Lori Hatcher's Blog: Refresh Blog, page 80

The Eye of the Beholder - A Guest Post by Andrea Merrell

I’ve heard it said that heartbreak—just like beauty—is in the eye of the beholder. What breaks my heart and causes me pain may not be the same for you. We all have God-given strengths and weaknesses. We all have struggles and handle situations differently. And each one of us sees things from a unique and individual perspective.

Some view this as a negative. I see it as a positive. In God’s economy, nothing is ever wasted. He can take any situation the enemy means for evil and destruction and turn it around, working it for our good and his glory.

One way he accomplishes his plan is by having us share our stories—our tragedies and triumphs—our failures and successes—with those who need to hear. This takes a willingness to be open, honest, and transparent. When we take that risk, there is so much we can learn from each other. We all need humor, encouragement, practical advice, and a large dose of hope.

If I am in the middle of a crisis and someone shares with me how God brought them through the same devastating experience, my faith is restored and my hope renewed. It’s like being thrown a lifeline when you feel like you’re going down for the third time.

My desire is to throw that lifeline to others who are dealing with a rebellious teen or young adult who has chosen a life of sin and destruction. I want to share the lessons I learned through my journey with two prodigals and encourage parents to pray God’s Word over their children daily.



God can work miracles in the lives of those who are fully, wholeheartedly committed to him, believe his promises are true, and refuse to give up even when things seem to be falling apart all around them.

What do you need to share with others? What hidden resources do you possess that might be the very catalyst to restore someone’s faith. Whatever it is, I encourage you to dig deep, then be willing to share your journey. You might be the exact answer to someone’s urgent prayer.

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28 NASU




Andrea Merrell is Associate Editor for Christian Devotions Ministries and Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas. She is also a freelance editor and has been published in numerous anthologies and online venues. Andrea is the author of Murder of a Manuscript. The Gift, and Praying for the Prodigal. For more information visit www.AndreaMerrell.com or www.TheWriteEditing.com.


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Copyright 2012 by Lori Hatcher

Sex, Crime, and Violence - How Much Is Too Much for Christians?

No doubt about it, it was a hot button topic. 

My friends and I were discussing our favorite Christian authors. As writers, we were not only talking about their books, but also their style, craft, and writing approach. Talk quickly turned to a popular suspense writer. “His goal is to paint the darkness as black as possible so the Light will shine in stark contrast,” one woman who had studied under him said. “Problem is,” she confessed, “I can’t read his books. They’re too graphic. I have nightmares. He’s a masterful writer, and the pictures get in my head, and I can’t get them out.” 

“Me too,” someone else said. “I know good is going to win in the end, but ugh, it’s tough reading about the bad in such gory detail.” 

“Is it really necessary to paint sin, death, and destruction in such graphic terms?” another asked. She spoke the question we were all wrestling with: 

“Do we really have to know all the disturbing details to be able to cheer for the hero when he catches the bad guys?” And herein lies the question: 

How much is too much? 




 Paul instructed believers, “but I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil” (Rom. 16:19). In other words, you really don’t need to know every detail about what sinful people do to each other. Personally, when I hear detailed stories about abuse, debauchery, and murder, the facts stick in my mind and trouble me. 

Don’t misunderstand. I’m not advocating a Pollyanna world where we shove our fingers into our ears and pretend bad things don’t happen. We should be troubled by sinful behavior so we can hate it, fight against it, and take steps to prevent it. But do we really need to know the step-by-step process for how to pull off the murder of the century? 

Ephesians 5:11 warns, “Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret.” This verse leaves no doubt that believers are called to take action against wicked behavior. At the same time, however, it encourages us not to broadcast all the sinful details. 

One of law enforcement’s greatest fears following a crime spree, murder, or suicide is that other unstable or evil people will copy the behavior. Police coined the term copycat effect after intense media coverage of Jack the Ripper’s murder spree spawned several copycat killings. Loren Coleman, author of the book The Copycat Effect, How The Media and Popular Culture Trigger The Mayhem in Tomorrow's Headlines, writes: “Copycats imitate the previous violent attacks, oftentimes down to specific details as that mirror the previous specifics of the shooter, the victims, and the methods.” I wonder how many senseless crimes might be prevented if the media included less detail in their stories. 

Here’s a final verse to ponder as we consider what we allow into our minds: “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—If anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things” (Phil. 5:8). 

Jennie is an older woman who watches a lot of television. She likes “to stay informed,” so Dateline, 20/20, and America’s Most Wanted are some of her favorite shows. Day after day she feeds her mind a steady diet of tragedy, crime, and bizarre behavior. It’s not surprising, then, that she has trouble sleeping at night. She keeps a gun by her bedside and regularly calls family and friends to warn them about the latest threat. She is fearful and anxious. 

I’m not saying we should stick our heads in the sand and remain uninformed about legitimate threats. I am saying we should limit our exposure to the dark and evil aspects of our troubled world. The Greek word translated think in Philippians 4:8 is logizomai, which means meditate. I believe if Jenny applied this verse to her television and reading habits and meditated on good and lovely things, she’d sleep better at night, share positive information with her friends and family, and be much less afraid. 

“I read this stuff for entertainment,” some say. “It doesn’t affect me.” Are you sure? A steady diet of chicken wings and soda will affect our bodies in a negative way. A steady diet of crime and wickedness must surely affect our souls. 

Here’s a final litmus test, one I taught my children many years ago when they were trying to decide if a book or movie was OK: Ask yourself, If Jesus was reading over your shoulder or sitting beside you on the couch watching with you, would you feel comfortable? The answer might cast the question in a different light.  

What's your opinion? Is it OK to read and watch media that delves deeply and graphically into the dark parts of our world? I’d love to hear your opinion. Leave a comment below and join the conversation.







You want to connect with God, but in the craziness of life, it’s just not happening. You want practical, biblical answers to situations you face every day, but you don’t have hours to pore over Scripture.

