An Introduction for Modern Readers by James R. Coggins

Posted on October 6, 2021 by jrcoggins

A couple of generations ago, things were much different. Back then, most people in North America—whether believing Christians or not—had a basic understanding of the main teachings of Christianity. Today, the church exists in a culture that is largely disconnected from Christian ideas and perspectives. Many people no longer accept the authority of the Bible, and Jesus is a mystery to them. Where, then, do we begin if we want to introduce them to Jesus?

That is the question B. W. Spinney wrestled with. For years as a pastor, he had been looking for an evangelistic tool that was not only meant for non-Christians but was aimed at a culture that was not familiar with the basic tenets of the faith. Not finding what he was looking for, he decided to write his own. The result is a small book called Faith: A path to understanding God. The book does not attempt to prove the existence of God. Indeed, Spinney argues that, while there is ample evidence, God has deliberately left room for doubt so that people would have a choice of whether to believe in Him or not. Instead, Spinney starts by saying that “Christians believe in a whole bunch of things (and disagree on a few as well), but the most foundational belief is that there is a God who is responsible for the creation of everything.” From there, he leads the reader through basic concepts such as God, revelation, sin, human nature, Jesus Christ, praying, the real universe, the Holy Spirit, church, heaven, and daily faith. Step by step, he presents Christian truths and encourages the reader to take a leap of faith.

Different presentations of the gospel will appeal to different people, and this is one that should speak to more than a few modern readers. It is a small book (112 pages) that can be put into a pocket and easily carried around. Christian churches might find it suitable to give to new believers and seekers.

Faith: A path to understanding God (2021, ISBN: 978-1-7771926-3-1) by B. W. Spinney is published by my own Mill Lake Books and is available from online retailers and bookstores around the world.

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A Time For Everything!

Posted on October 5, 2021 by Author Mary Alford

King Solomon was a wise man. Solomon wrote much of the book of Proverbs, the Song of Solomon, the book of Ecclesiastes, and two psalms. King Solomon knew a few things about life.

In Ecclesiastes 3: 2-8, this wise man said, To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;

A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

Here in Texas, we are slowly leaving behind the long hot, and dry summer and entering the season of fall.

It seems like only yesterday, I was a teenager with all the teenage drama, then married and watching kids grow up. Now, I have grandkids that are entering their teenage years.  

As I grow older, I look back on all the wonderful things God has blessed me with, along with those seasons of mourning, and realize my life has been full. He has been there with me through it all and will continue to walk by my side until my final breath. But the silver in my hair, and the daily aches and pains, remind me that I am growing closer to the end than I am to the beginning, and I take each day with what it brings and give thanks.

What about you? What season are you in?

 Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Thank you, Jesus!

All the best…

Mary Alford

www.maryalford.net

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The Benefits of Walking by Tara Randel

Posted on October 4, 2021 by tararandel

While it is still pretty hot during the day here in Florida, the humidity has lifted. That has made the mornings quite nice, so I’ve been able to resume my walking in the neighborhood. There is nothing like getting outdoors to revive your spirits and get some exercise. I’m greeted by the calls of the whippoorwills, the breeze drifting through the trees and the sun is warm and toasty on my shoulders.

I ran across a woman walking her baby in a stroller this morning and started thinking back to the days when my girls were little. We’d go outside every chance we could, first with them in strollers, then trotting beside me down the road. I couldn’t wait for them to be old enough to read, so I plopped them in a red wagon and pulled them to the library to check out picture books before they’d mastered words. Not surprising they both grew up loving to read.

Today I walk not just because I love to get outdoors, but as I grow older, I find that keeping healthy is a top priority. I still take a class at the gym, but walking on the off days keeps me active and varies my routine.

So, what are the benefits of walking?

Good health. Walking for 30 minutes a day or more on most days of the week is a great way to improve or maintain your overall health. Walking increases cardiovascular and lung fitness, strengthens bones, reduces joint pain and improves balance, along with burning calories and boosting immune function and energy. With this in mind, getting in 10,000 steps is worthwhile.

