Tag Archives: Christian living

Praying Scripture

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Prism rainbow with prayer quoteDo you pray Scripture over your family and loved ones? Passages that speak a blessing of some kind?

Do you turn other Bible verses into personal prayer over situations and circumstances that weigh heavily on your spirit?

Me, too. Another way I like to pray God’s Word back to Him is with one- and two-line verses—the kind that sink into our hearts once we’ve read them a few times.

They’re the ones that rise to my lips when the need is great. Here are some I’d like to share:

What are some of the verses that help you in distress?

And for those moments when even these few words are too many, I love the encouragement from this song by 7eventh Time Down: “Just Say Jesus”

Review: The Pregnant Pause of Grief, by Brenda J. Wood

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Cover art: The Pregnant Pause of Grief, by Brenda J. WoodThe Pregnant Pause of Grief, by Brenda J. Wood (Word Alive, 2013)

“I’ve trusted God and His promises for years. Will they hold true in widowhood? I don’t know yet.” [p. 4]

So begins Brenda J. Wood’s poignant account of her “first trimester of widowhood” after the loss of her beloved husband, Ron. The book is written as a series of journal entries, in a conversational style as if Brenda were talking with the reader via email.

She writes about whatever’s on her mind that day, from spontaneous tears in public to fear of forgetting Ron to what she’s learning from God on how to cope. As hard as this new life is, she’s determined to push forward into it, even to laugh again. Ron wouldn’t want her to give in to the misery.

Most of the book is written during the third month ‘AR’ (After Ron’s passing), but the final pages include Ron’s testimony of the difference God made in his life, with brief notes from Brenda taking us past the anniversary of his death.

Brenda and Ron weren’t a perfect couple, but they loved each other deeply and for almost 50 years. One of the main take-aways from this book is the call to love our family and friends well, while we have them in our lives.

It’s a book that can help those who haven’t lost a spouse to understand the thoughts, emotions and needs of a grieving widow or widower. For example, I didn’t know that finances are often in short supply in the early months until the government, insurances etc catch up on the paperwork.

I think it would be a good resource to let newly-grieving readers know what they’re going through is normal.

One of the things I found most encouraging was Brenda’s determination to remember how God had looked after them in the past and her choice to believe that even in this new, painful place, God still had the power and the compassion to care for her.

Brenda J. Wood is a motivational speaker and writer based in Ontario. She’s also written a book to help children deal with grief, The Big Red Chair. You can read the first chapter of The Pregnant Pause of Grief or learn more about the author on her website, heartfeltdevotionals.com.

[Review copy from my personal library.]

5 Posts that have resonated with me lately

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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

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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!

Interview: Co-authors Deb Willows & Steph Beth Nickel

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Living Beyond My Circumstances is a story “of hope and inspiration for everyone who has a dream they want to achieve and obstacles to overcome.” I’m excited to have former Paralympian Deb Willows and her co-writer, Steph Beth Nickel, visiting today.

Deb Willows and Steph Beth Nickel

Steph, Deb and Sugar

A little bit about our two guests:

Deb Willows has represented Canada numerous times on the world stage in swimming, slalom, wheelchair soccer and boccia, winning medals and setting world records. She has written several articles and spoken in many venues. Deb’s work has appeared in the books Heal Our Land and Everyday Grace, Everyday Miracles.

Steph Beth Nickel is a freelance writer and editor. She is a member of The Word Guild and part of the InScribe Christian Writers’ Fellowship and Christian Editing Services team. She blogs about her various interests at Steph Nickel’s Eclectic Interests and guest posts on several other blogs.

Janet: Welcome, Deb and Steph, and thanks for taking time to join us. Congratulations on the release of your new book! All releases are special to the authors, but what’s it like, Deb, when it’s your personal story?

Deb: Thank you. It has been very surreal. I still get up in the morning and check for the boxes of books in case it was a dream. I’ve wanted to write my story since I was 10.

Janet: Such an exciting dream come true! Not your first, either, Deb… your book shares many accomplishments. And Steph, what’s it like bringing a true story to life when you first had to learn the story?

Steph: Deb made the learning part easy: from recording events she wanted included in the book to inviting me to the Cerebral Palsy Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony (wow! were my eyes opened to the world of Paralympic athletes; and make no mistake, they are athletes in every sense of the word). We also spent a significant amount of time together at her home in Huntsville. It was wonderful getting to know Deb and her family in that environment. Believe me; my life is much richer because of this whole experience. I am humbled and honoured to have been allowed to help Deb fulfill yet another of her dreams.

Janet: Tell us a bit about Living Beyond My Circumstances—just a teaser, because readers will see the full summary after we chat.

Deb: It’s about life and living it despite what the world said. It’s about hopes, dreams, challenges, going for gold, and learning to depend on a faithful God.

Steph: Runaway wheelchairs. A mischievous poodle. World travel. Trails blazed. A woman who saw every obstacle as something to be conquered. The family and friends who encouraged her. And so very much more.

