Permission Granted by Margot Starbuck

Permission Granted by Margot Starbuck is an interesting read. I believe the premise of the book is to give Christians permission to love others as Jesus loves. I’m not sure we need permission. In fact, I’m  not sure we’re not already doing that. To be sure we could always do more but to say we’re not doing it at all is not true.

I’ve posted before about people in my town reaching out across denominational lines to be Jesus to  people. There is more to be done and there is more being done.

In Permission Granted, Margot led me to believe if I am not going into strip clubs, attending Gay Pride Parades (without being asked) or attending Porn conventions, I am not loving and being Jesus to the world.

I read over and over how sinners loved Jesus, they flocked to Him. And it’s true, they did. However, a look further into it reveals why they did. Did they flock to Him because they loved Him and wanted to be with Him? Some yes. But the majority flocked to Him because He healed them, He fed them. They flocked to Him because of what He could do for them. And when He refused to be a puppet on a string for them, when He required something from them, they simply stopped following Him. They stayed only long enough to get their needs met and when confronted with their own selfish desires and the need to choose, they choose to walk away.

I read in Permission Granted that Jesus attended “raucous parties” given by sinners. I do not read that in Scripture. He did eat with sinners, that I can find. I can find no real mention of raucous parties at all. I also rediscovered He ate with Pharisees as well.

It was re-cemented in my mind that if I am living  and loving and obeying Jesus, my life will stand out in a good way. People will naturally be curious. I will have to as 1 Peter 3:15 says:

but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;

I don’t need permission for that.

The examples Margot uses (attending a Gay Pride Parade, visiting a strip club, attending a porn convention…and really why do they have those?) and many she doesn’t, is not a good idea. We are called to be separate, to make a difference by being different. We are told in Scripture in dealing with fellow believers who are caught in any sin to be careful and mature about restoring. Why? So we don’t fall into the same temptation. Is it, or should it be any different when we deal with the world? No. Now I’m not saying we should beat them over the head with “you’re a sinner. Change your ways or fry!” Not at all. I’m saying we are not to partake, we are in fact to avoid ALL appearance of evil.

We are also to be careful not to offend our fellow Christians, we are not to cause one of them to stumble. And I can see very much how this behaviour touted in the book as the “way to love like Jesus” would do that very thing.  We can’t violate one command in the Bible to fulfill another. Yes, there are those who will be offended no matter what we do however, I have found that to be more true of the world than fellow Christians.

All in all, the book a fairly easy read. Parts of it are biblically sound, other parts are not.  I can’t say I recommend the book which to me is sad, because I really really wanted to love this book. Please, let’s remember if we are living our lives in obedience to Jesus, living and loving so He is glorified, we will make a difference, we will reach the “sinners” (special or not) of this world with the love of Jesus, lives will  be changed, He will be glorified and the world will wonder what hit them.

 

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of review.

Praying

I don’t think I pray enough. I know probably everyone says the same thing, even those who spend hours praying every day.  I wish I spent hours a day praying.

I hate to admit it but most of the time, I seem to forget about praying. Except at meal times. We always pray before we eat. Often as I fall into bed at night I’ll have two thoughts run through my head:

• Did I brush my teeth at all today?
• Did I pray at all?

I usually fall asleep praying. It used to bother me but then I thought it was the best way to fall asleep. I was concerned God would think I found Him boring, or that I found myself boring. That is not the case anymore.

I am not a fan of praying out loud anywhere, even with my family. When it is my turn to pray out-loud my mind goes completely blank.  Something about being in the presence of the Creator of the universe gets me all tongue tied.

Part of my problem is I am almost fully convinced the others in the room are judging me based on my praying ability.

Another part is I know satan can’t read my mind but he can hear my voice. I’d rather he not know what I’m praying about. He has enough ammunition to use against me without any help from me.

How is that for crazy?!

So do you have any tips for me?

Waking Up is hard to do

I am not the best at waking up. I do it every morning, don’t get me wrong, but it is a struggle. It doesn’t really matter how early or late I go to bed, waking up is hard.

I’ve never been especially good at rising early. By early I mean before 7. I’ve tried every gimmick in the book; all to no avail. I’ve tried going to bed earlier. I’ve tried setting my alarm for an earlier time so I can play the snooze game before getting up. I’ve tried praying God would wake up when I needed to get up.

Not to say prayer didn’t work; maybe God thought I needed to sleep in, but none of the things I tried worked.

