Hosanna Emily's Blog, page 22
April 4, 2017
A Dangerous Enemy
Today in my history textbook I was reading about the rise of a prominent leader. I don't know much about his early years, but he had a dream. He grew up with a desire to be an artist. Unfortunately for him, his drawing skills were greatly lacking. He wasn't good at drawing at all. Thus, his dream died, and his life took a radical change for the worse.
His name was Adolf Hitler.
We know the rest of the story. We know how Hitler came into power and the devastation he caused. We read about the horrors he heedlessly created. It's not difficult to see the evil in his heart and actions.
As I learned a little bit more about his early life, I wondered. What was it that turned Hitler around? What made him change into a wicked leader?
Think about other infamous people throughout history. People like Hitler, Stalin, or Lenin. Or maybe villains from the Bible like Jezebel, Judas, or Herod. As I was reading the pages of history, I noticed that every single one had something in common.
These people, known for their evil deeds and wicked schemes, all struggled with a similar issue. It's even one that you and I struggle with today.
Pride.
Simple, dangerous pride.
I'm not talking about taking pride in your country or your family. This pride goes much deeper. It's a matter of the heart, a monster that overtakes your life. The lingering thought that whispers "All that matters is that I'm happy." The "me" mentality we have that causes us to focus on ourselves.
Hitler was proud and wanted more power. He ended up killing millions of Jews.
Jezebel was proud, wanting herself to be promoted and well-known. She led her nation into idolatry.
Judas was proud and wanted to gain money. He ended up sacrificing a close friendship with Jesus as a traitor and giving Him up to be crucified.
Many of us are proud. We want to live comfortable, happy lives. We want religion as long as it brings us joy and fulfillment. Jesus is only there to bring us eternal life, right?
Sorry to throw you off, but you picked the wrong "religion". Throughout history, believers have been mocked, scourged, imprisoned, stoned, sawn in two...the list goes on and on. (see Hebrews 11:36-38)
Nevertheless, we still struggle with this mess called pride. It ensnares us, and we often don't even realize it. It's like a trap waiting to be triggered...and we don't see it hiding in the leaves only feet ahead of us.
Pride is the act of elevating our own self. It is telling God that we deserve more time and attention than He does, and He can sit around until we need Him. It is seeking our own will instead of His, thinking that we are simply more important than He is.
The Bible says pride goes before destruction (see Proverbs 16:18). It says that pride is evil and defiles a man (see Mark 7:20-23). God resists the proud (see James 4:6), and the proud is an abomination to Him (see Proverbs 16:5). The list goes on and on.
Recently I have been focusing on two different aspects of the Christian life - abiding in Christ (focusing on Him throughout the day and building my entire life on Him) and making Godly decisions. How does pride affect these areas?
If we have pride in our lives what will be thinking about? Who will we be living for? We most definitely will not be abiding in Christ! We will be focusing on our own desires, plans, and dreams. In the end, Christianity will likely become a "side job" or an activity that we participate in for what it brings us.
To make Godly decisions, we need to be asking God what His plans are for us. But if we are full of pride and self-seeking, we will only see what we want and what our plans are. It is impossible to make Godly decisions if we have pride in our hearts.
It's not hard to see that pride is dangerous. It's consuming, devastating, ruining. It takes a life and twists it into an ugly picture of evil.
On a more personal level, pride makes us feel lofty and above those around us. It causes us to not want to associate with certain individuals. It makes us desire attention and admiration. Simply put, pride takes Jesus off the throne of our heart and puts self in His place.
The villains throughout history all lived under the rule of pride. Do we struggle with the same problem?
I challenge you to take this matter before Christ and examine your life. Do you truly love others more than yourself? Do you love the Lord your God will all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind? Can you willingly say, "He must increase, but I must decrease"?
As Jesus humbled Himself and washed His disciples' feet, may we also humble ourselves and serve, love, and respect those around us. May we be willing vessels to do the will of the Lord.
It's so hard - even impossible in our strength! But isn't that why we don't have to live life on our own?
What is one way that pride sneaks into our lives unnoticed? How can we fight this evil tendency to think of ourselves more than others? Comment below!
March 27, 2017
A Summer of Decisions
The outside world is awakening. Warm breezes blow through my hair, rustle my face. The green grass presses against my bare feet, and tender flowers open their sleepy eyes. Buds begin to appear on the trees as little spots of pink and green. We fold away jackets, one thought in mind.
Summer is almost here.
Warmth, sunshine, free time. The list goes on and on. Running, skipping, catching fireflies in the twilight sun. For many of us, summer brings a time of rest, a time to wind down and enjoy life.
But for me, summer brings a lot of decisions. A lot of questions. Like I expressed in my last post, I want my life to make a difference. I want to live a fulfilling, God-honoring, history-changing life. I want to be part of a revolution - or a revival - bigger than myself. I want us, as a body of believers, to change the world.
Those thoughts have especially been on my mind during these short months before summer break arrives in full array. When May begins, we will have nearly four months away from textbooks, away from the busyness of school. Four months. That represents 1/3 of our year.
This brings up a deeper question for me. If I have all this spare time how will I make use of it? I think back over past summers. Images of swimming, gardening, picking berries, taking fun summer classes, and roaming through the creek come to mind. Such fun times they were. Such wonderful memories. But what about this summer?
I already have a long list of possibilities. So many opportunities arise, begging for my attention. But they come with a choice. Either I could spend my time doing this... or that. I could take a class... or I could focus more directly on my writing. I could go to a summer camp... or I could stay home, focus on my relationship with God, and spend time with my family. The possibilities are endless! The problem is... I can't do everything.
Ultimately, I have been wanting to seek God's will in these decisions. I have waited... listened... hoping He would speak clearly to me. I wish He would make it clear and easy to understand. I wish He would just say, "Hosanna, spend your summer doing ____." This decision making is so confusing! God wants us to spend our time honoring Him, right? Doesn't He want us to make the best decisions? Then why is He so quiet sometimes?
I'm sure you can relate. We all face decisions in life, some big some small. Life is full of them! But what are we supposed to do when we face one of those bigger decisions, and God doesn't seem to be speaking "loud enough"?
Recently, I have been stuck in Proverbs 16. I'm trying to read through the Old Testament, but it's hard when one chapter speaks to you over and over again. I have had to spend day after day re-reading it. Several verses stood out to me that related to this area of decision making. I encourage you to read the chapter in its entirety, but here are some highlights that I took note of.
(these verses are from the Amplified Bible...I don't typically read this version, but I was trying to make sense of the verses from a different perspective. Feel free to read in whichever version you prefer) =)
First, I want to share a thought I had. Picture a young mother raising her children. Her love for them is obvious, and she wants them to grow up into responsible, wise adults. While they are yet toddlers, she has to teach them exactly what to do. Hold the spoon like this. Clean up your messes. Don't have an attitude when I say "no". Stay by my side when we're outside. Don't run into the street. She makes their decisions for them.
As the children grow older, the mother grants them more freedom. She still has to correct them. Finish your math, please. No, you can't go over there alone. However, the mother doesn't have to monitor them as closely. She lets them begin to make their own decisions. Why? The parent understands that her children have more wisdom. They still fall short quite often, but they now can face decisions and carefully weigh their actions. The mother doesn't need to force them to obey her or to do wise things. She desires for them to obey because they love her and to live wisely because they know that's the right thing to do.
Recently, I have been wondering if perhaps God treats us in a similar way. Does He remain silent at times to see if we can make decisions in a wise, honoring manner? Does He want to see our inmost heart, to make sure that we are carefully weighing our steps according to His will? If God seems to be distant or speaking too quietly, is there a possibility that this is a testing to determine how tuned our hearts are to His?
Proverbs says that "a man's mind plans his way" and "the plans and reflections of the heart belong to man." But it also concludes that, "the Lord directs his steps and establishes them" and "the answer of the tongue is from the Lord."
What I'm wondering is what is our position in this decision making process? Are we always to sit back and wait quietly for the Lord to speak? Does God sometimes want us to step up, evaluate our motives, make wise decisions based off the Bible and our knowledge of Him, and finally commit out decisions to the Lord?
I used to think that decision making was 100% up to God. I would pray about them, of course, but I would wait for God to give me a clear, very obvious answer. Yet is it also true that sometimes God remains quiet so that we are forced to really examine our lives and decisions?
This idea is new to me, and I'm not completely sure if I'm wrong or right. I think there's a delicate balance. We want to wait on God, but we cannot become lazy assuming that our job is to merely sit back and listen. Sometimes we need to take the first step, examine our motives and intents, but not rush ahead of God's leading.
So what about you? What decisions are you facing? Have you sat down and examined them in light of God's Word? What are your reasons for wanting to do a particular thing? Is it pride, selfishness, or truly a desire to make God known?
This summer we have an opportunity to make a difference. As we focus on abiding in Christ, what will out choices be? Let's focus on examining our opportunities in light of God's Word, making sure our own intents are pure, and submitting them to Him for His final approval.
Are you experiencing a time of decision making? What do you think our role is in this process? And why do you think God remains silent at times? Comment below!
Summer is almost here.
Warmth, sunshine, free time. The list goes on and on. Running, skipping, catching fireflies in the twilight sun. For many of us, summer brings a time of rest, a time to wind down and enjoy life.
