We are very pleased to announce that we are in the process of establishing a new Christians Read Book Club!
If you enjoy reading Christian Fiction or Nonfiction and Clean Reads, this book club is for you!
The plan is to feature books by Christians Read authors as well as NYT Bestsellers.
We’re really excited to offer this, plus you’ll be able to interact with authors and other readers as well. Meetings will be virtual and will take place on Zoom on Tuesday nights.
This past week has been amazing. Two of my daughters came for the weekend. They both have birthdays this week in September. One only stayed the weekend, but my other daughter is spending the week. And, we decided to take a trip to the mountains, where I wanted to do some research for a new book series I will be starting next year.
We stayed in a cabin and did day trips around the area. We walked and studied the flora and fauna of the area. There were some exciting finds and enough pictures taken to make labeling them all a chore.
The first morning we went for a walk and saw some deer and an adorable squirrel that stopped to pose for pictures. The night before we returned home my daughter and I went on an extended walk and saw more deer and a snake. The snake did not pose for a picture but was sure pretty.
The cool mountain air was a refreshing break from our normal triple digit temperatures. A couple of storms swept through with thunder and rain. I studied the feel of the air and the smell of the forest before and after the rain. All this will help with atmosphere in the books.
One of the biggest helps came when I discussed the story with my daughter. There were aspects I hadn’t yet figured out because I wasn’t sure of the terrain and the flora. She made suggestions. We discussed possibilities. And, now I have those areas in hand and am excited by the changes.
I learned that certain amenities I’m used to will be a challenge for my characters. For instance, we had no cell coverage most of the time and although our cabin was supposed to have wifi, the connection was very iffy. We would have it one minute and it would be gone the next. So, what will happen in my story if the hero and heroine need internet? Something more to research.
There is still plenty to research for this series. Studying the professions of my characters and learning details that will bring the story alive is critical. Finding out the small details of daily life in the mountains will take time and connections.
But, research is so exciting. It’s those little details that bring a book alive. I can’t wait to finalize the research and begin to write this new series. I may even want to go back to the mountains for more in person investigation. It would be so fun to have my daughters join me there. The perfect way to delve into an idea.
Three of my sisters and I were chatting (texting) today about all sorts of subjects. We talked about our health. We discussed how much we miss each other. We talked jobs and work and retirement. Eventually we got around to an especially intriguing topic. It would be fun to be able to advise our younger selves. What would we tell ourself if we could travel back in time and give advice to our younger self?
It’s an intriguing thought, isn’t it? My first idea was that I would go back and advise myself to study physics in college (I studied geology and while I love rocks and minerals, it hasn’t been much use to me in daily living). Then I decided I would tell myself to buy Microsoft stock as soon as it was publicly traded — and to eat low fat.
My sisters, however, are much wiser than me. I wanted to share some of their messages with you guys.
One sister said, “Skip that whole try to teach thing and pursue something creative as a career.” She’s had a successful career in the tech industry, so she hadn’t done either as a job. In fact, all of these sisters are techies and all extremely smart and successful. They are also especially creative, too.
Another sister said, “Give as much of your time to family and friends, recognize and be thankful for your blessings and give to others.” One sister pointed out to her that she already does that.
One sister said, “Floss!”
Another said, “Don’t marry that *******. Either of them!!” (Bleeped.)
The sister who already did that above said, “If you live your life in love, the rest is noise.” She added, “Everything that happens along your life journey is part of what makes you who you are. So learn from your mistakes but don’t regret anything!”
The bleeped sister said the wisest thing of all. “That is our purpose in life … love one another.”
And to leave this discussion on a high note, when I told my sisters I wanted to write an article about the discussion, and could I quote them, one sister said, “Well, sure, but if I knew that I would have come up with a better one.”
Wouldn’t we all? Maybe her future self can go back and warn her current self?
She added, “My new fave. Be here now, no promise of a tomorrow, so be present. Also get outside in nature every day. It soothes the soul.”
I can only say, again, I have the best and brightest sisters. I love them so very much!
Today, instead of more words from me, I offer for your consideration a simple image and a short quotation from a great writer.
“Ah, but a man’s reach should exceed his grasp, Or what’s a heaven for?”
