Out of the Boat

My Five Favorite Romantic Suspense Authors

2012-03-08T05:30:00.000-05:00

A few weeks ago we talked about the seven things readers can do to support their favorite authors.

But there was one item I left off the list...on purpose!

One of the best things a reader can do to support their favorite authors is ...

Tell everybody about their books!

Every now and then, I'm going to use our Thursdays to introduce you to authors I love. And we're going to start with a genre that is near and dear to my heart.

I was a reader long before becoming a writer. I love to read just about anything (no horror, please!), but one of my favorite genres is Romantic Suspense. Here (in alphabetical order) are five of my favs...

Lynette Eason - I've reviewed a couple of Lynette's books here at Out of the Boat. In her Women of Justice series the heroines are computer whizzes, forensic anthropologists, and hostage negotiators. In the first book of her new Deadly Reunions series we get to hang out with a fire-fighting smoke jumper.

Irene Hannon - The Heroes of Quantico series was fantastic! We meet three members of the FBI's elite Hostage Rescue Team and, of course, some lovely women who cross their path. The Guardians of Justice series is next on my reading list.

Dee Henderson - Oh how I love the O'Malleys! And Dee's Uncommon Heroes series is another favorite. I just learned that she's releasing a new book this fall and I'm thrilled!

Ronie Kendig - I snagged Ronie's Dead Reckoning as a freebie on Kindle. And read it in record time. Her Discarded Heroes series is a great mix of special ops and romance. Look for my review of the fourth book in the series, Firethorn, next week. (Oh - and I'll be giving away my review copy!)

DiAnn Mills - DiAnn is currently (as in you've got until March 12th to enter) running a giveaway for her newest book, The Chase, on Goodreads. It looks so good, I would enter repeatedly if I could get by with it. Her Call of Duty series had heroines as varied as a CIA agent in hiding, an FBI agent with a secret past, and a border patrol agent grieving the murder of her husband. (DiAnn also writes exciting historical fiction!).

So . . . tell me . . . do you read romantic suspense? Have you read anything by my favorite authors? Do you have a favorite to share with me? I'd love to know what you're reading right now!

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When the Miraculous Becomes Mundane

2012-03-05T05:30:00.000-05:00

When you grow up in church, it’s so easy for the stories of Jesus to become—well—boring. After so much repetition, we lose our sense of wonder.

The miraculous becomes mundane.

When the wedding runs out of wine, we aren’t concerned. We know Jesus makes great wine. When the crowds are hungry, we aren’t worried about them. We know Jesus is going to multiply the loaves and fishes. And when the storm is raging, we don’t get too fussed about the disciples. After all, we know Jesus is going to calm the sea.

But what if we didn’t know? Would we read the stories differently?

It’s with this awareness of my own tendency to be underwhelmed that I’ve approached the gospels in recent months. And there are a few chapters in the Gospel of John that I’ve seen with fresh eyes.

It begins in Chapter 9 with a blind man. As the story unfolds, we see the disciples ask Jesus, “Who sinned? This man, or his parents, that he was born blind?”

The answer is astonishing.

Jesus flat out tells them that no one sinned, but this guy had been born blind so the works of God might be displayed in him.

Nice story. Right?

Um…sure…unless you’re the guy who was born blind. The guy who’d been begging for who knows how long in order to survive. The guy who had no reason to believe anything would ever change.

Ever thought about it from his perspective?

You may not realize it, but you have.

When suffering enters our life, we don’t know what’s going on. We don’t know how long it will last. We don’t know how the story ends. We are hurting, and we have no reason to believe anything will ever change.

It's easy, during the darkest nights, to wonder if God even cares. To question His love. To doubt his compassion.

As He reads our story, does He skim over the hard parts because He already knows how it’s going to end?

Or does He feel our fear, our pain, our grief?

I would contend that when God sees the valleys coming up in our story, He takes a deep breath and then He walks right into them with us.

It is miraculous. And it is never mundane.

Next Monday, we'll explore why I believe this.

Until then, remember…you are never alone.

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The Joy Dare continues....I need to update my blog page, but in my personal journal I've counted over 400 gifts since November...join me?

Three gifts found...my favorite pen; a fabulous series by a great author; k-cups on clearance!

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Book Review::Unleash the Writer Within by Cecil Murphey

2012-03-01T10:01:00.000-05:00

For my first guest post at The Write Conversation (my first guest post ever!) I reviewed a talk given by Cec Murphey at our local Cross Way Christian Supply. I was impressed by his approachable manner and his willingness to share his writing knowledge with us.

He’s written more than 120 books and they’ve sold millions of copies. So when he turned his attention to writing a book for writers, it would be reasonable to expect him to provide us with a treasure trove of technique. A masterpiece of method. A page-by-page plan for writing a best seller.

But that's not what he did.

He did something far better...

To read the rest of the post, I'm over at The Write Conversation today. Please come by and say hello!

7 Ways Readers Can Support Their Favorite Authors

2012-02-23T05:30:00.000-05:00

Before I began hanging out with writers, it never occurred to me that the authors of my favorite books were real people with mortgages, laundry, soccer practices, and—in many cases—day jobs. Obviously, I knew these things, but I didn’t think that there was anything I—a reader—could do to support or encourage them in any meaningful way.

But now I know better, so I give you...

7 ways readers can support their favorite authors.

1. Buy their books. Yes, this really does matter. There’s only a small percentage of the writing population that has anything that resembles job security. Most writers are only guaranteed to be published through their current contract. If book sales don’t meet expectations, the publisher may choose to pass on their next idea.

2. Write them a note. I’m not kidding. Again, only a handful of writers are so “big” that they don’t have time for fan mail. Many of the writers I know (including yours truly) have files where they keep every encouraging card or note.

3. Write a review of their book. Seriously. I had no idea how much this matters. You don’t have to be a writer to write a review. Take five minutes, log onto Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Christianbook.com, Goodreads or wherever you purchased your book, and say something nice. Did it keep you reading until 2AM? Say so. Did you order takeout because you couldn’t put it down? Tell them! Did it change the way you think about a topic or open your eyes to an issue you were unfamiliar with? Let them know.

(Even authors who say they “never read reviews” still need reviews. Statistics show that books that have a higher number of reviews sell better than those that don’t.)

4. Go to their book signings. I know you think this means standing in line for hours, but that’s not the case for most authors. If a favorite author is signing books anywhere near you, take the time to meet them and say “thank you” or “I love your books” in person.

5. Follow them on Facebook and Twitter. Publishers expect authors to maintain a social media presence. And yes, they check to see how many fans and followers an author has. Many of my favorite authors post daily. Some are very good about sharing when a bookseller is featuring one of their titles at a discount. Most will let you know if the Kindle or Nook version is free or discounted as well.

What’s fun is when they are working on a manuscript and ask a question that relates to the plot—I love those little glimpses into their work-in-progress.

6. Subscribe to their blogs and newsletters. Again, publishers want to know how many subscribers an author has. When you subscribe, blog posts will be delivered to your inbox and you can read them when you have time. It’s very easy to subscribe, and it does matter.

7. Pray for them. Authors have all the real-world issues that plague the rest of the population—they pay taxes, struggle in their marriages, pray over rebellious teenagers, care for aging parents, and cuddle sick babies. They fight insecurity and exhaustion. They wonder if what they are doing matters in light of eternity.

I don’t know a single author who wouldn’t be thankful for prayers for strength, creativity, and the courage to write the stories God has given them.

So what about you? As a reader, have you ever done any of these things? For my writer friends, do you agree with my list? Have some things you would add? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

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The Cone of Shame

2012-02-20T10:07:00.000-05:00

It happened again last week.

I entered the Cone of Shame.

If you have kids, you’ve been there.

It started out innocently enough. Everyone was smiling as I announced that we (that would be me and my three littles) were going to the store and then we were going to get French fries!(They were. I was getting a fruit cup).

The goodwill lasted until we got just enough stuff in the buggy to make it hard for me to abort the mission. Not to mention that my supper and a few other projects were contingent on the success of this endeavor.

Drew sat in the front, grabbing at everything. And he’s fast.

James and Emma took up most of the back of the cart, James manhandling the vegetables.

And Emma?

Well, what can I tell you. Emma did not want to be there.

And while expressing herself with words is challenging for her, she is a pro at expressing her displeasure.

The wails.

The tears.

The sobs.

I write fiction and I can’t make this stuff up. You’d have thought I had just told her she could never watch TV, never play on the computer, never see her grandparents, and never have another French fry again.

I tried everything.

I sang.

Oh, yes I did. Racewalking through the aisles, I sang her favorites. No luck.

I pretended to sneeze.

Oh, yes I did.

She usually thinks that’s hilarious.

Not this time.

I tried to reason with her. I reminded her we were getting French fries.

Nothing worked.

When I had loaded the cart with half of what I came for, I couldn’t take it anymore. I knew I’d be making a return trip, but at least I’d gotten the most important items.

I sped to the registers.

They had three open.

All three had long lines.

Oh, sure, the self-checkout lanes were open, but if “Buggy Diving” was an Olympic sport, my kids would be the World Record Setting Gold Medalists. Self-checkout is like asking to add a trip to the emergency room to the bill.

No thank you.

So I got in line behind an older woman with a buggy mounded to the heavens.

As I stood there, allowing Drew to play with my cell phone, saying soothing words to Emma (and to myself), reminding James that French fries were coming, I watched my fellow shoppers.

But let me tell you, they weren’t watching me.

No sir.

I had entered the Cone of Shame.

It radiates out from anyone responsible for a screaming child in a public place. In the fifteen minutes we waited, not one person—not one—smiled at me. They didn’t even look at me.

They looked everywhere but me. A few huffed.

My usual response in this situation is to grab a Coke and a Hershey Bar with Almonds. This time I tried to stay in the moment. Tried to process how I was feeling.

And I wasn’t feeling shame.

Was I frustrated? Sure. But I’m not ashamed of my daughter. I’m not ashamed to be her mom.

The Cone of Shame isn’t about the person on the inside. It’s about the people on the outside who are too caught up in their own agendas to offer a smile to a frazzled mom. Too busy to allow her to go in front of them in line. Too conceited to imagine that there might be a good reason for the drama.

Emma turns nine on Wednesday.

If you encounter the Cone of Shame this week, maybe you could think of Emma and celebrate her life by refusing to stay on the outside.

Smiles are free.

Five minutes of your time could bless someone for a week.

A silent prayer is more helpful than a loud sigh.

If you take the opportunity to splash some grace, well, there’d be no shame in that!

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Book Review and Giveaway :: When the Smoke Clears by Lynette Eason

2012-02-15T21:11:00.001-05:00

Lynette Eason has done it again!

When the Smoke Clears is the first in her new Deadly Reunions series (doesn't that sound ominous!) and it has everything I loved from her Women of Justice series - romance, mystery, and characters with intriguing professions.

But she's taken it up a notch in the suspense department! The first few chapters come hard and fast with all the pacing of a great thriller. Oh there's trouble. And we know it. But who's behind it and how is our main character, Alexia Allen, involved?

Well, that's the story!

And let's chat for a moment about Alexia. Did I mention that she's a smokejumper? In the first few pages, we see that she's driven, tough, brave, and compassionate. She's also got a stubborn streak, a serious problem with her mom, a past that haunts her, a crush on a cute detective that might be turning into something, and oh, someone's framing her for murder . . . when they aren't busy trying to kill her.

As the danger intensifies, so does the romance. Will they survive to see where this new relationship leads? And if they can find the person responsible for all the drama, will Alexia finally be safe?

We'd like to think so, but . . . oh come on! You should know by now - I never give away the ending!

Sounds good, doesn't it? It is! And, here's the best part...you have an opportunity to win a signed copy! Lynette has graciously agreed to sign my review copy for whoever wins this week's giveaway.

Here's how to enter:

1. Subscribe to Out of the Boat by email or RSS feed. (This is super easy! See the "subscribe" tabs on the right? Just click and follow the prompts.)
2. Post a link to this post on Facebook.
3. Post a link to this post on Twitter.

In all 3 cases, leave me a comment telling me what you did, and you'll be entered (up to 3x) to win a signed copy of When the Smoke Clears by Lynette Eason.

Hurry...the drawing will be held at 10AM on Saturday, February 18th...just in time for me to take my copy to Cross Way Christian Supply and have Lynette sign it. If you live in the Greenville, SC area, I'd love to see you there!

The super fine print: When the Smoke Clears ~ Available February 2012 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group. I was provided a free copy in exchange for my honest review.

Do You Feel the Love?

2012-02-13T05:30:00.000-05:00

Every now and then, I have a great idea for a blog post, but the words won't flow. So I change gears. Write something else.

And wait.

I have waited months.

This time, I only had to wait a week for God to finish my thoughts and leave me, again, in wonder at His love for us.

But, maybe we should start at the beginning…with sick littles and long staircases and twin mattresses on the floor...

Not so long ago, we lived in a home where the bedrooms were close. So close that despite being in this 24/7 job we call motherhood for almost nine years, I have rarely felt the need to sleep in my children’s rooms. Even when illness raged, I slept in my bed, they in theirs. And if they whimpered or called my name, I was by their side in seconds.

In our new home, our bedroom is on the main floor while the kids’ rooms are upstairs. We’re still in the same house. Still close.

But when the stomach bug hit a few weeks ago, a flight of stairs was too far away. So for several nights, I found myself “sleeping” on the trundle bed mattress we relocated to my son’s bedroom floor.

As I tucked him back into his bed after yet another race to the bathroom, the words from one of my favorite Psalms settled in my mind.

The Lord is near to the broken hearted.

I love the idea of God being near. And from my spot in the floor of James’s room, I could appreciate the concept of His nearness more than ever. When we are hurting, sometimes we need God to be nearer than near. When we are suffering and miserable, our need to feel His presence is more desperation than desire.

I thought about it for a while. Decided to write about it. But something was missing. . .

When it hit me, it blew me away.

Because while it’s true that James needed me, the real reason I was sleeping in his room was because I needed to be there. My little man was sick. It hurt me to see him suffer. I couldn’t bear the thought of him having to wait an extra second for my comfort.

Do you realize God feels that way about you? When life overwhelms. When pain stabs deep. When loved ones suffer. When you wish you could wake up and discover it was all a nightmare.

God sees.

God knows.

And God is near.

Sure, it’s for your benefit.

But it’s also for His.

But now thus says the LORD,
he who created you, O Jacob,
he who formed you, O Israel:
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name, you are mine.
² When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,
and the flame shall not consume you.
³ For I am the LORD your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.
I give Egypt as your ransom, Cush and Seba in exchange for you.
⁴ Because you are precious in my eyes,
and honored, and I love you...

(Isaiah 43:1-4a, emphasis mine, ESV)

Happy Valentine's Day - You are Loved!

Book Review :: Made to Crave by Lysa TerKeurst

2012-02-09T05:30:00.000-05:00

Can you picture this scene? A ~~young~~, ~~young-ish~~, um, a mom with young children is standing in the checkout line. The baby is crying. The toddler is whining. The big sister is screaming at the top of her lungs that she wants to go home.

The mom keeps the smile pasted on her face but after the last item is placed on the counter, she backs up a pace and plucks the Hershey Bar with Almonds from its perch. It's only a few more steps to the cooler full of cold Cokes. Her hand wraps around the familiar curve of the bottle and her fake smile relaxes.

This will make her feel better. She deserves it.

And who would disagree?

When the last child is buckled into their seat and the reusable bags are tucked in the back, she twists the lid, takes a long drink, and exhales long. Much better. The chocolate melts in her mouth, and the frustrations of the past hour ease.

So what's the problem?

If you don't want to know, you need to stop reading. Right now. And you definitely don't want to pick up a copy of Made to Crave by Lysa TerKeurst. With honesty and transparency that made me both laugh and cringe (seeing yourself on the page will do that), Lysa TerKeurst dives into a territory few Bible-thumping preachers would dare to enter.

Because gluttony is a sin. And needing that Coke? Ever heard of idolatry?

(I warned you to stop reading...)

Made to Crave is not a diet book and it's not a how-to manual. It's not a book that's written to make you hate food or go on a starvation diet. And it never says Cokes and brownies are sinful.

Because craving isn't wrong. We were made to crave. What's wrong is when we fill that craving with foods that are not good for us, instead of taking that heartache, that loneliness, that embarrassment, that fear, and running straight to the only One who can fill us. The only One who can ease the pain. The One who wants us to enjoy good things, but never intended for food to become an idol.

Because anything - chocolate included - that takes the place of God in our lives? You guessed it - that's an idol.

I'll be honest. This is one of those books that part of me (the part that has a serious Oreo issue) wishes I'd never read. Because now that I've read it, I have to decide what to do about it.

Made to Crave didn't make me feel guilty or defeated. Lysa's openness about her spiritual journey was empowering and eye-opening. Because, as she explains, this is first and foremost a spiritual issue. And that's a new concept for me.

Is it really possible to turn chocolate cravings into a soul level craving for God? When the day goes south, can I find the strength to "stop circling this mountain and turn north" (See Deut. 2:3) instead of turning to those salty sticks of deliciousness, otherwise known as McDonald's french fries?

I'll let you know.

Wimpy, Wimpy, Wimpy

2012-02-06T05:30:00.000-05:00

Please indulge me this Monday morning as we take a trip to the archives. My family is recovering from a 10 day battle with a nasty stomach virus. And I am recovering from some of the harshest criticism my writing has ever received. This post seemed appropriate. Grace and peace to all of you!

Originally posted 7/20/10.

I’m a wimp.

A cream puff.

A marshmallow.

I’m so not cut out to be a writer.

I’m anaphylactically allergic to criticism. And this doesn’t apply only to my writing life. This is just who I am. I have the type of personality that always wants to be right. Not in the “I’m right and you’re wrong” way but in the “I’ll die of humiliation if I answer the question wrong so I’m not going to raise my hand, even though I know the answer” way.

The upside to being paranoid about making mistakes is that it has made me into a very conscientious person. If you ask me to do something, I’ll do it. And then I’ll go over it 100 times to be sure it’s right. And then I’ll call you a few days later to see if it met your expectations.

