Amanda Stephan's Blog: God is Good, God is Great, page 48

Who Turned Off the Light?

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Do
everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and
pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in
which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life.   (Philippians 2:14–16)

Lately,
my heart has been burdened about Christians, and our role in bringing about the
healing and change needed in our society. I fear that we have become lukewarm
in our personal walk and that we are merely doing what is needed to get by one
day at a time. I wonder whether or not those who observe us on a daily basis
see anything in us that sets us apart from the rest of our generation.




God
calls us to do everything without complaining or arguing, yet how often do we
do just the opposite?  Whether it is
complaining about our responsibilities on the job, our obligations at home, or
our duty as tax-paying citizens in a society that continues to unravel at the seams,
we are perhaps more prone to complain about all that is wrong rather than give
thanks for what is right and good about our individual circumstances. Whatever
happened to simply being thankful for the health to carry out God’s calling,
his daily provision regardless of where he has placed us to work, and the
ability to stand and fight for his values? It all comes down to choice and
attitude.  We must choose to have a godly
attitude and to work and serve one another without complaining.




When
people look at us, do they see blameless and pure children of God who are
without fault in a crooked and depraved generation? Sadly, I don’t think so.
Too many of us are guilty of compromising God’s standards as set forth in his
Word and living beneath the radar at times. We are guilty of backbiting,
gossip, road rage, greed, and so many of the sins that plague our society. 




For
the most part, Christians probably don’t live a whole lot differently than
their non-Christian counterparts. Sure, we probably pray more (at least, I hope
we do) and read our Bibles, but do we really live according to the Word of God,
or are we “Sunday only” Christians? I believe there is no more powerful force
in this world than a fully surrendered child of God who is willing to live a holy
life grounded in the Word of God.



Our
generation needs the truth and encouragement of Scripture. As God’s children,
we are called to shine like stars in the universe as we hold out the word of
life. Are you shining like stars in your workplace, your home, and your
community? Are you encouraging others with the words of God so that they may
find strength to face each day and meet their challenges victoriously? Don’t
hide your light under a bushel. Let others see what God has done for you and is
doing in you! You may be the only Jesus many people will see.









From A
Pleasing Aroma: Inspiring Devotions for Joyful Living



Copyright © 2011 by Dee Dee Wike.
All rights reserved.






Lonely Hearts ~ a sweet Christian Romance
The Price of Trust ~ Christian Romantic Suspense
http://www.booksbyamanda.com

Just for Laughs Friday

As most, if not all, of you know, I love to laugh. This video made it to my all-time favorites. I hope you enjoy!







A merry heart doeth good like a medicine; but a broken spirit drieth the bones. ~ Prov. 17:22 KJVLonely Hearts ~ a sweet Christian Romance
The Price of Trust ~ Christian Romantic Suspense
http://www.booksbyamanda.com

Misunderstood Words and a Classic Movie

We all know editing is important.  Some of us will admit we take it seriously.  I once was asked to double check some paperwork I had completed for my students' standardized testing.  This was before we had conveniently printed labels with all the pertinent information.  I had already spent three days bubbling in student names, ages, and social security numbers.  I really didn't want to go back and check them.  Surely I had filled in every bubble correctly.  I'm a careful person.  I knew how important it was to have the correct information on a student's standardized test.



But I double checked.  And found three mistakes.  And had a thought that I try to keep in the forefront of my mind when I'm editing—again:  "After all, who makes mistakes on purpose?"



I think one hindrance in writing correctly is there are so many words in the English language that sound similar.  When we are speaking there is no difference between the word "wood" as it applies to a tree, and the word "would", which is a modal verb, usually the past tense of "will".  When a person is speaking the listener automatically knows which word is meant through the context of the sentence.  But people who aren't naturally students of the written word might have difficulty remembering which one to use when they are writing.  This is another critical aspect of being a writer.  If we want our thoughts as written words to be taken seriously, then we must use them correctly.




So, in the hope of helping someone who may not naturally focus on the particulars of writing, I would like to start a list of commonly misused words.  Here are my top ten.  Feel free to add others you have discovered in the comment section below:






10. Past and Passed

Past is an adjective referring to something no longer existing:  Dinosaurs lived in the past.

Passed is a verb meaning "move in a certain direction":  He passed me on his scooter yesterday.




9. Accept and Except

Accept is a verb meaning "to receive":  Please accept my apology.

Except is usually a preposition meaning "excluding": We will go to all the stores except Target.




8. Affect and Effect

Affect is usually a verb meaning "to influence":  The weather will affect our outing.

Effect is usually a verb meaning "to bring about":  The effect of my not studying was a bad grade on the test.




