Cathy Bryant's Blog: CatBryant.com ~ Journey Blog, page 60

Frugal Friday: Don't Like Your Doorknobs?

In a previous Frugal Friday post entitled "5 Steps to a Fresh Face for Plain Doors," I gave you the process of taking a plain flat-panel door and giving it some character with stock molding.



Today I want to talk door knobs.



Our turn-of-the-century charmer had been a rental income property before we bought the place. The doorknobs were an odd assortment of shapes and sizes. In addition, they were all brass, and didn't have that historic charm that we wanted for this grand old lady.



I wanted them black, much like the doorknobs I remembered from older homes as I was growing up. But when I checked into replacing all the knobs in the house, I freaked out! The cost was waaaay more than I wanted to pay.



So here's what I did.



I went to Walmart and purchased a can of lacquer thinner. I removed door knob sets one at a time and soaked them in a bucketful of the thinner. After an hour or so, with my rubber gloves on, I removed them from the lacquer thinner and scrubbed the "skin" of varnish off the knobs with an old toothbrush. After the doorknobs dried, I used sandpaper to rough up the finish on the door knobs so they would accept paint.



Next, I attached the doorknobs to a piece of Styrofoam so they'd stay in one place while I sprayed them. I used a spray paint that left a flat metallic finish. (I also used it on the metal floor vents to help them better match the dark flooring we installed.) Yay! No more brassy gold door knobs. I achieved the look I wanted for a fraction of the cost!



Hope this helps you in your own frugal endeavors!



Happy Penny-Pinching!

The Importance of Connection

I'll never forget the day I was trimming the hedges and accidentally chewed through the extension cord. Thankfully, I didn't receive any sort of electrical jolt, but it did keep me from finishing my task until I was able to locate another cord and plug back into the power source. You see, without that power source to plug in, I couldn't do a thing.



The same is true of our spiritual lives.



As much as we'd like to believe that we're the ones in charge and that our destiny is ours for the choosing, God's Word has something completely different to say. We have absolutely no power of our own. The only way that we can be truly productive is to stay connected to the vine, who is Christ. Apart from Him we can do N.O.T.H.I.N.G.



And when you really stop to think about it, why would we want to be anywhere else? Staying close to Jesus brings life, while the opposite brings death in some shape, form or fashion. Oh, moving away from Him may at first feel like freedom and life, but in all actuality it brings death (Proverbs 14:12).



Do we really want control that badly? Wouldn't we rather leave our lives in the more-than-capable hands of the One who made us and loves us and has a plan for our lives?



While staying connected to the Vine isn't always the politically correct thing to do or the most convenient thing to do, it is ALWAYS the best thing to do. But the choice is yours. Abide in the vine and have a fruitful life, or go your own way. But be careful. In the end it's a matter of life or death.



Dear Jesus, I'm so blessed to have You as the Vine and the Father as the Gardener. Forgive me for the times I've tried to get ahead of You, to produce fruit in my own puny strength instead of staying connected to You and allowing Your power to flow through me. When this branch grows unruly, Lord, please prune me back in line with Your eternal plan. I confess, Lord, that my attempts to run my own life have ended in futility and death. It is only through abiding in You that I can do anything, that I can be even mildly productive for Your Kingdom. Help me to rest in You. All that I am is because of You, so I humbly turn my life back over to You to used according to Your plan and purpose. Amen.  

Writer Wednesday: The Importance of Fresh Eyes

Ever tried to examine an item when you're right on top of it? It's almost impossible to do so with any accuracy. The only way to gain perspective is to step away from the object to see it with fresh eyes. The same is true for our novels. Once we've worked on them for months in a row, we reach a point where we can't see it objectively because we're too close to it.



There are two profitable ways to deal with this lack of objectivity.



1. Take some time off.

Okay, this is the pot speaking and calling the kettle black. I'm my own worst enemy here. I seem to have a feast or famine mentality. If I set out to take a week or two, life gets in the way and the weeks turn into months. But if I don't take the time off, I lose objectivity. *sigh* A never-ending struggle for me, but oh, so important.



Not only will taking some time off make your story better, it will improve your health!



2. Find other people who are willing to read your novel and offer feedback.

In my estimation, this is the very best thing you can do for your manuscript. A word of warning is warranted here. (Ha! Alliteration!) Be sure you're willing to carefully consider every piece of advice these people give you. You don't have to accept it, but you should take the time to prayerfully consider it.



