Rachel Hauck's Blog, page 8

Are We Really Innocent?

I started Elie Wiesel’s “Night” a few days ago.

I haven’t gotten very far. I read ahead and came across some scenes I’m not sure I want to read in detail.

The Nazi’s treatment of prisoners is sickening. Haunting.

The images his story, and others like his, create don’t dismiss easily from my mind.

Hubby read an account of a 13-yearold Pakistani girl who was gang rapped then married to one of the rapist who then poured battery acid down her throat because she wasn’t a virgin at their wedding.

The image haunts him.

When I was 14 I discovered my father’s WW2 history books and read pages and pages about the Nazi concentration camps, their experimental hospitals, and their over all distain for life.

It has never left me. Only fades into the back of my soul.

So as I read about Wiesel, a devout Jew as a young teen, who studied the Talmud and fasted for the revelation of the Messiah, being carted off to a concentration camp, I wondered if he would ever come to the knowledge of the truth.

He wonders why he survived the camp. He claimed he was weak and in the opening of the book, he exemplifies his “weakness” by telling how he refused to comfort his dying father for fear of the SS.

So why did he survive?

Could it be for his fasting and seeking the Messiah? That he lived to discover the Messiah? I don’t know… Just musing.

But as I ended reading for the day, I wondered aloud to God, “Why did You allow it?” (The Holocaust.)

All those Jews, and other “undesirables” in Nazi estimation, summary killed, starved, tortured, treated so inhumanely… all those innocents…

Since the way of salvation for all mankind is the Jewish God-Man Jesus, the Christ, (John 3:16) what about those who didn’t know? Or never heard of Jesus?

Paul writes that the Jews are blinded for the “time of the Gentiles?”

I said to God, “Why? I don’t understand.”

Hear: “Will you let this sort of thing happen to me?” (Doesn’t life always boil down to me and mine?)

I don’t fear death. I know where I’m going. I have a relationship with the Redeemer. I know Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. I put my faith in Him!

But I don’t want to be carted off to a camp, starved to death or beaten.

Fear. Such an enemy of love. But that’s for another blog post.

As I drove home this morning from an errand. I asked the Lord again, “Help me understand.”

I know He’s holy. And His ways are above me but I believe He loves to reveal Himself to us.

This thought returned to me on the edge of my question.

“You think that they are innocent…”

Ah, right. A bit of understanding dawned.

We, in our weak human frame, want to believe we’re all innocent and basically good. I do not think God sent the Jews to the death camps.

I don’t. But there’s a clear case that He allowed it.

Or perhaps “we” allowed it. People. Believers even. We didn’t speak up. We were not in a place of prayer to understand the times in which we lived.

The German and European Christians did not recognize Hitler’s character until it was too late.

Hubby spoke on wisdom this past Sunday. He referenced Daniel, who “recognized” the end of the 70 years prophesied by Jeremiah because he’d been a man of prayer and the Word. He studied. Sought.

Oh, I said to Hubby later, may we be a Daniel generation. Seeking. Understanding. Praying.

But as to our innocence before God, no matter how we live or die, Scripture assures us only One was and is innocent. Jesus the Christ.

“All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23

We are all guilty!

This year I’ve been thinking that no one will be able to stand before the Lord and say, “Yeah, well, You owe me.”

He’s not going to owe truth, knowledge, redemption to anyone!

When we stand before the judgment seat, (2 Cor 5:10) it will be to account for ourselves. Not God accounting for Himself to us.

Talk about haunting.

I came across this article as I searched for collaboration on my thinking.

From Christian Post.

What about the innocent native in Africa who has never heard about God? How can God hold him accountable for what he didn’t even know?

These are some of the questions Pastor J. D. Greear of The Summit church in Durham, N.C. has received.

His response: “The innocent native in Africa doesn’t exist.”

