Strawberry Season by Tara Randel

Posted on March 25, 2019 by tararandel

It’s strawberry season here in Florida. Spring comes early and, with it, celebrations featuring the delicious red berry. We have two weeks dedicated to the Florida Strawberry Festival, which includes carnival rides, food galore and awesome musical acts. This year, the berries are so juicy and sweet, every night I have a bowl of cut-up berries, whipped cream and granola sprinkled on top. What a great way to usher in spring!

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Here are a few recipes to get you in the mood for spring and a way to celebrate strawberry season with us.

Strawberry Cobbler

Ingredients

1/2 cup white sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 cup water

3 cups strawberries, hulled

2 tablespoons butter, diced

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

Directions

Prep 15 m
Cook 35 m
Ready In 50 m

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C). Butter a 2-quart baking dish.
Combine sugar, cornstarch, and water. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thick and hot. Stir in strawberries, and remove from heat. Pour mixture into the baking dish, and dot with 2 tablespoons butter.
Sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in 3 tablespoons butter. Stir in cream. Mixture should be fairly soft. Spoon on top of berries.
Bake for 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until biscuit is golden brown and filling is bubbly.

Strawberry Spinach Salad

Ingredients

For the vinaigrette:

1/4 cup fresh lime juice (just from about 4 small limes)

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 1/2 teaspoons honey (agave nectar or maple syrup if vegan)

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

1/8 teaspoon ginger

pinch of salt, to taste

2 bunches fresh spinach- chopped, washed, dried

1 pint strawberries, halved

Directions

Prep 20 m
Ready In 40 m

To make dressing: Add lime juice, honey, apple cider vinegar, ginger and a pinch of salt to a medium bowl. Whisk together until well combined, about 20-30 seconds. Set aside.
In a salad bowl, combine the spinach and strawberries. Drizzle with dressing, toss lightly and serve.

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RANDEL-BB-SweetSmallTownRomances-March-19

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Happy spring everyone!

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 next Harlequin Heartwarming romance, Trusting Her Heart, available August 2019. 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.

Posted in Tara Randel | Tagged Book giveaway, contemporary romance, festivals, recipes, strawberry, Tara Randel | Leave a comment

Put Off Procrastination Till Tomorrow

Posted on March 23, 2019 by writinginoverdrive

Opinion by Jim Denney

Ray Bradbury (photo: Alan Light)

In March 2007, our family went to a library event in Duarte, east of Pasadena, to hear Ray Bradbury speak. He shared his views on writing, science, and culture. He spoke about working with film director John Huston — and he even performed a dead-on impression of Huston’s deep, sepulchral voice: “Now, Ray, how would you like to write the screenplay for Moby Dick?”

I had spoken with Ray on the phone before, but this was the first time I had met him in person. After Ray’s talk, our family went up to meet him. I mentioned a book on Walt Disney I had co-written with my friend Pat Williams, the founder of the Orlando Magic. Ray recalled his interview with Pat for the Disney book.

Walt Disney

“Oh, that’s a wonderful book,” he said. “Let me tell you how I met Walt Disney.” I already knew the story — but what a privilege to hear it from Ray himself!

“It was Christmastime,” he told me, “and I was shopping at Macy’s in Beverly Hills. I saw a man walking toward me carrying an armload of Christmas presents, and I said, ‘That’s him! That’s Walt Disney!’

“I rushed up to him and said, ‘Mr. Disney?’ He said, ‘Yes?’ I said, ‘I’m Ray Bradbury, and I love your movies.’ He said, ‘Oh, Ray Bradbury! I know your books.’ I said, ‘Oh, thank God!’ He said, ‘Why?’ I said, ‘Because I’d love to take you to lunch sometime.’ And Walt said, ‘Tomorrow?’

“Isn’t that beautiful? ‘Tomorrow?’ Not next month, not ‘someday soon’ — tomorrow. That’s the way Walt lived his life. He was spontaneous. He didn’t hesitate, he didn’t procrastinate, he seized the moment.”

AutographedMartianChron Then Ray signed my copy of The Martian Chronicles and I was happy.

There’s great wisdom in the story Ray Bradbury told me that night. This is how you and I should live our lives and write our dreams: Don’t hesitate. Don’t procrastinate. Seize every moment. As Picasso once said, “Only put off until tomorrow what you are willing to die having left undone.”

How much of our lives do we fritter away by procrastinating? How many books, stories, essays, and songs will we leave unwritten because we failed to seize every moment of our lives?

Life is short. We haven’t a moment to lose.

“Procrastination is something best put off until tomorrow.” —Gerald Vaughan

_________________________________________

Just released: My new book with Orlando Magic founder Pat Williams, Character Carved in Stone. Overlooking the Hudson River on the campus of the United States Military Academy at West Point are 12 granite benches, each inscribed with a word representing a key leadership virtue: Compassion, Courage, Dedication, Determination, Dignity, Discipline, Integrity, Loyalty, Perseverance, Responsibility, Service, and Trust. These benches remind cadets of the qualities that lead to victory and success, not just on the battlefield, but in all of life. In Character Carved in Stone, Pat Williams shows us how to develop these 12 essential virtues in ourselves, our children, our teams, our students, and our churches. Foreword by Coach Mike Krzyzewski.

_________________________________________

battle-before-time-cover-1

Note: Battle Before Time, the first book in my newly revised and updated Timebenders series for young readers, has just been released in paperback. Click this link to learn more.

And if you’d like to learn more about how to write faster, more freely, and more brilliantly than you ever thought possible, read my book Writing In Overdrive, available in paperback and ebook editions at Amazon.com. —J.D.

Jim Denney also blogs at Writing in Overdrive and Walt’s Disneyland.

Posted in Jim Denney, Uncategorized | Tagged goals, Jim Denney, Pat Williams, Procrastination, Ray Bradbury, Time Management, Walt Disney, writing | Leave a comment

The Power of Fiction by Kristin Billerbeck

Posted on March 19, 2019 by Kristin

Yesterday, on a writers’ loop, we discussed the first “real” novel that we ever connected with while in our youth. Something beyond Dr. Suess. It’s a great question and one that can tell you so much about a person. What books do they connect with and why?

