Amanda Stephan's Blog: God is Good, God is Great, page 30

Can One Man Make A Difference?

I have heard it said again and again “what can I do, I am only one person?”



This week as I was reading in Nehemiah I was so reminded of our world today and our jobs within it.







God buried a vision deep within the heart of Nehemiah, in the heart of one man. He wanted to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem that had been burned by the enemy. His dream was crazy. How could one man rebuild a wall? Not only did he have to build the wall but he also told the king he would be back to fulfill his duty as cupbearer in a certain number of days. In the natural, this dream was a dream of impossibilities. But we know with God all things are possible.



Nehemiah wanted to set Jerusalem back to rights. He wanted her restored to her former glory.



When we ask ourselves “what can I do, I am only one person?” we must remember that God brought alongside helpers to help Nehemiah accomplish the task. Yes, there were naysayers but there were also those who supported and helped see the dream come to fruition.



The awesome thing about Nehemiah’s dream was in chapter 6 verse 15 we are told that the wall was finished in 52 days. Because the dream that God had given Nehemiah was such a God sized dream, only God was the one who could see it through to completion. Verse 16 says “and it happened, when all our enemies heard of it, and all the nations around us saw these things, that they were very disheartened in their own eyes; for they perceive that this work was done by our God.”



Even his own people, the people who were supposed to be like minded, doubted him.







Do you see what happened here? Everyone looking on, everyone who took notice of Nehemiah’s dream thought it was impossible. And when that dream came to pass it was such a miracle that only God could be given the glory.



Those are the kinds of dreams that God has for you and I. Yes we will have doubters, scoffers, those who wish to deflate our dreams and destroy them, but if our dreams come from God then they will come to pass. And God will be the one to get all the glory. In and of our own strength we are incapable of accomplishing God size dreams. We are merely the tools he chooses to use. We are the clay he is the potter. He shapes us and molds us to readiness for our dreams. The foundation of our dreams is always to be in his will.



To accomplish his purpose in our lives we must first realize our dreams. We must also acknowledge where these dreams come from, that they are God breathed. Finally we must take action.



Do you know what your dreams are? Do you know what your purpose is?



Thank you for taking the time to grow and dream with me this Wednesday.

Darlene Shortridge, scribe for Christ











www.BooksByAmanda.com

Deal Breakers

Sounds ominous, doesn't it? What exactly is a deal breaker? Is it when you don't get your own way in a relationship, it's time to cut all ties with your significant other? Or, your best friend was stabbing you in the back ~ would it be the perfect time to throw a friendship that, up until this particular time, had always been a blessing?



I'm sure you know what this is. And I'm pretty positive you understand what it symbolizes.







I think only too often people burn bridges before they should. I was hurt and my trust was trampled. Horribly and deeply. But I'm not ready to let go. I don't want to burn a bridge out of anger. I don't want to cause irreparable damage to not only me, but to innocent people that have no say in the matter. Would this person deserve it? Yes. Am I doing this out of some sick sense of piety or because I think I'm better? Heck no. I have so many faults it's disgusting.



I'm not burning my bridges because I love. I love deeply and truly, and this is worth fighting for. Actually, I rather consider myself a quitter. When things get tough, I tend to run the other way. Nope. Ain't proud of it. Just stating a fact. If there's a boat that needs to be rocked, you can bet I'm not going to start it. That's the way I am.



But this thing I'm dealing with, it woke me up. It made me realize that like the Bible says, we're in a Spiritual battle while we're here on earth, and Satan is seeking whom he may devour. The scary part?



He's knocking on my door. Let's not mince words. Let's just face the fact that he's trying to beat the darn door down and take prisoners. Not my soul because that already belongs to Jesus, but all these things that I treasure and cherish. My husband. My children. And at times, I wonder about my sanity. :)



Why am I telling you this? Because if you have Jesus as your Savior, you've got a BIG GOD that wants to take care of His people. When He gave the list of Spiritual armor in Ephesians 6:10-18, there was something missing.


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He didn't give us knee pads ~ perhaps so we can easily hit our knees in prayer. I don't want to only pray when I'm hurting. I want a real, tangible relationship with my God and Savior.




Eph 6:18 ~ Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints. (KJV)




By the way. I went out shopping today with my children, and I met someone that I know. Mind you, I don't know her extremely well, we don't hang out together or call each other and chat. We're good acquaintances, (Even that doesn't explain it the best.) Anyway, this person reached over and gave me a hug. Today. While I was hurting, and I felt like I had been in an emotional meatgrinder. And you know what? I needed that. What a simple, yet effective way to be a blessing to someone else. 




