Devotionals for the Heart: Why God's purpose for us in this life is clear

A Clear Purpose Given to Us by God
A devotional by Suzanne Felton

“Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt his name together.”

—Psalm 34:3 (NIV)

What’s my purpose?

I have often wrestled with that question throughout my life. How often have I asked God to give me a clear answer or help me figure it out? How often have I feared that I’ve gotten it wrong or totally missed the boat?

I remember learning the Bible verse Romans 8:28 for the first time when I was young. It reads, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” I remember feeling such joy knowing that God had a purpose for my life—a calling for me—and that scripture became my “life verse”. I understood the verse, as many people do, to mean that God had a specific, detailed plan for me, and that I needed to discover exactly what it was it in order to fulfill His purpose for my life. As time went by, I’d often worry that I was getting it wrong or that I’d missed the path God had laid out for me.

While I still believe that God has a plan for each of us, the more I read God’s Word, the more I’m convinced that discovering God’s purpose is not as complicated as I used to think.

Matthew chapter 5 through Matthew chapter 7 records Jesus Christ’s “Sermon on the Mount,” in which He teaches His followers God’s standards for how we should live, love, and serve. In Matthew 5:13-16 (NIV), Jesus uses metaphors of salt and light to illustrate some of this teaching. He said, “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

In the past, when I’ve read this passage or heard it taught, the focus was always on what it means to be salt and what it means to be light and how we as Christ’s followers can become those things. There is deep symbolism worth exploring in Jesus’s use of salt and light—two ordinary things common in both Jesus’s day and ours—as teaching tools, but when I read this passage again recently, I saw something new. “You are the salt of the earth” (verse 13a). “You are the light of the world” (verse 14a). As He speaks to His disciples, Jesus does not take time to explain what it means to be like salt and light or what they must do in order to become more like them. It’s a given that they already are those things.

In verse 13, Jesus says that salt that stops being “salty” is no longer good for anything and should be discarded. In verses 14-16, he describes the absurdity of trying to hide a light that’s already shining. If a salt shaker or a lamp isn’t serving its inherent purpose, then what’s the point? That goes right along with my initial understanding of Romans 8:28. Jesus wants us to remember that we were created with a purpose, and that if we’re living in a way that doesn’t fulfill that purpose, our lives lack meaning. What Jesus does not say is that our God-given purpose is a mystery that must be figured out. In fact, he clearly tells us what that purpose is in Matthew 5:16 (NIV): “let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

To bring glory to our Father in Heaven. That’s the point. That’s our purpose. How have I missed that before?

Every day we’re faced with countless decisions, some of greater importance than others. As Christians, we pray that God will lead us to make the right decisions, but as humans we inevitably fail sometimes and make the wrong ones. Sometimes there may not even be a bad option, but we can still only choose one or the other.

Instead of becoming paralyzed by “what ifs,” perhaps we should focus more on glorifying God in all that we do. Perhaps we shouldn’t worry so much about whether every single step we choose to take is the one God has chosen for us, but rather choose to glorify Him in every single step we take. When that is our purpose, He will surely keep us on the right path.

Let’s Pray: Heavenly Father, thank You for creating me with a purpose. Help me to glorify You in all that I do, and may my life lead others to glorify You, too. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection #1: “Psalm 34” by Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #2: “Born with a Purpose” by Angela. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #3: “Shine the Light” by Babbie Mason. Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

Suzanne Felton has been a writer for most of her life, even before she realized it. 

She has worked in a wide range of settings, from non-profits to science labs to government contracts to educational classrooms, all of which involved writing in one form or another.

Suzanne is amazed by the power of words and now uses her passion and experience to help authors and students as a writing coach. Encouraging others to find the words and the courage to share their stories is one of her greatest joys.

Suzanne’s devotionals have been published in periodicals and blogs including The Upper Room, The Love Offering, Keys 4 Kids, and The Swallow’s Nest. She is also a two-time finalist in the Cascade Christian Writing Contest for poetry.

