Being Grateful by Tara Randel

Posted on July 29, 2024 by tararandel

Recently I was listening to a podcast where the topic of being grateful came up. It was very uplifting and inspirational but when it was over I had to stop and think, am I grateful? All the time? It sounds like something we all practice, but when you sit down and truly examine the question, what do you come up with?

Ever since covid I’ve found that I’ve been up and down. I’ve worked hard to stay positive but sometimes life just gets to you. This question of gratitude became magnified in my mind, and I had to spend some time thinking about what kind of attitude I portray in my life.

The first thing I did was order a 52 week gratitude booklet. Each day, you write down some of the things you’re grateful for. After I got the book, I looked up scriptures to add to each day’s entry. My keywords were gratitude, thanks, joy, and praise, to name a few. It’s one thing to be grateful, it’s another thing to invite the Lord into the process. When I think about the redeeming grace of God, how can I not be grateful? I can’t and I shouldn’t.

The speaker on the podcast talked about practicing gratitude. I soon realized that to be consistent; to be intentional, it has to become a lifestyle. It might be easy to speak of gratitude for a few days, but what about a year? Many years? What happens when we experience events that are not uplifting or are very painful? Does gratitude come easily then?  

I plan on finding out. I want gratitude to be as easy as breathing, not something I have to dig for deep inside. At first, I thought of the idea of practicing gratitude as a challenge. Now, I want it to be an everyday occurrence. Not something I have to think about, something I do naturally.

If you already practice gratitude, that is awesome. If this is a tough area or you haven’t thought much about it, why not join me on this journey. I’ve always considered myself a polite, pleasant, thankful person, but intentionally being grateful has made a difference in my spirit that has made me feel lighter and happier.

Here are a few scriptures for you today. I hope they life your spirit!

I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.  Psalms 9:1

The trumpeters and musicians joined in unison to give praise and thanks to the Lord. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals and other instruments, the singers raised their voices in praise to the Lord and sang: “He is good: his love endures forever.” 2 Chronicles 5:13

Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.  1 Thessalonians 5:18

I will praise God’s name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving. Psalms 69:30

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.  Psalms 107:1

Tara Randel is an award-winning, USA Today bestselling author. Family values, a bit of mystery and of course, love and romance, are her favorite themes, because she believes love is the greatest gift of all. Look for her Harlequin Heartwarming romance, HER SURPRISE HOMETOWN MATCH, available in 2025. For more information about her books, visit Tara at www.tararandel.com. Like her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/TaraRandelBooks. Sign up for Tara’s Newsletter.

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Lose a Letter, Gain a Story: A Blog for the Silly Season by James R. Coggins

Posted on July 24, 2024 by jrcoggins

Some of my writer friends like to play a little game. They have discovered that if you drop a single letter from the title of a famous book, you can come up with a title for a completely different story. It may sound silly, but, honestly, playing around with words is all writers do all day anyway. Following are a few examples. Use your imagination and consider what these new stories might be about.

Lord of the Rigs

Ale of Two Cities

Little Omen

Little Me

The Prince and the Paper

Seeping Beauty

Brave New Word

One with the Wind

Gone with the Win

Now White

Far from the Adding Crowd

Of Ice and Men

Lord of the Lies

The Tree Musketeers

Animal Arm

Oliver Twit

Leak House

The War of the Words

All Quit on the Western Front

Jane Eye

The Fir

How Green Was My Alley

Lack Beauty

The Lion, the Itch, and the Wardrobe

Canterbury Ales

198

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More Like God by Nancy J. Farrier

Posted on July 22, 2024 by Nancy J. Farrier
Photo by Tim Marshall on Unsplash

Sometimes I get so frustrated with my human nature. I want to be more like God, but that nasty humanness rears its ugly head when I least expect it.

Have you ever had that happen? You determine to be a godlier person and then something happens. A co-worker snaps at you and you snap right back. It’s the end of the day, you’re tired, and the person in front of you is so slow, keeping you from getting home and putting your feet up. The list can go on and on. 

There comes a point when we forget what it means to be like God in our actions and thoughts. What should we strive for in our daily life?

One of my favorite verses is Joel 2:13. The verse is so clear about God’s character and gives us an idea of what we can do to change our human traits to godliness. 

“So rend your heart, and not your garments;

Return to the Lord your God,

For He is gracious and merciful,

Slow to anger, and of great kindness;

And He relents from doing harm.” (Joel 2:13)

There are four traits of God mentioned in the verse above.

1)He is gracious and merciful.

