If you read the Bible, you know that Satan (the devil) is real. Some Christians avoid talking about Satan as if he no longer exists or he is no longer active. Others give too much credit to Satan for almost everything bad that happen in the world/in their lives or blame Satan for their wrongdoings (without taking responsibility for their actions....similar to what Eve did). What we should do is: be aware of spiritual warfare and understand the devil's schemes so that we will know how to respond, defend ourselves, and stand firm. To defeat your Enemy, know your Enemy.
"Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light." (2 Corinthians 11:14)
"If you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice." (James 3:14-16)
He is crafty/cunning. He tempts (since Genesis). He lies (he is the Father of lies) and deceives. He knows the Scriptures but he twists God's Word for his own agenda. He takes advantages when we are weak and empty (physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually). He makes sins look good and sweet. He likes to make a deal (offering something attractive such as money, fame, power, sensual gratification, etc. if you'll only compromise your commitment/ obedience to God). He stirs up/seduces our fleshly desires/self-centered nature. He wants us to worship him, instead of God. He has temporary power to influence the world (but all things are ultimately under God's control). He dares us to test God or makes us doubt God/His Word. He wants us (the Body of Christ, family, marriage) to be divided, instead of being united/in unity.
Fear not! Our victory is in Jesus! Satan tried to tempt Jesus and failed miserably. We can learn much from Jesus's example in Matthew 4:1-11, Luke 4:1-13.
Defensive and Counter-Attack Strategies:
- Live your life under the authority of God's Word. Be very familiar with God's truth so that you can detect the lies immediately (even when they come sugarcoated with a misuse of Scripture). Fill yourself up with God's Word, our spiritual food, daily. "Jesus answered, 'It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'" (Matthew 4: 4) "Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path." (Psalm 119:105)
- Worship, serve, and obey God only...no matter what. With no compromise (Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were great examples). Recognize that any deal from Satan is a bad deal. "Jesus said to him, 'Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.'" (Matthew 4:10)
- Trust God totally and don't demand God to prove Who He is. "Jesus answered him, 'It is also written: Do not put the Lord your Godto the test.'" (Matthew 4:7) "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil." (Proverbs 3:5-7)
- Be self-controlled and alert (watchful). "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith." 1 Peter 5:8-9a
- Put on the full armor of God. "Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." (Ephesians 6:11-17)
- Pray. Be in constant communion with God. "And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests." (Ephesians 6:18a) Spend plenty of time with God.
- Live by faith...by the Spirit. "We live by faith, not by sight." (2 Corinthians 5:7) "So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other. so that you do not do what you want." (Galatians 5:16-17)
"The devil is willing for a person to profess Christianity as long as he does not practice Christianity." (Unknown)
"He who delays his repentance pawns his soul with the devil." (Unknown)
"God put the Church in the world. Satan seeks to put the world in the Church." (Unknown)
"One of the devil's snares is to occupy us with the past and future so as to take away our peace for the present." (Unknown)
It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!
You never know when I might play a wild card on you!
***Special thanks to Audra Jennings – The B&B Media Group – for sending me a review copy.***
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Edward T. Welch, M.Div., Ph.D., is a licensed psychologist and faculty member at the Christian Counseling & Educational Foundation (CCEF). He has counseled for over twenty-five years and is the best-selling author of many books, including When People Are Big and God Is Small; Addictions: A Banquet in the Grave; Blame It on the Brain?; Depression: A Stubborn Darkness; Crossroads: A Step-by-Step Guide Away from Addiction; Running Scared: Fear, Worry and the God of Rest; and When I Am Afraid: A Step-by-Step Guide Away from Fear and Anxiety. He and his wife Sheri have two daughters, two sons-in-law and four grandchildren.
In his latest release, author Edward T. Welch offers a way of escape for young adults held captive by the opinions of others. In an increasingly unstable culture, being obsessed with what others think is an escalating struggle among teens and young adults, leading to more serious consequences than ever before. Although everyone—whether they’re sixteen or sixty—works hard to win someone’s approval or ward off someone’s rejection, these issues plague teenagers and young adults with particular intensity. And how teens and young adults answer the big questions of their lives now will affect the direction of their adult lives for better or worse. In his new book, What Do You Think of Me? Why Do I Care?: Answers to the Big Questions of Life (New Growth Press, October 2011), Edward T. Welch extends hope to those weary of hiding behind a mask of performance in order to gain love and acceptance.
Peer pressure, codependency, shame, low self-esteem—these are just some of the words used to identify how young people can be controlled by the perceived opinions of others. Stand out in the right way to the right people, and you’re on top of the world. But experience failure in front of those same people and prepare for a sinking sensation in your stomach and a night of tossing and turning.
Why do you care? Why do we all care? These are questions that can’t be answered without listening to God, the One who made us and knows us better than we know ourselves. In What Do You Think of Me? Why Do I Care? Welch takes the big questions of life and shows that freedom from what people think of us comes as we learn who God is and who we are in relationship to Him. Only then will we be able to let go of our masks, stop trying to fill our leaky love cups and begin to live for something bigger than ourselves.
An interactive book, What Do You Think of Me? Why Do I Care? includes questions throughout the text for individual or group study and is especially aimed at teenagers and young adults. A corresponding website rich with controversy and dialogue, My-Big-Life-Question.com, will also offer readers a place to discuss personal needs as well as to find other resources for life’s journey and places to go for help.
“I want to draw people to the path of becoming truly human, where you are controlled by God more than other people and where you love others more than you need them to love you,” says Welch. “The result? Genuine loving relationships and the ability to make a lasting impact on the world around us. It’s a hard process, but it’s wonderful and the results are worth it.”