Now there are always people who consider fiction “lies” and can’t get past that to find the lessons in other people’s experiences, but I was never one of those people. I always connected with the parables of Jesus for precisely that reason — it SHOWED me the lesson in action and what a beautiful gift. To allow someone else to deal with life’s ugly lessons while you can learn by observing.

The first real novel that spoke to me and changed the course of my life, was basic. So very basic. “Pride and Prejudice” — I mean what a blasé answer from a romance writer. But what spoke to me was that Elizabeth Bennet was smart. She wasn’t a simpering heroine who did what was expected of her. She had quite a snarky spunk to her. (I definitely identified with that.)

Jane Austen wrote a scathing review of the injustice for women in her era. Only men could inherit property. That meant if you didn’t have a brother, you were in big trouble unless you could marry well.

Later, from the classics, I learned that you could attack any injustice in life through the pen. Thomas Hardy would teach me about the Pharisees in “Tess of the D’urbervilles” and Dostoevsky would show me that we are all the prodigal son in “Crime and Punishment.” Tolstoy would teach me that great heroines like “Anna Karenina” are supporting characters to someone coming to Christ (the narrator.)

Fiction allows authors to make great injustices in the world, right again. While I will never be Austen or Tolstoy, I do hope that my writing corrects some of the injustices in the world and gives readers hope. What was your first “real” book?

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Posted in Kristin Writes Billerbeck, Uncategorized | Tagged fiction, life lessons, writing | 2 Comments

Don’t Speak For Me by Nancy J. Farrier

Posted on March 18, 2019 by Nancy J. Farrier

I rarely speak out on any controversial issue, but there is one where I always feel targeted. The proponents of the issue act like they speak for me, but they don’t. This issue is on abortion, specifically when they talk about doing an abortion to save the life of the mother, or if something is wrong with the baby. Below are my thoughts.

Don’t speak for me—You weren’t there.

You weren’t there when I found out there was something wrong with my baby. When in the crush of fear and despair, my doctor and medical professionals assured me this could be taken care of by abortion. When they pressured me to get further testing to see just what was wrong—tests which could endanger my, child—and then I could make a more informed decision.

You weren’t there when I wept before the Lord and lifted up my baby to Him. When I never once doubted Psalm 139:13-16, that God was forming this baby in my womb and His ways are always perfect. When I never for a moment considered abortion as an option.

You weren’t there when I struggled with sickness and weakness for the whole pregnancy. When I went from being pretty athletic to pushing myself to walk two hundred yards to the mailbox. When I lost weight during the pregnancy instead of gaining. When I suffered from one infection after another, draining me physically and emotionally. When I wept, concerned that my sickness was harming my child, this gift from God.

You weren’t there when every other time I went to the doctor he had some dire news to give me. Something more that was wrong with the baby. Down’s syndrome. Kidney failure. Low birth weight. Problems with the amniotic fluid. When the doctor yelled at me—something to the effect that – “How can you expect me to save you if you won’t do what I want?” He wanted me to “terminate the pregnancy.”

You weren’t there when, at the six-month mark, the baby quit moving much at all. When I had to find child care and drive ninety minutes to the hospital two to three times a week to have them check that the baby was still alive. Then drive ninety minutes back home, often so exhausted I didn’t know how I would be able to fix supper for my husband and four children let alone do all the other necessities that come with a family.

You weren’t there when I would have to count the baby’s movements for a period of time and lie down if the count wasn’t high enough. When I would force myself to eat food I didn’t want. When I would place my hands over the baby and pray so hard, often crying, begging God for His will for my child.

You weren’t there when they decided time was close enough they would induce labor because the pregnancy was having so many problems. When I tried to argue but didn’t have the strength or the will to fight any more.

You weren’t there the night before I went to the hospital. When I fixed my favorite meal. When I watched my other children and could barely swallow anything fearing what would happen the next day. When I wondered if I would even be able to embrace these precious children again, to tell them I loved them one more time, to feel their arms around my neck. When my heart grieved as I trusted God.

You weren’t there when my husband and I drove to the hospital. When I was almost too tired to hold up my head. When I looked at him and thought this would be the last time we would ride in the car together. When I wondered how he would manage with a newborn and four children. When I knew he was strong enough, and God is faithful and trustworthy.

You weren’t there when I had no regrets about the pregnancy. When I accepted I would give my life for this child and do so gladly. My only regret—that I wouldn’t be there to hold this baby, to take care of my other children. When I loved them all more than life itself.

You weren’t there when the time came for delivery. When the birthing room was so crowded with medical equipment and medical professionals that not one more would fit through the door. When the whole room seemed to pause as my baby made an entrance into the world.

You weren’t there to see my little girl draw her first breath, fist raised in the air. To see the awe on the doctor’s face, on the other medical professionals as they all realized my daughter was perfect, small but perfect. As they wheeled their equipment out murmuring among themselves in tones of amazement.

You weren’t there to see my little girl grow into a caring, compassionate young woman. To see her off on mission trips. To see her act and sing in a college musical. To hear her in the college choir, or to hear her sing with the church worship team.

You weren’t there to see her walk forward to receive her diploma as she graduated magna cum laude with a degree in plant sciences. When she got her dream job in a prestigious garden.

You weren’t there—So don’t speak for me.

I’ve been there and will speak for the unborn, for those you cast off as less than or as worthless. I will speak for those mothers who face this choice with bravery. Mothers who have sacrificed their lives for their child. Mothers whose babies only lived a few hours, but they treasured that time. Mothers who chose to give birth to and raise a special needs child.

Don’t speak for me.

You weren’t there.

I was.

Posted in Nancy J. Farrier | Tagged Abortion, pregnancy, Psalm 139:13-16 | 32 Comments

Leaders are Accountable to God

Posted on March 16, 2019 by writinginoverdrive

by Ray Stedman,
introduced by Jim Denney
from Ray Stedman on Leadership,
new from Discovery House Publishers

Ray Stedman was the pastor of Peninsula Bible Church in Palo Alto, California, for four decades, from 1950 until his retirement in 1990. I began working as Ray’s writing partner in 1992, the final year of his life. He was a faithful expositor of the Scriptures and a leader of character and integrity. For more than twenty-five years, I’ve been privileged to work with transcripts and recordings of his sermons, helping to turn them into books with the help and blessing of Ray’s widow, Elaine Stedman. I think this latest book, Ray Stedman on Leadership, may be my favorite among the twenty-five books I’ve worked on with Ray and Discovery House Publishers. Here’s an excerpt:

“Leaders are Accountable to God” from Ray Stedman on Leadership

My mentor, Dr. H. A. Ironside, told of an experience he had at a restaurant. His meal had just been set before him when a man walked up to his table and said, “Do you mind if I sit down with you?”