2)Slow to anger

3)Of great kindness

4)He relents from doing harm.

In looking at this list, I believe if you do the first one, all the others will fall into place. Someone who is gracious and merciful will also be slow to anger and will show great kindness. They will relent from doing harm because they are showing mercy. 

If we wonder how God demonstrated these traits to people, we only need to look at Biblical examples. He showed mercy to Noah and his family by delivering them from the flood. When Abraham asked for grace for the people of Sodom, God extended that grace if there were as few as ten people in the city. He extended mercy to David when he repented of his sin with Bathsheba and Uriah.

God gave grace and showed mercy to Saul, a man who persecuted Christians, seeking them out to be put to death. And He offered grace and mercy to the whole world with the sacrifice of His son.

With God’s example before us, we should treat each situation with great consideration as we learn to act likewise. This isn’t something that comes naturally to those with a human nature. It takes practice, working every moment of every day, to change into a godlier person.

When people become annoying and situations stress us beyond what we think we can take, we must ask God to help us demonstrate his mercy and kindness, to not wish harm to anyone. We must consider that, as Christians, we are called to show God’s love toward others and to demonstrate His characteristics.

Perhaps, at the end of the day, we should go over all out actions and consider these four points.

Ask ourselves: Did I handle that with grace and mercy? Was I slow to anger and did I keep a cool head? Did I demonstrate kindness? Did I wish harm on this person or would I delight if harm came to them? If we failed in any of these, we ask forgiveness and determine to do better from then on.

If we do this every day, then we will become accustomed to this attitude Then our lives will begin to change and we will reflect God’s loving kindness to all those around us.

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Do You Have a Passport?

Posted on July 18, 2024 by Patricia Bradley

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20

Do you have your passport ready if God calls you to be a missionary out of the states? I don’t necessarily mean a lifetime missionary, but what if He called you to go on a short mission trip? I once had an opportunity to go to Romania with a mission group from my church for two weeks and had to say no because I didn’t have a passport. I didn’t really know how to apply or that I could even apply for a passport on line. Yet I procrastinated.

I know what you may be thinking—God won’t call me to be a missionary, but what if you’re wrong? I’ll never forget the first time I felt the nudge to go. It was by the singing group, No Other Name. That year, their song “Lead Me To The Cross” was chosen by the Southern Baptist International Mission Board to promote missions to Northern Africa and the Middle East. During the concert, they asked a question I haven’t been able to get out of my mind even years later.

“What would it mean to you if someone traveled around the world to tell you how much Jesus loves you?” Because I’ve always known about Jesus, I can’t even imagine a life devoid of Him. But so many people have never heard His name even.

No Other Name didn’t just give lip service to the Great Commission—they followed it up by organizing mission trips to different parts of the world. They even had passport applications on the table with their CDs. Yet I didn’t pick one up…

The second time I was nudged, it was by two people from my church who had just returned from a mission trip to Tanzania. Their description of the people and the living conditions of the people in that part of the world briefly shook me out of my complacency. In the village where they went as medical missionaries, one well supplied water for about five thousand people. Yet, I still didn’t get a passport.

I’m too old…or too young…or too…our excuses go on, don’t they? Mine do. How young is too young, or how old is too old? Several teens from our church have gone on the Romanian and Haiti (when it was safe) trips, and I have several friends who’ve gone on mission trips in their retirement years, one who took her first mission trip to the Philippines when she was 76. And our very own Christians Read author, Delores Topliff, has gone on mission trips to the Philippines three times, and to Mexico, Israel, and South Korea…and to a tributary of the Amazon where Colombia, Peru & Ecuador meet.

I know we all can’t go halfway across the world to be witnesses for Jesus, and maybe God hasn’t called you to a foreign mission field. Perhaps He has your mission field right in your neighborhood, your town, your state. But what if He did call you, to say… Romania. Would you be ready? I am…now.

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Shut Up and Listen by James R. Coggins

Posted on July 17, 2024 by jrcoggins

In James 1:18-27, the apostle addresses the topic of “words.” Verse 18 (NIV) says that God “chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.” There is an echo here of Genesis 1, where God spoke the universe into existence. John 1 equates God speaking in creation with the Word, Jesus. However, more than creation is in mind here. Human beings were the culmination, not the “firstfruits” of creation. More directly, this verse is about being born again (John 3:3) through Jesus. This regeneration of human beings is the firstfruits/beginning of the restoration of all of creation. Just as the universe was created by the word of God (God spoke the universe into existence), so creation is being restored by the Word of God (Jesus is the Word of God, who brings the dead back to life).

