Beverly Varnado's Blog, page 4

The crocus and hope

As I write today, the wind howls and meteorologistsare promising frigid weather for the next several days. The weekend may includeprecipitation in undetermined kind and amount. Mercy. My Canadian and northern U.S.friends are probably laughing at my winter weather issues, but we folks in theSouth live in the sunshine and struggle with these arctic blasts.

 It’sabout this time of the year I start watching in nature for a hopeful sign ofspring.

 Ican usually count on that coming in the form of a crocus.

The crocus dates to at least severalhundred years before Christ and is included in writings from most of recordedhistory . Saffron which is taking form the fall blooming crocus is mentioned inthe Song of Solomon (4:13-14) and is one of the most expensive spices in theworld.

For me, a crocus is an example of what thePsalmist calls a sign of God’s goodness. (Psalm 86:17).

When the ground is frozen solid, and evencovered with icy precipitation, somehow a crocus can push through the seeming permafrostand unfold its yellow, purple, or white petals as if to say, “Hey, keep up yourhope. Spring is coming.”

And don’t we need that encouragement rightnow? I see the loving nature of God in the crocus because God knew we wouldneed the shot of beauty the crocus brings at this bleakest time of year.

You won’t see photos of Christmasgatherings on my social media this year, because things didn’t go as planneddue to sickness and other issues—a lot of disappointment. Some of thatcontinues, but I’ll tell you this, despite all that’s been going on, we arekeeping up our hope.

Paul wrote, “May the God of hope fill youwith all joy and peace in believing so that by the power of the Holy Spirit youmay abound in hope” (Romans 15:13). Even if the crocus doesn’t bloom for somereason, we still hope because God has given us His Spirit for encouragement andinspiration to keep our eyes looking up, looking forward to who God is and allthat He will do. And if we’re talking about signs, look no further than thecross, because friends that is the ultimate sign of God’s goodness, signifyingwhat Jesus did for you.

Maybe your Christmas didn’t turn out theway you planned, or your New Year is not off to a great start, still we hope. Weturn our eyes on the One who Peter called our “Living Hope” (I Peter 1:3). Likethe crocus pushes up through the stoney ground, God will help us to pushthrough these tough times, because the good news is that this is only  a season, and one season gives way to another.Hold on to the Lord.

Still, when I step outside, I’ll bescanning the ground just to check if something green is pushing up, because ifit is, a new beginning can’t be far behind.

I’m looking forward to it.

Keep up your hope, friends.

var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-24260977-1']); _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); (function() { var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); })();Beverly Varnado's most recent book is In Search of the Painted Bunting, a middle grade historical from Elk Lake Publishing, #1 in new releases in its category. She is also the author of several small town romances from Anaiah Press including her latest, A Season for Everything. All are available at Amazon. To explore the web version of One Ringing Bell, please visit bev-oneringingbell.blogspot.comTo sign up for her newsletter, go to http://eepurl.com/dHNdsX Beverly Varnado copyright 2023

Meeting a President

photo credit Ansel Adams - wiki commonsWe were saddenedhere to learn of the death of former President Jimmy Carter. Though we might nothave agreed on several subjects, his work for Habitat for Humanity, his rolebrokering peace around the world, and his humble lifestyle of faith have earnedhim the respect of many of us. He is the only President I have ever hadopportunity to personally meet. I wrote about that in a chapter, "First Class Surprise" for my book, Faith in theFashion District—stories of God’s faithfulness during the years I spent as abuyer. I share an excerpt from that book today. I was traveling with Valerie, abuyer who was only with us for a short time as she was about to be married andmove. I prayed something special would happen on a triptogether to New York . . . and something did. 

“On a beautifulclear November afternoon, our plane taxied down an Atlanta runway and took tothe skies headed for Manhattan. 

What happened nextclearly fell under the category of the words in Ephesians 3:20― that God isable to do “exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think.” 

It would be anunderstatement to say Valerie and her fiancé were politically oriented.Politics almost eclipsed everything else in their life. At the time, her soon tobe husband worked on a congressional member’s political campaign, but Iimagined that he might run for office himself in the future. And so, for awhile, that’s what Valerie and I discussed then we both began reading ourbooks. 