“There are two ways that every human being everywhere has been made aware of God: the first is the glory and beauty of creation that teaches us that there is a Creator … We look up instinctively and we know that we don’t come from nowhere,” he preached that Sunday.

Second, people know innately that there’s a sense of right and wrong and that’s a strong indication that there is a Lawgiver to whom everyone will ultimately answer to.

With that, Greear continued, all people know about God. But they suppress the truth.

“No one is righteous,” the N.C. pastor stated. “We reject God’s rule; … we resent Him; we want to make the rules, not submit to Him.

“All people are guilty before God … We are not condemned because we haven’t heard about Jesus … but because we have rejected the rule of God.”

The wrath of God only comes on people because of the suppression of truth so in the case of babies and the mentally challenged, there is no knowledge of truth and thus there can be no suppression, and thus no condemnation, he noted.

To be honest, I’m not sure “suppression of knowledge” is a plumb line for condemnation, but I’m not going to trust the faithful Creator in doing what is right. 1 Peter 4:19.

I know God is just. With all men, women and children.

This I know… despot the horrors of the world (which should waken up everyone to the reality of people are NOT basically good. If they were, why so many horrors? Where did the horror come from?) God is love. 1 John 4:8.

God is good. Mark 10:8. “And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone.”

Psalm 53:1 “The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God,” They are corrupt, and have committed abominable injustice; There is no one who does good.”

So when I’m questioning and wondering, not understanding I remember two core things: God is love and God is good.

I can trust Him.

And I know I am not innocent? Not by a long shot. But the God of love and goodness gave me a way of escape through Jesus. I believe.

And I pray to be a light to a dark world starting with my neighbors, my community.

I don’t pretend to understand all of His ways and I will never say emphatically His treatment of those who have no knowledge of the truth, but I DO have the knowledge.

And I must live accordingly. I must share the Good News.

What about you?

Are We Really Innocent?
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Writing Process Blog

Serena Chase over at Edgy Inspirational Romance tagged me in her blog hop about the Writing Process so here I am, writing about writing!

I did one of these recently but what the heck, let’s do it again.

Here’s how it works: the blog hop proposes questions and I answer them.

Fair enough? Okay, let’s go.

 

Q: What am I writing right now?

A: Technically, this blog but no one likes a smart aleck so I’ll say I just finished the rewrite on How To Catch A Prince, the third book in the Royal Wedding Series and am about to start a new novel called The Wedding Chapel.

Look for How To Catch A Prince in February 2015!

Q: How does your work differ from others in your genre?

A: Wow, great question. I’m not really sure other than I typically have a little bit more going on than just the romance though that is key. I also have a strong family dynamic and a supernatural element. I like to “show” how God works in our lives with a physical manifestation or object.

I use a lot of dialog to build tension.

My heroines always have a career. I use that as a way to add tension.

Q: Why do I write what I write?

A: I’m assuming this means “why do I write romance?” I don’t know other than I love a good romantic story, the hope and joy of love and commitment. I’m such a Pollyanna.

I also felt it was important as an author starting out to pick a genre and stick with it. Romance is the number one genre and since I gravitated toward romantic books and movies anyway, I decided to commit to writing it.

I write trade romance (long books) because I don’t have to follow all of the genre rules. I like to layer in extra story lines or emotional hooks. Or like with the royal books, I added a lot of made up history that mirrored the real history of early 20th century Europe.

Q: How does your writing process work?

A: An inspired, great idea, lots of musing and thinking, pondering, research, making random statements to my husband without any preamble so he has no idea what I’m talking about, planning, using my plot and character tools to hack out a story idea, phone call with my writing partner Susan May Warren, more character and plot work, a bit of angst, burst of inspiration, writing a synopsis which is just “telling myself the story,” a convo with my editor, euphoria, pondering, thinking, pondering, thinking, writing like a mad woman with my hair on fire, a wave of angst, butt-in-chair, angst, multiple calls to my Susie or Beth Vogt, waking up in the middle of the night wondering if I can do it, spin class where I get GREAT ideas, butt-in-chair, 2500 words per day, mid-story research, beating back panic, wondering if I’ll ever be a good story teller, Facebook time, Facebook time, Facebook time, and more Facebook time.

