by | Faith Lived Out
God has been taken out of schools. He’s been removed from court rooms. The list goes on…
But what if God’s still alive and well today?
He is!
Sarah Young, an unknown missionary took her prayer time and put in on paper for the world to read. Based on Scriptural context, Young put the words of Jesus into a devotional called Jesus Calling.
Okay, people do that all the time. What’s the big deal?
Sarah Young doesn’t have a platform. She’s not on social media. She doesn’t blog. Yet she’s a best-selling author. Since the release of Jesus Calling in 2004, more than 10 million copies of this devotional have been put into the hands of readers.
As a writer today, building a platform is key. We’re told by the experts to be on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Blogging, Tumbling, Pinning, and the list goes on. If we want to be successful, we have to be present everywhere.
I’m not arguing with that, to a point, but here’s what’s amazing.
When God wants something done He will make it happen. (Tweet That)
The evidence of that? A missionary with a heart to serve God writes a book that has sold more copies than Fifty Shades of Grey.
That my friends, is living proof that God’s not dead!
Don’t let your fear of not being “big enough” keep you from doing something God has called you to do. I’m not in any way telling you to sit back and wait for God to make things happen. He calls us to be active.
I write this as a reminder that God is still in control. He’s still sovereign. He’s still amazing. He’s touching the lives of millions with His words through a ten-year old devotional that started out as personal prayers for a servant of God.
I’m going through Jesus Calling myself this year, and I must say, it has rocked my world. I recommend it for every soul. It will change you.
This I promise.
by | Faith Lived Out
Who is your neighbor? The crazy cat lady? The guy who mows the yard in his underwear? (Does that only happen to me?)
When I first read Mark 12:31 and it told me to love my neighbor, I just assumed those words literally meant I just had to love the cat lady and the half naked guy. I was wrong.
I’m not simply required to love those within 500 feet of me. I’m required to love everyone.
Everyone is our neighbor.
That means the difficult, different, or dangerous people in our lives. Yeah, we have to love them. I mean, I guess we don’t have to, but Jesus said this commandment was as equally as important as number one, which is to love God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength. So it makes sense that we would desire to want to love our neighbors as much as we love the God who created us.
Honestly, there are days I don’t feel like loving people, especially those I don’t understand. I’m often convinced the world would be a better place if people would think like me. I’ll tell you this. If they did, Algebra, cottage cheese, and high heels wouldn’t exist.
What does loving my neighbor look like?
First, let’s look at what the word love means. To love includes affection, tenderness, compassion, warmth. So, maybe don’t go buy the cat lady some food to feed her flock and enable her to adopt five more, but drop by her house and offer her your friendship.
You most likely want to bring the guy on the lawn mower a shirt. Instead, bring him a sandwich and a glass of lemonade. You may just get your own lawn mowed out of the deal, just sayin’.
What if we passed out bottled water at the gay pride parade instead of holding up picket signs?
Don’t think you can only love your neighbor if you agree on everything.
Again, I’d assume not watch you eat cottage cheese, but it doesn’t mean I won’t take you out to lunch. If you’re a Republican, take a Democrat out to lunch. I promise the place won’t burn down if a Catholic has coffee with a Baptist.
If you’re a Christian, hang out with those who aren’t. They put their pants on the same way as you do.
Jesus met a woman at a well once who barely had enough fingers to count the number of men he had been with. He didn’t run from her. He offered her love. She was different and difficult. And according to the rules, He wasn’t even supposed to be seen talking to a woman, much less a Samaritan woman. She was dangerous and He embraced her anyway. (See John 4)
Who have you embraced lately? Are you loving your “safe” neighbors, or embracing the difficult, different, and dangerous?
Go and be different. You won’t regret it.
by | Faith Lived Out
My response to the Grammy’s controversial mass ceremonies performed on stage may be delayed, but my heart needed prayerful time to respond. It’s actually not my response to the event I’m writing about today, it’s the response to a fellow brother in Christ that I feel led to confront.
I woke up to read this response to to the event with a sad heart.
“Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, And prudent in their own sight!”
(Isaiah 5:20–21)
Flaunting sin before a Holy God.
First of all, allow me to say I respect the writer of these words. I believe he loves God and has a desire to see no one be separated from God. However, I am disturbed by the judgment I read in his words.
(more…)
by | Faith Lived Out
We’ve come along way since the 50’s and 60’s, where the words “sexual abuse” and “molestation” were unheard of. Or have we?
- photo credit: nicholas kristof
It’s still a taboo subject? Do we talk about it? Should we write about? Is it really that big of a problem?
Yes to all of the above.
Sexual abuse must be talked about.
I couldn’t be more proud of Dylan Farrow, who courageously spoke out on her own sexual abuse from her father. The fact that she’s been given a platform to speak the truth about her devastating past tells me we’re making progress in realizing just how big of a problem sexual abuse is.
Farrow says in her recent interview with the New York Times,
For as long as I could remember, my father had been doing things to me that I didn’t like.
Oh.. Did I mention her dad was a famous, well-respected celebrity who was never charged with the humiliating theft of his daughter’s innocence?
What if more people talked about sexual abuse?
I’m not saying everyone has to give details. Not everyone has to oust their perpetrator. I respect those who do and don’t. But we need to remember the problem is real. It’s happening whether we talk about it or not.
Farrow was accused of lying by many close to her. But her father? The man who took her into a closet and sexually molested her? He was praised, and still is, at awards shows, in magazines, and more. He still walks around “innocently”, but his daughter can’t get her innonence back.
But even when our innocence is stolen, Jesus can restore.
He promises to wash us white as snow. He will comfort the broken hearted. He will set the captives free. Instead of the ashes left by those who burned us, He will give us a crown of beauty. He will rebuild the ancient ruins stolen by the darkened souls that laid hands on us.
You don’t have to live marked by sexual abuse.
These are the words from Mary DeMuth in her new book, Not Marked. You may know Mary as a speaker and author. But she’s also a survivor of sexual abuse. Not only is she a survivor. She’s a conquerer!
And because sexual abuse needs to be talked about, Mary has done just that – writing a controversial book a traditional publisher wouldn’t even have the courage to take on.
Why? Because it’s controversial. It’s uncomfortable.
It’s necessary!
I admire Dylan Farrow for the tenacity to be honest about her victimization. And I pray she trades her ashes in for a crown of beauty. I pray she allows the ancient ruins to be built.
If you are a victim of sexual abuse, I pray the same for you.
by | Faith Lived Out
I’m taking a sabbatical from blogging for the next few weeks. While I’m gone, I’ve asked some of my favorite bloggers to stand in for me. This is a guest post by
Jennifer White. She is an Author, Speaker, and Encourager. Get her new ebook
Prayers Spoken, Lives Changed,
FREE here. Follow Jennifer on Twitter (
@jenniferowhite).
Every fourteen minutes someone decides life is not worth the pain and makes a tragic choice. In the last month my husband and I have been shocked by the news of two friends’ suicides. I am shaken by it.
The choice to commit suicide screams “Hopeless” like a neon sign flashing in the night.My mind scans the facts, the maybes and hears a faint whisper: “I could not find rest for my soul.”
What happened behind the scenes of this life?
Did their brain chemicals send sad signals? Were messages of rejection and failure the mind’s default playlist? Did the chemicals and messages cook into a thick stew of sadness?
Was death delivered as a sound solution by an evil accomplice? Did a familiar voice consistently whisper “failure” as a result of strategy meetings in the spiritual dark places? Were demons offering blankets of oppression designed to smother joy and hope? Did they smile knowing the ripple effects of their work?
Where was God? The all-powerful, all-knowing, ever-present God could have stopped this!
God was there. He was ready to resuscitate life where hope’s pulse grew faint. He knew where and when to speak the Truth to the soul unsure of its value and purpose. The good Shepherd never stops looking for His lost sheep. His sheep know His voice, hear Him call out and run to Him.