These people can be: critique partners, beta readers, fans, friends, or family. But be sure these people don't feel obligated to tell you nice things about your work. Ask for their honest opinion, even if it is something negative. Let them know that your objective is to make the story as good as you can make it, and that you won't be offended by anything they say. (And then don't be!)



Some writers would caution you against having friends or family offer feedback, and I understand their point. These are the people that love you. They want to encourage you. In my humble opinion, that's okay. My mom, husband, and cousin are three of my biggest cheerleaders when it comes to my writing, but none of them are shy about telling me how they really feel about a new story that I've written. I appreciate that frankness, and it doesn't bother me in the least! They tell me when they don't like something, and that's a good thing!



I also make use of volunteer beta readers who have historically given me great pointers with my stories. I feel very blessed that God has placed these wonderful people in my life, and I appreciate them taking time from their busy lives to help me out.



Regardless of how you choose to gain perspective on your work, don't ignore this crucial step in perfecting your story and making it the very best it can be.

The Key to Spiritual Awakening

As our world hastens toward certain judgment the Christian's cry should echo the prayer of Isaiah: "Oh, that You would rend the heavens and come down..."



Our nation and our world need revival and spiritual awakening, but the ones most in need of revival? US!!!



When Jesus addressed the church at Sardis in Revelation 3, He mentioned that they had the reputation of being alive, but that they needed to wake up! Later on in the same chapter, the Laodiceans were shown to be boastful of their wealth, mistakenly thinking they had everything they needed. In Matthew 25, the goats believed they had been serving Christ. The five foolish virgins in the same chapter thought they had plenty of time to prepare.



If we want healing in our land, we must pray. If we want to see souls saved for the Kingdom, we must pray. If we want lasting change, we must pray.



Can you imagine how awesome the results would be if Christians everywhere united with fellow believers every week for the purpose of praying for revival? I truly believe that fiery tongues of God's Spirit would unleash the power of heaven in our midst, raining down treasure from glory in such a way that millions would come to know Christ.



I don't remember where, but somewhere I read that in order for revival and spiritual awakening to take place, every Christian should go in their closet with a piece of chalk, draw a circle on the floor and kneel in it, praying: "Lord, bring revival, and help it start in this circle!"



The change we so desperately need won't come with more or better government, a stronger economy, or more or less gun control. God is the only one who can bring change through spiritual awakening. And that will only come when God's people humble themselves and P.R.A.Y.



Lord God in Heaven, Wake us up and shake us up until we're forced to our knees in humble recognition of who You are. Forgive us, Lord. We're all guilty of serving ourselves and seeking our own way rather than serving and seeking You. Lord, we long to see Your healing touch on our lives and in our land. You are the only One who can actually bring the healing change we need. Help us to turn our priorities around. Give us praying hearts. Make prayer a priority in our lives. Oh, Lord that You would rend the heavens and come down. Make us ready. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Chain of Faith

During a recent Sunday School lesson study, I was reminded of how God's work in the lives of His people creates this unbreakable chain of faith.



Consider the following facts:


Dwight L. Moody was led to Christ by his Sunday School teacher, Edward Kimball. 
Moody went on to lead thousands to Christ through evangelistic meetings. At one such meeting he counseled J. Wilbur Chapman and helped him reach a place of certainty about his salvation.
Chapman later hired an assistant to help organize his own evangelistic meetings. The assistant's name was Billy Sunday, who was converted at a street corner meeting in Chicago.
Sunday held an evangelistic campaign in Charlotte and a businessman's group grew out of thise campaign. The group was instrumental in bringing a man by the name of Mordecai Ham to Charlotte for their meetings.
Mordecai Ham also became an evangelist for the gospel. One soul that responded to his message was a guy by the name of Billy Graham.

We're all a part of this faith chain. You have someone who influenced your life for Christ, and you in turn will influence others. This unbreakable chain connects the centuries. Only on the other side of heaven will we truly recognize how God intricately designed this chain of faith.



Father, thank You for the gospel that glues us all together as one giant, unbreakable chain of faith. Lord, may we take the time to remember and thank You for the lives of those who influenced us for Your Kingdom, and also realize that our God-given mission is to keep the chain going by sharing with others what You've so graciously bestowed on us. Amen.

Ten Scripture-Based Questions to Ask When Making Decisions

Anyone else out there have trouble making decisions? Boy, I do! My family has learned not to ask where I want to eat, because they'll get my standard answer: "I don't care." Hubs often calls me "can't-make-a-decision-Cathy."



And it's true. I don't like making decisions!



Sometimes it's because there are too many choices and they're all honestly fine by me.

