Stitches Thru Time: Land of My Dreams

Showing posts with label Land of My Dreams. Show all posts

Monday, March 26, 2018

God, GPS, and Me

Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying,

"This is the way; walk in it." Isaiah 30:21

“You’re going in circles.”

My husband’s comment made me laugh. I knew my precise location, why I was there, even where I was going next. Me, 1400 miles away, in a rental car, alone, in two states where I’d never been before prompted him to track me by cell phone GPS. The day before, his comment was “What are you doing in Walmart?”

I’ve never done much on my own. Living at home through college, engaged at 19, married at 21, I moved straight from being Daddy’s little girl to a wife with no on-my-own-single-woman experiences in between. Everyone sees me as incapable of doing things alone.

I took a few days in North and South Carolina to visit family history related sites following a writer’s conference, plotting my route into the GPS on my iPhone with great care. What appeared as circles was a deliberate trip to get as close as possible to the places my ancestors once called home. For a girl from the wide-open spaces of New Mexico, where cell phone coverage is often spotty, this wasn’t tricky in the slightest. Everywhere was populated!

I felt free and safe. A kind voice told me every turn to make. If I missed a turn, the GPS lady redirected me and I arrived at my destination anyway. I was having an adventure and the feeling of freedom and self-confidence grew with every mile and road sign.

God has charted a path for us in the Bible, his road map for life. Maybe each specific destination isn’t marked, but you can be certain the Lord has left directions about facing any situation in life ready for us to discover. Did you know that Columbus decided the earth wasn’t flat and he could navigate uncharted waters by reading verses like Psalms 8:8 and 77:19?

Your road led through the sea, your pathway through the mighty waters--a pathway no one knew was there!

Psalms 77:19 NLT

New experiences, good or bad, can be affirming and lead to great spiritual growth when we follow the directions God gave in His word. He promises to never leave us or forsake us. If we know what he says and make certain to obey, we won’t get lost along the winding paths of life. When unexpected detours arise, there’s no need to fear. We can know with confidence that God’s voice will lead us through.

Are you searching for guidance in the confusion of everyday life? Trust God. He’s better than GPS.

About the author:

Norma Gail’s debut contemporary Christian romance, Land of My Dreams, won the 2016 Bookvana Religious Fiction Award. A women’s Bible study leader for over 21 years, her devotionals and poetry have appeared at ChristianDevotions.us, the Stitches Thru Time blog, and in “The Secret Place.” She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Romance Writers of America, Historical Writers of America, and the Women’s Fiction Writers Association. Norma is a former RN who lives in the mountains of New Mexico with her husband of 41 years. They have two adult children. If you’re interested in connecting with her, you’re to follow her blog, or join her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, Goodreads, or Amazon.

Monday, February 19, 2018

More Than Rubies

A wife of noble character who can find. She is worth far more than rubies. Proverbs 31:10

Proverbs says “a wife of noble character is worth far more than rubies”, a statement that intimidates most women. It makes me think of my mom. She made her family her entire world. She loved my dad with a love that’s still single-hearted twenty-two years after his death, and we knew she loved us. That sacrificial love that dominated her life reminds me of the Proverbs 31 woman. My lullaby was often the sound of her sewing machine as she made our clothes.

The woman described in Proverbs 31 intimidates us because we believe she was some kind of super-woman, impossible to emulate. However, I think we’re seeing a glimpse of her entire lifetime, not one single day. She provides an example of the attitude all women should have toward the importance of serving as a wife and mother. This outlook is worth more than rubies to the Lord.

This interpretation is rare in our world today. However, we must undertake our task with eager hands, seeing it as important above all but our relationship to God. Her arms were strong and her lamp burned late into the night as she cared, not only for her own family, but those who suffered need.

This woman’s husband was well respected and she behaved in manner that honored him. The influence she made through service to others gave her the reputation of possessing strength and dignity. Rather than eating the bread of idleness, she prepared for her family’s needs far ahead of time. She undertook her God-given task as a wife and mother with a seriousness we are to emulate.

Her husband called her blessed, not only for her abilities as a homemaker, but for a spiritual life and commitment that served as an example. To make the Lord our highest priority, spend time in His word, seek His wisdom, pray for our family, and serve them with joy causes us to become the woman God created us to be.

