Davalynn Spencer's Blog, page 39
March 12, 2018
Are You Willing To Be Willing?
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer
One morning last week as I read Matthew 14, I was struck by the approachableness and positivity of Jesus.
Loosely paraphrased, here’s what I saw:
Setting: Small inland sea at night, high wind, boat full of weary men sent ahead of their leader to the other side of the lake. They start seeing things.
Jesus: (Walking on the water toward the boat.) “Hey guys, I’m here!”
Peter: (In the boat, a little freaked out.) “If it’s really you, tell me I can come out there too.”
Jesus: “Sure, come on!”
Peter: (Jumps out, walks across the waves.) “Cool!” (Notices the waves.) “Help!”
Jesus: (Grabs Peter.) “Why did you doubt?”
Things could have gone a lot differently.
Jesus: “I’m here. What’s taking you so long?”
Peter: “If it’s really you, tell me I can come out there too.”
Jesus: “No, you can’t do it. You’ll sink. Maybe another time.”
Peter: “But you’re always saying—”
Jesus: “Hurry up. I’ve got places to go, people to heal.”
Do you think Jesus knew Peter was going to sink?
I’m sure He did.
But He also knew Peter was willing.
Jesus was willing. He didn’t discourage Peter because He knew what was possible. I think He wanted Peter (and the others) to know it too.
Peter walked on the water a lot longer than the other guys in the boat. They didn’t even get out.
Peter walked on the water a lot longer than I have. I’ve never even tried.
The point?
Jesus is willing. Are we?
Jesus knows what we can do when we trust Him. He knows what is possible.
What’s He asking us to do that we think is impossible?
Get out of our comfort zone?
Tell someone else about Him?
Forgive a certain individual?
Volunteer our time?
Tithe?
God, make us willing to be willing.
God, make us willing to be willing.
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Jesus is still willing.
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An Improper Proposal
Henry’d had such good intentions, at least Mae Ann assumed so by the wording of his will. Tears pricked her eyes anew, but not for loss of Henry. She’d been willing to marry him and work beside him, but she’d never known him. Now she was responsible for his land, and rightfully so, according to Judge Murphy. Was it wrong to sell it? ~An Improper Proposal
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(c) 2018 Davalynn Spencer, all rights reserved.
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March 5, 2018
Take a Break
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer
“I don’t do nothing well.”
No doubt you bunched your shoulders and cringed when you read that sentence. The double negative scratches our linguistic sensibilities like fingernails on Styrofoam.
Does the sentence mean the speaker can’t do anything well? Or does the speaker fail when it comes to a simple lack of action?
I know the answer because I’m the speaker, and I’m here to tell you, I’m not very good at sitting and doing nothing.
Raise your hand if you can relate.
Keeping the sabbath separate from the work week was a challenge for me. I thought the directive was merely one of the Ten Commandments, an old Hebraic law code (that would certainly improve our way of life if it were adhered to today).
But the re-discovery of a few surprising verses has changed my perception. Exodus 16:29 was the most surprising of all.
God tells Moses that the people of Israel are to gather manna six days a week but not on the seventh. There will be plenty, the Lord promises. What’s gathered on day six will be enough to cover day seven. Everyone gets a break from gathering on that day – the Sabbath.
The New Living Translation reads, “They must realize that the Sabbath is the Lord’s gift to you.”
I’d never looked at it that way.
God doesn’t want us working ourselves into the ground. He wants us to take a break. Rest. Recharge. Renew.
Regeneration is a law we see operating around us in nature. Trees and grasslands go dormant for a season. Many animals hibernate while others relocate.
Everything rests on a regular basis – except man in general.
But what about that “do nothing” principle?
Jesus wasn’t a do-nothing kind of guy. Religious leaders repeatedly harassed Him because He healed people on the Sabbath. Or He and his followers would peel husks from wheat and eat the grain on the Sabbath. And He had a mouthful to say about the leaders’ self-righteous criticism.
“You hypocrites! Each of you works on the Sabbath day! Don’t you untie your ox or your donkey from its stall on the Sabbath and lead it out for water?” (Luke 13:15)
Rest means different things to different people. Some like to read. Others visit, walk, ride bikes or horses. For me, resting is doing something different than what I do every other day which is work at the job of writing.
