Ruth O'Neil's Blog, page 4

Monday Meditations - Rest

Rest
As I write this, my husband and I are away from home for the weekend celebrating our anniversary. The past year has been an extremely stressful year for us. A lot happened that was out of our control. The couple of months leading up to our anniversary were even more stressful, and we felt Satan attacking us in huge ways on a daily basis. Knowing it was Satan helped ease our minds a little bit, but it didn't really help our hearts. We were physically and mentally exhausted. We needed a time of rest. Beyond renting a cabin, we made no plans. We needed a break. We needed to rest.
I asked friends to pray for this time away. You see, when my husband and I go away, disaster seems to follow. I joking-not-joking asked a few of my friends to pray – specifically for no falling trees, no car problems, no one jumping/falling/being pushed off balconies, no police banging on her door in the middle of the night, no major parental health issues that would make us cut our trip short or put a damper on our time together, no hurricanes, and no tornadoes. (Yes, these are all truly the things that happen when we go away!)
Apparently I didn't put enough specifics in my request my friends. Not 30 minutes after asking them to pray I received a text that threatened to ruin our time of rest together. After praying, my husband and I decided to keep our plans. There was really nothing we could do, and we were close enough to home in case we were needed.
Finding moments of rest is important. I have found that even though I can't always escape life as I would like to do some days, I can still find rest. I can find that rest in God. No matter the storms that are swirling about me I can find shelter in His wings. As hard as the difficulties are that we've had to face, I know I can give each situation to God and let Him take care of it for me. Most often the only thing I can do is pray. That's hard for a doer and the fixer! I would often much rather be doing something to fix the problem myself, but God wants me to find rest, peace, independence in Him; after all, that's the only place where true rest is found

Kellyn Roth review and guest post

Please welcome my fellow author, Kellyn Roth. She has a new book out and I think it's one you will thoroughly enjoy!


About the Book  [image error] Click the cover
to go to Amazon
and grab your copy!Adele has been lost for a long time now ...
Adele Collier has sought a carefree lifestyle ever since her tragic childhood. Determined to never allow anyone or anything to control her life or emotions again, she consistently seeks distraction in gaiety. But shaking her ghosts isn’t as easy as she’d like.

Troy Kee has been alone in the world since the Great War took his parents and left him in care of his younger sister. When she marries, he’s left to seek after his goal of a healthy, complete family. But how can he focus on his dream when trouble plagues his family vineyard?

When Adele and Troy meet, a whirlwind romance begins—but can two lost souls have a healthy relationship?




About the Author
Kellyn Roth is a Christian; historical author from North-Eastern Oregon. Kell is a ranch girl, homeschool graduate, proud sister of four, proud auntie of five, and owner of two goofy border collies, two presumptuous cats, and a very active betta fish. Check out her website, kellynrothauthor.com, for more info.



Facebook Party
Main event: May 8th (10:00-3:00 PST)

Minor giveaways, excerpts, links, and more will be posted throughout the week.

https://www.facebook.com/events/2222588961327506/


Giveaway
Enter the giveaway to win a signed paperback copy of Souls Astray and a $20 Amazon gift card. Open to international entries.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/cbb544c914/?

This giveaway will close for entries on the 11th of May, which means your followers will be able to enter even after the tour is over!


What Folks Are Saying
“A tragic, well-crafted story of romance, family dynamics, and pain in the years between WW1 and WW2.” ~Jana Tenbrook

“Souls Astray is a heartrending novel, full of poignant themes and topics that are important even today. It is a captivating read and will leave you wanting more.” ~Michaela Bush

“Souls Astray contains characters who will tug your heartstrings, a story that engages on the first page, and leaves you hungry for more.” ~Angela R. Watts

“Engaging, heartbreaking, and a thoroughly good ride. Definitely a must-read for historical fiction lovers!” ~Lilian S.

