Let God Talk to You Review by Yvonne Ortega

Posted on December 29, 2011 by freeyvonne7777

Some people believe God doesn’t talk to people anymore. I’m grateful He still does. What a privilege to have the opportunity to hear God speak to us.

Many of us go to God with our long list of requests. We know what we want, and we want it now.

However, how many of us expect God to talk to us? How many of us stop our hectic pace and sit in silence to hear from God?

Becky Tirabassi writes with passion and conviction in her book, Let God Talk to You: When You Hear Him, You Will Never Be the Same.

She takes the readers step by step and explains not only that God talks to us, but also why, how, what God says, and when. She starts in the Old Testament, moves through the New Testament, and onto the present.

The author weaves in Scripture, examples, and detailed information on how to set up a prayer notebook to help readers prepare to listen to God. She calls the notebook, My Partner Prayer Notebook.

I challenge you to read this book, follow the steps and sit expecting to hear from God. He will talk to you, and I would love to know what happens.

I read Becky Tirabassi’s book and set up my partner prayer notebook. I cut out TV, the newspaper, and social media for a week. Relax. Becky didn’t say to do that, but I felt led to do so the week before Christmas. God talked to me, and I heard Him. He told me what He wanted me to do in 2012 and what He wanted me to cut out. Unfortunately, one of the things God wanted me to cut out was posting on Christians Read.

I’ve been blessed to be part of this ministry and have enjoyed posting about the many wonderful books available.

May God bless you richly as you read this book and hear God talk to you. He loves you so much that He’s waiting to talk to you.

Yvonne Ortega www.yvonneortega.com

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How to Avoid Great Expectations in 2012 by Julie Arduini

Posted on December 28, 2011 by juliearduini

With Christmas behind us, the conversation of the week seems to be about resolutions. People are reflecting on their year and making goals for the new one. I giggled watching Live with Kelly as Kelly Ripa mentioned resolutions and how she avoids the gym for the first three weeks of the new year. Her observation is that new members with great intentions take over the facility those first three weeks. But day after day the numbers drop until that third week when it’s pretty much back to the regular members. I can relate to that.

I’ve read that it takes 21 days to form a habit, good or bad. When I talk with friends about resolutions, one thing stands out—they have great expectations. They place a huge burden on a single month, expecting immediate transformation. For those who have a personality like mine, all or nothing, this is a plan destined for disappointment.

My take is to prayerfully take stock of your life and see what God has for you. He knows you best of all, why not ask Him what He wants for you this year? His answer might surprise you. Whatever your 2012 goals are, why not implement this strategy into making these goals success stories—

1. Eat that elephant one bite at a time. I have a writing friend who received great news, but with her contract came a formidable deadline. When she looked at the end date and total word count, she grew anxious. The task was daunting and the more she looked at the big picture, the more she felt she would fail. After praying she realized to scale things down. She looked at how many words a day she needed to write to meet that deadline, and factored in days where life would get in the way and she might not get a lot of writing accomplished. Turns out she needed 1,000 words a day to meet that goal. That overwhelming task was now manageable. She’s well on her way because she took that elephant and as the joke goes, she ate one bite at a time.

2. Make it your job. This is for the all or nothing personality. I look at what I want to accomplish as a wife, mom, writer, and ministry leader and break each category down. Last year I wanted to lose weight but knew from previous failures just saying I wanted to lose wasn’t going to be enough. I researched methods and chose following Lysa TerKeurst’s Made to Crave online study. The principles in that book gave me the “want to” and I watched the weekly webinars for additional support. I knew I needed accountability so I started teaching the study in a small group study. I put in my Outlook calendar tasks for my goals, breaking them down to quarterly, monthly, weekly, and sometimes daily deadlines. I’m someone that needs to see small goals in writing, and I love checking them off when completed. Although I’ve slacked off during the holidays, I hit that initial weight loss goal. I got specific, set deadlines, researched methods, and looked at my strengths and weaknesses to implement the tasks. If you are a details oriented person, make hitting your goals  your job. Don’t just randomly announce your resolutions.
Resolutions Pictures, Images and Photos
3. Pray! It’s so simple we miss it, I know I do. I’m someone who writes and speaks on all things surrender, so you’d think I’d pray first when starting something new. I’m a firm believer that prayer changes things and can make the impossible possible. I’ve had too many diagnosis and negative events that looked like obvious failure on paper turn into the biggest success stories of my life because I believed God through Christ. My next post will expand on this to explain why I’m a believer in creating a prayer team to cover you no matter what you do for the Lord. Prayer is the foundation of everything I do—writing, marriage, parenting, and everything in between. Start the new year right with prayer.

My goal is pretty much to keep on keeping on. I want to return to the high fiber eating I adopted in 2011 and remember regular exercise. I have this broken down and hope to start even before the ball drops.

I want to keep working on my contemporary romance, listening to the Lord’s leading as I wrap up sharing it with two critique groups. Perhaps this is the year I seek an agent.

I believe praying for others will be a big part of the new year, and I want to make sure I’m spending time with Him and His word so that I’m filled. I overextended myself this year and I don’t want to burn out again. The word I believe God has for His people this coming year is “Justice” so I’m reading up on that and want to be open for His leading.

