Romantic Reads: Anchor My Heart

Story behind the story Anchor My Heart by Sara Beth Williams

My life, since February of 2018, has been in major upheaval. Way before the pandemic began.

Three family deaths occurred within six months of each other. My brother moved 2,000 miles away. My dad endured five surgeries in five months. I began to have symptoms of anxiety.

By the way, all of this occurred a year after I’d penned most of what is now Anchor My Heart.

Anchor My Heart tells the story of Matt Lawson and Tara Pierce. Matt has lost everything. In the wake of a life-altering tragedy, anxiety from his childhood rears its ugly head, making it difficult to cope with reality.

I don’t like to throw the term anxiety around lightly. I didn’t really acknowledge that I had anxiety for over a year.

Now that I have had three years to reflect, I realize that anxiety has always been part of my life, to some extent. Instances throughout college which I couldn’t truly explain, now make so much more sense, in light of my ability to self-reflect.

Back to Anchor My Heart: Before completing any of first three manuscripts, I had never experienced real, raw, intense grief, until the year When Hearts Collide was published. It is a book that also deals with grief.

Before Anchor My Heart, I’d never experienced any major anxiety. But God, in His infinite wisdom and love and knowledge, prompted me and inspired me to write these stories that deal so heavily with grief and anxiety because He knew. He knew I was going to walk through the same experiences. It almost felt like a future me had written journal entries to the past me.

In 2019, I returned to my third manuscript after about three years, combed through Matt’s experiences again, revised, enhanced the emotional reactions based on experiences I was still having throughout that year and then sent it off to my editor. It was raw, beautiful and romantic, but had a terrible title. I knew I had time to fix that.

In March 2020, as I was going through one of my mom’s old journals which has a nautical theme, I found this verse: “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.” (Hebrews 6:19 NIV)

The words anchor and hope stuck with me for months. As I waded through edits from my critique group, and later my editor, I knew the theme of my book was finding hope through extreme trials. But that hope isn’t just plain wishful thinking. I knew, for these two characters, it had to be an assurance in something greater than themselves.

I strongly believe God brings revelations to us at just the right time. For me, reading that verse in early 2020 was exactly when I needed to read that verse. Not any sooner. Not any later. This verse has been a blessing to me throughout 2020. But that could be an entire blog post in itself.

After some back and forth brainstorming with my editor and other author friends, we came up with this title: Anchor My Heart.

I absolutely adore this title for so many, many reasons.

I sincerely pray that when you read through Matt and Tara’s journey, you find hope, too, in knowing that strong assurance anchored in the One (God) who holds all things in His hands.

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Author Bio:

Sara Beth Williams is a wife, mother of two daughters, and temporary caretaker of a lovable old lady pit and a spunky Pomeranian-Shih Tzu mix. She lives in Northern California. 

When she's not held hostage by the keyboard, she enjoys music, teaching, reading and spending time with her family. 

She is all about connecting with readers!

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Book Blurb for Anchor My Heart:

In the aftermath of tragic loss, worship leader Matt Lawson is grappling debilitating anxiety. The blessings he’d taken for granted—a dream job, a woman he couldn’t wait to spend the rest of his life with, and his God-given musical talent have crumbled at his feet, leaving him reeling in despair, unable to face the wreckage of the life he’d envisioned for himself.

Tara Pierce is ready to put past hurts behind her as she prepares to graduate college and take a leap of faith in her career. When Matt’s grief causes him to isolate himself from everyone he knows, she refuses to stand idly by and do nothing. She has traversed similar terrain before. No one deserves to travel that road alone.

Unexpected attraction flares as Tara reaches into the sea of Matt’s grief and helps ground him in reality. But Matt’s not ready to give himself away again. Can Tara risk her heart and their friendship and let God step in to heal where she can’t?

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Buy Anchor My Heart on Amazon

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Connect with Sara Beth:

Amazon / Goodreads / Bookbub/ Facebook / Instagram / Twitter/ Website / Newsletter

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Note to the readers from Sara Beth:

There is a Pre-order Prize Pack Giveaway Available for Anchor My Heart! 

Enter to win a grand prize pack full of books and bookish swag. THREE winners will be chosen in all. All chosen winners will be invited to join me on a Zoom coffee or tea date.

