Everyday's A Gift--Reprint by Kirk Cameron

I've got a little encouragement for you. 

There are few things meant to be encouraging about the results of the last election that actually do encourage me, so when I got a lift from reading this, I knew at once I'd like to share it with you. 

From a clip in a local paper, by the well known Christian actor, Kirk Cameron:

First, Kirk talks about times in history when things really looked black: After the fall, after Cain killed Abel, as Noah watched the flood cover the earth, when Moses was trapped between Pharoah and the Sea; finally, when Mary and the disciple watched Jesus die on the cross...It would have been easy for each person around at the time to think the world was really over. Or that hope had died.

But he writes:

"Today there are many who think the world is almost over. All signs say, 'Panic!' The economy. Moral decay. Spiritual decline. Godlessness. But if the past is any indicator of the future, then hold on. God has a plan! He isn't finished. He made this world and he loves it so much he sent his son to save it. He has promised to reverse the curse, reconcile the world to Himself, and restore all things. While this present darkness in our culture may seem great, God's promise is to flood the darkness with light, crush the serpent's head, and make all his enemies his footstool." 

Kirk also wrote: 

"Even now, Jesus is seated next to the Father in Heaven, ruling and reigning, in session with the Trinity..."

Great reminder: The days of evil are truly numbered. Let's get busy helping to point the lost to Christ while there's still time.

"Let's lift up our head, strengthen our weary bones, and get busy discipling the nations like Jesus commanded us to. Exciting days ahead!"

Thanks, Kirk! Now that's a fresh take on these dismal political and economic times! And Good News to this weary soul. Do you agree? 

Leave me a comment. Let's talk about it.

This week's giveaway book, up for grabs, is An English Christmas, by Paula Tanner Girard. As always, leaving a comment enters you in the drawing for the book *(US only, sorry). Drawing held on December 7, 2012. 

An English Christmas is copyrighted 2001 but isn't in print anymore, not even on Amazon, so this is an excellent opportunity to get your hands on a compilation of  two Christmas regency stories. (It is two books in one: A Father For Christmas, and A Husband For Christmas.) I must add a caveat: It is not a Christian historical, but tame, as far as secular regencies go. The writing is good, I assure you, and the heroine is refreshingly modest and devout. Nevertheless, it reminds me why I started writing to begin with: to give the world regencies (that are wonderful, God willing!) without making us endure too much of a secular viewpoint, most often which is conveyed through the heroes' POVS (point of views). I wouldn't be offering the book as a giveaway, however, if I didn't enjoy it, myself.  
 

Leave a thought about today's post and I'll enter you in the drawing! If you don't win, remember that I do new drawings almost every week of the year, so COME BACK. Better yet, enter your email to the feedburner box on the right side of this blog, and you'll get new posts with giveaway information right in your inbox.
Until next time,

Warmest Blessings,

Linore 
PS: You can read Kirk Cameron's testimony of how he came to Christ here. 

*For those outside the US: if you're willing to pay the shipping, you may enter the drawing for the book.  

 

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THE WOMAN NEXT IN LINE

TobyMac is putting out a book of encouragement, and asked for contributions for the
website. I shared a very brief story about "the woman next in line." A true little thing that happened to me once,and which I hope will encourage you. You can read it, HERE. Afterwards, take a moment and browse the other stories people have sent in, and maybe even think about getting TobyMac's book when it comes out.

Warmest blessings,


Linore

Image from etfotolia.com

Five Reasons (Women of Faith) Lose Their Spark

Do these pitfalls apply to you? Check out this article from the site "Revive Your Spark" and find out.

You've heard of 'food for thought'? You just might get 'food for prayer,' here. I know I did.
Warmest blessings,

Linore

YES, I CAN!

We Are Able

Hello from Bonnie in rainy Southern Oregon.


How often do you feel unfit to fulfill the call of God on your life? Once a month? Once a week? Once a day? More than that? I don’t keep track, but I know I frequently doubt my abilities as a writer, a teacher, mentor, wife and mother. When I don’t reach my expectations I feel I’ve failed. We’re all uncertain, some of the time, about our skills and our readiness to fulfill obligations. I believe our lack of confidence exists because we rely upon the wrong power source.

We tell ourselves we’re not smart enough, not capable enough, not gifted enough. And we aren’t, not when we rely upon ourselves instead of God. He decided long ago who we would be and what our life should look like. He created us with the gifts and talents and passions he wanted for us. When we can’t see beyond our own vision and desires we restrict the power of God to use us.

I've faced challenges with sucees, but there have been times when I’ve thought, “God you ask too much of me. This is too hard. I can’t do it.” In those moments I am weak and sometimes I've actually felt as if I’ve been set adrift. When I find myself in such a place it’s because I’ve sought strength in myself rather than in Him.

God is our supply. When we seek him with our whole heart and place all that we are in his capable hands, then he will whisper to our spirits, “You can do all things through me,” and we will believe it.

Sometimes we’re going to feel inadequate. It’s okay. We’re just human. But don’t stay in that place, trapped by unreasonable expectations and an inability to produce perfection. God doesn’t ask us to be perfect. He asks us to trust him more than we trust ourselves. When it’s hard to push on, reach for the true source of power. He lives in us and he will supply all our needs.

Seek him first. Never let a lack of natural ability keep you from fulfilling His call. He wouldn’t ask us to give if he hadn’t provided us with what we need.


[This is a reprint from the CAN blog (Christian Authors' Network) by Bonnie Leon.]


Posted at 02:27 PM in Bonnie Leon | Permalink

I'm furiously at work on my next novel, which leaves me short on time for blogging. Until I meet this deadline with my agent, I'll be sharing mostly short, succinct posts or quotes from my personal collection. If I can team up a quote with a scripture, I'll do so.

