Thankful Thursdays: Baby Christians

It’s Thursday and I’m thankful for new (“baby”) Christians!

They are so on fire for Jesus Christ and endeavor to spread the Gospel Truth, also known as “The Good News” with everyone they encounter. The pore over the pages of The Holy Bible and they are eager to tell the world about a Man named Jesus who saved their soul (John 3:16).

For about a year now, I’ve seen different cars with similar bumper stickers and window stickers that say something like, “New Driver. Please be patient.”

When I see that, I automatically think of spiritual parallel along the lines of “Baby Christian. Handle with care” or “New Believer. Please be patient.”

Why is it important to be patient with people who are new to believing in God and following Jesus Christ? Simply because they are still learning and “growing up” in their faith walk with God. And just as when you start anything new (a job, a book study, becoming a parent, etc.), you need to give yourself grace and room for error. Nobody is perfect. Everyone makes mistakes. Why? Because we’re all human which means we have flaws! We are not perfect.

Oftentimes, we either stand amazed at the passion baby Christians have for God or we are astounded when they make mistakes that more mature Christians would have avoided. This is why it’s important to be patient and help guide them back to the Bible. We need to help them survive their rocky road that happens after the new, exciting, fulfilling and invigorating feel of being a Christian fades away.

It's important to encourage baby Christians to keep drinking their “milk” but also prepare to start eating “meat” as they grow up in their relationship with God. Read more about this in 1 Corinthians 3:1-2.

Christians who are older and more seasoned by life should come along those new to the faith and share their wisdom in due time. We should make them aware of the pitfalls and remind them that there’s always hope because God is always there for us. The Bible says He will never leave nor forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:6).

We should encourage new Christians to keep the line of communication (prayer) between themselves and God open and remind them to keep talking to God even when He seems distant. The Bible says if we draw near to God, then He will draw near to us (James 4:8).

If you are reading this and you are a baby Christian, I want to encourage you to always go to God, no matter how you feel. He loves you with all of His Heart! When times feel dark and all hope seems lost, choose your faith over your feelings and keep moving forward in your faith journey with your Creator (God) because He is right there, by your side. He never left. Rest in Him. Abide in Him.

Don’t give up. Don’t give in. Keep trusting in Him. God didn’t bring you this far to leave you. He is with you every step of the way. Keep following His Son (Jesus Christ) all the way to Heaven.

Be encouraged by listening to this song by CeCe Winans, "He's Always There."

What are you thankful for this Thursday?

Love,

Alexis A. Goring, MFA

Founder of "God is Love" blog

Devotionals for the Heart: Commands

God’s Commands
A devotional by Carrie Del Pizzo

“And on the next day he arose and went away with them.” 

– Acts 10:23 (NASB)

The Bible is filled with examples of God asking His people to do things that sounded crazy: Noah was told to build a boat when he had never seen rain. Joshua was told to march around Jericho as a way to defeat the city. Gideon was told to face 135,000 Midianite warriors with an army of only 300.

And then we come to this passage in Acts 10. Ancient Jews did not associate with Gentiles, who were considered sinful and unclean. A Jew wouldn’t risk contamination from a Gentile because the purification process could be a lot of work.

So, the earliest Christians were Jews who shared the good news with their fellow Jews. But in this chapter, a Roman centurion named Cornelius reaches out to Peter—unheard of! And Peter willingly goes to him—insane!

Why would these men risk their reputations by defying the accepted standards of their culture? Because they both received clear instructions from God, just as Noah, Joshua, and Gideon had.

My husband and I have received a pretty clear command from God. But while the command is clear, the exact instructions are a little fuzzy.

Last fall (season), God told us to begin volunteering at the local crisis pregnancy center and to prepare the spare bedroom in our home for a young lady and her baby who would need a family. We were given the option to get our foster care license, just in case there was a girl in foster care who needed help. We decided to be prepared even though the maternity home rarely gets wards of the state.

Until today.

There is a young mom who is over 18, but she is struggling desperately. She has no family, no friends, and no place to live. The house parents at the maternity home are the only people who have been kind to her in the last year, so that’s where she went.

Because her situation is so dire, the house parents are faced with finding her a home or calling Child Protective Services. Their call to me is not unexpected. This is what we signed up for. What we didn’t sign up for is the fact she may not want to keep her three-month-old baby and could ask us to adopt.

Whoa! God, we did not talk about adoption.

I paused to think about what we did talk about … a young lady and her baby who needed a family. And that’s us.

Nothing is decided or set in stone or signed into law at this point. But we are earnestly praying about how God wants us to proceed. (Feel free to join in. We covet your prayers!)

Meanwhile, we are remembering these Bible-based truths:

· God used Noah’s boat to save eight people and the animals from a worldwide flood.

· God used the tired feet of Joshua and friends to crumble the walls of Jericho.