She is a wife, mother, writer, reader, teacher, deep thinker, and sinner saved by grace. Suzanne and her family reside in Northern Virginia, but Suzanne will always call her native South Carolina home.

Married to her best friend for twenty-five years, Suzanne is active in her church, where she and her husband have served as deacons for over a decade. They enjoy watching sports and visiting national parks with their two teenage sons. Suzanne is also an avid birder, easily and happily distracted by anything with feathers.

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Connect with Suzanne:
Website: https://suzannefelton.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/l_suzanne_felton
Email address: suzannefeltonwriter@gmail.com

Devotionals for the Heart: Identify and embrace your God-given identity

Who Do You Think You Are?
A devotional by Angela Anderson

“When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, ‘The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.’” –Judges 6:12 NIV

The story of Gideon in the Bible is so intriguing to me. There are many lessons that can be learned from reading about him in Judges 6-8, but the one lesson that resonates with me each time I read the passage is regarding identity.

In Judges 6, the story of Gideon does not begin on a good note. The Israelites were not obeying God and as a result, they were being terrorized by the Midianites. For instance, each time the Israelites planted their crops, the Midianites would invade the land, ruin the crop, and rob the Israelites of their livestock. This went on for several years and the Israelites would hide in mountains and caves while crying out to God for mercy.

One day as Gideon was thrashing wheat in a winepress, trying to hide from the Midianites, the Lord came to Gideon and told him that Gideon was going to save the Israelites from the Midianites. God called Gideon a “mighty warrior.” (Judges 6:12). Instead of accepting this God-appointed title, Gideon began to list his deficiencies. He attempted to offer excuses as to why he could never accomplish what God called him to do, and a litany of reasons why he could never measure up to what God called him to be (Judges 6:15).

How many of us can relate to this instance? We are going about our daily lives, hiding behind our goals and task lists that keep us busy, while God is calling us to something greater; something of more importance that will impact the masses. Instead of accepting the call from God, we shrink back into our comfort zone, and we start to rehearse in our minds all our shortcomings and weaknesses. We convince ourselves that we are not good enough. Therefore, we can never accomplish what God is calling us to do.

God sees us for who we are, even when we cannot see it ourselves. He created each of us for a purpose and He wants us to identify with our God-given identity. There is no way to achieve this calling in our own strength. We must rely on God for instruction and direction. We must also receive His power that He freely gives so that we will begin to see who God sees in us, and then operate in our purpose.

Let’s Pray: Father God, please open my eyes to see what You see when you look at me. Show me Your purpose for my life and help me to receive my calling by faith. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection #1: “Who Shall I Fear [God of Angel Armies]” by Chris Tomlin. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #2: “Born with a Purpose” by Angela Bryant-Brown. Listen to it here.

~*~
Author Bio:

Angela Anderson was born in Brooklyn, NY, and raised in NJ. She found her love for writing when she was in elementary school. She continued writing through high school, college, and into adulthood. 

Angela is the author of a devotional book titled, Just When I Thought I Knew God, and a children's book that is not yet published.

In 2021, Angela started writing articles for an online magazine called Christian Women Living, where she focuses on writing messages for mothers and sharing advice on parenting. In addition to this, Angela wrote a devotional that is featured in a book published by Proverbs 31 Ministries. The book title is Hope When Your Heart is Heavy.

Angela has a passion for inspiring and impacting others through her writing as well as speaking. She is the co-founder of Anchor Moms, a ministry to cure loneliness in Motherhood. Currently, this ministry meets via a group on Facebook.

Angela has been married to the love of her life, Duane Anderson, for 17 years. Together, they have two sons: Thomas (age 9) and Ryan (age 4). Angela’s favorite pastime is journaling, and she also enjoys spending quality time with her family. Her personal mission is to empower others to achieve their goals and dreams.

