Lori Hatcher's Blog: Refresh Blog, page 85

God Is Not Deaf

Facetime: God, sometimes you seem so far away. Do you even hear me when I pray? 

“MommmmmmmYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!”

The scream began loudly and climbed the upper octaves until it ended in a crescendo that would have impressed the New York Symphony. Certain there was blood involved, I dropped the laundry basket and raced down the hallway.

Rounding the corner to my daughters’ bedroom, I was relieved to find them, intact and with no gushing arteries, chattering happily on the bed.

 

“Why did you scream for me?” I asked, unsure whether to clutch my racing heart or my pounding head, both aching from the sudden surge of adrenaline that had interrupted my chores.

“We’re hungry,” my eldest calmly announced, “and I didn’t know if you could hear me.”

Sometimes I scream as loudly and frantically as my daughters.

My need is usually greater than a desire for a peanut butter sandwich. It may be a serious financial need, a bad doctor’s report, or a difficulty in my marriage. And although I know God has perfect hearing, you’d never know it by the panic in my voice.

Instead of approaching God with faith and trust, I act like he’s uncaring and miles away. Like my daughters did when they couldn’t see me, I assume he isn’t nearby. I forget that his ears are attentive to my cry, and that he delights in responding to my prayers.

As my daughters matured, they learned to trust me to care for them, meet their needs, and be a consistent source of help. This didn’t happen overnight. It took years of loving care to build a strong foundation of trust between us.




As I mature in my faith, I’m learning to trust God in the same way. The more I experience his consistent care for me, the more my faith grows. Now, instead of panic and fear, I come to him in quiet trust, knowing he will hear and answer my prayers. 




As Brother Lawrence, a 17th century monk, once observed, “You need not cry very loud; He is nearer to us than we think.”

“The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them. The LORD watches over all who love him,” (Psalm 145:18-20). 

What about you? Are you struggling to trust God with something important? What helps you remember that he is near to you? Leave a comment below and share your thoughts. 

Tonight at 6 pm EST I'll be hanging out with Scott McCausey of Blogtalk Radio's Speak Up! He's doing the Best of 2014 program. You can listen online HERE or by podcast later. I hope you'll tune in!








LOOKING FOR THE PERFECT CHRISTMAS GIFT FOR THE BUSY WOMAN IN YOUR LIFE?

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 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

Are You Stuck in the Wrong Story? A Guest Post

Today it's my pleasure to introduce my new friend and long-lost sister, a gal I've come to refer to as "The Other Lori." I discovered her on Edie Melson's blog, The Write Conversation when she guest posted there. Her sharper-than-arrows writing resonated with me, and when I read her bio, I discovered she not only shares my name (spelled correctly, L-O-R-I), she also shares my home state of Rhode Island. WOW!

A lively email exchanged followed as we compared stories -- married forever to the same man, two young adult children whom we homeschooled from birth, a love for writing, and a love for Jesus. The only difference we could tell beside the fact that she got a boy/girl set of children and I got a girl/girl pair was that she got saved in Rhode Island, and I had to migrate 1,000 miles away to hear the Gospel.

On a professional level,  we share the same publishing house, Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas, the same agent, Les Stobbe, and our books launched in the same week earlier this month. Our paths are so similar that our publishers and editors decided no longer to refer to us by our names, but by the titles of our books because they kept getting us mixed up. "Too many Lori's!" they said in frustration. So I'm Hungry Lori and she's Crazy Lori. Secretly, I'm hoping they mix up our paychecks, because I'm convinced her book will be a bestseller.

Today we're blog swapping. She's guest posting here on my South Carolina-based blog. Hey y'all. And I'm headed north to hang out with her readers. I think I still remember how to speak Yankee. How ya doin'? Glad ta meetcha. 

And so, without further ado, here's Lori. The other Lori. The one who wrote Running from a Crazy Man (and other adventures with Jesus) . I know you'll love her.