– Robert Browning
“But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it. 19 How strange a body would be if it had only one part! 20 Yes, there are many parts, but only one body. 21 The eye can never say to the hand, “I don’t need you.” The head can’t say to the feet, ‘I don’t need you.'” 1 Corinthians 12:18-21
My personality is not soft and gentle — as good Christian woman should be according to so many in our culture. I grew up with a mentally retarded brother and I was his warrior. You messed with my brother? You messed with me.
I was taught to fight for the person who cannot. I grew up hearing my mom talk to countless doctors and organizations that didn’t want to do their jobs. She got them to do their jobs. And I learned.
It’s not more Christian to watch abuse take place just to avoid conflict. Sometimes, conflict needs to happen so that those who are acting unrighteously have the opportunity to correct themselves and repent. I truly wish I wasn’t that person who has the ability to confront, but I am. When I see an unfairness, I want people to make it right.
I was raised Catholic. We were taught the fire and brimstone version of God. He sees everything — and even scarier? He sees your motives. So even if you’re doing something right for the wrong reasons, you’ll answer for that. God is constantly working on our hearts because he wants us to come to Him with the purity of a child. The only way to make that happen is to be honest about ourselves and our sins.
For many years, I tried to be the good Christian wife who crafted and made casseroles. I did a fine job at it, but that is not who God created me to be. I couldn’t sit by and allow people to use their Christianity to do evil. It hurts the cause of Christ.
There’s a quote falsely attributed to Winston Churchill. Apparently, it was novelist Victor Hugo who first stated this concept, but it resonates with me.
“You have enemies? Good. That means you’ve stood up for something, sometime in your life. -Winston Churchill?
False peace is not from God. Sometimes, we are called to confront. It’s not fun, it’s not easy and if it’s not your personality…lucky you. Some of us are more prickly than the next guy.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2
This passage popped into my mind last week when I was leaving the gym. I’d enjoyed another good workout. The fruit of my labor was going to show up on my Fitbit steps. But once I got home and started working on my newest WIP, the cursor just blinked at me.
Nothing.
What happened to all those lovely endorphins?
To be honest, I’ve had a hard time focusing on my current project. At first I thought it was because I’m just easing my way into a new story, figuring out my characters, which is all part of the process. But this felt like more.
I decided to take a break and pray. Soon, I realized why I was having difficulty. With all that’s been going on in the world, I haven’t relied on my time with the Lord, or been in the Word, as much as I should. Every time I turn on the television or pick up my phone, it’s something else. As the scripture above reminded me, I hadn’t thrown off the things that hinder me. It shouldn’t have been a major revelation, but sometimes it’s the subtle things that slip us up. We can be our own worst enemy.
I’ll admit, I’ve grown tired of the news cycle. But as I started finding scriptures to address what I was feeling, I couldn’t help but be reminded that Jesus has conquered the power of our weakness.
Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40: 30-31
I love the wording in The Message Bible.
Why would you ever complain, O Jacob, or, whine, Israel, saying,
“God has lost track of me. He doesn’t care what happens to me”?
Don’t you know anything? Haven’t you been listening?
God doesn’t come and go. God lasts.
He’s Creator of all you can see or imagine.
He doesn’t get tired out, doesn’t pause to catch his breath. And he knows everything, inside and out.
He energizes those who get tired, gives fresh strength to dropouts. For even young people tire and drop out, young folk in their prime stumble and fall.
But those who wait upon God get fresh strength. They spread their wings and soar like eagles,
They run and don’t get tired, they walk and don’t lag behind.
God doesn’t come and go. He lasts.
Through all the uncertainty, unrest, stressful situations and times of doubt, God lasts.
This was what I needed to be reminded of. We’re all human. We all get overwhelmed. But we serve a God who is bigger than the circumstances. Who knows what will happen tomorrow. Who loves us all beyond reason.
How could I not be refreshed after remembering who God is? Who he has always been?
So I decided to run with perseverance. To continue a course of action in spite of difficulty, as defined in the dictionary. Armed with the reminder that the Lord won’t leave nor forsake me, I discovered I could once again focus. A day later I jumped back into my project. This time, words filled the page, much to my relief. A writer without words is in big trouble!