Pre Order Anchor My Heart HERE

Click here to find out all the info you need to enter to Win

Devotionals for the Heart: True Beauty

You’ve Got the Look
A devotional by Cyndi Staudt

“When Moses came down Mount Sinai carrying the two stone tablets inscribed with the terms of the covenant, he wasn’t aware that his face had become radiant because he had spoken to the Lord.”– Exodus 34:29 (NLT)

I’ve never been good at doing my makeup … or my hair.

In fact, beauty skills have eluded me my whole life and I grew up never feeling fully “girlie”.

When I would have a dance recital or, as I got older, an aerial performance, I vividly remember being backstage getting ready while many girls came in with large makeup cases full of foundation and false lashes, brightly-colored shadows and glittered glosses, leaving me feeling completely inadequate.

I remember venturing out to buy myself a trendy case of my own, filling it with all the goodies a girlie makeup case needed (and the sales girl recommended). Next performance, as I sat in front of the lighted mirrors, I proudly opened my metallic treasure box, dreaming of stepping onto the stage where I would no doubt stand out wearing my face that was sure to look like a Michelangelo masterpiece. I quickly realized I had no clue how to apply this smorgasbord of face paints. So back to the store I went.

A kind sales lady with a flawless face painted me up. She then proceeded to take a piece of paper with a diagram of a face and step-by-step colored that piece of paper with each of the items she used on me. Surely I would join the ranks of supermodel armed with my products and paint-by-number instructions. It was foolproof! But apparently not Cyndi-proof. Somehow I felt like I always looked like the toddler that had gotten into her mom’s makeup stash. Sigh. 

Did you know on average, women will spend approximately $300,000 on makeup in their lifetime? Just as interesting, the average woman spends 29 minutes per day applying make-up in order to achieve a “natural look”. Wait, what? What if we spent that 29 minutes in the Word instead? Or that money on Kingdom pursuits? Or at least some of it.

While it’s okay to want to look nice, the Bible has some great advice when it comes to our appearance. And we would benefit from not just reading these verses, but taking time to let them really sink in. 1 Peter 3:3-5a (NLT) says, “Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God. This is how the holy women of old made themselves beautiful.” With my makeup skills, or lack thereof, this is a plan I can get behind and maybe even get good at.

It’s no secret spending quiet time with the Lord is good for our soul and spirit. However, the Bible shows us repeatedly how time with the Lord can dramatically, and visibly, change our outward appearance as well. Numerous verses throughout the Bible reveal to us how others were able to visibly see a difference in those who spent time in the Lord’s presence. Countless other verses give us insight on this matter. Read these verses, for example: Luke 2:9, Psalms 50:2, and Psalm 80:3.

Just like Moses who spent time on Mt. Sinai in God’s Presence (Exodus 34:29), others can tell when we have been spending time with the Lord (and when we haven’t for that matter). Though they might not be able to put their finger on exactly what is different, they recognize something is different. These are some ways that people know something is different about you: You have a “certain glow”. You remain calm under the pressures of work. You seem to have a gravitational pull that makes others want to be around you or share their worries and struggles with you.

While they may not know what the difference is, we do. And it can be summed up in one word: Jesus. As you pray in God’s Holy Spirit, you begin to fill with the unmistakable presence of God that emanates from within and shines for all the world to see. And as you read through the promises of God, you get the confidence and reassurance that you are not alone and the worry lines begin to soften on your face. It’s like natural Botox only better because it’s free and you can access it daily for a touch up anytime!

So next time you are craving a spa day for relaxation, restoration, and a rejuvenating facial but don’t want to spend $250 or more on a spa package, just open the Word of God (The Holy Bible) and enter into God’s presence. You may just come out of your prayer room looking like a Spirit-filled supermodel!

Let’s Pray: Heavenly Father, thank You for being the Master Aesthetician. Help us to turn to You and Your Word for the rejuvenation and replenishment our bodies and spirits crave. Remind us that nothing in this world will ever satisfy us or develop in us the qualities and characteristics that You can and will, if we simply seek You with our whole hearts. Give us hearts that always seek more of You and a soul that longs to be near You. And when we finish our time with you, let us relish in the internal serenity and outward radiance that is evidence of time spent in Your presence. In the precious name of our Lord and Savior Jesus we pray. Amen.

