Devotionals for the Heart: When God calls you to love Him and the earth

Loving earth and loving God
A devotional by Jessica Brodie

As someone who was born and raised in the city, gardening is absolutely foreign to me. But I’ve always admired it. Deep down, I have a secret fantasy of being a homesteader, and I’m certain if I lived centuries ago, I would’ve been a farmer’s wife—maybe a farmer’s wife who somehow figured out time to write books on the side, but definitely someone on a farm.

I’ve made a couple of minuscule attempts to garden over the years, but they all ended in disaster. I did grow a tomato once, but something ate the rest of them, and I don’t know what I did wrong, but the other vegetables didn’t grow at all. And while I managed to grow one or two dahlias, that was it. I know the problem was with me, of course. I didn’t have a lot of time in that season of my life, and I didn’t put in enough devotion and care to really do it properly. Also, I gave up too quickly.

But in the last few years, for a variety of reasons, I’ve become increasingly convicted that I need to start gardening. More than that, I’m feeling a deep sense that not only my family but all people need to start returning to our roots—literally. By this I mean growing my own food. I’m entirely too dependent on my grocery store for food. Yet our ancestors were not this way. And frankly, between the prices of eggs and the shortage of some grocery items that we saw during the pandemic and its aftermath, it’s kind of scary to realize how dependent I am on stores.

What happens if catastrophe hits? How will I eat? Will I even know how to feed my family? I know God will always provide, and my earthly life is just temporary, but I also want to be equipped to help take care of people as long as God has me on this earth, and while I’m living here, I want to do so responsibly and thoughtfully. And I feel like God is telling me I need to start learning how to do some of these things for myself.

So this summer I’m going to start baby steps toward a garden. I’ll try a few vegetables, and my daughter is really interested in growing some flowers. We’ll see what happens.

It’s completely out of my comfort zone, but I feel like it’s an act of love and faith and obedience to God. Most of the time when I think of love, I think of it in relation to other people, or maybe even to animals. I might think of it as how I relate to my family or those I encounter in my community, and it’s also the wider community of people all around the world. But love also includes the earth. I know God loves the earth because God created it. God intentionally spent much time handcrafting the land and the seas and the heavens, and when He created people, He tasked us to take care of the animals and the land, to manage it well for Him.

As the Bible says in Genesis 2:15 (NIV), “The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.”

I appreciate technology as much as anyone. I use a cell phone, a laptop, electricity, running water, air conditioning, a microwave and stove, a dishwasher … all things of my ancestors did not have.

But let’s face the truth: Many of us are far too disconnected from the natural way of things, myself included. There’s no substitute for touching soil or leaves, for planting our feet in dirt or sand, for breathing in fresh air, for feeling the sun on our skin.

The Holy Spirit is nudging me to start gardening, and so I’ll respond. I’ll see what happens.

Whatever happens, I trust it’s going to help me appreciate creation more and, in turn, appreciate God more. For we are all connected—people, the land, the Lord, everything.

Let’s Pray: Lord, help me to love the earth as a way of loving You. Help me to honor You as I learn how to garden and tend and till, trusting and remaining open to whatever You wish to teach me. And help me always to love others in Your name. Amen.

Song of Reflection: “For the Beauty of the Earth” by BarlowGirl. Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

Jessica Brodie is an award-winning journalist, author, blogger, editor, writing coach, and devotional writer with thousands of articles to her name. 

Since 2010, she has served as the editor of the South Carolina United Methodist Advocate, the oldest newspaper in Methodism, which has won 123 journalism awards during her tenure. She is the author of Feed My Sheep: A 40-Day Devotional to Develop a Heart for Hunger Ministry (2019) and More Like Jesus: A Devotional Journey (2018) and the editor of a number of other books from her newspaper’s Advocate Press, which she helped found in 2017.

She has won more than 100 writing awards and is a seasoned speaker and frequent contributor to Crosswalk.com, Christianity.com, and BibleStudyTools.com, among many others. She has a weekly faith blog at JessicaBrodie.com and is part of the team at Wholly Loved Ministries, with her work included in many of their devotionals and Bible studies.

