Book Review

The intrigue, suspense, action – I can barely put this book down! I have read it several times before, and it’s so compelling that I have to read it again and again. Oh, and the love story – that guy Solomon really knows how to steam things up!

Of course I’m talking about the Bible. This morning, I had 4 chapters to read as part of one of my devotions, and I wanted to read ahead! The history chronicled is so compelling, so thought provoking, so heart changing that some days I just can’t stop.

Thank you God for giving us this gift of written words to lead us into the ultimate gift of eternal life!

Consider supporting Significance of a Princess Warrior, a 10 week Bible study for women, in prayer and/or financial support. Click here for more information.

Heart Check - Have I Forgiven?

The phone rang and I didn’t recognize the number flashing on the brightly lit screen. My first instinct was to let the call go to voicemail, but I felt a nudge telling me it was a call I needed to take. The person on the other end of the phone line shared some disturbing news – someone once dear to me was in trouble.

As I processed the information shared through that invisible cord connecting me with the formerly unknown person, I could feel the anger consuming my entire being. “Here we go again,” I thought. “Why, after all this time, must I still be impacted by this person’s poor decisions?”

Once the call was disconnected, I did what I promised the caller I would do – I began to pray. While I began my prayer with words of love, my cry quickly turned to frustration, judgment and (gulp) unforgiveness.

God heard my prayer. Instead of providing the comfort I expected, he returned my words to me with condemnation. God’s reply was:

“Why are you so angry? Are you praying to me with a clean and pure heart.”

It has been years since the person who presently needs help had hurt me. As those years passed, I thought I had forgiven the wrongs, and the wrongdoer. But God showed me that the all-consuming anger I was feeling was a result of my failure to truly forgive. With God’s help, I rose from all of the earthly results of the trouble those years ago, but I hadn’t allowed Him to truly heal my heart – because I hadn’t been willing to forgive like God forgives.

Jesus commands us:

“For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” Matthew 6:14-15 NIV

I have been denying my own complete forgiveness because I failed- no, refused - to forgive.

Jesus died on Calvary so that we could receive eternal life. On that hill, as the blood drained for Jesus’ body, God’s forgiveness was demonstrated. No matter what trouble we bring on ourselves, God looks down on us with the eyes of a Father, just as He did with Jesus. Love, compassion, and comfort flow from His Spirit. In return, God asks very little of us - 

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” Matthew 22:37-39 NIV

To love my neighbor, I must forgive with the same forgiveness afforded me through Jesus Christ.

That night, as I began to release forgiveness towards my former transgressor, I felt God’s grace remove the anger I had been carrying for years. I returned to God with a new prayer, full of compassion, love, and a desire for complete healing. While I cannot fix the trouble my friend is in, I know the one who can – and I’m relying on Him to heal my friend completely.

How about you? Are you carrying unforgiveness? Is there someone in your life that remains in your thoughts, giving you a sense of dread or anger? Seek God’s direction to help you forgive as He first forgave us.

Please consider supporting, through prayer and/or financial contribution, the publishing of Significance of a Princess Warrior, a Bible study for women to help them realize their SIGNIFICANCE in Christ. Together we will fight the Good Fight for the Lord! Thank you! Click Here to Register Your Prayer or Financial Support

It's Always Darkest Before the Dawn

“It’s always darkest before the dawn.” This modernized version of a quote by Thomas Fuller, is a quote I’ve heard dozens of times as a form of encouragement in difficult seasons. In one such season, I meditated on this quote as I lay down for the night. The season, as the night, was dark indeed. I was facing, yet again, illness that altered my life, my ability to work, my finances and my self worth. Alone in the dark, I cried out to God,

Lord, I pray that it truly is always darkest before the dawn. Please let this be the darkest night, and bring light in the dawn.

That very next morning, I awoke to my heart feeling hope, my shoulders noticeably lighter and an idea of solutions to some of the more immediate difficulties. While I was not physically healed, God had touched my spirit overnight. I was able to see God’s light, and I had what I can only describe as Holy Spirit energy and enthusiasm.

While I will never compare myself to the disciples, I can only imagine how they felt the day that the Holy Spirit came upon them. Jesus commanded them:

“Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” Acts 1:4-5 NIV

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts1:8 NIV

The disciples had a face-to-face, personal relationship with Jesus Christ, and their lives turned dark as their rabbi, their mentor, their friend was brutally killed by crucifixion. But their darkness once again became bright upon Jesus’ resurrection, and even brighter still when they were filled with the Holy Spirit.

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. Acts 2:1-4 NIV

Ever had a “holy-chill-bumps” moment? I will bet what is chronicled in Acts was a “hair-stand-on-end, catch-me-cuz-I’m-gonna-pass-out” moment.