Product Details:
List Price: $12.99
Paperback: 160 pages
Publisher: New Growth Press (October 1, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1935273868
ISBN-13: 978-1935273868
MY THOUGHTS AND REVIEW:
If you have been a teenager before/are a teenager now/have a teenager living with you, you know how huge peer pressure is. It's easy to tell teenagers not to care about what others think of them but that advice would likely go in one ear and out the other. This book was written for readers ages 15-25. However, preteens and even older people can benefit from it. While older people may care somewhat less about what others think of them and have face concern about totally different things, they are still affected by the opinions of others. The cure for the fear of man is the fear of God...more accurately, the love of God. Dr. Welch encourages readers to find their acceptance, affirmation, and affection in Christ, not in people. How we view ourselves, God, and others makes a big difference in how we act and react! Dr. Welch uses the Scriptures, Jesus, and examples of some great men in the Bible to guide readers and give answers to important questions in life. If you desire to freely live for God, aiming to please Him instead of men, check this book out.
"True freedom in your relationships comes when the scales are always a little unbalanced: You want the weight to be more on the "love" side than the "be loved" side." (p. 114)
"When God says that we should do everything for His glory (1 Corinthians 10:31), He is saying that our lives are intended to make Him famous, not ourselves...How do you do it? Start by praying. First, that you would know Him and His love. Second, that you would love others in a way that would increase His fame. Then think in terms of small steps of love. Keep in step with what the Spirit is doing." (p. 122)
Great questions at the end of the book: "You are seeking to worship God more than the opinions of others? Do you want to love people even if they don't love you as you would like?" (p. 145) Hopefully, you would answer "yes" :)!
AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:
Somebody is Watching
“Lord, please let me be normal.”
Okay, maybe you never actually prayed that, but you do want it. You want to fit in. Who doesn’t? Imagine you are invited to a formal dinner, but you didn’t read the entire invitation and you go in shorts and flip-flops. (Yes, it wasn’t pretty. I was also wearing a Killer Dana T-shirt—it’s the name of a surf shop, but the other dinner guests thought I was going gangsta.)
We all have these stories. We spend a lot of time concerned about fitting in, which means that we spend a lot of time thinking about our hair, our body, our intelligence, and our clothes so we can be part of the larger group. None of us want to be stared at if it means that the people looking at us don’t like what they see. When they look at us that way we want to run and hide.
Oh, and there is another prayer too. “Lord, please don’t let me be normal.” “If I can’t fit in, then I’ll be a vampire,” and she did just that. She figured that both fitting in and standing out were impossible, so she made a choice. Her parents would have preferred a more traditional route such as starting on the basketball team or high SAT scores. They are hoping it is a phase, which it is—there are not many fifty-year-old vampires. But, unless she discovers something else to run her life, she will always be looking for ways to stand out, and she will be depressed.
We want to stand out from the crowd. We want to be seen, which means that we want people to notice us and be impressed with something. We want them to respect us, to like us, and to love us. Not too many people dream of being average. Take a look at your fantasies, and you will probably find a quest to be noticed.
• Have you ever imagined that you scored the winning basket in the NBA finals?
• Do you enjoy superhero movies because you like to imagine what it would be like to have such powers?
• Do you identify with a celebrity because you would like to live her life, at least for a year or two?
• Have you ever fantasized that you were famous or great?
• Or maybe you have already given up on greatness and will settle for a B+.
It’s complicated, isn’t it? If only we could be less controlled by the opinions of others. Maybe a deserted island could be the answer. That would be a pricey way to avoid the judgments of others, but it might work. Apart from that option, you have a creepy sense that people are watching, judging, evaluating, accepting, or rejecting you. Sometimes the eyes belong to no one in particular. Other times you know exactly who or what group you are trying to please. Either way, you are controlled by other people more than you think, and other people, of course, are controlled by how you see them.
The problem is a common one, but we don’t talk about it too often. As a way to get it out into the open, keep trying to locate this in your own life.
• Do you buy clothes because of what other people will think? Have you ever not gone somewhere because you didn’t have the right clothes or didn’t like the way you looked?
• Do you spend a lot of time in front of the mirror?
• Do you avoid people, either because you are angry with them or because you would be embarrassed if they saw you?
• Do you ever get embarrassed to be seen with your parents?
• Have you ever been embarrassed at the thought of other people knowing that you go to church?
• Have you ever been embarrassed to say you believe in God?
• Have you ever been embarrassed to say you believe in Jesus?
• Do you ever exaggerate to make yourself look better?
• Do you feel like a failure sometimes? Do you hate school because from the moment you walk in you feel like a failure?
• Are you afraid to ask questions in class because you might look stupid?
• Do you wish you were thinner, stronger, taller, shorter, smarter, faster, or better looking?
• Have you ever been jealous of someone thinner, stronger, taller, shorter, smarter, faster, or better looking?
• Have you ever wished you could shrivel up and disappear?
Agreed, these questions are too easy. You might hesitate on one or two of them, but basically the answer is yes across the board, and they are that way for everyone. They all point to how we can be too controlled by the opinions of others. Why do you think everyone struggles with it? Where does it come from?
One of the riskiest things in life is to like someone—really like someone. It all starts innocently. You find yourself attracted to another person. Happens all the time. No big deal. But then the attraction grows, and amid the glow of romantic feelings lurks a monster: what if you like the other person more than the other person likes you? What will he or she think about me? you wonder.
