Devotionals for the Heart: We can find the rest our soul needs in God

Rest for Our Souls
A devotional by Joy Beless

“Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him. Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge. Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.”—Psalm 62:5-8 (NIV)

What is shaking your world? The news bytes of the last 48 hours are enough to convince me to stay in bed with the covers over my head!

What is shaking your family’s world–conflict, exhaustion, financial need? I don’t need to convince you of the stressful and seemingly dangerous world we live in. And yet, was it not the same for King David who wrote the Bible book of Psalms?

Many people think that King David wrote this psalm in the anchor text above at the time his son, Absalom attempted to overthrow the government in rebellion against his own father’s authority and kingship. Rather than wait until David dies to reign, Absalom decides to accelerate the timeline. The story does not begin here but rather has evolved over years of division and conflict.

We each have a story that evolves over time and needs a course correction and desperate prayer for help. When our family of six lived in Tokyo (Japan), I had to learn a new way to live. Moving from a Dallas (Texas) suburb to live in Tokyo required a different way for me to do the most mundane things like buy groceries, visit the bank, and navigate the city driving on the left side of the road. I was trying to learn the language and culture while parenting four children. Then the “9/11” tragedy occurred in the USA during this time and the whole world changed overnight. I became so stressed and anxious that my hair literally fell out. I developed the autoimmune alopecia condition. There was so much I could not control—except for resting and trusting in the Lord. I knew I could not continue in the same way underneath all this stress and uncertainty life was hurling at me.

What about your story? Even as you read this devotional, what thoughts are surfacing and lurking beneath the veneer? Both domestically and internationally, the newsfeed at our fingertips reminds us that we live in perilous times—just like David. So perhaps we can learn some coping strategies from David and this psalm.

In Psalm 62:5-8, David declares where his rest and hope come from: God—pure and simple. No contingency or exit plans. What do you need rest “from”? What kind of rest? According to Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith, there are several different kinds of rest that we need to feel restored. Physical, mental, social, and emotional rest are just some of the areas we need to bring calm and space into our lives.

Some important questions we can ask ourselves are:

What do we need “less of” to restore our mind, body, and soul?

What do we need “more of” to renew our mind, body, and soul?

What life patterns are contributing to our current stressed life?

What changes can we identify and control that are restorative?

I quickly realized I needed to make some changes when life seemed to spiral downward. I was in an exhaustive state trying to juggle all the “plates” of family and ministry. I realized our Sundays in church and at home were as busy as the other six days in the week, so I began to scale back extra activities. This was hard and impacted our children’s activities the most. However, not only I but the whole family needed more time to rest. We made Sundays in our household a day to restore, relax, and slow down the pace.

I realized my morning habit of walking was squeezed out of the day’s agenda and recognized my need to be outside and have some space of margin in my life, so I made that a priority. Reluctantly, I let go of my language class after two years, as I identified that as very stressful. I began to listen to music that calmed my soul and brought me joy. Playing it in the background seemed to bring down the stress of the whole household, not just mine! Lastly, I began to share with trusted people about what I was experiencing and identify the emotions that were building up ready to spew like a volcano! I learned not only was this giving me emotional and mental rest, but also modeling an important life skill for my children who were entering their teen years.

King David said in the Bible book of Psalm, that it is in God he finds rest for his soul. David trusted God with his kingdom and personal worries and when he reached an old age in his lifetime, he was confident that God is trustworthy to be present in difficult times. David reminds himself who God is to him: his hope, rock, salvation, fortress, honor, and refuge (Psalm 62:5-8). That is quite a list. As you slowly read over the list again, which word seems inviting to you in your present circumstances? Are there some areas in your life that need adjusting with “more of” or “less of”? Ask God to lead you in this process of seeking rest then follow Him into the rest your body and soul needs.

Let’s Pray:

Dear God,

Truly You are the source of rest for our souls. We are thankful that You are a rock in our ever-changing world! Thank You for being a refuge of peace for us. We are grateful to pour out our hearts to You.

In Jesus’s Name, I pray.

Amen.

Song of Reflection: “Find Rest” by Francesca Battistelli. Listen to it here.

~*~
Author Bio:

Joy Beless is a worshipper of God and lover of people. 

A practicing Spiritual Director, she is a speaker for retreats and conferences and facilitates guided solitude retreats at the family ranch in North Texas.

