Category Archives: Christian Living

He Can Do it Again

6 Replies

He stands motionless in the dim light, his back to the door. The fashionable linen shirt droops from his tired shoulders, heavy with grime. We can almost taste the air that he breathes: dank and  foul… steeped in the aroma of unwashed bodies, mouldy walls and accumulated filth… heavily spiced with fear and hopelessness.

This time, it looks like the end. Have his enemies finally triumphed?

Tension mounts, but we’re sure he’ll come up with a plan. He’s the Scarlet Pimpernel, nemesis of all that is evil within Revolutionary France. We’ve already seen him achieve the impossible. Of course he can do it again; the thrill for the audience is to see just how. (I’m thinking of the 1982 version of The Scarlet Pimpernel. See the 8-minute mark in this YouTube clip.)

He faces his peril coolly. And why shouldn’t he—he’s a fictional character. The writer protects him. It’s different for us. The threats in our lives are real, and we stand to lose.

We’re on our own.

Or are we? There was once a king named Jehoshaphat who thought otherwise. He believed his Author was responsible for making a way out at his crucial hour. Second Chronicles 20 tells the story, and it ranks alongside Hollywood’s most edge-of-the-seat thrillers.

An overwhelming army was marching on Jerusalem. Jehoshaphat was helpless to stop the slaughter of his people. In desperation, he proclaimed a national fast. And he prayed.

Unlike many of our prayers, Jehoshaphat’s wasn’t full of suggestions for how God might solve the problem. He praised God, reminding himself and the people of God’s omnipotence. He reviewed the facts: the attackers were only alive to fight because God had earlier forbidden their destruction.

Facing annihilation, Jehoshaphat concluded simply, “O our God, won’t you stop them? We are powerless against this mighty army that is about to attack us. We do not know what to do, but we are looking to you for help.” (2 Chronicles 20:12, NLT*) And he waited.

God’s answer sounded too good to be true. Israel wouldn’t even have to fight. They were to meet the advancing army, then stand and watch God do battle on their behalf.

For Israel, hearing was receiving. Jehoshaphat led the people in worship of this God who would take care of them. They worshiped and they praised. They were still praising the next day when they saw God rout their enemies.

Jehoshaphat’s case was special. Most times, God’s deliverance involved more than “watch and see.” His people had—we have today—a role to play in the solution. God empowered Israel’s armies, but they usually had to fight.

The Old Testament view of God pictured, among other things, a strong deliverer. He watched over His chosen people, essentially requiring only two things: they were to love Him wholeheartedly, and to obey Him. As long as they did, He took care of them. When they drifted away from loving Him, discipline brought them back.

Both the protection and the discipline had a dual purpose. Israel was helped, while at the same time other nations saw the character and power of Almighty God.

Our own experiences tell us God still looks after His people. It’s vital that we remember what He has done (in our lives and throughout history) and expect the same level of care now. He hasn’t changed. This gives our faith the necessary springboard to launch us into each day.

Nothing is too hard or too insignificant to bring to God: failing health, crumbling finances, or a sobbing child’s lost soother. We are significant to Him, and so He hears our prayers.

He will care for us His way, though, not ours. We may endure some things we’d rather escape. But He will always be with us, making a way. Whatever the day holds, will we love Him, and willingly follow His lead? Look to Him in childlike and expectant trust? Let others know we’re depending on His promise to care for us?

Then, like with Israel long ago, the people around us will see God’s love and power in action. The word will go out: God is relevant to our lives. He does make a difference.

Our God is the God of Jehoshaphat—Nemesis of all that is evil within our world. He is the Author and Sustainer of the universe. We’ve already seen Him achieve the impossible. Of course He can do it again; the thrill for the believer is to see just how.

We've already seen God achieve the impossible. Of course He can do it again; the thrill for the believer is to see just how.

*New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

This post was originally printed in Evangel, February 2003.

5 Posts that have resonated with me lately

4 Replies

At Under the Cover of Prayer, Jen Cudmore shares a challenge to go deeper than surface prayers for people who may irritate us–to do battle for them in prayer. See the full post: You Want Me to Pray for Whom?