I looked up frommy seat in coach and couldn’t believe who emerged from first class. 

Seriously? 

I nudged Valerie. ‘Is that who I think itis?’ 

She gazed up fromthe book she read and her face reflected the same shock I felt. She nodded, ‘Itis.’

Another one ofthose somebody pinch me moments. 

‘Did you see himwhen we boarded?’ I asked. 

Valerie shook herhead.                                                               

I closed my book. ‘Hemust have come in late to first class.’ 

The thirty-ninthPresident of the United States, Jimmy Carter, smiled his Plains, Georgia smilewhile shaking the hand of everyone on that 727. He had only lost his reelectioncampaign two years prior to current President, Ronald Reagan. 

Valerie and Ilooked at each other feeling incredulous. 

I can’t evenremember whether Valerie pitched her tent in the same political arena as hedid. I only remembered it didn’t seem to matter. 

Flanked by theSecret Service, he moved closer to us. I whispered to Valerie, ‘I prayed aboutthis. I think God did this for you.’ I believed it. If anything would have madethe trip special for her, it would have been meeting a political figure likePresident Carter. I didn’t think  I’d everforget the experience either. I debated inside myself what brilliant thing Imight say to him when he shook my hand, but ‘So nice to meet you,’ seemed all Icould manage. He shook my hand and then grasped Valerie’s. 

Neither of usreturned to our books the rest of the trip. We just sat there slack jawed tryingto process what had happened. 

But as amazing asthis, God wasn’t finished yet. 

Val only saw hermom and dad once a year because they lived in California. Her sister had justmoved to New Jersey, and her dad was visiting her. I still don’t know how, but herdad and sister managed to meet us at LaGuardia in a very narrow window of timebefore her dad’s 7:00 flight from JFK back to California. 

A sweet reunion. 

That evening afterarriving at my hotel, I reflected on a verse the Lord had given me early thatmorning, ‘Sing to God, sing in praise of his name, extol himwho rides on the clouds; rejoice before him—his name is the Lord’ (Psalm 68:4). 

Ihad begun the morning with praise and if I ever sensed God riding on the cloudswith me, it had been during that flight into New York City. I didn’t even knowformer presidents flew commercial. I don’t know what I thought they did, maybeprivate charters, but it seemed God, himself, had chartered this trip for us.Hanging up there at 35,000 feet, God spun an experience we would remember for alifetime. 

Also,what grace Valerie had that glorious meeting with her dad and sister for a fewmoments. 

Only in my lifefor months, Valerie did move on after she married. I never saw her again. Ihave no idea where she is today, but I wonder if she, too, looks back on thatday and sees the hand of God as clearly as I do. 

When we arediligent to pray, God responds to those prayers in ways we may not anticipate.Surprising ways. Beyond imagining ways. 

Certainly, theBible is full of such occurrences. 

The Psalmist,David, who wrote about God riding on the clouds had begun life as a shepherdboy perhaps never imagining his life would encompass more than those Judeanhills. God had bigger plans, and David’s faithfulness in watching over a fewsheep was only a small beginning for his future―becoming a kind of presidenthimself, King of all Israel. 

Of course, therest of the buying trip would be uneventful compared to the experience ofmeeting a former president. 

But doing so forgedin me the significance of prayer and the exceeding and abundant power of ourawesome God.”

I’m thankful forthis wonderful experience of meeting President Carter. Our prayers are with theCarter family. 

 

var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-24260977-1']); _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); (function() { var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); })();Beverly Varnado's most recent book is In Search of the Painted Bunting, a middle grade historical from Elk Lake Publishing, #1 in new releases in its category. She is also the author of several small town romances from Anaiah Press including her latest, A Season for Everything. All are available at Amazon. To explore the web version of One Ringing Bell, please visit bev-oneringingbell.blogspot.comTo sign up for her newsletter, go to http://eepurl.com/dHNdsX Beverly Varnado copyright 2023

A First Class Surprise

photo courtesy Ansel Adams, wiki commonsWe were saddenedhere to learn of the death of former President Jimmy Carter. Though we might nothave agreed on several subjects, his work for Habitat for Humanity, his rolebrokering peace around the world, and his humble lifestyle of faith have earnedhim the respect of many of us. He is the only President I have ever hadopportunity to personally meet. I wrote about that for my book, Faith in theFashion District—stories of God’s faithfulness during the years I spent as abuyer. I share an excerpt from that book today. I was traveling with Valerie, abuyer who was only with us for a short time as she was about to be married andmove. I prayed something special would happen on a triptogether to New York . . . and something did. 

