Devotionals for the Heart: Letting Go and Letting God guide your life

Letting Go and Letting God
A devotional by Susan Lindstrom

God’s not finished with me, and for that I am thankful.

I suppose it’s a life-long process, but honestly, since He started 38 years ago I kind of thought we’d be done by now. Isn’t all the stubborn out of me yet?

I wasn’t raised believing in God, but I was raised with a great big ‘you can do it’ attitude. So, when I met Jesus I was already 26 years into ‘I’ve got this,’ I had a ‘pay my own way, get out of my way and don’t treat me that way’ kind of life going on.

You can imagine it took a few years of being around His Amazing Grace before I let my guard down to trust Him, but time and again He showed me and devouring His Word He told me. Yet, it was difficult to give up control of all things me.

I still struggle with it. Why is a situation that’s totally out of my control, like a tornado, easier to trust Him to handle than a seemingly ordinary day?

He tells us to look to Him to direct all our steps. King David knew this, as He wrote in Psalm 32:8 (NLT): The LORD says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.”

Psalm 32:9 (NLT) brings more clarity: “Do not be like a senseless horse or mule that needs a bit and bridle to keep it under control.”

I talk big about trusting Him, and then a day like today rolls around when my insides get all twisted and I feel like a senseless horse. Or is that a stubborn mule? Why is it so hard for me to trust Him all the time? Is it because I’m a planner and take comfort in plan B?

You know, when things go other than planned, I’ve got it covered.

James 4:13-15 (MSG) tells me that planning my day, my business, my anything is against what the Lord wants for me. How full of myself I am with self-important evilness! Yikes! Instead, I should make it a habit to say, “If the Master wills it and I’m still alive, then I will do it.”

So even though over the years it became easier to pray, listen and discern His will for my life, here I am today, sitting alone writing this, on the vacation my husband and I were supposed to have together and the feelings of trust slip a little.

I don’t like admitting that I probably need to take a good long look inside and ask if I’m holding on too tight to my will. I planned this trip for some much-needed down time for us. But apparently, God has other plans as it turns out my husband can’t join me after all. Can I truly believe my loving Heavenly Father, my Abba, has our best interest in His control?

Isaiah 26:3-4 (NLT) tells me, “You will keep in perfect peace all who trusts in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! Trust in the LORD always, for the LORD GOD is the eternal Rock.”

I fix my thoughts on Him and my spirit sings, yes! Being in His will is the best place on earth to be!

Since this vacation didn’t turn out like I planned, I asked God for His plan B. He showed me that it is now a perfect writing retreat with lots of free time to dream up the next story in the Emmie Jane series, and it was affirmed when reading today’s devotional, which included this scripture:

“Cause me to hear Your lovingkindness in the morning, For in You do I trust; Cause me to know the way in which I should walk, For I lift up my soul to You.” 
~Psalm 143:8 NKJV

Perfect. 

~*~
Author Bio:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Devotionals for the Heart: A reminder that YOU are NOT Alone

Note to self: You are not alone
A devotional by Melissa Henderson

“Look to the Lord and His strength: seek His face always.”

 ~1 Chronicles 16:11 (NIV)

Sunny days bring sounds of laughter and play outside. Rainy days bring peaceful sounds of raindrops tapping on the roof. Cloudy days often bring sounds of gentle breezes blowing through the trees beckoning times of rest. On any of these days, someone may feel alone. A person can feel alone even while surrounded by a crowd of family or friends or strangers.

As we experience the moments of our lives, we often get caught up in day-to-day activities. Work, house cleaning, laundry to wash, meals to prepare, bills to pay, errands to run and so much more: Meetings, church events, afterschool activities, letters and/or emails to read and a seemingly unending list of “to do’s”.

Being busy does not make us fulfilled. There may be a person you know who shows a big smile and a sweet attitude. They appear to have life in order and all seems to be wonderful. But, do we pause and truly visit with that person? Do we pause and share a smile with a stranger?

Do we assume everyone is “okay” because they don’t share their sadness with others? If everything looks fine on the outside, do we just move on with our lives? Are our days filled with rushing here and there, to fulfill the daily task list?

With many questions to ponder, there are many ways to seek the Lord and His strength. Seek Him always. In the rush of life, seek Him. In the quiet of life, seek Him. When you see a friend or a stranger, offer a smile. Look the person in the eyes and smile. Say hello.