You send some friends out on a reconnaissance mission. Their job is to find out if the other person likes you without that person knowing your intentions. If word comes back yes, you can move toward that person safely. If the answer is no, you lick your wounds, thankful for the heads-up that saved you from total embarrassment. In your every- day life, the potential for rejection is enormous. It’s amazing that so many people actually get out of bed in the morning. Sound familiar?
Success can’t protect you. Steven King, the ridiculously prolific and famous horror writer, was told by Miss Hisler, his school principal, “What I don’t understand, Stevie, is why you write junk like this in the first place.” At the time, he was already writing scary stories that other students were willing to pay to read. “I was ashamed,” he says of the incident. “I have spent a good many years since—too many, I think—being ashamed about what I write.”* You too have probably heard words like Miss Hisler’s, and they are still etched inside your soul. Can you think of some?
Look around a little more and you will see it—it goes by many names: a desire for acceptance, the fear of rejection, painful self- consciousness, or peer pressure. You can see it when you or any of your friends take muscle-enhancing steroids or illegal drugs. You see it in anorexia, bulimia, and depression. You find it in people who are sexually active before or outside of marriage.
• What will they think of me?
• What might they think about me?
• How can I be accepted?
• How can I be loved?
The evidence is everywhere. If you can’t relate to any of this, here is a sure way to find it.
• Do you think you’re especially attractive?
• Are you supercompetitive? Do you hate to lose? (And do you usually win?)
• Would you say you are self-confident?
There it is again: a life that is always judged by others. The only difference is that, at least for the moment, the judges score you highly. Yet it is even more complicated. Deep down those who are super self-confident don’t believe the judges’ high scores. They feel like failures— frauds who are barely fooling other people. Do you think beautiful celebrities struggle with feeling judged and unaccepted by others? Count on it.
Some people seem more self-confident or at least less self-conscious than others. It’s hard to know exactly why, but everyone can easily recall times when they withered under the rejection (or possible rejection) of other people.
I know, I know. You were trying to manage this perfectly common experience by ignoring it, and somebody (me) comes along and makes an issue out of it. But my purpose is not to make you miserable. Stick with it, because this particular problem is actually a window into the mysteries of the universe. It takes you directly to three questions that every human being must answer: Who am I? Who is God? and Who are you? And there is no way I would invite you down this road unless the road was very good.
An interview with the author, Ed Welch
Q: What are some questions we can ask ourselves to determine if we are being too controlled by the opinions of others?
The list is a long one here. Am I angry? hopeless? self-protective? afraid? ashamed? depressed? withdrawing? Do I lie to make myself look better? Do I try to attach myself to the celebrity or popular person with the hope of enhancing my own reputation?
Q: Can you explain the term “peer pressure” and what it really means?
I don’t hear this word as much as I once did. It usually means that we are willing to do things we wouldn’t normally do as a way to be accepted by others. There is a good kind of peer pressure, when a youth group really wants to know Jesus better, but that’s not the way it usually happens. We have a lot of the Old Testament biographies in us, and in those cases when a person who belonged to God met a person who loved his or her idols, the follower of God started following the idols and not vice versa. Of course, in the age of the Spirit that can be different.
Q: You say that so much of life comes down to three questions. Can you tell us what they are and how we can find the answers to them?
The questions are Who is God? Who am I? and Who are you? The answers can be a little difficult to discover. Most of us know the correct theological answers to these questions, but there are the correct ones and then there are the ones we really believe. That why the topic of the opinions of other people is so handy. It can surprise us with our REAL answers to those questions.
So what are some of the real answers?
Who is God? Picky, distant, nice but irrelevant.
Who am I? Needy, I must find an identity in myself - who I am and what I do? The problem is that God isn’t very relevant and other people don’t solve the problem because I am a never ending hole that is looking to others so I can feel okay about myself.
Who are you? A threat, a god.
If we use these three basic questions, the question about God tends to be irrelevant, which is at the very heart of the problem. The normal answer is, he loves me [but so what?].
Why doesn’t his love make that much difference? It’s because other people have become our substitute god. The only way that God’s love becomes relevant is for “Why do I care?” to become a confession, as in “Lord, why do I care so much about me and my desires?” That takes an ordinary desire [for approval, love, acceptance, belonging . . . ] that has grown to extraordinary proportions so that it is a ruling or even idolatrous desire, and it brings that desire back to being an ordinary one in which other people’s poor opinions can hurt us, but not control us.
And who are other people? We want to love them just a little more than be loved by them.
Q: You write a lot in your book about worship. Tell us why this is such an important theme and how it applies to the issue of people pleasing.
Worship seems like a once-a-Sunday thing, but Scripture puts life in either/or terms: either we love God or something else, we trust in God or something else, we bow down to God or something else. Bowing down or worshipping is a vivid and accurate way to describe what is always taking place in our hearts. The word control gets at it. What controls us is our god. What controls us is what we adore and worship.
Q: How can recognizing everyone in our lives—acquaintances, loved ones, friends and enemies—as FAMILY change our perspectives and the way we live with and think about others?
We can have wretched families that are more like enemies than families, but most of us are familiar with relationships in which we love people freely. We don’t have to put on airs, we are always wondering what they are thinking about us. Instead, we simply love and enjoy them. When we are interested, we are more interested in them than we are in what they think of us. That recognizable experience moves us toward a way out from this particular human struggle. At the end of the day, love God and love your neighbor is where we will find lots of answers.
Note: Please turn off my music playlist at the bottom of this page before starting the video.
