Precarious Yates's Blog: Precarious Precipices, page 15

The Next Big Thing

This is so fun!

In a few seconds I’m going to share with you my Next Big Thing, but first thanks to Staci Stallings, who’s one of my writer friends on Facebook, for tagging me in the Next Big Thing blog hop!  This is the Next Big Thing blog hop in which you get to hop back and forth through the posts to find new and exciting authors and books.  Some authors will share upcoming books, some will share already released books, others will give you a peek into their current work in progress!  So hop around and enjoy all of the excitement!

The Next Big Thing:

What is the title of your book?

My book is called The Elite of the Weak. It’s the first book in the Revelation Special Ops (RSO) series.

Where did the idea come from for the book?

The idea for my book came through the 2008 OneThing conference, a conference that IHOPKC (International House of Prayer, Kansas City) does every year. They challenged everyone to read the whole book of Revelation every week for 1 year. I did this for a year and a half, because the Lord was showing me so much.

What genre does your book fall under?

My book is a YA Supernatural Thriller. There are spies, gadgets, international intrigues and miraculous incidences.

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

Hm…I don’t watch many movies anymore, so I had to do some serious research for this answer. Here’s what I came up with:

Imogen Poots

Hadassah Michelman (main character): Imogen Poots, but she’d have to dye her hair a very dark brown for the role.
Asher Michelman (Hadassah’s dad): John Rhys Davies (a.k.a. Gimli the Dwarf)
Eva Michelman (Hadassah’s mom): Catherine Zeta Jones, since I think she’s the only one who could lay the smack down like Eva can.
Matthew Cho (Hadassah’s friend): John Cho (I had to look this one up for sure)

John Cho

Aaron Cooper (RSO founder): Derek Luke

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

Hadassah, a teen who is heartbroken about the realities of modern slavery, uses the spy skills she learned from her mom to fight human trafficking with a Christian organization called Revelation Special Ops.

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

My book is indie-published. There were many who helped me get there, so I shy away from the term self-published at this point. I had the help of critique partners, editors, an amazing cover designer and a very patient, very loving husband who knew everything I didn’t about explosives and guns.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

It took me a month to write the first draft of The Elite of the Weak, and a year to polish it up.

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

There are some similarities with the Left Behind series, because of the End Times theme, but I’m writing with a completely different paradigm, doctrine and story.

I found an author recently who is also writing about the international problem of human trafficking. You can learn about Kimberly Rae’s books here.

Who or What inspired you to write this book?

The work of several organizations inspired The Elite of the Weak. First, there was Love146, an organization that was founded by some people who are very dear to me. They work to raise awareness about the issues of human trafficking and they build safe homes to restore those whose childhood and dignity were stolen. Through Love146, I learned about Gary Haugen and his organization called International Justice Mission (IJM). They go into some of the brothels and rescue the girls, as well as bring justice against the perpetrators. Then I learned about Exodus Cry, which is a prayer movement with abolition as its goal. They also have built safe houses in several places across the globe. You can find out about each one of these organizations, and more, on my LINKS page.

Many have asked me why I decided to write a story about human trafficking with an End Times theme, and here’s the reason: I long for total abolition. I earnestly pray for it. With every spare moment and dime I work to spread the word and support organizations that work on the ground. But in this age there will never be total abolition. Human beings have been exploiting one another since the fall and will continue to do so until Jesus returns. If I was going to write true hope into the story, I had to include the ultimate justice and abolition: the return of Jesus.

What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

You’ll visit exotic places, you’ll read through heroic deeds that are similar to what some are actually doing, and there’s also a bit of romance for those romantics among you!

Here are some other writers you can visit right now! Some have answered these same questions today and some will answer them on Dec. 17:

Cynthia Toney

Jennifer Rogers

Karen deBlieck

Joshua Bedford

Londa Hayden

Janet K. Brown

Gourmet Christmas Chocolate Truffles

My oven stopped working a month ago, so all those Christmas cookies I loved are no longer in the equation. Yet since I’m not eating wheat, I’m glad I don’t have the oven as a temptation to make cookies. But what about those lovely smells of holiday baking? What could I do instead?

I’d been down this wheat-free road before and devised a plan:

CHOCOLATE!