“On a beautifulclear November afternoon, our plane taxied down an Atlanta runway and took tothe skies headed for Manhattan. 

What happened nextclearly fell under the category of the words in Ephesians 3:20― that God isable to do “exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think.” 

It would be anunderstatement to say Valerie and her fiancé were politically oriented.Politics almost eclipsed everything else in their life. At the time, her soon tobe husband worked on a congressional member’s political campaign, but Iimagined that he might run for office himself in the future. And so, for awhile, that’s what Valerie and I discussed then we both began reading ourbooks. 

I looked up frommy seat in coach and couldn’t believe who emerged from first class. 

Seriously? 

I nudged mycolleague, Valerie, sitting next to me in the plane. ‘Is that who I think itis?’ 

She gazed up fromthe book she read and her face reflected the same shock I felt. She nodded, ‘Itis.’

Another one ofthose somebody pinch me moments. 

‘Did you see himwhen we boarded?’ I asked. 

Valerie shook herhead.                                                               

I closed my book. ‘Hemust have come in late to first class.’ 

The thirty-ninthPresident of the United States, Jimmy Carter, smiled his Plains, Georgia smilewhile shaking the hand of everyone on that 727. He had only lost his reelectioncampaign two years prior to current President, Ronald Reagan. 

Valerie and Ilooked at each other incredulously. 

I can’t evenremember whether Valerie pitched her tent in the same political arena as hedid. I only remembered it didn’t seem to matter. 

Flanked by theSecret Service, he moved closer to us. I whispered to Valerie, ‘I prayed aboutthis. I think God did this for you.’ I believed it. If anything would have madethe trip special for her, it would have been meeting a political figure likePresident Carter. I didn’t think  I’d everforget the experience either. I debated inside myself what brilliant thing Imight say to him when he shook my hand, but ‘So nice to meet you,’ seemed all Icould manage. He shook my hand and then grasped Valerie’s. 

Neither of usreturned to our books the rest of the trip. We just sat there slack jawed tryingto process what had happened. 

But as amazing asthis, God wasn’t finished yet. 

Val only saw hermom and dad once a year because they lived in California. Her sister had justmoved to New Jersey, and her dad was visiting her. I still don’t know how, but herdad and sister managed to meet us at LaGuardia in a very narrow window of timebefore her dad’s 7:00 flight from JFK back to California. 

A sweet reunion. 

That evening afterarriving at my hotel, I reflected on a verse the Lord had given me early thatmorning, ‘Sing to God, sing in praise of his name, extol himwho rides on the clouds; rejoice before him—his name is the Lord’ (Psalm 68:4). 

Ihad begun the morning with praise and if I ever sensed God riding on the cloudswith me, it had been during that flight into New York City. I didn’t even knowformer presidents flew commercial. I don’t know what I thought they did, maybeprivate charters, but it seemed God, himself, had chartered this trip for us.Hanging up there at 35,000 feet, God spun an experience we would remember for alifetime. 

Also,what grace Valerie had that glorious meeting with her dad and sister for a fewmoments. 

Only in my lifefor months, Valerie did move on after she got married. I never saw her again. Ihave no idea where she is today, but I wonder if she, too, looks back on thatday and sees the hand of God as clearly as I do. 

When we arediligent to pray, God responds to those prayers in ways we may not anticipate.Surprising ways. Beyond imagining ways. 

Certainly, theBible is full of such occurrences. 

The Psalmist,David, who wrote about God riding on the clouds had begun life as a shepherdboy perhaps never imagining his life would encompass more than those Judeanhills. God had bigger plans, and David’s faithfulness in watching over a fewsheep was only a small beginning for his future―becoming a kind of presidenthimself, King of all Israel. 