But for me, summer brings a lot of decisions. A lot of questions. Like I expressed in my last post, I want my life to make a difference. I want to live a fulfilling, God-honoring, history-changing life. I want to be part of a revolution - or a revival - bigger than myself. I want us, as a body of believers, to change the world.
Those thoughts have especially been on my mind during these short months before summer break arrives in full array. When May begins, we will have nearly four months away from textbooks, away from the busyness of school. Four months. That represents 1/3 of our year.
This brings up a deeper question for me. If I have all this spare time how will I make use of it? I think back over past summers. Images of swimming, gardening, picking berries, taking fun summer classes, and roaming through the creek come to mind. Such fun times they were. Such wonderful memories. But what about this summer?
I already have a long list of possibilities. So many opportunities arise, begging for my attention. But they come with a choice. Either I could spend my time doing this... or that. I could take a class... or I could focus more directly on my writing. I could go to a summer camp... or I could stay home, focus on my relationship with God, and spend time with my family. The possibilities are endless! The problem is... I can't do everything.
Ultimately, I have been wanting to seek God's will in these decisions. I have waited... listened... hoping He would speak clearly to me. I wish He would make it clear and easy to understand. I wish He would just say, "Hosanna, spend your summer doing ____." This decision making is so confusing! God wants us to spend our time honoring Him, right? Doesn't He want us to make the best decisions? Then why is He so quiet sometimes?
I'm sure you can relate. We all face decisions in life, some big some small. Life is full of them! But what are we supposed to do when we face one of those bigger decisions, and God doesn't seem to be speaking "loud enough"?
Recently, I have been stuck in Proverbs 16. I'm trying to read through the Old Testament, but it's hard when one chapter speaks to you over and over again. I have had to spend day after day re-reading it. Several verses stood out to me that related to this area of decision making. I encourage you to read the chapter in its entirety, but here are some highlights that I took note of.
(these verses are from the Amplified Bible...I don't typically read this version, but I was trying to make sense of the verses from a different perspective. Feel free to read in whichever version you prefer) =)
The plans and reflections of the heart belong to man, but the [wise] answer of the tongue is from the Lord. All the ways of a man are clean and innocent in his own eyes [and he may see nothing wrong with his actions], but the Lord weighs and examines the motives and intents [of the heart and knows the truth]. Commit your works to the Lord [submit and trust them to Him], and your plans will succeed [if you respond to His will and guidance]. -Proverbs 16:1-3
A man’s mind plans his way [as he journeys through life], but the Lord directs his steps and establishes them. -Proverbs 16:9
There is a way which seems right to a man and appears straight before him, but its end is the way of death. -Proverbs 16:25
The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord. -Proverbs 16:33I have been chewing on these verses for a few days. Please read over them for yourself and ask God what He wants you to see. The thoughts below are my interpretation... but I would love to hear if you sensed a different meaning to those passages. (and the complete chapter)
First, I want to share a thought I had. Picture a young mother raising her children. Her love for them is obvious, and she wants them to grow up into responsible, wise adults. While they are yet toddlers, she has to teach them exactly what to do. Hold the spoon like this. Clean up your messes. Don't have an attitude when I say "no". Stay by my side when we're outside. Don't run into the street. She makes their decisions for them.
As the children grow older, the mother grants them more freedom. She still has to correct them. Finish your math, please. No, you can't go over there alone. However, the mother doesn't have to monitor them as closely. She lets them begin to make their own decisions. Why? The parent understands that her children have more wisdom. They still fall short quite often, but they now can face decisions and carefully weigh their actions. The mother doesn't need to force them to obey her or to do wise things. She desires for them to obey because they love her and to live wisely because they know that's the right thing to do.
Recently, I have been wondering if perhaps God treats us in a similar way. Does He remain silent at times to see if we can make decisions in a wise, honoring manner? Does He want to see our inmost heart, to make sure that we are carefully weighing our steps according to His will? If God seems to be distant or speaking too quietly, is there a possibility that this is a testing to determine how tuned our hearts are to His?
Proverbs says that "a man's mind plans his way" and "the plans and reflections of the heart belong to man." But it also concludes that, "the Lord directs his steps and establishes them" and "the answer of the tongue is from the Lord."
What I'm wondering is what is our position in this decision making process? Are we always to sit back and wait quietly for the Lord to speak? Does God sometimes want us to step up, evaluate our motives, make wise decisions based off the Bible and our knowledge of Him, and finally commit out decisions to the Lord?
I used to think that decision making was 100% up to God. I would pray about them, of course, but I would wait for God to give me a clear, very obvious answer. Yet is it also true that sometimes God remains quiet so that we are forced to really examine our lives and decisions?
This idea is new to me, and I'm not completely sure if I'm wrong or right. I think there's a delicate balance. We want to wait on God, but we cannot become lazy assuming that our job is to merely sit back and listen. Sometimes we need to take the first step, examine our motives and intents, but not rush ahead of God's leading.
So what about you? What decisions are you facing? Have you sat down and examined them in light of God's Word? What are your reasons for wanting to do a particular thing? Is it pride, selfishness, or truly a desire to make God known?
This summer we have an opportunity to make a difference. As we focus on abiding in Christ, what will out choices be? Let's focus on examining our opportunities in light of God's Word, making sure our own intents are pure, and submitting them to Him for His final approval.
Are you experiencing a time of decision making? What do you think our role is in this process? And why do you think God remains silent at times? Comment below!
March 20, 2017
A Century Forgotten
As I write/edit the third draft of my historical-fiction novel, Emblem of Hope, I often think of people who lived life before us. Now only names remain; the past is forgotten. I look at gravestones, embedded with the names of those who have already left this earth. Names and dates... is that all that makes up a life? Did those people have desires, hope, and fear? Did they love someone? Did they face trials as big as mountains? Did they seek after their dreams, achieving the impossible? Did they live fulfilled lives, investing in others and seeking after Christ? Or were their years on earth full of bitterness, sorrow, and pain?
So many questions without an answer. So many people gone forever; their stories vanished with them. Our history books contain thousands of names and events. (don't we know... we have to memorize them!) But what about the common people? Those who made a splash in history that wasn't quite "big" or "important enough" to record? What about them?
It fills me with longing. A desire to know. That's what being a historical-fiction writer is. The unanswerable questions give me a yearning to fill in the holes with my imagination, stories being spun through my fingers.
But it gives me another thought. Something more personal.
What about me?
In one hundred years, what will people remember about me? Will my name be lost forever like a drop of water in the ocean? Will I be but one name on a tombstone among many others? Will people walk past and wonder who "Hosanna" was?
But as a follower of Christ, those questions aren't relevant. "Me" isn't important. As John the Baptist said,
"He must increase, but I must decrease." - John 3:30My life shouldn't be about recognition. It's not about promoting me. It's about promoting Christ. But even so, I want my life to make a difference. Maybe no one will remember me in one hundred years. That's okay. I won't be here on earth anyway. But is it wrong to want to make an impact in history? To be part of something grand, something spectacular that allows others to see Christ?
I guess this is what I'm trying to say: I want my life to make a difference. I want the things I do today to matter in the light of eternity. One hundred years from now, what will matter? What things am I doing today that truly matter?
Here are some questions to ponder. One hundred years from now, will it matter that...
I read this book?I watched this movie?I played this game?I said these words?I wrote this book (or story or poem)?I participated in this activity?I got a new follower?I was friends with this person?I had this conversation?I owned this possession?I bought this object?I ate this meal?
The list could go on and on. (be thankful I stopped there!)
But think about it. Really think about it. What things (even "productive" things) are you doing that are completely useless? Are we truly wasting hours of our time and hundreds of our dollars on meaningless endeavors?
Was buying that object truly important? Did spending an hour reading that book change anyone's life? Are my conversations making a difference?
It became more personal to me after something that happened today. I have a special bracelet that my daddy and brother bought for me while they were in Ecuador on a mission's trip more than eight years ago. It was lovely, but today that bracelet broke. I a long time fiddling with it, trying to fix it. After almost an hour with no success, I got a random thought.
This is a bracelet. It consists of a handful of beans, seeds, and string. Is it really worth my time to fix this trivial object that is special to me? Could simply throwing it away grant me more time that could be used in a better way?
Yes, that might be a silly example, but it's a struggle. Little things add up. A little money here and there can cost you more than you think. A little time wasted can grow into a mountain of to-do's.
One hundred years from now. One century, yet such a long time. What things really matter? And if something doesn't matter, why are we doing/saying/buying it? Why am I doing it?
Let's examine our lives together. What if one hundred years from now, the world was still seeing the ripple we made in history? What if the history books one day record that in the 21st century something strange happened, something radical? What if Christians actually stood up for their faith, gave God the glory, and lived for Him alone?
Let's live in such a way that one hundred years from now our lives will have made an impact.
Examine your own life; are you spending precious time, money, or energy to do something that will ultimately not matter? How can you and I make practical changes to ensure that our lives are giving Jesus glory? Comment below!