How about you? Have you set yourself up for disappointment but creating great expectations for the new year? What are your goals for the year and how do you plan to implement them? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Image by OdRodyssey

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New Year’s Reading Resolutions by Camy Tang

Posted on December 27, 2011 by Camy Tang/Camille Elliot

Camy here! As 2011 draws to a close, how did you do on your reading goals for the year? (Did you have any reading goals? LOL)

I wanted to read more Love Inspired Suspenses but didn’t read as many as I wanted to. I just didn’t have time! I did read a rare historical romance since I happened to get a copy I wouldn’t otherwise have gotten my hands on–my friend Becca Whitham let me borrow Practice to Deceive by Patricia Veryan, which is selling for $40 on Amazon for just a “Good” grade used copy! (I love Becca, by the way!)

I got a chance to read an advance copy of Saving Hope by Margaret Daley, a romantic suspense that’s the first book in the Men of the Texas Rangers series. It was so awesome! I love Margaret’s Love Inspired Suspense novels, but this is her first single title novel and it’s terrific!

I also reread an old book I loved when I was a teenager, Regency Miss by Alix Melbourne. This was actually the very first Regency romance I ever read, and I loved it. As an entree into Regency romances, it was perfect. I read it again to see if it was as good as I remember, and it was. 🙂

For this coming year, my goal is again to try to read all the Love Inspired Suspense novels each month. I really love them, but I just don’t have time to read them all. I’m also “reading” several books on audiobook, like The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, which is on my MP3 player for me to listen to when I go running.

What did you read this year? What are you hoping to read next year?

Camy Tang writes romance with a kick of wasabi. Out now is the first book in her new series, Protection for Hire, which is a cross between Stephanie Plum and The Joy Luck Club. She is a staff worker for her church youth group, and leads one of the worship teams for Sunday service. On her blog, she ponders frivolous things like knitting, running, dogs, and Asiana. Visit her website to sign up for her quarterly newsletter.

Click here to find out how you can join my Street Team—it’s free and there’s lots of chances to win prizes!

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When the World Rejoices and You Mourn by Vicki Hinze

Posted on December 26, 2011 by Vicki Hinze

The Christmas Blues:   When the World Rejoices and You Mourn

© 2011, Vicki Hinze

Days that try souls are all too common.  Yet during the Christmas season, the myriad of feelings that weary us and try our souls—feelings of being isolated and adrift, of being sad or depressed, our struggles—are magnified.

Maybe it’s because we’re more attuned to others attending parties and we’re not, gathering with family and we’re not, or gathering with family or friends or groups that we wish we were not (just keeping it real) and we must.

Maybe it’s because we’re bombarded with memories of Christmases past.  Ones where our children were small and at home and we enjoyed their wonder of Christmas, their joy.  Or we were small and we view our memories through a lens where time dulls the bad and magnifies the good.

Maybe we’re acutely reminded of all those we’ve loved who are no longer with us, and we miss them.  Or we remember a life that once was ours and is no more, and the change, whether good or bad, isn’t as significant as mourning the loss of what was.  Or what we dreamed would be that just didn’t happen.

Maybe we’ve lost the joy in the season under the lengthy to-do lists that leave us too exhausted to enjoy anything except the peace in a bath and a few hours sleep.

There are a lot of emotional triggers during the holidays.  Some we expect and can prepare ourselves for, but some we don’t know are triggers until we’re body-slammed by them.

We’re all confronted with difficult relationships, difficult situations, and difficult people who want or expect more from us than we wish to give or maybe than we can afford to give.  Financially, emotionally or spiritually.

We lose the wonder and awe and the magic under busy-ness and requirements, under obligations and command performances.  We lose the wonder and awe and the magic under changed circumstance.  (Think divorce or job loss or empty nest.  Think widow or widower, orphaned, injured or ill.  Think knowing it’ll be your last Christmas and craving a Norman Rockwell one and getting one where you spend the entire day alone.)

All this happens.  And when it does, we are hurt and sad and alone and isolated, and we are surrounded by others who are having a merry and joyful time.  And we are resentful and bitter because often even those who are shunning or ignoring or too busy to be bothered never once extend their thinking to how their actions are impacting others.  Often others they purport to love.

My point isn’t to drag you into the depths of despair.  My point is to make you aware that many—even those you wouldn’t suspect—are in the depths of despair.

Who in your world will be alone this Christmas?  Who needs to hear from you?  To spend time with you?  Whose Christmas can you make a little brighter simply by bringing them into your circle and welcoming them as family and friend?

Before you slough that off as more work and bother, pause a second and remember that one day, the person in that position might be you.

Even the most wonderful Christmas has moments of heartbreak and sadness.  Christmases past, those no longer with you.  Changes.  And when those strike, you crave comfort.

It’s hard to find.  Those you typically go to and discuss your troubles, big or small, are tied up with their own troubles, big and small, with their obligations and requirements and duties and nurturing their own needy.

Does that mean you’re doomed to suffer without comfort?  To stay sad or depressed or struggle alone?

No.  It doesn’t.

God is with us always.  Christ is with us always.  He’s not too busy or otherwise obligated.

When the Christmas blues strike, I always remember what Christmas is truly about:  the birth of Jesus Christ.  But I don’t think of that event in the way you might think.  I think …

The World Rejoices.  God Mourns…

I think of God, watching His son’s birth, knowing all that would happen to Him.  As a loving Father, his turmoil and the heartbreak He surely felt at knowing His son would be mocked and abused and betrayed and lied to and about, tempted and beaten and murdered.  God mourned.  If I, an imperfect parent, mourn at the mere thought of my child enduring any of that, imagine the pain and agony of a perfect Father knowing His child would endure all of it.  Imagine…

We protect our kids.  We’d take their place.  Suffer for them.  But God, who loves unconditionally, sacrificed His son knowing what would come.

