Beaver Creek Reservoir ~ photo courtesy of Eileen DeCamp
And there arose a great storm of wind,
and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. And he was in the hinder part of the ship,
asleep on a pillow; and they awake him, and say unto him, Master,
care you not that we perish? Mark 4:37-38 (AKJV)
I am surprised at these disciples. They had just spent
the day with Jesus and heard Him teach regarding faith and the Kingdom of God. They had seen His compassion, and witnessed
miracles first hand. Yet, they asked him
such a ridiculous question?
But we face so
many hard situations in life that our faith is indeed tested. Fear comes on us especially when our faith is
weak.
And he arose, and rebuked the wind and
said to the sea, Peace, be still. And
the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
And he said to them, Why are you so fearful? How is it you have no
faith? Mark 4:39-40
We marvel at their lack of faith. I suppose the fact that they went to Him
demonstrates a little faith, but it was still very weak at that point in their
walk with Him.
The thought that
comes to my mind is this—we do the same
thing! We too question the Lord by
our actions even if we don’t say the words.
Lord, I am so sick. (Don’t you care?)
Lord, I can’t find a job. (Don’t you care?)
Lord, a tree just fell on my
house. (Don’t you care?)
We lack
faith. We become fearful. We forget He loves us with a perfect love. Our faith is tested.
Martha asked
Jesus a question, too, that demonstrates a faith that needs perfecting. We know she loved Jesus and that she is a believer. She’s serving him and others in her house.
But Martha was cumbered about much
serving, and came up to him, and said, Lord, do you not care
that my sister has left me to serve alone? Bid her therefore that she help
me. Luke 10:40
There’s that question
again. Lord, don’t you care?
I want to share
two more examples in Scriptures where believers are put into situations where
their faith is tested, but they don’t ask that question.
Simon Peter,
weary from fishing all night without a catch, is given some instructions by
Jesus.
Launch out into the deep, and let down
your nets for a draught. And Simon
answering said to him, Master,
we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing; nevertheless at your word I
will let down the net. And when they had
this done, they enclosed a great multitude of fishes; and their net brake.
Luke 5:4b-6
Jesus’ WORD was
enough for Simon Peter. Although he was
weary and probably discouraged, acting on his faith in Jesus’ word allowed a
miracle to happen.
And the ultimate
example of faith in the WORD is Mary, the mother of Jesus.
Fifteen year old
virgin, Mary, is visited by the angel Gabriel and told that she has found favor
with God and that she will conceive a son by the power of the Holy Spirit, and
give birth to the Son of God.
And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of
the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her. Luke 1:38 (KJV)
She totally
accepted the WORD, and submitted herself to it, although there was much that
she couldn’t understand.
We have the Word
of God. We have great teaching and centuries
of testimonies. As believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, we have the Holy Spirit
within us, and the promise that He will never leave us.
We can trust the Word of God. He cares for us.
Photo courtesy of Wanda White
I pray for faith so strong
that I never question God’s love. I pray
for faith so strong that I can say with joy in my heart, be it unto me according to thy word.
Thank you for visiting Write Moments with God. May God bless you with ever
increasing faith. Feel free to leave your comments below.
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The focus is on God showing himself in everyday moments. I hope to remind you of the promises that will encourage your heart. You may share your thoughts as well.
Monday, October 28, 2013
How is Your Faith? Do You Trust He Cares for You?
Monday, October 21, 2013
One Body to Glorify God ~ His Church, His Bride
Windsor Castle ~ photo courtesy of Jeanne Henriques Collage of Life |
So we, being many,
are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. Romans 12:5 (KJV)
I
attended a Christian writers’ conference.
Every morning we began the day with prayer, songs of praise, and a
faith-filled message. In the evening, we
ended in a similar manner. We enjoyed
this peaceable community all week.
Such was the fellowship and atmosphere of love that some attendees said it was “better than church”. I think I laughed when I heard that statement, but that's not really anything to laugh about.
I was struck by the fact that no one asked, “What church do you go to?”--
like they do in my town with a church on practically every corner. At the conference, no one represented any
particular church or denomination. We
were all just Christians who want to glorify God through our writing. We wanted to draw others to the light of Jesus Christ.
The
things that we held in common were much more important than the differences
that normally separate us in our churches.
We were brothers and sisters in the body of Christ, and as that we are members
of His body, and that is Christ’s true church.