“Souls Astray is a intriguing story with amazing writing and a whole lot of emotion!” ~Liz Franklin

“Souls Astray is a real, real story of raw emotion and clear truth, unafraid to touch the darkness with a thread of light.” ~Merie Shen

Monday Meditations - Knowledge

Knowledge
Some people love learning. Some people make a career out of it. If we are wise, we should be learning new things every day. I enjoy learning how to do new things; if it's home repairs or craft projects, I feel good in the end being able to stand back and see the fruits of my labor. I love reading and history. I enjoy combining the two even more – reading about history.
The funny thing about knowledge is that some people have a wealth of it, yet don't have any wisdom. What's the difference, you may ask? Knowledge is a knowing; wisdom is putting what we know to good use.
As we were raising our children, we gave them as much knowledge as we could. That's where our responsibility stopped. It's what they did with that knowledge that actually made a difference and turned knowledge into actual wisdom. Sometimes we hated to watch them go through things, but those were lessons they each had to learn for themselves.
I imagine God often feels the same way about us. He has given us His Word. If we've read it, we have the knowledge, but what have we done with it?
Do we know we should "cast all her cares on Him", yet continually worry about our day-to-day needs?
Do we know we should love our enemies, yet wish them ill will?
Do we know we should keep the Sabbath as a holy day, yet fill it up with all the activities we weren't able to accomplish during the week?
Do we know we should honor our parents, yet complain about all their idiosyncrasies to others?
If we could take all of those above scenarios, and many more commands from the Bible, from knowing to applying oh, how different our lives could be! How different this world could be!
Is there an area of your life where you have the knowledge of what you should do, but have yet to take this step to making it wisdom? Consider that today. Search the Scriptures to see what God has to say. Put it to prayer and God will help you overcome any challenge.

Monday Meditations - Brave

Brave
Putting on a brave face. Now there's something I'm good at. I have a habit of not asking people to pray for me in difficult times. Why? Shouldn't I crave the knowledge that close friends are interceding to God on my behalf? Sure. But then there's the friends who remember and ask me how I'm doing. That's the bad part for me. I can put on a brave face until someone speaks to me. That's when I fall apart and become a hot mess.
A little over a year ago I asked friends to pray for a situation I was facing. I happened to see one of those friends a couple of hours later and she had the gall to ask me how I was doing. I couldn't say a word, only cry. The next day I purposely avoided another one of those friends, but she caught up with me anyway. She teasingly said, "Am I not good enough for you today?" Yep, you guessed it. Hot mess right there in front of dozens of people.
At another time another situation came up, and I again asked the same group of friends to pray not giving any details about the situation. I was wiser this time and told them I would be ignoring them so I could function. As long as no one spoke to me with sympathy in their eyes, I could go through the motions of each day – put on my brave face. A couple of weeks later the situation had not changed. I at least was not constantly on the verge of tears. One friend saw me, asked how I was doing, and hugged me when I began to choke up (but only a little). Another friend saw me and gave me a hug without saying a word. Another friend found me simply to give me something I needed. Another came to the door of the room I was in and just stood there a waiting my attention. Fortunately I saw her in my peripheral vision and purposely ignored her by appearing to be busy talking to someone else. Later that day I sent her a message letting her know I saw her and that her presence was enough. Her kind words and hug would have been too much for me to bear. That brave face would've been completely gone.
This world often throws things at us that make it hard to be brave. We'd rather close our bedroom door, turn off all the lights, hide under the covers, and pretend we don't exist. Putting on a brave face doesn't mean we can't share personal prayer request with friends. It doesn't mean we can't break down in front of them either. We are human beings, and sometimes the hurt we have to deal with can be overwhelming.
There is One we don't have to pretend to be brave for, and that is Jesus Christ. He already know what you're going through. He already knows exactly how we feel. We can open up to Him and bear our is, souls, as ugly and messy as that may look. It is God who gives me strength when I am weak. It is God who helps us get up each morning and face each day.
If you are in the middle of the battle right now, it doesn't matter whether it's physical, spiritual, or mental, stop pretending you have to be brave. Reach out to godly friends. More importantly, reach out to God.

