The Gentle Battle of A Warrior’s Heart

There are some things in life that just plain defy logic. We want to fight against the injustice of it all.

I’ve had one of those weeks where it felt as if all of the logical steps I took to bring out a better situation, left my hands empty.

We’ve all been there. Seeing tragedy and loss in the world around us, or even in our own back yard.

How can we battle when the fight is out of our hands?

The disciples faced this very problem with persecution in the early church. They were facing things they had no power over in their lives.

In one of Paul’s letters to the Philippians he says this:

Philippians 4:5 (NIV)

“Let your gentleness be evident to all. 

The Lord is near.”

The actual translation of “gentleness” is the Greek epieikeia, which carries several nuances, a few of which are:

*Mildness, patience, clemency, moderation, unwillingness to litigate or contend, etc.

*In application this word refers to the gentleness of heart in the person who trusts God to fight his battles. Trusting the Lord will fight for you.

Since the Philippian church was under persecution, Paul reminded them that their gentleness should be “evident to all.” Not just the ones they wanted to show gentleness towards.

Then Paul reminds the Philippians that the return of the Lord is near. That Jesus will right all wrongs and turn injustice around.

It isn’t easy to fight with gentleness. It doesn’t make the warrior’s battle strategies book in our minds. But it is a strategy we are sometimes to employ.

Going to spiritual battle isn’t just a battlefield of weaponry and charge. Going to spiritual battle can be in letting “our gentleness be evident to all.”

Sometimes we storm the castle and take back territory that is ours. Sometimes we fight the gentle battle of a warrior’s heart.

What verses encourage you when you need God to fight for you?

 

 

NaNoWriMo – Of Faith, Comparison, And Excellence

NaNoWriMo is that time of year when we push ourselves to finish a book in a month. We try to achieve what feels impossible, but are we doing it for the right reasons?

There is nothing wrong with setting the goal just to challenge and push ourselves to reach new levels of intensity in our writing careers. There is nothing wrong with wanting to be on the top of our game. There is everything wrong with comparing ourselves to everyone else and trying to do it all in our own power.

We write because we feel called or passionate about writing. That talent comes from our creator. Our efforts should flow out of a deep desire to be faithful with our talents and be obedient to Our Heavenly Father.

What’s wrong with the comparison game?

Competition is a lot of fun and a great way to challenge ourselves, but it shouldn’t be an all out focus of our goal. If beating everyone else is the only reason we push ourselves, then even in victory there will be some disappointment.

Don’t misunderstand me, I LOVE COMPETITION! It is fun and a great way for iron to sharpen iron.

Comparison is something altogether different. It assumes the value of a person by their output. “I’m better than you are.” It is a destructive force in our lives when we only relate our value to how much better or worse we are than everyone else.

Galatians 6:4 (NLT)

“Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else.”

2 Corinthians 10:12 (The Message)

“We’re not, understand, putting ourselves in a league with those who boast that they’re our superiors. We wouldn’t dare do that. But in all this comparing and grading and competing, they quite miss the point.”

NaNoWriMo With The Right Focus:

We give our best effort and recognize that God makes the little we have into something amazing.

2 Corinthians 4:6-7 (NIV)

“For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.”

This month NaNo your heart out! Each day praise the one who gave you the talent and the light to be amazing!

 

 

 

 

Adrift In The Sea – Not Alone

Have you ever had one of those moments when you felt completely adrift in the sea all alone? Life is overwhelming and all you see is the endless ocean.

We’ve all been there. That moment when you feel completely alone in the world and you are not sure if you are up for the task ahead of you. Still, you want to dream. To believe that anything is possible.

The disciples struggled with the same battle. They believed that Jesus was the Messiah. The Son of God. Then the unthinkable happened. The One they believed would be established as an Earthly King was crucified.

The hopes and dreams they had were dashed. They scattered in fear for their own lives. Then the darkest few days gave way to a turning point of unbelievable  proportions.

The RESURRECTION.

Finally, things were making sense again. Until, WHAT? Jesus wasn’t staying on this earth.

I’m sure the disciples were hoping for something different. They imagined years walking and learning from Jesus. They got 40 days.

Forty days and a promise that was all they ever needed to know to traverse the sea of life.

Matthew 28:16-20(NIV)

16Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in^a the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Do you feel adrift in the Sea of life alone? That is just a feeling. The same Jesus who promised the disciples He would be with them until the end of the age is with you now.