Brodie holds a Master of Arts in English, and she graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in communications/print journalism from Florida International University. Born and raised in Miami, Brodie now lives in Lexington, South Carolina, just outside Columbia. She has also lived in Ohio and in the mountains of western North Carolina. She and her husband, Matt Brodie, have a blended family of four teenage children and stepchildren.

Brodie has written several novels and is actively seeking publication through her agent Bob Hostetler of The Steve Laube Agency. Her novel The Memory Garden won the 2018 Genesis contest for Contemporary Fiction from American Christian Fiction Writers, and her novel Tangled Roots won a third place Foundation Award in Contemporary Romance at the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference in 2019. She is finishing the third in the series, Hidden Seeds, now.

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Connect with Jessica:
Website: https://www.jessicabrodie.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JessicaJBrodie
Facebook Author: https://www.facebook.com/authorjessicajbrodie
Facebook Personal: https://www.facebook.com/JessicaJBrodie
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessicajbrodie/
Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicajbrodie/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/shiningthelightjessicabrodie/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/jessicajbrodie

Devotionals for the Heart: God as the Good Shepherd who holds you close

Gathered by God
A devotional by Kerry Teravskis

“He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.”

—Isaiah 40:11 (KJV)

Newborn lambs are precious.

We’ve had a few on our farm over the years and they have a way of stealing your heart from the start. Lambs grow quickly and are adult size in no time. However, each lamb still needs attention from its mother and shepherd for many months filled with food, care, direction, shelter and love.

Lambs usually stay close to their mothers, but the proverbial green grass does beckon at times. Curiosity also sets in, especially for these playful youngsters. Isaiah 40:11 says God will gather the scattered lambs—some that are close to the Shepherd (Jesus Christ) and others that are in a nearby pasture. But the point is they will be gathered by Him.

God does not delegate the gathering; He does it Himself. Our loving Heavenly Father is walking through the pasture, looking for His lambs and collecting these sheep unto His presence.

Sheep hear the Shepherd’s voice and they follow (John 10:3-5). Our sheep—Palestina, Salome, and Shalom—usually come to us when we call. Notice I didn’t say, come running. You have probably heard sheep are stubborn, but they can also be naughty. They love to tarry, do their own thing and wander. But Jesus, the Good Shepherd, gathers His lambs in His arms. He scoops up the wooly animals and places them close to His bosom.

According to Strong’s Concordance, ‘bosom’ is an old word and in Hebrew it means “hollow, to enclose, midst”. Picture the hollow of Christ’s chest—an unique spot reserved for His precious ones. The Shepherd places His gathered lambs close into His chest for they are held close to His heart. A shelter. A tender, intimate place.

What’s so unique about it?

Let’s read what Deuteronomy 33:12 KJV says: “The beloved of the LORD shall dwell in safety by him; and the Lord shall cover him all the day long, and he shall dwell between his shoulders.”

Dwelling between the shoulders of the Lord is a safe haven for a child of God. He or she feels His heartbeat. They feel His warm skin touching theirs. God’s voice softly sings over His child. They feel His hair brush against their cheek. The scent of Heaven tickles their nose. They feel secure in His strong yet warm and tender embrace. A child of God does not want to leave this place because it is safe, secure, and filled with love.

Beloved, can you picture yourself in Christ’s arms, receiving His love for you? Do you hear His voice whispering a love song to you? Does this promise envelop you with hope as you are reminded of His love for you? Do you know that He wants to gather you to Himself?

Will you allow yourself to remember that you are God’s beloved, His little lamb, His chosen one? 

Will you thank God for this promised gathering?

Let’s Pray: Oh, loving Shepherd and Heavenly Father. You are incredible. You gather Your sheep close to Your heart. You enclose them in Your love. You whisper, “It is well.” I thank You for enclosing me in Your bosom, protecting me and keeping me close. Please continue to draw near to me and keep me. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

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Note from Alexis: Kerry’s devotional message today reminds me of the song “Reckless Love” by Cory Asbury. Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

As a wife and Marmee to 3 adult children and one brand new daughter-in-love, my life is very full.

My husband and I met in college and served in the mission field for a few years before settling down back in the States to raise our family.