There is winsomeness about a woman who puts her husband and family first. Nothing is wrong with having a career. Today’s economy often requires that women work outside the home. The key lies in what we see as our ultimate purpose, and that key is found in scripture.

If we first bless our families, the Lord will bless us in every area of life. Then we will be seen as more valuable than rubies, for our commitment, example, and the blessing we bring to others.

Monday, January 22, 2018

Blessed Controller

God, who is the blessed controller of all things, the king over all kings

and the master of all masters… 1 Timothy 6:13-16 J.B. Phillips

Waves, crashing and rolling in the dark of night, Peter climbed out of the pitching and yawing boat and set off across the foaming waves toward Jesus, who walked peacefully atop the surface of the water—“the blessed controller of all things”. These were not timid men. Most were fishermen hardened to heavy toil and the rough, unpredictable waters of the Sea of Galilee. Storms were nothing new, but on this night, the ferocity of the thunder, lightning streaking across the sky, and the tumult of the waves frightened them.

To the amazement of his companions, Peter strode across the thrashing sea with confidence, his eyes fixed on Jesus’ face. In a moment of panic, he glanced down in amazement at the churning water beneath his feet, his heart filled with fear of the impossible, and he began to sink.

The great and powerful God who rules the universe promises never to let me go. God promises to keep us afloat through any trial, bringing us to safe harbor when we focus on Him, no matter how distant the solid ground appears. My heart and my feet might fail, but my God has promised He never will.

As I navigated the waters of infertility, chronic illness, my father’s sudden death, and my husband’s job loss, God has proved unfailing in his faithfulness and mercy. When the end result appears uncertain, my thoughts stray to the worst possible outcome. My heart knows God is the blessed controller, but my mind can’t conceive of his ability to make things right. I grow faint, my feet falter, and whitecaps of fear drag me under choppy waves of doubt.

When the storms of life threaten to drag me beneath the waves, I must remember the blessed controller who prevails over the tempest. Though trials may buffet, God will never allow me to sink. He will not fail, for our God is mighty to save.

About the author:

Monday, December 11, 2017

The Candy Cane's Story

The simple little candy cane

Has a wonderful story to tell.

The story of our Savior’s love___

Perhaps you know it well.

Long ago on a wintry night

A star shone in the sky.

And angels came to sing the song

Of praise to God on high.

They sang their song where shepherds

Guarded flocks near a babbling brook.

And you can see in the candy cane,

The sign of the shepherd’s crook.

The red stripes stand for the Savior’s blood

Which was shed for you and me,

As He paid the price for all our sin

When He died on Calvary.

The white part of the candy cane

Shows the purity God imparts

To each new believer when he invites

The Lord Jesus into his heart.

Now turn your candy cane upside-down,

It forms the letter “J”,

Which stands for the name of Jesus Christ

Who was born on Christmas Day.

About the author:

Monday, October 16, 2017

Storm Warning

The day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly… 1 Thessalonians 5:2

Streaking from the dark clouds above, a lightning bolt struck the center of the empty soccer pitch with my daughter’s team playing on the next field. When the referee refused to stop the game, another off-duty ref agreed to help and we ran to the officials stand.

The officials agreed to stop the games, but their method was far too slow. Riding a golf cart from field to field of the large complex would never send the kids to safety in time. As fast as I could run, I returned to my daughter’s game and told the referee to send the kids to the cars. One after another, girls sat down to pull off shoes, socks, and shin guards in the pelting rain, lightning crackling overhead. Yelling to leave their things and run, we finally cleared the field.

Drenched and breathing hard, I ran to my own car, satisfied that everyone was safe.

“Mom, are you crazy? Did you ever think you might be killed?” My seventeen-year-old daughter’s indignant tone showed both concern and embarrassment at my rampage to clear the fields.

Never once did I feel concern for myself. All my thoughts were for others in danger from the fast-moving storm. “No.” I replied. “All I thought was that those kids might die. I’m an adult, and I know where I’m going when I die.”

People die every day without the certainty of heaven. Our world belittles Christians but fails to heed the call to salvation. They are quick to blame God, but slow to approach him for help. In recent years, natural disasters and attacks by dangerous and depraved men have rocked our world. There is no safety, and often no warning. It’s more critical than ever for Christians to speak out about the hope we have in Jesus Christ.

How many would find salvation if I proclaimed the gospel with as much fervor as I stopped those soccer games? What if Christians gave no thought to their reputation or the reaction of others in order to warn others of the approaching storm of judgment?