A seasoned worship leader and songwriter, she frequently weaves worship, God’s Word and spiritual practices together. She is a chapel provider for a shelter for the houseless and a certified Grief and Trauma Healing Facilitator. Serving at global retreats for Kingdom-minded women delights her soul.

She has written for Global Trellis and Missio Nexus. She connects God’s Word with the reality of our daily in all the ups and downs.

Joy is married to Roger. They live in Coppell (Texas). Joy is called "JoJo" by her nine adorable grandchildren. She enjoys the outdoors and encourages flowers to grow in the Texas heat.

~*~
Connect with Joy:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joy.beless
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joy.beless/
Website: www.joybeless.org

My Review of the NEW movie "God's Not Dead: We the People"

My Review of God's Not Dead:We the People (movie)

Recently, I had the remarkable opportunity to view a pre-screening of the new movie, God's Not Dead: We the People. This is the fourth film in the God's Not Dead franchise and it's just as poignant and well-done as the previous installments!

Before I share my review with you, I'd like to tell you about the movie through a word from Momentum Influencers: “The God’s Not Dead franchise continues in God’s Not Dead: We the People as Reverend Dave (White) is called to defend a group of Christian homeschooling families. He finds himself taken aback by the interference of the government, and believing that their right to educate their own children is a freedom worth fighting for, Reverend Dave is called to Washington D.C. to testify in a landmark congressional hearing that will determine the future of religious freedom in our country for years to come. In the words of Ronald Reagan, “Freedom is a fragile thing”. Individual freedoms and liberties are at the center of this passionate and emotional story, and it runs from the heart of the country to the corridors of Washington. Who will decide what a child needs to know for generations to come? Will God be left behind?”

~*~

My Review of God's Not Dead: We the People (movie):

This movie was amazing from start to finish! 

The viewer is able to join the characters on their journey. It's like you're invited into every scene and experience all the feelings of the actors who did a great job of staying in character!

God's Not Dead: We the People tackles an issue that is close to the hearts of many Christian parents who feel led by God to homeschool their children instead of sending them to public schools. The debate and conflict around this issues was perfectly portrayed in this fiction story on film. I believe that any Christian parent who struggles with deciding what's best for their child's eduction, will appreciate this story brought to life by these wonderful actors!

Speaking of the actors, I was delighted to see that one of my favorite Contemporary Christian musicians had a lead role in this movie! Francesca Battistelli stars as a wife and mom who wants to homeschool her children. 

(Pictured above: Francesca Battistelli in character)

Just like her mother Kate Battistelli who played Anna opposite of Yul Brynner in the Broadway play The King and I, Francesca delivered a believable and well-done performance! Clearly, the acting apple doesn't fall far from the tree and singing is not Francesca's only amazing talent.

This movie included several subplots that enriched the overall story and each little picture contributed to they big picture. Speaking of pictures, the Director of Photography truly delivered! Every scene and backdrop is beautiful.

I also enjoyed seeing several of the actors from the previous movies in this series, return to the screen. It was wonderful to see how their personal stories continued in this movie.

God's Not Dead: We the People arrives in theaters tonight (Oct. 4) and will continue playing on Oct. 5 and Oct. 6. However, those are the only dates for when you can see this movie for now. So don't wait! Buy your ticket here and visit the movie's official website here for more details.

Watch the official trailer for this movie here:

Learn about the heart of the movie here:

My Blog's 10th Year Birthday Bash: Kate Battistelli's book giveaway

Welcome to the 18th day of my blog's birthday bash!

Please welcome my author friend Kate Battistelli.

She's here to give away one copy of her book!

Enter the book giveaway contest via the Rafflecopter widget the end of this blog post. Only residents of the USA are eligible to receive a signed paperback copy of this author's books. International residents will only receive ebook copies due to costs of mailing books outside of the USA.

Let's learn a little bit more about Kate and her book ...

Author Bio:

Kate Battistelli, happily married to her best friend for 37 years, is mom to GRAMMY award-winning recording artist Francesca Battistelli and is blessed to be Mimi to Francesca’s 5 children. 

She’s a former Broadway actress and the author of The God Dare and Growing Great Kids. 

She represents one-third of the Mom to Mom podcast trio, whose goal is to equip every generation of moms with grace, encouragement, and honesty. 

Kate loves to cook and blogs about food and faith at www.KateBattistelli.com. 

Because of her heart for the broken and bruised, you can find her mentoring and encouraging women of all ages, either on her front porch, in her small group, or on Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook.

~*~

Back Cover Blurb for Kate's book:

The God Dare. Where will you hear it? . . .