7. Than and Then

Than is a conjunction used in comparisons:  I am taller than you.

Then is an adverb denoting time:  First we will eat, then we will watch the movie.




6. Lie and Lay

Lie is a verb meaning "to rest in a horizontal position".  Its principal parts are lie, lay, lain: When I am tired I will lie down.

Lay is a verb meaning "to put or place".  Its principal parts are lay and laid:  He laid the basket carefully on the table.





5. Their, There, and They're

Their is a possessive adjective indicating belonging:  Did you see their new car?

There is an adverb used to indicate position:  The book is there, on the table.
They're is the contraction for they are:  They're going to be late.




4. Farther and Further  (this one I still have to consciously think about)

Farther is an adverb referring to a physical distance:  He took two steps farther into the room.

Further is an adverb referring to an extension of time or degree:  They could not go any further in the discussion without it becoming an argument.




3. Here and Hear

Here is an adverb referring to location:  We are finally here!

Hear is a verb meaning "the ability to recognize sound":  Did you hear the beautiful orchestra?




2. Alright and All right

Alright is not a word.  You should always use all right.  All right?




1. Your and You're

Your is a possessive pronoun:  This is your hat.

You're is the contraction for you are:  You're going to get wet if you don't use an umbrella.






There are many other sites on the web with examples of misused words and their proper meanings.  My personal favorite is The Inigo Montoya Guide to 27 Commonly Misused Words.  Anyone who can use a character from "The Princess Bride" to make grammar palatable is my hero!




Happy writing,




Karina Harris

author and educator

www.karinaharrisauthor.com




Lonely Hearts ~ a sweet Christian Romance
The Price of Trust ~ Christian Romantic Suspense
http://www.booksbyamanda.com

Regret

The Free Dictionary.com defines regret as:







v.tr.


1. To feel sorry, disappointed, or distressed about.

2. To remember with a feeling of loss or sorrow; mourn.


v.intr.


To feel regret.


n.


1. A sense of loss and longing for someone or something gone.

2. A feeling of disappointment or distress about something that one wishes could be different.










Each one of us deals with some sort of regret about something in our lives. Perhaps it's a mistake we made when we were younger. We can wish all day long that particular incident was different; that you'd made a different choice. Yet all the wishing in the world will not take it away. Neither will self-condemnation.




I've got quite a few regrets under my belt. There are times I'm a little embarrassed to tell someone from my past that I'm a Christian romance author. Why? Because of some infraction I've committed that they'll remember. Oh goodness, just ask my mother-in-law. Scary, I'm telling you!




In fact, I've found that the longer I live, the more regrets I rack up. Not because I'm necessarily stupid, but because...well...I'm human. And we all know what that means. Human = mistakes! 




But, let's reflect for a moment. Can worrying about something in our past erase it from our history? Absolutely not. You can pretend it never happened, but all the pretending in the world won't take it away. It's still there. The only options I see? Ask for forgiveness and move on. Get up. Admit you're wrong, brush yourself off, and keep going. This may seem a little simple, but really it's not. We humans have a tendency to remember every mistake (whether it's our own or someone else's) and that is what keeps us down. It impairs our ability to move forward. 




I've got a news flash for you.

You're going to make mistakes. In fact, some of your friends are going to make mistakes. They're going to let you down. Someone is *going* to hurt your feelings ~ whether intentional or not ~ it's going to happen. 




My advice? Consult your Bible. Read it. Pray over the situation. And if you have a problem with regretting things, ask God to help you get over it. Why? 




So you can move forward.




Do you see this picture? (ignore the fuzzy die...)









This is a rearview mirror. 

And rearview mirrors have one job. 




To show what's behind you.




And we need to be looking ahead.

Not the past.




So next time you're tempted to concentrate on the past, remember the rearview mirror. Its only job is to give you a *small* glimpse of what's already behind. Why is this important?








James 4:14 

King James Version (KJV)


14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.












Next time you feel someone has done you wrong, don't waste time on holding grudges and heaping up regrets while you stew about it, let it go. Pray about it. 




Because we're only here for a little while.




Only one life will soon be past

Only what's done for Christ will last.














Lonely Hearts The Price of Trust 










Lonely Hearts ~ a sweet Christian Romance
The Price of Trust ~ Christian Romantic Suspense
http://www.booksbyamanda.com

It's Just A Glimpse, But I'll Take It!

Do you ever have moments when you wonder if you are having any impact? Do you wonder if your children are listening to you? Do you wonder if your family appreciates you or your boss notices that you are never late and you always get your work done on time? Do you wonder if any of the people you have witnessed to have sprouted seeds long after they had passed through your sphere? Do you ever wonder what your next move should be?



