You need not expect to get your book right the first time. Go to work and revamp or rewrite it. God only exhibits his thunder and lightning at intervals, and so they always command attention. These are God’s adjectives. You thunder and lightning too much; the reader ceases to get under the bed, by and by. Mark Twain
Tag: God
No Small Job
I observed a man this morning in a suit trying to push a wagon of boxes. He was truly struggling to balance the load and pushing the cart. The boxes were empty by the way. It reminded me that the things we do, do not define who we are.
People have the tendency to place certain professions, jobs, tasks or qualities in a pedestal. The body has many members, and all of them have different functions, but none of them are less than the other. Look at your hand for a minute, if you lost one finger, any of them, you would miss it terribly and you would have to make major adjustments to go back to “normal function”. The same is with the way we are as a collective, everyone has a function to do and nobody is better or worse for the position they have been placed.
I used to work with a brilliant doctor. It was a delight to hear this man speak, full of knowledge and wisdom, but totally technologically challenged. He couldn’t operate his computer or his cell phone. If some of us in the office didn’t pull out his e-mails and voicemails, he would not be in the loop of the things that needed to be done. That didn’t make him less or didn’t make us more. We had different skills and functions to complete.
I also remember being a manager. I’m a pretty gadget and technically savvy person, but for some reason the fax machine at that office 
and I did not get along (anyone remembers the movie Office Space, yes that was my relationship with the fax machine). I tried to not bother others and do my own thing. When I would disappear for a while and my assistant knew that I was not in a meeting, she usually checked the copy room and there I was fighting the fax machine. She would take the papers from my hands and get the job done in fifteen seconds.
My dad used to say, someone needs to sell hot dogs on the corner of the street otherwise I wouldn’t have a place to buy it, and someone needs to pick up the garbage, otherwise it would pile up in our house.
So no matter what you’re doing today, don’t look at it with the eyes of the world that classifies tasks as better or worse. Look at your job as a gift from God to render a service that in the large scheme of things it’s just as important as the next one to keep things working the way they should.
Luke 13:30
indeed there are those who are last who will be first, and first who will be last.”
Blessings.
Beautiful and Handsome
As God’s children we should aspire for the best as we are the children of The King. With this I’m not talking about our expectations for others, but for our own selves. The media is filled with images that define beauty for us, and in my quest for meaning I decided to research the world view and God’s view on beauty.
When talking about the beauty in terms of human attraction these tend to be defined by gender. Women are beautiful; men are handsome. What does that really mean?
Beautiful
I usually start with my friend Webster who says that beauty is the quality present in a thing or person that gives intense pleasure or deep satisfaction to the mind, whether arising from sensory manifestations (as shape, color, sound, etc.), a meaningful design or pattern, or something else (as a personality in which high spiritual qualities are manifest). It’s an individually pleasing or has beautiful quality; grace; charm.
Reading this also entails that beauty is very subjective. Something pleasing to my eyes is totally disgusting to the person next to me. Therefore beauty will depend on our personal experiences, our culture and our personal taste. Not much for an objective definition.
Of course I went to the Word of God and this is what I found:
- Proverbs 31:30(NIV)”Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised” This one I found particularly interesting because Webster said that charm was part of beauty, but the word of God tells us that charm is fleeting.
- 1 Peter 3:3-5 (NIV) “such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight. For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to adorn themselves.”
So according to the Word, in reality being beautiful has nothing to do with how we look, but who we are. I think this definition can transcend cultures, tastes and personal experiences. I could even dare to say that it doesn’t divide even by gender as a man can have a gentle and quiet spirit as well.
Handsome
Now for the gentlemen, this was Webster’s definition of handsome: having an attractive, well-proportioned, and imposing appearance suggestive of health and strength; good-looking; having pleasing proportions, relationships, exhibiting skill, taste, and refinement.
Once again it focuses on the outer appearance and the subjectivity of what is perceived by it, but in this case it goes further talking about skills, which is something that I think I never thought was included in this definition.
I found in Daniel 1:4 the following message, “young men without any physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king’s palace” The bible doesn’t deter much from Webster in this definition, it talks about no physical defect, which I’m sure is not talking about lack of flaws, but about a healthy body; but adds something to it, which is knowledge and the ability to learn. So for a man to be attractive, the six packs may be as equally important as the knowledge he presents, if not more.
The irony for me was that doing this research I found pictures that do not conform to our Hollywood mentality of beauty, which reinforces the notion that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Yes, I did find pictures of Brad Pitt in the midst of it and of Julia Roberts, but I found pictures that defined beauty that are unusual for our traditional mindset. Here I share some:
Beautiful:
Handsome:
So here’s the bottom line:
- Are you woman, being defined by the world’s definition of beauty or are you beautifying your spirit with the Word of God? Also, are you looking at men within the God’s definition of beauty?