There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. Ephesians 4:4-6 (KJV)
My daughter Katie is the blond next to her best friend Becky, the bride.
Thank you so much for visiting Write Moments with God. It really means a lot to me. You are welcome to share your thoughts below. I hope you have a wonderful day.
Monday, October 14, 2013
A Well-Spring of Life ~ plus, Winner of Book Give-Away Announced
A mountain stream ~ Google image |
Thus said the LORD, Let not the wise
man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not
the rich man glory in his riches: But let him that glorieth, glory in this,
that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD which exercise loving
kindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I
delight, said the LORD. Jeremiah 9: 23, 24AKJV
I wrote the above
verses on an index card and read it several times a day over the past
week. The more I thought about it, the
more excited I got about it.
There is real reason to glory when we
have conquered our pride.
When we realize that
all our wisdom (and all our advantaged degrees) are foolishness in the light of
our all-knowing God.
When we realize that
in ourselves we have no strength--for we are dust.
When we realize that
riches and worldly possessions are just vanity.
And all is fleeting.
Then we can REST in
HIS PEACE trusting only in God and His Will.
Desiring nothing but what comes from His hands.
And in what things does He delight?
Loving kindness—I totally depend upon it.
Judgment—All His
judgments are true.
Righteousness—Our
righteousness is in Him.
In what can I rejoice?
That I understand and
know the LORD.
And my prayer is that
we will seek to understand and know Him more and more until we see Him face to
face in all His glory.
Understanding is a well-spring of life
unto him that hath it. Proverbs 16:22a
KJV
And the meditation of my heart shall be
understanding. Psalm 49:3b
Fay Lamb's beautiful picture taken in the NC mountains
I am honored that you have visited Write Moments with God. I pray that God blesses you with His grace and peace today. Thank you for visiting. I welcome you to leave your comments below. I always like to hear from you.
And now, drum roll please! The winner of last week's book give-away.
Jeanette Levellie will be receiving a copy of Fay Lamb's novel Charisse (book one in the Ties that Bind series).
Fay and I would like to thank all of you who visited and commented last week. We appreciate your kind words and encouragement.
And remember, the first Monday of every month, there's a featured author and a book give-away.
Monday, October 7, 2013
Meet Fay Lamb, Guest Author -- Plus Book Give-Away
Fay Lamb, author and editor |
Today’s special guest is Fay
Lamb, an acquisition editor for Pelican
Book Group. I met Fay in August at the
Catch the Wave Christian Writers Conference. Besides getting to know her, I had the
pleasure of taking her workshop on characterization which is now available as a
paperback, The Art of Characterization.
Fay’s emotionally charged stories remind the reader that God
is always in the details. She has
recently contracted with Write Integrity
Press for three different series. Stalking Willow, the first in the Amazing Grace
romantic suspense series and Charisse, the first release in her
The Ties That Bind contemporary romance series are currently available. Both
second novels in the series, Better than Revenge and Libby
will release this month.
Fay is a past-secretary for American Christian Fiction Writers. She served for four years as
the moderator for ACFW’s critique group, Scribes. For her volunteer efforts for
ACFW, she received the Service Members Award in 2010.
Fay and
her husband, Marc, reside in Titusville, Florida, where multi-generations of their families have lived. The legacy continues
with their two married sons and five grandchildren (with the sixth also to be released this month). Enjoy the interview.
Fay,
could you tell our readers what inspired you on your writing journey?
Would you believe that I have never needed
much inspiration for my writing journey? I have always had a tremendous
imagination—one so large that I couldn’t contain it within myself. It had to
pour out in storytelling and in writing.
When
did you start thinking of yourself as a writer?
Did that come before or after publication?
Truly, I can’t remember a time when I
didn’t think of myself as a writer. Well, maybe before I could put the words
onto paper, but even before that, I told myself stories. My sister was thirteen
years older than me, and she married before I was seven. I spent a lot of time
by myself. Well, not exactly by myself. I had many, many imaginary friends, and
I told lots of stories about them.
What
was your journey to publication like?
A very long one, and looking back, I have
to say that I was more discouraged than not when I looked at my writing in
terms of publication. Now, that I’m on the other side of publication, I’ve
discovered that in just writing, I was always the happiest. I wasn’t worried
about when my time would come, and when it did finally arrive, I had more than
one book ready.
Fay,
is there one piece of writing advice you wish you’d had from the beginning.
Keep writing. Practice not only makes
perfect but it makes for more than one story for contract.
