Promoting in a Christian World

On August 22, 2012August 21, 2012 By Naty MatosIn Writing Happenings5 Comments

I’m not sure who it was. I was listening to the radio and there was a Christian artist who was being interviewed. He said that he struggled with promoting his work because people would be looking at him and crediting him for his work and not necessarily God. He said that through prayer he realized that this was his business and that not promoting it would not be wise, but that he had to make sure of two things:

1) Keep his focus on the Lord

2) Give God the Glory for his success

I read the following scripture and it reminded me of this…

2 Corinthians 10:17-18

But, “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.” For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.

That was the main messages that Tim Tebow tried to impart on people, that yes he had great abilities but they were given to him by God and any success he had was given by Him and him only.

I know at the beginning of my journey as an author I thought I should not place my name on anything. I should not promote anything and let God place my things where they should. Like the singer, whom I wish I could remember his name, I realized that if I hid under a rock nobody would find the message that God had entrusted in me. I would be just like the man who hid the talent that God gave him in the parable. However, although my name is there, I make sure that when people cheer me on, to tell them that it was all God. That I am just using what I was given for the Glory of the Kingdom and He who called me to proclaim His message. All the honor, glory and accolades belong to HIM.

Christian Authors, Artists, Business Owners, have you struggle with this? How have you reconciled this concept?

Until then, Be Be blessed!

In Growth Lessons, I was reminded of this beautiful truth: Our walk with the Lord is a process of growing up into the image of Christ. P. Yates

I would recommend this book for anyone who would like some common sense and light added to their life. C. Cunningham

Great for meditations and daily devotions. N. Thames

Book Review: Eyelash

On August 20, 2012August 19, 2012 By Naty MatosIn Book ReviewLeave a comment

I have to admit that I struggled with this book a little. It has a somewhat slow beginning, but when a book makes me forget that I’m reading and gets me inside the action feeling all sorts of emotions, you can’t deny that it is a good book!

This is the story of a couple of professionals who decide to leave the hustle and bustle of New York City to open a bed and breakfast near the city. The first issue is that they don’t share the excitement about the decision. It’s the husband, Dan, who being sick with his corporate job who wants out and into the entrepreneurship life. On the other hand, his wife Laina, is very happy with her career and the prospect of growth, but in an unexpected turn of events those prospects are cut off and in a swift decision she agrees to move to Cape May to open up the B&B.

And you would think that the business went bad or something and that’s the issue. No. Dan, who was the one who wanted the B&B decides to be the entertainment director ( just to give himself a title) and leave all the hard work to his wife. I admit that for the large part of the book I was super angry with Dan and wanted to see him suffer greatly. The author’s heart is better than mine and she did put him through some hurdles, but I wanted a little bit more.hahaha!

The kicker to this story is that Laina has a cousin, Tia. Who decides to invite her to Las Vegas so that she can catch a break from the life at the B&B. Laina accepts not only because she needs the time away, but because her inconsiderate husband needs to experience how much she does and how much of him is required to run the B&B.

All those who know about my reviews know that I hate to spoil the fun, but let me just say this; I literally read the last two chapters with my mouth open.

This is a great book to read by a poolside or the beach, when you want some lighthearted reading. Good job Mary Anne Benedetto. I look forward to reading more from this author.

Mary Anne Benedetto is a speaker, blogger, Certified Lifewriting Instructor, ghostwriter and author of 7 Easy Steps to Memoir Writing: Build a Priceless Legacy One Story at a Time!,Eyelash and Never Say Perfect. She enjoys world travel and walking the spectacular South Carolina beaches. Web site: http://www.awriterspresence.com Blogs:http://www.maryannebenedetto.blogspot.com

and http://www.4womenwholove2travel.blogspot.com

WF: Carry Me Through

On August 17, 2012August 2, 2012 By Naty MatosIn WorshipLeave a comment

The best introduction to this worship song is found in

Matthew 11:28

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

Happy Friday!

WF: Worship Friday

On The Road with “The Road Home”

If you are in the GA area come meet me at Parkside Bakery & Café from 10am-2pm Both my books will be available for sale. Looking forward to seeing you.