Oh, you mean the real writing process? Once I know the idea and my publisher has buy-in, I do a lot of character and plot work. Because the external journey impacts the internal journey which is really what the story is about.

I “tell myself the story” by writing the synopsis. Try to catch the cliche’s and holes at this point. But some won’t be discovered until I’m writing.

I imagine the beginning, middle and end, and what kind of epiphany and journey the characters will take.

I look for symbols and metaphor than I can weave into the spiritual journey. For all the royal books there was a fairytale aspect that needed to be layered in.

Calculating backwards from my deadline, I figure how many words I need to write a day to get the first draft done. Once it’s done, I rewrite the book, sometimes from scratch. But I know the story, I know what I want to do, and the rewriting process goes quickly.

I research in the beginning but a lot of times I pause for mid writing research. But the goal is to always make the word count and keep writing forward.

Maybe I’ll even grab a book on writing and in a flash of panic, start reading to figure out what I’m supposed to be doing. Ha!

So there you have it. Check out Serena’s post and hop on over to the other blogs!

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Authors At Work

I was tagged by the lovely Dani Pettrey to participate in an author’s blog roll, writers talking about their books, their work space and motivation.

Thanks for stopping by and seeing how we do things at the Hauck House.

 

What am I working on?

Funny you should ask? I’m finally finishing the rewrites on the third Royal Wedding Book, “How To Catch A Prince.”

This book really kicked my backside. I could never land the concept to my liking. Then in January I had a few physical issues that added stress to the writing process. For the first time in my full time writing career (10 years this August) I turned in a book unfinished!

But my lovely editor, Becky Philpott, found the gems and encouraged me along the way. “This is not bad. In fact, it’s pretty good. You can fix this.”

I’ve found my mojo with this piece. My physical issue has subsided. Praise God! And I’m off to the races.

Look for “How To Catch A Prince” March 2015.

But before then, my next novella, “A Brush With Love” releases in January 2015.

How does my work differ from others of its genre?

Wow, what a great question. I write in the romance genre but I skirt some of the more strident “rules” of romance. While the hero-heroine relationship is central to my stories, I often have a strong layer with each character about other issues in their life.

So their only problem is not the romance but some other life aspect. I like complications.

I also write with strong family dynamics as well as some supernatural element.

Why do I write what I do?

I say you write who you are, not what you know. I’m a Pollyanna. I love Happily Ever After. I gravitate to romantic comedies and love stories.

I write down home family dynamics because that’s the way I was raised. I write supernatural elements because I love exploring the aspects of God that are not confined to our five senses.

I write in the Inspirational market because I want to tell stories about people who encounter a real, true, living God.

How does my writing process work?

Other than with How To Catch A Prince where my initial premise changed dramatically, I plan who I am telling my story about.

I do a lot of emotional and spiritual character work, figure out who they are, where they lived, who raised them and how.

I give my characters “something to do” be it being a royal prince or a classic car restorer. But everyone has a job.

Then I figure out what the story is about? Why am I telling this story. It has to have a purpose. The characters have to have a purpose.

What’s the story question? What will the hero and heroine do in the end they can’t do in the beginning.

I do a lot of work with the wound, lie and fear journey, figuring a black moment and epiphany based on the story question.

All of these things actually form the plot. I use external circumstance to tap into the internal issues.

Then I write. I tweak my story plan.

I usually fast draft to about 70k words then I start over. I may use most or almost none of the first draft. But I have such a better feel and view of the story at this point.

Then I rewrite and edit again! Books are not written, they are rewritten!

Now, hop on over to Dani’s blog to see her writing process!