What
do you think the Lord is teaching you through your writing?
The Lord had continually worked with me on
pride. He is very faithful to help me live out Proverbs 11:2. I’d say that I’ve
whipped that particular sin, but I don’t want to have to be taken back to
the woodshed. I believe He sat me on a shelf for two
years because of my pride. I wasn’t happy with Him at the time. I wasn’t happy
with myself either. In fact, I believe I was the most miserable I’ve ever been
in my life. I wanted to write, but I was so depressed during that time that it
wasn’t an option. When I finally woke up and realized that it isn’t about me,
but it is all about Him, I became a much happier person, and I learned that
humility comes with servitude. I have learned what a pleasure it is to work
with and for other writers.
Where
can we find you on the web?
Oh, I’m all over. *Smiling* I love to make
friends on my personal page on Facebook (www.facebook.com/fay.lamb), and I have
an author page (www.facebook.com/AuthorFay), and I offer daily editing tips as the
Tactical Editor on Facebook (www.facebook.com/TacticalEd).
I’m an editor for Pelican Book Group, and I
write the weekly Tactical Tuesday: Advice for Self-Editing. (http://pelicanbookgroup.blogspot.com)
You
have graciously offered to give away a book to one of our readers today. Tell us about it.
Charisse is the first novel in The Ties that Bind series, which
follows the lives of four different women who live in Orlando, Florida.
Charisse is a widowed mother of a seven-year-old, and she is struggling to make
ends meet and to attend law school. When she’s forced to give up her dreams of
becoming a lawyer, her prayers are answered, but not in a way she expects. She ends
up working as a law clerk for her ex-friend, Gideon Tabor. The problem is,
Gideon’s rare ruling in favor of a defendant released the man that Charisse
holds responsible for her husband’s death.
This novel and the three that will follow are set closer to home
than most of my novels. In fact, Charisse grew up in my hometown of Titusville,
Florida. We both graduated from the same high school. She even loves the same
drive-in restaurant I frequent on a daily basis.
As each woman’s love story unfolds, the four women and the men
they love form an unusual family, and they’ll see each other through love and
loss. The second story in the series, Libby, will release this month and
Charisse and Libby’s friends, Hope and
Delilah will have their stories
released in 2014.
Do
you have a favorite Scripture, Fay?
Romans 8:28 is my
Scripture for writing because the basic lesson is that God is in the details.
This is why I write, and what I try to show in all of my novels. I want the
reader to know that it doesn’t matter what he or she has done, God has never
been far away. Whether the mistakes that have you in a mess are yours or
others, God has never has His hand off of you. All things happen for good…
On the other hand, that Scripture’s lesson
runs as deep as the cross. We don’t often ponder the fact that God has
suffered, but He did. He suffered Christ’s death on the cross. And He suffered
as the Father and the Son. Why? So that it could be said, “All things happen
for good …”
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
Thank you all for visiting Write Moments with God. I just love introducing you to Christian authors. Now, to qualify for the random drawing of a signed copy of Fay's novel, Charisse:
1. Leave a comment in the comment box below for one chance to win, which includes (1) your email address, and (2) how are you going to share this blog post. It's easy to share this on Facebook. Plus, Twitter fans could tweet. We appreciate lots of shares in order to help us get the word out.
2. Become a follower of Write Moments with God for an additional chance to win.
Please do this by Saturday, October 12th by noon. I will announce the winner on Monday, October 14th. Thank you so much for participating.
Thursday, October 3, 2013
The Love Over Me that Gathers Together
A little figurine that sits in my kitchen window reminding me of my childhood. |
What an analogy our Lord Jesus Christ makes! He compares Himself to a hen.
To grasp the full extent of this analogy, you need
to have observed a mother hen with her chicks.
Until I was 10 years old, we lived in a whitewashed
shotgun house beside a corn field with chickens cooped in the backyard. My sister, Margaret, and I gathered the eggs
before school. We had up-close
encounters with the biddies, mama hens, and roosters for years. I could tell you some stories, but that’s for
another time.
If you have a minute, watch this short video courtesy of YouTube:
I am struck by the fact that Jesus compares himself
to a mother hen—a creature that scratches the dirt. Not a mighty eagle, a majestic bird of prey
that soars and lives high in the sky. A hen is a
humble creature that lives in the dust.
I’ve seen a mother hen cover her chicks with her body. She outstretches her wings and gently guides them under. She tenderly claims her brood, yet she’s fiercely
protective. You learn this lesson, if
you’ve ever been chased by chickens or rooster.