Clear your mind. Regular aerobic exercise appears to increase memory. Walking also opens up a free flow of ideas and is a great way to increase creativity. I find that when I’m stuck while writing a book, going out for a walk stimulates my creativity and I’m able to problem solve in my story. Walking allows you to take in what’s going on around you and what you’re experiencing through your senses.

 Stress buster. Walking can calm your mind and elevates your mood. Boosting the circulation that delivers more nutrients and oxygen to cells produces feel-good hormones. It will also improve your sleep.

Make it pleasurable.  In order to get out a few times a day, walking should be fun. Vary where you walk, walk with friends or join a walking club. Having a conversation makes walking less of a chore and more fun. You can work up to longer hikes. This is what my daughter and I did when we traveled to the mountains this summer to hike the trails. It was challenging and fun.

Spending quiet time with God. I find some of my best conversations with God happen when I’m walking. I’m not distracted by daily life and can purposely focus on spending time with Him.

Now that the weather is changing, it’s a good time to take up walking or to get back at it if you stopped during the summer. The benefits are well worth it and having a sense of accomplishment is a great way to start, or end, the day.

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

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Made to Praise by Bridget A. Thomas

Posted on September 30, 2021 by Bridget

I remember visiting with my grandmother late in her years when she wanted to share Psalm 100 with me. This was one of the passages of Scripture she had memorized. But she drew a blank and couldn’t remember the words. She was frustrated with herself. But once she got the first few words of this chapter, she was then able to finish reciting it all.

I don’t know for sure what translation my grandmother had memorized, but I will share NIV with you:

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.

I was recently reading this Psalm and thinking about this incident with my grandmother. But something struck me. It occurred to me that this is a tune our hearts know well. Even if we forget the words, as my grandmother did, our hearts never forget this rhythm. Once we truly have the Lord in our hearts, praising Him is something each of our souls long to do.

It says in Isaiah 43:21, “This people I have formed for Myself; They shall declare My praise.” (NKJV)

We were made for worship. Sadly many of us turn in other directions and worship other things. As a result, we never find true satisfaction and joy. But when we worship God wholeheartedly, then we find our rightful place. That is one of the reasons why singing praise songs feels so good.

Another reason why praising God feels so good is because He is there in the midst of the praise. Perhaps you have heard it said that God inhabits the praise of His people. And in Psalm 22:3 it says, “But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.” (KJV) How amazing to know that anytime we praise God, He is there! What comfort and peace that brings.

So let us keep God in His rightful place in our lives. Let us prayerfully lay aside anything that we put ahead of Him. Let us remember to cling to the Lord and to sing God’s praises daily. Let us thank God for His goodness and character.

And as the writer of Hebrews said, “Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name.” (Heb 13:15 NIV)

Original photo by Benjamin Voros on unsplash.com.

© 2021 Bridget A. Thomas

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New Clothes and Shoes by Julie Arduini

Posted on September 29, 2021 by juliearduini

Happy Fall! This is typically my favorite time of year with the gorgeous leaves, smells of apples and bonfires, and cooler weather that I long for in the heat of July. I’m also done with big travels this year, so it feels good to be HOME.

Now that I’m home, I’m taking the time to clean and organize. This week it has been my dresser and closet. There’s a scary story. Between the quarantine, stress, and medicine adjustments, a lot of my clothes don’t fit. I like a baggy feel anyway, but sadly some jeans are not just worn out, they aren’t budging across my bulging middle. Giving myself grace but heading to the cheaper stores, I have shirts and jeans for the season that aren’t so tight.

I also realized after injuring myself on vacation that the few shoes I have are ones that didn’t fit our daughter. She has a wide foot and finding shoes that are comfortable for her, affordable, AND ones she wants to be seen in is quite the achievement. I’ve been wearing sneakers for years that she was sure would be comfortable only to come home and decide they were not. Refusing to let them go to waste, I wore them. They have holes, aren’t the best fit, and have overall seen better days. I splurged for the sake of my need for a shoe with traction that would be good for my knees and went with Vivonic. I forgot how comfortable a shoe can be. I also feel much more secure when I go into a store and see that it has the potential to be a slippery surface. That’s what started that vacation mishap, so yay for new shoes.