Again. I shouldn’t be writing.

Because all writing requires some form of criticism.

And criticism + Lynn = hyperventilation.

Each time I send a writing sample off to someone, whether it’s for an assignment, or a guest blog, or because they asked to read a few chapters of my book, it just about kills me.

OK. I’ll admit that I’m a teensy bit prone to exaggeration.

But the heart palpitations, sweaty palms, upset stomach. Aren’t those symptoms of dreadful things — like heart attacks?

So what’s a writer to do? When all the traditional advice says that she must develop a thick skin if she’s going to survive but when the transformation from thin to thick-skinned would require a personality transplant?

I tend to assume that thick-skinned people send off their work and don’t worry about it. They don’t spend time refreshing their email in case someone has commented on their blog and their hands don’t shake when they open up an email that will tell them whether their work has been accepted for publication. They certainly don’t lose sleep over what some anonymous person said about their book in an Amazon review.

But maybe — just maybe — that isn’t the case at all.

Maybe the thick-skinned person isn’t the person who stands tall and lets the waves of criticism roll by.

Maybe the thick-skinned person is the one the waves of criticism throw to the ocean floor and keep them submerged so long they begin to wonder if they’ll ever surface.

But when they are finally able to catch their breath, they don’t run for the shore.

They stand up.

And let the waves do it all over again.

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Criticism drags you under, gratitude pulls you up.
Joy Dare 2012 ~ more grace...more joy...more hope...

3 gifts found outside . . .

1. Children, returned to health, giggling in the yard
2. Fresh, unseasonably warm air
3. Cheeky squirrels

You can find all my Joy Dare 2012 entries here.

Book Review :: Conflict and Suspense by James Scott Bell

2012-02-02T05:00:00.000-05:00

It's the first Thursday of the month, so I'm over at The Write Conversation!

Come by for my review of James Scott Bell's latest, Conflict and Suspense.

Audacious Hope

2012-01-30T05:30:00.000-05:00

I hope for so many things.

I hope the weather will be perfect for my child’s birthday party.

I hope NCIS will never go off the air.
I hope the cheesecake I had for dessert will go to fuel my brain instead of finding its way to my hips.

I have no reason to believe any of these things will happen the way I want them to.

But I still hope.

We have more serious hopes. We hope our parents live forever and our children make us proud. And whenever a baby is expected, whether that child is yours, your grandchild, your friend’s first or seventh, there is a universal hope for wellness. We hear it all the time. “I don’t care if it’s a boy or a girl. Just so long as they’re healthy.”

But sometimes . . . All the hoping in the world won’t change reality.

To read the rest of the post...I'm over at Encouraging Women today...please come by and say hello.

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Joy Dare 2012 ~ more grace...more joy...more hope...

3 old things seen new...

my van that gets me where I need to go
my childhood comforter tucked around my sick toddler
Isaiah 26:3-4 ~ You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD GOD is an everlasting rock. (ESV)

You can find all my Joy Dare 2012 entries here.

Thoughtful Thursdays :: When God Weeps~Why Our Sufferings Matter to the Almighty

2012-01-26T05:30:00.000-05:00

I’m not a big fan of suffering.

I prefer to avoid it.

Completely.

And who would blame me? We live in a culture that values ease, peace, and prosperity above all else. Our own Declaration of Independence declares that we are endowed by our Creator with the right to the pursuit of happiness.

Now I’m a big fan of the Founding Fathers, but I’m not sure there’s a Biblical foundation for the right to pursue happiness.

Why would I say that? Well, I hate to have to point this out, but the Bible doesn't promise us happiness on earth. Joy is ours, but happiness? I guess we can chase after it, and we'll experience it from time to time.

But according to the Bible the one thing we can be sure of is that we will suffer.

A lot.

Did I mention that I’m not a big fan of suffering?

So what’s a good Christian girl to do when life throws a curve ball? When parents die too young? When babies are born too soon?

When life hurts?

When suffering moves from the theoretical to the “I don’t think I’ll survive this” phase, how do we respond? How do we make sense of the sovereignty of God when that same God doesn’t fix all our problems?

Wouldn’t a loving God make life easier for us?

How can He be sovereign and tolerate the Holocaust? How can He sit back while millions of babies are aborted?

Doesn’t He care?

These questions, and many others, are asked and answered in When God Weeps: Why Our Sufferings Matter to the Almighty by Joni Eareckson Tada and Steven Estes.

My Bible study group wrestled our way through this book a few months ago. It’s not an easy read. Not because the text is difficult or poorly written. On the contrary, some of the writing is quite beautiful and almost poetic in its description.

It’s challenging because when we start talking about suffering, we are forced to take a hard look at who God is and how God works.

As Joni says in the introduction, “When God Weeps is not so much about affliction as it is about the only One who can unlock sense out of suffering. It’s not why our afflictions matter to us (although they do), but why they matter to the Almighty.”

When God Weeps presents God as God. Not as a safe deity that never does things we don’t understand.

I asked a friend who read this book during a time of intense suffering if she would recommend it. She said yes. She also said there were times she wanted to throw it against a wall.

It’s that kind of book.

With real world examples and serious theology, Tada and Estes tackle the questions we ask when our world disintegrates and we’re left sitting in the ashes of our dreams.

If you really want to know why—as much as any of us can know this side of eternity—I would recommend When God Weeps.

Mindful Mondays :: In the Boat

2012-01-23T05:30:00.000-05:00

As I’ve been hanging out in the gospels for the past few months in an effort to soak up what Jesus said and did, I couldn’t help but notice something.

I’m big on being out of the boat, but being in the boat isn’t as easy as it’s cracked up to be.

Do you remember the story? In Matthew 8, Jesus has delivered the Sermon on the Mount, healed a bunch of people, and cast out a slew of demons. As the crowd grew around Him, He gave orders to cross to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. He was exhausted and He crashed.

The disciples were probably okay with that.

Until they weren’t.

The storm came. The wind blew. The waves—oh the waves.

We don’t know how much noise they made hoping He would wake up on His own. We don’t know if they argued over who would be the one to disturb Him.

These guys were trying to hold the ship together and at some point, they start calling out, probably all at once to be heard over the wind. “Jesus. Jesus! Hey, Jesus!!! Help! Save us. We are going down, man.” (Lynn’s paraphrase)

Now, let’s give the disciples a little credit here. Somewhere, there was a smidgen of faith. They’d been watching Him do amazing things. And they asked Him to intervene on their behalf.

Maybe they wondered if His power extended to the weather. Sure, He could handle demons. He could heal people. But freak storms? That might be too much.

We know better. But then, we have the whole Bible and know how the story ends. It’s easy to sit in our comfortable pew and tsk-tsk the disciples for their lack of faith.

Until it isn’t.

Until my faith runs into a storm it hasn’t faced before. And suddenly, I start to wonder. Can He handle this? Maybe this is the relationship, the job, the financial problem, the heart, the illness, or the fear that might be too much.

But I’ve seen Him do amazing things. So I take my smidgen of faith and I cry out, “Lord, save me! I’m dying here.”

And once again, He says, “Why are you afraid?”

I’m so thankful He doesn’t keep me at arm’s length because of my pitiful faith. If I let Him, He pulls me close into His Everlasting Arms and holds me until the storm is over.

Did you follow Jesus into the boat and now find yourself in the middle of a storm? The storm doesn’t mean you’ve messed up. And you don’t have to hang on in your own strength to get through.

Crawl into His arms. Stay there. Let Him hold you.

And get ready to marvel.

And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him. And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. And they went and woke him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing.” And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. And the men marveled, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?” (Matthew 8:23-27 ESV)

Thoughtful Thursdays :: Book Review ~ Fighting Fear - Winning the War at Home When Your Soldier Leaves for Battle

2012-01-19T08:02:00.000-05:00

A few weeks ago, our community lost a young man in Afghanistan. He'd been there less than three weeks. I didn't know the soldier or his family, but I was so moved by the outpouring of support from our citizens. While people lined the highways and gathered to protect the grieving family from protesters, I began to read a devotional written specifically for military families.

Fighting Fear: Winning the War at Home When Your Soldier Leaves for Battle addresses the battle on the home front. How do you go about your life when your husband or child or parent is half a world away and in constant danger?

Edie Melson knows.

She watched her oldest son leave for Iraq. Twice. She spent many nights clutching her Bible and pounding the gates of heaven as only a mother can. She writes from an honest heart. Sometimes with humor and sometimes with raw emotion. There's no attempt to gloss over the challenges experienced by the families of the deployed.

But there is so much hope.

From the stories of now grown children of WWII servicemen to spouses of 20+ year career military personnel, a beautiful picture of God's faithfulness emerges. We see prayers answered, relationships restored, and challenges met.

From the hearts of mothers, wives, and daughters we see irrefutable evidence that God cares. He knows the battle is being fought on both fronts and He is the only One who can be in both places. He is the Constant. He is the Peace.

If you love a soldier, or love someone who does, Fighting Fear: Winning the War at Home When Your Soldier Leaves for Battle is a must read. It belongs on the bedside table of every spouse, parent, child, or sibling of our soldiers in harm's way.

Mindful Mondays :: A Ladder to the Moon

2012-01-16T05:30:00.000-05:00

On a cool, clear night several months ago, I sat on the back steps with our three-year-old son. As we stared at the sky, we talked about how big the moon was and how bright the stars were. Well, I talked. He jabbered in that special just-turned-three language that is part English - part who knows what.

After a few minutes of hearing the same phrase repeated, I finally realized that he was asking me to go get a ladder.

Me: What do you need a ladder for?
James: To go to the moon.
Me: Honey, the moon is too far away. We can't reach it with a ladder.
James: Yes you can.

He had complete faith. He saw a bright, shiny object floating in the sky. And there was not a doubt in his mind that if I put a little effort into it, I could take him to the moon. I think he assumed I would be able to grant this request in the same easy way I provide milk and chicken nuggets.

Pizza - sure. Moonwalk? No problem!

Our conversation lasted several minutes, and I don't think I ever convinced him that no one had built a ladder long enough to reach the moon. Not to mention issues of oxygen and atmosphere and freezing temperatures and gravity. And yes, I mentioned all of them in my effort to convince him that I wasn't trying to be difficult, but I couldn't produce a ladder and take him to the moon.

I've been thinking about this as I've been praying for God to grant me what I desire or give me something better.

Do I really think He can? I mean . . . really?

I know - intellectually - that He is God. Omnipresent, Omniscient, All-Powerful.

He is God. He can do anything.

But do I believe it enough to ask? And not only to ask, but to ask knowing that it's not too hard for Him. That He not only can but will answer that prayer? He will either give me what I'm asking for, or give me something far better.

I'm trying to pray believing and asking God to help my unbelief.

Because when I ask for the moon, He doesn't say, "Honey, the moon is too far away."

He says, "Honey, have you thought about Jupiter?"

Thoughtful Thursdays :: Joy Dare 2012

2012-01-12T05:30:00.000-05:00

A few months ago I posted a review of One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp. I've been counting gifts ever since. I've found it's impossible to be grouchy and grateful at the same time so gift counting is something I wanted to be intentional about in 2012.

In December, I wrote about Joy. Joy in suffering. Joy in the Moment. Our real reason for Joy.

So imagine my Joy when I discovered the Joy Dare for 2012. An opportunity to count 1000 gifts in 2012, along with thousands of others, and rediscover Joy all year long.

If you look at the top of this page, you'll see a "One Thousand Gifts" tab. You can click there to see my one thousand gifts in 2012. Ann's made it as easy as imaginable with a calendar and prompts for every day.

I'll also be tweeting (@LynnHBlackburn) my gifts (#1KGiftsDare) several times a week.

Won't you join me in intentional joy and thankfulness this year?

All in . . . All the time

2012-01-09T05:30:00.000-05:00

I’m a Clemson Tiger. My blood runnethOrange. And when it comes to my team, I’m all in . . . all thetime.

But sweet mercy.

For those of you who don’t followcollege athletics, Wednesday night the Clemson Tigers faced the WestVirginia Mountaineers in the Orange Bowl.

Clemson was favored to win.

Clemson got juiced.

When the last drop of dignity had beensqueezed from our orange peel, the Mountaineers were victorious in astunning 70-33 final.

It takes a true believer to wear thecolors on the day after a loss like that. To acknowledge that we blewit in every way imaginable, but still have hope for a new day, a newseason, another opportunity to return to the Orange Bowl and emergevictorious.

I love the idea of being all in. It’show I want to live my life. All in . . . all the time.

Whatever Godhas for me, I want to charge down the hill onto the field and face ithead on. After all, if God is for us, who can be against us! I’mfavored to win. All the time.

And some days, I do. I take the fieldfull of the Holy Spirit and when children whine, I pray. When laundrymounts, I praise. When agents reject, I rejoice (ok . . . maybe not .. . but you get the idea).

Then there are days where the scoreswings wildly. I stumble, make poor decisions, and drop passes.Thank goodness for half-time where I regroup and end the day on highnote.

But some days . . . the kids take turnsgetting up all night and my defense is worn out before the sun comesup. I’ve been sacked six times before breakfast, and even threecups of coffee aren’t enough to prevent me from throwing twointerceptions before lunch. There are missed tackles, fumbles, andpoorly executed plays.

I have to wonder if that “great cloudof witnesses” is squirming in their seats wondering what happenedto their girl. Where’s the mighty warrior of yesterday? Where’sthe comeback kid of last week? Why can’t she throw up a few blocks?Why won’t she use her shield of faith? Her breastplate ofrighteousness?

Do they watch as I collapse into bed,sick with the knowledge that not only was today a poor showing, butone I’ll regret forever? Do they wonder who will show up the nextday—the star quarterback or the third string kicker?

‘Cause lets face it, in this game, noone can blame the Coach.

I’m so thankful God doesn’t watchmy “Orange Bowl” performances and give up on me. When I’m inthe locker room, spent and humiliated, He reminds me that I may havelost this game but the Eternal Championship is already in the bag.His Son won that battle on the cross (talk about being “all in”).

And while I sometimes embarrass myself on the field, the truth isthat His Spirit lives inside me and empowers me to run the plays Godcalls.

Have you already blown it in 2012?Yeah. Me, too.

Let's put the “Orange Bowl” behindus.

Our Coach forgives when we ask and Henever gives up on us.

Today is a new game day. We can chooseto wallow in past defeat or charge the field confident we will win.

I'm all in . . . who's with me?

The steadfast love of the LORD neverceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning;great is your faithfulness. “The LORD is my portion,” says mysoul, “therefore I will hope in him.” (Lamentations 3:22-24)

*****
Congratulations to Liz! She's the winner of the Tony Dungy One Year Uncommon Life Daily Challenge! Thanks to all who participated!

Thoughtful Thursday: Shoot for the Stars!

2012-01-05T06:22:00.000-05:00

It's the first Thursday of the month, so I'm blogging over at The Write Conversation today.

Have you ever dared to pray, "Lord, this is what I want?" Should you?

Could you be so bold?

We're talking about shooting for the stars so come by and tell us what you are praying for during 2012.

New Year - One Word

2012-01-02T06:01:00.000-05:00

A new year.

What's a task-oriented, planner-toting, stressed-out-mom-of-three, wanna-be-writer to do?

There's a part of me that longs to open a spreadsheet and plan the next twelve months.

There's another part of me that knows just how long that spreadsheet will hold up under the steady stream of daily life.

So this year, I'm trying something new.

Well, it's not new. It's new to me.

Instead of resolutions and detailed plans of attack, I've chosen one word for 2012. One word to focus on, to filter decisions through, to pray for and about.

One word.

And let's face it. For a word-loving girl like me, narrowing anything down to one word should have been challenging. But this word floated to the surface with ease.

I tried a few other words, let them bob along in my mind for a few days, but they couldn't stay afloat. So I'm stuck with this word. For 366 days.

My word for 2012?

Intentional.

My prayer for 2012? That I'll use this word to remind myself that I don't want to bob along without direction. I don't want to parent by accident. I don't want to write on whims. I don't want to worship only when the mood strikes. I don't want to be so busy ordering my day that I fail to rest in His plans for me.

Ten years from now, I want to be able to look back on this time of my life and see trips to the library, the zoo, and the children's museum, sprinkled in with Bible studies, date nights, and, dare I say it, maybe a novel—or five?

Life is short. I want to live on purpose.

Not regimented. Not legalistic. Not even with a ten-page spreadsheet. But I don't want to miss the things that matter. And it would be so easy to let that happen in the whirlwind of everyday life.

So here's to a year of intentionality. I hope you'll hop Out of the Boat and walk the waves with me.

How about you? Do you have a word for 2012? I'd love to hear about your New Year's plans and possibilities!

Book Review and Giveaway! :: The One Year Uncommon Life Daily Challenge by Tony Dungy & Nathan Whitaker

2011-12-28T14:41:00.000-05:00

Are you feeling a little blue? Post-Christmas malaise settling in? Are you thinking that there will be no more gifts for a year and you're a bummed about that?

Well, then I've got great news!

The fine folks at Tyndale House Publishers will be giving one of my blog readers a copy of Tony Dungy's latest book, The One Year Uncommon Life Daily Challenge.

**If you don't know who Tony Dungy is then you are obviously not a football fan. And that's OK. But you should definitely click on the link above and check him out. He's a Super Bowl winning coach with a passion for God.**

The One Year Uncommon Life Daily Challenge focuses on seven themes: Core, Family, Friends, Potential, Mission, Influence, and Faith. The devotions rotate through each of the seven themes and each devotion stands on its own.

Each day's reading begins with a passage of Scripture. Not just the reference, but the entire verse or verses, already printed on the page. I love that!

The devotion that follows ties to the verse and the theme for the day, usually with a story from either family or athletic life. Each day concludes with an Uncommon Key - a brief take away or action point based on the day's reading.

I found the devotions to be straightforward and easy to read. The devotional is geared toward men (and I think that's great!) but I found the readings to be quite applicable to me as a mom as well.

While I like the book, I like the purpose behind the book even more. Coach Dungy is challenging men - and women - to live Uncommon lives and the key to beginning that process is to spend time with God. EVERY DAY.

