I shared this with my newsletter subscribers and thought the information is wise to share here. Be careful!
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There seems to be an increase of social media creeps leading others on through direct messaging. They often go through author followers and target readers. Be aware!
1. I rarely follow “random” men on social media. They might follow me, but we are NOT friends, no matter what they tell you.
2. Social media creeps often use stolen images/names to pretend they are someone they are not. Many pretend to be US military/engineers/doctors. Their username doesn’t match up. If in doubt, don’t return the follow or DM. If their spelling/grammar is extremely poor, chances are they are not legitimate readers. Legitimate readers won’t direct message other readers.
3. Look at who they follow. If they are a male direct messaging you and all their followers are females, be discerning.
4. Never give out money or personal information. I don’t know of any author who would ask for money unless it was for charity, and they would not do it secondhand via direct messaging. If you are approached and my name is used, don’t engage. Just ignore them. I care about your safety and as a general practice, I don’t respond to any DM’s, female or male. Need to reach me? Email me at juliearduini@juliearduini.com or tag me on a social media post. You can find my true accounts on Link Tree.
Ephesians 5:15 contains a sobering statement: “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.” In saying, “The days are evil,” I don’t think Paul was just talking about his time but about all times. We would prefer to think that we live in good times, where most people do good things and good things happen to us. But Paul warns us that human life is full of dangers, temptations, attacks, and challenges. Life is tough. That is why he said that we must be very careful how we live. That is why we must make the most of every opportunity—because there is so much evil around us that we must search for the good. We must search for a way to insert a good word into the conversation and to be wise about what to say and when to say it. We must search for ways to do good and to be wise and careful, making sure we do not participate in the evil schemes and systems all around us.
And then Paul offered some further advice: “Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything” (Ephesians 5:19-20). This strikes us as being completely out of touch with what he has just said. In the midst of all of the evil around us, how can we do this? How can we sing and be thankful? The answer is that the times are evil, but God is good. Therefore, we can sing with joy the praises of the good God. And we can be thankful that He brings good out of evil and that He will ultimately redeem the world.
Paul knew what he was talking about. Acts 16 tells the story of Paul and Silas being imprisoned for preaching the good news about Jesus. Verse 25 says: “About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God.” In prison, Paul practiced what he was now preaching to the Ephesians. He seized the opportunity to praise God. This led to an opportunity to preach to the prisoners and eventually to the jailer and his family. This gave a major boost to the developing church in Philippi. (And God also released him from prison.)
This greeting did not come from a prospective father-in-law or any other future in-law. It came (in an email) from a representative of a charitable organization to which I had just made a small donation. I thought I was donating a little money, not committing myself to a lifelong intimate relationship.
This representative had obviously been trained in the intricacies of modern fundraising.
The thing is that I had no intention of making a lifelong open-ended commitment to that organization. Years earlier, when I had been a magazine editor, that “charitable” organization had tried to have me fired for publishing a short article critical of some aspects of that organization’s program. It was a well-deserved criticism. So, why had I now made a donation? Because I know that organization does useful work in the area to which I had directed my donation.
In fact, the reason I had chosen this organization was because of a disappointing interaction with another organization which apparently had also received guidance from fundraising training. I had made a donation to that organization to help very needy people in a disastrous situation. After I sent in a donation, I received a thank you note and a tax-deductible charitable donation receipt. The next month, that organization sent me some brightly colored socks and asked if I would like to make another donation to provide clothes to needy people. The month after that, the organization sent me two reusable plastic shopping bags and asked if I would like to make a donation to provide food for needy people. And so it went. Since I had made one donation, the organization assumed that we were now in a long-term relationship and I would continue to make further donations every month. The organization assumed that it was now my charity and I was its donor. The problem is the organization was using up all of the money I had donated to send me further requests for donations. As an incentive, it was sending me small gifts to make me feel guilty and obligated enough to keep giving. I finally sent one of the monthly letters back with “MOVED” written in large letters next to my crossed out address. This was a desperate measure, but I wanted to leave at least some of my donated money for the needy people I had originally given my donation to help.
