Devotionals for the Heart: The Bubble

Bursting the Bubble
A devotional by Glynis Becker

“And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” 
–Matthew 28:18-20 (NASB)

I fear I’ve found myself inside of a bubble.

A quiet, Christian bubble. 

Maybe it’s time to burst it.

I’ve been a churchgoer my whole life. Since youth group days my closest friends are those that look and think a lot like me. My social circle looks a lot like a Bible study group. For more than a decade, I’ve worked day-to-day in either a church or a faith-based non-profit.

These are not bad things. It’s certainly human nature to make friends with people who are similar to ourselves. They are the people with similar interests that we can do things with and have conversations with. There’s nothing inherently wrong with that.

And having a group of Christian friends who will pray with and for you, help you live out a life of accountability and wrestle through the Scriptures in daily life with you is a treasure we need to cultivate.

But if the only people I come in contact with on a daily or weekly basis already know the Truth and have heard the Gospel, where is my mission field? Where is my ministry?

Years ago, I saw a sign in a church as you exited the sanctuary that said “Now entering the mission field.” It made such an impact on me because it was a very new way of looking at the world. I have never thought of myself as a missionary or an evangelist, but truth be told, all believers should be both. If we have encountered amazing grace, we have an obligation to pass it on. If we have discovered the love of Jesus, we need to share it with others. And if we are serious about our faith, then we shouldn’t be able to keep from doing any of those things.

What was the last book you read that you loved? A movie you saw that you enjoyed? A product that worked better than advertised? Did you tell anyone about it? I do all the time. And I realized that if I’m willing to share about makeup, shoes, music, and cleaning products, then I have to be willing to share the really important things in life…especially the most important thing in my life.

The key, and one of the hardest parts about this realization, is that I need to share with people outside of my Christian circle. I need to have relationships with people who are not in the church, who are not part of my Bible studies, who are not believers.

So let’s get out there, myself included, and make some friends. Find relationships that may look different than the ones you already have. And let’s share grace, peace, and the love of Jesus with a world that needs it more than anything.

Let’s Pray: Holy Lord, give me a path to walk and people to meet that need to hear what You have to say. Give me patience to share, love to give, and the willingness to step out of my circle and widen it, including in it all who have ears to hear. I love you. In Jesus’ Precious Name I pray, Amen.

~*~
Author Bio:

Glynis Becker writes devotions and inspirational fiction, hoping someday to have a published novel on her resume.

She has co-written several screenplays, including the film Sinking Sand, available on DVD and digital streaming.

Glynis, whose childhood was spent all over the country as an Air Force brat, has called South Dakota home for many years, along with her husband and two teenage children.

When she’s not writing or reading, she is watching more television than she should and crocheting. You can find her at www.glynisbecker.com.

Devotionals for the Heart: God's Love

God’s love is stronger than even a mother’s love
A devotional Jessica Brodie

It’s a five-by-five booklet of vanilla construction paper, folded and stapled just so, and it’s one of the most precious things I possess.

Titled “About Mom,” my now-preteen son, Cameron, crafted it for me when he was about six, probably for Mother’s Day. The booklet consists of eighteen pages, each with a single sentence on each page written in pencil in what was his very best handwriting:

Thank you for everything.

You are so nice and sweet.

I love you so much.

I will behave every day.

You mean a lot to me.

I love your eyes and your heart.

I will never be mean to you ever again.

You are not mean.

You are sweet and pretty.

I will not give you a mean look.

I love red because you love it.

You do not do anything wrong.

If I were you, I would be bad.

I would protect you.

I would give them a punch, a kick butt.

I hope you’re safe.

That’s why you should stay out of danger.

Cameron is my oldest, the boy who made me a mom in the first place, and his sensitive and fierce soul is reflected in each of those pages—his valiant small-boy pledge to protect me from danger, his promise to behave, his insistence that he’ll never be mean to me or give me a mean look, his flattery, his sweet words. I look at him now, feet taller and almost thirteen, and can still hear those words pour from his lips, still know he meant them with every ounce of his being.