I must determine to live each day in the light of the Cross. People’s lives depend on it.

About the author:

Norma Gail’s debut contemporary Christian romance, Land of My Dreams, won the 2016 Bookvana Religious Fiction Award. A women’s Bible study leader for over 21 years, her devotionals and poetry have appeared at ChristianDevotions.us, the Stitches Thru Time blog, and in “The Secret Place.” She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Romance Writers of America, Historical Writers of America, and the Women’s Fiction Writers Association. Norma is a former RN who lives in the mountains of New Mexico with her husband of 41 years. They have two adult children. If you’re interested in connecting with her, you're invited to follow her blog, or join her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, Goodreads, or Amazon.

Monday, August 21, 2017

Affliction

In the beginning you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment. Like clothing you will change them and they will be discarded. But you remain the same, and your years will never end. Psalm 102:25-27

I feel afflicted and weak from time to time, in body, but also in my spirit and soul. What struggles frighten you and make you feel inadequate? We tend to act the way we feel, and allowing inadequacy and fear to take hold makes us weak.

A weekend trip to Colorado reminded me of just how small and insignificant I am. The mountains stand strong, robed in majesty, as they have for centuries, a testament to the power of the God who “laid the foundations of the earth.” God is so much greater than I am.

Recently, I experienced a setback in my plans, a rejection of years of work. I felt weak, insignificant, inadequate, doubtful, and uncertain of the future. It reminded me of how small I am and how many people are better and more capable than I am. Surrounded by successful, confidant people who won awards for their work, the rejection of my own efforts was even harder.

The part of Psalm 102 that struck me almost as much as the word of the psalmist himself was the note my NIV Bible placed at the beginning. “A prayer of an afflicted person who has grown weak and pours out a lament before the Lord.” I was allowing myself to feel afflicted when, in spite of rejection, I received another opportunity and an unexpected blessing. God never leaves us at a dead end. He always has something else waiting up ahead.

Just as those mountains showed me how small I am in the scheme of things, they reminded me of how great my God is all of the time. The mountains will not stand forever. An earthquake could destroy them in seconds and God will someday bring them crashing down to be replaced with something better. However, the psalmist goes on to say that God remains the same forever, no matter what happens to His creation.

If you struggle against fear, inadequacies, and insignificance, look to your Creator. He has a plan for you, and He will see it carried through to completion. All that is required from us is to take the opportunities offered and do our best, seeking God’s help. He will never let us down when we are trusting in Him. He will offer another path. Look for it and go forward in His strength. I may feel afflicted, but God never fails.

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About the author:

Norma Gail is the author of the contemporary Christian romance, Land of My Dreams, winner of the 2016 Bookvana Religious Fiction Award. A women’s Bible study leader for over 21 years, her devotionals and poetry have appeared at ChristianDevotions.us, the Stitches Thru Time blog, and in “The Secret Place.” She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Romance Writers of America. Norma is a former RN who lives in the mountains of New Mexico with her husband of 41 years. They have two adult children. If you’re interested in connecting with me, I invite you to follow my blog, join me on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, Goodreads, or Amazon.

Sunday, July 9, 2017

Rainbows of Hope

Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. Romans 8:17

The magnificent rainbow, arching over the nearby mountains drew me outside to immerse myself in its glory. Rainbows remind me of the God’s goodness and faithfulness.

My husband and I once stood on top of the castle tower at Loch Ness, overwhelmed at the splendor of a rainbow ending in the water at the base of the tower. It lacked about 50 feet from forming a complete circle. Another time, I captured a photo of a rainbow arching gracefully over our mountain home.

If we are in tune with God’s Spirit, alert to His presence in every aspect of our lives, He reveals Himself in both the most glorious and darkest of times. I have struggled with chronic pain for all of my adult life. However, it was only a few years ago that I realized the revelation of Himself that God offered in the midst of my worst suffering.

Philippians 3:10 in the Amplified Version, says: “And this, so that I may know Him [experientially, becoming more thoroughly acquainted with Him, understanding the remarkable wonders of His Person more completely] and [in that same way experience] the power of His resurrection [which overflows and is active in believers], and [that I may share] the fellowship of His sufferings, by being continually conformed [inwardly into His likeness even] to His death [dying as He did]”.