I ’m learning, and it’s not necessarily easy, to give up that job on the Sabbath, which for me is Sunday.
Not everyone can do that. Many people are required by their employers to work on Sunday. But those people can pick another day as a day of rest, a day to let go of the stress and demands and spend time leaning into God.
I’m always amazed by the sense of refreshment I have on the day following my Sabbath. I don’t lose anything by not working one day, but I gain renewed focus and faith that the Lord is meeting my every need, even when it comes down to something as minuscule as manna – my weekly word count.
During this Lenten season approaching Easter, try a Sabbath day of weekly rest. You may be surprised by the regenerative results.
~~~
The Sabbath is the Lord's gift to you.
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Jesus wasn’t a do-nothing kind of guy.
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Whit took control before Baker could intervene. “My tally book says we’re near done with only a handful left to check. We can finish when Jody gets back. I figure we all need to rest tomorrow, but there’s plenty to do if you’re lookin’ to stay busy today. Fence to mend and hay… Well, the hay has to dry out before we can cut it.” ~Straight to My Heart
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(c) 2018 Davalynn Spencer, all rights reserved.
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February 26, 2018
Just As I Am
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer
I was just nine years old. Just along for the ride. Just sitting in a folding chair in the middle of a football field on a starry night with thousands of people who had come to hear Evangelist Billy Graham.
Honestly, I don’t remember much of his message, but I clearly recall the tug on my heart when he said something to the effect of, Come to Jesus as you are.
And then the song began: “Just As I Am.”
I knew about Jesus. Had known about Him for a long time, thanks to my mother who took me to that stadium. But that night, beneath those stars, I also knew that I had to choose Jesus for myself.
Because, you see, God doesn’t have grandkids. Just children.
Since then, not once over the years have I regretted choosing Jesus. It was a critical bend in the road for me.
Most of the world knows that Billy Graham went to meet his Lord face to face last week. His son Franklin said, “His faith has become sight.”
I contend that Dr. Graham’s faith became spiritual sight for many people in many nations and regions worldwide. His message was simple and clear: You need Christ. He loves you.
Thank God, Billy Graham followed the tug on his heart to share that message.
~~~
If you have a memory related to Dr. Billy Graham, I’d love for you to share it in the comments below.
God doesn’t have grandkids.
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If you’d like to read Dr. Graham’s autobiography, titled the same as his signature song, you can find it at several outlets. Four are listed below.
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(c) 2018 Davalynn Spencer, all rights reserved.
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February 19, 2018
How’s Your View?
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer
The first time my California Cowboy visited Greeley, Colorado, his nose told him he’d never live there. Lots of feed lots in that part of the country.
“That’s the smell of money,” an old timer said. “You’ll get used to it.”
He did.
So did I. After the wedding, we made our first home near Greeley, and I never smelled the feedlots again.
The ability to acclimate is a wonderful thing.
Usually.
Sometimes we adapt to aspects of our environment that aren’t beneficial. We go numb, deaf, or blind to negative influences that can restrict our receptivity and faith.
This point became startlingly clear to me last week upon the arrival of new windows for our living room.
We were so used to our old double-pane glass that had lost its luster (and seal), that we didn’t know what we were missing. No matter how I washed the old windows, the view was never clear.
When the windows were replaced, I was stunned. I’d become so accustomed to the old view that I was overwhelmed by the new. For too long, I’d been “looking through a glass darkly.”
Some things just have to be replaced if we want to see the truth.
That’s what Jesus does for us. He takes away the old and gives us the new.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new (2 Corinthians 5:17).
We have an even better view to look forward to someday when we see our Lord “face to face” rather than through that glass darkly (1 Corinthians 13:12 KJV).
Until then, let’s not acclimate so well to the morals and manners of our worldly environment that we lose sight of what the truth really is.
~~~
I’d become so accustomed to the old view that I was overwhelmed by the new.
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Some things have to be replaced if we want to see the truth.
