Devotionals for the Heart: Be Content

Being Content
A devotional by Sara L. Foust

“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” –Romans 8:28 (KJV)

This is one of my favorite verses. I love its promise that God is working for my good at all times. It has been comforting to me in times of grief, stress, and fear. It has been a reminder when I’m struggling that God’s plan is good for me.

I was saved when I was nineteen and began attending church on a regular basis. All of a sudden, as a new Christian, as a young adult, as a still-trying-to-figure-this-life-thing-out woman, I was exposed to preaching and teaching like I’d never heard before, with a set of unspoken “church” rules I had to absorb unconsciously. A new abundance of information to take in and process.

I’ve come to realize something over the last few days, though. A new spiritual understanding I had not seen before. One of these new lessons, I believe I have somehow misunderstood. You see, I awoke today with the realization that I believed God didn’t care if I was happy or not. Wow. How did I come to believe this?

Through no fault of anyone but myself, I’ve taken scripture and preaching out of context. I’ve taken the lesson that we should learn to be content in all situations (Philippians 4:11-13) to mean that no matter how unhappy we are, we shouldn’t allow ourselves to be unhappy. That we should always put on a brave face and learn to smile through the midst of every struggle. That every bad thing in our lives is part of God’s plan, just like the good.

But that doesn’t make complete sense. We have free will (Galatians 5:13) and that means we have the ability to make wrong decisions, ones that affect the people around us too. If everyone were to follow God’s leading for every decision, every single moment of every single day, then I could rest assured that everything that happened to me was, in fact, for my good. But, as imperfect, sinful human beings, this isn’t possible. Things happen, people make bad decisions. Does that mean God wanted those decisions to negatively affect me? No, I don’t believe so.

Rather, what I think God wants me to see is that He is always there for me during the struggles. That His plan is for my good, and when things don’t go according to His plan, He hurts right along with me. And the knowledge that He is with me, on my side (on your side), is where we can find the joy amid the pain.

Now, don’t get me wrong, God doesn’t want us to sin in order to find “happiness.” Our true happiness lies in following His will for us. In doing our best to follow His path, despite what is going on around us. But God does want us to have a fulfilled, enjoyable life (John 10:10), not one filled with misery where we pretend everything is okay because we are supposed to. No, He wants joy for us. He does care if we find it.

I’ve come to see that when a negative, sin-filled situation or decision someone else has made is affecting me negatively, it is okay to remove myself from that situation. It is okay to separate myself in order to try to relocate God’s path. And pray for the person or situation, from a distance in order to protect my spiritual morality. Whether it be a best friend, a family member, or a church, if we have the sense that the trend is leading away from God’s will for our lives, it is our duty to resist and go our way—the way God is planning, with good roads in our future (James 4:17-21).

~*~
Author Bio:

Sara writes Inspirational Romantic Suspense from a mini-farm in East Tennessee, where she lives with her husband and their five homeschooled children. 

She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Animal Science from the University of Tennessee and is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Tennessee Mountain Writers.

Her debut novel, Callum's Compass, won second place in Deep River Books' 2017 Writer's Contest. She also has a story, “Leap of Faith,” in Chicken Soup for the Soul: Step Outside Your Comfort Zone. Sara finds inspiration in her faith, her family, and the beauty of nature.

When she isn’t writing, you can find her reading, camping, and spending time outdoors with her family. To learn more about her and her work or to become a part of her email friend’s group, please visit www.saralfoust.com.

Award-Winning Author Judythe Morgan shares a devotional and book

Welcome Judythe Morgan to the blog today!

She's here to share a devotional that she wrote that's based on a Bible verse and she's sharing information about her book, When Love Blooms. It is the first book in her Fitzpatrick Family series.

Enjoy! :)

~*~

The Promise of Romans 8:28
A devotional written by Judythe Morgan

“We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him." ~Romans 8:28 (NIV).

This is one of my favorite verses. It says in all things God works. That’s so powerful.

Our God choreographs the “molecular movement” in every second of every minute of every day in every cell in the entire universe. In case you didn’t know, one cell has approximately 200 trillion molecules.