You need a resource that answers the questions you’re afraid to ask out loud. Questions like:

• Is my situation hopeless?
• If God already knows what he’s going to do, why bother to pray? 
• Why have you allowed this to happen to me? 
• No one appreciates what I do. Why shouldn’t I quit? 

Each devotion begins with a Facetime question and ends with a biblical answer wrapped in a modern day parable. Like a spiritual power bar, Hungry for God … Starving for Time is packed with enough scriptural nutrition to get you through the day. Wherever you are—in break rooms, carpool lines, or wherever you can snatch five minutes of quiet reflection—Hungry for God … Starving for Time, 5-Minute Devotions for Busy Women is for you.



If you enjoyed this post, why not subscribe? I'll send you twice-weekly 5-minute devotions to help nourish your soul. 
Because women need to connect with God in the craziness of life. 

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Hungry for God is on Facebook! Will you take a moment and LIKE my page? CLICK HERE to help HFG share 5-minute devotions.
 

 

 

If this post was meaningful to you, would you consider sharing it with a friend by clicking on one of the buttons below? Did you know you can receive bi-weekly Hungry for God posts sent directly to your email inbox? Visit http://www.lori-benotweary.blogspot.com and click on the link in the right hand corner to Subscribe Via Email.

Copyright 2012 by Lori Hatcher

Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference -- A Place Where Faith Smiles

The mountain breezes are cool as we snake our way up the interstate to the Ridgecrest Conference center. My fellow writers and I are on our way to the legendary Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference in Black Mountain, North Carolina. 

BRMCWC has a reputation as the place where careers are launched, visions are realized, and years of hard work find their reward. 

It’s also the place where dreams sometimes die. 

As we near the conference center, we see, for the first time, the charred acreage of the mountaintop, still black from April’s fire. We wonder, will our dreams, like these quiet woods be charred by week’s end? We pray for favor, mercy, and God’s good providence to guide the events of our conference. 

As we queue up in the registration hall, new conferees glance over their shoulders, aware of a presence, but unable to catch a glimpse of it. Veterans recognize the stalkers—fraternal twins assigned to each conferee—Fear and Faith. 

Inseparable, like warring siblings forced to share the back seat of a Yaris, they stay close, needling their respective charges and whispering messages into their ears. This might be the year you land a publishing contract, Faith says. Why are you here? Fear counters. Can’t you see this is a place for REAL writers? Back and forth they spar as the conferees inch their way forward until there is no turning back. 


As the week progresses, Faith finds its voice through kind editors, inspiring keynote speakers, and tenderhearted fellow writers. Literary agents provide gentle guidance. Instructors condense years of learning into 75-minute workshops. Shared stories and vision find comrades in arms around lunch and dinner tables.

















Fear still brandishes its sword and delivers a few jabs, but insightful fellow soldiers triage the injured, apply pressure to their wounds, and dry their tears. The balm of Truth heals and restores their souls. 

Conferees pitch articles, books, and blog posts. Authors compare publishing houses, agents, and cover designs. First-time attendees, like hungry children at their first buffet, salivate over classes on fiction, non-fiction, and public speaking. They load overfilled plates with back-to-back workshops, appointments, and mealtime meetings. Each night they stagger to their rooms popping Advil to soothe their over-stuffed heads. The more outgoing among us fill their evenings with late-night gab sessions to exchange tales only writers will understand. 


Genre night celebrates the broad brush with which God paints his creativity across the writing world. We hear stories of heartbreak and hope, tragedy and triumph. Writers speak of passions as varied as the hurting souls who need their words. We sit in humbled awe as one brave writer shares his ping pong path to success, giving us courage to pick up our paddles and join the game. 

Faith swells with pride while Fear sulks in the corner, rifling through his ammunition cache and coming up empty. 


And the Selah awards banquet—a rare chance to dress in clothes that usually hang unworn in our closets. For artists who do our best work in pajamas, glitter and glam is both awesome and awkward. 

Fear and Faith settle into seats, eager to see what the night will bring. Finalists wipe sweating palms on linen napkins and pray for grace to accept judges’ decisions. The especially nervous push food around on their plates, unable to swallow past the tennis balls in their throats and the rocks in their stomachs. 


The long list of awards begins, and it’s not like a politically correct end-of-the-year baseball picnic where everyone gets a trophy. Some writers leap from their seats in surprise, shocked that someone besides their mother sees value in their writing. Others watch the parade, spectators on the curb while the band marches by. 

Those who know the stories behind the winning titles nod their agreement like Purple Heart recipients inducting another member into their corp. Winners smile for blubbery pictures off to the side and “losers” surreptitiously dab their eyes. 

It’s a happy/sad time. 

“Rejoice with those who rejoice,” Faith whispers, “and weep with those who weep.” Fear swaggers among the tables looking for a vulnerable soul. 

Thursday’s events are the dénouement, the clean up after the party. We pack our suitcases and our laptops, exchange a few more business cards, and pray for safe travels. Our steps are slow, not because of the luggage we drag, but because we don’t want the week to end. The real world awaits, and it’s messy and hard. 

We pile our belongings in the car, program the GPS, and settle wearily into our seats. Heads filled with to do lists, goals, and action steps, we glance back. The mountain behind us is a living metaphor. Faith points to the broad green acreage. Fear points to the charred black spot. 

Then Faith pens the last word, for she sees what Fear cannot. In the center of the fire ring are tiny sprigs of new growth. These fledgling trees will one day form the richest and most verdant part of the forest. 

And Faith smiles.


I was honored to serve on faculty at BRMCWC this year, teaching workshops on why writers must be speakers, how to craft a compelling presentation, how to write a life-changing blog post, and how to fight the days when we want to quit. If you'd like to watch a brief Facebook clip of Lori Hatcher's impression of a busy women struggling to get it all done, click here.