I know I do. I have those depressing moments when I am so tired of telling my daughter to put her shoes in the shoe rack or take her dishes to the sink and I think why do I bother. I have moments when I wonder if my book is ever really going to take off.  I have moments when my husband doesn't make a comment on the dinner I so lovingly prepared and I think maybe a diet of cold cereal would help his appreciation factor go up, and I often have those moments when I wonder if I have made any impact for Christ. Unfortunately, unlike, It's a Wonderful Life, we do not get a preview of what life would be like without our contribution.



What we do get, are glimpses. Small moments in time that make us smile and remind us that we do indeed make an impact. Take for instance the other night when my daughter was reading bedtime stories to me. First she read The Completed Hickory Dickory Dock and when she was done she commented that she liked the book because it had nice rhymes. It wasn't a world shattering statement, but to me it spoke volumes. I enjoyed the fact that she was aware of rhyme schemes and thought to share that information with me.

Next she read Come And Play, Oakey . We own several Oakey books, but had not yet read this one. In this book Oakey the rabbit did many new things he had never done before and in the end asks his friends to do the same. When she was done reading, I asked her what she thought the book was about to which she very quickly replied, "Not being afraid to try new things."



So with these glimpses I am able to see that I am indeed making an impact; I am making an impact on one of the most important human beings in my life. She has not only learned a love of reading from me, but she has gone on to be aware of the nuances of each story. It is my belief that this awareness will help her in all areas of life. As she learns and grows she will be aware of the thoughts and feelings of those around her, she will be aware of God's presence and will have a good grasp of the difference between right and wrong, and she will in time find putting her shoes away in the shoe rack an important item. "She will," you snicker as you read that last bit about the shoes. To which I reply, "That's my story and I'm sticking to it!"



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.







































Lonely Hearts ~ a sweet Christian Romance
The Price of Trust ~ Christian Romantic Suspense
http://www.booksbyamanda.com

Sundays with Kristi - Blessed: Hunger and Thirst

How focused is a thirsty man in the desert on finding water?

Before jumping into our devotion of the day, I do want to say Happy Father’s Day to the men out there. I hope that each person will take the time to acknowledge and thank those wonderful men in our lives who have provided examples for us to look up to throughout the years. I pray that this day will be especially blessed for you.

We’ve been going through the Beatitudes over the last several weeks. You can find the previous studies by clicking on the “Sunday” tab above to see where we’ve been. Today, we’re talking about hunger and thirst.

Matthew 5:6—Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

Hunger and Thirst
I think this is such a great picture that God has given us. Most of us like to eat. I know that I like to eat. Granted, I’m not much of a cook myself. I just never really found a lot of enjoyment in the process of cooking, but even so, I like to eat.

However, this verse isn’t exactly talking about eating. It’s talking about being hungry and thirsty. What happens when we get hungry or thirsty? Well, from a biologic standpoint, our body starts sending us signals that we need to eat or drink. Our stomach starts to rumble and churn and our sense of smell is heightened (Have you ever walked through a grocery store on an empty stomach? I’ve been tempted to buy all kinds of things I normally wouldn’t just because everything smells wonderful!). We start to yearn for food. Our mind starts to think about food and water. We start to dwell on how to get food and what is involved with getting food. We hunger for it. If we go long enough without eating food or drinking, our bodies will stop working properly. We’ll notice changes in our vision and our ability to do physical activity. All our normal functions will start to slow down or stop. We could pass out, develop a multitude of serious medical conditions, and eventually, if we go long enough without food or drink, we will die.

Righteousness
I must admit, the description in the previous paragraph didn’t really end on a high note. What would it be like to be that desperate, that single-focused, that goal-oriented knowing that if you don’t get food or water soon you are on the cusp of dying? That is the type of single minded focus that God wants us to have regarding His righteousness. What is righteousness? Being right with God and doing the right that God has for us to do. Are we so focused with urgency on being righteous in every area of our life? Do we make our decisions on daily decisions based on this level of intensity for doing and being right with God? Are we hungering and thirsting after righteousness?

Satisfied
God has again promised blessing for the person who has that level of focus and intensity toward the right things of God. What is that blessing? Satisfaction! Have you had that feeling of complete satisfaction following a meal? Not that overly-full, bloated feeling that tends to accompany Thanksgiving dinner, for example, but that full, satisfied, comfortable, fulfilled feeling following a delicious meal. That feeling, as wonderful as it is, is just a pale comparison to the satisfaction that God provides when we are hungering and thirsting for the righteousness of God.