Each one of us has felt alone at times. We are blessed to know we are never truly alone. God is always with us.

During my times of loneliness, depression and anxiety have tried to creep in my thoughts. I am thankful God has given me doctors to help. I am thankful for family, friends and even strangers who share a smile and a “Hello.”

Reading God’s Word (The Holy Bible), sharing time with God and sharing thoughts with others are reminders I am not alone.

Peace and comfort come over me whenever I seek the Lord. The peace and comfort only He can provide. Trying to solve loneliness or sadness on my own doesn’t work for me. Only when I seek Him, the powerful reminder of 1 Chronicles 16:11 shows me that I am never alone.

So even on those days when life is full of activities and time flies by, I will remind myself of His love and comfort. As the title of my devotional today says, “Note to self: You are not alone.”

Amen.

Blessings,

Melissa Henderson

~*~
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 a 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, reading and writing. Connect with Melissa online, https://mimionlife.wordpress.com.

Devotionals for the Heart: Bravery

Will I Stand for God?
A devotional by Tammy Karasek

“Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were filled with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted and mistreated…” 

~Hebrews 11:36-37 (ESV)

The sufferings at the hands of others spoken of in the above verse are rough words to read. Though the forms of death mentioned above may not be methods of persecution we hear about much today, they are still used. Many Christians through the ages were “killed with the sword” for expressing their faith in God or for refusing to denounce Christ.

One example in scripture is Zechariah who was stoned to death for his faith. In 2 Chronicles 24:20-22, Zechariah was chosen by God to replace his father as priest under King Joash. He stood firm in his faith and held his position as priest seriously. The people of his town didn’t want to hear about his God and conspired to stone him to death. But Zechariah wasn’t worried or ashamed of his faith and stayed true to the God who was always there for him. Zechariah stood for God, risking being stoned, and spoke truth for his love for God.

There are Christians in the Middle East currently that have been “killed with the sword” for their faith in Jesus and their refusal to say they don’t follow Him. Unfortunately, some of these events are recorded and shown on the television throughout the world of these Christians being killed. Far too many nights, the evening news speaks of these persecutions.

While we think these may not affect us here on American soil, let us not forget the senseless killings that are happening to people standing up for their faith. The one that comes to mind is the story of the 17-year-old girl from Columbine High School in Colorado—Rachel Scott. The events of April 20, 1999 are still hard to read almost twenty years later. Rachel was the first student to be shot and killed that day. The boy sitting next to her on the lawn lived, though paralyzed from the gunshots he received, and was able to share what the gunmen said to her. These fellow students and gunmen mocked her for her belief in God. The shooters said, “You still believe in God now?” and more. They ended their rant with, “Go be with him!” and shot her in the temple.

Oddly, one of the bullets actually went through a journal she had. In the journal was a prayer for one of the boys who killed her. Rachel had a mission to reach out to the unreached at Columbine. She had another journal in her backpack with a powerful drawing she’d drawn, which seemed to be prophetic. The picture was drawn less than an hour before she was killed. The drawing is a rose and 13 teardrops—there were 13 victims that day. She drew it in class then showed it to her teacher. The last thing that she said to the teacher was “People are going to know who I am someday.”

For more information on Rachel’s legacy and ministry see racheljoyscott.com.

The people above are what we describe as martyrs. Dictionary.com defines a martyr as: “A person who willingly suffers death rather than renounce his or her religion. A person who is put to death or endures great suffering on behalf of any belief, principle or cause.”

While I may not encounter this in my life, I do believe I need to assess my heart. If I were face to face with someone demanding me to denounce Christ to save my life, what would my answer be? I want to say I know I would stand firm for my faith. But would I? It sounds easy sitting here in my warm home typing on my keyboard, yet in a moment, something could change and I could be looking down the barrel of a gun with my opportunity to stand boldly for God.

Though I can’t guarantee what I’d say, I’m so encouraged by the following scriptures:

“Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” ~Romans 5:3-5 (NIV)

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.” 

~James 1:2-3 (NIV)

Have you thought about this or even been in this situation? 

What are your thoughts about standing up for your faith?

What will it be—when faced with the decision of possible persecution, will we stand up for Christ and trust in Him?

I pray that I say YES! And you?