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Connect with Angela:
Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/angela.thomasanderson
Facebook fan page for her devotional book, Just When I Thought I Knew God:
https://www.facebook.com/jwitikg/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/angelanderson1104/

Devotionals for the Heart: God's Plan

God Has A Plan
A devotional by Angela Anderson

“Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” 

–Isaiah 41:10 (NKJV)

It was “Back to School” season.

My husband and I ventured out to the store to buy some new clothes for our growing boys. We decided to go in the middle of the afternoon so that we did not have to deal with the crowds and the long lines at the register. Because we live in Florida, “Back to School” season is also the middle of hurricane season. This means heavy rain almost every afternoon.

Fortunately, sometimes the rain does not last too long. It just downpours and then moves along to another area. On this particular afternoon, the sun was shining, and the beautiful blue skies were filled with big, puffy, white clouds. But I brought my umbrella inside the store just in case.

As we were completing our purchase at the register, my husband tapped me on the shoulder and pointed to the window. I looked in dismay at the torrential rain showers that were pouring down with a fury. It had come without warning. We still had to go to the store next door, so the plan was to stay under the awning and make our way down the sidewalk.

The exit doors opened and all you could hear was the sound of the rain beating on the pavement. We stuck to the plan and made a left toward the other store, while staying close to the building and underneath the awning. On the way there, we noticed that the awning suddenly stopped. There was about 20 feet of uncovered sidewalk with puddles of rainwater everywhere.

I had my umbrella, but the wind started blowing, so I knew from experience that an open umbrella would be to no avail at this point. My husband looked at me and held my hand to prepare to run to the next store. I was not ready. I didn’t want to be soaked and risk slipping and falling in the puddles. I convinced him that we should just stay in our safe spot, under the awning, until the rain slowed down or stopped.

We were waiting for only a minute or two when the wind abruptly changed direction. Our safe spot was no longer safe. The rain we were trying to avoid was now blowing straight at us. I felt every pellet of rain against my arms, legs and face. We had no other recourse but to run to the other store, now even more soaked than if we had just run there from the beginning without stopping!

In this journey called life, there will be adversity ahead of us. In some cases, God wants us to head directly into the adversity because the experience will be to our benefit. He also knows that it will be detrimental to our well-being if we stay where we currently are instead of moving forward with His guidance. But too often we procrastinate, and we remain stagnant because of fear, doubt, or lack of trust. We would rather stay where it seems comfortable and safe, not realizing that we are delaying the journey to our destination. Sometimes we must be forced out of our safe place in order to move forward.

Through it all, God promises to be with us. He wants us to move because He has a plan, He knows the end from the beginning, and He knows what’s best for us. Our delay from lack of trust in God can be detrimental. We are more susceptible to issues and misfortune because of our decision to do things our own way instead of His way. When we truly trust in God, we will move forward without any hesitation, allowing us to experience the joy of being in His will.

Let’s Pray: Father God, thank You for caring so much about us so much that You will do whatever it takes to guide us through life. Help us to believe that Your plan is what is best for us. May we trust in You even though the path ahead seems uncertain. Help us to hold on to You as You lead the way. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection: “I Know the Plans (Audrey’s Song)” by Damaris Carbaugh. Listen to it here.

~*~
Author Bio:

Angela Anderson was born in Brooklyn, NY, and raised in NJ. She found her love for writing when she was in elementary school. She continued writing through high school, college, and into adulthood.

Angela is the author of a devotional book titled, Just When I Thought I Knew God, and a children's book that is not yet published.

In 2021, Angela started writing articles for an online magazine called Christian Women Living, where she focuses on writing messages for mothers and sharing advice on parenting. In addition to this, Angela wrote a devotional that is featured in a book published by Proverbs 31 Ministries. The book title is Hope When Your Heart is Heavy.

Angela has a passion for inspiring and impacting others through her writing as well as speaking. She is the co-founder of Anchor Moms, a ministry to cure loneliness in Motherhood. Currently, this ministry meets via a group on Facebook.