Semi-sweet and bittersweet chocolate mixed together make an amazing base for some interesting additions. Even if you don’t eat wheat, you can still enjoy the tastes of the season!

Wildberry truffles

First, let’s get the basics of chocolate truffles before we dive into the gourmet aspect.

Ingredients:

12 oz semi-sweet chocolate morsels
4 oz dark or bittersweet chocolate chunks
2/3 c. light or heavy cream
1/3 c. cocoa powder for dusting, plus extra for coating
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Make sure to have:

Parchment paper
A large plastic container
Mini muffin cups

Method:

In the top part of a double boiler, heat the cream until warm. (I don’t really have a double boiler. I boil an inch or two of water in a sauce pan and place a metal bowl over it as the ‘double’ part of my boiler.)
Add chocolate and vanilla and stir continuously. Don’t step away from that stove unless the house is burning down! Keep stirring until the chocolate is fully melted, has a silky texture and a glossy surface.
Remove from heat and allow to cool.
Coat hands with cocoa powder. Taking a teaspoonful of chocolate at a time, roll the chocolate around the palms of your hands until round. Make sure you don’t handle the chocolate for too long!
Set the truffle on parchment paper until its cool.
When cool, coat with extra cocoa powder
Store truffles tightly covered in refrigerator for up to three days.
Serve each chocolate in its own mini muffin cup.

Gourmet truffles:

(Stir these in just before allowing the chocolate to cool in step 3.)

Pumpkin spice truffles: Omit vanilla and add 3 tbsp pureed pumpkin and 1/2 tsp of pumpkin pie spice. When cool, coat the truffle with cinnamon instead of chocolate powder.
Ginger truffles: add 2 tbsp finely chopped candied ginger. When cool, coat the truffles with raw sugar. Or, mix together 1/2 tsp ground ginger and 1/4 c. powdered cocoa for a coating.
Berry truffles: Omit vanilla and stir in 5 drops of berry flavoring (raspberry is a party favorite, but I also love blueberry and strawberry flavors as well, and all these can be mixed together for wildberry truffles). When cool, coat them with sanding sugar of appropriate color–red, blue or pink. Coconut is a fun coating too!
Mint truffles: Omit vanilla and stir in 1/2 tsp of peppermint extract. I also add minced mint leaves. When cool, coat these with green sanding sugar.
Chai tea truffles: stir in 2 tbsp of chai tea powder. When cool, lightly coat the truffles with a mixture of chai tea powder and cocoa powder. If you want to go all out on these tea truffles, you can use a loose tea chai mixture. During step one, add 2 tbsp of loose chai tea to the warm cream and steep for five minutes strain the tea leaves and spices before adding the chocolate.
Jasmine green tea truffles: Steep jasmine green tea leaves in the warm cream. Remove before adding chocolate.
Mango truffles: add 3 tbsp finely chopped dried mango. Coat these truffles with raw sugar or red sanding sugar. (Many other dried fruits can be used in place of the mango)

What are some of your ideas for gourmet chocolate truffles? Get creative, bring in the kids, make a big mess, and above all, have fun! And remember, if I can be an amateur chocolatier, you can do anything!

Breaking the Connection, a guest post by Staci Stallings

Breaking the Connection

By:  Staci Stallings

Electricity.

I was grateful for it, I suppose, but honestly I never really thought much about it.  Walk in a room, turn on the light… it just happened.  I’m not sure I even cared how unless it didn’t.

Then my son was born. He cares about “how” for everything!  “How do they fix the road?’  “How do they make tables?”  “How does the light come on like that?”

To put it mildly electricity is his “thing.”  He loves it.  So a couple years ago we got him a set of Snap-Circuits (the best toy ever made for little boys who love to build things!).  The general idea for those who just walk into a room and flip on a light with no understanding of how it works (like me!) is that the switch is the connector.  To make electricity work, you have to have a battery or source of power connected from both sides.  The switch connects the two, completing the circuit, and turning on the power.

Connecting the electrical components in a line won’t work.  It doesn’t “complete the circuit.”

To have power, you always have to complete the circuit.  If your light or buzzer isn’t working, there’s a break in the circuit somewhere.

Now I remember this lesson vividly from my days on the farm.  We relied on electrical fences to keep the cattle in.  I had a healthy fear of those fences because you could totally get zapped by one if you ever challenged the thing.

