Miranda A. Uyeh's Blog, page 19

Book Review ~ Cain And Able By Jonathan Matos

[image error]About The Book

“The grass isn’t always greener…”

Loosely based on the life of author Jonathan Matos, a near death experience turns a mild-mannered young man’s ambitions into obsessions.

Shortly after a brush with death on the operating table, Dennis Caine is convinced his survival means he is destined for greatness. But as Dennis grows into adulthood, his attempts to win the affections of his best friend, Beth Michaels, the praise of his parents, and the accolades of football star Jason Bell consistently fall short. Jason is a high school football star and the son of a grocery store magnate, who longs for the kind of respect Dennis takes for granted. Their rivalry quickly escalates from petty pranks to kidnapping, arson, and a matter of life and death.

Experience the first entry in the Seven Deadly Sins Series, where drama and suspense reach Biblical proportions.

Category

Christian/Fiction/Young Adult

Genre

General

Rating

3 Stars

Review

Cain and Able is a story of a young man’s journey that highlights his perception of his identity through the events of his life in comparison to those around him and the world at large, as well as his opinion of who God is through eyes of disappointment. The main character, Dennis Caine, begins his story as a young boy with a rare medical condition that leads him down a difficult path travelled by few people his age. His faith, in the long, is deeply affected, and his identity, shaken. But through gruesome events, he finds his way back to the truth. Dennis, in the end, finally submits that “Life is simple.”

It is clear that Matos, the author, composed Cain and Able to help lead people to the truth that identity is found in God, and not in looks, achievement, or camaraderie with any group of people. The penmanship is impeccable, the plot, well-paced, and the characters are as interesting as they are unique with a bit of queer to the mix. The story, however, though engaging enough, is bittersweet from start to finish, and so lacks the exciting thrill that most readers hope to experience after a good read.

*Though I offer this review to the public, it is my opinion and simply that. My appreciation to the author, Jonathan Matos, for a free copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

[image error]About The Author

Jonathan Matos is a publishing army of one. His first novel, Cane and Able, is based on his near death experience at age 11, shortly after a routine scoliosis repair. Jonathan also lives with central core disease, a rare muscle condition. Both conditions are explored in ‘Cane and Able,’ the first in a forthcoming series based on the “Seven Deadly Sins.” Each entry in the anthology will explore a different period in America’s dark past, ultimately contrasting the heartache of human error with the redemptive power of the gospel. Jonathan lives in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Missionary Perspective ~ What Jesus Said About Care & Relationships

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Jesus commissioned the disciples to perform three tasks. One task was to preach the gospel to the whole world—the Great Commission—and it’s the most known in the church. The other two are Koinonia and Diakonia, and are not as emphasized as “tasks” in the church. Let’s take a look at why Jesus underscored Koinonia and Diakonia to the disciples.

Koinonia

Koinonia is a Greek word with its English equivalent as “fellowship,” “communion,” or “friendship.” Koinonia denotes goodwill, or harmonious fellowship of persons who share common interests. Koinonia, in the church, goes horizontally and vertically. Horizontally, koinonia extends to people and community. We stand connected to one another in ways that depict us as members of one family. Vertically, koinonia is experienced with God.

Our fellowship should, first, be with God, and then, with people. We cannot have true fellowship with people if we do not have a genuine relationship with God. Vertical fellowship with God grounds the horizontal with people. If our relationship with God breaks down, then the horizontal may not stand. Although some people are inclined to believe that they can have successful fellowship with people apart from God, this isn’t true. The story of Ananias and Sapphira exemplifies this perfectly. They wanted to enjoy fellowship in the church, but not be in one with God. They, unfortunately, found out the hard way that without fellowship with God, they could not have one with the Church.

Diakonia

Diakonia, also a Greek word, has its equivalence in English as “care,” “restoration,” or “overhaul.” Daikonia was the heart of Jesus’ ministry while on earth. Jesus came to repair damaged relationships, restore the broken, and overhaul creation, which Satan broke through sin, and so Jesus asked us to care for one another and for God’s kingdom on earth. When the church cares for people, it reflects God’s care for us and His creation.

The needs of people that the church cares for are both physical and spiritual. Satan exerts physical and spiritual pain on people to dominate them. Physical ills, poverty, or psychological disorders are means by which Satan destroys the good creation of God. Jesus came to stop Satan’s destruction of God’s good creation. Thus, Jesus healed physical and the spiritual ailments that Satan inflicted on people. When Jesus commissioned the church to care for the needs of people, He meant to debunk Satan’s false claim to dominion over the earth. The church shows God’s Lordship over the universe when it exemplifies Jesus care for people’s needs, whether physical, psychological, spiritual or emotional. This, in summary, is the reason Jesus commissioned the church to practice diakonia and koinonia.

Biblical Justification for Fellowship and Service

The first command God gave to Adam and Eve was to care for creation. Sin made Adam not to carry out that commandment. Instead of Adam caring for creation, creation dominated Adam. God told Adam that only by sweat would he get food from the ground. But when Jesus, the second Adam, came to earth, he removed that curse. Hence, we could now care for God’s creation because Jesus restored us to our original status, which returned us to our original duty—first, to fellowship with God and people, and then to show care for people/creation. When the church cares for the world, it proves that God’s kingdom has been restored to the earth and has overcome Satan’s, which came through the work, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Satan, not only slyly turned Adam and Eve from God, but their sin also ruptured the “horizontal” fellowship between the two of them. Thus, when God asked Adam why he ate the fruit, Adam blamed “the woman that God had put in Eden with him.” Rather than refer to Eve as his wife, Adam referred to Eve as “the woman.”

Subsequent events, like Cain’s killing of his brother, Abel, proved the downward spiral of the disrupted horizontal fellowship among men. Instead of a fostered fellowship between siblings, Satan instigated tremendous hatred between them, just as he did between Esau and Jacob so much so that Jacob fled from Esau. The same is witnessed between Joseph and his brothers, who sold him out of similarly inspired hatred. Not limited to just siblings, this is shown in Absalom’s hatred of his father, David, so much so that Absalom instigated and fought a war to kill David. This was and is the degree to which Satan damaged the fellowship between people.