*Note from Alexis: Cyndi's devotional today reminds me of the song, "Alone in The Presence" by CeCe Winans. Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

Cyndi Staudt is a Jesus-loving, adrenaline junkie who is devoted to living her life for Jesus Christ until the day she is living with Him.

With a passion for cultivating a craving for God’s Word, her devotions and Bible studies are saturated with faith and hope to stir your soul to connect with God in deeper, more intimate ways.

Through her writing she hopes to ignite your desire to read God’s Word, invite your heart to experience God’s love, and inspire you to live your live life “souled out” to the One whose love has no limits.

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Connect with Cyndi:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/souledoutcyndi/

Devotionals for the Heart: Invitation

The Invitation
A devotional by Mirachelle Canada

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.”

—Revelation 3:20 (ESV)

When I was young, getting a birthday party invitation from a classmate was a big deal.

In the fourth grade, my parents let me purchase some awesome birthday invitations in the shape of a teddy bear for my tenth birthday – a girls slumber party – that I couldn’t wait to hand out to my friends in class. On the day I handed out the invitations to everyone, I turned to see one of my classmates, Tammy, silently crying in the corner. I immediately realized why. I had passed out all my cute invitations and, because I had forgotten to put her name on my list, Tammy had not received an invitation.

It was a physical mistake that could be fixed, but the emotional damage was done. I knew Tammy felt the pain of being left out, just like those who are forgotten, picked last for a team, or overlooked altogether. I had experienced that feeling myself and knew how bad it feels.

Having a relationship with God and His son, Jesus Christ, means we are invited into fellowship every day, but it is a special invitation that requires an acknowledgement and acceptance. In some cultures, one knock at the door is appropriate and then you may enter at your leisure. However, Jesus is a gentleman who will “stand at the door and knock” (Revelation 3:20). He calls to let us know it is Him, so we can choose to open the door and let Him in.

How often do we miss Jesus’s call and leave Him waiting outside because of life’s distractions that drown out His voice and/or cause us to forget all about Him? It’s important to always make time for Him in our lives no matter the circumstances. He should always be at the top of our guest list.

I will never forget the light that shown in Tammy’s eyes the next day in class when I presented her with a teddy bear invitation and apologized for my oversight. Though she said she understood, I could still sense a bit of sadness at being invited last, so I made it point at my party, when it came time to do a lip sync contest, to pick her as my partner. She had a smile as wide as the ocean.

You see, not matter the oversight, the mistake, or lack of invitation to a friend or to God, it’s important to remember that when we seek to do our best before God and listen for His direction, He will always find a way to honor it. God promises to “come in” to fellowship with us. So be sure to open the door and invite Him in today! 

*Note from Alexis: Mirachelle's message today reminds me of this song, "Look a Little Closer" by Helen Baylor. Listen to it here. 

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Author Bio:

Mirachelle Canada is a writer, playwright, screenwriter, and theatre director/producer from Northern Virginia, where she teaches television production at her high school alma mater.

  

She earned her Master of Fine Arts in Script & Screenwriting from Regent University and is an alumnus of Act One: Hollywood Film & Television Writing Program.

Mirachelle is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, American Fiction Writers Virginia Chapter, The Jerry Jenkins Writers Guild, and Your Novel Blueprint.

She is currently working on her first historical fiction novel set during WWII.

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Connect with Mirachelle:
Website: www.mirachellecanada.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mirachellecanada/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/miracan

Devotionals for the Heart: Wisdom

Lord, Give me Wisdom!
A devotional by Patricia Russell

“Teach us to realize the brevity of life,

so that we may grow in wisdom.”

–Psalm 90:12 (NLT)

Time goes very fast. I know this all too well. When I look at my son who towers over me at 6’2” tall, I can’t help but remember him as a baby. Wow! When I think that one year ago this month North America was shaken at the core by the invasion of a virus that hit us hard, the passage of time and all that has happened leaves me thoughtful.

We have cried and grieved. Yet, God continues to watch and listen as we manage the changes and adjustments during this time. Time has caused us to reevaluate how we spend it. During this season where “stay at home” orders are in place, many have learned to develop a new skill, write the business plan we have been thinking about for years. We have done some deep thinking about our relationships: Calling, emailing, and having conversations with people that have been put on hold for months or years.

