Devotionals for the Heart: For when you're searching and praying for peace

Need Peace?
A devotional by Kerry Sue Teravskis

“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”—Luke 2:14 (NIV)

We sing songs with these words. We read these words. We want these words to be a reflection of our life. We want peace. We want God’s favor. We want peace in our homes, at work, school, in our personal lives. Above all else, we just want peace.

Is it only the quiet we crave? The silence of the forest, the roaring of the ocean waves, the absence of people? Are we so busy with our daily to-do lists that time away from it all is most desired? Is that what we equate with peace?

Or is it much deeper?

This word “peace”, in the Greek is “Eirene” and it means peace—literally and figuratively. It also means a state of national tranquility, exemption from war, peace between individuals, harmony and security. According to the Blue Letter Bible, there is a connotation of prosperity, there is peace, and there is peace. There is peace after the small children go to bed, and there is peace on a larger scale when the weapons of war are laid down and a peace treaty is signed. There is peace when forgiveness is sought and given. There is peace when we lay down our desires to God and allow Him to have full reign in our lives.

If we look closely at Luke 2:14, God’s peace is for those on whom His favor rests. It is not a one-size-fits-all type of peace. We all crave this peace, but there is a condition: God’s favor. God’s pleasure. It does not say God’s love. We know from John 3:16 that God so loves the world that He gave His only Son to die for our sins and in turn we receive eternal life with Him. His pleasure is another matter.

For years, I have sought to find passages in the Bible that speak of God’s pleasure. This has been a quest for me ever since I came across Ephesians 5:10 (NLT), that tells us to carefully determine what pleases the Lord. The Apostle Paul is telling us to search for this pleasure. We can find it by searching the Scriptures and seeing what God has to say to us as we read His Word.

First and foremost, we have the best definition: “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him” (Hebrews 11:6 NIV).

It’s about faith. It’s about belief. It’s about belief in God and God alone. It is not about me, my ways, my stubborn tenacity, my selfishness. It’s about letting go and letting God. It’s about seeking Him and pleasing Him in the seeking. This starts with our believing He is good, kind, compassionate, loving, for us and everyone.

Simple as that.

But it is not always that simple for us to understand and apply to our life because we tend to complicate things. We allow our selfishness to be in the driver’s seat of our lives because it is hard to trust anyone, let alone God, whom we cannot see. But to have this peace we crave, we need to please God with our faith in Him. When we do this then we can receive His peace—and I would say, in abundance.

This begs the question for those of us who know Jesus Christ but are not knowing, nor feeling His peace. Perhaps we are wondering, “What am I doing to cause this lack?” I believe that it boils down to pleasing God and asking ourselves these questions: Have I stepped away from trusting God in all areas of my life? Have I allowed Him in most areas, but not all because I’m not ready, not willing to fully give that over, or because the very thing that gives me pleasure is actually a stumbling block to my having His favor rest upon me? Is this why I don’t have peace?

This is what I’ve learned: When I find I am in turmoil in life, I need to pause and look at my heart and my eyes. Are they on the Lord and in His Word? Am I genuinely seeking God even though I do not fully understand, but fully trust Him?

It is here, on our journey, where we can find, receive and rest in God’s peace.

Let’s Pray: Father God, I need You. I need Your peace and I recognize that I do not have peace because of me. Because of my holding on, my wandering heart, my stubborn rebellion, my independence, and not letting You have full reign in all areas of my life. I fully, finally and completely, give You all. Everything. And I thank You for the peace that is mine because of this step of obedience. Please give me Your perfect peace. In Jesus’s name I pray, Amen.

Song of Reflection #1: “God and God Alone” by Steve Green. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #2: “I’ll Give You Peace” by Sandi Patty. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #3: “God's Favor” by Donald Lawrence and The Tri-City Singers. Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

As a wife and Marmee to three adult children—two of whom are married—and a new grandson, Kerry Sue’s life is very full. She met her husband in college and served on the mission field with him for a few years before settling down back in the States to raise their family. 

Kerry Sue’s family was a homeschooling family for 20 years and they enjoyed it immensely. For the last 26 years they have lived on a small farm in Northern California where they have raised many farm animals, along with growing and preserving their food. Kerry Sue’s family farm has been a great source of enjoyment and a place to host many family gatherings. She maintains an open-door policy for dear friends—old and new.