That’s a lot of molecules to work with. Not a problem for our Omnipotent, Omniscient, Omnipresent God.

As He orchestrates those molecules, He’s forming our lives into a design specifically patterned for each of us.

In our human mind, it’s hard to wrap our heads around that idea isn’t it?

But, think about it, when you look back at your life with 20/20 hindsight, can’t you see God’s hand at work? I sure can. He has unfolded events, sent people and things into my life to bring me to where I am now – a fiction writer.

Being a writer was not something I aspired to be. Yet, God synchronized events to bring that to pass. And it is good like Rom. 8:28 promises. I love my work.

So how did God arrange my life to accomplish that purpose for me?

I had no idea when I entered a writing contest called “Hearts Crossing” back in 2009 that the entry would become the first book in the Fitzpatrick Family Series about eight preacher kids, each with a sweet romance story of his or her own.

God knew because He’d planned my life so that I married a preacher’s kid. Five years later, we had a son, who became a preacher with his own ministry called NotByWorks.

All my life God has provided opportunities to serve in church ministries wherever we lived. I’ve made good Christian friends and writing mentors. Those friends began to prod me about writing a story set around my ministry experiences.

Finally conceding to their pressure in 2014, I pulled out that old contest manuscript and began a rewrite. In the process of the rewrite, Andy's seven brothers and sisters begin chattering in my head wanting their stories told and thus the Fitzpatrick Family series begin.

God took care of the plotting ideas when He moved my husband and me all over the U.S. and overseas. Lots of experiences to draw from. No need for extensive setting research.

The Fitzpatrick series takes place in a small (fictional) town in Texas like so many small towns where we’ve lived. You'll recognize Pastor Colin Fitzpatrick, his wife Ms. Pat, and the congregation if you've ever attended a small church.

When Love Blooms is the first Fitzpatrick Family novella and tells Andy and Darcy's story. Andy's twin sisters, Rebecca and Sarah Fitzpatrick, found their soul mates in When Love Returns. Brothers Joshua Fitzpatrick (an Army sniper), Samuel Fitzpatrick (a missionary), and, baby sister Faith (a lawyer) will share their stories over the next three novellas. I’m praying my readers will have as much fun reading the stories as I am creating them.

Sometimes I may balk at God’s leading, where He leads. It’s a human tendency we all share. We shouldn’t because wherever we are, whatever we’re doing we are there by His design. 

Remember the molecules. He’s in control. All. The. Time. working for our good.

That’s the promise of Romans 8:28.

~*~
Author bio: 

Award-winning author Judythe Morgan juggles many hats. 

She’s an Air Force daughter, Army wife, one-time Department of Army Civilian, mother/grandmother, antiques dealer, teacher, mayor’s wife, and sometimes-church pianist. 

Her diverse experiences bring life to her characters and you’ll always find a happy ending because she believes in true love, second chances, and forgiveness.

~*~
Blurb for Judythe's book, When Love Blooms:

Eight preacher kids, each with a sweet romance story of his or her own.

After a hit-and-run accident leaves her mother confined to a special care facility, Darcy Clark abandons her dreams of becoming an architect and moving to New York City. Instead, she stays in her small town to run the family’s struggling landscape business.

At-risk students from her old high school become the labor force on a city park project, and Andy Fitzpatrick shows up to supervise his students. The chemistry between Darcy and Andy is instant.

But will a secret link between Andy and her mother’s accident kill the attraction before love can blossom?

~*~
Buy Judythe's book:
Kindle ~ Nook ~ iTunes ~ Kobo 

~*~
Connect with Judythe:
Website ~ Blog ~  Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Amazon Author Page ~ Goodreads 

Love is in the Air: God Makes Broken into Beautiful

My dear writer friend Betsy St. Amant is here today to share the reason why her latest novel Love Arrives in Pieces, is so close to her heart. 

Best of all, Betsy is hosting a book giveaway contest here on my blog today! She agreed to give away one paperback copy of her novel Love Arrives in Pieces, to the one person who wins the contest.

