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Peace Amidst the Storm by Lynn Squire

Posted in In Time for the Holidays, Let's Get Real, United in Christ, tagged , , , , , , , on December 14, 2010 | 2 Comments »

Today’s devo first appeared on Lynn Squire’s Faith, Fiction, Fun and Fanciful on September 29, 2010. I read this on a particularly stressful day, and was instantly brought to tears. The soft, gentle reminder to release the reigns, to let go and let God, penetrated deep into my heart, reminding me that the battle was not mine to fight. My job was to abide and obey, the rest was up to my Sustainer and Creator. I pray that God will speak those same gentle words to your heart today and that as you read this devotion, you will rest in His sustaining love for you, knowing He is in complete control and He will never leave you nor forsake you.
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At the heart of every trial, every emotional upheaval, every tribulation, faith sits facing personal weaknesses. Words and actions and reactions whirl around like a violent tornado undaunted by human attempts for solutions. But God, the Creator, can still the storm with a simple “peace, be still.”

Okay. We’ve heard this before and have probably sang the children’s song,With Jesus in My Boat I Can Smile at the Storm. But for me, the meaning deepened through a series of almost humorous but very stressful trials.

This summer we got a puppy after our wonderful dog, Bizmark was put to sleep for an unfortunate mishap.

Before we went “dog shopping” at the local humane societies, I made a very clear statement to my children that we would not be getting a puppy, because a puppy is too much work. I knew exactly what I wanted . . . another Bizmark.

But two little rottweiler puppies about 8 weeks old huddled together in a cold cell while large vicious animals barked around them and humans made all sorts of strange noises at them. The puppies big brown eyes looked up at us. Their little tails swished back and forth, and they sang a song of misery with their little puppy voices.

Later that day, I received a call to come and pick which puppy we would take. My daughter had her eye on one, and I had my eye on the other. She got her way despite my better judgment. The most rambunctious of the two rode home in the van with us and gained the name Jasmine, or Jazz for short (which suits her far better).

Weeks followed with me stressed out and ready to turn myself into an insane asylum. “I didn’t want this dog!” would be followed with a flood of tears as I worked to clean up the disasters Jasmine produced. Sleepless nights for the hollowing and several middle of the night potty breaks . . . I felt like I adopted a baby.

. . . until I’d reached the end of my coping ability and slumped down before God begging Him to take me home to Heaven since I was no longer capable of handling things on earth.

Then I knew Jasmine’s life purpose.

She would forever be a meter measuring my boiling point and a spiritual stretching machine to lengthen my character and faith muscles. Oy.

For once in my life I came face to face with something I could not control, no matter how hard I tried. I’ve stopped a running horse by bulldogging its muzzle. I’ve knocked two attacking great danes down to the ground Arnold Schwarzenegger’s style (see the movie, True Lies). I’ve rounded up stampeding horses while riding bareback and cracking a lunge whip, but I could not keep this little 15 lb puppy from turning my world upside down.

Things needed to change, and the change needed to begin with me.

God, in His great mercy, pointed out through Scripture that if I truly trusted Him, something as little as a puppy could not steal my peace. Oy. How humiliating.

He then wrapped His loving arm around me and pointed out that He was in control, I just needed to let Him have the reins (or should I say leash). That was the first step.

Each week, as Jasmine gained five or more pounds, I gained a little more flexibility in my spiritual fingers . . . letting God have that much more control.

We faithfully took Jasmine to puppy training once a week. At the end of the sessions even the trainer was throwing her hands up and the air and wondering how anyone could want a dog like her. I shrugged my shoulders and smiled. God wanted us to have a dog like her because He loved me enough to kindly point out my weaknesses, and how I need to change so that I could better glorify Him.

I learned that Jasmine was not motivated by food but by praise. I’ve also learned that when I let stress get the better of me, she goes crazy. My meter. My measure given to me by God to know when I need to let go and trust God and stop trying control every situation.

I also got a deeper understanding of love. That love expressed according to I Corinthians 13 is positive reinforcement . . . the very kind of love Jasmine responds to.

Through His Word, God revealed a wealth of things about why I am here–even when things are out of control, even when I fail, even when I’ve concluded that I’m utterly worthless–I’m here to glorify Him and for His good pleasure.

Jasmine is adorable. She wiggles and smiles and is probably the happiest puppy on the face of the earth. And while she is mischievous and completely self-centered, she can easily wash away my frustrations with her loving licks and rapidly wagging tail. She’s no Bizmark. She’ll never win any obedience trophies. But she brings us a lot of joy. If this creature who creates havoc can bring me pleasure, than perhaps, in some small way, I can do that for God.

But I needed to change. I needed to stop thinking I’m the one that solves all the problems and when things go wrong that I’m a big failure.

I came up with an action plan that arose from my devotions during this time. Here’s the short version:

  1. Praise the Lord, rejoice in Him, and maintain a thankful heart–always.
  2. Positive reinforcement in every relationship – Love with God’s love (I Cor 13).
  3. Live for God’s glory and pleasure.
  4. Trust God completely–in every situation and in every relationship.
  5. Pray without ceasing.
  6. Be gracious and kind no matter what opposition I might face.