Following and serving Jesus Christ is an integral part of Kerry Sue’s life as well as her family’s. Whether it’s singing in the church choir, teaching children or leading and lecturing at a women’s Bible study, Kerry Sue loves to demonstrate her love for Jesus by giving to Him in service. She’s been a blogger for more than 10 years, a Bible study writer for six years, and a devotional writer for more than four years.

Kerry Sue feels led to write about finding God’s Sovereignty in our suffering because of her own journey of more than five years with broken feet. She hopes to to encourage others with her faith walk and real-life stories.

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Connect with Kerry:
Blog: https://www.sovereignblog.com/home
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kerry.teravskis
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ksteravskis/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sovereignblog

Devotionals for the Heart: Why we should believe God and have faith

Do You Believe Me Now?
A devotional by Temeka Borden

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” 

–Hebrews 11:1 (KJV)

Hebrews 11:1 defines faith as the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. Many people use the words “faith” and “belief” interchangeably, while others argue differences exist. For the purpose of this devotional, I’m opting to use these two terms interchangeably.

I have a question for you. How many times have you worried about something, possibly loss sleep because of it, went to God about that thing, and He let you know in a variety of ways that everything will be okay? Yet, you still could not seem to shake that worry, or anxiety, or fear as you were going through that trial. However, in the end, it all turned out okay.

At that moment when you discover that everything worked out just fine, it’s almost as though you can hear God say, “Do you believe Me now?” Also, how many times have you experienced moments of doubt regarding something you know God is leading you to do? As humans, we experience our “moments”, but worry should not dominate our lives. Doubt should not dominate our lives either.

When I think about belief (or unbelief or doubt), Sarah from The Holy Bible comes to mind. After God said that Sarah would give birth to a son, Sarah laughed within herself, saying, “After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?” (Genesis 18:12) Sarah did not believe her being able to bear a child was possible. However, she eventually gave birth to Isaac (Genesis 21:2-3).

God kept His promise to Sarah. We must remember the Lord keeps His promises to us too. He does not lie. If God says He will do something, we must believe Him. This can relate to anything you can think of (from increase from a financial standpoint to complete healing physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually).

However, some things take true effort on our part and some things take time. In a piece I wrote some time ago, I stated that although we serve a God who can make anything happen at any time, we must be patient and wait for some things. Often, we must undergo a preparation period before we receive something or advance to the next level. Preparation periods are not easy, but they are necessary and worth it!

You may be in a season of difficulty right now. You may feel as though things will never get better. You may feel as though there is no way out of the situation you’re currently in. You may be so overcome with worry, anxiety, and frustration that you are unable to see God working in your life. Everything may appear chaotic, confusing, and just crazy. You may feel as though you have been waiting on God for something for a lifetime. However, remind yourself that anything is possible with the Lord, and He can fix anything in your life and create a blessing out of the chaos.

The phrase “Everything is going to be okay” is a very common one. However, what about those times when things don’t go as you planned in your life?

We should always ask that God’s will be done in our lives. At times, our flesh will get in the way and cloud our vision of what God wants for us. At times, we do not consult with the Lord as we should, and at times, failure to consult with the Lord will land us in some predicaments.

Thankfully, we serve a forgiving and patient God who can bless us even when we “mess up”, although we are expected to learn from our mistakes.

When you follow the Lord’s instructions and do things the way He wants them to be done, everything will be okay. Things may not turn out the way you always expect, but you will be okay. So don’t wait until you come out of the trial or receive that blessing to believe that the blessing will happen for you. Have faith and remember that God always keeps His word.

Let’s Pray: Dear God, help us to trust You. Build within us a faith that survives every trial and overcomes every doubt. Help us to believe more in You. Teach us how to trust You. Thank You for always being there for us and for keeping Your Word. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

Note from Alexis: Temeka's message reminds me of the song "Broken Places" by Plumb. Listen to it here. 