Sometimes it's because I don't have the energy or brain power required to make a decent decision.

Sometimes it's because I'm afraid of making the wrong choice...



But let's face it, like it or not, making decisions is part of the human experience. And we've learned by experience that every choice brings a consequence. So how can we make the best possible choices? As Christians, what standards do we use in making those choices?



Thankfully, God's Word is full of verses to help us in those times when we don't which way to turn. Even when there aren't specific verses that fit our particular situation, there is still a way to make the right call using His Word as a lamp for our feet.



Verses for Consideration

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. ~Proverbs 3:5-6 (ESV)



If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. ~James 1:5 (ESV)



He answered: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'" ~Luke 10:27 (NIV)



But just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts. ~1 Thessalonians 2:4 (ESV)



For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. ~Ephesians 1:4 (NIV)



You shall walk in all the way that the Lord your God has commanded you, that you may live, and that it may go well with you, and that you may live long in the land that you shall possess. ~Deuteronomy 5:33 (ESV)



All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything. ~1 Corinthians 6:12 (NASB)



Therefore, if food causes my brother to stumble, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause my brother to stumble. ~1 Corinthians 8:13 (NASB)



Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. ~1 Corinthians 10:31 (NASB)



The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; who can understand it? ~Jeremiah 17:9 (NASB)



Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. ~1 Peter 5:8 (NIV)



And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left. ~Isaiah 30:21 (ESV)



Questions To Ask Ourselves


Am I trusting God rather than my own understanding to direct my path in this situation?
Have I asked Him for wisdom in making this decision?
Will my decision demonstrate love to God and my fellow man?
Am I striving to please God above man?
Will this decision promote personal holiness?
Does my decision violate any of God's direct commands?
Is the choice good for me, in every sense of the word?
Does my choice enslave me and bring me under its power?
Will my decision cause others to stumble?
Does the decision glorify God?
Is this helping me become the person God wants me to be, or is it hindering the process?

Above Everything Else, Remember...


We can't always trust our hearts or our gut feelings because our hearts are deceptive and wicked.
The enemy will try to trip us up with doubts and half-truths. Remember Eve and her unfortuante decision?
God's Spirit dwells within us as believers and He will lead us in the way we should go, as long as we're earnestly seeking to hear and obey His voice.

Hope this helps us all make godly decisions based on His Truth rather than our limited human understanding.



God Bless You All,

Free Christian Kindle eBooks for February 16, 2013

Want a way to read all these great Kindle freebies without purchasing a Kindle? Check out this post that tells you how. All the books listed
here are free at the time of posting, but these free e-books change to
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most highly rated books, so all books listed are at least 4 out of 5
stars with at least 5 reviews. Just so you know, I have not read all
these books, so I can't testify to their content or spiritual accuracy. Happy reading!





The Way of Grace

by Cathy Bryant

Published September 2012



Romantic Suspense: A justice-seeking perfectionist pursues her dream of a perfect life in
her hometown of Miller’s Creek, Texas. Sidetracked by a desire to be a
prosecuting attorney, Grace Soldano launches into uncharted waters,
making herself over to please her boss and mentor. Then a
disheveled free spirit turns her perfectly ordered world upside down,
challenging the concept of personal goodness. A fall from perfection
leaves Grace teetering between vengeance and grace, caught in a deadly
crossfire that leaves her dreams in a heap of ashes. Can she learn to joyfully accept the life God has given her–far from perfect–but completely immersed in His grace?



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God's War on Little-g "gods" - Part 2

Plague #6: Boils

So they took soot from a kiln, and
stood before Pharaoh; and Moses threw it toward the sky, and it became
boils breaking out with sores on man and beast. ~Exodus 9:10 (NASB)



Unfortunately,
Pharaoh had not learned his lesson and been obedient to what God told
him to do, so the next plague was particularly painful and affected
every Egyptian. During this time in history, leprosy was prevalent.
Anyone with a skin disease was quarantined. This would have severely
disrupted the government, economy, and religious practices of the
country. With the plague of boils, God successfully brought everyday
life in Egypt to a grinding halt.