The problem with these fundraising efforts is that these charitable organizations often do not treat those of us who donate to them as people with our own opinions, ideas, motives, problems, and abilities. They treat us as donors, blind supporters who will believe everything they tell us, human checkbooks that can be tapped whenever they use the correct wording in an appeal letter. (Sadly, there are church leaders who treat their parishioners the same way, although in that case the donors have often made a commitment to the church by becoming members.)
Years ago, I attended Regent College, a highly regarded theological institution in Vancouver, BC. Every year or so, Carl Armerding, the college president, would gather the students together for a friendly informal chat. On one occasion, he raised the question of whether Regent College was a faith mission. Was it really relying on God to provide the necessary funds to carry out its mission? He said that the school claimed to be a faith mission, but that the experts also told him that if he sent out X number of letters to supporters, a certain percentage (Y) could be expected to respond and contribute Z dollars to support the school. The question he posed to us was whether the school was relying on God or on proven fundraising techniques. He continued to send out such letters, of course, but he did so with an understanding that no technique could work if God was not in it. I greatly appreciated Dr. Armerding’s humility, candor, and spiritual insight. I wish more charitable organizations (and churches) shared it.
I’ve always known I wanted to be a writer, though the journey to get there has been a bumpy one, to say the least.
When I finally began taking my writing seriously, I felt the pressure to become published immediately. Instead of praying and waiting for God’s answer, like Abram and Sarai, I decided to take matters in my own hands and write whatever I thought would sell.
Needless to say, it didn’t work out so well because I wasn’t doing what God had planned for me.
When I finally stopped trying to do it my way and asked God what His will was for my writing, I started seeing results.
In 2012, I entered a contest that Love Inspired editor Emily Rodmell was hosting. I remember reading about the contest on the Harlequin website and going back and forth on whether or not to enter. You see, I’d entered contests before without much luck. In the end, I did enter and was one of the ones who got an appointment to chat with Emily.
On the day of the pitch, I was on vacation in Colorado. At our cabin, internet service is nonexistent. It would have been so easy to say, oh well, better luck next time, but I think God was nudging me not to give up.
But God found a way. . .
And so, my husband and I drove to the small town of Pagosa Springs where I did the entire chat on my laptop in the parking lot outside of the Ace Hardware Store. My fingers were actually shaking so much I was convinced that I’d typed nothing but gibberish.
Emily was kind enough to request a synopsis. I promptly sent the synopsis out to her. Then she requested the first three chapters, followed by the full manuscript. With each request, I tried not to get my hopes up. As I said, I’d been here before.
Yet in December 2012, Emily called to tell me I’d sold my first book to Love Inspired Suspense. To this day, I can’t tell you what she said to me other than that she wanted to buy my book for Love Inspired Suspense. It was a surreal moment. One that still hasn’t fully sunken in. I write for Love Inspired Suspense! It’s a great feeling to have your dream become a reality and even greater to hold your own book in your hands.
Since that first call, I’ve sold many books to Love Inspired Suspense, and I have my first Revell book coming on this June.
God is so good. We just have to listen.
As Jeremiah 17:7 says, “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord. And whose trust is the Lord.
I cling to you; your strong right hand holds me securely. – Psalm 63:8
Have you ever carried too many things in your hands and felt one of the items slowly slipping through your fingers, as you desperately tried to tighten your grip to keep it from hitting the ground? That is how my life has felt lately. There have been numerous areas that suddenly felt so fragile, as I tried so hard to hang onto everything. Different areas of my life were growing heavier and my arms became overburdened. I tried to balance each item that came my way. But with the added weight, my hands began to lose their grip and I felt myself losing control.
As a result, every corner of my life suffered. My emotions were frayed and my spiritual life was weak. I found it difficult to read my Bible and pray when I constantly felt overwhelmed by the heaviness of life. So, I turned to the Psalms because this particular book of the Bible has a way of bringing me comfort, even in the midst of despair. I highlighted words and verses that resonated with me. This helped me to stay focused and find meaning in the words, even when my heart felt empty.
One day, as I was reading Psalm 63, the words in verse 8 struck me. “I cling to you; your strong right hand holds me securely.”
