Breakfast with Jesus -- Guest Post by Jeanette Levellie -- Plus Book Give-Away

Jeanette Levellie 

I'm glad you are visiting Write Moments with God. I'm pleased to welcome my friend Jeanette Levellie, pastor's wife, mother, speaker, and Christian writer. She is sharing a devotional with us today.  Then, I want to tell you a bit about her newest book, Shock the Clock. (Interesting concept, don't you think?) She's also giving away a signed copy.  So, enjoy.

Breakfast with Jesus

“I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.” John 15:11, NIV

After he turned the TV off, my husband asked, “How did you like Breakfast at Tiffany’s?”

            “Okay,” I said, “although it seemed a bit shallow.”

             “Did it? I thought it held a valuable message. A selfish, aimless man finds meaning in laying down his life to help a girl more selfish and aimless than he. In the end, she realizes she can only be satisfied by committing her life to someone else.”

            “Well, when you put it that way…”

As believers, we were created for a higher purpose than living to please ourselves. When we focus on what we see in the mirror, how we feel or what we want, we remain empty. We’re too small to fill the world, even our little corner of it.

            God’s image in us compels us to serve. We find fulfillment by our commitment to relationships.  First, to the Lord Jesus Christ and then by loving service to others. As we surrender to Jesus, fellowship with Him in prayer and the Word, His nature takes the place of our pride. We discover hidden gifts and talents, which we share with others, leading to deeper fulfillment.

No greater joy awaits us than the overflowing heart of a fully abandoned life.

Find your joy in fellowship with Jesus and service to others.

Thank you Jeanette for that.  I always find your writing uplifting.  

Jeanette has written several books of devotions and humor, which I found to be very enjoyable. Check them out on her blog or Amazon page. Today I want to tell you about her newest book, which really speaks to issues faced by so many of us. 

Help for Time-challenged Creatives and Everyone Else

Unlike other time management programs, Shock the Clock is a unique approach that empowers you to focus on your strengths and minimize your weaknesses to make the best use of your limited writing—or other creative time.  Author Jeanette Levellie (and her zany artist son) shares practical tips and creative insights that will enable you to say “no” with confidence, delegate with grace, and find your car keys.

Includes time management tips from:

o   New York Times Bestselling author Cecil Murphey,

o   Award-winning novelist Jody Hedlund,

o   Director of Professional Writing Department at Taylor University & author of 54 books Dennis Hensley

Jeanette has offered to give away one free signed copy to a blessed winner on my blog! To enter to win, please connect with Jeanette in one or more of the ways listed below, then comment which way(s) you chose. This contest will end at 12:01 a.m. Saturday, June 11th. I will announce the winner here on Monday, June 13.

Connect with Jeanette:

Blog: www.jeanettelevellie.com

Twitter: @JenLevellie

Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/jenlevellie

Facebook: www.facebook.com/JeanetteLevellie/

Goodreads:https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5784219.Jeanette_Levellie

Thanks again for visiting Write Moments with God.  Please visit on June 13th for a new devotional, plus give-away announcement.  May you find the encouragement and strength you need in your everyday moments with Him.  'Til next time.

The Ordinary Business of Life

This lovely BLUEBIRD is courtesy of my talented friend, Eileen DeCamp.

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

It’s been some time since I wrote for this blog.  What I thought would be a brief hiatus turned into several months.  I didn’t expect the long absence.  However, all this time I’ve been busy about the ordinary business of life, doing the duties that lie nearest.

I’ve asked the Lord a couple of times over these last few months, why I’m not writing as I intended.  No answer came, but still I had peace about it because I am certain that God engineers my circumstances.  I abide in Him, in family matters, in health matters, business matters, in spiritual matters, and His grace abounds. I do my best to cooperate, so to speak, with God.

But, I intended to write regularly for this blog.  The thought comes that maybe that’s not what God intended. At least, not just now, or in that manner.  Isn’t it possible that God intended for me to be doing exactly what I’ve been doing?  He said, “Follow me”; He said, “Feed my sheep”.  I’ve been ministering to needs in ways other than writing.

The thing is, we are apt to tie ourselves up, and God as well, by our own expectations and intentions.  I think sometimes when God upsets or overrides our plans, it is because we are in danger of making our programs an idol, some ego-centric self-fulfilling plan, that’s maybe a bit out of alignment with harmony in Him. When all the while He simply wants us to follow Him, wash some feet (see John 13:5), and serve Him through the duties that come to us in the ordinary moments of life.

There’s no need to sulk or be impatient about it.  I chose to remember the calming assurance that all things work together for good for those who love God.  After all, my fondest desire is, to be the called according to his purposes.

One of my sweetest distractions, my granddaughter Evie.