Are You Stuck in the Wrong Story? Following Jesus When Life Is No Fairy Tale 
Cinderella knew the truth. She was intended for greater things than sweeping ashes from the hearth.


Are you sometimes haunted by the notion that you were meant for more? You should examine that idea. It may be from God. 

My daughter got me interested in a Sunday night television show called Once Upon a Time. It’s the story of a town inhabited by storybook characters trying to find their way back into the world in which they really belong.

But really, it’s the gospel.

That’s probably not what the writers intended, but Jesus, in an effort to reach His people, will even inject Himself into the prime time lineup of network television.

In the first season, Once Upon a Time was all about the characters awakening and remembering that they were once part of a glorious land. It features one child who still believes in their story and is willing to take drastic measures to remind everyone else of their former glory. Because of him, they are awake. Now, they remember they’re not just librarians or shopkeepers or waitresses, but they have “once upon a time” bloodlines with ancient stories full of magic and adventure.

Even though they’re awake, they are not yet back home in The Enchanted Forest. They remain trapped in a foreign place hostile to their former way of life. Dark forces oppose them. An enemy works against their return, trying to keep them in bondage to their everyday, ordinary, lesser selves—to rob them of their redemption.

It’s the gospel, don’t you see? Can you acknowledge the playfulness of our amazing Creator as He inserts His homecoming beacon into our modern culture and cries out for us to remember who we were designed to be?

Doesn’t your heart cry out after a long Monday, or in the face of another Tuesday, to be part of a greater story? Isn’t there within you a longing for a home you don’t remember ever knowing? Don’t you sometimes feel trapped in a minor role when all your dreams and passions create a force that threatens to destroy you if you don’t find the role you were born to play?

Jesus created everything. His story is in His Word, yes, but He roams, unconfined, across genres. He appears in the music we write, the movies we make, the art we create, and the stories we tell.

He is calling to us—calling to us from every medium—to remember who we are. 

"For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation" (1 Thessalonians 5:5-8).


Feel stuck inside a lesser role than you were intended to play? Wake up. Like Sleeping Beauty, you need the kiss of true love. There is a High King and He will free you if you come to Him. There is a rider on a White Horse coming. Can you hear His hoof beats?

Wake up, loved ones! You have a part in the greater story. Everything your heart whispers to you in the night is true. There is more, and you were meant to be part of it.

Once upon a time, there was a King who shed His blood to ransom His people back from the grave. It is the greatest and truest story ever told.

And it is the place where you belong. 



Lori Stanley Roeleveld is a disturber of hobbits who enjoys making comfortable Christians late for dinner. Her new book, Running from a Crazy Man (and other adventures traveling with Jesus) is available now online and at your local bookstore. Jesus lover. Blogger. Wife. Mother. Part-time dragon slayer. You’ll find Lori at her website www.loriroeleveld.com or on her front porch writing.




LAST DAY to register to win a FREE Kindle Fire loaded with books, including my new 5-minute devotional, Hungry for God . . . Starving for Time, click HERE.






LOOKING FOR THE PERFECT CHRISTMAS GIFT FOR THE BUSY WOMAN IN YOUR LIFE?

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 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

What to do while you're waiting

Life generally passes quickly.


Too quickly, in my estimation. I blink and it’s Christmas again. I open my eyes to a new day and discover that my daughters are a year older (and so am I). I pay my taxes and find that they’re due again. Like an Olympic luge competitor, I tip my day into motion and discover I’m already at the finish line.

There are, however, a few exceptions to the speeding chute of life. One is when we're waiting for important results that will affect the course of our lives. 

A legal or financial judgment.

Medical test results.

An acceptance letter.

Waiting for any one of these makes time move as slowly as grandma on the interstate. So what do we do while we’re waiting for the news?

We purpose not to fear.

“Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea” (Psa. 46:2).

We reaffirm our trust in God, who holds our days in his hands.