While these six things seem simple, they are not. But by the grace of God and the guidance of His Holy Spirit I will strive each day to replace the craziness of my control-freak attitude with these that do produce the peace I so earnestly seek.

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Lynn is a born again believer of her  Lord Jesus Christ, a wife, mother and author. Visit her blog, Faith, Fiction, Fun and Fanciful to find out more about her and her writing. And as always, if you loved this devo and want it to make my top three of 2010, tweet it, fb share it, “like” it, or leave a comment. (I tested the “like” button yesterday and it is working, although you might need to be a subscriber to “like” the post.)
As you listen to the following song, ask God to show you one area you need to release to Him today, then commit to obey.

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Can I Exchange This Please? by Robin Prater

Posted in In Time for the Holidays, Let's Get Real, United in Christ, tagged , , , , , on December 13, 2010 | 3 Comments »

Today’s post first appeared on the Robin’s Nest on November 18th. How different our lives might look if we were given the pen to write them, but how different we would look as well. That perseverance developed during that valley we thought would never end, would not be there, impatience taking its place instead. And that heartfelt compassion that allows us to cry deeply with a wounded friend, would have been replaced with callus. Those hole-infested sweaters are rather cumbersome, aren’t they? But the end result is priceless, a radiant work of God.

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Oh, what a pretty sweater! It is a must have in my bag. So, I go up to the counter with my gorgeous purchase and leave with a smile. I get home and begin looking at my find just a little better and do you know it has a hole in it? What I thought was perfect is not. What I thought I would love to have no longer makes me smile. How many times have we stood in that exchange line? Sometimes we have a receipt to make an exchange, but many times we do not and what happens then? We are stuck with a sweater with a hole in it. But, let’s really think about this. Is it really as bad as it seems?
Hey, we are women, right? We can sew! Put a needle and thread in my hand and I can fix that hole. It might not look perfect. It might have a ripple or two in the seam, but I can patch that hole. Who needs a new one, I can make this one work just fine! But what happens after we wash it? Yep, that hole is no longer tiny, but now stretched and tattered. Really, haven’t you been there too? You love the color, the fit and style. You don’t want to throw it away. Look what you paid for it. It can be fixed right? Okay, maybe we just wear it around the house. Maybe we just where it to play outside in the snow with the kids. Put a jacket on over it, who will notice? Probably the only one who will notice is me. I know the hole is there. I know it’s no longer perfect.
Isn’t that like our lives? We didn’t sign up to stand in the exchange line. We don’t have a receipt. We want to fix what is broken, but can we really? The more we try the bigger the hole gets and now, does anyone really want us around? We want perfection and what do we get? A big hole under our arm! No one else can see the pain, but we can. We walk with it. We try to hide it. We learn to cover it up well. Just don’t raise your arm! Just don’t let anyone hug me or touch me and I will be okay. Please, don’t let anyone ask me how I am. I am praying no one looks close enough to see the hole in my heart. I want to stand in that exchange line and fight until something or someone will help me!!
Jesus, please help me!! Can you hear me screaming? Can you hear me crying out to You? I DON’T WANT THIS AND I WANT TO EXCHANGE IT!! Have you been there to my friend? We think we know what we want. We are sure of what is perfect for us, but after we have worn it a while we now know we picked out the wrong sweater. Why do I go shopping anyway? Why is what I have still not good enough? Why am I always searching for something different? Something more? Am I not content?
Many times we can receive a gift that wasn’t on our wish list. Many times we open it in total surprise. What do I do with this now? Oh my, this is not my color? This is not going to fit me! But do we exchange a gift? Do we wear it with a smile? Do we dare give it to another? Most of the time we wouldn’t want anyone else to wear it either. We know it’s scratchy. It’s uncomfortable. It’s just downright ugly!

Matthew 5:3-12 ” Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed area those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

Life is choice. In our choices it is our attitude that matters most. Sometimes the “gifts” we receive are consequences of our actions. Sometimes we just need to wear those until they wear completely out. That way we remember not to go back in that store again. Sometimes, life sends a package we didn’t expect and we find ourselves wondering why someone would send something so ugly. But beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Many times we don’t understand how much time grandma put into knitting that sweater. We don’t see Aunt Sally saving every dime to purchase the sweater she can while she does without. Once we take our eyes off our own sorry selves and begin to see the sweater we soon see the story behind each and every stitch. We see the love in the gift even it’s something unexpected, something unwanted. Those unexpected and unwanted gifts are still gifts, they just carry different meanings. Sometimes you just have to put on the sweater and wear it for a bit to understand it really is the perfect fit.