Enter the contest by answering my question for you which is found toward the end of Betsy's guest post and to increase your chances of winning, fill out the items on the Rafflecopter widget.

So take a deep breath, curl up in a cushioned chair, maybe pour a cup of tea and listen to Betsy share her heart...

~*~
God Makes Broken into Beautiful
A guest post written by Betsy St. Amant

After writing All’s Fair in Love and Cupcakes, I knew deep down that Stella Varland, a side character in the book, had her own story. She was so much more than just a pageant queen sister to Kat. She had hurts that made her the way she was, she had insecurities underneath the Vaseline-slicked teeth and the perfectly curled hair. She had secrets.

Love Arrives in Pieces delves into Stella’s secrets.

And in doing some, unearth a few of my own.

I put a little bit of myself into all of my characters—it’s hard not to, as an author. It might be hair color, it might be a habit or quirk, it might be a favorite food, it might be a career. It might be a pet or a memory or a fear, but there is a tiny part of me revealed in all of my characters.

Love Arrives in Pieces is so special to me because there’s not just a tiny piece of me in Stella. In so many ways, I am Stella.

Oh there’s many differences, of course. I was never a pageant winner, but I was divorced. I never had perfect blonde ringlets, but I know how it feels for your husband to bail. I’m not even remotely talented with art or interior design, but I know what it’s like to try to gather all the sharp broken pieces of your heart and wonder what on earth God can do with them.

Stella’s journey is much like the one I had to navigate, and this story is for all of the Stella’s out there. For all of the women who feel betrayed by their beauty, or maybe who feel like they aren’t beautiful at all. For all of the women who have had their hearts broken. For all of the women who struggle with sibling rivalry. For all of the women who are grieving the end of a dream and longing for a new one. For all of the women who are afraid to hope for happily ever after, and are trying to convince themselves to settle for mundane ever after. For all of the women who have soaked their pillows with tears wondering if God sees or cares. For all of the women who have harbored bitterness or unforgiveness in their heart toward family or toward men. For all of the women who wish things were different.

For all of the women who wonder if God can fix “this”—whatever “this” is for them.
I know from experience that God is especially in the business of fixing “this”. In fact, the more shattered it is, the more impossible it seems, the better. God loves showing up and doing what only He can do. He is the Dream-giver. He loves to restore and to give seconds chances (and even third and fourth and fifteenth chances). He loves when we depend on Him, trust Him, and wait expectantly for Him to work. It might not look the way we expected it to look. In fact, it rarely does, because God’s ways and thoughts are so much higher than ours (Isaiah 55:8-9). They’re better.

Nothing is too broken for Him to repair.

I found that out, and eventually, so does Stella.

I hope you will too. 

~*~
Question for readers: What is something in your life that you want God to "fix"?

a Rafflecopter giveaway
~*~
Author bio: Betsy St. Amant has a heart for three things - chocolate, new shoes and sharing the amazing news of God's grace through her novels. She resides in Louisiana with her adorable, story-telling young daughter, a collection of Austen novels and an impressive stash of Pickle Pringles. Betsy has a B.A. in Communications, is multi-published in contemporary romantic fiction, and freelances for her local newspaper. 


She also enjoys inspirational speaking and teaching on the craft of writing. When she's not composing her next book or trying to figure out where Mr. Darcy went, she can usually be found somewhere in the vicinity of a white-chocolate mocha, or singing along with her daughter to the latest Disney soundtrack. 

Look for her newest novel, Love Arrives in Pieces, released June 9, 2015!
~*~
Blurb for Betsy's book:

For so long, Stella was known for her beauty. Now, with her heart stripped bare, she must discover who she really is.

Former pageant queen Stella Varland doesn’t trust beauty anymore after her divorce. Her appearance betrayed her and led to brokenness, so instead of being beautiful, now she tries to make beautiful things, but she always falls short. So she keeps her passion for art to herself and focuses on her interior design work. But if she doesn’t get another job soon, she’ll be stuck living with her parents.