“Not at all,” Dr. Ironside said.

The stranger seated himself across the table and Dr. Ironside bowed his head and said a silent word of thanks to the Lord.

The man said, “Do you have a headache?”

“No, I feel fine.”

“Is something wrong with your food?”

“No. Why do you ask?”

“I saw you with your head down and I thought there must be something wrong.”

“No, I always give thanks to God before I eat.”

“Oh,” the stranger said, “you’re one of those, are you? I never give thanks. I earn my money by the sweat of my brow and I don’t need to thank anybody. I just start right in!”

“Ah,” Dr. Ironside said, “you’re like my dog. He does that, too.”

Human beings who will not give thanks to God are like irrational animals. They lose a bit of their humanity. Even godless people have a duty to worship God. Their unbelief is no excuse, because God’s eternal power and divine character can be clearly seen in nature. Paul in Philippians 2:10 tells us that “at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth” — and those who refuse to willingly bow the knee to Him in this life will bow to Him on the Day of Judgment.

We are all accountable to God, and leaders are doubly accountable. Hebrews 13:17 reminds us that leaders must one day give an account to God for their actions, words, and decisions as leaders. So let’s decide now to live the kind of lives we will not be ashamed to give an account for. Let us be leaders who practice godliness — God-like-ness — so that we can stand before God and hear Him say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

“Here is a trustworthy saying: Whoever aspires to be an overseer desires a noble task. Now the overseer is to be above reproach, faithful to his wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money.” —1 Timothy 3:1-3

Note from Jim Denney: While working on Ray Stedman on Leadership, I spent many rewarding hours reading Ray’s other books—Body Life, Adventuring Through the Bible, God’s Unfinished Book, Psalms: Folk Songs of Faith, and more. From them, I distilled Ray’s most practical and penetrating leadership wisdom into forty daily readings. Each entry is followed by a set of discussion and reflection questions, making this an ideal study book for a church board or committee, home Bible study, adult Sunday school class, Christian business, mission team, or any other setting where biblical leadership plays a key role.

Ray Stedman on Leadership:
40 Lessons from an Influential Mentor
by Ray Stedman with Jim Denney;
foreword by Charles R. Swindoll

available at your local Christian bookstore, at Barnes and Noble, at Amazon.com, and at Christianbook.com. Trade paperback and ebook formats.

Posted in Jim Denney, Uncategorized | Tagged accountability, Christian Leader, Giving Thanks, godliness, H. A. Ironside, Jim Denney, Leader, leadership, Peninsula Bible Church, Ray Stedman, Ray Stedman on Leadershp, Thanksgiving, Unbelief | Leave a comment

Fasting Can Quench Your Thirst

Posted on March 14, 2019 by Bridget

When we think of fasting, we usually think of food. However, fasting can be from any number of things. I recently heard about someone who did a twenty-one day fast from negativity and complaining. I also heard about another person who fasted from watching the news. Is there anything in your life that you feel is a distraction or possibly even destructive? You might consider fasting from it.

I was feeling discouraged this week because (1) I haven’t made as much progress as I would have liked on my goals for the year, and (2) I haven’t made much progress on my goals for Lent either. (See my post regarding Lent here.) I have been making some progress. Just not as much as I would like. So I made a bold move yesterday. I deleted some apps from my iPhone that tend to take up some of my time. I will be fasting from those things over the next three weeks. And I am putting it in writing here in order to hold myself accountable.

Years ago I used to love hours of peace and quiet. I could take a four hour drive, by myself, without even turning on the radio. My mother would ask me if I got bored. I told her that it was glorious – just me and God.

Then in May of 2012 I purchased my first smartphone. And everything pretty much went downhill after that. If I am just sitting and waiting, I feel the need to do something to pass the time. I will check email, social media sites, or play a game. At times I almost feel desperate as I search for anything to satisfy a deep thirst within me. However, I always walk away feeling even thirstier than before.

The truth is that God is the only one who can satisfy that deep thirst within. So I am now on a quest. Like someone wandering through the desert, I don’t want just an oasis anymore. I want The Living Water! So over the next few weeks I will be putting aside some things that I feel are holding me back. In their place, I will be seeking God. I know He will meet me in the desert. I can’t wait to see what He has in store!

(Photo by kiko costa.)

Posted in Uncategorized | 8 Comments

Be a Modern-Day Barnabas (by Hannah Alexander)

Posted on March 12, 2019 by alexanderhodde

Modern Day Barnabas

What were the first words you heard when you went to work or school or exercise this morning? Did they make your day? Did they make you sad? Did they fill you with hope or discouragement?

What were the first words you spoke to another person today? What did you say to yourself in the mirror? Did you look at someone today and say, “You look really good today,” or, “You look like a truck backed over you”?

I recently gave notice on Facebook that I will no longer tolerate discouraging words. I’ve drawn a line in the sand and will not allow myself to be abused by words. You know those blanket posts that some stranger has posted, and then maybe a friend or family member of yours has picked up and shared out of guilt? You know those posts in which the original poster tells everyone that if they don’t share this post, they’re a bad person, a bad Christian, a bad American? I reject that negativity.

Yes, we do have some bad issues going on in social media right now, and in our country, in our world, in our churches. How will my continued negativity fix that? It won’t. How will it help if I decide I want to blame someone in my life? It won’t. Remember that wonderful, short, easy-to-learn Bible verse, “A soft answer turns away wrath”? Yeah, that one. I’m claiming that as mine. I love it.

From now on, I will attempt to speak only encouraging words–okay, can’t help a bit of dry humor every so often, but other than that, only encouragement. If someone says something harsh to me, I cannot promise that I will reply with a soft answer, but I will attempt to at least walk away without responding in anger and making things worse. I will, instead, attempt to encourage others the way the man in the picture above encourages me and everyone around him.