If you are feeling overwhelmed or down in the dumps, or if you have a good attitude and happily go through your day, I hope these scriptures will encourage you to remember that God doesn’t come and go. He lasts.
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, ALWAYS THE ONE, 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.
Stories of the 2020 Covid-19 Outbreak
No one expected things to change drastically with the beginning of a new decade. Yet that’s exactly what happened.
Within a few weeks, the world shut down, life came to a halt, fear permeated the population, existence was threatened, churches closed, social distance and hiding faces behind masks became an everyday experience, and for many, their faith was challenged
The following Christian authors share personal experiences and what they learned during this historic period when life became different for everyone.
Jamin Christian Baldwin Bob Blundell Patricia Butler Rebecca Carpenter Alexis Conrad Karen Cook Jenny L. Cote Laura Craft Diana Derringer Cathy Dudley Loretta Eidson Carolyn Fisher Mindy Gallagher L. C. Helms Melissa Henderson Gwen Hinkle Helen Hoover Penny Hunt Martha Hynson Lily Jenkins Sherry Diane Kitts Alice Klies Yvonne Lehman Cynthia Lovely Evelyn Mann Diana Leagh Matthews Jeri McBryde Fran Meininger Odell Sauls Joanne DiRienzo Schloeman Ann Peachman Stewart Gina Stinson Laura Sweeney Carrie Vinnedge Becca Wierwille
This is the 16th book in the Moments Series. Hundreds of writers share their life experiences, fears, concerns, hopes, failures, successes and faith that comfort, instruct, inspire or entertain their readers. More than once, lives have been changed. Also, the writers receive no monetary payment, but contribute all royalties to Samaritan’s Purse, the organization that meets physical and spiritual needs throughout the world.
Each of us have special moments in our lives that we can share with others, whether or not we’re writers. We’re now receiving submissions for Broken Moments (serious or humorous), Lost Moments (serious or humorous), Grandma’s Cookie Jar Moments (warm, cozy articles – also Grandma Cookie Recipes), Can, Sir! Moments (about cancer or other situations in which you determine “With the Lord’s help, yes, I can.”), Favorite Moments (special, meaningful experiences), Christmas 2021 (Santa or Jesus).
If you’d like to submit an article, contact me at yvonnelehman3@gmail.com.
In the month of July, I attended my first writers conference. There is a particular writers conference that I always wanted to be a part of, but it wasn’t possible because it was in another state. However, due to COVID, this conference was held completely online this year. Suddenly my dream of attending this conference came true. I thank God for this opportunity!
One of my blogger friends, April at peacefulwife.com, always wanted to go on missionary trips around the world and lead people to Jesus. But missionary work was not something that her husband wanted to do, so this never came to pass. However, now April’s blog does reach people all over the world. And she has led some of her followers to Christ. So, her dream has come true, but it just looks a little differently than she expected. How amazing our God is! (See this post where April talks about her blogging journey.)
I have a friend who recently told me that she never liked being alone, so this pandemic was not easy for her. However, she has found contentment during isolation because God has laid out many projects for her to accomplish during this time. As a result, she has found purpose, satisfaction, and has relied on Him. She praised God for this silver lining!
Sometimes we don’t get the things we want. Or it could be that they just don’t look the way we imagined. That is when the goodness of God enters the picture. We should take our hopes and dreams to the Lord and lay them out before Him. If they never come to pass or if they look differently than we expected, there is a good reason for that. It could be that God knew what we wanted wasn’t in our best interest. Or perhaps God had something better in store. We have to trust Him.
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” – Isaiah 55:8-9
God can see the beginning and the end and every tiny thing in between. Our human view is very limited. We think we know what is best and we think we know what we want. But many times the things we want are not in our best interest. One thing you can always count on is that God has what’s best in mind. So cling to God and His goodness. He will work things out in a miraculous way that we might not be able to imagine.
Photo by Gelgas Airlangga on Pexels.com
© 2020 Bridget A. Thomas
Although I’ve never been to Disney, and confession, actually have zero desire to, I remember my in-laws sharing their fun memories. One year the family gathered together before I was in the picture and my mother-in-law had back trouble. She was in a lot of pain, so while at Disney, she had a wheelchair.
Her situation gave the entire family express access to all the rides. They skipped the lines and were able to enjoy many rides multiple times.