March 13, 2017
Necessary Ingredients
We have visitors over as I prepare this post, so I hope you don't mind if I throw an older post I wrote back in...October, I believe. =) I wrote this after my family met for our home church gathering. We read 2 Peter 1 together as a family, and I created this post to summarize it and organize my thoughts...as a writer, it helps me think clearer. I hope you find it convicting in your own life. =)
A few months ago, we were having some guests over to our house. Mom had prepared a lovely meal, but there was still one item missing: bread. My 9-year-old sister began to gather the ingredients. After throwing them together, the dough was ready to bake. Later, as we took the bread out, we were astonished to see that the bread was flat. Something was most definitely missing. The bread was coarse and dense, unlike the normal fluffy goodness that we normally get to enjoy. It turned out that a little teaspoon of salt really did make a huge difference. Thankfully, our guests are more like family, and they didn't mind at all. =) However, it did teach us an important lesson; every ingredient is needed and necessary for a perfect recipe.
In 2 Peter 1:5-9, Peter lists the "ingredients" that are vital for living the Christian life. He writes,
Let's jump into this list a bit more in depth.
Ingredient #1: FAITH
Faith is the most basic aspect of salvation. Without it, we wouldn't even think of calling ourselves a Christian. The Noah Webster 1828 dictionary (which I will reference to throughout this post) has several different explanations of what faith is. "The assent of the mind or understanding to the truth of what God has revealed...In other words, that firm belief of God's testimony, and of the truth of the gospel, which influences the will, and leads to an entire reliance on Christ for salvation."
Faith = belief. It is believing that God is Who He says He is. It is believing that He has total control over the world and your own life. This is step one towards having a fruitful life.
But as James says, "You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe – and tremble!" Faith is not the only aspect needed to live a God-honoring life.
Ingredient #2: VIRTUE
After someone has a simple belief in Christ, she needs to take the next step – to live their life based off that belief. Faith without actions is useless. The book of James gives an example of this...
Virtue is making the right choices. It is "the practice of moral duties and the abstaining from vice." Virtue is living the way we know we are supposed to live and following God's Word even when it's hard.
Ingredient #3: KNOWLEDGE
Knowledge and wisdom are two very separate terms, which made me curious to examine this word deeper. Wisdom basically means "the right use or exercise of knowledge." It is the ability to consider the circumstances and understand what the right thing to do is. On the other hand, knowledge is more like book learning. For instance, we take classes and read book to learn – knowledge. How does this relate to the Christian life?
When we have faith and virtue, we need to strengthen ourselves with knowledge from the Bible. In this verse, knowledge is referring to reading, memorizing, and learning what the Bible says. How can we have a fruitful life without knowing what the purpose of our life is? And how can we know what the purpose of our life is without reading the Book that we are basing out life off of?
Ingredient #4: SELF-CONTROL
When we got to this quality, the first suggestion of the meaning was obviously "controlling self." ;) But what does "controlling self" really mean?
While I don't have an exact definition, I think the basic meaning is to be disciplined. Like virtue, having self-control is the ability to keep yourself from doing wrong and doing what you know to be right. It is taking your convictions a step forward to act upon them. Remember, "faith without works is dead."
Ingredient #5: PERSEVERANCE
Perseverance is to "not to give over or abandon what is undertaken." If we were devoted believers but lacked perseverance, where would we be? Perhaps we would obey for a little while...but soon we would give up and turn back to our old ways.
In the parable of the sower, Jesus taught about different people and their reactions to the Gospel, comparing them to seeds thrown on the soil. One example tells how the seeds sprang up quickly but lacked a good foundation to keep themselves secure. Because of this they soon fell away, scorched in the sun.
Let us not be that person. We need to remain faithful and true. Perseverance is trusting God even when we don't see Him. It is running after Him in the dark, knowing that one day the light will come, and we will see Him clearly. It is being willing to die for our faith, looking forward to the day when we will live forever in harmony in our heavenly home.
Ingredient #6: GODLINESS
If we truly understand Who God is, then we should strive to live lives that reflect His glory. Godliness is living as God would want us to live. (we understand how He wants us to live by studying the Bible – knowledge) It is loving what God loves and hating what God hates. It is having a holy conduct. Godliness is a simple, yet profound concept. To explain it in a few words, godliness is "Christian obedience."
Ingredient #7: BROTHERLY KINDNESS
This term can be hard to relate to because the term "brothers" is not what it should be. When you speak of your siblings, it is most often done in contempt and disgust. This is so far away from what family relationships should be like. Family should be the closest, tightest, most loving form of relationship imaginable. This is what the Bible is referring to when it mentions brotherly kindness.
I have a friend who embodies this quality perfectly. She treats every single person she meets and corresponds with as a priceless, unique individual who deserves her time, love, and attention. If someone goes through a hard time, she feels it almost as painfully as the person who is going through the trial. She is overwhelmed with school and busyness, but she always has a spare minute to love on others.
Brotherly kindness is just that. It is loving others in a selfless way. It is treating them as a special person that God created in His image. It is showing hospitality, generosity, and compassion. We should be willing to give up everything for others – showing brotherly kindness like Christ did for us.
Ingredient #8: LOVE
Love. Most everyone knows what this term refers to. 1 Corinthians 13 explains the different aspects of love quite nicely, thus I'll not attempt to put this endless definition into words at the moment. =) But definitely do not leave out this ingredient; it is an essential aspect of the Christian life.
When you look at this ingredient list, what do you see? Do you see it as just that – a list? A "do this" and "don't do that" job that you must accomplish in order to live a fruitful life?
Perhaps you could see it as such, however I think it should be so much more. We should desire these qualities because we want to honor and please God. If you truly desire to live as a fruitful believer, you should have all these qualities.
But do you? Do I? Do we? Are these ingredients qualities that we exhibit in our everyday lives? Or are we lacking something essential?
As you and I go back over the list and prayerfully consider if we are living this out as Christ would have us do, let us pray and ask God to grant us what we are lacking. Let us come before Him and humbly ask that He would build us up in His image. But let us not stop there – we need to take action! If we find a weakness in our lives, we need to fortify ourselves – strengthen ourselves – so that we are ready to live in His power.
How are you going to take steps to develop a fruitful life? Do any of these ingredients stand out to you specifically? Comment below!
A few months ago, we were having some guests over to our house. Mom had prepared a lovely meal, but there was still one item missing: bread. My 9-year-old sister began to gather the ingredients. After throwing them together, the dough was ready to bake. Later, as we took the bread out, we were astonished to see that the bread was flat. Something was most definitely missing. The bread was coarse and dense, unlike the normal fluffy goodness that we normally get to enjoy. It turned out that a little teaspoon of salt really did make a huge difference. Thankfully, our guests are more like family, and they didn't mind at all. =) However, it did teach us an important lesson; every ingredient is needed and necessary for a perfect recipe.
In 2 Peter 1:5-9, Peter lists the "ingredients" that are vital for living the Christian life. He writes,
"But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." 2 Peter 1:5-9So often it seems as if we are living the Christian life in our own strength. We fail, fall short, run out of breath, and overall feel discouraged. Perhaps those "dry" seasons come from a lack of an important ingredient in our life. If this is even a possibility, shouldn't we be diligent to examine our lives and seeking out any weak spots? Any possible vulnerabilities?
Let's jump into this list a bit more in depth.
Ingredient #1: FAITH
Faith is the most basic aspect of salvation. Without it, we wouldn't even think of calling ourselves a Christian. The Noah Webster 1828 dictionary (which I will reference to throughout this post) has several different explanations of what faith is. "The assent of the mind or understanding to the truth of what God has revealed...In other words, that firm belief of God's testimony, and of the truth of the gospel, which influences the will, and leads to an entire reliance on Christ for salvation."
Faith = belief. It is believing that God is Who He says He is. It is believing that He has total control over the world and your own life. This is step one towards having a fruitful life.
But as James says, "You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe – and tremble!" Faith is not the only aspect needed to live a God-honoring life.
Ingredient #2: VIRTUE
After someone has a simple belief in Christ, she needs to take the next step – to live their life based off that belief. Faith without actions is useless. The book of James gives an example of this...
"If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, 'Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,' but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead." James 2:15-17
Virtue is making the right choices. It is "the practice of moral duties and the abstaining from vice." Virtue is living the way we know we are supposed to live and following God's Word even when it's hard.
Ingredient #3: KNOWLEDGE
Knowledge and wisdom are two very separate terms, which made me curious to examine this word deeper. Wisdom basically means "the right use or exercise of knowledge." It is the ability to consider the circumstances and understand what the right thing to do is. On the other hand, knowledge is more like book learning. For instance, we take classes and read book to learn – knowledge. How does this relate to the Christian life?
When we have faith and virtue, we need to strengthen ourselves with knowledge from the Bible. In this verse, knowledge is referring to reading, memorizing, and learning what the Bible says. How can we have a fruitful life without knowing what the purpose of our life is? And how can we know what the purpose of our life is without reading the Book that we are basing out life off of?
Ingredient #4: SELF-CONTROL
When we got to this quality, the first suggestion of the meaning was obviously "controlling self." ;) But what does "controlling self" really mean?
While I don't have an exact definition, I think the basic meaning is to be disciplined. Like virtue, having self-control is the ability to keep yourself from doing wrong and doing what you know to be right. It is taking your convictions a step forward to act upon them. Remember, "faith without works is dead."