At Other Food: daily devos, Violet Nesdoly reminds us that even Christians, if we’re not careful, can find ourselves living according to the flesh instead of the Spirit if we’re “following sinful tendencies in ways that may not even appear overtly sinful… living as if God did not exist. That is, living by one’s own resources and wits.” For wisdom on how to live oriented to the Spirit instead of the natural, read Turn the Dial to “Spirit”.

At Christian Work at Home Ministries, Melinda Means offers Three Ways to Follow God’s Plan for Your Work (for those days when our to-do lists threaten to rule us).

At Choose NOW Ministries, Tara Fairfield shares her top 5 strategies to be ready for the faith-testing storms of life. Read When the Perfect Storm Hits.

And at New Music Tuesday, an interview with Jonny Diaz gives me a new perspective on why it’s okay to be inadequate. See Jonny Diaz: Lettin’ It Fly.

When God says "I've Got This" -- He has.

Guest Post: My Identity is Broken

4 Replies

My Identity is Broken

By Jessica Everingham

Insignificance. Failure.

Few words chill me like those two. I hate them even more than doing my taxes.

Why?

I’ll tell you, though I know this story won’t put me in the best light.

I’ve always enjoyed that there was something a little different about me. In school, it was simply that I was bright and everything came easily. After school, it was my job as a journalist. Everyone thought that was interesting.

Now I’m a boarding school mistress and aspiring author. The school doesn’t pay very well, but I love the kids and it allows me time to write. Besides, very few people work in boarding schools or write books—and I do both. I like that. I’m also still a volunteer journalist and spent the past weekend working on the media team at the Easterfest music festival. People paid attention to the media lanyard around my neck. It was cool.

But this week I’m having to face a fact: my part-time job and ‘unpaid career’ aren’t making any money. And since I’ve had no luck getting back into paid journalism, I need to go do something boring like flip burgers or answer phones. Anything that pays.

I don’t like the thought of having a boring job. But what I really hate is the possibility that if I never get my novels published, the boring job could be my whole career. I could be a completely normal, nothing-unusual-about-her, regular old person.

[Insert gagging here.]

It’s a sobering thought, but so is the fact that my identity is way more wrapped up in my work than I realized.

I only posted about God and identity a few months ago on my own blog. It was actually the first post I wrote that started attracting views. It kick-started my blogging journey. Yet here I am four months later, realizing that without an ‘interesting’ job my sense of identity is shattered.

I also know, deep down in myself, that my writing career probably isn’t going to move very far forward until I sort this thing out. I can feel God prodding, showing me where I need to change. And I know that if I get the ‘success’ I crave tomorrow, it could easily destroy me.

If I had overnight success, my identity would only become further intertwined with my career. I would become proud. I would also dread the day when my book sales dropped and I moved from the ‘successful’ category to ‘has-been’. That fear would motivate me to put writing ahead of relationships and even God. And on the day when my fear came true, it would sink me into the depths of despair.

That’s not a future I want.

I already know that God wants my identity to be in Him. Why else would He say,

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength”? (Mk 12:30 NIV, emphasis mine).

He wants all of me. And if I was as focused on God as what that verse says, I wouldn’t be so worried about my own sense of identity.

If that verse isn’t enough, here’s another:

“Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.” (Matt 10:39 NIV)

Would I be happy to lose myself, if God asked? Could I walk away from my computer and writing career?

With my current mindset, that would be pretty difficult. Since I don’t like the thought of being dependent on a job for my sense of self-worth, I think it’s time to change.

Which is all well and good, but…how?

Well, Jesus tells us that ‘apart from Me you can do nothing’. (John 15:5 NIV) So Step One is asking God for His continued help. And while I’m at it, I’ll ask Him to keep pointing out these areas where I need to change.

Step Two will be keeping the above verses in my mind. I need to spot those wrong thoughts when they come and use the Sword of the Spirit (God’s Word) to stab, slice and dice them away. It might take a while, but we’ll get there.