What encourages you when you feel adrift in the sea of life alone?

 

 

 

Get Rich – Blessings God’s Way

A week ago I had the privilege of gathering with other Books & Such Authors from across the globe. Each coming to dream and learn side by side.

Some of these authors, like Debbie Macomber taught me to dream a few years back in Denver. Others coached me to becoming a stronger author like Beth K. Vogt and Cynthia Ruchti. Still others kept me riveted with their stories before I even began to write myself like Diann Mills, Gayle Roper, and Lauraine Snelling.

From the moment I walked into the first dinner at the Monterey Bay Hotel and Spa, I knew that I was among friends.  Richness oozed from the room on the salty sea water breeze.  Not worldly riches, but the kind that come from God.

God knows what I need. He may not have given me a mansion, but then he probably knows that I don’t have time to clean it. He hasn’t given me a huge bankroll, but He meets my needs. He hasn’t given me fame, but he knows I don’t need a paparazzi.

Being rich with early riches only last for a short season and then fade. But Heavenly riches never fade.

Matthew 6: 20-21 (NIV)

But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

The Writer’s Secret Weapon – Hope

When I was a little girl I trusted my Dad with abandon. Every time he walked into  the room I would jump from a chair and expect him to catch me.

It didn’t matter if he was holding a few bags of groceries or something equally heavy. I just jumped. I just trusted. I had hope that my Dad would catch me.

He usually did. There were a few times he couldn’t get there, but that didn’t change my optimism. Hope kept me going when I had a crash landing. Hope sustained me.

Are you sustained by hope? 

As writers we have many rejections and difficulties to overcome. We may have had a crash landing or two, but hope is our secret weapon.

Why?

Hope is the fuel that gets us to pick ourselves up and keep chasing the dream God placed in our hearts. If we hope in ourselves, we will be disappointed. We are human and the task of writing is more than one person can bear alone.

Hope in God. That is what carries us through.

Lamentations 3:21-26 (NIV)

²¹ Yet this I call to mind
    and therefore I have hope:

²² Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
    for his compassions never fail.
²³ They are new every morning;
    great is your faithfulness.
²⁴ I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion;
    therefore I will wait for him.”

²⁵ The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him,
    to the one who seeks him;
²⁶ it is good to wait quietly
    for the salvation of the Lord.

How is your hope? Is your secret weapon alive and well? Is it in the hands of God?

With the coming of conference season it is so important to have your hope well placed. Avoid the disillusionment that comes from hoping in yourself, in your own abilities.

Hope in God and His divine plan for your life.

What verses about hope encourage you?

 

Giving Up or Pressing In – Finding the Strength To Rise Above Adversity

Have you ever been down for the count and didn’t know if you had the strength to get back up?

This past week has been a bit like that for me. There is the house that looks like a category five tornado hit, the pocketbook that looks like it’s trying to keep up with our nation’s deficit, the ‘to do’ list that is so long it might just rival the Constitution, the laundry mountain that claimed our house when our dryer broke down and that is just the surface.

Believe me, that is a whole lot of overwhelming. Still, us moms are used to the constant onslaught of mayhem. But when something more deeply affects us, like our health, our family’s well-being, grief, our past mistakes, or rejection that is on a whole new level of struggle.

The knockout punch doesn’t come alone. Nope. It comes on the tail end of lots of other punches. The little things that build to make that last punch so devastating.

I wish we could just skip the whole round of punches, but life doesn’t discriminate. The Bible says in Matthew, “The rain falls on the just and the unjust.” We all deal with struggles. We all fight discouragement. We all have been on the mat not knowing if we have the strength to get back up.

You do not have the strength to get back up on your own. No, I didn’t just turn out the light at the end of the tunnel. See, we think it is up to us to get back up in our own strength.

Here is the secret: We do not need to have the strength to get back up on our own. It is leaning on our Heavenly Father that gives us the strength to get up after what feels like a knock out blow.

Zephaniah 3:17a (NIV)
The LORD your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves.

Rising above adversity is realizing who will help you get up after the knock out blow and trusting in Him. 

Have you ever been dealt a knock out blow? What did you do to get back on your feet?

 

Legacies On Record

Sometimes I wonder what people will remember me for after I am gone. No, I’m not planning to check out soon, but when I look at my children’s faces I think of the future. I want them to remember how much I love them and leave them a  legacy of love and faith that stays with them the rest of their lives.