We were a homeschooling family for 20 years and enjoyed it immensely. For the last 22 years we have lived on a small farm in Northern California where we have raised many farm animals, along with growing and preserving our own food as well. Our farm has been a great source of enjoyment and a place to host many family gatherings, and we have an open door for dear friends, old and new.

Following and serving Jesus is an integral part of my life as well as that of my family. Whether it’s singing in our church choir, teaching children or leading and lecturing at a women’s Bible study, I love to demonstrate my love for Jesus by giving to Him in service.

I’ve been a blogger for seven years, a Bible study writer for a year and have spent this last year writing devotionals about finding God’s Sovereignty in our pain and suffering.

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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/sovereignblog/
https://www.instagram.com/ksteravskis/

Let Love Bloom: Loving Grace

Interview with Grace, character in April Smith’s book “Loving Grace”:

Alexis: Hi, Grace! Thanks for agreeing to an interview. This story opens with a conflict and you have to make a quick decision about a certain title. Why didn’t you want to be the Watermelon Queen?

Grace: It’s not so much that I didn’t want to be the watermelon queen, but that everything happened so quickly. I didn’t have much time to process everything, and I still had a lot going on in my head about the accident.

Alexis: What is the Watermelon Queen tradition all about and what is the queen required to do? 

Grace: As far as traditions go, it’s something the association created to have a spokesperson for them. There’s been a watermelon queen for as long as I can remember. Her main job is to promote the watermelon industry—but I’m telling you guys, it’s so much fun… seeing new places, trying new foods, meeting interesting people…

Alexis: Who is Beau Baron and what role does he play in your life story? Describe his looks, personality and your history with him.

Grace: Our history…so much to say, so little time. Let’s put it like this: we grew up together. He’s been around for as long as I can remember. He and my twin, Luke were best friends—inseparable actually.

Alexis: Now on to his personality. It depends on the day really…let’s just say we’re like oil and vinegar—we usually don’t mix well together.

Grace: Okay, I’m going to tell it to you straight, but if I find out you told Beau, I’ll deny ever saying a word of it. I mean it…I’ll deny it with my last breath…He’s tall, like over six feet tall, and when he’s not being annoying, which let me tell you isn’t often, his smile is like, wow!

And—uggh…I can’t believe I’m going to say it—he is good looking. Dark brown hair and chocolate brown eyes. Need I say more?

Alexis: Why does Beau make your blood boil but also occupy your mind?

Grace: Probably because he knows which buttons to push to drive me crazy. 

Alexis: Who is Warren Hartley? Why do you think he’s so dreamy? How does his presence affect your story?

Grace: He’s every girl’s dream. He’s the knight in shining armor type. What girl doesn’t want to feel like and be treated like a princess? He just always seems to know what to say and do. 

Alexis: What can you tell us about the accident that “rocked your world”? How did it change you? Do you think that change was for the better or worse? Why?

Grace: It didn’t change me, it shattered me. I lost what was most important to me that day. To say it was for the better or worse…I don’t know. I know I’m stronger now and working to understand it, but healing takes time, and the only way I’ve been able to make sense of it, is to give it all to God; so, placing it at his feet, has allowed me to move forward. Some days are easier than others, but I’m getting there.

Alexis: When did you first see sparks fly between you and Beau? What did you do about it?

Grace: We were five, and he came over for a playdate at our house. Beau and Luke didn’t want to include me in their game. Up until then, I’d never really had to share Luke with anyone, and they had never tried to leave me out before…let’s just say it was the first time, I realized that I didn’t do well with sharing my brother’s attention. I kicked Beau in the shin. I got a timeout. He got a bruise and to play with my brother while I had to sit in my room. So unfair (insert frustrated sigh here). Okay, I know I was in the wrong, but still, that’s the first time the sparks flew…

Alexis: What is it about Beau that warms your heart? Why is he special to you?

Grace: In some ways, he’s still a connection to my brother. They were always together, and after our first initial battle (you know the one where I kicked him in the shin) we eventually all three became a close trio. It was only after the accident, that things for Beau and I fell apart.

Alexis: What would you say was the turning point in your relationship with Beau?