Check out this video from Coach Dungy as he describes the One Year Uncommon Life DAILY challenge. It's only two minutes long and well worth it.

To enter to win your free copy, just leave a comment (include your first name and last initial). I'd love to know if you're a football fan and would keep the book for yourself, or who you plan to give it to if you win! The contest is open through Friday, January 6th.

My regular blogging schedule will resume on Monday, January 2nd. I hope you've had a blessed holiday season!

The super fine print: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Joy - What Christmas is All About

2011-12-22T06:00:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas!

Joy - In Suffering

2011-12-19T06:00:00.000-05:00

It's something we struggle with—thiswhole concept of suffering. We have an ingrained worldview thatsuggests suffering is only “fair” if it's deserved. When we knowour desire is to serve God and we are still clobbered by life, wewrestle with “why me” and “this isn't fair” thoughts.

These are the time when I have oftenfound the lives of Paul and Peter to be a source of comfort. Thesemen served God and on a regular basis took a beating for it.

But never, before this year, have Iever realized that there's someone else who we know—know it fromthe very mouth of an angel—was favored by God and from the momentof that proclamation—suffered.

Mary.

Think about her for a moment. A youngvirgin with life cruising along as planned. Getting ready to marry agreat guy. Then an angel shows up and says “God thinks you'reawesome and He's going to give you a remarkable gift. You get to bethe mother of the Christ.”

What the angel didn't say? "Oh, by theway, you'll live the rest of your life under a cloud of scandal. Andyou'll have to flee the country in a few months. When He grows up,He'll traipse all over the country doing miracles. And people willtalk. Oh yes, they will talk.

But none of that will compare to what'scoming. There will be a day when you will watch Him beaten to abloody pulp, groan under the weight of a cross, hang from that cross,and eventually, breathe what everyone will believe is His lastbreath."

We don't know how much Mary understood.We know that from day one, she'd been pondering everything. Theangels, the shepherds, the star, the wise men. We know she'd beenwarned, when He was only a few days old, that a sword would pierceher soul. You can bet she never forgot those words.

We know from the very beginning of Hispublic ministry that she knew He could perform miracles.

But we don't know how she coped. Didshe live all of His thirty-three years wondering when it wouldhappen? Was she ever able to look at Him—tiny baby nestled againsther, chubby toddler wrestling with His brothers, gangly teen helpingJoseph craft a table—and enjoy being His mom without wondering howit would all end?

Did she know that the end would be thebeginning?

When she watched Him hanging there,even if she knew He would return in three days, would it havemattered? Would it have lessened the agony? Would if have preventedthe tears?

I don't think so. You won't find thisspelled out in Scripture, but my mother's heart tells me that on theday He died, no one hurt the way she did.

Knowing the rest of the story, we cansay it was worth it. Mary undoubtedly would agree.

But in the moment, Mary suffered.

I wish the Bible gave a us picture ofthe reunion. The joy on Mary's face when she saw her resurrected son,her resurrected Savior. I'm sure her tears dripped onto Hisnail-scarred hands. Surely He held her close. Thanked her for being agreat mom. Assured her that it had all been part of God's plan.

Can you see it?

He'd like to do that for us as well.

When life is hard. When the lonelinessis overwhelming. When the pain won't go away. When it's all over.When nothing will ever be the same.

He is.

He knows.

His sacrifice makes Joy possible.Continuous Joy. Even in suffering. Not because we think pain is fun.But because we know there's a purpose. There's a plan.

There's a future.

He will wipe away every tear from theireyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning,nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.Revelation 21:4 (ESV)

Joy - Bigger than our whole world

2011-12-15T10:00:00.000-05:00

As I've been mulling over the idea of how big God is and the miracle it is that He became flesh, I've also been thinking about how often God does things in ways that are both unexpected and incomprehensible.

I'm wondering how often I don't see God's hand because what's happening doesn't make sense to me.

I'm wondering how much Joy I miss out on because instead of resting in His plan, I'm arguing with Him about His methods or pointing out to Him that what He's doing doesn't seem like a good idea.

I could go on and on about it, but Christmas is ten days away and my guess is you don't have time for me to go on and on!

So instead I thought I'd leave you with one of my favorite passages from The Last Battle.

I love The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. (Please don't ask how many times I've read them - the answer is, "I have no idea and if we don't quit talking about it I'm going to have to start reading them again!")

At this point in the story, the characters have been fighting all around a small stable and are now inside.

Ponder this, and find the Joy!

"It seems, then," said Tirian, smiling himself, "that the Stable seen from within and the Stable seen from without are two different places."

"Yes," said the Lord Digory. "Its inside is bigger than its outside."

"Yes," said Queen Lucy. "In our world too, a Stable once had something inside it that was bigger than our whole world."

C.S. Lewis ~ The Last Battle

Unlimited Joy

2011-12-12T07:22:00.001-05:00

As my daughter opened birthday giftsseveral months ago, a sheet of paper fluttered on the edge of mysight. All I registered was that there were at least twelve steps andfor a fleeting moment, I questioned my sister's sanity. What was shethinking? Why would she give Emma a gift that would be so complicatedto use? I was confused because I know that Jennifer is a thoughtful gift giver and would never give Emma something that wouldonly frustrate her.

Before I could investigate theinstruction sheet further, Hetti the Hippo exploded into our livingroom. Squeals of delight pierced the air as the pop up tent filledthe entire open space. Within seconds, the six foot long hippo wasfilled with laughing children.

And then it hit me. The instructionsweren't for getting the tent open.

They were for cramming it back into thebox.

Ten months later, that crazy hippo isstill living large in Emma's room. Even when we moved, we didn't bother trying to fold her up. (That instruction sheet is long gone!)

I was thinking about this the other dayas I tried—and failed—to get my mind around the idea of Godbecoming man. Of the Word made flesh.

Of infinity squeezed intoinfancy.

I can't comprehend how He did it.

It was way more complicated thangetting dear ol' Hetti back in her box.

No engineer, no physicist, nobiologist, no chemist, no mathematician—no human could have everfigured it out.

It was a God-sized job.

It required a God-sized idea.

But who could have imagined that a sixpound baby boy could contain—could be—a God-sized miracle.

For thirty-three years, Jesus squishedHimself into humanity.

And after He accomplished what He cameto do, He exploded from His box.

Two thousand years later, He's stillliving large in the heavens.

He was. He is. He always will be.

So as we focus on the babe in a manger,let's be sure we don't try to cram God into a box. He's not that kindof God.

He's the kind of God who limitedHimself so that we could be filled with unlimited Joy.

Psalm 92:4-5 ~ For you, O LORD, havemade me glad by your work; at the work of your hands I sing for joy.How great are your works, O LORD! Your thoughts are very deep. (ESV)

Joy - In the Moment

2011-12-08T13:57:00.001-05:00

I'm a wife, mother, and writer. I'm adaughter, sister, and friend. I'm a reader, knitter, and scrapbooker.I'm a cook, maid, and seamstress. I'm an engineer, manager, andbookkeeper.

With all that stuff going on, you'dthink I'd be fulfilled.

Nope. Not even close. More often thannot, I feel anxious. Desperate. Inadequate.

My task-oriented nature struggles tostay in the moment. To focus my energy on one thing, without mentallyscrambling to determine the most efficient way to check off somethingelse at the same time.

But by refusing to do one thing at atime, I'm not doing any one thing well.

And I'm robbing myself of so much joy.

Jim Elliot is quoted as saying,“Wherever you are, be all there.” I love that. I want that tocharacterize my life. I think it's another key to rediscovering joy.

Because something tells me that whenJesus took on humanity, He was an “all there” kind of guy. Wouldyou care to guess what makes me think that?

Jesus spent nine months in a womb.

NINE MONTHS.

Have you ever thought of the challengethat must have been? To go from omnipresence to embryo. To growinside a body You created.

But He did it. He was all there. AllGod. All man. All at the same time. All miraculously contained insideMary's swelling body. The Word that spoke the world into existencelimited Himself to baby babble. The hands that carved out oceans andpiled high mountains were content to bang on a pot with a woodenspoon.

Wherever He was, He was all there.

And because He became Immanuel, Godwith us, we have Joy. True Joy. Not fleeting happiness. Not momentarypleasure.

Eternal Joy.

So as I stand in football field lengthstore lines or sit in gridlocked mall traffic, instead of chafing atthe limitations, I'm trying to practice being all there.

I'm not always successful, but when Iam, I'm discovering there's so much Joy to be found in every moment.

So what about you? Do you feel up to aChristmas challenge?

This weekend, join me. Wherever you are, be allthere. Wrapping presents? Be all there. At a party? Be all there. Ata Christmas program when you still have Christmas baking, shopping,cleaning, and wrapping to do? Be all there.

I think you'll find Joy there.

And whenyou do, please come back and tell us about it!

Rediscover Joy

2011-12-05T06:00:00.000-05:00

I used to love this time of year.

Before I grew up.

Before I discovered that buyingChristmas presents on a budget is hard work.

Before I longed to be in two places atonce.

Before I spent hours cleaning,preparing, shopping, wrapping.

Before I realized that all thosedecorations would have to be taken down in a few weeks . . . byme.

Before I had somewhere to be fifteenout of twenty-five nights.

Before Christmas became synonymous withexhaustion.

Because before . . . I would flythrough the door and run to the tree. Had mom wrapped more while Iwas at school? Was there another gift for me?

Before . . . I would rearrange thegifts, shaking, weighing, trying to guess. Never peeking, because theanticipation was almost as much fun as whatever delight lay hiddenbeneath the wrapping.

Before . . . I would huddle with mysister as we planned Christmas morning. When would we get up? Wouldshe promise to wake me if she woke up first?

Before . . . I would go to sleeplistening to the twenty-four hours of Christmas music (that startedon Christmas Eve instead of the day after Thanksgiving).

Before . . . the day was filled withgifts—given & received, family, food, fun.

Before . . . Christmas was synonymouswith joy.

This year, I'm making an effort tore-discover the joy. My calendar isn't quite as crowded as it hasbeen in year's past, and I'm relieved. My to-do list—well, it'sinsane. But I'm focusing on doing the things that need to be done andleaving off the stuff that can wait.

I've cranked up the music, downloaded anew album (Michael Bublé!), bought a few presents, and decorated thetree. At night, I'm taking a few moments to sit in the flickeringlight of candles and remember . . . remember what it was like . . . before the first Christmas.

Before . . . the sounds of angels inperpetual worship.
Before . . . perfect harmony with Godthe Father and God the Spirit.
Before . . . peace, joy, comfort.
Before . . . honor, reverence.
Before . . . glory.

But then He came.

To the sound of cattle, sheep, anddonkeys
To a people in continual tension withtheir Roman rulers and religious leaders.
To cold, wet, hunger, pain.
To anger, gossip, slander, humiliation,misunderstanding.

To exhaustion.

To death.

As a child, I knew the real meaning ofChristmas. I knew there was a baby. I knew we exchanged gifts tocommemorate the Ultimate gift. But my young mind was full of Sear'sWish Books and shiny packages.

I didn't dwell on the miracle.

But for my slightly more grown up mind,I think the secret to rediscovering the joy is to rediscover themiracle.

Christmas wasalways about the gifts. It still is. But the Gift that brings joythese days isn't one that sits under the tree wrapped in shiny paper.

It's the One that lay in a feedingtrough wrapped in rags.

Immanuel –God with us. Isaiah 7:9 ~ Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. (ESV)

Join me this monthas we rediscover the joy of the season.

****

The winner of last week's giveaway is....Vicki! Congratulations! Email me at lynnhblackburn@gmail.com with your contact information and the fine folks at Baker will mail My Favorite Bible to you! Thanks to everyone who participated!

Guest Blogs and Giveaways!

2011-11-29T05:57:00.001-05:00

So, it's Tuesday.

Not Monday.

I could tell you that I planned it this way and just skip over the fact that I ~~enjoyed~~, ~~spent~~, wasted most of the day yesterday as I searched through box after box for the missing Wii games.

(Which were eventually found right where I left them eight months ago. Since, apparently, while the movers unpacked a trash can and put the trash in a box, they did not feel inclined to unpack that drawer and instead, moved it and all of it's contents in place. But I digress.)

And, just so you know, watching James squeal with delight and fall to the floor whenever his Mii got knocked down in Wii Boxing - made it all worthwhile.

But now it's Tuesday. And the timing couldn't be better because this week is all about guest blogs and giveaways!

First, the guest blogs. It is my privilege and delight to be guest blogging twice this week on the blogs of two of my favorite people, Vonda Skelton and Edie Melson. I told you about them earlier this month and I am still gobsmacked that they are brave enough to turn me loose on their readers.

Today, I'm over at The Christian Writer's Den, the newly revamped blog of Vonda Skelton. Please come by and say hello. The post is written for writers, but if you use your imagination (and don't tell me you don't have one just because you aren't a writer), I think you'll find a little application for your own life.

Thursday - and please don't panic about this - but Thursday is DECEMBER 1st. (Breathe. There's plenty of time. Okay, I feel better now.) And since it's the first Thursday of the month, it's time for my monthly review over at Edie Melson's The Write Conversation. I'll be talking about the holidays, family ~~dysfunction~~ dynamics, and birth order and how we can put this crazy time of year to good use in our novels. (Or, how we can discover new and exciting ways to torture our characters, but the other way sounds kinder (or is it more kind), doesn't it?)

And this week, is my very first blog giveaway. I'm insanely excited about this because Christmas makes me smile. And I just like to smile. Smiling's my favorite!

The very nice people over at Baker Publishing offered to give one of my readers a My Favorite Bible. Free. No strings attached. I'm sure there's a little in your life (or perhaps, the parent of a little) who would love this. It would make a fantastic gift or, if your home is ~~inhabited~~, ~~occupied~~, overtaken by tiny people, a lovely addition to your bookshelf.

Here's the blurb...

With the vibrant illustrations and engaging text in this Bible storybook, you can enjoy sharing the best-loved stories of the Bible with the children in your life and encourage a life-long love for the Word of God. My Favorite Bible is a book of exciting Bible stories and activity pages that guide children through the foundational truths of Scripture.

Each story is fully illustrated and includes a simple narrative full of things kids love: repetition, rhythm, and energy, along with a key biblical theme, a key Bible verse, and discussion questions to help adults introduce children to the Bible.

The colorful illustrations will capture the imaginations of children ages 4–8, and the stories will help adults to pass along the most important truth in life—the Gospel. Families will cherish this time as they read, listen, learn, and love, growing closer to one another even as they grow closer to God.

So, here's how you enter. Leave me a comment (here, not on Facebook, and you have to leave a name because I can't give a book to "anonymous"!) between now and Friday, December 2, and tell me which Bible story is your favorite. (And if your answer is "Jesus" or "God" I'm going to know your account has been hacked by a five-year-old who wants this book!)

Over the weekend, I will choose a comment at random and will announce the winner here on Monday! Then the lovely folks at Baker will put your very own copy of My Favorite Bible in the mail. So easy. Why are you still reading? Start commenting people!

This is a test . . . this is only a test . . . but does God grade on the curve?

2011-11-24T12:30:00.001-05:00

I was a straight-A student in high school.

I wouldn't go so far as to say I enjoyed tests, but I was good at them. They were a source of pride. Proof that I had learned the material.

And then I went to college. The first year or so went smoothly. But then my engineering professors changed the rules on me. Tests were no longer about proving what I had learned.

They were designed to discover the holes in my knowledge. To highlight weaknesses in logic and understanding.

They worked.

Thank goodness they graded on a curve. I remember being thrilled with a 37. (It was an A).

At the time, it drove me crazy. If they were going to curve the scores anyway, why didn't they give exams we had a chance of passing? I didn't see the value of an exam designed to point out how much I didn't know.

I get it now.

God gives the same kind of tests. Tests that aren't designed for us to get all cocky about how great we are doing. These tests show us our weak points. Not to condemn us. But to give us an opportunity to discover a whole new level of His grace.

Today, I'm taking a test. I'm not getting an A.

I thought, after spending the past several weeks focused on renewing my mind and living a lifestyle of gratitude, that the past week of family illness and insanity was the test. If it was, it was the high school version.

The college level exam started yesterday when I went from feeling spunky, eagerly anticipating a day of food, family, and fun, followed by a weekend at my parents, to feeling achy and miserable. This test blindsided me because it hit me in my weakest spot. My "compliant, pleaser, perfectionist" spot.

I have strep. And I'm contagious. So I'm sitting at home while my family is at my grandmother's house. My parents had to change their plans. We aren't going to their house at all. And my three-year-old was devastated.

I don't like to disappoint people.

Am I really supposed to be thankful for strep? For having to tell my three-year-old that we are not going to Papa and Nana's house after all? For my mom having to pack up all the food and goodies she had planned for us and bring them here? For my husband to have to travel with three kids, alone, to Granny's?

I could handle it if it was just me. I'll feel much better tomorrow. It's the part about disrupting everyone else. Being the cause of disappointment. That's the part that's eating at me. I expend a lot of energy avoiding that very thing.

Don't misunderstand. My parents aren't blaming me for having strep. My husband has handled bathtime, bedtime, and breakfast without complaint. My three-year-old, well, he seems to be okay with the idea of Papa and Nana coming here instead of us going there.

And I'm trying to feel thankful. Not so much for the strep, but for the God who loves me too much to let me get away with thinking I've arrived. For graciously pointing out the places where I still want to be in control. For highlighting the holes in my logic. And for giving me an opportunity to see more of Him.

I'm definitely feeling thankful for the family and friends who love me and who will be bringing me food. (I'm also ridiculously thankful for antibiotics).

And I'm thankful that I know there's a reason for the change in plans. I may never know what the reason was, but I'm choosing to rest in the knowledge that God loves me. Loves my son. Loves my parents. And none of this was random.

I don't think God grades on the curve.

I believe God grades with grace.

May His name be praised.