The pictures, in order of appearance are:
1. The badge we wore to all events
2. Fellow author and blogger Lori Roeleveld and me.
3. Meeting with my agent, Les Stobbe.
4. All dressed up as the busy women I write for at Genre Night.
5. Fellow Columbia-area writers, David and Sarah Van Diest, and myself at the Selah Awards banquet.
6. One of the award-winning writers from my Word Weavers group, Jean Wilund.




You want to connect with God, but in the craziness of life, it’s just not happening. You want practical, biblical answers to situations you face every day, but you don’t have hours to pore over Scripture.

You need a resource that answers the questions you’re afraid to ask out loud. Questions like:

• Is my situation hopeless?
• If God already knows what he’s going to do, why bother to pray? 
• Why have you allowed this to happen to me? 
• No one appreciates what I do. Why shouldn’t I quit? 

Each devotion begins with a Facetime question and ends with a biblical answer wrapped in a modern day parable. Like a spiritual power bar, Hungry for God … Starving for Time is packed with enough scriptural nutrition to get you through the day. Wherever you are—in break rooms, carpool lines, or wherever you can snatch five minutes of quiet reflection—Hungry for God … Starving for Time, 5-Minute Devotions for Busy Women is for you.



If you enjoyed this post, why not subscribe? I'll send you twice-weekly 5-minute devotions to help nourish your soul. 
Because women need to connect with God in the craziness of life. 

Enter your email address and VALIDATE the Feedburner email sent to your inbox.



Delivered by FeedBurner










Hungry for God is on Facebook! Will you take a moment and LIKE my page? CLICK HERE to help HFG share 5-minute devotions.
 


 

 

If this post was meaningful to you, would you consider sharing it with a friend by clicking on one of the buttons below? Did you know you can receive bi-weekly Hungry for God posts sent directly to your email inbox? Visit http://www.lori-benotweary.blogspot.com and click on the link in the right hand corner to Subscribe Via Email.

Copyright 2012 by Lori Hatcher

6 Ways to Fight Fairly

It was the neatest pile of yard trash I’ve ever seen. 


My neighbor had cut every limb exactly the same length. The tops of the branches faced the street, the cut ends faced the yard. Each limb lined up a foot from the road like soldiers at attention. He had tucked four palm fronds neatly among the other evergreens at evenly spaced intervals, adding a decorative flair to an otherwise monochromatic pile of greenery. It was picture worthy. 



Farther down the street, another neighbor had also dragged yard debris to the road on trash day. His pile looked nothing like Neat Nate’s. An irregular mound of soggy leaves graced one end. A hodgepodge of carelessly flung branches, yard netting, and a Chick Fil A box completed the display.




A third neighbor added his contribution to the trash man’s collection—a black bag filled with unknown contents tied tightly and flung to the road. 


Still pondering a recent Bible study on marital conflict, I thought too long about these trash piles. My early-morning brain made a spiritual connection I’m not sure even the Lord intended.

I thought about my family’s history of conflict resolution. Sometimes we’ve been like Neat Nate. We’ve organized our conflict and given it socially acceptable labels. The Silent Treatment. Adolescent exploration. Boundary Testing. Passive aggression. Micro and macro disobedience. Somehow giving it a trendy name and pigeonholing it made us feel a little more in control of our struggles. 

At other times we’ve been too weary, frustrated, or hopeless to do anything other than dump our conflict on the side of the road for all to see. Our transparency was a cry for help and prayer. 

Finally, there have been times when we were too ashamed, too disheartened, and too hopeless to do anything but throw a big, black bag over the top of it so no one but us would know how ugly it was. 

Chip Ingram, in the study, Experiencing God’s Dream for Your Marriage, makes two significant points about conflict: 

1. Conflict is normal. 

2. Conflict is an opportunity for growth. 

He says, “Conflict is inevitable. Every time you bring two people together, there will be conflict. The question is NOT ‘how do we have a conflict-free marriage?’ The question is “how do we deal with the conflict that WILL come?’” 

In the 30 years we’ve been married, my husband and I have grown a lot in how we deal with conflict. We still have a lot of growing to do. After our recent Bible study, we set a few ground rules, in advance of our next conflict, to ensure that we fight fairly. 

Here are our ground rules for fair fighting: 


1. If I’m not ready to talk about what’s bothering me, I’ll tell you. I will not give you the silent treatment and leave you wondering. 

2. If we agree to delay the discussion, we will address the issue in a timely manner. No sweeping stuff under the rug until it accumulates into an ugly mess. 

3. During our waiting period, we will still act in a loving manner toward each other. (No monosyllabic answers, cold shoulders, or drawing uncrossable lines down the middle of the bed.) 

4. When we talk, we will use “I feel” sentences instead of “you always” or “you never.” 

5. We will listen actively, repeating what the other has said if necessary. 

6. We will acknowledge that while conflict can come from selfishness, as Ingram says, it can also arise from differences in belief, perspective, and style. Conflict is not always because of sinful behavior. Sometimes it’s simply the result of two very different people living in the same household. 

Perhaps, like my husband and me, you’ve always thought of conflict as dangerous and harmful. In light of this different perspective, we’re encouraged by Ingram’s statement that if we deal with conflict in a healthy way, our marriage will not only survive, but THRIVE. 

What have you learned about healthy conflict? Do you have a rule for fair fighting you’d like to add to my list? Why not leave a comment and share your thoughts? I’d love to hear from you.



If you're in the Columbia, SC area and would like to learn more about prayer, I'd love for you to join me for a 5-week Bible study based on my workshop, Praying with Power. 
We'll meet at New Testament Baptist Church, 300 S. Sims Ave. on Monday nights beginning June 15 from 7-8:30 pm. The cost is $10 and includes a workbook and a personalized prayer journal. Email me at LoriAHatcher (at) gmail.com to register. Invite a friend -- I hope to see you there!