We’re close now, Cameron and I, but I know things are changing in his world. He’s in seventh grade now, and soon he’ll be in high school, then college. He’ll meet the woman of his dreams and start a family. I hope and pray we’ll be just as close as the years pass, hope I’ll be able to love and know his wife and his children, hope I’ll see him grow old, become even more wise and mature and kind. I have so many dreams for this child, now and far into the future.

Is that what God thinks when He looks at us, I wonder? He hears our prayers in the lonely night or the stillness of dawn, heartfelt and pleading, and knows we mean them completely. He hopes we’ll stay close to Him, hopes we’ll remember Him, though He understands—even if He doesn’t much like it—when the distractions of life pull us here and there and far from Him. Still, He is there, His love unchanging and unfailing, heart soaring when we return.

That love is sometimes unbelievable to us. We feel guilt about our sins, guilt that we turned from our Lord. We fear He will reject or forget us.

Never, God tells us through His prophet, Isaiah: “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me” (Isaiah 49:15-16 NIV).

God loves us even more than a mother loves her children. His love is more than words, more than a life stage, more than a promise. It’s a covenant, a seal, a truth we can count on for always. He loves us so much He even “gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

As consuming and powerful as they are to me, the dreams I have for my sweet son can’t hold a candle to the dreams God has for us, His children. Those dreams include eternal life! Life forever, with Him! We are blessed beyond measure.

Today, I hope you love the people in your world—whether children, spouse, family, or friends—with all your heart…and remember that however strong that love is, God’s love for us is ever stronger. Forever.

~*~
Author Bio:

Jessica Brodie is a Christian author, journalist, editor, blogger, and writing coach. 

She is also the editor of the South Carolina United Methodist Advocate, the oldest newspaper in Methodism.

Learn more about her fiction and read her blog at http://jessicabrodie.com/shiningthelight.

Devotionals for the Heart: Gail's thoughts on priorities

Priorities
A devotional by Gail Kittleson

Luke tells many stories of healing. In Luke 5:12-16, Jesus heals a leper, but first, he astounds onlookers by touching the ill man’s skin. It was unheard of in that day to come close to a leper because his dread disease might become your affliction. People would think you had lost your mind.

Lepers, with fingers and toes that were often eaten away by their wasting disease, were cast out of the community, and even had to cry “Unclean!” when they traversed public places. No one approached one of them.

Well aware of these circumstances and societal rules, Jesus might have healed the leper from a distance away. He might have given the divine gift of health without coming in contact with the man. But He deliberately chose to contact him, skin-to-skin. We can only imagine how long it had been since the diseased man had felt human touch, or what Jesus’ action meant to him. We can imagine tears burning his eyes.

And what a message that touch proclaimed to those who were watching this scenario unfold! After the healing, Jesus instructed the healed man to present himself to the priest and offer a thank offering according to the law rather than spread the news of his healing verbally.

The Message Bible translates the result: “But the man couldn’t keep it to himself, and the word got out.” We can certainly understand that—this renewed health forever altered his life! The news resulted in more crowds seeking healing.

In storytelling, we aim for smooth transitions so the tale flows without a hitch such as sentences that seem out of place. I find them all the time when I’m editing. But in this story, Luke leaves in one glaring misfit.

Before he proceeds to describe the healing of a paraplegic, Luke writes, “As often as possible Jesus withdrew to out-of-the-way places for prayer.” Luke 5:16 (MSG) What does this have to do with the flow of his account?

Editing this chapter for smoothness, we’d have to remove this sentence. It would have to go because it clearly doesn’t fit the narrative.

But what would Jesus say about that decision? Something like, “Fit or not, those times away formed the foundation of my ministry—they were the source of my strength.”

My Prayer: Remind us today, Father, that we are never too busy, even with ministry, to seek You. Show us that whether times alone with You seem to fit into our lives or not, we need to withdraw to a quiet place with You and soak in Your mercy and love.

~*~
Author Bio:

When Gail Kittleson's not steeped in World War II research, drafting scenes, or deep in an edit of her 1940’s novels, she does a limited amount of editing for other authors. 