 

Authors At Work
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The Summer of ’85

I spent the summer of ’85 living in the Phi Mu house, just a touch up 15th Avenue, across High Street from the main campus entrance.

Well, it was in those days. That entrance is closed off now, but then, you could drive on to the campus from High and 15th.

My best buds lived in the house that same summer. Suzanne Cantwell, Lori Allison, Connie Snyder, my big sister, Tish Stevning,  Jeannie Leech, and maybe Machelle Caldwell. I can’t remember. Ha!

As a journalism major, it was required to log so many hours on the school paper, The Lantern.

That quarter I was a staff photographer, hunting around campus and the great city of Columbus for anything and everything that would earn me the required credits.

I had a part-time job at a card shop, Oz, which is probably no longer there. But it was very convenient for me. A block from the house.

Sad story about that shop. It was started by two families, best friends from like forever. Seriously, they vacationed together, helped each other raise their kids, started a business together.

But after running the shop together for a few years, their 30 year friends crumbled. Accusations flew.

Nearly 30 years later, the couple would be in their 80s, if not gone on to the other side, and I wonder… did they ever mend their relationship? Last I heard, they had not.

Anyway, about a dozen girls rattled around that big sorority house for three months. (I loved the quarter system!)

It was a lot of fun.

We laughed. A lot.

Drank too much beer.

And created memories.

My friend Lori and I bought a kiddie pool and put it in the front yard, filled it with water and sunbathed.

I took a lot of pictures.

Spent hours in the dark room. I never really mastered some aspects of photography. But I got by.

Logged more hours in the Lantern office.

“In my own secret room called heart, lots of ideas dwell.”

From my journal:

June 19, ’85

“It’s really quiet. The streets rarely echo the sound of a few passing cars. There are no voices, no talking or laughing, no footsteps cracking along the sidewalk. The chines from the Orton Tower on the oval can be heard piercing through the clear, cool night. The solid, traditional tones are comforting and a reminder of why I’m here.”

June 28,  ’85

Went to St. Elmo’s Fire with my bis sis, “whom I love very much.”

July 3, ’85

To say today was vast would be an understatement. Took pictures of the mayor at a ribbon cutting downtown for new push cart regulations. A reporter from Channel 6, (I think he was) was making eyes at me. (snort!)

Went to see fireworks with Grandpa, Grandma, Great Aunt Dorothy, Beth and Angie. Fun!

July 4th! ’85

Set up the pool in the front yard. Got some sun. Later, went to a cook-out at the Sigma Chi house.

July 7, ’85

David (editor) made fun of my feature photo for tomorrow. But he looooved Rich’s photo. And I lost it. Why am I always second rate. Lord, help me, show me my talents, my strengths.

July 30, ’85

I’ve been playing Rachel Photographer all summer and it’s been fun. I wouldn’t mind doing this for a living. But am I good enough? Scary…

I’ve been thinking a lot late about the Lord, my Lord and His will for me. Sometimes I feel so lost and helpless, alienate from Him. But I know I need Him. Very much.

Aug 2 ’85

Tomorrow I develop my prints for my feature. I’m so nervous. I need GREAT pictures. I’ve had a great time this summer, though, on the Lantern. And everyone is so positive. Mom, Dad, my friends, The Lantern staff. I’m not the greatest the paper has ever seen, but I think I have the raw talent.

Aug 6, ’85

I survived this long day, grueling weekend. I spent from 12 – 10 in the darkroom Saturday and Sunday from 8:30 a.m to 9:30 p.m. It was touch and go for awhile.

Some of my negatives got scratched! And the best ones were ruined. Then, because I was using a lends I wasn’t familiar with, thank you Rich, my pictures weren’t very sharp on focus. To make a long story short, Deanna (my editor) finally picked out some good negatives and did a super layout.

Phil (Advisor) loved it and said we did an excellent job. (I did a photo shoot of lamb judging at the state fair! LOL) Praise the Lord. I was so relieved.

