Devotionals for the Heart: Reasons why God's Word is sweeter than honey

Sweeter than Honey
A devotional by Kerry Sue Teravskis

“They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb.”—Psalm 19:10 (NIV)

The weather was perfect. Not too hot, slightly breezy, and wispy clouds floating across the sky.

A patch of volunteer purple and white larkspur, delightful as these self-propagate; bring joy and provide seeds for next year, wave in the breeze, near our patio and walkway to the barn. It was just the right spot to enjoy them for the month they are in bloom.

While sitting in a chair on the lawn one particular morning, I began to take in my surroundings. Glancing over to the larkspur patch and I noticed three large bumblebees. These seemingly too-heavy-to-fly black and yellow balls of fluff and wings were weaving in and out of the blossoms. Because of their enormous size, each time they dipped into a blossom to gather nectar, the entire stem would bend over.

They would linger just a moment to gather the sweetness of provision and move on to the flower next door. On and on they went. Methodical, peaceful, intentional. One after another, and even crisscrossing each other. They drank in and kept going.

David wrote that God’s Word is sweeter than honey. This verse was flittering through my mind as I watched those bumblebees. Do I devour Scripture like they devour nectar?

Do I bury my face and even my whole body, into the Word of God, savor it and move onto another passage and do the same? Do I stay in the same patch of flowers, so to speak, so I gain all the goodness of God which awaits me? Do I recognize everything I need can be found in Jesus?

Let’s read John 6:68 (NLT), “Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life.”

The disciples were onto something. Crowds were everywhere, temptations abounded, doubt was real. But they went to Jesus Christ, the Author of their newfound faith. Peter stated they believed (John 6:69) in God’s Son (Jesus), so why would they go anywhere else?

Why would they go to another patch of flowers, so to speak, if what they needed was right in front of them? So true.

Those bumblebees stayed and are still there as I write this devotional. They continue to drink in the sweet nectar of God’s provision for them. It’s as if they can’t get enough, so they linger. The disciples chose to do the same. The leaders of Judaism questioned them and Jesus, but these men knew in Whom to believe, so they fiercely held on to Him.

What about you and your circumstances? Are you drinking in from the Word of God every day, or do you fly by, hoping to grab a snack? Does your walk with Jesus feel without flavor or sweetness? Are you finding it to be true that when you do not pray, thank, and give your worries over to God, peace is elusive?

Let’s read Philippians 4:6 (NLT): “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.”

Worry robs us. It’s as if we left the door of our heart open so worry does not even have to struggle with the lock or dead bolt. We give it easy access, and then don’t fight back. We get paralyzed, even more fearful, and instead of taking every thought captive (2 Corinthians 10:5), we begin wringing our hands in earnest. We buzz around–flitting from one thing to another.

May I make a suggestion?

Stop.

Be at rest.

Do what you are made to do, which is to worship God and Him only. The bumblebee is meant to drink deeply of flowers, gather pollen from that flower to spread it to the next, thereby pollenating other flowers for future crops. It does not do anything else. No worry, no pretending to be a bird, a cat nor mankind. It does not fret about tomorrow, nor the next minute.

It peacefully and slowly zooms into one blossom, drinks deeply, then casually moves on. And on. And on. Endlessly.

Can we take a lesson in this? Can we learn God’s Word is indeed sweeter than honey? It is our daily bread. It sustains us and gives us hope, and more importantly, points us to God our Father.

Let’s Pray: Father God, I need You and only You. I want to find my rest, my hope and my daily bread in You. Please forgive me for getting distracted, giving up or not even trying to begin with. Help me Lord, to go to You first, be in Your Word, to be thankful, give You my cares, and trust You. May Your peace wash over me, as You promised. I will hold onto You and believe. In the Name of Your Son, Jesus, I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection: “To Worship You I Live” by Israel & New Breed. Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

As a wife and Marmee to three adult children and one brand new daughter-in-love, Kerry Sue’s life is very full. She met her husband in college and served in the mission field with him for a few years before settling down back in the United States of America to raise their family.