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith - that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen! Ephesians 3:14-21 (ESV)

*******************

#53. A husband who isn't afraid of dirty diapers
#54. The way sweet tea slides down a sore throat
#55. Homemade mochas
#56. NCIS marathons
#57. Flexible family
#58 Knowing I am loved and missed
#59 Turkey, mashed potatoes, & gravy

Thankfulness in the middle of a no good, very bad day

2011-11-21T13:19:00.001-05:00

We spent all of October focused on renewing our minds. Then we've spent the past several weeks considering thankfulness.

Have you noticed how crucial a thankful heart is to renewing your mind?

I have. I'm living it. Right now.

I'm having the kind of day that has, on occasion, turned me into a grouchy, short-tempered mama. And by "on occasion" I mean "usually."

I woke up this morning and called the pediatrician for what turned out to be a double ear infection and a perforated ear drum. I felt the sarcastic voice of condemnation that talks to me at moments like this. The one that says, "Way to go, mom of the year. Bet you feel bad about letting him cry at 2:30 this morning, don't ya?"

But instead of allowing that jerk to get the better of me, I chose to be thankful for the nudge that sent me to the doctor. And for the pediatrician who is a good friend and assured me that this is not a reflection of my mothering prowess. And for the antibiotics that will speed relief to my little man.

We left the doctor and went to check on our house. The house we still own. The one we moved out of eight months ago. The one that doesn't seem to want to belong to anyone else.

Sometimes the financial and mental drag of this house is depressing. But today, I remembered all the things that led to us buying our new home, the great things about our old home, and the God who owns both.

I chose to be thankful for His provision instead of griping about His timing.

Then Drew started fussing. And James started begging for something to drink. Already on shaky mom of the year ground, I realized I had walked out of the house for a morning full of appointments and errands with no sippy cup. So we hit McDonalds and ordered a Sprite for him and unsweetened tea for me.

They gave me sweet tea.

Okay. This one wasn't that hard to be thankful for. I drank it with a smile on our way to the final stop of the morning.

Now, I know this will come as a shock, as you're all thinking I am the most "with it" mom ever, but I had managed to run out of baby wipes. I have three in diapers. Running out of wipes is not acceptable. And a quick glance this morning had revealed another problem.

I was almost out of diapers.

In all three sizes.

You know it's bad when the twenty-something year old girls checking you out Wal-mart start looking at each other, and then at you, with wide-eyed, sympathetic glances. The cashier finally stated the obvious, "You've got your hands full."

Ya think?

I purchased Size 2, Size 5, Size 5 Overnight, Size 4T-5T Pullups, and the biggest box of wipes they sell. I almost passed out when they gave me the total.

As I walked to the car, that sarcastic voice started again. "This is some life you've got here." And you know what? For the first time, the voice was right.

This is some life.

It's not the life I expected. It's not always the life I want. But it's the life God has given me. I can stay ticked off about the drama, or I can be thankful for the gifts of grace He pours all over me.

I came home and spent an hour outside with James. We chased falling leaves, hunted for acorns, and soaked up some sun.

Then he told me he didn't want to wear diapers anymore.

One more thing to be thankful for!

(I hope I can remember this in about an hour when I'm washing wet Spiderman undies . . . )

************

Are you counting? I am!

Book Review: Rooms by James L. Rubart

2011-11-17T06:00:00.000-05:00

One of the things I am most thankful for is that my husband is a reader. I come from a family of readers and I'm not sure what I would do if I couldn't share my love of books with him.

I'm always on the hunt for authors Brian will enjoy, but he reads with a critical eye. Not critical in a mean way. Critical in the sense that he spots inconsistent plots, flat characters, and overdone description.

He usually finishes the books he starts, but when I ask him, "How'd you like it?" it's rare for me to get a rave review. He's particularly tough on the author when the storyline becomes too far-fetched for his tastes.

(In the interest of full disclosure, it should be noted that I have rarely run across a storyline too far-fetched for my tastes. Just saying.)

So when I read Rooms by Jim Rubart a few months ago, I couldn't decide whether or not to pass it along to Brian. Because there's this little issue of an "out there" storyline . . .

It's hard to write a review of Rooms without giving away the whole thing. I make a concerted effort not to include spoilers in my reviews because half the fun of reading a book is the incremental discovery that comes as the author weaves details into drama.

But you can pick up this much from the back cover . . . Micah is a young software executive who seems to have everything. Except his faith, which he set aside as he pursued his career. All that changes when he discovers a house has been constructed for him in Cannon Beach, a place full of bitter memories and far removed from his fast-paced lifestyle.

Micah intends to enlist the services of a real estate agent at once, but the mansion on Cannon Beach is no ordinary mansion. It feels like home, like it was designed just for him.

And then new rooms appear. Some rooms are too frightening to enter. Some too pleasurable to leave.

What follows is the journey into a heart of man. And the extraordinary measures God takes to draw us back to Him.

Rooms falls into the "speculative fiction" genre. In other words, it's not bound to reality. Think It's a Wonderful Life meets The Shack. Weird things happen. But if you're willing to go along for the ride, you'll find your own rooms that require deep thoughts and long searches of the soul.

I liked it.

So did Brian.

Let me know if you do, too!

You have to look if you want to see

2011-11-14T13:10:00.001-05:00

I wasn't expecting a God-moment as I drove to get my hair cut last week. The kids were in the back of the van, and for once, I wasn't running late. It was just a normal day. I was doing normal things.

And then it happened.

But I almost missed it. The splash of color in my peripheral vision enticed me to glance up and to the left as I crested a hill. Spread before me like a tapestry was a glimpse of splendor. Trees arrayed in riotous colors, showing off for their Creator. And they called me to worship right along with them.

I rarely travel that stretch and when I do, I'm almost always in a hurry. Probably on my cell phone. Or maybe singing along with the kids to a Veggie Tales CD.

I had never noticed that for a few brief moments as you travel Haywood Road, there's a view worth savoring.

It's been there all along. But I hadn't seen it.

The same is true of the gifts God has graced us with. And it's one of the reasons taking the time to write them down can be life changing.

They've been there all along.

But you have to look if you want to see.

*****
I'm home with sick littles today and my list reflects this.

27. The slower pace of sick days
28. Healthy children whose sniffles are nuisances but not life threatening
29. Tylenol and Motrin
30. Emma saying, "I wanna snuggle"

What's on your list today? I'd love to hear about the gifts you see in your life!

Book Review: One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp

2011-11-10T06:01:00.000-05:00

I think the truest test of the power of a book is whether or not it lingers in your mind long after you've turned the last page. And if, in the lingering, it inspires you to change.

Based on that definition, One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp is a powder keg in hardback.

I was a little skeptical at first. I mean, keeping a gratitude journal is almost passé. Oprah did it years ago. And we all know we should be thankful.

But Ann's take on thankfulness is unlike any I've heard before.

And her list of 1000 gifts is no mere "I'm thankful for my kids" compilation. It's a journey into seeing each experience through the eyes of grace. Or as the book cover declares, "A dare to live fully, right where you are."

Beginning in the second chapter, she introduces us to the concept of eucharisteo - it's a Greek word that's translated "he gave thanks" and has in its roots the Greek words "charis" and "chara" - grace and joy. From there, she takes us on a poetic journey into how grace, thanksgiving, and joy are intertwined and always available to us.

As a word lover, I found her poetic prose lush and descriptive. But I will confess that there were times when the poetry somewhat clouded the message. When I needed to go back, slow down, re-read, and ponder. Because this is no light read. There are deep questions raised. How do we give thanks for suffering? How do we trust God in the face of pain and loss?

Depending on your theology, you may not agree with all of her conclusions. But you would do well to ask the questions yourself.

For her, the deep questions all began when someone challenged her to make a list - 1000 gifts - and the list changed her life.

Because "the counting of all blessings is ultimately summed up in One. All gratitude is ultimately gratitude for Christ, all remembering a remembrance of Him. For in Him all things were created, are sustained, have their being. Thus Christ is all there is to give thanks for; Christ is all there is to remember. To know how we can count on God, we count graces, but ultimately there is really only One." (p. 155)

That's what makes this listing of gifts unlike any other. Because each one points to the One.

I went out and bought a plain, blue leather journal from Wal-mart. It's huge. It's big enough to capture far more than 1000 gifts. I have this mental picture of a grandchild someday thumbing through it and asking me if I remember what prompted me to write "18. The perfect shoes on clearance."

I probably won't remember by then. But I pray the journal is worn, faded, and full of reminders of the love-notes my Abba sends me every day.

Oblivious to the Obvious

2011-11-07T06:01:00.000-05:00

I love my Tervis tumbler.

It happened so fast, all I could do was pick up the pieces.

Literally.

You wouldn't think an 8-month-old had hands that move at the speed of light. But mine does. I walked by the counter, and before I could ~~say~~, ~~gasp~~, yell “NO!” he had grabbed the rim of my Tervis tumbler and sent it crashing to the kitchen floor.

Tervis tumblers are supposed to be indestructible. They have a lifetime guarantee, but I'm afraid the company is going to lose money on me. My 3-year-old cracked my first tumbler on the store floor before we had plunked down the plastic to pay for it.

Now, my cup (which survived), lid (which did not), and six ounces of coffee mocked me from the hardwood floor, while another few ounces ran in caramel streams down the kitchen cabinets.

I was ~~unhappy,~~ ~~annoyed~~. OK. Fine. I was ticked.

Not at Drew. He was just doing his best impression of an eight-month-old.

But I was ticked. The way I get ticked when my day goes off on an unpleasant tangent. In "Lynn's Math" unplanned = unpleasant. Given that I have three children, you can imagine how often I struggle with unpleasant events.

I put Drew in his high chair and ~~walked~~ stomped to the paper towel holder.

And then it happened.

I remembered.

I remembered all those blog posts from October about renewing my mind.

I remembered all the planned blog posts for November about gratitude.

I remembered that pretty new journal where I'd begun to record things—big and little things—that I'm thankful for.

Gulp.

It's hard to stay ticked when you're trying to be thankful.

It's hard to be in a bad mood when you choose to think about things that are true and lovely and excellent.

Which made me wonder . . . how many times am I in a bad mood for no reason other than that I choose to be? Being upset over spilled coffee may seem trivial. But how often do the trivial things throw my day into a tailspin that I never recover from?

I thought about this as I cleaned the floors and cabinets, made another cup of coffee, and added a new entry to my list of gifts God has given me.

#6 – Hardwood floors that are easy to clean up.

I've decided that nothing is too obvious to go on my list.

Because sometimes it's the obvious to which I'm most oblivious.

********

I'd like to challenge you to think about making your own list. My list is growing and I'll be sharing random entries in blog posts this month. I was inspired to start my list after reading One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp and I'll be talking about her book on Thursday. I hope you'll stop back by!

Thoughtful Thursday ~ Forever Thankful

2011-11-03T07:55:00.002-04:00

I plan to spend November sharing a random assortment of things I am thankful for. Today, I want to tell you a little story.

Once upon a time, there was a girl whose parents insisted she go to bed at a reasonable hour, even though she wasn't sleepy. So she would dream up elaborate stories to occupy her time. As a general rule, she was the heroine of the tales. There was a long stretch where she was a famous teenage spy. Then several years where she was a cancer curing doctor. And of course, a ridiculous number of stories where she wound up married to a wealthy man and had servants and jetted around the world to attend opening night at the opera.

The girl never told anyone these stories because she thought there was something wrong with her. She tried to stop herself but sooner or later, another story would emerge.

Then one day, the girl (who was now quite grown up) wondered what would happen if she tried to write the story down. How hard could it be? The story in her head would make a great book. The kind of book she would like to read.

So she did.

But she didn't tell anyone. Except her very own Prince Charming who didn't think she was crazy and encouraged her to finish the tale. When she typed "The End" she realized she had a choice. Keep the secret, or share it.

The girl was afraid. Afraid people would laugh. Afraid people would think she was crazy. After all, Prince Charming was biased so she couldn't assume others would share his opinion.

The girl chose to share. First with her sister. Then her parents. Then a few friends. And to her relief, they didn't just like it. They loved it.

So she took a class.

Then signed up for a writers conference.

And that's when things got really interesting. Because two people who did not know her at all emailed her and said, "Hey, you're a writer. We're writers. Come hang out with us."

The girl was afraid. What if they didn't like her? Or worse, what if they didn't like her writing? (Which is not the same thing, but feels like it is). The girl didn't think of herself as a writer, but she wanted to. So she went to meet the writers.

And the rest . . . well, the rest is unfolding right before your eyes. Edie Melson (@EdieMelson) and Vonda Skelton (@VondaSkelton) welcomed the girl into their circle of writers. They encouraged, instructed, and critiqued. They introduced the girl to other writers. And they continue to remind her that successful writers write and some of them get published. And while she may be a little wierd, there's nothing wrong with her that isn't wrong with them, too.

You may be wondering why I chose to tell that story today and what it has to do with thankfulness.

Today, as I do every first Thursday of the month, I have a guest post on Edie's blog, The Write Conversation. Later this month, I'll have a guest post on Vonda's blog, The Christian Writer's Den. These women have chosen to be encouragers and cheerleaders to a bunch of newbie (and not so newbie) writers. They are some of the busiest women I know, but they make time because they don't want to see new writers make any of the mistakes they made early in their careers.

Not every new writer manages to fall in with people who only want the best for them.

But this girl did.

And I will forever be thankful.

*************

31 Days :: Day 31 ~ Are you ready for some action?

2011-10-31T15:02:00.002-04:00

As we wrap up our 31 day journey, I want to leave you with the words of my favorite disciple.

I Peter 1:13 ~ Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. (ESV)

What the ESV translates as "preparing your minds for action" is translated "gird up the loins of your mind" in quite a few other translations. They both mean the same thing, but I have to tell you, I rather like the imagery of "girding up the loins of your mind." In Biblical times people wore long robes and "girding up your loins" meant to tuck garments up and away from the legs so you'd be free to work, serve, run, or fight.

As we move forward into Thanksgiving and Christmas and a New Year, let's prepare our minds for whatever action God has for us. As we exercise daily renewing, our minds won't be so quick to wander off into hopelessness, won't be consumed by fear, won't be overwhelmed by a to-do list that never ends.

Instead, we will choose to remember, choose to renew, choose to be still and know, and choose to set our hope on the plentiful grace that is ours - now and for all eternity.

*******

When I started this series a month ago, I was worried that I might run out of topics. To my surprise, I have a list of verses and themes that I didn't have time to touch. So this topic may reappear from time to time in various "Mindful Mondays" posts. After all, renewing isn't just a 31 day process...it's the journey of a lifetime.

If you've enjoyed this series, I hope you'll continue to follow along as I switch gears and resume my regular blogging schedule. I'll be focusing on giving thanks in November. Please join me!

Grace and peace,
Lynn

31 Days :: Day 30 ~ How do you know?

2011-10-30T06:00:00.000-04:00

Psalm 46:10a ~ Be still, and know that I am God. (ESV)

The Hebrew word translated here as "be still" is "raphah" and oh how I love the meaning...it means "sink, relax."

So today, sink into Him. Relax into His embrace.

Know that He is God.

And be renewed.

31 Days :: Day 29 ~ Does it do any good?

2011-10-29T06:00:00.000-04:00

Mark 12:29-31 ~ Jesus answered, The most important is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these. (ESV)

Have you ever heard this said about anyone? "He's so heavenly minded he's no earthly good."

Yeah. Me neither.

For most of us, that saying would be better reversed . . . She's so earthly minded she's no heavenly good.

Ouch.

Renewing our minds is not just an exercise in logic or reasoning or discipline. A mind that is truly renewed will start giving you some radical assignments.

Maybe you should go on that short-term mission trip.
Maybe you should help out at the homeless shelter.
Maybe you should give more of that money (that you now realize isn't actually yours) to further God's Kingdom.
Maybe you should ask your - friend, parent, sibling, spouse, coworker - for forgiveness.
Maybe you should invite your neighbors over for dinner and get to know them.

As we discussed several weeks ago, this isn't about adding to your to-do list. This is about re-purposing your to-do list.

On the heels of telling us to love God with everything we have, Jesus follows with "and love your neighbor as yourself" and tells us there are no commandments greater.

If I can look across the cul-de-sac and not be moved by the faces I see - faces of people who need Jesus - then I'm not fulfilling this most important command.

Only a mind, continually renewed, will be able to look past the yapping dogs, crowing roosters, too high grass, and annoyingly parked cars, and see a soul beloved of God. A soul Jesus died for. A soul the Holy Spirit may, right now, be softening to the Truth that you have. And you have it ready because you've been dwelling on it. And when the Holy Spirit opens the door, you can walk right through it.

As we move forward, we have lots of head knowledge. Maybe you've learned something new this month. Maybe you've been reminded of things you used to know but had forgotten.

My prayer is that as I (and you!) focus on daily renewing my mind, that it will spill out. That I will splash grace everywhere I go. That I'll see what God is up to and that I'll be a willing participant in His plan.

Please, Abba, may it do some good.

31 Days :: Day 28 ~ Does it matter?

2011-10-28T11:47:00.000-04:00

Mark 12:30 ~ And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. (ESV)

We've come to our final weekend of focusing on renewing. It's been a fun journey for me. I hope it has been for you as well.

As we wrap up our time on this topic, let's take a look at what Jesus had to say about our minds.

The religious rulers of that time had taken the laws provided in the Old Testament and expanded upon them. Their "Do and Don't" list was around 600 items long!

In a few brief words, Jesus took their list and annihilated it. He reminded them of ancient commands found in Deuteronomy and said, "Listen, it's easy. Love the Lord your God with all you've got." (Lynn's paraphrase!)

I checked...the word for mind here includes your intellect, imagination, and intent. So we know what we're talking about.

Or do we?

How on earth do you love God with your mind? Love Him with your heart and soul? Check. We get that. Most of us can play that song on the piano. Love Him with your strength? Well, it's a little less obvious, but at an intuitive level, we grasp the idea of loving fiercely and with everything that is in us.

But love God with your mind? Minds - brains - intellect - not usually something you think of as loving.

The love commanded here is agape. The kind of love only fully exhibited by God. The kind of love we are called to as believers. The kind of love we are incapable of expressing without the power of the Holy Spirit.