· God used the noise of 300 trumpets and broken pitchers to defeat the Midianite army.

· God used two unlikely friends, Peter and Cornelius, to bring the good news of His great love to a desperate and sinful world.

· And God will use my house and my family to share His Love with a girl and her baby.

What “crazy” thing is God asking you to do? Volunteer in the kids or youth ministry? Take in a stranger? Reach out to people you’ve never met?

Prayer Point: Instead of telling God, “No way! I can’t do it,” ask Him if He can do it. (Hint: the answer is always “Yes!”)

~*~
Author Bio:

In this world of texts, memes, and emojis, slowing down to truly communicate can feel like straining a muscle you haven’t exercised in far too long.

Seventeen years of business experience across a variety of industries has taught Carrie Del Pizzo the fine art of professional communications.

Partnering with corporate executives and entry-level employees alike, she has written and edited major project proposals, direct marketing pieces, sensitive client communications, employee handbooks, and user manuals.

Carrie’s love of literature and story has led her to develop and exercise her fiction writing skills as well. Aside from her personal creative efforts, she also edits for self- and traditionally-published authors and enjoys writing short dramas for church presentation.

Carrie is a wife, mom of three Americans and host-mom to numerous exchange students. Italian-by-marriage means she loves to cook and eat. She lives in Spokane, Wash., with her hilarious family who keep her in stitches and provides piles of material for great stories.

Devotionals for the Heart: A word for those who are struggling in their faith

Lost and Wandering
A devotional by Christa MacDonald

“My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.” 
– James 5:19-20 (NIV)

“Don’t you know by now why the chosen are few? It’s harder to believe than not to.” This line from a Steve Taylor song resonated heavily with me when in college I began to question everything. I was trying to discover who I wanted to be and what I wanted out of life.

What I thought would be a philosophical exercise ended up a multi-year fight for my soul. Not everyone who enters adulthood asks deep questions that end up unraveling them, but all children of believers do face a similar challenge, taking the faith of their parents and culture and turning it into a real, saving faith of their own. It’s in that struggle that many end up lost.

Suffering is another test that separates churchgoers from believers with a saving faith. There are folks who show up every Sunday, go to all the meetings, sing all the hymns, do all the right things, but their hearts are still untouched. Then a loss, a sickness, a hit of some kind blows their life up. If they never truly repented and put their faith and trust in Jesus, then their faith can’t sustain them and they lose their way. They think God has abandoned them when they never really let Him in to begin with.

It’s not always a dramatic event either. Sometimes it is years of doubts that have been left to ruminate. It becomes easier to think of church as a building where you go if you’re a good person and not, instead, a group of people united by faith that should feed your soul or hold you accountable. People let church become a social club, a place to belong to, and over time, it becomes less important, less vital until it’s virtually meaningless.

It’s up to us to spot folks in our midst who are struggling or those who seem to be wandering. In our church families, we need to hold each other accountable, to check in with each other. We need to be real with those around us and not content to assume that just because someone is in a pew on Sunday morning that what they truly believe constitutes a saving faith. And for those that we can see wandering, we must be brave and seek them out. Have those tough conversations because it’s life and death. 

Grace truly does cover a multitude of sins and no one is beyond the mercy of God, but we’ve got to tell them that. People can hear a sermon in church every weekend and still not understand the Gospel.

God has placed us on earth to reach out to the lost and wandering and share with them the life-changing, earth-shattering truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Be bold, friends.

~*~
Author Bio:

Christa MacDonald is a 2017 ACFW Carol Award finalist for contemporary Christian fiction.

A native New Englander, she was inspired by her travels through the north woods of Maine to write The Broken Trail, which would become the first in the Sweet River Redemption series published by Mountain Brook Ink.

Christa's writing focuses on the real-life challenges of the modern world, love’s sometimes crooked path, and the redemptive power of Grace.

When not working or writing Christa can be found ferrying her kids around, reading, or attempting something crafty.

She and her husband live with their three kids, two cats, and one dog along the coast of New England. Connect with Christa at www.christamacdonald.com.

Author Interview with Erin R. Dooley

Let's welcome Erin R. Dooley to the blog today!

She's an award-winning screenwriter who wrote a book called "You Want Me to Do What, God?!"  that gives readers a behind-the-scenes look at how her movie Broken & Beautiful was made. She's also giving away one copy of her book! Details are below toward the end of the interview.

The movie releases on Feb. 14, 2018. Erin will return to this blog later in February to talk about it. But for today, the focus is on her book! Enjoy my interview with Erin!

~*~

Interview with Erin R. Dooley about her book, 

“You Want Me to Do What, God?!”

Hi Erin! Thanks for agreeing to an author interview on my “God is Love” blog. We’re going to talk about your new book and “the faith of making Broken & Beautiful” which is your movie that’s coming out in February 2018.