We can go to the Lord with our sweater in hand. We can exchange our sorrow for joy. We can exchange our pain for laughter. We can exchange our bitterness for  forgiveness. Our anger for peace. Our meanness for kindness. Our complacency for zeal. Our gossip for love. Our rebellion for obedience. Our selfishness to selflessness. Neglect for faithfulness. Our unbelief for trust. Our failure into hope. Do you see the pattern here my friends?  We can exchang our brokenness for healing. We can exchange fear for faith. When we are dealt something we do not want, we can go to God and exchange it for His will. Might all our exchanges be for His will and not our own. We suffer so much in the sweaters we wear. We wear them with such anger and hate. We wear them with jealousy and envy. We can exchange our worldly desires for God’s will. We can exchange our selfish attitudes for attitudes reflecting Christ. May we make that exchange line about Christ and not ourselves. Might we see those standing next to us and see the sweater within their hand too. What we want is not necessarily what we need. Our wants and needs are two totally different things. Sometimes we need to wear what we don’t want so we can see what it is we do need.
Jesus Christ paid the price for our red sweater. He stood there in line so that we didnt’ have to. See, He has already made the exchange. His life for ours. May we begin to look at our sweater with a new hope, a new faith, and a new trust. Might we love the sweater we are wearing. Don’t be so quick to trade it in. It might seem a little tight, a little lose, or maybe just something you would never pick out for yourself, but lets remember that God is the perfect shopper.

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As always, if you loved, loved, loved Robin’s devo and think it should make our top three of 2010, tweet it, fb share it, or leave a comment and at the end of the month, I’ll tally every tweet, share and comment and will reveal your all-time favs!

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A Venemous Tongue

Posted in Let's Get Real, United in Christ, tagged , , , , , on December 11, 2010 | 6 Comments »

Before I get too far, I’m going to send you over to  A Woman’s Voice where a dear friend posted one of my articles on marriage. I don’t remember when I originally wrote it. I took it down fairly quickly after Dolores sent me a request to use it on her site, but it was likely an expansion on the wonderful article Kevin Adams wrote for me on Reflections, A Christ-centered Marriage: A Priceless Original.

Hopefully all you subscribers aren’t getting bogged down with daily posts. Tomorrow, your email box will be Slattery free…I hope. (As long as the sermon doesn’t inspire another post. hahaha)

Yesterday I received an email that bothered me, for numerous reasons. It was one of those “as told to”, so there really isn’t anything I can do to address the problem, except pray, which is likely the best course of action anyway. But my dissapointment came down to two things I thought worth addressing:

1) The content in the email failed to acknowledge or understand the body of Christ.

2) It failed to protect the body of Christ.

Perhaps we are a bit too comfortable here in the US. No one’s hunting us down, ready to burn us at the stake for our faith. Our greatest persecution? Probably an email, or a negative fb post, or article. Occassionally someone may make a snide comment or two. So we really don’t need each other, right? Which means we can speak negatively of our brothers and sisters in Christ whenever we want. Oh, yeah, we’re a body. A family. But have you seen the way those believers down at Trinity United act? And what about our last prayer meeting? Only a handful of people showed. You know, I’ve been to many of our church members’ houses. Most of them have five televisions. I bet they spent the afternoon glued to the tv screen.

Yep, we’re a body of believers, united in Christ.

One thing I learned, or decided, early on in marriage: I would never, ever, put my husband down in public. Or to our daughter. Why? I protect him, which means protecting his image–defending his character, being his chearleader. You can’t be a chearleader and speak negatively about someone. It’s like talking out of both sides of your mouth.

I also do not speak negatively of our daughter. She gets concerned at times with all the “proud Momma” posts I write, and says people will think she’s an angel, which she’s not. (Well, she is in my eyes. grin) But do you really need to hear of her mistakes? That is between her and I.

Do we honor the body of Christ to the same extent, or are those just words we say on Sunday morning?

I think I am blessed that I have had to rely on the body on numerous occasions. I have been housed by fellow believers, prayed for, encouraged–loved, often by people I had never met previously. Numerous times throughout my life, through countless moves and difficulties, the body of Christ stepped up. They became my family, sealed by the blood of Christ. Which means, the same rules that apply to my nuclear family apply to them. I will defend them. I will protect their reputation and I will look for the best in them.

I will also recognize their unique position and gifting in the body. Each day I get numerous requests from fb friends and other ministries, for donations, to pray, to spread the word about their ministry. And they are all very good, very important, very Christ-centered ministries. But I cannot support them all and although I try to be diligent with my prayers, I cannot pray for them all. Nor can I go to every church function that is scheduled. Does that mean I am selfish? That I do not care about those ministries? Not at all, and likely most will never see or know many of the things our family does–which is as it should be. Which is where trust comes in–not in us, but in God, who forms the body as He wills, stirring each member to do their part.

Why do I say that? Not to defend the Slattery family, because we were not the ones under attack. My dear brothers and sisters in Christ were under attack, and because they did not participate in a ministry that one body member was very passionate about, they were judged as callus. And they were slandered.

And we are the body of Christ.

So here’s my admonition. Be very, very careful what you say about a fellow servant. Negative, judgemental comments divide the body and defame the name. It hurts more than our brothers and sisters. It hurts our witness. You cannot in one breath talk about Christ’s transforming power and in the next, slander another believer. The two statements contradict each other.

Be alert, and supportive, of our God-designed differences and do not expect God to place your passion in everyone else’s heart. Yes, your passion is important. If it weren’t, God woudln’t have given it to you. But there is a big, wide world out there with numerous people needing help. There are shelters needing food and food servers, churches needing ministers to train the food servers, sex-trafficking victims needing protectors, new believers needing disciplers, children needing caretakes, elderly needing comforters, the sick needing nurturers and healers.