Throughout the days following my cry out to God, the change was remarkable. Worry was no longer residing in my mind or heart. As if going down a “to do” list, God provided stable finances enough to cover my general living expenses, friends to complete necessary home repairs, and God’s spirit once again flowing through my writing.

That day, God renewed His promise to me that I would someday “take this show on the road.” I have made a commitment that if my health situation is the “thorn” I must carry so that I may do God’s work, I will do so.

I am not giving up on healing, but I have given in to that still, small voice that is the Holy Spirit.

When faced with dark times, do you see the dawn? Ask God to show you the light of the Holy Spirit. Recognize that you are SIGNIFICANT to God. No matter your situation, nothing is impossible!

If you enjoy this, or any of my posts, please consider support through prayer and/or financial contribution towards publishing Significance of a Princess Warrior. Thank you!

FaithLauncher - God's Plan, My Action - and Now Your Help

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11 NIV

I am a planner. I don't do well without a plan. Whether it has to-the-minute detail, or is simply a future deadline, I am more compelled to success with a plan.

As I strive to fulfill God's desire for my life, I am learning that my time-lined agenda requires space for patience. God's plans are always bigger, and usually outside of my tiny human to-do list.

One of His plans has been for me to write a Bible study curriculum for women entitled Significance of a Princess Warrior. This Bible study is now complete and awaiting editing before being published. I have selected Xulon Press as the publisher, and now,  I need your help.

To fund publishing, I have launched a Christian crowd-funding platform through FaithLauncher. For this project to be published, you can help in two ways - first, prayer! This project absolutely must be in God's will and in His timing - the only way to ensure this is through the prayer of His people!

The second way you can help is through financial contribution. It will take $3,250 to publish and get the curriculum into women's hands. There are several incentives for different contribution levels, and all of the details are included on the project page - just follow this link:

FaithLauncher

My goal is to have the curriculum fully published before Christmas, and then to lead Bible studies in the Tulsa metro area for women who want to recognize their SIGNIFICANCE. I pray that each group then raises up a leader to take the curriculum to another group of women, and spread SIGNIFICANCE to "...Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and to the ends of the earth." Acts 1:8 NIV

Please join me in prayer, and if called, in contribution toward fulfilling this plan! However you choose to support this project, please go to the project webpage and share what God has put on your heart!

God told me years ago that I would "take this show on the road." This is the first step towards that journey...and it has been in His timing, which makes it all the more sweet!

Thank you for being committed friends of Significance and Princess Warriors!

They Call Her Content

She was a fairly non-descript woman, dressed in varying shades of gray linen. She was neither short nor tall, thin nor heavy. She walked at a sauntering pace, easily blending in amongst the hustle and bustle of 21^st century modern life. She never expressed joy, sorrow, excitement or anger. She needed nothing, asked for nothing, expected nothing…and gained nothing.

Her name was Content.

For years, this was the way I viewed being “content;” as a middle-aged woman, barely reaching average, never taking risks, simply seeking only what’s necessary to live, nothing more.

While I desired happiness, I mistakenly figured contentment didn’t equate to happiness. To me, content required a “settle for” attitude. Settling for a life void of risk and, therefore, settling for mediocrity.

Being content was fine for others, but I was a risk taker. Standing on the edge of a cliff, facing fears, and seeking the extraordinary. I strived for the highest of highs, which meant also experiencing the lowest of lows.

While in the midst of the lows, I sometimes yearned for Content to enter my life once again. Where was that non-descript, average woman who was completely satisfied?

As I tumble down from my mountaintops, towards the depths of the valleys, God is always keen to remind me to rely on His Word. He has been quite patient as this is a lesson which requires teaching time and time again.

In a recent experience, God brought me back to that all-familiar scripture, where Paul is thanking the church of Philippi for their concern over him:

“I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:11-13 NIV

We all have varying degrees of joy and sorrow. While we strive for happiness, Paul tells us there is one thing we should seek instead – contentment. Being content in all circumstances whether filled or hungry, abased or in abundance.

Our lives are made up of thousands of moments. These moments can be happy or sorrowful, and each moment fades. But contentment can last a lifetime.

This time, I get it. My view of Content has radically changed. I realize she is dressed in gray so that the beautiful blues and yellows of the sun-filled sky, whites and grays of rain-soaked clouds, and greens of the dew-touched grass can all shine without interference from her natural beauty. She is not merely sauntering, but instead is gliding gracefully along her path. While she appears to be emotionless, her joy is in Christ alone.

She needs nothing because she is Content.

“But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.” 1 Timothy 6:6-8 NIV

“Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!” Luke 1:45 NIV