First, congratulations on making a movie! We’ll talk about that next month. Today, we’re focusing on the story behind making the movie. It’s a story that you’ve humorously titled “You Want Me to Do What, God?!”

Let’s talk about it. These are my questions:

Alexis: Why do you believe that God wanted you to write this book? Share the story-behind-the-story. 

Erin: I wrote the book first as journal for myself, on the encouragement of Amanda Cleary Eastep. She's my friend and former co-worker. There were so many “God moments” that happened, that I just had to write them in a journal.

As I was getting funding and securing every other element of pre-production, I would share the story of how God called me to make the film. This seemed to touch people, so I continued to share it. I was especially taken with the fact that some people who are not religious, people who had fallen away from the church, seemed to be impacted by the story. When you step out so strongly in faith, people resonate with that, whether or not they are people of faith.

As I prepared to release the film, I thought I would be remiss if I didn't release this book. For me, the beauty of this film is how it came to be. I am proud of the film and think that on its own, it can impact people, but the making of it can equally impact people. 

Alexis: What is your relationship with Amanda Cleary Eastep who wrote the Foreword for your book? Describe the role that she played in helping you write this story.

Erin: Amanda Cleary Eastep and I used to work together. We weren't in the same department, but I would have frequent meetings with their department. We began having lunch together quite often and our conversations turned toward our shared love of writing. Even after we no longer worked together, our friendship and support of each other's writing remained. Amanda is a wonderful woman – encouraging, thoughtful, insightful are just a few of the top characteristics that come to mind. She was a constant cheerleader and prayer warrior on this journey. When I was writing my book, it was only fitting that she write the foreword, since she was instrumental in me writing the book in the first place!

Alexis: What advice do you have for people who are striving to do God’s will even when they do not understand? Speak from your personal experience.

Erin: Part of what I say in the book when I talk about this is first, you should be in prayer. Prayer will help you discern if what you are feeling is from God. Seeking counsel from people who are strong in their faith is also helpful in understanding if God is calling you to do something.

Once you feel secure that God is calling you to do something, it still may not be comfortable. He often calls people out of their comfort zones. This film was the biggest undertaking I had done up until that point. I told God he had the wrong woman. The title of my book really was my response, and maybe your response – God is asking you to do what?

What I can say, now being on the other side, is that God will be there with you. He won't ask you to do something and then bail on you. Remain in prayer. The way I've taken to pray is, “God, I believe this path/decision is what I am to do next. I will do this next thing. If it is not right, please redirect me and open the correct door.” Every step of the way, keep checking in. You may not get total clarity, but God usually gives enough for you to take that next step He needs you to.

Alexis: What about writing this book brought you the greatest joy?

Erin: Honestly, I like the reaction when people hear the title. It disarms people and makes people smile. I think that makes people more open to reading the story. I have a very personal relationship with God, where I do speak with Him so casually I can respond to Him with a question like “You want me to do what?”. It's not some “holier than thou” story. I'm just a woman who loves the Lord and wants to serve him in my daily life, using the talents He's given me, who is sharing her story. It seems like that approach makes people more open to hear about a journey of faith and think about their own life. Having God use me to help bring others to Him is my greatest joy.

Alexis: What was your most difficult challenge in writing this book? Explain.

Erin: The book is primarily based on journal entries written during filming, so I needed to make some changes to put them in chapters that had some cohesion and flow. I also wanted to strike a balance between a behind the scenes on the logistics of making an ultra low budget film and the faith aspect. I also hadn't journaled as much once filming started, so I had to go off my memory, which was a challenge because I have a notoriously bad memory).

Alexis: How did you learn to understand and trust God’s timing?

Erin: Truthfully, I can still sometimes struggle with this. I do try to look for lessons I may need to be learning if I feel like God is making me wait for something. Another co-worker of mine used to always say “Time is going to pass anyway, so you may as well make time work for you.” That stuck with me so that I don't waste time. If I'm waiting, there may be a reason and I can at least do something while I wait.

Alexis: What would you say is the most valuable life lesson that you learned while going through the experiences that you’ve written about in this book?

Erin: I would say that I learned that God's dreams for you may be bigger than your own. Even if he's not calling you to do something on a big stage, he may be calling you to be a bigger, better person than you are right now. I have grown immensely in following God's will in my life and where I am right now is not where I would be if I had followed my own plans for myself.

Alexis: In your book, your sister told you that she had a dream that a man approached her while she was in Subway (the restaurant) saying that He felt impressed to give her money to make a movie. Did that ever happen? If not, how did you get the funds to make your movie?