Reflecting on this verse has taught me a few lessons during this stressful time in my life. First, I know that no matter what I am facing, I have to cling to God. He is my lifeline and the only way I could possibly stay afloat.
Also, God has been speaking to my heart and prompting me to let go of the things that I was holding so tightly. I don’t have to control everything and I don’t have to have all the answers. I can hand my issues over to God and allow Him to take the lead.
God has also shown me that my hands can only hold so many things at any given time. If I am holding onto my problems, I can’t also hold onto Him. Once I release my worries into His care, this frees my hands and allows me cling to God.
And finally, God has shown me that even in my weakest moments when I let go on my end, He will never let go of me. What a comfort that is!
Friend, whatever it is that you are up against, don’t let go of God. He is there beside you, every step of the way. And He is holding onto you. His strong right hand holds you securely. Even when you are weak and lose your grip, He will never let you go.
With 2022 underway and 2021 in the rear view mirror, finally I feel like life is moving forward. Our son was offered a full-time teaching position at the very school he graduated from. One of the accounts I’ve been working on since my mom passed found a resolution regarding money she was due that pleases all parties involved.
And…I’m writing.
If you’ve read Christians Read for awhile, you know Surrendering Hearts is a six-book series I’ve wanted to publish for years. The idea for this contemporary romance series started when I watched the early seasons of This is Us and wondered how could one track a big family? Then, I chatted ideas with my sister who wondered if I could ever write about donor families. Although I’m not there yet, I landed on a family.
Sextuplets.
Each sextuplet gets their own book and opportunity to discover their identity apart from their siblings. More than that, they long to find a love much like what their parents had. Before the chaos of 2020, I had Book 1, Anchored Hearts, started. There’s a prologue that sets the whole series up. Anchored Hearts is Jordyn’s story and God willing, you’ll see it this spring.
It’s important to me not to take readers for granted and I realize the wait has been loooong. With that in mind, I wrote a short story that first appeared in my newsletter.Unwrapping Hearts is the origin story of patriarch Paul Hart and how he found romance with the woman next door. By the time Anchored Hearts begins, Paul’s enjoying marriage after years of widowhood.
I’d love to share these free reads with you.
Unwrapping Hearts is a free contemporary romance short story that prequels Anchored Hearts.
In Luke 13, Jesus had been teaching a series of parables about the nature of the Kingdom of Heaven. He was talking to His followers, and He asked them,“Have you understood all these things?” When they said yes, Jesus told them another parable: “Therefore every teacher of the law who has become a disciple in the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old” (Luke 13:52). What is the meaning of this parable?
In the parable, Jesus gave the example of a teacher of the law. Teachers of the law were men that the King James Version called scribes. They would make handwritten copies of the Old Testament (like medieval monks) and thus repeatedly study and ponder what it meant. But Jesus said that this scribe had become a disciple (student, learner, follower) in the Kingdom of Heaven, that is, a believer in the new teaching that Jesus was bringing. Jesus said that this person would have a storeroom full of old and new treasures that he would bring out and share with other people. In one sense, Jesus was talking about the apostles, His closest followers, preparing them to be teachers. They would teach people about Jesus but also talk about the Old Testament Scriptures, showing how Jesus was the fulfillment of what God had been doing before. They did this admirably, often preaching about Jesus using Old Testament prophecies.
In another sense, Jesus was talking about Bible teachers in every age and saying that they should teach people “the whole will of God’ (Acts 20:27), the whole Bible, both Old and New Testaments. What Bible teachers should not do is to understand this parable to be saying that they can add their own wisdom and knowledge to the ancient Scriptures, teach both the Bible and their own new ideas as if they are equally valuable. Bible teachers should not boast in their insights or their novel interpretations. They do not create anything. Rather, they are students of the Bible who just see what is already there and shout, “Wow! Look at that!”
The Bible teacher William Barclay saw an application of this passage that I had not noticed. He suggested this passage is about people who become Christians. They have discovered a new treasure. But they do not lose their old treasure, the gifts and abilities they had before they became Christians. Rather, they now put those gifts and abilities to work in the service of the Kingdom of God. I admire and appreciate Barclay very much. I think Barclay’s insight in this case is true and valuable, but I am not sure it is a proper interpretation of this parable. I think he might be adding something.