So the Rich Fujita Camera Co lives on. Tomorrow I introduce the new leopard skin camera bag.

Aug 14, ’85

Tonight was really sad. The Fiji’s were having a party because their nationals is here and a limb from a dead tree suddenly fell  and hit electrical wires, which hit the beer truck and electrocuted Mike — who was leaning against the truck.

Connie barged into my room wanting the camera for spot news but when we learned it was Mike, she changed her mind.

So sad. You never know when it’s your turn. This guy, who was supposed to be at work had no idea he’d be dead before midnight.

Aug 25 ’85

Well… the Lambda Chi’s have their nationals here. They’ve been at the house every night. The love us!

We had a blast.

Friday night I shot the Rams and Eagles game in the Shoe. Fun! I met a photographer who decided he was in love with me. He came to the Lantern party we had at the house but he’s a mess. I won’t be his crutch.

This time next week I’ll be home!

***

So was the summer of ’85. What I miss about growing older? The laughter. I don’t laugh enough.

I love looking at my journal to see my immaturity yet how the Lord kept tapping my heart. Reminding me, “Come to Me, I’m all you need.”

What about you? Any summer memories to share? How do you keep laughter in your life?

Summer of '85
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Christian Feminism… An Oxymoron?

I’ve been fascinated for a while about the concept of Christian Feminism.

It feels like an oxymoron to me.

Feminism has no roots in Christianity. It’s like being a Christian humanist or Christian Buddhist.

While the waves of feminism from the first of the 20th century to now have changed, the core notion that “we must do it ourselves” is feminism’s life blood.

Nothing in the feminist philosophy is birthed from humbling before the mighty hand of God. Who will exalt “you” in due time.

But I cannot deny secular feminism has fought huge injustices against women. When the Church should have been leading!

Gains such as property rights, voting rights, equal pay for equal work, protection against abuse, advances in education and in birth control have revolutionized the lives of women.

Matters modern women take for granted.

But we’ve also lost in the ebb an flow of feminism.

One, the current wave of feminism of mostly focused on abortion and sexual freedom.

We’ve also lost the value and power of monogamous marriage. Jezebel.com reports “For the first time in American history, more than half of new mothers under the age of 30 are unmarried.”

They question the value of marriage at all. In his book, “The Book That Made Your World…” Vishal Mangalwadi writes that monogamy in marriage was one of the greatest empowering tools for women and for Western Civilization.

As we leave marriage, we see more children at risk, more women in poverty and more women seeking shelter from abuse.

But I digress…

Modern feminism is not about empowering women but taking down men.

When the media was hyping the Nigerian “Bring Back Our Girls” campaign, I went over to NOW’s (National Organization for Women) web site hoping to find some word on how they planned to help, speak out, organize.

But the top stories were abortion and some wailing over the glass ceiling. The message hasn’t changed in 30 years.

Since I’ve been aware of modern feminism, the cry seems to have been “we want to be men!” all the while berating “we don’t need men.”

So it’s curious to me that Christian women embrace feminism. This kind of angry, we-don’t-need-men, we can do it on our own, we’re as good as men mantra.

In the past few years I’ve read articles by Christian feminist railing against the Church is it’s largely patriarchal leadership. Fists hammering any pulpit given to them, they demand move aside and “let them preach.” Or lead.

While I am for women to be all they can be and I despise religions or governments that oppress women, I don’t see demanding respect or leadership, or the right to “do what I want” as any Jesus methodology.

Jesus loved women. He honored women. But never once did He tell them to rail against the leadership of men or demand change in order to do what He’d called them to do.

Neither does Paul, who I believe also honored and loved women. He recognized God given authority and structure of men and women. He warns us of spiritual forces in heavenly places taking aim at us. We need to be in the right rank and file to wage spiritual warfare.