I have never met a kinder, more encouraging man than Mel, my partner and husband and best earthly friend. He’s the Alexander half of Hannah Alexander, and though he doesn’t physically write our novels, he does everything else. He is a wonderful researcher, he is the best editor, whose grasp of English and grammar and spelling is excellent. Most importantly, he encourages. That’s his love language, and with that language, he rescued me years ago from a life of verbal abuse. He showed me that life wasn’t about fighting and winning, but about winning people over with goodness and love. What a total about-face he has made in my life! I’m still learning from him, and I hope to continue to do so for many years to come. Maybe I also teach him some things, too, but I don’t know that I can ever teach him as much as he has taught me.

Let’s learn kindness from one another, not hostility. Let’s speak words of life to one another, not harsh words that discourage and drag others down. Let’s show God’s love to others and see if the changes in our attitudes might begin a chain reaction that could become a force for good. Let’s stop this runaway train of anger and ugliness before it’s too late, and let’s replace it with hope.

Posted in Hannah Alexander | Tagged Encouraging words, Kindness, loving others | 2 Comments

Seeking Truth: Practical Observations in Online Information Sharing by Vicki Hinze

Posted on March 11, 2019 by Vicki Hinze

I spend a lot of time researching all kinds of things. Current events, systems, places, new technology, social mores, human behavior and activities. All writers do. And, like with most things, exposure brings experience and enlightenment. The more you know about something, the more apt what you know is to change your perspective, your opinions, and/or your attitudes.

We seek to gain knowledge and understanding. We seek to gain wisdom. Bluntly put, we seek answers to find the truth.

Those objectives make it imperative that we are judicious in where we seek our information and that we view what we find through a prism of discernment. You cannot believe everything you see, read or hear online any more than you can offline. If you seek only in echo chambers, you can trust even less that you’re getting clear-eyed and objective information.

It’s noteworthy that no human being can be totally objective. Every human being sees a given thing—any given thing—through his own personal prism. That prism is a compilation of his experiences, understanding, and the foundation that forms deep inside based on beliefs, values and morals. The things taught from the cradle that we carry with us and adjust as we grow. In other words, we view things based on what we know to be true at the time we view them.

At some time, our truths are challenged, and we must decide whether those truths are truths or if they must change. Knowledge can challenge. Wisdom can challenge. An intense event, physical or emotional or spiritual, can challenge.

Our perspective is our prism, and like opinions, everybody’s got one. That’s why no human being can be totally objective. It’s also why we must use discernment and good judgment in where we seek truth and from whom we seek it. This is especially important online. Why?

When we interact in person, we automatically note body language, inflections in voices, tones, and other tips that cue us as to whether or not the other person is being honest, sincere and genuine, or being untruthful to sway us or our opinion. We get intuitive nudges—where you know deep inside the person is being straight with you or if he has more twists than a pretzel. We pick up on these things instinctively because we’ve used them all our lives, seeking approval, working out conflicts, preparing for something important to us. Let me share a practical example:

A three-year-old wants praise and approval. So, he reacts in a way that gains your praise and approval. Or, if upset, in a way that won’t so he gains your attention, because that is his underlying goal. To get your attention. If he can’t get it by being good, (his experience at interacting with you and your reaction tells him what your response will be), he’ll toss a temper tantrum and take your bad attention, admonishing him. Good or bad attention is better than no attention.

Adults are typically a little more subtle, but the underlying motivation is pretty much the same. Try good actions. If they work, great. If not, try bad actions. Either way, you gain attention and you’ve moved the needle off the human being’s nemesis: indifference.

There’s been a lot of discussion lately about information sharing and getting good or bad information and how-to tell the difference. We tend to think that everyone is like us. Their motives are good, their intentions are good, and they’re doing the best they can in a world where many have lost their way. But that isn’t the truth.

Like in life, online there are people who do good things and people who do bad things. Their acts are deliberate. Sometimes mistakes are made, apologies are offered and accepted. Other times, we discover a person or entity is a nail looking for a cross.

Now there are times when things push our buttons and we fire off a blistering response. This is why we should avoid responding immediately. Sometimes we need to pause and give ourselves time for a cooler head to prevail. The upside of pausing is that we end up having to apologize less often, we don’t regret as much of what we say, and we’re not proven wrong nearly so much. Those are substantial upsides.

For the same reason, when we receive a blistering response, we should also pause before responding. Maybe it’s deliberate, but maybe that person is having a bad day, venting, or up to their earlobes in alligators. Perhaps what is most needed is a little grace.

We all mess up, make mistakes, vent and, because we do, we should grant grace. Why? Because there will come a time when we mess up, make mistakes, vent, and we’re going to need it. If we grant grace to others, we are far more apt to receive grace from others.

All of these things wrap right back around to our online information-sharing and the intense interest lately between Patriots and Pay-triots.

In years of research, I’ve run into basically three groups of people who information-share online. Here are some common practical observations that may guide you:

GROUP ONE

These are Patriots. They share for the purpose of informing, of enlightening. They don’t want or need your money. Their objective is to share knowledge, the truths they’ve acquired. Some share so that you’ll stop making uninformed mistakes and screwing things up for everyone, including them. Some share, because they’ve figured things out, found the truth, and they want to help you (or to warn you so you) figure them out, too. They are altruistic, their goals noble.

These Patriots might be right or wrong. Their truths might not be all of the truth but the truth as they know it, and it well might lead you to the whole truth, a deeper truth. Their motives and actions are constructive and apparent in their details. What they offer might be facts and figures, emotional perspective, historical context, or spiritual perspective. All are important and valuable. And when these Patriots make a mistake, they’re first to admit it. They seek feedback and many straight out ask for those who have different takes or conflicting information, to share them. They too are hungry for truth and confidence in their findings. They do not fear being wrong and welcome deeper insights. We are blessed by many knowledgeable, discerning, and generous-spirited Patriots.

GROUP TWO

Those, who for many of the same reasons as those in Group One, share but they doneed to worry about money. They are very good at research and are glad to do it, but they can’t not earn living expenses while doing it. These people like to have a roof over their family’s heads, and they like to eat every day, too. They work hard and willingly share. They accept donations and have patrons and they might sell t-shirts and mugs and books or other merchandise.

They do not charge for information but ask for your support to fund their research expenses, their equipment and production expenses, their living expenses. In return, they share their insights, knowledge, wisdom and/or experience—their truth. That’s fair. None survive on air. These people take a large leap of faith that if they provide their best, you’ll provide them support. They, too, are a blessing. They, too, are Patriots.