This fall I’m also going through another Sheryl Pellatiro Bible Study. Her studies have kept me grounded in His Word this last year. The current study is on Deuteronomy, and is called Higher Ground. Sheryl writes in a way that makes the material easy to understand. She also doesn’t do all the work. There are verses to look up and although I recently finished The Bible in a Year, I’m still surprised when I read the verses and see how it lines up with what’s going on in Deuteronomy.

Imagine my surprise when the study covered Deuteronomy 29:5, NIV.

Yet the LORD says, “During the forty years that I led you through the wilderness, your clothes did not wear out, nor did the sandals on your feet.”

Moses is speaking to the Israelites in order to establish a covenant between them and the Lord at Moab. He’s reminding them of all God has seen them through. They were slaves. They left Egypt in an epic show of His hand in the Red Sea and received provisions every day. There were victories in battle. God was with them. This wasn’t in a span of a few days or even years. This was forty years.

Forty years in the same sandals. I can hear some of you gasp. You love your shoes, but for forty years? That’s hard to imagine. Like I said, in just a year I’ve had to replace clothes and shoes. I’m thankful for His provision because I am very aware not everyone can run to Gabe’s or the Salvation Army or Amazon and buy something that fits.

My friends and I have been talking lately on why things we felt God has promised for this season show a hint of happening, but have not. We shared different articles and sermons we’ve read, and what trusted mentors have shared in their prayer time.

Everything that came with COVID, at least as far as effecting my life and those around me, isn’t even five years old. Or three. I promise you in my prayers I’ve been begging for change, healings, answers. How the Israelites made it four decades—oh, wait.

They had God.

A God so specific He made sure every single Israelite had clothes and sandals that did not wear out.

For forty years.

We can’t see everything God is doing, and how arrogant of us to assume we should. There is so much in the heavenlies at work, I believe, that’s in place to usher in the greatest awakening to the Body of Christ and the world. I think we’ll see that on earth soon.

While we wait, I know it’s been excruciating. I lost my mom this year, not to the virus, but the protocols left her alone in a hospital with us banned from visiting. I’m surviving that guilt and grief because of my Heavenly Father. He provides. Even and especially when we don’t see it, or when we do and we don’t appreciate it.

Those Israelites did a lot of complaining.

And the Body of Christ has been bellyaching the last couple years as well.

Here’s the deal. We need to unite despite our differences of opinion regarding the last couple of years. Despite the protocols (I don’t mean full rebellion, but if your church is open and you are not at risk, get to church..) Despite what we see around us. Look up and ask God for a Kingdom mindset. To see as He sees. Trust Him with the timing. And remember how He provides.

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What a Gift by Nancy J. Farrier

Posted on September 27, 2021 by Nancy J. Farrier

My youngest daughter had a birthday last week. Her twenty-eighth birthday. It’s hard to believe how the years have flown past. 

Twenty-eight years ago, when I was going through a very difficult pregnancy with her, my mom gave me a gift. I was at such a low point. We had four children with one on the way and struggled some financially, so special gifts or treats were few and far between. 

My mother sent me a gift of money and asked me to use it to buy something just for me—an unheard of thought when you have several children. I prayed about it and decided I would purchase a ring that I had wanted for some time. Not just any ring, but a sterling silver ring with a Christian message.

When I went to my favorite Christian bookstore, they had the ring I wanted and the amount turned out to be exactly the same as my mom gifted me. During the rest of that pregnancy and the healthy birth of my daughter—a miracle—I wore my Jesus ring. And I have been wearing it for twenty-eight years.

Some days I barely notice I have it on, but often I am drawn to glance at the word Jesus on my finger. I’ve rarely had anyone else notice the ring. It is a message for me.

I am reminded that Jesus is with me. He is there when I do an act of kindness for someone. He is there when I lose my temper and mutter unkind thoughts. He is there when I ignore someone in need that I should help. He is there when I reach out to someone to encourage them. 

He is there with me every minute of every day. Even when I take the ring off, which is rare, I know Jesus never leaves me. He never stops loving me. No matter how horrible I might be, He is still there with me. Knowing me. Giving me grace. Loving me.