Ingredient #5: PERSEVERANCE
Perseverance is to "not to give over or abandon what is undertaken." If we were devoted believers but lacked perseverance, where would we be? Perhaps we would obey for a little while...but soon we would give up and turn back to our old ways.
In the parable of the sower, Jesus taught about different people and their reactions to the Gospel, comparing them to seeds thrown on the soil. One example tells how the seeds sprang up quickly but lacked a good foundation to keep themselves secure. Because of this they soon fell away, scorched in the sun.
Let us not be that person. We need to remain faithful and true. Perseverance is trusting God even when we don't see Him. It is running after Him in the dark, knowing that one day the light will come, and we will see Him clearly. It is being willing to die for our faith, looking forward to the day when we will live forever in harmony in our heavenly home.
Ingredient #6: GODLINESS
If we truly understand Who God is, then we should strive to live lives that reflect His glory. Godliness is living as God would want us to live. (we understand how He wants us to live by studying the Bible – knowledge) It is loving what God loves and hating what God hates. It is having a holy conduct. Godliness is a simple, yet profound concept. To explain it in a few words, godliness is "Christian obedience."
Ingredient #7: BROTHERLY KINDNESS
This term can be hard to relate to because the term "brothers" is not what it should be. When you speak of your siblings, it is most often done in contempt and disgust. This is so far away from what family relationships should be like. Family should be the closest, tightest, most loving form of relationship imaginable. This is what the Bible is referring to when it mentions brotherly kindness.
I have a friend who embodies this quality perfectly. She treats every single person she meets and corresponds with as a priceless, unique individual who deserves her time, love, and attention. If someone goes through a hard time, she feels it almost as painfully as the person who is going through the trial. She is overwhelmed with school and busyness, but she always has a spare minute to love on others.
Brotherly kindness is just that. It is loving others in a selfless way. It is treating them as a special person that God created in His image. It is showing hospitality, generosity, and compassion. We should be willing to give up everything for others – showing brotherly kindness like Christ did for us.
Ingredient #8: LOVE
Love. Most everyone knows what this term refers to. 1 Corinthians 13 explains the different aspects of love quite nicely, thus I'll not attempt to put this endless definition into words at the moment. =) But definitely do not leave out this ingredient; it is an essential aspect of the Christian life.
When you look at this ingredient list, what do you see? Do you see it as just that – a list? A "do this" and "don't do that" job that you must accomplish in order to live a fruitful life?
Perhaps you could see it as such, however I think it should be so much more. We should desire these qualities because we want to honor and please God. If you truly desire to live as a fruitful believer, you should have all these qualities.
But do you? Do I? Do we? Are these ingredients qualities that we exhibit in our everyday lives? Or are we lacking something essential?
As you and I go back over the list and prayerfully consider if we are living this out as Christ would have us do, let us pray and ask God to grant us what we are lacking. Let us come before Him and humbly ask that He would build us up in His image. But let us not stop there – we need to take action! If we find a weakness in our lives, we need to fortify ourselves – strengthen ourselves – so that we are ready to live in His power.
"His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness..." –2 Peter 1:3He has equipped us with all things that pertain to life and godliness. Why wouldn't we claim that power and live as His children in every occasion?
How are you going to take steps to develop a fruitful life? Do any of these ingredients stand out to you specifically? Comment below!
March 6, 2017
Abiding Fulfillment
Last month I wrote a post listing some of the many Names of God. Read here. I ran through many different Names and the verses that referenced them. But now I want to take one of His Names that I ran into during my Bible reading and explore it a little bit deeper. I read this yesterday, and I do not have it all figured out...but perhaps by looking at it specifically, we will be able to understand it in a new way together. =)
John 6:35 reads,
"And Jesus said to them, 'I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.'"Bread of life...what exactly does that mean? What is this "hunger" and "thirst" referring to? Is this a physical or spiritual longing?
Earlier in this chapter, there are some notes to take into mind. John 6:1-15 is about the feeding of the five thousand. Jesus was on a mountain, surrounded by five thousand hungry, longing men. (They don't list the number of women and children...were there even more?) These people had followed Jesus "because they saw His signs which He performed on those who were diseased." They were seeking Him because of curiosity and amazement. Perhaps they were seeking healing themselves.
Together on that mountain, Jesus had the entire group sit in the grass. He took the food they had - a measly five barley loaves and two fish -, gave thanks for the food, and had the disciples distribute the feast. Miraculously, that little meal ended up satisfying the entire crowd with food to spare.
After these amazing occurrences, Jesus left and went somewhere else. Of course, the crowds couldn't resist following; they found Him again. This is when Jesus began talking about "the bread of life."
Jesus told them,
"'Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.'" - John 6:27The people were seeking instant satisfaction. They were desiring food to fill their bellies. They wanted miracles, amusement, something that would fill the longing deep inside.
Jesus offered something better.
"...My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is... - John 6:32-33The bread of God is...what?
"For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."Who is "He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world"? Isn't that Jesus Himself? Well, that sure makes sense when you remember that Jesus said, "I am the bread of life." When Jesus offers living water (see Revelation 22:17) or the bread of life, He is offering Himself.
Bread (representing food) is essential to our life. It is something we cannot live without. It brings contentment, satisfaction. When Jesus says that He is the bread of life, perhaps He is saying that He is all this?
Jesus is true contentment. Jesus is true satisfaction. Jesus is essential to our life. We cannot live without Him.
Every single person has a desire inside themselves for something more. Something that can't get stolen, destroyed, or lost. They have a longing for something much deeper. In the same way that food satisfies our appetite, we long for something to satisfy our yearning. Someone to love, cherish, and appreciate us. Someone who understands.
If this is what Jesus was meaning to say (I won't pretend to believe I have this all figured out!), that means that we, as Believers living in Christ, should have this fulfillment. And if we are living fulfilled lives, won't joy, peace, and love be evident as well?
My question to you is this: If our lives are not exhibiting these qualities, what is wrong? Are we forgetting to abide in Christ? Is our relationship with God a saber instead of conocer one? Do we have idols on the throne of our hearts?
Jesus is the bread of life. He is the only One who can bring us true satisfaction. Nothing else (possessions, popularity, achievements, etc.) can bring us that joy.
What about you? What does your life look like? Are you feasting on the bread of life or are you grabbing for stale, dirty crumbs?
Don't search for satisfaction apart from the One who can bring it.
Is Jesus our bread of life, and, if not, how can we remove the barriers in our way to allow Him to rule over our hearts? Does "bread of life" mean something different to you that what I suggested? Comment below!
February 27, 2017
If All Was Stripped Away...
A dark, wrinkled face bows low to the ground, paying homage to the only god she knows. Its terrible face looks down at her, frowning in the mid-afternoon sun. She has given up everything she can, but still, when she leaves the temple, her eyes are sunken and drop to the ground. Rags cling to her body, but they cannot cover the shame, the fear, and the loneliness. Her feet drag down the dusty street. Her shoulders rise and fall with each shallow breath, but one thought lingers deep in her mind. Do the gods hear? Do they see? Do they care? She gave them her life, and they seem to have thrown it away like the worthless trash under her feet.
On the other side of the world, a man pulls himself to his full height. His dark hair is slicked away from his forehead, and his suit coat is spotless. His square jaw loosens into a smile as he examines his newest fortune. Surely this mansion, this second home, will bring him happiness. The building towers above the tallest trees, casting a magnificent shadow on a full-sized pool, gardens that lay as far as the eye can see, and his collection of spotless vehicles. A butler opens the door, bowing his head. But as the man lays alone in a plush bed that night, the doubts creep in. Lost marriages. Fake friends. Failing businesses. Fear crawls up his spine and into his heart. It grips him with unyielding force. Would he ever find joy? Would he ever find someone who truly cared? But as the moon dipped below the horizon, the fears only grew stronger. Something was missing.
A teenage girl pushes back her chair and grins at the computer screen. Her hair falls down to her shoulders in tight curls, but she fails to notice, ecstatic over her huge success. 200 followers! What other blogger had that many people who wanted to read about herself?! She pushes back her shoulders, her blue eyes flashing in pride. Grade A student, successful blogger, the most popular girl in the school...what else could she want? She ignored the voice of her mother calling her down for dinner and placed her fingers on the keyboard. Her new goal: 250 followers. Nothing could get in her way. But when the stats rose again and she reached her goal, the success felt empty. A divorce shattered her family. What did achievements and popularity mean anyway? What was the point of life? Was there something more than this endless cycle? Would anyone remember her after she died? Suddenly, nothing seemed to matter anymore.
These three lonely people, though fictitious, represent so many around the world today. They represent every human on earth who is seeking joy apart from the True source of Joy. They represent millions of souls that are hurting, longing for someone to see, someone to care. They might have everything under control on the outside, but their hearts know otherwise.
Everyone has a master. Someone (or something) that they live for and seek joy from. Perhaps it's to make a person love them, to attain a certain amount of money, to have a certain amount of followers, to achieve a certain goal...the list goes on and on. There are so, so many things that catch our eyes, and, before we know it, we are giving our lives trying to gain that objective.
There's a name for that. The Bible calls it idolatry.