Jesus, however, has restored the vertical and horizontal fellowships. All peoples can form wonderful loving fellowship with God and people because of what Jesus accomplished through the Cross, and Jesus demonstrated wonderful loving fellowship to different peoples that included the Samaritans, Greeks, and the Romans who came to Him. Jesus did not see people through a screen that separated people as slaves, gentiles, or by gender; He saw people simply as God’s children. And even when the disciples asked Jesus to dismiss the famous 5000 to go home and find food, Jesus chose, instead, to perform a miracle that would feed them with just 2 fishes and 5 loaves of bread. And so, to ensure that the church lives in fellowship with and in care for one another, Jesus prayed that the Father would make the church one (John 14). Jesus attests that when the world sees our unity, it would know that the kingdom of God has come on earth. Therefore, if Christians fight one another, they present that they are not members of God’s kingdom, but rather, are like the world. God’s desire for fellowship with us and for us to fellowship with one another is clearly seen in the many festivals (like Pentecost, Passover, Jubilee, etc.) that He instituted in ancient Israel.

Christian fellowship gives us the chance to agree on what to ask of God. When the church agrees about a thing (under the inspiration and direction of the Holy Spirit), there is the promise that heaven will agree with it too. Christian fellowship also offers the wonderful chance of worshiping God together. Since God inhabits the praise of His children, when Christians worship God together, God dwells among them. It is interesting to observe that the energy and enthusiasm that may otherwise be absent when worshipping alone, could be inspired when praying and worshiping God with others!

Theological Justification for Communion and Fellowship

In the first prayer that Jesus taught His disciples, He instructed that they ask for God’s kingdom to come on earth. If the kingdom of God came on earth, the will of God would be done on earth as is in heaven. The kingdom of God is best seen in Christian fellowship and selfless service to others. In heaven, the saints (the triumphant church) and the holy angels are in constant and uninterrupted fellowship with God.

For this reason, Paul told the church to always fellowship with God and one another, because it announces God’s victory over Satan. God has spoken the last word about sin and us, namely: God holds us sufficiently righteous to be in His presence eternally. Indeed, God is with us (Immanuel) forever and ever, and so, we can now care for one another because Jesus has effaced the curse of sin from the world. The blessings of God’s kingdom have come to us in Jesus, who invited all who are hungry and thirsty to come to Him for bread and living water, where He will meet our needs. Therefore, Paul prayed above all things that we prosper in spirit and in body.

What Care Connotes

Christian care connotes that we challenge one another to love and grow spiritually. Unless you care for a person, you cannot genuinely challenge the person to grow. Outside of a loving fellowship with a person, such a challenge may be met with contempt as the person may assume that you are assaulting them. Challenging a person to grow (especially spiritually) does not involve gossip and cheap chat about a person. It is engaging in godly and holy fellowship to uplift each other’s spirit.

To show care is to affirm the good in the other person. You cannot have a loving fellowship with someone you see no good in. Whatever positive thing you notice in a person, encourage them by telling them. A phone call, email, or text telling them how well they have exhibited these qualities go a long way.

To show care is to respect the feelings and opinions of the other person. The basic way to respect the other person is to listen attentively to them. Do not dismiss their opinions as valueless. In a congregational setting such as the church, the avenue to listen to others is in activities like Bible studies, prayer meetings, etc. Let the other person share their view or opinion, whether it’s on a Bible text or otherwise. In public prayer, let them say to God what is on their mind. No one wants fellowship with a person prone to dominate. Do not be quick to speak, but be quick to listen and make good judgment.

To show care is to encourage them to be the best God wants them to be in life. Give generous compliments to someone for a wonderful job done in the church. If all you do is find fault in others you will destroy Christian fellowship. Even a minister who always sees sin in others would drive them away from the church. When a person gives negative vibe, it drives people away. Say a word of encouragement for the good things that people do. I could be a word to a friend or to the person sitting next to you in church. Try it this week. Praise a friend or a staff or a co-worker or the organizers of a conference that you attended.

Conclusion

Finally, to show care for others, remember that the Bible describes Satan as the accuser of the brethren. We have overcome Satan by the testimony of the blood and of the Word. A good word from you to a brother or a sister can defeat Satan’s accusation against them in their heart.

Satan’s relentless attack on humanity such as carnages in the middle-east, the genocides that happened in Rwanda and Darfur, rebel warfare in central Africa, terrorism in Pakistan and Afghanistan, drugs in Columbia, sordid sexual scandals in America, herdsmen killings in Nigeria, etc. These events are making it hard for some people to believe that the Prince of Peace has come to the earth. But when Christians enter into loving fellowship with one another and do selfless service unto one another, the world would know that the Prince of Peace is here with us. So, serve joyfully in God’s kingdom to show the world that God’s love is real and that Satan has been defeated. We are already seated with Jesus Christ in the heavenly realm, so let’s serve God and our neighbors with heavenly compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, patience, and long suffering. Amen.

[image error]About The Contributor

Tersur Aben is a reverend, author, and missionary currently teaching philosophy and theology at the Theological College of Northern Nigeria (TCNN), Bukuru, Plateau State, Nigeria, where he resides with his wife and children.

NEWS ~ New Music Artist, Juli Tapken, Celebrates New Song Release, God Is Ever True, With Platinum Planet Records

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New artist, Juli Tapken celebrates her first release on Platinum Planet Records. The song, God Is Ever True, written by famous Nashville songwriter, Music Row veteran, and owner of Platinum Planet Records, is taking the religious world by storm!

“I’ve had the idea of this song for some time,” says songwriter, Justin Peters. “I wanted to write a song that would give hope in these dark times. After I wrote the song, I knew Juli would be just the one to sing it.”

Juli signed with Platinum Planet Records in the fall of 2017.

“She is a great actress and a great fit to our company,” Says Peters.

Juli is delighted to work with Peters and compares the joyful experience to the adoption of her son.

“Being on Platinum Planet Records is like having a beautiful child laid in my arms that I did not labor for,” says actress, Juli Tapken. “This opportunity was gifted to me.”

Peters echoes her sentiments by adding, “This is a dream come true for me, too. It was my desire to work with Juli and to develop her as an actress/singer/songwriter. We are honored to have her commitment.”

[image error]Juli Tapken is a woman of many talents. She is a singer/actress whose many credits include the leading role in the Christian films, Providence and Mission Improbable. She has also appeared in the famous hit series, Nashville, and most recently, Homicide Hunter, as the episodes featured role. God Is Ever True is already getting air play worldwide, and the outlook is promising for new artist, Juli Tapken. She is looking forward to making music history at Platinum Planet Records and she’s off to a great start!