And I found this definition in Strong's . . . true agapáō ("loving") is always defined by God – a "discriminating affection which involves choice and selection". Another definition I found says that it denotes the love of reason.

Loving God is a choice you make with your mind.

I can't love God with all of my mind if my framework is skewed.

I can't love God with all of my mind if I'm deceived about what is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, and worthy of praise.

I can't love God with all of my mind if I've forgotten who I am, how much it cost to redeem me, and why I'm still here.

When they asked Jesus for the most important commandment, He said love the Lord your God . . . with all your mind.

Renewing matters.

*****
You can read past entries in the 31 Days of Renewing series here.

31 Days :: Day 27 ~ Does your imagination need a reality check?

2011-10-27T06:01:00.000-04:00

Isaiah 26:3 ~ You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. (ESV)

Yesterday we unpacked some tough stuff.

It won't be much easier today.

Sorry.

Please understand that there is nothing I've written about in the past month that I feel I have a handle on. And that includes - maybe I should say that is especially true - of today's subject.

As I pulled this verse apart, looking at the Hebrew meanings of each word, I found another word that I thought I knew the meaning of.

Mind.

Seems straightforward enough, right? After all, that's what we've been studying all month. But the Hebrew word that is translated here as mind has a very interesting definition. Strong's concordance gives the short definition as "intent" but then further defines the word as . . .

frame, thing framed, imagination, mind, work

I spent a while confused about this, trying to get from frame to imagination. But then an idea started to form. Hebrew scholars might scoff, but this is what I came up with.

All of us have a framework we think from. A world view. Our thoughts and imagination are built on this frame.

And in most cases, our frame is skewed.

Here's an example...those of us who lived in the United States tend to assume that we have been blessed by God. We are thankful we live where we live, with freedoms, opportunities, clean air, clean water, warm houses, and an ample food supply. We might not say it out loud, but we think these things reveal that God has blessed us. That we are, somehow, favored.

But Christians who have ministered to believers in some of the poorest parts of the world have reported that those believers feel sorry for us. They have nothing. They live in poverty. They live in filth. They suffer daily pain that we wouldn't tolerate for more than five minutes before we'd popped some Tylenol.

Yet their lives are characterized by joy and they pity us. Why? Because we have so much stuff our minds and hearts are too cluttered to revel in the miracle of Christ in us.

They have nothing. But they have Jesus. And He is everything.

Can you say that? Honestly? Maybe you're like me. I believe it.

But I don't live it.

And it made me wonder...

What if the truth is that in the spiritual realm, they are the favored ones?

With less distraction, less stuff, do their frames square more with God? Maybe.

I know that within my twisted framework, my imagination runs wild and I think others have more, are happier, are healthier, are blessed more than I am. And then I sulk because God isn't giving me what I want.

And I wonder why I have no peace.

There is no hope for skewed frames and unruly imaginations, other than to surrender them to God. In our materialistic and me-centered society, daily renewing of our minds is crucial to bringing our view of the world and our place in it in line with God's.

How's your frame today?

Got an imagination that needs a reality check?

Yeah. Me, too.

Isaiah 26:3 ~ You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. (ESV)

31 Days :: Day 26 ~ Do you long for peace?

2011-10-26T14:06:00.000-04:00

Isaiah 26:3 ~ You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. (ESV)

Today, we are diving into the Old Testament for a look at one of my favorite verses. And one that makes a tantalizing promise . . . one I sometimes feel is virtually unattainable.

Perfect peace.

The Hebrew for "Shalom" (thanks Wikipedia!)Can you even imagine what a life characterized by perfect peace would look like? Does every part of your being long for such an ideal? Mine does.

And it should. Because we were made for perfect peace. Adam and Eve experienced it in the garden and there is a longing, deep within our souls, for what was lost.

The Hebrew word we translate as "peace" is "shalom." It looks like this - שָׁלֹ֑ום - and it turns out that in the literal Hebrew, the word "perfect" does not appear in this verse. It actually says "שָׁלֹ֑ום שָׁלֹ֑ום" or "shalom, shalom." I'm no more a Hebrew scholar than I am a Greek scholar, but according to the commentaries I read, when a word is doubled it is done so for emphasis and to denote the certainty of the word.

Peace upon peace. Double peace. Absolute peace. Oh, yeah. That's what I want.

I think...

The ESV Study Bible says that shalom...

"had a much richer connotation than the English word does since in conveyed not merely the absence of conflict but also the notion of positive blessing, especially in terms of a right relationship with God, and also, as a result, the idea that "all is well" in one's life. This may be manifested most clearly amid persecution and tribulation."

Insert screeching tire sounds here!

Wait just a minute. Shalom is manifested most clearly amid persecution and tribulation? That's not what I think of when I think of peace.

Which brings us back to our minds. As we've been studying, we need to constantly be in the process of renewing our minds. One way to do that is to think about truth. To focus on the Truth even what is true in our lives stinks.

We believe the Bible is true and this verse promises "perfect peace" to the one who can keep his mind "stayed" on God.

Sounds like a lot of hard work, doesn't it?

I thought so, until I looked up the word for "stayed". Guess what it means in Hebrew?

To lean, lay, rest

Resting, leaning - those things don't require more work.

They require surrender.

The mind resting in full surrender on God - His truth, His will, His love, His plan - will know that all is well in their world, despite tribulation and suffering.

I don't know about you, but this is a lot for me to get my mind around. Let's talk about it more tomorrow.

***************

Today's post made me think of the hymn Like a River Glorious by Frances Ridley Havergal. I've included Verse 3 and the chorus for you to ponder.

Verse 3

Ev'ry joy or trial
Falleth from above,
Traced upon our dial
By the Sun of Love;
We may trust Him fully
All for us to do
They who trust Him wholly
Find Him wholly true.

Chorus:

Stayed upon Jehovah,
Hearts are fully blest
Finding, as He promised,
Perfect peace and rest.

31 Days :: Day 25 ~ Is there anything worthy of praise?

2011-10-25T09:18:00.000-04:00

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. ~ Philippians 4:8 (ESV)

We've spent the past several weeks taking this verse apart, almost word for word. Have you noticed how the ideas build on each other? If you don't know what's true, then how will you know what's honorable? If you aren't thinking of things that are pure, will you notice the things that are excellent?

While we've taken the time to focus on each word, I don't think Paul ever intended for this to be an exhaustive list. He pointed out the biggies, and then threw in a catch all . . . if there's anything worthy of praise, think about that stuff, too. (Lynn's paraphrase!)

I don't think he wanted to constrain our thinking. I think he wanted to encourage us to open our minds to all that is wonderful and good in this world.

We don't need help seeing the bad stuff.

But somehow, especially in our comfortable American culture, we struggle to see the good.
Our minds are so busy, so hectic, so anxious - so oblivious.

There is a whole world of wonder out there. Children see it. They ooh and aah over spider webs, flowers, rocks, dirt, and chipmunks.

But grownups are too busy for that nonsense.

The Greek for "anything worthy of praise" is "Epainos" and it means "approbation, commendation, praise" and carries the idea of "applause." It can be used to describe praise of men to God, praise of men to men, praise of God to men (think about that for a minute and try not to get goosebumps) and is used to describe things that deserve to be praised.

Could he have left it any more wide-open?

Cheer for your favorite team. Clap after your favorite little person's recital. Go crazy when your tiny martial artist earns a new belt.

Marvel at the intricate network of purple-blue veins running beneath the clear skin of a newborn. Relish the softness of your favorite blanket. Inhale the French roast or the Earl Grey.

Open your mind.

Pay attention.

And as you start to think about all the things that are worthy of praise, don't be surprised when your thoughts turn to praising the One who is Worthy.

31 Days :: Day 24 ~ Need a little tweaking?

2011-10-24T09:39:00.000-04:00

If there is any excellence . . . think about these things. Phil. 4:8 (ESV)

The Greek word for excellence is "arete" and it is most often defined as "virtuous thoughts feelings, actions; moral excellence and purity."

My first reaction, when I hear "excellence" is to think of the best of something. The people and things that have achieved the highest levels of success.

And while that is true, there is another definition. One I found far more interesting.

It turns out the the word "arete" could also be used to describe anything in nature that was fulfilling its purpose. A field ripe with grain was excellent. A tree heavy with fruit was excellent. A tool doing its job was excellent.

As I pondered this definition, I realized I need to tweak my idea of excellence.

Ephesians 2:10 tells us that "We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." (ESV)

If you are fulfilling God's purposes for your life, then you are living in excellence.

You'll note I didn't say if you are "successful" or "famous" or "rich" or "popular."

It seems to me that the vast majority of people who are fulfilling the call God has on their lives are doing so in virtual obscurity.

Do you remember the photos from yesterday's post? That red leaf was probably blooming on the trees in my backyard when we moved here several months ago. It spent it's lifetime shading my home. Maybe it was one of the chorus that waved and sang to me as I found my way to my ugly chair again and again. Then, the chlorophyll faded, the leaf turned loose from the branch, and it floated to rest, nestled against the ferns under my kitchen window, where it once again drew my heart to praise the Creator for His marvelous works.

That leaf is excellent.

The fragile flower didn't question it's location when it was time to grow and bloom. It didn't point out that growing up in the crack of my driveway was a surefire way to a shortened existence. It didn't argue that if it had only landed a few feet away it probably would have been allowed to live a much longer life. No. It grew. It fulfilled its purpose. And, as the leaf, called out to me, "Lynn, I'm doing my part? Are you doing yours?"

The flower is excellent.

How about you? Have you fallen into the trap of thinking that you aren't living a life of excellence because you aren't meeting the world's definition of 'success'?

Spend some time today thinking about true excellence . . . and be renewed.

31 Days :: Day 23 ~ What do they represent?

2011-10-23T06:01:00.000-04:00

On this beautiful Sunday, take a moment to look at these photos as you reflect on the words of Philippians 4:8.

What do you think they represent? I think they could be considered lovely, maybe pure, or even honorable.

But for me, they represent excellence.

I'll explain tomorrow.

Grace and peace to each of you.

31 Days :: Day 22 ~ Need a break?

2011-10-22T06:00:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, I gave you a challenge to make an effort this weekend to focus on the things that are commendable in the people who populate your world.

So I thought we'd take a little break today. I've collected a handful of some of my favorite "thinking" quotes that I've run across as I've researched this topic.

They are both thought provoking and disturbing. The last one in particular.

*****

Rarely do we find men who willingly engage in hard, solid thinking. There is an almost universal quest for easy answers and half-baked solutions. Nothing pains some people more than having to think. ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.

Thinking is the hardest work there is, which is probably the reason why so few engage in it. ~ Henry Ford

Reading furnishes the mind only with materials of knowledge; it is thinking that makes what we read ours. ~ John Locke

A bookstore is one of the only pieces of evidence we have that people are still thinking. ~ Jerry Seinfeld

The secret of living a life of excellence is merely a matter of thinking thoughts of excellence. Really, it's a matter of programming our minds with the kind of information that will set us free. ~ Charles R. Swindoll

Clear thinking requires courage rather than intelligence. ~ Thomas Szasz

She that fails to command her thoughts will soon lose command of her actions. ~ Unknown

Reading without reflecting is like eating without digesting. ~ Edmund Burke

Watch your thoughts, for they become words. Watch your words, for they become actions. Watch your actions, for they become habits. Watch your habits, for they become character. Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny. ~ Unknown

Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought. ~ John F. Kennedy

What luck for rulers, that men do not think. ~ Adolph Hitler

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We're spending the month of October focused on renewing our minds. You can find a list of previous posts here.

31 Days :: Day 21 ~ You mean I have to practice?

2011-10-21T06:01:00.000-04:00

Whatever is commendable . . . think on these things.

We've been talking for the past several weeks about renewing our minds by choosing to think the way God wants us to think. Philippians 4:8 gives us a list of things we are to think about - things that are true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, and worthy of praise.

Ever wonder why God inspired Paul to include things that are commendable?

Ever noticed how much easier it is to focus on peoples faults than on their good points?

That's why.

Let's do an experiment. Think about someone who annoys the snot out of you.

That didn't take long, did it? Because all of us have "those" people in our lives. The people who you'd rather clean bathrooms than hang out with. The people who manage to bring out the worst in you, every time you interact with them.

Still thinking about that annoying person?

Good. Now let's practice thinking about things that are commendable about that person.

Oh, come on. You can think of something.

It may take a little effort, but if you try, you'll be able to come up with several things about that person that are commendable. Things you could - if, say, you had an interest in renewing your mind - choose to focus on.

Our natural tendency is to focus on all the things that frustrate us about these people. Their habitual tardiness. Their hyena laugh. Their ability to point out that while your entire house is clean, you failed to wipe out your microwave or dust your computer.

The complaints may be valid.

But Paul exhorts us to think about things that are commendable.

All that stuff that's driving me crazy? According to the preceding verses, I need to take it to God in prayer and leave it there. Have you ever noticed how hard it is to stay angry at someone when you start to pray for them? It's also hard to stay angry at someone when you focus on the things that they do right.

Try this with your family this weekend. Whenever they start to drive you insane, CHOOSE to think about something that is commendable. If you have a spouse, I suggest you start there. You can focus on the socks in the floor or choose to be thankful for a husband who works his tail off to provide for his family.

No one ever said renewing was easy.

In the next verse, Paul tells the Philippians to "practice these things and the God of peace will be with you."

Something tells me that our homes and relationships would be so much more peaceful if we chose to think about the commendable things.

Will you join me this weekend and practice renewing your mind?

31 Days :: Day 20 ~ Who's the loveliest of them all?

2011-10-20T06:01:00.000-04:00

Whatever is lovely . . . think on these things.

The Greek word translated as lovely is "prosphiles" and it means "acceptable, pleasing" and has the idea of being "winsome, sweet, gracious, attractive." In classical Greek it means "dear or beloved" when used to describe people and "pleasing or agreeable" when used to describe things.

And here's a little fun-fact. This word "prosphiles" is only used one time in the New Testament.

Once.

Now, I happen to believe that God is an excellent writer. As such, He chooses His words with precision.

So what's unique about this word? Why choose "lovely" for us to dwell on?

Jump back to the Old Testament with me for a moment. In Proverbs, we read that "as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he." The more we choose to think about things that are lovely, the more lovely we ourselves will become.

Why does it matter if choose to think about lovely things and in turn, become lovely ourselves?

Because we live in an unlovely world. A world that is searching for something, they just don't know what it is.

But we know.

We know the One who is loveliest of all.

The Bible tells us that Jesus was not attractive in appearance, but people were drawn to Him. He spoke the Truth about sin and evil, but sinners and evildoers still found Him irresistible.

Our church has a mission statement that goes something like this...We are a community of grace, living out the purpose and personality of Jesus in our world.

Jesus had the best personality ever.

As a Christ follower, I have no business running around looking like I was weaned on dill pickles. When I speak, the words that come from my mouth should be pleasant and agreeable, not laced with venom toward anyone or anything.

I'd love for the people I come into contact with as I go through my day to find me attractive - not physically - but in the "there's just something about that girl - I like hanging out with her" kind of way. And maybe as they hang out with me, they'll discover the "something" they are looking for.

Not in me.

But in Jesus.

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If you've just joined us today, we are taking 31 days to focus on renewing our minds. You can read previous posts here.

31 Days :: Day 19 ~ Is it stainless?

2011-10-19T06:01:00.000-04:00

Whatever is pure . . . think on these things.

The Greek word for pure is "hagnos" and it means "exciting reverence, sacred" and "pure - free from carnality, chaste, modest; free from fault, immaculate; clean."

The word is used to describe both sexual purity as well as ceremonial purity.

One commentator referred to it as thinking of things that are "stainless" because some thoughts leave permanent stains on our mind.

It's easy to think of this in regards to hormonal teenagers, but the application is for all of us. In our society, where even the commercials on TV are full of sexual innuendo and violence, keeping our thoughts pure - stainless - is a lifelong battle.

What we listen to on the radio, watch on TV or at the movies, surf to on the Internet, and read in books has a profound impact on the way we think. I had to ask myself, "Am I renewing my mind with things that are pure?"

The answer? Not always.

The idea of ceremonial purity particularly intrigued me. Sacrificial offerings had to be without blemish to be acceptable.

Is what I'm thinking about appropriate to offer up as a sacrifice?

God refused to accept any offering that wasn't pure.

And He wants me to dwell on nothing less.

31 Days :: Day 18 ~ How hungry are you?

2011-10-18T06:01:00.000-04:00

Whatever is just . . . think on these things.

The word translated here as "just" (it's also frequently translated "right") is "dikaios" and the short definition is "just, righteous, impartial." The implication is that in every interaction and every relationship, our thoughts should come in line with God's thoughts.

I'm loving the way Paul is layering his words. It's impossible to think about things that are "just" without knowing Truth. The more you think about true and honorable things, the more your thoughts will begin to line up with God's thoughts, and the more you'll be able to think about things that are just and righteous.

In Matthew, Jesus says, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied."

How hungry are you?

31 Days :: Day 17 ~ No books required?

2011-10-17T06:01:00.000-04:00

Happy Monday! If your weekend was as crazy as mine and you need to catch up, you can find links to the sixteen previous posts here.

Phil. 4:8 ~ Whatever is honorable . . . think about these things. (ESV)

Yesterday, we talked about reading non-fiction as a way to renew our minds.

But what if you don't consider yourself to be a reader?

What if the idea of picking up a 100 page book is overwhelming, much less a 500 page biography? Or what if you don't have time for a lot of reading?

Well . . . welcome to 2011. If you're serious about renewing your mind, you have options.

LOTS OF OPTIONS!

1. This one is obvious, but you can read blogs. Most authors and speakers have blogs these days. A quick web search will get you started and most blogs (including this one!) have an option to subscribe by email. This means you never have to hunt for the blog again - anytime there's a new post, you'll get an email about it.

One blog I highly recommend is Deeper in Rhode Island with Jesus written by Lori Roeleveld. Lori updates her blog several times a week and never fails to make me think deeper about my faith.

