Sundi Jo Graham's Blog, page 42

A Letter to the President

Dear Mr. Obama,

Thank you for being willing to serve our country. I can’t imagine all the job entails, and it’s certainly not something I would want to do. The challenging tasks on your plate daily must be incredibly crazy to balance.

photo credit: mashable

I’ve been studying the topic of honor with my small group and that’s what led me to write this letter to you. John Bevere talks about honoring people, including our civil leaders and those in authority over us, in the study Honor’s Reward. 

The other night as we discussed honoring our leaders, your name was brought up. My friend Jammie asked a great question that had us all doing some thinking.

When did we start referring to president’s by their last name?

I was convicted. So were others. For the last four years I have referred to you as Obama. I haven’t recognized you as President Obama and I realize in doing so, I was dishonoring you.

Please accept my apology. 

Romans 13:7 says that I am to respect and honor you. Honestly, I haven’t always done so. My opinions and thoughts have gotten in the way of remembering you have been appointed as a leader over the country I am free to live in, and I should respect that.

I don’t agree with everything you’ve done in the time you have held office. I didn’t vote for you, either. But you are the president and I have an obligation to you; to disagree respectfully and do so with honor.

Mr. Obama, I vow to pray for you, honor you, and respect you. I pray for your leadership, your marriage, and your relationships.

Most importantly, I pray for your relationship with Jesus Christ.

May you know how much He loves you. May you seek God’s will as you make important decisions about the people you lead. May the Word of God be the main source you seek always.

Thank you for serving our country.

Sincerely,

Sundi Jo

Become a Dear Dad Insider and Get Five Unique Opportunities

For a while, I’ve been talking excitedly about the release of my first published book. Great things have happened since I started calling myself a writer. Because of the support of so many of you, my readers, this is actually happening! Well, here’s what you’ve been waiting for…

photo credit: dlr_de

Almost a year ago I signed a contract with the publisher. I actually drove to Oklahoma and signed the contract instead of doing it via mail. Now we’re about two months from the release of my first print book, Dear Dad. (I’ll be sharing more about this later. For now, hold off on buying it; I’ll make it worth your while — promise.)

The launch

A lot of work goes into successfully launching a trade book, and frankly, I can’t do it alone. I have too many ideas, and I need your help implementing them.

I need a team of insiders. This group is going to be special. I’m personally going to pour everything I have into this group, enabling them to spread the message of Dear Dad. We’re going to have a blast, as we experiement with some innovative book promotion ideas.

If you ever plan on doing something like this yourself some day, the experience will be invaluable. Plus, it’s going to be a lot of fun.

What you get

If you sign up to join the Dear Dad Insiders (and get accepted), here’s what you’ll get for your time:

An advanced electronic copy (PDF) of the typeset manuscript that you can read a month before anyone else will get a copy.
Exclusive access to a private Facebook group, where we’ll share promotion ideas and you’ll have direct contact with me.
The opportunity to interact with other launch team members and see the behind-the-scenes of a book launch.
A special mention on my blog with a link to your website.
A bunch of other freebies I can’t talk about yet (seriously cool stuff).

What I’m asking from you

If you’re picked to be a part of this team, I ask that you agree to:

Read and review the book online (e.g. Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and/or your blog).
Spread the word any way you can during the week of it’s release (Date still pending).
Interact with the rest of the launch team and participate in the community to help come up with promotion ideas (we’re open to experimenting).

I’m going to be “all in” for this, so I ask that you take it seriously. Please don’t apply if you don’t have the time or energy to dedicate to helping get the word out.

Apply now

Because of how personally invested I’m going to be in this project, we need to keep the group to a manageable size. Therefore, we won’t be accepting everyone who applies. Applications close February 23, 2013. 

We’ll be emailing individuals to let you know if you made the team. If you don’t hear from us in a week, you can assume you didn’t make it. Don’t worry; there will be other opportunities to get involved in the launch.

Click here to apply to join the Dear Dad insiders team.