You want to connect with God, but in the craziness of life, it’s just not happening. You want practical, biblical answers to situations you face every day, but you don’t have hours to pore over Scripture.

You need a resource that answers the questions you’re afraid to ask out loud. Questions like:

• Is my situation hopeless?
• If God already knows what he’s going to do, why bother to pray? 
• Why have you allowed this to happen to me? 
• No one appreciates what I do. Why shouldn’t I quit? 

Each devotion begins with a Facetime question and ends with a biblical answer wrapped in a modern day parable. Like a spiritual power bar, Hungry for God … Starving for Time is packed with enough scriptural nutrition to get you through the day. Wherever you are—in break rooms, carpool lines, or wherever you can snatch five minutes of quiet reflection—Hungry for God … Starving for Time, 5-Minute Devotions for Busy Women is for you.



If you enjoyed this post, why not subscribe? I'll send you twice-weekly 5-minute devotions to help nourish your soul. 
Because women need to connect with God in the craziness of life. 

Enter your email address and VALIDATE the Feedburner email sent to your inbox.



Delivered by FeedBurner










Hungry for God is on Facebook! Will you take a moment and LIKE my page? CLICK HERE to help HFG share 5-minute devotions.
 

 

 

If this post was meaningful to you, would you consider sharing it with a friend by clicking on one of the buttons below? Did you know you can receive bi-weekly Hungry for God posts sent directly to your email inbox? Visit http://www.lori-benotweary.blogspot.com and click on the link in the right hand corner to Subscribe Via Email.

Copyright 2012 by Lori Hatcher

God's Love Language

“Seldom do a husband and wife have the same primary emotional love language,” says Dr. Gary Chapman, author of The Five Love Languages. 

“We tend to speak our primary love language, and we become confused when our spouse does not understand what we are communicating. We are expressing our love, but the message does not come through because we are speaking what, to them, is a foreign language.”

I find Dr. Chapman’s observations to be true in my marriage. I cook my husband’s meals, wash his clothes, and clean his house. Because I am a doer who likes to check off boxes and accomplish things, I prefer to demonstrate my love by doing. I speak the language of hard work, self-sacrifice, and get ‘er done.

Trouble is, I’m like the cashier talking to the immigrant in the grocery store line ahead of me. She thinks volume will make up for her lack of Spanish language skills. The louder she speaks, the more confused and frustrated her brown-skinned customer becomes.

“No comprende.”

No comprende indeed. In my husband’s native tongue, love doesn’t look like clean clothes and 3-course meals. It looks like lingering kisses, lazy evenings, and back scratches. His dialect says Slow down. Linger long. Stay a while.

And so, like my grocery store friends, we wave our arms, gesture wildly, and leave frustrated. We love each other, but our love language barrier often pushes us apart rather than draws us together.

My relationship with God sometimes struggles with a similar love language barrier.

I say, “I can do it myself.”

God says, “Come unto me all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

I say, “If I just give enough, do enough, be enough . . .”

He says, “For by grace you have been saved, through faith, not of yourself, it is a gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast.”

I say, “If I can just get all my questions answered.”

He says, “Unless you have the faith of a child, you cannot see the kingdom of God.”

I say, “I can do it myself.”

He says, “No man can come to the Father except by me.”

I say, “Show me.”

He says, “Trust me.”

And I wave my arms, gesture wildly, and leave frustrated. I yearn for a relationship with the Lover of my soul, but I try to bypass the bilingual Translator.

Thankfully, God’s love language speaks across millennia if I have ears to hear it:

For whosoever calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved. (Acts 2:21)

Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved. (Acts 4:12)

I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. (John 11:25)

Do you believe this?



If you’ve been trying unsuccessfully to connect with God by speaking your own language, why not try his? 

Commit to read the Bible, his love letter to you, every day. Talk to him in prayer. Watch as he reveals himself to you. Then you will begin to understand what it means to have a love relationship with the God of the universe. And it will be amazing.

What have you got to lose?




You want to connect with God, but in the craziness of life, it’s just not happening. You want practical, biblical answers to situations you face every day, but you don’t have hours to pore over Scripture.

You need a resource that answers the questions you’re afraid to ask out loud. Questions like:

• Is my situation hopeless?
• If God already knows what he’s going to do, why bother to pray? 
• Why have you allowed this to happen to me? 
• No one appreciates what I do. Why shouldn’t I quit? 

Each devotion begins with a Facetime question and ends with a biblical answer wrapped in a modern day parable. Like a spiritual power bar, Hungry for God … Starving for Time is packed with enough scriptural nutrition to get you through the day. Wherever you are—in break rooms, carpool lines, or wherever you can snatch five minutes of quiet reflection—Hungry for God … Starving for Time, 5-Minute Devotions for Busy Women is for you.



If you enjoyed this post, why not subscribe? I'll send you twice-weekly 5-minute devotions to help nourish your soul. 
Because women need to connect with God in the craziness of life. 

Enter your email address and VALIDATE the Feedburner email sent to your inbox.



Delivered by FeedBurner










Hungry for God is on Facebook! Will you take a moment and LIKE my page? CLICK HERE to help HFG share 5-minute devotions.
 

 

 

If this post was meaningful to you, would you consider sharing it with a friend by clicking on one of the buttons below? Did you know you can receive bi-weekly Hungry for God posts sent directly to your email inbox? Visit http://www.lori-benotweary.blogspot.com and click on the link in the right hand corner to Subscribe Via Email.

Copyright 2012 by Lori Hatcher

Throwing Rocks at Change

In 1979 my best friend Jodie and I sat outside and threw rocks at the yellow For Sale sign in my front yard. My parents had decided it was time to move south, and the sign in the yard was a mere formality. Our home was already under contract. 

I was 15 years old. 