My ring is now bent out of shape. The last s in Jesus is hard to make out because the metal is so worn. It slips around on my finger, so sometimes all I see is the band, but I still know the name of Jesus is there. Just as I still know my Savior, Jesus, is there with me.

Be encouraged. He is with you every moment of every day. Through hard times and through good times. He loves you when you’re awful and He loves you when you’re good. 

My mom gave me a lasting gift twenty-eight years ago. God gave me the amazing gift of my daughter then too. But He also gave me the eternal gift of His Son, Jesus Christ. I pray you have that same gift.

Treasure Him. Hold fast to His presence. 

Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!

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Nora’s Review of: Under the Tulip Tree

Posted on September 24, 2021 by Vicki Hinze

Under the Tulip Tree

By Michelle Shocklee

Tyndale House Publishers

400 pages

NORA’S REVIEW: Lorena’s father, a bank president, had a comfortable lifestyle and was well received in social circles before the market took a dive. Lorena Leland and her family were forever changed by the stock market crash in 1929. Little did Lorena know that taking a job with the FWP (Federal Writers’ Project) would rock her world even more than it had in the last seven years of the Great Depression. 

I too wanted to know more. It was remarkable to find out what the Federal Writers Project was and how the author based her narrative on it. It was astounding to read that the President deemed slaves’ stories were important to preserve for future generations. I was fascinated to learn about history through Lorena’s (nicknamed Rena) eyes as she meets 101-year-old Frankie Washington, born a slave and has seen a lot in her 101 years.

Both women were facing their fears Rena Leland, going to a scary part of town to interview a black woman in her home. Frankie Washington had to trust a white woman, welcome her inside and divulge horrific things she had not thought about for years. Could she share these events? Would this woman write what Frankie says or would they change it when things get too hard to hear?

Rena sits down next to Frankie. She is stunned by her courage and trust to share heartaches, lessons, and joys intertwined in hard-tragic times. Frankie had been prompted by the Lord to open her home to Rena, make her feel welcome, as she shared, she let God do the rest.

These women become fast friends and Rena desires to hear more of Frankie’s story. She could not just ask the scripted few questions and go onto the next person. Rena had to know it all. I was on the end of my seat wanting to know it all too.

I liked what the author says in her note to readers, “I first learned of the slave narratives, as they’re called, while researching slavery in Texas. Drawn to the word-for-word and often heart-wrenching telling of life in bondage, I wanted to learn more about the narratives and how they came about.”

The author weaves an incredible story that has you hearing Frankie’s story at the feet of these two women. The author says…”My hope is that Frankie and Rena’s story of friendship, love, and forgiveness honors those whose lives now fill the pages of history.”

Oh, I was blown away by the depth of this story, it’s unforgettable characters, its surprises and the natural spiritual thread. This story would work well for your next book club pick. It is a rich story that you’ll be thinking about long after you close the book. This is the first book I’ve read by this author and it won’t be the last.

FROM THE BACK COVER: Sixteen-year-old Lorena Leland’s dreams of a rich and fulfilling life as a writer are dashed when the stock market crashes in 1929. Seven years into the Great Depression, Rena’s banker father has retreated into the bottle, her sister is married to a lazy charlatan and gambler, and Rena is an unemployed newspaper reporter. Eager for any writing job, Rena accepts a position interviewing former slaves for the Federal Writers’ Project. There, she meets Frankie Washington, a 101-year-old woman whose honest yet tragic past captivates Rena.

As Frankie recounts her life as a slave, Rena is horrified to learn of all the older woman has endured—especially because Rena’s ancestors owned slaves. While Frankie’s story challenges Rena’s preconceptions about slavery, it also connects the two women whose lives are otherwise separated by age, race, and circumstances. But will this bond of respect, admiration, and friendship be broken by a revelation neither woman sees coming?

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. 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”

Nora St. Laurent 

TBCN Where Book Fun Begins!

The Book Club Network blog www.bookfun.org

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In Praise of Libraries by James R. Coggins

Posted on September 22, 2021 by jrcoggins

I’ve always wanted to own a castle or at least a country estate.

