Robin Gilbert Luftig's Blog, page 23

We Are What We Eat

We are what we eat and drink. Maybe not spaghetti or iced tea, but we are what we take in. What do you hunger for, or put another way, what is important to you? And what does that have to do with having a blessed home?

Christ-centered homes have at least one thing in common: Christ comes first. It isn’t the rules found in Scripture that make a home Christ-centered. It’s the hearts of the people living in it.

Reducing Christ to a list of rules leads to legalistic Christianity.

 

Help your family

Help your family see God as loving, approachable, and involved.

Include God in your daily conversations in your home.Make attending church non-negotiable.Show how seeking and serving God can be fun.

Remember, the only way to show it is to do it.

“You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water.”  Psalm 63:1

You and your family will benefit when a heart—your heart—hungers and thirsts after God.

What say you?

What do you wonder about?  Are you happy … or are you doing what you never thought you’d do? Do you see consistencies … or are you all over the place? Drop me a line. I’d love to chat.

Struggling to find good in your life? Check out my award-winning book, God’s Best During Your Worst, or check out any of my other books on my Book page.

The post We Are What We Eat appeared first on Robin Luftig.

Writer, Know Thyself

On your mark, get set … but are you ready to go? This is when you challenge yourself: Writer, know thyself.

Ideas have bounced around in your mind for months. You have the perfect plotline for the genre you’re working in, but it’s time to lock it all in a file. You’ve poised your fingers above the keys of your laptop, ready to write the world’s next greatest novel. You’ve placed a pad of paper, pens, and highlighters on your right. On your left is a bottle of water and a cup of coffee, ready for whatever your literary fancy is at the moment. You’ve formatted your soon-to-be document and are ready to create, waiting for inspiration to wash over you.

 

Now what?

Not many situations are more intimidating for a new author than looking at the blank page or screen, waiting to carry their brilliance. Many writers barely get started when frustration takes over and ties them in knots. Soon they give up. How can you avoid this writer’s snare?

Be prepared.

Before your fingers dance out a storyline, ask yourself a few questions.

How well do you know your characters? Do they—the antagonist as was as the protagonist—have redeeming qualities? Readers want to be involved but will only invest their time in books with good storylines. Even if they want to hate a character, they also want to love him.Do you have a chart to follow how your chapters unfold? Your story may not end up following the map, but it helps if you know how to get where you want to go. This will also help you when you’re preparing a proposal when the story’s ready for review.Have you researched your subjects? Nothing is more distracting than, for instance, reading a story where an Amish woman reapplies her makeup after a kiss. That would never happen! Make sure you have your facts straight.

Writing can be a bit daunting. But if you’re prepared it takes some of the sting out. Plan, know what you need to know and learn the rest along the way. You’ll enjoy the journey so much more if you do.

What say you?

What do you wonder about?  Are you happy … or are you doing what you never thought you’d do? Do you see consistencies … or are you all over the place? Drop me a line. I’d love to chat.

Struggling to find good in your life? Check out my award-winning book, God’s Best During Your Worst, or check out any of my other books on my Book page.

The post Writer, Know Thyself appeared first on Robin Luftig.

Continue to Ponder the Marvels of Easter

Let’s continue to ponder the marvels of Easter a bit more.

Eight hundred years before Jesus was crucified, Isaiah prophesied that a Messiah would come. Isaiah didn’t know the names of the upcoming players. He couldn’t use the names of Mary, Joseph, or even Jesus. But instead, he used terms like Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace.

Jews who saw Jesus on the cross knew in their heads the Messiah was coming, but their hearts were elsewhere. We scratch our heads when we think of it. How could they miss it? We can’t fathom how they could be so ignorant (unknowing).

Really?

Look at us in our ignorance today. Society celebrates the Easter Bunny, while the greatest gift of all is offered to all.

 

Can We Call a Mulligan?

How about we call a Mulligan–a do-over.

“Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” Isaiah 43:18-19

Let’s start over, right now. Because of Jesus dying on the cross then raising from the dead we have the luxury to change our future. We may know in our heads that Jesus came to save us all, but let’s continue to ponder on the marvels of Easter before we forget again. Let’s move our thoughts to beliefs. It’s not too late to put action to our knowledge and embrace the Good News—a King came to set us free!

What say you?

What do you wonder about?  Are you happy … or are you doing what you never thought you’d do? Do you see consistencies … or are you all over the place? Drop me a line. I’d love to chat.

Struggling to find good in your life? Check out my award-winning book, God’s Best During Your Worst, or check out any of my other books on my Book page.

The post Continue to Ponder the Marvels of Easter appeared first on Robin Luftig.