Which is why it was so strange to wake up at 5 this morning.  I laid in bed trying in vain to go back to sleep for about 45 minutes. Most people when they wake up in the wee hours will get out of bed and eat, not me. I get out of bed to visit the “necessary room” because I am usually convinced my bladder woke me up.

That didn’t work this morning. I returned to bed and hopefully to sleep. Nope. I laid there for another hour. (An HOUR!) Before I gave up and prayed, “Lord, You woke me up and I can’t go back to sleep, what do You want me to do?”

Imagine my shock when almost immediately I “heard” the following response:

Get up and make coffee.

I shook my head in questions, “Get up and make coffee? Really? Then what?”

Get up and make coffee.

Over and over for a few minutes. So I got up and made the coffee.  I poured myself a cup and sleepily found my way to my favorite chair with my nook in hand. I started reading on facebook, while I sipped my coffee, still utterly confused as to why I had to get up so early just to make coffee. I felt God say:

I didn’t say read facebook.

Whoops. I opened YouVersion and began reading today’s reading in the plan I’m following.

And I felt God smile.

He had verses jump off the page at me like never before.  I sipped my coffee while my eyes followed the words on the page.

My spirit was restored.

 

Psalm 130

(from memory…you’ll have to trust me.)

Out of the depths I cry to You,O Lord
O Lord, hear my voice
Let Your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy.

If You, O Lord, kept a record of sins,
O Lord, who could stand?
But with You there is forgiveness
Therefore you are feared.

I wait for the Lord, my soul waits
and in His word I have put my hope.
My soul waits for the Lord
more than the watchmen wait for the morning,
more than the watchmen wait for morning.

Oh Israel, put your hope in the Lord
for with Him there is unfailingly love
and with Him is full redemption

He Himself will redeem Israel from
all their sins.

(niv)

Praying

If I should ever appear to be raving about my friend Kathi Lipp’s books it is simply because I am. I can’t seem to stop it and I don’t think I want and I’m pretty sure she doesn’t want me too.

Her latest book is Praying God’s Word for your Husband. And no, it won’t turn you into Super Wife. You won’t win Wife of the Year. But you will bless your man and in turn you will be blessed.

Kathi talks about praying for our husbands in all areas of life. She gives us verses to pray when he is feeling stressed, his career, finances, safety, future,  emotional health, parenting, and relationship with God and others.

But here’s the best part, I don’t know about you but I really struggle with the words when I pray. I open my mouth and my brain goes blank. But never fear, Kathi’s here! She gives you sample prayers for each and every verse!

The book is designed to be done with a group but you could it alone if need be. I have two friends that will be doing the book with me. And we can’t wait to get started!

 

(I received a copy of this book free from the publisher for the purpose of review)

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Welcome to Pearl Girls™ Mother of Pearl Mother’s Day blog series – a week long
celebration of moms and mothering. Each day will feature a new post by some of
today’s best writer’s (Tricia Goyer, Sheila Walsh, Suzanne Woods Fisher, Bonnie St.
John, and more). I hope you’ll join us each day for another unique perspective on
Mother’s Day.

AND … do enter the contest for a chance to win a beautiful hand crafted
pearl necklace. To enter, just {CLICK
THIS LINK} and fill out the short form. Contest runs 5/6-5/13 and the
winner will on 5/14. Contest is only open to US and Canadian residents.

If you are unfamiliar with Pearl Girls™, please visit www.pearlgirls.info and see what we’re all about. In
short, we exist to support the work of charities that help women and children in

the US and around the globe. Consider purchasing a copy of Pearl Girls: Encountering
Grit, Experiencing Grace or one of the Pearl Girls™ products (all GREAT
Mother’s Day gifts!) to help support Pearl Girls.

And to all you MOMS out there, Happy Mother’s Day!

Priceless Treasure by Cindy K. Stiverson

We’ve heard it said and often find it true:

You don’t know the value of a treasure until you’re without it. 

We take for granted the things in life that seem so readily available.

A paperclip or rubber band, to hold things together.

A tissue or napkin, to wipe our nose to clean our face, to absorb our
tears.

A Bible to speak words of wisdom and instruction and life and
love.

And a Mother, who is all these things and more.

She is readily available.

She holds things together.

She wipes our nose, cleans our face (and our fingers, and,
well…everything else!)

She absorbs our tears and calms our fears.

“She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.”
(Proverbs 31:26)

She loves.

Within hours after my mother passed into the gates of our heavenly home, I
was missing her. Her quick wit…humor…charm. Her warm smile and melodious
laughter, which served her well to the very end, as did our Lord Jesus Christ, who so
graciously allowed her to slip quietly and peacefully into His arms.