~*~
Author Bio:

Temeka Borden, better known by her pen name “Positivity Inspires,” is an author, speaker, minister, PharmD, multi-state licensed pharmacist, founder and owner of Positivity Inspires, LLC, and most importantly, a 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 love God first, to love all people, to continually strengthen their bond with Christ, and to study His Word, and live His Word daily.
​
Dr. Borden has been blessed with a variety of gifts, and she has gained much professional experience in a variety of settings. She also has served in administrative roles in the professional and church settings. In addition to obtaining her PharmD, she also obtained her bachelor’s degree in biology (minor in English), and she is working on her third degree. What’s more, as stated in her words, “I completed a specialty pharmacy residency that prepared me for the workforce and made me a force to be reckoned with.”

Temeka is a long-distance runner, a drummer, a singer, and she has a strong “fashion sense.” She also can read and type at almost supersonic speed in some instances.

Dr. Borden loves to learn and is constantly looking for new ways to challenge herself.

She loves God and she loves people. She is “crazy about her family,” and she adores her friends. She strongly encourages others to show kindness, respect, and love to everyone.

Temeka loves and welcomes diversity and flourishes in culturally diverse environments.

Dr. Borden loves to laugh and loves to make other people laugh. She also is passionate about giving back to the community. Her favorite sayings are “Speak Up!” and “Watch God Work!”

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Connect with Temeka:
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/PositivityInspiresPage/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/positivity_inspires/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/pinspires

Devotionals for the Heart: Grace

The Peace of Grace
A devotional by Allison M. Wilson

Key Scripture: 
John 16:13, Philippians 4:4-8, 1 John 4:18, Mark 9:24 (NASB)

“Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ,” or a variation of that greeting, is used by the apostle Paul 16 times in the New Testament when addressing the church in various cities in the New American Standard Bible (NASB) version of The Holy Bible. In three of those cases, Paul adds the word mercy to the blessing. In the current times of this worldwide Coronavirus pandemic, this particular phrase from the Apostle Paul speaks to me.

Why are grace and peace, with the addition of mercy now and then, the preferred greeting from Paul? Grace, in the original Greek charis, means kindness. Peace, eirene in Greek, implies welfare. What is Paul doing with this blessing?

Paul was reminding the believers of the unmerited gift they had received … grace. He was also reminding them that the grace they were given had an amazing side effect … peace. But, as believers in Christ, are we allowing that peace to be freely felt?

For the last few years, God has really brought home a message to me. Every problem has one question attached to it: “Do you trust Me?”

No matter the issue, that's the ultimate question. If I trust Him, then there is no fear in any issue, because I know God will see it through to my ultimate good and to the transforming of me into the image of Jesus Christ. Even if I cannot see the good yet, God’s promises tell me that is the end goal.

Every blip on my radar that seems to stir up negative emotions ... Do you trust Me?

Every person who can't seem to remember the rules of the road ... Do you trust Me?

Every time I see one of the kids making poor decisions or going through a hard time, and want to jump in to "fix" it ... Do you trust Me?

Health issues in family members ... Do you trust Me?

And, that "Do you trust Me?" is also asking if I know just how much God loves me. Do I trust that what He says is true? If so, why do I doubt? If so, why do I fear? If so, why do I look at the circumstances rather than look to the Solution?

When we allow the Holy Spirit to teach us the truth of grace (John 16:13), we find that peace follows. Our perception of what we are going through, whatever the situation, has to change in the light of the incomparable love of our Father. Accepting and internalizing the love of God for us will change our thinking, too. We can go from fear of everything to fear of nothing. 1 John 4:18 tells us why that is true.

But, it boils down to a lack of belief. His grace is there, too! Mark 9:24 is one of my favorite verses. It shows us that we can believe, yet need help in our belief. God doesn’t leave us on our own. He has given us many ways to cry out to Him for more grace, more peace, more faith. He longs for us to reach for Him rather than for something in the world – be it food, relationships, or even security in things we think we can control.

Grace and peace really do go together. When we get what grace really means, the peace that passes all understanding will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, as Philippians 4 tells us. That section of Scriptures gives a step-by-step way to have your mind and heart guarded by Christ. That is grace and peace at its finest.