“When I am afraid, I will trust in you” (Psa. 56:3).

We appeal to God’s mercy instead of bargaining and negotiating with him on the basis of our good works. 

“We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy” (Dan. 9:18).

We pray with fervency and persistence, as long as there is hope. David prayed this way when his infant son lay dying.

"While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept. I thought, 'Who knows? The LORD may be gracious to me and let the child live'" (2 Sam. 12:22).

We decide in advance to accept whatever comes from God’s hand, trusting that God’s grace will enable us to bear it, even if the verdict isn’t what we hope. 

“What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips” (Job 2:10).

We remind ourselves that God is for us, that he can use everything for good, and that his ultimate purpose for our lives is to redeem us and point others to himself. In this we place our hope. 

“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” (Rom. 8:28).

We fix our eyes on the finish line. 

“I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us” (Rom. 8:18).

If you’re waiting for a verdict today, large or small, I pray the time will move quickly and that you will accept God’s grace to face whatever lies ahead with faith and courage.


To register to win a FREE Kindle Fire loaded with books, including my new 5-minute devotional, Hungry for God . . . Starving for Time, click HERE.






LOOKING FOR THE PERFECT CHRISTMAS GIFT FOR THE BUSY WOMAN IN YOUR LIFE?

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 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

Is it really more blessed to give than receive?

When I was a child, the 900-page Sears catalog would come in the mail shortly before Thanksgiving. My sisters and I would pore over page after full-color page of glorious toys, dolls, and clothing. Every page I turned showed smiling little girls playing with the latest Barbies and wearing the latest fashions. 

I wanted it all. The orange Barbie camper with surfboards on the roof. The amazingly realistic Barbie airplane, complete with a cart for the stewardess and tiny mugs of complimentary coffee. The Dawn doll with long blond hair that would retract into a short bob with a single press of her belly button. 

I dog-eared the pages, circled my favorites, and wished fervently for Santa’s benevolence. And I tried, oh how I tried, to be good for goodness sake. 


And when those items magically appeared under the tree on Christmas morning, I was euphoric. My sisters and I, wearing the purple bodysuits and matching polyester pants we’d wished for from the catalog, played out one scenario after another with our dolls. Our toothy smiles were camera-worthy. 

creditWhat I never noticed until years later, though, looking back at those old Polaroids, were the matching smiles on my parents’ faces. They looked just as happy as my sisters and me as we played in front of the tree. Grinning from ear to ear, their delight in our joy was unmistakable. 

When I became a parent myself, I experienced that same joy—one that expands my heart and causes it to press uncomfortably against the confines of my chest—the sensation of loving someone so much that bringing them joy brings me joy. It’s the mysterious revelation that it is truly more blessed to give than to receive. 

It makes me think of another Giver. One with a heart much larger than mine. One who loved the world even more than I love my daughters. One who loves us so much that he gave his precious Son. One who continues to give . . . and give . . . and give. 

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” 

I believe that giving to those we love helps us understand the love the Father has for us. And that love is magnificent. Why not give some of it away today? 

If you enjoyed this post, you might like "It Happened at Church - A Christmas Surprise." 


To register to win a FREE Kindle Fire loaded with books, including my new 5-minute devotional, Hungry for God . . . Starving for Time, click HERE.






LOOKING FOR THE PERFECT CHRISTMAS GIFT FOR THE BUSY WOMAN IN YOUR LIFE?

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 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

What in the World Is a Facebook Launch Party?

You’ve seen the buzz on Facebook – Lori Hatcher’s having a FACEBOOK LAUNCH PARTY for her new book, Hungry for God … Starving for Time, Five-minute Devotions for Busy Women. 

You’ve received your invitation. Hopefully you’ve RSVP’ed YES. (If not, click HERE.) And you’ve gone the extra mile and invited friends along. After all, who doesn’t love a good party? 

But the question remains: What exactly IS a Facebook Launch Party? 