She simply stopped breathing.

As I stood at her bedside in those priceless moments after her passing, I wanted
to touch her skin as much as possible while there was still warmth in her body; to
nuzzle my nose against her head and breathe in the scent of her hair while she was
still there. Priceless treasures I was guilty of taking for granted, clouded by unmet
needs. I was so consumed with what she was not, that I never fully appreciated who
she was. It’s like I was blind, but now I see!

I see her strength, her commitment. Her perseverance…sacrifice…her unspoken

love. I see how much she meant to me, how much she did for me, how much she
taught me, and how much of the good in me was modeled by her.

She was a virtuous woman, as described in Proverbs 31 of the Bible.

“Her children stand and bless her… a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly
praised. Reward her for all she has done. Let her deeds publicly declare her praise
(vs. 31).”

This last verse of the poem serves as an epitaph for the woman of virtue. It speaks
of the legacy she leaves in her passing. It spurred me to write a personal epitaph for
my mother, which I read at her funeral.

We publicly declare your praise today,

and in the days to come,

for you deserve to be praised and blessed,

“We honor you, Mom, for all you have done!”

In my earliest of memories,

You worked so hard, striving for the rest.

You persevered through great trials

and did your very best.

I know you are being rewarded

in ways far beyond our reach.

We honor you now by practicing what you’ve taught,

and even what you preached!

You’ve stood for us for all these years,

Today, we stand for you!

I pray that our applause on earth

will reach your heavenly ears.

With the reading of this poem, I asked everyone to stand. We clapped our hands in
celebration and praise of the life of my mother, Margaret Alice Stiltner.

Imagine our surprise to discover that she had left a poetic epitaph for us! She had
clipped it from an old magazine and framed it. I found it when I was cleaning her
home, on a nightstand by her bed. My mother was never versed at expressing
emotion. This was her sweet way of kissing us good-bye: a priceless treasure to
remember her by.

###

Cynthia (Cindy) Stiverson is a speaker, writer, and artist.  In 1998, she
founded Woven: Women of Virtue Network, a spiritual formation and friendship
ministry. She pastors the women at Newark Church of the Nazarene in Ohio.
She is currently working on her fourth Woven Workbook, and also a book for
mothers and daughters on the subject of sexual abuse. Cindy considers
raising her daughter, speaker/author Nicole Braddock Bromley, to be her greatest
achievement. She loves the men in her life, hubby Mark, grandbabes Jude and Isaac,
and son-in-law Matthew. You can find more of Cindy at www.WovenWomen.blogspot.com and
www.CynthiaStiverson.com

Exciting News – the latest Pearl Girls book, Mother of Pearl: Luminous Legacies
and Iridescent Faith will be released this month! Please visit the Pearl Girls Facebook
Page (and LIKE us!) for more information! Thanks so much for your support!

What a difference a day makes.

I try and be open and transparent on my blog as well as in real life. I don’t want to hide behind fake masks. It is easier for me to be real in print. I find it incredibly hard to share with others face-to-face about my struggles. Mostly because I’m afraid I’ll cry and I hate that.

I’m not a cry-er by nature. I don’t cry easy but there are struggles that are hard, painful and reduce me to a puddle of tears. And let me tell you I’m ugly when I cry. There just isn’t anything pretty about it.

The past few weeks have been those kind of weeks. The kind of weeks where I can hardly breathe at times. Not that there hasn’t been joy in the days. I’m not saying every day has been tear producing. But there have been several things that have cut deep.

Some of them have been words from other well-meaning people. I’ve had to pray, “LORD, is there any truth in what they are saying?” even though the mere thought of there being a shred of truth was not easy to swallow.

I am sick to death of this though. Not praying. But I’m tired of being sad. I realized sadness was a choice I was making. To change my feelings I had to change my choice.  That would require an objective view of my situation.

I would have to choose to look at it differently and when you’re in the forest it’s hard to see anything except trees.  How do you look at a forest and not see trees?

Yesterday, over my breakfast, I prayed thanking God for the day, the highs and lows, joys and pain. I have to tell you, that changed my day.  I felt prepared for whatever would come my way. Just knowing I had already thanked Jesus for it seemed to change my attitude toward the whole day.

It isn’t that my day started horribly, it didn’t. I just knew something had to change and that had to be me.  Being grateful for and in things changed my focus. My focus was no longer on anything anyone had done or would do to me, my focus was on the One who allows all things into my life for a reason.