You can download God Is Ever True on:

iTunes | Amazon

Also available for download on other popular music sites!

Learn more about Juli and hear a sampling of her latest release on her official website. Connect with Juli on facebook!

Interview With Author, Rebecca Crownover

Rebecca  Crownover is the lovely author behind the children’s book, My Daddy’s In Heaven With Jesus, now made into the movie, My Daddy’s In Heaven, out this March, as well as the popular Texas Farm Girl series,  which she aims to use to educate, entertain, and inspire kids through farming. The My Daddy’s In Heaven movie is based upon the true life story of Rebecca, and today, Rebecca has taken some time with TBAP to tell us more about herself, her family, ministry, and work. Take a look!

Miranda ~ Please tell us a bit about yourself that we don’t already know.

Rebecca: Inspired by God’s plan and the places that he wants to take me! I grew up a small town girl in the farming community of Sunray, TX where I learned to farm with my grandfather as a child. Today, I am partners in our family farm with my awesome in-laws. My blood type is John Deere green. I am a mother to my beautiful and energetic 11 year old daughter, Acie, who is everything to me.

Miranda ~ What event inspired you to make Jesus your personal Lord and Savior? Secondly, please define your ministry.

Rebecca: I was 5 years old when I walked down the aisle at Sunray Baptist Church to accept Jesus as my personal Savior. My parents were a big part of my influence and inspiration at that young of an age. The Christian Faith has been at the forefront of my life since.

Through my own personal life journey, I’ve had many ups and downs. Through those experiences, I’ve published children’s books to share those experiences to inspire, entertain, and educate others. Now one of those children’s books, My Daddy Is In Heaven With Jesus, has turned into a faith-based film—My Daddy Is In Heaven—that I envision as God’s tool that will touch millions of lives.

Miranda ~ My Daddy Is In Heaven With Jesus is a wonderful book that brought comfort to your daughter, as well as to other children across the world. What was your experience, emotionally and spiritually, as you wrote this book for your daughter?

Rebecca: We could talk a long time on this question. It’s been quite a journey from a tragic experience that was so raw and emotional, to putting some of those words down on paper to publish a book, then promoting it. From brokenness to believing in God’s plan for our situation and experience, I have grown spiritually in ways I never thought possible. I believe that through my faith in God and allowing him to fulfill his purpose through us, he has blessed our family with the opportunity to share the rawness and reality of a tragic story on screen through the My Daddy Is In Heaven movie that will ultimately bless many, many lives.

Miranda ~ The movie, My Daddy Is In Heaven, inspired by your book/true life story, comes out this March. What message do you hope this movie will pass on – first to children and also to adults?

Rebecca: To children, that Heaven is for real. With it being hard to grasp or understand when we lose someone special in our lives, whether a person or a pet, it’s important to understand that it’s okay to ask about Heaven, to vision what it may be like, and that it is an amazing place and not to be scared of it.

For adults, that life is hard, and that we all experience a unique journey. Even if we get angry at God along our path, we must not lose site of God and the purpose He has for us. On the flip side, when we see others go through loss or hard times, to be compassionate towards them and what they are going through. It’s easy to judge their decisions, but difficult to put ourselves in their shoes to envision what they are going through emotionally. This is where I believe My Daddy Is In Heaven really shows the inside look at that struggle.

Miranda ~ What was your initial reaction when the studio approached you to make your true story into a movie? Had you been approached by other studios before?

Rebecca: It was crazy! It’s like God planted the thoughts in my head to be open to a movie script, and literally that month, a producer connected with me from Voyage Media asking if I was open to turning my book into a faith-based film. One phone call led to another and here we are today releasing a film that I believe will inspire so many. Kinda funny how God works sometimes!

Miranda ~ Having life turn out differently that you’d hoped, how would you describe to other hurting people—adults and younger—how you draw strength from God on a daily basis and healing from the pain of loss?

Rebecca: Let go and let God. I say that all day every day. We get so stressed out in the moment of life in our relationships, our jobs, etc. When we do, we have to stop ourselves, take a deep breath, and remember, our plan is God’s plan. If we allow God to guide us by having bold faith in what lies ahead, easy or hard, the blessings are always far greater than we ever imagined. Jerimiah 29:11 is a great reminder that God wants us to prosper out of our hardships. That’s a verse that I’ve always hung my hat on as His promise to us.

Miranda ~ Being an entrepreneur, farmer, author, speaker, and single mom, how do you juggle it all, maintain calm balance, and stay grounded?

Rebecca: It’s one day at a time, and prioritizing what’s most important. I have a great support system with my family and friends, and that makes a big difference.

Miranda ~ What particular event inspired you to create the Texas Farm Girl series, which educates, entertains, and inspires kids through farming? What would you like to see achieved through this that hasn’t already been done?

Rebecca: After publishing My Daddy Is In Heaven With Jesus, I realized how fun it was to write children’s books. I realized I didn’t want to be a grief expert and wanted to share what I was an expert at. So I went to my roots of being a farmer and growing up farming with my grandfather to develop stories that would entertain, educate and inspire. Texas Farm Girl is always evolving, and I’d love for it to become an even more powerful brand that children and parents trust and love.

Miranda ~ What are you most grateful for—right now, in your ministry, and generally?

Rebecca: I’m so grateful to Nasser Entertainment, Inc. and to all of those they have put together to share our powerful story through the movie, My Daddy Is In Heaven. I cannot be more thankful and appreciative to be able to wake up each day and fulfill my everyday purpose God has for my life.

Miranda ~ What words of comfort/advice would you offer a person who’s recently found themselves in the same position as you did when you lost your husband?

Rebecca: When life takes you to your knees, have faith that you can and will be happy again. Recovery may look like Mount Everest, but by taking one day at a time and stepping forward a little more each day, you’ll find that new place of peace and happiness in time. Always be willing to take a step forward by having bold faith in God’s plan.

THIS or THAT (The Fun Qs!)

Coffee, Tea, or Mocha? Tea (Love a good Chai Tea Latte)

Dresses or Pants? Dresses are always fun.

Boots or Heels? A good balance of both.

Breakfast or Dinner? Breakfast! Pancakes are always fun for dinner.

Books or Music? I love both! Audible books are my favorite to get through more of them.

Juice or Smoothie? A good protein smoothie is my favorite.