It is easy to see God in those rainbow and sunset moments of His glory. It is far more difficult when pain infuses my world with hopelessness. The message of Philippians 2:10 is that Jesus Christ wants me to know Him “experientially”. If I am to comprehend “the remarkable wonders of His Person”, I must understand the suffering He experienced for me.

God gave rainbows as a promise that He would never again destroy the world by flood. However, they also remind me that I won’t be destroyed by circumstances God allows into my life. In the struggles of cancer, illness, pain, and heartbreak, I experience what Christ suffered on the cross, the depth of love of a God who would die for me.

In times of darkness and despair, I look to Jesus, and know I am not alone. He understands.

Rainbows, dark clouds, suffering, and joy reveal the amazing love of Christ, my Savior, who invites me to fellowship with Him, to understand His promises, and to live in hope of glory.

About the author:

Norma Gail is the author of the contemporary Christian romance, Land of My Dreams, winner of the 2016 Bookvana Religious Fiction Award. A women’s Bible study leader for over 21 years, her devotionals and poetry have appeared at ChristianDevotions.us, the Stitches Thru Time blog, and in “The Secret Place.” She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Romance Writers of America, Historical Writers of America, and the Women’s Fiction Writers Association. Norma is a former RN who lives in the mountains of New Mexico with her husband of 40 years. They have two adult children.

Connect with Norma:

Website: www.normagail.org

Amazon Author page: http://www.amazon.com/Norma-Gail/e/B00ILHXBAK/

Book trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQbZIoC_JSE

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorNormaGail

Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+NormaGailwrites

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/normagailth/boards/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7874459

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Norma_Gail

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/norma-gail-thurston-holtman/42/71a/3b2

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/normagailwrites/

Book Links:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Land-My-Dreams-Norma-Gail/dp/1941103170

Monday, June 19, 2017

Security in a Dangerous World

For your ways are in full view of the Lord,
and he examines all your paths. Proverbs 5:21

Security systems are designed to keep us safe in a dangerous world. Following a recent robbery in our neighborhood, we updated our home security system. New technology has bugs to work out and our system certainly had them, including a few involving me.

I turned on every reminder available. We received text messages whenever a door or window opened. Then I discovered my husband even could tell when I climbed out of bed. He checked the security camera and saw me watering flowers. He knew when I left for the grocery store.

It’s strange knowing someone sees your every move. If only we remembered that someone is watching, security system or not. God sees everything, all day, every day. Our ways are familiar to him and he misses nothing. Psalm 139 says, “If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.”

All God’s ways are good. He wants the best for us. The scriptures brim with examples of God protecting his people, providing for them, going before and destroying their enemies. Sometimes he allowed them to get into real messes, knowing the consequences were necessary to help them learn. The Lord has set guidelines for us to follow and we should be mindful of the price of stepping outside his safety net.

A high school youth leader suggested we think about God sitting in the backseat on our dates. When my son was little, he often played in his sandbox where I could watch his every move from the kitchen and get outside quickly. He was safe within my sight. That’s how God wants us to see his loving surveillance. He is a loving parent providing security and direction for his children, not the Gestapo spying to swoop down and punish. Psalm 139 also says, “Such knowledge is too wonderful for me…”

Receiving a text message every time a door or window opens assures me I am safe in my rural home. It provides safety in a dangerous world. Even if I turn off the motion detectors so I can move freely around inside, God sees me. There is nowhere I can flee His presence. He loves me enough to keep a watchful eye on my thoughts and actions.

About the author:

Norma Gail is the author of the contemporary Christian romance, Land of My Dreams, winner of the 2016 Bookvana Religious Fiction Award. A women’s Bible study leader for over 21 years, her devotionals and poetry have appeared at ChristianDevotions.us, the Stitches Thru Time blog, and in “The Secret Place.” She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Romance Writers of America, Historical Writers of America, and the Women’s Fiction Writers Association. Norma is a former RN who lives in the mountains of New Mexico with her husband of 40 years. They have two adult children.

Connect with Norma:

Website: www.normagail.org

Amazon Author page: http://www.amazon.com/Norma-Gail/e/B00ILHXBAK/

Book trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQbZIoC_JSE

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorNormaGail

Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+NormaGailwrites

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/normagailth/boards/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7874459

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Norma_Gail

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/norma-gail-thurston-holtman/42/71a/3b2

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/normagailwrites/

Book Links: