From Hectic to Holy

The current corona virus crisis has a lot of people frazzled and short tempered. Occasionally, that includes me too. I miss my Bible study sisters. I miss going to church services. I miss going out for barbecue on Friday nights. I miss hugging people. I miss a lot of things. I’m sure you do too.

One of my friends emailed me saying she thought she’d get more rest during this “self isolation” period we’re going through, but she’s more tired than ever. Author Chris Hodges in his book The Daniel Dilemma says that “real rest doesn’t come from simply resting; it comes when your soul is connected to God’s power.” He points out how calm Daniel in the Old testament is–along with his chums Shadrach, Meschach and Abednego—even though they were taken captive, separated from their families and lived tumultuous times—the slaves of high- strung pagan kings in palaces full of debauchery.

The subtitle of the book is How to Stand Firm and Love Well in a Culture of Compromise. I have been reading short sections of the book each day during this Coronaggedon and have found it uplifting and encouraging. I am learning to rest in His Grace and Truth—despite these tumultuous times.  Yes, the author points out that even when we trust in God, will still wrestle with loss, disappointment and doubts and painful emotions, but as he says, “I’d rather have hope in what an all powerful God can do than certainty in what I am limited to do.”

God bless you.

Stay well.

Keep the Faith.

Shirley

An award-winning writer and frequent conference speaker, Shirley Raye Redmond is the author of Courageous World Changers: 50 True Stories of Daring Women of God (Harvest House). She holds an M.A. in literature and has been married to her husband Bill for over forty years. They live in New Mexico where she is prayer chairman for her local Community Bible Study (CBS). Touch base at shirleyrayeredmond.com or Facebook.

                    

Courageous WorldChangers: 50 True Stories of Daring Women of God is currently on sale from Harvest House. Get free shipping with promo code STAY HOME.

Birds of a Feather

Visiting Nassau’s Ardastra Gardens was one of the highlights of our Bahamas vacation. My husband and I laughed as we watched the world famous marching flamingos circle the performance ring. With their long spindly legs and graceful S-shaped necks, the birds obeyed the commands of their “drill sergeant.” Around the ring they marched, puffing out their chests. When the “sergeant” blew his whistle, the birds would do a quick about face and head the other way. They were hilarious. After the show we learned that this particular generation of birds hadn’t been trained at all. Decades ago, the owner of the gardens had trained a few flamingos, as part of an experiment. Now the younger birds mimic the older birds, and so it has continued for generations of the garden’s flamingos. It reminded me of that game follow the leader we used to play as children. Even as adults we still follow leaders, don’t we? Pastors and their wives, mentors, teachers, supervisors at work, and others. Are we choosing to follow people who are worthy to be followed? Keep in mind that others are watching and following us—our children and grandchildren and neighbors, for instance. Are we leading them as we should? Not all leaders do so—consider Adolph Hitler and Mao Zedong, for example. Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”  (Matthew 16:24--NIV) Jesus calls us to follow him too. He will not lead us astray. Nor will he suddenly order us to do a spiritual about face. He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. 

An award-winning writer and frequent conference speaker, Shirley Raye Redmond is the author of Courageous World Changers: 50 True Stories of Daring Women of God (Harvest House). She holds an M.A. in literature and has been married to her husband Bill for over forty years. They live in New Mexico where she is prayer chairman for her local Community Bible Study (CBS). Touch bases at shirleyrayeredmond.com or Facebook.

Let There Be Light with #Giveaway

Musing Monday with Special Guest, Ruth Logan Herne

“Let there be light…” Genesis 1:3

“It is better to light one candle, than to curse the darkness.”  Chinese proverb

“This little light of mine… I’m gonna let it shine!” Gospel music, Harry Dixon Loes, composer

We are surrounded by phrases of light, phrases that evoke the image of light breaking darkness.  Beautiful imagery like this is no accident.

Light brings hope. Light brings morning. Light represents new chances, new days, new beginnings! Light travels! One has only to peer up at the night sky to see how amazingly complex the universe is in its very simplicity of rock-strew wonder… because we see light that shined a long time ago…

And it comes to us today.

There can be peace in darkness. Rest, slumber, ease. But light instigates us to get up, put on new clothes, and make the new day count!

Light inspires us. It calls to us, it pulls and tugs us. And yet, we take it for granted because there’s always been light. It’s almost mundane. It’s expected.

Today in this world, in this time, there are many who see light as a threat. Who see US as a threat. They don’t see Christ’s light. Maybe they never will.

But we can make His light, his sacrifice shine brighter. We can make ourselves shine brighter! We can be better people, kinder, gentler and more sacrificial! Christ told his people “Ye are the light of the world. A city, set on a hill, cannot be hidden.”

Let’s be that city on a hill!

There is strength in sacrifice. There is grace in sacrificial love. With every sacrifice we make we build character within ourselves, and strengthen our moral aptitude.

Being a light is good. Being a light is wholesome. Being a light unto others, forgiving trespasses, is simply marvelous.

“God, in your amazing, wondrous way, you created light and your people, and sent your son to be light among us. You sent him to show us the way through his most righteous sacrifice. Help us be sacrificial to others. Help us to be kind, to smile, to hug, to embrace. Help us to reach for the light in times of darkness. To walk humbly with our God. And to do this all like the contrite tax collector in Luke’s gospel, begging quiet forgiveness in an obscure corner.  True light makes no noise, but sometimes, somehow, creates a hum of satisfaction. Let us inspire that hum of satisfaction in others, through Christ our Lord. Amen.”