Monday Meditations - Miracles

Miracles
Some people don't believe miracles still happen today, but I believe they do. All you have to do is look to see them. Miracles happen every single day. You can see it in nature, in the birth of the child, and God's healing hand. Recently some friends of ours had a very sick baby. The doctors had given her a 15% chance of survival through the night. Each day she woke up after that was a miracle. It was a testament to all the people who were praying on her behalf.
It's almost as if you don't believe in miracles, what's the point of praying? When we pray, oftentimes we ask God to do the unbelievable, something we puny humans can't do on our own. We want God to do big things, but do we believe that He can? That e will?
The Bible is full of miracles in both the old and the New Testament. God parted the Red Sea so the Israelites could walk across on dry ground. He made a donkey speak. He made barren women mothers. The New Testament is full of healings – the woman with the issue of blood, the man full of demons, and more than one person was raised from the dead.
It's true that we may not see miracles of this caliber happening today, that's also where our faith comes in. Sometimes we have to put aside the physical realities that blind us to see the spiritual truth of God working in and around us.
If you are reading this, you're a miracle. If you knew all the odds it took for you to even be conceived, you would wonder at how anyone is here.
Have you ever experienced a miracle yourself or been witness to one? I would love to hear about how God has been working in your life. Please share it in the comments.

Monday Meditations - Encouragement

Encouragement


Have you ever known someone who is always encouraging? It didn't matter what was going on in your life or how poorly you may have done something, that person is ready with an encouraging word. Even when they do criticize, it isn't in the least bit negative. You may not even know you've actually been criticized.
Encouragement is definitely a spiritual gift–one not everyone has.
"If it is encouraging, let him encourage…" (Romans 12:8).
People who encourage are people we want to be around.
"But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called 'Today,' so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness" (Hebrews 3:13).
When is the last time you said an encouraging word to someone? It really isn't that difficult. Encouragement can be as simple as an "I'm praying for you." It can be a hug. It can also cimple be your presence.
Go encourage someone today.

Monday Meditations - Serenity

Serenity
When I think of serenity, I imagine peaceful and serene settings. That is definitely something I crave. I don't need the chaos of the world or to constantly be around people. The dictionary definition of serenity is "the state of being calm, peaceful, and untroubled." Unfortunately, life isn't always serene. But, we can't say we weren't warned.
"These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world" (John 16:33).
I have seen Satan at work. It's disheartening, but it does make me aware of spiritual warfare. Other times I need the reminder from 1 John 4:4.
"Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world."
And…
"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid" (John 14:27).
One doesn't have to look too far to see any of these situations from the next verse.
"Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man's foes shall be they of his own household" (Matthew 10:34-36).
When distress, hatred, discord, and frustration come into our lives and disrupt our peace and serenity, we can hand it all over to God. He will carry our burdens. Only in Him can we find true peace amidst the chaos. In Christ is serenity.
We often hear the shortened version of the Serenity Prayer, but here is the original version. Let us take this into the next week. 
God, give me grace to accept with serenity
the things that cannot be changed,
Courage to change the things
which should be changed,
and the Wisdom to distinguish
the one from the other.

Living one day at a time,
Enjoying one moment at a time,
Accepting hardship as a pathway to peace,
Taking, as Jesus did,
This sinful world as it is,
Not as I would have it,
Trusting that You will make all things right,
If I surrender to Your will,
So that I may be reasonably happy in this life,
And supremely happy with You forever in the next.

Amen.