I think of that, and the turmoil and mixed blessings and agony God endured that night and I weep—and I tell myself that if He had the strength and courage to do that for us, then whatever we face might loom large but is small in comparison.  If He can do all He’s done, we can do what we must do.

In my mind, I sit at God’s feet with my head in His lap, and He strokes my hair and assures me everything will be all right.  I am not alone; He is with me.  And I am comforted.

Whenever feeling small and insignificant, hopeless or helpless, remembering what God sacrificed for us and how precious a gift it was and remains empties the desolate spaces inside us of sadness and angst and refills them with comfort and gratitude and the reassurance of His grace and unconditional love.

And then I wonder.

I wonder that we seldom choose to serve ourselves well when the Christmas Blues strike.  We seldom choose to pause and remember or to ask and answer a question that deserves far more attention from us than it gets:

On that night when His son was born and the world rejoiced and He mourned, who comforted God?

Blessings,

Vicki

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When Christmas Stinks by Lynette Sowell

Posted on December 23, 2011 by lynettesowell

You can feel it in the air. Everyone’s talking about baking, Christmas parties, good foods, beloved traditions, gifts they’ve tucked away,and leaving town to see friends and family. The feeling can be almost contagious.

Most of us have endured Christmases we’d rather forget. Because troubles don’t keep Christmas from coming. It comes anyway, and if we look at the sparkling joy around us and don’t feel it, we feel like downers who might ruin the most perfect Christmas party.

The new town we’ve just moved to doesn’t have those special memories and people we love. When we’re unemployed, the bare space under the Christmas tree taunts us. After a divorce or breakup, the Christmas parties and gatherings are filled with people who still have their “someone.” No amount of gifts can fill the gap at the dinner table after the death of a loved one, nor the empty space next to us in the bed after losing a spouse. When our hours are filled, not with fun at the mall and baking, but sitting beside a hospital bed, Christmas can seem a million miles away. Painful changes come our way, and sometimes it’s reflected in Christmas.

Isn’t that a good thing, though? The first Christmas was steeped in trouble, its preceding months filled with scandal and rumor. I often wonder if Mary liked to have things just so, or if she was a go-with-the-flow kind of girl. “Sure, I’ll give birth in a cave. Without my mom nearby, in a strange town, without any of my family here. And my ‘midwife’ is my husband, and the baby’s not his.” Talk about a reality show!

When she and Joseph were engaged, they probably had plenty of plans. Don’t we all? But we never plan for sickness, separation, bereavement, economic hardship. We don’t plan for the bottom to drop out of our worlds, especially at Christmas time.

What can we do, then, to find something to celebrate? In the hard times, peeling away the wrapping paper and gifts, the parties that come and go, the songs that fade, we get to the heart of the celebration: hope.

The world can be a dark place, and without the hope of Christmas, we don’t have the comfort of knowing we’re not alone. We don’t have the assurance of God’s provision for our needs. But our hope came wrapped in swaddling clothes and tucked in a manger. That is a reason to celebrate, and get to know Jesus, the child who grew up to reunite us with God, the source of all peace. Without Him, all the celebrations are never enough. With Him, we can always find something to celebrate.

We can put our troubles aside, for a moment, and reach out to someone else. Find one new thing, something meaningful, to celebrate at Christmas. This season will pass and Christmas will change for us from now on. But it’s going to be okay. We have a promise. Hold onto hope! Fear not!

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

– – –

Lynette Sowell  writes fiction for the inspirational market, from contemporary romance to mysteries. She’s always looking for the perfect recipe for a story–or a great dish–and is always up for a Texas road trip. Her most recent release is Christmas At Barncastle Inn and contains her novella Christmas Duets, a modern spinoff of the classic movie White Christmas.

*Image by Simon Howden

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Giving the Right Gift by Elizabeth Goddard

Posted on December 22, 2011 by bethrachg

I put my Christmas tree up the day after Thanksgiving every year because the Christmas season feels much too short for me. In my opinion, there’s simply not enough time to enjoy the season. Or maybe there’s enough time and I’m rushing through it.

Sometimes we need a simple reminder like the signs we see everywhere, Jesus is the Reason for the Season. We’re so busy with shopping and holiday preparations, we’re more like Martha than Mary, unable or unwilling to focus on the most important thing—the one thing—because there’s too much to do.

Living in the country, I don’t often spend a lot of time fighting traffic or crowded malls. But I’m just coming off a weekend of shopping in Dallas and  still have those images fresh in my mind—images that will last in this country girl‘s mind well into 2012.

You’ve heard the joke, why is it called rush hour when the cars are moving so slowly?  There’s nothing like rush hour during the holidays.

The Saturday before Christmas can especially be dubbed Rush Saturday. This previous Saturday I visited a mall in Frisco, Texas to get a few last minute gifts for the Christmas party we were to have with my husband’s family that evening.  Never in my life have I seen such a crowded, busy mall, even during past holidays. Getting a parking spot proved to be a miracle.

Keeping up with my family was also a challenge. The crowd shifted and moved around me, blocking my path so at one point I was completely separated and lost my husband and sister-in-law who, thank goodness, had two of my four children with them.

I was part of the throng in my frantic search for the right gift. In the Apple Store there was no such thing as a personal space bubble. But we all worked together like a team, adjusting positions as needed to peruse the offerings.