Be slow to judge, as it says in Romans 14:4 “Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.”

Who makes him stand? Who holds the body together? Who raises up ministries and trains workers for the harvest? The Lord. So my admonition to us all is that we would spend less time judging what we think is wrong and more time working toward what is right. Every time you are tempted to dishonor another member through words or actions, flip it, and find a way to bless them instead. Then, sit back and watch how God blesses your obedience. And never forget, there is power in unity.

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A Fish Out of Water, I mean, A Siberian Husky in the South

Posted in In Time for the Holidays, Let's Get Real, United in Christ, tagged , , , , on December 10, 2010 | 4 Comments »

Before I introduce you to today’s devo, I’m going to route you over to Reflections. Elaine Cooper, author of The Road To Deer Run, shared a very touching story with us today, one that for me was like a heart-exposing microscope. I don’t want to sound callus, or belittle the intense pain she went through, but I do want to point to a deeper truth. There is one reason and one reason alone that Elaine and her husband were able to stand–because Christ held them together. I have seen tragedy hit both the Christian and non. From my experience, without Christ, humans become increasingly angry, cynical and bitter as they age. While the Christians I know become increasingly joyful and loving. I cannot speak outside of my personal experience, but year after year, life after life, this is what I’ve seen.

Now to jump off my heart-wrenching soap box (because that is how I feel watching the non-believers around me spiral into increased anger and distrust, knowing the way to the ladder, but being powerless to take that step for them), let me introduce you, once again, to Sheila Hollinghead. The following article was first posted on Sheila Hollinghead’s blog, Clearing Skies.

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Here in south Alabama, almost everyone loved the snow we received Friday. After all, it had been seventeen years since our last real accumulation of snow. So when huge flakes fluttered from the sky, we pulled out gloves, scarves and thick coats for the grandkids. Outside, the eight-month-old reached to touch the snow and looked at me in amazement when he felt its coldness. His brother and sister threw snowballs and built snowmen while I drank in the happy sight.

No one was more excited about the falling snow than our Siberian Husky, Satchel. He pulled against his chain, eager to join in the fun. We released him and a new-found energy, some secret connection between his snowy-white fur and the snow flakes, had him frolicking, prancing and jumping in excitement. His face broke out into a dog smile. We joined in his fun, laughing at his display of pure, unbridled joy.

But inside I felt a little sad. He is a Siberian Husky, made for the snow, for the cold, and he relished in it. Yet he lived here, in the south with our hot, muggy summers, so far away from his true home.

Yet can’t the same be said of us? “This world is not my home, I’m just a passing through.” We were made for heaven and unbridled joy awaits us there. This world with its disappointments, sorrows, pains and tears is to us like the hot, muggy south is to Satchel. But one day Jesus will say, “Enter in, faithful servant” and we will be happiness personified, like Satchel in the snow.

Sheila has a B.S. in biology from Alabama’s Troy University and did post-graduate work at Auburn University and Columbus College. At Southern Junior High in Columbus, Georgia, she taught middle-school science for five years. After moving to Opp, Alabama, she continued teaching science and math for fourteen more years at Fleeta Junior High. In 1995 she retired and has since devoted much of her time to the study of the Bible and to her writing. Her blog is the inspirational Clearing Skies.

As always, if you loved today’s devotion, fb share it, tweet it, or leave a comment. (Apparently my “like” button isn’t working. I’d try to fix it, but I’m off to meet my mentor. grin.)

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A Season of Forgiveness by Edwina Cowgill

Posted in God's Authors, In Time for the Holidays, Let's Get Real, tagged , , , , on December 9, 2010 | Leave a Comment »

During the holidays, our stress levels mount and those little things that used to be easily overlooked suddenly weigh on us like heavily-decked barbells. Family members gather in closely confined areas, bringing with them their quirks, inconsiderate tendencies, and baggage–a recipe for disaster which is fueled to explosion if we bring with us even the slightest hint of unresolved anger. That comment Aunt Bertha made ten years back? Yep, out it pops, swirling through our memory, along with all those sarcastic jokes that fly off Uncle George’s tongue.

So, what can you do? Hide away in your nice, safe, non-confrontational closet. (Oh, that sounds so nice! J/K. Almost) How about you drop a few suitcases and make the effort to travel light? This season, add a dash of forgiveness to your plate. (You might also be interested in an article Bruce Hebel wrote for Reflections.)

Today’s devotion comes from Edwina Cowgill. As you read over her wise words, ask God to show you festering wounds that need amputating by the scalpel of forgiveness.

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A few weeks ago, a dear friend made a comment that caused me to stop and think. She said, “It’s a season of forgiveness, a season of friendship, a season of new starts. One act of forgiveness can change the outcome of a life.”

I believe there are certain “levels” of offense. Before you scream in protest “An offense is an offense is an offense…” let me say that this is not based on Scripture but on years of observing and counseling people:

Level 1: Offenses of No Significance: An example of this would be the “grocery cart bump,” where someone who is in a great hurry accidently bumps another person’s cart. The bumper says to the bumpee “excuse me” and most normal, sane people will answer “no problem” or some other acknowledgement and life goes on.