Erin: Ha! Don't I wish she met a mysterious benefactor at Subway. I mean, she didn't really even try and hit up some Subways, but I've given her a pass on that. I held some fundraising events and then basically asked anyone and everyone I knew to contribute. Since it is a faith-based film, a lot of people I knew were inclined to give. And going back to an earlier question, really sharing how I felt called by God really inspired generosity in others.

Alexis: I like how you started each chapter of your book with a Bible verse. How did you go about choosing the most appropriate verse for each chapter?

Erin: Thanks. I did quite a search through the Bible with some keywords and had a list of maybe 30-40 verses. Then I made bullet points of each chapter's main points. I looked through my list and did my best to match it up with the main theme of the chapter.

Alexis: In what ways do you hope that this book will help your readers?

Erin: I hope people will think about how God may be speaking with them and see what God could be calling them to do. Like I say in the book, some are called to something big and will influence many people, and others are called to influence a smaller circle of people, perhaps their children and family. No matter the size of your call, there is value in it. Whatever God is asking you to do, do it! 

Alexis: Now that this book is written, what’s next?

Erin: Right now, I am very busy with the release of the film. Both the book and the film “Broken & Beautiful” come out on February 14. Then I will embark on a 10-city tour with the film, going from California to the east coast. After that, I'm not sure just yet. I'm seeing where God is leading!

Alexis: Thanks for the interview, Erin! God bless you.

~*~
Author Bio:

Erin R. Dooley is an award-winning screenwriter, filmmaker, speaker, and author. 

Erin has produced two feature films, numerous short films, two comedy web series, a docu-series, and one feature documentary. 

Erin and her projects have been featured in 20 different media outlets, including Newsweek's "Guide Of What To Watch." 

"You Want Me to Do What, God?!" is her first book. She lives in Los Angeles County.

About the book: You Want Me To Do What, God?! is a look at the faith of saying "yes" to God's call even when you don't understand what He is asking of you. 

Written in a conversational tone, author Erin R. Dooley takes the reader behind the scenes of making the faith-based film Broken & Beautiful. 

Part devotional, with scripture verses and reflection questions, and part testimonial, based on journal entries during filming, the book presents an approachable perspective to living out your faith.

Buy the movie and read the book via http://www.brokenandbeautifulmovie.com/buy-the-movie.html

~*~
Connect with Erin:

Facebook Fan Page - www.facebook.com/brokenandbeautifulmovie

Facebook Business Page - https://www.facebook.com/DASHEntertainment/
Movie Feed on Twitter - https://twitter.com/Brokn_Beautiful
Production Company Feed on Twitter - https://twitter.com/DASH_Entertain
Personal Twitter - https://twitter.com/erindooley34

~*~

*United States Residents ONLY May enter this book giveaway contest for your chance to WIN a copy of this book by filling out the entry form on the Rafflecopter widget below: 

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Book Review about answering God's call and stepping out on faith

Erin R. Dooley, a movie maker/new author, reached out to me asking if I would write a review of her new book. After reading the blurb for her book and hearing her story, I said yes to promoting her book and her movie on my blog. 

Today's post is the first of exactly four features that will be published on my blog between now and next month because Erin has quite a story to share and I'm happy to assist in telling it. 

Enjoy today's feature which is my review of her book!

~*~
My Review of Erin R. Dooley’s book,  “You Want Me To Do What, God?!”

This true-life story by Erin R. Dooley is a great read!

God calls His faithful followers to do things for Him. For some, it may mean moving to another country and working in underserved communities. For others, it may mean becoming a missionary in a foreign country and telling the world about the saving gospel of Jesus Christ. Answering God’s call can mean a lot of things—and adventures—but for Erin, it meant making a movie without the help of a major studio or an established production company. Hesitant at first but then determined to be obedient to God, Erin decided to take that step of faith and do what God asked her to do. So she embarked on a journey that led the making of the award-winning Christian musical film, “Broken & Beautiful”.

The title of Erin’s book “You Want Me To Do What, God?!” is explained in the pages of her story. She takes the reader on her journey of stepping out on faith and doing what God asked of her to do. It was quite the journey filled with highs and lows, doubts and dreams come true! The author made her story detailed and digestible for her readers to consume. Erin’s book starts with a Foreword, followed by a Preface then she tells her story and wraps it up in exactly 10 chapters. Lesson points and questions for the reader conclude each chapter. This interactive feature encourages the reader to remember the highlights from each chapter and think about applying the concepts to their own real-life story. Every chapter opens with a Bible verse before diving into another scene from Erin’s journey of answering God’s call.

This book was insightful, filled with humor and hope. It inspired me as the reader and reminded me that great things happen when you answer God’s call.

~*~
About the book: You Want Me To Do What, God?! is a look at the faith of saying "yes" to God's call even when you don't understand what He is asking of you. Written in a conversational tone, author Erin R. Dooley takes the reader behind the scenes of making the faith-based film Broken & Beautiful. Part devotional, with scripture verses and reflection questions, and part testimonial, based on journal entries during filming, the book presents an approachable perspective to living out your faith.