Thoughts on this idea? Recommendations? Leave a comment below…

Join My Book Launch Team and Get Five Unique Opportunities

For a while, I’ve been talking excitedly about the release of my first published book. Great things have happened since I started calling myself a writer. Because of the support of so many of you, my readers, this is actually happening! Well, here’s what you’ve been waiting for…

photo credit: dlr_de

Almost a year ago I signed a contract with the publisher. I actually drove to Oklahoma and signed the contract instead of doing it via mail. Now we’re about two months from the release of my first print book, Dear Dad. (I’ll be sharing more about this later. For now, hold off on buying it; I’ll make it worth your while — promise.)

The launch

A lot of work goes into successfully launching a trade book, and frankly, I can’t do it alone. I have too many ideas, and I need your help implementing them.

I need a team. This group is going to be special. I’m personally going to pour everything I have into this group, enabling them to spread the message of Dear Dad. We’re going to have a blast, as we experiement with some innovative book promotion ideas.

If you ever plan on doing something like this yourself some day, the experience will be invaluable. Plus, it’s going to be a lot of fun.

What you get

If you sign up to join the Dear Dad Launch Team (and get accepted), here’s what you’ll get for your time:

An advanced electronic copy (PDF) of the typeset manuscript that you can read a month before anyone else will get a copy.
Exclusive access to a private Facebook group, where we’ll share promotion ideas and you’ll have direct contact with me.
The opportunity to interact with other launch team members and see the behind-the-scenes of a book launch.
A special mention on my blog with a link to your website.
A bunch of other freebies I can’t talk about yet (seriously cool stuff).

What I’m asking from you

If you’re picked to be a part of this team, I ask that you agree to:

Read and review the book online (e.g. Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and/or your blog).
Spread the word any way you can during the week of it’s release (Date still pending).
Interact with the rest of the launch team and participate in the community to help come up with promotion ideas (we’re open to experimenting).

I’m going to be “all in” for this, so I ask that you take it seriously. Please don’t apply if you don’t have the time or energy to dedicate to helping get the word out.

Apply now

Because of how personally invested I’m going to be in this project, we need to keep the group to a manageable size. Therefore, we won’t be accepting everyone who applies. Applications close February 23, 2013. 

We’ll be emailing individuals to let you know if you made the team. If you don’t hear from us in a week, you can assume you didn’t make it. Don’t worry; there will be other opportunities to get involved in the launch.

Click here to apply to join the Dear Dad launch team.

Thoughts on this idea? Recommendations? Leave a comment below…

Why Friendships are Worth Fighting For

I went on a road trip adventure with my friend Jammie recently. We had a fabulous day. We got lost about four times, though she claimed to know where she was going. On the back roads of Arkansas we drove, talked, laughed, and gave glory to God for how different our lives are now compared to six years ago.

Our friendship is proof that God can restore anything. 

In 2007, I wasn’t sure the above words would ever be true. We were in a place of desperation and our friendship was holding on by a thread. There were days of bitterness toward one another. Cross words. Looks that could kill. We were stuck that way because we lived together. There was no avoiding each other.

I can be a pretty stubborn person. Most times it gets me into trouble, but there are those few times that it pays off. My refusal to give up on this friendship was one of those times. Jammie was ready to quit. Walking away was the only option she saw.

I thought we could try one more thing before we walked away from our friendship forever. Counseling. She reluctantly agreed. Perhaps part of me wanted to save the friendship because she knew too much about me and would use it against me when I became famous. Just kidding. Sort of.

Yes.. we went to a counselor to save our friendship. 

It was awkward, of course, but worth it. We sat as far apart as possible and avoided eye contact. I have to wonder what the counselor was thinking, but she saw our hearts breaking. She knew we needed help. Even after I lost my job during this devastating time in our lives, she volunteered her time. Talk about making an investment into the lives of others.

We started to communicate with each other. It took a few months to talk to each other without me yelling and she walking away crying, but we made it. I’d love to say a few counseling sessions and all was well, but that’s not reality.