I particularly wanted to have my office at the top of a tower in the castle or country manor house. From there I would have great vision and perspective on the world. The reality is that my office has most often been in a basement, where, by necessity, my vision was turned inward.

But the real attraction of owning a country estate was books. My parents had a marvelous collection of books, some dating back to the 1800s that they had in turn inherited from their parents and grandparents. Back then, books were very expensive and highly valued. My sister has had the unenviable task of trying to find homes for many of those books.

My own collection of books really took off when I was in university. I was obsessed and thrilled with the opportunity to accumulate knowledge. My daughter has said that she would like to inherit my library. The reality is that she does not have space to accommodate my library in her house and in her life. I have begun the sad task of trying to find homes for some of my books. I have donated some of them to university libraries, rare book rooms, thrift stores, and the Christian Salvage Mission, which ships Christian books to less privileged societies around the world. And I have begun setting aside a small collection of the best of the best to give to my daughter and perhaps eventually her sons.

If I had inherited a country estate, I could have kept my parents library and added my own to it. It is a great vision of each succeeding generation treasuring the wisdom and knowledge of the past and making its own contribution.

My impulse is a good one. In his great survey of world history (Civilisation) Kenneth Clark opened his book with a chapter called “The Skin of our Teeth.” He credited medieval monasteries with copying and preserving the great literature, not only of the Christian era but also of Greek, Roman, and other ancient civilizations, which laid the foundation for Western civilization.

When I was in graduate school in university, part of my research involved spending hours scrolling through microfilm. A project had been initiated in England to catalogue and microfilm every book published in the United Kingdom from the invention of the printing press in the late 15th century until sometime a couple of centuries later. In many cases, there were only one or two copies of a book scattered in university and country estate libraries. The microfilm project preserved these books and made them available to a wider audience. Universities could buy a copy of this collection of microfilm for the exorbitant price of about a million dollars. It filled an entire wall in the university library. It made some of my own research possible.  

Also when I was in graduate school, I was appointed to be a student representative on the university library advisory committee. At that time, the university was struggling to find enough space to contain its burgeoning collections. The science student representative on the committee suggested discarding all books and journals more than ten years old since they were obsolete and had been superseded by more recent research. That might have worked for some science disciplines, but it would have destroyed the literature and historical departments of the university.

The work of preserving the wisdom of the past is a noble one. Perhaps the most notable and remarkable task is the preservation of the Bible, which has preserved the story of God’s revelation to humanity through wars, invasions, long journeys, neglect, and other disasters, often “by the skin of our teeth.” God made that happen.

The reality is that, try as we might, we cannot preserve everything. As Ecclesiastes so eloquently points out, everything in human life is temporary.

It is encouraging, then, to remember that God has no limitations and has His own libraries, where He has preserved the record of humanity. One day, the books will be opened. We can be sure that everything that we have entrusted to Him (2 Timothy 1:12) will be preserved.

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Homecoming

Posted on September 21, 2021 by Author Mary Alford

Usually at this time of the year, high schools around the country are celebrating a tradition known as homecoming. I’m sure with Covid, there are many schools that are not having the homecoming ceremonies or perhaps they are taking place in a different format.   

In the past, homecoming in high school was a big deal. There were mum corsages, parades, and pep rallies. Signs created by the cheerleaders and pep squad meant to fire-up both the football team and its fans. There is usually a weeklong celebration in which the school and the entire town get involved. The culmination of the week’s events is the football game and the crowning of the homecoming queen. Many former alumni from around the state and beyond return to their beloved high school to relive their teenage years.

Homecomings are special.

Recently, our church had a homecoming as well. We usually have one each year. Former members come and we fellowship over a meal and simply enjoy those who have come back home.

But there is another homecoming that I am looking forward to more than anything. The homecoming in Heaven when all those loved ones that have gone on before me will be there waiting for me. All the saints from the bible, and most importantly, the Father and the Son.