After I’d purchased everything on my list, I joined my family and we fought our way out. The experience was exhausting, and maybe that’s why I had a crazy thought.  What if the wise men had to shop in an overcrowded mall in search of the gifts they would give  to the one who was born the King of the Jews?

During the Christmas season, we give gifts because it’s better to give than to receive, and because giving a gift to someone is like giving a gift to Christ. The list of reasons goes on. But we can’t lose sight of what Christ wants from us. A Christmas card I received from a friend says it best:

The first wise men gave Christ treasures from their kingdoms. Today’s wise men give Christ the treasures of their hearts. — Holley Gerth

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Christmas Blessings, Posted by Maureen Lang

Posted on December 21, 2011 by Maureen Lang

I’d planned to write about books this week, how we choose them, the importance of covers and titles and so on but as I’m getting ready to post all I can think of is Christmas. Here I am, in the over-50 crowd and the season has me excited as a child.

Perhaps that’s because yesterday I hosted my local writer’s group for a little Christmas gathering. It’s one of my holiday traditions, and we always have such a nice time it’s one I look forward to year after year.

As part of the pot-luck meal, I make two kinds of soup. While I was preparing the chicken and vegetables (read: lots of time at the countertop) Heidi came on my little kitchen television—my favorite version with Shirley Temple. It may not be a classic Christmas story, but for some reason that’s one of my favorites to watch during the holiday season. I don’t care how many times I’ve seen it, that movie always makes me smile.

I do love all the typical favorites, too. It’s A Wonderful Life, Miracle on 34th Street, A Christmas Carol, White Christmas to name a few. I’ve only seen A Christmas Story a couple of times but have laughed my way through it during both viewings. It’s not for kids, really, but the narrator in that movie makes the experience absolutely priceless. At one point in a kitchen scene the mother is busy getting dinner on the table, then coaxing the youngest child to eat (who evidently hasn’t willingly eaten in something like three years), then just as she’s about to take her first bite from her own plate the father character asks for something off of the stovetop. Then Ralphie needs something and then the narrator chimes in that his mother hasn’t sat down to a hot meal in fifteen years. Priceless—mainly because I can so relate!

That’s what makes these movies classics, I think. There is some quality in each one of them that keep us coming back, something more than tradition. Well, even as I write this I think I watch White Christmas only because of tradition—and perhaps the music, and because I like Danny Kaye. But the other movies? What is it that touches me deeply enough to want to repeat the experience year after year?

In Heidi, I absolutely love watching her break through the rough exterior of the grandfather—eventually helping to bring him back to God. It’s a story that warms my heart even as it reminds me what good storytelling is all about: transformation. And what about watching the change in the independent, no-nonsense mother character in Miracle on 34th Street who softens by the end so that she almost certainly believes in Santa? What about the lesson in It’s A Wonderful Life—that we may not see our dreams come true, but the Lord puts us right where He wants us and where we can make the most difference? And everyone knows how Scrooge is forever changed in A Christmas Carol. In each one of these treasures, the characters grow in ways that make us glad we went along to witness each transformation.

Each of my favorite Christmas movies helps to make my season complete. I don’t think I’d have it any other way—because at the heart of every one is a story. I may be a writer, but that’s only because I loved a good story first and figured out a way to tell one, too.

So here’s to the stories and storytellers in our lives! I hope you have the blessing of a good story this season—not the least of which is the one that’s more than that: how God became a man so He could not only live in relationship with us, but spend eternity together.

Merry Christmas to all!

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Pray it Forward by Hannah Alexander

Posted on December 20, 2011 by alexanderhodde

Just a short note today, because it is, after all, the week before Christmas and our poor postal carrier had to make three rounds the other day carrying Christmas packages from Harry and David and Figis and such, singing “hohoho” as he went. It reminded me I hadn’t given him his Christmas envelope this year. And it reminded me I hadn’t purchased any gifts this year, that I’ve sent no cards, no food, nothing. For us, this is not a year for that, so we’re having to bow out.

I have, however, discovered something I’m sure everyone in the Christian realm already knew–no matter what we can or cannot do for others at Christmas, I can pray for that jolly postal carrier who works long hours and smiles when I know he’s tired. Every time I receive mail, I can pray for him on his route. Getting the mail is a good reminder. That still doesn’t mean I’m forgetting his Christmas envelope. No way. He earns more than he ever gets.

I have a lot of friends online, and I email them a lot. When they email requests for prayer, I pray immediately so I won’t forget, but then after that I forget. So when they do send a request, I ask them to please update me so I can pray again. The same goes for those who ask me in person for prayer–I pray right then, because as a pastor’s wife once told me, if I promise to pray and then wait until later and forget, I’ve lied in the presence of God. This helps me to ask often for prayer, because we need those prayers so very much, especially during this season when it seems emotions can go low and money matters even lower for some of us, and memories aren’t always the best.

I have a list of prayer requests above the kitchen sink so that when I’m standing there looking for something to read while I’m working (doesn’t everyone do that?) I can pray for those on the list. Something else that helps me to remember to pray is the Holy Spirit. Our pastor promises that as the Spirit brings remembrance, he would pray for those who asked.

So don’t just request prayer one time and forget to update those who pray for you. If I love you enough to pray for you, I love you enough to want an update, but many of us often have so many friends it’s difficult to keep all those needs and requests lined up with the particular friend. Update often, don’t forget to as for prayer over and over, because those who pray for your are also blessed with the praying.