Kerry Sue’s family was a homeschooling family for 20 years and they enjoyed it immensely. For the last 23 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 our 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 eight years, a Bible study writer for two years, and a devotional writer for about one year.

Kerry Sue writes 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/ksteravskis/

Devotionals for the Heart: When words are sweet like honey

Words Like Honey
A devotional by Jessica Collazo

“Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body.” 

–Proverbs 16:24 (ESV)

When I was younger the saying “sticks and stones will break my bones but words will never hurt me” was consistently used on the playground and in my classrooms. However, they were very hollow words when both as a child and now as an adult, I could see and feel the ramifications of hurtful words.

I cannot begin to tell you how many times someone has quoted Proverbs 18:21 to me, “The tongue has the power of life and death (NIV).” I am sure that you have probably been told this a time or two as well. I also have used this verse numerous times to address the effects that someone’s words had in a particular situation.

What I was not aware of until recently, and probably mostly because it did not dawn on me, was that the same verse that has been quoted to me in an effort to help me be kind to others is also a warning to myself. I am quick to stop others from speaking about themselves in a negative manner, but I don’t know if I ever realized the damage that I was causing to myself every time I was being critical of myself.

When I stumbled across Proverbs 16:24 recently, I was able to really comprehend the impact that my critical words have on my body and soul as well as my overall health. If I truly think about it, how many times have I gone round and round in my head about a conversation that went sideways, or questioned something that I said over and over again. That continual over analyzation did not provide me any type of comfort or rest and I am sure that you can relate.

Gracious words bring life into any situation. Gracious words allow others to see Christ in the midst of it all and most importantly allow me to see God move in some hard places. Gracious words are not an excuse to not address difficult behaviors, it’s an opportunity to understand God’s grace for us.

The Lord literally gave us the tools we need to help our souls be at peace and our bodies be healthy. (Sidenote: I am not talking to anyone who has a medically diagnosed condition, I am talking to those who always have something negative to say about themselves or others.)

How kind is the Lord to us, that he provides us the words of wisdom in the book of Proverbs that not only give us life but also teach us how our words bring health to our soul and bodies.

As you go about your day/week, please remember that the Lord wants you to be gracious with the words you speak over yourself. Be kind to yourself and allow yourself the opportunity to experience the sweetness of grace that comes over your body and soul when your words bring life to whatever situation you are facing.

Let’s Pray: Father God, thank you so much that you are mindful of us and take care of our every need. Lord, I pray that we would see how you want your grace to flow in and through us. Therefore, please help us to speak life and kindness wherever we find ourselves today. Bless all who are reading this prayer today and allow them to speak gracious words to themselves as well as others. In Jesus’s name I pray. Amen.

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Author Bio:

Jessica Collazo is a Chicago native with a heart that beats for Jesus.  

Her passion is to challenge women to think differently, gain a new perspective and live confidently. Because she knows, it’s possible.

Using God’s Word, a little bit of humor, strategic way of thinking and personal stories, Jessica offers a fresh take on where to go when women feel stuck, overlooked or overwhelmed.

Jessica’s greatest passion is to help women take off the identities they have been given by the world and realize who they are in Christ: known, dearly loved, set apart, and chosen.

Jessica is the senior manager of operations at Proverbs 31 Ministries who lives in Charlotte, North Carolina with her husband, Jerry, two sons and dog, Sawyer. Prior to working at Proverbs 31 Ministries, Jessica has over 10 years of experience working in women’s ministry, marriage ministry and outreach.

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Connect with Jessica:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_jessicacollazo/
Website: https://jessicacollazo.com

Devotionals for the Heart: Gracious Words, Health, Honey and Healing

Gracious Words
A devotional by Melissa Henderson

“Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.”

~Proverbs 16:24 (NIV) 

Have you considered your words lately? What about your thoughts? Who did you have conversations with today? Reflecting back on this day and recent times, have you shown the glory of God in your words and actions?

Each day, we are given opportunities to shine His love to others. When things are going great and life is lovely, we are happy to share good news and be joyful in discussions with others.

What about those times when life is tough and we feel like venting?