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An Improper Proposal
Stunned by the view from her window, she surveyed the yard below, blanketed in solid white. ~An Improper Proposal
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February 12, 2018
Say What?
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer
Conversation hearts – fun, right?
How do I love thee? Let me count the misaligned ways that I can’t even read. These colorful little confectioneries exemplify what has happened to a once tender expression of affection and remind me why I’m not a fan of Valentine’s Day.
Surprised?
Okay, let me clarify:
I’m not a fan of what Valentine’s Day has become – an obligatory day of expectation. Who wants someone expressing love because it’s required?
As a Western romance novelist, I should be hat-over-boots in love with anything remotely connected to matters of the heart. And I am. But that’s just the point.
In our U.S. culture, VT Day is more about heart-shaped, cupid-inflicted cards, candy, and credit-card gouging than it is romance, in spite of the millions of dollars spent on advertising to the contrary. Especially commercials denigrating men who fail to buy their sweetheart the “right” gift.
So now that you know I’m not impressed by VT Day, let me tell you why I love writing inspirational romance.
First, a definition.
Literarily speaking, the romance genre promises a happy ending to the story. Christian or inspirational romance keeps God’s principles of fidelity and purity in mind, and ensures no bodice-ripping on the page. That doesn’t mean every character is a perfect, sinless specimen of the human race. We had only one of those.
But inspirational romance should be a “safe” read, whether in a historical period or a contemporary setting.
I like to write inspirational romance because it puts a face on Romans 8:28 that tells us all things work together for good for those who love God. Even the bad stuff. It gives us a taste of what awaits us as believers – a great big Happily Ever After.
Readers of Christian/inspirational fiction typically want one or more of the following:
Escape
Entertainment
Encouragement
Inspiration
Readers of inspirational romance end up with all four.
One of the most romantic and inspirational books ever written is Redeeming Love, by renowned author Francine Rivers. Once a non-believer who wrote a different kind of romance, Rivers found the soul-gripping, life-altering love of Jesus, and it changed how she wrote. Her stories have since changed how people live.
This year on VT Day, let’s keep this kind of love in mind – whether we give cards, candy, and kisses or not.
“Love is the way back into Eden. It is the way back to life.”
― Francine Rivers, Redeeming Love
~
Who wants someone expressing love because it’s required?
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I like writing inspirational romance because it puts a face on Romans 8:28.
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Whit hesitated to tell his boss he was in love with his granddaughter. But he was. That was the truth of the matter, and he might as well face the old bull head on. ~Straight to My Heart
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February 5, 2018
It’s the Little Pieces That Heat Up the Fire
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer
My granddaughter helped me bring in firewood one evening, using a cloth shopping bag to carry her load.
“I can’t carry the big pieces like you,” she said.
“That’s okay,” I told her. “It’s the little pieces that heat up the fire.”
Those little pieces are often called scrap. Discards. Misfits. They don’t stack uniformly with the nicely split logs, matching up smooth ends until the woodpile looks like an artful design.
No, but they get a big fire going in my woodstove.
Sometimes we underestimate the power of insignificance.
How small do you suppose the two fish were that a Jewish mother packed for her little boy’s lunch the day Jesus used them to feed thousands?
Why is it that the little foxes spoil the grapes?
And how tiny is the spark that kindles a conflagration? Gossip, anyone? Hearsay?
God does not ignore the seemingly insignificant, and often chooses it to fulfill His purposes.
Imagine being loved by a creator who sees value in all of His creation—even in the castoffs and misfits.
And by the way, it’s the match that starts the fire in my woodstove. The very smallest wood piece of all.
Sometimes we underestimate the power of insignificance.
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It’s the little pieces that heat up the fire.
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An Improper Proposal
Upon her return, a fire crackled on the hearth and Blue lay as close as possible. The men stood with their backs to the warmth, feet bare of even their socks. A strange sight on a June evening, but not so foreign that it didn’t fit this surprising country with its heart-stopping beauty and sudden storms.
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(c) 2018 Davalynn Spencer, all rights reserved.