Chocolate or Vanilla? Vanilla always. Not a chocolate fan.

Scarf or Gloves? Gloves! If my hands are cold, I’m cold.

[image error]About Rebecca Crownover

A single mom and only parent, farmer by profession, and Best Selling and Award Winning Children’s Book Author, Rebecca Crownover uses her life experiences to inspire children and their parents through her writing. Her published work includes four children’s books and a chapter published in Business Leader, Brian Tracy’s book, The Success Blueprint. Rebecca got her start as a children’s book author by publishing the book, My Daddy Is In Heaven With Jesus, an award-winning children’s book that helps children find comfort after losing a parent. She went on to create the brand and children’s book series, Texas Farm Girl, to educate, entertain, and inspire children through life lessons in farming.

From Texas to Los Angeles, Rebecca has been featured in National Farming Magazines and many other media outlets. In November 2015, she was quoted in Forbes magazine in America’s Premier Experts, Forecasts and Strategies, on Health, Wealth, and Success. She was also featured on William Shatner’s National TV program where she received an award by Retired Rear Admiral Kevin F. Delaney for being an innovative entrepreneur in helping move America forward through the Texas Farm Girl series. Rebecca is an AGvocate in educating kids and her fans about Agriculture as well as to inspire others through her life story. Her life story will release on the Hollywood screen in 2018 in the movie, My Daddy Is In Heaven, featuring Jenn Gotzon and Corbin Bernsen, based on her first children’s book. She farms full time as partner and owner of Lone Star Family Farms, a Texas Panhandle grain production farm that operates over 50,000 acres.

Visit this page to learn more about her farm. To learn more about Rebecca, her books, song and country music video, Texas Farm Girl, visit the Texas Farm Girl website and Rebecca’s official page.

Album Review ~ Your Love Remains By The Rock Music

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Category

Religious/Christian

Genre

Contemporary Worship/Praise

Release Date

March 16, 2018.

Rating

4 Stars

Review

There’s a calm attitude to the worship and praise of The Rock Music’s Your Love Remains album. Its simple lyrics carry the ever profound message of God’s goodness, love, and faithfulness—and this simplicity doesn’t in any way belie the depth of this message. An interesting observation worth mentioning is the light music/instrumentals that Rock Music is uniquely known for, which blends softly and beautifully with the melody, so that neither—melody and music—is too much for the other, but both are powerfully combined and enough to inspire heartfelt worship in the heart of the listener.

If you’re in the market for an album with a gentle atmosphere that perpetuates serenity and tranquility in heart and in spirit, and to depths that run deeply enough to calm the soul in the midst of genuine worship, Your Love Remains by Rock Music is your ticket to such a worshipful experience—as its wonderful lyrics simply but firmly remind the child of God of their place in Him and His promised peace, comfort, and joy overflowing, which are ever present gifts offered upon a foundation of faith, hope, and love that will always remain as long as we put our trust in Him!

*Though I offer this review to the public, it is my opinion and simply that. My appreciation to DREAM Label for a free copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

About The Rock Music 

The Rock Music is the worship leading/music ministry based within The Rock Church in Utah. In addition, The Rock Music is an independent collaboration of musicians who are dedicated to writing, recording and performing relevant Christ-centered music without compromise.

Your Love  Remains is The Rock Music’s second full length worship album released in partnership with DREAM Records and Capitol Christian Music Group. The songs are ethereal and deeply worshipful. Filled with sparkly guitars, heartfelt vocals, dream-like synths, and silvery themes – the music draws each listener into an experience of worship through lyrics and melody.  Filled with longing and intimacy, Your Love  Remains captures the adoration of Jesus Christ. It is the yearning response of worship and confident conviction in the goodness of God.

Article ~ The Perks Of Being An [Entertainment] Blogger

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In this piece, I aim to be more personal than I usually am. Yes, I’m a private person—very private!—but I’ve come to realize that it is impossible to inspire people without telling your personal story. What I do here on the TBAP blog, as editor, is tell other people’s stories (using articles and interviews) with the hope that what they have learned on their personal journey will inspire and help others to live out their lives courageously for God, and this has in turn blessed me greatly! So, here I am in this article, starting by letting you know how being an entertainment blogger has affected me personally and brightened my journey. Trust me when I say this: what I offer in this piece may be nothing like what you expect it to be, as I rightly suspect that this article’s title may persuade a reader to presume that it offers nothing but vanity. On the contrary! It is my desire and hope that you will not only be blessed and encouraged by it, but that you will also be inspired to live your life courageously for God by choosing to become the person that He has called you to be! (This is, in fact, what To Be A Person—TBAP—is all about!)

Without further ado, here are some perks that I’ve enjoyed as an entertainment blogger:

As an interviewer, when I receive the stories of these wonderful people, I am humbled by their beginnings, their journey so far, and their tenacity to continue in their walk with God no matter what storms they had to overcome, or where they’ve found themselves presently. It takes the arrogance out of me, because prior to when I receive their story, I thought that I deserved life and achievement much easier than I have it. I pout, believing that I have it rough, and unfairly so, and then, along comes a renowned professional—a weathered authority in their line of work—respected by their peers and beyond; they tell me their story, and then I realize a few truths: my circumstance, in a manner of sorts, isn’t peculiar after all, and so where do I get off demanding from God that I should have it easier—when there are others, better achieved than me, who didn’t! In some cases even, their beginnings or present circumstances are rougher than mine, but they tackle it anyway, and probably with a better attitude too!
It goes without saying that it is honoring to be allowed a peek into the personal lives of people who welcome me in for a bit of their time, even though prior to then, they had no personal connection with me, and so are not in any way obligated to accommodate me, but do so anyway, for the sake of adding good to the world by letting me tell their stories. The humility behind such transparency that allows them to tell of their weaknesses and present struggles/situation, as opposed to announcing boastful achievements, often surprises me in a good way, and teaches me too, making them relatable on some level. What could be more inspiring than that?
Their stories, without fail, inspire much hope, faith, and love in me! There are moments when I want to give up on my journey, and then these wonderful folks come along with their stories, rich with nuggets of wisdom, and I’m blessed for it! I’m inspired to move on. I’m reminded that I’m not alone on this journey! There are others like me who have overcome. I have Christ’s family and fellow comrades with me! We are soldiers matching forward together!
We all agree that the entertainment industry is NOT all that TV/media make it out to be. No, no, it is not. Not even close! No group of people affirms this more than those who tell me their stories! TV/Media may present a façade of fame, glamor, and wealth, placing some of these people on a pedestal, but it’s always refreshing and pleasant to witness them climb down from it and level with me. Through the eyes and wisdom of these lovely people, some of who’ve become friends/mentors, I’ve learned that like in every other industry, you MUST work hard, and more importantly, remain grounded in God’s calling upon your life. It truly is the only way that you can shine His light. This helps keep me grounded in my work as God prepares me for greater things. There is nothing like encouragement from the side! They graciously, in the simplest of words, offer advice that may have taken painful experiences to come by. By telling me their story, these giants let me stand on their shoulders , so that I can see much clearer and much farther ahead than I would have on my own. If anything, I’m inspired to do the same for those coming behind me.
Their stories affirm God’s Word and encouragement in my heart! When there are ideas that I suspect I’ve been blessed with from heaven, but appear too crazy to entertain or even utter out loud, these fine people, through their stories, point out to me that I’m not crazy at all! In fact, it’s okay to dream “crazy,” I realize! And that God, in His manifold wisdom, blesses us with intriguing and, albeit, intense ideas that lead us on a path to not only achieve these absurdly “crazy” dreams, but to do so in a manner that plays into His perfect design and His planned destiny for us, so that in the end, He is glorified. The amazing feeling, whenever this happens, never gets old!