The Psalmist gives us a peek into his soul as he calls us to consider who God is and his character over the years. He opens in verse one of Psalm 90 (NLT) by stating emphatically:

“Lord, through all the generations

you have been our home!”

He says “you have been our home!” Home for many of us is a warm, safe place where you can be yourself and thrive. This is not so for others. Yet the palmist reminds us that God has been for all of us, our safe place through all generations. A generation is 40 years, so he acknowledges God as being our home for not one, or even two but through all generations. Think on this for a minute.

Do you see this? God’s very existence tells me I am safe in this world. With twists and turns, through sunshine and rain, God is, and has been our home.

He goes on to say in Psalm 90:2 (NLT):

“Before the mountains were born,

before you gave birth to the earth and the world,

from beginning to end, you are God.”

Read it again. Visualize the world as nothing. I know that’s a big leap for us because the closest we get to imagining nothing may be the houses that were built in an area where we passed for years that once stood empty property. Can you remember what life was like before you knew anything about the Lord? Can you remember what life was like before knowing Him? Maybe you are going through a very hard time right now and you have more questions than faith. Moses is noted as the writer of this particular psalm, and he wants us to remember something in verse one: God is God. Before creation He was God. Before your struggle, God saw what was going to happen. Remember, He has been with us “through all generations”.

We will all experience some pain and trouble. The writer notes we been given a number of days to live and so his prayer is that we seek God on how to use our days wisely. Time does not determine how God operates because time does not control Him. Yet we need the knowledge of how to use the time that He has given us.

We note that by March 2021, it will be one-year since the world has continued to wear masks, check temperatures and stand six feet apart in public places. This does not cause God anxiety or stress. He knows how much I miss going into the seniors home to sing and encourage these precious people. He hears our cry “How long Lord?” But He is not overwhelmed by this and neither should we be. Remember, we are “at home”, in Him.

We are safe because God directs our days.

Let’s Pray: Father God, thank you for reminding us that we are safe in you. You are aware of everything that is happening to us. Help us to rest in you and continue to remind ourselves and others of this fact. From generation to generation, you are God. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

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Author Bio:

Patricia Russell is a speaker, worship leader, author, certified life coach and songwriter.  

Her gifts have been shared internationally with audiences to encourage, empower and share life lessons through words and songs. She has sung on national television broadcasts and shared the stage with several respected speakers. Over her 30 years in ministry, she has been a featured artist in musical cantatas locally and the United States of America.

Patricia had the honour of leading worship at the kick-off event for the 2006 the “Just Give Me Jesus” Toronto Revival with Anne Graham Lotz who is the eldest daughter of Billy Graham, a well-known American evangelist.

Patricia serves in ministry along with her husband Rev. Wayne Russell. Together, they have served as guest hosts on a local early morning call in program called “Nite Lite Live” that formerly aired on the CTS Television Network. They have two adult children Raquel and Benjamin.

Patricia has recorded two CD’s: “Lord I Trust You” and a live recording “Draw Me Nearer.” She is also an author. Her first book is titled Lord I Trust You: Words of Encouragement. It is meant to further encourage and share life lessons as a result of her cancer journey. She is a co-author of a #1 bestseller book titled Crushed Diamonds Still Sparkle, and she has compiled the recent #1 bestseller book titled Stronger Resilience.

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Connect with Patricia:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/patrussellsings/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/patrussellsings
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/patrussellonline/
Email: patrussellsings@gmail.com

Romantic Reads: Heart Pressed

The Story Behind the story of Heart Pressed by Melissa Wardwell

Heart Pressed is about family and the traditions that bind us to them. Some families are traditional with both parents still together and the siblings are expanding the family, but behind closed doors they are dysfunctional. Then you have those who are the last of their family and long to share the love they experienced with others.

Beth's family is dysfunctional in several ways but it is masked by the lives they lead. Her relationship with her mother leaves Beth feeling like an outsider looking in the mansion windows, longing to be included. The image of young Peter Pan, from the movie Hook, looking in the window of the home of his parents after being a lost boy for a few years comes to mind.