- Are you man, being defined by the world’s physical view of handsome? Or are you being teachable and in the search for the true knowledge? Also, are you looking at women within the definition of beauty that God has set for you?
Food for thought,
Blessings
Naty
WF: I surrender
As we continue with what we’ve learned this week, we close this Worship Friday with the basic lesson…Let’s surrender it all!!!
Have a blessed weekend!
Restored Life
By Karen Baney
Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter, you will restore my life again; from the depths of the earth you will again bring me up. Psalm 71:20 (NIV)
When I was thinking about what to write for this post, I came across this
verse. It’s one that I wished I had known before I published my novel A Life Restored, because it sums up the theme of the book very well.
In the novel, Thomas Anderson has faced many bitter troubles. Even though most are consequences of his actions, there are times where he struggles to catch a break. At one point he gets very discouraged and even starts to look away.
Do you ever feel like you can’t catch a break? Have you been tossed around by trial after trial after trial? Maybe you’re not currently facing so many troubles but have in the past. How do you deal with it?
From this verse, we can remember that God does restore lives and will bring us up from our deepest lows. I know it’s hard to remember when the waves feel like they are drowning you—but that doesn’t make it less true. Over and over in the Bible, we learn that God never leaves us. He never forsakes us.
The next time you face insurmountable trials, I hope you’ll remember this verse and be encouraged. No matter how deep or how long they last, God will restore you and lift you up again. Ask him to give you the strength to live through the trials well.
Karen Baney writes Christian historical and contemporary romance novels. When she’s not busy writing, she enjoys traveling the state of Arizona with her husband, exploring museums and the picturesque landscapes the state has to offer. Her faith plays an important role both in her life and in her writing. Karen and her husband make their home in Gilbert, Arizona, with their two dogs.
For a limited time only, pick up a free copy of A Life Restored (Prescott Pioneers #3) by Karen Baney.
Visit Karen at her website: http://www.karenbaney.com or on Facebook or Twitter. Visit her special blog for authors at http://www.everythingauthor.com.
Don’t wait too long
I have the pleasure to share with you a new Christian Author friend Joana James. I hope you enjoy this!
The other day I wrote an article on Waiting on the Lord, but as it was pointed out to me today, there are two sides to every coin. It’s very important to wait for God’s timing before we move. It could be the difference between failure and success or life and death. But what happens when we wait too long? What happens when God says to go and we hold back?
There are several reasons why we may not move when God says to. One of them is fear. God may be moving us in a direction that we are afraid of. He may be calling us to a particular ministry that we feel ill-equipped for, so we say “Lord, I’ll do it later.”
Or we may have our own agendas, so we say, “God, as soon as I send all my children off to university, I’ll become a missionary for you.”
Or the devil may be planting seeds of doubt in our mind, “Is it really God talking? Maybe you should wait, if that house is yours, it will come back to you.”
I remember as a teen, I came across a poster and it has stuck with me since and I think it will stick with me for the rest of my life. It was the image of a woman’s skeleton sitting on a park bench. She was dressed in a bridal gown and veil and she appeared to be waiting for something. The caption above her head said “Waiting for the PERFECT man.” She’d waited so long that she missed her opportunity. She was dead, and she could no longer marry.
Some of us wait so long to move forward that we lose our opportunity for great things. We procrastinate and complain at everything God places before us. If we don’t think it’s good enough, or we don’t feel ready but whatever it is, we don’t move when God says we should. So we abort our destiny.
It’s so sad to see lives wasted because of procrastination. To see time, treasure and talent unused must certainly hurt God. My encouragement today is to move in the timing of God. Don’t run ahead of him, however don’t waste time either. By the time you are ready to move, you may just miss your destiny.
Joana James – Author of Nightmare at Emerald High & Alana and Alyssa’s Secret
Joana James is a young Christian author from the island of Saint Lucia in the Caribbean. She is an I.T. professional by day but in her free time she escapes from the logical world of technology into the artistic world. She is an avid reader and her kindle is her favourite piece of technology. Music is her best friend and that manifests itself through her love for dance and singing.
Joana writes stories that portray the reality of her world. Her first book, a two-part short story series called Rise from the Ashes featured the lives of two young girls struggling in dire circumstances.
Her latest book, Nightmare at Emerald High, brings to the fore a world that everybody knows exists but no one talks about.
Follow Joana’s blog for frequent devotionals and for a list of some of the best and most affordable Christian Books available for Kindle. http://joanajames.blogspot.com
Baby Steps
If there’s something that is constant in life, it’s change. We are living our life normally (whatever our definition of normal is) and all of the sudden something happens that takes the wind out of our sails. You are living and someone you love dies, someone in your household loses a job or both of you do, a relationship breaks or starts (yes, new relationships can be stressful too even as happy as you may be), the car breaks, someone gets sick, I can go on forever…and at that time you feel like life has hit you on an all time low. What can you do?