An online discussion group raised an interesting issue for me. Is it possible to teach creative writing? There are certainly techniques all writers need to learn. But are creative writers born or made? What matters more, skill or talent?
Here in Canada, there are a number of universities with highly regarded creative writing degree programs. They produce technically competent writers who churn out novels full of the stream-of-consciousness, politically correct, psychobabble group think that universities specialize in these days instead of knowledge. These graduates produce novels which look alike and which win prestigious awards (voted on by the same university professors who trained them) and which nobody outside academia reads. These books are long on technique and short on substance, produced by 25-year-olds who have spent their entire lives in school and have very little life experience beyond what they have been given second-hand.
I am not denigrating education, both formal and informal. I am grateful for the many skilled editors who have taught me far more than I can ever calculate. I have attended writing conferences and have taught at them. I have four university degrees, including a bachelor’s degree in English and history and a PhD in history. I was a writer before I went to university, but there I became a much better writer. I learned a great deal, gaining a broad knowledge of the world, honing my skills, and endlessly practising my writing.
But the point is that it is called creative writing for a reason. The essence of creative writing is to be creative, not to follow a formula devised and taught by someone else.
In one of my university English classes, I came across a commentary that asked how the barely literate John Bunyan could produce a literary classic such as Pilgrim’s Progress. The commentator reached a surprising conclusion: Bunyan demonstrated that the most crucial prerequisite for a great writer is to have something important to say.
Our pastor is taking us through the book of John each Sunday morning. We recently read John 1:38-39 which reads,
Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou?
He saith unto them, Come and see.
Can you imagine what those simple fishermen were thinking when they agreed to follow Jesus? The miracles that Jesus worked during his ministry here on earth. Learning at the feet of the Savior of the Universe. The confrontations he had with the religious leaders. The long days of traveling by foot and the quiet times where Jesus and his disciples became close. I can’t even imagine what an amazing experience that was for them. And then watching as Jesus was arrested and crucified. The resurrection and the journey that each of them went on as they followed Jesus’ command to “Therefore go and make disciples of all the nations”. Most of which were
Do you think that little band of followers had any idea how much their lives would be changed by that simple encounter?
All but John ended up martyred.
Peter and Paul were both martyred in Rome about 66 AD, during the persecution under Emperor Nero. Paul was beheaded. Peter was crucified, upside down at his request, since he did not feel he was worthy to die in the same manner as his Lord.
Andrew went to the “land of the man-eaters,” in what is now the Soviet Union. Christians there claim him as the first to bring the gospel to their land. He also preached in Asia Minor, modern-day Turkey, and in Greece, where he is said to have been crucified.
Thomas was probably most active in the area east of Syria. Tradition has him preaching as far east as India, where the ancient Marthoma Christians revere him as their founder. They claim that he died there when pierced through with the spears of four soldiers.
Philip possibly had a powerful ministry in Carthage in North Africa and then in Asia Minor, where he converted the wife of a Roman proconsul. In retaliation the proconsul had Philip arrested and cruelly put to death.
Matthew the tax collector and writer of a Gospel ministered in Persia and Ethiopia. Some of the oldest reports say he was not martyred, while others say he was stabbed to death in Ethiopia.
Bartholomew had widespread missionary travels attributed to him by tradition: to India with Thomas, back to Armenia, and also to Ethiopia and Southern Arabia. There are various accounts of how he met his death as a martyr for the gospel.
James the son of Alpheus is one of at least three James referred to in the New Testament. There is some confusion as to which is which, but this James is reckoned to have ministered in Syria. The Jewish historian Josephus reported that he was stoned and then clubbed to death.
Simon the Zealot, so the story goes, ministered in Persia and was killed after refusing to sacrifice to the sun god.
Matthias, the apostle chosen to replace Judas. Tradition sends him to Syria with Andrew and to death by burning.
