Monday, March 28, 2016

Moment



How often do we not see?  I mean really see!

Yesterday, I felt the Lord really leading me to Luke 24 with the story of the walk to Emmaus.  Over and over it was rolling in my head how often do I miss that Jesus is with me?  How often am I business as usual going about everyday life and I miss Jesus because I don't take the time to be with Him?  I don't take the time to open His Word up and see?  I don't hear the Word He is whispering over and over in my ear because I am focused on things of this world that just aren't that important...the stuff of this world that catches our focus and we miss out on Him!

I love this story...these 2 people are so human.  Caught up in the Jesus story yet they don't recognize Him  ~ until they are focusing on the words Jesus is sharing and the breaking of the bread with Him!  Do you ever have a light bulb moment and suddenly you hear plain as day what He has been doing in your life trying to get your attention for months, days, even longer?

Isn't it cool that He meets on the road wherever we are headed?  He pursues us!

Check out Luke 24:32 (read the whole story) but I loved this verse...
They began telling each other how their hearts had felt strangely warm as He talked with them and explained the Scripture during the walk down the road.  Isn't it true?  Strangely warm is Jesus working in our hearts!  I know you feel it too!  Share His Words with those you meet and don't miss a moment!

Sweet blessings,
Debbie

Wednesday, March 23, 2016

A time...



It's all about God's timing ~ not mine!

Recently, I've had several people asking questions about where have you been?  What are you up to?  Why haven't we seen you?  What's up?

Well, I'm in a new season.  I don't know exactly would be the answer other than to say it's a growing period.  God is growing me.  Growing is interesting.  It's not always easy.  It's not always what we desire.  It's not exactly what we have on our calendars, because lots of times it presents more questions.  

I do know that I am listening and I am growing closer to Him!  It looks different from the busy season of the last ten years or so.  (that alone is very strange for me and very strange to be obedient)  I got use to the hustle and the bustle of doing ministry, but I was loosing the relationship with God.  I was doing and forgetting what sometimes we need the most - HIM!

So hope this answers a few questions for you and I leave you with this scripture that explains it a little bit from Ecclesiastes 3 ~ 
There is a right time for everything:

A time to be born;
A time to die;
A time to plant;
A time to harvest;

A time to kill;
A time to heal;
A time to destroy;
A time to rebuild;
A time to cry;
A time to laugh;
A time to grieve;
A time to dance;
A time for scattering stones;
A time for gathering stones;
A time to hug;
A time not to hug;
A time to find;
A time to lose;
A time for keeping;
A time for throwing away;
A time to tear;
A time to repair;
A time to be quiet;
A time to speak up;
A time for loving;
A time for hating;
A time for war;
A time for peace

It's time for me to just let God teach me in this growing time...so that is where I am.  

Sweet blessings,
Debbie

Monday, March 14, 2016

Fabulous is the only word to describe Miriam!



Front cover to the last page is a must!  The cover captures your attention the moment you pick it up and then with each chapter building to the Israelites leaving Egypt headed to the promise land is beyond words!

Let me share up front that I received this book from Waterbook Press, a division of Penguin Random House in exchange for an honest review.  Honestly, it is so good!  If you enjoy Christian fiction then you are going to love the story of Miriam told through Mesu Andrews.  Mesu weaves a beautiful tapestry from Pharaohs home to Miriams in the slave Goshen. Perhaps you will see the relationships between the Egyptians and the Israelites in a new light.  The difficulty of bridging gaps then and still to this day are woven beautifully all the time sharing the story that God shared beautifully the first time!  A story of terrible situations, but of great love.  A story of family love with jealousy, honesty, and do what's throughout!

I love God's Word!  I believe that Mesu stayed very true to the story through her research and God's Word taking us deeper into thinking about the people that lived through the plagues, the difficult time of slavery, and then the absolute wide eyed walk or ride through on the ground with the Red Sea surrounding all of them.  I loved how Mesu had Aaron's wife sharing she wasn't going to be the first one through, which who knows who it was, but I know some wife was expressing exactly what she shared...let somebody else go first!  Yet, Moses being the leader and very directly telling her that she would be in the first group!

In my book reviews I don't like to give a lot away about the story.  I like for each reader to discover the story for yourself.  Give yourself a true gift of enjoyment with transformation at the same time!

Miriam shared a very special relationship with God.  Suddenly her brother was back with the huge task of leading the people out of Egypt.  Never once before this book did I give much thought to how this changed Miriam and her feelings, her relationship with God.  God doesn't change, but we do.  We change with circumstances and her circumstances were changing.  The feelings inside her were welling up and I loved how she shared (Mesu) how this might possibly have affected Miriam.  After all, we humans have a tendency whether now or in Miriam's time to think about ourselves.  Miriam at one point questions "Why are the delightful moments with You so fleeting?  Why am I so easily drawn into bitterness and pettiness?" and God's reply is Because you're angry with Me.

I love Mesu's writing because she shares truth through a story that God shares with us!  We see ourselves and we see real world right now through stories of long ago.  God transforms us through Mesu's writings.

Order your book today from Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, Lifeway or the place you get your books!  It is 5 star worthy in my humble opinion!  I am an avid reader and I love nothing more than sharing great books and this is one of them!

The book releases tomorrow, so pre-order today on Amazon and it will be to your house very quickly!



Sweet blessings and happy reading,

Debbie