It took several years to get our friendship back to a level of real trust. Both of our hearts had been broken, but we knew if we kept investing into the relationship, things had to get better. It finally did.

Today our friendship is stronger than it ever has been. 

As we sat over lunch after church last Sunday, I was reminded again of the restoration God provided. Those days of bitterness and unforgiveness were far behind us. We talked about our struggles, gave God praise for the things He has done in our lives and the lives of others, and hugged each other before we drove off.

God is the redeemer of time. 

There are those friendships that are worth fighting for, even if you have to go to a counselor to do it. If we had given up on each other, I can’t imagine how different our lives would be today. There would be a void without Jammie’s friendship in my life. I can’t imagine not sharing my pain, and my victories with her. I’m so honored she desires to do the same with me.

Don’t simply walk away because it’s too much work to restore a relationship. Some things are worth fighting for.

Have you ever fought to save a friendship? Was it worth the fight? Leave a comment below… 

Who Do You Think You Are?

Who are you?

Fill in the blank: I Am ______________________.

photo credit: pastormark.tv

Are you the woman who was sexually abused? Are you the guy who’s mother abandoned you at eight years old? Are you the overweight girl who refuses to go out in public because people will laugh? Are you the teenager wearing a pair of shoes from a garage sale and fear others finding out because you’ll be made fun of?

These things do not define who you are. 

You aren’t what’s been done to you but what Jesus has done for you. – Mark Driscoll

In his new book, Who Do You Think You Are? Finding Your True Identity in Christ, Driscoll takes an in-depth look into the book of Ephesians to explain exactly who we are in Christ.

Far too often we look for our identities in relationships, jobs, friendships, addictions, etc. It used to be really easy for me to conform to the identity others wanted me to live out. When I find myself getting back into that situation, I realize my eyes are focused on myself, not God.

For years my identity was found in my circumstances. I was sexually abused. I was raped. I felt the sting of abandonment from my alcoholic father. I used food to comfort me and protect me. I lived as a victim without hope.

I didn’t live out my true identity. I lived out who I thought I was. 

Change didn’t happen overnight. It was gradual. At times it was painful. There were days it was much easier to remain a victim than take responsiblity for my life. That’s right where Satan wants us – in a pit, feeling sorry for ourselves, refusing to live for God’s glory.

What would happen if we all decided to believe who God really says we are versus what the enemy says? 

Freedom. Restored relationships. Forgiveness. Restoration. Did I mention freedom?

It’s time for us to be defined by who we are in Christ, not what we do or fail to do for Christ. – Tweet that

Let’s get to it. Who are you in Christ? According to the book of Ephesians, here is the list:

~ You are in Christ. 

~ You are a Saint. 

~ You are Blessed. 

~ You are Appreciated. 

~ You are Saved. 

~ You are Reconciled. 

~ You are Afflicted. 

~ You are Heard. 

~ You are Gifted. 

~ You are New. 

~ You are Forgiven. 

~ You are Adopted. 

~ You are Loved.

~ You are Rewarded.

~ You are Victorious.

Do you believe what God says about you? If you have given your life to Christ, these identities belong to YOU. Believe them. Claim them. Write them down. Carry them with you wherever you go until you believe the truth.

What belief do you struggle with the most about Who you are in Christ? Share it in the comments below….   

What Really Happens at the Super Bowl

Football. Hot Wings. Ranch Dressing. Chips. Beer. Millions of screaming fans. Excitement. Winning.

This is what the Super Bowl is supposed to be about, right?

photo credit: digital global sports

There’s something deeper.

There’s a danger lurking behind the million dollar commercials and cheering fans filling the stadium. 

Human trafficking will be prevalent this weekend. Thousands of underage girls will be handed out to men as their pimps cash in on this disgusting, heart breaking industry.

It’s estimated that up to 10,000 adults and underage girls have been taken to previous Super Bowls. Pimps have been known to buy out taxis in order to convert them to “mobile brothels.” – Matt Coburn, The Good Men Project

Please read that sobering statement again.

Doesn’t it make your stomach turn? 

