Amanda Stephan's Blog: God is Good, God is Great, page 60

Praise God for Pig-Poo

Have you ever heard someone say "Why me?" or, "Why am I having to deal with this or go through this?" To be honest, I don't know why, nor can I tell you I understand. Quite frankly, I can't understand unless it's a particular situation I've already gone through. I can only say, I'll pray for you, or I'm sorry you're having a rough time. Neither of these answers, while they are heartfelt, don't help take the pain or dislike away.



In Luke 15:11-32, we read the parable of the Prodigal Son. I know most people know the story, but let's recap, shall we?



A man had two sons. The younger asked for his inheritance. Although this meant that when his father died he wouldn't get anything, he decided he wanted it now. Instead of waiting. (Still relevant today, isn't it?) Like most young people, this young man probably thought nothing could bother him and all would be well in the end. He could do what he liked, no one could tell him he was wrong as he was a man now. (Sound familiar?) And he ended up squandering all his inheritance in riotous living. Did riotous throw you? He wasted it. ALL.



Luke 15:14-15 - And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.



Swine (pigs) were filthy and forbidden to Jews. So this shows just how desperate this young man was. But wait. It gets worse...



Luke 15:16 - And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and NO MAN GAVE UNTO HIM. (<~ evidently, there was no welfare! But that brings up another whole thought. I'll save it for later) ;)





This young man, who started out thinking he knew everything, that he was on top of the world, ended up being so destitute and downtrodden that he was considering eating pig food. This man had hit rock bottom. 







And here is my favorite part: verses 17-19 -

And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, And am no more worthy to called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.





He was READY to become a SERVANT in his father's house. He felt worthless. He was dirty. He had nothing left. He had finally learned humility!



Sometimes, when things are so very hurtful, the pain is deep, the wound is fresh, that's when we finally learn to lean on Jesus. That's when we learn that He's there, just waiting for US to come home. And I'd be willing to bet by the rest of the parable, that father was so very thankful his precious son had to deal with Pig Poo.



Remember, you still have a chance to win the DVD of Courageous! Details HERE(Ends March 1st)

(All Scripture references are taken from the KJV of the Bible)











Did you know Lonely Hearts is only

99¢ on Smashwords.com? 

Yes, it's true! Get this Sweet Christian

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

If You Have a Finger, You Can Do It!

If you have a finger, you can do it. If you have four fingers, a thumb, and an ink pad you can do it even better. What is the crazy lady talking about, you ask? Why fingerprint drawings of course. My daughter and I discovered our first Ed Emberley fingerprint drawing book at our local library, and what a fascinating time we had with that book. It was an older book, but Ed Emberley's Complete Funprint Drawing Book looks equally interesting. Since then I have learned that Mr. Emberley is author of over 80 books, two of them medal winners, with one of the most popular series being the drawing books.

















Finally an art project that requires more imagination then talent. That is

most assuredly what this fairly inartistic gal needs. Turn any finger print into an instant picture with just a few squiggles and lines. Don't worry Ed's books are chock full of wonderful colored illustrations that even the most novice of artists can follow. Not only do Ed's books offer hours and hours of low cost entertainment, but they also afford the opportunity for you big kids to do something fun with your little kids. So get out there and create, create, create. And while you are at it, check out Ed's Picture Pie cut and paste book which looks like something I could do as well.











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 - Fruit of the Spirit - Love

By Kristi Burchfiel

What does it mean to love?

The word love has taken on several meanings in our culture. The word love in the English language has been used to describe our feelings toward food, clothing, relationships, pets, colors, weather, seasons…you get the picture. Yet, when I say, "I love Mexican food," I really don't mean the same thing as when I say, "I love my husband."

Love is the first aspect of the collective Fruit of the Spirit that is listed in Galatians 5:22-23. Love is mentioned often throughout scripture. For example:

1 John 4:7 – Love is from God
1 John 4:19 – We love because God first loved us
John 13:34-35 – Our first commandment is to love God and the second is to love others like God loves us
Romans 5:8 – God showed us love because while we were still sinners, He died for us

I could go on and on, but probably the most famous passage of scripture that deals with love is 1 Corinthians 13. Nicknamed "The Love Chapter," it gives the most complete list of what love is and what it isn't. We're going to focus on just a few verses, but I encourage you to go back and look at the whole chapter. As an overview, the chapter can be broken down into 3 parts. The first part, verses 1-3, tells us what it's like when we try to do good things without love (basically the equivalent of nails on a chalkboard.) The third part, verses 8b – 13, tells us that we grow in love and it is perfected in us over time. The middle section where we're going to focus, verses 4-8a, describes the characteristics of love.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8a (NASB)
"Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly. It does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth. Bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things, love never fails."