Convinced my life was over, the thought of leaving my hometown was more than I could bear. Can anything good come from moving to South Carolina? I wondered. 

In 2009 I threw mental rocks when my husband accepted a new ministry position that required us to leave our home church. The church where both daughters had been baptized, learned memory verses, and went on mission trips. The church where we had learned to give by faith, serve with passion, and lead with love. The church where we loved the pastor and worshiped with most of our friends. Although I knew the Lord had opened the door, it was still a hard adjustment. 

In the past few years, our family has experienced several significant transitions. Our daughters went off to college, we’ve welcomed two new sons-in-law into our family, and both couples have moved far away. (For some reason my girls think they should live where their husbands are.) We’re learning how to keep in touch through email, text messages, and Face Time. 

Some days I mourn change. 

Unlike friends who thrive on variety and spontaneity, I like predictable routine. I want to know what to expect every day, from the cereal in my breakfast bowl to the people sitting around my dinner table. I automatically assume change is bad. 

I forget that the Lord orders our days according to his good pleasure for our good. He brings us to new places and seasons to grow our faith, strengthen our witness, and utilize our spiritual gifts. 

“’For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future’” (Jer. 29:11). 

Our move to South Carolina in 1979 didn’t ruin my life, it redeemed it. A new friend from school invited me to church. I sat under the sound of the Gospel for two years. The summer before college, I surrendered my life to Christ. 

Changing churches in 2009 when my husband finished his ministry degree meant I had to stop teaching my beloved Sunday school class. I was so sad, but as we settled into our new church family, the Lord opened new opportunities for ministry. I began to speak and write more, started a blog, and received a book contract. 


The latest changes in our family have parted us physically but joined us spiritually and emotionally. We talk often, pray for each other, and communicate in deeper ways than when we lived together. I love having handsome, fun, smart sons-in-law. I love watching both couples begin families of their own. Best of all, I love my little granddaughter Lauren more than I ever imagined possible. 

The longer I live, the more I realize the only thing constant is change. But because the Lord is the sentinel who guards the gate of my life, I don’t have to fear. I can rest in the confidence that his plans for me are good, his hand is at work on my behalf, and he will walk with me through every change in my life. 




“Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you” (Isa. 46:4). 

What about you? Do you welcome change or fear it? What is one change you’ve experienced that you thought might be bad, but turned out to be good? I’d love to hear about it. Leave a comment below and join the conversation.


If you're in the Columbia, SC area and would like to learn more about prayer, I'd love for you to join me for a 5-week Bible study based on my workshop, Praying with Power. 
We'll meet at New Testament Baptist Church, 300 S. Sims Ave. on Monday nights beginning June 15 from 7-8:30 pm. The cost is $10 and includes a workbook and a personalized prayer journal. Email me at LoriAHatcher (at) gmail.com to register. Invite a friend -- I hope to see you there!



You want to connect with God, but in the craziness of life, it’s just not happening. You want practical, biblical answers to situations you face every day, but you don’t have hours to pore over Scripture.

You need a resource that answers the questions you’re afraid to ask out loud. Questions like:

• Is my situation hopeless?
• If God already knows what he’s going to do, why bother to pray? 
• Why have you allowed this to happen to me? 
• No one appreciates what I do. Why shouldn’t I quit? 

Each devotion begins with a Facetime question and ends with a biblical answer wrapped in a modern day parable. Like a spiritual power bar, Hungry for God … Starving for Time is packed with enough scriptural nutrition to get you through the day. Wherever you are—in break rooms, carpool lines, or wherever you can snatch five minutes of quiet reflection—Hungry for God … Starving for Time, 5-Minute Devotions for Busy Women is for you.



If you enjoyed this post, why not subscribe? I'll send you twice-weekly 5-minute devotions to help nourish your soul. 
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If this post was meaningful to you, would you consider sharing it with a friend by clicking on one of the buttons below? Did you know you can receive bi-weekly Hungry for God posts sent directly to your email inbox? Visit http://www.lori-benotweary.blogspot.com and click on the link in the right hand corner to Subscribe Via Email.

Copyright 2012 by Lori Hatcher

How to Be Happy

What we read and watch on the internet can make our hearts soar. 

It can also make our hearts weep.

Mine did both recently.

Logging onto my email from a remote computer, I watched MSN’s top news stories scroll by. A headline from Examiner.com and its accompanying photo caught my eye:

Paris Jackson happy with boyfriend Chester after pregnancy talk, suicide attempt.

Happy, according to the Examiner, is a 17-year-old girl with pink and black hair accepting an open-mouthed kiss from an 18-year-old Mohawk-sporting, wife-beater-shirt-wearing soccer player from a “family of means.” In a hotel bathroom, no less.

The article expressed delight that Paris, who had attempted suicide in 2013, looked “happy, healthy, and gorgeous.”

My heart wept for Paris.

Also in my news feed was another story, this one about another teenage couple. They, too, looked happy, healthy, and gorgeous. The Atlanta Journal and Constitution’s headline read:

Quarterback fulfills 4th grade promise, asks childhood friend with Down syndrome to prom.

The photo showed a tall, clean-shaven young man in a dark suit holding the hands of his prom date. Dressed in a stunning lavender floor-length gown and sporting a wrist corsage, the young lady smiled demurely, too shy to meet his happy grin.

Ben Moser and Mary Lapkowicz were friends in fourth grade when he promised, someday, to take her to the prom. Eight years later, he made good on his promise. 

Commenting on his decision to take his Down syndrome friend to the most important event of the year, Moser said, “There shouldn’t be a barrier between someone who has Down syndrome and someone who doesn’t. You should just be who you are, and do what’s right. Simple,” he said. 

Simple indeed, Ben Moser.






A wise man once said, “Your life is the sum of the choices you’ve made.” I couldn’t help contrasting Paris Jackson’s choices with Ben Moser’s.

At the end of the day, who do you think was really happy?





