Friday {in focus} ~ Same Road, Different Season

Have you ever noticed how the same road can look and be so different 

based on the season of life you're in?

Thankfully, God is the same today as He was yesterday and will be tomorrow.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

{Hebrews 13:8}

What road has your character traveled many times in many seasons?
How has that season changed his/her perspective on life?
How has that road changed them throughout the years they've traveled it?
Has your character discovered something new on that journey?

Life Happens, So Go with the Flow

First, let me apologize for how sporadic my posts have been in the past two months. I realize that good blogging etiquette means preparing posts ahead of time when you know you'll be on the road or absent for a while, but sometimes one becomes so busy they don't have time to set that up. And so, we go with the flow of life.

I'm not trying to make excuses for myself. I want to give you the courage to say, "Hey. Life happened. So I took some time off from one priority to focus on another that needed my attention."

Since I appreciate you, my reader, I would love to share what's been taking up my time these past two months:

The kids and I drove from New Mexico sunrises to...

Stop in Tennessee, where I signed my author/agent contract with 

Jonathan Clements of Wheelhouse Literary.

Then we headed for "home" and Upstate New York sunsets.

And family hikes...

We celebrated Ezra's 14th birthday.

I took the cousins to a Secret Keeper Girl : Crazy Hair Tour event.

And mid-September, we finally moved into our rental home.

I've been unpacking these for the past two weeks.

And these...

And these...

The best thing about our yard so far is the apple tree,

where she likes to come to eat.

The kids have started school at the local Christian academy.

We've celebrated my niece's Sweet 16.

And she and I both reacted this way when we found out she gets to go to Comic Con in October.

And we've celebrated Gooby's 9th birthday.

And finally, this week, the leaves have been turning amazing colors -

something I've been looking forward to seeing since we moved a little over a month ago.

And there you have it! It's been a busy month and a half, to say the least. I am pleased to have my office unpacked and be able to return to work, and my posts should become regular again soon. Thank you for your patience in the meantime. And remember, don't stress if life happens and some things cannot get done for a season. If they're important, they'll still be there when life settles down again. Give yourself and others some grace. It goes a long way...

Friday {in focus} ~ Created for Adventure

I've seen a lot of posts this week about stepping out of our comfort zones and living a life of adventure with God. Maybe these are a result of the down economy and a need to find new careers. Maybe these posts are about the evil occurring in this world and the need for Christian believers to take a stand for righteousness and truth. Maybe the authors are bored of the same-old, same-old routine of everyday life. Whatever the reason for the sudden flux of posts concerning stepping out, I wanted to post a reminder that God knows the path that He has intended for you and for me.

A man’s heart plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps.

~ Proverbs 16:9

Inspiring Encouragement - Greener Grass

Mary DeMuth has written an incredible book entitled Everything. Within the pages of this challenging read, she has several quotes worthy of sharing. You can find some of them on this Pinterest board. Here's one I created:

So often, we think our neighbor has it so much better. They can afford the two ATVs and the snowmobile. Their paint isn't peeling off their home. Their kids are involved in every activity under the sun. And they've always got a smile on their faces.

What we don't see are the credit cards piled up and the debt load they live under. We don't see the stress they feel with every new commitment. We don't hear the argument they had last night over the bill that didn't get paid. We don't see their despair.

The grass is greener where we water it. If we ponder the world and all of its supposed blessings for too long, we lose sight of the spiritual aspects of our life. The world will drag us down when Jesus will lift us up. We need to nurture that spiritual part of our being with the water of the Word. Then life will be full of growth and those things that keep us going forward in the kingdom of God, and our grass will be plenty green enough. (And our neighbors will wonder why we can't stop smiling.)

Mary's book will release on October 16th. You can pre-order it now at the following retailers:
Amazon
Barnes and Noble

Easter Devotion Five: Woe Is Me

Photo Courtesy of SSPivak

None of us enjoy grieving. Losing a loved one draws out emotions we prefer to keep at bay. We don't care to celebrate death. Instead, we mourn. We don our sackcloth and shed our tears.

It's in our human nature to wish our loved ones remained in their physical form with us rather than pass on into eternity. And frankly, it's quite selfish of us to desire they stay here full of pain and agony. Especially if we know they have accepted Jesus as their Savior and could spend eternity in heaven, free of pain, suffering and tears.

Just as the disciples gathered after the crucifixion of Jesus, we gather together to say goodbye at the funeral home.

Just as the disciples did after Jesus' death, we mourn and weep.

"Now when He rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene...
 She went and told those who had been with Him, as they mourned and wept.
 And then they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe." ~ Mark 16:9-11

The disciples forgot what Jesus had told them before He endured the cross. They forgot that He promised them this was not the end. They forgot He promised them He would rebuild the temple. They forgot He told them He'd send them a Helper.

They suffered in their pain, rather than rejoicing in the abundance of life.

Jesus reminds us in John 16 that the pain and sorrow of labor is but a fleeting thing. The joy of new life replaces the anguish, and the anguish is quickly forgotten. (See verse 21.)

"Therefore now you have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you." - John 16:22 

God promises us that our sorrows will be turned into joy. A joy which no one can ever remove.

As a mother of four, some mornings feel like joy suckers woke up in the place of my children. The bickering and antagonizing begins with the opening of eye lids. It's not the way I'd choose to start my day. I could quickly lose my God-given joy.

But instead, I turn to Jesus. I pray. I read the Word. I fill myself with God's thoughts and ways before the break of dawn. I remember the promises of life He provides for me. 

"You will show me the path of life;
 In Your presence is fullness of joy;
 At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore."
 - Psalm 16:11

When I remember this, I refuse to allow another's attitude to steal the joy from my heart and my day. I don't have to. God promises it belongs to me. 

How do we receive this everlasting joy? Jesus tells us in John 16:24 it's as simple as asking:

"Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full."

When we seek the Father's will for our lives, when we ask these things in Jesus' name, our joy will be made full. God will provide what we need to fulfill His purposes for our lives. And when we walk in that, we find our hearts flooded with His presence and the joy that comes from an abundant life and fulfillment.

Lord, help us to put off a spirit of sorrow and replace it with Your abundance of life. Help us to find joy and to celebrate life, rather than wallow in our tears and sackcloth. Help us to believe in Your Truth, receiving the blessings You've promised us in this life. We ask that Your will be done in our lives, in Jesus' name. Amen.       

Join Me for an Easter Celebration

Photo Courtesy of Patrizio Martorana

Easter Sunday is on April 8th, one week away. In honor of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, I will be posting daily this week. I will share my thoughts on the events leading up to His crucifixion.

I hope you will join me in celebrating abundant life over the next week! The first post will be up tomorrow, April 1st, at 3:00 PM EST.

And Happy Resurrection Day! To life!

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 
For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved." - John 3:16-17