Keeping the Sabbath

On August 15, 2012August 14, 2012 By Naty MatosIn Inspirational ThoughtsLeave a comment

“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work,¹⁰but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. Exodus 20:8

In the passage above we read that we are supposed to rest. Our modern life goes totally against this principle. When God created the world including humanity everything worked inside a principle of balance.

Do you remember that ecosystem science project in school? You needed certain elements for everything to function properly. The same way our lives were designed to work, to have fun but also to rest. The Word of God doesn’t call us to exhaust ourselves and wait for a week vacation once in a while to recuperate, it says that out of every seven days we need one to rest.

Society works against this principle. Our “days off” are usually the weekends, and what do we do with those? Some people work, some people spend both days running errands, doing housework. And like a good friend of mine would say, How is that working for you? How is your body functioning on little rest? How is your relationship with God when your mind is cluttered with business? How is your relationship with those around you when they don’t have down time with you?

Like I said before, everything in God’s perfect plan has an order and a purpose, so aside from obedience conserving the Sabbath is about the balance in our lives to fulfill God’s purpose.

Be blessed

If you want to read about some of my own life lessons in my walk with Christ, check out my book Growth Lessons.

In Growth Lessons, I was reminded of this beautiful truth: Our walk with the Lord is a process of growing up into the image of Christ. P. Yates

I would recommend this book for anyone who would like some common sense and light added to their life. C. Cunningham

Great for meditations and daily devotions. N. Thames

New Release: Dawn Singer

On August 13, 2012August 12, 2012 By Naty MatosIn Book Review8 Comments

“Janalyn Voigt is a fresh voice in the realm of fantasy. Her writing is crisp, her verbs muscular, and it’s all wrapped up in a lyrical style. Blending action and romance, Dawn Singer is a journey through fear, failure, and faith, and I look forward to its sequel.”

– Eric Wilson, NY Times bestselling author

of Valley of Bones and One Step Away

Paradoxical Truths Revealed

A new speculative fiction story releases this summer that captures several paradoxical truths, including: freedom comes through sacrifice – AND – victory comes through surrender. allegorical fantasy readers will be spellbound by the incredible imagery and symbolism throughout Dawn Singer, authored by Janalyn Voigt. Some of the key points in the book include:

Freedom through sacrifice. When the willful but reverent main character, Shae, learns her secret identity, she has to decide whether to accept her true calling. Although it may cost her everything, the salvation of a nation hangs in the balance. Shae represents the church. We each must lay down our will and our lives to bring freedom to others.

Overcoming prejudice with unity. In Dawn Singer, the clash is not over color of skin but between classes of being. Elderland was already inhabited by the Elder nation when the Kindren entered it from another world through a gate that closed behind them. The Elder accepted the Kindren’s occupation of Elder land because they didn’t want to live in the areas where they settled—areas within reach of garns (goblenesque creatures) and welkes (giant birds of prey). Dawn Singer opens as an unknown enemy stirs strife between Kindren and Elder in an attempt to divide and conquer Elder land. As a result, the alliance of Faeraven, a group of Kindren kingdoms ruled by a widowed High Queen, begins to fall apart. This story arc, which spans three novels, is based in large part on Voigt’s father’s experiences of prejudice as a half-breed Native American.

Serving rather than ruling. As the High Queen’s health fails, Kai, the hero of Dawn Singer, must choose whether to reign and rule in his homeland or to continue in service to the new High King at her death. Kai’s decision inspires Shae to make her own.

Conquering fear by not letting it consume you. In Pilaer Hold, an ancient place of defeat for the Kindren, wraiths rush toward Kai and Shae’s other protectors. They draw their swords, but the more wraiths they dispatch, the more arise. They learn that to defeat fear, something else is needed.

About the Author:

Janalyn Voigt’s epic fantasy trilogy, Tales of Faeraven, starting with Dawn Singer, is published by Harbourlight Books. Janalyn also writes in the western romance genre. She is represented by Barbara Scott of Wordserve Literary. Her nonfiction publication credits include Focus on the Family, Scripture Press (now David C. Cook) and Pentecostal Evangel. She serves as a literary judge for several national contests and is an active book reviewer. Her memberships include ACFW and NCWA. Janalyn lives in a quiet corner of the Pacific Northwest, where she discovers worlds of adventure in the great outdoors.