Idolatry: The worship of idols, images, or any thing made by hands, or which is not God...excessive attachment or veneration for any thing, or that which borders on adoration. (Noah Webster, 1828)While idols can indeed be a man-made object that you literally bow down before and worship (as in my first example), this is not always the case. I mean, how many people do you know actually visit a pagan temple or own idols in their home? But as I was reading a book by Randy Alcorn titled Money, Possessions, and Eternity, I realized something. He quotes A.W. Tozer:
"What do we value most? What would we most hate to lose? What do our thoughts turn to most frequently when we are free to think of what we will? And finally, what affords us the greatest pleasure?" - A.W. TozerHmm...hard questions. But really, think about them. Go back (right now!) and reread them. What do you value most? What would you most hate to loose?
Based on these questions, what is the thing you are seeking in life? What is your treasure? What is your goal in life?
If your treasure, your source of happiness is anything other than Jesus Christ, be wary. If Jesus is not your all in all, what else is sitting on the throne of your heart?
Matthew 6:24 states that no one can have two masters. You can only serve one person or goal or object. There is no alternative.
Idolatry is worshiping anything other than Jesus. This doesn't mean literal worship in the sense you may be thinking. You don't have to sing songs or bow down to something for it to be an idol. To "worship" means to give something or someone a place of honor in your life. To glorify them.
In the stories above, I mentioned three people. One worshiped idols - fake gods. The second worshiped the idol of materialism, riches, and comfort. The last worshiped the idol of success and popularity. Idolatry is loving anything more than you love God. Riches, relationships, success, comfort, sports, possessions, a job or hobby. Anything. Even religion can become an idol if your heart is in the wrong place. Do you read the Bible, pray, and serve God out of a love and passion for Him or a "check off the box" duty to make yourself feel good?
If you have an idol in your life, you will not be abiding in Christ. It will be impossible. Futile. Purposeless. You cannot serve God and yourself at the same time.
That's what it so often comes down to, doesn't it? Worshiping yourself or God? If your love for things, success, followers, popularity, or anything else is first in your life, you will not abide in Christ.
Randy Alcorn writes,
"Materialism begins with our beliefs. Not merely what we say we believe - not our docturnal statement - but the philosophy of life by which we actually live... materialism is first and foremost a matter of the heart."What (or who) are you living for?
To take this a step further, I encourage you to stop right now and watch this 3 minute clip by Leslie Ludy. It challenged me greatly in this area of life, and I think it will make you think deeper.
I don't know about you, but I desire to have a constant honeymoon with Jesus. I want love Him so much that if everything else was stripped away, it would be okay. Sadly, that is so often not the case. This world has millions of distractions. And every single one threatens to pull my attention away from the eternal to the temporary. How can we keep our focus pure and un-diverted?
I wish I had all the answers, but this is something I struggle with. How does one live life without loosing focus? How is this even possible in all the craziness, the turmoil, and the distractions?
While I struggle for answers, I know this is true. If we really want to abide in Christ - to make Him our all in all - we cannot have idols in our life.
This is my challenge to you. And not only to you, but this challenge is also for myself. Examine your life. Pray desperately, pray openly. Let God show you if something is in the way of your relationship. Ask yourself those important questions once again. What do you value the most? What is one thing that you could not give up? Where do your thoughts wander to when you are alone?
If there are any distractions, let us esteem them as rubbish and direct our gaze on what is truly important.
I end with one last quote,
"There was once in man a true happiness of which there now remain to him only the mark and empty trace, which he in vain tries to fill from all his surroundings, seeking from things absent the help he does not obtain in things present. But these are all inadequate, because the infinite abyss can only be filled by an infinite and immutable object, that is to say, only by God Himself." - Blaise Pascal
If everything was stripped away from you, would Jesus be enough? If not, what is standing in the way of having a deep, abiding, and personal relationship with Him? Comment below!
February 20, 2017
Knowing the Groom
Here I am the night before a post goes up with a completely blank screen staring at my face. I had a different post all nicely planned out, but for some reason I feel like it's not the right one for this Tuesday. So please forgive me if my words are mixed up...it's getting late over here. ;)
Last week I wrote about Who God is. I started with a list of the different Names of God and went from there. I could have covered so much more ground had I the time, the space, and the wisdom to do so. But I don't know Who God is. I know bits and pieces. I know some of His characteristics...loving, true, faithful, pure, righteous...but I don't know exactly Who He is.
Today I was reading John 17. I came upon this verse...
Using an online site called Bible Hub (I have only recently begun using this site, yet it has been very helpful in my research.), I dug deeper by looking at the text in its original Greek. The word for "knowing" is γινώσκω (ginóskó). They offer several different definitions in English, but most of them meant, "to learn to know, come to know, get a knowledge of..."
I felt like God put a thought into my head.
What if being a Christian wasn't about knowing God. What if it was about coming to know God? About constantly pushing farther, digging deeper, searching harder. What if John 17:3 read something more like: And this is eternal life, that they may come to know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.
Is it possible to know every aspect of God? Of course not! Thus, doesn't it make sense that abiding in Christ means that we are getting to know God?
Perhaps you can think of it this way. Before you get married, you take time to know your fiancé quite well, obviously. Before you say your vows to marry "until death do us part", you know the groom's beliefs, opinions, thoughts, future plans, etc. But after you marry, you get to know him much deeper. You start to learn his favorite foods, silly quirks, make inside jokes that only the two of you understand, and become best friends. At your 50th anniversary, you should truly know him by heart. Even so, you will never understand him completely. A human being is so complex and unique that it would be impossible for you to know another soul like you do yourself.
Is this a picture of our relationship with God? Before we become Christians (or marry into a relationship with Christ), we know about Jesus' sacrifice, His love, His mercy, etc. But after we take the leap of faith to pursue a relationship with Him, we discover deeper truth. We read the Bible and understand how God has been working throughout the history of the world until this day. We see Him working in our own lives. The "knowing" isn't over...it's just beginning! Yet even if you live to be 100 years old, you will never reach the point where you have "mastered" God. You will never understand Him completely. You could listen to sermons, memorize the entire Bible, go to conferences, and still badly fall short of knowing Him. Why? Because He is impossibly bigger than our minds can fathom!
As a Believer seeking to abide in Christ, we cannot stop and admire the scenery. We cannot declare our thankfulness and joy in being saved and not press on towards bigger things for His Kingdom. Our chains are gone...but if we stay in the prison cell, we aren't doing any good.
To abide in Christ, we need to be getting to know Who He is. We can't stop with our being set free. We don't meet God once and stop there. We need to be ginóskó-ing God - learning to know Who He is. It will take a lifetime (and beyond!), but wouldn't it be worth it?
How can we do that in a practical way? How can we take the first step?
Here are a few simple ideas...
Memorizing God's Word - Psalm 119:11Meditating (thinking on) God's Word and applying it - Joshua 1:8Reading God's Word - 1 Timothy 4:13Praying for that relationship - Ephesians 1:15-21, 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18Meeting with other like minded Believers - Hebrews 10:25
Those are some thoughts to start with...but these are my questions for you: How can we be learning to know Who God is? And how are YOU going to start doing that today?
I shared this quote before, but it is so true: "Christianity is not a religion; it's a relationship."
Don't worry if you don't understand Who God is completely. No one truly does! Just take a step of faith, and begin the process of coming to know Who He is.
Last week I wrote about Who God is. I started with a list of the different Names of God and went from there. I could have covered so much more ground had I the time, the space, and the wisdom to do so. But I don't know Who God is. I know bits and pieces. I know some of His characteristics...loving, true, faithful, pure, righteous...but I don't know exactly Who He is.
Today I was reading John 17. I came upon this verse...
John 17:3, "And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent."Eternal life comes through knowing God and the One He sent. But...what if we don't know Who He is? It's impossible to fully understand anyone, much less the Creator, the Great I AM, the Everlasting God? What type of "knowing" is this? Is this a Saber or a Conocer type of relationship?
Using an online site called Bible Hub (I have only recently begun using this site, yet it has been very helpful in my research.), I dug deeper by looking at the text in its original Greek. The word for "knowing" is γινώσκω (ginóskó). They offer several different definitions in English, but most of them meant, "to learn to know, come to know, get a knowledge of..."
I felt like God put a thought into my head.
What if being a Christian wasn't about knowing God. What if it was about coming to know God? About constantly pushing farther, digging deeper, searching harder. What if John 17:3 read something more like: And this is eternal life, that they may come to know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.
Is it possible to know every aspect of God? Of course not! Thus, doesn't it make sense that abiding in Christ means that we are getting to know God?
Perhaps you can think of it this way. Before you get married, you take time to know your fiancé quite well, obviously. Before you say your vows to marry "until death do us part", you know the groom's beliefs, opinions, thoughts, future plans, etc. But after you marry, you get to know him much deeper. You start to learn his favorite foods, silly quirks, make inside jokes that only the two of you understand, and become best friends. At your 50th anniversary, you should truly know him by heart. Even so, you will never understand him completely. A human being is so complex and unique that it would be impossible for you to know another soul like you do yourself.