BUT… if there was a grounding somewhere on the line or a break, no power flowed, and the fence was harmless.  If a fence wasn’t “hot,” that could mean hours searching for the break or weed that was touching the thing.  There was amazing power, but it was remarkably easy to break that power.

So what does all of this have to do with anything?

Everything!

Jesus Christ is the power source, but His power can only flow through our lives if we complete the circuit.

This can mean one of two things:

1)  On our own, we must grab onto Jesus with BOTH hands.  If we’re reaching for something else with our other hand, we’ve broken the connection and God’s power cannot flow through our lives.  This is called sin.

Sin breaks our connection with God and He cannot work in our lives as vibrantly as He could if we were fully connected.

2) You can make a HUGE circuit.  My son has actually tried this hooking multiple sets of Snap Circuits together.  You’re not limited to you and God.  Start adding other people who join one hand to Him and one hand to you and the power gets stronger not weaker.

That’s why it’s so important to forgive and to work to bring friends back into the circuit!  If they let go of you or let go of God, the circuit has been broken.  And you know how a broken friend circuit feels… crummy!  It has no power.  It has no life.  It is a drain on you rather than a way God sends His power to you.

So lift your friends up to Him.  Help them latch onto His hand as they take yours.  Encourage them to spend some one-on-One time with Him, fully connected only to Him.

You will be amazed at the results!

 

Copyright Staci Stallings, 2011

 

Staci Stallings, the author of this article, is a #1 Best Selling Contemporary Christian Romance author and the founder of Grace & Faith Author Connection. Staci has a special surprise for you today and tomorrow only…

FREE ON KINDLE TWO DAYS ONLY!

December 4 & 5:

Cowboy

 ”One of the most gripping contemporary romances I’ve read in the past three years.”  

–Michelle Sutton, Amazon Top 1,000 Reviewer

 

Timothy Ashton Raines is at the top of his game and the end of his rope until one night, he walks away from everything…

Available today as a free download from Amazon!

http://www.amazon.com/Cowboy-The-Harmony-Series-ebook/dp/B0049B2E82/ref=cm_cr_pr_sims_t

The Perfect Crime, a guest post

I’m pleased to host Naty Matos as my guest today! Let’s give her a warm welcome!

The Perfect Crime

Anyone who has spent some time with me knows that I love crime shows. It’s not the evil component of a crime that attracts me, it’s the psychology behind the crime and the perpetrator that peaks my interest. Although crime is not a good thing, I do believe that from all evil acts have a silver lining as it says in Romans 8:28 “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

Sometimes it has taken a painful experience like this to bring the perpetrator or even the victims to a place of brokenness and closer to God. I think that’s the appeal for me, I always look at what is the pain and hurt that those involved are going through and where the possibility is of redemption.

Long time ago there was a plan to destroy humanity. A fallen angel wanted to take control over God’s most created possession, you and me. That fallen angel in the shape of a snake (well suited by the way) tempted mankind and got them thrown of out the perfect life with God in paradise. After that, chaos reigned and God made multiple attempts to restore order, but we were unable to keep ourselves right.

God sent his son to rescue us and the fallen angel went after him as well. He tried to tempt him to fall out of grace and at the end he killed him, thinking that he had committed the perfect crime. Little did the fallen angel know that it was God’s plan all along to have his son killed, not only to show his glory through the resurrection, but by now giving us all a way back to him that could not be taken away.

So why is it the perfect crime? Is not perfect for the perpetrator, but from the mastermind God who even used the darkness to redeem us all.

John 3:16 (MSG)

“This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life.”

God didn’t go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person’s failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him.

Was Amelia able to scheme the perfect crime as well. Find out in my new novella “Season’s Greetings from Amelia” This great novella brings mystery, suspense and the best stocking stuffer for your favorite e-reader. You can get your copy for just 0.99 cents on Kindle, Smashwords and Nook only during the month of December.

Book Description

Daisy has the perfect life, beautiful children and a wonderful husband. And Christmas is right around the corner. Tis the season to be jolly… Or is it?

Daisy’s life is flipped upside down by strange letters that are sent to her by her best friend, Amelia. And as her life continues to quickly spiral out of control, she realizes that something BIG is about to happen. Can she put aside her confusion, hurt, and anger in order to solve a mystery that may have a horrific ending????

