Janet Sketchley's Blog: Tenacity, page 105

Flee. Pursue. Enjoy.

Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead, pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace. Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts.
2 Timothy 2:22, NLT*

…not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
Hebrews 10:25, NLT*

The Apostle Paul’s words to Timothy are ones we need to hear today in our fragmented, too-busy world.

Run from—the NIV says fle...

Review: An Unexpected Glory, by Marcia Lee Laycock

An Unexpected Glory, by Marcia Lee Laycock (Helping Hands Press, 2013)

Christmas pageants. Intensive practice and preparation, with so much pressure to get everything just right.

For Pastor Steve, there’s an extra weight. The annual performance generates most of the revenue needed to run the homeless shelter for another year.

The community loves this event, with its elaborate costumes and skilled acting. But the day before the show, with the bills adding up, Pastor Steve is told his actors—and t...

Interview: Historical Author Janice L. Dick

Janice L. Dick writes richly evocative historical novels about the Mennonite people in Russia during the first part of the 20th century – around the time of the revolution and Stalin’s regime. I loved her Storm Series, set in southern Russia in 1914. Janice agreed to chat with us today about her new novel, Other Side of the River.

Janet: Welcome, Janice, and thanks for taking time to join us. Congratulations on the publication of Other Side of the River! This novel is releasing differently fro...

Life. God Promised.

This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus. I have been sent out to tell others about the life he has promised through faith in Christ Jesus.
2 Timothy 1:1, NLT*

The life: Accepting Christ gives us more than eternal life with God when we die. It gives us new life in the here and now. It’s a spiritual rebirth, so we can grow in relationship with God. He hears our prayers and responds to us. As the Good Shepherd, He directs and protects us, and leads us...

Review: 30 Days: A Devotional Memoir, by D. M. Webb

30 Days: A Devotional Memoir, by D. M. Webb (Ambassador International, 2013)

Spiritual growth and change often spring from the everyday moments. In 30 Days, D. M. Webb shares through Scripture and anecdotes how God met and cared for her in a 3-year stretch of trials and turmoil. 30 Days is a transparent look at one woman’s life lessons that will encourage and challenge readers in their own lives.

This is a memoir devotional, but it’s not the conventional “life story” autobiography type. These a...

Shocking the World with Generosity, by Dineen Miller

Today we have a guest post from award-winning author Dineen Miller. Read on to be encouraged and challenged. Dineen has graciously offered a copy of the new book she co-authored with Lynn Donovan,Not Alone, to one of our readers in Canada or the US. To enter, please leave us a comment. Draw closes midnight, Nov. 29.

Shocking the World with Generosity
by Dineen Miller

I stood on the knoll of a grassy field, watching my youngest daughter, Leslie, then only five years old, as she kicked off her sho...

Spiritual Check-up

But women will be saved through childbearing, assuming they continue to live in faith, love, holiness, and modesty.
1 Timothy 2:15, NLT* (emphasis mine)

I hesitated to use this verse, so let’s get the obstacle out of the way first. The “childbearing” part has been misused and has caused great pain to single or infertile women. Footnotes for this verse in the NLT say it can also mean “will be saved by accepting their role as mothers, or will be saved by the birth of the Child.” Me, I like the l...

Review: Dark Justice, by Brandilyn Collins

Dark Justice, by Brandilyn Collins (Broadman & Holman, 2013)

When Hannah Shire and her elderly mother stop on a deserted road to assist the victim of a car crash, they’re pulled into a terrorist plot to take down the entire US power grid and send the country into darkness.

The victim passes on a message—and a warning not to tell anyone, even the police. With no idea what’s at stake or who to trust or what the message means, Hannah and her mother, Carol, are soon on the run. She tries to keep he...

Interview: Carole Brown (part 2)

Janet: Welcome back, Carole. As I said last week, Caralynne and her struggle upstaged you at the start of this interview. How about introducing us to Carole Brown?

Carole: I don’t mind; it’s important her story be told! But if you insist (lol):

Holidays are favorites of mine because I get to spend time with family. Love decorating for the fall and Christmas seasons more than any other, but have learned to appreciate Thanksgiving because of the many blessings I’ve been given, and Easter because...

God’s Strength for God’s Work

I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength to do his work. He considered me trustworthy and appointed me to serve him…

1 Timothy 1:12, NLT*

Jesus gives Paul the strength, and considers him trustworthy despite Paul’s past.

And the work is Jesus’ work, not Paul’s. Not mine. Not yours.

In Paul’s case, it’s high-profile, dangerous work. For most of us, it’s not. We’re parents, employees or employers, citizens, neighbours, friends, shoppers etc. It’s still more than we can handle in our...