God allows us to know Him through His son Jesus
Christ, who delights to do the will of His Father.
For
God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever
believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16
Through the Scriptures we can discern the truth
about Jesus’ nature, which is like the Father’s. Over and over we see the love He has for us.
Christ lived out that love—He laid down His life for
us.
This
is my commandment, That you love one
another, as I have loved you. Greater
love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. John 15:12, 13
By using this simple comparison, Jesus reveals how
He cares for us.
And he would have gathered them together.
Christ desires unity for us with Him and one another
like that between Himself and God.
That
they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also
may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. John 17: 21
And indeed, such unity would be divinely inspired. The greatest of these is love.
Love
is the fulfilling of the law. Romans13:10b
For me, the analogy of the hen and her chicks is a
picture of God’s love, and the love He desires us to have in the body of
Christ. To illustrate His love, Jesus didn’t
hesitate to show Himself meek.
Oh
the love He has for us, that he would humble himself so low to claim us for His
own. But indeed, Jesus did say, “Blessed
are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth”. (Matthew 5:5)
Similar style house I lived in by the cornfield -- except
ours was white on a dirt road with oak trees in front
Thank you for visiting Write Moments with God today. God bless you today with His love and protection over you.
Be sure to come back on Monday for my guest author and our monthly book give-away.
Monday, September 30, 2013
A Good Medicine
me LAUGHING (2007) |
A merry heart does good like
a medicine: but a broken spirit dries the bones.
Proverbs 17:22 (AKJV)
Many of you have prayed for me this week, offered kind words of encouragement, and sent get-well wishes. You have blessed me more than you know. My sincere thanks to each of you.
So, today I want to share a devotion with you from God, Me, and Sweet Iced Tea about a good medicine. I hope it speaks to your need and touches your heart.
So, today I want to share a devotion with you from God, Me, and Sweet Iced Tea about a good medicine. I hope it speaks to your need and touches your heart.
The
therapeutic value of joy and laughter can not be denied. Who doesn’t enjoy a
good belly laugh? I believe I’ve even
heard a story about a sick man who laughed himself well. Charles Dickens wrote in his cherished classic
A Christmas Carol that “it is a fair,
even-handed, noble adjustment of things, that while there is infection in
disease and sorrow, there is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as
laughter and good-humour.” This astute
observation brings a smile to my lips.
Noble, indeed, he says. God is good.
Job spoke with faith when he said
“He will yet fill thy mouth with laughter, And thy lips with shouting” Job 8:21
(ASV). He expected to see the goodness and
joy of the Lord, even though he was in the midst of suffering and sorrow. God wants us to enjoy the life He’s given
us. The Scripture says that Jesus came
“that they might have life, and have it more abundantly.” An abundant life implies ample joy and
laughter. He wants His joy to be a
constant and abiding benefit of our relationship with Him. Joy comes from a heart content in Christ
Jesus.
“The Lord has done great things for us;
whereof we are glad” Psalm 126:3. And we need to share that joy with those with
whom our lives touch. Share the joy
through kind words of encouragement and hope.
Share the joy with a million laughs.
A happy heart is “irresistibly contagious”. It does good to dispense it freely.
Scripture Readings:
Job 8:21; Psalm 126:2; Proverbs 12:25; Proverbs 17:22; Luke 6:21, John
10:10.
Journal Considerations: What
do you think of Charles Dickens observation that there is “nothing in the world
so irresistibly contagious as laughter”?
Do
you think God wants His joy to be a constant and abiding benefit of our
relationship with Him?
Prayer: Dear
Lord God, You have done great things for us.
Thank you for putting joy in our hearts and filling my mouths with
laughter. Help us find joy in our everyday lives, and
help us share that joy with others. In Jesus’
name I pray. Amen.
Today’s Sweet Tea Moment: Laughter does good like a medicine,
plus there’s no need to pay a deductible.
Prayer Focus: Those
suffering from depression.
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
Momentary Light Afflictions
The beautiful pictures today are courtesy of Eileen DeCamp taken near her Virginia home. She is most talented and generous to share. |
For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, works for us a far
more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. 2 Corinthians 4:17 (NKJV)
“Kiss it
and make it better, Mommy!” I often
heard those words when my six children were growing up. Many scrapes and injuries would cause them to
run to me. My kiss was a promise that the pain would soon
pass. As an added consolation, I applied a kiddy themed Band-Aid. Those minor sufferings are part and parcel
to life. As adults, it’s not so easy to
see it that way. Indeed, the spirit is
willing, but the body is weak.