James goes on to say, in verses 19-21, that we should be “quick to listen, slow to speak.” Human beings like to talk, but their words do not have the power or purity of God’s Word. When we become angry, then bitter and hurtful words pour out of us. Therefore, we should speak much less than we do. Instead, we should listen to God’s Word. We should humbly accept what God has said and welcome God’s Word (Jesus) to live in us. It is only accepting God’s Word that can save us.

In verses 22-25, James explains more fully what it means to listen to God’s Word. He does so by offering a metaphor or word picture. He talks about a man looking in a mirror and then immediately forgetting what he looks like. I understand this. I look in the mirror and see an old man, then walk away and still think of myself as a young man able to do the things I used to do. But James’s analogy does not mean that we see ourselves in the Word of God. Well, God’s Word does tell us that we are sinful and weak. But that is not the point James is making. The illustration is about forgetting. He says that some people look at the Word of God and then immediately forget it and live as if they had never read it. James then uses a peculiar phrase: “the perfect law that gives freedom.” It is not clear whether he is talking about the Old Testament law (as a good Jew) or the New Testament Good News. We do not think of law as giving freedom. We see law as restricting what we do. So, how does the law, God’s Word, give us freedom? Law keeps us from doing what we want to do. God’s Word, on the other hand, gives us the freedom to do what we should do, what God wants us to do. It empowers us to do good. In telling us not to covet, it frees us from envy and bitterness. In telling us to forgive, it allows us to experience forgiveness. Obeying God’s law frees us from all kinds of addictions and the bondage of sin. But there is more here. James later (James 2:12) uses the same phrase, and there he is clearly referring to the new covenant in Jesus, which brings forgiveness and freedom from sin and its penalties. James is contrasting the law (the Old Testament) with “the law that gives freedom” (the New Testament or new covenant in Jesus).

Verses 26-27 again tell us to shut up (to “keep a tight rein” on our tongues) and submit to God’s Word. Being quiet keeps us from sinning with our words, keeps us from blaspheming, lying, and hurting others with our words. It also keeps us from boasting. If we “consider ourselves religious,” we might boast about our righteousness—a boast that is undercut by our actions. Christians have done immeasurable harm by loudly proclaiming our faith and then failing to live up to it. James tells us to stop boasting and start doing. Our actions will proclaim the truth of God’s Word more loudly than our words ever could. Once again here, the Bible cuts through our narrow prejudices. Some Christians focus on maintaining their personal morality (keeping themselves “from being polluted by the world”). Other Christians say it is more important to be involved in social action, in doing good to other people (“looking after orphans and widows in their distress”). James says to do both.

God’s Word brings about creation, restoration, and life. Too often, our words are destructive. We need more of God’s Word and less of our words.

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Remembering: The Value of Photo Albums by James R. Coggins

Posted on July 10, 2024 by jrcoggins

A while back, my wife and I sat down and went through our photo albums—fifteen of them, covering almost half a century. Several themes stood out.

1. Family. Of course. We have photos of our families of origin and the family we built together. The Bible says that God places the lonely in families. We are grateful for the supportive families we have had and for the opportunity to support and guide the next generation.

2. Friends. We have been blessed to have had many good friends over the years. Some we were close to for a while but have lost touch with. Some have passed away. But some are still friends, both close by and far away. They have supported and helped us in uncounted ways, and we hope that we have been a blessing to them, at least in small ways.

3. Nature. There are many pictures of the pets we have had, both cats and dogs. There are photos of horses and cows and sheep. There are photos of wild animals—eagles, seagulls, hummingbirds, geese and ducks, whales, dolphins, bison, bears, beaver, lions, tigers, snakes, lizards, moose, and many more. There are photos of mountains, trees, rivers, waterfalls, oceans, clouds, lightning strikes, northern lights, sunsets, sunrises, and rainbows. We celebrate God’s marvelous and extremely varied and beautiful creation.

4. Church. There are photos of Bible study groups, Sunday school concerts, church concerts, baptisms, weddings, and funerals. There are reminders of the many ways we have been served and the ways we have served in turn. Our lives have been intricately tied up with and blessed by God’s church.

5. Travel. We have not been world travelers, but photos remind us of the one cruise we took, long drives across our own beautiful country from coast to coast, and visits to other countries. We have seen the rich culture and history of people around the world.      

6. Productivity and Creativity. There are photos that remind us of the many productive pursuits we have been able to participate in—concerts and dramatic events we have attended; concerts and dramatic events we have been part of; music and other awards we and members of our family have earned; university degrees earned; books written; projects completed. We have been privileged to have been part of God’s ongoing creative work.