Level 2: Offenses of Minor Significance: After you have worked for hours and hours in your yard, your neighbor, who just happens to be married to the Chairperson of the Landscaping Committee for the homeowners association, wins the “Yard of the Month Award” and rubs your nose in that fact.

Level 3: Significant Offenses: Perhaps a significant offense would be when a dear friend, or a spouse makes an extremely unkind remark about you. Extremely unkind.

Level 4: Offenses of Major Significance: With this level, begin the wounds that usually change a person’s life. A spouse leaves his/her family for another person. A teenager rebels and begins a life of addiction.

Level 5: Offenses of Grave Significance: Wounds of grave significance are usually wounds that are inflicted on a person in their early years as a toddler or young school age child. These wounds are normally caused by a parent or a major caregiver in the life of a child. Sometimes, these wounds are buried by the child and forgotten until something later in life triggers the memory of that wound. For that adult, it is as if their entire body is being ripped in two and everything they thought was buried has been dug up. These types of wounds range from abuse to absentee parent(s) to never being accepted and loved unconditionally by one or both parents.

If there are levels of offense, then it would stand to reason that there are levels of forgiveness. Right? Wrong. Forgiveness is forgiveness. And as Christians, we are commanded to forgive. It’s not an option. And it’s serious business. Jesus said, “For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” (Matthew 6:14-15)

I don’t think the language can get much clearer than that! If we forgive people who offend and hurt us, God will forgive us our offenses. If we don’t forgive people who offend and hurt us, God will not forgive us our offenses.

There’s not a cap on the number of times we are to forgive. Again in the book of Matthew, we read this: Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy times seven.” (Matthew 18:21-22).

Someone is probably thinking, “So if I forgive someone 490 times (70 x 7) and they offend me for the 491st time, I don’t have to forgive them? No. Jesus used those numbers to illustrate the fact that there is no limit on the number of times we must forgive those who offend us.

But what if the wound is one of those of grave significance? Must we forgive that person too? Absolutely. If we want our sins forgiven, we must forgive those who sinned against us. But how can one forgive the person who wounded them so deeply that their entire life was affected by that wound?

Many years ago, I heard an excellent teaching on forgiveness. The teacher had been wounded deeply. She shared that she had learned to pray “make me willing to be willing to forgive.” You see, she had learned an invaluable lesson on forgiveness. Sometimes we are not able to forgive on our own. Maybe it’s because the wound is too deep and the hurt is too great. Whatever the reason, we are not able to forgive. The Bible says that “God looks on the heart.” Even though this teacher was not able to forgive on her own, God heard her prayer of “make me willing to be willing to forgive.” He looked at her heart and knew she wanted to forgive. He had compassion and mercy on her and answered her prayer. Soon, she was able to pray, “Make me willing to forgive.” And God answered her prayer again and she reached the point of saying “I forgive….”

I’ve used this prayer myself many times in my life. I fully believe God understands and knows my heart when I pray this prayer. He knows I realize I must forgive that person but at that moment in time, I am unable to forgive on my own. Thus, I ask for His help and He answers. As I become more willing, forgiveness appears on the horizon and eventually becomes full blown in my heart.

If you have been wounded, at any level, I encourage you to begin to forgive. It may not be easy. It can be an uphill battle. Pray the “willingness” prayer. Begin to be willing to be willing to forgive. God will help you. He will walk with you every step of the way until forgiveness is full blown in your heart. With forgiveness comes healing.

Oh, yes. When is the season of forgiveness? Every day.

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Edwina has written numerous articles. Many have been published on various websites including the Houston Examiner and the Midsouth Diocese of the Charismatic Episcopal Church. Her short story, “Katie’s Story: A Story of Redemption and Love” was published in 2009. A second short story, “The Front Porc” has just been published in Skinned Knees and Skate Keys. Edwina updates her blog three times a week.

She is a member of American Christian FictionWriters, Writers of Remarkable Design, and member of the Southside W.O.R.D. She is also a member f Christian Writers United, a writing group within her community.  Visit Monarch Ministries to find out more about Edwina and her heart for God and women.

To repeat my normal, too-oft repeated reminder, if you like this devotion fb share it, “like” it, tweet it or leave a comment.

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Until You Trim the Weeds by Kevin Adams

Posted in In Time for the Holidays, Let's Get Real, United in Christ, tagged , , , on December 8, 2010 | 3 Comments »

I stumbled upon Kevin’s blog quite by accident and have come to enjoy his Christ-centered posts. After reading one article in particular, I asked him to be a guest columnist on Reflections. What he wrote about marriage greatly impacted our readers. (I expanded on his point, discussing the how, the following week.) This devotion reminded me of an experience my husband and I went through about five years back. Finding ourselves in a place of unemployment, all of our belongings packed into storage, praying our newly built home would sell before we landed in debt, God asked me, “Do you still love Me? Will you praise Me even now?” At this time, Casting Crowns launched their song, “I Will Praise You in the Storm” and I clung to those words daily with determination. They became my mantra for a time and in those months of uncertainty, I understood what is meant by “a sacrifice of praise.” Sometimes our praise comes from a joyful heart. Other times, it is a sacrifice, a choice, an understanding that God is worthy of our praise regardless of our circumstances.