Deep down inside, you know you’re on this planet for a reason. God has a plan in mind just for you. In fact, He chose you for His plan before the foundation of the world. He designed you very specifically for this time and this place, and He’s perfectly equipped you to accomplish His purpose in the earth.

Through engaging and memorable true stories—both biblical and modern—author Kate Battistelli challenges and encourages you to discover how God has specifically designed you for this time in history, your place in the world, your role in His cosmic plan. Once and for all, let go of your fear, worry, pride and strife. . .

All God ever needs is a willing vessel. Will you say yes?

~*~

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:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A devotional about hope in the midst of our troubled times

Hope for Our Troubled World
A devotional by Alexis A. Goring

“Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.” –Psalm 42:5 (NIV)

In the early morning hours of Sunday, March 15, CNN reported around 1:07 a.m. (EST) that there are 142,000 Coronavirus cases globally. People are getting sick from the virus and dying. The numbers of cases and deaths seem to increase on a daily basis. Fear is sweeping over the people of this world.

On their company website, CNN reported the following in a box titled “What You Need to Know” about emergency measures globally: "The US has declared a national emergency. France is closing all restaurants, cafes, cinemas, and clubs. People in Spain are restricted from leaving their homes. And the Philippines capital is about to go under partial lockdown."

Clearly, our world is in trouble and people have real reasons to be fearful. But the Bible says that this is just the beginning! However, God doesn’t want us to be fearful. The Bible says in Matthew 24:6 (NKJV), “And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.”

Now here’s the Good News: God has promised to be with us until the end of the world (Matthew 28:20) and He means that literally!

Let’s take a moment to see what that means … The Creator of the Universe who made this Earth and your heart tells us to NOT let our hearts be troubled! In John 14:1 (KJV), Jesus Christ (God’s Son) says, “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.”

Let’s read the full context of that Scripture in John 14:1-6 (NIV). This is where Jesus comforts his disciples. He said: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Jesus is The Way to our home in Heaven. He is our hope in troubled times. He is our Savior. Our Healer. Our Redeemer, and He wants to be your Best Friend. Let that sink in, the Savior of the world wants to be your very Best Friend! Jesus is the friend who sticks closer than a brother (Proverbs 18:24). Jesus is the only friend capable of not only calming your fears, but saving your soul (John 3:16-17).

With Jesus in the picture, you always have hope! And the good news is that Jesus is always in the picture! Unfortunately, we as humans (even those of us who believe in God and are sold out for Jesus Christ) can sometimes forget these beautiful, Bible based truths and comforting promises of God as we become overwhelmed by the troubles of this world.

Early in the morning of Sunday, March 15, my soul was troubled. I was wide awake with worry after watching the news and emotional eating just after midnight. But, then God struck me with a Bible verse then He followed up with a song. Let’s read the verse first. The psalmist says in Psalm 42:5 (NIV), “Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.”

Put your hope in God. I could almost feel God whisper those words to me.

Then the song “Find Rest” by Francesca Battistelli entered my mind and I went to YouTube and played it immediately. As the song lyrics washed over me, it helped me to renew my mind (Romans 12:2) and focus on what really matters (my relationship with Jesus Christ because only He can save me)!

Let’s examine my paraphrase of the song: The opening lyrics point to Biblical truth in saying that God never sleeps nor slumbers (Psalm 121:3-4). He’s never off the clock. Nothing that happens to us on Earth from the shedding of our tears to our expressions of what we fear, is a surprise to Him. God never runs out of resources to rush to our aid. All He wants us to do is to trust Him. He wants our weary souls to find rest in Him. He wants us to put our hope in Him. God is strong. God is faithful. God’s love for you and me is real.

As we say in church, God is good all the time, and all the time, God is good! Unlike mankind, God cannot lie. Everything that He says in His Word (The Holy Bible) is true! The Bible says in Numbers 23:19 (ESV), “God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?”

Now the age old saying when we are living in troubled times and experience tragedy or trauma is, “How could a good God allow this?”

There are many answers that we may not receive until we arrive in Heaven, the Bible says in Deuteronomy 29:29, and even then we may not know everything. But we can be okay with not knowing everything because what we do know is that God is good, God loves us unconditionally and He has our best interest at heart. We can trust Him to take care of us. Even when you don’t feel like God is there for you, He is. Don’t be fooled into thinking that He’s abandoned you. The Bible says that He will NEVER abandon you (Hebrews 13:5).