Merry Christmas from Hannah Alexander

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The Indescribable Gift of Love by Sarah Goebel

Posted on December 19, 2011 by Sarah Goebel

Wow! It’s amazing that the year has passed by so quickly. Christmas 2011 is only six days away!

I love the season as it opens the opportunity for us to so easily share the good news of Christ. Just think about it. God, the Alpha and Omega; the Creator of the universe and all that is, came to earth as a mortal man in order that those who would believe on Him could be saved from the grips of an eternity in hell. This gift, His incarnation and later the giving of His life in order that we may live, is indeed, indescribable just as Paul stated in 2 Corinthians 9:15!
It is beyond our ability to fully comprehend or describe the incarnation. Yet, we know there was no other way. One man, Adam, sold out the human race and it would take a man to legally purchase back for God what was lost. With Adam’s sin, as the Federal Head of humanity, sin was imputed to all mankind. Satan thought he would be able to hold all humans in is grips for eternity. Since all men were now born in sin, who could live righteous and break us free?  Besides, the penalty for our sin required a blood sacrifice; yet, not just any blood would do. It had to be the blood of one that was infinite in value in order to pay the price for so many sins and for so many lives, once and for all. No one’s life, even if perfect, would carry the value to get the job done. Only the infinite One Himself has unlimited worth! So this indescribable gift – the one and only God-Man, came to earth with a mission to die for you and me. He is indescribable in His God-Man nature, Emanuel, “God with us.”

He is indescribable in His purpose in coming to earth. Man in his total depraved state was unable to save Himself so God accomplished our salvation by sending His only begotten Son into the world. How do we fully describe that? How do we understand His willingness to give a gift of such cost to you and me?

He is indescribable because He is a gift of grace. We give gifts to those we are connected to in some way: our friends, family, co-workers. Sometimes we give to those we do not know when we give of our increase to help someone less fortunate. However, we do this because we feel a debt to humanity and we desire to follow the example of Christ in helping those in need. But God gave His only begotten Son to us when we were at enmity with Him. He had no obligation to us whatsoever! As a just and holy God, He had every right to turn His back on us. But He is also Love. He didn’t give His life for any reason but pure overflowing love. Jesus is the overflow of God’s love for us! That is what makes God’s gift so precious! How difficult to find words to describe this wonderful gift of grace and love!

And don’t forget how this indescribable gift affects us. We are forgiven of our sins. This enables us to live with joy unspeakable as we are no longer held bondage to guilt and condemnation because of our failure to live holy before God. Instead, we are at peace with God. Also, we are adopted into God’s family. He is our Father. We are His child and we have brothers and sisters we will be getting to know for all eternity. I so look forward to getting to know all of you! And, I believe I will. And, as a child of God, we have the Holy Spirit dwelling with us to protect us and empower us for Christian living. His presence also enables us to live in a state of supernatural peace in the midst of our daily trials, as He strengthens and comforts us. As this year ends and a new one begins, remember, He is always right there with you. Talk to Him. Listen to Him. Follow Him. We sometimes forget His presence is always with us.

What a gift! My words are truly insufficient! I hope you will post a reply to share your thoughts about Christmas and Jesus Christ, the indescribable gift!

All of our efforts to describe Jesus fall short; yet, we don’t have to be able to describe Him to accept Him as our Lord and Savior. If you are reading this and haven’t done that; and you feel God knocking at your heart, just tell Him right now that you know you are a sinner in need of a Savior. Tell Him you accept the gift He is offering you, His life as payment for your sin and that you want Him to come live in you. Tell Him you surrender your life to Him and ask Him to be your Lord. When you do this from a genuine heart that has been opened by God, the Bible says you have eternal life with God!

I want to wish all my wonderful sisters and brothers in Christ a Merry Christmas and encourage you as you go about your holiday celebrations to keep Jesus at the center of all your activities. He is the greatest gift that you will ever receive and the greatest that you could share with another.

Yeshua – Jesus – Immanuel, “God with us!”  He is the reason for the season!
Merry Christmas! May your awareness of God’s presence increase this season and may your celebrations be joyous!

With Love, Sarah

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THINKING AHEAD by Yvonne Lehman

Posted on December 16, 2011 by yvon63

I can easily get caught up in the Christmas season and before i realize it, the New Year is upon me. But I’ve found it productive to take time for thinking about my writing and personal goals for the New Year. I can look back and see that all my goals weren’t accomplished, sometimes because of unforeseen circumstances, sometimes due to my own negligence or procrastination.

I plan to evaluate what I’ve learned this year, and determine how I can use my time more efficiently. Perhaps your sharing will help me do that. I tend to think I have all the time in the world (but it’s flying!) and I procrastinate. One of my goals is to make a daily writing schedule (which I have to do when on deadline) and stick to it as much as possible. Also, I want to study the many books I have on the craft of writing.

Too often my goals put writing at the top of the list. I need to think about my goals for friends and family. I take for granted that I pray for them but I need to be more attentive in personal ways, not just when they need me.

This year my Writer Group met at The Cove, theBillyGrahamTrainingCenterin these gorgeous mountains of westernNorth Carolina. It’s a beautiful place but decorated for Christmas, it’s spectacular. We ate lunch at their Ladies’ Luncheon after church, then met for an hour before hearing Rachel-Ruth Graham Wright (Anne Lotz’ daughter) speak.