That's quite a list. I've seen these verses on posters, wall hangings, read at weddings, quoted and generally used as a "feel good" sentiment. However, I remember one time when a friend I loved had disappointed me. OK, that's an understatement. I was hurt and angry and telling God about it. God brought me back to this list. I saw it in a completely different light and have never been able to look at "love" the same way. Let me show you:

Love is patient (because the people I love will test my patience)
Love is kind (even when no one is kind to me)
And is not jealous (no matter how nice someone else's things seem to be, or how few things I feel I have)
Love does not brag and is not arrogant (because I realize that everything I have isn't really mine and belongs to God anyway)
Does not act unbecomingly (because I will be given plenty of opportunities to act unbecomingly)
It does not seek its own (because this world will try to teach me to only look out for myself)
Is not provoked (because Satan will use people to try and "push my buttons")
Does not take into account a wrong suffered (because I will suffer wrongs done to me)
Does not rejoice in unrighteousness (because it will feel like everyone else is)
But rejoices with the truth (because so few people will champion the Truth)
Bears all things (because I will have burdens)
Believes all things (because no one else will think it's possible)
Hopes all things (because no one else will see that through God all things are possible)
Endures all things (because it will seem easier to give up)
Love never fails (because everything else will)

Certainly, the parts in parenthesis I've added, but you get the idea. God wouldn't have had to tell us about the qualities of love if they weren't going to be tested. If we never got frustrated, we wouldn't have to have patience. If we never had any burdens, we wouldn't have to practice bearing them. You get the idea.

As mentioned in the other verses above, God is love. God is the perfection of all these above qualities. God loves each and every one of us even though we have hurt God and caused Him to display all of these characteristics of love toward us at some point in time. Since we are to love others in the same way God loved us, I realized I had a lot of room for improvement. Thankfully, God is patient and forgives us as we learn to let Him love others through us with His perfect love.

RESPONSE:
"Father, Your love is amazing. I get frustrated, experience hurt, lose hope, and feel failure. Yet, because of Your love I, too, can love others even while experiencing all those other feelings. I love You and You love me. With Your help, I will display to others Your perfect, unfailing love."

Think about times when people you love have done things that make it seem difficult to love them. Which of these characteristics is God allowing you the opportunity to practice? How can you show God's love to other people?Lonely Hearts ~ a sweet Christian Romance
The Price of Trust ~ Christian Romantic Suspense
http://www.booksbyamanda.com

What's Really Going on Here?

by Dee Dee Wike



This week's question is one that I hear often and one I myself have asked many times over the past few years: 

If we are raising our kids according to the principles God has set forth in His Word, why are they falling into such rebellion?

We all know families, including our own, that suffer the heartache of living with prodigal children.   As I have struggled with my own challenges parenting a teenager, I have observed that many parents, even the most devout and committed Christians I know, are dealing with the same issue.  No matter how hard we try to bring up our kids to love God and walk in obedience to His Word, many of them are walking in blatant disobedience, engaging in self destructive behaviors that threaten their well being and our sanity.  So what's really going on here?

If we look to Scripture, it isn't hard to find an answer.  In 2 Timothy 3:1-5, Paul writes:

But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days.  People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good,  treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—  having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.

Could anything more accurately describe our prodigals, whatever their age, and our society in general?

There is no doubt that we are living in the last days.  We see signs all around us.  Satan knows his time is short to steal, kill, and destroy any remnant of God's goodness, especially in our children.  He employs influences of many kinds to do his dirty work, including bad friends, social media, and entertainment choices.  If you add up all the weapons in Satan's arsenal, it is no wonder that we feel outnumbered and overpowered by the evil influences we battle day in and day out as we strive to raise godly children.   What's a Christian parent, or any parent interested in raising children of moral character, to do?