~*~
Author Bio:

You’ll find Tammy seeing humor and causing laughter in every aspect of life. Her past, filled with bullying and criticism from family, is the driving force of her passion to always encourage others and give them The Reason to smile.

She’s been married to her college sweetheart, Larry, for 37 years, a mom to their grown daughter, Kristen and wrapped around the paw of a little dog named Hattie. Born and raised in Ohio, her family now resides in South Carolina.

She is the President of Word Weavers Upstate SC, member of ACFW and member of My Book Therapy/Novel Academy.

She’s the Blog Coordinator/Editor for Florida Christian Writers Conference, a contributor in the 2018 Divine Moments Compilation Book—Cool-inary Moments, a monthly contributor for HeartWingsblog.com and God is Love (capturingtheidea.blogspot.com).

~*~
Connect with Tammy:
Blog: http://www.tammykarasek.com
Email: tickledpinktammy@gmail.com

Falling for Books: Sara's book

Interview with Sara L. Foust about her book, Camp Hope: Journey to Hope (Love, Hope, and Faith Series Book 2):

Alexis: What inspired you to write this book?

Sara: The idea first came to me from a nightmare I had about our own foster daughter being kidnapped. I woke up and thought, “That was horrible! But it would make a good story.” 

Alexis: What is the significance of your book title, Camp Hope: Journey to Hope?

Sara: Amy shut hope out of her heart a long time ago. After an abusive childhood, she is afraid of men and believes God abandoned her. Camp Hope is her journey to rediscover the hope that lives in God’s love.

Alexis: Let’s talk about your story’s heroine Amy Dawson. Describe her looks, personality, hopes, and dreams. What does she do for a career?

Sara: Amy is a dark-haired beauty who doesn’t even think for a minute she is beautiful. She is self-sufficient and independent. A horse-woman and a business owner. But she is also fragile and scarred. More than anything, she needs healing from her childhood and the courage to accept that God loves broken people.

Alexis: How did you determine the setting for your book? Is it fictional or real? Describe it.

Sara: The setting is the mountain chain of Royal Blue, Tennessee. It is a real Wildlife Management Area complete with unpopulated, dense forest. It is home to elk, black bear, wild turkey, white-tailed deer, wild hogs, and more. It is a favorite place for locals to hunt and 4-wheel. And it is gorgeous! I am so blessed to be surrounded by so many parks, mountains, and forests.

Alexis: What—or who—led Amy to becoming a foster mom? Does she enjoy it?

Sara: Her own experience as a foster child primed her to want to help others. She also runs a camp for foster children. Once she realized she couldn’t ever (she thought) love a man but she wanted to be a mother, she decided to become a foster mom and help a young girl in need of a loving and safe home.

Alexis: What is the name of Amy’s four-year-old daughter? What role does she play in this story?

Sara: Her name is Mattie. Mattie’s kidnapping is the catalyst that gets this story moving. It is what drives Amy out of her comfort zone and into the wilderness.

Alexis: Let’s talk about your story’s hero, Jack Evans. What is he like? Describe his looks, personality, and heart.

Sara: Jack is handsome but he is scarred too. His scars are emotional and physical, though. He has a large, actual scar running down his cheek from a teenage beating he received. But, unlike Amy, he has found God and discovered the peace of His redeeming love. Jack is quiet, sells himself short, and loyal. More than anything, he longs to help Amy find God.

Alexis: What special connection does Jack share with Amy and how does their relationship affect this story?

Sara: Jack was a camper at Camp Hope when he and Amy were teenagers. They had one summer together before he was whisked away. He has always loved her. She has always loved him, but she has decidedly repressed her feelings. Their relationship has a major impact on the story. Jack helps Amy on her quest to find Mattie, providing moral support, another set of eyes, and, eventually, witnessing to Amy.

Alexis: Why does Amy turn to Jack for help when her daughter goes missing?

Sara: She doesn’t, really. He takes it on himself. But, once she gets used to the idea, she is glad he is there. He is the only man on the face of the planet she kind of, sort of trusts.

Alexis: Share one of Amy and Jack’s most romantic memories together. Why didn’t they last?

Sara: They fell in love as teenagers and romance wasn’t easy for either of them because of their past traumas. Their first kiss in the barn was sweet, respectful, and stuck with them both. Jack’s uncle petitioned for custody of him and he was moved to Ohio at the end of the summer.