This article first appeared on Wake Up My Faith on Septermber 9, 2010.

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Weed Eating Revelations #101

God gave me the privilege of working beneath the blue sky this past weekend, on a farm belonging to friends. I handled a few of their chores and they handled a few of my bills. I spent most of the day behind a sizeable weed trimmer, working along the perimeter of their property. There was a strip of rough terrain near the front entrance that presented a problem. It meets the road and then slopes back about 45 degrees, so you can’t mow it. It has no grass, only dollar weeds hovering just above the ground. But those weeds were treacherously disguising the jagged pea sized rocks underneath.

Now I’m used to suburban style weed-eating where shorts are a must, so that’s what I wore this weekend. When my friend put this section of his land on the to-do list, I sincerely thought about leaving. There’s something about launching rocks at myself that makes me reluctant. I can pay my electric bill some other way, I thought. Sure enough, 30 seconds into a 30 minute job and my shins were getting blasted. I must’ve tilted that trimmer at least 15 different angles to stop it, but nothing, just rocks. This went on for 10 minutes until blood was actually running down my leg (a few trickles) – no exaggeration. The pain was intense!

I gave it few more minutes and finally hoisted up that trimmer. “That’s it! I‘m not doing this! Hard work is one thing, but this is torture!” I reached for the kill switch to turn the motor off, but at that very moment my eyes were drawn to the trimmer head. Something was missing. I stopped its rotation and noticed that every inch of string was gone. That didn’t take long – I guess it was all those stones? The Lord reminded me of my commitment- crud! So I replaced the string, restarted the trimmer and forged ahead. I just couldn’t quit, but the remaining work seemed insurmountable. The pain was killing me. My legs continued to feel like they were being sprayed with buck shot. All I could do now was pray in frustration. “Lord why are you doing this to me? Why do want me to be in pain?” I continued trimming but got madder and madder at God for making me do this, just to pay a bill. No answer!

I finally got so tired of it I said to Him, “you know what?! I don’t care what you do to me! I WILL complete this work! I don’t care how much it hurts, I‘m going to be HUMBLE and finish, even if my legs fall off!” About 3 seconds after that, a large rock nailed me right in the fore head. The sting was intense; I even felt a little dizzy. Everything in me was screaming “Stop! This is ridiculous!” I didn’t speak to God after that, but just kept working in anger, thinking my sacrifice would be seen as humility. I forgot about my iPod until it fell from my shirt pocket- must’ve been all the dancing around. I hope nobody saw that. Anyway, I’d left it on pause earlier, and shoved it in my pocket. It was a nice surprise. I pressed play with no discernment of what song was on. Anything would be a nice distraction from the beating my shins were taking. I even began to sing without paying a lick of attention. But after a moment of it, the lyrics were inescapable. I realized then that God was speaking to me through that song – answering my complaint.

“And though my heart is torn I will praise you in this storm” (Casting Crowns)

Surely He was telling me to praise Him, right then, in this storm! But He was talking about more than the shower of rocks hitting my legs and face. Honestly, I’ve been angry for months over our situation, maybe longer, and He knew it. As the song played out, I was having overwhelming thoughts of Jesus. I could see Him being mocked, beaten and spat upon, while remaining quiet. My heart softened up and I could feel tears approaching. But they were for His pain instead of my own. God impressed upon me in waves that JESUS IS humility. And He was never angry about how He was treated, only about how people treated each other. I realized what God was saying. Real humility was the quiet resolve in the midst of unfairness, and it is never angry. It is the giant that only looks small to small people. My heart sank and I was ashamed. But at least I had clarity. If humility was a town or a destination, at least now I knew which direction to start walking. At least now I had a map.

With that revelation I pressed on –just kept going! The same cuts were being hit again and again, making a red swollen mess out of my legs. But in the end my frustration was absorbed by God’s grace. The “why me?” no longer mattered, only the resolve to honor Him in the midst of it. 20 minutes later that rough section of terrain was done. I finished it with torn up legs and a mended heart. “Thank you Lord for this work to help me pay my bills!” and then I thought to myself, “next time…I’M WEARING JEANS!”

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More about Kevin, in his own words: As a student of God’s word, photographer and writer, my chief aim is to help followers of Christ apprehend a real and passionate faith through the study of His word, by simple illustration, and regular encouragement. And by this faith they might catch a vision of who God shaped them to become. This blog is an account of my own journey toward that real and passionate faith, starting at ground zero. I hope it will offer some encouragement to any who’ve set their mind on seeking God’s face, whatever the cost.

Before I close, I ask you, “How will you praise God today?” Will it be the result of a joy-filled heart, reflecting on blessings He has granted, or will it be a determined sacrifice, knowing that He is worthy, regardless of what circumstances you find yourself in? Ever wonder where God is when you are in the storm?

And remember, if you love, love, love today’s devo, tweet it, fb share it, “like” it or leave a comment.

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The Waiting Game by Jeannie Campbell

Posted in God's Authors, United in Christ, tagged , , , , on December 7, 2010 | 3 Comments »

Writers, this one’s for you. (And to everyone else, don’t check out quite yet. I’m sure you can find a nugget of truth in this post somewhere to carry you through your day.) Today’s devo is similar to Edie’s. It appears patience and faithful obedience is one of the writer’s greatest struggles.