Can you imagine what a homecoming that will be? There are brief descriptions in the bible of Heaven, though we still know very little about it. But one day, there will be no more tears. No more sorrow, and no more pain. We will know each other as we are known. Jesus is preparing a place for us there. And there is worship like nothing we’ve experienced here on earth taking place in Heaven right now. I believe it will be loud and joyous and well, I can’t even imagine.

But I do know one thing. I can’t wait to be part of that homecoming. What about you?   

All the best…

Mary Alford

www.maryalford.net

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From Ordinary to Extraordinary by Nancy J. Farrier

Posted on September 17, 2021 by Nancy J. Farrier

There have been people in my life who annoy me. Do you get that? Have you had people who get on your nerves? A co-worker? Someone at church? That neighbor who is hard to tolerate? A spouse who has an annoying habit? And the list goes on.

As Christians we are called to love everyone. Everyone. Like God loves—unconditionally. Whew, is that hard. 

Don’t get me wrong. For the most part, I love people. I enjoy talking with them, interacting, and hearing about their lives. I am not a social person, but I do enjoy some socialization. And people are interesting.

But there is always that person. The one who makes a cutting remark that hurts. The one who seems to look down on you no matter what you do. Or the one who leaves you out of their clique as if you are not good enough for them. And, once again, the list can go on and on.

When I go on my morning walks I often ponder what God wants to teach me. He recently taught me a lesson about difficult people, and I thought I would share this with you.

At this time of year, there are some plants growing in the desert called plantago or the common name, I believe, is plantain. They are small plants and plentiful in the desert where I live. You can see them in the picture above. They look rather ordinary and can be a sort of hazard if I don’t watch. They can mask a divot in the path or a rock that might turn under my foot. Or they can hide a snake or other critter that I would prefer to step around. They can be a sort of annoyance in my life.

The picture above shows the plantago as I’m walking toward them with the sun at my back, so paying no attention to them in the light of the sun’s rays. They are ordinary. Small green plants with nothing to set them apart.

The picture below shows the plantago when I walk toward them facing the sun. They glow in the light. It’s like walking on a fairy path. They are a delight and a wonder and I love seeing them as I walk. Every time I marvel at their beauty.

What is the difference? The plants are the same. Everything is the same except for my view of them in the sun’s light. When I have my back to the sun they are ordinary. When I am facing the sun, with that light changing the outlook, the plants are amazing and beautiful.

God showed me that people are the same way. Those who annoy me or hurt me do so when I am viewing them through my lens, not through the light of God. My limited vision sees them as less than what they are intended to be. I forget to see the heart of the person and only look at the part that grates against me.

When I pray and look at them through God’s miraculous love, I see a whole different person. I see someone God loves. I see someone as imperfect as I am, yet with hidden gems that shine in the light God pours on them. 

Sometimes it isn’t easy to see those hurtful people in a different light. It takes prayer. It takes asking for God’s help. But He has never failed me. Every time as I’ve prayed for that person and prayed for my outlook to become like His, He’s changed my perspective to one of love. He’s changed the ordinary to the extraordinary.

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Praising God When You’re Worried by Bridget A. Thomas

Posted on September 16, 2021 by Bridget

Do you make praising God a priority in your life? I confess I didn’t know the importance of praising God until 2020. When we went through the pandemic, and the world seemed to fall apart, there were two things that truly changed me. One was reading the Psalms, and the other was praising God. I learned the truth of the words found in Psalm 89:25, “Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, LORD.”

I bet it is more common to praise God when something good has happened. We rejoice when we accomplish a goal or when we obtain something we had hoped for. We are happy when a blessing comes into our lives or when we see an answer to prayer.

But one thing I have found to be helpful is to praise God before the blessing. If I am worried about something or someone, it can be easy to fall into a pit of anxious thoughts. But many times I know deep down that my thoughts and feelings are misconstruing reality. I know that with God, I have nothing to fear.

So instead of praying desperate prayers, asking for divine intervention in a certain situation, sometimes I will instead praise God. I will thank Him ahead of time for His help. I will sing words of His goodness. I will tell the Lord how marvelous He is.

When we do this, miracles take place. First of all, our feelings will catch up to our words. We might have felt anxious before. But now, focusing on God’s goodness, we will truly feel gratitude and awe for our amazing Father.