Alexis: What is Jack’s most difficult struggle in this story? Explain.

Sara: He struggles with recognizing his self-worth. As a child, he was made to feel he was worthless and useless and those impressions have nagged him ever since. As an adult, he has been a wanderer and never been able to find people who believed in him. Though he is a Christian and he believes God’s love for him, he has to find out for himself that he isn’t inherently broken or defective.

Alexis: What role does Amy faith in God play in helping her survive traumatic memories and go bravely into the wilderness to search for her daughter?

Sara: Amy isn’t a believer in the beginning of the book. Her own willpower and stubbornness drive her into the wilderness, frantically trying to prevent the same traumas she experienced from happening to Mattie. When her memories creep in, she desperately tries to shut them out. It isn’t until later in the story she is able to begin to heal.

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

Sara: There is always hope for healing in God. No matter what has happened to us, no matter what decisions we have made, God wants a relationship with us. Only in Him is there peace of mind and healing of heart.

Alexis: Thank so much for the interview, Sara! Would you like to share closing thoughts? 

Sara: Thank you for having me today, Alexis! I love meeting and interacting with readers. If any of you have any questions or prayer requests, please feel free to contact me.

~*~
Author Bio: 

Sara is a multi-published, award-winning author who writes Inspirational Romantic Suspense from a mini-farm in East Tennessee, where she lives with her husband and their five homeschooled children. 

She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Animal Science from the University of Tennessee and is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. 

Her debut novel Callum's Compass won second place in Deep River Books' 2017 Writer's Contest. She also has a story, “Leap of Faith,” in Chicken Soup for the Soul: Step Outside Your Comfort Zone. 

Sara finds inspiration in her faith, her family, and the beauty of nature. When she isn’t writing, you can find her reading, camping, and spending time outdoors with her family. 

To learn more about her and her work or to become a part of her email friend’s group, please visit www.saralfoust.com.

~*~
Book Blurb for Camp Hope:

Amy Dawson directs a summer camp for foster children near Briceville, Tennessee. A foster mom for the first time, her responsibilities as mother to a traumatized child bring a whole new set of challenges and joys.

But when Amy’s four-year-old foster daughter is dragged into the mountains of Royal Blue by a former employee, parenting challenges are overshadowed by a new nightmare. The Sheriff's department fails to procure viable leads, and Amy can’t sit idle. Her childhood friend and first love, Jack Evans, returns to lend his skills as tracker. Problem is, he also stirs up romantic memories Amy would rather leave buried.

Jack struggles to let go of his past failures and prove his reliability by bringing Mattie home, but fears when he left camp nineteen years ago and failed to keep a promise to Amy he permanently lost her confidence.

As Amy plunges into the wilderness on horseback to search for Mattie, she must decide who she trusts, let go of her childhood traumas, and learn to rely on hope in God. Facing dehydration, starvation, and a convoluted kidnapper, will she succeed in recovering her precious foster daughter or get lost in the vast wilderness forever?

~*~
Buy Camp Hope on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or Books-A-Million

~*~
Connect with Sara:
Website: www.saralfoust.com
Newsletter sign up: http://eepurl.com/cfqP5H
Email: sfoust25@hotmail.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SaraLFoust/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Sfoust25
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/sfoust25/
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+SaraFoustSaraLFoust
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/author/saralfoust

~*~

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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Devotionals for the Heart: Sara's story

He is There
A devotional by Sara L. Foust

“For we walk by faith, not by sight.” – 2 Corinthians 5:7 (KJV)

My faith is thin. I am not gonna lie. I am physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually exhausted. It has been that kind of year. You know, where you have wave after wave slam into you and by the eleventh month, your snorkel is the only thing above water. And that, just barely.

I am not the kind of person who has usually done a “word for the year” challenge. But this year, without even really thinking about it, the word “Courage” came to me very early on. I knew I would need immense amounts of courage to go on my mission trip. I thought that would be the biggest obstacle I would face. I was wrong.

My son has been diagnosed with autism.

My daughter has begun mental health therapy.

My marriage has come to the beginning of the end.

My TMJ needed joint surgery with a disc removal and skin graft.

My church isn’t my church anymore.