A few months ago, I was presented with two writing opportunities right after all the editor/agent meetings of conference and the resultant manuscript requests. I was placing in contests, waiting to hear back from agents, not knowing what might be expected of me should I sign on, yet I needed to make a decision. I decided on one fairly quickly, and jumped in with both feet. I floundered on the other, living in angst as I sought God’s will. I’d go to church, hear a clear message from the sermon, then get an email that would sway my heart. Indecision made me miserable, and kept me ineffective. I finally decided that “waiting” was a waste of time. I knew God called me to serve, not bide my time for something that might or might not occur. So, I said yes to both opportunities and have not regretted either for a moment. I said yes because I take Ephesians 2:10 and James 4:13-17 very seriously. God’s ways are not my ways and I may not always see the road ahead, but that should never prevent me from stepping forward.

Today’s devo first appeared on the Character Therapist, written by Jeannie Campbell, on November 17th. As you read it, think about the life of Joseph. God gave him a dream in Canaan. I’m certain Joseph never imagined being sold into slavery, transported to Egypt and thrown in a dungeon were part of God’s plan, yet in the end, he said, “God intended it for good, the saving of many lives.” Each leg of the journey was divinely intentional as God molded, guided and equipped Joseph for his future task of reigning over Egypt during a time of famine. As opportunities arise, consider them carefully. True, God has given you a dream and you are to serve Him with faithful obedience, but don’t be so caught up in the dream that you lose sight of the Dream-giver. And always be prepared to take a hard right turn the moment God directs.

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I’ve seen some great posts about how being unpublished is like being single. My friend and fellow blogger Jessica Nelson of BookingIt did a post here on that very topic, and I recently saw a post from Mundania Press, LLC here about how entering a publishing contract is a lot like entering a marriage.

Since I’ve yet to enter the published category in fiction, I’m somewhat of a spectator on the sidelines of publishing. During this time, it’s easy to lament a lack of publishing credits so much that we fail to see what God is doing during our waiting. It’s during the waiting that God strips us of our silly ideals and notions that we have to write a certain thing or present a certain way in order to reach fulfillment.

If we write only third person, stay away from the “edgier” topics, strictly adhere to the no-more-than-3-POVs rule, attend at least one writer’s conference a year…then surely God will honor our righteousness with a publishing contract or at least the interest of an agent. If only we get rid of -lys, passive voice, and show–not tell–then we will be “good enough” for a second glance.

The problem comes once you’ve done all this. You’ve taken online writing courses. You’ve paid for the extra critiques. You’ve entered contests…and even won. You’ve done everything you were told to do by people who have traveled the path before you. But still no “call,” no contract.

In the dating world, this is the equivalent to dieting, exercising, getting contacts, a makeover, and a new hairdo only to sit by the phone, waiting for a potential date to call. You might be tempted to cry yourself to sleep at night, wondering what is wrong with you.

What we fail to see is that there isn’t anything wrong with you or your writing! God just isn’t done teaching you. He’s going to draw out your waiting period as long as it takes for you to realize that not being published isn’t a “problem” and that God is still in control even while you’re waiting.

We can’t lose focus of why we’re writing. If our ultimate goal is to give glory to God, then that can be accomplished published or not. He’s going to be glorified through our persistence and dedication and desire to achieve excellence for Him. Finding fulfillment, completion, and contentment where you are in the journey is crucial to keeping that fulfillment, completion, and contentment after you’ve been blessed with a contract.

We’re not on the hunt for a book deal. We’re on the mission to worship and serve God while we’re waiting. How can you best do that? Here are a couple suggestions to help encourage you in your journey:

  1. Learn scriptures you can hide in your heart, whether your heart is broken, searching, or weary from the wait. Two of my personal favorites are below.
     

    • Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart. (Psalm 37:4)
    • “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

  2. Have your own personal cheering squad. Writers are like shy adolescents in that we need to hear when we wrote a particularly eloquent phrase or when a metaphor blew someone’s socks off in order to bloom with confidence. We want to know when we made a reader laugh or cry. Your critique group members and close personal friends and relatives hold a large sway over your attitude and motivation as a writer.

I hope that this gives you some ideas of how to maintain a heavenly perspective through the writer’s wait.

Turn your eyes upon Jesus.
Look full in His wonderful face.
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
in the light of His glory and grace.
As you listen to the following song, focus on this line: “I will serve You while I’m waiting.” (Although I would perhaps ask, are we ever truly waiting, or are we to live in the now, fully engaged, fully obedient?)
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Jeannie Campbell is a licensed marriage and family therapist, writer, reader, blogger, wife and mother who plays the piano and loves cats. Visit her blogger profile to find out more about her and visit the the Character Therapist to read more of her writing.

And remember, if you think this post should make it to the top three of 2010, “like” it, fb share it, tweet it or leave a comment, and I’ll tally each tweet, share, like and comment and reveal your top three favs at the end of the month. :-) (I might reveal my top three favs, too, which just might be different than yours.)