John, the only one of the apostles generally thought to have died a natural death from old age. He was the leader of the church in the Ephesus area and is said to have taken care of Mary the mother of Jesus in his home. During Domitian’s persecution in the middle ’90s, he was exiled to the island of Patmos. There he is credited with writing the last book of the New Testament–the Revelation. An early Latin tradition has him escaping unhurt after being cast into boiling oil at Rome.
John met Jesus again on the island of Patmos. What an emotional roller coaster that weary apostle experienced when he saw his friend and savior. John got a glimpse of the Lion of the Tribe of Judah.
But just as Jesus told those first apostles to “Come and see”, He is telling us the same. We just have to choose to accept His invitation and come and see what God can do.
Welcome to 2022. Here we face a new year with hope that the days and months will be better than the previous two years, but we don’t know for sure what 2022 brings.
Each year, I try to choose a word to focus on through the coming year. December 2021 was so busy that I didn’t even think about my word for 2022. It didn’t even cross my mind. Yet, I have a word. A word that chose me.
KINDNESS
Let me explain what happened on December 31, 2021 to show my word for the year. A lesson in kindness that I never expected, but one that will stay with me for a long time.
My husband and I were returning to Arizona from a visit to our daughter in the Seattle, Washington area. These desert dwellers were surprised to find a week of snow and ice when we’d only expected rain. Our time there had been wonderful visiting family, but the driving and navigating on slick roads proved stressful and we were ready to get home.
That Friday, we chose to drive longer to get over the mountain passes before more snow arrived. We were heading for Redding, California to stay the night and had been on the road for about eleven hours. Some of the driving was very slow going and we had some delays.
We were tired as we headed down the last mountain pass, about an hour from our destination. Traffic was light because of the holiday. We rounded a curve and at the edge of the road was an RV. A woman stood behind the RV, almost in the road, waving a flashlight with a frantic motion.
I told my husband he needed to slow and then we did something we never do—we pulled over and to see if we could help. There was snow along the road and it was very cold. As we backed up to off assistance, I prayed for guidance.
There were three young people who met us. They were in their mid-to-late 20’s or that’s my guess. One of the girls was carrying a black cat wrapped inside her jacket. They were stranded and had been there for three hours trying to get help. Because it was New Year’s Eve and because of the remote location, they couldn’t find anyone to come for them. The only possibility they’d found would cost several hundred dollars just to give them a ride to town.
We rearranged our belongings in the car and made room for them in the back seat. The three climbed in with their suitcases and bags and cat. I know they weren’t comfortable all squeezed in but they were so grateful to have someone help them. The two girls were from Spain and the young man was from San Francisco.
They rode with us for the next hour. As my husband drove, the three of them were on the phone—all at the same time—trying to get someone to pick them up in Redding and finding out how to get the part they needed for the RV. They were so very nice. When we dropped them off where their friend was to meet them, they hugged me and I petted the cat, a very sweet and quiet cat. (From the moment I saw them carrying a black cat, I knew it would be fine to pick them up and help them.)
When we said our good-byes, I mapped the distance to our hotel. We were only about a mile from our destination, so it worked out just right for us too.
Doing that act of kindness blessed me so much. Not only had we helped them, but I believe they helped us. As they all chattered in the back seat, two of them in Spanish, and one in English, we were rejuvenated after a very tiring day. Staying awake was not a problem. They were so grateful to get off that cold mountain and we didn’t charge them a penny to take them to where they could connect with their friend.
The next day as I prayed about what had happened, I realized that kindness would be my word for the year for 2022. I will pray each day for God to show me any way I can show kindness. It may be something as simple as putting out food for the stray cats near our house, encouraging someone who is going through a tough time, or fixing a special meal for my husband.
I don’t know what the year holds, but I do know that intentional acts of kindness will always be welcome. I hope you will consider what acts of kindness you can do. You will be amazed at the blessing you receive in return.
“And be kind to one another, tenderhearted,
forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.”
Christian Fiction, Humorous, Romantic Comedy, Wholesome
BACK COVER: How far would you go to find the perfect husband? All the way back to the 1950s?