Of course, therest of the buying trip would be uneventful compared to the experience ofmeeting a former president. 

But doing so forgedin me the significance of prayer and the exceeding and abundant power of ourawesome God.”

I’m thankful forthis wonderful experience of meeting President Carter. Our prayers are with theCarter family. 

 

var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-24260977-1']); _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); (function() { var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); })();Beverly Varnado's most recent book is In Search of the Painted Bunting, a middle grade historical from Elk Lake Publishing, #1 in new releases in its category. She is also the author of several small town romances from Anaiah Press including her latest, A Season for Everything. All are available at Amazon. To explore the web version of One Ringing Bell, please visit bev-oneringingbell.blogspot.comTo sign up for her newsletter, go to http://eepurl.com/dHNdsX Beverly Varnado copyright 2023

Merry Christmas!!

var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-24260977-1']); _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); (function() { var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); })();Merry Christmas from our house to yours and may you experience the peace the Prince of Peace offers as you never have before!!

Beverly Varnado's most recent book is In Search of the Painted Bunting, a middle grade historical from Elk Lake Publishing, #1 in new releases in its category. She is also the author of several small town romances from Anaiah Press including her latest, A Season for Everything. All are available at Amazon. To explore the web version of One Ringing Bell, please visit bev-oneringingbell.blogspot.comTo sign up for her newsletter, go to http://eepurl.com/dHNdsX Beverly Varnado copyright 2023

When you need to simply trust

While attending another church tosee neighbor children sing on a recent Advent Sunday, I experienced a poignant moment.

At the end of the service, a sweetfour-year-old sat in my lap, and as the directions for communion wereexplained, I had a bit of uncertainty about where the child I heldwould go while I took communion and when I should move forward. She had no uncertainty. She hopped off mylap, took my hand, and began leading me forward. Of course, I thought. She doesthis with her mother. She knows exactly what to do.

Several hours later, I stillpondered that experience. As so many of us do this time of year, my brain sometimesspins—checking the lists twiceand that sort of thing. It can all get so complicated.

“Whoever becomes simple andelemental again, like this child, will rank high in God’s kingdom” (Matthew18:3).

There I was vexed about what to do next in the service inaddition to being anxious about many other things, and a four-year-old helpedme figure it out. The simplicity of her trust and relying on what she’d beentaught in the past left her with not a drop of anxiety.

Ah, to live in that sort ofrelationship with the Lord. We take his hand in trust, rely on all his all-sufficientfaithfulness, and move forward as opposed to fretting and trying to figure itout on our own.

We might be tempted to quoteIsaiah 11:6, “ . . . a little child shall lead them.” That verse would betaken out of context here, but I do think we can learn much from the childlikefaith of these wee ones. It helped me get a reset  and let my spinning wheels slow.

If you’re stuck trying to figuresomething out this Christmas season, perhaps the example of my little friend canhelp you, too, find a renewed place of simple trust and reliance on the Lord. Blessingsand peace, friends. 

var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-24260977-1']); _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); (function() { var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); })();Beverly Varnado's most recent book is In Search of the Painted Bunting, a middle grade historical from Elk Lake Publishing, #1 in new releases in its category. She is also the author of several small town romances from Anaiah Press including her latest, A Season for Everything. All are available at Amazon. To explore the web version of One Ringing Bell, please visit bev-oneringingbell.blogspot.comTo sign up for her newsletter, go to http://eepurl.com/dHNdsX Beverly Varnado copyright 2023

Preparing a path and the next chapter

My mind had drifted for a moment duringthe sermon, when I heard these words and snapped back to attention, “Adventpilgrims on the way to the manger must pass through the desert where John ispreaching. Are we preparing a straight path to our hearts by resolving to trustJesus alone . . . ?”

These words hit me in the heart as if attachedto an arrow with my name on them.

Jerry had been preaching about John theBaptist and his words in Luke 3, “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Preparethe way of the Lord . . .’” John was in a literal desert when he said thesewords, but we can often find ourselves in a metaphorical desert. Providentially, we had recently been listening to Ray Vander Laan’s teaching on desert.In my notes, I’d drawn a big box around this statement, “Desert is a place to shapepeople for the next chapter of their story.”