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Armed For Victory by Robin Prater

Posted in God's Authors, In Time for the Holidays, United in Christ, tagged , , , , , , , on December 6, 2010 | 3 Comments »

Today’s devo comes from Robin Prater’s the Robin’s Nest. I visit Robin’s blog frequently. The past few years, she has faced numerous challenges, and yet, through it all, her faith remains strong and her witness bright. Most only read her words and will never know the deep reservoir of strength they come from. Yet those of us who know Robin personally are challenged by her faithful obedience–she is truly a modern day Joseph.
This article first appeared on her blog on November 10th, 2010.
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No matter where I am, in light or dark, I can see God in everything big and small. From the tiny butterfly to the biggest constellations. I am a star gazer. I love looking at the night sky and seeing before me a beauty that takes my breath away. We can see God in everything. He makes His glory known. How can we look around and not see a magnificent Creator who holds everything in His hands?
Have you ever studied the constellation Orion? It is one of those fascinating pictures of God placing light in just the right places for us to see clearly a portrait of His mighty power. Orion is known as the Great Hunter. When we look at Orion we see a helmet, a belt, a sword, a shield and feet. It is a picture–a reminder, of the armor of God.

Isaiah 40:26 “Lift up your eyes on high, and see who has created these things, who brings out their host by number; He calls them all by name, by the greatness of His might and the strength of His power; Not one is missing.”

Job 9:9-10 “He made the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, and the chambers of the south; He does great things past finding out, Yes, wonders without numbers.”

The constellation of Orion reminds me nightly to put on, afresh, the armor I have been given.

*Belt of Truth

*Breastplate of Righteousness

*Sandals of Peace

*Shield of Faith

*Helmet of Salvation

*Sword of the Spirit

Ephesians 6:10-20 “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to the end with all perseverance, and supplication for all the saints and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.”

God gives us all we need to face each day and face it without fear, with joy. The question is, have you put it on, or are you going about your day unclothed? I love how  a solitary flicker of light breaks the darkness. The same is with our hearts. Just a little of God goes a long way my friends. He fills us with all we need and more. His creation radiates His love. The cross revealed His passion. His passion is for His children.

In Orion’s belt there are three bright stars. I do not think it coincidence that there are three bright stars in the belt, which would be the belt of truth. What is truth? John 14:6 “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except by Me.’” We have the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, three in one, the Holy Trinity, which is truth. We have His Word, the Bible, to saturate our minds and dispel all deception and falsehood.

God’s truth surrounds us and holds everything else in place. God’s truth enables you to live for him, like a glimmering lamp shattering the darkness.

Matthew 5:14-16 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before me, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father in Heaven.”

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And remember, if you think Robin’s post should make it to our top 3 of 2010, “like” it, tweet it, fb share it or leave a comment and I’ll tally them all for our end of the month reveal. And if you’re confused about the armor of God, check out this article: What is the Full Armor of God?

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To What Lengths Would You Go

Posted in In Time for the Holidays, Let's Get Real, United in Christ, tagged , , , , , on December 5, 2010 | 4 Comments »

This Sunday our pastor talked about the Creator of the universe coming to earth in the form of a man. We’ve all heard that story, and likely we’ll hear it numerous more times before the holiday season is through. Perhaps we’ve heard it so many times, it no longer impacts us…but let me attempt to bring it back to the heart level.

About two months ago I spoke at a local women’s shelter. I was studying the life of Joseph (as I still am), hence, that was what my message was about. Joseph was a remarkable man who served God wherever he went. As a slave, he served. As a prisoner, he served, and in each instance, his focus was on others. I don’t want to travel down too many rabbit trails here, but in times and places where I would have been consumed with bitterness and self-pity, Joseph looked upon the needs of others. He became a steady beacon of light in some very dark places–an Egyptian dungeon being one of them.

My question to these ladies at the shelter, some of whom were believers and some who were not, was, “What if God has placed you here, right now, to touch someone with His love?”

Many heads nodded and a few eyes grew moist. They understood that I had no business, no right, to speak into the lives of their peers. Sure, I could tell them the love of Jesus, but coming from my nicely furnished home stocked with more food than we could want, it wouldn’t cement. Not like it would coming from one of them who lived a life of poverty day in and day out. Someone who understood the pain of losing everything they had and the fear of not knowing where you and your children would lay their heads that night.

That night, I left with one burning question–to what extent would I go to reach the lost? If God asked me to give up everything, to live among these ladies as a beacon of light, would I? Would you?

We frequently talk about God’s pursuing love for the sinner, and recite again and again the parable of the one lost sheep that wandered from the 99, but has this just become a story? A nice parable that brings us comfort? How seriously do we take the message–that one is worth it all?

To what extent would you go to reach one lost soul?

And to what extent did God go to to reach us?

When I think of what God left in heaven, to come to earth as a helpless babe born to lowly peasants, it is similar to a wealthy businessman sleeping upon the streets of Los Angeles to reach out to that one alcoholic.

To what extent did God go to to reach us? He gave up everything.

Now the real question is, how will you show Him your gratitude this holiday season?

(And fyi, this does not count towards the top three of 2010. grin. But  you can comment, tweet or share it anyway.)

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