So here I
find myself suffering with an extreme case of shingles. After ignoring symptoms for days, I ran to
Jesus when I realized what was upon me. “Heal
me, Lord, I trust in You,” I prayed. Having delayed
going to the doctor, my condition worsened . . . in more ways than one. My
focus was being drawn more and more into my burning pain that was spreading
over my trunk and limbs. The pain was
becoming all consuming. I couldn’t concentrate
due to it. I couldn’t sleep.
Now, it had
occurred to me when I first prayed for myself to pray for those who were suffering
in their bodies with chronic pain and sickness. I included that in my prayer, but the focus was still me. It took about four days for me to really turn
my prayers and thoughts to others and to
the heart of my compassionate Lord Jesus to ask if He might want to teach
me something through this.
How His heart must ache for His
children. He is our Advocate. He has sent us the Comforter, God
the Holy Spirit, to be with us.
He wants us to be an advocate for others—intercede for them. He wants us to be a comforter—share the burden in prayers and kind deeds.
I am
ashamed of myself for being so slow to catch on. I even hesitated to ask for prayers. But when I did, what kindness and generosity poured forth from my friends and
fellow brothers and sisters in the body of Christ. I could feel the Holy Spirit ministering to
me. I could feel God’s mercy. And I am encouraged even more to pour out
my heart for others who need His compassion and mercy.
We have the
story of our compassionate Lord in the gospels—His actions revealed His
heart. Christ’s resurrection is His promise to us that our present
suffering will be turned into glory. Our
faith in Him is the remedy against
despair. The body of Christ in lifting
up each other in prayer, brings glory to
the cause of Christ.
And so, like the scraps and pains we had as children, all this
suffering too is but momentary light
afflictions compared to the suffering of our Lord—momentary light afflictions compared to the glory of eternal life and joy without end in His presence.
I pray that we will be encouraged and find patience in our
present suffering knowing that in that perfect
day we will spend eternity with HIM.
My thoughts and prayers for you who have prayed and
encouraged me during this time. I am
very thankful and grateful for you. May
God bless you with His mercy and grace and multiply back to you all your
kindness. Thank you for visiting Write Moments with God.
You are welcome to leave comments below. I always like to hear from you.
Monday, September 16, 2013
Jesus Challenges Us to See a New Reality
Google image
The
kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one
of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it. Matthew13:45-46 (NIV)
We pay dearly for all we invest our time and money
into. But when everything is said and done,
what’s of greatest value to you? If you
found your pearl of great price, would you sell everything you had to buy it? That's no easy question. How dare I ask it? But Jesus himself drew the comparison.
I read a story last week which sparked my imagination. I thought of the
parable of the pearl of great price.
In June, Carole Ryan returned
home from Prague to find her Arizona home and many of her pets destroyed by
wildfire. This 65-year-old’s home had
burnt to the ground.
Observers said that she was “remarkably upbeat.” Her daughter who lived with her was safe.
Ms. Ryan explained. “I owned too much stuff. . . . In a way, the fire set me free to start all
over again.” Then, she received an
unexpected joy.
While sifting through the debris, with a sifter provided to
her by Red Cross workers, she was astonished to find her most prized possession, her
mother’s wedding ring.
That’s the moment I thought of the parable. It was as if she had just found her pearl of
great price.
I thought --what is my
most prized possession?
I daresay that we are often deceived by the things of this
world, and focus our attention on and set our affections on counterfeit pearls.
In this parable, Jesus is showing us a truth about the
kingdom of heaven.
He challenges us to see a new reality. By using this comparison of the merchant finding
a pearl and selling all that he has to buy it, He is showing us the great and
true worth of the kingdom of heaven.
This challenges us to look at our attitudes about what we value and see
this new reality—the reality of the kingdom of heaven—more precious than
all that we own.
Jesus Christ is a pearl of great price and when we have Him
as our Lord and Savior, we have enough of true worth to bring us satisfaction
and joy in this life and for eternity.
Might we abandon all that stands in the way of our discipleship?
The
kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he
hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that
field. Matthew 13:44 (NIV)
Thank you all for visiting Write Moments with God. I appreciate you so much. Feel free to share your thoughts below. May God's grace be with you and keep you safe.
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