Did the hopeless know His voice? Were they able to hear Him above the voice of the one encouraging death? Can a severely depressed person find the energy to move toward God and away from evil?
When we see a wound in the soul of our communities, we must apply Christ as the cure. – Francis Frangipane
Remember the men who tore a hole in a roof to get a paralyzed friend in front of Jesus (Mark 2:1-12)? Faith in action moved a mountain in the life of someone unable to move. These friends pursued Jesus on His behalf. That is a defining picture of intercessory prayer.
You and I can lift up the hopeless into the presence of Jesus, the One who defeated death.
Every opposing force is rendered powerless, when the name of Jesus is on our lips. He is the Savior. He is the hope we all long to know. He is the only hope that survives.
In the presence of Jesus we find the fullness of joy (Ps 16:11). By the power of His Spirit, each of us can live with overwhelming hope (Rom 15:13). And we can help others do the same by praying for them.
A Simple Prayer from the Bible:
May the God of hope fill _____ with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit ______ may abound in hope. (Romans 15:13) It is in the all powerful name of Jesus, I pray. Amen
by | Faith Lived Out, Guest Posts
I’m taking a sabbatical from blogging for the next few weeks. While I’m gone, I’ve asked some of my favorite bloggers to stand in for me. This is a guest post by
Joyce Glass. is a writer, speaker, and lover of God’s word even more than chocolate! Her desire is to encourage you to walk closer to God. Follow Joyce on Twitter (
@joyce_glass).
Are you hungry? When is the last time you missed a meal? I miss very few! I may delay them, but I do not miss them. I love to eat, and my body does not like it when I do not eat!
Depending upon your age, you may remember the old commercial from the 80’s “Eat Your Wheaties” in the morning. Wheaties always had some super athlete on the box, and they wanted you to remember to start you day fueling your body.
As we begin a new year, many people make goals and plans to exercise and eat better to lose weight. We make plans for our business and finances.
The best plan we need to make is feeding our spiritual body.
When we feed our Spiritual body, we are better equipped to plan and keep our goals.
Even strong young lions sometimes go hungry,
but those who seek in The Lord will lack no good thing.
~ Psalm 34:10 ~
Are you spiritually hungry for God? Do you look forward to studying God’s word, praying, and seeing where God wants to take you?
We have spiritual hunger signs like we have food hunger signs.
Spiritual Hunger Signs:
Cranky or Irritable
Stressed
Focused on what is wrong today
Angry
Fearful
Doubting the situation will ever change
We all have bad days, and life just goes awry. However, if our time with God is sporadic, then we are not getting the spiritual nutrition our body craves and needs. If we are spiritually undernourished, our perspective on life is skewed, and we do not have the physical and spiritual energy to handle life situations.
As we feed our spiritual life, we can “Taste and see The Lord is good . . .” (Psalm 34:8). When we feed on God’s word we “lack no good thing” (Psalm 34:10). When painful times come our way “His ears are attentive [to our] cry … He delivers them from all their troubles” (Psalm 34:17). May favorite verse in Psalm 34 is “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and save those who are crushed in Spirit” (Psalm 34:18).
Is your heart broken over your hurting marriage or a desire to be married, a wayward child, physical ailments, or financial struggles?
Our Loving God cares even when our hearts are broken. He cares about every little detail in our lives.
Read Psalm 34. As you feed on God’s word, open your heart to listen to His voice today. He has great news for you. You are His beloved child.
You and I need God to daily nourish our hearts and minds. This post is adapted from iNeed God ~ daily downloads for your heart due to release in February 2014.
You can learn more at http://iNeedGodbook.com/More. I am excited to share that every iNeed God Bible Study is going to support Esther’s House of Redemption, and you will be able to donate a Bible Study to an Esther’s House student. More details will be available on the website www.iNeedGodBook.com. I hope you will join me in supporting Sundi Jo’s ministry. She has a big heart to help hurting women, and I am thrilled to support her!
I hope you will join me in supporting Sundi Jo’s ministry. She has a big heart to help hurting women, and I am thrilled to support her!