Janet: Deb, it sounds like your whole life has been marked by courageous choices. Did sharing your experiences in book form call on a different type of courage?

Deb: Yes, many of these stories were hard to write because I had to re-live the pain and the excitement. But if this book gives courage and hope to others, it was worth it.

Signing copies of the book.

Signing copies of the book.

Janet: What do you hope readers take away from this book?

Deb:  That God is faithful and trusting in Him is the only way to have joy. I also hope people will learn that people with a disability are people first and start seeing the person not the disability.

Janet: Steph, what are your thoughts?

Steph: By God’s grace and in His strength, we can face whatever challenges life presents. Deb refers to CP as “a slight setback.” I believe we can learn to view the challenges we face in the same way.

Janet: How did the two of you connect for this project?

Deb: A family friend introduced us over email. I’ve known Ruth Waring most of my life.

Steph: Through our mutual friend and fellow author, Ruth Waring.

Janet: I know Ruth too! Small world! Probably every team has a different approach, but what worked best for you in terms of collaborating?

Deb: I started by putting info on tapes. Steph took those tapes and typed it on the computer; then we worked on stories one at a time. Steph knows a lot about me. I’m glad we’ve become good friends! I type with a pen in my mouth, so I’m slow. It was so cool to see the pages unfold as we worked over email and some days, by phone. Steph stayed with me a few times and we accomplished much during her visits. It was good for Steph to see how I live because it helped her write more authentically.

Steph: Deb’s incredible patience and hospitality. Plus her enthusiasm when we got a scene “just right.” That fired me up and inspired me to keep writing. Deb is so much more than my co-author; she has become my friend. And that is one of the greatest treasures I’ve gained from our partnership.

Janet: What’s something that you look back and laugh over?

Deb: Steph suggested we have raspberries on the orange sherbet and I thought it was strange, but let me tell you, it is good!

Steph: It’s just a little thing, but I remember visiting Deb – and her wide supply of hot drinks for the Keurig. When I was ready to leave, she asked if I’d miss Tate, her service dog, or the coffeemaker more. Um . . .

Janet: Memoirs are often difficult to market. What are some of your plans to help readers discover this book?

Deb: I believe God is the greatest choreographer and His timing is perfect. Yes, it’s been a long process and at times, I was tired of waiting, but He has a reason for this time. Being an Olympic year, I believe will be a benefit. I hope to get some books into the hands of some of the Paralympians.

Steph: Deb has connections all over the world. That will help. (grin) Also, Deb’s willingness to organize book launches and attend speaking engagements; our social media presence; and the diligent support of the online community and our publishers, Larry and Marina Willard of Castle Quay Books, will help a lot.

Janet: What would you say to someone considering writing their memoir?

Deb: Just do it. Keep Kleenex® close.

Steph: Never underestimate the value of your story. Instead of (or as well as) writing a book, you may want to start a blog and build an online following (if you don’t already have friends all around the globe like someone I know). If you are not a writer, you may want to partner with someone who is. And if you are a writer but don’t know much about creative non-fiction, I would encourage you to do some research . . . and read Living Beyond My Circumstances. (another grin)

Janet: Is there a particular song or Scripture verse that’s made a big difference for you?

Deb: Philippians 4:13, which says, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” and the song “Because He Lives.”

Steph: When NJ Lindquist introduced the attendees at the Write Canada conference to Johnny Reid’s “Today I’m Gonna Try and Change the World,” it made me cry. I have claimed it as my theme song.

Janet: And my random questions of the day: Cake or Pie? What’s your favourite season?

Deb: Pie, blueberry or raspberry. Autumn: the colours, the smells, no bugs, no snow!

Steph: Just about any flavour of cream pie. Coconut. Raspberry. Chocolate. I love the autumn – always have. The colours. The smells. The crunch of leaves underfoot. And now I want to go for a walk in the leaves and come home to a big slice of pie.

Janet: See how well the two of you match! And I’d love to join you for pie and an autumn outing. Ladies, thank you both for taking time to chat with me today, and congratulations again. I hope your book inspires many. I’ll be posting my (positive) review next week.

===

Living Beyond My Circumstances, by Deb Willows and Steph Beth Nickel

Living Beyond My Circumstances, by Deborah L. Willows with Steph Beth Nickel, foreword by Joni Eareckson Tada

When Deb Willows was diagnosed with cerebral palsy 50 years ago, her parents were advised to “put her in an institution and get on with your lives.” Experts believed parents were incapable of raising disabled children. But God had other plans.

Deb’s parents challenged her to see her severe limitations as opportunities, to dream big dreams and to work hard to accomplish them. Overcoming many challenges, Deb has blazed the trail for other disabled people, representing Canada around the world as a Paralympian and the first disabled boccia ball referee.

Her story is one of hope and inspiration for everyone who has a dream they want to achieve and obstacles to overcome.