The Day the Dam Broke

April 1, 2011, was the day the dam broke. That’s the day my life changed forever. The day I had the seizure that left me temporarily paralyzed on my right side. When doctors found my brain tumor–a tumor that had been growing between ten and twelve years. That was the day I realized doctors made a mistake when they told me the twitching in my hand had been from getting old. The day the doctors told me to get my affairs in order because I needed surgery. That’s they couldn’t promise I’d live through it. When my husband of only four years had to look at the possibility of caring for a person who would forever be less than who she was when he married her.

That’s the day the dam broke. It was ten years ago that I needed to know exactly who I was and what I believed.

Memories of That Day

There is no way for me to tell you exactly how memorized scripture came to life that day. Scriptures like Hebrews 13:5, Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you and Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you”, declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future…” 

 

Never the Same

That’s the day I knew I would never be who I had been. March 31, 2011, had been a day like any other, but the next day opened the door to a new world I will forever be thankful for. That’s the day the dam broke flooding my life with challenges and blessings. Kept promises and blessings. Comforts beyond measure … and more blessings.

When the dam breaks in your life … and it will … I hope you are ready. It may not be a brain tumor for you like it was for me. But it will happen.

How will you handle a breaking dam day?

What say you?

What do you wonder about?  Are you happy … or are you doing what you never thought you’d do? Do you see consistencies … or are you all over the place? Drop me a line. I’d love to chat.

Struggling to find good in your life? Check out my award-winning book, God’s Best During Your Worst, or check out any of my other books on my Book page.

 

The post The Day the Dam Broke appeared first on Robin Luftig.

What’s Around the Corner

You’ll never know what’s around the corner. While we’re geared to plan and look to the future, we need to maintain a strong foothold on the present. Ten years ago everything was going perfectly. My family was close, I was married to a wonderful man, and I had incredible friends and a great job. In fact, ten years ago today, my thoughts were on enjoying the spring weather that finally landed in south-central Pennsylvania. I had no cares in the world, other than if my bicycle was ready for our maiden voyage for the year. My plans were on enjoying the day at hand.

Little did I know my life would be changed forever the next day.

Little did I know I’d hear the most devastating words I’d ever hear: You have a brain tumor and may die very soon.

All my wonderfuls took a back seat to what my right now had given me.

None of us know what we will face next week. No … tomorrow. Wait, not even later today. Honestly, we can’t even be sure what the next minute will bring. We will never know what’s around the corner for our lives, but we can know what’s right now.

Be thankful for where you are, because it’s a beautiful place to be.

Place your hand on your chest

Place your hand on your chest. Do you feel it? Tha-thump. Tha-thump. Tha-thump. That’s your heartbeat. You didn’t do anything to make it start.

That’s God’s gift to you. And it’s beautiful.

Enjoy it. Know that your life has a purpose next week and next month, but it also has a purpose right here and now. Don’t miss it. Don’t plan ahead that you’ve forgotten about today.

Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.” Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.” James 4:13-14

 

What say you?

What do you wonder about?  Are you happy … or are you doing what you never thought you’d do? Do you see consistencies … or are you all over the place? Drop me a line. I’d love to chat.

Struggling to find good in your life? Check out my award-winning book, God’s Best During Your Worst, or check out any of my other books on my Book page.

The post What’s Around the Corner appeared first on Robin Luftig.

Rearview Mirror Faith

Why is it I tend to only talk about the God I see in the rearview mirror? It’s easy to share stories of His presence after I’ve crested a hill or made it through the latest crisis. But I’ve come to realize that’s when the victory ends up being about me. My relationship with Christ. My answered prayer. The faith that sustained me. See what I mean–rearview mirror faith.

 

Pathetic, just pathetic

I want to have confidence in the God of my today. He’s constant. If I’m completely honest, it’s my pain, fear, and sometimes lack of faith that causes me to struggle. Because I am a broken person I need to seek God’s face.

 

Lean In for a Moment

Let me whisper a secret fear I have. Will God think I’m crazy and selfish if I ask him to answer the prayer of my heart?

I can’t tell others about my prayers to God. What would they say if my prayers don’t get answered? Maybe I’m asking with a self-serving attitude? They might tell me I’m spending too much time asking for my glory instead of His.

This may seem silly to you, but it bothered me–it bothered me a lot! So I prayed about it.

Then it came to me: It’s not the size of the ask, it’s the condition of the heart when I ask.

That’s when I started leaving behind my rearview mirror faith. Instead, I began checking my motives and once I was comfortable with what I found, I’d go to God and thank him right then and there for the answers. I don’t wait until the blessing plays out. I’ve come to realize half the blessing is in the process. The other half comes when I see it.