I wondered the same thing myself a few months ago when I received my first invitation to a virtual, online party. So here’s the who, what, when, where, how, and whys of a Facebook Launch Party. 

WHO? YOU – and any other busy woman who’s hungry for God but starving for time. 

WHAT? A Facebook Launch Party is similar to an in-person party, only everything happens in cyberspace. Instead of gathering in someone’s nice cozy home, we’ll gather around our individual computers, go to Hungry for God, Starving for Time’s Facebook page (here’s the link: https://www.facebook.com/events/356980394476369/ ) and visit ONLINE instead of in person. 

WHEN? From 6:30-8:30 tonight (Monday), we’ll visit Hungry for God’s Facebook page to join the conversation. We’ll all be typing in with our responses to different questions, quizzes, and topics in real time. 

WHERE? https://www.facebook.com/events/356980394476369/ 

WHY? Same reason we go to an in-person party – it’s FUN! Great conversation, gifts, and an opportunity to meet new people. Sadly, the only thing missing is the food, but you can bring your own. Here are some fun parts of this book launch party: 

1. We’ll be sharing our best time saving tips, tools, and recipes. 

2. We’ll have quizzes where you can win prizes like Amazon gifts cards and copies of my book. 

3. You’ll have the chance to post Ask the Author questions about Hungry for God … Starving for Time. (Please don’t stump me!) 

4. I’ll share some funny behind-the-scenes stories of my book publishing adventures. (One of them has to do with my long-lost twin sister also named Lori.) 

It’s not too late to RSVP (you can do so here: https://www.facebook.com/events/356980394476369/ ) 

AND it’s not too late to invite friends. If you are the person who has invited the most friends who indicate they’ll be attending, you can win a $25 Amazon gift card just in time for Christmas shopping. Here’s the link with all the details: https://www.facebook.com/events/356980394476369/ 

BEST OF ALL, every comment you make, friend you invite, and copy of Hungry for God you purchase earns you an entry into the GRAND PRIZE drawing on December 19 for a KINDLE FIRE HD 7”. I can’t wait to talk with you this evening, Monday, December 08, 2014 from 6:30-8:30 EST. See you there! 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

Is Santa evil? and other Christmas questions

Christmas has gotten a lot more complicated since I was a kid. 

Part of the simplicity of childhood, I suppose, was because I was the recipient of the gift giving, cooking, and decorating, not the one doing all the work. (I hear every woman out there saying Amen!) Another part, however, goes beyond the physical labor of the season and takes a spiritual jump into the whys and hows of the holiday. 

Although I knew as a child that Christmas was Jesus’ birthday, the glitz and glamor of the season greatly overshadowed this very important fact. When I became a Christian at age 18 and began to understand and experience Christmas in all its fullness, it became both increasingly wonderful and increasingly complicated. Add a few children into the mix and suddenly, my husband and I were asking questions that had never occurred to us before. 

What place does Santa Claus have in the Christmas celebration? Does gift giving model God’s love for us, or is it a distraction from the spirituality of the season? Should we read the Christmas story (Luke 2) before we open gifts, after we open gifts, or not at all? Are Christmas trees wrong because of their dubious history that includes ancient Egyptian and Chinese pagan rituals or right because Martin Luther supposedly hung lighted candles on an evergreen tree in 16th century Germany? 

These few questions were the tip of the iceberg for us. As first generation Christian parents, we knew we’d be setting a family precedent with our choices and wanted to make the best decisions for our children. 

Asking other parents didn’t help. There were those who were convinced that Santa was simply Satan with the letters rearranged. Others had no concern that the droll little man in the red fur suit would confuse their little cherubs. Some told stories of how they served dinner to the homeless every Christmas day while others shared recipes for the five course family feast they’d been planning for a month. 