Trust...obey...surrender all...rest in God's love and His faithful promises! "And I will go through the valley if You want me to." I do desire God's will for my life and my family...nothing more...nothing less...nothing else. "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me...Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever." ~Psalm 23:4, 6
"This is God's universal purpose for all Christian suffering: more contentment in God and less satisfaction in the world. I have never heard anyone say, "The really deep lessons of life have come through times of ease and comfort." But I have heard strong saints say, "Every significant advance I have ever made in grasping the depths of God's love and growing deep with Him has come through suffering." ~John Piper
"It will be worth it all when we see Jesus, Life’s trials will seem so small when we see Christ; One glimpse of His dear face all sorrow will erase, So bravely run the race till we see Christ."
~Esther Kerr Rusthoi
If you like her voice, check out my review of Ginny Owens' new CD "Get In, I'm Driving" and enter to win a copy here. She is blind but she sees the world through her Heavenly Father's eyes.
My Fave Five this week:-
1. We had a blast at Oaks Amusement Park on Saturday! Fun family outing before Alyssa's departure to Malaysia to serve onboard the Logos Hope next week.
2. A nice visit from my mother-in-law, my kids' cousin and her boy. We had a fun water-squirt guns war! Wet and wild :)! Lots of running, laughing, and screaming!
3. Staying up late and spending time with my daughter, Alyssa. She has been adjusting her sleeping pattern so that she won't be having a jet lag when she arrives in Malaysia.
4. I like this quote: "When a husband is happy, his wife is happy. When he is treated like a king, respected as a man, admired like a hero, and inspired to be all he can be, his wife reaps the benefits." (from the book, When a Woman Inspires Her Husband by Cindi McMenanin) Marriage is not about getting our needs met; it's about dying to self and practicing what it means to truly love like God does (unconditionally/1 Corinthians 13) and living out Philippians 2:1-16 daily.
5. John Piper's video below. We have only one life to live. Let's not waste it! Are you living for self or living for God?
Product Details:
Format: Trade Paper
Trim Size: 5.40 x 8.30 x 0.90
Page Count: 220
Retail Price: $15.99
ISBN: 9780849947087
Book Description:
"Sweet spot." Golfers understand the term. So do tennis players. Ever swung a baseball bat or paddled a Ping-Pong ball? If so, you know the oh-so-nice feel of the sweet spot. Life in the sweet spot rolls like the downhill side of a downwind bike ride. But you don't have to swing a bat or a club to know this. What engineers give sports equipment, God gave you A zone, a region, a life precinct in which you were made to dwell. He tailored the curves of your life to fit an empty space in his jigsaw puzzle. And life makes sweet sense when you find your spot.
But if you're like 87 percent of workers, you haven't found it. You don't find meaning in your work--or you're one of the 80 percent who don't believe their talents are used. What can you do? You're suffering from the common life, and you desperately need a cure.
Best-selling author Max Lucado has found it. In Cure for the Common Life he offers practical tools for exploring and identifying your own uniqueness, motivation to put your strengths to work, and the perfect prescription for finding and living in your sweet spot for the rest of your life.
MY THOUGHTS AND REVIEW:
Are you happy with your job? Excited to get up and go to work everyday? If you're like the majority of people in America (and the world for that matter), the answer is probably "no". Do you dread work days? Bored with your "common" life? This book aims to help you navigate through your interests, passions, abilities, skills, and more to find your sweet spot (= the cure for the common life). Your sweet spot is the spot where you use your uniqueness to make a big deal out of God every day of your life! "If you aren't you, we don't get you. The world misses out...Live your life, or it won't be lived. We need you to be you. You need you to be you." (p. 33, 34) The first step to discover your sweet spot is to study your S.T.O.R.Y. (Strengths, Topics, Optimal conditions, Relationships, Yes!). "For fear of doing the wrong thing for God, you'll do nothing for God. For fear of making the wrong kingdom decision, you'll make no kingdom decision. For fear of messing up, you'll miss out...." (p. 60) Mr. Lucado invites readers to take big risks for God and use their gifts to make Him known. "God's ultimate cure for the common life takes you to a manger. The babe of Bethlehem. Immanuel. ...Weary of an ordinary existence? Your spiritual adventure awaits. The cure for the common life begins and ends with God." (p.65, p.70) This is a useful and practical book that helps readers explore their uniqueness that God packed in them on purpose for His purpose. It includes the Sweet Spot Discovery Guide (developed by People Management Internatinoal, Inc. and Steve Halliday) in the back of the book. I enjoyed reading this book and would recommend it to others. I especially love Chapter 15: Don't Be Too Big to Do Something Small. "God's cure for the common life includes a strong dose of servanthood...As you celebrate your unique design, be careful. Don't so focus on what you love to do that you neglect what needs to be done." (p. 131). In the book, Mr. Lucado provides these wise words: "Parents, tell your kids to do what they love to do so well that someone pays them to do it. Spouses, urge your mate to choose satisfaction over salary." Sounds great, doesn't it? However, in reality, it doesn't always work out. For example, my husband has always desired to be a full-time missionary to the unreached. He loves the Lord and wants to serve Him! Sharing the Gospel and talking about God and the Bible bring him joy. It's his "sweet spot". But one thing after another keeps preventing him from being a full-time missionary. His sickness. My mother moved across the continent to come live with us for a while. Our son's anxiety disorder (he refuses to move from our state). My husband is thankful to have a job (civil engineer) and he is being light & salt at his workplace but he still longs for his dream job. Also, for those living in third world countries who are starving...they do not have an option to choose satisfaction over salary. Survival must come first. Wouldn't our contentment and thankful heart honor God more than our fulfillment/satisfaction? I believe our sacrifice (putting others' need above ourselves) glorifies God more than our self-seeking desires (being too occupied with finding our sweet spot, being discontent until we find our sweet spot, etc.). It makes me wonder if our sweet spot is supposed to mean "living in obedience to His will and being content", instead.