~*~
Author Bio: 

Erin R. Dooley is an award-winning screenwriter, filmmaker, speaker, and author. 

Erin has produced two feature films, numerous short films, two comedy web series, a docu-series, and one feature documentary. 

Erin and her projects have been featured in 20 different media outlets, including Newsweek's "Guide Of What To Watch." "You Want Me to Do What, God?!" is her first book. 

She lives in Los Angeles County.

~*~
Connect with Erin:
Movie Page on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/brokenandbeautifulmovie/

Business Page on Facebook -  https://www.facebook.com/DASHEntertainment/

Movie Feed on Twitter - https://twitter.com/Brokn_Beautiful
Production Company Feed on Twitter - https://twitter.com/DASH_Entertain
Personal Feed on Twitter - https://twitter.com/erindooley34

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Words of Faith: Positivity Inspires shares her story on trusting God's plan

A Test of My Faith
A Words of Faith story by Positivity Inspires 

Talking the talk and walking the walk are two very different things. I can say I have faith all day, but if I do not act on it, what good is that?

A Test of Faith

My faith has been tested at many points in my life – many, many, many times. And there was one time I distinctly remember when my faith was really tested. I was fresh out of graduate school and was planning to stay in the same city and state in which I graduated. Little did I know that in just a few months, the Lord would instead lead me to an area that was clearly out of my comfort zone. This area was new territory (literally). It was far from family and friends, and I knew no one there. What’s more is that although I knew God was guiding me to this new place, I did not know how I was going to get there because I was working with limited funds. When I considered the amount of money it would take for me to move (and then looked at the amount of money I had in my bank account at the time), what I had would not be enough to cover the expenses of relocating.

Departing from the Familiar

Whenever I tell this story, I think of two people and two stories in the Bible – Abraham and of course, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. In Genesis 12:1, God told Abraham to leave his father’s country and make his way to an area that He (God) had appointed so the Lord can “make of thee a great nation”. Abraham had to leave what was familiar to him because God had set up his (Abraham’s) blessings in a different area. In other words, Abraham had to leave his comfort zone. Abraham was obedient to God’s instructions, and because of his obedience, he was blessed.

Insufficient to the Normal Eye, More than Sufficient in God’s Eyes

Another story that comes to mind is the one in which Jesus feeds the multitude (approximately five thousand people according to what is recorded in the Gospels) with as little as five loaves of bread and two fishes. Although this story is recorded in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, I will refer to Mark 6:31-44 in this blog. In Mark 6, one can read how Jesus took what seemed to be an insufficient amount of food and fed a very large crowd.

Sometimes we look at what we currently have, thinking it is not enough to accomplish something. We make the mistake of looking at it with natural eyes verses our spiritual eyes. Sometimes we fail to realize that whatever God has given us (no matter how small of an amount we consider it to be), He can multiply it. He can turn what we consider to be a shortage into a surplus.

Walking the Walk…of Faith

Now, back to my story, it was time for me to step out on faith. I made plans to make the big move, despite how my bank account was looking and despite the fact that I was traveling to unknown territory (remember, new place, no family, and no friends). Now, if you read carefully, you will notice that I went ahead and made plans to move before I received the money required to make that move.

Okay, I must admit that I experienced a few moments of uneasiness prior to that move. There were a couple of times when I was thinking of how I was going to get to the place God was leading me with a very small amount of money. Our “flesh” will act that way at times, and we must pray, remember God’s promises, and be obedient to Him, regardless. So although I had a couple of “moments”, in my spirit, I was confident the Lord was going to provide for me, and He did. God made a way. He opened a door, just in time. I acted on faith. I walked the walked, and everything worked out wonderfully for me.

Now, you may be wondering what the significance of this “new territory” I often referred to in this blog is. Well, it was there where my relationship with Christ thrived and my ministry began. As with Abraham, I had to leave what was familiar to me and travel to an unknown land to receive my spiritual blessing (my ministry). I walked the walk of faith, despite how my finances looked. I was obedient to God, despite the few moments of fear I experienced, and because I did these things, I was blessed.

~*~
Author bio:  

Better known by her pen name, Positivity Inspires (trademarked) is a writer, speaker, and servant of the Lord. 

She was introduced to Christ at a very early age and was raised in the church. Her ministry focuses on encouraging Christians to continually strengthen their bond with Christ, study His Word, and live His Word daily. 

Although Positivity Inspires writes in more than one genre, she is best known for her Christian/Inspirational works. Her blogs can be found on several websites, including the “The Christian Post”, a major online Christian newspaper based in Washington D.C. She also is currently writing a couple of books with the hope of publishing them soon. 