Grace: I don’t know that we’ve had a turning point. Beau and I have been through a lot. Some of it has been good, some…not so good…but that’s life. It can be complicated. I think it’s a gradual process with me and probably for him too.

Alexis: How does your faith in God impact the way you live and make decisions?

Grace: I’m a firm believer that we’re here for a purpose, and I want to glorify God, by being what He calls me to be. I want all that I say and do to be pleasing to Him.

Alexis: What did you like—and not like—about being the Watermelon Queen?

Grace: I missed Gramps from time to time. Also, living out of a suitcase means a lot of laundry. Those are minor things compared to all of the travel and fun experiences that being the watermelon queen brought into my life. And honestly, it was at a time when I needed some fun and to be forced out of the rut I had landed in.

Alexis: What do you want readers to remember most about your story? 

Grace: Life can be messy, but we can trust God in the process.

Alexis: What advice do you have for the next Watermelon Queen?

Grace: Be yourself. Have fun and enjoy your year! It goes faster than you’d ever believe. 

Alexis: Thanks for the interview, Grace! Do you have any closing thoughts?

Grace: Just, thank you! And I really enjoyed our chat.

~*~
Author Bio:

April Smith grew up spending summers working on her best friend’s family watermelon farm and she was one of those watermelon queens she writes about. She has her undergraduate degree in Elementary Education and a Master’s Degree in the Art of Teaching.

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Blurb for April's book Loving Grace: 

Grace Summer lands herself in a melon load of trouble when she becomes torn between the boy of her dreams and the boy almost next door. As the newly-crowned Watermelon Queen, she is thrust into the spotlight, meets the dreamy Warren Hartley, and continues trying to get over an accident that rocked her world. Mix in working with Beau Baron who Grace happens to fight with just about as much as breathing and the metaphorical sparks fly. 

Like most things in life, Grace must learn to take the good with the bad. While the good is the handsome and fun Warren Hartley, the bad is Beau Baron—or at least being around his annoying and rude self way more than she would like. For Beau, Grace is nothing more than aggravating and an irritating reminder from the night of the accident. Tensions soar as Grace and Beau fight to love themselves and maybe, just maybe, each other.

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Connect with April:
Website - www.aprilsmithbooks.com
Facebook - www.facebook.com/aprilsmithbooks

Twitter - https://twitter.com/aprilsmithbook

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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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A Prelude to Christmas: Valerie's story about angel halos and hope

Welcome Valerie Comer to the blog. She lives in Canada and is a USA Today Bestselling Author! Yes, my dears, you are in for a treat! Valerie is visiting us today to talk about her Christmas story, Other Than a Halo. It's the second book in her series, "Christmas in Montana Romance". See the cover of her book below this line. Isn't it creative? 

Here's the blurb for Valerie's book, Other Than a Halo:

Even though she's a new woman in Christ, single mom Bren Haddock was no angel as a teen. Now managing the Hiller Farm for a CSA, life is good until a friend offers to enter her daughter into the Little Miss Snowflake Pageant. Old insecurities flare when she meets the intriguing head of marketing for the pageant.

Rob Santoro isn't so sure about handling the pageant portfolio until he meets Bren. Soon he's fallen for her and her two kids, but when a Thanksgiving adventure goes awry, he's left wondering how to love a woman who refuses to be loved.

What will it take for Bren to retire her tarnished halo and move into a fulfilling, forgiven future?

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Fill out the book giveaway contest entry form on this Rafflecopter widget below for your chance to WIN a copy of Valerie's book: 

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Interview with Valerie Comer, author of Other Than a Halo:

Alexis: What a clever title for a Christmas story! How did you create it?

Valerie: Thanks! This is the sequel to a Christmas story I wrote two years ago called More Than a Tiara. The working title had been different, but these words popped out of the text as the perfect title. When thinking about a sequel, I thought it would be fun to use a matching format, so Other Than a Halo was born. The story came from the title, actually. I have one more book to go in this series, because I have one more title. Better Than a Crown will release in the fall of 2017. I’m hoping the title will, once again, trigger the story when it comes time to write it!

Alexis: Your story’s heroine Bren Haddock was trouble as a teen. How is she now as a grown adult who decided to follow Jesus Christ?