Deb Willows has truly lived beyond her circumstances and demonstrates that with God’s help we can all accomplish great things!

Living Beyond My Circumstances is available through your local bookstore or at www.castlequay.com or other online retailers. To learn more about the writers, please visit Deb Willows and Steph Beth Nickel.

Review: Do Life Different, by Jill Hart

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Do Life Different, by Jill HartDo Life Different, by Jill Hart (Choose NOW Publishing, 2014)

Do Life Different is written for Christian work-at-home moms, and much of the content is also applicable to Christian moms whose at-home work is parenting and homemaking. The book’s subtitle is Inspiring Work-at-home Moms to Powerful Living in Work, Family and Faith.

As a writer, I count as working from home, and although my youngest child is a teen I find the household responsibilities themselves require more “parenting” than I seem able to give. This book addresses a strongly-felt need for me, so I bumped it to the top of my review pile, read it in one night, and will go back through it again at a more sedate pace.

Topics include overcoming fear and worry, making wise decisions, business as ministry, enjoying your work, and “is success okay?”.

Three insights are already making a difference for me:

  1. since God’s mercies are new every day, we can greet the morning with a hope-filled sense of starting over;
  2. we are each the best one for the job to which God called us (I count parenting in this as well as whatever business one might run);
  3. we are leaders, by definition as workers and as mothers—accepting this allows us to lead intentionally instead of wasting opportunities.

There are plenty more nuggets in this collection of 52 devotionals. Each entry offers a Bible verse, a one- to two-page insight, and a thought-provoking “Doing it different” question on how readers can apply the day’s lesson in their lives.

Each has a corresponding video devotional on the author’s website. [Note: if you’re reading the print version, or if you’re reading the ebook on a device that doesn’t support Flash videos, you can view the devotions on your computer. The web address is in the front of the book.]

There are free 6-week or 12-week study guides for women who want to work through the material as a group. To download the study guides, visit Choose NOW Publishing (scroll down to the cover images for the two study guides, then click the one you want).

Writer, speaker and coach Jill Hart is the founder of Christian Work at Home Ministries, where you’ll find a wealth of resources on finding a job, starting or growing a business, balancing life, and knowing God better. To read a sample chapter of Do Life Different, visit Jill Hart or Choose Now Publishing. Or watch Jill’s video intro below:

[youtube=http://youtu.be/D76j7p2DZt8]

[Review copy provided by the publisher.]

Highlights of 2013

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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?

Letting Christ Shine In You At Christmas (Guest Post)

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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).

Pushing Through, by Jennifer Maggio

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Today we have another guest post, from award-winning author/speaker Jennifer Maggio. Jennifer has a passion for single moms. I’ll let her tell you more. Read to the end to see how you can win a free ebook:

Pushing Through

by Jennifer Maggio

Fifteen years ago, I found myself curled in a ball in the middle of my cold, bathroom floor, crying hysterically. I was convinced that no one could possibly understand the depths of my pain. When would this misery end? I was broken. I had no money, few friends, and no hope. How was I going to raise these children alone for 18 years? How could I make it financially? Would my circumstances every change?

That is my story – the story of a lonely single mom, living on government assistance, running from God, and feeling I couldn’t push through. The next several years brought a winding road of highs and lows, victories and defeats. But I did push through. I made it through those early years of parenting alone. Although I hadn’t been in years, I became involved in my local church, rededicated my life to the Lord, and slowly began the journey of digging myself out of a financial and emotional hole. My heart found rest. I leaned on the Lord, when everyone else had failed me. And I never forgot what it was like to be that lonely, overwhelmed single mom.

Peace and the Single Mom, by Jennifer Maggio

My new book, Peace and the Single Mom: 50 Moments of Calm in the Chaos, exists to walk another single mother through the certain loneliness she has felt, but also to guide her to God’s faithfulness, to wholeness, to humor, and ultimately, to peace. It was written as my “thank you” for all God has done in my own life. It was written as my encouragement to that mom who feels no one understands.

Single moms don’t need just another sermon preached at them. They don’t need another book that makes them feel they are light years away from being a good Proverbs 31 woman! They want to hear about God’s grace, His faithfulness, His unconditional love. They want to learn to laugh again. My hope is that Peace and the Single Mom does just that!

Picture Peace and the Single Mom as your girl-time with me, as we sit in your living room, sipping coffee, with our feet on the furniture.

[Janet’s note: Jennifer has graciously offered a free e-copy of Peace and the Single Mom to one of you… leave a comment, and I’ll draw a name on December 14.]

◊ ◊ ◊

Jennifer MaggioJennifer Maggio is an award-winning author and speaker whose personal journey through homelessness, severe abuse, and single parenting leaves audiences riveted. She is founder of The Life of a Single Mom Ministries and Overwhelmed: The Single Moms Magazine. For more info, visit www.thelifeofasinglemom.com.