Contractor Chase Taylor is determined to live a life of no regrets after losing his fiancée. Now he lives life at full speed, striving to see how much he can accomplish. He knows if he slows down, he’ll fall apart. So he returns home to Bayou Bend to renovate the town’s old theater and is shocked to discover that the designer for the project is his old flame, Stella.

Forced to work together, Chase and Stella battle their chemistry and past as they struggle to compromise and work together on a vision for the theater. Their wills clash as they attempt to hide their brokenness—and their unresolved feelings for each other—until Chase discovers the hidden parts of Stella, while losing her trust in the process.

A near catastrophe, a fire, and a small-town gossip mill finally force Stella and Chase to realize that they have a choice—to hold on to the shards of their pasts, or surrender their fragmented pieces to the One who makes a beautiful masterpiece from their brokenness.
~*~
Buy Betsy's book:

Amazon.com - http://amzn.to/1f1hub7

Barnes and Noble - http://bit.ly/1f1hvfi

Christianbook.com - http://bit.ly/1MGrCRQ

Zondervan - http://www.zondervan.com/love-arrives-in-pieces

~*~

Connect with Betsy:

Author page on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/BetsySt.Amant
Official website - http://www.betsystamant.com/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/betsystamant

True Love Stories: God's Awesome Handiwork

He was Mr. Popular and a pothead. She was a sweet girl destined to be a preacher's wife. They were dangerously in love. 

How did God weave a true love story between a popular teen with bad habits that threatened his future and a teenage girl whose love for romance and stories would lead to a successful career as an inspirational romance author when she grew up? 

Read today's featured true love story to discover answers to your questions, a testimony of how when God's Hand is over your life, any bad situation can be turned around for the good (Romans 8:28). 

~*~

God's Awesome Handiwork

Shannon Taylor Vannatter's true love story

My first love was David Cassidy back in the Partridge Family days. I was five when the show began, but by the second grade, I had a wall in my room papered with pull out posters of him from Tiger Beat Magazine.

My second love was John Travolta back in his Welcome Back Kotter days. The show started a year after the Partridge Family ended. Do you see what they have in common? Can you say hair?

When I was fifteen, a new boy came to our school and what was I supposed to do when I saw all that hair? Fall for him of course. All of the other boys at my school wore buzz or bowl cuts. Neither was popular back then. The new guy had black, naturally wavy hair to his shoulders, and the greenest eyes I’d ever seen. 

(Shannon's husband, high school photo)

I decided on the spot that I’d marry him. Yep, it was shallow, but several other girls made the same vow and he was soon Mr. Popular.

I was very shy and quiet, but as the months passed, the new guy finally noticed me and we began going together. We didn’t go anywhere together, since I couldn’t date until I turned sixteen. As my birthday neared, rumors began to circulate that my boyfriend drank heavily and smoked pot. Raised in church, I never tasted alcohol or tried smoking cigarettes, much less marijuana. Of course, when I asked him about it, he denied the rumors. I refused to believe the gossip and gave him the benefit of the doubt.

Finally, after months of waiting, my birthday came and my parents allowed me to date. The rumors continued and a strange aroma surrounded me whenever my guy was near. When I mustered the courage to ask about it, he told me the kid sitting behind us in class smoked a joint that morning.

I think I knew, but didn’t want to know. As the school year ended, the truth could no longer be denied. We hashed it out, no pun intended. Given an ultimatum, drugs and alcohol or me, he didn’t pick me. I spent the summer in tears and prayerfully placed the relationship in God’s hands.

The week before school started again, my ex-boyfriend came to my house. Claiming to have quit drinking and drugs, he wanted to get back together. Though cautious, I could soon tell the difference in him. He even started attending church with me. We dated throughout high school and graduated together.

Fast-forward. After fourteen years of marriage, my husband answered the call to preach. Though we were both Christians and had consistently attended church, I didn’t feel up to the task. But I supported him and stumbled into my new role.

Another change came when we entered into parenthood after sixteen years of marriage, our son was born. He was planned, he’s ours, and we never separated. We waited until we could afford for me to stay home.