In a world full of happily-ever-after love, Meri Newberg feels like the last young woman on the planet to be single, at least in her Christian friend group. So when she’s handed a strange present at the latest wedding–a 1950s magazine article of “ways to get a husband”–she decides there’s nothing to lose by trying out its advice. After all, she can’t get any more single, can she?
Her brother’s roommate sees the whole thing as a great opportunity. Not to fall in love–Kai Kamaka has no interest in the effort a serious relationship takes. No, this is a career jump start. He talks Meri into letting him film every silly husband-catching attempt for a new online show. If it goes viral, his career as a cameraman will be made.
When Meri Me debuts, it’s an instant hit. People love watching her lasso men on street corners, drop handkerchiefs for unsuspecting potential beaus, and otherwise embarrass herself in pursuit of true love. But the longer this game goes on, the less sure Kai is that he wants Meri to snag anyone but him. The only problem is that he may not be the kind of husband material she’s looking for . . .
With droll comic timing, unbeatable chemistry, and a zany but relatable cast of characters, Angela Ruth Strong has created a heartfelt look at the reality of modern Christian dating that readers will both resonate with and fall for.
REVIEW: I wasn’t sure what to expect given the title, but I was quickly drawn into this humorous, but candid story I stayed up late reading. I felt for main character Meri, a woman who has been on a search for a soul mate and through Kai, who has been run over by life’s circumstances. Meri’s friends gave her a list, created in the 1950s, on How to Catch a Husband. Meri shares this list with Kai. He thinks it’s hilarious and just the thing that will help him land a camera job he desires. Kai explains his hopes and Meri goes along with it in hopes of achieving both of their goals. Meri to find a husband and Kai to get a better job. But something unexpected happens as they go down this list and actually do what the list demands.
I was pleasantly surprised at how deep this author goes with her characters and shows what is important in life and relationships. LOVED this story and how these characters evolve as they go through the list. They learn a lot about themselves, life, and love. This process brings clarity of what their hopes and dreams. They also learn how not to let emotions run their lives, but learn to slow down and give things and time to bloom and grow before they are ready to meet their soul mate.
Great story, one that is a fun read and would work well for your next book club pick. This is the first novel I’ve read by this author; it won’t be the last.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I have received a complimentary copy of this book by the publisher through NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”
Happy New Year, Everyone! I love starting a New Year because it always feels like there is so much hope on the horizon. And we sure need a whole lot of hope these days!
But the truth is that we never know how the year will unfold. 2020 is a great example. In January we heard many puns based on 2020 vision, as people predicted that they would have perfect sight that year. Yet that year blindsided us all. When 2021 approached, we thought things would look up. However, 2021 was also a tough year for many of us as well.
Will 2022 be a better year? We don’t know that yet. And honestly the truth is that every year will have low points and high points. This might make us feel a bit nervous, because we can’t control what comes our way. But there is hope and there is something we can do to help guide our year.
A few weeks ago I saw a meme on social media that said, “Too many people think the grass is greener somewhere else, but the grass is green where you water it. Remember that.”
This hit me because it’s so true and because there is so much we can learn from this. We don’t know what each day will bring, but throughout the year we can take steps to water the good things in our lives. We can set aside time with the Lord and water our connection to Him. We can spend time with loved ones and water those relationships as well. We can focus on our careers and water our growth in that area. We can practice gratitude and water our attitude. We can set aside time for rest and water our souls. We can eat better and exercise and water our health.
Perhaps you have already written down your New Years Resolutions or chosen a word for the year. Or maybe you are the type that finds New Years too depressing and you skip all those traditions. Either way, I hope you will join me and prayerfully consider what things you might water in your life over the next twelve months.
“The LORD will guide you continually, giving you water when you are dry and restoring your strength. You will be like a well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring.” – Isaiah 58:11
2a: to rescue from an undesirable state also: to restore to a previous natural state reclaim mining sites
b: to make available for human use by changing natural conditions reclaim swampland
3: to obtain from a waste product or by-product : RECOVER reclaimed plastic
4a: to demand or obtain the return of
b: to regain possession of
Reclaim is the word God gave me for 2022. It’s not just for me to focus on, but I believe it’s a promise and proclamation. It’s also for you.