~ I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
Love & War Devotional for Couples is the 8-week devotional for couples based on John & Stasi Eldredge's book, Love & War: Finding the Marriage You've Dreamed Of. You can read my review of that book here. If you've read Love & War, you will find the content in this devotional familiar. It's the concise version with the addition of a prayer at the end of each day's reading and an exercise at the end of each week's readings. Also, each reading starts and ends with Scriptures. This devotional can be read together as a couple or read individually. The authors offer bite-sized nuggets of wisdom to help readers grow in their relationship with God and with his/her spouse. John and Stasi Eldredge tell you upfront that marriage is hard and that we live in a love story set in the midst of a war (not against our spouse but against the devil). However, don't lose heart; God is here to help you and your spouse fight for a fulfilled marriage that glorifies Him. I enjoyed reading this devotional even though I already read the book Love & War because it's good to be reminded again of all the important stuff in marriage by focusing on Scripture. I especially loved the prayers; they're from the heart and to the point.
"A tangible way to love our spouses is to encourage them to spend time in the Word. Spend time in prayer. Seek God. He alone is the source of true life and happiness." (p. 47)
"Pressed to choose our 'top three things that would most help your marriage,' we would come down to this list: 1) find life in God, 2) deal with your brokenness, and 3) learn to shut down the spiritual warfare that comes against your marriage." (p. 76)
Unplanned is a documentary that follows the life journey of Abby Johnson from her happy childhood in a Christian home, her wrong path in college that included two abortions, her desire to help women in crisis leading to a career choice disapproved by her parents and husband, her promotion to being the director of a local Planned Parenthood clinic in Texas, her "light-bulb moment" during an ultrasound-guided abortion procedure, to her becoming a major advocate for life and truly helping women in crisis. You will hear the interviews from Abby, her parents, several staff from the Coalition for Life, and more. The DVD (60 minutes long) captivated my attention the whole time. At one point, I was in tears. My family and I are passionately pro-life. I highly recommend this DVD. It beautifully depicts God's awesome power of transformation. He changes lives. He saves lives. Abby Johnson was blind but now she sees; she crossed over from death to life. Praise God that He is using Abby to be a voice for the voiceless and a defender for the defenseless! She knows what it's like to be on the other side of the fence and what really is going on inside Planned Parenthood. You wouldn't believe what Planned Parenthood did to her after she quit. Please pray that women with unplanned pregnancies will no longer be deceived by lies from Planned Parenthood and pro-choice supporters.
Note: Please turn off my music playlist at the bottom of this page before starting the trailer.
I'd like to invite y'all to attend the Unite for LIFE webast on May 17 at 8:00 p.m. (in all time zones) at http://uniteforlifewebcast.org/ . This is a free webcast featuring Abby Johnson that will benefit pregnancy care organizations. When you sign up on the website, you'll receive a free download. Unplanned the book and the DVD will be available for purchase as a package deal and 33% of each purchase will go to crisis pregnancy centers like CareNet, the National Institute of Family & Life Advocates, and Heartbeat International.
~ I received this DVD for free from Tyndale House Publishers in an exchange of my honest review.
GIVEAWAY: I was given a certificate for a free copy of Unplanned DVD to give away. This giveaway is open only to U.S. residents. Ends 5/17 at midnight (Pacific time).
To Enter: Leave a comment here letting me know why you'd like to win this DVD.
For extra entries:
1. Visit http://uniteforlifewebcast.org/ and sign up for the webcast. Come back here and let me know that you've done so. (= 2 entries)
2. Watch my daughter's video on Youtube about the horror of Planned Parenthood and let me know here what you think. (= 1 entry)
3. Rank my book review here. You need to verify your email address once. (= 3 entries)
4. Follow this blog via Google Friend Connect or NetworkedBlogs. (= 1 entry for each)
5. Tweet about this giveaway and include the link to this post. (= 1 entry)
6. Share about this giveaway and link to this post on Facebook. (= 1 entry)
7. "Like" my FB page, Christ Alone, at http://www.facebook.com/ChristmyLordandSavior. (= 1 entry)
8. Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/treasuredbyGod. (= 1 entry)
Note: Please turn off my music playlist at the bottom of this page before starting the video.
Christ became poor that we might become rich (James 2:5).
Christ became a servant that we might become sons (Galatians 4:6-7)
Christ had no home that we might have a home in heaven (Matthew 8:20)
Christ died that we might live (John 5:24-25)
I was a sinner. Because of Christ, now I'm God's child (John 1:12).
I was heading to Hell. Because of Christ, now I belong to Heaven (John 14:2).
I was mesmerized by the world. Because of Christ, the world no longer charms me (1 John 2:15-17).
I was only happy when I got what I wanted. Because of Christ, I am content and filled with joy to be in His will (Philippians 4:11-13, John 15: 10-11).
I was lost. Because of Christ, my life has meaning and purpose (Acts 20:24).
I lived for myself. Because of Christ, I live for Him (Galatians 2:20).
Repent and reverse your direction; receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. He will repair your broken heart and reverse your thinking to get you on the right track (the narrow road). Reverse now before it's too late...Death is the point of no return. The chance of dying is one in one. Please don't leave earth without Jesus!
~Big thanks to Charlotte and Ginger for hosting Spiritual Sundays every week. To see the list of Spiritual Sundays posts, click here.
P.S. I'd like to invite y'all to check out myPick-Your-Book Giveaway. The winner (randomly chosen) will get to pick a book of his/her choice. There are 10 great books to choose from such as Outlive Your Life by Max Lucado, Blue Like Play Dough by Tricia Goyer, The 7 Minute Life Daily Planner, etc. Ends tomorrow (3/13) at midnight Pacific time.