Plague #7: Hail

Now
the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward the sky, that
hail may fall on all the land of Egypt, on man and on beast and on every
plant of the field, throughout the land of Egypt.” Moses stretched out
his staff toward the sky, and the Lord sent thunder and hail, and fire
ran down to the earth. And the Lord rained hail on the land of Egypt. So
there was hail, and fire flashing continually in the midst of the hail,
very severe, such as had not been in all the land of Egypt since it
became a nation. The hail struck all that was in the field through all
the land of Egypt, both man and beast; the hail also struck every plant
of the field and shattered every tree of the field. Only in the land of
Goshen, where the sons of Israel were, there was no hail. ~Exodus
9:22-26 (NASB)



You would think after painful boils
that Pharaoh would be more than ready to rid himself of the Israelites,
but he his heart was hardened and he refused to obey God. Before this
plague started, God told Pharaoh that the next plague would be for the
purpose of knowing that there was no one like God in the entire earth
(9:14). God also mentioned that He had stayed His hand to keep from
wiping Egypt off the map (9:15). He then goes on to inform the Egyptian
king that he was only in power because God allowed it for the purpose of
showing His power and exalting His name on the earth (9:17). In
essence, Pharaoh had set himself up as a "god." And indeed, the
Egyptians did view their Pharoahs as "gods," so it's no wonder that God
was sending this personal challenge to Pharaoh.



Apparently,
hailstorms are a rarity in Egypt because of the lack of moisture. But
this hailstorm was definitely a rarity! In fact, it was described as
"such as had not been in all the land of Egypt." It brought further
economic ruin to the nation through the destruction of human life,
animals and crops.



Plague #8: Locusts

Then
the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the land of Egypt
for the locusts, that they may come up on the land of Egypt and eat
every plant of the land, even all that the hail has left.” So Moses
stretched out his staff over the land of Egypt, and the Lord directed an
east wind on the land all that day and all that night; and when it was
morning, the east wind brought the locusts. The locusts came up over all
the land of Egypt and settled in all the territory of Egypt; they were
very numerous. There had never been so many locusts, nor would there be
so many again. For they covered the surface of the whole land, so that
the land was darkened; and they ate every plant of the land and all the
fruit of the trees that the hail had left. Thus nothing green was left
on tree or plant of the field through all the land of Egypt. ~Exodus
10:12-15 (NASB)



With this plague, God took away
Pharaoh's chance to let the people go by hardening his heart for him.
His purpose was so the Hebrew people could experience God's sovereignty.
The plague would also serve to bear witness to future generations. And
again, another reason for the plague was so they would KNOW He was the
LORD (10:1-2).



God called Pharaoh on the carpet for
refusing to humble himself (10:3). (Wow! Does that bear implication
today, or what?) Of course Pharaoh refused to let the people go, in
spite of his officials pointing out that Egypt was ruined (10:7). Once
more the Egyptian "gods" were helpless against God. What few crops
remained after the hail were devastated.



Plague #9: Darkness

So
Moses stretched out his hand toward the sky, and there was thick
darkness in all the land of Egypt for three days. They did not see one
another, nor did anyone rise from his place for three days, but all the
sons of Israel had light in their dwellings. ~Exodus 10:22-23 (NASB)



How
dark is dark darkness? The literal interpretation of "thick darkness"
is a double use of the term "dark." I've been in caverns before where
when the light were turned out, I could not see my hand in front of my
face. I imagine this was much the same.



One of the
chief "gods" of the Egyptians was Ra, the sun god. God proved that He
alone was the giver of light. While Egypt was enshrouded in a darkness
so thick that not even their "god" Ra could penetrate it, the Hebrew
people had light in their homes. Imagine if you will how total darkness
would affect you, even after a few hours. Mind-boggling, isn't it?



But this was just an omen of what was yet to come--what life would be like without the life-giving Presence of God.



Plague #10: Death of the Firstborn

Now
it came about at midnight that the Lord struck all the firstborn in the
land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to
the firstborn of the captive who was in the dungeon, and all the
firstborn of cattle. Pharaoh arose in the night, he and all his servants
and all the Egyptians, and there was a great cry in Egypt, for there
was no home where there was not someone dead. ~Exodus 12:29-30 (NASB)



In
addition to the terror and suffering this plague brought upon every
household in Egypt, in the ancient world the firstborn was considered
the property of the "gods." Not one of the Egyptian "deities" could
defend their property against Sovereign God.



Each
plague grew in intensity and severity than the one before it--from
physical discomfort to economic upheaval to mental and emotional panic
to death. While this may seem unnecessarily harsh to us today, we should
remember that God gave Pharaoh plenty of opportunity to obey. This
account should also serve as a warning that God doesn't mess around when
it comes to His people and what or who they worship.



Questions For Discussion:
If God were to bring ten plagues upon America today--ten battles in
direct confrontation upon the objects of worship in our land--what
plagues would He use to get our attention? Is there any evidence that He
is indeed waging warfare against our little-g "gods?"