Friend, if you're reading this, thank you for that smile you gave. Thank you for the hug I needed. I'm so glad God sent you to deliver it to me. :)




Praise God He isn't a deal breaker. :)

www.BooksByAmanda.com

Programs That Entertain & Educate

I am passionate about many things including writing, reading, cooking, and photography; but I also love a good movie or television program. The programs for children that I have love most of all are those that both entertain and educate. We have had many favorites through the years but these three are definitely at the top of the list.







The Big Comfy Couch which My daughter and I watched when she was a pre-schooler. I would say this program is probably best for children between the ages of three and eight. The big Comfy Couch features Loonette the clown and her doll Molly. They learn lessons like being gentle with others, taking care of things so they don't get lost, and much more. There is always a tiny segment of stretching and a clean up time which encourages children to exercise and pick up after themselves.









Peep And The Big Wide World is not only a favorite of Emily's, but it also is a favorite of her father's and mine. Peep And The Big Wide World  teaches children some very basic scientific ideas and has a really catchy tune performed by Taj Mahal. In-between cartoons they show real children doing experiments and they encourage those watching to explore the world around them. Emily has been watching Peep and his friends since she was about four and it is one of the few cartoons that she has not outgrown at the age of eight.











And last but not least, Country Mouse, City Mouse. The country mouse and her city mouse cousin spend time traveling around the world meeting famous people in history like Theodore Roosevelt or seeing famous sites like the Pharaohs tomb. Along the way they have to solve a mystery or help a human child in need. I would have to say this series is geared towards children between the ages of six and twelve. It is a great series that introduces kids to history in a fun way. I particularly like this series because it reminds me of one of my favorite childhood books of the same name. A Little Golden Book that my mother read to me over and over again at my request.









So ends another episode of Kids Korner with me, Children's Author Aileen Stewart. Join me next week for another exciting episode same krazy time, same krazy channel. And feel free to drop by my personal blog Aileen's Thoughts any day of the week for even more on reading, writing, and life in general.


www.BooksByAmanda.com

Christian Devotional - Love, part 4

Sharing and hospitality.



These are two key ideas that go hand in hand when it comes
to love. As we finish up our series on love for this month, John discusses the
importance of sharing what we’ve learned.



2 John 10-13 “If anyone comes to you and does not bring this
teaching, do not take them into your house or welcome them. Anyone who welcomes
them shares in their wicked work. I have much to write to you, but I do not want
to use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to visit you and talk with you face to
face, so that our joy may be complete. The children of your sister, who is
chosen by God, send their greetings.”



The first week we talked about how to love. The second week
was about the definition of love. Last week we looked at imitation love. This
week we look at how and when to share love.



Since John has just finished talking about those people who
are imitators and deceivers when it comes to the teaching of Jesus and His
love, the verses here start out telling us to not be hospitable to people who
are imitators and deceivers of love. This sounds logical, but in this culture
at this time, hospitality was a mandate and people were judged on the quality
of their hospitality. John telling them not to entertain someone was a BIG
deal. He wants people to understand that the things you allow in your house
will ultimately come to define who you are. If we allow deceit and false
teaching into our house to reside, then ultimately that will be what comes to
define us.



John makes such a stark contrast between what our
hospitality should be like with the deceivers and with himself or other
believers. John indicates that when he comes to fellowship and share with them,
then their joy will be complete. John knows that because of love, the sharing and
hospitality that goes with the love is to be like family. It is to bring joy
and harmony and love between all parties as they share the love of Jesus.



We are certainly to share the love of Jesus with everyone.
However, we’re not to take in those who are trying to persuade us to a false
love or imitation love. We must recognize that sharing the love of Christ makes
for complete joy. Are you experiencing complete joy in your relationships with
others? Are those relationships based on the love of Jesus Christ?



Kristi Burchfiel, Christian devotional author and speaker

Living in the World – Living out the Word

Check out my website and daily devotions either on my blog or on my Facebook pagewww.BooksByAmanda.com

Book Review: Abomination by Colleen Coble

http://bit.ly/XQoOG3



"A beautiful woman stands by the side of the road, barefoot and bleeding, a child in her arms. Someone just tried to kill her, but she wouldn't recognize him if she saw his face. She doesn't even remember her own name.



A suburban cop surveys a kitchen in disarray--a woman and child missing, a chilling note. This crime scene is unlike any he has ever seen.



The man who calls himself Gideon waits and plans. He sees himself as a destroyer of evil, one who rids the world of abominations. He has already killed five. He will kill again. 



And somewhere in the wilderness, in a secret geocache near where the wild swans gather, lies the unspeakable clue that links them all together. 



Michigan's rugged and beautiful Upper Peninsula is the setting for this absorbing tale of love and loss, beauty and terror, grievous sins and second chances. A deftly woven thriller from the popular author of the Rock Harbor novels." (Book Description)



I have always loved Colleen Coble's book, especially since I read the Aloha Reef and Rock Harbor series. She has a way of writing that draws me in every single time. I like how she mixes mystery and drama with love and life. And this book, Abomination, was absolutely no different, in fact, in my opinion, it's one of the best that I've read from her.