Valerie: She’s still a bit rough around the edges. She’s had to do everything on her own and fend for her kids, and she’s single-minded in following through. Sometimes she forgets that Jesus did more than save her. He also delights in her.

Alexis: Bren works as the manager of Hiller Farm for a CSA. Describe to our readers what that means.

Valerie: CSA stands for community-supported agriculture. Generally, this means that urbanites can ‘subscribe’ to a farm or group of farms. They pay a fee for the entire growing season and, in exchange, receive a bin of fresh produce every week — whatever is in season. In Other Than a Halo, Bren manages one of the grower farms. She starts plants in her greenhouse then grows and harvests the crops she’s promised to the Tomah CSA. She’s paid for her produce and labor from the subscription fees.

Alexis: It looks like Bren loves her life until old insecurities rise. Tell us about that situation.

Valerie: Bren is very aware of the fact that she didn’t finish high school and that her kids don’t have a dad. To Bren’s amazement, she finds herself friends with Marisa Hiller (the former model and winner of the Miss Snowflake Pageant in book one, More Than a Tiara) and wealthy event planner Kristen O’Brien. So Bren is always holding herself aloof, barely daring to believe these friendships are genuine.

Alexis: How old are Bren’s children? Who is their father? Why aren’t they together? Give us details on Bren’s backstory.

Valerie: Bren’s son, Davy, is nine, and her daughter, Lila, is seven. Both were results of poor choices on Bren’s part, and neither man wished to step up to the plate as responsible dads. That’s really all the backstory I feel free to divulge!

Alexis: Rob Santoro is the hero of your story. What makes him the hero? Talk about his personality, looks and tell us why he has a heart for Bren.

Valerie: Rob is possibly my favorite of all the heroes I’ve written in over a dozen published romance novels. He may come in second to Noel Kenzie of Wild Mint Tea, but then again, he might not. I love him because he is gentle while being all guy. He sees Bren’s insecurities from the beginning, and he knows they can’t casually date and then drift apart or it will devastate her further. If he’s even going to start, he needs to be ready to go the distance. Rob does a good job of showing Bren how valuable she is—not just to him, but to God.

Alexis: Describe Rob and Bren’s meet-cute. What made it memorable?

Valerie: Bren and Rob meet in the first chapter. They’re introduced by Bren’s friend Kristen, who happens to be married to Rob’s boss. Kristen wants to sign Bren’s daughter up for a Little Miss Pageant, and Rob is the man at the marketing agency in charge of pageant promotion. You can read the first chapter here: http://valeriecomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Halo-ch-1.pdf

Alexis: Why did you choose to set this story at Christmastime?

Valerie: It’s set at Christmas because Bren was too busy running a market garden throughout the rest of the year to have a romance! More seriously, I’d planned on a Christmas series, so began the writing with that in mind from the beginning.

Alexis: What do you want your readers to remember most about this book?

Valerie: I want readers to remember that God offers us not only salvation, but a seat of honor at His table. Jesus’ sacrifice covers everything and then some. We don’t need to worry about whether our haloes are tarnished or shiny.

Alexis: Complete this sentence: My most fun time in writing this book was ____________________because__________________________.

Valerie: My most fun time in writing this book was when Bren was getting ready for their first date because all her insecurity showed…but in a fun way.

Alexis: Thanks for the interview, Valerie!

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Author bio: 

Valerie Comer's life on a small farm in western Canada provides the seed for stories of contemporary inspirational romance. Like many of her characters, Valerie and her family grow much of their own food and are active in the local food movement as well as their church. 

She only hopes her creations enjoy their happily ever afters as much as she does hers, shared with her husband, adult kids, and adorable granddaughters.

Valerie is a USA Today bestselling author and a two-time Word Award winner. She has been called “a stellar storyteller” as she injects experience laced with humor into her green clean romances. Visit her at ValerieComer.com.

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Buy Valerie's book, Other Than a Halo:

Amazon ~ Barnes and Noble ~ Valerie's official website

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Connect with Valerie: Visit Valerie's official website, valeriecomer.com to connect with her on social media, read her blog, and explore her many links. You may also subscribe to Valerie's email newsletter and receive a free Christmas short story called Peppermint Kisses.

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