In John 12, Mary of Bethany rushes in to worship Jesus while He’s at Simon the Leper’s, a Pharisee, table. She ignores the men in the room, rebuffs the protocol, and breaks an expensive bottle of perfume over her Lord, weeping and worshipping.

The men grumble and complain, judge her. But Jesus defends her!

“Leave her alone!”

What do you want to bet Mary was justified?

See, women, we’re looking to the world’s systems, even the Church political system to justify us. But only Jesus can and will do that with purity.

If the Lord has called a women to preach or lead in the church, truly called her, won’t He make a way? I just can’t see a women standing before the Lord one day and hearing, “Well, I wanted you to preach but the men wouldn’t let you. So sorry.”

I’m sure there are many cases where we have missed His call, and yes, perhaps others have hindered us, but really, I think as we yield our hearts to Him, He will make a way.

I know that’s been my testimony.

Ladies, let’s not let our fears, our experience, our feelings judge our brethren. Or even judge what the Lord might be doing in heaven and the earth in regards to our place in His kingdom.

Look, we can barely do Jesus right let alone watering it all down with worldly philosophies.

Colossians 2:8 says, “See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.”

We are called to so much more! Feminism is a worldly philosophy.

We are called to Matthew 5-7. The Sermon on the Mount Lifestyle. If we all, men and women, spent more time living as Jesus preached that day, who knows what power and effective change we’d wield.

Matthew 11:12 Jesus says, “From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and violent men take it by force.”

You know our most violent tools? Prayer. Fasting. Knowing and living the Word. Worshipping at His feet like Mary.

If you feel some injustice has been perpetrated against you, pray. Be humble, meek, walk in humility.

If some patriarchal system is keeping you from God’s calling, seek Him. Is He really calling you? Is He directing you to a new place, toward a new season.

At the end of it all, ITS ABOUT HIM!!

Christianity is not a world philosophy, a cultural way of life, it’s about knowing and being in love with a person. The God-Man, Jesus the Christ.

Our greatest commandments are to love the Lord our God with all of our heart, mind, soul and strength, and to love our neighbor as ourselves. John 15.

How are we doing? Is pounding the pulpit with feminist rhetoric accomplishing those things in our hearts?

I’m asking the questions. I’m certain I’m don’t find feminism and Christianity cohesive. But I’m trying to understand why my Christian sisters are grasping on to this philosophy.

Hear me: I’m for women to be all they can be!

But the methodology must be from Matthew 5, John 12, John 15.

In the midst of seeking Him, our hearts and minds are refined, renewed, our desires purified by His love.

Who knows how much the praying women, mothers and wives, sisters and friends exacted from generations past that we are enjoying now!

Are we doing the same for the women following us?

Are we clearing the path with our prayers or just pounding our fist demanding we be given something?

Since we have more single moms than ever. More women in abuse shelters than ever. I don’t think more feminist strides are necessary to end the trend.

More holiness, seeking Him, being on our knees before Him, worshipping, pouring out our hearts, praying must pave the path for our daughters coming after us.

I hate for them to pick up the scepter I’ve laid down because I wanted “men” to recognize me.

King Saul lost his kingdom, lost his mind, because he cared more what men thought than the Lord.

David, however, with all of his trials and mistakes, has the Kingdom forever through Jesus. A man after God’s heart, scripture tells us.

Why? Because he sought God and not men. He cared more for God’s opinion.

Women, arise to this place. Be who God has designed us to be: lovers of Jesus, true worshippers. Let Him handle the rest.

Song of Solomon 2:15: “Catch the foxes for us, the little foxes that are ruining the vineyards, While our vineyards are in blossom.”

The foxes are spoiling the bloom when we let our hearts grow bitter and angry at men, or the current Church leadership. Or leave the tenants of the faith to embrace worldly philosophies.

And we will find we’ve not built up anything for our daughters but in fact ruined the vineyard of our hearts and theirs as well.

Christian Feminism... An Oxymoron?
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I love this song…May We Never Lose Our Wonder.Click To ...