7. Troubles. Our journey on this earthhas not all been sweetness and light. Our albums have also reminded us of death and loss, failure, and brokenness. There is much to mourn in our fallen world. And yet, we have often found comfort and grace in the midst of loss.

Looking back over our lives, we realize we have been incredibly blessed in innumerable ways.

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Summer Reading Fun by Tara Randel

Posted on July 8, 2024 by tararandel

It’s officially summer! We just celebrated the 4th of July, an outdoor, fireworks-filled holiday that is loud, messy, and a rite of passage. Picnics, going to the beach, bike riding, hiking in the woods, are just a few of the things we can look forward to now that the relaxing days of summer are here.

When my girls were little, I used to plop them in a little red wagon and lug them to the public library in our small town. It was great exercise for me, and they loved the anticipation of what we’d find when we arrived at our destination.

They loved the kid’s section, filling their arms full of as many books as possible to bring home. As an avid reader–and future author—I was thrilled by their excitement. And when we got home the books didn’t sit forgotten. They would look at the pictures or sound our words, asking for my help if they were stumped. I fondly remember sitting on the couch, the girls on either side of me, as we escaped into a story together. And after they went to bed, I could pull out any book I checked out on that trip to the library.

They would also join any summer book reading program, which brought back memories for me. I always signed up for these kinds of programs when I was a kid and was so happy to see that legacy continue with the girls. When I was younger, I’d take a blanket and book outside, camp under a tree, and read the afternoon away. I sure wish I could do that now! For my girls, instead of saying they were bored during the school break, they filled the off hours after days in the pool or hanging out with friends by getting lost in a story.

Any time I drive by a library now, I recall those days and wonder if they still offer a summer reading program. For me, the To Be Read pile beside my bed is my summer reading program!

As the girls grew older and got involved in school activities, I thought their love for reading might wane. My oldest continued to read, loving books by Tolkien and rereading Princess Bride many times.  One summer we all got hooked on the Hunger Games series, each trying to out read the other to discover what happened.

My youngest daughter is an adult now, living on her own and working a full-time job. She has recently gotten back into reading, which has been so much fun because we can suggest books to each other and after we’ve both read them, discuss the stories. She’ll even call me to read the back cover blurb of a book she is getting ready to read. As an author, that thrills me to see her interest in the story behind the cover of a good book.

I’ll admit, I don’t get to the library much anymore. I’m busy writing my own books, but hope that one day when I slow down, I’ll be back between those walls, marveling at the worlds I can visit when I select  a book from a shelf and bring it home with me.

Tara Randel is an award-winning, USA Today bestselling author. Family values, a bit of mystery and of course, love and romance, are her favorite themes, because she believes love is the greatest gift of all. Look for The Surprise Next Door, coming next year from Harlequin Heartwarming. For more information about her books, visit Tara at www.tararandel.com. Like her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/TaraRandelBooks. Sign up for Tara’s Newsletter.

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The Shaking by Julie Arduini

Posted on July 5, 2024 by juliearduini

Every so often across social media I would use an image like this and ask if anyone had any prayer needs. I noted I would be happy to pray. I probably did this for years, my guess between 2016 and earlier this year.

The response? I had in all those years a handful. The good news was I wasn’t looking for numbers or stats. I offered to pray and some people took me up on it. It was my honor to do so.

So why did I stop asking for prayer requests?

Obedience.

Years ago, probably around 2016, in my own prayer time, I believed God showed me that a shaking was on the way. It would be global. It would affect every facet of life. In that season things done in dark rooms would be exposed. Corruption would be brought to light. Justice would be served. It would be in world leadership. Politics right down to the city level. The education system. Banking and finance. The church.

The church. I don’t mean only the Catholic church and the snickers from the Protestants. I mean the Body of Christ where there is no denomination but the Blood of Jesus and the Cross at the center. For years I have prayed and read from other prayer warriors that the message was the same. A shaking was coming to reset the Body of Christ.

As I pressed in, I felt my role was to prepare. I believed I was to ask for prayer. If anyone wanted to hit reset and return to their relationship with God, awesome. Maybe some people had no idea what knowing God was about and wanted to learn more. Yay! Perhaps some knew they were doing all the right things on the outside, but their inside was full of choices that missed the mark—AKA sin—and they were tired of hiding it.

That window was for anyone willing for to Jesus knock and know they could answer the door.