Here is the reality: While millions of people gather around the television to watch sex-driven commercials by well-known brands, young girls will be raped in the back of the very same taxi cab you could be riding home in.

Does this mean you can’t enjoy yourself at this weekend’s festivities? No. Does this mean you have to watch the game with guilt? No.

I guess I’m just asking you to remember those whose bodies will be used for sexual pleasures from fathers, doctor’s, lawyers, and brothers, while the Ravens and the 49ers go head to head.

Pray for pimps and those buying women to be convicted. Pray for the victims to know that regardless of what happens to them, they are loved by a God more than we will ever understand.

Pray. 

Why I Didn’t Chew Food For 21 Days

I was introduced to fasting several years ago when I was a brand new Christian. The thought of giving up something for God was scary to me, and fascinating at the same time.

Since then I have taken part in my fair share of fasting. A few hour fast. 24 hours. A partial fast from something that I enjoy, such as television.

photo credit: shutterbean

Last year some friends and I joined together to do a 21-day Daniel Fast, inspired by my new friend, Kristen Feola. It was a fantastic experience, both spiritually and physically.

I started 2013 out doing something different. 

Many of you know I have lost 145 lbs. and done pretty well with keeping it off, only by God’s grace and patience with me. Over the last few months, however, I was struggling with food. I found myself wanting to eat everything all the time. Though I knew some of it was due to the constant struggle of shifting hormones I’ve been dealing with for 3 1/2 years, I soon realized I was using that as an excuse to eat.

I was using emotions as well as an excuse to “medicate” myself. I was walking in the old habits of my 330 lb. self and I didn’t like it. Not. One. Bit.

I realized in December that my struggle with food was separating me from the deep relationship I was desiring with God. I asked Him to break my heart with the things that break His and He kept good on His word.

I was breaking God’s heart and I was using food to do it. 

I came to the realization that food was controlling me again and something had to give. So, I committed to a liquid fast. For 21 days I wouldn’t chew a single thing. If it wasn’t pureed, blended, etc., it wasn’t going in my mouth.

I was in for the ride of a lifetime. The first week I didn’t think I would survive. I was looking for every excuse to quit. I would text my accountability partners I had put in place prior to the fast and told them I was ready to quit. They listened. They shared Scriptures. They prayed.

They refused to let my excuses win.

By the third week I knew something had shifted. My thoughts were no longer on food. My relationship with Christ had strengthened. I was walking in discipline and learning to rely on God to heal my emotions, not food. I was walking more in freedom than I had days earlier.

I was listening, soaking in God’s Word, strengthening my relationships, and opening my heart to change.

What happens now that the fast is over? 

Food is back. So are Satan’s tactics to get me to worship food. He’s losing. I’ll admit I’ve had a couple of days where I’ve struggled more than others, but I know that something is different.

I walk around consistently speaking these words out loud, thanks to Dr. Rita Hancock and the book, The Eden Diet. 

Jesus is Lord over me and I am the boss of food.

Those words, my friends, have had a huge impact on my eating habits and the way I look at food. By speaking them out loud, I’m putting food in its place: below me, not over me. I encourage you to do the same if food is a struggle for you.

The spiritual benefits of this recent liquid fast were worth every moment of going without chewing food. So were the physical benefits. I lost 11 lbs. I’m looking forward to doing it again as I know God has more to teach me.

What has God been teaching you lately? Has a fast helped you in your relationship with Him? Leave a comment below… 

The McRib is Back!

Back in the days of my used-to-be favorite reality show, The Osbournes, there was a moment in the show that has stuck with me forever. Why, I have no idea, but it seems to have parked itself into my mind with no intentions of leaving.

photo credit: ruocaled (creative commons)

Jack Osbourne and his sister, Kelly, were traveling in a limousine when Jack saw a billboard with The McRib on it. In his English voice, and with the excitement of a small child, Jack shouted, “The McRib is Back!”

I couldn’t tell you what the rest of the episode was about, but I do know, thanks to the power of suggestion and my lack of self-control, my best friend Jammie and I were in the drive-thru soon after ordering the seasonal sensation.