CREATING WORLDS OF BEAUTY AND DANGER

Website: http://janalynvoigt.com

Blog: http://janalynvoigt.com/blog

Comment for a chance to win one of these prizes

• $25 Starbucks Gift Card

• Autographed Copy of Dawn Singer

WF: From Sunset to Sunrise

On August 10, 2012August 9, 2012 By Naty MatosIn WorshipLeave a comment

Today during our worship time we should remember that we need God every day. That every day we have new mercies. We need to acknowledge that without Him we are nothing. Let’s keep our eyes on his glory.

WF: Worship Friday

4 and 5 Stars Reviews. A Powerful Story of Redemption

“Aimee is a constant positive influence in Desiree’s life, gently demonstrating God’s love and mercy. ”Mary Anne Benedetto

“Very well written. ”Emme

“I would recommend The Road Home to any romantic, any lover of books, anyone struggling with forgiveness, anyone. ”cynthia

Idolatry

On August 8, 2012August 2, 2012 By Naty MatosIn Inspirational Thoughts10 Comments

“You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments. Exodus 20:4-6

The first time I read this scripture I was like, wow pictures may get me in trouble. In careful look of this scripture then I realize that if I bow or worship such picture then it would apply.

As civilization has evolved we think that we don’t encounter on idolatry as this was written in a time where people would bow to golden and wooden gods believing that they had powers. There are still active religions who place worship to sculptures, stamps, pictures or unanimated objects. People bow before these, pray and believe that their prayers would be answered.

However, even Christians can also enter in some forms of idolatry. In Colossians 3:5 we read “Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.” So, if as a Christian you are engaging in sexual activities outside of the covenant of marriage, including pornography. If you are envious or jealous of your neighbor’s blessings. If your passions are towards sports, entertainment or your work, you are engaging in a form of idolatry.

Let’s look into our hearts and search sincerely where our passions are. Let’s look at what struggles we have that can be interfering with us having a pure life in the Lord.

Discover how Desiree was able to navigate the process of learning how to live a Christian life?

“Aimee is a constant positive influence in Desiree’s life, gently demonstrating God’s love and mercy. ”Mary Anne Benedetto

“Very well written. ”Emme

“I would recommend The Road Home to any romantic, any lover of books, anyone struggling with forgiveness, anyone. ”cynthia

God First

On August 6, 2012August 2, 2012 By Naty MatosIn Inspirational Thoughts1 Comment

When God spoke to Moses in the desert about the things he required from us, the first thing he sais was for us to always consider him first. God wants our love and our affections without competing with anything else in our life.

The scripture says, “You shall have no other gods before me” Exodus 20:3 We may think that as Christians we are already serving the right God, therefore this is already covered. Think again.

Jesus tells us in Mark 12:30 ” Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.”

David shows us in Psalms 73:25-26 what that love would look like. When we realize that God is all we need. “Whom have I in heaven but You?
And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You. My flesh and my heart fail; But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”

A love so powerful sometimes is hard to comprehend. Do not give up. If we allow God to take over our lives he will show us how to live that love.

Let’s pray today that we can have our heart after God, that we can surrender from our selfish ways, shedding all our other passions for a passion for him.

Talking about passions. Check out my new book, The Road Home and learn how Desiree went after the wrong passions in her life and her struggles to find the right passion to follow.

“Aimee is a constant positive influence in Desiree’s life, gently demonstrating God’s love and mercy. ”Mary Anne Benedetto

“Very well written. ”Emme

“I would recommend The Road Home to any romantic, any lover of books, anyone struggling with forgiveness, anyone. ”cynthia

WF: Burn for you

On August 3, 2012August 2, 2012 By Naty MatosIn WorshipLeave a comment

I like this song a lot. We sometimes think that worship music needs to be mellow. We forget that there are many times in the bible where the music utilized to worship God was very animated.