When read often, encouraging quotes can be quite powerful, and scripture, of course, never returns to God void. In other words, it has inherent power. Use it in your life daily!

"Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time."
Thomas A. Edison

And, "With God, all things are possible."
Matthew 19:26

ARE YOU THIRSTY?

"Come all you who are thirsty,
come to the waters;
and you who have no money,
come, buy and eat!" Isaiah 55:1

I love this verse. God offers to meet our needs
fully and unconditionally if we only go to Him!
Notice he is aware of our thirst ("you who are thirsty")--and offers "waters."
The very thing we need. He not only has what we need precisely,but
he has an abundance of it! ("Waters, plural. There's plenty, he seems
to be saying.)

He is aware of our hunger, (come and eat) and
our poverty--our inability to meet our own needs effectively.
("you who have no money.")
Then, He tells us, we who have no money but are hungry,
to "come, buy and eat."

Why does he tell us to "buy" if we have no money?
There can be only one answer. Because what he offers
has already been paid for. It is free--to us. But there was a price,
and Jesus Christ paid it. He "paid our way" for the banquet
of God. We can feast on God as much as we like. We need
only come, with His "ticket" (our faith in Christ) and we get
entry to the feast.

Have you handed in your ticket today?
Or are you allowing your soul to hunger and thirst when the Lord
is eager and ready to fill your need?

"If a person is admitted into the vault of a bank, and told to help
himself, and comes out with one cent, whose fault is it that he is poor?"*

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, Thank you for being the answer to our
needs--of any kind. Thank you for the living water you offer, the
solace when we are hurting, the healing in your wings. Thank you for
having and being all that we need now, or will ever need. Help us
today to trust you for all that is required from us. May we rest
in your comfort, and your riches of mercy and grace to help us in our
need. May we drink freely from your fount, and eat of your bread
simply because we CAN--through Christ--and you encourage us to. Amen.

WORSHIP: Worship the Lord for how He can answer your problems today,
and meet all your needs, whether you can see his answer and help right now, or not.
(Remember, them that honor him, He will honor!)

hugs,

Linore

Note: Today's image is from livwat.com (their logo)

You may have surmised by now that I read a couple different devotionals. I don't always read each one every day, but I do play "catch up" if I need to, so I don't miss anything wonderful. (smile) I have reached the conclusion, however, that if I miss a needed message from one source, God will nevertheless speak to me through another one. He is so faithful.

Today, this brief message was encouraging to me. I'm facing a mega-crowded schedule, and I need the engery to do it all! I pray that it encourages you also.

From Nancy Leigh DeMoss:

God Grants Stamina

Lessons from the Life of Joshua (Part 11): Waging and Winning Spiritual Battles

Do you ever find it easier to start a project than to finish it? As he began his military command, Joshua fought some exciting, dramatic battles. But as the years progressed, stamina was required to finish the job he'd been called to tackle.

• The Christian life is lived, fought, and won one step at a time. There are no shortcuts, no such thing as instantaneous sanctification.
• There's no avoiding the enemy until we are through with this life--don't expect it to be easy. Don't expect instantaneous growth, instantaneous victory.
• The goal of the Christian life is to bring all things into subjection to Jesus Christ in every area of my life. Every particle of my life belongs to Him, but in order to get to that point, I'm going to have to fight battles on different fronts.

PS: Six more people subscribed yesterday--not enough for me to hold the drawing. I'm extending it for one more day, for that reason.

RULES: When TEN new people subscribe to this blog, I will choose from among them and award one person a copy of my latest historical romance, "The House in Grosvenor Square."

Subscribe by entering your email in the box at left. It's that simple! Winner will be chosen the evening after reaching the number of 25 subscribers.

Send your friends over! Thanks!

“But God raised Him from the dead” (Acts 13:30).

[Today's guest devotional is from Author and Speaker Kathi Macias. You can learn more about Kathi through the links at the end of this post. In case you're new here, I'll be using guest devotionals until I meet the deadline for my current book, which is the first week of June. ] Linore

We all know that nothing is impossible with God, but do we really believe it? How many of us are up against situations that overwhelm and dismay us, as we realize how impotent we are to overcome them? But do we also realize that’s exactly where God wants us to be—at the end of ourselves and totally dependent on the God of the impossible to get us through?

Acts 13:30 sums it up so well: But God raised Him from the dead. After Jesus was arrested and falsely accused, tortured and tormented, nailed to a Cross where He hung between heaven and earth—for us—and then sealed in a tomb, GOD RAISED HIM FROM THE DEAD. Think about it: It doesn’t get much more hopeless than being murdered and sealed in a tomb. But even then, God can bring life from death.

At the same time, it’s important to remember that the Father didn’t spare the Son when it came to the agony of the Cross. He didn’t take Him over or under or around it—He took Him through it. And that’s what He offers to do for us. As difficult as our trials may seem at the time, we don’t have to walk through them alone. Not only will He walk beside us if we take His outstretched hand, but He will carry us if necessary.

I recently re-watched one of my favorite movies, “The Hiding Place,” where I was reminded of this great quote: “There is no pit so deep that God’s love is not deeper still.” Whatever you’re facing today and however deep your pit may seem, God’s love is deeper still, and there is nothing impossible for Him. Rest in that powerful truth, beloved—and watch Him bring forth life from the dead.

***Please take a moment to visit my website at www.kathimacias.com to sign my guestbook or leave a comment on my blog for a chance to win one of my new books.

***Also, please visit www.setfreetoday.com, where I serve as Spiritual Director. Come as you are…leave with a new beginning! Drop us a note or prayer request while you’re there.

Communicating the vision… (Hab.2:2)
alandkathi@ca.rr.com
www.kathimacias.com