And the year hasn’t come to a close yet. What I’ve learned is this: Through it all, God loves me. No matter what decisions I make. No matter what mental state I am in. He loves me. Unconditionally. Unendingly. Unblamingly. Just love, like pure spring water. Clear, unaltered, unhindered love. And it is the only saving grace I have, the only beacon of light when things look dark. It is real. It is honest. It is time-tested and true.

So, rather than the above list in the cons column, here’s what I’m choosing to focus on:

My son spoke to his Pre-K teacher for the first time a few weeks ago. And he’s learned a ton of new words that he uses freely at home.

My daughter is sleeping through the night, most of the time in her own room, and she is confident and happy and growing.

My marriage produced three beautiful children and I learned immense amounts about myself.

I only have two TMJ joints, so, even if the other one goes caput, I’m halfway through surgeries.

My church family, though I am not able to be present with them, loves me still, and God will bring me to another church home.

God is never going to leave me. He is never going to leave you. And more than anything in this world, He wants us to cry out to him in the middle of that black ocean called worry, fear, dread, sickness, divorce, temptation . . . whatever your ocean is called, He is there. He is always there.

~*~
Author Bio:

Sara writes Inspirational Romantic Suspense from a mini-farm in East Tennessee, where she lives with her husband and their five homeschooled children. 

She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Animal Science from the University of Tennessee and is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Tennessee Mountain Writers.

Her debut novel, Callum's Compass, won second place in Deep River Books' 2017 Writer's Contest. She also has a story, “Leap of Faith,” in Chicken Soup for the Soul: Step Outside Your Comfort Zone. Sara finds inspiration in her faith, her family, and the beauty of nature.

When she isn’t writing, you can find her reading, camping, and spending time outdoors with her family. To learn more about her and her work or to become a part of her email friend’s group, please visit www.saralfoust.com.

Devotionals for the Heart: Thanksgiving and Heaven

Touching Heaven by Giving Thanks
A devotional by Patrick E. Craig

“Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, come into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.” ~Psalm 100:4 (KJV)

The ancient Hebrews had a very structured set of rules by which they performed their worship in the Tabernacle of Moses and the Temple of Solomon. These rules were given to Moses on Mt. Sinai along with the Ten Commandments. In these instructions for worship,  God was giving the Jews a glimpse into the heavenly realm. 

This is what The Holy Bible tells us about Moses’ meeting with God:

“For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law: Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.”
~Hebrews 8:4-5 (KJV)

According to my understanding and paraphrase based on my study of the Greek word studies by Wuest Word Studies, what God was saying to Moses was, the pattern I showed you on the mountain – for your earthly worship – is a duplicate of the pattern that happens in the heavenly throne room, when the citizens of heaven worship me.

So the priests knew that if they followed the heavenly instructions they would align themselves with the heavenly realm, and in that way, actually experience the Divine presence. God responded to their faithfulness by revealing Himself to them as a pillar of fire, the Shekinah glory, on the Mercy Seat in the Holy of Holies.

The book of Psalms is the liturgy for Temple worship the priests used every day in their tabernacle worship. Step one was exuberant praise and thanksgiving. Psalm 100:4 told the priests, “Enter His gates with thanksgiving in your heart, come into His courts with praise.” 

When they followed this instruction, the priests were able to come through the gate of the Tabernacle into his “Courts”—remember that the tabernacle was a copy of the heavenly throne room— and from there, approach the very throne of God (represented on earth by the Mercy Seat) without hindrance. 

Praising and thanking God was the mechanism by which they opened the door into the presence of God. God gave them directions for living and forgave their sins as they stood before the Mercy Seat.

In a modern context God is showing us a way to actually catch a glimpse of the peace and joy that exists in Heaven, and to share that joy – like a down payment on the next life. God knows that the best way for us to deal with our problems is to put our attention somewhere else. And if I am being thankful to God for all the blessings in my life, instead of blaming Him for all the bad things, it’s amazing how the answers to every situation just seem to come, along with real peace.

The Apostle Paul understood this when he wrote these words in Philippians 4:6-7 (KJV): “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

Paul also exhorted us in this way in Hebrews 4:16 (KJV): “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”

When we sit down to our Thanksgiving feast this year, let’s remember that giving thanks is the key to his presence and peace in our lives. For it is at his throne that we will find the answer to all our questions and problems. Give thanks.

~*~
Author Bio:

Patrick E. Craig is a lifelong writer and musician who left a successful songwriting and performance career in the music industry to follow Christ in 1984. 