I have friends who have purchased express passes for the same perks. For extra money, there were able to enjoy more rides with less waiting time. Sweet deal, right?
It is, for theme parks.
For our faith in Christ, not so much.
For years I’ve stood in the gap and believed God for amazing things. I pray big things. And God’s been good.
I remember listening to an acquaintance share her frustrations. There was a situation tht kept repeating. I told her I would pray, and I believed God could change things.
Her response?
“I don’t have that kind of faith. I’ll just ride on yours.”
Believe it or not, I’ve heard this quite a bit. With my kids no longer needing my constant help, I have the time to go beyond a quick devotional and “Help, Jesus” prayer. I read quite a bit. Study. Pray. It’s a choice. I could watch the morning news, a 30+ year routine I gave up last year, or get more word count in. It’s what I believe God asked me to do. From it, there’s been favor and acceleration in my life.
They want the fast pass.
Most people don’t see the time, work, and journey my faith walk takes. They see an answered prayer or a blessing and decide they want the answers and the blessings, too. The problem? They don’t want the tears, the ups, downs, sweat, rejection and time.
—Julie Arduini
When I teach Sunday School I tell the participants you get what you put in. Although God is absolutely a giver of good gifts, I can say He expects more from us than a lifetime of thirty-second prayer and time with Him. Express pass works for Disney, but a healthy relationship with Jesus? Not so much.
I believe we’re in a time in history where we will see signs, wonders, answers, prodigals returning, healings, so much. We will see justice. I even believe the media will be forced to report resurrections because they will be happening enough that everyone will have to take notice.
But I also believe we’re being called to a new place in faith. Whatever level we’ve been operating at, we need to go deeper. Lukewarm faith isn’t going to work. Fast pass faith? No. Don’t expect big things if you aren’t praying but asking someone else to. He knows your schedule and circumstances. He isn’t asking you to mimic my schedule anyore than He’s asking me to copy someone else’s. But He is saying don’t get stagnant. Don’t ride someone else’s prayers hoping it’s enough.
If fast pass faith is something you can relate to, know God has so much for you. So much! Would you take the time to listen to what He’s asking of you and be obedient?
And like Disney, I expect your journey will be an amazing ride!
I’m a writer by nature. Meaning, I have no desire whatsoever to be in the public eye. Not even a little bit. I simply want to write my books and hide behind them. That isn’t okay in this marketing frenzy social media world. Now, I should mention that I have a degree in advertising with a marketing minor. I am not above the call of marketing. I believe in it. I believe in getting the word out there for others to know the gift you bring to the world.
The problem is, I can’t do that for myself. I can market other people and products NO problem. I know what other people bring to the table and what they have to offer. Hee are a few examples. Colleen Coble brings an exciting edge to Christian fiction with her heroic heroines in dangerous peril. She gives you a wild ride without taking you to dark places. That’s amazing.
Hannah Alexander brings us smart heroines in life and death situations from the medical field. Denise Hunter brings the sweetness of deep romance and delicious kisses without making one feel icky or violated.
I write dramady. Romantic comedy with darker themes that have touched me or my close friends over the years. My overall theme is always, God is not His people. Even though people can be rotten, God is always good. Whatever is sent to harm us, God uses for good. But to me, that’s something that’s not easy to “market.”
I mean, what is that? It’s not a straight genre. Why can’t I just have a straight genre like everyone else? Chick Lit is “over” but not for me. I love to write in first person and explore the depths of a character’s entire life, not simply her romantic life. So I’m stumped on marketing. I just want to write my little books and put them out in the world. Why is that so wrong that I do not have the personality for YouTube or TikTok — or even Instagram since I don’t take great photos due to bad eyesight. Anyway, here’s my one attempt and yes, I need to mix it up. What bugs you about this “put it all out there” world?
When I became a Christian, I was not a nice person. My life did a complete turanaround. Almost everything I previously believed, every behavior I’d become accustomed to, changed. One of the biggest transformations occurred after I had a dream one night.
In that dream I was climbing a steep mountain path in a storm. The light was dim and the rugged terrain dropped into an abyss on one side. Rain poured down as I struggled to get to the top. I didn’t understand why I had to make this climb, I only knew it was imperative.