GROUP THREE

These are those who are all about the money. They see an opportunity to bilk others hungry for information, for truth, and so they gather enough truth to convince some they have the “inside scoop” and can enlighten everyone. They have “sources” who are “connected.” They often drop names to impress you, so you know how important they are. Often, they pad their resumes, so you deem them experts. And they often tell you how smart they are, which of course, they wouldn’t have to do if they were truly smart. You’d know it.

These tactics to draw you in are reminiscent of high school and college sororities, aren’t they? Childhood secret clubs? The cool-people cliques? All of these proclivities are red flags, warning you to search out the motivations of the people in this group.

Often in Group Three, you also see these red flag warnings: Some information is free, but if you want the “scoop” information, you must be a patron or a regular donor or donate at a certain level to get to the inside group. That’s where these scoops are stored, and to get them, you must pay. They often sell products as well as information. And if they aren’t earning what they want to earn, then they flip their views and come at people from “the other side” to get more money. This group is not motivated by principle or ethics but by money.

Some in Group Three are paid by individuals or entities to shift or shape public opinions and views. To mold your perspective. They are not emotionally invested or driven by ideals, morals or values. They’re not driven by love of country or respect for their fellow man. They’re driven by your wallet. The wallets of those paying them. And they will take whatever stance or position proves most lucrative for them. These are the Pay-triots.

If you’re devoting your time and attention to the first two, you’re spending your time well. If the last… Well, you’re adults. You don’t need me to tell you what is or is not the best investment of your time, energy and attention.

Lastly, be careful who you give your time and attention, remembering that you can’t get out of your mind what you don’t first put into it. Guard your mind. Guard your thoughts. And listen to your own intuition.

Posted in Vicki Hinze | Tagged grace, guard your mind, Information-Sharing, Knowledge, Motivatiions, search a matter out, understanding, Wisdom | Leave a comment

The Leader Who Serves

Posted on March 9, 2019 by writinginoverdrive

by Ray Stedman,
introduced by Jim Denney
from Ray Stedman on Leadership,
new from Discovery House Publishers

Ray Stedman was the pastor of Peninsula Bible Church in Palo Alto, California, for four decades, from 1950 until his retirement in 1990. I began working as Ray’s writing partner in 1992, the final year of his life. He was a faithful expositor of the Scriptures and a leader of character and integrity. Ray understood that a leader is not a boss but a servant, and he taught and followed the leadership model of Jesus the Master. For more than twenty-five years, I’ve been privileged to work with transcripts and recordings of his sermons, helping to turn them into books with the help and blessing of Ray’s widow, Elaine Stedman.

I think this latest book, Ray Stedman on Leadership, may be my favorite among the twenty-five books I’ve worked on with Ray and Discovery House Publishers. While working on this book, I spent many rewarding hours reading Ray’s other books—Body Life, Adventuring Through the Bible, God’s Unfinished Book, Psalms: Folk Songs of Faith, and more. From them, I distilled Ray’s most practical and penetrating leadership wisdom into forty daily readings. Each entry is followed by a set of discussion and reflection questions, making this an ideal study book for a church board or committee, home Bible study, adult Sunday school class, Christian business, mission team, or any other setting where biblical leadership plays a key role. Here’s an excerpt:

“The Leader Who Serves” from Ray Stedman on Leadership

I once picked up a young hitchhiker. We chatted as we drove, and at one point he told me, “My uncle died a millionaire.” I said, “No, he didn’t. Your uncle died with nothing.” The young man looked surprised and said, “Why do you say that? You don’t know my uncle. He had millions!” I said, “Who has those millions now?” The young man nodded slowly. “Oh, I see what you mean.”

Nobody dies a millionaire. We all die with nothing.

But Jesus shows us a way to be rich in this life, and in the life to come. How do we achieve these riches of Jesus? By denying ourselves, taking up our cross, and following Him. Let’s look again at his message to the crowd in Mark 8:

“Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it” (Mark 8:34-35).

Way of the Cross, Station Twelve, Our Lady of Peace Shrine, Pine Bluffs, Wyoming. Photo by Chris Light. Used under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license. Image adapted by J.D.

When the people first heard Jesus speak these words, they must have wondered, What does He mean — “take up your cross”? They had seen the Roman instrument of execution before — but they didn’t know that Jesus Himself was about to be nailed to the cross and tortured to death. Jesus knew what the cross would mean, but the people who heard Him did not.

Some people mistakenly think that a hardship they’re enduring — a troublesome neighbor, a difficult boss, a financial difficulty, a physical handicap — is the “cross” they must bear. But that’s not what Jesus meant. When He spoke of the cross, He was referring to the shame and humiliation of the cross. Crucifixion was a criminal’s death, a demeaning and degrading form of death. When Jesus said we are to take up our cross, He was telling us that we are to welcome the shame and humiliation of the cross. The cross is the place where we put pride to death.

Do you resent it when people insult you, embarrass you, make fun of you, yell at you, cut you off on the freeway? That’s your pride at work. Crucify it. Do you envy what others have? Do you feel you have a right to a certain standard of living, a promotion at work, a bigger home, a better car? That’s your pride showing. Crucify it. It’s not wrong to have these things, but everything we have is a gift of God’s grace, not a right or an entitlement. To feel entitled to such things is pride. Crucify pride.

After “take up your cross,” the Lord says, “and follow Me.” To follow Jesus is to obey Him and walk in His footsteps, patterning our lives, our words, our actions after His. Disobedience is the way of this world. Obedience is the essence of following Jesus. Yes, we struggle and fail. But when we stray from the path of obedience, we pick ourselves up, confess our sins, and get back on the path of following Him.

This is what it means to be a disciple: Deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Him. In the original Greek, these steps are stated in the present continuous tense. We are to continuously deny ourselves, continuously take up our cross, continually and persistently follow Him. This is not a once-and-for-all decision, but a program for a lifetime, and it must be repeated over and over.

Jesus gives us a new motive for living: “For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it.” Who doesn’t desperately want to save his or her life? Who doesn’t want this life to matter? Who doesn’t want a life that is full, rich, and worth living? We all want that. And Jesus tells us, “If this is what you want, I’ll tell you how to acquire it: lose your life for Me and for the gospel, and you will save your life.”