It almost seems silly for me to let go of my drive to succeed. After all, ‘success’ is our holy grail. The people we most admire are the ones who have success in their families, businesses, ministries and general life.

But in the long run, I know this is going to be freeing. I’m still going to work hard. But if things don’t pan out, I will know my life is still significant, because it’s been spent in relationship with God. I won’t be weighed down by my fear of failure or my dread of insignificance. I’ll have the courage to just be God’s follower—nothing more, nothing less.

And that is both the most humble position and highest honor in the world.

*

Jessica Everingham

Photography by Kali Brumpton

Jessica Everingham is a journalist, blogger, boarding school mistress and aspiring author. She is 22 and lives in sunny Queensland, Australia. She loves connecting with people via her blog, Consumed By Him, Facebook, and Twitter (@JessEveringham). Come say hi!

Proof that Jesus Loves Me

5 Replies

Good Friday is a difficult day. How do you balance the ultimate, willing sacrifice of Jesus Christ to save us all: His pain against our rich benefit?

One thing I know: Good Friday proves His love for me. For you. For us all.

Let this song from the David Crowder*Band bless you: Shadows. Take in the words: “When all seems lost, remember the cost. Rest in the shadow of the Cross.” [paraphrased]

 

Seeing The Leader Within

2 Replies

I’m thrilled to welcome Jill Hart to share a guest post with us today. Jill is the author of Do Life Different, which I reviewed earlier this week (click to read the review). Here’s your chance to sample Jill’s writing, maybe pick up a bit of wisdom, and get to know her a bit.

Jill Hart

Seeing The Leader Within
by Jill Hart

if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.
Romans 12:8b NIV

I ran my website, www.CWAHM.com, for many years before I saw myself as a leader. In my mind, I was just a mommy blogger trying to work from home. After I’d been in business for nearly ten years, a good friend and mentor sat me down and challenged me to begin acting like a leader. She told me that women were looking to me not only for help in working from home, but for advice on parenting, spiritual growth, and other areas of life.

I tried to deny I was leader because the title scared me. It still does. When I think of a leader, I think of my pastor or government officials. Leadership comes with  responsibility, and I wasn’t sure I was willing to take that on. As I prayed about this idea of being a leader, God showed me He’d already put me a in a place of leadership. I could step into that role or step back into the comfort of a normal life.

Many of us don’t want to accept when God calls us into ministry or leadership. Realize, however, that you’re likely already a leader in some form. If you’re a mom, you’re a leader. If you help with the children at church, you’re a leader. If you’re a Christian, you’re a leader. People are watching you live and represent Christ. If you don’t believe me, ask God to show you who you might be leading.

Stepping out of our comfort zone can be scary and sometimes painful. Moving from an unintentional leader to an intentional (or diligent) leader may feel like a big jump, but the rewards are eternal.

Once you begin to see yourself as a leader, you will begin to act like a leader so you don’t end up incompetent. No one sets out to be a bad leader, but if you aren’t being intentional, then you’ve set yourself up for failure.