Angela has been married to the love of her life, Duane Anderson, for 17 years. Together, they have two sons: Thomas (age 9) and Ryan (age 4). Angela’s favorite pastime is journaling, and she also enjoys spending quality time with her family. Her personal mission is to empower others to achieve their goals and dreams.

~*~
Connect with Angela:
Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/angela.thomasanderson
Facebook fan page for her devotional book, Just When I Thought I Knew God:
https://www.facebook.com/jwitikg/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/angelanderson1104/

Devotionals for the Heart: Be You

A Word of Encouragement
A devotional by Heidy De La Cruz

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

A few days ago, I was feeling unmotivated about my writing/blogging and kind of lost my vision as to why I started in the first place.

I was focused on my numbers: the number of followers I had on each platform, the number of readers I was getting on my blog and the number of views my videos on YouTube were getting. I started to brainstorm how I could reach more people and expand my audience. I realized that Instagram was shifting more into videos/reels for audience engagements, but then I told myself, “I already do so much! I don’t have time to learn how to create reels on Instagram.”

As you can see, I was going down a spiral of negative thoughts and emotions that made me feel worse.  However, God intervened the very next day when I watched a video from Beloved Women with Christina Patterson. She was interviewing Courtnaye Richard from Inside Out with Courtnaye. And boy, did this interview come at the perfect timing for me!

Courtnaye talked about intentional rest, setting boundaries, and gave encouragement about following what God wants you to do. She said to know your identity in Christ. You don’t have to be anyone else but yourself. Know that your time is coming because God’s timing is perfect. She also mentioned comparing yourself to others online, which is what I was doing, and said remember to stay in your lane. A lot of people are doing a lot of the same thing. Do something different. Do what God called you to do. What a word!

It reminds me of the Bible verse Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV): “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.” It’s like whenever I feel some discouragement, God quickly reminds me that He is there and that I’m doing what I’m doing for Him. I cannot lose purpose when I focus on Him.

So today, I want to give you some encouragement. I want to remind you that you are where you are because God has placed you there. He will lead you to where you have to go next. Release your plans to Him, and He will establish your steps – just like scripture says in Proverbs 16:3 (NIV): “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.” God made you unique and created you for a purpose. Your purpose is different than those around you, so don’t compare yourself. Be you! God needs you for what He’s called you to do. Trust that He will fulfill that purpose.

Let’s Pray: Father God, I pray for those who may be feeling discouragement right now. I pray for those who may feel lost in their purpose. I pray that you will meet them where they’re at and remind them what you called them to do. It’s so easy to fall into comparing ourselves to what others on doing online and feeling like we aren’t doing enough. But as long as we are living our purpose for you, we are doing enough. Thank you, Lord, for our unique talents and callings. Thank you, Lord, for guiding us in this life. In your Name, Jesus, I pray. Amen.

~*~
Author Bio:

Hello, my name is Heidy (Reynoso) De La Cruz. 

I am Dominican-American and I’m passionate about writing! I write poetry, encouraging blog posts about personal experiences and any message that God has stored in my heart. I am working on publishing my first poetry book.

First and foremost, I am a daughter of Jesus Christ. I am also a wife and a mother. I have my master’s degree in Healthcare Administration through Belhaven University’s online course. I have my bachelor’s degree in Science with the concentration of Psychology and Healthcare Administration.

I currently work in the medical field as a Medical Billing and Coding Specialist, and I’ve been in the medical field for the last six years. I love my career!

My hobbies include writing, reading, watching documentaries, listening to podcasts, traveling, and spending time with my family.

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Connect with Heidy:
Blog: https://heidyreynoso.wordpress.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heidy.delacruz13/
Read my poetry on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heidyspoems/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/heidyreynoso13
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heidyreynoso13

Devotionals for the Heart: Dreams

Audacious Dreams
A devotional by Wade Webster

"For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength."

–Philippians 4:13 (NLT)

Here in the United States of America, school children are often taught this poetic statement, “In 1492 Columbus sailed the ocean blue.”