I was so drawn into the characters of Eve and Nick and I found myself asking when they would finally cross paths and figure this thing out. I loved that Coble used a familiar setting and people from the Rock Harbor series. This drew me in further and allowed for more depth to the ancillary characters in the story.  And I totally, did NOT expect the bad guy to be who it was, making the story even better. 


To keep from spoiling anything from the book, I will leave it at this...I would definitely recommend this book to anyone!


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www.BooksByAmanda.com

Please Stand Up!

Would all the Christians who are bold and transparent about their faith…that won’t sit down like a bunch of pansies and “just take it” please stand up?



This past Saturday night, Saturday Night Live chose to offend Christianity in its entirety. They performed a skit of Jesus coming out of the tomb with a gun and sword killing all his enemies. So much for forgiveness!



Here is a quote from Concerned Women for American President Penny Nance.



"SNL has, of course, always enjoyed their ability to offend in the past, but at least one could count on them to have the nerve to take on everyone equally,"



"Today, SNL would NEVER have the nerve to mock Islam as it did Christianity. They would never be brave enough to run a skit mocking Mohammad at any time — let alone during Ramadan."



“The skit played on many of the familiar tropes of Tarantino's "Inglorious Basterds" and "Django Unchained," and featured "SNL" host and Tarantino regular Christoph Waltz portraying Christ. In the video, Christ is depicted with a crown of thorns and cross strapped to his back, seeking revenge on the Roman soldiers and officials who tried and executed him.”



My question to you is are you going to sit back and take this?



I watched in horror as Christians justified why they voted for a man who endorses almost everything Christianity stands against. I watch as we quietly sit back and not speak the truth because we are afraid to “offend.” Everyday I see Christians justifying sinful behavior in the name of love. Personally, I’m tired of it. It’s time to grow some…if you know what I mean!



When are we going to wake up and start acting like the church? When are we going to speak out for all Christ stands for?



I challenge you to contact NBC and let them and the sponsors of Saturday Night Live know you do not appreciate this attack on your faith. It’s time to stop lying down and taking everything the world gives us.







Proverbs 28:1

The wicked run away when no one is chasing them,

but the godly are as bold as lions.



Here is a link for more information:



http://action.afa.net/email/online.aspx?cid=2169&mid=15006244&tid=aa&utm_source=smAFA&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=2169



Thanks for taking the time to grow with me this Wednesday!

Darlene Shortridge, Scribe for Christ















www.BooksByAmanda.com

Sharing My 2013 Reading List

As a writer, it is my firm belief that I need to be a reader. I've heard that a well-read writer makes a better author. I'm not exactly sure if I agree 100% with that, but I do know that it helps spark my creativity at the very least.



Well, whether I have the time or not, my shelves are overflowing with great books that I can't wait to read. But, I have a problem. There are only 24 hours in a day, and most of those are already taken up.



What do I do? I carry around a book wherever I go. There's at least three books in my glovebox, the Kindle is in my purse, and well, I'm sure you get the picture.



What books are on my Goodreads shelf? So glad you asked.

Well, to be honest, I was going to share it with you whether you wanted to see it or not. Hahaha, and you can't stop me, because this is my blog. :)



Here's my list:




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Amanda's 2013-reading-list book montage















































Amanda Stephan's favorite books »



Share book reviews and ratings with Amanda, and even join a book club on Goodreads.



Here's the ones that I'm reading at the moment:




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Amanda's currently-reading book montage











Amanda Stephan's favorite books »






Which of these have you read? What'd you think of them? Do you have a To-Be-Read list?












Amanda Stephan~Christian Author



BooksByAmanda.com




              






Share book reviews and ratings with Amanda, and even join a book club on Goodreads.











www.BooksByAmanda.com

Two Great Books To Celebrate Black History Month

Since February is Black History Month I thought I would share two books , both based on real life events, that we have recently enjoyed at our house. They both depict young boys who face obstacles because of their color. Fortunately, both young men have the strength of character to persevere and pursue their dreams.







The First is a book titled Ron's Big Mission and is the story of Ron McNair. Ron was a boy that grew up in the 1950's and what he wanted more then anything was a library card a so he could read about flying and space. Unfortunately for Ron, during that time in our history, persons of color were not allowed to have library cards of their own. Ron peacefully demonstrated his dissatisfaction with that rule by standing on the library clerk's desk and announcing that he wanted a library card and would not get down until he got one.



Ron did end up with a library card and pursued his dream of flying by becoming an astronaut. His life was cut short, however, on that fateful day in 1986 when the space shuttle blew up.