2. Do you have a Twitter account? You can "follow" all sorts of people and churches and receive frequent words of encouragement and exhortation. I follow @PaulTripp, @DailyKeller (quotes from Tim Keller), @SouthsideChurch (my church), @CSLewisDaily (a daily quote from C.S. Lewis) to name a few. You could also follow me ... @LynnHBlackburn. :-)

3. You can sign up to receive daily devotions. I suggest you pick one or two and leave it at that, or you'll find yourself deleting more than reading. I like Christian Devotions for a couple of reasons. One, I know quite a few of the authors who contribute and two, the devotions are only 300-400 words. Long enough to make a point, short enough to be a quick read. (For reference, most of my blog posts are between 400-500 words).

4. If you really hate to read, then you probably haven't made it this far. And I realize that reading isn't always the best way for some people to receive information. If you're more of an auditory learner, or if you spend a lot of time in your car, podcasts and audiobooks are available from local churches, radio broadcasts, and nationally televised speakers.

For example, right now our church is going through II Corinthians. Powerful stuff. No matter where you live, you can download the sermons and listen along. Miss a Focus on the Family broadcast? You can download those, too. Love a particular speaker? A few clicks of the mouse and you'll find ways to hear their teaching.

All of these things are free and effective ways to renew your mind.

Regardless of the method you prefer, finding honorable things to think about isn't really hard.

But no one is going to do your renewing for you.

So what are you waiting for?

*************
Got some other suggestions for renewing your mind by thinking about honorable things, with or without books? I'd love to hear about them in the comments!

31 Days :: Day 16 ~ What is honorable?

2011-10-16T06:01:00.000-04:00

Philippians 4:8 ~ Whatever is honorable . . . think about these things. (ESV)

As we continue our 31 day journey into renewing our mind, today we're going to talk about what it means to think about things that are honorable.

The Greek word that is translated here as honorable is "semnos" and it means "August, venerable, reverend. To be venerated for character, honorable."

I'll be honest, this one had me a little stumped. Because the other three times it's used in the New Testament, it's referring to dignified, sober-minded, honorable men and women in the church.

So what's Paul telling us here? Think about the honorable people in the church?

Well . . . kinda.

We rely on the authority of the Scriptures as our final judge of truth, but many men and women of God have taken the time to write down their insights and experiences and we would do well to spend some time thinking about those things.

How do we do that? We read their books. And I'm not talking about fiction.

I write fiction. I love fiction. I read fiction in just about every genre. I believe good fiction can and does impact lives.

But fiction cannot and should not take the place of time spent first in the Word and second in the pages of works written by honorable men and women of the faith.

If you haven't read any non-fiction lately, you're missing out on a treasure of mind renewing wisdom.

Don't know where to start? Well . . . for the past several months I've been posting reviews of non-fiction books that have had an impact on my walk. You could start with A Praying Life, Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World, I Used to Be So Organized, or Grace for the Good Girl.

Another idea is to find out what books have been studied in the past few years in Bible studies (both for the men and women) at your church. Or pay attention in services when your pastor mentions an author.That's why a book by Tim Keller and the biography of Deitrich Bonhoeffer are next up on my TBR (to-be-read) stack.

Tomorrow we're going to take a different approach to this subject, but for today, leave me a comment and tell me what works of non-fiction you're reading, or have read in the past, and how they impacted you.

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I'm so glad you've joined us. We're in the middle of a 31 day exploration of what renewing our minds looks like. If this is your first time visiting, you can find links to previous 31 Days of Renewing posts here.

31 Days :: Day 15 ~ Blessings?

2011-10-15T06:01:00.000-04:00

I've always loved music.

One of my favorite ways to worship is to be completely alone (which these days, is beyond rare), sit down at the piano, and play hymns while I warble out some dreadful alto and let the ancient words echo to the heavens in adoration.

But since I've started writing, I have a whole new appreciation for song writers - both the hymn writers and the modern poets who speak truth and then set it to music. It so often touches a place in our souls that I am convinced longs to join with angels in heavenly praise.

As we wrap up our focus on renewing our minds with truth, I give you this video. Laura Story has taken a hard truth, wrapped it in a haunting melody, and re-wired our thinking about how we define blessing.

Is it possible that even in hardship, God is pouring blessings into our lives . . . if only we could see the truth?

Listen, and be renewed.

31 Days :: Day 14 ~ Even when the truth hurts?

2011-10-14T06:01:00.000-04:00

Do not be anxious about anything . . . whatever is true . . . think on these things. (Philippians 4:6 and 8)

According to the Internet (and let's not even get started as to whether or not the Internet can be considered true) there are many studies that have revealed that approximately 90% of the stuff people worry about never happens.

And while I can't point to the actual study (I tried to find an actual study - as opposed to someone saying "there are studies" - but I didn't have any luck), I think we know they are right.

On a practical, real-life level, we know that the vast majority of what we worry about isn't true.

But what about the 10% that is?

The diagnosis is grim.
The job is gone.
The marriage is over.

What do we do when what is true . . . is awful?

I've been there. I've listened to the nurse practitioner tell me things I did not want to hear. I've sat in the graveyard as my oldest and dearest friend buried her child. I've told people I love goodbye and watched as they slipped through the veil.

Paul knew a thing or thirty about suffering. He was beaten, whipped, stoned, and shipwrecked. And if that wasn't enough, the people he ministered to lied about him, turned on him, humiliated him, and tried to destroy his credibility.

But he wrote these words . . .

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Phil. 4:7 (ESV)

Sandwiched between verses that tell us not to be anxious and to think on truth, is a nugget of hope. Did you catch it?

God's peace will guard your mind.

When the diagnosis is grim, the Truth is that nothing is impossible with God.
When the job is gone, the Truth is that God is the great provider.
When the marriage is over, the Truth is that God works all things together for our good.

There is another Truth. One that we don't like.

The Truth is, God uses our suffering as part of His plan to redeem a lost and dying world.

It's not an entirely satisfying answer, is it? It doesn't take away the pain. It doesn't fix it.

But if we will take everything to Him (v. 6) God's peace will guard our minds (v.7), and a mind guarded by the God of the Universe has the supernatural ability to stay focused on the Truth (v.8).

Even when the truth hurts.

31 Days :: Day 13 ~ How do we know what's true?

2011-10-13T06:01:00.000-04:00

Whatever is true . . . think on these things. Phil. 4:8 (ESV)

Yesterday, we asked this question . . . How do we know what's true?

Well, if God is true (John 3:33) then He is our ultimate standard for truth. And the only way we can know what is true is to know Him first and then to make His Word a part of us. Because His Word is truth (John 17:17).

Are you following me? Because I'm about to get all up in our business. (Trust me, I'm stomping my own toes here).

Here goes.

If you don't know your Bible, you'll never know what is true.

When your life falls apart and Satan tells you God has forsaken you, will you be able to stand on God's promise to never leave you or forsake you (Hebrews 13:5)?

When jealousy rears its ugly head and you start fretting over how other people have what you want, will you stay there and wallow in misery, or will you remember that the Lord will fulfill His purposes for you (Psalm 138:8)?

When you screw up - big - and feel like a failure, will you allow Satan to crush you with replays of your mistakes or will you run to the One who is your shield, your glory, and the lifter of your head (Psalm 3:3)?

I found an interesting scientific study while I was researching truth. Did you know that scientists have discovered that deciding whether a statement is true involves memory?

You can't think (dwell, ponder, meditate) about something that isn't stored away in your memory banks. Sure, you can grab your Bible and hunt for it - and that's a great idea - but it's not going to help you when you're sitting on the bleachers at the soccer game and you overhear someone make a snide remark about your car.

You can shoot daggers at that snooty woman who seriously needs to have her roots touched up . . . (see how my mind needs to be renewed)!

OR, you can choose to see the truth. Your car gets you where you need to go. It's paid for. And if she needs a new car to have value, then she needs Jesus. And maybe you overheard that, not so you can spend the entire game wondering if she knows there's a price tag sticking out of her sweater, but so you can pour some grace into her world.

A key part of renewing . . . memorizing truth.

We need to choose to make God's Word a part of us so that we can access what is true no matter where we are.

So let's get practical...is memorizing Scripture something you do on a regular basis? How do you incorporate it (or would like to incorporate it) into your life? Please tell us in the comments.

31 Days :: Day 12 ~ What is true?

2011-10-12T06:01:00.000-04:00

Whatever is true . . . think about these things. (Phil 4:8 ESV)

What is true?

The dictionary defines true as "Truth, Reality. The quality or state of being accurate."

The Greek word used here is "alethes" and it means "true, loving the truth, speaking the truth, truthful."

From what I could gather, the word "alethes" is a combination of words that mean "not" and "hidden, concealed" - so "alethes" refers to "things out in the open, unconcealed."

I find that very interesting.

Because we know that Satan is the father of lies. He is called the deceiver. He specializes in keeping things hidden and concealed.

So it should come as no surprise that Paul exhorts us to think about what is true. In a world filled with lies, our minds must be daily renewed with truth.

So what is true?

God.

John 3:33b - God is true. (ESV)

Does that seem overly simplistic? Maybe it is. But remember, simple doesn't mean easy.

Every thought must be held up to the light of His Word. If it's true, then we dwell on it, we ponder it, we allow it to change us.

But not every thought that flits through our mind will be true. Satan will send doubt and shame. He'll flat out lie, or he'll take truth and distort it. Sometimes he'll help us justify our sin until it doesn't seem all that bad.

How will we know what's true and what isn't?

Come back tomorrow...

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If you've just popped in today, we're spending the month of October studying renewing. You can read previous posts here.

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31 Days :: Day 11 ~ You mean I have to think for myself?

2011-10-11T06:01:00.000-04:00

If you've been following along in our series, you may have been wondering when I was going to get to Philippians 4:8.

And the answer is . . . today!

Philippians 4:8 ~ Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. (ESV)

We will be spending some time on each part of the list in the days ahead, but today I want to talk about one word.

Think.

Because if you're serious about renewing your mind, you're going to have to think.

That may sound painfully obvious, but the sad fact is that many Christians don't want to think. They want someone else to do all the thinking for them and then tell them what to think. And that's just not going to cut it.

I did a little digging and discovered that the word translated "think" in this verse comes from the Greek word "logizomai" and when I saw that . . . well, my heart did a little leap.

What do you see when you read that word? I see a word that has to have something to do with logic. And I have to tell you, I'm not that much into random, so this word makes me happy!

Sure enough, "logizomai" implies careful reasoning and studying which leads to drawing a conclusion.

It's not describing a fleeting thought. It's the way you would apply reason to an algebra problem. Or to bring it down to real life, it's the way you consider your child's symptoms to determine whether or not they need to take a trip to the doctor. You think about it, add them up, consider the ramifications, and draw a conclusion.

But there's a little bit more.

The verb tense and voice imply a continuous action that you undertake. No one is going to do this for you or to you. You must choose to continually dwell on what is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, and commendable.

The implication is that as you think on these things you will draw conclusions that will cause you to be changed for the better.

As you think on these things, you will be continuously renewing your mind.

Don't you just love it when a plan comes together :-).

Tomorrow, we'll be talking about what is true. Join us!

31 Days :: Day 10 ~ So what's in it for me?

2011-10-10T05:30:00.000-04:00

We are ten days into our 31 Days of Renewing. We've laid a lot of groundwork and it's time to start digging into the specifics.

But I wonder if maybe...well...not that you'd ever say it out loud. But do you ever wonder why bother? Ever wonder what's in it for me?

Or maybe you're worried that your renewed mind will make you as interesting as a coaster at your next work party or family gathering. Or . . . maybe that's just me.

Well, I've got good news.

Check out what Paul had to say earlier in Romans ~ For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. (Romans 8:6 ESV)

I learned something very interesting when I started studying this verse.

It turns out that in the Greek, there are no verbs which makes the statement even more emphatic. Read literally, it's more like this: For the thinking of the flesh - death; the thinking of the Spirit - life and peace.

This verse is a statement of fact. If your mind is set on the Spirit - life and peace are yours.

And while we probably assume that this is talking about eternal life, and that is true, this particular usage implies an absolute fullness of life. The kind of life originally intended for us. A fully satisfied existence.

Here. On earth.

And that peace? It's the inward tranquility which accompanies that kind of fully satisfied existence.

Life . . . and peace . . . now.

Yeah. I'd say it's worth it.

Day 9 ~ Where is your mind set?

2011-10-09T05:30:00.000-04:00

Colossians 3:2 ~ Set your mind on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. (ESV)

Several years ago, my husband and I attended a Weekend to Remember marriage conference. Have you ever been to one? They are excellent and I highly recommend them!

I used to think marriage conferences were for people whose marriages were in shambles. But after spending a weekend focused on my marriage, I had a change of heart. I now think marriage conferences are best for people whose marriages are just fine.

Because just fine marriages have a nasty habit of falling apart.

Why?

Because we stop putting any effort into them. Everything is okay.

Until one day, it isn't.

Did the problems happen overnight? Of course not.

So what happened?

As I learned at our first conference, there are no static relationships. You are either moving toward oneness or moving away from it. There is no middle ground. Either you put the effort into continuously improving your marriage, or it will erode and without intervention, collapse.

The same is true of our minds.

There is no such thing as a happy medium. Left alone, our minds will return to their default settings. Which, in my case, means I'll be focused on the most important person in my world.

Me.

My attitude, mood, and general outlook on life will be based on how I'm being treated. If I'm being overlooked or overworked then my life is terrible. If I'm being cherished and adored then my life is fabulous.

Your default setting might not look quite as selfish and self-absorbed as mine, but everyone's mind will default to earthly settings.

You are either renewing your mind and setting it on things above, or it is set on things of the earth. There is no middle ground. Either we make a conscious and continuous effort to change our mindset or our minds become deeper entrenched in the things of earth.

This whole renewing thing? It's just like a marriage. It requires regular maintenance.
Every day.
For as long as we live.

As we dive into a new week, we're going to look at specific passages that talk about what we are to set our minds on. I hope you'll join us!

If this is your first visit, we're deep into 31 Days of Renewing. You can see previous posts here.

Day 8 ~ You want me to do more?

2011-10-08T05:30:00.000-04:00

Can you believe we are on Day 8?

If you've missed any of the previous posts, you can find a list of all of them here.

Today's post wasn't in my original plan. I intended to dive into some of the many Scriptures that talk about our minds and what we should think about.

But I kept getting hung up on the word "should."

The Bible is quite clear. There are things we are commanded to think about. And there are things we are commanded to put aside.

But I have to tell you, to me, that last sentence smacks of legalism. More items on the "Do" list. More items on the "Don't" list.

Part of me wants to throw up my hands and say, "You want me to do more?" Because I just don't have much "more" available. I'm running on fumes most of the time and the idea of doing "more" - well, to be honest, it kinda freaks me out.

So before we go any further, let's get this clear, settled, and renewed in our minds.

In the days ahead, when we talk about setting our minds on things above, having the mind of Christ, dwelling on what is pure, and all that God is going to show us, we must remember one more thing.

Renewing our minds doesn't require us to do more. It requires us to think more.

Or, as I heard it put a few weeks ago, we aren't talking about adding to the to-do list.

We're talking about re-purposing the to-do list. (Don't you love that!)

When we read that we are to think about things above, that doesn't mean we don't think about earthly things like getting our oil changed (note to self...get oil changed this week). It means that we choose to think about earthly things in light of eternity.

What if we chose to splash some grace into the service station? To bring Jesus into the waiting area?

I know. It's a whole new way of thinking, isn't it?!

If you're anything like me, you don't usually think that way. You think about how long it's going to take, how much it's going to cost, how many things you would rather be doing, and whether or not the kids will make it through the hour without tearing anything apart. (OK, maybe you don't think that way, but I do).

But what if my oil change is about so much more than car maintenance? What if there's someone there who needs to see Jesus, lived out, right in front of them? But what if I miss it because I go through my day without giving a second (or even a first) thought to the redemptive dance God is choreographing all around me?

So as we move forward and we talk about filling our minds with the Word, thinking about things that are true, taking thoughts captive, and having minds that are stayed on Jesus, let's remember this . . . it's not about doing more in order to be good and stay on God's good side so we don't get in big trouble.

It's about thinking more about Him. About His Kingdom. About the redemptive plan He is - at this very moment - implementing, and about our part in it.

Later this month, we'll be talking about how "doing" is often a by-product of "thinking". It's impossible to focus on what God is up to and not want to be an active participant in the fun!

But we're also going to talk about how God never intended for us lead the hectic lives most of us are experiencing. Could it be that as we focus on things above, the items on our to-do list change?

Could it be that there will be fewer items on the to-do list than we started with?

Maybe when we say, "God, do you want me to do more?"

He smiles and says, "No. I want to do more. Care to join me?"

It all starts with renewing...

Day 7 ~ Why am I here?

2011-10-07T06:01:00.000-04:00

Over the past couple of days, we've been focusing on the things we forget to remember.

On Day 5 we remembered who we were.

Day 6 was hard for me. Was it for you? Did you watch the video? Because as hard as it is, it's crucial that we remember that our Jesus died for us - a brutal, gory death. All so we could be redeemed.

Which brings us to today's topic.

As I seek to renew my mind, I must remember . . . why I am here.

But it's hard.

There are days when all I do is focus on my to-do list. I make beds, change diapers, prepare meals, sign school papers, clean toilets, brush my teeth, go to bed and wake to do it all over again. It's mundane. Sometimes, it feels pointless.

When I forget why I'm here, I get so caught up in my daily life that I miss the opportunities God designed for me.

I live and breathe right now because God is still using me and my life to touch the lives of those around me with the message of His love and grace.

The only reason I'm still here is because God's redemptive plan includes me.

And there is nothing mundane about that!

Sure, I still have to do the laundry. But what if instead of griping about it, I saw it as a necessary step in fulfilling my calling? Clothing is not optional. My husband really does need clean socks and underwear so he can bring the redemptive work of Christ into his office.

My house doesn't need to be spotless, but would I tackle the toilets differently if I remembered that I'm a lot more willing to invite my lost neighbor over for a playdate and coffee if I'm not embarrassed by what she'll see when she steps in the door?

Would being the room mom be such a challenge if I remembered that God's redemptive plan for the world includes the uniquely created daughter He entrusted to my care?