Those times when someone cuts in front of us in the traffic line, or someone gives a not so nice opinion, or something happens at your job and you just feel like you could scream. How do you handle those times? Are your words soothing and calming, gracious and sweet to the soul?

Or are your words angry and defensive, bitter to you and to others?

These are times when we definitely need to pause and ask God for help. Ask Him for peace of mind and heart. Ask Him for the words He would like you to share with others. 

Ask… Ask…

He knows our hearts. He knows exactly what we need.

Imagine having a conversation with someone and the words from the other person are hurtful and angry. Maybe tears flow as the first reaction was unbelief at what was being said. The next reaction might be to defend yourself with hurtful words. How would that help the situation?

Instead, what if you walked away from the conversation? What about pausing to pray and asking God for the words He wants you to share? Or maybe God wants you to stay quiet in this particular instance. Ask Him for guidance.

How do you feel when someone gives you a compliment? When words spoken to you are gracious and sweet to the soul. Does that kindness cause you to want to respond in kindness?

Do you easily lift up others with gracious words and friendliness? We may never know what someone is experiencing in their life. Gracious words can change the perspective of a person who needs love and kindness.

Say hello to the cashier at the store, to the letter carrier, to a neighbor. Ask “How are you?” and truly pause to listen to the answer. Visit a nursing home and listen to the stories of the people there. Their lives are full of magnificent journeys. Taking a walk in the neighborhood on the weekend often brings a chance to speak with people we may not see during the week.

Listen to how you speak to others, in person and on the phone. Are you shining God’s love in your words and your actions? A smile and friendly words can soothe and heal the heart.

Listen to the way people speak to you. Is there something bothering them and they need comfort by your words?

Many questions and many things to consider. Words are a very special way to show others His love and grace. I pray today will be a day full of gracious words.

Blessings,

Melissa Henderson

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Author Bio:

Melissa Henderson and her husband Alan live in South Carolina.

Married for over 38 years, they have one son (Mike) who is married to daughter-in-love (Christine) and now are blessed by precious grandson (Rowan).

Melissa was taught the love of reading and writing at an early age from her parents. She is now working on her first inspirational fiction novel.

Her passions are volunteering, Bible Studies and reading and writing. Connect with Melissa online, https://mimionlife.wordpress.com.

Author interview: Valerie Comer

What's so special and unique about today's featured author? She's not a U.S. citizen! Valerie lives on a small farm in a mountain valley in southeastern British Columbia, Canada.

It was wonderful to interview Valerie about her life on the farm and to learn about her love for writing stories that revolve around farmers and interesting characters who love food and tea. 

Now here's what's in it for you: Valerie will give a free Sweetened with Honey e-book to the winner of her book giveaway contest! The contest starts today (Sunday, Nov. 23) and will end on Sunday, Dec. 7. Alexis will announce the winners via an old-fashioned random drawing on Monday, Dec. 8. You can enter the contest by answering Valerie's question at the end of this author interview. Remember to include your e-mail address in your comment so Valerie can send your e-book to you if you win. 

So without further ado, let's proceed to the interview (questions by Alexis in bold, answers by Valerie not in bold)...

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Alexis: A Farm Fresh Romance is the name of your book series. Tell me about it. Why did you choose that title for the series?

Valerie: The Farm Fresh Romance series follows the adventures, romantic and otherwise, of several young women who band together to buy a farm. Their goal is to grow their own food and live as sustainably as possible. They no longer expect to find romance, but it does indeed find them! So the reasons for the words "farm" and "romance" might be obvious. What I'm going for with the word "fresh" in the middle is that the setting isn't your everyday commercial farm, nor is it a historical farm, but one operated in a way relevant for this millennium.

Is there a personal connection between you and your characters in the book series A Farm Fresh Romance? If yes, explain.

There's always a connection between author and characters, I think. Bits of me, good and bad, are in all of my fictional people, but I identify most directly with Rosemary Nemesek, the mother of the hero in the first book, Raspberries and Vinegar. Rosemary is a tired fifty-something woman who has lived on the farm for years. (The series' heroines buy the land next door from the Nemesek family.)