I need to remember that God’s always awesome—always! And I need to remind myself that it’s me and my self-run focus that gets in the way of receiving the blessings God has for me. He wants to bless me, and I want to be open to His blessing.

“I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”  Mark 9:24

Join me in remembering that God is always on our side. Let’s ditch rearview mirror faith and replace it with a faith that anticipates a good journey ahead.

What say you?

What do you wonder about?  Are you happy … or are you doing what you never thought you’d do? Do you see consistencies … or are you all over the place? Drop me a line. I’d love to chat.

Struggling to find good in your life? Check out my award-winning book, God’s Best During Your Worst, or check out any of my other books on my Book page.

The post Rearview Mirror Faith appeared first on Robin Luftig.

God’s Power Over Evil

Have you ever matched your life to that of Job? The Bible tells us of his struggles and loss in the book carrying his name (Book of Job), only to be shown favor in the end. But that’s not the complete story—it’s also a story of God’s power over Evil.

If you have followed this blog for any amount of time, you’ve often read about my relationship with God, I make it personal. And often the best way for me to explain my thoughts is through drawing pictures with words. That’s why I like the story of Job.

Look it up for yourself, but for now, know that I see the story opening with God sitting behind a huge mahogany desk and Satan enters His office to visit. God lifts Job up to Satan as an example of a man of good character … “blameless and upright”. But Satan, the snake that he is, taunts God with, “Oh, yeah, well, if you hadn’t blessed him so much, he’d sing a different song.” That’s when it happens—that’s when God tells Satan what he can and cannot do to destroy Job’s faith.

Did you get that?

God told Satan, “You are not the boss over Job”.

Let’s make this personal. Think about your past. Looking back over my life, while I remember mistakes I’ve made, I also remember too many experiences that could have gone off the rails. But only because of God’s protection I was able to live to see a new day.

Remember this … nothing—nothing—breaks through God’s wall of protection.

Do you think God’s power over evil is real? Do you think God and Satan ever have conversations about you?

We all have stories of God’s protection. I’d love to hear some of yours.

 

What say you?

What do you wonder about?  Are you happy … or are you doing what you never thought you’d do? Do you see consistencies … or are you all over the place? Drop me a line. I’d love to chat.

Struggling to find good in your life? Check out my award-winning book, God’s Best During Your Worst, or check out any of my other books on my Book page.

The post God’s Power Over Evil appeared first on Robin Luftig.

Two Steps Behind

Ever find that with every step you take, you find yourself two steps behind?

That’s me. My 2021 goals are locked in place. I have a plan to meet each goal. And they’re good goals, too! The first month of the year went rather smoothly. I paced myself, saying You can do this. It’s a piece of cake! 

 

Then came February

If you’re like me,  something has thrown you off your game. Maybe it was that binge-worthy series you found on Netflix that stole your time. Or it could be the simple trip to the store for a few things that turn into buying enough supplies to get through Armageddon. Maybe your neighbor needs you to watch their kids for a while so they can help a relative stricken with the flu. Better yet, your spouse wants to start that project you’ve been wanting to be done for years—only they need your supervision. Any of these sound familiar? All are different with one common thread: a plan to succeed vs. an opportunity to show God’s love.

 

AGH!

When I set my goals for the new year and start executing my plan, I soon learned I needed margin—or wiggle room. Margin allows me to set a course, but still have room to do what God asks of me.

And isn’t that what our focus should be … shouldn’t God’s plan comes first?

 

 

“What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?” Mark 8:36

There’s still time to save the year. I’m going to revisit my goals and maybe bubblewrap them with free time for safety.

How do you keep your focus when you find yourself two steps behind?

 

What say you?

What do you wonder about?  Are you happy … or are you doing what you never thought you’d do? Do you see consistencies … or are you all over the place? Drop me a line. I’d love to chat.

Struggling to find good in your life? Check out my award-winning book, God’s Best During Your Worst, or check out any of my other books on my Book page.

The post Two Steps Behind appeared first on Robin Luftig.

Don’t Let Your Past Keep You From Your Future

Edie Melson’s blog, Don’t Let Your Past Keep You From Your Future–while directed to writers–can have an application to us all. If you don’t already follow Edie, what’s holding you up? Join the millions that do. You can also find her on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook.

 

 

 

My friends, I don’t feel that I have already arrived. But I forget what is behind, and I struggle for what is ahead. I run toward the goal, so that I can win the prize of being called to heaven.This is the prize that God offers because of what Christ Jesus has done (Philippians 3:13-14 CEV). herePublishing is a tough business.

