Category Archives: Christian Living

One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are

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No matter how busy you are, and especially if you’re busy and stressed… find five minutes today to watch this video trailer for Ann Voskamp’s new book, One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are. You will feel better. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhOUaszMGvQ]

How does one live life well? In the book trailer, Ann Voskamp makes it sound so simple… yet so hard… but attainable. Doesn’t it stir something in you?

The book has just released in the US and won’t be available in Canada until February 1, although apparently the electronic version was available in time for Christmas. Reader response has been huge, and I think it’s because the premise touches a need so deep in our hearts that most of us don’t even recognize it until someone like Ann Voskamp articulates it.

You can read an excerpt of One Thousand Gifts, and refresh your spirit with a visit the community at A Holy Experience. To read more about how a quiet Canadian writer attracted such a large international following, see Emily Wierenga’s article about Ann Voskamp in ChristianWeek.

I had the privilege of attending a blogging workshop Ann taught at Write! Canada in 2010. We came to learn how her A Holy Experience blog gained so much attention, in hopes that we could do the same. Instead, she challenged us to write what God gives us–gives each of us–and to be faithful in delivering that message with excellence, as an act of worship, even if it only reaches one person. None of us went away disappointed. Her words and the example of her attitude inspired us, and a number of new blogs were born that day.

This is a woman with a gentle, authentic spirit and a true heart, and in One Thousand Gifts she’s sharing a message that can make a difference in our lives.  The book is on my must-read list for this year. I’ve already put my name on the list at my local Christian store.

One Thousand Gifts is a Bloom (in)courage book club selection, and the club is offering a limited quantity of free copies to those who need them, plus the opportunity for others to act as sponsors for these books. You need to live in the US to be eligible for a physical book, but Zondervan has made e-books available for international participants. As a bonus feature for all participants, beginning February 6 there will be weekly videos with Ann Voskamp discussing the various chapters of the book.

You can learn more about the book at the Zondervan site, and read Violet Nesdoly’s review of One Thousand Gifts at Blogcritics. And consider accepting Ann’s invitation to “Come join the community taking the dare to LIVE FULLY” at A Holy Experience.

Blessings for 2011

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Because Jesus came to be God with us and to let us live in Him, we can go into this new year knowing we’re not alone.

May we know Him in the good and in the bad, and may we trust and rely on His love for us.

A happy and blessed 2011… in the words of Dickens’ Tiny Tim, “God bless us, every one!”

And to those of you who read this blog regularly, thank you! Anything that has blessed you has come from God, and anything else has come from me. I know I’ve been blessed in the writing and also in the comments that readers have left.

Christmas Fragments

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The family hike through the woods to cut a tree.

Dad dragging it through the snow to the car, kids wanting to ride it like a toboggan.

Hours poring over the Sears Christmas Wish Book.

A bit of greed, but mostly the wonder of imagination.

Driving around town to see the Christmas lights.

Rudolph and the gang on the roof at home.

Arranging gifts under the tree on Christmas Eve.

Excitement stirring children’s hearts.

Bells jingling outside the window.

The boy jumping into bed so Santa could come early.

Santa’s mix-up: Hot Wheels for the girl, lace for the boy.

Next year the stockings had names on them.

Taking Barbie to church Christmas morning.

Visiting God in His house.

Family time and good food.

Spending time with friends.

Safety and freedom, taken for granted.

Mom and Dad love the children, so does God.

 

Advent: Preparing for His Coming

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This week was my turn to post at InScribe Writers Online. Observant readers will notice I’ve used the same opening line or two there as in this Wednesday’s post here, “God With Us,” but the InScribe one is an Advent/Christmas post. Click here to read “Preparing for His Coming“.

Listening to God

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I’ve been trying to be more intentional about listening to God, on the premise that He’s communicating a lot more than what I’m hearing: not necessarily detailed instructions or revelations, but gentle course corrections or quietly saying “I love you.”

Over at Something About the Joy, Ginny Jaques has some thought-provoking posts on the subject.

  • “It’s Not About Sofas” particularly challenged me, with the idea that maybe what God has to say is something other than what I’m listening for—and what if I miss it?
  • “An Amazing Truth” warmed my heart with the efforts God makes to remind us of His love.
  • And “A Whisper in the Wind” finishes the series with some thoughts on “But how does God speak? Is it always specific?”

At Free 2 Soar, Stephanie Nickel talks about the different ways God may speak in “Ears to Hear”.

In the busyness leading up to Christmas, may we hear God whisper, “Be still, and know that I am God.” And may we obey, to the renewal of our spirits and to the blessing of those around us.

Advent Poetry, Writing Advice, and Lightening Up

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Can you believe this Sunday’s the beginning of Advent? Over at the Kingdom Poets blog, D.S. Martin will be posting a new poem each Monday for Advent and Christmas reflection. He’s posted one already, to get us into the spirit of things: this week’s Rowan Williams post introduces us to the Welsh poet and shares his poem, “Advent Calendar”.

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On a completely different topic, there’s an interesting new blog called Girls With Pens. Co-writers Lisa Hall-Wilson and Marcy Kennedy offer weekly “tips and tricks for writing for a faith-based market”. Not a writer? They’ve also begun posting weekly book reviews.

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And recently at Whatever He Says, Susan Stewart shared a challenging post on “Lightening Up“.

Changes

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I’ve read some interesting insights on change recently…

From Mary Waind’s Beech Croft Tales:

The changes in nature can be easier to cope with than new challenges we face in other realms. Joyce Meyer said this week that Satan continually tries to diminish followers of Christ. The word “diminish” impressed me. The Oxford Canadian Dictionary gives the definition “make smaller or less”. The enemy would delight to see us take our first steps toward a fresh project with apprehension and feelings of inadequacy. He would love for us to think the task is too great.

From Chad Lucas’ The Lucas Adventures:

My general view of life, and parenting, is that things are always changing, and very few things last forever. Kids are always going through new phases. Jobs, relationships, and responsibilities in life move in rhythms and waves.

I know there are people who have a hard time with change and probably find that idea difficult, but for me it’s a hopeful thing. When life gets crazy, I remember that it won’t always be this way.

Robin Mark‘s song, “All is Well,” is a good approach to change.

Selective Memory

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Monday was my day to post at InScribe Writers Online, and I was thinking about Jesus’ miracles and how the religious leaders were more interested in damage control than in the possibility that God might actually be with them in the flesh. And I was thinking about us today, not so very different….

The post is “Selective Memory“.

Friday Findings: Music from John DeGrazio

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I love contemporary Christian music. John DeGrazio is a new name to me, but I really like what I’ve heard from his new album, Stronghold.

If you’re not familiar with him either, check out what his website has to say. Here’s a bit to orient you:

A two-time ASCAP Award winner, John DeGrazio is an accomplished songwriter/composer/producer. He has a number one hit song to his credit; has worked with many major label artists; played in the group Burlap to Cashmere; and toured with Jars of Clay, DC Talk, and Jaci Velasquez.

My favourite song from Stronghold is “New Life“. I like what he does with the lyrics and with the music. I can’t quite articulate why, but it reminds me of Todd Agnew’s music–which is a very good thing in my books. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/v/xQB_J5vGoAo?version=3]