These are just a few of the perks that I’ve enjoyed as an entertainment blogger—to be continually blessed with these gems in a myriad of ways and every day, is just so amazing! In my bid to serve others with these stories, these stories have, without fail, served me! And for this, I am grateful to God for using these wonderful people to make me a better person, so that I can better serve Him and others. I hope this inspires you as it has me.

[image error]About The Editor

Miranda A. Uyeh is the founder and editor of To Be A Person (TBAP), the author of Christian Romance/Suspense fiction, To Die Once: Child of Grace #1, a Mogul Global Ambassador, and a copywriter. She was a one-time shortlisted judge for the Inspy Awards in 2014 in the Contemporary Romance & Romance/Suspense Category.

When Miranda isn’t reviewing books/entertainment or hosting interviews on TBAP, she’s writing, reading for fun or relaxing with a good movie! When she gets bored with the world, she talks to God about it! To learn more about her book, To Die Once, her journey as an author and her other activities, you can follow her personal website. You can also connect with her on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and Google+.

The article, The Perks Of Being An Entertainment Blogger, first appeared on To Be A Person (TBAP).

 

Book Review ~ Hope For Your Marriage By Clayton & Ashlee Hurst

[image error]About The Book

Clayton and Ashlee Hurst share the principles and Scripture they have learned to lean on and preach at Lakewood Church. 

Are you willing to do whatever it takes to have the marriage you dreamed of? Interestingly, this is the question Clayton and Ashlee ask young couples before they get married and married couples in crisis. If they answer yes, then there is hope for the couple. If they humble themselves and are willing to commit to the work ahead, they will have a successful marriage.

Hope for Every Marriage is a book designed for couples who desire to have the best marriage possible. Every marriage has the potential to be incredible when God is at the center.

In Hope for Your Marriage, Clayton and Ashlee share personal stories on overcoming fairy-tale pitfalls; keeping Jesus at the center of your marriage; practicing healthy communication on sex, conflict, and forgiveness; declaring life over your marriage; and leaving a God-honoring legacy.

Category

Religious/Christian/Non-fiction

Genre

Christian-living/Marriage

Rating

4 Stars

Review

Hope For Your Marriage aims to explore the true meaning of what it means to be married as it debunks certain myths/beliefs carried ignorantly into marriage by young couples, which invariably, lead to crisis. Through the personal experiences of the authors, they point their readers to a direction filled with hope as they use their personal stories to encourage couples both young and old by exploring in this book, the nature of the efforts required to not only sustain a marriage, but to lead it to thrive in love, trust, and constant joy. Their advice, though simply illustrated, hinges on their personal experiences, experiences with others through counseling, and more importantly, the Word of God.

Hope For Your Marriage, as the title implies, aims to do just that, inspire hope in marriages where love, trust, and joy need to be rejuvenated. In this simple but objective piece, Clayton and Ashlee lead a trail of positive anticipation that gently but surely nudges their readers toward the place where willing spouses in collapsing relationships can find excellent outcome if they put their heart into it.

Hope For Your Marriage may not be a counseling material, but it is a brilliant guide to simple practices that will not only restore hope for your marriage, but will also help rekindle love and trust where they need be.

*Though I offer this review to the public, it is my opinion and simply that. My appreciation to the publisher, Thomas Nelson, for providing a free copy in exchange for my opinion.

About Clayton & Ashlee Hurst

Clayton and Ashlee Hurst are the directors of Marriage and Parenting at Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas, under the leadership of Senior Pastor Joel Osteen. Their ministry focus is building families and strengthening marriages through the hope and power of Jesus Christ. Clayton and Ashlee have been married for over 20 years and have two daughters and one son.

Interview with Martin Midgård Hagen, Lead Singer, Radiate Worship

Radiate Worship is the amazing worship team from Tabernacle Pentecostal Church in Bergen, Norway. Known for their amazing songs that have been translated into other languages and shared by their Scandinavian neighbors, Radiate Worship recently joined the DREAM Label Group family of artists who make delightful music with a heart to serve God and influence the culture of the world in a positive way. In an interview with Martin Midgård Hagen, the lead singer of the group, Martin reveals to TBAP the culture and the ideals of Radiate Worship. Take a look!

Miranda ~ Hello! Glad to have you visit TBAP today. Could you please tell us a bit about Radiate Worship?

Martin: Hi! Big thanks for reaching out! Radiate Worship is a worship band that emerged from the worship ministry of our church, Tabernacle Pentecostal Church, Bergen, Norway, a church that many of us were been born into and, others have found it to be their home later on. From my experience, I’d say we have been blessed with a leadership that has given us the opportunity to grow in what we do, and has been investing in the youth ministry a lot. This gave us the possibility to start creating music by ourselves in 2009, and we’ve kept on doing so till this day.

Miranda ~ What particularly led to the creation of Radiate Worship?