It’s almost impossible to write anything for public consumption without feeling like you’re throwing your heart into the lion’s den. And I don’t know about you, but I give negative comments a lot more credibility than the positive ones. The good ones I tend to disregard with the thought that the person commenting was just being nice.

Past rejections make it possible to shrivel up and die, at least as a writer. Feeding ourselves on what’s gone before forces us to a standstill. It’s easy to become overwhelmed with doubt, insecurity, and an almost overwhelming urge to give up.

 

Instead, we need to fill our minds with the affirmation that God sends our way.

I have two dusty scraps of paper that hang above my desk. One is from a critique partner. At the bottom of one of my pages she wrote several sentences, one of which told me she could see God in my writing. The other scrap is part of a note I received from one of my readers.

God sent me both of those messages when I was at a low point. He used them to renew my hope and assure me that He was using my words to touch others.

As writers, we must be careful who we let speak truth into our lives. If we give the enemy the power to tell us lies, we’ll find ourselves blocked and ineffective.

Instead, draw a line in the sand. Commit today, right now, to begin to live in the future, on the promises God has given you.

If you’re writing now, you know what I mean. You’ve heard that still, small voice call your name. You’ve gotten that confirmation you’ve asked for.

Now it’s time to move forward, believing God truly is big enough to make it happen. He doesn’t call us out, fully formed and ready. He calls us out when we’re weak—ready for Him to equip us.

Here’s a prayer for those of us who are struggling to let go of the past.

Dear Lord, I have a memory problem. I remember negatives that I shouldn’t and forget positives that I should. Right now I can recall almost every negative remark ever said about my writing.Yet I have trouble remembering good comments.

Beyond that, my memory tends to rewrite history. It inflates and exaggerates the negative and minimizes the positive. I’m struggling to stay motivated and engaged because of this memory problem.

You are Lord of all—even my crazy thoughts. I know that You and You alone are able to help me. I need Your perspective and wisdom. I want to know honestly where I need to improve, but I also need to know what, and if, there’s anything good about the sentences and paragraphs I write.

I remember when I felt Your call to write. Assure me I didn’t imagine it or turn my selfish desires into a command from You. Help me recalibrate my faulty memory and sort out truth from fiction.

Sort through my mind and give me Your insight. I want to follow Your path with my writing, and I can only do that with Your illuminating truth. Amen.

 

Don’t let your past keep you from your future. God has marvelous plans for you, waiting there.

What say you?

What do you wonder about?  Are you happy … or are you doing what you never thought you’d do? Do you see consistencies … or are you all over the place? Drop me a line. I’d love to chat.

Struggling to find good in your life? Check out my award-winning book, God’s Best During Your Worst, or check out any of my other books on my Book page.

The post Don’t Let Your Past Keep You From Your Future appeared first on Robin Luftig.

A Great Opportunity

Years ago I remember a particular opportunity I had to speak with several groups of inner-city women on the subject of forgiveness. Days before the event, I began spending time in prayer asking God to push me out of the way so His words could be heard. I thanked Him for such a great opportunity given to me.

When Saturday came, I was pleased to see the groups of ladies who signed up for the session were small enough to allow the women to feel safe in sharing their stories. Before each session, I begged God not to let me embarrass myself or bring shame to Him. Speaking to these women, I visited subjects from drug abuse to children in prison. Our conversations went from dealing with abusers to moving on from self-loathing. All subjects were cloaked with the need for forgiveness. And each session ended with women expressing gratitude for a God who loved them completely and modeled how to forgive appropriately.

At the end of the day, I was pleased how everyone had been so receptive. Returning home, I basked in the experience of watching God at work.

It was then, that I realized I had worn my top inside out. Tags, frayed edges, and loose threads—all danced on the outside of my shirt showing what I prefer to keep to private.

I smiled to myself …

Isn’t that what we do in our lives? We want people to see the finished product—all nice and tidy. But for all practical purposes, we’re frayed at the edges and look like we’re loosely pulled together. We all need forgiveness—to ask for as well as offer.

That night my husband and I went out to dinner. I was honored and humbled to wear my shirt as it was—still inside out. The ugliness reminded me that no matter how you look on the outside, beauty comes with a personal relationship with Christ, the greatest opportunity of all.

All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away. Isaiah 64:6

What say you?

What do you wonder about?  Are you happy … or are you doing what you never thought you’d do? Do you see consistencies … or are you all over the place? Drop me a line. I’d love to chat.

Struggling to find good in your life? Check out my award-winning book, God’s Best During Your Worst, or check out any of my other books on my Book page.

The post A Great Opportunity appeared first on Robin Luftig.