The last two years have been hard at the very least and devastating for most. There has been loss of life, jobs, finances, peace, relationships, and more.
During Christmas break, we were in New York State. The mandates there are stronger there than most states, and whether I agree with that or not isn’t my point. My husband was in the state less than three hours when he pulled in to greet me. One of his first comments was he couldn’t wait to get out. When I probed why, I actually knew, because I could feel it.
His answer? He could feel the fear and oppression. It was spiritually choking both of us. Even with masks on, you could see and feel the fear, even in the most faithful people.
Do we take the events seriously? Absolutely. But to live with that fear? No.
It’s time to reclaim.
If Jesus is Savior to you, we have every right to proclaim His promises. We are promised peace beyond all understanding. We have the authority under the blood of Christ to cast out infirmity and demons. And after feeling absolutely paralyzed by grief and trauma last year, I am ready to reclaim.
There’s an old song I remember teaching kids when I first taught Sunday School. It’s about going to the enemy’s camp and taking back everything he stole from us. I’m a visual person and I can picture the enemy with his fancy tent, mocking me, mocking you, with his accumulated spoils.
Here’s the thing. He is the defeated one. Not us. Not you. Not me. Even if nothing changes around us, and I think in 2022 we are going to see a LOT of change, we aren’t defeated. Never forget that. Picture yourself, Jesus marching ahead with purpose, yet also in the back as your rearguard, literally surrounding you, as you make your way to the defeated one’s territory. I don’t make a habit of addressing the defeated one, but I do believe in the power of proclamation.
I see myself gathering up the joy, peace, health, and lost opportunities and placing them in the arms of Jesus. I envision walking over to the defeated one and placing my foot in such a way he falls to the ground and my feet rest on his broken self. “By the blood of Jesus, I reclaim all that has been stolen and place the defeated one under my feet. The enemy has no authority over me or my family. I reclaim that promise by the power of Christ for the glory of His name.”
And Jesus and I skip back home.
Sure, my picturing it is a form of story-telling, but the proclamation and promises of Jesus are real. Use them. Reclaim what has been lost. This is the year.
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I created a short story, Unwrapping Hearts, as a prequel to my 2022 release, Anchored Hearts. This FREE contemporary romance is the origin story of patriarch Paul Hart and how after years as a widower, saw his neighbor, Shelly Hoffman, in a new way. Look for Anchored Hearts, the first book in the Surrendering Hearts series about the Hart sextuplets, by spring.
At a morning church service, we sang a song about God being “for us.” The idea comes from Romans 8:31: “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (NIV) One of the pastors then told us to greet each other and say, “God is for you.” But one woman came up to me and asked, “Do you really believe God is for you?” It was a probing question that required some thought and soul searching. As I pondered the question through the rest of the service, Joshua 5-6 came to mind.
Joshua had led the people of Israel into the Promised Land and was about to begin the long campaign to conquer it. Suddenly, he was confronted by a soldier with a sword in his hand. Joshua didn’t recognize the man. He could have been one of the hundreds of thousands of Israelite soldiers, or he could have been a Canaanite. If the man was an Israelite, great. If he was a Canaanite, Joshua would immediately have had to fight. So, Joshua asked the obvious question: “Are you for us or for our enemies?” (Joshua 5:13) That is, he was asking: “Whose side are you on?” It turned out that the man was a messenger from God. From our modern entitled perspective, we would expect that the messenger would reassure Joshua and tell him not to worry because God was on his side. After all, it was God who had promised the land to the Israelites and told them to go in and conquer it.
But God’s messenger did not give that reassurance. Instead, he said, “Neither” (Joshua 5:14). And then he went on to say that he was the commander of God’s army. Specifically, he said that he was the commander of the army of Yahweh—the true God who had revealed Himself to Abraham, Moses, and the Israelites. And then he told Joshua to take off his sandals because he was standing on holy ground, that is, because he was in the presence of God. It was the same thing that God had told Moses from the burning bush (Exodus 3:5). And then the messenger gave Joshua instructions for what the Israelites were to do while God conquered the city of Jericho for them.