Is this a picture of our relationship with God? Before we become Christians (or marry into a relationship with Christ), we know about Jesus' sacrifice, His love, His mercy, etc. But after we take the leap of faith to pursue a relationship with Him, we discover deeper truth. We read the Bible and understand how God has been working throughout the history of the world until this day. We see Him working in our own lives. The "knowing" isn't over...it's just beginning! Yet even if you live to be 100 years old, you will never reach the point where you have "mastered" God. You will never understand Him completely. You could listen to sermons, memorize the entire Bible, go to conferences, and still badly fall short of knowing Him. Why? Because He is impossibly bigger than our minds can fathom!
As a Believer seeking to abide in Christ, we cannot stop and admire the scenery. We cannot declare our thankfulness and joy in being saved and not press on towards bigger things for His Kingdom. Our chains are gone...but if we stay in the prison cell, we aren't doing any good.
To abide in Christ, we need to be getting to know Who He is. We can't stop with our being set free. We don't meet God once and stop there. We need to be ginóskó-ing God - learning to know Who He is. It will take a lifetime (and beyond!), but wouldn't it be worth it?
How can we do that in a practical way? How can we take the first step?
Here are a few simple ideas...
Memorizing God's Word - Psalm 119:11Meditating (thinking on) God's Word and applying it - Joshua 1:8Reading God's Word - 1 Timothy 4:13Praying for that relationship - Ephesians 1:15-21, 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18Meeting with other like minded Believers - Hebrews 10:25
Those are some thoughts to start with...but these are my questions for you: How can we be learning to know Who God is? And how are YOU going to start doing that today?
I shared this quote before, but it is so true: "Christianity is not a religion; it's a relationship."
Don't worry if you don't understand Who God is completely. No one truly does! Just take a step of faith, and begin the process of coming to know Who He is.
February 13, 2017
Eternal Infinite Sovereign
Abiding in Christ.
I have been noticing that abiding is much harder than I first imagined. Keeping my eyes on God 24/7 feels impossible. How can I give up everything for Him? And...why would I choose to do that?
Then I realized something.
If we truly knew Who God is, we wouldn't think twice about placing our lives completely into His hands. The problem is...we don't know Who He is. It's beyond our imagination. Our brains are complex and amazing, but this is bigger than we can comprehend.
"In the beginning, GOD..."
Four words. But those four words changed the universe. God has been here from the beginning. Actually, He was here before the beginning. He is eternal. Infinite. Sovereign.
We can't fit Him into a box, try as we might. But if we want to truly abide in Christ, shouldn't we at least know who He is? Shouldn't we be familiar with His personality, His characteristics, His Names?
A name is important. By it we can remember people, animals, things. But a name also holds deeper meaning that (quite often!) describes what that person is like.
We need to know God's Names if we want to get to know Him. Thus, I sat down and wrote a list of every Name of God that I could think of. I referenced my Bible for help. I used my index. I looked at charts. And I know that I still missed plenty! Even so, perhaps this list of some of the Names of God will allow you to realize a little better Who He is. Perhaps you will get a better picture of how awesome, how loving, and how wise He is. I encourage you to make your own list...and pray through it. How do these aspects of God apply to me? Take them, one at a time, and soak in the goodness of God. He truly is beyond our imagination.
I know this is long...God has many Names! (and now that I found an online list, I can see dozens more that I didn't find in my first search!) But if you truly want to know Who He is, take some time and thank Him. Thank Him for being our Savior, our Redeemer, our Father, our Teacher...our Friend...
God. The Supreme Bring; Jehovah; the eternal and infinite Spirit; the Creator, and the Sovereign of the universe. (Noah Webster dictionary)
Psalm 90:2, "Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever You had formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God."
Isaiah 26:4, "Trust in the Lord forever, for in YAH, the Lord, is everlasting strength."
Yahweh - Jehovah. "The existing One" (it is said that many religious Jews would not even pronounce this Name because it was so holy. So powerful. They esteemed it that highly. Wow...what an example. And we have the audacity to utter His name in vain?!)
I AM. Exodus 3:14-15, "And God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM." And He said, "Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you.'" Moreover God said to Moses, "Thus you shall say to the children of Israel: 'The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is My name forever, and this is My memorial to all generations.'""
Shield, Horn of my Salvation, Stronghold, Refuge, and Savior. 2 Samuel 22:3, "The God of my strength, in whom I will trust; my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge; my Savior, You save me from violence."
Maker. Job 4:17, "Can a mortal be more righteous than God? Can a man be more pure than his Maker?"
Redeemer. Job 19:25, "For I know that my Redeemer lives, and He shall stand at last on the earth;"
Lord Most High. Psalm 7:17, "I will praise the Lord according to His righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High."
Father to the Fatherless and the Defender of Widows. Psalm 68:5, "A father of the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in His holy habitation."
Holy One of Israel. Psalm 71:22, "Also with the lute I will praise You — And Your faithfulness, O my God! To You I will sing with the harp, O Holy One of Israel."
Judge. Psalm 75:7, "But God is the Judge: He puts down one, and exalts another."
Teacher. Isaiah 2:3, "Many people shall come and say, 'Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, and we shall walk in His paths.' For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem."
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father and Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6, "...And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."
Creator. Isaiah 40:28, "Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable."
The Mighty One of Jacob. Isaiah 60:16, "...You shall know that I, the Lord, am your Savior and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob."
Potter. Isaiah 64:8, "But now, O Lord, You are our Father; We are the clay, and You our potter; and all we are the work of Your hand."
Immanuel. Matthew 1:23, "Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a Son, and they shall call His name 'Immanuel,' which is translated, 'God with us.'"
The Christ and the Son of God. Matthew 16:16, "Simon Peter answered and said, 'You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.'"
Son of Man. Matthew 18:11, "For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost."
Servant. Matthew 20:28, "Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
Jesus, the King of the Jews. Matthew 27:11, "Now Jesus stood before the governor. And the governor asked Him, saying, 'Are You the King of the Jews?' Jesus said to him, 'It is as you say.'"
Prophet of the Highest and the Dayspring. Luke 1:76-78, "'And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest; for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways, to give knowledge of salvation to His people by the remission of their sins, through the tender mercy of our God, with which the Dayspring from on high has visited us;"
Word of God. John 1:1-2, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God."
Messiah. John 1:41, "He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, 'We have found the Messiah' (which is translated, the Christ)."
Bread of Life. John 6:35, "And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst."
Light of the World. John 8:12, "Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, 'I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.'"
Door of the Sheep. John 10:7, "Then Jesus said to them again, 'Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.'"
Good Shepherd. John 10:11, "'I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.'"
Resurrection and the Life. John 11:25, "Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.'"
The Way, the Truth, and the Life. John 14:6, "Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.'"
Our Helper and the Holy Spirit. John 14:26, "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you."
Vine. John 15:5, "'I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.'"
Friend. John 15:14, "You are My friends if you do whatever I command you."
Our Father. Ephesians 4:6, "...one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all."
Author of Eternal Salvation. Hebrews 5:9, "And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him."
Love. 1 John 4:8, "He who does not love does not know God, for God is love."
Lord of lords and King of kings. Revelation 17:14, "...for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful."
Faithful and True. Revelation 19:11, "Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True..."
Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last. Revelation 22:13 "'I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last."'
The Root and the Offspring of David and the Bright and Morning Star. Revelation 22:16, "'I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.'"
Can you share other Names of God that I failed to put on this list? Which Name stands out the most to you in this time of life? Why do you think God has so many names? Comment below!
I have been noticing that abiding is much harder than I first imagined. Keeping my eyes on God 24/7 feels impossible. How can I give up everything for Him? And...why would I choose to do that?
Then I realized something.
If we truly knew Who God is, we wouldn't think twice about placing our lives completely into His hands. The problem is...we don't know Who He is. It's beyond our imagination. Our brains are complex and amazing, but this is bigger than we can comprehend.
"In the beginning, GOD..."
Four words. But those four words changed the universe. God has been here from the beginning. Actually, He was here before the beginning. He is eternal. Infinite. Sovereign.
We can't fit Him into a box, try as we might. But if we want to truly abide in Christ, shouldn't we at least know who He is? Shouldn't we be familiar with His personality, His characteristics, His Names?
A name is important. By it we can remember people, animals, things. But a name also holds deeper meaning that (quite often!) describes what that person is like.
We need to know God's Names if we want to get to know Him. Thus, I sat down and wrote a list of every Name of God that I could think of. I referenced my Bible for help. I used my index. I looked at charts. And I know that I still missed plenty! Even so, perhaps this list of some of the Names of God will allow you to realize a little better Who He is. Perhaps you will get a better picture of how awesome, how loving, and how wise He is. I encourage you to make your own list...and pray through it. How do these aspects of God apply to me? Take them, one at a time, and soak in the goodness of God. He truly is beyond our imagination.
I know this is long...God has many Names! (and now that I found an online list, I can see dozens more that I didn't find in my first search!) But if you truly want to know Who He is, take some time and thank Him. Thank Him for being our Savior, our Redeemer, our Father, our Teacher...our Friend...
God. The Supreme Bring; Jehovah; the eternal and infinite Spirit; the Creator, and the Sovereign of the universe. (Noah Webster dictionary)
Psalm 90:2, "Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever You had formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God."
Isaiah 26:4, "Trust in the Lord forever, for in YAH, the Lord, is everlasting strength."