First of all, we must lean on God and stand on His promises like never before!  Satan and all his demons are no match for God and His power.  1 John 4:4 says, "You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world."  We cannot give up the battle for our children's souls.  This is spiritual warfare and we must fight against the forces of evil which can destroy our children if we cease fighting for them.  "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up" (Ephesians 6:9).  No matter how difficult things get, we must love our children, invest our lives in teaching them God's principles, and model what it means to walk in grace and godliness.

We also need to "carry each other's burdens, and in this way (we) will fulfill the law of Christ" (Galatians 6:2).  Said another way, we need to support and encourage those who are struggling with their own parenting challenges.  No one suffers alone in the body of Christ.  No one suffers in vain.  Look for the purpose in your pain and resolve to "comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God" (2 Corinthians 1:4).

If we as Christians will pray without ceasing for our children, encourage one another through these difficult days, and train up our children in the way they should go (Proverbs 22:6), then I have hope that we will eventually see them return to the God of their youth and follow Him all the days of their lives.

********

If you have a question you would like answered from God's Word, please email deedeewike@gmail.com or mail your question to:  Dee Dee Wike, PO Box 193, Collierville, TN 38027-0193.



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

It All Depends on Your Point of View

Writers have several options when choosing which point of view to use when writing fiction. Since I have no experience whatsoever with writing in the first person, this post shall be limited to the one suggested by most instructors (limited third person) and how it differs from one I have noticed in some other new writers' works (omniscient)...including my own. What's the difference, you ask? Allow me to explain.

A limited third person point of view allows the reader to know the thoughts of the main characters in a story.The omniscient point of view gives the reader everyone's thoughts, sometimes including the writer's.
Everything I have read about point of view recommends the use of limited third person and strongly discourages the use of omniscient POV.

Most people who read fiction want to identify with a character in the story. They invest a part of themselves into that character, and for better or worse, say to themselves, "That could be me."

People can't emotionally invest in every character in the book. And if they are constantly made privy to the thoughts and motives behind every character, rather than better understanding the story (as young authors believe will be the case by sharing every internal detail), the opposite happens. The reader feels disconnected from all the characters.

Experts say it is better storytelling to choose to reveal only the main characters' internal musings. I have struggled with this personally. I wanted my readers to understand what all the characters in the room were thinking. I believed this better explained their actions. However, it was pointed out to me that since we as readers connect with only one character at a time, it is better to choose one character and relate the whole scene from his point of view. Now, as writers we can still show what other characters are thinking through the eyes of the main character.

Let's look at two examples:

Mike wanted desperately not to be the last person chosen this time. He stood as tall as he could, puffed his chest out as much as he dared and held his head high. Joe and Tim, the team captains stood at the front of the group. Joe looked at all the other boys, and picked the ones he thought had the best athletic ability. He hated to lose. Tim was more thoughtful. He didn't like to see anyone left out, and he had noticed that Mike was often chosen last.

This is an example of omniscient point of view. We know what Mike and Joe and Tim all think. And its difficult to connect with anyone, because we know what everyone is thinking! Let's look at the same scene strictly from Mike's point of view:

Mike wanted desperately not to be the last person chosen this time. He stood as tall as he could, puffed his chest out as much as he dared and held his head high. Joe and Tim, the team captains stood at the front of the group. When it was Joe's turn to choose, Mike made a concerted effort to make eye contact. He watched Joe scan the faces of the other boys in line. For a split second their gazes locked, and Mike held his breath. Then just as quickly Joe's gaze moved down the line. Mike let his breath out slowly, like a deflated balloon, as Joe remained true to form and chose the best pitcher.

Next it was Tim's turn. Mike's heart hammered in his chest and his hands felt sweaty as he waited for Tim to make his choice. He closed his eyes for a moment, willing Tim to see him, to really see him. When he opened his eyes, Tim was looking right at him. Unlike Joe, Tim's gaze didn't skitter away immediately. He seemed to ponder his choice carefully. Please, thought Mike. Please pick me.

Who do you, the reader, identify with? Mike, of course. We see the whole scene unfold through his eyes. We feel his emotions, and we long for him to be chosen as well. Do we still get a sense of Joe's and Tim's character? Absolutely. Can we imagine what those two boys are thinking by their actions? Yes. And yet we weren't told their thoughts...we were shown their thoughts through Mike's interpretation of their actions.