She also facilitates writing and creativity workshops, both in Iowa and Arizona, where she and her husband like to spend part of the winter in the amazing Ponderosa pine forest under the Mogollon Rim.

Favorites: spending time with grandchildren, walking, reading, meeting new people, and hearing from readers who fall in love with her characters.

Devotional by Laura Thomas: Cliques, Real Love, and Mission Work

On the Playground

A devotional by Laura Thomas

“My dear children, let’s not just talk about love; let’s practice real love.”
~1 John 3:18 (The Message)

Remember back in elementary school? There on the playground, a select group of cool girls huddled together with the giant skip rope and played the best games together. They giggled and admired each other’s outfits and gave snobby looks to those on the periphery; the wallflowers. It was our initiation into the world of cliques.

As adults, it’s no prettier. We have cliques galore, just in bigger playgrounds. We gather at events, we shop at the appropriate stores, we drink specific coffee, and we live in similar neighborhoods. The “wallflowers”, those who don’t quite fit in for whatever reason, are left out again. And in our maturity, instead of giving snobby looks, we pretend not to notice.

As Christians, are we any different? Do we intentionally go looking for the “outsiders” or are we content to pander to our own kind exclusively? Are we opening our arms in readiness to accept the hurting or are we burying our heads in spiritual sand? Preaching to myself right here.

Jesus made it perfectly clear that we are not to stay comfy in our Christian cliques, but to be constantly looking to share His love and the Gospel with others, with “outsiders”. After hanging out with unsavory types, Jesus was criticized for mixing with “sinners".

“Jesus, overhearing, shot back, “Who needs a doctor: the healthy or the sick? Go figure out what this Scripture means: ‘I’m after mercy, not religion.’ I’m here to invite outsiders, not coddle insiders.” ~Matthew 9:12-13 (The Message)

Pretty plain, isn’t it? Whether that means reaching out to the needy in our community or befriending the lonely mom across the street or singing in the local seniors’ home— we are called to welcome outsiders. To live with God's Great Commission (Matthew 28:16-20) in mind. To be looking for opportunities to tell of His love for all. To be willing to go out of our comfort zones for Jesus!

Perhaps we fear that if we open our hands to God in obedience, He might immediately send us to be a missionary in a foreign land forever… and that is glorious when it happens, but honestly—it’s pretty rare! Surely what He desires is a willing heart—to be ready to be used by Him and for His glory, whatever that may look like.

This is just a tiny (rather insignificant) example, but last week, I was pondering how I enjoy baking for people. Yes, baking. I would like to say I love to see others well nourished, but truth be told, I love to see their eyes light up and taste buds tingle with delicious treats like cookies and cupcakes and brownies. The special “in moderation” stuff, generally involving chocolate. I joke that baking is my love language. It’s probably not a joke.

And then this same week, I was asked if I would be able to bake for two separate groups of people in my community. It was as if God was giving me a wink and saying, “It’s your thing, have at it. It’s for My glory.” And the best part about it is that God can use me in this tiny, weeny way to bless others, those “outside” my usual sphere, those who need to feel loved and special. Yes, I can bake for my family and friends anytime and it’s all good, but sometimes God cracks the door just a little and offers us ways to bless others. 

We don’t have to go abroad to be a missionary.

“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” ~1 Peter 4:10 (NIV)

Sometimes He merely desires us to use our gifts and talents to share His love tangibly right where we are. And sometimes He does call us to the mission field! God can be glorified in our kitchen and in remote villages. With our neighbors and in foreign countries. Either way, we have a precious gift to share and His light to shine, and only one lifetime in which to do it. Let’s practice real love and let’s welcome EVERYONE onto the playground. 

~*~
Author Bio: 

Laura is a published Christian author with a heart for inspiring and encouraging readers of all ages. 

She is truly multi-genre—with a published Christian teen fiction trilogy, marriage book, children’s stories, devotionals for Union Gospel Press, musings on her blog, and she now has a literary agent representing her Christian romantic suspense novel.

Laura is English and Canadian, married to her high school sweetheart, mom of three, passionate about faith and family…and chocolate!