I’m so thankful those days are over. I can’t stand the thought of eating one now, and honestly, I don’t think I liked them back then either – it was simply the thing to do.

I want those days to be over for you too. There isn’t one thing about this sandwich that should draw you closer. What you’re about to read and learn is not at all as mouth-watering as the billboard and commercials would like you to think.

There are more than 70 ingredients that make up the McRib. 

Yes.. you read that right. According to a recent post from health guru, Dr. Joseph Mercola, one of those ingredients, azodicarbonamide, is actually found in your gym shoes.

Think about that next time you plan to order “The tasty fan favorite slathered in tangy barbecue sauce, slivered onions and tart pickles all on a hoagie style bun.”

Where is the pork?

There is no pork. The ingredients, according  to Registered dietician Cassie Vanderwal, is “restructured meat product, better known as all the less expensive innards and castoffs from the pig.”

Hungry anyone?

It’s time to think about what we’re putting in our bodies. 

Believe it or not, I didn’t always realize fast food was bad for me. It was only a few years ago I started understanding what processed food was versus natural food.

The first time someone introduced me to a spinach salad I thought they were crazy. Who eats that crap? Turns out many people do. I’m now one of them.

I lost 145 lbs. by changing the way I lived. That involved saying goodbye to a super-sized burger and fries. Now that I’ve been more educated on the ingredients in foods and what’s better for my body, I can’t eating that burger and fries.

Sometimes my mind still goes there. Sometimes I think I could eat a Quarter Pounder and be fine, but then I realize it’s not about the food, it’s about the emotions. I wouldn’t be eating it to get full. I’d be eating it to satisfy something else that only God can satisfy.

Let’s say goodbye to the McRib together. Let’s kick fast food to the curb and invest in our everyday lives. I’m in it with you. You don’t have to do it alone.

Who’s with me? Leave a comment below with your commitment and why you’re ready…

P.S. If you want to see what the McRib looks like deconstructed, check it out here.

We All Need a Carolyn

Most Sundays I stand up at church and worship with some pretty talented people on stage.

photo credit: marilynjane (creative commons)

Since I live in Branson, Missouri, the live music capital of the world, I’m kind of spoiled with professional musicians and singers standing on stage each week creating amazing musical art. Regardless of their day jobs though — it’s what I see inside of them that draws me closer to God.

One woman in particular, Carolyn, stands there Sunday after Sunday belting out the most beautiful songs you could imagine. I swear if she would sing me to sleep every night I’d sleep like a rock. She’s declined thus far, but I’ll keep asking.

Though her voice is beautiful, that’s not the only thing that draws me to her. It’s the light that shines through her. She closes her eyes, lifts her hands in the air, and sings to an audience of one. There’s no performance – just her and God.

We all need someone with that light around us, especially as the world grows darker.

When you’re surrounded by those “Carolyn’s,” there’s that feeling of peace. The feeling of safety. You know the light beaming off her is from none other than our Creator.

Light brings honesty, laughter, stillness, and authenticity. You’re the same whether you’re performing for a church congregation or serving dinner for your family. I’ve seen Carolyn do both. She is who she is on and off stage.

Sometimes I struggle with this – trying to be the same person for everyone. Depending on the moment I can find myself trying to “perform” for the sole purpose of getting someone to like me. What I realize though, is that doesn’t draw people closer to me, it pushes them away.

To finish reading this post, come on over for a visit at Prodigal Magazine. I’d love to hear about the Carolyn in your life.

Click here to read the rest of the article. 

My Favorite Books of 2012

I can’t imagine my life without books in it. Someday I want people to walk into my house and see the ginormous library of knowledge I’ve collected over the years.

Know this ahead of time though, it probably won’t be organized. It will be stacks of books and some of them may have dust. Feel free to borrow as many as you’d like.