If we find ourselves in that metaphoricaldesert, it can feel the opposite of preparing for the next chapter. Itsometimes feels like the end—dry, hot, and dusty. No water, and only ascorching sun beating down, seemingly no way out.  It’s hard to remember that ifGod has allowed it, he desires we call out to him and wholeheartedly submit. Sooften, we’re just thinking about relief.

The way of the Lord is in the humbledheart and the bowed knee, a reckoning with all that would stand in the way of absolutelytrusting the One who humbled himself to become like us.

The next chapter after the desert is oftengoing to involve a pivot and a redirection if we are open to it. Life won’t bethe same. How could it be? But who would want it to be? We are looking for moreof what God would want to do because we want to be part of His story.

When Jesus met up with John in the desertfor baptism, it was the beginning of all God had sent Him to do.

The Psalmist writes in chapter 107, “Letthe redeemed of the Lord tell their story—those he redeemed from the hand ofthe foe . . . Some wandered in desert wastelands . . . then they cried out to theLord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.”

In Streams in the Desert, we find these words referring to desert-like times, "It is a period which always ends in certain triumph for those who have committed the keeping of their souls to Him, a period of marvelous 'nevertheless afterward ' of abundant usefulness, the sixty-fold that surely follows."

As the redeemed of the Lord, let’s tellthe story of God’s faithfulness even when we’re in the desert. That nextchapter is going to be amazing. 

var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-24260977-1']); _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); (function() { var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); })();Beverly Varnado's most recent book is In Search of the Painted Bunting, a middle grade historical from Elk Lake Publishing, #1 in new releases in its category. She is also the author of several small town romances from Anaiah Press including her latest, A Season for Everything. All are available at Amazon. To explore the web version of One Ringing Bell, please visit bev-oneringingbell.blogspot.comTo sign up for her newsletter, go to http://eepurl.com/dHNdsX Beverly Varnado copyright 2023

Hope, the weary world, and yonder

ornament created by Marie Kitchings

My gaze fell on a nativity ornament in amarket--handmade, and inscribed with the words, “The Weary World Rejoices.” Feelinga bit of the weary world myself, tears welled in my eyes as I recalled thewords before and after that line in “O Holy Night:” “A thrill of hope, theweary world rejoices, for yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.”

“Where is yonder?” my son once asked when hewas only a wee one. A relative had told him in our southern vernacular to go inyonder and fetch a cookie for her. I showed him where the cookies were andwondered how he had never heard that word before.

In challenging times, we too, may ask,where is yonder? In the broken, hard edged, and sometimes heart-breaking world inwhich we live, we long for that new and glorious morn. My phone has oftendinged this week with prayer requests for folks going through the hardest oftimes—parents who have lost a child and others suffering life-changing illnesses.

Yonder is not a place like a cookie jar, wherewe just take off the lid and find it, but it is hope that helps us find the wonder of it by faith, becauseJesus has indeed come. Jesus is with us. In our weariness, we may rejoice because thatnew and glorious morn is always breaking in, if we only have eyes to see. In mymind I picture the weary world latching its gaze on the promise of the gospel,its chest expanding with the intake of Holy Spirit breath, and exhaling disappointment,loneliness, hurt, pain, despair, and grief, then letting go a great Hallelujah!

During this season of advent, we celebratedthe first Sunday this past weekend with the theme of hope. And as we lit thatcandle, we remembered there is coming a day when yonder will be present in away we have never known before when Jesus returns a second time and sets allthings right. We long for it in one way, and in another, we seek to live outour calling in this day we are given today.

Friends, may hope and the reality of thatnew and glorious morn be yours here . . .  and yonder, too.

 "But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me"(Micah 7:7). 

var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-24260977-1']); _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); (function() { var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); })();Beverly Varnado's most recent book is In Search of the Painted Bunting, a middle grade historical from Elk Lake Publishing, #1 in new releases in its category. She is also the author of several small town romances from Anaiah Press including her latest, A Season for Everything. All are available at Amazon. To explore the web version of One Ringing Bell, please visit bev-oneringingbell.blogspot.comTo sign up for her newsletter, go to http://eepurl.com/dHNdsX Beverly Varnado copyright 2023

When you taste and see at Thanksgiving

While shopping at a holiday market,I came across a bakery vendor offering frosted cookies with lines to write whatwe are thankful for in edible ink. It was just the kind of fun thing my peoplewould like, so I bought a few (This bakery makes delicious cookies, I mightadd).