Thank you so much for visiting the blog today.  I appreciate you.  January 4^th I began a new job as adjunct English instructor at a community college.  It's given me more time to pursue my projects, so I hope to write more regularly again for Write Moments with God.  I welcome your comments.

'Til next time.  May God bless you, encourage you, and keep you safe in your daily walk with Him. 

Enough for each day -- Little by little the bird builds her nest

A wren ~ image courtesy of Google images

Then the LORD said to Moses, “I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day.  In this way, I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions.  Exodus16:4

We’ve had some unexpected guests at our house.  A sweet little wren built her nest in the wreath on the front door.  For days, I heard her little by little adding bits and pieces of leaves and grass she’d gathered to construct her nest.  All our comings and goings through that door did not deter her.  Little by little the nest took shape. Every time we’d open the door she would peek at us before flying out. One day she brushed against my son’s shoulder in her flight to the azaleas bushes.  Every evening I sneaked a close up look. When I noticed the eggs, I tied a string across the door posts to detour unsuspecting delivery folks and visitors. Sure enough, the eggs hatched.

What you might ask does this story have to do with manna in the wilderness? 

I believe this little bird was faithful each day to her call from God, quietly working and trusting in His supply for the day.  I think she was satisfied with enough – whatever God provided was sufficient and whatever she could accomplished was satisfactory.  I think if hers was a test, she passed.

That little bird inspired me by her unwavering devotion and persistence.

As the French say, petit a petit, l’oiseau fait son nid. Little by little, the bird makes her nest.

What encouragement might the wren offer to us goal-oriented, work obsessed folks?

I think it might be to work with confidence accomplishing manageable pieces each day, which in turn build for tomorrow, and demonstrate to God our obedience and trust in Him and the vision that He have given us.  Patience and self-discipline are critical. Don’t look beyond what you can do today or burden yourself with fears for the future. God’s provisions are sufficient for each day.

Take therefore no thought for the morrow. Matthew 6:34

Obedience and faithfulness honor God and bring its own reward.

Spectacular sunflowers at Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery ~
photo courtesy of Eileen DeCamp

May He give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed.  Psalm 20:4

Thank you ever so much for visiting Write Moments with God.  It means a lot to me that you are here.  Feel free to share your thoughts and add to the conversation.

Thanks to my guest Nan Jones for her recent interview.  She would like to send a copy of her book to Brenda C.  Thank you so much Brenda for your kind words.  If you'll include your email address with a comment, Nan will make arrangements to get the book in the mail.  Many blessings!

Meet the Author -- Nan Jones -- Win a copy of her new book

Nan Jones

My guest today is Nan Jones.  I first became acquainted with Nan Jones through her uplifting blog, Morning Glory. Nan is an author and speaker who resides in the beautiful mountains of Ashe County, North Carolina. She is the mother of three adult children and one grandchild. When Nan is not writing or preparing messages for her speaking ministry, you'll find her gardening, crocheting, reading or sharing a cup of coffee with a friend.

I’ve asked Nan to tell us a little about herself and her new book, The Perils of a Pastor’s Wife.  Nan would like to give away a paperback copy of the book, so be sure to read the details for the give-away at the end of this interview. 

Nan, tell us about your ministry.

For years I prayed, "Lord, open my eyes that I might see You. Teach me to know Your voice." God has honored my persistent prayers. He has taught me what it means when Paul said, "For it is in Him that we live and move and have our being" (Acts 17:28). That is how I survived the years of sorrow and loss I have lived through. I love encouraging others with the truth that God is with them always, even when it feels like they've been abandoned. I know that by sharing my personal struggles with them and the tender ways the Lord has pursued me with His love in the midst of my pain—I know it will encourage them and give them strength for the journey. I love when the words of my heart meet a deep need in the life of a reader. It is an honor for me to share His message of faithfulness through my writing and speaking.

Share with us the most meaningful truth you hope your readers glean from your writing.

There have been times in my life that I was so overcome with sorrow I could no longer pray. All I could do was speak the Name of Jesus. He drew near to me in response to my cry and taught me to see Him and hear His sweet whispers of love. I learned to rest in His Presence—just being. Not striving. Not running my mouth. Just basking in His love. These are the things I write and teach about.

Tell us a little about your new book and what inspired you to write it.

The Perils of A Pastor's Wife will help mend hearts burned in the lonely fires of ministry. Through its pages I share what God has taught me about finding Him in my darkest hours.