Positivity Inspires has spoken at several churches and has been interviewed by the hosts of the “Morning Show” on Missions Radio. 

As a successful career woman who has earned a doctorate in her field, she also greatly understands the importance of placing God first and cherishes her relationship with Him. She is one who is appreciative of her career and passionate about her ministry, and she possesses a strong love for Christ and for others.

~*~

Connect with Positivity Inspires:
Twitter - twitter.com/pinspires
Instagram - Instagram.com/positivity_inspires
Facebook - Facebook.com/positivityinspirespage

Words of Faith: M. Simone's story about following God's lead

How to Follow God When You Don’t Know Where He’s Leading
A Words of Faith story by M. Simone Boyd

“Faith is following God when you don’t know where He’s leading.” That’s what my pastor said a few weeks ago in church. And I needed this reminder because I was growing weary of this writing journey.

You see, I took a big leap of faith in the fall of 2014. I left my good government job to write full time. But things haven’t been shaking out quite as I had planned.

By now, I thought I’d be a New York Times best-selling author.

By now, I thought I’d be sitting on Oprah’s couch telling her all about my plans to help heal families.

By now, I thought I’d be making at least a few thousand dollars a month as a writer.

But none of that has happened.

And I think it’s because God is more interested in the journey than the destination. Take the children of Israel, for example. Once they left Egypt it took 40 years to get the Promised Land. 40 years?!

But even when they were wandering in the wilderness, God was proving His faithfulness to them over and over again. Here are three lessons I’m learning as I try to follow God—even when I don’t know where He is leading:

Lesson #1: Look for God’s Protection

You probably know the story of the Exodus. Pharaoh didn’t let the Israelites exit without a fight, and even after they did leave, Pharaoh followed. But God used Pharaoh’s hard heart to demonstrate His protection. Listen to what Moses says as the Egyptian army approached:

“The Lord will fight for you and you shall hold your peace.” Exodus 14:14 (NKJV)

Over the past year and a half, I have seen God’s protection time and again. Such as:

· He protected me and my husband from buying a house with termites.

· He’s protected me from job offers that would have taken me away from my mission.

· And He’s fought for me even when I didn’t know that He was doing so. 

Lesson #2: Look for God’s Provision 

God had to teach the Israelites how to rely on Him.

Prior to the Exodus, the Israelites relied on the Egyptians for food and shelter. That’s how Joseph’s brothers wound up in Egypt in the first place, they were starving and Egypt had food. And for 430 years, Egypt provided.

God had to re-teach them the lessons of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob—He was their sole provider. Provision came via manna in the morning and quail at night.

Personally, I’m struggling with this lesson.

I went from making six-figures a year to making just enough money to put gas in my tank. But the Lord is showing me, just how much trust I had in that job. He’s teaching me to:

· trust in Him

· walk by faith

· and to continue working…even when I don’t see the results.

It’s been a humbling experience. But not once have I been hungry. And every single month, I’ve made money as a professional writer—even if it was only pocket change.

Lesson #3: Look for God’s Guidance

From the moment the Israelites exited Egypt, God was their guide. He showed up as a pillar of fire by night and a cloud by day. They were never alone.

Neither are you and I.

Looking for His guidance is one of the places I’ve grown. Time and again, He’s closed one door and opened another. Just recently, my novel got rejected by a fancy New York publisher. So decided to go the self-publishing route. A few days later, a local printer wrote me and said they’d print 5,000 copies. For free.

Only God could do that. And I’m following Him, no matter where He leads me.

Reflection question: What lessons is God teaching you as you follow Him in faith? 

~*~

Author bio:

M. Simone Boyd quit her job as an energy analyst to research and write about what makes relationships thrive or die. 

She interviewed 10 Christian, Black men to get their thoughts on relationships and wrote a free guide based on their advice. Simone is the oldest of eight kids and married to her husband, Morris–an only child. 

Say "howdy" to her at: 
My Family Fantastic (blog)
Twitter: @msimoneboyd
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/myfamilyfantastic/

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Falling in Love with Jesus: Break Up To Make Up

Today's Falling In Love with Jesus story features my friend Jared Renaud Taylor. He's a multi-talented individual who wants to work for God in any and every capacity God sees fit.

Jared and his wife Vanessa two sons. They are one of the most inspirational married couples I know and their children are adorable. 

I hope you will find Jared's story inspiring and relevant to your personal journey with Jesus, whether you're far ahead on the journey or just started walking by faith. Whoever you are and wherever you are on your journey to know God, I hope and pray this story from Jared today will impact your life in a powerful and positive way.

Be blessed! :)

~*~
Break Up To Make Up
A Falling in Love with Jesus story written by Jared Renaud Taylor

It didn’t happen all at once. There was no single moment I can point to. It was more like a series of events that began to crescendo.