The Psalmist wrote, “Taste and see thatthe Lord is good” (Psalm 34:8). When we eat the cookies, we will literally eat alist of our blessings--tasting the good.

The word “taste’ in the original language ofthis verse means “taste, perceive, and eat.” If we sit down to our Thanksgivingmeal, we can smell it and touch it, but until we actually put Alyne Varnado’srecipe (or your relative’s recipe) for dressing in our mouths, we don’t get it.And unless we take a bite of one of those cookies, we’ll miss out, too.

And “see” in that verse also means “perceive,but also look at, inspect, and consider.” And there is one other meaning thatcaught my eye, “to look on joyfully.”

It is the same with the Lord. Until wetaste and see that the Lord is good, we ‘re only observers in the kingdom ofGod. If we can’t receive those blessings with joy, we’re missing so much.

So, as we gather at Thanksgiving whetherwith few or many, let us indeed “Taste and see the Lord is good,” in every possibleway.

You don’t have to eat a list of yourblessings, but I’m looking forward to it.

Happy Thanksgiving dear ones—so gratefulfor you!

In Search of the Painted Bunting is a poignant and perceptive portrait of a young girl struggling with timeless challenges. Cornelia Taylor is on a quest to find an exotic bird, the Painted Bunting. But, like all quests, her path does not go on a straight line. It branches out in unexpected ways as Cornelia navigates the turbulent 1960s, as well as the turbulence in her family and at school. The discoveries Cornelia makes and the lessons she learns along the way are just as relevant today. This story raises important questions for every reader. What is your Painted Bunting? What is your quest? And how does God speak to you and lead you along the twists and turns of your path? I highly recommend In Search of the Painted Bunting, as it explores the joys and heartbreaks of adolescence. It will inspire you to search for your own elusive Painted Bunting. - Doug Peterson, Author of over 40 VeggieTales books

var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-24260977-1']); _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); (function() { var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); })();In Search of the Painted Bunting Here



Beverly Varnado's most recent book is In Search of the Painted Bunting, a middle grade historical from Elk Lake Publishing, #1 in new releases in its category. She is also the author of several small town romances from Anaiah Press including her latest, A Season for Everything. All are available at Amazon. To explore the web version of One Ringing Bell, please visit bev-oneringingbell.blogspot.comTo sign up for her newsletter, go to http://eepurl.com/dHNdsX Beverly Varnado copyright 2023

What comes before the miracle

I once had the pleasure of meeting and getting to know Neta Jackson, the authoralong with her husband Dave of many historical fiction books that we used whenwe were home schooling (The Hero Tales series is amazing). But she also wrotethe Yada Yada Prayer Group novel series about an unlikely group of women thatcome together to pray for each other. Although I’d read almost everything elseshe’d written, I hadn’t read this series until recently. In it, one of thecharacters is careful to give God praise in advance of the answer. I know to dothis, but I’m not as intentional as I need to be. It was a great reminder andcame at just the right time.

In this season of Thanksgiving, when ourhearts are more turned to the Lord with gratitude, we make lists of the things forwhich we are thankful, which often include what we have.

Not often do we include what we don’t have.

I’ve shared this quote from Ann Voskampbefore, “Eucharisteo (Greek word for thanksgiving) always, always precedes themiracle. And who doesn’t need a miracle like that every day?”

Let’s all raise our hands.

Now, some might draw back from doing thisthinking they’re stepping into a name it and claim it  theology. But the Bible includes many  examples of thanksgiving before the miracle.

Before the feeding of the 4,000 in Matthew15, the disciples wondered, “Where could we get enough bread in this remoteplace to feed such a crowd?” They only had seven loaves of bread and a fewsmall fish. But Jesus had the crowd sit, and “He took the seven loaves and thefish, and when he had given thanks, he broke them and gave them to thedisciples, and they in turn to the people.”