Free Christian Kindle eBooks for Friday, February 15, 2013

Want a way to read all these great Kindle freebies without purchasing a Kindle? Check out this post that tells you how. All the books listed
here are free at the time of posting, but these free e-books change to
pay status very quickly. Always check to make sure the books are indeed
free before you click to buy. Also, I want to offer readers only the
most highly rated books, so all books listed are at least 4 out of 5
stars with at least 5 reviews. Just so you know, I have not read all
these books, so I can't testify to their content or spiritual accuracy. Happy reading!





The Way of Grace

by Cathy Bryant

Published September 2012



Romantic Suspense:
A justice-seeking perfectionist pursues her dream of a perfect life
in her hometown of Miller’s Creek, Texas. Sidetracked by a desire to be a
prosecuting attorney, Grace Soldano launches into uncharted waters,
making herself over to please her boss and mentor. Then a
disheveled free spirit turns her perfectly ordered world upside down,
challenging the concept of personal goodness. A fall from perfection
leaves Grace teetering between vengeance and grace, caught in a deadly
crossfire that leaves her dreams in a heap of ashes. Can she learn to joyfully accept the life God has given her–far from perfect–but completely immersed in His grace?



4.6 stars with 27 reviews



Free? Click HERE to see.





Texas Roads

by Cathy Bryant

Published to Kindle October 2010



Romance: City gal Dani Davis just wants a place to call home. With quirky
residents, quaint country charm, and loads of business potential,
Miller's Creek Texas seems like the perfect place to start over . . .
except for the cowboy who gives her a ride into town. Dani secretly
finances renovations to downtown Miller’s Creek, but malicious rumors
force her to choose between keeping her involvement a secret and the
home for which she’s always longed. Then a devastating discovery propels
her down a road she never expected to travel.



4.5 stars with 93 reviews



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A Path Less Traveled

by Cathy Bryant

Published to Kindle October 2010



Romance: Trish James is tired of being rescued. When a spooked horse claims her
husband's life, she’s determined to blaze a path for herself and her
traumatized son without outside help. But will that mean leaving the
place etched on her heart? Andy Tyler has had to struggle for
everything, and starting a new law practice in Miller's Creek, Texas is
no different. Though prepared for business challenges, he's not prepared
for falling in love--especially with yet another woman who will
probably abandon him for her career. Will Andy and Trish be able to see past their limited human understanding to take a path less traveled?



4.6 stars with 66 reviews



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Frugal Friday: Grow Your Own Garden

One of the very first things we did upon moving to our property is
create a garden. I'm originally from Texas, so if it's past March 15 and
you don't have your garden started, you're too late!!! So in early
April of last year, I was chomping at the bit to get the garden going.



Since the soil is so rocky in the Ozarks, we knew right away that we
would need raised beds. And since we live in the country with plenty of
wildlife, we also knew we needed a fence around the garden. Here are some pics of the garden about two months after we built the the raised beds, had dirt brought in,
amended the soil, and planted. Here are the results:

































We're delighted with the results of our efforts. In our garden (which was planted based on the square-foot gardening concept),
we have tomatoes, pinto beans, pole beans, corn, watermelon, lettuce,
spinach, Swiss chard, red onions, basil, cilantro, chives, rosemary,
broccoli, asparagus, cantaloupe, cucumbers, bell peppers, jalapeno
peppers, grapes, okra, zucchini, strawberries, and squash. To conserve
water, the entire garden is interlaced with soaker hoses. What didn't
fit in the beds, was planted in hanging baskets and pots.



The thing I love most about our raised beds is that they're designed to
turn into hoop-style greenhouses once the weather turns cool. We opted not to do winter gardening this year, mainly because our freezer and cabinets are already full. But it's nice to know that we have that option. Of all the gardens we've planted, this is by far
the healthiest and most well-planned. We'll continue to  incorporate
organic growing methods and we're utilizing both traditional composting
and vermiculture to enrich the soil further.



Outside the garden, we've also planted two pecan trees, two peach trees,
one self-pollinating plum tree, two apple trees, two blueberry bushes,
two thorn-less blackberry bushes, and a pomegranate bush.













There is something very rewarding about growing your own food, and in a
day and age when food prices are through the roof (especially organic
produce), it's nice to know that a little sweat equity can have such a
huge pay-off. If you're looking for a fun way for your family to save money this year, I can think of nothing more fun than a garden. It's time to start planning! =)



Happy Gardening,