Then, there is Scott who has no family left, no legacy to carry on, and only a cousin (who you meet in the next book) to call family. His family was strong once and he searches for that connection with his friends to fill in the gap.

Now, Amara has also lost her parents but the roots she has in the vineyard help connect her to those who cultivated the land and planted the first vines. Her longing for more people to love draws her to take matters into her own hands.

Finally, Dante has all the family love he can handle but he is ready for his own. Living with his parents and grandparents, he helps them with the day to day running of their vineyard while working as a peacemaker of sorts to build bridges with those who were once friends.

One of the things I have found is that family is what you make it. Whether it is a close network of friends that you fellowship with regularly or the people you a share a genetic bond with, cultivating those relationships is what grounds a person and gives them roots. These are people God has put in our lives to mold us and help us grow. We learn from our grandparents’ stories, our parents discipline and discipleship, and other life lessons in how to be good, productive humans through relationships with our siblings (hopefully). Our lives all weave together in a beautiful tapestry that can only be designed by the Father. 

I hope you will take the time to read this, and the other stories, and see just how pivotal these families are to each other and the future of the Independence Islands.

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Author Bio:

Melissa Wardwell resides in Owosso, Michigan with her husband and three teen-aged children.

She doesn't mind alternating between the world of writing and the reality of being a mother, but she would rather sit with a good book or a good friend and a cup of coffee.

When she isn't penning works of fiction, she is busy reviewing books for her blog, Back Porch Reads. To see more from Melissa Wardwell, visit www.melissawardwell.com

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Book blurb for Heart Pressed:

Crushes are great for grapes, wine, and romance—not so great for hearts. 

The Sweetheart Festival, an Elnora Island institution, has sparked more than a few romances over the years, but who would have thought it would light a fire in two hearts from two of the island’s oldest families. When Amara Martin and Dante Greco meet, sparks fly that may ignite more than romance.

Two wineries, old feuds, generations of traditions.

Seeing the attraction at Amara and Dante’s chance meeting, Beth Stevens and Scott Anderson join forces to do a little matchmaking, not realizing the pressure it would bring to both households and their own hearts. 

The new couple must decide if they will adhere to tradition or break free from expectations and choose love. Pressure on every side threatens a love that hasn’t yet had a chance to ripen—for both Amara and Dante as well as for Beth and Scott.

In this “forbidden love” novel, Heart Pressed continues the Elnora Island romances of the Independence Islands Series featuring five islands, six authors, and a boatload of happily-ever-afters.

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Buy Heart Pressed on Amazon

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Connect with Melissa:
Website: www.melissawardwell.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/mwardwellwrites
Instagram: www.instagram.com/mwardwellwrites
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/melissa-wardwell
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/10794937.Melissa_Wardwell

Devotionals for the Heart: Becoming

Becoming: How Our Love Relationship with God is a Work-In-Progress
A devotional by Jessica Brodie

Love can be wonderful—until we sabotage it with unrealistically high expectations and comparisons that our partner can never live up to.

Authentic love isn’t always extreme black or white, up or down—it’s that lovely middle-gray space in the middle, too. Sometimes it’s wild, passionate, and all-consuming, while other times it’s like a soft, cozy blanket, a shelter from life’s thunderstorms. Knowing this helps us love our partner (or parent, or child, or friend) better, and pivot more easily in times of difficulty. It helps us grow and learn, as well as gain wisdom and compassion.

When it comes to our relationship with God, it’s much the same.

We all have a unique, special relationship with God. Sometimes it’s a father-child kind of relationship, and sometimes it’s a best-friendship. Sometimes it’s a beautiful, complicated blend, and other times (on our end!) it feels a bit hands-off, dysfunctional, or unhealthily weighted. But the negatives are all on us—not God.

Yet, as we sometimes do with our marriages and other important human relationships, we expect “me and God” to be this perfect unit. While it is perfect from God’s end, as sinful humans, it can get a bit messy sometimes on our end. That can lead to some unraveling and drifting away.

It’s important to know God’s love for us never changes—ever. God is perfect, almighty. He’s the constant, ever-present Lord of the Universe we can count on who never fails us and never forsakes us.

But we humans are so fickle and imperfect. We float in and out of our love relationship with God over the course of a lifetime, even over the course of a single year. Sometimes we feel so close to Him it’s like bliss. Other times God feels so far away, and we start to doubt that love. “Does He really hear us?” we think. “Does He really care?”