It's still laundry, toilets and field trips, but with a renewed mind, instead of drudgery . . . it's worship.

So what about the "boring" parts of your life? Can you think of a chore that takes on new meaning as you renew your mind and remember why you are here? Please share it with us in the comments!

And take a moment to watch this video...let the words sink in...you are telling the story of grace with every move that you make!

Day 6 ~ At what cost?

2011-10-06T06:00:00.000-04:00

It's so easy to forget.

But so important to remember . . . Who saved me . . . and at what cost.

Jesus - the Word made flesh - left the heavens and became man.

He died a horrible death.

And He did it for me.

There is no such thing as cheap grace.

Remembering this today.

Day 5 ~ What do I forget to remember?

2011-10-05T06:00:00.000-04:00

From yesterday - Remembering . . . the first step to renewing.

I need to remember who I was.

And this was - and often still is - a tricky spot for me.

Because by human standards, I wasn't that bad.

I accepted Christ as my Savior at the age of four. What's the worst I had done? Refuse to share my crayons?

Other people have testimonies of amazing life transformation, overcoming addictions, turning from a life of crime or promiscuity.

My testimony is B-O-R-I-N-G.

I got saved.
I never got in trouble.
I love Jesus.
The end.

I thank God for my Godly heritage. For parents who taught me, early and often, about the God of the Universe and His redemptive plan. I'm thankful that my spirit is not scarred by sins that - while eternally forgiven - have lasting consequences on earth.

But please note that earlier I said "by human standards." Because if I only think about how I measure up to those around me, I'll totally miss the point.

I am a sinner.

My list of offenses is long and it grieves the Holy heart of God. My transgressions, while not "flashy" are, in their own way, darker and more insidious than the ones that get shared and shouted about on testimony night at the camp meeting.

It's not often you hear someone share about how God has forgiven them for their pride. For their lust. For their greed. For their anger. For their self-sufficiency.

Some sins just aren't popular to talk about.

Because some sins are just way too popular.

How is it possible? How are some sins tolerated? Overlooked? Ignored? My guess is because we aren't allowing the Holy Spirit to renew our minds. We think we're okay and we don't need to change.

I heard this statement in a sermon recently and it has been branded on my soul.

Some of us are unable to appreciate God's grace because deep down . . . we think we deserve it. (Jason Malone, Southside Fellowship, 9/25/11)

Before you brush that off, dwell on it for a few minutes. Let it sink in. Because you know it's true.

Have you forgotten who you were?

Are you living your life under the notion that you deserve God's grace?

How would your life be different . . . if you remembered?

Father, help us remember who we were. Give us hearts that beat with the deep recognition of our hopelessness and helplessness and desperate need for your grace.

Day 4 ~ Why is this so hard?

2011-10-04T06:00:00.000-04:00

Thanks for stopping by today. If you've landed here for the first time, we are on Day 4 of a series I'm calling 31 Days of Renewing.

Yesterday, we talked about how we do not, in ourselves, have the power to renew our minds, but that change is possible through the power of the Holy Spirit.

It sounds simple enough.

But we all know it isn't.

We know what we should do.

But we don't do it.

We're in good company. The Apostle Paul (the very same guy who has exhorted us to renew our minds) had the same problem. In Romans 7, he tells us that he doesn't understand his own actions - he doesn't do what he wants to do, and does the very things he hates (verse 17).

Why? Why is this so hard?

There are a lot of reasons. But here's one that I've found to be true in my own life.

Forgetfulness.

In her book, Grace for the Good Girl, Emily Freeman makes this statement.

Satan's biggest, most effective weapon against good girls may not be lust or slander or adultery or addiction. It is forgetfulness (p. 170).

What do I forget?

I forget what I was.
I forget Who saved me and at what price.
I forget why I'm here.

But remembering is the first step to renewing.

What about you? What do you think is your biggest obstacle to a renewed mind? Tell us about it in the comments and come back tomorrow as we wade deeper into what renewing our minds looks like.

Day 3 ~ How do we make the new stick?

2011-10-03T06:01:00.000-04:00

Romans 12:2 ~ Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (ESV)

Yesterday we talked about what renewing means.

And we asked this question - after you've been renewed, how do you make it stick?

The answer: You don't.

You don't do anything.

You don't have the power to renew your mind at all.

But if you've accepted the work of Christ on the cross, you do have the power inside you.

It's very interesting to me to note that this verse (Romans 12:2) was not written to unbelievers. An unbeliever doesn't have a chance. They haven't been made new in the first place. The Spirit has not come to dwell inside them, so the renewing of their mind is not an option.

But once we are have been made new in Christ, renewing our minds is the key to avoid being conformed to this world.

And this renewing will be an ongoing process.

If I live to be 112, I'll still need to take an active role in the renewing of my mind. I'll never finish the job. My renovations will only be complete when I leave this body behind and open my eyes to see His face.

This is hard for me, because I'm a task oriented kind of girl. I like to start - and finish - projects. That's what makes laundry such an ordeal for me. It is NEVER done.

Never.

Ever.

And neither is this. I can focus on renewing my mind for 31 days, but if I don't make it a priority - every day - for the rest of my life, the new won't stick.

I'll be just like those makeover participants we talked about yesterday. I'll be wandering around, remembering what it felt like to be all refreshed and reinvigorated and renewed. But I'll still be the same old me.

So why bother?

Because renewing our minds is possible.

We have the ultimate mind-makeover specialist at work in us. The Holy Spirit has the power and the desire to transform our thinking.

The key is to let Him do it. To get out of His way and allow Him to work.

And not to clutter up His work area with junk.

Uh-oh. Now I've messed around and gone to meddling. We'll talk about the junk later.

The Holy Spirit dwells within us. But He doesn't take control of our minds and force us to sing hymns all day. He doesn't turn us into scripture spouting robots. (In case you're worried - hymn singing, scripture spouting automatons isn't what He's after - hang in there with me).

He is God. And He has the power to do whatever He wants.

But He waits for us to turn Him loose.

To give Him the keys to the house. To sit down in His holy chair and allow Him to start snipping away all the things that drag us down, to shave off the beards of worry, deception and fear that we have allowed to grow for far too long.

When we relinquish control to Him, He colors our lives with His truth.

And when we repeat the process, day after day, the new starts to stick.

Tomorrow, we'll be talking about why this daily relinquishing of control is so stinking hard. Please join us!

31 Days of Renewing: Day 2 ~ What Does Renewing Mean?

2011-10-02T06:01:00.000-04:00

What does renewing mean anyway?

Well, the dictionary lists quite a few definitions including to make like new: restore freshness, vigor or perfection; to make new spiritually; to begin again.

Those definitions work for me. They go along with what I thought it means to be renewed.

But I decided to dig a little deeper.

(Look out - uncharted territory ahead - I had a Beth Moore moment!)

I pulled up the Greek word used for renew in Romans 12:2. (I used the Greek lexicon found here).

"a)nakaiðnwsiv" is transliterated to "Anakainosis" and the definition is as follows: a renewal, renovation, complete change for the better.

And when I read that definition, my mind took off. Because while renewal makes sense to me, I'm a sucker for a renovation.

I love makeover shows.

My favorite part is the big reveal when the transformation is complete. The experts have worked their magic and we watch with the happy homeowners, frumpy housewife or hairy biker as they wait with high hopes to see something new. And it's clear from their faces that they don't even recognize the house that now sits on the curb, or the face that is reflected back to them in the mirror.

There has been a complete change for the better.

A renewal.

But are you like me? Do you ever wonder what these people look like six months later? Is the housewife back in her sweats? Has the biker let his beard grow? Is the grass a foot high in the backyard of the new house?

Without experts on hand to help, were they able to stay "new and improved"?

My guess...probably not.

So what does it take to make the new stick?

That's what we'll be exploring tomorrow.

*****

If you've stumbled on us, we're in the middle of a series called 31 Days of Renewing. You can find links to older posts here.

31 Days of Renewing: Day 1 ~ Why Renewing?

2011-10-01T06:00:00.000-04:00

AAAAGGGGHHHH!

OK.

I'm fine now.

So, seriously, why spend 31 days on renewing?

Short Answer: Because I have a mind that needs renewing.

Longer Answer: Because renewing my mind isn't just a good idea. It's a command. And one I have never taken seriously. But as I read and study, I've come face to face with a shocking reality.

My mind is messed up.

Go ahead. Laugh. Come on back when you're through.

I realize I set myself up for that one, but in this case I'm not talking about the fact that clutter annoys me, that I like to read magazines from front to back with no skipping around or that I could spend hours in Staples just looking at pens and notebooks.

I'm talking about things that matter.

My mind runs everything through a filter that is made up of my experiences, my beliefs and my emotions and what it spits out isn't always accurate. What I perceive is not always real. What I believe to be fact is not always true.

Over the next 31 days, I'm going to explore what it means to renew our minds. I hope to unearth some of the lies we believe and plant Truth in their place. I long to discover what renewing my mind looks like in real life. I expect that I'll find that I dwell more on earthly things than heavenly things, but I'm excited to search out what the Bible says about what we should set our minds on.

I'd love for you to join me as I take this journey.

Please know that this will be a process of discovery. I don't have 31 posts written in advance. The posts may seem random and disorganized, but I plan to write about what God is showing me.

I hope you enjoy coming along for the ride and I'd love to hear your thoughts about renewing your mind. Have you ever made a conscious effort to change your mindset? Tell us about it in the comments!

31 Days of . . .

2011-09-29T06:01:00.000-04:00

Last week, I posted a review of Grace for the Good Girl by Emily P. Freeman. Emily blogs at Chatting at the Sky and she issued an invitation to join her in blogging for 31 days straight on the topic of our choice.

Last year, she blogged on 31 Days of Grace (how appropriate) and this year, she's taking October to share with us 31 Days to Change the World (she aims high)!

When I finished reading her post, I had a mental conversation that went something like this...

Crazy Me: Wow! That sounds like fun!
Responsible Me: Fun? Are you crazy? It sounds like a lot of work.

Crazy Me: But it would be a great way to flex my writing muscles.
Responsible Me: It would be a great way to lose my mind.

Crazy Me: I wonder what I could write about?
Responsible Me: Good question. I have a hard time blogging twice a week. No way I can pull off 31 days straight.

Crazy Me: I think I want to try it.
Responsible Me: No.

So, I tabled the discussion and went on about my day, trying to ignore the bickering. I decided to be quite spiritual and - novel idea - pray about it. Because Responsible Me is right - it's no small thing to commit to blogging for 31 days straight. And what would I blog about anyway?

Then I ran across a blog post from Seth Godin. Guess what he recommends? Blogging every day.

Then I started getting ideas. Turns out I have quite a few topics to choose from.

Then I heard a powerful sermon, ran across a spot-on blog, read a phrase that resonated - and to my surprise - I had a topic.

Crazy Me did a happy dance as Responsible Me started to have a change of heart.

Responsible Me: I'd have to plan it out. Write a few days in advance in case of emergency.
Crazy Me: ((giggles with glee))

Resonsible Me: Maybe I could do it - for 31 days.
Crazy Me: Yes!

Responsible Me: This is crazy.
Crazy Me: I know!

Crazy Me is a bit full of herself this morning. Responsible Me has had concordances, Bibles, books, Greek dictionaries and two notebooks going all week. She's still not sure how this will go. But she's committed to seeing where God leads in the days ahead.

I'd love it if you would join me in October for 31 Days of Renewing.

Side Note: I always post my blogs on Facebook (Lynn Huggins Blackburn) and Twitter (@LynnHBlackburn), but if you want to be sure you receive a notice whenever there's a new post, it's easy to subscribe. If you check out the sidebar to the right, you'll find several options. You can follow by email (enter your email and you'll receive an email each time I update) or subscribe through an RSS feed.

Mindful Mondays ~ Sweet Surrender

2011-09-26T06:05:00.000-04:00

Image by TheCulinaryGeek via Flickr

Most mornings I need a jolt (or two or three) of caffeine to keep me on my feet.

So the other day, I fixed myself a cup of coffee, poured in a generous portion of french vanilla creamer and ran out the door. As I pulled out of my driveway, I took a sip. And almost spit it out.

It was too sweet.

I'll say that again, in case some of you think that was a typo.

It was too sweet.

You cannot begin to imagine my shock.

Nothing is ever too sweet for me.

When people are complaining—crazy people like my husband—about how “rich” the cheesecake is. Or about how the peanut butter pie in the Oreo crust is “too sweet” to eat more than a small bite, I'm the one scarfing it down.

But, apparently, when it comes to my coffee, my tastes are changing.

And I know why.

I've had to back off on my creamers and sugars because my jeans don't fit. It turns out that what you can get by with when you drink an occasional cup of coffee doesn't work anymore when you're sucking back three cups a day.

So I've been weaning myself. Trying to drink my coffee a little closer to black. (Let's note that “closer” is a relative term. My “almost black” is still a nice caramel color).

When I got home, I poured it out and made a new cup with far less creamer. And as I sipped, I started thinking about other things I've been weaning myself from.

Some TV. Some books. Some web browsing. Some crafts.

Not that any of these things were bad in their own right.

But they don't fit anymore.

As I've chosen to respond in obedience to the call to write, I've had to make tough choices about how I spend my time. What used to be okay just doesn't work anymore.

I only have so many hours in the day. I spend my days hanging out with my favorite little people and my evenings hanging out with my favorite man. That doesn't leave a lot of time to write.

But, to my surprise, I don't miss the shows I've given up. And most of the time, my choice to surrender and spend my “free” time writing brings me joy.

I think this is what the Psalmist was talking about when he said “Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.” It's not that God is some cosmic genie prepared to fulfill our three wishes.

It's because when we choose to obey, we find that doing His will fulfills us in a way nothing else can.

So what about you? Are you feeling led to do something, but don't think you have enough time? Or will saying “yes” to Him mean saying “no” to some things you don't think you can give up?

Can I offer this suggestion?
Try it.
Try it His way.

But be prepared.
One morning, you may wake up and discover your tastes have changed.
For the better.

Thoughtful Thursdays ~ Book Review: Grace for the Good Girl~letting go of the try-hard life by Emily P. Freeman

2011-09-22T10:11:00.000-04:00

I would have made an awesome Pharisee.

Except for the fact that I'm not Jewish. And I'm a girl.

But still . . .

I love rules. I love following the rules.

I'm such a "good girl." My list of "nevers" is long and impressive . . . if you care about that sort of thing.

And for a very long time, I thought God cared. A lot.

It came as a rather rude awakening that God really didn't care about my never haves. He didn't care if I had my quiet time before breakfast or at midnight . . . or, hold on tight now . . . AT ALL.

Heresy!

God cares about our relationship. God longs to meet with me, to talk to me, but He's not sitting around checking His celestial sundial and shaking his head back and forth in dismay as He watches me race around trying to get three kids in the van by 7:40 a.m. He doesn't click His glorious tongue and sigh as He makes eye contact with Michael. "She should have gotten up earlier."

Not a chance. He knows that I was up. At 3:00 a.m. And at 3:30 a.m. And at 4:00 a.m. And at 5:20 a.m. And at 6:15 a.m. (I wish that was a joke, but seriously, that's what happened last night).

He knows. And He longs to carry me through the day. So when I finally get home and have the choice to empty the dishwasher or spend time with Him, He smiles as I choose Him.

And I choose Him, not because I think He'll be disappointed if I don't. But because I want to spend time with Him. Because this "good girl" knows that she can't do it on her own. And that her only hope is found in the One who gives her strength.

But still . . .

I find myself questioning my own motives. Did I do it because I wanted to? Or was it really because deep down, I knew I was "supposed to" and didn't want to mess up.

'Cause if there's one thing this good girl doesn't want to do, it's mess up.

If you haven't figured this out yet . . . I'm a mess.

Which is why I jumped at the chance to review the book Grace for the Good Girl - letting go of the try-hard life by Emily P. Freeman.

While I have never met Emily, I think there's a chance that we were twins separated at birth. How else would she have access to my thoughts and fears? Take this paragraph as an example:

"He does not think as we do. He does not see our relationship measured by ticking clocks, marked with a time to start and stop. I long to have morning times of uninterrupted quiet. From alarm clock chime to the bottom of my first hot cup, I want quiet and stillness and Jesus. But when I don't get that, I am amazed at how quickly I shift from a woman of good and holy intentions to crazy monster mommy who just wants a few minutes alone to pray. Is that too much to ask? Is it?
     And then I cuss on the inside.
     And stomp off to make their lunches.
     And miss the point entirely." (Page 145)

Ouch.

But this isn't a book about quiet times at all. This is just one example of where "good girls" struggle to live in the freedom Christ has called us to.

The first section of the book talks about the different types of masks we wear. Masks of responsibility, strength, spiritual disciplines, acts of service and good performance. The second section of the book delves into what it looks like to find ourselves in Christ - when we take off our masks and rest in Him. The third section talks about the freedom of being found in Christ. Of being safe in His arms, even when life hurts.

And it was this third section that brought me to tears, more than once.

I discovered (after I'd read the entire book) that there's a small group study guide at the back. So I plan to re-read and work through the study questions. Giving the lessons and insights time to seep into my being.

Because, as she points out on Page 170, "Satan's biggest, most effective weapon against good girls may not be lust or slander or adultery or addiction. It is forgetfulness."

It's so easy to slip back behind the mask. To try harder instead of resting in Him.

So whether you've been a good girl forever, or you think you have to be a good girl to make up for your past, there is wisdom to be found in these pages.

I highly recommend Grace for the Good Girl.

The fine print: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

My Hardwood Heart

2011-09-19T06:05:00.000-04:00

I hate carpet for one reason.

You can't clean it.

You can get most of the spots out. But they'll come back.

Because they weren't ever really gone.

And that's why I love the hardwood floors in my new house. Love them.

Herds of small children can run around carrying cups of purple grape juice and I don't care.
Babies can leak. I don't care.
Adults can drop pizza, toppings down. I don't care.

Because when handfuls of potato chips are crushed by tiny tootsies, it's no big deal. A broom, maybe the mop. And, voila! Clean floors.

But—

Why is there always a but?