When I reached the top, the rain stopped and the sun peeked out. The incredible view did not compare to the “person” who stepped out to greet me. While I couldn’t see Him completely, I understood this was Jesus and He had a message for me. He said, “You must show compassion. Learn compassion.”
There might have been other elements to the dream, but that part is still clear even after over forty years. When I woke up the next morning, the first thing I did was grab a dictionary and look up the meaning of compassion. Yep, I was so bad I didn’t even understand the word.
From Webster’s Dictionary: Compassion: sympathetic consciousness of others’ distress together with a desire to alleviate it.
God wants us to be like Him, which is why He asks us to be compassionate. “But You, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, and gracious, Longsuffering and abundant in mercy and truth.” Psalm 86:15 (NKJV)
Throughout the Bible it is apparent how compassionate God is. His longsuffering for the Israelites as they turned away from Him over and over, yet He took them back, is also a glimpse of how God views us and the mistakes we make. His compassion shines through as He loves us despite the wrongs we commit.
Being compassionate and having a conscious sympathy for what others are going through is so important. In Ezekiel 9: 3-6, we can see the importance of this emotion. In chapter eight, Ezekiel is given a vision of the abominations being done by God’s people. Instead of seeking God, the people are involved in idol worship and other abominations. God is very angry with them. God calls out and six men approach who have battle axes in their hands and one has a writer’s inkhorn.
“Now the glory of the God of Israel had gone up from the cherub, where it had been, to the threshold of the temple. And He called to the man clothed with linen, who had the writer’s inkhorn at his side; and the LORD said to him, “Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and cry over all the abominations that are done within it.”” Ezekial 9:3-4 (NKJV)
God asked that those who sighed and cried over the abominations be marked. The sighing is an inner acknowledging of the wrong that is happening. The crying is a reference to crying out to God over the wrong or tragedy that’s happened. Those people given the special mark of God were the ones who hurt inside over the abominations and who prayed.
What about the others? Their fate was not so happy.
“To the others He said in my hearing, “Go after him through the city and kill; do not let your eye spare, nor have any pity. Utterly slay old and young men, maidens and little children and women; but do not come near anyone on whom is the mark; and begin at My sanctuary.” So they began with the elders who were before the temple.” Ezekiel 9:5-6 (NKJV)
This seems so very harsh to us today, but we can see the importance of being God like and showing compassion to others. It is imperative that we learn this concept. Daily we are given the opportunity to “sympathetic consciousness of others’ distress together with a desire to alleviate it.” We can do this in physical sense sometimes, but we can always do this by bringing these needs before the Lord in prayer.
Some are easier than others. For instance:
Fires throughout the West and other parts of the world—Pray for the safety of the people, the firefighters, those working to rescue pets and livestock, the wildlife whose habitat is destroyed, people’s homes, etc.
The pandemic—Pray for those afflicted and those who have lost loved ones and friends, for the health care workers, for people to be compassionate with one another and now grow tired of doing good, for the scientists working tirelessly to find an answer in the form of a vaccine, for patience in the people waiting for the vaccine, for those who have lost jobs, etc. Consider those who are compromised and be considerate by wearing a mask to protect them.
Tornadoes and Hurricanes—Pray for families whose homes were destroyed, for the workers helping to rebuild, for those who lost loved ones, for those who have opened homes to help others, etc.
Some areas may not be as easy to show compassion, but it is still important. Remember, we can’t see the heart as God does, so we have to trust Him when he say to be compassionate.
Black Lives Matter—Whether we agree or not, these people have some issue that is hurting them. We must show compassion by trying to understand their need, by reaching out and caring, by having a desire to alleviate the hurt being done to them. We must not turn our backs on people without asking God to show us how to be compassionate and caring, by praying for them, by praying for understanding and God’s will.
Rioters—Yes, even those who are destroying property are doing so for a reason that makes sense to them. Maybe we don’t understand, but we can still pray for them. We can pray they seek God and find peace with Him. We can pray for understanding of changes that need to happen, perhaps on both sides. We can pray that God enlightens everyone and draws us to Him.
Most of all, we can pray to have compassion for those around us that God brings into our lives. We can pray not to react in anger but to have the longsuffering God demonstrates. We can keep our focus on Him and trust that He will fulfill His will in what is happening in our world.
