"The Sacred Year" by Michael Yankoski

Are you perhaps having moments that you are asking deep questions about why or how?  Is your soul longing for something more?  Well, if you answered yes to either of these this book might be the one for you to read right now.

I was given this book to read to review by Litfuse Publicity and Thomas Nelson Publishers to give my honest thoughts about and I loved it!  I loved the honesty, the rawness of his questions and the steps he made to find answers were at times funny, at times heart wrenching, and others I was asking really?  did he really do that?

My book is dog eared on so many pages for me to go back and remember the times that spoke to my soul.  The time he wrote about dumpster diving brought laughter to my mind picturing this man reclaiming some of his things or someone else's.  Freeing is the word he used to describe the experience.

Another of the processes that Michael undertook was to actually dig a grave - (yes you read it right).  It took 1405 shovelfuls to dig the grave.  It was about trying to come to terms with his own mortality.  I think we all struggle with this, but how many of us went out to the grave yard to face it by digging a grave?  His words describing the whole process touched my heart in some weird way almost like his weird idea of doing it, but I think it brought both us both a peace.  Odd has that may sound.  Michael perhaps dug for many of us!

The Confession chapter was another one that just really grasp my attention in a whole new way of thinking.  I would not want to spoil any of this chapter for anyone other than to say comparing our sin to cancer and the way it eats away at us, but that God indeed loves us through it all.  

Michael took a journey that many of us would never be brave enough to take the steps for ourselves.  We are able to learn from his experiences and his honesty things about our own spiritual journey.  A reminder of to continually be in awe of God in the little things of life as well as the big things.  To always look for Him in each moment and perhaps to really look at an apple, or place a hazelnut in your pocket to be a reminder for you about God's amazing love!

I want to encourage you to purchase this wonderful book filled with honesty, boldness, creativity, questions, reality, and truth.  You may purchase this book at Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, any place you purchase books it is available and it is worth the time and the money!  I don't think you would ever be disappointed you spent either one on this book.

Blessings,

Debbie

A very brave bold woman...a little like an eagle?

I wanted a picture for bold this morning for this blog.  It was interesting what came up for bold a few of the findings were eagles, bold colors, comparisons of the word bold vs. shy, a interesting man in feathers and bright colors, even an ostrich, but immediately the eagle was my choice.  It reminded me of one of my favorite scriptures from Isaiah 40:31; but those that hope in the LORD will renew their strength.  They will soar on wings like eagles...

Indeed the woman that I want to share with you and encourage you to study is a woman that is found in 2 Kings 22.  Her name is Huldah.  Yes, don't you want to encourage your friends to name their little girls Huldah?  You will even more when you learn that it means "weazel"!  Yes, but during the times of Huldah and in the culture that wasn't necessarily a bad thing according to commentaries after all the weazel came from the mink family.  So, how many little Huldah's will we be meeting?

Seriously, Huldah is a special woman that this past week in Bible study we took a closer look into her story.  We know little, but what we do know is she was very brave.  She had a reputation that preceded her because when the king needed some help, his trusted advisers sought her out.  Yes, it would be kinda of like the president's inner circle coming to your home wanting your thoughts! 

Imagine for a moment you were going about your everyday life and suddenly a bunch of black SUV's suddenly pull up in your driveway.  You open the door and they begin to question you on what is happening around you right now.  Yes, the bad stuff going on.  Are you going to share your true thoughts or hold back?  Well, Huldah knew what God's will was and she shared His truths.  She didn't share her own feelings, she shared God's truth.  You may ask how did she know His truths?  Well, she was one of His prophets.  One of 3 women in the Old Testament referred to in this way and she was bold by speaking His Truths.  She didn't sugarcoat the truth to make anybody feel better ~ nope she spoke it exactly because she cared deeply for her nation!  She offered hope through offering the truth.  Huldah was in relationship with God and we all need  in one too.  

The story is a story of God's truth being lost.  Where was it lost?  Well, that's what's even a sadder truth...It was lost in the temple.  Yes, God's truth was housed in the temple.  It fell to disrepair and for whatever reason it was lost to the priest, the leaders everyone for years.  Is God's truth perhaps lost on some of our leaders?  Read this chapter in God's Word and ponder it for yourself and relate it to our world right now!

One way to be in relationship is to know God's Word, not what we think it says...what it really does say.  Stand for that truth!  Today, look up the story of a very special woman named Huldah that was indeed bold like the eagle soaring to new strength, because she found her hope in the LORD!

Sweet blessings,

Debbie

Sharing from my heart...

Have you ever been in a situation that just boggles your mind?  

The type that you think is so clear, but it seems nobody else sees it the same way?

Well, what do you do?  Do you continue to talk to everyone around you or do you perhaps pick up God's Word?

I listen to the news.  I listen to conversations in and around me; and well it is a sad world listening to all the talk, so do I believe these situations are without hope?

NO, because I have God's Word.  What about people that don't?  How do they have hope in this world?  How do you have hope, if you aren't in a relationship with the LORD?

It is my prayer that you do, but if you don't please give yourself a gift and go to Amazon.com or a local bookstore and purchase a Bible.  Pick it up and perhaps start in John to get to know Jesus look it up in the table of contents.  Once you read about Jesus then ask Him into your heart and find a local church to get to know more about Jesus.

We do have hope and we have hope only because of Jesus!  

It breaks my heart that so many people are around us daily that don't know God's Word.  They only know one or two verses from memory or they vaguely remember something someone long ago shared with them or perhaps they don't know anything at all and part of that rest with people like me and perhaps you because we are falling down on our part of the journey.  We aren't sharing God's Word with those around us.  Share today!

I will never forget how my life changed when I actually picked up God's Word and read it for myself and He began to speak into my life.  It was just like the picture above things began to clear up and break open for my life.  I am a living testimony to the difference of just opening up the Bible and beginning this wonderful journey with Jesus.  My life changed and I know what I believe because I have a relationship with Jesus myself.  It isn't because my parents, my friends, or even my pastors told me about it...it was because I know about it myself.  Yes, all of these people made and make a difference, but Jesus is the answer!

Open it up today and discover Jesus!

Sweet blessings,

Debbie