I believe I’ve grown in my relationships, my spiritual life, my writing, and my work because of reading. Whether it’s Henry Cloud teaching me how to set boundaries with my family, or Mark Batterson giving me tips on how to improve my prayer life, books make my world go ’round. I want them to make yours do the same.

In 2012, I read over 50 books, from self-help to fiction. Some of them I loved, some were mediocre, and some just sucked to be honest. But I read them anyway. I wanted to share with you some of my favorites.

The Circle Maker 

This book flipped my prayer life upside down. It challenged me to pray big dreams and stop settling for the small things. One of my favorites quotes from Mark Batterson is,

Bold prayers honor God, and God honors bold prayers. God isn’t offended by your biggest dreams or boldest prayers. He is offended by anything less. If your prayers aren’t impossible to you, they are insulting to God.

This is one of those God-inspired masterpieces that we should all read at least once a year.

Wrecked: When a Broken World Slams into Your Comfortable Life

If there was ever a call to take radical steps, step out of your comfort zone, and stop making life all about you, this book is that call. Jeff Goins writes from the perspective of a missionary seeing pieces of the broken world and returning different, but struggling to stay different.

This book is for us–a generation intent on pursuing our life’s work in a way that leaves us without regrets.

Well said.

Fully Alive: Lighten Up and Live – A Journey that Will Change Your LIfe

Ken Davis makes you both laugh and cry in this book.  Talking candidly about his journey from depression to redemption, it’s certainly a wake up call to look at our own lives, stop living in the mundane, and live fully alive.

It’s a take-action book. You can’t put it down and not want to change something about your life, whether it’s emotional, physical, spiritual, or mental.

There is no such thing as a small choice. The choices you make today affect your tomorrow. Those tiny little choices become habits that eventually destroy the foundations of your life or lead you toward living fully alive. Beauty or destruction. Either way, it’s your choice.

One of my favorite parts of the book refers to the mossy butt section. You’ll have to read it to know what I’m talking about.

Killing Lincoln: The Shocking Assassination that Changed America Forever

I’m a fan of history. I’m also a fan of Abraham Lincoln. I had no clue that Bill O’Reilly was a history buff until I saw this book. I was hooked from the title and knew it was a must read.

Our history determines our future and you may just get a glimpse into today’s government by taking a step back into the government of yesterday. It provides an amazing account of the vivid dreams Lincoln had prior to his death, the debilitating depression his wife Mary suffered through, the unsettling mind of John Wilkes Booth, and the evil that surrounded the White House during this time.

I’d love to know your thoughts on it.

Radical Well-Being: A Biblical Guide to Overcoming Pain, Illness, and Addictions

This book actually found me. Dr. Rita Hancock asked me to review the book for her and I agreed. When the book arrived, I had actually forgotten about it and was trying to figure out to keep the commitment I made in the deadline she had requested.

I opened the first page and that was the end of it. I couldn’t put the book down. So much of what I went through during my one-year journey at the Table Rock Freedom Center was displayed on the pages of this book.

In the process of reading, however, God continued to work on me, revealing emotional healing that still needed to take place, as well as paying attention the addictive behavior of food that likes to creep its way back into my life.

This is a book I will forever recommend and I am so grateful for Dr. Hancock writing it.

Dream More: Celebrate the Dreamer in You

I got this book for Christmas and I couldn’t wait to dig in. Not only is Dolly Parton a hero of mine, I knew the pages in this book would inspire me.

Expanding on a commencement speech she made at the University of Tennessee, Dolly calls us to dream big, give big, learn big, serve big. You know her. She doesn’t do anything small.

She talks openly about her relationship with God in the book and knows without Jesus none of her success would be possible. It’s a great book to get you back on track to pursuing those dreams you’ve always wanted to pursue.

Okay, I must stop there I guess. I could keep going for sure. If you take the time to read these books shoot me an email and let me know what you think. I’d really like to hear from you.

Also, if you want a list of many of the books I’ve read, you can see them on my Goodreads profile.

*Please note that some links are affiliate links.

What were some of your favorite books in 2012? What do you plan to read in 2013? Leave a comment below....