Here are some legacies of the Bible:

King Josiah

2 Kings 23:25(NIV)

“Neither before nor after Josiah was there a king like him who turned to the Lord as he did — with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his strength, in accordance with all the Law of Moses.”

~~~

The Greatness of Mordecai

Esther 10:3 (NIV)

“Mordecai the Jew was second in rank to King Xerxes, preeminent among the Jews, and held in high esteem by his many fellow Jews, because he worked for the good of his people and spoke up for the welfare of all the Jews.”

~~~

The Loyalty Of Ruth

Ruth 1:16

“But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.”

~~~

The Wickedness of King Ahaziah

2 Chronicles 22:2-4A

“Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem one year. His mother’s name was Athaliah, a granddaughter of Omri. He too followed the ways of the house of Ahab, for his mother encouraged him to act wickedly. He did evil in the eyes of the Lord.”

~~~

There are many more legacies just like theirs. They are remember in a snap shot of history for their courage, loyalty, wickedness, faithfulness, and Godliness. One small step at a time their legacy is made.

 

What legacy do you hope you are leaving behind?

Laughter And Truth With Chonda Pierce

John 15:15 (NIV)

 I no longer call you servants,

because a servant does not know his master’s business. 

Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned

from my Father I have made known to you.

If you are struggling with things in any area of your life, remember that there is an amazing God. You are a friend of God. Talk about having connections!

What is your favorite verse or song about the friendship or presence of Jesus?

Treasure Chest Or Fool’s Gold – Having A Heart After God

It is so easy to get annoyed with the writer who wins a lot of contests, hits the best seller list, or gets a lot of attention. Because after all, what writer doesn’t value recognition and fame? Isn’t that what we work so hard for to begin with?

You might almost say yes, but stop a moment to think. Do we really write so we can have recognition, fame, be on the best seller list or win contests?

If the answer is yes, we will become spiritually bankrupt. It is completely fine to work hard and find excitement when success comes our way, but it shouldn’t be what we are all about.

Matthew 6:21  (NIV)

“For where your treasure is,

there your heart will be also.”

In the previous verses it talks about storing up treasures on earth where it will eventually fade away versus storing up treasures in heaven which are eternal.

Earthly treasures such as awards, trophies, fame and fortune will all fade away. Heavenly treasures are things done on earth that last for eternity. (I loved this definition that I found on Sermon Central so I added the link.)

So, are you investing in heavenly treasures? Is your writing dedicated to do the things God asked of you in your career for His purpose?

If your treasure is only in the accolades and earthly recognition, your heart will be focused on those things. It will bring great dissatisfaction and self-blame when you don’t achieve them.

If your treasures are the things done on earth that you commit to God for eternal gain, then your heart will be delighted by fulfilling God’s purpose in your life without the fame. You are relying on God to do His work through you. The work towards excellence is to glorify God and not to further ourselves.

This truth can bring so much freedom. It is not our job to create fame and fortune. It is in God’s hands to determine the purpose for our writing and the outcome He desires.

What are some ways you remind yourself to keep your focus heavenly instead of earthly?

Taking the Stage Or Letting The Stage Invite You – Humility and Success

Once I heard this saying, “It’s hard to be humble when you are as great as I am.” Funny, if you are being tongue and cheek, but not where we want to be in real life.

It is so easy to let pride spoil our attitudes and actions. We can become self centered and let jealousy creep in when we begin to feel our success comes directly from ourselves.

Pride is one reason some people become Divas. They believe the world revolves around their important self. They steal all of the conversations to promote themselves, they complain about judges or industry individuals who didn’t rave about their work, and they cut down those who are more successful than themselves.

The truth is that pride will build into your own destruction. God doesn’t honor pride and other people important to your success are turned off by its grip on your life.

James 4:6-10

New International Version (NIV)

⁶ But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:

“God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”^[a]

⁷ Submit yourselves, then, to God.

Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 

⁸ Come near to God and he will come near to you. 

Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 

⁹ Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. 

¹⁰ Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

God loves a humble heart. He lifts up those who put Him first, others second, and ourselves last. He has given us the dreams of our heart, by humble ourselves before Him and trusting Him to bring about the best for us we have gained God’s favor.

 

What Bible Verses or songs about humbleness do you enjoy?