What are you hungering and thirsting for? What are you seeking whole-heartedly with the focus of man in the desert seeking water? Nothing except the righteousness of God will provide the blessing of satisfaction. Everything else in life will leave you wanting more. Jesus promised that to the Samaritan woman in John 4:13-14.

“Jesus answered and said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again; but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.”

How have you hungered and thirsted for God’s righteousness? How has God satisfied you?

RESPONSE:
Father, I love You and I will seek after you with a single-minded intensity of a dying man seeking a morsel of bread or cup of water. I know that only You can provide the satisfaction that I seek.

Kristi Burchfiel, Christian devotional author and speaker
Living in the World – Living out the Word
Check out my daily devotions either on my blog or on my Facebook page

Lonely Hearts ~ a sweet Christian Romance
The Price of Trust ~ Christian Romantic Suspense
http://www.booksbyamanda.com

Faith to Stand Firm

“Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the
battle is not yours, but God’s…You will not have to fight this battle.  Take up your positions; stand firm and see
the deliverance the LORD will give you.” 
2 Chronicles 20:15, 17 (NIV)

Daily Bible reading is a discipline that today’s Christian
cannot afford to neglect.  Without the
sword of God’s Spirit, our spiritual armor is incomplete and leaves us
vulnerable to the attack of our enemy, Satan, and the forces of evil that war
against us (Ephesians 6: 12-18). 



A recent Bible reading in the twentieth chapter of Second
Chronicles was much more than a lesson in Old Testament theology; it was an
epiphany of sorts.  In verses five
through thirteen, Jehoshaphat pours out his fervent prayer to the LORD for
victory against the invading armies, seeking God’s help against his powerful
foes.  Don’t we all have vast armies that
stand ready to destroy us and steal our joy and victory?  For some, it is unrelenting job stress or
family strife.  For others, it is the
threat of financial ruin or the fear that our children will grow up without
God’s spiritual and moral compass to guide them through the maze of adolescence
into the abundant life that God promises for those who follow him.



God’s answer to Jehoshaphat can be God’s answer for us
today:  “The battle is not yours, but
God’s…You will not have to fight this battle. 
Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will
give you.”  As Christians, we face opposition
every day because of the forces of evil that are at work in our world.  We arm ourselves with the promises of Scripture
and in our own strength argue God’s points and principles with others rather
than put them into practice in our own lives. 
We may be armed and ready to fight, but do we have the faith to stand firm,
take our position in prayer, and trust God to fight our battles for us? 



Rather than fret and fight, let us worship and call on the
name of the One who is able to deliver us. 
“As they began to sing and praise, the LORD set ambushes against the men
of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were
defeated” (2 Chronicles 20:22).  God
inhabits the praises of his people and our worship of him is a powerful weapon
against our enemy.  Let prayer be your
first line of defense, not your final act of desperation, and “give thanks in
all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1
Thessalonians 5:18).












Copyright
© 2011 by Dee Dee Wike.  All rights reserved.  www.deedeewike.comLonely Hearts ~ a sweet Christian Romance
The Price of Trust ~ Christian Romantic Suspense
http://www.booksbyamanda.com

New Release - Sassy Pants Makes Amends

Join Carol Brown for the release of her newest Children's Book,

Sassy Pants Makes Amends

June 19th

and get 

FREE GIFTS











A tale for all ages; it models how to go about “fixing a friendship when you
are the one who broke it.” 

In the first story, Sassy Pants, she went
about breaking everything—rules, friendships, her mother’s heart…In this story
Sassy Pants practices her apology and with Molly's moral support delivers it
and then asks for forgiveness. With that accomplished she comments that apology
and forgiveness were just the first part. Now she wants to do amends to help
the ones she hurt trust her again. It was a lot of hard work, but worth the
effort!




The Sassy Pants series is a great set for young readers. Each book comes
with a code in the back to download a free audio version of the book. Burn your
own CD and viola you have entertainment on the road, or read-along practice to
develop reading fluency, so many uses! To say nothing of all the conversations
the story evokes. There is also a free parent/teacher manual see downloadables
on her website.




Recovery groups have made great use of the story. 

The explanation
of amends is simple and straight forward; it helps many in 12 Step programs.
For more information you may go to http://sassypantsco.blogspot.com




Sassy Pants Makes Amends is the second in the series of four. 

She is
available at Amazon, B & N, and other retail and online sites, also from
the publisher, Tate Publishing.com and on her website www.fromgodsheart.com.




Check out all the freebies you can get if you purchase Sassy Pants Makes Amends from Amazon on June 19th!

http://sassypantsmakesamends.com 

On June 19th, put your name, email addy and confirmation code from Amazon in the form at the end of the list. Hit submit and it takes you to the gift page where
you may download or find how to contact the author for your free gift. You are may
choose—or you may take one of each!