If you are living and breathing on this planet Earth then that is proof therein itself that God loves you and is there for you! Pastor Bianca Olthoff says, “If you are NOT dead, then God is NOT done!” Every day is another chance to accept Jesus Christ into your heart, believe in Him, love Him, obey Him, trust Him and follow Him all the way to Heaven!

Yes, we are living in troubled times. No, we don’t know what tomorrow holds but as the saying goes, “I don’t know what tomorrow holds, but I know Who holds tomorrow.” God holds tomorrow! Can I get a “Hallelujah, Amen?”

You are in my heart and prayers. May God continue to watch over, bless and protect you. I pray that you will trust Him to deliver you and know that He will always be there for you. God will show up right on time in your situation. If you believe in the Bible and what it says then you have hope knowing that in the end, God wins! And if you stay on His team, you will win too and receive the most beautiful gift for free!

The free gift from God is better than a winner’s trophy or cash prize, it is eternal life spent in His Presence and that life starts in Heaven. It will be a life free from sickness and sorrow. A place that does not include death and is free of pain and destruction. It will be the start of a beautiful, real story that never ends. But first, we must press forward and never give up or grow weary of doing good (Galatians 6:9)! We must live for Him (God) and not worry about or become fearful of anything. The Bible says in 2 Timothy 1:7 (KJV), “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

Hold on to hope, God’s hope. Put your trust in God.

Love,

Alexis A. Goring

Founder of "God is Love" blog

Interview with Kate Battistelli, author of "The God Dare"

Welcome Kate Battistelli to the blog!

She's here today to talk about her new nonfiction book, The God Dare. 

Here's the glorious cover of her book:

Here is the official blurb for Kate's book which you can buy online and in bookstores:

The God Dare. Where will you hear it? 

Deep down inside, you know you’re on this planet for a reason. God has a plan in mind just for you. In fact, He chose you for His plan before the foundation of the world. He designed you very specifically for this time and this place, and He’s perfectly equipped you to accomplish His purpose in the earth.

Through engaging and memorable true stories—both biblical and modern—author Kate Battistelli challenges and encourages you to discover how God has specifically designed you for this time in history, your place in the world, your role in His cosmic plan. Once and for all, let go of your fear, worry, pride and strife. . .

All God ever needs is a willing vessel. Will you say yes?

~*~

Interview with Kate Battistelli about her NEW book, The God Dare: Will You Choose to Believe the Impossible?

Alexis: What’s the story behind your book’s captivating, bold title?

Kate: Several years ago, God dared me to write my first book and I wasn’t a writer! Here’s how it happened: We had homeschooled our daughter Francesca with a large homeschooling group in Orlando where we lived at the time.

They were getting ready to celebrate their 20th anniversary and asked my husband Mike and I to come speak about what we did to raise our daughter in a way that helped her to find her purpose. By this time, she’d already signed her record deal and her songs were getting lots of airplay. We said “Yes” and came up with 15 intentional things we’d done to raise Francesca to find her destiny in God.

We gave our talk and the next day, I was praying and thanking God for those 15 things and that’s when I heard God speak in my spirit these terrifying words: “Those are book chapters.”

I reminded God that I wasn’t a writer, had no platform or college degree and no way to get it published but I kept hearing Him repeat, “Those are book chapters.” So I found a friend who was a writing coach and showed her my idea and she helped me get the book written and published. I realized God was triple-dog-daring me to step out and do something that made no sense at the time. But it makes total sense now!

Alexis: How did God first place this book as a dream on your heart and how much time did it take to bring that vision to fruition?

Kate: The God Dare started as a simple blog post and a dear friend mentioned I should consider turning it into a book. I began writing it eight years ago and it took a while to get it finished as God had a bit more growing for me to do before He was ready to put it out into the world!

Alexis: You really poured your heart out in this book. Did you find it difficult to be this open and honest with your readers? Why or why not?

Kate: At first, I was terrified to share all of my story in the book. But just last summer, God dared me to put the ugly parts of my past, like having an abortion at age 18, into the book.

It was hard but it’s an issue one out of three women deal with so it’s worth it if my story can give courage to another woman to stop allowing guilt and shame to hold her back and haunt her life. There’s great freedom in exposing our ugly truth and finding freedom in repentance and God’s forgiveness.

Alexis: What is “The God Dare” and how can a person learn to hear it?