In other words, deny yourself, disavow yourself, and you will find a life worth living. Hold onto your desire for comfort, entitlement, status, power, praise, money, fame, or any other worldly goal — and you will ultimately lose everything. You’ll die having wasted your one and only life.

If we live for ourselves, we will lose our lives. If we lose our lives for Him, we will save our lives for all eternity. But equally important, we will save our lives in the here and now.

Ray Stedman on Leadership:
40 Lessons from an Influential Mentor
by Ray Stedman with Jim Denney;
foreword by Charles R. Swindoll

available at your local Christian bookstore, at Barnes and Noble, at Amazon.com, and at Christianbook.com. Trade paperback and ebook formats.

Posted in Jim Denney, Uncategorized | Tagged Biblical Leadership, Cross of Christ, Crucified Life, Crucifixon, Jesus, Jim Denney, leadership, Mark 8, Peninsula Bible Church, pride, Ray Stedman, Ray Stedman on Leadership, Self, Self-Denial, Take Up Your Cross | Leave a comment

CWA: Strong Women Tribe by Julie Arduini

Posted on March 6, 2019 by juliearduini

My prayer for 2019 is that doors would open for me to encourage women to find freedom as they surrender the good, the bad, and—maybe one day—the chocolate. I’m so thankful because one amazing opportunity isn’t just in the works—it’s launched!

The Strong Women Tribe is a safe place for Christian women who serve to receive encouragement and hope within the site Christian Women Affiliate. Christian Women Affiliate is a wonderful destination full of resources and networking. It’s free to join, and once a member, you can visit here and let me know you’re interested in the Strong Women Tribe. I’ve been a member of CWA for years, and I will be facilitating the tribe.

Strong Women Tribe members can be pastor’s wives, ministry leaders and workers. It’s the women who spread the generations but are known for getting things done for the glory of God.

They are the ones other women go to for prayer support, advice, and to vent.
They may be single, married, empty nesters, have young children, work outside the home, have their own business, have a very busy ministry as a wife and mom right in the home—but this is true of all of them—they are strong women who need encouragement, too.

If you’d like to join the Strong Women Tribe, there is content already waiting for you to engage in. Articles are short by design because we understand your schedule is full. But we believe this is a place you’ll look forward to visiting often so you can get back at what you do with renewed focus and hope.

Please check it out and spread the word.
ABOUT CWA: http://www.christianwomenaffiliate.com/

INVITE TO STRONG WOMEN TRIBE: (Must be member of CWA, first. Easy to do!) https://christian-women-affiliate.mn.co/…/new-tribe-in-cwa-…

Posted in Julie Arduini | Tagged Christian Women's Affiliate, CWA: Strong Women Tribe, encouragement, Julie Arduini, leaders, ministry, pastor's wives | Leave a comment

“Look for the helpers.”

Posted on March 5, 2019 by Kristin

Mr. Rogers used to say that in the face of tragedy and scary times. Look for the helpers. I know life is tough out there, but as Christians, we really should look for the helpers. The lessons for us and the earthly angels God has sent us. Being grateful for what’s good helps us to not get mired in the Valley and keep our eyes on the prize: Heaven. This is not our world!

The crazy thing is, when we do something kind for someone else, it really benefits us. Something that is not that big of a deal to us, might be life-changing for another. Case in point, I could not fix something on my website and I was paying twice for something that I could not afford. I could not figure it out. The company I host with would not answer the phone and their helper was not in America and not great at English. Add that to my inferior knowledge of website management and you have a recipe for disaster.

Well, a few years ago a young reader of mine in Stratford-Upon-Avon (how literary, right?) told me that my website was not dynamic. That apparently means it won’t open well on a phone — which is how most people read websites these days. So she took it upon herself to redesign my whole website. She told me that God had impressed upon her to do it. Well, the result was so much more “me” than the other one and there is really no way I can make it up to her.

This morning, she went on the site where I was having trouble and fixed my entire problem. Just because. She’s a young mother. She’s got a job and she’s starting her own business. But she took the time to help me out in my frustrations.

When I was about to give up writing, a fellow blogger here, Cheryl Hodde told me to send her my stuff. She’d edit it. Colleen Coble paid my way to a conference recently so I could meet with my agents. I could go on and on…

0-5 It’s not in my nature to accept help and that is something that God has impressed upon me over the years in the Valley. But it is in my nature to look for the helpers. It’s been very humbling to be on the other side of “helping” but I am so grateful. I encourage you today to look at a situation that isn’t great — where are the helpers? Maybe it’s just a friend who lets you vent and makes you laugh. (Sibella Giorello and Melanie Dickerson for me.)

Writing is my world. When I don’t write, I’m not me. Am I Shakespeare? Certainly not, but God gave me a purpose and I’m grateful for every person who helps me get back to the keyboard so that I can do what I’m called to do. Where are your helpers today? Have you thanked God for them by name today? Do it. It will change your outlook and remind you that God is always with you.

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments

Why I Write by Tara Randel

Posted on March 4, 2019 by tararandel

One of the first things people ask me when I tell them I’m an author is, “What do you write?” And since I love my job, I’m happy to tell them.

But before I continue, I need to go back in time.

I’ve always loved to read. My favorite memories are coming home with a stack of books from the public library. The love continued through high school. Once I got to college, fiction went to the wayside while I studied. Then, when I entered the work force (in the totally non-creative writing field of dentistry), I resumed my lifelong passion of reading.

Somewhere along the line a friend I worked with introduced me to romance novels. I fell in love. With the characters. The stories. The idea that love was bigger and stronger than anything I could imagine.

And then one day that same friend said, “We should write a book.” My immediate response was, “Sure.” What did I know? Nothing, I soon learned, but I studied craft and the business of writing in the hopes that my new dream might come true.

Fast forward twenty-some years. Not only do I write romance novels, but the world of writing has opened up so much, I write in other genres as well.

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Romance will always be my first love. I’m a hopeless romantic and can’t fathom a world without love stories. I’ve been fortunate to write for Harlequin Heartwarming, their wholesome fiction line. While these stories don’t have a faith element, these books still celebrate the greatest gift of all. Love.

I’ve also been able to write my second favorite genre, mystery. Who doesn’t love a story where you have to figure out “Who done it?” I love the layers, the red herrings and the logic behind piecing together a good story you hope a reader won’t put down until they get to the very last page.