I know I can trust Him, who judges justly and loves me to the utmost, to only bring things into my life that are for my good and not my harm.  I can trust His hand. I can trust Him to work things in my life, even the hard, painful times for my good.

And that makes even the worst day the best day.

The choice for a bad day or a good day really depends on us. Not our circumstances. If we choose to have a attitude of “everything comes into my life for a purpose” and an attitude that says “no matter what happens, this is the day the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it”, we will find the things of this world a little less troubling, a little less painful. If we keep in mind that Jesus is already in our day, He already knows the outcome and His plan is for our good, we can walk confidently through our trials.

We will know He will bring us safely through our fires. We can know He will make it so when we come through the fire we won’t even smell like smoke.

And really who wants to smell like smoke?

Merry Christmas, 12 Pearls of Christmas

Welcome to the 12 Pearls of Christmas!

Merry Christmas from all of us at Pearl Girls™! We hope you enjoyed these Christmas “Pearls of Wisdom” from the authors who were so kind to donate their time and talents! If you missed a few posts, I hope you’ll be able go back through and read them on this blog over the next few days. If you’d like to keep up with Pearl Girls and our new book project, Mother of Pearl, coming this spring, just click this link and sign up for our newsletter (lower left sidebar).

Also, just a reminder that today is the last day for the pearl necklace and earrings giveaway! Enter now by filling out this {form}. The winner will on 1/1 at the Pearl Girls blog.

If you are unfamiliar with Pearl Girls™, please visit www.pearlgirls.info and see what we’re all about. In short, we exist to support the work of charities that help women and children in the US and around the globe. Consider purchasing a copy of Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace or one of the Pearl Girls products (all GREAT gifts!) to help support Pearl Girls.

***

Jesus — The Reason For the Season

By: Rachel Hauck

Through the narrow scope of 2000 years, Mary, the mother of Jesus, appears to be one lucky woman. Chosen by God to give birth to His son, the Savior of the world? All right, Mary, way to go.

“Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you,” Gabriel said.

How many of us would like a declaration like that? Highly favored. The Lord is with you. But Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.

The angel told her, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Mary’s seems confident and resolved when she responds, “I am the Lord’s servant. May your word to me be fulfilled.”

She’d just been told the Holy Spirit will come upon her, that God’s power will overshadow her, that she’d become with child even though she wasn’t married, and she said, “I’m the Lord’s servant. Let your words be true.”

I find this amazing! A young woman. Ancient Bethlehem. Unwed mother. They stoned women for such things in her day. But Mary believed in God. And submitted to His will. He gave her the Holy Spirit – the same Holy Spirit given to us. If He gave her confidence, He will give us confidence. Even though, like Mary, our situation seems impossible.

Listen to Mary’s song later on in the first chapter of Luke.

“My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me Holy is his name…”

Conceiving a child out of wedlock, by Divine intervention. Not a girl’s every day existence. Yet she had a Yes in her heart to God. She rejoiced. She boldly said, “Generations will remember me!”

How we struggle to trust God with our children. Our finances. Our emotional well-being. We worry. We fret. And wonder why we have no peace.

Christmas is the season where words like joy, peace and love are bantered around like Christmas candy. Let’s not take them as just words, but as truth. Let’s be like Mary and embrace God’s favor on our lives. Boldly declare “He’s done great things for me!”

Out of the grit of our own souls, we can reach His heart, and feel Him reaching for ours. No matter the pain of our past, present or future, God is there for us. He is able. Best of all, He is willing. “My soul glorifies the Lord this Christmas!”

***

Rachel Hauck is an award winning, best selling author who believes God has done great things for her. She lives in Central Florida with her husband and ornery pets. Her next release is Love Lifted Me with multi-platinum country artist Sara Evans, January 2012. Then in April, look for The Wedding Dress. www.rachelhauck.com.

12 Pearls of Christmas For December 22

Welcome to the 12 Pearls of Christmas!

Enjoy these Christmas “Pearls of Wisdom” from some of today’s most beloved writer’s (Tricia Goyer, Suzanne Woods Fisher, Shellie Rushing Tomlinson, Sibella Giorello and more)! Please follow the series through Christmas day as each contributor shares heartfelt stories of how God has touched a life during this most wonderful time of the year.

AND just for fun … there’s also a giveaway! Fill out this simple {form} and enter for a chance to win a beautiful pearl necklace and earring set ($450 value). Contest runs 12/14 – 12/25 and the winner will on 1/1. Contest is only open to US and Canadian residents. You may enter once per day.