Can Daisy’s life ever return to normal regardless to whether she does or doesn’t?

Author Bio

Naty Matos was born in the city of New York. She grew up in the beautiful Island of Puerto Rico and now lives in the city of Atlanta.

She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Clinical Psychology with a Minor in Mass Media Communications and a Master’s Degree in Mental Health Counseling.

Naty writes Christian fiction and non-fiction. She maintains a blog on Christian Living Topics at www.therisingmuse.com

 

 

Man Shall Not Live by Bread Alone

Two and a half years ago, I quit eating wheat for almost 18 months. I’d have communion bread and an occasional cookie, but other than that, I stayed on a wheat-free diet. I even made my own rice flour (which you can find the method for on my Wheat-free Page).

For the last year, since we moved into our house and had to rely on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for a few months, I couldn’t be as wheat-free as I wanted to be. I wondered if I’d ever be motivated for this diet again.

Then I ran across this article on CBS News about gliadin and the danger of modern wheat. I’ve dismissed so many articles like this until I do background research, but this article woke me up and gave me the inspiration I needed to go wheat-free again. This article did all the necessary preaching, so I’ll jump right into recipes.

What do we eat when we’re wheat-free?

SALAD is easy.

Here are a few salad ideas:

Cajun chicken salad:

Sprinkle blackened Cajun seasoning over 1 lb cubed, boneless chicken, then coat with 1/2 c. lemon juice and 1/4 c. olive oil.
Boil 1/2 lb halved fingerling potatoes, then drain until dry. Saute with 1 tbsp butter, 2 tbsp olive oil and 2 minced garlic cloves.
Saute chicken until cooked.
Toss lettuce (your favorite kind, I use spring mix) with an oil and vinegar dressing.
Put lettuce in a pasta bowl or on a plate with halved cherry tomatoes, cucumbers and other salad-y favorites you have.
Spoon cooked chicken over the lettuce.
Scatter the potatoes around the edges.

If you haven’t done so already, make friends with rice (not the politicians with that name, mind you, but the grain). Here are a few ideas:

Jasmine rice is lovely. If you haven’t tried it yet, don’t write off rice yet!

Rice is wonderful as a salad:

Minted rice and peas: Toss 2 c. cooked rice with 3/4 c. thawed peas, 1 tbsp fresh mint, 2 tbsp. lemon juice and 1/3 c. mayo.
Curried rice salad: Toss 2 c. cooked rice with 1/2 c. pitted prunes, 1/2 c. slivered almonds, 1 tbsp curry powder, 2 tbsp. olive oil and 1 tbsp lemon juice.

Here are some potato salad ideas:

Potato salad w/ halved cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, salt, pepper and olive oil (no mayo).
Potato salad w/peas and mint — mayo base.

Carrot salads are fun too:

Shred 3 carrots into a bowl, add 1/2 c. raisins, 1 tbsp curry powder, 1/3 c. mayo and a dash of lemon juice. Allow this to sit in the fridge for at least an hour to soak up all the flavors.

Carrot, apple and cinnamon make a fantastic combo for a salad. Add some honey and smile.

And if you love crackers and cheese like I do, here are some wheat-free cracker recommendations:

Glutino – this brand is the best of all the ones I’ve tasted so far!
World Table rice thins – the chili ones have a kick! The black pepper ones are good too.

What is your favorite wheat-free food?

To the Lovers of God at Christmas

There is something so special about Christmastime, as if there is a portal open between heaven and earth. There was one night.

That very night in a field near Bethlehem there were shepherds watching over their flock. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared in radiant splendor before them, lighting up the field with the blazing glory of God, and the shepherds were terrified!

But the angel reassured them, saying, “Don’t be afraid. For I have come to bring you the good news, the most joyous news the world has ever heard! And it is for everyone, For today in Bethlehem a Rescuer was born for you! He is the Anointed Messiah, the LORD JEHOVAH! You will recognize Him by this miracle sign— you will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in a feeding trough!”

Then all at once, a vast number of glorious angels appeared— the very armies of heaven! And they all were praising God, singing, “Glory to God in the highest realms of heaven! And a good hope to the sons of men!”

When the choir of angels disappeared back to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go! Let’s hurry and find this Manifestation that is born in Bethlehem and see for ourselves what the Lord has revealed to us!”