Carol
would love to hear from you! Be sure to leave a comment.
Lonely Hearts ~ a sweet Christian Romance
The Price of Trust ~ Christian Romantic Suspense
http://www.booksbyamanda.com

A Necessary Partnership

Write your first draft with your heart. Re-write with your head. ~ From the movie Finding Forrester




I read this on a webpage dedicated to quotes by authors on the subject of writing.  While I have never seen the movie, the quote resonated with me.  It is exactly what I try to do in my own writing and what I try to teach my students.  It suggests that necessary balance between passion and convention.






We must write with our hearts at the beginning.  It is within the emotion of our heart that the essence of a story takes place.  We don't say, after reading something amazing, "That really touched my mind."  No, it is our hearts that are touched, that are reached, by the depth of joy, the hilarity of circumstance, the tragedy of loss.  And we must tap into that when we are telling our stories so that others may experience it as well.




Often when I am writing, I can "see" the scene unfold.  I watch the characters' actions, and emote their feelings, and before I know it, I've put several hundred words on a page.  I have heard writers say its as if the words just flowed from their minds onto the page.  I would suggest that that first outpouring of story actually comes from our hearts.






But as the quotation reads, we cannot rest there.  Just as the essence of a story comes from our hearts, the word choice, the grammar usage, the correct spelling and punctuation, come from our minds.  Or a thesaurus.  Or The Chicago Manual of Style .  




The point is, we cannot always trust that what our hearts felt is portrayed correctly on the page.  We must use our minds to go back and methodically analyze each sentence.  Its not particularly fun, and sometimes when searching for the exact right word, it can be extremely frustrating.  But it is vital if we want a story that others will read.  Because while the essence of a story touches our emotions, it is the editing of a work that affects our reader's mind.  And if he sees error after error on a page, his mind will not get past that to allow the heart to feel the emotions.




So, yes.  Be creative.  Write with your heart.  Share your passion.  And rewrite.  Edit.  Study the rules of convention.  Apply them to your story.  Then you will have something truly amazing!







Happy writing,




Karina Harris

author and educator

www.karinaharrisauthor.com



















Lonely Hearts ~ a sweet Christian Romance
The Price of Trust ~ Christian Romantic Suspense
http://www.booksbyamanda.com

City on a Hill

There once was a city, ravaged by forces so brutal, so tremendous that the city forgot how to breathe. On occasion it would gasp, sucking for air, trying to give the impression of life, of vitality. Only a fool would be convinced of its longevity, for certainly death was knocking at its gate.







The people of this city were afraid. They saw monsters behind every closet door and heard creaks and moaning, even when there were none. They hid in their homes, behind closed doors fearful of what might come next.



Upon entering this city, a visitor felt the oppression. The heaviness would weigh on his shoulders, increasing the load he must carry. He soon felt the desire to flee the city in a desperate attempt to preserve what hope he had left. If he waited too long the city would overtake him and his thoughts of flight would be no more.







The city walls began to crumble, some from the terrible force that evaded and some from the lack of care by its inhabitants. Truly, this city had been read its last rites.



There was another city, which was also attacked by brutal forces. For a moment, this city forgot to breathe. Then as if a life giving force whispered in its ear, this city found its feet and clamored from the ground that wanted to envelop it.







The people of this city shed their fear. They exposed the monsters behind their closet doors and eliminated the occasional creaks and moaning. They threw open their shades and unlocked their doors. They embraced the future and looked forward to a bright sunny tomorrow.



Visitors felt the electricity upon entering this city. It was a place they could put down roots. They felt alive and free, ready to embrace this new world to which they traveled. The possibilities seemed endless and the opportunities were abundant. Visitors did not wish to leave, but instead grafted into the vine of the bloodline of this city, becoming one of its own.



The city walls were built up, fortified. Expansion was within the realm of possibility. New met new and the old passed away. The air was intoxicating and invigorating. Truly, this city was a city of life.



Which city are you? Are you a city dying at the hand of ravaging storms or are you a city that breathes deep and becomes stronger when trials and tribulation come your way?







Are you a city that lies down, defeated? Or are you a city that fortifies and conquers when adversity strikes?



Are you a city hiding in a valley from which visitors flee? Or are you a city on a hill, a beacon to the lost?



Matthew 5:14 You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.



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

Darlene Shortridge






Lonely Hearts ~ a sweet Christian Romance
The Price of Trust ~ Christian Romantic Suspense
http://www.booksbyamanda.com