We listened, asked questions, sought wise counsel, and prayerfully settled on the traditions and customs that make our family celebration unique. We’ve come to realize that the Holy Spirit who lives inside every believer is fully capable of directing each family to the traditions that honor and glorify God. These traditions will differ from family to family, and that’s OK. What’s important is that each family gives thoughtful, prayerful consideration to how God would have them worship during this holy season. 

If you’re still figuring it out, I encourage you to read Romans 14, one of the most helpful passages of Scripture we found relating to the subject. 

May you and your family enjoy a blessed celebration of our precious Savior’s birth. 

One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. (Romans 14:5) 
I'd love to hear your thoughts on Christmas traditions. Do you have a favorite one? Share your thoughts in the comment box below and join the conversation.
This post originally appeared in the December issue of Reach Out, Columbia magazine and is used with permission.

To register to win a FREE Kindle Fire loaded with books, including my new 5-minute devotional, Hungry for God . . . Starving for Time, click HERE.






LOOKING FOR THE PERFECT CHRISTMAS GIFT FOR THE BUSY WOMAN IN YOUR LIFE?

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 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

Blog Talk Radio Interview TODAY

 Today (Friday) at 8:30 a.m., I'll be joining Debbie Somjak of Unfolded Hearts Ministries for a Blog Talk Radio interview. We'll be talking a bit about what it's like to be a busy woman, how to keep all the plates spinning and still make time for God. 

I hope you'll tune in. I'll be sharing thoughts that could change your life.

Click HERE to listen to the Unfolded Hearts Blog Talk Radio Broadcast from your computer or smartphone.

If you miss it live, you can listen by podcast at this link.





To register to win a FREE Kindle Fire loaded with books, including my new 5-minute devotional, Hungry for God . . . Starving for Time, click HERE.





Here's a 2-1/2 minute promotional video to tell you a little more about Hungry for God ... Starving for Time, 5-Minute Devotions for Busy Women.



 

If you're reading via email, CLICK HERE to watch the promo video for Hungry for God . . . Starving for Time, 5-Minute Devotions for Busy Women.



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

Hungry for God Is HERE! Launch Party w/ Presents

Hungry for God . . . Starving for Time
5-Minute Devotions for Busy Women 

Helping women connect to God in the craziness of life 




What if you could look God in the eye and ask him questions? 
And what if he answered? 
Does this sound like your not-so-daily, not-so-quiet time? 
I wish I could spend time with God, but who has time? Between getting the kids out the door, work, and everything else that crowds my days, I’m hungry for God, but starving for time. I want practical, biblical answers to my problems, but don’t have hours to pore over Scripture. I need answers the questions I’m afraid to ask out loud. 
Questions like: 
God, this is hopeless. Why even bother to pray? 
I can’t believe she said that to me! Why shouldn’t I respond the same way? 
God, life is scary. How can I know you’ve got my back? Deep down, I know I’m selfish, but if I don’t look after myself, who will? 
No one appreciates what I do. Why shouldn’t I just quit? 
Hungry for God … Starving for Time is a spiritual power bar packed with enough scriptural nutrition to get you through the day. Each devotion begins with a Facetime question and ends with a biblical answer wrapped in a modern day parable. 
Wherever you are—in break rooms, carpool lines, or wherever you can snatch five minutes of quiet reflection—Hungry for God … Starving for Time is the perfect 5-minute devotional resource for the busy you.

LAUNCH PARTY!!





To celebrate the launch, we're having a PARTY! And no party is complete without PRESENTS!Stop by my Facebook launch page to enter to win a FREE KINDLE FIREloaded with 11 free books including a copy of Hungry for God.




Click HERE to enter the drawing for a FREE Kindle Fire

 


















If you're in the Columbia, SC, area, I'd love for you to join me on Saturday, Dec. 13 from 11-1 at Richland Fashion Mall, 3400 Forest Dr. for a BOOK LAUNCH PARTY and SIGNING. 
Giveaways, Food, and lots of FUN. 

Or at Mary and Martha's Kitchen Shop, 4711 Forest Dr. on Tuesday, December 16 from 10-1 for a book signing.