 

Born into  poverty, multi-published, best-selling author Ruth Logan Herne has a heart for the downtrodden and weary… She longs to make them happy and ease their burden. With nearly thirty titles in print and eight more contracted, she’s living her childhood dream… a wife, a mother, a grandmother and a published author touching hearts and souls with God’s word. She loves to hear from folks through her website http://ruthloganherne.com, e-mail at loganherne@gmail.com or through facebook as, well… you guessed it! Ruth Logan Herne!  

 

To celebrate the blog’s birthday, Ruthy’s offering two giveaways! She’s donated a Kindle copy of “With This Spark” a collection of historical romance novellas and either an e-copy or a paperback copy of her latest 4 ½ Star-rated book “Healing the Lawman’s Heart”. Leave a comment for Ruthy to get your name in the drawing!

 

The Captain and the Dancing Natives

Amber Schamel here with our Monday morning devotional. I was in church a couple of weeks ago when our pastor shared an inspiring story with us. It touched my heart, so I thought I'd pass it along.

There is an ancient tale that tells of an island which many of the ships had to pass. This island was inhabited by Natives with a strange culture. The women would all go out on a sandbar and begin to dance and sing. The poor sailors who had been at sea for many months were absolutely tantalized by the women. Their dance would lure the ships to the island, where the Native men were waiting to attack them, kill all on board and take whatever loot they could.

Now there was a certain captain, well known and quite accomplished, who was required to sail his ship past this island. The captain knew his enemy, and he also knew his own weakness. When the island came into sight, he commanded his men to gag him,and tie him to the mast pole. He commanded further that each and every sailor should plug their ears with wax, so that they could not hear the singing and shouting of the Natives as they passed the island.They were not to untie him, or remove the wax from their ears until they reached a certain distance from the island.

"Really, Captain, do you think it necessary to take such drastic measures? I really cannot bring myself to tie my Captain to the mast, bound and gagged." His first mate said.

"I am in complete earnest." Captain replied. "Do you know how many ships have already fallen prey to their ploy? Anyone to disobey my orders will be the death of us all, but if by some chance we do survive, I would have him thrown into the sea."

The captain's orders were obeyed, and he was bound to the mast pole. As they passed the island, the women came out and began to sing, dance and scream, beckoning to the ship with their arms. The island was beautiful with waterfalls, palm trees, serene pools, and native fruit. Watching the display, the captain began to think. The tales can't be true. A little pleasure after so many months at sea couldn't be any harm.

So enchanting was their dance, and the sight of the women that the captain began to squirm against his bonds. He managed to free himself from the cloth that gagged him and shouted to his men. "Turn in, turn the ship into the harbor!"

He screamed till his voice went hoarse, but the sailors paid no heed, after all, their ears were filled with wax.

 When at last they reached the safe distance from the island, they unplugged their ears and untied the captain.With his fit of passion behind him, he was glad he'd had the foresight to instruct his men. It had saved their lives.

When they reached their next port, he was walking down the street when he caught a strain of music unlike any other he'd ever heard. The music drew him into the little church on the corner, and there he heard the gospel of Jesus Christ.

When it came time for the ship to again sail past the perilous island, his first mate held up the rope he had coiled in his hand. "Shall we tie you to the mast pole again, Captain?"

The captain looked at him steadily. "No, mate. Let me loose. I don't need it this time. I've heard something so much greater, the Natives' ploy can tempt me no longer."

And the captain's word held true. As many trips as they made past island, never again was there a need to bind him to the mast.

What a beautiful illustration of II Cor. 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 

Thank you, precious Lord Jesus, for making us new creatures in You, for changing us from the sinful creatures that we once were, and giving us new life. We love You, and worship You. We ask that You would guide us through the week and put Your loving and merciful hand upon us. 

In Jesus' Name, amen.

 

Amber Schamel writes inspiring stories that bring HIStory to life. Keep up with her on Social Media, or check out her website. 

http://amberschamel.com/ 

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Rest For The Weary

Ah, Monday mornings. Don’t you just love ‘em? J

I don’t know about you, but for me, Monday mornings can be rough. When I combine my busy schedule with my husband and son home all weekend, I’m often exhausted by the time the weekend is over.

Isn’t the weekend supposed to be a repose from the busy work week? Maybe if you work a nine-to-five Monday through Friday job. As a freelance writer and small business owner, the line between my business and personal time blurred many years ago.

According to the Animal Planet website, humans are in the middle of the sleep chart for animals, sandwiched between the extremes of giraffes who require less than two hours and brown bats who sleep up to twenty hours a day. Unique to humans is our need for periods of downtime in order to function at our optimum.

The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place. Mark 6:30-32

Jesus understood the importance of rest. As recorded in the gospels, he “often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” Luke 5:16

If someone with Jesus’ supernatural countenance saw the value of downtime, how am I any different? If I’m tired and rundown, I’m not doing what Jesus modeled for Christians. No matter how stressed with deadlines I am, setting aside time for rest is imperative for spiritual and emotional well-being.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:28-29

The ultimate rest God offers us is spiritual rest. The kind of rest found only in abiding with Him through His Son Jesus—with prayer and immersion in His Word. Allotting time for this trumps all other commitments. 

Are you weary and burdened this Monday morning? Do you have difficulty telling people no or allowing yourself the benefit of downtime? I pray you find rest for your soul through spending quiet time with Jesus.

Laura ✞

Laura Hodges Poole is a freelance writer with three dozen articles, devotions, and short stories in publication. She writes Christian romance novels and is a 2012 RWA Emily finalist, placing second amongst a nationwide field of Christian and secular entries. Laura is also an Associate Editor with Christian Devotions ministry. Her passion is encouraging others in their Christian walk through her blog "A Word of Encouragement." She may be contacted at laurapoole565@gmail.com.