This year, I’ll be starting work on books for a Women’s Fiction line. Another step into a different genre and I can’t wait to get started. Real life issues tackled in a way to connect women, to bond over stories of family, heartache and life changes.

Even though I’m not published in Christian fiction, I still consider myself an inspirational author. After all, as a writer, I want to move readers with the journey of my characters, the growth and lessons learned along the way. No matter what genre you read or write, we can always close the book after the last page having made new friends and making new discoveries. It’s the magic of books that will never go away, and that’s why I love sitting at my keyboard every day, creating stories I can’t wait to share.

When I first started writing and had trouble getting published, my husband suggested that I not limit myself to one genre. Best advice ever. Now I get to work with different publishers. I’ve made new friends as my career as grown. Best of all, the ideas in my head eventually get a home.

If you’ve ever thought about writing, I encourage you to start by writing those first words. You never know what can happen. All those years ago, I never imagined being an author. If you love to read, keep supporting the authors whose books you love to read. We may never meet you face to face, but trust me, we appreciate the time you take out of your schedule to get lost in one of our books. It’s a privilege and an honor, one that is never taken for granted.

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Available Now!

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 next Harlequin Heartwarming romance, available in August. 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.

Posted in Tara Randel | Tagged author, contemporary romance, fiction, mysteries, reading, women's fiction | Leave a comment

You Want to Write for…Nothing? by Yvonne Lehman

Posted on March 2, 2019 by Vicki Hinze

Nothing? No money, that is…

The writers who contribute to the Moments Series get no monetary payment, but are delighted to donate all their royalties to Samaritan’s Purse, an organization that provides spiritual and physical aid to hurting people throughout the world.

Some stories have had life-changing effect on authors’ families, friends, and neighbors. They’re often used as devotions. Some married couples read these together. The books are also great gift books.

Here is a handout I use when teaching a class on writing for the Moments series. I’d love to receive an article from YOU. Many suggest book topics.

Writing for the Moments Series

Articles– a story that compliments the theme of each book, such as ChristmasMoments

Most are true stories – Some are reflections on the theme or subject of the book –

Poetry – Have used short, short stories – A few have been written by children –

These are written by never-before-published and multi-published authors

Voice– author’s natural telling voice – in fiction we’re hounded by the need to show, not tell. A true story, or your reflection on something, is told. Tell it your way. But, be aware of allowing your reader to see the action, feel the emotion.

Mary loved everybody. (too little telling- needs some showing)

Mary sent cards or took food to anyone she knew was hurting. (showing)

Rights– These may be original or previously published if rights have been returned to you. We retain rights after acceptance until publication, then rights automatically return to you.

Word count– however many words are needed to tell your story – from about 500 to 2000+ words – main point is the content of the story

Edit– Look for unnecessary words, poor sentence structure, correct punctuation, typos, getting away from theme, inserting too much backstory or explanation

Payment– sharing, with the possibility of changing someone’s life, heart, or mind. Authors get one free copy and discount on orders. All royalties go to Samaritan’s Purse, an organization that helps victims of war, poverty, natural disasters, disease, and famine with the purpose of sharing God’s love through his son, Jesus Christ. www.samaritanspurse.org

Submission guidelines– on the article, include your name, mailing address for your free copy and email address – I like them in 12-point type, Times New Roman, single spaced, and sent as an email attachment toyvonnelehman3@gmail.com

*** Accepting NOW!Christmas Moments– for Christmas 2019 ***

Accepting for 2019… on…

Christmas Moments for 2019 – Santa or Jesus or both (due June 3, 2019)

Broken Moments– hearts, lives, relationships, objects, promises, etc. (serious or humorous)

Grandma’s Cookie Jar Moments– most will be about grandmas – others may be warm, cozy stories having the ambience of a stereotypical grandma-type story

Lost Moments– lives, souls, keys, eyeglasses, minds, things found, etc. (serious or humorous)

Can, Sir! Moments– going through cancer, surviving, caregiving, observations, advice

We’d love to have you join our group of generous writers, who write for…something, like: faith, hope and love.

A NOTE

Moments with Billy Graham is a Finalist for the prestigious SELAH Award (anthology category).

The SELAH Award is sponsored by Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference held in May at Ridgecrest NC Conference Center.

Christians Read congratulations the authors. Their work is to be commended!

Posted in Yvonne Lehman | Tagged Blue Ridge Christian Writers Conference, Moments with Bill Graham, SELAH Award | 1 Comment

Unlocking Your Child’s Spirituality (Part 4 of 4)

Posted on March 2, 2019 by writinginoverdrive

Opinion by Jim Denney, author of Battle Before Time,
Christian time travel adventure for young readers

[Read Part 1 here.] [Read Part 2 here.] [Read Part 3 here.]

ReadingToChildren In Parts 1 and 2 of this four-part series, we looked at the research of Dr. Catherine Posey — research which showed that good books nurture a child’s soul and encourage spiritually sensitive children. In Part 3, we explored five ways to use these insights in our own conversations with our children to build lifelong habits of reading good books and thinking deeply about eternal values. Here are five more “key” principles for using children’s literature to encourage your child’s spirituality.

Key No. 6: Develop a taste for children’s literature. Read children’s books — not just for your children’s sake but to nurture the child within you. Become a connoisseur of children’s literature. C. S. Lewis observed, “No book is really worth reading at the age of ten which is not equally (and often far more) worth reading at the age of fifty — except, of course, books of information. The only imaginative works we ought to grow out of are those which it would have been better not to have read at all.” Discover new children’s authors and rediscover childhood favorites, then introduce them to your children. Enjoy a second childhood of brand-new reading pleasures.

Key No. 7: Attract your children to great books — don’t push them. Your kids may not gravitate toward the same books you loved as a child. They may not be ready to read certain books that are beyond their years. As parents, we want to encourage our kids to broaden their horizons — but if we push too hard, we risk turning reading into a chore.

Some books that thrilled us when we were young may seem dated or hard to relate to for kids today. And beware of didactic books in which the story is just a flimsy container for a heavy-handed message. Kids sense when a book is preaching at them — and preachy books make kids suspicious of literature.

Key No. 8: Encourage your child’s literary loves. If your children are fascinated by the Bible or animals or outer space or sports, help them find books to feed that interest. If your children want to read books that are a bit beyond their reading level, cheer them on!