Lead your children. Lead at church. You may not know it, but people look up to you. Instead of sticking your head in the sand and telling yourself you could never be a leader, ask God what He has for you. Be willing to step forward and lead the people who look to you.

~~~

Do Life Different, by Jill HartJill Hart is a writer, speaker and coach, showing others how to follow the calling God has placed on their lives. She teaches her clients how to overcome the fear of getting started and helps them discover ways to find success. She is the author of the new devotional book, Do Life Different. Learn more about Jill at www.jillhart.com.

Link for book: http://bit.ly/do-life-different

For Christian Parents (and those who love them)

2 Replies

Familiar with these questions?

Parenting questions

Parenting comes with a lot of second-guessing and what-ifs. We need friends, listening ears, prayer partners.

We also need to keep a good connection with God. He’s the source of hope, wisdom, strength, patience… and everything else that equips us to raise our kids well.

That’s why I’m excited about Powerline365 from Choose NOW Ministries. Yes, I’m published by a branch of this ministry and can’t claim to be impartial. But I’m not obligated promote this; I’m sharing it with you like any other resource I see value in.

Our teens are navigating dangerous times. Suicides. Drugs. Cyber-bullying. Stress. Negative self-esteem. The enemy of our souls is hitting them hard, and I don’t want to see a generation lost.

If we strengthen the parents, won’t that help the teens? Won’t it better equip those teens in their relationships with their peers?

I’m beyond grateful at how well the teen years have gone so far in our home, but still I wish I’d had a resource like Powerline365 from the beginning. Imagine, a burst of encouragement every day, specifically focused on this particular part of our lives.

The Powerline365 project is being done through crowdfunding, which is essentially pre-ordering. If it’s not fully funded by midnight, January 31, contributors get their money back. There are different funding levels, based on what you want in return.

One of the things I see potential for with Powerline365 is in parenting and Bible study groups. Imagine the difference that could make! Some of the higher funding levels provide opportunities like live Skype discussions led by parenting expert and Powerline365 creator Nicole O’Dell.

Parenting. There are no guarantees, except that you’ll be stretched beyond your limits and that God will make a difference. (Click to tweet)

Please click over to the Powerline365 page and have a look. See why this project is on Nicole O’Dell’s heart, and why she’s such a great choice to create it. Hear why Clay Crosse and Renee Crosse of Holy Homes Ministry believe it’s a project worth endorsing. Consider sharing it with your friends and on social media.

If Powerline365 is not for you, thanks for taking time to read this far. If it is for you, and you decide to participate in funding this campaign, come back here afterward and tell me in the comments. You’ll be eligible for a Spark30: thirty days of emailed devotionals from Powerline365. These—and any of the other Powerline365 options—can be gifted.

Here’s the link: Powerline365. (Remember to come back here if you decide to contribute, so I can add you to the list of Spark30 recipients.)

Highlights of 2013

2 Replies

The best way to live is in the present, not dwelling on the past or straining to reach the future, and so we step prayerfully into a new year and into each new day and embrace what we find.

But there’s something about the frenzy of “out with the old year, in with the new” that seems… hurried. Ungrateful.

It sounds like “good riddance!” Some years, that’s how we feel. But even in the bad there may be some good.

Butterfly on lilac, with text "Thank You, God"Looking back over 2013, I find much to be thankful for:

  • God’s presence in the good, the bad and the miserable.
  • Good health
  • Family and friends
  • Stable finances
  • Good books
  • Joining GoodLife and discovering I can enjoy group exercise.
  • Fencing lessons with one of my sons. I’m older and slower, but I can still learn.
  • Another son’s graduation from university.
  • A few oil painting lessons – who knew? I hope we can schedule more.
  • Fun road trips
  • Publication of my first novel – acceptance, editing, promotion, and finally holding a copy in my hand.
  • Although some of my extended family have had health concerns, we’ve seen God working in the details and we’re seeing improvements.
  • God’s ongoing renovation in my life to replace anxiety and its ilk with trust and good things.
  • Full-time, pre-Christmas work I didn’t want to take, that gave me far more good things than a paycheque.

Entering 2014, I pray we’ll be blessed to see God at work in and through us, and that we will grow in gratitude, in grace, in faith and in a sense of wonder.

What are some of the things you’re thankful for from the past year? What are you looking forward to in the days ahead?

Lesson from a Christmas Carol

2 Replies