There are times I still feel like I’m struggling up a steep path in the storm with rain trying to wash me off. Life can be like that and 2020 has certainly been a storm of sorts. Yet, through it all, those words spoken to me in a dream over forty years ago still resonate.
Be compassionate.
To celebrate the upcoming release of Mistletoe and Murder, enter to win a $10 gift card. Additionally, we’re gifting five others with a copy of the Mistletoe and Murder collection.
ENTERING IS EASY
It’s all on the Rafflecopter Form below!
The Mistletoe and Murder Contest starts September 10th and runs through October 7th! Random Winners will be announced on October 7th!
Good luck!
Nineteen years ago, the United States of America was attacked by radical Islamic terrorists. Nearly three-thousand lives were taken that day, and many more have been forfeited since then as a direct result of the attacks suffered that day. Today we honor the fallen, and we remember.
We remember them, their sacrifice and their selfless acts of courage and devotion to others. We remember their families, that they were all someone’s son or daughter or parent or extended family, someone’s best friend and rock, someone’s reason for getting up in the morning whose very existence conjured a smile.
We remember that each one of them had hopes and dreams and aspirations. Each one of them had a life, and it was their life, significant in all the ways each life is significant to its bearer. That those they loved and those who loved them lost, too, that day. Their lives—each of them—lost the irreplaceable. And life for them has not and will never be the same.
We stand in humble gratitude to the fallen and the injured, to all the heroes then and since who stand for freedom. We hold them all close in our hearts and minds—the victims then, since, and the extended victims. The gifts they bestowed are priceless, treasures.
And we kneel in prayer for our country, seeking grace and peace and comfort for every life touched, which is every life in our nation. Aware or not, none have escaped the hand of the attacks that day.
For all the pain and suffering endured, the terrorists intended the attack break the spirit of America that day. They failed.
Yes, we saw the worst that day, but Americans also saw the best. We saw ordinary men and women sacrifice their lives to save others. We saw a dog lead hundreds of people to safety, burning his paws, but he kept going. We saw older citizens give their space on elevators to younger citizens, knowing that in doing so they would die. We saw citizens helping citizens, strangers but fellow Americans, fellow human beings. We saw the rise of many heroes, worthy of our admiration and respect. For many, the term hero was defined in our minds and hearts by the actions of everyday average Americans on that day.
A lot has changed in the intervening years. Some for the better, some not. Our nation is embroiled in a different kind of crisis today. The enemy is within. And yet we recall that then, when attacked, we stood united. We loved one another, helped where we could, consoled where we couldn’t. We feared but we dug deep and found courage. We stood as one nation, thoughts on our nation, on loved ones, on the fallen and injured. We knelt and prayed for healing and restoration, and in His grace, God answered.
We stood. We prayed. We grieved and mourned.
We stood together, and we survived.
Yes, the terrorists attacked us that day. And treasured lives were lost. But heroes were born and our nation survived. The American spirit absorbed what it had to, endured the wounds and the pain of loss and grief. Battered, yes, but not dead. The American spirit rose. And today it still stands for freedom.
God bless the fallen, the injured and all those they left behind. Bless all those impacted directly and indirectly that day and in each day of all the years since then. God bless our nation and its people. Your word promises: Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14 [NLT]) Please, again shed Your grace to heal and restore our nation. God, bless America.
We haven’t forgotten. And this day, we renew our pledge made that day to never forget.
When I joined this blog, I was told I could write about things in my daily life as a Christian. This makes the topics I can explore extremely broad, which is a help, given that I’m interested in exploring so many things. Part of my daily living is analyzing and pondering things that come my way.
It took until I had two grown kids for me to learn that my way of looking at things isn’t the usual manner most people go about looking at things. Apparently, my outlook is more analytical than most people’s. Go figure. And apparently my adult kids are just as analytical as me because they’ve been spending their spare time lately playing a Table Top Simulator of a Dungeons and Dragons game my youngest created. He’s a great storyteller, he just does it differently than me. I like mine cloaked in sweet romance. He likes his cloaked in fantasy. Go figure.
So anyway, I’ve been pondering something lately—a relatively new to me phrase.