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January 29, 2018
Growing Up
Today I’ve asked busy mother and award-winning suspense author Theresa Lynn Hall to share some words of encouragement with us. You can find more information about Theresa and her latest book below.
~
My life has always been filled with kids—even before I had my own. I taught Sunday school, worked at a daycare, went on to become a teacher, and later a mom.
One thing you always hear kids say is “I can’t wait to be older!” My son asked me for a cellphone when he was only six years old. My reply was no, because he was ”only” six. He replied with, “Mom, you treat me like I’m four.” I knew right then I was not ready for the teen years.
My youngest son just turned eighteen and he reminded me that the world sees him as an adult now. My reply was, “Maybe so, but to your mom you’ll always be a baby.”
Kids always want to be grown. They have this illusion that adulthood is easy, fun, and full of freedom. I’m reminded of that saying about youth being wasted on the young. It fits. For most kids, life is easy because they have their parents to lean on. They have no idea what it means to be on their own. Then they group up and find out the truth—life is hard.
As I watch my kids growing up, I know they will have difficult times to go through. Life will knock them down and they’ll get hurt by people. As we all do.
But God doesn’t want us walking through this world without him. He wants to carry us when it gets too hard. He wants his word coursing through our veins. He wants to be our shelter in every storm. All we have to do is call out to him and he is there for us.
Dear God, when life gets hard, when things seem so unbearable that I can’t move on, strengthen me, give me wisdom, and remind me that all I need is you. I will praise you in my storms and take comfort in your shelter. Amen.
Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
1 Peter 5:7 NIV
~~~
Private Investigator, Braden McCoy wants nothing more than to finish out the week doing a little fishing from his boat. The ex-special ops vet enjoys his peaceful life and loves his new career. He’s learned to put his past behind him and enjoy his blessings. Until a mourning redhead walks into his office and changes his plans.
Lexi Ramos always knew her family was dysfunctional. Until the sudden death of her brother, she never knew exactly how much. Consumed with questions surrounding his accident, she seeks the help of a private investigator. What starts out as a murder investigation in Cozumel, quickly crosses borders and escalates into a race against time to save them both from Brazilian kidnappers, who somehow know more about her family secrets than she does. Lexi soon realizes that life comes with a price.
Ransom in Rio, winner of Oklahoma RWA IDA award for Inspirational Short Novel
~
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(c) 2018 Davalynn Spencer, all rights reserved.
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January 22, 2018
Testing Produces Endurance
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer
Each morning, my radio comes on at 5:25, set to a Christian music station, and I catch the last five minutes of an inspirational program before the day’s music begins.
Sometimes I crawl out of bed immediately. Sometimes I lie there and listen to the worship. Depends on the day.
Regardless, the radio is programmed to stay on for an hour, a worshipful background to my morning routine. I don’t always “listen,” but it’s there, building me up rather than tearing me down.
One recent morning during those first five minutes when I wasn’t fully awake, the host quoted James 1:3, though I didn’t realize it at the time. I wasn’t paying close attention, but what he said sank down into my subconscious without my recognition of it until later.
Not long after, I was in front of the TV, working out with an exercise coach on Public Television. That morning, the routine was slow, and the coach said many people don’t understand how important a slow workout can be.
“Slow work produces endurance,” she said. “Endurance is long-term strength. Power is immediate strength,” as in a sudden burst.
A phrase from the radio host bobbed to the surface with brilliant clarity:
“…the testing of your faith produces endurance.”
The sudden “newness” of an old concept was startling.
But when the exercise coach said power strength comes from endurance strength, everything clicked into place.
My spiritual tendency is to want power over endurance, because endurance takes time to acquire.
That’s time, as in more than ten minutes. Long-term. Requiring perseverance. And usually that other word, waiting.
Has God ever encouraged us to slow down and wait?
But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up with wings like eagles.
They shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.
Wow. That sounds like endurance to me.
~
An Improper Proposal
The Parker ranch stood as a solid example of hard labor and diligence and a family’s strength. Mae Ann was determined to do her part in continuing that heritage. This was her home now too, and with God’s help, her marriage could become beautiful and good as well. ~An Improper Proposal
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January 15, 2018
What Do You Say When God Asks You a Question?