Lori, Diana, Susan, Yvonne, two Debbie's, Terri, Cindy (3 not there)

During our meeting we shared our goals for the coming year. We all want to improve our craft of writing. One goal that is particularly meaningful is that we plan to be more diligent in praying for each other and we chose prayer partners. We prayed that God would put the right people together. We put our names in a container and one person pulled out two names at a time and those two were partners. I’ve had prayer partners in the past and a close bond forms between people when you know you’re praying for each other daily.

One of my goals is to again have a prayer closet. That’s a subject for another post, if anyone is interested. But I have already prepared my closet, so that’s one goal accomplished.

I’d love to hear about some of your goals.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!
Yvonne L.

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The Spirit of Christmas Review by Yvonne Ortega

Posted on December 15, 2011 by freeyvonne7777

Go to your nearest bookstore or go online and buy the book, The Spirit of Christmas, as soon as you can. Curl up in your favorite chair with a cup of hot tea and read this wonderful Christmas collection. Cecil “Cec” Murphey and Marley Gibson have collected forty-two precious true stories. The stories come from authors, teachers, ministers and others from all over the USA and South Africa.

The stories remove us from the rush of shopping, heavy traffic and a frantic schedule and take us to a place of love, warmth and the true spirit of Christmas. You will laugh. You will cry. You will turn page after page and not want to stop reading until you finish the book. Then you may want to read it again.

Cec Murphey wrote the first story, Alone and Broke at Christmas. What a beautiful surprise ending it has.

Get the tissue ready for such stories as Linda Gilden’s A Timely Surprise and Ada Brownell’s A Mysterious Christmas Gift.

You’ll laugh as you read The SPCA Christmas by Nancy Hoag. Many daughters do become like their moms.

And then there’s Twila Belk’s story, At Home with the Hoppes. Imagine opening your home at Christmas time to two adults, their five children, their family friend, and a forty-five pound cat-hating dog. However, you have a cat.

I could go on and on, but I’ll let you find out on your own about all the wonderful stories in the book.

Buy copies of this book for your family and friends. Donate a copy to your pastor, to your church library, to a Christian school in your area, to the nearest shelter and anywhere else you want. This book is a great gift.

The stories are a beautiful reminder that Christmas isn’t just about giving and receiving gifts. It is much more. Hope, love, sacrifice and gratitude are the best ingredients to get into the spirit of Christmas. You’ll find all these ingredients in The Spirit of Christmas.

Yvonne Ortega www.yvonneortega.com www.yvonneortega.blogspot.com www.blogtalkradio.com/hope-for-the-journey

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Beyond Rudolph by Julie Arduini

Posted on December 14, 2011 by juliearduini

I grew up with the Rankin/Bass produced TV Christmas specials and with as many advances as I’ve seen in technology, nothing new in the Christmas special offerings can hold a candle to those first programs. One of my favorites was Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

As a little girl I didn’t appreciate Rudolph’s entire story. In fact, I remember being indignant that the “Dad” reindeer, Blitzen I think it was, insisted Rudolph hide his nose and look like everyone else. Back then I was for the underdog, even when it was a cartoon. When a cheerleader mocked my shy friend, I couldn’t resist putting wads of paper in her shoes when she wasn’t looking. Did I mention the cheerleader was still wearing the shoes?

A quarter-century later, I’m still watching Rudolph. I’m not angry when I watch because there is something kindred in the characters I never paid much attention to the first time around. A band of toys that never see prime-time eye-level shelf space at Toys R Us—the misfit toys.

The toys live— where else—but on Misfit Island. Charlie-in-The-Box doesn’t just have the wrong name, but he’s an introvert. He’s most comfortable inside the box.

Spotted Elephant isn’t attractive like Barbie’s beloved horses the girls put on their Christmas lists.

“A Dolly for Sue” isn’t the model doll named above so she has a low esteem.

Bird Fish doesn’t fly, he swims.

The cowboy rides into the sunset on his ostrich.

Trainer doesn’t look like his famous train relative, Thomas. Why Trainer has square wheels on his last car.

The toy boat sinks.

The squirt gun is full of grape jelly.

The airplane can’t fly.

And then there is the scooter for Jimmy.

With adult eyes these misfit toys give me the permission to embrace the unique things that make me, me. I think even if I didn’t write I’d still be a Charlie-in-the-Box. My energy comes from peace and quiet, not crowds.

I want to hold “A Dolly for Sue” and tell her how beautiful she is. She’s made of quality stuff meant to last, not cheap plastic that will break at the first sign of distress. Our daughter taught me when she was three months old that God knew what He was doing when He chose parents for children with special needs. What I thought was a label was an open door to ministry that blows my mind every time my daughter smiles and engages with others. Isn’t that like Bird Fish who looks like one thing, yet acts like another?

While I watched these supposed throwaway toys I found such revelation, more than Rankin/Bass probably ever planned on. The biggest eye-opener of all was the island ruler, King Moonracer.  Like C.S. Lewis with Narnia, this lion symbolizes wisdom and love. King Moonracer flies each night around the world to rescue the unwanted toys. He lives in a castle on top of a hill, kind of a heavenly place, and has final say on who is able to stay on Misfit Island.

Okay, maybe I’m reading things too deep to see traces of heaven and the Gospel as an allegory in Rudolph with his friends, the Misfit Toys.

But, maybe not.