Today (Oct. 12) is a special day here in the USA. This day was set aside to commemorate good old Christopher Columbus. That sailor who discovered the new world. There are a few interesting details about this voyage that should be looked at.

First off, he had a hard time getting funding for this historic event. It seems most governments were convinced the prevailing thought of that day was correct and the earth is flat with the oceans setting the edges of this supposed boundary.

Columbus kept two separate journals during the journey. One entered the accurate events and measurements that they were traveling according to the stars. The other one gave a more optimistic view of things. He hid the accurate one and kept the good news report available for the crew to see if they were curious about things.

When the three ships did find land again, they all thought they were on the west side of India. That's why they called the native folks Indians. They had no way of knowing there was another continent and an even larger ocean to cross before they reached that destination.

I'm sure there are even more interesting tidbits of information about this but those are the only ones I know of that I remember. The most important thing to keep in mind is that Columbus had an audacious dream that he believed in and followed through with. That's why we have this day in remembrance of him.

Many people have dreams. Most of them are small like where they want to go for their next vacation, or what color to paint the rooms next. Some folks have big dreams like getting a degree or going back to get a bigger degree to advance their career. Very few have audacious dreams, dreams that will change the world like Christopher Columbus did in his day.

The challenge with dreams is that they pull us out of our comfort zones. We like the familiar where we’re safe. We want to know what will happen next. We want to keep as much control of our lives as we can maintain.

God wants us to change the world for the better and to do that, we must dream out of our comfort zone. We need to read Philippians 4:13 (NLT) like we mean it: “For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.” And then we need to show the world what that looks like. Yes, this will shove you out of your comfort zone but that’s where God does his best work.

So, my friend, where has God been prompting you to go where you have not gone before? What can you do to change your part of the world for the better?

Even if all you can do is pray then pray like there’s power in every word you send to our Heavenly Father because there is great power there!

~*~
Author Bio:

Wade Webster is a farm boy turned city slicker, heathen turned born-again Christian, truck driver turned writer doing his best to point folks to his best friend, Jesus Christ.  

He currently lives in Plano, Texas.

Wade is the author of 100 Prayers of a Writer, a book that didn't begin as a book, just weekly prayers to a group of writer friends.

He enjoys spending time in nature, running for exercise and dark chocolate, though not necessarily in that order. Apart from driving 18-wheelers for a living he has a part-time job painting houses on the side...and the front and back and inside.

As a teenager, he told his friends he never wanted to be considered normal. So far he's done a pretty good job of living up to that aspiration.

Devotionals for the Heart: God's Plan

Trust God’s Timing And Plans
A devotional by Julia Wilson

“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 a hope and a future.” –Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

God has a plan for your life and He has a plan for mine. Sometimes He reveals His plans many years in advance. Other times, we do not even realize that we have glimpsed the plan for our future.

Let me share with you the plan that God showed me though I did not realize it at the time and I was too young to even know about God. My twin brothers are three years younger than me. This event happened before they were born. I do not know how old I was.

I remember my Mom dressing me in an all-in-one winter suit and my parents popping me in the car. We drove somewhere. We got out of our car and walked. I remember seeing a bridge across a river with rows of houses either side. I felt drawn to that place.

Bewdley in England (Photo Credit: Julia Wilson)

The longing for that place with the river, the bridge and the houses never left me. As I grew up I would constantly question my parents, asking, “Where did we go?” The answer never changed: They had no idea where it was nor did they know what I was talking about.

I got married, had a family and we lived in four different houses in three different towns. The sense that I desired to go back to that place never left me. I walked my children to school every day. It was about a mile and a quarter up to school and back. I did it twice a day.

One day as I was walking to collect my children, I rounded Beales Corner (as I always did). Suddenly, it was as if the scales fell from my eyes as I looked ahead.

There was the river with the bridge and the houses either side! The place I had been longing for all my life was the place I now lived, and had lived in for several years. Wow! I had done that walk so many times yet never seen it like I saw it that day. Years and years of yearning to return … and yet, I was already home.