Let’s Pray: Dearest Jesus, You have already given us so much, yet You want to give us even more. Peace is a fruit of the Spirit that You have put into our hearts, but we think our way out of it so often. Remind us of Your grace. Remind us of what is truly means in order for our peace to be complete. Bring those verses and Scriptures to mind when the world is swirling around in chaos in front of us, and do as You promised You would do…guard our hearts and minds in You. In Your precious Name we pray, Amen.

~*~
Author Bio:

A very early reader and lover of the written word, Allison M. Wilson has been writing since the age of 8 with the heart to impart stories and God's truth.

She has judged countless contests for the last 25 years, reviewed for several online publications, professionally edited, and written articles and devotionals.

Wife, mother, writer, editor, teacher, mentor, and mompreneur, God keeps her busy while living in east central Florida with her family.

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Connect with Allison:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allisonmwilson
Twitter: https://twitter.com/amwilson

Devotionals for the Heart: Believe

What do you believe?
A devotional by Susan Lindstrom

In the book of Psalm there’s a verse that has seeped into my soul and woven its way into my heart. These words of our Heavenly Father have deepened my faith as a believer in "the reason for the season," maybe it will do the same for you. It’s the 14th verse of Psalm 91.

Let's read Psalm 91:14 (NLT): The LORD says, “I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name. When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honor them. I will reward them with a long life and give them my salvation.”

I love that we are the “those” and the “them” in this verse. Have you ever tried making a bible verse personal? I’m not talking about claiming one as your own, I mean inserting your name to make it personal like this;

The LORD says, “I will rescue Susan who loves me. I will protect Susan who trusts in my name. When Susan calls on me, I will answer; I will be with her in trouble. I will rescue and honor her. I will reward Susan with a long life and give her my salvation.”

Wow! For me, that’s better than the security of money in my bank account, that may not always be there, or a comforting hug from loving arms which may not always be with me. But the Lord’s protection and never-ending compassion He assures, will always and forever be there for me.

Try inserting your name (fill in the blanks):

The LORD says, “I will rescue _____ who loves me. I will protect ______ who trusts in my name. When _______ calls on me, I will answer; I will be with ___ in trouble. I will rescue and honor ___. I will reward ______ with a long life and give ___ my salvation.”

Do you feel it? Do you feel the power of His Promise?

Reading through the Bible, from the Old Testament showing Jehovah’s heart breaking wide open when his beloved children turn away from their God, to the New Testament that speaks loud and clear of His love as he sets a new covenant in motion with Jesus Christ being the ultimate love gift. But even though we read it, hear about it and even sing of it, do we believe it? Really and truly? It is an amazing amount of love to deal with after all. 

Maybe you need to pick up one of those "Believe" signs. I see them everywhere, especially this time of year. To the worldly way of thinking it’s suggesting you believe in the "magic" of Santa Claus. But we know it’s really a life-saving urging to believe in the miracle of a virgin’s birth and a love like non-other. A love so full of compassion that He came to earth to be the sacrifice for our sins.

In this season of celebrating our dear Savior’s birth, I hope you can celebrate a love so real that you believe without a doubt that He will rescue, honor, and protect you. Celebrate that He hears your prayers, and that above all else celebrate the gift of salvation with an assurance of everlasting love.

It’s what you can believe!

“And this is what God has testified: He has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have God’s Son does not have life. I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life.” ~1 John 5:11-13 (NLT)

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Author Bio:

Susan Lindstrom is NOT an award-winning writer yet unless you count that ‘best story’ award in third grade but stay tuned to see what God has planned!

Writing has always been a passion but raising a family, running her sewing and design business, involvement in Women’s Ministry and teaching Sunday School kept her plenty busy.

Now a retired empty-nester, she trusts in God’s amazing timing and has jumped in to embrace this new adventure of writing.

Her first book, Emmie Jane and the Yellow Fuzz, is for children and is now available for purchase on Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble. It's the first in a series of real-life adventures focusing on the Fruit of the Spirit.

Susan grew up on both the East and West Coasts and now calls the beautiful state of Wisconsin home. She is a wife, mom, and grandma to 10 children.

She enjoys a wide variety of music, loves live performance and believes that laughter is the best medicine. When she is not indoors writing, reading or pretending to clean the house, she’s outdoors enjoying the beauty of God’s Creation.