Martin: We have always looked to other worship bands like Hillsong, Planetshakers, I Am Future, and other worship groups here in Norway. We were experiencing the urge and passion to write from our own hearts and lives so that we, too, could add to the pool of worship music around. Of course we were adding mostly to different churches around in Norway, even as we felt that was out of our league; we were just kids—but I guess if you want to create, someone just has to start doing something to get somewhere, and that’s what we did!

Miranda ~ What were the circumstances that surrounded your decision to go international; how did you choose to go about it and, what are the sequence of events that followed this decision?

Martin: Our main goal has never been to go international. We saw that some of our most popular songs were being translated and used in some Scandinavian countries like Denmark and Sweden, and just knowing that it was being used in our neighbor-countries was awesome. Our main goal is, and always will be, to show who Jesus is today, and bring worship that inspires and challenges people who believe, and also those who don’t yet do. We are so blessed to see the doors that God opened for us this last year, and to see that our music may be used farther than Scandinavia is just beyond our imagination!

Miranda ~ Radiate Worship is now signed with DREAM Worship. How would you describe your first meeting with GM, Lance Brown?

Martin: We were contacted by Lance after he had been introduced to one of our latest releases, Trust. He told us that he just couldn’t get it out of his head, and that he wanted to get to know us a bit more. So we scheduled for a Skype session and got to know each other a little, sharing from our hearts and our dreams. Little did we know—suddenly we got to work with these guys, and we are excited to see what the future holds!

Miranda ~ Who are the people/worship teams that have influenced your style of music?

Martin: As I wrote earlier, we have always looked to Hillsong and other groups here in Norway. But most of us have always been fond of music outside of the worship genre as well, and adding elements from what we enjoy is what we have always been about. Therefore we wanted to use elements like dubstep, scream vocals, and much more, because we’ve found that God doesn’t fit into one certain way of worship. As long as we use our music to glorify Him in whatever way or style, I think that God is pleased and happy with that.

Miranda ~ Apart from worshiping/praising God with your music, who are the people you believe God has called Radiate Worship to sing to—the lost, despaired, broken-hearted, disappointed etc.?

Martin: We create songs and music from what we have experienced ourselves. Trust is the most profound experience my wife and I had with God. In our family, we found that we were in desperate need to trust in God’s intervention more than ever before, as we, at the time, were in a difficult economic situation. We had some stretching moments, and throughout that time, we leaned more on Him than on our own safety-net. In the end, His promises remained, and we got to experience God on a whole new level.

Together with this, we love praise, as well as sharing the gospel with people who don’t yet believe. We always leave room for someone to take that stand to follow Jesus, everywhere we go. Whether we’re in church, a festival, or conference, leading someone to Him is always a priority! So I guess our worship is for everyone—whether you’ve walked a thousand miles with Jesus or are new to the journey.

Miranda ~ What is the principle that guides your songwriting as a team?

Martin: First of all, it needs to be Bible-based. The Bible guides us, and we believe that it, truly, is the Word of God, therefore, we never write songs that go on edge with it. And, also, we highly value the experiences we have in our own lives with Jesus. I’m positive that I’m not the only one experiencing this “life”. So, knowing that others, too, are on the journey we call life, I know that people have their own hard times and times of joy, and that people most likely can identify with the words we’re singing!

Miranda ~ What do you believe you bring to the Christian music scene that may be missing today?

Martin: I don’t really know. We love to party a new life and a new hope that is given freely by Jesus. I think we project that pretty well while we worship. It’s not like we are trying to fill a gap with something that’s missing. We make music that we love, and create what God has put on our hearts. If people like it, that’s just great!!

Miranda ~ As a team/church, what are you most grateful for?

Martin: As a team, we are so happy to have the church backing us on the journey we are on. We’re excited to get to do this and to belong to a church that is rooting for us. Also, that our leaders have given us freedom to grow, a platform to lead in worship week after week and, leading us wisely has been the biggest blessing of all.

Also, to be able to travel and lead others in worship, and to have a relationship with Jesus, is what we love. If I could do this for a living, I wouldn’t even question it. I’m grateful for being able to use what I’ve been given for Him and with Him!

Miranda ~ What advice would you give to an upcoming worship team who believes they’ve been called to go international with their music, rather than stay local with their church?

Martin: I think it is important to build the local church first of all. What we have done through our years in the worship ministry is to be faithful to what we have been given. We have building the church as our first priority, and not chasing after opportunities or the “right people” to work with. If God wants to use us elsewhere, we’re open to that. In our case, they have been places/opportunities put right before us at the right time. We believe that all we get to experience today, and ahead from now, is coming from Him and not from ourselves.

We have a goal, and that is to always be home on Sundays building the foundation and institution that carries us through life. I believe we definitely have a call to share our music farther than our own landmarks, but until that is no longer possible to do without sacrificing a Sunday at home, home is a priority.

[image error]About Radiate Worship

Radiate Worship is a Christian worship band from Bergen, Norway. The members of the group came together through the youth ministry in their local church, and the church itself released their first three album releases independently. Radiate Worship have always aspired to uncover new ground in their style of music, and tries to write songs that utilize musical elements that might not be too common in typical worship music.

After a change of focus, not only to write songs in Norwegian for a national distribution, but opening up to expanding their international contact network and both writing and communicating more in English, they came in touch with producer David O. Ramirez from Gnome Studios, who came on as producer for their next full album project. This led to the first single from the upcoming album, Trust, which caught the attention of Dream Label Group.

“Radiate worship aims to create music that inspires and engages both those who believe, and those who still not,” says lead singer, Martin Midgård Hagen.

The Star Movie DVD Now Available

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“Full of humor and heart.”—The Huffington Post

“The Star is destined to become a classic!”—The Dove Foundation

Golden Globe® Nominated for Best Original Song by Mariah Carey & Marc Shaiman

About The Star Movie

The Tale of Faith and Friendship Includes Six Sing-Along Videos from Mariah Carey, Fifth Harmony, Kelsea Ballerini, A Great Big World, and Kirk Franklin.

Includes a Dance Along, “How-to” Crafts Video and Much More! 

Available on Digital February 6 and On Blu-ray + DVD + Digital on February 20.