Bewdley in England (Photo Credit: Julia Wilson)

I do not know why God put that desire on my heart as a very small child. I do not know why I did not recognize the place of longing the first time I walked to school. But what I do know is God was with me, even when I was too young to know Him. He planned my life out. He put a desire in my heart. And He fulfilled that yearning all in His timing.

I never need to worry about my life because God holds me in His hands. God holds us all in His hands and in His heart. Even when we do not know God, God knows us. He loves us and He cares for us.

If you do not know my caring and loving God, you can know Him today. You can trust His timing and you can trust His heart.

May I lead you in a prayer to help you get to know God?

Let’s Pray: Dear Jesus Christ, I know I am a sinner, and I ask for Your forgiveness. I believe You died for my sins and rose from the dead. I turn from my sins and invite You to come into my heart and life. I want to trust You and follow You as my Lord and Saviour all the days of my life. In Jesus’s Name I pray, Amen.

~*~
Author Bio:

My name is Julia Wilson but I also go by Christian Bookaholic. 

I live with my husband and five cats in a small town in Worcestershire on the banks of the River Severn (England). We have four grown up children and three granddaughters.

I have always loved reading and have always been surrounded by books. I used to work as a teaching assistant for special needs in the local high school. Ill health forced me to stop working in December 2015. I have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (known as M.E.) and fibromyalgia. I now have plenty of time to read and review books!

Our eldest son set up my Christian Bookaholic blog. I review every book I read. I read over 300 books a year. I read Christian and mass market. I prefer stories set from 1850 onwards. My favourite type of books to read is stories set in WWI and WWII, and Russia under Czar Nicholas II.

I am a historian, having a Combined Humanities degree where I majored in History and minored in English. I also love swimming. I only learned how to swim in 2017 and go swimming four mornings a week for 90 minutes before breakfast, it keeps my joints going.

I am also a crazy cat lady. I absolutely love my cats. I have grown up with cats and cannot imagine life without them. My dream is to own an old fashioned seal point Siamese … but not while we have our young rescue cat as she hates other cats!

I love God and love going to a large lively church called Lifecentral. I cannot imagine life without God. He gives a peace even when life does not. He guides my life. He is my Rock.

A message to encourage and inspire your heart!

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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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: Jessica's story about walking by faith and trusting God

Maker of My Dreams
A Words of Faith story by Jessica Alyse

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” ~Jeremiah 29:11 (KJV)

I went to church. I did my homework. I attended college. I pursued a degree in psychology because that’s what everyone told me to do. It wasn’t until my sophomore year of college that it became clear to me that I was only doing what was expected of me.

I didn’t want to be a psychologist or an “art therapist,” as I referred to my future career. I picked it because it sounded awesome, would no doubt bring in a paycheck, and would help me transition into the real world.

Because that’s what you do.

I was all of four weeks into my second year when I realized this wasn’t for me. This wasn’t what I wanted. I had no interest in it. I had no interest in college, for that matter. I was there for the wrong reasons and I was miserable. I was there because that’s what you do. You go to college. You work. You make a living.

Because I’d spent my entire existence doing what everyone told me to do, I put a lot of prayer into that period of my life, trying to figure out which way was up and who I was as a person. I didn’t want to do what everyone else told me to do. That’s not me and those aren’t the desires of my heart.

When it all came down to one decision, stay the route or chart a new course, I chose the latter. Some might fault me for my decision to leave college and move back in with my parents. But what others think doesn’t matter, you know why?

Because it’s not about what everybody thinks you should do, it’s about what God planned for you to do.

The beauty of being a child of God is having an untarnished view of the purpose He created you for. Life isn’t a maze in the dark and we’re not fumbling around trying to find our own graves—no, not at all. Life is an adventure that should be based on bliss, peace, hope and wonder.