Happy childhood. Deaths of friends and grandmother. Rape. Depression. Overwhelming pain. Train tracks. Failed suicide attempt. Amazing Grace. Miracle of her survival. New nightmare. God's transforming power. Life with a purpose and hope.
Wow...what a heart-wrenching yet inspiring true story of a young woman who wanted to end her life but instead discovered life (meaningful life), in spite of her! I didn't want to put the book down; her story from the very beginning really gripped my heart. Kristen was only 17 years old (same age as my daughter) when she lay down across railroad tracks and was run over by 33 freight cars at 55 miles per hour. Medically and realistically, she should have been dead. But God had other plans. Kristen courageously and candidly shares in this book her struggles, mistakes, depth of despair, challenges of living without legs, and a second chance to live in Christ who gives her strength and joy, hope and purpose. Against all odds, she lives to tell others of God, the Life Giver, encourage others to cherish life because it's a gift from God, and remind them that He has a special plan for each person. This book includes personal notes from Kristen sharing messages she wishes someone had told her when she was depressed and struggling with loss, shame from sexual abuse, and suicidal thoughts. At the end of the book, you will also find a message from Kristen's mom, Jan Anderson, and a list of suicide warning signs. Suicide is never the answer! Jesus Christ is! He turns tragedy into victory.
Life, In Spite of Me is a must read for anyone who is suffering from depression and/or suicidal thoughts. It seems that now more and more people, especially teens, are hurting, living aimlessly, and struggling with depression and suicidal thoughts. May the Lord use Kristen and her book to touch many lives with the truth of the Gospel and the eternal hope in Christ!
"He reached down from heaven and rescued me; He drew me out of deep waters. He led me to a place of safety; He rescued me because He delights in me." ~Psalm 18:16,19
~ This book was provided for review by WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.
In celebration of Shaunti Feldhahn’s Life Ready Woman, MomLife Today is giving away 2 Weekend To Remember Gift Packs and much more!
Not only, is MomLife Today helping promote Life Ready Woman, but they are thrilled to announce that Shaunti will be joining MomLife Today as a regular contributor!!!
Weekend To Remember Get-Aways offer marriage-changing principles that you can take home and apply to your daily lives to strengthen your marriage. Whether you are newly engaged or have been married for 50 years, you will find value in the tools provided at the getaway.
Don’t miss this opportunity to receive a conference registration for you and your spouse … and more! MomLife Today will be randomly selecting NINE lucky recipients to receive one of these great gifts:
2 Weekend To Remember Get Away conference registrations for two. $259 value each pair (Two couples will receive this.)
About Life Ready Woman
Thriving in a Do It All World
Are you a 'Doing it all' or 'Do what matters' woman?
Whether a stay at home or working mom, an airplane-hopping executive, an empty-nester caring for multiple generations or a single juggling high demands of career and personal life, today's fast-paced modern world leaves women gasping for balance. We as modern Christian women want to look to the Bible for guidance on how to manage our lives -- but because the world of women looks so different today than it did when the Bible was written, it is hard to find chapter and verse that seems to apply to our situation today.
Thankfully, God has given us exactly that timeless, unchanging guidance for how to find peace, clarity, and God's best for our lives once we know where to look! The Life Ready Woman: Thriving in a Do-It-All World, reveals a profound biblical roadmap for how each of us can find the abundant life we are longing for, rather than the stressful, torn, how-do-I-balance-it-all life we often feel like we are trying to keep up with today. Actually being a LifeReady Woman means that you are clear about your life, bold in your faith, and able to find God's best for you, and the end result will be that you not only survive but thrive in our do-it-all world.
God has given every wonderfully unique woman different skills and abilities, different desires, and different temperaments -- and every woman around the planet and through the ages is certainly living in different circumstances. But no matter what a woman's life looks like, the Bible says that God has an individual mission and plan that He's carefully designed for each of us. And He wants us to find it. Starting January 2011, The Life Ready Woman and the Life Ready Woman Video Series will help every wonderfully unique woman to thrive as she identifies and courageously pursues God's unique design and callings for her. LifeReady Woman puts you on a roadmap to make decisions that will lead to relief, delight, and fulfillment instead of regret.
Shaunti Feldhahn is a former Wall Street analyst and the best-selling author of For Women Only and now The Life Ready Woman with Robert Lewis. These resources investigate and illuminate those easy-to-miss truths that have the greatest power to transform lives.
Shaunti is also the mom of two active young kids, and wife to attorney and entrepreneur Jeff. In the middle of juggling work deadlines, soccer runs, church activities, business opportunities, field trips, and time with her husband, she has seen personally how vital it is to have a biblical blueprint for life balance.
My Thoughts and Review:
I love being a woman. Yes, often I do wish there were more hours in the day :). Being a woman trying to juggle a plethora of things is challenging and exhausting. The Life Ready Woman aims to help women be ready for a fulfilled life from a Biblical perspective. Initially, I had a hard time getting into the book because it didn't hold my attention. However, it got better/meatier starting in Chapter 3. The book is divided into two parts: Part 1: God's Plan and Purposes for All of Us and Part 2: Getting to God's Best for You. The authors (Shaunti Feldhahn & Robert Lewis) address the five most common issues facing us women nowadays, define Biblical womanhood, and point out the three types of callings that direct our path (core callings, feminine callings, and personal callings). If you want God's best for your life, you need to live from the inside out (beginning at God's core callings). The authors offer five faith steps and various wise steps (for different seasons of life) for women to follow in order to be "ready". This book is an insightful and practical life-coaching guide based on the compass of God's Word for women of all ages and all stages.