When I first heard “God is Good. God is Good All the Time,” it was fairly recently, probably within the last two or three years. At the time I heard it, the phrase completely resonated within me. It felt right and, dare I say it, good. I didn’t question then where the phrase originated. I just thought it rang true.
But after hearing it again and again, more frequently, from people all over the country, I became curious about where it originated. How did the phrase go from a one-off to viral in such a short time?
So, of course, I searched for it on –Duck Duck Go.
(Bet you expected me to say, Google. I like my privacy, so I use Duck Duck Go whenever I can. I preferred Google before they became a verb (Googled).)
The search results were interesting.
They included recent sermons pertaining to the phrase.
They included a Wiki from 2017 about how the phrase originated in African American Christian churches as a “Call-and-Response.”
Then I found a song, dated 2001, authored by Dean McIntyre, entitled God is Good, All the Time! using the phrase as well, and mentioning that the phrase was often used as a “Call-and-Response” during church services.
So I’m assuming it’s factual that the phrase originated from the African American Christian community.
The phrase makes me happy inside, which is probably the intended result and why it actually became an oft repeated phrase that went viral. It makes God’s children feel good. It’s a reassurance.
Yes, God is Good. God is Good all the time!
Sometimes we need to have it pointed out to us, so we can take time to be grateful for all the Lord does for us. Sometimes we need the simple reassurance, especially in times of trouble. So even when something we perceive as bad happens, it’s part of a great plan by God—a good plan.
At this moment in time, in our country’s history, we particularly need the reassurance. Has your child ever asked you, “Why does God let bad things happen?”
It’s important to remember that God is Good All the Time. The bad stuff comes from the dark side, not from God. But sometimes really wonderful things come as a result of things we perceive as bad. Like the phoenix rising from the ashes. Sometimes we need devastation to enter the rebirth. It’s the nature of life as we know it. As a result, we need to embrace change because we know that we will have the opportunity for growth as a result.
This has been a huge struggle for me. I like to avoid surprises. I like for things to happen as I expect them to ahead of time. I like to be able to plan things out. I like for life to flow in the direction I expect it to. And, you know as well as I do, that life isn’t like that, no matter how in depth I analyze it.
We need to anticipate change.
Perhaps my boys (adults though they are) are better at dealing with life than I am, since their simulated game embraces unexpected change. It includes deliberate misconceptions. It embodies the fact that appearances can be deceiving.
No wonder they seem to struggle less than me when dealing with life’s punches.
In the meantime, I intend to spend more time being thankful and in prayer, and less time trying to plan out exactly what is going to happen next. God sends his blessings no matter how prepared I may or may not be!
Ecclesiastes 11:1-6 is a passage about human work, human responsibility, and God’s providence. From the creation of Adam, the first man, God commanded human beings to work. Ecclesiastes 11:1-6 offers advice on how to go about this. Following are the verses from this passage (using the New American Standard translation) and some comments on them.
1. Cast your bread on the surface of the waters, for you will find it after many days.
Throwing bread into the ocean in the hope that it will come back to us much later seems silly. What this verse is really saying is that actions we take now might have benefits much later in life. Maybe some training we took, some contact we made, some good we have done to someone else, or some application we made will bear some unexpected fruit many years from now. We don’t know what the results will be, if any, so it is good to do useful and constructive things now—in fact, as many useful and constructive things as we can. Some might never have tangible results, but some might. If we don’t do anything, then nothing will come back to us. (Of course, the reverse might also be true. Anything bad or wrong or foolish we do might come back to hurt us many years later.) The New International Version translation of this verse is “Ship your grain across the sea; after many days you may receive a return.” This has a more specific application than the literal proverb. It goes back to the days when merchants would send trading goods away in a ship. The voyage would take many months or years, the merchant would know nothing about the progress of the ship once it had left port, the ship might be lost at sea (as many were), but if a ship returned, the merchant would likely make a huge profit. Regardless, both translations urge people to be productive and entrepreneurial, to try to achieve something.