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer
One morning last week I was reading about Moses arguing with God at the burning bush. (Personality clue there for ole Mose.)
God gives him an assignment and Moses gives reasons why he can’t do it.
“Yes, you can,” God says.
“No, I can’t.”
And so it went.
Finally, God says, “What is that in your hand?” (Exodus 4:2)
I stopped right there, went back, and read it again.
God asks Moses a question with an obvious answer. And God knows everything, right? So why does He need to ask?
I immediately flashed back to a previous question God once asked.
“Where are you, Adam?” (Genesis 3:8-11)
Another query to a different man:
“What are you doing here, Elijah?” (I Kings 19:9)
And just one more:
“What do you want Me to do for you?” Jesus asked the blind man. (Mark 10:51)
Clearly, a pattern.
I wonder if God uses this tactic to involve us in the conversation at a deeper level. Perhaps He wants our participation in processing our reasons, motives, and hesitancies. Are His questions a test of our faith, or does He simply know that sometimes we just don’t “get it”?
God knows. But He wants us to know, and often that requires a question.
Since our Lord is the same yesterday, today, and forever, there’s a good possibility He’s still asking questions of His children.
Are we quiet enough to hear what He’s asking us?
~~~
She stirred the gravy in wide slow circles, listening for Pop’s voice. It came low and tense, and she stilled the spoon to concentrate on his words. ~Straight to My Heart
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January 8, 2018
5 Books I Read in 2017 and Recommend
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer
I read a lot of books last year. It’s what I do besides write. I won’t share them all with you today, but I want to mention five that stood out and stayed with me. Four are fiction, one is a biography. They’re not all new releases. One is more than twenty years old and is not considered “inspirational,” but a good book is a good book.
If you choose to read these titles, I hope they entertain and bless you as much as they did me.
Fiction:
The Lady and the Lionheart by Joanne Bischof (2016 Mason Jar Books)
I couldn’t let go of this inspirational historical romance. It moved my heart in unexpected ways, taking me to a world I never dreamed I would see. A tale of love and great sacrifice, trust and acceptance. To say it impacted my life would be an understatement.
Wonderland Creek by Lynn Austin (2011 Bethany House)
This is the captivating story of a young woman from Illinois in 1936 who takes a box of books to a small coal town in eastern Kentucky – and ends up working for the Packhorse Library Project. Absolutely unforgettable characters supported by rich and unique vignettes of God’s grace.
The Bodacious Kid by Stan Lynde (1996 Cottonwood Publishing)
I read a half-dozen Lynde books this year—all because of this one, recommended by my cowgirl friend Lynne. This is a true “Western” similar to Louis L’Amour, but Lynde writes with a Montana-sized sense of humor. His character, Merlin Fanshaw, is addictive. Just sayin’.
A Lady in Defiance by Heather Blanton, Book 1 of the Romance in the Rockies series (2014, Rivulet Publishing)
Three sisters on their way to California settle in Defiance, Colorado, after meeting heartache, regret, and an obstinate saloon/brothel owner. This isn’t a peaches-and-cream sweet romance. It’s gritty. But it is Christian fiction and God shines all the brighter.
Nonfiction:
Mrs. Oswald Chambers by Michelle Ule (2017 Baker Books)
The subtitle to this book is: The Woman behind the World’s Bestselling Devotional, and that’s one of the reasons I enjoyed it so much. I love Oswald Chambers and have read My Utmost for His Highest countless times. This book offers readers a glimpse of the Chambers’ life from England to the Egyptian desert, how they raised their daughter, and the great love they had for God and for each other. It’s a compelling account that draws the reader into the life, labor, and love of a remarkable woman. Learn more about author Michelle Ule at her website.
Note:
Researchers say reading gives our brains a good workout. It improves concentration, memory function, and sleep and also helps reduce stress. (It helps authors too!)
Another Note:
I have included Amazon links to the books for simplicity’s sake, but please remember that books can be purchased from several different online retailers, in brick-and-mortar book stores, and via author websites. Happy reading! And may all that you read be uplifting.
~~~
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