There is a story, quite possibly apocryphal, that one of US President Abraham Lincoln’s assistants asked him during the American Civil War, “Do you ever worry that God might not be on our side?” Lincoln supposedly answered that the question did not bother him at all but that he often worried that he might not be on God’s side.
The difference is profound. In our modern entitled age, we sometimes get the idea that, since we are children of God, God is on our side, that God will always bless us, that God is our servant. It is the other way around. God is not our servant. We are to be God’s servants. That is why Joshua took off his shoes, to show that he was submitting to God as God’s slave. It is also why Joshua and the Israelites obeyed God’s instructions to just march around Jericho and let God conquer the city. And when Israel sinned and disobeyed God, God did not help Israel when Israel attacked the next city, Ai. In fact, God fought against Israel, and Israel was defeated.
The great battle in life is not between us and our enemies, us and our challenges. It is between good and evil, God and the evil one. The question is not whose side God is on but whose side we are on. The question is not whether God is for us. It is a given that God loves us and wants to bless us. But the determining factor is whether we submit ourselves to God so that He can bless us. The question is not whether God is for us, but whether we are for Him, obeying Him and being totally committed to Him. That includes confessing when we are wrong and asking God to forgive us, as the Israelites did after their failure at Ai (Joshua 7-8).
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”
Philippians 4:8
It’s a new year, and most of us are glad to shake the dust of the challenges of 2021 from our shoes. We know what we want to leave behind in the ashbin of history, but what do we want to move toward?
When we think about that, we often start with a simple thought like “I want to move toward a better year with fewer challenges.” That’s fine, but to actually help ourselves get to that place, we need more specific information. We need to define our vision of a better place. We need to identify what makes it a better place in our view.
As we think about the specifics, they become clearer in our minds. What had been a gray area starts to fill first with opaque colors. The more we think, the bolder the colors become until we’ve gotten very specific with exactly what we would love to see in our lives and what we do not want to see.
Now many stop thinking right there. Once they have a clear picture in mind, they consider the work done. But the truth is only half of the work is done. Why?
Because we haven’t actually done anything to make our lives better. At best, the painting is only half-done. It’s like planning a trip. You make the reservations, map out the path to your destination, pack and do all the things to prepare for your trip, but you haven’t actually gone anywhere just yet. You prepare, and then you go.
Preparation is like faith. You prepare believing you’ll go on that trip.
We’ve all heard about faith without action. This is the same principle. Yes, identifying what makes life better for us is critical. But vital as well is continuing on in our thoughts, focusing on concrete actions that help us get from where we are to where we want to be.
These movements can be little things or big things. For a child, the wish might be for better dental checkups. Less time in a dentist’s chair would make a child’s life better. So, the action to get there would be to brush and floss morning and night and after meals.
1. Faith.
2. Action.
For adults, the formula is the same:
1. Define the challenge and your vision of life without it.
2. Identify reasonable things you can do to remove the challenge.
3. Act to bring your vision to your life.
That’s living deliberately. That’s doing what you can to make your life more of what you want and less of what you don’t want.
Note the Bible verse above. Where we are instructed to focus our energy and our thoughts. Simply put, it’s on the good things. The message on this is clear and simple, and the impact is profound.
Too often people focus on the challenges to the exclusion of the blessings. The above verse makes it clear that’s a mistake. It cautions us to be positive and constructive, grateful and to focus on the good.
There’s a key to a door of peace in that verse. When you focus on good, you think on good, you tend to do good. That makes for fewer challenges and more contentment all on its own. But when you deliberately act to do good things to get to your better, you multiply the potential for achieving it.
True, you might not get the better you envisioned, but you’ll get closer to it. Or perhaps you’ll exceed it. Gain more than you envisioned. That’s possible, too.
Taking the lessons from the verse, doing what you can to define not only what you need to make life better, but to also define existing things that make life good you’d like more of in your life. Acting on both.
When you act on both, you minimize specific challenges you want out of your life and maximize good things in your life that you want more of in your life.
With each action you take and sustain, you enhance life and the colors in it grow bolder and bolder.