Susan is a proud member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW).

~*~
Connect with Susan:
Website - www.susanlindstrombooks.com
Facebook - www.facebook.com/susanlindstrombooks/

Devotionals for the Heart: He Laughs

The Last Laugh
A devotional by Quantrilla Ard

“But Abram said, “Lord God, what can you give me, since I am childless and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” 

~Genesis 15:2 (HCSB)

One of my dear children loves to get the last laugh when things happen in our family. 

The words “That’s what you get, baby!” rang out loud and clear one day to my surprise as my two-year-old chided her brothers for something they had done. She is undoubtedly spirited and full of passion when identifying her brothers’ mishaps. Of course, she has a few challenges identifying her own. This, coupled with her comedic and ironic timing, makes laughter an everyday occurrence. With so many opportunities for giggles, I am reminded of the old adage, “He who laughs last, laughs best.” I’m so glad God has a sense of humor. Abraham and Sarah would probably agree.

Abraham and Sarah had waited, albeit not so patiently, for God to keep His promise to them through a son with whom He would establish His covenant. Sarah was long past childbearing age and well into her sunset years. Abraham was knocking on 100. God’s timing was then and is now often vastly different from our own.

In their story, the first laugh comes from Abraham, in his ninety-ninth year as God changes his name and again calls him to remember the promise He made years earlier as the story details in Genesis 17:17. The second laugh comes from Sarah, after a visit from three men, one of whom just happens to be God Himself (Genesis 18:12). They were hopeful yet equally despondent from the trials of waiting. One son Ishmael, through Sarah’s servant Hagar, had to be sent away because Sarah’s desperation and subsequent insecurity got the best of her. They are spent.

One question changes everything. “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” God asks as He calls Sarah out for laughing. And I can imagine in my mind’s eye that God is laughing to Himself at the look on her face. Within the year, as God had promised and re-promised, Isaac was born. And guess what Isaac’s name means? Yep, you guessed it, “He laughs.”

Is there a place in your life that seems desolate and barren? A place that feels forgotten? Have you held out hope only to see another year pass without God fulfilling a promise in or to you? I know I have. I have laughed at reminders that God sent my way, thinking that my season has expired and it’s just too much to expect that things will turn out the way He said they would. And then I hear God ask me, thousands of years later just as He did Sarah, “Is there anything too hard for the Lord?”

The answer is a resounding no. I see His promises come to pass in His timing, not my own. I wait sometimes patiently, sometimes not (thankful He loves me anyway). I can rejoice in my “Isaac” circumstances, and see that God indeed gets the last laugh.

Nothing is too hard for the Lord. Absolutely nothing.

~*~
Author Bio:

Quantrilla (Quanny) Ard is a faith-based personal and spiritual development writer who lives in the D.C. Metro area with her husband and three littles. 

In addition to being a dedicated wife and mother, she is an entrepreneur, doctoral student, and curator of all things lovely.

As a woman on her own quest of shining a light on the shadowy, hidden places in her life, she writes as the PhDMamma about things she knows to be true in hopes to encourage others to do the same.

Her spiritual goals and her love for Christ propels her quest to share the journey with other women: to walk alongside them and encourage them with words, deeds, and wisdom. Quanny believes in the power that is within collective strength, community, and fellowship.

You will find her wherever people are sharing stories of triumph.

~*~
Connect with Quanny:
Website - https://www.thephdmamma.com
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/thephdmamma
Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/qyard08
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/quannyboo/

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Words of Faith: Terry's story about finding what was missing in his life

One Man’s Forty-Year Itch
A Words of Faith story by Terry Dodd

For the forty years following high school I lived without the guidance of the Holy Spirit. I don’t mean I lived a life of crime or addiction, or even of randomness. No. It was worse than that. I was at the top of my profession. I had a wonderful marriage, my three grown children were all happily married, and my golf game was better than at any time since my early thirties.

What was the problem? All I knew was that I had an overwhelming feeling of something important missing in my life. In retrospect, I think of the Israelites who wandered in the desert for forty years. Moses did his best for them, but he may as well have been herding cats. In my case, other than for a rare wedding or funeral, I had not darkened a church door in forty years. One routine I rarely missed, however, was a Saturday golf game.