From the studio that brought you MIRACLES FROM HEAVEN & CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS comes the timeless tale about faith, friendship, and the importance of believing in yourself. AFFIRM Films and Sony Pictures Animation’s THE STAR arrives for the first time on Digital on February 6 and on Blu-ray + DVD + Digital February 20 from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. The heartwarming animated comedy follows a small but brave donkey named Bo (voiced by Steven Yeun, “The Walking Dead”), who yearns for a life beyond his daily grind at the village mill. One day he finds the courage to break free and finally goes on the adventure of his dreams. On his journey, he teams up with Ruth (voiced by Aidy Bryant, “Saturday Night Live”), a lovable sheep who has lost her flock and Dave (voiced by Keegan-Michael Key, Friends From College), a dove with lofty aspirations, along with three wisecracking camels voiced by Tracy Morgan (“30 Rock”), Tyler Perry and Oprah Winfrey. Bo and his new friends follow the star and become accidental heroes in the greatest story ever told.

Rounding out the all-star voice cast including Gina Rodriguez (“Jane The Virgin”) as Mary, Zachary Levi (“Chuck”) as Joseph, Grammy® Award-Winner Kelly Clarkson as Leah the horse, Anthony Anderson (“Black-ish”) as Zach the goat, Ving Rhames (Mission Impossible) as Thaddeus the dog, Gabriel Iglesias (Coco, Ferdinand) as Rufus the dog, Patricia Heaton (“The Middle”) as Edith the cow, Emmy® and Tony® Award-Winner Kristin Chenoweth as Abby the mouse, and Christopher Plummer (All the Money in the World) as King Herod.

THE STAR is filled with more than an hour of engaging bonus materials including the “Star-aoke: Sing Along with Bo & Friends,” a dance along to “Life Is Good” by A Great Big World, plus a collection of fun lyric videos that will have you singing along to the inspiring music from THE STAR. Families can enjoy crafting and baking with “how-to” videos “Star Mason Jar Votives” and “Sweet and Sparkly Stars,” and they also can go behind-the-scenes to explore the amazing talent who bring these characters to life. In “Faith All Year Round,” renowned pastor and motivational speaker, DeVon Franklin delivers a fun and engaging children’s sermon discussing the themes of the film and keeping the spirit of this inspiring story alive in us every day.

THE STAR is directed by Academy Award® nominated writer/director Timothy Reckart, screenplay by Carlos Kotkin, and story by Simon Moore and Carlos Kotkin. The film is executive produced by DeVon Franklin, Brian Henson and Lisa Henson, and produced by Jennifer Magee-Cook. The Star is presented by AFFIRM films and Sony Pictures Animation in association with Walden Media, Franklin Entertainment and The Jim Henson Company. The uplifting theme song, “The Star” by Mariah Carey and veteran songwriter Marc Shaiman was also nominated for a 2018 Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song. “The Star” song is now available on The Star: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, which assembles new music from a bevy of powerhouse superstars.

Bonus Materials!

Star-aoke: Sing-Along with Bo & Friends: In this all new song, sing along with your favorite characters including Bo, Dave, Ruth and the unforgettable camels.

“Life Is Good” Dance-Along: Shake your tail feathers and move your hooves in this fun dance-along.

Lyric Sing-Along Videos: Enjoy the eclectic and inspiring music of THE STAR with these colorful lyric videos that allow you to sing along with your favorite recording artists:

The Star by Mariah Carey

Can You See by Fifth Harmony

Children Go Where I Send You by Kelsea Ballerini

We Three Kings by Kirk Franklin

Life Is Good by A Great Big World

Sweet and Sparkly Stars: Create star-themed cookies to be enjoyed year round.

Star Mason Jar Votives: Let the light of THE STAR shine with this simple yet stunning craft.

Faith All Year Round with DeVon Franklin: A children’s sermon discussing the themes of the film and how to keep the spirit of this inspiring story alive in us every day.

An All-Star Cast: Meet the stars of the film and explore the exciting voice cast who bring these amazing characters to life.

MORE FUN!

The now live guided Bible study with Pastor Devon Franklin is “interactive and super engaging.” Check it out on facebook!

*THE STAR has a run time of approximately 86 minutes and is rated PG: for some thematic elements.

**GOLDEN GLOBE® is a registered trademark and service mark of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.

Buy The DVD!

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ABOUT SONY PICTURES HOME ENTERTAINMENT

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (SPHE) is a Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) company. Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a subsidiary of Sony Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE’s global operations encompass motion picture production, acquisition and distribution; television production, acquisition and distribution; television networks; digital content creation and distribution; operation of studio facilities; and development of new entertainment products, services and technologies. For additional information, go to the Sony Pictures Website.

ABOUT SONY PICTURES ANIMATION

Sony Pictures Animation produces a variety of animated and family entertainment for audiences around the world.  The studio is following its worldwide comedy hits—the record-breaking monster comedies,  Hotel Transylvania and Hotel Transylvania 2, the hybrid live action/animated blockbusters,  The Smurfs and The Smurfs 2, and the mouth-watering,  Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs movies—with the fully animated reboot,  Smurfs: The Lost Village,  available on digital and Blu-ray now; a surprising and comic take at the secret world inside our phones with The Emoji Movie now on Digital HD, Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD; the inspirational,  The Star,  currently in theaters. Next will be Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation, from director, Genndy Tartakovsky, in July 2018; and the groundbreaking animated feature, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, from the minds of Chris Miller and Phil Lord, in December 2018.  The studio, in conjunction with Aardman Animations, has produced two critically acclaimed feature films:  the CG-animated family comedy, Arthur Christmas, and the Academy Award® nominated stop-frame animated high-seas adventure, The Pirates! Band of Misfits.  In 2007, Surf’s Up also received an Academy Award® nomination for Best Animated Feature Film; a sequel entitled Surf’s Up 2: WaveMania, is now available on digital and DVD.  The division, whose first feature film, Open Season, led to a very successful movie franchise including the brand new, Open Season: Scared Silly, now available on digital, DVD and Blu-ray, was founded in 2002.  Sony Pictures Animation is a division of the Sony Pictures Motion Pictures Group.