I served as a pastor's wife for 31 years. These were some of the most fulfilling and rewarding years of my life. These years were also some of the most trying—not necessarily because of the people, but because of the spiritual battles that raged. Our lives could be turned upside down as quickly as the wind changes in a storm. A pastor's wife knows what it is to feel completely alone in the middle of a crowd. We are known to have trust issues—wondering who we can really be ourselves with and share our hearts with when we're troubled. Rejection is another hurt that most folks don’t think about when they consider the lives of pastors and their wives. The pain can be unbearable. I knew that other pastors' wives needed to know that they were not alone in their struggles and that someone understood what they were going through. I hope readers walk away from this book with renewed confidence in her calling, with healing deep in her spirit, and the realization that in her darkest moments God is with her—He is faithful.

I’d like to share this excerpt:

CHAPTER ONE

AFTER THE FIRE, A GENTLE WHISPER

ONLY GOD KNEW where my husband was. I had run from

the business meeting before its completion. Tempers

flared. Tongues were unleashed, and nearly three years

of fruitful ministry were all but destroyed. My heart beat

madly within my chest, fighting desperately not to break

from the pain of rejection. Angry tears stung my cheeks

as I bolted from the sanctuary. I didn’t know if I could

continue in this thing called ministry. God was asking too

much of me.

My husband, David, and I had been ministering in the

small rural church for three years. Under his leadership

and the Holy Spirit’s guidance, the church had experienced

exponential growth. God’s mercy and grace flowed into

the lives of our people. Church had become a place of joy,

restoration, and refuge.

Then evil reared its ugly head.

The Perils of a Pastor's Wife

Share with us your favorite Scripture and give us your insight about it.

The Scripture that I ponder and rely upon the most is Exodus 33:14:

 "And the Lord said to him [Moses], 'MyPresence will go with you and I will give you rest.'"

This verse expresses the Truth that carries me through my difficulties in its simplest form—God is with me always and because of that I can find rest from the heartache, rest from the fears and anxieties, rest from the enemy's pursuit.

Where can we find you on the web? Readers might like to connect with you there.

blog: morningglorylights.blogspot.com/

website: www.NanJones.com

Twitter: @NanJonesAuthor

Facebook: Nan Trammell Jones

Facebook Community Page: Seeing Beyond the Veil

Pinterest: Nan Jones, Author

To contact Nan, please visit her website or contact her directly at nan@jubilantlight.com

Please leave a comment below (along with your email address) to be included in a random drawing for a copy of The Perils of a Pastor’s Wife. The winner will be announced on the blog on Monday, August 17th.

Many thanks to Nan for being our guest, and thank you as ever for taking the time to visit Write Moments with God. You are much appreciated.

BLIND SPOTS -- Obscuring our view of the Cross

Beautiful picture taken and graciously provided by Aaron Barton

Do you not yet perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened? Having eyes do you not see, and having ears do you not hear? Mark 8: 17b – 18a (RSV)

I glanced in the rear view mirrors and began moving over into the left lane when suddenly a horn blared causing me to jerk the car back into my lane.  None too soon. Disaster diverted.  I totally did not see that car although it was right beside me. Blame it on the “blind spot.”  Do you have a blind spot in your car?

This incident started me thinking about the blind spots we Christians have.  Do you think you might have a blind spot, or two?  I think I do.  Sometimes maybe that blind spot obscures sight due to immaturity or flat-out ignorance.  More often I suspect it’s due to arrogance.  We can become obsessed with our preferred style or methods and lose sight of the Cross.

Caution is advised when sentimental pious self-consciousness turns our eyes on self and away from Christ.

The Pharisees had a blind spot. They couldn’t see Jesus. God Incarnate walked among them yet that haughty crowd saw Him not.

 

His humble disciples saw Him.

Then he saith to them: But whom do you say that I am?  And Peter answering says to him, “Thou are the Christ.” Mark 8:29 (Douay-Rheims)

John the Baptist saw Him.

The next day, John saw Jesus coming to him, and says, Behold, the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. John 1:29

Now I suppose one could say the Pharisees had all the trappings of having it all together.  The crowd Jesus hung with didn’t appear to have much going for them but their devotion to Jesus. When the Pharisees looked upon Jesus, they saw “a man gluttonous, and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.” (See Matthew 11:19)

Not only did they not see, they didn’t want to see. Seeing Jesus for who He was would have totally shook up the world as they knew it, like it did for Saul.

Saul had a blind spot.  He was a Pharisee, a very religious man, who hated Jesus and persecuted Christians.  God, in His mercy, cured Saul’s blind spot by striking him down by His light, blinding him completely.  Only then did Saul see the Lord and understand the Truth. This revelation of Christ totally changed him into a devoted servant of the Lord Jesus Christ who spent the rest of his life as the apostle Paul, a missionary and teacher of the gospel.

Christians suffer from blind spots which we think of as benign until they cause us to behave in anti-Christian ways toward one another.

Might it be possible that our own individuality and temperament is obscuring our vision? Do we have obstinate attitudes that have formed and hardened – possibly based on past hurts, habits, or prejudices – and we don’t even want to examine them in the light of God’s Truth? 