What I can say is I never felt I belonged, not when I was a chubby little girl that never wanted to be a cheerleader or as an insecure college girl that could have cared less to try to be a sorority sister. Living in my box and staying isolated was my happy place. It still is. Those misfit toys helped me understand I’m not like everyone else, and it’s okay.

I learned I’m not alone. While watching Rudolph I also had Tweetdeck enabled and tweet after tweet popped up talking about not the reindeer, not the elf rebelling against the denistry, not the reindeer’s peer pleasing dad, but the misfit toys. When I shared how much I related, others tweeted they felt the same. They embraced the same misfit call on their life.

Is today the day you do the same?


http://www.juliearduini.com

Surrendering the good, the bad, and—maybe one day—the chocolate

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*Some of my Misfit Toy information came from Wikipedia.

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Conversations With The Gods by James L. Rubart

Posted on December 13, 2011 by James L. Rubart

At twelve years old I had two dreams: Play in the NFL and be a writer.

To me, athletes and authors were gods. Some floated higher than others, but none touched the ground like we humans did.

So in the mid-nineties, when a friend of mine said he knew many authors, I was astounded.

“How did you do it?”

“I wrote to them. They wrote back. Some of them became friends and stay at my house when they come to town.”

I recall replying with a witty comment along the lines of, “Uh, oh wow, uh … wow.”

I couldn’t imagine doing what he’d done.

Never considered writing to one of my favorite authors. Didn’t think they’d ever respond and didn’t think they’d care what their writing had done for me.

I thought all authors were having coffee with other authors, or tucked away in their attic writing rooms contemplating great spiritual truths and composing pithy prose—on a plane far too high to stoop down and consort with mere mortals.

Wrong.

So wrong.

One of the reasons we write is we hope to make an impact on our readers. Make them smile, make them cry, or simply entertain them for a few hours, or make them see Jesus in a different way, give them hope, see them restored, see them set free …

When readers tell us we’ve done that? It’s life!

Sorry if I’ve shattered an illusion; but it’s true. We’re not gods. We have joys and sorrows, hopes and fears, laughter and tears just like you.

So if you’ve ever thought about telling an author how you feel and what their story has done for you, pick up your keyboard. Send it. Make their day.

Gotta go, there’s someone I need to e-mail.

I bet he’ll write back.

James L. Rubart is the best-selling, and award winning author of ROOMS, BOOK OF DAYS, and THE CHAIR. During the day he runs Barefoot Marketing, helping authors make more coin of the realm. In his free time he dirt bikes, hikes, water skis and take photos.  No, he doesn’t sleep much. He lives with his amazing wife and teenage sons in the Pacific Northwest and still thinks he’s young enough to water ski like a madman. More at www.jameslrubart.com

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Writing about my favorite Christmas memory–will you add yours?

Posted on December 12, 2011 by alandkathi66

It was Christmas Eve, my favorite night of the year, as we sat shoulder-to-shoulder on a rear pew in the quaint but packed country church. I had been a Christian for slightly less than ten years, but each day since that unforgettable moment in July 1974 when I had received Jesus as my Savior, I had prayed for my dad’s salvation. Dad was the last “holdout” in our family. Prior to 1969, none of us had known Jesus as Lord and Savior, but since that time we had all become Christians—except Dad. My stubborn German father, though raised by a praying mother, had rejected his childhood faith and now insisted he was an atheist.
That night my family was sure all that would change, for Dad had agreed to accompany us to the Christmas Eve service. We had been shocked but thrilled when he accepted our invitation, since we invited him to church quite often and he always refused. For the first time, on that night of all nights when the faithful gather together to commemorate the birth of God’s Son, my dad was with us.
As the service progressed, I found myself peeking out of the corner of my eye every few moments to make sure he was still there, sitting next to my mom, whose face literally shone with joy and excitement. But so far nothing was happening. Dad sat perfectly still, his big hands resting in his lap, his broad shoulders straight, his lined face expressionless. With the service about to end, I found myself fighting discouragement.
And then the lights went down and, as if on cue, the parishioners seated on the center-aisle end of the pews passed small unlit candles to everyone in their row. At the same time two ushers began to make their way down the center aisle, stopping at the end of each pew and lighting the candle of the first parishioner in each row. Those parishioners then turned and lit the candle of the next person in the row, and so on until everyone held a lit candle.
Clutching my own candle as I waited for the usher to reach our row, I glanced over at my parents and realized my ever-practical father must have decided the process was going much too slowly, for he suddenly fished his cigarette lighter out of his pocket and started lighting candles. Within minutes he had lit every candle at his end of the pew and was reaching over to the people in the pew in front of us to start on theirs.
Fighting humiliation, I closed my eyes and felt the sting of unexpected tears as I realized my dad was simply trying to be helpful. I heard a couple of chuckles in nearby rows, but no one said anything until the usher arrived at our pew. With the glow from his candle illuminating his face, the smiling man thanked my father for his assistance. Dad returned his smile and assured him he was glad to be of help, and the gracious usher moved on.
It was nearly fifteen years later before the last “holdout” in our family responded to the loving call of his heavenly Father. At eighty-eight years of age, less than one week before his death in October 1999, my sweet but stubborn German father received Jesus as his Savior—and then promptly went home to be with Him.
I have thought of that Christmas Eve so many times over the last couple of decades. With the exception of occasional weddings, funerals, or baptisms, Dad never came back to church with us after that night, though we asked him nearly every week. There were times we wondered how God would ever penetrate Dad’s seemingly hard heart with the gospel, but we clung to the knowledge that God is faithful and nothing is impossible with Him. And how we rejoiced when God finally broken through Dad’s resistance and we saw the tears of joy in his clouded eyes. Though a series of small strokes had left him bedridden and unable to speak, we were thrilled each time he grinned and lifted his finger to point heavenward at the mention of the name of Jesus. And we were so very grateful. But I have to admit that, despite my gratitude and joy, I also wondered why Dad had waited so long to receive such a truly awesome gift. As it turned out, because he died in October, he never got to experience the wonder of Christmas as a believer—or did he?
As I thought and prayed about that very issue, I realized how I had allowed myself to get locked into dates. I knew, of course, that Jesus may not have been born exactly on December 25, but I hadn’t really considered that Christmas could be celebrated at any time other than on that precise date. And yet, I reasoned, wasn’t Christmas the celebration of the birth of God’s Son into the world? What, then, had happened in October 1999 just days before my dad slipped out of his earthly body and was whisked into the presence of God? Hadn’t Jesus been birthed by God’s Spirit into Dad’s heart? If I believed that—and I certainly did—then that wonderful day of new birth for my dad, though it took place in October, had been his personal Christmas celebration here on earth.
I was thrilled—not just because of what had happened to my father, but because I suddenly realized that the day of our salvation—our new birth—is also the day of our own personal Christmas. After knowing and walking with Jesus for more than a quarter of a century, I had come into a new and fresh appreciation of the most beautiful of all holidays. In fact, I realized how much more meaningful Christmas would be if, when we get together as a family to celebrate the gift of Jesus, we also recount our own Christmas stories, telling of the day Jesus was birthed into our hearts. If we have guests who have never received Jesus, it would be the perfect opportunity for them to do so.
But we wouldn’t have to stop there. Why not have several Christmas celebrations throughout the year? Regardless of the date, each time one of us comes to the anniversary of our new birth, we could have a Christmas party in honor of the event. Guests could bring gifts, and the person celebrating his or her own personal Christmas could designate a charity to receive them. It would provide us with opportunities to invite unsaved friends, neighbors, and loved ones, and to present the gospel to them throughout the year.
This year will be the first Christmas without my mom, as she is now in heaven, reunited with my dad and celebrating Christmas with the One who came to pay a debt He didn’t owe because we owed a debt we couldn’t pay. We miss her but know she is where she so longed to be.
I will always cherish the memory of my dear father “helping” the ushers at that Christmas Eve candlelight service so many years ago, and the opportunities that it generated to make Christmas personal all year long and to tell others about the greatest gift ever given—God’s own Son, born into a world of sin that He might also be born in our hearts and wash those sins away forever.