I love this song…

May We Never Lose Our Wonder.
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May We Never Lose Our Wonder

I love this song…

May We Never Lose Our Wonder.
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Fly, Fly, Fly

I’ve had this image in my head for a few days now.

The wicked witch of the west standing in the window of her palace, commanding her flying monkey henchmen to capture and bring back Dorothy and her little dog.

In the movie, The Wizard of Oz, the sky is peppered with the flying monkeys off on their mission.

In my mind, I see lies, words, the constant yadda-yadda-yadda of the word peppering our airways like those monkeys.

I mean, you cannot turn around without running into a lie, or some new point of view on how to live our lives that makes us feel more condemned than empowered.

Lies in politics. Lies in health care. Lies about food and exercise. Lies about money. Lies about God and spirituality. Lies about life. Lies about.. everything!

I mean, the world is rife with it. You can hardly discern what’s truth.

I think half of us are sick in some fashion because we are buried in lies.

I’ve started to fight back. “What? No! That’s not true.”

I’m researching. Looking things up. Praying over them. Checking with my gut and the same Spirit that raise Christ from the dead who lives in me.

Jesus called Him our counselor, our teacher, our advocate.

There’s too many talk shows, news shows and people fighting and pushing to have their voice, their opinion heard for the world NOT to be birth lie upon lie.

But those voice are shallow echoes. There are so few real voices in the world today. Real men and women in search of and speaking the truth.

Think about your own words. Do you repeat what you hear? Do you speak more death than life?

“Dr. Oz said breathing in air will kill you.” So now we all have to go about holding our breath. Seriously, if Dr. Oz said such a thing, I know, I know, someone would tell me that as if it were cold, hard, fact, pure as the driven snow.

Sure, it’s an extreme example but do how often have you heard things, stated as fact, that felt almost as outrageous.

Worse, do you repeat things said to you as if they were fact? Are you spreading fear and lies or life and wellness?

I have struggled for years with a fungus on my right foot. It beats up my toenails pretty good.

I’ve tried lots of remedies. My doc knows about it. Was not concerned. From my online research, it’s a nuisance but that’s about it.

I went to a podiatrist once but he wanted me on medication that 1. my insurance company would not cover and 2. would have me doing monthly liver tests. So… that was a no go.

Anyway, a friend of mine offered a suggestion which I’ve been trying. The next time she saw me she said, “You know, that fungus can get in your blood and kill you.”

I gaped at her. She did not just say that to me. Really? One, is it even true and two, why are you speaking death to me?

James was so right, “power of life and death is in the tongue.”

We speak as if our words do not mean anything. We speak as if truth doesn’t matter. We speak to be heard because we are so hungry to exalt ourselves.

“Look what I know….”

The air is polluted with word lies and junk. And some of that pollution gets on us whether we like it or not.

So, here’s what we do: we seek truth. And that is Jesus. “I am the way, the truth and the life.”

Begin your journey of clean, well-balanced, life giving speech with seeking Jesus. Have a relationship with Him.

Next, listen more than you speak. Be patient. Seek out truth.

Desire to speak life instead of death. Repent of your own vain, empty words.

Don’t believe everything you hear. Even better, don’t speak everything you hear.

Feed your hunger to be recognized and heard by sitting at the feet of the Holy One.

The God of the universe hears you! He wants to talk to you!

Remember words do mean things. Words curse or give life.

Be a life giver with your words.

Look, it’s a journey. But it has to start somewhere, sometime. Why not now. Today.

Even with the words you speak over yourself. Speak the life of the Word!

Fly, Fly, Fly, The Power of Words
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What We Say

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The Love Of God For The Son. For Us

I’m still here. I’ve not blogged anything significant in awhile. Deadlines Blogging at Southernbelleview and My Book Therapy drain my words! And all those quick little posts on Facebook. I just want to say I appreciate you all and count …

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