In 2011 he signed a three-book deal with Harvest House Publishers to publish his Apple Creek Dreams series. His current series is The Paradise Chronicles. The first book in the series, The Amish Heiress, a romantic suspense novel, was published by Patrick's company, P&J Publishing, in August of 2015 and remained on the Amazon Top 100 best sellers list in three categories for seven months.

The second book in the series, The Amish Princess, a historical romance novel, was released in December of 2016 and was on Amazon's Hot New Releases for over a month. Harlequin recently purchased the print rights for both books for their Walmart Amish series. Patrick also just released Cracking The Indie Egg—A Recipe For Publishing Your Own Book and it is available in most major digital bookstores.

Patrick and his wife Judy, make their home in Idaho. They have two married children and five grandchildren. Patrick is represented by the Steve Laube Agency.

~*~
Connect with Patrick:
Website - www.patrickecraig.com
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/PatrickECraig
Twitter - https://twitter.com/PatrickECraig
Amazon Author page - http://tinyurl.com/n6sfagg

Devotionals for the Heart: Lessons learned on love for God and animals

On ruling well and loving Fido: Honoring God through National Animal Shelter Appreciation Week
A devotional by Jessica Brodie

If I’m sick, the rest of my family will steer clear and let me sleep, but not my cat. She’ll sit on my pillow and gently knead my head, purring loudly as though she alone can drive the illness away. Instead of me caring for her, dumping food in her dish and scratching her kitty-chin while she gives me sweet-eyes, the tables turn and she’s Mama Cat, tending to her neediest kitten.

My mom’s cat was her superhero when she battled aggressive cancer decades ago and chemotherapy knocked her flat in bed. Today a survivor, she still talks about how Rusty was right there every day, never leaving her side.

It’s not just cats. Dogs and even hamsters and bunnies have this uncanny sixth sense like they know on a wholly different level than we humans do when their loved one is ill and exactly what they need to get well. My cat even looks at me differently when I’m sick like she sees right through me and straight to the illness beneath my skin like she’s some fierce guardian angel there to battle on my behalf with The Evil Flu or The Dreaded Sinus Infection.

It’s both stinking cute and incredibly comforting.

The love we have for animals—and our animal friends have for us—is a beautiful thing and, I’d argue, a biblical call. As Christians, we know Jesus came to save His people from their sins (Matthew 1:21), and we are commanded to love God above all and love our neighbors as ourselves (Matthew 22:37-49).

But who’s to say God doesn’t want us to love our animal neighbors just as we do fellow humans? While humans are made in God’s image for His glory, the rest of creation is also made for God’s glory and pleasure, including animals of the forest, fish of the sea, and our beloved pets. In the Book of Genesis, God created animals, fish, and birds. He saw it was good, then created man and woman to care for them.

“Then God said, ‘Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground’” (Genesis 1:26, NIV).

But “rule” doesn’t mean control with brutality. Rulers don’t get to say “my way or the highway.” Good rulers, godly rulers, are to lead with love and kindness with an end-goal of modeling our ultimate ruler, God. Just because animals are not created in God’s image doesn’t mean they are not important to God, and I believe we are obligated to nurture, respect, honor, and care for them with the same sort of loving care our Father God gives to us.

This week (the first full week in November) is National Animal Shelter Appreciation Week. It kicked off yesterday, Nov. 4. Animal shelters are places where stray, lost, abandoned or surrendered animals are kept and, often, rehabilitated. Some also help sick or wounded pets and wildlife. While not all shelters are equal, I’ve never seen a shelter or encountered a shelter worker that doesn’t love and care passionately for animals.

In honor of our furry (or scaled, or winged) “neighbors,” I urge you to take a moment today to think about how you can love them in a way that honors God’s love for us, as well as think about how you might be able to love and honor animal shelters, who are tasked to care for these creatures. If you are able, consider adopting an animal from your local animal shelter, or donate or volunteer your time.

After all, God is love. Let’s follow suit.

~*~
Author bio:

Jessica Brodie is an award-winning Christian novelist, journalist, editor, blogger, and writing coach. 

She is also the editor of the South Carolina United Methodist Advocate, the oldest newspaper in Methodism.

Learn more about her fiction and read her blog at http://jessicabrodie.com/shiningthelight.