We sabotage a good thing with our own doubt.

While God’s love for us is always perfect, our love for Him falls short. But it can be truly helpful to know our love relationship with God is a work in progress. Understanding that can be comforting—and draw us closer to Him in the end.

The Bible assures us Jesus was God’s only son, and through faith in Jesus we get the honor of becoming children of God. As John 1:12 (NRSV) reminds us, “But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God.”

But what does that actually mean, this notion of “becoming children of God”?

My friend and colleague Dr. Paul Harmon, who is a retired United Methodist pastor, recently reflected on this, noting that one of the most striking things about this passage is that the verb is not “be,” but “become.”

“Become” isn’t just a state of being, Harmon reflected, but an evolution. A growth. A process.

As Harmon wrote, “It is a relationship that is always in process, always seeking, always growing, always attuning itself to the will of God. As finite and sinful creatures we must constantly search for those values and impulses within us that are incompatible with Christ’s teachings, and thus not in keeping with God’s will. We must daily search for the answer to the constant question, ‘Is this God’s will, or is this my will?’”

On God’s end, that love is a given. On our end, though, our moods shift and change. We rise and fall with the days and the seasons.

Most people who have weathered many successful years of marriage or a close friendship have learned that love isn’t just an emotion but a verb. It’s a process, a constant striving, a commitment.

It’s the same thing with our relationship with God.

In close human relationships, there are things we can do to stay close to our loved one over the years: take time to be with them. Put their needs before our own. Bend to their will. Listen for their voice. Trust them.

It’s the same with God—we don’t know why things happen, but we trust He has a plan. We don’t always hear His voice, but we know He’s there. We sometimes prefer to walk our own path, but we know it’s better to heed His will than our own.

Similarly, we know it’s important to devote a good bulk of our time to Him, carving out regular moments to read the Bible, pray, bask in His creation, listen for and to Him.

Those things help us in the process of becoming closer to Him, just like those things help us draw closer to the people we love here on earth.

We are God’s children, loved and free in Him! That’s a given. But the little things we do to draw closer on a daily basis help make that relationship deeper, better, stronger, and more fulfilling.

How are you working to be close to the Lord right now? Is there something more you could do?

Let’s Pray: Lord God, help us work as hard to get close to you as we do in the important human relationships we enjoy. Help us know your love is bigger than our doubts and mightier than any human relationship, and just as fulfilling. Help us work on becoming better for you so we can serve you well and glorify you daily. In your holy and precious name we pray, amen.

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Author Bio:

Jessica Brodie is an award-winning Christian journalist, author, blogger, editor, and devotional writer. For the last decade, she’s been the editor of the South Carolina United Methodist Advocate, the oldest newspaper in Methodism, which has won 118 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 editor of Stories of Racial Awakening: Narratives on Changed Hearts and Lives of South Carolina United Methodists (2018), all from her newspaper’s Advocate Press.

She is a seasoned speaker and contributor to Crosswalk, Christianity.com, and the United Methodist News Service, among many others. She has a weekly faith blog at JessicaBrodie.com and is part of the team at Wholly Loved Ministries.

Represented by Bob Hostetler of The Steve Laube Agency, she is seeking a publishing contract for her two contemporary women’s fiction novels, The Memory Garden and Tangled Roots. 

The Memory Garden won the 2018 Genesis Award for Contemporary Fiction from American Christian Fiction Writers, and Tangled Roots placed in Contemporary Romance at the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference in 2019.

Married, Brodie has four children and stepchildren and lives in Lexington, South Carolina.

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Connect with Jessica:
Website: https://www.jessicabrodie.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JessicaJBrodie
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorjessicajbrodie
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessicajbrodie/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicajbrodie/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/shiningthelightjessicabrodie/

Devotionals for the Heart: Hindsight

Perspective: Hindsight for 2021
A devotional by Erin M. Handley

“Set your minds on things above, not on things that are on earth.”

– Colossians 3:2 (ESV)

There is a difference between receiving something that has been given to you and taking what is readily available although it is not necessarily meant for you.