Shortly afterward, I began attending monthly writer’s group meetings for my Mom’s night out. While I learned to write, my guys hung out at a local bookstore and Wal-Mart.

On a typical night, they dropped me off, then went to eat supper at their favorite restaurant before visiting their regular haunts. As usual, my meeting ran late. By the time I strolled across the parking lot, they’d been waiting thirty minutes. Once in the truck, hubby told me of his evening. At the restaurant, secured in the highchair, our little guy threw up. Not just a little, but apparently everything he’d eaten, all day long.

My husband wiped our son down, detected no fever, and ordered their food. Both ate, then raided our emergency clothing stash, and went on their way. Though he’s always a very hands-on father, I would have expected him to grab our child, pick me up early, and head home. I would have.

That night, thoughts of my high school boyfriend made me wonder if he would have coped so well with the events of the evening. You see, that long ago pothead and my incredible husband are one and the same.

During the intervening years, he recommitted his life to Jesus. That pothead I dated all those years ago is now a Baptist pastor. Though, he still has the greenest eyes I’ve ever seen, his hair is buzzed and thinning. He wears it well. In fact, he’s even more beautiful to me now. Not only does the heart of a father beat within him, but the heart of a man of God.

And after thirty years, we’re still going strong.

~*~
Author bio: Central Arkansas author, Shannon Taylor Vannatter is a stay-at-home mom/pastor’s wife. She lives in a town with a population of around 100, if you count a few cows and once climbed a mountain wearing gold wedge-heeled sandals which became known as her hiking boots. Vannatter won the Inspirational Readers Choice Award in the short contemporary category, The 18th Annual Heartsong Awards 3rd Favorite New Author and #1 Contemporary Award.

Shannon has ten published titles and is contracted for five more. Her books are available at christianbook.com, barnesandnoble.com, amazon.com and barbourbooks.com. 

Learn more about Shannon and her books at http://shannonvannatter.com and check out her real life romance blog at http://shannonvannatter.com/blog/.

Connect with Shannon:
Facebook - http://facebook.com/shannontaylorvannatter
Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/29672798-shannon-vannatter, Pinterest - http://www.pinterest.com/stvannatter/ 
Twitter - @stvauthor.

~*~
Buy Shannon's book Rodeo Family:

Tori Eaton is ready to start over.  

She's beginning a new chapter in Aubrey, Texas, away from her abusive ex-boyfriend. As she picks up the pieces of her broken life, Tori's surprised at the helping hand the church's new song director, Brant McConnell, offers her, and at the warm emotions he inspires. 

Brant is drawn to Tori. And as their friendship grows, so do his feelings for her. But Tori is still hounded by her past, and the walls she's built around her heart are high. Can he convince the wounded beauty that he's exactly the kind of man she needs—and deserves?

Purchase links for Rodeo Family:

Amazon.com - http://amzn.to/1AElZjC

Christianbook.com - http://bit.ly/1DSIr9u

31 Days of Prayer: When you are too tired to pray

Truth is, sometimes you're too tired to pray. Not sleepy, just TIRED because the day-to-day demands and disappointments of life have worn you down. Sometimes situations you face may take every ounce of your energy. Sooner or later in life most of us arrive at a point where we know what it's like to feel like you're tired of praying and tired of going to church when your situation does not seem to be getting better. And it's when we're in those trying times that we need to seek God with more diligence and passion than ever before because God will NEVER fail you and no matter what you're going through, He is right there with you! So when you feel like you're sinking in the ocean of life, call out to Jesus Christ and trust Him to save you from drowning.

Recently, I went to a Christmas concert. The weather that night was very cold and while there was no long line to wait in outside in the elements, there was a five minute journey you had to make from the parking lot into the warmth of the church building. As we in the crowd of concert-goers neared the front doors of the church, there was about a two-minute wait in a very short line which would not have been a problem in perfect warm or breezy weather. But that night, it was so cold that we who were waiting outside the doors were shivering and then laughing. We laughed because this little boy who was about two feet tall and very small spoke in a big voice accompanied by a very serious look on his face as he said, "Lord Jesus!" We all laughed because we figured he was probably echoing what he hears the older people in his family saying. I think we found it to be funny because he's just a child no older than two or three perhaps four years of age and as one of the bystanders said, already "He knows how to call on Jesus!"