Yahweh - Jehovah. "The existing One" (it is said that many religious Jews would not even pronounce this Name because it was so holy. So powerful. They esteemed it that highly. Wow...what an example. And we have the audacity to utter His name in vain?!)
I AM. Exodus 3:14-15, "And God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM." And He said, "Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you.'" Moreover God said to Moses, "Thus you shall say to the children of Israel: 'The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is My name forever, and this is My memorial to all generations.'""
Shield, Horn of my Salvation, Stronghold, Refuge, and Savior. 2 Samuel 22:3, "The God of my strength, in whom I will trust; my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge; my Savior, You save me from violence."
Maker. Job 4:17, "Can a mortal be more righteous than God? Can a man be more pure than his Maker?"
Redeemer. Job 19:25, "For I know that my Redeemer lives, and He shall stand at last on the earth;"
Lord Most High. Psalm 7:17, "I will praise the Lord according to His righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High."
Father to the Fatherless and the Defender of Widows. Psalm 68:5, "A father of the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in His holy habitation."
Holy One of Israel. Psalm 71:22, "Also with the lute I will praise You — And Your faithfulness, O my God! To You I will sing with the harp, O Holy One of Israel."
Judge. Psalm 75:7, "But God is the Judge: He puts down one, and exalts another."
Teacher. Isaiah 2:3, "Many people shall come and say, 'Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, and we shall walk in His paths.' For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem."
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father and Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6, "...And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."
Creator. Isaiah 40:28, "Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable."
The Mighty One of Jacob. Isaiah 60:16, "...You shall know that I, the Lord, am your Savior and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob."
Potter. Isaiah 64:8, "But now, O Lord, You are our Father; We are the clay, and You our potter; and all we are the work of Your hand."
Immanuel. Matthew 1:23, "Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a Son, and they shall call His name 'Immanuel,' which is translated, 'God with us.'"
The Christ and the Son of God. Matthew 16:16, "Simon Peter answered and said, 'You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.'"
Son of Man. Matthew 18:11, "For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost."
Servant. Matthew 20:28, "Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
Jesus, the King of the Jews. Matthew 27:11, "Now Jesus stood before the governor. And the governor asked Him, saying, 'Are You the King of the Jews?' Jesus said to him, 'It is as you say.'"
Prophet of the Highest and the Dayspring. Luke 1:76-78, "'And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest; for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways, to give knowledge of salvation to His people by the remission of their sins, through the tender mercy of our God, with which the Dayspring from on high has visited us;"
Word of God. John 1:1-2, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God."
Messiah. John 1:41, "He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, 'We have found the Messiah' (which is translated, the Christ)."
Bread of Life. John 6:35, "And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst."
Light of the World. John 8:12, "Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, 'I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.'"
Door of the Sheep. John 10:7, "Then Jesus said to them again, 'Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.'"
Good Shepherd. John 10:11, "'I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.'"
Resurrection and the Life. John 11:25, "Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.'"
The Way, the Truth, and the Life. John 14:6, "Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.'"
Our Helper and the Holy Spirit. John 14:26, "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you."
Vine. John 15:5, "'I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.'"
Friend. John 15:14, "You are My friends if you do whatever I command you."
Our Father. Ephesians 4:6, "...one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all."
Author of Eternal Salvation. Hebrews 5:9, "And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him."
Love. 1 John 4:8, "He who does not love does not know God, for God is love."
Lord of lords and King of kings. Revelation 17:14, "...for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful."
Faithful and True. Revelation 19:11, "Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True..."
Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last. Revelation 22:13 "'I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last."'
The Root and the Offspring of David and the Bright and Morning Star. Revelation 22:16, "'I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.'"
Can you share other Names of God that I failed to put on this list? Which Name stands out the most to you in this time of life? Why do you think God has so many names? Comment below!
February 6, 2017
Saber | Conocer
Hello Readers! I'm back from my blogging-fast! This was a much-needed rest, and I feel more energized to step back into the world of writing. =) January was a crazy, fast-paced month with school starting up again, editing/being an early reader for some author friends, living life, and striving to keep focus on Jesus during the busy times. I don't know how I could have taken time to add blogging on top of all of that...this break was wonderful. =) And while I don't know exactly what the future holds for Having a Heart Like His or if God has plans that I don't see yet, I am excited to be on here again with you all. Thus, let's jump right into the new blogging series that has been on my heart for the past weeks!
Languages hold secrets. Mysteries that once discovered shed light on the truth. Meanings that are deeper than just the outward appearance.
But sometimes those deeper meanings are just confusing. I have been learning Spanish for at least eight years, and I still haven't mastered it. Some words seem to mean the exact same thing, but they have slight differences; you can't mix them up. It's frustrating. I stared at these two words wondering what in the world was the difference: Saber and Conocer. They are both verbs that mean "to know." So what's the difference? Why can't they be reversible? Can't I just use whichever one I want? But then my friend Lydia explained it to me. And underneath the Spanish words were a deeper meaning that made me think. They inspired me.
The definition of the Spanish word saber is "to know." ) But that is only the surface. Saber means to know a fact. To know a skill. You could say that you saber how to swim. It's the basic word for knowledge.
The definition of conocer is also "to know." Yet it has a much deeper meaning. Conocer is to know something intimately. It means that you know someone personally. You don't just know their name, their favorite color, and their birthday. You know them.
Here's an example. I saber (know of) Chris Tomlin. I know his name. I know that he is a music artist, and I could recognize his songs. I know what he looks like. But do I really know him? Of course not! However I conocer (know personally) my mom. I know not only her name but also what she looks like, her favorite color, her pet peeves, her struggles and worries, her love languages, etc. I know a lot about her. I have spent time with her, and I know her personally. Deeply.
Perhaps these are still just two words for you. Perhaps the meaning doesn't impact you like it did me. But it made me look at things differently.
What would it be like if our relationship with God wasn't just a saber relationship? What if we truly knew God in a conocer way? Imagine if we didn't just know of God but we knew Him as a friend?
Knowing that there is a God isn't enough. (see James 2:19) Knowing the Bible isn't enough. Knowing how to be a Christian isn't enough.
I don't remember who said this, but it is so true. "Christianity is not a religion; it's a relationship."
It's a relationship between a person and God. It doesn't involve your parents, your friends, or anyone else. Christianity is YOU and GOD.
The Bible has a term that I have been studying for several weeks. We can't just call ourselves Christians. We need to be abiding in Christ. Our lives need to be revolving around Him. We should live each day with our eyes focused on our Savior. Our own desires, plans, and dreams should be dim and lifeless because we are so enamored with Jesus Christ.
I haven't mastered this. I struggle to abide in Christ continually. My eyes often loose focus; my feet often stumble. I live in my own strength and fall short so many times. This isn't about me. It's about Christ. It's about a relationship.
Because this is something I want to dig deeper into (and I hope you do too!), I want to truly discover what abiding means. Over the next few weeks, months, or as long as it takes, I want my life to be changed. I want us together as sisters and brothers in Christ to press on together to become more than saber Christians. I want to conocer God. I want to know Him deeply and intimately. I want to understand what abiding is and live that out.
I don't know what will happen on this blog as we explore this topic...but I want my life to change. I want my relationship with God to deepen. I hope you will join me.
Is your relationship with God deep or only on the surface? Do you saber or conocer God? How can we practice abiding in Christ as a lifestyle? Comment below!
*note If you are a Spanish-speaker and see a flaw in my use of these Spanish terms, please let me know. I am a beginner and am open to learning more. =)
Languages hold secrets. Mysteries that once discovered shed light on the truth. Meanings that are deeper than just the outward appearance.
But sometimes those deeper meanings are just confusing. I have been learning Spanish for at least eight years, and I still haven't mastered it. Some words seem to mean the exact same thing, but they have slight differences; you can't mix them up. It's frustrating. I stared at these two words wondering what in the world was the difference: Saber and Conocer. They are both verbs that mean "to know." So what's the difference? Why can't they be reversible? Can't I just use whichever one I want? But then my friend Lydia explained it to me. And underneath the Spanish words were a deeper meaning that made me think. They inspired me.
The definition of the Spanish word saber is "to know." ) But that is only the surface. Saber means to know a fact. To know a skill. You could say that you saber how to swim. It's the basic word for knowledge.
The definition of conocer is also "to know." Yet it has a much deeper meaning. Conocer is to know something intimately. It means that you know someone personally. You don't just know their name, their favorite color, and their birthday. You know them.
Here's an example. I saber (know of) Chris Tomlin. I know his name. I know that he is a music artist, and I could recognize his songs. I know what he looks like. But do I really know him? Of course not! However I conocer (know personally) my mom. I know not only her name but also what she looks like, her favorite color, her pet peeves, her struggles and worries, her love languages, etc. I know a lot about her. I have spent time with her, and I know her personally. Deeply.
Perhaps these are still just two words for you. Perhaps the meaning doesn't impact you like it did me. But it made me look at things differently.
What would it be like if our relationship with God wasn't just a saber relationship? What if we truly knew God in a conocer way? Imagine if we didn't just know of God but we knew Him as a friend?
Knowing that there is a God isn't enough. (see James 2:19) Knowing the Bible isn't enough. Knowing how to be a Christian isn't enough.