I have discovered one problem with my floors.

While the epic spills are easy to clean, the day-to-day droplets of life are a little trickier.

I can dust, sweep, and mop every square inch of my downstairs, and then the light streams through a window and I see it . . . a streak a foot long.

How did I miss it?

I've learned over the past few months that I have to clean my floors during the middle of a sunny day. I open all the blinds, and if you could see me you'd think I was setting up a putt at the Master's. I walk around my living room, squatting down, leaning from side to side, checking the angles.

I haven't lost my mind.

I'm looking for the spots.

I have to hunt them down. And once the light shines on them, I attack.

But no matter how thorough I try to be, I always find more spots—approximately three minutes after I put my Bona Hardwood Floor cleaner away.

As I was tackling one of these random spots with a damp paper towel, I thought about how easy it is for me to see the spots in other people's lives. Their judgmental nature. Their negativity. Their harsh spirit. Their sin.

But until the Light shines on their spots, they can't see them.

It dawned on me that in most cases, instead of nagging, I need to be praying. I need to leave the light shining up to The Light. When He's ready to shine His Light on a spot, He'll do it.

Very spiritual of me, huh?

Yeah.

I'm embarrassed to tell you that I had mulled this idea over for a couple of weeks before it ever occurred to me that maybe—just maybe—there might be spots in MY life that I can't see. That maybe instead of worrying about the obvious spots of others, I ought to be praying for the Light to shine on my own spots.

It's easy for me to see the big spots of my epic failures.

But the spots that build up over the course of the day—the bad attitudes, the pride, the selfishness, the unkind words—are harder to see and so much easier to ignore. I could spend a lifetime trying in my own strength to make myself shiny and spot-free.

But I've realized that my heart is just like my floor.

It can only be cleaned in the bright Light of the Son.

Psalm 51:10 ~ Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. (ESV)

Thoughtful Thursdays ~ Book Review: The Queen by Steven James

2011-09-15T20:39:00.000-04:00

I had never heard of Steven James before attending the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference in 2010. I actually ate breakfast with him on my first morning there and came away with two observations. First, that he was funny (which he proved repeatedly throughout the conference) and second, that he was a nice guy. One person who sat at our table didn't realize that he was a faculty member and asked the “so what do you write” question that is the standard ice breaker amongst writers. Steven James couldn't have been more gracious in his reply and I was impressed by how down to earth he was.

I tell you this because without this background information, you might not understand why I would choose to read his books.

His writing is beautiful. His imagery poetic. His stories gripping. But unless I had met him, I might never have read past the first page of the first book.

Because his characters—well, the bad ones—are evil. I'm talking disgusting, vile, nightmare inducing evil. (For more on why he writes about evil the way he does, I highly recommend you read this post).

And if you know me, you know that I'm a wimp. I don't watch scary movies and I don't read horror.

But I love Steven James.

The Patrick Bowers thrillers are some of the best books I've ever read. And if you watch CSI or Criminal Minds, then you can't say you aren't tough enough to handle them. (I don't watch either of those shows because they freak me out, but I can read these books).

So with that out of the way, let me tell you about The Queen.

The Queen is the fifth Patrick Bowers thriller and if you're new to Steven James then you should know that you need to start with the first book, The Pawn, and read the series in order. Each book has a complete story arc, but the cast of recurring characters are some of the most interesting people in fiction and you'll want to get to know them and watch them develop as the series unfolds.

Patrick Bowers is a geospatial profiler for the FBI and is usually called in to investigate when the local authorities suspect they have a serial killer on their hands. So you know something is up when he's pulled off a long-running case and sent to Wisconsin to investigate the murders of a mother and her four-year-old daughter. Murders the police assume were committed by the missing husband and father.

The Queen's plot is the most complex of all the Bowers Files—and that's saying something. You'll have to pay attention. But it's worth it. Patrick Bowers struggles in every relationship he has—with his step-daughter (my favorite character), his girlfriend, his brother, his sister-in-law, his boss, and his co-workers. These characters battle each other and their personal demons as they search for truth, mess up, make peace, and move forward.

And then there are the bad guys—in my opinion the most intriguing characters Bowers has faced yet. We've got a guy whose twisted morality forces him to kill some and save others. We've got a girl who will do anything, including start World War III, to be with the man she loves. And then we've got the mysterious Valkyrie. Who is he? Or she?

You'll have to read The Queen—all the way to the end—to find out.

The Queen is available September 2011 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

The fine print: I received a free copy of this book. The only requirement was that I provide an honest review.

Thoughtful Thursdays ~ Hit Send

2011-09-08T13:45:00.000-04:00

When I left the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference in May of 2010 I overflowed with writerly confidence.

My manuscript had received a positive critique. The words "you're almost ready" had been uttered. I left with marching orders . . . to submit fiction proposals to three agents and one editor.

And I intended to.

As soon as I incorporated all the changes that I now knew I needed to make to my novel. I expected it to take a few months. And it did.

Five months, in fact.

And then life happened. A lot of life.

One planned pregnancy suddenly included many unplanned complications. One wanted new home brought with it much unwanted drama.

And five months turned into six. Then seven. Then twelve. Then fourteen.

Somehow, I had become one of "those" people who never submitted the material that was requested at a conference. It was embarrassing.

And it was too late.

Or was it?

My dear friend and mentor, Edie Melson, said submit. She pointed out that the worst they could say is no. (And let's face it, the odds of that happening are high regardless).

So on Tuesday, I hit send.

I've received emails from two of the people I submitted proposals to. They didn't say "too late" or "this would have been awesome if you'd sent it in a year ago" or "sorry, Charlie."

They said, "Got it. Gonna look at it. We'll be back in touch."

And I thought it was too late.

So what's the lesson here? You can't win if you don't play.

Or in writing terms, you'll never be published if you don't submit.

I'm not expecting to hit a home run my first time at bat. I know rejection is coming and I'm not looking forward to it. I'll need chocolate, and lots of it, to get through this.

But at least now I'm in the game. I'm not sitting on the sidelines "hoping to be published" but not taking any steps to make that dream a reality.

So what are you waiting for?

Did you attend Blue Ridge, Southwest, ACFW, Writing for the Soul, Mt. Hermon or any other conference and did someone ask you to send them a few chapters or a proposal? Did a faculty member suggest you query a certain agent?

It's not too late.

Hit send.

Mindful Mondays ~ Labor Days

2011-09-05T06:01:00.003-04:00

Deuteronomy 33:25 ~ Your bars shall be iron and bronze, and as your days, so shall your strength be. (ESV)

Right now, I don't feel like my bars are iron or bronze.

I feel like a half-way decent puff of wind could knock me over.

There is nothing sturdy about me.

I'm sleep deprived.

I'm a six months post-partum hormonal mess.

I haven't had a significant break in a while. Any "breaks" have been used to try to accomplish some mammoth project.

I'm in serious need of a vacation.

And a massage.

Each day, my to-do list taunts me. Housework, laundry, cooking, shopping, feeding the baby six times a day, trying not to feed myself chocolate and failing, playing with my kids, snuggling with my baby, hanging out with my husband.

All good, important things.

But that's not all I do.

As I write these words, I'm trying to get ahead on my blog posts. Not so I can coast for the next few weeks, but so I can complete two writing goals. Both of which are self-imposed. No one's going to care if I don't finish them.

Except me.

I'm exhausted just thinking about it.

But these words from Deuteronomy, the blessing that Jacob gave to the tribe of Asher, remind me that there will be enough strength to accomplish what God wants accomplished.

Not necessarily what I want accomplished.

So I'm planning. I'm praying. And I'm trying to hold my goals out in open hands.

I'm starting each day asking God to rule and reign over my day and my calendar. Then, I'm talking to Him about my to-do list and asking Him for my next step. I'm choosing to believe that what truly needs to get done will get done and I'm trying to stay open to the Spirit's leading as I go through my day. (This method comes from Having A Mary Heart in a Martha World by Joanna Weaver).

Some days start this way, but by 7:13AM (more or less), I've grabbed the reins and I'm running the show. Those days always end in exhaustion and aggravation.

Some days I make it until noon.

It's a rare day that I make it past supper.

Maybe you're more spiritual than I am. But I find myself starting over several times a day. Handing the reins back to the One who gives me strength.

I'm not sure what your life is like right now. My guess is you could teach me a thing or two about hectic lives and crazy schedules.

So join me.

Don't wait until tomorrow.

Ask God to take the reins right now. Ask Him as many times today as you need to. And then watch as He gives you strength to do what truly needs to be done.

You'll have to repeat this process again tomorrow.

And the next day. And the next.

But when the winds blow and life threatens to take you down, you'll feel His strength.

And you will stand.

Day by Day, sung by the Antrim Mennonite Choir

Thoughtful Thursdays ~ Christian Writers Guild Courses

2011-09-01T10:47:00.000-04:00

I will forever be thankful for the four months I spent taking Fiction that Sells through the Jerry B. Jenkins Christian Writers Guild.

I'm talking about that today over at The Write Conversation. Please stop by and say hello!

Mindful Mondays ~ Lonely

2011-08-29T06:00:00.000-04:00

image courtesy of photobucket.com

How do you feel about reruns? I like them. Sometimes I catch things I didn't see the first time through. I hope you feel the same way because today's blog is a rerun. This post originally appeared in June of 2010.

**************

Do you ever think no one knows what your life is like?

Or ever wonder how it is possible to be surrounded by people and still feel lonely?

I do.

And sometimes I get rather grouchy about it. I start thinking that no one should be expected to carry my workload. I fume that I don’t get nearly enough credit for everything I do. My fuming then turns into self-righteous indignation - someone, somewhere, should notice for crying out loud!

I think at a very deep level, all of us want to be noticed. We long to be known. And I’m not sure that in and of itself, the longing is wrong. It becomes wrong when we expect the people around us to fill a hole they can never fill.

There is no husband who can appreciate me enough, no friend who can always be there, no parent/sibling/child who will never leave me.

There is no person on earth who can meet my every need. And no one who can even come close to understanding what my life is like, what my burdens are, what frightens me to the point of tears and what brings me a joy no words can express.

But there is One who can.

El Roi.

The God who Sees.

Oh how I love that particular attribute of my Heavenly Father. When I am scraping puke off a blanket and trying desperately not to throw up, He sees. When I am watching the same episode of Sesame Street for the gazillionth time, He sees. When I have to say no to doing something I would love to do because it’s not the best choice for my kids, He sees. When I see children my daughter’s age doing things my daughter will never do and it breaks my heart but I smile anyway, He sees.

Did you know that the first and only person in the Bible to refer to God as El Roi was a woman? A pregnant slave who felt, and was, all alone. And God revealed Himself to her as the God who Sees.

Sometimes, what I need more than anything else is to remember that the someone, somewhere, who sees me, is the God of the Universe. The One who was, and is, and is to come. The One who has written my story. The One who orders my days. The One who loved me so much, He sent His only Son to die for me.

My El Roi sees me.

And I am never alone.

So she called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, “You are a God of seeing,” for she said, “Truly here I have seen him who looks after me.” Genesis 16:13 (ESV)

Thoughtful Thursdays ~ Book Review: I Used to Be So Organized by Glynnis Whitwer

2011-08-25T06:00:00.001-04:00

I'm a pretty organized person.

Or.

Um.

I used to be.

Before.

Before having a baby. And then another one. And another one. And then moving when the last one was three weeks old.

(Sidebar: I do NOT recommend moving with a newborn. Avoid at all costs).

I miss my old organized self. I miss knowing where everything is.

I had to find my little boy's social security card this week. I won't bore you with the details of the search. Suffice it to say it was long.

Very long.

And it's that kind of thing that irks me most. Wasting time and energy because I can't find something. Or wasting money and resources because I buy something...I ALREADY OWN! Of course, I find the duplicate object a week or so after I've used the new one and can't return it.

So when I had an opportunity to review a new book, I Used to Be So Organized by Glynnis Whitwer, I was all over it.

I Used to be So Organized has chapters on organizing your closets, your kitchen and ~~your toys~~ your kid's toys. There's a great chapter on meal planning and quite a bit of time devoted to managing the technology that enhances our lives and distracts our minds.

If you need detailed instructions to help you tackle your bulging pantry, there's no shame in that. And I Used to be So Organized will take you through it one shelf at a time.

But to be honest, I don't need step-by-step instructions on how to tackle organizing an overflowing linen closet. I'm naturally gifted in that area. (Some might say I'm naturally annoying in that area, but let's not quibble over semantics). I know how to do it. I even - don't shoot me - enjoy it.

Turns out, I'm what Glynnis calls "Situationally Disorganized." My "situation" (new baby, new house) has led to a state of disorder that is driving me crazy. As she puts it, "When I find myself in a place of situational disorganization, I'm usually frustrated. I'm not frustrated with anyone in particular, except myself for not being able to pull it together."

At this point, I was pretty sure she'd bugged my house.

She goes on. "That's when I need to apply God's grace to myself."

That line may be the best piece of advice in the whole book.

And that is what I loved about I Used to Be So Organized. While it's full of organization tips, good for both the situationally and the chronically disorganized, Glynnis Whitwer bases everything on a solid Biblical foundation.

My highlighter got a workout on the chapters about setting reasonable expectations and establishing priorities. There were many "a-ha" moments, but these words had the most impact on me at this time in my life.

"I wish someone had told me that God would not forget me, that I was right where he wanted me and that I should relax, accept my new normal, and see the opportunities he had placed in front of me."

I Used to Be So Organized isn't just about cleaning out from under your bed and there's no call to keep your home in a perpetual state of "photo-shoot readiness." It's about organizing your life. Not so you can check something else off your to-do list, but so you can fulfill the calling God has laid on your heart.

Mindful Mondays ~ Morning Glory

2011-08-22T06:00:00.001-04:00

I miss sleep.

Oh, how I miss it.

I miss going to bed and having every expectation that I will not be disturbed until my alarm blares. Or the neighbor’s rooster gets cranked up. Whichever comes first.

I miss waking up refreshed.

These days, when I wake up—never of my own accord—every cell in my body joins in a protest march.

I picture them with tiny picket signs as they work to put my sleep deprived body in motion.

“More sleep!” “Two more hours.” “Stop the madness!” “Are you crazy, woman?”

Their threats are simple. They want more sleep, but if I refuse, they demand an immediate caffeine infusion or—and they’ve made good on this threat—they will shut me down.

To make matters worse, I’m not a morning person. If I had my way, I’d go to bed around midnight and sleep until eight.

And all would be right with the world.

Instead, I go to bed sometime before midnight if I’m lucky, get up at least once or twice to soothe the baby, sometimes once or twice to feed the baby, and then somewhere around 6AM, I hear tiny feet approach.

“You still sleep mommy?”
“Yes.”
“I want Mickey Mouse Clubhouse in mommy’s bed.”
“Of course you do.”

Somehow, my two-year old misses the sarcasm and climbs in the bed chattering at full volume about rocket ships and jet packs and requests for milk and a banana.

Once I’m awake, the demands of the day invade my mind and while a permeating exhaustion remains, sleep flees.

In an unexpected and stunning development, I’ve discovered that, once properly “coffeinated” (I made that up—do you like it?), I enjoy watching the day begin, especially if I can be outside as the sky fades from gray to blue.

And there’s an intangible delight in spending time with the Lord before the insanity that is my daily life begins.

So much so, that I find on the rare day when I get to sleep in and start my day a couple of hours later, while my body appreciates the sleep, my spirit misses the atmosphere of the earlier hours.

I’ve always dismissed those "morning" verses. You know the ones I’m talking about. Psalms is full of them. Not to mention the example we have from Jesus (and no one's "busy" life can compare to His). So much talk about “early in the morning” and “rising before dawn” — it’s enough to give any self-respecting night owl nightmares.

But I’m starting to wonder if they were on to something.

If maybe getting up early and spending some time with the Lord as the day is dawning has advantages I’ve never fully appreciated.

It means sacrificing some sleep (I can feel the picket line forming), but the benefits are worth it.

Give it a try . . . you just might like it. And if you do, tell us about it in the comments.

Psalm 5:3 ~ O LORD, in the morning you hear my voice; in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch. (ESV)

Thoughtful Thursdays ~ Book Review: A Praying Life: Connecting with God in a Distracting World

2011-08-18T06:00:00.003-04:00

Prayer is not my specialty.

I believe in it.

I'm a big fan of it.

At least, I think I am.

The harsh reality is that while I have good intentions, my follow through leaves a ~~little~~, ~~something~~, a lot to be desired.

I find myself wondering if it really makes any difference? If God is sovereign (and He is) and He's in control (and He is) then what exactly is the point of spending hours in prayer? Or minutes?

If you've ever asked the same questions (or would have if you weren't afraid of being struck down for your heresy) then please read on.

This summer, I read A Praying Life: Connecting with God in a Distracting World by Paul E. Miller and it is reshaping the way I think about prayer—the why, the how, the where, and the results or lack thereof.

Paul Miller asks the same kinds of questions I've asked. He has some great answers. And they might not be what you're expecting.

This isn't a book about how you need to get your act together, develop some self-discipline, wear holes in the carpet and rub callouses on your knees.

In fact, Miller argues that instead of trying to get it together, we need to come to God as we are. To “come messy” and see what God does with our mess. As he puts it, “We look at the inadequacy of our praying and give up, thinking something is wrong with us. God looks at the adequacy of his Son and delights in our sloppy, meandering prayers.”

He tackles tough questions about prayer using examples from his family and personal life and then he gives practical, real-world examples of what a praying life looks like in our frenzied society.

Whether your prayer life is robust, scattered, or on life-support, A Praying Life will open your eyes afresh to the wonder, the mystery, the gift, the joy of prayer.

Prayer is hard.

But prayer is worth the effort.

“Regardless of how or when you pray, if you give God the space, he will touch your soul. God knows you are exhausted, but at the same time he longs to be part of your life. A feast awaits.” (A Praying Life, page 51)

This book has been in my "being read" stack for a couple of years. (I started it. Just never finished it.) I wish I'd read it sooner. If you've read it, or choose to read it in the months ahead, please let me know. I'd love to hear from you.