If you're not in the area, or if you are and just can't make it, please join me at my FACEBOOK LAUNCH PARTY. on Monday, Dec. 8 from 6:30 - 8:30. We'll have tons of fun, giveaways, and more chances to win the Kindle Fire HD.

Y'all come!


http://tinyurl.com/l4tp8fk

http://amzn.to/1x39tq8
PRAISE FOR Hungry for God . . . Starving for Time
“With real-life inspiration and candid wit, these powerful, five-minute devotions will change your life and draw you closer to God.”


Dr. Kevin Leman, New York Times Bestselling Author of  
Have a Happy Family by Friday
"Lori writes as one who understands. She knows what it's like to struggle with questions, such as 'God, how can I know if you really love me?' In each daily devotion, Lori addresses a common fear women face. She then provides insight from her own experiences, backed up by the truth of God's Word. Hungry for God provides a refreshing dose of spiritual nourishment for women who desire to grow in the Lord!

~ Kristen Feola Author of The Ultimate Guide to the Daniel Fast 

 It's the perfect way for every busy woman 
to start the new year well. 
Just in time for Christmas giving. 

Order your copy today.
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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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

Surrendering a Dream

“It’s hard to make a living as a writer,” a wise friend responded when I, a starry-eyed 18-year-old, announced that I wanted to go to journalism school.

Starry-eyed or not, I was also a pragmatist--one who enjoyed eating regularly. Her words, while not specifically intended to discourage me, did make me think.

I’ve always loved writing. As a teenager, I spent many hours on the rocky shores of Narragansett Bay in my hometown of Bristol, Rhode Island, composing long, melancholy poems of unrequited love. When we moved to Columbia, South Carolina, I wrote for my high school newspaper, The Eyrie, and later served as its Editor-in-Chief. A brief stint laying out ads for The Lexington County Journal Bulletin concluded my newspaper years, and I entered Midlands Technical College to be trained as a Registered Dental Hygienist. 

Recognizing the wisdom of my friend's words, I traded in my pen and paper for a mask and gloves and assumed it was time to grow up. 

After several years our first daughter was born, and when she neared kindergarten age, my husband and I felt led to home educate her. Together she and I hated math and loved reading, writing, and books. As her writing assignments grew more complex, sometimes I’d do them with her, just for fun.

Five years into the homeschooling adventure, I accepted the position of support group leader of our local support group. My job description involved writing a monthly article of encouragement for the newsletter. Writing these pieces revived my passion for writing and invited me to pick up my pen again. Homeschooling moms would tell me how much they enjoyed my articles. “One day,” my friend Pat would say, “you’re going to write a book!”

I’d laugh and say, “Nah, I gave up that dream long ago.”For ten years I wrote articles of encouragement to the members of our support group. I kept each one, tucked into a folder where they gathered dust.

One day, however, on a whim, I accepted a friend’s invitation to attend Writers' Advance Boot Camp, a small writer’s conference in the mountains of North Carolina. Amidst award-winning authors of multiple books, I wondered what in the world I was doing there. I didn’t belong. I’d never wanted to write a novel, and I certainly wasn’t trained or experienced in writing. 

As I was contemplating going back to my room to hide, Eddie Jones, publisher at Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas, took the lectern and shared his best piece of writing advice: “Don’t try to be someone else. Be who you are. Write what you know.”

Who am I? I asked myself. I’m just a homeschooling mom.

And what do I know? I know how to encourage other homeschooling moms. I thought of those ten years of homeschooling mom devotions tucked away in my notebook and on my computer.

After class I introduced myself to Eddie and said, “I’m a homeschooling mom with a notebook full of encouragement for other homeschooling moms. Is this book material?”

“Maybe,” he said. “Send me a sample.”



That whim of a conference, the words of direction and validation, and ten years’ worth of articles came together in a beautiful fusion of God-breathed events that ultimately became my first devotional book, Joy in the Journey – Encouragement for Homeschooling Moms.