For more on this discussion, check out the following link from award winning author, Robert J Sawyer:
http://www.sfwriter.com/ow07.htmLonely Hearts ~ a sweet Christian Romance
The Price of Trust ~ Christian Romantic Suspense
http://www.booksbyamanda.com

Out of the Mouth of Babes

If I pay attention, I can always tell if my son is about to say something that isn't appropriate. For instance, one day while we were sitting in the waiting room at a medical office, he was staring rather hard at a really, and I do mean really, old couple. Maybe if I hadn't of been so sick, I would have caught him before the inevitable happened. Then again, we wouldn't have been there if I hadn't of been so sick, so we were kind of in a catch twenty two.





He looked intently at the gentleman, who was hunched over and walking very slowly. My son took it all in and voiced exactly what he was thinking. "That guy is really old. He is about ready to go see God." Now, I suppose that is a polite way of stating the obvious. I mean, he was really old. My son was not purposefully being rude. He wasn't trying to be hurtful. He simply observed and he reacted.





How does a parent explain to a six year old appropriate speech? I mean, we are just getting the basics of appropriate behavior under control, at least some of the time. I know all of us as parents have countless stories of our kids saying the right thing at the wrong time. We get embarrassed over them speaking the truth. Being polite means we only say certain things certain ways. I admit there are times I wish I did not have inhibitions about stating the truth, up front and without apologies. In this politically correct world that is not an acceptable behavior. We might offend someone.





The Bible does tell us in Psalm 40:10 I do not hide your righteousness in my heart; I speak of your faithfulness and salvation. I do not conceal your love and your truth from the great assembly.



It seems to me this verse is the opposite of being politically correct. How about you? I will not hide my righteousness in my heart? To me that means, I should be sharing my faith. I should be sharing the gospel and the goodness of God. I should be showing the love of Christ and the salvation that only He can give. I should be speaking truth.







Does this mean I should make an announcement if a really, really old guy walks by me? Ah no, there are still some thoughts that should remain thoughts. But it does mean when important truths need to be spoken, we should pray and seek God's will. If He is leading us, if our words are used to bring life, then we must speak.



Thanks for taking the time to grow with me today :)



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

Valentine's Day, part two

But as I was thinking, Valentine's Day encourages love. Love of all types exist. Love between a husband and wife, mothers and father and their children, and the list goes on. But when I consider just how much I cherish and love my family, I'm humbly reminded about God's love for mankind.







For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son; that whosoever believeth on Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. ~ John 3:16



This is probably one of the most well-known verses in the Bible ~ and it should be. As a mother that spends almost every minute of every day  with her children, it tears me up to even consider  giving one of my children up to pay someone else's sin debt. Yeah. Right. Ain't going to happen. I'm selfish that way, I suppose...



Praise God I don't have to though. He's already done it so I can either accept His gift of eternal life, or I can go along my own little merry way.



The other night, a friend of ours loaned us his copy of the movie Courageous and it inspired me to write this post. Why? Because God can use any medium to reach someone's heart for Him. After watching, (and bawling through) this funny, heart-warming, faith-affirming, heart-breaking movie, I want to be even more dedicated to Him. In everything I do.



So, this is my personal contest for the month of February. Leave a comment , any comment on ANY POST written by ANY SISTER here, and your name will be added to the hat to win a DVD of Courageous. Tweet this giveaway for an extra chance! Trust me. This movie is that awesome. You're going to want to win it.



Tweet This For an Extra Entry:

Win #Courageous from #SistersInCahoots. Details @ www.thepriceoftrust.com



Contest Ends: March 1st. You MUST leave a way to contact you or a new winner will be chosen. Winner will be notified via email.









Did you know Lonely Hearts is only

99¢ on Smashwords.com? 

Yes, it's true! Get this Sweet Christian

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

Feeling The Love

Since Valentine's Day is quickly approaching I thought I would share two books that express the idea of how much we love our children. But don't think that these books are only good for Valentine's Day because that is simply not the case. I Love You is a sentiment good for every day of the week, and so are these books! 