A few months ago I knew my time to ask was over. It by no means stood for the time to pray stopped or that repentance or going to God stopped. It meant people could hit the easy button, and that button is done. Now the shaking, whatever form that takes, is here. It’s not a cruel joke but it is a harsh truth.

—Julie Arduini

We are a world spiraling out of control. And like Noah’s Ark, God has to reset us for our own good. It’s a time when life is going to squeeze and we can fall on our knees and confess or the squeeze I believe falls harder.

I’m seeing it already. You are too.

World leaders stepping down, no notice. CEO’s retiring out of nowhere. And the pastors. That is absolutely what I saw in prayer years ago about the shaking. I just didn’t know who, how many, or details.

If you aren’t in the know, Megachurch pastors Dr. Tony Evans and Robert Morris have stepped away/resigned and have admitted to in Evans’s case, sin from the past. With Pastor Morris, it has been made public that years ago he stepped away from ministry because he confessed to an inappropriate relationship with a young woman. He went through a restoration process, the victim agreed to the process and his ability to return to the pulpit. From there, he became a beloved pastor with an international ministry.

The truth? It was no young woman. It was a child. A minor. That kind of relationship will never be consensual. It is literally a crime.

And the church covered it up.

That’s the things done in dark rooms you’re going to see more and more. I believe it with all my heart. There can be no revival until we face the reality we put God in a box and stuffed Him on a shelf to collect dust. We’ve idolized man and self and the results are catastrophic.

For those who believe Jesus is this surfer hippie who never gets angry, blow the dust off your Bible. He gets angry. His heart beats for children. And He is DONE with the mockery where clergy are treated like rock stars and HIs Father is reviled. Where we switch up the Bible to fit our narrative and tread lightly so we don’t hurt feelings. He. is. DONE.

—Julie Arduini

You’re going to see more of this. I’ve been down a lot of rabbit holes since 2016 and there’s a reason the border wall is such a hot topic. Open borders bring in children. Open borders bring in traffickers.

Why is Diddy’s legal trouble so big? Because like Epstein, he took video of every party. Guests were in altered states and compromised positions. Then those guests were owned/blackmailed. Whatever they were told to do, they did it. There are a lot of names that I believe will rise to surface from those videos. Diddy isn’t even top-level. I believe we’re going to learn the leaders of those operations.

They will be names in business. Names in entertainment. Names in politics. Names in churches.

And if we are not right with God, those revelations will devastate. Because at the core of it will be the realization children were treated like property and absolutely unspeakable things have been done at the hands of these people. It will shake us to the core.

It has to. It has to wake us up.

The amazing thing about God is the shaking is not the end of our story. We can at any time go to Him and confess. We’ve been selfish. Unaware. Greedy. We’ve made idols out of people, sports, and food. But God. We can go to Him and ask His forgiveness and allow Him access to reset us. From there, the journey won’t be easy, but it will be good, because God will be in it. We invited Him to. I believe the greatest revival in history is around the corner.

We just need to be shaken first.

I’m praying. I’m confessing anything He brings up to me, and He is.

But out of obedience, I’m not asking for prayer requests.

I pray this post encourages you. If need be, convicts you. And if you are in a place where you’re making dark choices where you think no one knows, you are seen. Your sins are known. They will be exposed. Out of love. Out of justice. I pray you surrender your life and all that’s in it, good, bad, ugly, to the God who can take the worst sinner and transform them into something moving His Kingdom forward.

Paul in the Bible knows.

Same for Peter.

And me.

This was first shared at juliearduini.com.

***

I’m offering Anchored Hearts & Repairing Hearts Free for Kindle through Sunday, July 7th. They are the first two books in Surrendering Hearts.

The Hart sextuplets discover their identity and try to find a love like their parents shared. These are small-town romances featuring Christian surrender issues and chocolate mentions.

If you enjoy them, please consider leaving a review on Amazon/Goodreads/Bookbub.

Have a blessed Independence Day weekend!

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The Dead Sea Scrolls, God’s preserved Word

Posted on July 4, 2024 by dtopliff

As we celebrate Independence Day in the United States, let’s also thank the Lord for the proof of His unchanging word preserved in the Dead Sea Scrolls.

You probably know the story. In 1946, Bedouin boys searched for a lost goat on the northwest side of the Dead Sea. I’ve been there and climbed part way. The terrain is harsh desert mountains with steep cliffs riddled with caves. One boy tossed a rock through an opening to see if his lost kid was inside and heard something shatter. That made him climb up and in. There, in large pottery jars, he found old scrolls he hoped might have some sales value. During dangerous times, the scrolls ended up in Bethlehem. There, Israeli archaeologist Eliezer Sukenik, father to famed archaeologist, Yigal Yadin, recognized their authenticity and raised funds to buy them.