Here's a video clip of prom day. If you're reading by email, click here to view the video.






This week I'm privileged to serve on faculty at the Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers conference. Nestled in beautiful Black Mountain, NC, the conference is an amazing opportunity to pour back into the Christian writing community some of what I've learned. 

I covet your prayers as I pitch my next devotional book, tentatively called, Feeding Your Soul in a Drive-Thru World. Stay tuned.

You want to connect with God, but in the craziness of life, it’s just not happening. You want practical, biblical answers to situations you face every day, but you don’t have hours to pore over Scripture.

You need a resource that answers the questions you’re afraid to ask out loud. Questions like:

• Is my situation hopeless?
• If God already knows what he’s going to do, why bother to pray? 
• Why have you allowed this to happen to me? 
• No one appreciates what I do. Why shouldn’t I quit? 

Each devotion begins with a Facetime question and ends with a biblical answer wrapped in a modern day parable. Like a spiritual power bar, Hungry for God … Starving for Time is packed with enough scriptural nutrition to get you through the day. Wherever you are—in break rooms, carpool lines, or wherever you can snatch five minutes of quiet reflection—Hungry for God … Starving for Time, 5-Minute Devotions for Busy Women is for you.



If you enjoyed this post, why not subscribe? I'll send you twice-weekly 5-minute devotions to help nourish your soul. 
Because women need to connect with God in the craziness of life. 

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Hungry for God is on Facebook! Will you take a moment and LIKE my page? CLICK HERE to help HFG share 5-minute devotions.
 

 

 

If this post was meaningful to you, would you consider sharing it with a friend by clicking on one of the buttons below? Did you know you can receive bi-weekly Hungry for God posts sent directly to your email inbox? Visit http://www.lori-benotweary.blogspot.com and click on the link in the right hand corner to Subscribe Via Email.

Copyright 2012 by Lori Hatcher

How to Grow a Friendship -- A Tutorial

I remember the first time my friend Maryann called me. We had met earlier that month in the church nursery, and I assumed she was calling about a church-related matter. She asked me how my day was going, whether my daughter was over the sniffles, and if I was enjoying the new series of messages our pastor was preaching. We laughed over the challenges of parenting toddlers and shared potty training woes. 
  
I enjoyed our talk, but I kept waiting for her to get to the point. 

“It’s been fun talking with you,” she finally said. And then she said goodbye. 

I hung up the phone puzzled—like when I was a kid walking through a dark house expecting my sister to jump out from behind the door and yell Boo, but she never did. 

It took me ten minutes to figure out that the only reason Maryann had called was to talk. Like friends do. For no reason except that they enjoy each other’s company. No agenda. No task to check off, just because they like you. 

It was awkward and amazing. 

A week later, Maryann called me again. This time I was ready. 

I asked about her daughter, and if she was still wearing the twirly purple dress she’d taken a fancy to. I asked where her husband worked and discovered he was attending school to get his masters degree in education. And when the conversation began to wind down, I thanked her for calling—sincerely, because I realized how much I’d enjoyed our talk. 

Over the 24 years since that first phone call, my friendship with Maryann has grown and matured. We’ve shared the joys of parenting, marriage, church, and homeschooling. We’ve camped together, schooled together, and served together. Our conversations have gone from one end of the library shelf to the other—what’s the best curriculum, pediatrician, or marriage book? How do we keep our tempers, study the Bible, and put a good meal on the table? 

We’ve also shared deep times of sorrow. We’ve walked the nightmare of grief and loss. We’ve prayed each other through dry times in our marriages, desperate times in our parenting, and dark nights of our souls. 

Now that our children are mostly grown, we find ourselves talking about the needs of aging parents, how to be great mothers-in-law, and, still, what’s the best marriage book. We visit without the constant interruption of little ones and laugh about our common desire never to be frumpy, grumpy, or lumpy. 

Some people handle relationships intutively and others, like me, have to learn by example. 

Maryann’s been that example. She’s taught me that friends initiate. Friends serve. Friends are willing to be inconvenienced for each other. She’s taught me there’s always time for a cup of tea when a friend needs to talk, and you can always find a meal or a dollar for someone less fortunate than yourself. She’s taught me to obey God even when it costs me something, follow my husband, and never stop praying for loved ones to come to Christ. 

I hope you have at least one special friend in your life like my friend Maryann. If you don’t, why not take the first step? Pick up the phone and call someone. If they respond, call them again. You never know what this simple act might accomplish. 

Here are five simple suggestions for building godly friendships: 



I pray God will bless your efforts and grant you the joy of deep, abiding friendship. 

Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart, and the pleasantness of one's friend springs from his earnest counsel (Pro. 27:9). 
What about you? What tips do you have for building life-long friendships? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Leave a comment below and bless us all. 

Here are dear friends Noelle, Charlotte, Maryann, daughter Kristen, me, Mandy, and Susie -- God's good gifts to me!




What a joy it was to train 47 mighty prayer warriors at the 
Praying with Power Women's Conference last SaturdayHosted by Good Shepherd UM Parish in Brookville, PA




We heard powerful prayer testimonies about lost loved ones coming to know Christ, dying grace, and, my personal favorite, one family's story of how God granted them a baby after many years of waiting.


We laughed, we cried, and we learned together 
how to pray God-sized prayers that He delights to answer.




We learned from God's Word, heroes of the faith, and each other. Each woman went home with her own personalized prayer journal.

I can't wait to see what God is going to do through prayer in Pennsylvania.


If you'd like to host a Praying with Power women's ministry event, Click here for my speaking information.

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Because women need to connect with God in the craziness of life. 

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May I tell you about my new book, Hungry for God … Starving for Time, 5-Minute Devotions for Busy Women?

 Today's women want to connect with God, but in the craziness of life, it’s just not happening. You want practical, biblical answers to situations you face every day, but you don’t have hours to pore over Scripture.