The miracle was, “They all ate and weresatisfied. Afterward the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken piecesthat were left over.”

I always marvel they only had seven loavesto begin with, and afterward they gathered seven baskets of broken pieces—even breadto spare.

Thanksgiving preceded the miracle.

We may have our own seven loaves and a fewfish situations where there seems no possible answer—only an impossible answer. In thenatural, we do not tend toward thanksgiving in that circumstance, but when weturn our hearts toward the Lord giving thanks and praise, we are changed, andwhether or not God does what we desire at the onset, we have a greater sense ofHis presence. Doing this puts us in a different place of sharing in his joydespite what may be happening.

So, in this season of Thanksgiving, andreally every day, let’s be grateful for what we have and for what we don’t haveas well.

Thanks, Neta, for the reminder. I’m onbook two. Five more to go. Yay!! Lots of Yada Yada in my future.

(The picture of the gulf fritillary above was taken in a local nursery on November 10. I don't know how it got so far north, but what a wonder to see it that time of year. Felt like a miracle to me.) 

var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-24260977-1']); _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); (function() { var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); })();Beverly Varnado's most recent book is In Search of the Painted Bunting, a middle grade historical from Elk Lake Publishing, #1 in new releases in its category. She is also the author of several small town romances from Anaiah Press including her latest, A Season for Everything. All are available at Amazon. To explore the web version of One Ringing Bell, please visit bev-oneringingbell.blogspot.comTo sign up for her newsletter, go to http://eepurl.com/dHNdsX Beverly Varnado copyright 2023

Eavesdropping and what goes first

Confession—I’m a terrible eavesdropper. Mostwriters are. It’s how we get valuable insights into characters’ behavior.

The other day, I was out shopping, and twowomen in the next aisle were chatting. In my defense, I could hear them clearlyso I wasn’t being sneaky, but I may have lingered in the that aisle a bit longer than I needed to. I’d already determined from several factors that thesewomen were of another religion and not Christian in their beliefs. One of themspotted a Bible in the store. “Oh, I’ve been meaning to read the Bible and learn more.” The other suggested a translation other than the one in thestore as well as a book, comparing their religion with Christianity. I imaginethe book contrasted Christianity in a more negative way based on other commentsmade in the conversation.

But the point is this, I would have neverimagined there would be even a faint interest in Christianity. But theirlimited understanding indicated they thought of it as a works-based religionlike theirs. I couldn’t figure out how to interject myself in the conversationin a way that might be accepted, so I have prayed for those two women and hopethey find the truth.

It was a strong reminder to me that we can’t judge anyone based on theexternals and know where their heart is, so instead of pulling away, we leanin. We listen. We wait for the time when there’s an opening, and we speak thetruth with all the love of Jesus. We live out that love. Because anyone we meetwho is not a believer may be far more open than we imagine.

The whole experience made me re-orient howI see certain folks in our culture.

Mother Teresa said, “If you judge people,you have no time to love them.”

Love goes first looking past thehindrances.

Words that always moves me are the ones Jesusspoke to Zacchaeus. Knowing full well who he was and what he’d done, a seemingoutcast in society, Jesus looked up into the tree at where Zacchaeus was perchedto see him, and said, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at yourhouse today” (Luke 19:10).

Jesus could have said, “Yuk, a tax collector.” He didn’t.

And yet, sometimes when we see folksdressed a certain way, or acting a certain way, we want to flee. Instead, let’sgo to folks’ houses, literally and figuratively.

I’m still praying and hope to never forgetthose two women and their unexpected openness.

And if you’re out shopping and spot me inthe next aisle. Beware. I’m probably listening. 

 

var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-24260977-1']); _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); (function() { var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); })();Beverly Varnado's most recent book is In Search of the Painted Bunting, a middle grade historical from Elk Lake Publishing, #1 in new releases in its category. She is also the author of several small town romances from Anaiah Press including her latest, A Season for Everything. All are available at Amazon. To explore the web version of One Ringing Bell, please visit bev-oneringingbell.blogspot.comTo sign up for her newsletter, go to http://eepurl.com/dHNdsX Beverly Varnado copyright 2023