The Dead Sea Scrolls are considered property deeds proving that Jewish people lived and worked in Qumran over two thousand years ago and continuously since. They made a supreme effort to hide the scrolls to preserve sacred scriptures from invading Romans.

I’ve seen the originals in the famous Shrine of the Book Museum in Jerusalem where the whole facility is built like the top of a Torah scroll and equipped with a special air-conditioned emergency elevator to protect the scrolls in case of attack. The land surface area would be sealed off and the scrolls lowered to safety.

The accuracy of the scriptures is proven. The original Isaiah scroll contains only two small differences when compared to our Bible text today. It’s been a while since I’ve taught Biblical Archaeology, but I recall the only differences between the ancient and current versions are that one word appears in plural form instead of singular and another contains one extra “s.” How wonderfully faith-building to know we have God’s perfectly preserved and unchanging word.

If you visit Israel in more peaceful times, I hope you’ll see the scrolls. In the meantime, when I study scripture, I thank God daily for sending His Son and providing His unchanging word.

Isaiah 12: 2-4 Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation. 3 Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation. 4a And in that day shall ye say, Praise the Lord.

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

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Advice for Difficult Circumstances by James R. Coggins

Posted on July 3, 2024 by jrcoggins

James 1:2 states: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds.” The following passage, James 1:2-18, goes on to offer us insight for whenever we encounter “trials.” The Greek word is peirasmos, which is variously translated as “trials,” temptations,” “tests,” “troubles,” difficulties,” “challenges,” “tribulations,” and “hardships.” Two concepts come together here. When we encounter hardships and troubles, we are tempted to respond with anger, with doubt, or in other negative and sinful ways. The suffering brings with it temptation, and that tests our faith and our faithfulness. It shows what we really are and what we really believe under pressure.

James offers several insights into how we should respond when we encounter troubles.

First, in verses 2-4, James says that we should welcome suffering with joy because suffering purifies us and strengthens our faith. It leads us to exercise our faith.

Second, in verses 5-8, James advises us to ask God for “wisdom”—to understand what we are encountering and to know how we should respond. God can see the bigger picture.

Third, in verses 9-11, James says that suffering reminds us of the transitoriness of earthly things and the enduring value of eternal things. Earthly sufferings and earthly blessings are transitory and not all that important compared to eternity. Our sufferings won’t last, but neither will earthly wealth.

Fourth, in verse 12, James reminds us that God has promised an eternal life of blessing to those who are faithful to Him.

Fifth, in verses 13-15, James says that God does not tempt us and that God did not create evil and suffering. We human beings brought evil and suffering into the world through our sin, and human beings continue to add more evil and suffering. If we sin, it is because we chose to sin. We cannot blame God when we do something wrong.

Sixth, in verses 16-18, James reminds us that God gives good gifts. Whatever good there is in the world comes as a gift from God. Further, God is unchanging and dependable. God has given us a new birth and truth, and those gifts will remain forever.

All of these insights should encourage us whenever we encounter trials and suffering.

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Happy NHL Free Agency Day!

Posted on July 1, 2024 by jrcoggins

A holiday celebrated in Canada but not in the US. It is a day when men of many nations are offered millions of dollars to come to our great land and chase a frozen piece of rubber across sheets of ice.

Four days later, Americans celebrate Independence Day, when some hockey players celebrate that they have become independently wealthy and those players without contracts bemoan their independence. Americans celebrate the day, as they do every other day, by firing off explosive devices.

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Helping Those in Need by Nancy J. Farrier

Posted on July 1, 2024 by Nancy J. Farrier
Photo by Joshua J. Cotten on Unsplash

I recently had the chance to share this story. When getting ready to do this post, I thought I would share it once again here because the message is something I needed to remember.

I breathed deep, taking in the fresh desert scent as my feet crunched along the hard-packed dirt track. The rain three days ago washed everything, and the fall air brushed against me with a welcome crispness after the summer heat. The beauty and vastness of the desert never failed to calm me and make me thankful.

Something moved in the dirt ahead. Just a hint of movement. I slowed, watching for what caught my eye. And stopped. 

A tiny lizard peered up at me from the sand, his head tilted at an angle, his body so still only the blink of his eye let me know he was alive. I waited for him to scurry away. Lizards never stayed still long when I passed by. This one didn’t move.