You need a resource that answers the questions you’re afraid to ask out loud. Questions like:

• Is my situation hopeless?
• If God already knows what he’s going to do, why bother to pray? 
• Why have you allowed this to happen to me? 
• No one appreciates what I do. Why shouldn’t I quit? 

Each devotion begins with a Facetime question and ends with a biblical answer wrapped in a modern day parable. Like a spiritual power bar, Hungry for God … Starving for Time is packed with enough scriptural nutrition to get you through the day. Wherever you are—in break rooms, carpool lines, or wherever you can snatch five minutes of quiet reflection—Hungry for God … Starving for Time, 5-Minute Devotions for Busy Women is for you. 

If this post was meaningful to you, would you consider sharing it with a friend by clicking on one of the buttons below? Did you know you can receive bi-weekly Hungry for God posts sent directly to your email inbox? Visit http://www.lori-benotweary.blogspot.com and click on the link in the right hand corner to Subscribe Via Email.

Copyright 2012 by Lori Hatcher

Why I'd Name My Son Caleb

I don’t have a son, and the son-in-laws I’ve acquired came already named. But if I had a son, I’d name him Caleb. Here’s why:

You may remember that Caleb was one of 12 spies who went into Canaan to scope out the land as the children of Israel prepared to conquer it. All 12 agreed the land was bountiful and “flowing with milk and honey,” but ten of the 12 were seriously concerned about the fortified cities and the Anakites—a race of giants who lived there.

Caleb and his buddy Joshua were unintimidated. “Let’s go in immediately. The cities are strong, the people are large, but with God as our helper, we can conquer this land!”

Reason #1 why I’d name my son Caleb: He wasn’t afraid of daunting tasks, because he knew God would help him. Caleb had faith.

You may also remember that because the Israelites were wimpy, frightened, and weak in their faith, God punished them by making them wander in the wilderness until every person who said no to God had perished. Even the mighty patriarch Moses sinned and didn’t get to go into the Promised Land.

This left two men standing—Joshua and Caleb. These men did everything right, but because of everyone else’s sin, they had to wander and wait for 38 years. But you know what? They kept their faith. They kept their integrity. They waited patiently, served their brothers, and continued to believe that God was going to do what he’d promised.

Reason #2 why I’d name my son Caleb: He suffered because of others’ sins, yet still maintained his integrity. Now it’s promotion time. God has told Moses he’s not going into the Promised Land, so it’s time to appoint a successor. There are only two candidates—Joshua and Caleb. Both are wise, godly, faithful, courageous men. God chooses Joshua, and Caleb gets passed over.

There’s no injustice here; God knows who’s most qualified to lead the Israelites. But don’t you think Caleb is a bit hurt and disappointed? I know I’d be.

How does he handle it? Does he throw a tantrum, howl about how unfair God is, take his marbles and go home? Nope. He just keeps serving the Lord. He supports Joshua, throws his wholehearted allegiance behind him, and continues to faithfully carry out his duties as a leader.

Reason #3 why I’d name my son Caleb: He served faithfully in the shadow of another leader.

And finally, Caleb went the distance. When the land was largely conquered, and it was time to settle into their respective cities, Kenneth Gangel, in The Holman Old Testament Commentary on Joshua, describes Joshua’s unusual request:

“Even after 85 difficult years, Caleb had a great attitude about serving God and fighting for him. He wasn’t tired out; in fact, he was just getting excited. He didn’t walk up to his old buddy Joshua to ask for a maintenance-free, energy-saving home. . . . No, he asked for the hill country still inhabited by giants. He wanted the very area that had intimidated the other ten spies . . .”

I love this about Caleb. When he could have justifiably asked for an easy retirement, he asked instead for a daunting task he could only accomplish with God’s help and enabling. He never took the easy way out. Elisabeth Elliot is famous for saying, “When you have a choice between two things, choose the harder.”

Reason #4 why I’d name my son Caleb: He chose the harder thing.

Caleb is an amazing man of God. He clung to his faith, stood for God even when it cost him something, served faithfully in the shadow of another leader, and chose to do hard things. He’s a man I admire, respect, and want to emulate. He’s a man worthy of naming a son after, don’t you think?

I’ve barely skimmed the surface of Caleb’s life, but maybe I’ve whetted your appetite. If you’d like to read more about Caleb, check out his story beginning in Numbers 13. If you’re already familiar with this great man, what do you admire most about him? Or maybe you’d like to name your son after another godly hero of the faith. Leave a comment in the box below and share your thoughts.







You want to connect with God, but in the craziness of life, it’s just not happening. You want practical, biblical answers to situations you face every day, but you don’t have hours to pore over Scripture.

You need a resource that answers the questions you’re afraid to ask out loud. Questions like:

• Is my situation hopeless?
• If God already knows what he’s going to do, why bother to pray? 
• Why have you allowed this to happen to me? 
• No one appreciates what I do. Why shouldn’t I quit? 

Each devotion begins with a Facetime question and ends with a biblical answer wrapped in a modern day parable. Like a spiritual power bar, Hungry for God … Starving for Time is packed with enough scriptural nutrition to get you through the day. Wherever you are—in break rooms, carpool lines, or wherever you can snatch five minutes of quiet reflection—Hungry for God … Starving for Time, 5-Minute Devotions for Busy Women is for you.



If you enjoyed this post, why not subscribe? I'll send you twice-weekly 5-minute devotions to help nourish your soul. 
Because women need to connect with God in the craziness of life. 

Enter your email address and VALIDATE the Feedburner email sent to your inbox.



Delivered by FeedBurner










Hungry for God is on Facebook! Will you take a moment and LIKE my page? CLICK HERE to help HFG share 5-minute devotions.
 