 

That book led to a blog, which led to more writing assignments, which led to the editor’s position with Reach Out, Columbia magazine. A second book contract gave the go-ahead for my latest devotional book, Hungry for God … Starving for Time, 5-Minute Devotions for Busy Women , which releases Wednesday. If I survive this book launch, I have material in my head and my heart for the next devotional, and the next, and the next.

What have I learned in the last four years?

I’ve learned when God gifts you, he’ll make a way for you to use your gifts to further his kingdom.

I’ve learned when God calls you, he’ll also provide for you. Every step of the way.

I’ve learned serving God is a group effort. We need each other to challenge, exhort, rebuke, and direct.

And, most importantly, I’ve learned when God calls you to surrender a dream, it’s not because he wants to take something good from you. It’s because he wants to give you something better in its place.

Every believer is gifted to serve God and his church. What’s your gift? Have you surrendered it to the Lord and asked him to use it however he pleases? If you have, hold on tight. If you haven’t, what are you waiting for? 






I'd like to share a 2-1/2 minute promotional video to tell you a little more about Hungry for God ... Starving for Time, 5-Minute Devotions for Busy Women.



 

If you're reading via email, CLICK HERE to watch the promo video for Hungry for God . . . Starving for Time, 5-Minute Devotions for Busy Women.



To register to win a FREE Kindle Fire loaded with books, including my new 5-minute devotional, Hungry for God . . . Starving for Time, click HERE.






LOOKING FOR THE PERFECT CHRISTMAS GIFT FOR THE BUSY WOMAN IN YOUR LIFE?

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 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

Thankful for SQUASH?

My husband and I established the habit of saying grace before meals long before our children were born. 

When our first daughter was old enough to sit in a high chair and eat small bites from the table, we included her in the blessing. We would each take one of her little hands in ours, bow our heads, and express our thanks to God for our food. 

As she got older, she’d mimic the way we closed our eyes and bowed our heads, peeking out from under her eyelashes. To involve her further in our “thankful time,” we’d often sing "Thank you, Father. Thank you, Father, for our food . . ." in lieu of a spoken prayer. She caught on quickly, and I’d sometimes hear her singing a blessing as she served make-believe tea to her stuffed animals. 

By age three or four, we encouraged her to pray her own original blessings at meal times. Some days she got quite long-winded as she thanked God for everything from her friends, pets, and family members, to the band aide on her skinned knee. 

One summer evening as we took our places at the table, I asked who would like to return thanks for the meal. My daughter volunteered. Closing her eyes tightly, she began. “God, thank you for the meatloaf, smashed potatoes, gravy, and . . .” She paused to peek at her plate. Scrunching up her nose in disgust, she asked in a stage whisper, “Do I hafta say thank you for the squash?” 

“Yes, Baby,” I replied, smothering a smile, “even for the squash.” 

“In everything give thanks,” reads 1 Thessalonians 5:18, “for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” 

Just like I encouraged my daughter to give thanks for squash, God calls us to be thankful for the things in our lives that are good as well as those that are distasteful, painful, or difficult. His motive, like ours in training our daughter to give thanks, is to encourage a grateful attitude and to build our trust. When we regularly express thanks to God for the good things in our lives, we remind ourselves from whom our blessings come. 

“Every good and perfect gift is from above,” James 1:17 says, “coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights.” Instead of crediting luck, good fortune, or random chance, we acknowledge the Lord’s daily care and involvement in our lives. This grows our faith. 

When we choose to give thanks for the sad, bad, and difficult aspects of our lives, we acknowledge that we are trusting God to use trials for our good and his glory (Romans 8:28). This also grows our faith. 

So the next time you look down at the plate of your life and find squash, practice the spiritual discipline of thanksgiving. It will make your faith grow.

If you enjoyed this devotion, 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 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