Monday Meditations - Fungible

Fungible
Fungible. This was another new word to me this year. The definition – just in case its new word to you as well – "able to replace or be replaced by another identical item, mutually interchangeable." Between family and friends I know quite a few sets of twins. Some are identical, some are not. My sisters and I have often been mistaken for twins even into adulthood and we aren't even that close in age. I don't understand people's misconception of being a twin to one of my sisters, but I do understand that we and every single set of twins I know, are different. Each one is an individual person with his or her own thoughts and feelings. Each one is irreplaceable and can't simply be exchanged for the other.
There are a lot of people who feel that way when it comes to their jobs. They think if they don't show up for work one day, another person will be waiting in line to pick up the slack and keep things moving seamlessly. While this may be somewhat true for many jobs, it's still not a great feeling. We have a desire to feel wanted and needed. And there's nothing wrong with that. Knowing your efforts are appreciated as a good feeling.
Unfortunately this is not only a problem for many people in the workplace, it is also a problem for people in ministry regardless of their position. You may perceive pastors as the only truly important position in the church, but how wrong that is! Yes, pastors are integral to a church, but so are the Sunday school teachers, the nursery workers, the greeters. Each person in any position in the church has the potential to draw someone in or push someone out.
We once visited the church and no one knew what to do with our kids. That turned us off, and we never returned. I know a couple who never visited a church after a female greeter told the visiting husband to make sure his wife wore a slip next time. First impressions mean a lot.
We can get burned out and discouraged while serving the Lord. We may often feel as if nothing we do makes a difference. We may feel that anyone can do what we do. But that's simply not true. While someone may be able to perform the same tasks, they can't necessarily do it the way you do it. There is one woman in our church who sends out cards. Yes, pretty much anyone can send out a card, but not many people can include the sweet and heartfelt notes she does. It's her touch that makes the difference.
The next time you are feeling discourage and think that you are fungible, remember that in God's eyes you are unique and one-of-a-kind. He didn't create doubles of people because He didn't need doubles. He needed you, and He has a plan that only you can fulfill.

Monday Meditations - Beauty

Bearuty
"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder." That is so very true. What one person sees a gorgeous another person only sees as ugliness. Sometimes only a mother can see the beauty in a picture a child draws. Sometimes it's not actually the artwork itself it's the heart behind it.
I remember after my mom passed away us kids were helping my dad go through some things when we came across the Christmas decorations. We begged my dad to let us throw away the ones we had made while we were children – you know those over-glittered, over-glued paper items, and the angel who lost her Styrofoam head more times than was respectable for any angel. My dad didn't object. It wasn't that he didn't love us or our creations; he just wasn't as attached to them as mom was. Moms see beauty more than dads do.
I love the snow during the winter. We don't get a lot here in Virginia, but growing up in New York there was no shortage of it. I posted a picture of our last snowfall on Facebook recently and said it was pretty. Not everyone agreed with me. While our puny amount would be melted in the next day's 60° temperatures, my New York friends, who were under 10 feet of snow (that's only a slight exaggeration) wouldn't be so lucky. Where I saw beauty, they saw a lot of backbreaking work with a snow shovel.
God also sees beauty where many don't. If you talk to anyone long enough, you're going to see some ugliness. We all have experiences in our lives that we are not proud of and would rather not remember. It's those experiences that make us who we are. Some experiences make us stronger people; some allow us to help others going through the same things.
"Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us." (Romans 5:3-4)

Finding beauty in creation is easy. Look for it in a person that rubs you the wrong way. Look for in a situation or circumstance you'd rather not be in. Look for and God's love and the unexpected blessings in your life.
The challenge this week is to find beauty in something where many might only see ugly barrenness. Even if you feel your life is a mess, even that God can turn around into a thing of beauty.

Monday Meditations - Maintain

Maintain
I am a great starter of projects. Unfortunately I'm not a great finisher of those projects. My sewing room has plenty of proof with piles of started yet unfinished quilts. Then there's a drawer in my office that is full of notebooks of started but unfinished books. Will I ever return to those projects and finish them? I hope to. Someday.
The problem I believe is that a new, more exciting idea comes along that I can't wait to begin, or it could be that I get bored with the time it's taking to complete the project. I become complacent when I need to maintain the course. Persevere.
More often than not we have the same unfortunate attitude comes to our Christian walk and ministries. We get excited to begin something new, but soon pizzle out when we don't get the response or the recognition we think we should get. But ministry is not about a great response or recognition. If one person responds to God's call or grows spiritually, that should be enough. Who knows what the future holds for that one person. Just imagine if that one person is another Billy Graham or Elizabeth Elliott. One person can make a huge impact on the world.
When we are serving we should never do so with the hopes of recognition. It is God people should see not us.
When our ministry becomes hard that's when we need to keep on and maintain. Satan doesn't like anything spiritually good to happen, and he will fight you each step of the way. He will make life difficult. He will make you want to quit. When you face spiritual warfare and turmoil, you can be assured you are doing the right thing, that you are where God wants you to be.
Trust in His strength as He walks along beside you. That is what helps you maintain, stay the course.