I took a step closer. Another step. I could almost feel the tension in his small body, but he didn’t move. I took another step and knelt down. He was little, only about three inches from the tip of his nose to the end of his tail. He scrabbled his front feet like he wanted to run but something held him in place.

Bending down, I noted one of his back legs buried in the sand. The hard-packed sand. The poor thing must be terrified, but he couldn’t go anywhere.  He stayed frozen in place as I gently nudged his leg to see if it would come free of the dirt. It didn’t. I couldn’t pull or the fragile appendage would break.

I began to dig through the sand a couple of inches from the lizard’s leg. His wide-eyed gaze stayed glued to me. For the next several minutes I loosened the dirt, getting closer to the trapped leg. I realized by now that at least half of his leg had sunk into the roadway, probably after the heavy rain. He’d gotten stuck and the sand hardened around him. Who knows how long he’d been stuck here. I was amazed he hadn’t been killed.

The sand crumbled bit-by-bit and finally his leg slid free and seemed intact and unbroken.  I expected him to scurry away, but he didn’t. He moved his leg. Stared up at me. Waited. 

As gently as possible I ran the tip of my finger down his head. He tilted the slightest bit toward men his nose bumping my finger, as if saying, “Thank you,” and moved in fits and starts to the brush at the side of the trail. I went on my way thankful for the chance to help him.

I realized, after the fact, that maybe I should have taken a picture, or done a video of him as I freed him, but my main concern had been to help this little creature who would otherwise die. I wasn’t digging in the dirt for my benefit but for his.

Over the next weeks I thought a lot about Matthew 25, where Jesus talked about “the least of these” and how when we help even the person who matters little it is the same as helping Jesus Himself. I realize a lizard is not the “least” He was referring to, but that moment started me thinking. Who is the least that I’m supposed to help? Who is God asking me to help that I’m walking past without noticing? Who is trapped and unable to get free on their own?

Is it the person in the parking lot struggling to load something heavy in a car by themselves? Is it the person in the pew near me sitting alone? Is it the homeless person I pass on the sidewalk? Is it the child who annoys me with their behavior that demands attention? Is it the pregnant woman with no one to help her? Is it the former serviceman who struggles to find their place in life? Is it the adolescent being forced to consider a life in trafficking? Is it the offensive person who covers up their need for a friend with brashness?

Helping someone can be as simple giving an encouraging word, or that assistance can be more complicated. Giving a smile or a word of encouragement is easy enough, but God may be asking me to consider doing more. Maybe the “least” this time is something more long term and emotionally draining. Yet, when I consider that I’m doing it for Jesus, the cost is not worth considering. 

If I will kneel down and dig in the dirt for a lizard, I will kneel down and dig in the dirt for the person Jesus asks me to help. Who is “the least of these” to me.

Who is “the least of these” to you?

Will you join me and kneel down to help? 

…Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.(Matt. 25:40 NKJV)

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Multiple-Choice Quiz by James R. Coggins

Posted on June 26, 2024 by jrcoggins

1. Just recently, we had two major appliances (a microwave and a dishwasher) break down within one week. It was a significant blow to our finances. The question: How could this have happened?

a. coincidence

b. bad luck

c. power surge

d. God is punishing me for something.

e. The universe is out to get me.

f. My parents originally planned to name me Job.

g. Murphy’s Law kicked in.

h. We are hard on our appliances and break them.

i. The appliances were bought at the same time, and, like the wonderful one-horse shay, they all wore out at the same time.

j. Chinese agents installed a kill switch in the microchips.

k. Fate, destiny, and the force converged.

l. Venus, Mars, and Jupiter collided.

m. It is another example of shoddy workmanship in the manufacture of modern appliances.

n. a and b

o. a, b, and c

p. c and d

q. x, y, and z

r. all of the above

s. none of the above

t. not q

u. other_________

2. The microwave was on sale for $288. We actually paid:

a. $288
b. $315

c. $327.88

d. $400

e. $700

f. $900

g. $2,000,000

h. I don’t care.

3. The correct answer to question 2 is f. $900. This was a result of:

a. fraud

b. greed

c. bait and switch

d. consumer complacency

e. consumer gullibility

f. consumer ignorance

g. consumer stupidity

h. delivery, installation, removal of the old microwave, environmental levy, extended warranty, provincial tax, federal tax

i. an international conspiracy

j. poor math skills

k. computer

4. Multiple-choice exams were invented:

a. as a medieval torture device

b. to demonstrate the superiority of the Arabic numeral system

c. by lazy teachers

d. for lazy students

e. computer

5. The correct answers are:

1. x, 2. f, 3. j, 4. e, 5. none of the above

6. If you got all 10 questions correct, you will receive:

a. a calculator

b. an abacus

c. praise

d. astonishment

e. a participation ribbon

f. computer

To claim your prize, call I-CAN-NOT COUNT. If you have complaints or questions about the process, see 2. h

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What to Do When We’re Not Okay by Julie Arduini

Posted on June 21, 2024 by juliearduini

I think one of the most surprising things to come from 2020 is that we’re in 2024 and we are overall not okay.