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ABOUT AFFIRM FILMS

AFFIRM Films produces, acquires and markets films that inspire, uplift and entertain audiences around the world. Since releasing its first theatrical film—The Kendrick Brothers’ drama, Facing the Giants, in 2007, AFFIRM Films has released numerous quality faith-based films including Soul Surfer, based on the inspirational true story of surfer, Bethany Hamilton; When the Game Stands Tall, the sports drama inspired by the story of the De La Salle Spartans; War Room, which hit #1 on the domestic box office chart; Risen, which followed the epic Biblical story of the Resurrection, as told through the eyes of a non-believer; and was the faith-based marketing partner with Columbia Pictures and TriStar Pictures for their films, Miracles From Heaven and the #2 faith-based film of all time, Heaven Is for Real. AFFIRM Films also released All Saints in August of 2017. In partnership with Sony Pictures Animation and Columbia Pictures, AFFIRM Films released the animated film, The Star, on November 17, 2017, the story of the first Christmas from the perspective of the animals in the stable. AFFIRM will next release Paul, Apostle of Christ, on March 28, 2018. AFFIRM Films is a division of Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions (SPWA), a Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) company. Visit the AFFIRM Films website.

Article ~ Your Eyes, Your Lamp

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It’s easy to fall into the trap of believing that you’re always right, especially when the basis for your argument at a particular moment stems from a principle or philosophy that you’ve abided by over time and you can swear unparalleled success by it. This not only increases pride, it also inhibits opportunities to show love, compassion, and mercy. Through these set of principles that you’ve so meticulously collected for yourself, you see and operate in the world in a certain way that progressively sets you in your ways, so that you become stricter in/by them, and even require others to submit to these principles with a sternness that has zero tolerance for any kind of flexibility. You may, in error, over time, view this as you becoming impressively more disciplined and sound-minded—which may be true to some degree—but dangerously more inclined toward arrogant and negative assertiveness.

How do you know which way you’re going?

When this “sound-mindedness” is increasingly more legalistic, but less loving, compassionate, forgiving, and merciful, and prefers judgment and the swift execution of it over any path that could lead to a form of redemption for the person/people on the opposite side—as opposed to patient consideration—then something is wrong. You have not only become dangerously rigid, but you have become proud in your wisdom and your perceived ability to implement it.

This attitude is usually paired with one that is complacent to seeking the face and will of God in a matter, whether trivial or serious. You’ve forgotten that each circumstance, no matter its close proximity/similarities to others prior, comes with its own unique set of issues that will most likely require as much a unique perspective to provide adequate solution to properly sooth the issue at hand and satisfy all needs arisen. God’s wisdom will always reign supreme over every situation that engulfs us, if we let it. But we must first seek it by seeking God every step of the way in our life-journey. To forget this and adopt the belief and lifestyle that since a particular idea that we “came up with” has served us well in the past—and so we must endeavor to morph it into a “certified formula” for all situations alike—depicts a degree of arrogance and haughtiness that is not only dangerous to you and to those around you, but highly destructive of a reality directed by love, patience, empathy, and compassion.

What you fail to understand is that God created man to see with the inner eyes of the mind and heart, which in turn translates to how we perceive whatever is presented before us. This is why two people could be witness to the same event, but venture to perceive the outcome quite differently. This is because the inner eyes lead one to form opinions and beliefs based upon past experiences and exposure, which persuade the individual to “see” certain events in particular ways that eventually build into their overall belief system and character.

With our inner eyes, we view the world in a way unique to us and deal with issues that arise according to the standards that we’ve set up. It is for this reason that Jesus warned about the sort of light we let into our bodies, for the eyes are the lamp of the soul. If the eyes are good, the body will be full of light, but if they are bad, they will plunge the body into darkness. And if the light that the eyes claim to see with is indeed darkness, then how great indeed that darkness is (see Matthew 6:22-23)! This is why it is extremely important that we are not wise in our own eyes (Proverbs 3:7). It only leads us to be hasty in decisions—as opposed to being patient in prayer—and then miss the way (Proverbs 19:2), because, for every person who operates outside of the wisdom of God, there is a way that seems right to them, but leads only to death (Proverbs 14:12).

What light [principle, way, belief system, philosophy] does your “eye” see through? Is it truly light, or a cloaked form of darkness?

The saddest aspect is when we punish others because of our erroneous judgment, or drag others down with our foolish “wisdom”. People in need of counsel or advice who, over time, have come to admire us for our “discipline”, may approach us to seek solution to their problem; we then dish out false teaching albeit ignorantly (and arrogantly), that cause these people to fall away from God’s true way without them realizing soon enough the danger they’re in and the possible damage that could ensue. In this behavior, we have become the dogs and swine that Jesus referred to (Matthew 7:6)—people take their precious pearls and what is holy and sacred to them and God (marriage/relationship issues, job issues, ministry/calling issues etc.) and turn to us. In our foolishness, we give wrong advice and unsound doctrine, trampling on these precious pearls, rather than helping to build them up.

When eventually nothing is seen to work in that particular issue—as per your advice—you suppose, with arrogant certainty, that the reason for such failed outcome was their incapability to apply what you told them correctly, and so whether openly or in private, you blame them for their “avoidably foolish” misfortune, absolving yourself of all blame. But, like the swine that Jesus referred to, you trampled on their pearls, and then turned around and accused (attacked) them. It was never your fault that your advice didn’t work; they simply didn’t do it right—is the opinion you choose to adopt. If you’re lucky (and there’s no such thing as luck. Only grace!), in retrospect—after God has given your “eyes” true light—you may finally understand the danger of this foolish wisdom that you once walked in, and even realize the damage being done in the lives of others who received it from you.

Unfortunately, a lot of times, it may be too late to reverse such damage or repair relationships destroyed by it. This is why we must pray every day, study God’s Word, and observe quiet times where you meditate and submit your soul—heart, mind, will, emotions—to the Holy Spirit’s guidance, wisdom, and counsel. It is by doing so that we constantly have our minds renewed and come to the true knowledge of God’s perfect will in each and every situation (Romans 12:2-3).

God bless you as you focus/keep your eyes on Him!

[image error]About The Editor

Miranda A. Uyeh is the founder and editor of To Be A Person (TBAP), the author of Christian Romance/Suspense fiction, To Die Once: Child of Grace #1, a Mogul Global Ambassador, and a copywriter. She was a one-time shortlisted judge for the Inspy Awards in 2014 in the Contemporary Romance & Romance/Suspense Category.

When Miranda isn’t reviewing books/entertainment or hosting interviews on TBAP, she’s writing, reading for fun or relaxing with a good movie! When she gets bored with the world, she talks to God about it! To learn more about her book, To Die Once, her journey as an author and her other activities, you can follow her personal website. You can also connect with her on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and Google+.

The article, Your Eyes, Your Lamp, first appeared on To Be A Person (TBAP).