Luke 2:8-15, From The Passion Translation — Luke: To the Lovers of God by Brian Simmons

I love this translation, the “dynamic-equivalent translation of The Holy Scriptures From the ancient Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek into modern English.” It’s blown the scriptures wide open for me.

I stayed up late last night reading and rereading the Christmas story in this translation. This holy word dripped like honey onto my dry and bitter heart, transforming me in ways I’ll only know in years to come. The Lord bent heaven down to earth to draw us into His heart. With every word, I fell more and more in love with this Man Jesus. I can’t imagine a better gift than that.

I encourage you to check out this and other books of the Bible that Brian Simmons has translated. You can find out more information about the translation on his website.

Or you can simply order a copy of this book today:

The splendor-light of heaven’s glorious Sunrise

Is about to break upon us in holy visitation,

All because the mercy of our God is so very tender.

Luke 1:78

 

I hope you’ll be as blessed by this translation as I am!

And for any of you who are interested in how the Bible was copied in ancient times, check out The Scribes by Peter Rodgers. Just scroll down and click on the image in the side bar.

King of Spices

One afternoon, back when I was a YWAMer and helping to cook for the class, a friend of mine asked this question:

“What do you think is the king of spices?”

I use spices so often, and go through various phases of which spice I think is “king”. During that time I was making home made chili on a regular basis, so I answered with, “Cumin.” This strong but versatile spice is key in Mexican foods, Indian foods and Middle Eastern foods.

I went through a phase where nutmeg was king. I love this spice, since I can make it the secret ingredient in so many dishes. I always have people ask, “What did you do to make this so delicious?” I just smile and tell them every cook has a secret ingredient.

And then there was the cayenne pepper phase. What better way to make a husband happy than to stir cayenne pepper into the brownie mix? Kudos to Like Water for Chocolate for the permission. (Psst! that’s the recipe for the week. Give it a try!)

What do you consider to be the ‘king of spice’?

And what is your favorite spice?

Be inventive, be creative, and remember, if I can cook, you can do anything you set your mind too.

Blessings!

Oh, and today being Black Friday, I do have a SALE to tell you about. Two of my books will be on sale for $0.99 each. That’s two YA spy novels for under $2. But hurry, this sale will only last one day!

The Elite of the Weak

Pharmacia: Those Magic Arts

Oh, JOY!

Since my last post was about comfort, I thought it fitting to write this one about joy.

Joy is one of those things that everyone loves to be around but few truly project.

I asked my husband one day if there was any particular fruit of the Holy Spirit I wasn’t showing much of in my life, he said, “Joy.” At that moment he was right. Since then I have been praying.

A few months ago, a friend and fellow writer told me something that both surprised me and encouraged me. She said she gleans joy from the books I write. I so much wanted to project joy, but wasn’t sure if my novels, particularly the ones that highlight modern slavery, transmitted JOY to the reader.

Apparently they do! At least to one.

Thomas Jefferson, in writing the Declaration of Independence, included that we have, from God, the right to pursue happiness. In the movie, Pursuit of Happyness, Will Smith explored how elusive that happiness is. I know I won’t be able to wax as eloquently as that movie did on the subject of pursuing elusive happiness, but I do know one thing: happiness may be elusive, but joy…

Joy is permanent. It’s meant to be. I want to be filled with this. I want to spread it all around. I want to inspire JOY in people around me, because it is permanent. And it makes a human being become what God intended–you can sense it in the presence of those who are filled with joy.

Have you encountered someone who, when you’re in their presence, you’re infused with joy? Please, do tell!

And if you’re interested in my books, two of them are FREE today:

The Elite of the Weak

Pharmacia: Those Magic Arts

Slide into the Comfort Zone

The other morning I awoke with a peculiar sentence bouncing through my mind:

“Comfort zone – it’s more than pizza and mac & cheese.”

I’d been told over and over to stretch out of my comfort zone, go beyond my comfort zone, don’t hang out in my comfort zone, but I felt the Lord gently nudging me to think differently about the comfort zone.

I started thinking about prophecy, where, in 1 Corinthians 14:3, it says that prophecy is for edification, exhortation and comfort. I recently heard John Paul Jackson say that these three parts of prophecy are speaking to three different parts of our being: edification speaks to the spirit of a person, exhortation to the body and comfort to the soul.