GIVEAWAY: You can win a copy of this book. The giveaway is open only to U.S. residents. Deadline: Feb. 28th at midnight (Pacific time) To Enter: Please leave a comment here sharing what you think is the most challenging thing about being a Godly woman, wife, or mother.
For Extra Entries: 1. View my daughter's video here (only 3 min. 15 sec. long) and come back to leave a comment letting me know.
2. Rate my book reviews here (click on each title to read and rate each review). Come back to leave a comment letting me know the title(s) of the book(s) you've rated. Each book review rating counts as one extra entry.
3. Follow my blog via Google Friend Connect or NetworkedBlogs.
~I received this book for review and a giveaway copy from Litfuse Group.
1. You can get a FREE sample copy of "An Encouraging Word," magazine for Christian women of all ages. $5.00 value! Enter promo code: AEWFB in the check out process and click "Continue." Please feel free to share this offer with your friends! http://www.anencouragingword.net/aewsample.htm
2. We've had a blast singing with Praise Champion (Karaoke World Tour) CDrom. Great song selections (lots of hymns, praise and worship songs, Christmas songs, songs by Lincoln Brewster, Kari Jobe, etc.)! We all try to get platinum records :).
3. We had so much fun playing games with our Chinese and Taiwanese friends last Friday night! We played Whoonu, Apples to Apples, Would You Rather...?, and I Have Never. Lots of laughter and I discovered I enjoy crispy anchovy snacks :).
4. Tomorrow, January 22, Focus on the Family is co-sponsoring the first annual Life and Justice Conference at New Life Church in Colorado Springs. You can also join live via simulcast. Discover how you can be an advocate for the preborn child, orphans, those living with special needs, the elderly, or victims of human trafficking and genocide. For more details: http://www.lifeandjusticeconference.org/?page_id=817
5. I enjoyed reading Life Without Limits and highly recommend it. This inspiring book is written by Nick Vujicic, who was born without arms or legs. He is living his life to the fullest with gusto for God's glory! Please take a few minutes to read my review here and rate it. Thanks so much!
"When Jesus spoke again to the people, He said, 'I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.'" John 8:12
"Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made. In Him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it." John 1:3-5
May we all faithfully follow the Light of the world and reflect His light so that the world may see their need for a Savior and be led to the Way! May we never become so familiar with the CHRISTmas account that we stop appreciating the "good news of great joy!" Have a CHRIST-centered & joy-filled CHRISTmas and a bright New Year (because we have the light of life :))!
Joy surpasses any happiness. Happiness is dependent on circumstances. Joy is not. I am filled with overflowing joy (not because it's my birthday :) but because of Jesus). Joy is found in our gratitude to the Lord. Joy is found in knowing Jesus. Joy is found in walking with Him even through the valley of the shadow of death. Joy is found in living for God (our Source of joy) and doing His will. Joy is found in childlike faith. Joy is found in Christ-like attitude. Joy is found in loving, giving, and serving. You can have true joy if you love Jesus above all else, then sincerely love and genuinely care about others, and put yourself last. Jesus Others Yourself
Oh the sheer joy of it! Walking with Thee, Out on the hilltop, Down by the sea, Life is so wonderful, Life is so free.
~Ralph Spaulding Cushman
"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
"The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes." Psalm 19:8
"The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to Him in song." Psalm 28:7
"If you obey My commands, you will remain in My love, just as I have obeyed My Father's commands and remain in His love. I have told you this so that My joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete." John 15: 10-11
God is my Joy and my Delight. How thankful I am for the joy of the Lord deep within my soul! Joy to the World...Joy to you all! "But the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David,a Savior has been born to you; He is CHRIST the Lord.'"(Luke 2:10-11) Christ's birth brought indescribable joy to mankind because He is the Messiah! Let's share with others the joy of knowing Jesus and the wonders of His love! May our joy and love (that we receive from Him) be contagious :).
"Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls." 1 Peter 1:8-9
Have a CHRIST-centered & joy-filled CHRISTmas, everyone!
Bible Smuggling 101 Legally Saturating High Schools with God’s Word
In today’s divisive culture-war society, when news stories about separation of church and state thrive with controversy, one cutting-edge Christian ministry is having remarkable success spreading the Word of God. What makes it remarkable? They are doing it by distributing Bibles in public schools—legally.
Carl Blunt is the president and CEO of The Life Book Movement, a Christian mission centered on Blunt’s own contemporary, youth-oriented edition of a portion of the Bible called The Life Book, a unique presentation of Scripture designed to engage high school students with the truth of God’s Word. The Life Book presents a brief overview of the Old Testament and the Book of John using an interactive format with honest student comments and real-life questions in the margins. Readers are drawn into the only story that can change their lives forever.
Founded by The Gideons International as an innovative strategy to reach high school students with God’s Word, The Life Book Movement works in collaboration with churches throughout the country to provide the books for free to high school students. Blunt’s organization brilliantly threads a separation-of-church-and-state loophole by getting his publication into the hands of Christian high school students and having them pass the books out to classmates at school—a practice that is entirely legal, as long as the books are not distributed by school staff or other adults. Blunt says, “It’s like we’re helping students smuggle God’s Word into a closed country (public high schools) to reach an unreached people group because studies show that only 4% of today’s teenagers are Bible-believing Christians.” The goal is to ensure that every student in every high school in the United States has an opportunity to receive the gift of The Life Book. This approach presents a phenomenal opportunity to impact a generation with the good news of Jesus Christ.