2. Divide your portion to seven, or even to eight, for you do not know what misfortune may occur on the earth.
This verse is similar to our proverbs “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket” and “Always hedge your bets.” It might mean giving help to a variety of other people, who might then help us when we are in trouble. It might mean that we should expend our efforts in a variety of directions because bad things sometimes happen, so if one thing goes bad, we have something else to fall back on. It is almost certainly an encouragement to make provision to protect ourselves against the possibility of things going wrong, to put something away for a rainy day, to take precautions in case some disaster strikes. This might mean buying insurance or putting money into a savings account, having a contingency fund, leaving a safety margin, and having a “rainy day fund.” The New International Version translation says, “Invest in seven ventures, yes, in eight; you do not know what disaster may come upon the land.”
3. If the clouds are full, they pour out rain upon the earth; and whether a tree falls toward the south or toward the north, wherever the tree falls, there it lies.
This verse tells us that there are things that are beyond our control. If clouds are full of moisture, it is going to rain. Once a big tree has fallen, it can’t be moved. In life, we might lose a job, get sick, lose a loved one, have an accident, suffer some kind of financial loss—and there might have been nothing we could have done to prevent it, and there is nothing we can do to reverse the situation once it has happened. There is no use wishing it didn’t happen. It is what it is. It is reality, and we have to deal with it.
4. He who watches the wind will not sow and he who looks at the clouds will not reap.
We know that disasters can happen in life and they are often unpredictable. So what should we do about it? One option is to be so worried about what might happen that we are afraid to try anything, to be so pessimistic about the future that we stop trying, to simply give in to fear and do nothing. A farmer can be so afraid that a storm might come up and wash away his seed that he doesn’t plant anything. He might keep waiting for a better time, which never comes. It is true that bad weather might destroy his crop. It is a possibility. But if he never plants anything, that will guarantee failure. It would be better to try and have at least a chance of success than to not try and be sure of failure. This verse encourages us not to be afraid but to keep trying and working. The odds might seem to be against us, but the only way we will know for sure what will happen is to take a chance and hope for the best.
5. Just as you do not know the path of the wind and how bones are formed in the womb of the pregnant woman, so you do not know the activity of God who makes all things.
This verse points out that since we do not understand all of the complexities of nature (even modern meteorologists cannot perfectly predict the weather) and biology, how can we hope to understand the even more complex workings of God? This does not mean that God is not working. Romans 8:28 points out that in all things God is working for the good of those who love Him. The point is that, unless God gives us some specific direction (as He sometimes does but certainly does not always do), we won’t know exactly what God is doing or how He will act on our behalf. This does not mean that we should not do anything or that we should just sit and wait for God to act. What it does mean is that, even though we should pray for God’s direction, we should not waste time trying to figure out what God is not telling us.
6. Sow your seed in the morning and do not be idle in the evening, for you do not know whether morning or evening sowing will succeed, or whether both of them alike will be good.
This is the conclusion of the matter. Since things can go wrong and we won’t necessarily know what God is doing, what should we do? We should do what the first verse in this passage said: We should keep working and attempting different things. If we only try one thing (planting either in the morning or the evening), if we make only a half-hearted effort, the one thing we tried might fail while the other thing we didn’t try might have succeeded. It is possible that both will succeed and we will be doubly blessed. It is also possible that both will fail (there are no guarantees in life), but then we will just have to try something else.
What this passage is saying is that life is tough and things often go wrong, but that human beings have an ongoing obligation to work, to be productive, to be creative, and to be pro-active. In this way, we will be like God, who continues to work creatively and productively and to make the world a better place.
VICKI HINZE
TARA RANDEL
NANCY J FERRIER
MARY ALFORD
PATRICIA BRADLEY
PEGGY WEBB
ANN MALLEY
JULIE ARDUINI
JAMES R.COGGINS
KATHY CARMICHAEL
NORA ST LAURENT
DELORES TOPLIFF
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VICKI HINZE
TARA RANDEL
HANNAH ALEXANDER
HANNAH ALEXANDER
MARY ALFORD
JULIE ARDUINI
MAUREEN LANG
MARGARET DALEY
LOUISE M GOUGE
YVONNE LEHMAN
JUDITH MILLER
ELIZABETH GODDARD
CAMY TANG
JAMES L. RUBART
KRISTEN HEITZMANN
SARAH GOEBEL
KATHI MACIAS
YVONNE ORTEGA
LYNETTE SOWELL
SUSAN MAY WARREN
JEN PHOEBUS
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