Rosemary has gotten in a rut and forgotten what she loves about farm life. Now that her kids are raised and have moved on, she's lost her joy in gardening and canning. But like me, something came along and challenged her to look at her life through new eyes again.

For me, that was when my son and his wife were in university and became avid locavores (local food advocates). They decided to move back home after graduation so they could pour themselves into a food-production lifestyle. This from the boy who tried every excuse in the book not to help with chores when he was younger! But I was also surprised to find that many of their friends were jealous that they had a farm they could tap into.

I began to wonder what it would look like if a bunch of city-bred girls bought a farm together and tried to grow their own food. What kinds of challenges would they face? And the Farm Fresh Romance series was born!

By the way, my son and his wife have lived on our farm for 4 1/2 years now and have a toddler, one of my three young granddaughters. I love being in a position to help ensure healthy real food for these little treasures!

Give my readers insight into each of your books from A Farm Fresh Romance series (Raspberries and Vinegar, Wild Mint Tea and Sweetened with Honey).

Breaking ground with the Farm Fresh Romance series, Raspberries and Vinegar finds Josephine Shaw and her friends renovating a dilapidated farm with their sights set on more than just their own property. Transforming the town with their sustainable lifestyle and focus on local foods is met with more resistance than they expected, especially by temporary neighbor, Zachary Nemesek. Jo needs to learn that a little sweet makes the tart more tasty. 

The second tale, Wild Mint Tea, finds chef Claire Halford hosting weddings at Green Acres Farm, but the first bride comes with a globe-trotting brother. Noel Kenzie's reforestation company provides him the means to enjoy life. This is no time for him to settle down… or Claire to spread her wings.

Sweetened with Honey, the third story, finds beekeeper Sierra Riehl hopeful to catch the eye of widower Gabriel Rubachuk, knowing he must first face the past. Yet as he begins to embrace hope and fall in love with her, reality changes. Sierra begins to suspect she can't give Gabe what he deserves, and their budding romance fizzles. But how can she trust him with her devastating secret?

Tell me about your latest release, Sweetened with Honey. What exactly is “sweetened with honey”?

Sierra has become a beekeeper as part of the girls' focus on growing their own food. She has a sweet tooth and believes everything tastes better sweetened with honey. In Psalm 19 David claims that God's word is sweeter than honey. Honey and sweetness become metaphors for a variety of issues in Sierra and Gabe's lives through the course of this novel.

Why do you write “Farm Lit with a Christian worldview”? Is farm lit a book category of its own? If so, please explain.

FarmLit.com (which happens to be one of my sites!) describes farm lit as "any literature that embraces the life of modern-day 'new' farmers. These stories can be fiction or memoir, and most often include city-bred heroines who head for an idealized rural existence and (often) find the man of their dreams riding a tractor rather than a horse or a motorbike."

Farmers' markets, organic box programs, and vegetable gardening/processing have gone mainstream. My desire is to show "where food meets faith." I believe there are biblical reasons for choosing to care about where one's food comes from, and that story is a valuable tool in presenting the challenges and options.

Do you write full-time and does payment from that work cover all of your expenses or do you keep a day job too?

My job left me two years ago, and I've become a full-time writer since then, supplemented by some freelance work. I'm definitely not earning a living wage at this time and couldn't maintain this lifestyle if my husband didn't have a well-paying job. However, it's my goal to match my previous wages within the next two years.

Where do you live? What is your favorite feature of your hometown?

I live on a small farm in a mountain valley in southeastern British Columbia, Canada. It's the perfect place for a family of locavores because we have a unique climate. We grow a large percentage of our vegetables, berries, honey, and meat on our own land. We have organic wheat and other grains available locally as well as a wide range of fruits. There isn't much we can't grow or source locally.

Describe your writing space. What makes it special to you?

My office is in a small west-facing room upstairs, perfect for morning writing. My laptop sits under a window through which I can see my garden, several farms, and the trees and mountains beyond. I find the long view very restful. I also have the requisite bookcases as well as a large whiteboard and a large inspiration board. Everything needs to be portable because the room doubles as my preschool granddaughters' bedroom when they visit… and they are curious little monkeys!