~*~
Connect with Laura:
Website - www.laurathomasauthor.com
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Laura-Thomas-183771121724664/?ref=hl
Twitter - https://twitter.com/laura_thomas_
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/lauracthomas/
Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/lauracthomas/

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Spring into Love: Safe Harbor by Kristen Terrette

Let's welcome Kristen Terrette to the blog today! She's here to share an excerpt from her novel, Safe Harbor. She's also giving away a copy of her book to one lucky winner! Details for the book giveaway contest are toward the end of this blog post. Enjoy! 

~*~
Book blurb for Safe Harbor: Eva Elliott is left with a jaded heart after the death of her boyfriend while she was pregnant. She pushed away the idea of God and love, focusing solely on her daughter, Willow. She accepts an offer from her mom to move to Moanna Island, off the coast of Georgia. She hopes the move will help her tuck away the guilt for the role she thinks she played in her boyfriend’s death. 

Thad Smith is the local youth mentor and football coach, who’s finally recovered from his fall from grace when his NFL career ended. The day Eva arrives, Thad saves her daughter from drowning in the ocean the day, instantly connecting the pair. Eva stubbornly fights the stirring in her heart the moment Thad smiles, but since Thad coaches the football team where Eva teaches, and lives down the street, God continues to intertwine their lives. Eva will not agree to a date, so Thad uses his adventurous spirit to his advantage.

She doesn’t expect Thad’s ex to throw a kink in the fragile plan, nor for Thad’s relationship with God to convict her own shame and brokenness. Just when she opens the door to God, finally ready to make things right, an accident occurs that could leave Willow an orphan and Thad all alone again.

~*~
Book Review:
Inspiring - a great read!, February 4, 2017
By Vanessa Trainor
This review is from: Safe Harbor (Moanna Island Book 1) (Kindle Edition)

"From heartbreaking to heartwarming, this book takes you along Eva's wavering journey to discovering love, learning forgiveness and ultimately finding her way back to God again. An inspirational read that really allows you to connect with the characters! I look forward to this author's next book!"

~*~
Chapter One excerpt from the book, Safe Harbor:

Eva

“Mama!”

The gurgling, panicked voice snapped me out of my stare on the horizon. I spun around to see a flash of tanned skin and muscles dive into the water after Willow.

“Willow!” I screamed as I took off into the water. I dove for her, but she was too far, and in between my strokes and pulls, I watched my baby roll and tumble, unable to gain her footing.

“Willow!” I screamed though the water hitting my face muffled the sound as I kicked harder, my adult body having to fight hard against the waves.

I will not lose anyone else!

In between the crashing waves, my vision cleared long enough to see the man snatch her up in his arms. I planted my feet as he gained his balance, stood up and hugged her to his chest.

“Baby! Is she alive?!” He rushed to shore, his giant frame unmoved by the powerful tugs and pulls of the ocean as I chased after him, horrified, terrified, and scrambling. When he was out of the reach of the waves, he laid her down and I heard her cough.

My knees hit the sand. “Willow! Are you breathing?!”

The guy sat back to give her some room, and I got down to her face. She tried to talk, but couldn’t through her coughing.

“Turn on your side so you can breathe better.” The guy pushed on her shoulders, prompting her to roll over. “That’s it. Take a deep, solid breath, and try to let it out slowly.”

His husky voice settled over us, and I found myself doing what he was telling Willow to do.

Willow recovered some, and locked her beautiful blue eyes on me. “Yeah, Mama,” she said softly, though a sob that was beginning to take over, “I’m…I’m breathing.”

She started coughing again, though this time it didn’t have so much force behind it. I pulled her to me and she gripped me tight around the neck. “Oh, Willow, my goodness, you scared me to death!” I closed my eyes attempting to ward off the tears, though it was useless. The utter vastness of the ocean had always unnerved me, and now my very worst fear had almost come true in it. I took a deep breath to compose myself. “I’m sorry honey. I didn’t mean to sound so mad. I was just scared, really scared. But I’m not mad at you, okay?”

She nodded into my neck. I looked up and locked eyes with Willow’s savior. His relief shown by the happy grin he wore. Through my range of emotions—panic, relief, and even anger—I now had to add giddy as his smile shot through my heart like an arrow.