I don't remember who said this, but it is so true. "Christianity is not a religion; it's a relationship."
It's a relationship between a person and God. It doesn't involve your parents, your friends, or anyone else. Christianity is YOU and GOD.
The Bible has a term that I have been studying for several weeks. We can't just call ourselves Christians. We need to be abiding in Christ. Our lives need to be revolving around Him. We should live each day with our eyes focused on our Savior. Our own desires, plans, and dreams should be dim and lifeless because we are so enamored with Jesus Christ.
I haven't mastered this. I struggle to abide in Christ continually. My eyes often loose focus; my feet often stumble. I live in my own strength and fall short so many times. This isn't about me. It's about Christ. It's about a relationship.
Because this is something I want to dig deeper into (and I hope you do too!), I want to truly discover what abiding means. Over the next few weeks, months, or as long as it takes, I want my life to be changed. I want us together as sisters and brothers in Christ to press on together to become more than saber Christians. I want to conocer God. I want to know Him deeply and intimately. I want to understand what abiding is and live that out.
I don't know what will happen on this blog as we explore this topic...but I want my life to change. I want my relationship with God to deepen. I hope you will join me.
Is your relationship with God deep or only on the surface? Do you saber or conocer God? How can we practice abiding in Christ as a lifestyle? Comment below!
*note If you are a Spanish-speaker and see a flaw in my use of these Spanish terms, please let me know. I am a beginner and am open to learning more. =)
January 26, 2017
Left to Die Release!
After almost a month away from the blogging world, I have returned for one quick post that I am very excited about!! Presenting...
After reading Ivy's first book, The Old River Road (see my review here), I was overjoyed when she asked me to be a Beta reader of this new masterpiece! *clasps hands together* And now it is about to be released! I'm so excited for you all to finally hold Ivy's book in your own hands. =) Now, you're probably wondering what this is all about...?
Lindy Greene’s life is perfect. Too perfect. But living as a missionary nurse, serving in a small hospital in China, soon brings the disaster she fearfully anticipates. All of her well-thought-out plans for the future disintegrate after pulling a fatally ill, disfigured, abandoned child from a pile of trash. She doesn’t even like babies.Nathan Thomas can’t find balance. College suited him just fine until his cash ran out, forcing him to the Chinese mission field with his parents. The chaotic atmosphere in China does little to relax his agitated mind, and the pretty blonde nurse at the hospital does nothing to help him focus.The Chinese mission field isn’t for the faint of heart. Nathan wonders how he can survive his remaining time there, while Lindy struggles to help everyone she can. With different ideals pulling them in separate directions, there is one thing drawing them together: a tiny, sickly, crippled orphan who relies on them to stay alive.
Find on Goodreads ~ Find on Amazon
My Review:
Many years ago, my mom told me about the plight of orphans overseas. Stories of babies who lay in their crib for years - never feeling loving arms around them. Children who didn't cry anymore because they knew that no one cared. It pulled a cord in my heart. It made me want to reach out and help them in some way. I wish I could hold just one of those precious children in my arms and tell him that he was loved. That someone cared.
Ivy Rose has experienced those emotions first-hand. She pours out her care for these children in Left to Die. This story is about a little babe in China who touches two young people's lives, but it represents so much more.
Needless to say, I loved this book. It re-opened my longing to help orphan children across the world. I fell in love with the abandoned baby in Ivy's story. ♥ (I might be envious that Lindy found the baby, not me...) The writing style is simple and beautiful. Through this novella you will be challenged to love the abandoned and reach out your own arms to someone who desperately longs for someone who cares. I am so excited for this book to be released! Even though the story-line was a little bit predictable, it is a lovely novella that I will remember for years to come. And yes, please do read it when it comes out!! =)
Aaand...I got to interview Ivy Rose!! =)
Interview:
1. Hello Ivy! What was the hardest part of writing/editing/publishing Left to Die, and how did you overcome it?
This book has been one of the smoothest, easiest, non-hair-pulling books I’ve ever written! I don’t remember a particularly rough patch in the writing or editing part. Publishing has been different than with my first book because this time, I decided to do the formatting myself. It was a bit of a learning curve, but I’m glad I did it and learned a new skill!
2. Can you share some back-story about Left to Die and how this new story comes from your heart?
Left to Die is very special to me for many reasons, but mainly because my one and only sister is from China. When my family went there to get her almost ten years ago, I got to see firsthand the poverty and hopelessness of the country, but the memories that stick are the ones from when we visited the orphanage my sister had lived in her entire two years of life. I wanted to take all 50 babies and children home with me that day. Walking away from that institution was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done—the memories are some of the most difficult to recall. Though I still wish I could get all of those sick and hurting babies out of there, I can’t. I never can get all of them. But my hope with Left to Die is to raise awareness for the worldwide orphan crisis and help more orphans find their forever families.
3. What is your favorite part of being an author?
My favorite part is all the wonderful people I get to meet! I love chatting, emailing, talking…I love people! Meeting new friends is always so much fun!!!
About the Author:
Ivy rose is an 18 year old history lover and literary enthusiast. Aside from writing, she enjoys being outdoors, eating chocolate, travelling, reading, and doing TaeKwonDo. She resides with her family of 9 on the banks of the Long Lake in eastern Washington.She can also be found at various places on the internet: Blog
Pinterest
Goodreads
Instagram
Left to Die Prize Pack
Hmm? Thoughts? Are you excited!? =)
After reading Ivy's first book, The Old River Road (see my review here), I was overjoyed when she asked me to be a Beta reader of this new masterpiece! *clasps hands together* And now it is about to be released! I'm so excited for you all to finally hold Ivy's book in your own hands. =) Now, you're probably wondering what this is all about...?
Lindy Greene’s life is perfect. Too perfect. But living as a missionary nurse, serving in a small hospital in China, soon brings the disaster she fearfully anticipates. All of her well-thought-out plans for the future disintegrate after pulling a fatally ill, disfigured, abandoned child from a pile of trash. She doesn’t even like babies.Nathan Thomas can’t find balance. College suited him just fine until his cash ran out, forcing him to the Chinese mission field with his parents. The chaotic atmosphere in China does little to relax his agitated mind, and the pretty blonde nurse at the hospital does nothing to help him focus.The Chinese mission field isn’t for the faint of heart. Nathan wonders how he can survive his remaining time there, while Lindy struggles to help everyone she can. With different ideals pulling them in separate directions, there is one thing drawing them together: a tiny, sickly, crippled orphan who relies on them to stay alive.Find on Goodreads ~ Find on Amazon
My Review:
Many years ago, my mom told me about the plight of orphans overseas. Stories of babies who lay in their crib for years - never feeling loving arms around them. Children who didn't cry anymore because they knew that no one cared. It pulled a cord in my heart. It made me want to reach out and help them in some way. I wish I could hold just one of those precious children in my arms and tell him that he was loved. That someone cared.
Ivy Rose has experienced those emotions first-hand. She pours out her care for these children in Left to Die. This story is about a little babe in China who touches two young people's lives, but it represents so much more.
Needless to say, I loved this book. It re-opened my longing to help orphan children across the world. I fell in love with the abandoned baby in Ivy's story. ♥ (I might be envious that Lindy found the baby, not me...) The writing style is simple and beautiful. Through this novella you will be challenged to love the abandoned and reach out your own arms to someone who desperately longs for someone who cares. I am so excited for this book to be released! Even though the story-line was a little bit predictable, it is a lovely novella that I will remember for years to come. And yes, please do read it when it comes out!! =)
Aaand...I got to interview Ivy Rose!! =)
Interview:
1. Hello Ivy! What was the hardest part of writing/editing/publishing Left to Die, and how did you overcome it?
This book has been one of the smoothest, easiest, non-hair-pulling books I’ve ever written! I don’t remember a particularly rough patch in the writing or editing part. Publishing has been different than with my first book because this time, I decided to do the formatting myself. It was a bit of a learning curve, but I’m glad I did it and learned a new skill!
2. Can you share some back-story about Left to Die and how this new story comes from your heart?
Left to Die is very special to me for many reasons, but mainly because my one and only sister is from China. When my family went there to get her almost ten years ago, I got to see firsthand the poverty and hopelessness of the country, but the memories that stick are the ones from when we visited the orphanage my sister had lived in her entire two years of life. I wanted to take all 50 babies and children home with me that day. Walking away from that institution was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done—the memories are some of the most difficult to recall. Though I still wish I could get all of those sick and hurting babies out of there, I can’t. I never can get all of them. But my hope with Left to Die is to raise awareness for the worldwide orphan crisis and help more orphans find their forever families.
3. What is your favorite part of being an author?
My favorite part is all the wonderful people I get to meet! I love chatting, emailing, talking…I love people! Meeting new friends is always so much fun!!!
About the Author:Ivy rose is an 18 year old history lover and literary enthusiast. Aside from writing, she enjoys being outdoors, eating chocolate, travelling, reading, and doing TaeKwonDo. She resides with her family of 9 on the banks of the Long Lake in eastern Washington.She can also be found at various places on the internet: Blog
Goodreads
Left to Die Prize Pack
Hmm? Thoughts? Are you excited!? =)