Where do you want to take your writing in the next five to ten years?

I'm so thankful to be an indie author! In 2015 I expect to write and publish three novels and a novella to complete my Farm Fresh Romance series. I believe I can continue this pace until my husband retires in ten years, so that will be a lot of books in several series. I hope to continue writing much longer than that, but experience tells me to expect a slower output when he's around more.

How does your faith in God play into your writing?

My beliefs are intrinsic to every part of my life. I don't know how to write without my worldview showing through one way or another… not that I try to block it! My passion in food and environmental issues isn't mainstream Christian, though. Rather than "preach" my opinions on these topics, I tend to give my characters opposing viewpoints and let them duke it out on the page.

How often do you write every week and how do you overcome writer’s block?

My goal is to write an 80,000-word first draft every four months, which works out to about 5,000 words per week. The weekly goal is a great theory that hasn't quite worked for me, partly because I republished two novels and published three new (already written) ones in the past four months. First drafting got relegated to snatches of time, but I'm back on a roll lately and still expect to finish my current draft before Christmas.

As for writer's block, I have several solutions. Sometimes the story has gone astray and I need to delete the last scene or two and take a different direction. Sometimes I break out the wild-colored dry erase pens and mind-map on my three-by-four-foot whiteboard until a solution comes to mind. And then there's prayer, asking God to help me find the story He wants to deliver to my readers.

Do you have an agent and traditional publisher? If yes, please share the story of how this happened.

In January of 2011 I sold a novella to Barbour in a collection with three author friends. This netted me an agent and, for a time, I really believed I was on my way. Several of the proposals my agent shopped received solid praise and one went to pub board three times. But that wasn't the path God had for me.

In the spring of 2013 I let my agent go planning to go indie, but then accepted a small pub's contract offer on the three book Farm Fresh Romance. That small house shut to fiction just after the release of the second novel, and I regained my rights. Looking back, I'm thankful for each step of the journey and especially for where I have landed up, with all but one of my stories under my control. Being an indie author is the most amazing thing ever.

Are you married? Do you have kids? What do you and your family do for fun? Give my readers a glimpse into your personal life.

I've been married to the same guy for 34 years. Our two kids are married with children, and my three young granddaughters are the light of my life. I love hanging out with them, bouncing on the trampoline, reading stories, or letting them "help" me in the kitchen and garden.

Farming and gardening takes a lot of our time. When we get the chance, we like to pull our little holiday trailer up beside a mountain stream and spend a weekend fishing, hiking, reading, and soaking up nature.

What are you looking forward to the most about the Thanksgiving holiday? Do you have favorite holiday dessert? Please give details.

I'm Canadian, so I celebrated Thanksgiving the second Monday of October. I love the timing of our holiday because my girls and I try to make our entire feast with food from our farm, garden, and surrounding area, and so much is available in October! Pumpkin desserts rule. My daughter brought pumpkin pie, and my niece made both pumpkin cheesecake and pumpkin macaroons. We enjoyed dessert for an entire week.

Alexis: Thanks for the interview, Valerie! Please provide a question for my readers to answer so they can enter the book giveaway and have a chance to win a digital copy of your book Sweetened with Honey.

Valerie: Sierra loves everything better if it's sweetened with honey, including her homemade coffee mocha. What do you think tastes better with honey?

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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 foods movement as well as their creation-care-centric 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 writes Farm Lit where food meets faith, injecting experience laced with humor into her award-winning Farm Fresh Romance stories.

Connect with Valerie: 
http://valeriecomer.com
http://valeriecomer.com/blog
http://twitter.com/valeriecomer
http://pinterest.com/valeriecomer

Buy Valerie's books: 
Raspberries and Vinegar: A Farm Fresh Romance (Farm Lit) by Valerie Comer
Wild Mint Tea: A Farm Fresh Romance (Farm Lit) by Valerie Comer
Sweetened with Honey: A Farm Fresh Romance (Farm Lit) by Valerie Comer
Snowflake Tiara: 2-in-1 Christmas Collection by Angela Breidenbach, Valerie Comer