Our souls are made up of mind, will and emotion (I usually throw creativity in there, but let’s just have three for beautiful mathematics today). So here’s some comfort for our mind, will and emotions:

Psalm 71:21 You [the Lord] will increase my honor and comfort me once more.

Psalm 119:76 May your unfailing love be my comfort, according to your promise to your servant.

Isaiah 40:1 Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.

Isaiah 49:13 Shout for joy, you heavens; rejoice, you earth; burst into song, you mountains! For the LORD comforts his people and will have compassion on his afflicted ones.

Isaiah 51:12 “I, even I, am he who comforts you.”

Zechariah 1:13 And the Lord answered gracious and comforting words to the angel who talked with me.

Matthew 5:4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4  Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.

1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore, comfort one another with these words.

1 Thessalonians 5:11 Therefore comfort each other and edify one another just as you also are doing.

Okay, so here’s a few remarkable things that I’ve discovered in my study of “comfort”:

That’s what the name Noah means! Go ahead and follow that bunny trail
Yes, God comforts us, but we’re supposed to comfort each other, too.
The return of the Lord is a comforting thought, even if there are times of extreme trouble beforehand.
Comfort isn’t a bad thing, but something beautiful and biblical.

So slide into the comfort zone. Ask God your questions and allow Him to comfort you. Tell Him your sorrows and allow Him to comfort you. Express to Him the desires of your heart and allow Him to comfort you. Allow yourself to be comforted by a friend. Then go spread that comfort!

Today, The Elite of the Weak is FREE! Grab a copy, have a read, I hope it inspires you!

YA Supernatural Thriller

2 Corinthians 1: 3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.

My Own Vineyards

or

Facing the Wall

my thoughts on Song of Solomon 1:6

Okay, I’ll admit it, I was reluctant to write this post, the next in the Song of Solomon series, because the struggles I face on a daily basis are far too close to what I read in this verse. But I’m going to try anyway. This will be less of an unveiling of secrets and more of a plea to walk with me through my brokenness.

Do not look upon me, because I am dark,

Because the sun has tanned me.

My mother’s sons were angry with me;

They made me the keeper of the vineyards,

But my own vineyard I have not kept.

Song of Solomon 1:6 (NKJV)

Eight times in one day last week I was confronted by people telling me I wasn’t taking care of myself. That’s not to mention all the other times people have said this to me in the last few months.

Many years ago, my friend Jason, a pastor in CT, told me a story about a man who, in the 1800s, went everywhere preaching the Gospel, but died of sickness at the age of 29. Shortly before he died, he said something like this (and I’ll probably butcher the quote):

“God gave me a horse to use that I may preach his Gospel, but I have killed that horse.”

The horse he referred to was his own body.

God gives us a gift in our bodies, and even goes so far as to say, in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.”

I don’t sit on a couch all day and chow down on potato chips, but I’ve certainly been neglecting some areas of my life. And taking care of my body was one of those. So I’ve started with baby steps. I’m drinking much more water now than I used to, and I dash a bit of cayenne in the water so the little one doesn’t try to drink it all on me. Don’t worry, I give my daughter her own, cayenne-free water!

I’ve taken time to face the wall. This is one of the most important steps of taking care of “my own vineyard”.  Whay I mean by facing the wall is I express my creative worship before an audience of One. This includes playing guitar, having a journal of prayers to and conversations with God, and even drawing pictures no one else but God will see (I’m not a visual artist, so this isn’t my default, but it may be yours).

I can assure you that if you haven’t been taking care of yourself, but you begin to make an effort to do this, you will face opposition. Whether it’s your brothers or your close friends who wonder at the change, their first reactions may sound like anger. Keep going. Care for your body. Face the wall.

In these last five days, as I’ve begun this effort to care for my own vineyard, I’ve shed more private tears than I have in the past year. But all I can say is that in these last five days, as I’ve sauntered down this sometimes frightening road of obedience, the most wonderful mysteries have been revealed to my heart. We are so completely loved. We are fearfully and wonderfully made. We are more important to Jesus that we’ve dared imagine. When we care for our own vineyards, we’re able to bless others more thoroughly than ever. Because the well we have to draw from is deeper.