I Love You to the Moon by Melissa Staehli is a beautiful story of a parent's love for their child. The watercolor
style illustrations lend an added warmth to the catchy rhymes, and the
extra large print and simple sentences are perfect for beginning
readers. The size of the print made me want to point to each word as I
read, which strikes me as something a child would find useful when
learning to read. I would definitely recommend this book for children
ages three to six.

















I Already Know I love You by Billy crystal was a wonderful surprise when I read it. For
those of you who wonder if an actor/director can write a children's
book, the answer is yes.  Mr. Crystal shares his thoughts about the impending birth of his first grandchild in a warm and
touching way. This book would make an excellent gift for grandparents or expecting parents and a cornerstone for a new baby's library. 













And although great book selections are of utmost importance, no Valentine's Day would be complete without a special treat. I made these treats for my daughter's first grade class on her birthday, and they were such a hit that I thought I would recreate them with red and white sprinkles for Valentine's. To make these simple yet delicious treats simply buy some pre-made Rice Krispie treats and pop them on craft sticks. Then put 1 and 1/2 cups of semi sweet chocolate chips  in a large glass measuring cup. Add one tablespoon of vegetable oil and heat in the microwave on high for one minute. Stir until the chocolate is smooth. Dip the Rice Krispie bars in the chocolate and sprinkle with candy bits. Allow to harden in the refrigerator for ten minutes on a cookie sheet lined with waxed paper or parchment. Wallah, a fantastic treat in no time at all.  







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 - Are You Fruitful... or Just Fruity?

By Kristi Burchfiel

Have you ever wondered if a fruit tree can refuse to make fruit?

I've wondered that sometimes as I look at the lovely trees that create the wonderful fruit I enjoy eating. Now certainly, there are times when the weather gets too cold and freezes and the trees don't produce fruit. Or, if they don't get enough water, then they won't be able to produce fruit. But I'm talking about a fruit tree that has all its needs met and all the resources at hand, but just simply decides that it doesn't want to produce fruit.

In Galatians, Paul talks about the fruit that we as believers in Jesus Christ are to produce. Galatians 5:22-25 says, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit."

That's quite a list of fruit. Over the next several weeks, we're going to look at each quality mentioned individually, but today, I want to look at the passage as a whole. Two things stand out to me from these verses. First, the word fruit is singular, not plural. Paul is referring to one fruit, not many fruits. So, even though this lists nine different characteristics, we do not get to pick and choose which ones on this list we'd prefer to display and which ones we'd rather leave off (can anyone say patience!). Our life in Christ should be made up of a fruit that displays clearly all nine qualities listed.

Second, we have to allow God to work through us to produce this fruit. Our personal desires and passions will not produce this fruit. Motives matter. Producing fruit of the Spirit is not each of us trying to work up something or trying to do more, be more. Producing fruit is more about dying than trying. No matter how hard I try, I will never love like God loves, have joy like God has, patience like God, etc. But, if we belong to Jesus Christ, He produces this fruit in us and through us, we just have to get out of the way by dying to our own personal desires and agenda. We have to let it go. We will never be able to produce the fruit of the Spirit on our own, only by dying and allowing Jesus to live each day through us will we be able to see Jesus produce fruit through our lives.

Now, just like it would seem ridiculous to us to see a fruit tree that refused to bear fruit, even if all the right conditions were met. So, it must seem to God when we accept Him into our life and ask Him to be Lord over our life, and then refuse to allow Him to produce fruit through our life. Granted, I know that some days I've felt like I've been more "fruity" than "fruitful." Still, I know that God loves me, forgives me, and wants to work in me so that even in my crazy, mixed up life, His perfect fruit is evident and points
Dear Jesus, some days, I'm like a fruit tree that doesn't want to produce fruit. I struggle against You and try to do things out of my own desires and for selfish motives. Forgive me! I want my life to produce Your perfect fruit so that You may be honored and praised. I will stop trying and start dying to myself daily so that You may live through me. Help me overcome the temptation to take back control. I live in the Spirit, help me to walk in the Spirit. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.

RESPONSE:
What aspect of the fruit of the Spirit do you find a struggle in your life? How do you feel like God is working to make your life more fruitful? Share your thoughts below.Lonely Hearts ~ a sweet Christian Romance
The Price of Trust ~ Christian Romantic Suspense
http://www.booksbyamanda.com

Don't Be Afraid of the Water!