Precisely my point, just like that little boy who called on Jesus to save him from being out in the cold, when we feel like we cannot go on or we're overwhelmed or becoming jaded about life, it is still important to call on Jesus. And not just to call on Jesus but to know that He's right there with us and even when we cannot see past our pain, God is working everything out for us (Romans 8:28) according to His good plans for our lives (Jeremiah 29:11).

Finally, I'd like to share this song that was performed by gospel artist Tamela Mann at the concert. It's called "Take Me to the King" and it's for the brokenhearted and discouraged. My prayer for you today is that this song will encourage you in your walk with the Lord. I pray you will trust God every step of the way and keep seeking Him even when you feel that you cannot continue going through whatever it is you're facing. Remember, God is with you and be encouraged.

Here's the song:



P.S._ After you've taken your situation to the King (God), remember to leave it there at His throne. Don't pick up your problems after you've presented it to God, leave it with Him and trust Him to take care of it. I think that's why often at the end of this song, Tamela sings lines from the hymn I Surrender All because part of going to God in prayer and trusting Him to work it out for you is surrendering your problems, issues and suggested solutions to God because only He knows how to take care of it for you in a way that will be the best. So take it to the King and leave it there! :)

Thankful Thursday: Simple blessings

It’s Thursday and I am thankful for simple blessings. 

Simple blessings are the things you take for granted in life such as the ability to: move without an aide, walk without stumbling, breathe without needing an oxygen tank, see with both eyes (with or without glasses, contacts or perfect 20/20 vision), hear with both ears without an hearing aide or cochlear implant…and the list goes on! There are so many simple things in life that we all can take for granted because we use them freely each day and it is for these simple blessings today that I am most thankful. 

Earlier this morning, I covered an event called the "Special Olympics" for a newspaper. It took place inside an expansive school building equipped with classrooms, a gym, cafeteria and something that you won’t find in most public elementary schools—an indoor pool. 

But it wasn’t the grand title of today’s event that made the day special, it was the children. All the beautiful, sweet children who were dealing with so much more than anyone would ever want to face. These kids had all sorts of disabilities—from autism to Down’s Syndrome—and I could see them struggling in their illness yet trying to simply be a kid and enjoy the day’s activities…and my heart broke. My spirit was humbled as I observed the multitude of children gathering in the gym with their adult aides, some in wheel chairs, some barely able to walk, some with helmets on their heads and other special aides…it was heartbreaking in the truest sense and at the same time, humbling because all of my “challenges” and “issues” started to fade in comparison to the plight of these sweet kids, a plight that would last a lifetime.

One of the teachers who works at the school told me that these are kids who people in society often write off saying they can’t do anything but the opposite is true, these kids he told me, can do so much more than you’d think. His words warmed my heart for all teachers who are dedicated to helping special needs children make their way through this world in a dignified and holistic way because that’s exactly what they and any child really needs, someone who believes in them, someone who will be their personal cheerleader encouraging them not to sit on the sidelines of life but to get in the game and enjoy it to the best of their ability. 

And here I am, I thought, thinking that I have issues and I have challenges. But here are these kids who deal with more than I could ever imagine or handle and yet they’re not letting it bench them, they’re participating in the Special Olympics games with bright smiles and a winner spirit of perseverance.

If anything, the kids taught me something today and that is to be thankful for my life through and through—from the simple blessings today, to the greatest opportunities I may have tomorrow—I became thankful for it all, ten times over.

A popular pastor/motivational speaker named Nick Vujicic is an example of perseverance and keeping the faith in God. He was born without arms and legs yet he travels around the world speaking to people of all ages/backgrounds/social status and giving hope, inspiring everyone he encounters with his story of overcoming his challenges through his faith that all things work together for the good of those who love God and you will see in this video (shared in my blog post today) that Nick really loves God!

Be inspired.

Love,

Alexis