Politics aside, we thought we were staying inside for a couple of weeks, tops. We were told to do this, but then that. That changed, and then so did this. Add over here, but also that.

As we were able to emerge from our homes many lost loved ones. Their jobs changed. School felt different.

It’s been brutal. I have always been an introvert, but I’ve had to really press in when I know I’m going to be around big crowds of people. I have zero fear of illness, it’s just the mass of people when I was without a crowd for so long. I’ve come across extroverts who are the same. There is life PC—pre Covid, and life AC, after. And I’m at a place where I want to do something about it.

One step I took was reading Untangle Your Emotions by Jennie Allen. I learned after my mom’s death in 2021 that I had stuffed my feelings for decades. It’s my go-to. I stuffed it literally with food, but I also ignored my feelings and soldiered on. The saying “pain has to go somewhere” reigned true. Stuffing got me nothing but a gastrointestinal storm. It’s not how anyone should live.

Jennie’s book mentioned an app that I wanted to check out. How We Feel is a free app that allows you to check in and find your feelings. Each feeling is a puzzle piece shape with a definition and you can share what you’re doing at the time of check in, who you are with, and where you are. There’s also a place where like social media, you can add friends and share your update, as little or as much as you want, with friends.

I’m a fan of this app. It’s easy to use, doesn’t take long, and it has really opened my eyes to my feelings. They have videos every so often that are well done and informative. There are stats that give all kinds of breakdowns, no pun intended. If you love charts, the more you check-in, the more you learn.

By adding friends, if I check in that I’m in a highly unpleasant place, it alerts my friends, and they can check in on me. I love that.

It’s time to shake off the isolation and all the ick 2020 came with. It’s time to rise up and stand strong. If you’d like to download How We Feel, you can add me through friend code 010285. Please understand I’m not a counselor nor does this give you personal access to my life. There are many helps included in the app that can give you resources. The friend option to me allows my friends to see how I’m doing and lift up a prayer, and I can do the same.

I’m finally feeling alive again, and in some ways better than ever because I’m slowing down to feel, noting it, and sharing. I hope you’re feeling the same.

Originally posted juliearduini.com

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I’m also on Substack. Subscribe for free to read more posts like this.

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What’s Your Hearts Desire?

Posted on June 20, 2024 by Patricia Bradley

Have you ever put your heart’s desires on God’s altar? Given them to Him in order to pick them up His way? Like Moses…

The LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand and grasp it (the staff that had become a snake) by its tail.”—so he stretched out his hand and caught it, and it became a staff in his hand. Exodus 4:4

Now, I’m not sure I could’ve picked up that snake, but Moses did, and look at what God did—He freed the children of Israel and led Moses and the Israelites to the Promised Land. God didn’t put something new in Moses’ hand—He created something better out of what Moses already had. But it was no longer an ordinary staff. This staff brought plagues down on Pharaoh and parted the Red Sea. It was the staff that struck the rock at Horeb and water gushed out. When Moses held up the staff, the Israelites had victory over Amalek.

God can do the same thing with us if we’re willing to give him our desires.

Several years ago, I decided to take a year off to write my murder mystery. I was cruising along, totally loving this writing time, when I felt God leading me to write an abstinence curriculum. “God, are you sure? I mean…I don’t like to write non-fiction. I want to write about romance and murder and suspense..You know, scary stuff.”

Did I mention I didn’t want to do it? But I had recently put my writing on God’s altar, and if that’s what He wanted…For the next ten years, I worked in the abstinence program, co-writing a curriculum and then teaching it. Lives were absolutely changed. Mine included. He didn’t give me something new. He took what I had and made it powerful.

Then, one day during my prayer time, a fragment for a new scene in the old manuscript I’d been working on years ago popped into my mind. Then another. I knew God had given me permission to go back to writing my suspense and romance. And I did.

Again, not something new, He just made the old better. And now I have seventeen completed Inspirational novels, and I’m working on book eighteen.

I want to leave you with Psalm 37:4 Delight yourself in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart. When you delight yourself in Him, His desires become your desires.

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