Exodus 15:20

Then Miriam the prophet, Aaron’s sister, took a timbrel in her hand, and all the women followed her, with timbrels and dancing. Miriam sang to them: “Sing to the Lord, for he is highly exalted. Both horse and driver he has hurled into the sea.”

What better way to end this week than burning for the love of our Lord?

WF: Worship Friday

Check out my new book!

“Aimee is a constant positive influence in Desiree’s life, gently demonstrating God’s love and mercy. ”Mary Anne Benedetto

“Very well written. ”Emme

“I would recommend The Road Home to any romantic, any lover of books, anyone struggling with forgiveness, anyone. ”cynthia

Man on Purpose

On August 1, 2012July 31, 2012 By Naty MatosIn Articles1 Comment

As a woman I can only write from the women’s perspective, but today I have a treat for all my brother’s in Christ, especially those in the state of Georgia. Today we have Richard Rice here with us to discuss his event Man on Purpose.

Richard, welcome to The Rising Muse. Tell us what is “Man on Purpose”?

Man On Purpose is a Ministry created to empower men to become the man God has created us to be with purpose, on purpose. To help men see their greater potential and become intentional on finding that purpose God has for them. Society has taken man created in God’s image and transformed him into a lesser than version, watered down with little or no substance. We have let society tell us what a man is supposed to look like and be like instead of diving into God’s word and finding the answers.

Man On Purpose is all about change. Change in ourselves and then making right what we have let society do to us and the world around us. We are supposed to be new creations in Christ. Man On Purpose is to help men become just that. We have to learn to deal with whatever it is that is hindering us in receiving the fullness of what God has for us.

Man On Purpose is a vision given to me on Saturday morning, April 18, 2012. I received the name of the ministry as well as what to teach about and a page full of ideas. Shortly after that day is when I was told that I have to do an event with the teaching I prepared out of my John Maxwell Certification.

Very interesting and so necessary. I know you have the first event for this ministry coming up. Tell us about it.

The event is on: August 4, 2012 8:00 am – 1:00 pm World Outreach Church for all Nations 1294 Braselton Highway Lawrenceville, GA 30043

This event is the first of many to come. I will be teaching on The 15 Laws of Personal Growth. This is a teaching geared to help men see themselves in a different light; to help them grow and develop so they can receive what God has for them. We will also be talking about accountability. Accountability is very important in any kind of growth situation. We need to be held accountable for what we do or are not doing, that’s how we can grow. There will be praise and worship as well as prayer time. The goal by the end is to break into groups and men sharing something they have hidden in the dark and bring it into the light. The Man On Purpose event is based on Jeremiah 29:11, 2 Corinthians 5:17, and James 5:16.

If out brothers in Christ would like to know more about this ministry or contact you, where can they do that?

Our website is : www.amanonpurpose.net

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Man-on-Purpose/396676617030072

TWITTER: @amanonpurpose

I can be reached by phone at: 678.522.4170

Who is Richard Rice?

Richard Rice is the founder of MAN ON PURPOSE. This ministry was birthed out of a desire to help men become the man they are intended to be with purpose, on purpose.

Richard surrendered his life to Christ in September 2005 and he got baptized in 2006. Searching for men in the church to help him in his walk, he found very little help. What he did find were men that needed the same kind of help he did. In 2007 Richard and Carrie dove into wanting to help others and they became part of the Mercy Team serving in downtown Atlanta ministering to the last, the lost, and the least; namely the homeless.

In 2009 Richard and his wife Carrie helped start a ministry in their church called Celebrate Recovery, during this time Richard was able to come face to face with a lot of his issues and overcome many of the hurts, habits, and hang ups. Through this process of growth and obedience God was able to give me the vision of Man On Purpose on April 18, 2012.
Through MAN ON PURPOSE it is Richard’s hope that he can challenge men to live an intentional life on fire for God.

Richard has been married for 6 years this month and has 7 children. Carrie, his wife came into this marriage with 4 children. Morgan 23, Trey 22, Nathan 19, and Joshua 17. Richard has 2 children from his previous marriage. Christian 20 and Darijan 15. From another relationship Richard also has Stefen 10.