Kate: A “God Dare” is that crazy, impossible dream or wild adventure that God is inviting you to join. You know you aren’t equipped but if God calls you to it, He’ll equip you to do it. If you believe God is daring you, typically it will be scary and make you move out of your comfort zone. The best way to hear it is to pray and ask God for confirmation that it’s really Him. Ask a few mature Christians or your pastor to pray with you that God will make it crystal clear. 

Alexis: What life lessons are you hoping that your readers will glean from the content of this book?

Kate: I’m hopeful that folks will realize they are on this planet for a reason, not just to take up space. I believe each of us is here to change the world but we have to choose to be chosen. We can say no if we want to but it’s so much more exciting to bungee-jump into the future with God!

Alexis: Why do you tell your readers that God has a plan made just for them? How can you prove that to those who might read this and still be doubtful?

Kate: If they’re doubtful, they simply need to ask Him. God’s Word (The Holy Bible) says in Hebrews 11:6 (KJV) that God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. If you seek Him with all your heart, He will answer you and guide you. But you have to be willing to step out.

Alexis: How has your own faith journey with God impacted the way that you wrote this book?

Kate: The more I’ve gotten to know Him, the more I knew these were the life lessons He was teaching me and He made it quite clear I was to put it all in a book.

Alexis: Did you have a mentor or support system helping you as you wrote this book? If so, how did they assist in birthing your book baby?

Kate: I had some dear friends who would pray for me, a writer’s group at my church and of course my husband and daughter.

Alexis: How has your illustrious background in theater prepared you for writing this book? Share a few insights into your career and passion for Jesus Christ.

Kate: Well, a theatre career is quite different from writing but it prepared me to do it afraid. I learned early on in my theatre career that you aren’t always ready for what life throws at you. I went out as the understudy to the leading lady in the Broadway National Tour of The King and I starring Yul Brynner, a huge star in those days, and took over the lead when the leading lady got sick and left the show. This was in 1981 and I was only 26 at the time and I didn’t know the Lord but He began wooing me even then.

Alexis: What do you believe is your unique role in God’s cosmic plan?

Kate: I believe I’m here to nudge and remind people that they have a purpose and that their lives aren’t random but they are here to change the world. They will have to choose when God dares them but if they say yes to God, they will change the world!

Alexis: What memorable truths has God whispered to your heart as you’ve moved forward in your faith walk with Him?

Kate: I’ll give you a few of my God Dare Secrets:

· The impossible is God’s comfort zone.

· To believe the impossible we must see the invisible.

· We choose whether or not to be chosen to change the world.

· God’s faithfulness will always outlast your failure.

· God sees you according to your destiny, not your history.

· God didn’t bring you this far to only take you this far.

Alexis: Thanks for the interview, Kate! Would you like to share closing comments?

Kate: Be bold, step out and don’t be afraid to live like Jesus Christ. He gives the greatest God Dare of all when He says, “Follow Me.” God doesn’t call the qualified or the worthy, He calls the willing. He calls the ones who will hear and obey. Lots of small acts of obedience add up to a big, impactful life!

~*~
Author Bio:

Kate Battistelli is the author of The God Dare and Growing Great Kids:Partner with God to Cultivate His Purpose in Your Child’s Life.

She is Mom to Grammy Award-winning artist Francesca Battistelli and Mimi to her four children. 

Kate has been married to Mike for 36 years. 

She blogs about faith and food at www.KateBattistelli.com. You can follow Kate on Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook.

Sharing the blessing :)

Dear friends,

I was thinking of you today and I thought that I should share a few inspirational stories with you. :)

The first is of a brave, compassionate little girl named Tori Svenson, who reached out to help someone in need, not knowing that she needed help too. God worked behind-the-scenes (in my opinion) to make a dream of Tori's come true during her time of need. See the story here:


The second story is about a youth pastor named Pete Garza who used to run with the wrong crowd until God answered his praying mother's plea and won Pete's heart. Pete gave his life to Jesus Christ and never looked back (except to share his story to help others). The interview featuring Pete's story aired tonight on Breakaway which is a program that airs every Friday night on WGTS 91.9 FM. You can hear it here- http://wgts.org/2012/01/27/breakaway-pete-garza/

I hope and pray that God will move in your life in mighty ways! Let Jesus Christ into your heart and He will transform you from the inside, out. :)

If you need prayer or want to share your story feel free to leave a comment on my blog and I will write to you in response.

God bless you, dear hearts! :)

Love,

Alexis

*Jeremiah 29:11*- "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." :)