And we see how God truly does come through for us. When I have done this, the situations I was worried about turned out okay and sometimes even better than expected. God intervened and made a smooth path.

Also, anytime we praise God, we draw closer to Him. We feel a deep connection and know that we are in the palm of His hand. And there is no better place to be. So no matter what you are facing today, try praising God. He hears you and will be there with you, holding onto you.

© 2021 Bridget A. Thomas

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Still Good by Julie Arduini

Posted on September 15, 2021 by juliearduini

I have a team that prays for my writing and I can’t describe how much they mean to me. They have covered me, my family, and the words I write (or don’t) for over a decade.

Recently I shared an update and someone reflected on my year and health struggles.

-Two scopes because of stomach issues

-Needed to buy a cane after vacation because I emotionally froze to the point I could not walk.

-Had bronchitis most of August and was too weak to take my daughter to school for a week.

Add it’s been a year since mom asked me to come to town to help her for a couple days and I ended up staying two months because we nearly lost her. Sadly, in January as she was recovering so well, she passed.

It’s been stressful, and I’m pretty sure all the health issues go right back to the trauma and grief.

Yet, as I prayed, there was a theme.

God is good.

Our family is in good health despite the pandemic. My husband isn’t just working, but has a new position he loves. We are being provided for. Our son graduated college and passed his certification exam. He’s engaged and ready to start substitute teaching. Our daughter turned eighteen and is a senior in high school seeking God’s will. I serve in a youth group where these teens are thrown the most impossible situations, and they keep showing up, trusting Jesus. We have grown children and four grandchildren that are healthy and doing well.

I never want to take His goodness for granted. No matter what I read or hear in the news, and boy lately it’s been heartbreaking, He is still good. I might not understand it all, but I know enough about Jesus to know He is good. It is Him.

When the bronchitis was so bad I couldn’t leave bed and my chest was so tight it was hard to breathe, I remember just saying thank you to Jesus.

I don’t know how the rest of the year will go. I feel like I’ve rounded a corner in grief and better times are ahead. Still, no matter what I face, I want to keep in the forefront God’s goodness.

How about you? What are you going through? Have you been able to praise God through it? I challenge you to be thankful. It might take some thought, but trust me, there is always something to be thankful for. Even if you only can realize God is good, that’s enough!

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Never Forget by Tara Randel

Posted on September 13, 2021 by tararandel

This weekend I watched many of the ceremonies commemorating the events of September 11, 2001. I think about where I was that day and how the tragedy affected me not only on a personal level, but as an American.

I had just dropped my daughters off at school when I arrived home to hear the telephone ringing. Normally, I didn’t turn on the television in the morning because I enjoyed the quiet after the hustle of getting the girls ready and off to school. I answered and a friend told me to turn on the tv because something was happening in New York. Sure enough, I tuned in see that the North Tower at the World Trade Center had been hit. After that, I sat for hours shocked, confused and at times not even able to put a name to the emotion as I watched the destruction in lower Manhattan, the Pentagon and Flight 93. It was all a jumble, but most of the news focused on the towers. Then, when the South Tower fell, I looked at the tv, tilting my head, thinking, wait, what’s happening? It soon became clear the building had crumbled. When the second tower fell, I cried with such a deep, guttural anguish that I have only experienced one other time since, when my daughter died eleven years later. I prayed and wept for the poor souls in the buildings, for the first responders who had gone into the buildings and for those affected on the ground. It was hard to tell what was going on, but there was only one word to define that day; horror.

I had published a few books with a New York publishing house and worried about the safety of the employees. Thankfully they weren’t near the towers and I later learned they were able to get home, as the city was in shock.

In the weeks and months that followed, we learned about the bravery that had cost and saved lives. We were more gentle to our neighbors. Those of us so far away from the tragedies were thankful we hadn’t experienced the attacks, but our hearts broke for those who did.  It was a time to count your blessings and make sure we supported a country that would never allow anything like this to happen again.