When I first wrote this, I listed examples from my own experience, then deleted them, because I didn’t want to inadvertently step on toes. It’s better to examine ourselves in the light of God’s Word.

A new commandment I give to you, That you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you have love one to another. John 13:34-35 (KJV)

And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves; for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. 1 Peter 4:8 (KJV)

Hopeland Gardens, Aiken, S.C.

Thanks so much for taking time out of your busy day to stop by Write Moments with God.  Feel free to share your thoughts and comments.  I appreciate hearing from you.  Be blessed.

Note to Readers: This meditation has nothing whatsoever to do with recent events in the media.

Uniquely Personal Temptations

My chocolate cake made with Southern Living's Fudge Pecan Ripple Layer Cake recipe.

Watch and pray, that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. Matthew 26:41 KJV

You’ve heard statements like these.

"I have a weakness for chocolate."

"I love warm bread and butter."

"I can't resist ice cream."

Indeed, we hear confessions like these all the time. It would seem that we all know the weaknesses of our appetites. But do we know our spiritual weaknesses as well as that? Have you ever considered that Satan knows your weaknesses?

As personal as our taste in food, what tempts each of us to sin is uniquely personal. It seems to me that temptations are finely presented by Satan to work on our personal spiritual weaknesses. He knows just what it takes to tempt us to sin. I had this "ah-hah" moment, viz., revelation, the other day after I had lunch with a friend.

I looked forward to this lunch date with an old friend I seldom see.  In advance of our meeting, I reconfirmed to myself the intention to avoid speaking about certain "subjects" which I suspected might come up--subjects, such as, a particular broken relationship. 

I knew that even a little nibble would serve up old history that could lead to tale bearing, gossip, gloating, and other unsavory stuff.

Yet, no sooner had she spoken the words, "And what do you hear of so-and-so?", my response came laced with lots of gossip. Indigestion quickly followed in the form of self-condemnation and guilt.

Temptation is like Satan or one of his minions saying, Let's see what it takes to get this soul to disregard God and His teaching. The devil is subtle and tempts us unaware; we must spot him at the point of his attack.  

Then, "Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." (James 4:7)

Jesus was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.  Thanks to the Atonement, with the help of the Holy Spirit of God in us, we too can overcome temptation. 

Little children, you are of God, and have overcome them; for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. 1 John 4:4 RSV

Iced tea and cheese cake with whipped cream ~ Google image

Thank you so much for visiting Write Moments with God.  Many of you have noted that I am not posting on this blog as often as I once did.  Thanks for your concern and for bearing with me.  A new job and other projects are requiring much of my time and focus.  But I intend to continue writing as often as I can for Write Moments with God.  Your prayers are always welcome, as I continue to pray for those who are touched by these posts. Please feel free to leave your comments.  I appreciate you.

Hope and Confidence in the face of life's puzzles

An intriguing picture of baby Charlie "reading" the newspaper 

I’ve always loved putting together jigsaw puzzles, not only as a child, but as an adult. Whenever I hold a new puzzle in my hands, I shake the box, then I'm ready to master its 1,000 easy pieces. The designs and variegated hues and shadows intrigue me. As the pieces are fitted together, satisfying glimpses of the big picture come into view. I am master of its tiny universe.

Sometimes an elusive piece will send me searching high and low on the table and under it, examining every remaining piece until I find the elusive one. I enjoy the moment when I have put the final one into place to complete the picture perfect. 

Life simplified into 1,000 pieces in a box.  Thus, the perennial charm of puzzles, I guess. 

But, life isn’t 1,000 easy pieces. 

There are many puzzles in life and even in the Bible we read passages that puzzle us. We all find ourselves from time to time in muddles seemingly beyond our comprehension and control. Through persistence and prayer, we keep on working. By God’s mercy and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, we can understand.  But when we don’t, it's enough to know we can trust God.

We may want the big picture completed neatly now so we can see the results of all God plans to do in and through our lives. But, in reality, we can't know. God knows the beginning and the ending. Maybe God has given us a vision for who he wants us to be and we’re doing our best to work it out. We will see and understands parts of His plan for our lives, but some things we can't know and understand this side of eternity. 

For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.  Philippians 1:6

We’ve just celebrated holy week and I’m still rejoicing over the Cross of Christ, which has bridged the gap between God and man and made it possible for us to be brought back into relationship with God where the whole human race was designed to be in perfect communion with God from the beginning.  And it’s with Him my hope and confidence lies for the future.

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1

My grandson Charlie with birthday balloons

Thank you for visiting Write Moments with God.  Always, I appreciate you. 

I hope you enjoy the grand-Mimi pictures (even if they have little relevance to the meditation). I hope they make you s m i l e.