Although I did not know a lack of Christian faith was my problem, I was anxious to scratch the unrelenting itch in my life. One day, I received a flyer from a church I had driven past innumerable times over the previous sixteen years. It read: “Instead of watching Elvis re-runs this Saturday night, come as you are directly from the golf course at 6:30 to a new Saturday Sabbath service and hear about the true King.” From the golf course! I found that curious, but dismissed the idea. The following week a second flyer arrived. It, too, said to come from directly from the golf course. I thought, "Why not? I can then check that item off the list."

My first thought coming out the door of the church afterward was curiosity about having remembered the words to the hymns of my youth. I was certain the experience was nothing more than a fluke. I said as much to my wife of thirty-seven years, who I did not know had been praying for me since our first date in high school. I told her I would repeat the experience the following Saturday, but I doubted Jesus was my problem.

The second time I came out of the church my thought was slightly different: Have I come home? My wife and I began attending church on a regular basis. Sadly, however, I also had an ulterior motive. I had just shelved the first draft of a manuscript for a novel I had been writing during the previous year. It was built around conversational conflict through a casual golf match involving an atheist, an agnostic, a skeptic, and a Christian. The story didn’t work because I hadn’t a clue as to creating a fictitious resume for the believer. My veiled thinking was that perhaps if I better understood the “born again” concept, I might be able to salvage my manuscript.

Therefore, merely for the purpose of research (or so I thought) I would begin reading through the Bible. I was energized by the stories in Genesis, Exodus and the first ten chapters of Leviticus. But as the action slowed, I decided to jump ahead to the gospel. Things started out well in the book of Matthew. I only got as far as Matthew10:32-33, however, before I hit a stumbling block. Verse 32 was fine in that Jesus was saying, “Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven.”

Verse 33 was the problem: “But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven.” Disown? That person would be personally disowned by God? Guilt crushed me. That had come on the heels of absorbing the idea of man’s sin being so great that the sinless Jesus came down from paradise to be born of woman, to live among man, to give up His life for us, and be raised from the dead. All for me! The thought of being disowned by God was emotionally and spiritually overcoming. It was at that moment He revealed Himself to me. I realized I had to respond. What else could I do but go to my knees in surrender.

I shared the experience with my wife and then with a pastor at the church. A few weeks later, we joined the church. Two months after that, on Christmas Day of 1996, at my daughter and son-in-law’s home in Jacksonville, Florida with my wife, mother, and granddaughter present, at age fifty-eight I prayed aloud in publicly confessing that I was a sinner in need of forgiveness. I accepted Christ as my Lord and Savior and asked Him to come into my heart.

Not only had my itch cleared, but much more importantly I had become a new creation. Not only that, but through God’s having freed me from my captive state I was also enabled to rewrite my manuscript and independently publish it. Ten years later The Foursome would win for me the 2012 Eric Hoffer Book Award in the Legacy Fiction Category.

God tells us in His Word that He created us to worship Him. If we do not understand and accept that Jesus came down to Earth as man to save us from ourselves, then we are missing the single most important thing in life. 

~*~
Author bio:
Bullet Biography – Terry Dodd

· Survived life-threatening burns to ten per cent of his body at age seven

· BA degree in Geology from Florida State University

· Forty-year career as an advertising executive and entrepreneur

· Fifteenth year editing a bi-monthly Christian newsletter

· Author of a dozen Christian novels and inspirational narratives

· 2012 Eric Hoffer Legacy Fiction Award Winner for The Foursome, a golf novel of one man’s faith matched against doubt, ignorance and pride

· Lifetime member of Northside Hospital-Forsyth Auxiliary and former auxiliary board member and V.P. of Orientation & Placement

· Current active volunteer with There’s Hope for the Hungry, a 501(c)(3) food-and-faith outreach to the needy of north Georgia

· Juggling hobby led to a two-year Christian ministry to north Atlanta metro area assisted living facilities, which formed the basis for his book, Journey with Outstretched Hands

· Served as president of Georgia Association of Promotional Products Practitioners

· Married, with blended family of four adult children and seven grandchildren

· Active member of First Redeemer Church in Cumming, GA

· Leader/facilitator of a small men’s Bible study group

· Member of Atlanta Writers Club and American Christian Fiction Writers

~*~

Connect with Terry:
Website- terrygdoddbooks.com
Email - dodd@bellsouth.net

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Words of Faith: Ada's story

Faith Is A Decision

A Words of Faith story written by Ada Brownell

I wasn’t surprised when atheists responded to tweets about my book Facts, Faith & Propaganda.

