Words of Faith: The Introduction

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Love,

Alexis

Devotional by Mary Manners: Christmas Lights

Christmas is over but I believe that you will enjoy this holiday devotional by our friend Mary Manners! She's sharing a story set at Christmastime that is near and dear to her heart. My hope is that you will be encouraged as you read Mary's devotional! 

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Christmas Lights
A devotional by Mary Manners

“You, Lord, are my lamp; the Lord turns my darkness into light.”

~ 2 Samuel 22:29 (NIV) ~

When the subject of Christmas gifts comes up, most people think of packages wrapped in colorful paper and shimmery bows, sitting under the Christmas tree, just waiting to be opened.

When I think of Christmas gifts, I think of my dad, who passed away fourteen years ago this holiday season. He was a man of many gifts, including the joy he shared for the traditions of Christmas.

Dad loved light—especially the light that brightened a fresh-cut pine tree in honor of the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Each December first, like clockwork, Dad piled his family—all seven of us—into our Chevy station wagon and drove us to the tree lot where, shivering in the Chicago-winter cold, we oohed and aahed over each and every tree until we found the perfect one.

Once home, with the tree safely arranged in a metal stand and watered, Dad climbed the ladder to our attic (a mysterious place, indeed) where the Christmas lights were stored. He’d lower the battered cardboard box (re-used, season after season) to the floor below and dust it off.

Then my brother and sisters—five of us—gathered 'round him in the living room and waited, eyes huge with wonder, as he carefully unraveled the strands of lights and tested each one. No matter how stubborn the bulbs, dad always managed to get them working.

Beautiful, vibrant colors turned the room to a kaleidoscope, dancing over walls and windows with the feel of winter magic. One by one, my siblings and I each took the place of honor beside Dad, helping him to adorn the tree with light. Pine sap clung to our tiny fingers, but we didn’t care. All the while, our hearts soared with happiness and child-like wonder.

Finally, Dad gently gathered the Christmas star from the box. Hushed with awe, we waited while Dad chose one of us to hoist to his shoulders for the greatest thrill—placing the treasured beacon of light—the Baby Jesus Star—atop the highest limb. Somehow, Dad always sensed who needed that extra touch of attention, and there was never any argument.

With the lights in place (just in time for nightfall—always) we circled the tree and held hands to sing "Silent Night." In the earliest years, the tune didn’t always carry and the words were sometimes off, but Dad didn’t mind. He knew we understood what the tree—and especially the lights—symbolized, the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus. The most wonderful gift of all!

It’s sometimes easy to get lost in the tangle of this world—the troubles and stresses that everyday life presents. Sometimes we feel as if the darkness will consume us. During these most trying times, we must move toward the light, and the Father who loves and guides us. He will remove the darkness and fill us with His holy light.

~*~

Author bio:

Mary Manners is an award-winning romance writer who lives in the beautiful foothills of East Tennessee with her husband Tim and the cherished cats they've rescued from local animal shelters, Lucky and Gus.

She loves swimming, running, flavored coffee and Smoky Mountain sunsets.

Mary believes everyone has a story to tell, and she loves to share hers. She writes inspirational romances of all lengths, from short stories to novels—something for everyone.

Song Spotlight: Day After Christmas

Christmas Song Spotlight: His Plan

I love this song! Here's what I want you to remember as you listen to it: God is working out His plan. The proof is found in real-life AND in Scripture. Read the following texts: John 3:16, John 10:10, Jeremiah 29:11 and Romans 8:28.

No matter what you're going through or how long you've been going through it, REMEMBER, God is still in control and HE is working out His plan for you. He's promised to save you if you just believe in Him. As you believe, you must also trust. Trusting God gets tough when life gets hard but hold onto HOPE because HE will never let you go!

Be encouraged, dear hearts! 

Love,

Alexis

Merry Christmas!

25 Days of Christmas Stories: The North Pole, a devotional by Joi Copeland

Merry Christmas! I hope you all will have a delightful day filled with happy memories, good food, quality time with loved ones and the best gift of all (Jesus Christ)! I also hope that you will join me in welcoming Joi Copeland to the blog today! 

She's the author of the delightful book, Christmas Rayne and she'd like to give away one copy of her book for your Kindle! Enter the book giveaway contest by filling out the Rafflecopter widget below: 

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Meanwhile, enjoy Joi's devotional about a Christmas movie that inspired her to write this devotional! 

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The North Pole
A devotional written by Joi Copeland

I was watching the Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause, with Tim Allen and Martin Short, the other day with my family. Something struck me that has never hit me before. Tim Allen who plays character Scott Calvin, had just shown up to the North Pole after Jack Frost became the new Santa Clause. He stands at the entrance of this new North Pole Theme park and is very disturbed.

Reindeer grunt in frustration, children demand to have money spent on them, and parents are forking out the dough in hopes of making their kids happy, yet at the same time, they themselves are miserable. Scott scans the scenes before him. A look of utter sadness and heart break are shown on his face. This isn’t what the North Pole was created to be. It was to be a place of magic, of joy, of giving. And by golly, he was going to make it right.

I was having my prayer time, thanking Jesus for coming to the world He created. And I had to wonder if He felt a lot like Scott did when he returned to the North Pole. Jesus came to the very place He created. The world was created for joy and peace. His creation wasn’t created for selfishness, greed, corruption, or sin. Yet, that is what He entered into the day He was born.

We don’t know a lot about Jesus’ growing up years. A few stories here and there, but few details. As He began His ministry, I imagine Him glancing around the world He made, sadness breaking His heart at how far they’ve come from what it was originally intended.