As a boy, I often checked out grownup books at the public library. On one occasion, I took a classic book by Robert Louis Stevenson to the checkout counter, and the librarian said, “Oh, this book is for grownups. You wouldn’t be able to understand it.” Though disappointed, I let the librarian talk me out of checking out the book. I eventually read it — when I was sixty-two years old. Having read it, I know I would have understood it and enjoyed it as a boy.

As Madeleine L’Engle observed, “A children’s book is any book a child will read.” She also said, “When I have something to say which I think is going to be too difficult for adults, I write it in a book for children. Children are excited by new ideas; they have not yet closed the doors and windows of their imaginations.”

Key No. 9: Use books to address hard questions, like death. A child may find it easier to talk about the death of a character in a book than the death of a beloved grandparent. Children may ask, “Why do people die?” or “Where do people go after they die?” Good books give us openings to talk about real-life issues: loss, sorrow, suffering, and troubling events in the news.

Use good books to prepare children to do good works, such as visiting the elderly in a nursing home. Before your visit, sit with your children and read books such as Eve Bunting’s Sunshine Home or Cynthia Rylant’s The Old Woman Who Named Things. The discussions these books provoke with your children will help you prepare them for the visit.

Key No. 10: Use books to reinforce character qualities. Good books are an invaluable ally in highlighting character traits so we can discuss them with our children, including such traits as:

Honesty: “Which character in the story showed what it means to be honest? What would have happened if she had made a dishonest choice?”

Compassion: “Who was the kind person in the story? Who was unkind? Why is it better to be caring instead of mean?”

Courage: “Who was brave in the story? Do you think he was scared? Have you ever been scared like that boy?”

Perseverance: “Which character wouldn’t give up? What would you do in that situation—give up or keep going?”

Children who read get to be vicarious heroes. The more good books they read, the more they tend to pattern themselves after their storybook heroes.

As Dr. Posey says, “Books are good for a child’s soul.”

“What an astonishing thing a book is. It’s a flat object made from a tree with flexible parts on which are imprinted lots of funny dark squiggles. But one glance at it and you’re inside the mind of another person, maybe somebody dead for thousands of years. Across the millennia, an author is speaking clearly and silently inside your head, directly to you. Writing is perhaps the greatest of human inventions, binding together people who never knew each other, citizens of distant epochs. Books break the shackles of time.”
—Carl Sagan

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Note: Battle Before Time, the first book in my newly revised and updated Timebenders series for young readers, has just been released in paperback. Click this link to learn more.

Jim Denney also blogs at Writing in Overdrive and Walt’s Disneyland.

Posted in Jim Denney, Uncategorized | Tagged books, C. S. Lewis, Catherine Posey, Character Growth, Character Instruction, children, children's books, Children's Literature, Grandparenting, Madeleine L'Engle, parenting, Reading to Children, Spirituality | Leave a comment

What Lent Means to Me

Posted on February 28, 2019 by Bridget

Do you long to draw closer to God? Do you want more of God’s presence? If the answer is yes, then I invite you to observe Lent this year. Depending on what church denomination(s) you have been to, you may or may not have heard of Lent. I currently go to a non-denominational church that doesn’t observe Lent. But I still find Lent to be a valuable time, so I prefer to observe it.

What is Lent? In anticipation of Easter, Lent is meant to be a time of spiritual reflection. It can be a very rich, soul-nourishing season … if we make the right decisions. I will dig deeper into that in a bit.

When is Lent? Lent starts on Ash Wednesday (which lands on 3.6.19 this year) and lasts for about forty days. Lent ends just before Easter. Depending on the denomination (such as Catholic), some say it ends on Holy Thursday. But in the churches I went to when I was a child (such as Methodist), it was said to end on Holy Saturday.

You will often hear people say that they are giving up something for Lent. I am sure you have heard of Mardi Gras, which is French for Fat Tuesday. This is the day before Ash Wednesday, when Lent begins. Many people give up certain foods or drinks during Lent. And on Mardi Gras, they indulge in those things one last time before Lent begins. Then they say they are giving up chocolate or coffee (for example) in the name of the Lord. They see this as a sacrifice, which I can understand.

Nevertheless, in my opinion, if I give up something for Lent, it should be an item that hinders my relationship with God. For me personally, I don’t feel that giving up a certain food or drink is helpful. To be honest, there were times in the past when I did give up chocolate or cookies for Lent. However, now my focus has changed. During Lent I want to grow in my relationship with the Lord. I personally would prefer to find something that will truly improve my spiritual walk and produce lasting results.

Please keep in mind that I do believe there are times when giving up a meal might be a good idea, such as not eating dinner, if I am using this mealtime as a means of traditional fasting. I could use the time to pray, rather than eat. Or I could also consider using the money that I didn’t spend on that meal, and donating it to those less fortunate.

In today’s society, a good thing to give up might be social media. This tends to be a huge distraction in our lives, which takes away from our time with the Lord. Giving up television, computer time, or video games are other good examples. This will vary with each person. It all depends on what stands in the way of deepening your relationship with God.

Or another option would be to add something new to your routine, rather than removing something. If you haven’t had time to read your Bible on a regular basis lately, adding a daily Bible reading regimen would be a wonderful option. Or you might want to find a Lent devotional to read over the forty days. Or you could also consider adding more prayer time into your day. Again, this will vary with each person. If you see an area in which you would like to grow, then consider making this a priority for the forty days. The point is to draw closer to the Lord. So if you decide to observe Lent, then you will need to examine your own life to see what the best options would be.

I do want to mention one more things. It is important to go in with a solid plan. There have been years when I said I would just “cut back” on electronic devices. This didn’t work out well because I still looked at my smart phone every day, and in the end I didn’t see any real changes in my life. But if I had decided to only use my phone for calls – this would have worked out better. It would have given me more concrete guidelines to follow, and in turn, I would have seen better results.

So before this Wednesday, I encourage you to give this some thought. (If you read this after Lent has started, it’s not too late. You can still use the time remaining.) If you want to deepen your relationship with God, then consider observing Lent. And think about what things you might want to remove and/or what things you might want to add to your routine. Please comment and let me know your view on Lent and how you plan to observe it. I pray that by Easter, we all will see that we have drawn closer to God and deepened our faith!