They usually want to argue. I always tell them “argument only proves who is best at debate.”

In several of my books that speak about faith and in all my writing I emphasize we decide what we believe. You can’t prove whether God exists, and atheists can’t show he doesn’t. There’s a reason for this—faith in necessary for salvation. We can’t please God if we don’t have faith. The Bible says, “Without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is the rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6 KJV).

I met a woman from Sweden in the airport and we discussed faith after my husband told her I’m a writer and gave her my card and a bookmark.

“I don’t worry about whether I believe in God, and I’m letting my children grow up and make their own decisions,” she said. “I’m a good person, and that’s all that’s necessary.”

She was nice, but as her daughter lay nearby reading I explained, “Belief in God is a decision. As he traveled the world, Billy Graham called people to the altars to ‘make a decision for Christ.’ If you ignore God, you decided not to accept His sacrifice for sin so that you could live forever. It’s the choice you already made.”

I talked to her about evidence for faith and the need to choose Jesus as Savior.

She smiled. “You’re messing with my head. I’ll need to think about this.”

Here are some facts about faith:

What is faith? “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and confident of what we do not see” (Hebrews 11:1 NIV).

God has given each person a measure of faith (Romans 12:3 KJV). Often people who don’t think they believe cry for God’s help spontaneously in crises.

Faith comes through hearing the Word—the gospel (Romans 10:17 KJV). Because faith is necessary to be redeemed from sin and to have our name written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, God “breathed” truth into writers He chose to pen His love message to humankind. It is through that love letter—the Bible—we gain knowledge of Him and why He allows us (anybody) to accept it and love and obey Him (2 Timothy 3:15-16 NIV).

We must voice our belief. “For with the heart one believes to righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made to salvation” (Romans 10:10 NIV).

Our brains may be made to believe in God. In a CNN report by A. Chris Gajilan on April 4, 2007, Dr. Andrew Newberg, neuroscientist and author of "Why We Believe What We Believe," says the human brain is affected during prayer and meditation. He suggests brain scans may prove our brains are built to believe in God. Because of this God-shaped place within, nearly every person worships something, even if they create it themselves.

Faith comes through the will. We decide whether to believe God’s Word, a false religion, or atheism (everything about who we are, why we are here and where we are going takes faith). Yet it takes a leap—a decision:“...Choose you this day whom ye will serve.” (Joshua 24:15 KJV) Read John 3:16 KJV which says,“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Jesus is our only hope. “Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name given among men whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12 KJV).

Salvation is a Gift we receive: “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ his Son” (Romans 6:23 KJV).

Don’t wait to decide what you’ll believe. Remember much of what atheists and agnostics think they chose to believe, is based on propaganda. If you would like evidence of that, read my book Facts, Faith, and Propaganda which can purchased online at this address, https://www.amazon.com/author/adabrownell

Read the first chapter free. A review says the book provides information from both sides without preaching. Just the facts. Remember, however, Peter wrote “For we did not follow cunningly devised fables” (2 Peter 1:16).
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Author bio:

Ada Brownell, a devoted Bible student, has written for Christian publications since age 15 and spent much of her life as a reporter for The Pueblo Chieftain in Colorado. She also is a veteran youth Christian education teacher.

After moving to Missouri in her retirement, she continues to write books, freelance for Sunday school papers, Christian magazines, write op-ed pieces for newspapers, and blogs with stick-to-your-soul encouragement.

She is the author of six books. She is a member of Ozarks Chapter of American Christian Writers and American Christian Fiction Writers. She and her husband have five children, eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Her historical romance, The Lady Fugitive, is a 2015 finalist for the Clash of the Titles Laurel Award.

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Connect with Ada:
Amazon Author page - http://amzn.to/1OZWrRq
Blog - http://inkfromanearthenvessel.blogspot.com