“You know, I didn’t want us meet like this.” He laughed when I knitted my brow. “Never mind.” He was still showing off his killer smile and now I noticed he had a rather country accent. It didn’t seem to fit this dark tanned, completely drool-worthy man who looked like he was from Hawaii. He stood and reached to help us stand.

I took his hand, gripping Willow tight with the other, as he heaved us up. I realized just how tall he was as his frame hovered over my head, and I had to look up cause my eyes stared right at his chest. “Th…th…thank you,” I rambled. “I’m not sure how I could ever properly say thank you for…” I squeezed Willow, now resting on my hip, “for rescuing my girl.”

“Well, you just did. And don’t worry about it. I take any excuse to get wet.” He laughed and ran his fingers through his shoulder-length, almost black, wavy hair.

“We were not planning to get wet.” I held out my free hand to refer to our clothes, dripping with ocean water.

“Oh, that’s not your bathing suit?” He cocked his head and looked at Willow.

She giggled. “No, my bathing suit is hot pink with ruffles.”

He looked at me. “Are you and your husband new to the island?”

“Uh, no husband.” I stuck my hand out to him to cover the flush on my face. I always dodged that question. Being an unwed mother brought sadness, shame, and embarrassment. “I’m Eva by the way, and this is my daughter Willow.”

What is it about this guy that makes me nervous? Oh wait, maybe it’s the muscles and the four tattoos I’ve already noticed on his six-foot-something-really-tall frame.

No, even as those thoughts left my brain I knew they weren’t true.

“I’m Thad.” He shook my hand, but lingered a moment before letting go. The heat from his hand lit more than just my fingers. He had this easy way about him, this peacefulness that dripped off him and made its way into your soul.

Uh, what’s happening?

~*~
Author bio: Kristen Terrette has been an avid reader since childhood, a self-confessed book nerd, and always had characters running through her mind- ones she made up. She went back to school years ago to obtain a Master's degree in Theological Studies because she felt God's tug towards ministry, but she didn't know then what God had in mind.

After five years on staff at her church, she followed God's leading to a different kind of ministry: one with words, love, pain, and real-to-life characters. She now stays at home during the day while the house is quiet writing stories she hopes will bring readers to a stronger understanding of how God works and His love for sinners like us. 

She always has contemporary romance characters and plots running through her mind and considers romance her first love...but she has a few amazing literary fiction novels up her sleeve as well. Both genres fight for time occupying her mind.

~*~
Buy Kristen's book on Amazon ~ Barnes and Noble

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Connect with Kristen:
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/authorkristenterrette
Twitter - https://twitter.com/KTerrette
Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/kterrette2/

~*~
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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Words of Faith: The Introduction

Dear Wonderful Readers of "God is Love" (blog): 

I'd like to introduce a new series coming soon to my blog! Starting on Friday, Jan. 1, 2016, we will have special guests talking about their faith journey with God. We will host a special guest every Friday throughout the year 2016.

"Words of Faith" will provide YOU, my readers, with a focus on faith in God as told through real-life experience from followers of Jesus Christ! Our special guests want to share stories of their faith in God with you to encourage you along your journey through life.

An emphasis on Bible verses that teach us about faith will be a focus throughout this series. So, at least one bible verse on faith will be included in every story told for this series.

Every Friday, you can expect a devotional or a personal essay (guest post) about what faith means to one of our guests. Example of talking points from our guests include but are not limited to: talking about how and when they first found faith in God, sharing a testimony about how their faith in God helped them to overcome an obstacle, showing us how to "grow up" in the faith, speaking on why faith without works is dead, sharing how they apply their faith in God to their everyday life (and how you can too), talking about how their faith has helped others find a relationship with Jesus Christ, sharing how their faith impacts their world and why they choose to keep the faith....the variety of topics and depth of story may be the very hope and inspiration you need.

"Falling in Love with Jesus" told us WHY people have faith in God, now "Words of Faith" guests will show you HOW people can find faith and hope in a broken world. 

So that's all for now. Stay tuned for more every Friday, right here on this blog! 

Love,

Alexis