And by golly, Jesus is going to make it right. And He does, too. He gives us hope and redemption. Isn’t that fantastic? He redeems us! But He isn’t done yet. No sir! He is going to come back and make ALL things right!

In Christmas Rayne, my Christmas novella, Justin comes back to town and runs into his ex-girlfriend. His heart’s desire is to make things right. Without giving too much detail, that is his primary focus.

This Christmas, don’t just focus on the baby in the manger. Focus on the reason He came, to bring His world back to Him!

~*~

Author Bio: 

Joi Copeland is married to a wonderful man, Chris, and has three amazing boys, Garrison, Gage, and Gavin. She lives in Denver, Colorado, but within the year, hopes to be living in Galway, Ireland. 

Joi’s love of writing began at a young age. She wrote short stories for several years, and in 2009, she began writing her first novel, Hope for Tomorrow.

Joi’s books include:
Hope for Tomorrow, book 1
Hope for the Journey, book 2
Hope from the Past, book 3
Letters of Love
Christmas Rayne, a novella 
Sheriff Bride Rob's Story, a novella

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Blurb for Joi's book Christmas Rayne:

Rayne Adams loves Christmas time. While shopping for a Christmas tree, she runs into a love from the past. 

With a possible new love forming on the horizon, will the past continue to haunt her or will she be able to let it go and move on? Or is there room in her heart for her former love? 

Justin Thomas made the biggest mistake of his life three years ago. Now, finding himself face to face with the one he hurt the most, can he regain her trust and her love? Or will he lose her to another?

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Buy Christmas Rayne:
Amazon - http://amzn.to/1mygZJh
Barnes and Noble - http://bit.ly/1TfoVJS
Books-A-Million - http://bit.ly/1myhgMx
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Connect with Joi:
Amazon ~ Blog ~ Facebook

Falling in Love with Jesus: He loved me first

Welcome Brandy Heineman to the blog today! She's here to share her story about how she first fell in love with Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior. 

Brandy's story reminds me of the song, "When You Walk Through the Water" by Allison Durham which is based on the Bible verses in Isaiah 43, which Brandy quotes in her story.

I hope you will enjoy reading Brandy's story. It is the final post for my blog's Falling in Love with Jesus series. I found it to be very inspirational. I pray that Brandy's story and Allison's song will encourage your heart. 

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He loved me first
A Falling in Love with Jesus story written by Brandy Heineman

Ah, love. The inexhaustible supply of poems, songs, romance novels, and love letters written in just about every language seem to suggest that words hardly do justice to the big, heady thrill ride of falling in love, though we never seem to tire of trying.

When I met my husband, I was not-quite-recovered from a broken heart. I enjoyed the time we spent together, but he had to put his heart on the line first before I came around to loving him back.

As it turned out, our love modeled what it meant for me to fall in love with Jesus.

Michael and I started dating in the summer of 2004. When we started getting serious, i.e., attending church together, our Sunday School teacher shared a thought that I had never heard before when he told us, “The Bible is God’s love letter to mankind.”

I probably nodded in agreement and smiled, liking the way that sounded. I knew John 3:16, of course. God had proved His love for us by sending His Son to die for our sins and reconcile us to Him.

Nonetheless, that was the first time I’d heard it put quite that way. Although I had attended church many times before and often prayed, I did not possess a deep well of Bible knowledge at the time. The idea of the Bible as a love letter sounded good in theory, but if you’d asked me for specifics, I doubt I could have offered any.

That pleasant idea tucked itself away in my memory and waited patiently as Michael and I became members of our church in 2005 and married there in December of the following year. I remember the verse I used on the front of our wedding programs: 1 John 4:19, “We love, because He first loved us.”

In the meantime, I began taking Bible study classes as I was able. I can’t say that I recognized exactly how dry my well was, but God placed the desire in me for more of His word.

That first year and a half of marriage was exhausting in every way imaginable. In roughly chronological order: my car quit immediately after the wedding, I took on a significant increase in responsibilities at work, and my husband survived a layoff only to find himself in a very different professional landscape. In addition, we had three deaths in the family, and a fourth family member nearly died.

Jesus brought us through, but it was hard. Those are the times when you really need a deep well of Bible knowledge, to pull out like a treasured love letter and reread the lines for comfort and hope. To rest in their beauty. To drink in the Living Water.

It took one of those in-depth Bible studies for me to find it, but in Isaiah 43, I saw what our Sunday School teacher had meant about God’s love letter to us. It turns out that words do just fine to describe love when they are spoken by our loving Creator God, to His passion and prize, as in the powerful words of verses 1-2 (quoted from NASB):

But now, thus says the Lord, your Creator, O Jacob,

And He who formed you, O Israel,

“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;

I have called you by name; you are Mine!”

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;

And through the rivers, they will not overflow you.

When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched,

Nor will the flame burn you.”

And especially the explicit, passionate declaration found in Isaiah 43:4 (NASB):

“Since you are precious in My sight,
Since you are honored and I love you…”

I can’t describe how those words affected me the first time I read them. How they still do. If I’d had them for those difficult days—but never mind. They are tucked away in my heart and mind for when they are needed again.

In closing, I’ll offer a thought that occurred to me as I was sifting through memories and thinking of what to write about falling in love with Jesus: that we would, each one of us, live our lives as our love letters back to Him.

~*~

Author bio:

Brandy Heineman loves stories of faith and family history. 

She’s a graduate of Wesleyan College and an author with Elk Lake Publishing. 

She is also a first-generation Southerner who occasionally gets caught saying things like, “Y’all want some pop?” 

Brandy lives in metro Atlanta with her husband, Michael. Find her on Twitter as @brandyhei, or visit her online at brandyheineman.com.