If you are unfamiliar with Pearl Girls™, please visit www.pearlgirls.info and see what we’re all about. In short, we exist to support the work of charities that help women and children in the US and around the globe. Consider purchasing a copy of Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace or one of the Pearl Girls products (all GREAT gifts!) to help support Pearl Girls.

***

Simple or Sparkle?

by Tracey Eyster

It’s a simple ornament made of thin cheap metal and it looks quite out of place on our CHRISTmas tree. But each year I lovingly and safely nestle it amongst its expensive and sparkly peers, without a care as to how unglamorous it appears.

Many of our CHRISTmas ornaments have a story and an uncanny way of welling up emotion in me, but this certain one causes an intense stir.

You see the ornament is engraved with the name of my grandmother, Sara, and was given to me by my mother, who ordered it from Hospice, after Grandmama’s death. Yes, the months leading up to her death carry memories of a frail and failing grandmama, but that ornament carries my thoughts to sweet CHRISTmas memories of the past.

CHRISTmas Eve dinners in her home, laughing, singing, gathering and celebrating a year filled with blessings as we remembered the birth of our Savior. CHRISTmas mornings, she was always there participating with glee, in our raucous CHRISTmas happiness. Her gifts were always bank envelopes gently tucked into the pine needles of our CHRISTmas tree, fresh cut from the property she grew up on.

All memories of my Grandmama make my heart swell. You see she was my Jesus with skin on. She lived her life full of joy, serving others and approached life selflessly with an attitude of, “What can I do for you?”

Just months before she left us, even as the Alzheimer’s was robbing her mind she shared her love of Jesus with a sweet little old lady friend, who came to know the Lord – a divine appointment.  The very next day that little old lady silently slipped away to meet in person the One Sara introduced her to just the day before.

At the time I wept, realizing that regardless of our own frailties and failings, God can still use those of us who are willing to do His work and are well practiced at hearing His voice…no matter our lack of sparkle in comparison to others.

A simple life lived for Him, a simple ornament in memory of Sara…a simple truth for you to ponder.

***

Tracey Eyster wife, mom, relationship gatherer and Creator/Editor of FamilyLife’s MomLife Today is a media savvy mom making a difference where moms are, on-line. Through speaking, writing and video interviews Tracey is passionate about encouraging, equipping and advising moms on every facet of momlife. Her first book, Be The Mom will be released August 2012. You can connect with Tracey at http://www.momlifetoday.com, her personal site www.traceyster.com or www.twitter/momblog.com.

Wonderment

I wonder if I am the only American who did not consciously think of it being 9/11 today. It isn’t that I didn’t think about it at all, I just didn’t dwell on it all day. There were times when it would hit me, “Today is September 11.”

This morning we walked in the church service a little late and the pastor had asked everyone to stand while he was talking about the anniversary of 9/11. He then asked all the people who had or were serving in the armed forces or law enforcement to sit down, and for those standing near them to put their hands on those seated and pray over and for them.  For those not near enough to touch, they were asked to just pray silently.

I confess, I did not close my eyes. I let them roam around the room at will. I was moved to tears by the men seated. Just knowing they willingly lay their life on the line for me astounds me.

It didn’t help matters one iota when we followed that up with the great hymn of the faith, “Great is Thy Faithfulness.” While I was silently sobbing and the congregation was singing I felt the Lord speak to my very soul, “If their sacrifice moves you this much, think of the sacrifice I made for you.”  So I pondered that. I pondered why it is so easy to tell police officers and military personnel “Thank you” and be moved to tears just saying it, when I can think about Jesus and His horrific death and not shed a tear.

Maybe it’s because I know He’s God. But on that day, He was fully man. Not that He wasn’t fully man from the moment of His conception, He was. But this was a sacrifice He chose to make and He refused to allow His diety, His very God-ness to give  Him a reprieve from the pain. He felt it all.

I think that is what Philippians 2:5-11 is talking about. Yes it is talking about His service to us, His selflessness, and it is those very things that drove Him to the cross for us.

I’ve been hearing a lot about the book “One Thousand Gifts” by Ann Voskamp. I haven’t read it but I’ve been enjoying her blog. She does a blog tour of sorts called Multitudes on Monday.  This is one of my One Thousand Gifts. I am blessed beyond measure by the gifts given to me by the military and law enforcement officials. They are a gift to me.

So please hear my heartfelt, Thank you.