The Life Book Movement is best described to students as a week-long mission trip to their local high school. Local churches work together in targeted areas to ensure The Life Book is offered to every student in each chosen high school. All churches involved receive the books at no cost from The Life Book Movement and provide the books, along with some evangelism training, to the students in their youth groups. The students then spend a week passing them out to their friends and classmates at school. One student who received the book said, “I got one today. I read it in almost every class today. I like it. It’s pretty neat and other people asked to look at it and then asked where to get one.”
Flying under the radar since its inception last fall, The Life Book Movement is rapidly closing in on distribution of more than 300,000 copies in public high schools across 21 states and even the British Virgin Islands. A quiet success, indeed, but extremely ambitious, The Life Book Movement has an ultimate goal of distributing The Life Book to nearly 18 million high school students when all is said and done. And, so far, the outlook is extremely promising.
MY THOUGHTS AND REVIEW:
You may not think of public high schools as mission fields but they are. Your church's youth group can help with Bible-smuggling legally by using The Life Book. The Life Book starts with the story of God and people in the Old Testament in a nutshell summary (Part 1). Part 2 covers 21 chapters of John: the story of Jesus coming to earth. The third part of the book asks readers to ponder who they think Jesus is and to decide whether they want to follow Him or not. The last part offers help from the Bible for troubles that students may face such as relationships, peer pressure, self-esteem, depression, and worry. Throughout the whole book, there are comments/questions here and there from 4 students (2 boys, 2 girls) and 1 adult. Some of these notes are insightful while others are humorous. A modern translation of the Bible (the Holman Christian Standard Bible version) is used for easy understanding. The spoken words of the Lord Jesus Christ are in red letters. I enjoyed reading this book and I think it's a clever way to get kids in public schools to read God's Word without realizing they're reading God's Word. I encourage you/your church to get involved and share with others about this wonderful evangelism movement.
~I was given a copy of this book by the B&B Media Group for an exchange of my honest review.
Format: Hardcover
Trim Size: 6.40 x 6.60 x 0.50
Page Count: 112
Retail Price: $14.95
ISBN-13: 9781404187801
Author: Andy Andrews
My Thoughts and Review:
The Butterfly Effect is a motivational gift book. It is short but powerful. It gives readers a needed perspective on life and encourages them to live their lives with purpose. Your life matters because everything you do matters for all time. It talks about the butterfly effect: how one butterfly’s wing-flapping can move molecules of air in a chain reaction that results in a hurricane. The book gives an example of one man who made one move that still affects the world today. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain was his name. What if he didn’t make that one move? Historical events and people involved would have not turned out the same. The ramifications are innumerable. Another example was Norman Borlaug who developed the special seeds that grew into supper plants that fed hungry people. His work has saved more than two billion lives from starvation. But soon you realize that several people were responsible for influencing Norman and his work. We can keep tracing back farther and farther into the past and see that each person’s action has far-reaching effects into the future whether he or she knows it or not. You were created by God to make a difference in the world. No one else is like you. Your actions whether good or bad will impact lives after lives in a chain of events. What you do with your life matters forever; therefore, choose wisely how you live. The Butterfly Effect is a beautiful book with an inspiring lesson.
~I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers through BookSneeze.com. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
Note: Please turn off my music playlist at the bottom of this page before starting the video.
FORGIVEN by Sanctus Real Well the past is playing with my head And failure knocks me down again I’m reminded of the wrong That I have said and done And that devil just won't let me forget
In this life I know what I’ve been But here in Your arms I know what I am [chorus]
I’m forgiven I’m forgiven And I don’t have to carry The weight of who I’ve been Cause I’m forgiven
My mistakes are running through my mind And I’ll relive my days, in the middle of the night When I struggle with my pain, wrestle with my pride Sometimes I feel alone, and I cry
In this life I know what I’ve been But here in Your arms I know what I am [back to chorus]
When I don't fit in and I don’t feel like I belong anywhere When I don’t measure up to much in this life Oh, I’m a treasure in the arms of Christ 'cause [back to chorus]
Praise the Lord! We are forgiven. Don't listen to Satan's lies. Cling to God's truths. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9 "Therefore, my brothers, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Through Him everyone who believes is justified from everything you could not be justified from by the law of Moses." Acts 13:38-39 "In Him (Jesus Christ) we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding." Ephesians 1:7-8 "Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered." Psalm 32:1
Note: Please turn off my music playlist at the bottom of this page before starting the video.
God is indeed good all the time! He never changes. We can always trust Him.
"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10
"God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?"...Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." Hebrews`3:5b-6, 8
"Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness." Lamentations 3:22
"There is a big difference between nice people and good people. Nice people are loved by everyone whereas good people get nailed to crosses! Jesus was not always 'nice' to people but He was always good to them; there is a big difference. God's actions in your lives may not always be pleasant or nice; however, they are always loving and good." (~Sean Nolan, p. 26, To Those Who Suffer)
Life is a gift from God. All are precious in God's eyes. Our family is very passionate about saving the lives of the unborn. Every year, my daughter, Alyssa, participates in Steps for Life, an annual fund-raising event for Pregnancy Resource Centers (PRC). Please consider helping save the unborn by clicking here. Any amount helps! If you would like to help but do not want to use credit card, please email me your pledge and mailing address and PRC wil bill you later after the walkathon (May 15th). My email address is serving_theKingofkings@yahoo.com . Let's speak up and be a voice for the voiceless! Thanks for doing all you can for these precious lives and God bless!
, MomLife Today is giving away 2 Weekend To Remember Gift Packs and much more!