It’s about sunsets and mountains. It’s about oceans, acres, rain that falls from the clouds and snow that blocks our driveways. It’s about a baby’s first cry, a couple’s first kiss, a song that makes your heart skip a beat. It’s about finding strength on your knees (in praying to God) and conquering obstacles despite your fears. It’s about being loved and loving others. It’s about loving the person that God created you to be, a person He is already deeply in love with.

A lifetime is too short to spend doing what everybody else is doing—or what everybody thinks you should be doing. Don’t get caught up in the world’s definition of life. Seek a definition of your own. Build a castle on the foundation of your passions and dreams.

Look inside yourself and figure out what makes you truly happy. There you’ll find your passion. And when you find what you’re passionate about then you’ll find that your definition of living might be a little different from everybody else’s—but all in all, it gives you peace.

Your passion makes life worth living.

At the age of twenty, I quit doing what everybody else was doing and I started doing what He created me to do. I’m a writer. I tell stories. I discover healing in words and I find a way to share that with as many people as possible. I make people smile and laugh and cry. And through that, a little bit of life’s beauty rains down on all of us.

Some people don’t see my blessings the way I see them. That’s okay. Because, if this is where He wants me, then this is where I’ll rest. You should, too.

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.”~Isaiah 55:8-9 (KJV)

~*~
Author bio: 

Writer, Dreamer, Daughter of the King. Jessica Alyse was born a dreamer. She used to tell stories about a bicycle that traveled to the moon and back. Her imagination has always soared beyond the expectations of reality and has brought her to a career in creative fiction. 

A storyteller, hopeless romantic, and follower of Christ, she encompasses the appropriate traits to create romantic Christian fiction, embellishing every story with southern charm and wholesome love. Dreams of becoming a professional screenwriter dance through her head each time she sits down to tie together characters and plot.

A Louisiana girl with a heart for Texas, when she's not writing, you can find her dreaming about the day her books get adapted into movies, practicing for her would-be singing career, or in the event of a football game, cheering for the Green Bay Packers.

~*~

Connect with Jessica:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/writer.jessalyse/
Twitter: @writerjessalyse
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/writerjessalyse/

Book Review: Distinctly You

Distinctly You: Trading Comparison & Competition for Freedom & Fulfillment
A book by Cheryl Martin
Review by Alexis A. Goring

Author Cheryl Martin’s mission for writing “distinctly you” is to free women from the burden of comparison and competition with other women. In this age of social media and selfies, this book is needed.

Martin says, “But being successful isn't just about achieving your personal goals and becoming the best at everything you set your mind to. Whether or not you win the gold medal or climb to the top slot at work, you will only find true success if you are distinctly you, the person God created you to be for His glory.”

Throughout this book, the author provides information that teaches you how to celebrate your uniqueness and God-given attributes instead of feeling unworthy because you’re comparing yourself to others and feeling that you’ve come up short. She writes with class and her tone is encouraging. Martin also includes Scripture to support her claims. 

Here are two examples, pull-quotes if you will, that stood out to me as I read her book:

Martin wrote: Ephesians 2:10 says, “We are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us log ago” (NLT). God has determined your value. He says you are a masterpiece. That verse alone should mark us for the rest of our lives, but unfortunately, too many women give greater credence to what others call them: unworthy, unattractive, uninspired. If you believe what your Creator says about you, it will be evident by the choices you make, how you carry yourself, and what you choose to control. Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, is in line to be the queen of England one day because she’s married to an heir of the throne, Prince William. She is already carrying herself like a future queen. She is walking in her position of royalty.

Martin also wrote: We are “a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light” (1 Peter 2:9). When we remember that we are God’s masterpiece, created to do a distinct work, that we are chosen and royalty, we will carry ourselves with strength and dignity no matter where we live or what our occupation or marital status is.”

This book contains more than poignant pull-quotes. It is filled with scenes from the author’s life that highlight her personal struggles with comparison and competition. She shares her heartbreak, triumphs, career dreams, goals and lessons learned. She writes with transparency and a whole lot of heart.