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In Defense Of Fluffy And Light by Lynette Sowell

Posted on December 9, 2011 by lynettesowell

I’ve been hearing a lot about books needing a theme, that deeper thread, that “message” that Christian readers like to find. You’ll hear varying opinions on what makes a book have a good “message.” As I’ve listened to opinions on both sides, I found myself feeling a bit defensive. So far, my books have not addressed those hard-gripping, emotionally charged issues that make you feel like you’ve been wrung out and hung up to dry. My heroes and heroines haven’t faced deep problems. I’m willing to say that as a writer, I’m not alone in that. We who write genre fiction, shorter novels, might be looked at as writing something that’s disposable. Here one month, gone the next.

I realize that some readers don’t want, and probably don’t need, the heavy-hitting, gut-wrenching, box o’ tissues read. The world has enough trouble and sorrow of its own that sometimes it’s nice to curl up in someone else’s world.

However, I am reminded that often, as Mary Poppins sang, “a spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down in the most delightful way.” We who write sweet and light realize that our characters don’t have the pristine lives as they’d like for us to believe when we first meet them. I’ve enjoyed discovering their little secrets and that yes, indeed, my characters have–gasp–issues.

In Christmas At Barncastle Inn, my contribution to the anthology is a novella called “Christmas Duets.” Sweet and light, it’s my writer’s homage to one of my favorite movies, “White Christmas,” I discovered that the marshmallow world in the winter masked some issues.

Middle school music teacher Marcella Goudreau doesn’t like change. Change came in a big way when her grandmother threw grandpa out of the house the day after Thanksgiving. So she and her sister cook up a plan to get them back together over Christmas. Where else? By singing duets from “White Christmas” at Barncastle Inn. Armand Goudreau and his wife of over 50 years face what many couples do–growing older, starting to grow apart, and not communicating well.

Physician Assistant Sean McSweeney, a veteran whose time in the service is over, works for the Veterans Affairs facility where Armand likes to work out at the gym. Sean is very successful at shutting people out of his life. For him, Christmas is a solitary time because of his fractured family and alcoholic mother. Then he takes Armand in after the man shows up on his doorstep. Armand, though, refuses to miss out on the family’s Christmas gathering at Vermont’s Barncastle Inn, and insists that Sean go with him.

A fluffy and light Christmas read? Maybe just a little. Sometimes, though, that’s exactly what we need, and any “message” goes down easy and settles inside us to do its thing. I hope my readers think so. Merry Christmas to you all, and as you go about your preparations, remember that it’s okay if not everything goes according to plan. Sometimes that makes for the best Christmas ever.

– – –

Lynette Sowell  writes fiction for the inspirational market, from contemporary romance to mysteries. She’s always looking for the perfect recipe for a story–or a great dish–and is always up for a Texas road trip.

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