- One moment at a time- The part of the serenity prayer has never been more true than in these situations. You can only handle your emotions and the situation that is in front of you. Fretting over what will happen tomorrow will only enhanced the anxiety and not solve a single thing. “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” Matthew 6:34
- Take care of yourself- even when some of these events may not be happening to you but to a loved one, you need to take care of YOU. When you’re on an airplane they always tell you to place the oxygen mask on you first and then on your children; that is because you can’t do anything for your kids if you’re not breathing. The same principle applies to other parts of life. “Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul” 3 John 1:2
- Take a leap of faith- When we are at our lowest, we automatically slow down life
and we wait for that magical moment that will give us the clue that its safe and ok to get back on track. I have something to tell you that moment doesn’t exist, you make that moment. No matter what you’re going through, there is never going to be a moment where the pain magically goes away. You have to take a step in faith to move forward with life. You have to take a stand and that’s when you will find yourself again. Maybe it is a new self that you find, and that is ok. Life is all about changing and evolving as long as it is for good. - If you need to, seek help- Sometimes we have to build something and we only have a butter knife in out toolbox. There’s no shame on talking and asking for help. This happens to me all the time, sometimes all I need is to talk things out loud to hear myself and find the answers. Sometimes I need someone to correct my stinking thinking and speak truth into my life. Either way, seeking good council is a biblical principle, therefore use it!
Regardless of what you’re going through, know that you are loved by God. If there’s a particular prayer need that you have I would love to pray for you. If you have a prayer request you can leave it on the comment section or if it’s a private matter just email me to therisingmuse at gmail dot com (have to spell it to avoid hackers…lol)
Be blessed
WF: How Much
This week the focus was on love demonstrations to those in our lives. We know how much we love others, but do we know how much you are loved, especially by He, the one who is love itself. Join me to worship the Lord knowing that we are worthy of his love, not because of anything we did, but because he created us to Love us.
WF: Worship Friday
Giveaway Winners:
As promised, today we announce the winners of our Book Giveaway: Love Letters to my Queen Bride. Know that you will be individually contacted via email to provide you with your awarded copy in the format of your choice (kindle or paperback)
And the winners are:
- Rachel Hardeman
- De Fleischer
- Michelle Jacobson
Book Review: Love Letters to my Queen Bride
I think this has been one of the most challenging book reviews I’ve written recently. The reason for that is that I can’t find enough words to describe this book, but I think it can be summarized as live changing.
When I started reading this book I had to stop myself, this is not a book you read in one sitting. This book has to be savor in bits and pieces, no more than a letter a day. Each letter is so rich with love, energy and spiritual enlightenment.
On a day like today where people have chosen to celebrate true love, I chose to celebrate the source of Love, and this book is a great way to understand the Love of God. Love Letters are letters that seem written personally by the hand of God expressing in simple English his love, his need for us, the way he sees us and his purpose for our lives. This book is bible based and it speaks so much truth. I recommend this book for every woman and if you have teenage daughters, this is an awesome gift to give them. It’s never too early to understand where real love is found.
Now let’s meet the author behind this awesome book:
Beth Walker has been married to her husband, Ben, for over 40 years. She is the mother of three adult children and seven grandchildren that she adores.
After raising her children she founded a Christian counseling center where she served as director and counselor for sixteen years. She also founded and directed in her home town Drug Free Clubs for high risk youth at 23 sites. For over eleven years she has led an interdenominational worship group. She also has served as a Christian speaker, Sunday school teacher, and Eucharistic minister.
Among the various organizations that she has served as volunteer include the Board of the Montgomery Mental Health Association for twelve years and the Montgomery Board of Women’s Aglow International.
She is quick to say only through the help of the Holy Spirit was she able to do anything and will be able to do anything in the future. Her passion is Christ. She says, soaking in worship and then listening to Him, after knowing His word is the only way to go.
If you want to obtain a copy of his wonderful book just click on the picture above, but even better; if you want to win a Free copy of this book, today is your last day to enroll in our Giveaway. Go at the top to the Book Giveaway page and leave us your email. The winner will be announced this Friday.
Happy Valentine’s Day!!
WF: Unrestrained
Surrendering to unconditional love is scary, experiencing the true nature of it it’s amazing. Men (women) can fail, but God’s love never fails. How should we live in love?
The Word of God says that ”Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails”. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8
That’s the love God gives us, that’s the love we need to learn to give…Unrestrained
WF: Worship Friday
Talking about unrestrained love, remember out book giveaway “ Love Letters to my Queen Bride” by author Beth C. Walker. 
not going to disclose much about it because I have a treat for you. You can win one of the three copies of this wonderful book that will be given away on Valentine’s Day. All you have to do is go to the page that says “Book Giveaway” give us your name and email address (at least your email if you don’t want to give your name) and you can win a copy of this fabulous book in the format of your choice (Kindle or paperback)
Also remember that you can obtain a copy of Growth Lessons on sale for $1.99
Naty Matos 