Hi, there!  Hardly seems a week has passed since I posted the blog announcing the "Dear Dee Dee" column, featured Saturdays at Sisters in Cahoots!  I am excited about this opportunity to serve you by sharing God's answers to your questions.  I join my fellow bloggers in inviting you to stop by our blog daily (better yet, subscribe!) for inspiration, writing tips, humor, information, and fun!



This week's letter comes from fellow author, Amanda Stephan. 

Dear Dee Dee –

I have a question. When you're asked to do something out of your comfort zone, do you panic? How do you handle situations that seem so out of control that you just want to hide?

Wow, what a great question, Amanda!  There are times when we are all called upon to do things that take us way out of our comfort zone.  It is natural to be nervous and even reluctant to venture into the unknown.  Just look at Moses!  He felt like a wimp and even told God he was incompetent, but God used him to accomplish a God-sized task – to deliver the Hebrews from 400 years of captive servitude in Egypt. 

Our great God has an amazing way of taking a willing  (or in Moses' case, an unwilling) vessel, pouring His power and anointing into it, and doing something that far exceeds our expectations and abilities.  Whether our challenge is to stand in front of people and give a presentation or take on a project or job role we feel unqualified to do, we can avoid panic if we keep these things in mind:

1.  PRAY – First and foremost, from beginning to end, pray about the situation and have others pray with and for you.  God hears and answers the prayers of His children, and He loves for us to ask for help when we feel powerless.  "And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.  With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.  Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel" (Ephesians 6:18-19).

2.  PREPARE – Taking as much time as you have available (even if it isn't much), prepare by studying your material, knowing who your audience is (or what the task will require of you), and putting in writing at least the major points you want to cover in your presentation or the steps it will take to accomplish the task ahead of you.  "Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage -- with great patience and careful instruction" (2 Timothy 4:2).  "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth" (2 Timothy 2:15).

3.  PRACTICE – Use your notes and practice in front of a mirror, making sure to look up from your notes as often as possible.  Try not to read everything word for word.  Making eye contact with your audience will keep them interested in what you have to say.  "I may not be a trained speaker, but I do have knowledge. We have made this perfectly clear to you in every way" (2 Corinthians 11:6).  "Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training.  They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever" (1 Corinthians 9:25).

4.  PERSONALITY – Put on a happy face! Smile!  Be yourself, the unique and gifted person God created you to be.  Use your God-given intelligence, humor, and gifting to build rapport with and engage your audience or the team of individuals it might take to accomplish your project.  "Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms" (1 Peter 4:10).  "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!" (Philippians 4:4) 

5.  PRETEND (visualize) – As you practice, prepare, and pray about the challenge before you, pretend that you have succeeded in your endeavor.  In other words, visualize how you want it to go and the results you want to achieve.  See yourself speaking eloquently, acquiring the knowledge and skills to tackle that project, and know that you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you.  "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened" (Matthew 7:7-8)

6.  POWER -- Pray for the power of the Holy Spirit to encourage and give you confidence.  "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen" (Ephesians 3:20-21).  "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness" (2 Corinthians 12:9)



7.  PROMISES – Stand on God's promises to be with you, to go before you, to give you the mind of Christ, to provide for you, to give you grace to help you in time of need, and to complete the good work He has begun in you.  You are not standing at the podium or facing your challenge alone.  He is with you!   "Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires" (2 Peter 1:4).  "The LORD is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made" (Psalm 145:13).

8.  PRAISE – Praise God for the chance to make a difference in all you do and thank Him for seeing you through.  Praise Him for equipping you to do that which He has called you to do.  "Praise the LORD.  How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him! (Psalm 147:1)

Don't be afraid of the water!  Step out of the boat with courage, knowing that Christ is there to help you succeed.  Just remember to give Him the glory for all He does in and through you!

*****************If you have a question you want answered, email deedeewike@gmail.com or mail your question to:

Dee Dee WikePO Box 193Collierville, TN  38027-0193Lonely Hearts ~ a sweet Christian Romance
The Price of Trust ~ Christian Romantic Suspense
http://www.booksbyamanda.com