Recognizing this small, yet valuable distinction calls for an attentiveness to your situations and surroundings. It calls for you to shift your perspective just as you would adjust your eyes to refocus your vision.

The purpose of refocusing your vision is to see things differently than you did before and possibly be able to see something new. To do so, you must take a literal step to see beyond what you are presently concentrating on. Be it a step forward to maximize your focus on a particular focal point, or a step back to see the bigger picture and recognize more than what you were originally focusing on. A shift in perspective calls for a step of some degree to be taken. But that step can only be taken if the person makes the decision to do so.

Much like the backwards poems many of us have read where the poem takes on a completely new meaning when you read it from the bottom up, or maybe the pictures that use multiple images to create one new image…the idea presented with these creative expressions is that each person initially sees something different each time they change their point of view.

Hindsight: 2020

When you ask many people about their 2020 experience, they would likely speak on the death, job loss, economic despair, natural disasters, political unrest, and social injustices that all seemed to occur simultaneously. Many express a disdain for 2020 like no other and can easily recount all things lost and ways they suffered that year. Some would be able to go on and on about how much they hated 2020 … and on and on and on …

And then…

Then there are some who will tell you that 2020 was the greatest year of their life. I know many who have persevered through 2020 and have come out with stories of how they are better for it. Graduations. New jobs. New relationships. I have one friend who launched a non-profit, bought a new car, a house, and got married … all before August 2020.

Granted, my friend and the countless others who can share 2020 success stories were still affected by all of the happenings of 2020. Those issues surrounded them and impacted their lives much like they did everyone else’s. However, they chose to see life through a different lens and make the most of what 2020 had to offer. They chose to be intentional about monitoring their perspective. And you can, too.

While we are acknowledging what we lost in 2020, let’s also think about what we gained. We all at some point may have had to self-quarantine, but did we leverage this as an opportunity to rest and slowdown from our fast-paced, everyday lifestyles? Some lost jobs and experienced financial hardships. But did we recognize and leverage them as opportunities to rethink career choices and possibly tap into new skillsets?

In Philippians 4:11, Paul reminds us that in whatever situation we are to be content. He didn’t say depending on the situation, he said whatever the situation. Psalm 119:18 (ESV) says to "Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law." So, while the world around us may be falling apart, it is our duty to set our minds on things above, and not on things on earth (Colossians 3:2). Each of these scriptures ultimately challenge us to shift our focus for the benefit of our sanity.

Since we are still in the first quarter of 2021, please allow me to remind you to be more intentional about your perspective. I challenge you to take a moment and reflect on your present situation and surroundings. If you find that there are specific areas in your life that could use a shift in perspective, shift it now. Shifting your perspective now will prepare you to receive the best this year has to offer you. Shift so that you are able to receive everything God has in store for you!

Let’s Pray: Father, thank you for reminding us to shift our focus back to you when we become distracted by the things going on around us. I ask that you continue to show us grace every time we fail to see you in our situations; and let us remember that despite the chaos that may ensue around us, You have orchestrated how we will be covered through it all. May we remember that you are gracious and kind, and that everything you do serves a much larger purpose for your Kingdom. All these things we ask in Jesus’s Name. Amen.

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Author Bio:

With an ever-growing desire to continually learn the Word of God and present teachings based on Biblical principles, Erin M. Handley is committed to her calling of teaching and inspiring others to ‘be more by doing more.’ With this in mind, Erin mentors young women and appreciates seeing the growth and change in the lives she impacts. 

While she sincerely enjoys mentoring and speaking to young people, she is most passionate about educating and empowering women from various stages of life about biblical womanhood and how to live out those principles in today’s world.

For over 15 years, Erin has worked with youth and adolescents in the fields of mental and behavioral health, education, and ministry. When reflecting on her experiences in ministry and non-ministry settings, her most memorable encounters have been those that allowed her the opportunity to teach the Word of God in a way that is most relatable to the audience she served in that moment. She has enjoyed writing since her youth, but only recently felt the call to share her writing with the world.

With an undergraduate degree in English and a graduate degree in Ministry and Pastoral Counseling, Erin M. Handley has been fortunate to be able to leverage her gifts and her passions throughout her career in Education. Aside from reading, writing, and mentoring, Erin enjoys dancing, interior design, cooking, and most other activities which allow her to utilize her creativity.