They began in the Christmas of 2007 when my Mom came to visit. It was the last time I saw her alive. She gave me a copy of the Bible reading plan she was using. Before then I had never read the Bible in its entirety and thought that would have been a great opportunity to do so. It also seemed like an awesome way to facilitate my personal devotion and Bible study in a more intentional way. My methods prior were pretty haphazard.

Up until that point, my relationship with Jesus was purely intellectual. I knew the details of what He did, why He did it and what He wanted from me in return. I understood it. I could articulate it. But it was all cerebral. All things considered, following Jesus appeared to be a rational course of action. Weighed against the alternatives, it was the best available choice. My decision to follow Jesus remained cognitive; there was nothing emotive about it.

Over the next two years, I read the Bible twice, cover to cover, and gained a better appreciation of His relentless pursuit of mankind. That experience planted and germinated a seed about the depths of His love, from a perspective I’d never considered before. His passion for us, and His perspective on sin really caught my attention. It was an eye opener to discover that what I considered to be shortcomings and weaknesses, He likened to unfaithfulness, adultery and prostitution. I began to see a lot of myself in the rebellious actions of the Israel and Judah. Then, in reading God’s reactions to their idolatry—how He felt about it—I got a sense of God’s personality, making Him less abstract. To know that even after all the ways I’ve mistreated Him—selfishly disregarding His feelings and doing what I wanted, knowing He didn’t approve—He would be willing to forgive me and restore me completely, totally blew my mind.

The top of the crescendo came in late 2010 when for the first time I was intentionally mean and hurtful to someone I considered a friend. I realize that I’ve hurt people before, through selfish actions, but I’d never been intentional about causing pain. However in this instance, in order to prove my affections for one young lady, I tried to get rid of another in an awful way. In that moment, when I was being an absolute jerk, she said to me, “I don’t care what you say or do, I love you and I will be here for you!” Her response caught me completely off guard. It seemed irrational. It made no sense. I didn’t know what to do with it.

The next month I started a Master’s program and the first class was like a therapy session. It uncovered a lot about why I made some of the choices I did; things I was not consciously aware of at the time. I felt compelled to try and make up for some of the poor choices I had made, and I reached out to the friend I had badly hurt. However her position had changed from the seemingly irrational “I love you anyway” to the more normative “You’ve hurt me. I don’t trust you. You’re going to have to work to regain my trust and prove to me that you’ve changed before I even consider restoring you.”

That for me was the “ah ha” moment! I came to her truly repentant. The gravity of my poor choices was manifest to me. I was seeking forgiveness and a chance to make it right. She claimed to love me no matter what. Now I would have to walk this probationary road with no guarantee of reconciliation.

It was in that moment that I fully understood and appreciated what Jesus did for me. I found new appreciation for the words “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9 NKJV) No records kept. No probationary period. No suspicion. With Him I receive immediate reconciliation and full restoration. He offers a fresh start, a clean slate, like it never happened, EVERY SINGLE time! I fell in love with Jesus when I understood and experienced His love.

“We love Him, because He first loved us.” 1 John 4:19 (NKJV).

Falling in love with Jesus begins with experiencing His love. At least that’s where it began for me…32 years into my journey with Him.

~*~
Author bio:

Jared Renaud Taylor grew up in the twin-island Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. He loves Jesus and serving others. 

Jared has a Master of Arts degree in Youth Ministry Leadership from Huntington University and serves as an elder, Personal Ministries leader and audio engineer at Restoration Praise Center Seventh-day Adventist Church. 

He is also the creator, producer and host of Water For The Thirsty, an online web series, which facilitates daily personal devotion and Bible study. 

Pictured: Jared's wife Vanessa to the left, their baby in the middle and Jared to the right

Jared has two charming sons, and lives in the Washington D.C. Metropolitan Area with his wife Vanessa, whom he loves dearly.

Love is in the Air: Be God's

"Be Mine" and "You Belong to Me" are popular phrases spoken by people we know and sung by famous musicians in every language around the world. These words and song lyrics convey a universal message known to humankind: We all want to be loved. Such sentiments fill our minds with romantic notions. Such words sweetly spoken (or sung) to us capture our hearts and inspire our minds with the idea of falling in love with a special someone and spending forever together.

Did you know that you as a human are already loved? You're not just loved by people you know and can see, you are loved and deeply known by the invisible, Almighty God who wants you to know and love Him too. Yes, you heard me right. The Creator of the Universe (God) wants to be yours! It's true. Read Ephesians 1:4 for proof. God loves you with all of His divine heart and He asks you to be His not just on Valentine's Day but every single day of your life. Best of all, a relationship with God lasts forever as in eternity!

Today, my dear writer friend Brandy Bruce is here to encourage you to "Be God's". 