At the time, I facilitated a creative writing class at my oldest daughter’s middle school. Every time they had to write a story, it would be about defending the United States. Every single story. Out of those classes, two brothers went into the military, one still serving. My daughter and her best friend also decided to join. I’ll never forget the night my daughter came into our bedroom to inform us she was enlisting. I was surprised, since she had never expressed any interest in that career route. But how could I argue against this decision when she said, “It’s the least I can do.” The events of 9/11 had touched her more deeply than I knew. She would have finished her time in the military with honor had cancer not taken her life. I am still so proud that she looked beyond herself and wanted to serve others.

Every year on September 11, no matter what is going on in my life, I stop and watch documentaries about that day. It still horrifies me and makes me cry. It makes me glad to live in a country where virtual strangers helped one another in the time of a calamity. It reminds me that I am blessed to live in this country where I can freely worship God. I can’t believe it’s been twenty years. When I watch the programs, is feels like yesterday. Every person who remembers that day has a story about where they were, what they were doing and how they felt afterwards. Thank you for letting me share a slice of my story.

Tara Randel is an award-winning, USA Today bestselling author. Family values, a bit of mystery and of course, love and romance, are her favorite themes, because she believes love is the greatest gift of all. Look for her Harlequin Heartwarming romance, STEALING HER BEST FRIEND’S HEART, available now. For more information about her books, visit Tara at www.tararandel.com. Like her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/TaraRandelBooks. Sign up for Tara’s Newsletter and receive a link to download a free digital book.

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Global Connections by James R. Coggins

Posted on September 8, 2021 by jrcoggins

I had never met Teus and Maria Kappers—until they asked me to help them publish their joint autobiography. And yet their lives have intersected major connecting points in the global evangelical world. Teus grew up in the Netherlands and Maria in Germany. That they could find each other in the bitter aftermath of the Second World War is testimony to the healing power of the gospel. Teus came to a personal faith in Jesus through Euro 70, a monumental Billy Graham evangelistic effort broadcast all over Europe. He was discipled by the Open Doors ministry started by fellow Dutchman Brother Andrew, known as “God’s smuggler.” (Brother Andrew inspired many to smuggle Bibles into communist countries.) Maria grew up in Freudenstadt (“Town of joy”), which had centuries earlier been a refuge for the Huguenots, persecuted French Protestant followers of John Calvin. Teus and Maria met at the Bible College of Wales, which had been founded in the aftermath of the Welsh Revival. Then they served in various ministries together, including London City Mission, which was one of the many evangelistic and social outreach movements spawned by the evangelical revivals of the 18th and 19th centuries. They immigrated to Canada in 1982, where they played a leading role in the founding of Lighthouse Harbour Ministries, a ministry to seamen in the port of Vancouver, British Columbia, which has had rippled impacts around the world.  They have played a significant role in the global mission of Jesus Christ to make disciples of all nations. 

When We Walk With The Lord (ISBN 978-1-7771926-2-4) is published by my own Mill Lake Books and is available from online retailers and bookstores around the world.

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Where were you?

Posted on September 7, 2021 by Author Mary Alford

Though 20 years have passed, if you are old enough to remember the events that took place on September 11, 2001, then chances are you’ve asked, or been asked the question…where were you? And like me, you can probably name the exact location you were at when life as we knew it changed forever.

This is the 20th anniversary of one of the most tragic days in modern US history. On September 11, 2001, 2,977 innocent lives were lost in the Twin Towers, at the Pentagon, and in a rural field in Pennsylvania. The tragedy set in motion by those events would change the course of life both in the US and worldwide.

At the time, I was working at a high tech company in Austin, Texas and taking a leadership class in the basement of our building. We had a TV in the break room. Someone came into the classroom and said that a plane had hit the World Trade Center. Everyone rushed to watch as the terrible events unfolded. I still remember the shock, the disbelief I felt at watching those planes hit the towers. And later, the towers crumbling to the ground. It was surreal.

With the anniversary of 9/11 approaching, let’s reflect on that day, remember those who paid the ultimate sacrifice, and think about how one day, 20 years earlier, changed everyone’s lives.

Blessings, always, 


Mary Alford 

http://www.maryalford.net

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