 

 

If this post was meaningful to you, would you consider sharing it with a friend by clicking on one of the buttons below? Did you know you can receive bi-weekly Hungry for God posts sent directly to your email inbox? Visit http://www.lori-benotweary.blogspot.com and click on the link in the right hand corner to Subscribe Via Email.

Copyright 2012 by Lori Hatcher

My Three Baptisms

It’s fun to watch the expressions on people’s faces when I tell them I’ve been baptized three times.

I’m a little slow, and it takes me time to get things right. Thankfully, God is patient with me. Kind people around me are, too. Perhaps the story of my three baptisms might help you along on your faith journey. 

My first baptism came when I was six weeks old. Some churches call it a “christening.” Google says christening is the old-fashioned name, so I guess that makes me old-fashioned. It seems the word old is coming up more and more lately in connection with me. 

Christening is also associated with naming a child. In the days of high infant mortality, tradition required families to wait several weeks or months before christening a child to be sure he was going to live. When I was christened, two things happened: I was “officially” named Lori Ann Slice, and my parents stood before the church and promised they would raise me in the faith. 

My second baptism came as a result of walking down an aisle at a church when I was 16 years old. Visiting a church that was very different from the one I had grown up in, I was desperately trying to find a similarity. At the end of the service, I found one. I noticed that people went down to the front, kneeled at the altar, and prayed. 

This was familiar to me, because in my church, at the end of a mass, a person could go to the altar, put coins in a box, light a candle, and say a prayer. Because I really wanted to fit in, I decided if people went down to the altar to pray at the next service, I would go down, too. 

I had no idea what it meant when someone, especially a visitor, came forward at the end of the service in an evangelical church, but I quickly found out. Some well-meaning, soul-winning lady ran me down the Roman Road, I had an emotional experience, we cried, and before I knew it, I was “saved.” Wow. That was way more than I bargained for. 

My second baptism followed shortly thereafter. 

It took two more years of sound Bible teaching for God to peel back the layers of confusion, wrong theology, and self-sufficiency that hindered me. Two more years of living my life my way didn’t hurt the progress of my redemption, either. 

To the casual observer, I had everything going for me—a steady boyfriend, a full-tuition scholarship to the college of my choice, and the #4 spot in in my graduating class. I had the world by the tail, yet I was miserable. I was empty inside. Frightened about the future, guilty about the past, and longing for something more than what I saw in front of me, I’d wake up in the morning, look in the mirror, and sob. I was making decisions that would impact my life forever, yet I had no Source of wisdom. 

Distraught and needy, I found myself in my pastor’s office. The same pastor who had presented me to the church, dunked me beneath the baptismal waters, and taught me every Sunday morning, Sunday evening, and Wednesday night. 

“I’ve been living my life my way, and I’m not doing a very good job of it,” I said, while silent tears left shiny trails down my face. “I need someone bigger and wiser than me to run my life. I don’t want to be in charge anymore.” I confessed my sins and heard my pastor say those glorious words of emancipation from 1 John 1:9: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 

I was forgiven and cleansed. 

I left my pastor’s office a changed person. Second Corinthians 5:17  was true. I was a new creation, changed from the inside out. I broke off a relationship I knew didn’t honor God. I started wanting to go to church for the right reasons. I had a new desire to study God’s Word. Best of all, when I sinned, it bothered me—further evidence that the Holy Spirit was living inside me. I wanted to obey whatever God told me to do. 

And what was one of the first things God told me to do? Get baptized. 

“But Lord,” I argued, (Can anyone say But and Lord in the same sentence?) “I’ve already been baptized—TWICE! What will people think?” 


Baptism is an outward testimony of an inward transformation, the still, small voice of God whispered to my heart. It’s the first step of obedience for a disciple of Christ. 

It made sense, because, for the first time in my life, I knew for sure I was a disciple. 

So I said no to the insecurity that said I can’t do this in front of people. I said no to the pride that said What will people think? I said no to the disobedience that said I really don’t want to stand up in front of people for the THIRD time. 

And I said yes to baptism. Again. 

Down into the baptismal waters I went. The old adage says, “Third time’s a charm,” but for the first time, my baptism was a glorious testimony that I had placed my faith in Christ alone for my salvation. 

That was thirty years ago, and I’ve never looked back. 

“What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord” (Phil. 3:8). 

What “hard” thing has Christ called you to do to demonstrate your obedience to him? I’d love to hear about it. Leave a comment below and join the conversation.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


You want to connect with God, but in the craziness of life, it’s just not happening. You want practical, biblical answers to situations you face every day, but you don’t have hours to pore over Scripture.

You need a resource that answers the questions you’re afraid to ask out loud. Questions like:

• Is my situation hopeless?
• If God already knows what he’s going to do, why bother to pray? 
• Why have you allowed this to happen to me? 
• No one appreciates what I do. Why shouldn’t I quit? 

Each devotion begins with a Facetime question and ends with a biblical answer wrapped in a modern day parable. Like a spiritual power bar, Hungry for God … Starving for Time is packed with enough scriptural nutrition to get you through the day. Wherever you are—in break rooms, carpool lines, or wherever you can snatch five minutes of quiet reflection—Hungry for God … Starving for Time, 5-Minute Devotions for Busy Women is for you.



If you enjoyed this post, why not subscribe? I'll send you twice-weekly 5-minute devotions to help nourish your soul. 
Because women need to connect with God in the craziness of life. 

Enter your email address and VALIDATE the Feedburner email sent to your inbox.



Delivered by FeedBurner










Hungry for God is on Facebook! Will you take a moment and LIKE my page? CLICK HERE to help HFG share 5-minute devotions.
 

 

 

If this post was meaningful to you, would you consider sharing it with a friend by clicking on one of the buttons below? Did you know you can receive bi-weekly Hungry for God posts sent directly to your email inbox? Visit http://www.lori-benotweary.blogspot.com and click on the link in the right hand corner to Subscribe Via Email.

Copyright 2012 by Lori Hatcher