I hope you are encouraged and inspired by her devotional. 

~*~
Be God’s
A devotional written by Brandy Bruce

When I was in high school, I was a huge Rich Mullins fan. Songs like "Awesome God", "Sometimes by Step" and "Hold Me, Jesus" inspired me and strengthened my faith. I still remember how utterly sad I was to hear of his tragic death. Just a college student at the time myself, I knew the world had lost something special when Rich Mullins past away. A couple of years later I went to a concert by his band, the Ragamuffins. They were selling T-shirts with a phrase on them that Rich loved: Be God’s.

The phrase has stuck with me ever since. Be God’s.

What does it mean? To be honest, I’m still learning that. But along my winding faith journey, I think I’ve learned what it doesn’t mean.

Let me back up a bit. The truth is that my faith journey has had its ups and downs. Periods of intense doubt. Mountain top highs. Deep valley lows. Moments where I’ve felt close to God. Moments where I’ve been unsure. Not everyone can relate, I know.

Some can.

I’ve struggled with faith. I still do sometimes, but I’ve reached a point where I cling to faith even when I’m not sure. I choose faith even when riddled with unbelief. I choose Jesus, over and over again. I’m not saying it always comes easy. It’s a choice made with my heart and my mind and my soul.

During one specific season of my life, I found myself feeling hopeless, feeling broken. Maybe you’ve been there.

In the midst of doubt and brokenness, I only had the spiritual strength to whisper, “I still believe.”

And it was enough.

That’s when I learned what it means to be God’s . . . and what it doesn’t. My faith doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s. Yours doesn’t have to resemble mine—your faith journey is your own. Like mine is my own. I’ve looked at other women in my life and beyond, and thought to myself: I can’t be like her. My faith is so wobbly, God could never use me like he uses her. She probably never goes through periods of doubt. She probably reads her Bible every single morning. She probably never skips church. She would never read that book or watch that movie. She’s probably an amazing wife and mother, and her husband adores her. She probably walks and talks and breathes spirituality. I’m nothing like her. The terrible part is that I don’t even want to be! It looks exhausting.

Have you had thoughts like that?

In the middle of that season of doubt, I found Jesus still there. It occurred to me that because He’s enough, I don’t have to worry about whether I am. When thoughts like the ones above swirl through my mind, He’s that voice telling me that I don’t have to be like anyone else. He loves me just as I am. My relationship with Him is unique, like any real relationship. It’s our own love story, you know. I’m just me. I’m a work in progress, and I’m loved by God through every step of the refining process. I was loved before I chose to be God’s. He loved me then. He loves me now.

He loves you too.

I have no idea what happened to that T-shirt I bought that day. It was white, with black letters scrawled across in Rich’s handwriting. I wore it until the edges frayed and the white wasn’t quite so bright. Be God’s.

Not “be perfect” or “be like her” or “be better” or even “be strong.” Just be God’s. It’s enough.

When I first started to write Second Chance Café, I didn’t know that Isabella’s faith journey would start to look like mine. As her character began to take shape, I recognized her questions, those doubts and fears, as my own. Her story is close to my heart. It’s a picture of a woman struggling to hold on to a faith that feels cold. She’s frustrated by life’s disappointments. She’s wondering who she is. She needs God to show up in a real way.

She has to learn, as I did, that it’s enough just to be His. He’ll hold on tight enough for the both of them. It’s true for all of us. Our faith journeys are our own. They’re going to look different and that’s okay. Different is beautiful. Just be God’s. It’s the best place to start.

I hope you’ll check out Isabella’s story in Second Chance Café and let me know what you think!

~*~
Author bio: 

Brandy Bruce has worked in book publishing for more than ten years. 

She's an editor and an author and a woman who really loves dessert. 

Brandy lives in Colorado with her husband and three children. 

You can find her online at brandybruce.blogspot.com.

~*~

Blurb for Brandy's book, Second Chance Café:

Isabella Romano has given up on love. Between her demanding work as a nurse and her father's poor health, Isabella has no time for distractions. So when a handsome firefighter practically falls at her feet, she keeps him at arm's length. But Ethan Carter is determined to win her over.

Orphaned at a young age, Ethan longs for a family of his own--and he's sure Isabella is his match. But when he opens a cafe near his firehouse, Isabella is less than thrilled. She knows firsthand the strain of being a restaurant owner, and wants no part of that life. Can Ethan convince the busy nurse they can overcome any obstacle and have their happily ever after together?

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Buy Brandy’s book:
Amazon.com - http://amzn.to/1R3D2Cx
Barnes& Noble - http://bit.ly/1GT3YPO
Christianbook.com - http://bit.ly/1cbfkEG

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Connect with Brandy:
Blog - http://brandybruce.blogspot.com/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/authorBrandyBruce

Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/brandybruce/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/brandybruce