If I told you God used a Christmas carol to reinforce something He’s been teaching me, you wouldn’t be too surprised. We have so many beautiful songs of the season, rich in faith and Christian heritage.

Which song do you think He used?

Silent Night?

O Come, All Ye Faithful?

Joy to the World?

Christmas tree

(I added the photo so you wouldn’t see my answer before you made your guess.)

Actually, it was Jolly Old St. Nicholas. A song I don’t even particularly like, which reminds me to be alert for God’s voice anywhere…

I’ve heard variations on the lyrics, but the version most familiar to me has the line “As for me, my little brain isn’t very bright; choose for me, dear Santa Claus, what you think is right.”

Wikipedia says the traditional lyrics are “As for me, I hardly know so I’ll go to rest; choose for me, dear Santa Claus, what you think is best.” [Wikipedia: Jolly Old Saint Nicholas]

Our brains are bright enough, but compared to God’s greater wisdom it’s clear we don’t have the whole picture. Yet how often do we come to Him in prayer, pleading for a specific response? We’re convinced we know best, but hindsight may prove otherwise.

There are times the Holy Spirit leads us in detailed prayer. Many times, though, we’re wisest to bring the issue to the Lord with a simple prayer of “As for me, I hardly know… give my spirit rest; choose for me, dear God of all, what You know is best.”

 

Letting Christ Shine In You At Christmas (Guest Post)

Leave a reply

Letting Christ Shine In You At Christmas
by Nike Chillemi

Nike Chillemi

Nike Chillemi

The Christmas season can get kinda funny when I start thinking about God’s will and plan for me. That’s true even though I dearly desire for God’s priorities to be my priorities.

Right after Thanksgiving, if not before, I’m in the Christmas spirit. Things seem a little lighter, a little brighter. You don’t have to be a believer to feel this. Lots of individuals who do not classify themselves as Christians have moments during the Christmas season when they get all warm and fuzzy inside and they can’t put their finger on why. I think the light of Jesus coming into the world as a tiny baby in a manger simply has that effect on people. As a writer, I love a good story and this story warms us inside.

And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. [Gospel of Luke: 7-11 ~ KJV]

On the other hand, my schedule is so full during this time of year that even though I’m all wrapped up in holiday goings on, I can forget the reason for the season, as they say. Then I have to remind myself to slow down and let Christ shine through me. To do this, I’ve got to push aside the decorating, the cooking, the menu planning, the Christmas card sending, and make sure I’m connected to God, listening to Him, letting him direct the show.

But God will have His way and very often at Christmas He presents to me somebody with a great need, somebody who’s lonely… and I will welcome that person as a friend, include them at my Christmas dinner table, and/or get them a gift.

In my 1940s Christmas novel GOODBYE NOEL, pediatric nurse Katrina Lenart has been asked by the local police chief to care for an infant whose mother has been found murdered in front of a decorated Christmas tree. Katrina soon falls in love with the baby and we see Christ’s love shine through her as she sets her mind and will to protect this child from a heinous killer. At one point, Katrina risks her own life to save the infant from a kidnapping. I loved writing this Christmas story and particularly enjoyed crafting Katrina, whose faith grows and deepens as the novel goes forward through all the twists and turns of a murder mystery novel.

Goodbye Noel, by Nike Chillemi

Purchase Links:

Amazon/Kindle, Christianbooks.com

Author Bio:

Like so many writers, Nike Chillemi started writing at a very young age. She still has the Crayola, fully illustrated book she penned (penciled might be more accurate) as a little girl about her then off-the-chart love of horses. Today, you might call her a crime fictionista. Her passion is crime fiction. She likes her bad guys really bad and her good guys smarter and better.

She is the founding board member of the Grace Awards and is its Chairman, a reader’s choice awards for excellence in Christian fiction. She writes book reviews for The Christian Pulse online magazine. She was an Inspy Awards 2010 judge in the Suspense/Thriller/Mystery category and a judge in the 2011 and 2012 Carol Awards in the suspense, mystery, and romantic suspense categories. BURNING HEARTS, the first book in the crime wave that is sweeping the south shore of Long Island in The Sanctuary Point series, finaled in the Grace Awards 2011 in the Romance/Historical Romance category. GOODBYE NOEL, the second book in the series released in December, 2011 won the Grace Award 2011 in the Mystery/Romantic Suspense/Thriller category. PERILOUS SHADOWS, third in the series released July, 2012, and DARKEST HOUR, the fourth in the series released in February, 2013.  She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and the Edgy Christian Fiction Lovers (Ning).