The second book is Journey to the Bottomless Pit ~ The Story of Stephen Bishop & Mammoth Cave. This book starts in the year 1838 and Stephen Bishop was a seventeen year old slave whose owner, Mr. Gorin, owned the Mammoth Caves in Kentucky. Mr. Gorin made Stephen the chief tour guide of the caves responsible for exploring, recording what he found, and escorting visitors all by the light of a candle. This job saved Stephen from the hard and grueling labor that was the lot of most slaves of that day and his adventurous spirit caused him to an often requested guide. Unfortunately, like Ron McNair, Stephen Bishop's life was cut short soon after he gained freedom. But his legacy lives on and he is remembered as America's first great cave explorer.





 So ends another episode of Kids Korner with me, Children's Author Aileen Stewart. Join me next week for another exciting episode same krazy time, same krazy channel. And feel free to drop by my personal blog Aileen's Thoughts any day of the week for even more on reading, writing, and life in general.








www.BooksByAmanda.com

Christian Devotional - Love, part 3

Can we imitate love?



For the month of February we’re looking at love through the
eyes of the disciple John in his letter 2 John. This short book tells us a lot
about love and this week, we’re looking at a darker side of love. Imitation
love.



2 John 7-9 “I say this because many deceivers, who do not
acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world.
Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist. Watch out that you do not
lose what we have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully. Anyone who
runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God;
whoever continues in the teaching of has both the Father and the Son.”



In the past weeks, we’ve looked at how to love people and we’ve
looked at what exactly is love. This week we’re getting a look at the cold fact
that some people try to imitate love.



John plainly says that there are deceivers here. These deceivers
do not acknowledge God. They do not believe in God and they do not continue the
teaching of God. They are deceitful in their love and what they share is not
the true love of God.



When we looked last week at what love is, we saw that love
is walking in obedience to His commands. Love is seeing that Jesus is the truth
and that by walking in Him we can love not only Him, but others as well.
Unfortunately the opposite is true as well. If we do not obey Jesus, if we do
not continue in His teachings, if we do now follow Jesus, then we cannot love
and any attempt we make at it is an attempt at deception to ourselves, others,
and God.



So, can we imitate love? People try to all the time. People
try to change the definition of love so that what they have to offer sounds
better or more promising. However, imitation love does not even begin to compare
to the true love found in Christ Jesus. We must be on the lookout and not be
deceived by those who only have the pitiful imitation of love to offer. They do
not know love.



Are we being deceived by others? By ourselves? Are we
displaying the true love of God or are we pedaling a false, flimsy, fake love
that is the product of a deceiver? We must, like scripture says, “continue in
the teaching” so that we have both the Father and the Son and as a result, the
love they share as well.



Kristi Burchfiel, Christian devotional author and speaker

Living in the World – Living out the Word

Check out my website and daily devotions either on my blog or on my Facebook pagewww.BooksByAmanda.com

I Love Learning Something New!

I am 100% a Mac girl.  Our school became an "Apple" School several years ago and all teachers have iMacs and Macbooks in their classrooms.  A couple of years ago I received an iPad from my husband for Christmas.  So I feel fairly adept at using the Macintosh programs.



But many of my friends are still PC people.  (I love them anyway :))  And often if I make a document in Mac's Pages program, it doesn't convert when emailed, even if I save it as a Word document.  This was particularly frustrating recently when I had several cover options I wanted to share for the book I am about to release.



I had worked all weekend on creating book cover designs in Pages.  I saved them as a PDF and emailed them to my friends, asking their opinions.  Every one who did not have a Mac computer emailed me back that they were unable to open the documents.  Grrr.



So I had an idea of trying to format them as a photograph (.jpg file).  Then, I could upload them onto Facebook.  But I had no idea how to do that.  I had read about people who worked in Microsoft Word using an online site to download and convert files, but when I tried in on my Mac, I couldn't get it to work.



I am learning that you can type most anything into a Google search and, voila!, instant answers!  So I typed in "formatting a pages document into jpg", and found a "seven easy steps" blog.  I could hardly contain my excitement.  Yes, I know I'm a nerd.  I quickly and easily followed the steps, and sent my cover options as photos to my friends via Facebook.  No problems at all.



So in an effort to share something that might be helpful to some of you, here are the steps for formatting your pages document into a jpg picture.



1.  Open your pages document.

2.  Go to the File tab and click "Print".

3.  Click the "PDF" button.

4.  Click "Save PDF to iPhoto"

5.  The iPhoto app will automatically open and show your file as a photo.

6.  In the left hand column, it will show a new album.  You can name that album, or drag and drop your photos into the album of your choice.



How easy is that?



Happy writing (and formatting),



Karina Harris

www.karinaharrisauthor.comwww.BooksByAmanda.com