I truly enjoyed reading this book and I highly recommend it to women who are struggling with knowing their true value. It’s a worthwhile read that you can finish in about four hours or less.

This book challenged me to be “distinctly” me and I accepted! Now I am inspired to walk in confidence in knowing who I am in God’s sight, not the latest fashion magazine or movie star standard. It’s a breath of fresh air and encouragement to my heart as I remember that God made me (and you) as His masterpiece. I am created to do good works and I believe it! 

*The publisher (Bethany House) sent a complimentary copy of this book to Alexis A. Goring, in exchange for an honest review. 

Words of Faith: Christine's story on kids and discipline

Leaving Our Kids to God's Discipline

A Words of Faith story by Christine Lindsay

As a Christian mom I knew I was supposed to pray and leave my worries about my children to my Heavenly Father. After all, according to His word, He loves them even more than I do. But back in 2006 I was praying hard for Lana, and feeling pretty desperate that maybe God wasn't hearing my prayers for my daughter.

At the time I'd been struggling with whether or not I trusted God to fix my kid’s life or was there something I could fix. Lana was making all the wrong choices as a young adult at university, and paying for those choices in painful ways that have left physical scars to this day. Everything her dad and I had taught her about obeying the Lord’s will, she did the opposite.

Let’s face it, life can be hard, and when our kids hurt, we hurt.

One day as I was cleaning our den I found a box of old photographs, old degree diplomas, and came across a faded blue airmail letter that I'd received back in 1980. It was a letter from my grandmother upon my engagement.

In that letter she wrote how thankful she was to the Lord that I had found a good partner in life, that her prayers for me were answered, that I was living the joyful things that God had planned for me.

For most of my life my grandmother and I were separated by the Atlantic Ocean. With her still in Ireland and me living in Canada, she didn’t have much opportunity to do things for me, other than pray and write letters. She certainly didn’t have the opportunity to “fix” things for me if I messed up my life which I certainly did until I turned around and started obeying God.

My grandmother died in 1984, but many years later in 2006 as I re-read her letter, and I was the mom of an adult daughter, I felt the Lord’s comfort. Behind my grandmother's writing was the Lord's voice right when I needed it, and His gentle reminder to trust Him with Lana.

I resisted the urge to “fix” everything in Lana’s life. It wasn’t a matter of letting her suffer the consequences and to learn from that. We had to by faith put her into God’s hands, to trust that He would open her eyes. It was hard at first to stand back in faith and let God work. But then we saw the Lord start to work in her life. We saw our prayers for Lana answered. In 2010 the Lord brought her back to Himself, and her faith was all the stronger for it, because it was her own faith in Christ, and not just that of her parents.

As much as we want to, we cannot save the ones we love. Only Christ can do that. Give your loved ones over to God. Trust Him to save them, because ultimately seeing Him save my child reaffirmed in my soul that He had saved me.

Seeing our kids desperate need of God underlined for me that I too desperately need the Lord for everything, my heartbeat, my breath, my salvation. There is not one single thing that we can do to “fix” anything in life. It’s a matter of stepping back and letting God do the saving.

“Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved."~Acts 4:12 (NIV)

And even though at the time I was praying so hard for my daughter she was an adult, in my heart she was still my little girl. And Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there. ~Matthew 19:14-15 (NIV)

~*~

Author bio: 

Christine Lindsay is the author of multi-award-winning Christian fiction. She is currently writing her 8th novel. Aside from being a busy writer and speaker, Christine is the happy wife of David for 35 years, a mom and a grandma. 

She makes her home on the west coast of Canada, and in Aug. 2016 she will see her long-awaited non-fiction book released, Finding Sarah, Finding Me: A Birth Mother’s Story. 

Please visit Christine’s website www.ChristineLindsay.org or follow her on Amazon or Twitter. Subscribe to her quarterly newsletter, and be her friend on Pinterest, Facebook, and Goodreads.