Month: July 2020
www.bible.com/111/psa.86.9-10.nivBreaks My Heart
What breaks your heart? Is it the death of a loved one? Of course! How about the death of a stranger that the news reports in a thirty second segment? Maybe. How about the death of a stranger that is never reported on the news but is part of a list of statistics, not to be named, but dead nevertheless. Probably not. The answers to the questions that I provided are the answers that I found in my own heart. But, I want to have the heart of God. I want all of those who have died to have a relationship with the Lord so that they will spend eternity with Him. So, each loss of a person on earth who may or may not have died without the Lord is heartbreaking.
You know what just broke my heart this morning? First, I read the headlines in the local paper that two local schools are changing their names form Lee-Davis High School and Stonewall Jackson MIddle School. Why? Because the Cancel Culture wants to get rid of history. Then even worse. A lot worse! I read that churches are being set on fire throughout the United States. One church was over 200 years old. What is the meaning of this? This, folks, is the picture of a divided society and one that is breaking down. Instead of being united around one goal, to survive this pandemic and celebrate our freedom as Americans, we have become a divided nation. People march and chant, “Black Lives Matter.” Of course, they do, but don’t all lives matter to God? Isn’t all injustice the same in the eyes of our Creator? But if I dare to mention that on social media, that all lives matter or even that Blue Lives Matter, I am attacked in two minutes flat. Maybe even less. A young lady whose father was a policeman was killed and she posted online that Blue Lives Matter. That was her father, people! Her father! And she was attacked viciously with some of the foulest language possible. Now, I’m not saying racism doesn’t exist. I’m just saying that we live in a great nation in which we are all free today. Can’t we celebrate that instead of deliberately trying to create division? My heart breaks over the one year old who was shot and killed. And the community won’t even talk about who shot him. They are hiding the killer. The grandmother even said that BLM doesn’t care about his little life. Well, enough about my rant. Here is the article from Dr. Denison about fires in the churches.
You may read this article and think to yourself that these are only buildings or only statues so it’s not a big thing. After all, the real church is its people. That is true. But don’t you think that God’s heart is hurt by this destruction? Just as His heart was broken when Babylon and other invaders destroyed and carried off the treasures of the Temple in Jerusalem, the place that He said He would dwell with His people. God allowed the destruction because of the sin of His people, but I can still imagine His heart breaking over it, and the senseless killing of His people Israel by the marauders.
Here is the song mentioned at the end of Denison’s article.
Here are the lyrics of the song:
I hope that each of you has a blessed day and that in your prayer time today, you take the time to pray for the things breaking God’s heart today: for the loss of life, for the divided nation and for the lawlessness that is never a part of God’s plan. Be blessed, my friends, because God sent His Son to make us free indeed!
Review of DON’T KEEP SILENT by Elizabeth Goddard
Although this is a part of a series, I did not feel that I had to read the other books in order to enjoy this one. I loved this suspense-filled thriller that is my favorite kind of book to read! This is actually my first book by this author, but now I definitely want to go back and find her other books to read them. I devoured the story of investigative reported Rae Burke and former DEA agent Liam McCade. Rea is doggedly determined to find her missing sister-in-law when she shows up in Wyoming asking for Liam’s help. He agrees to help, and I could feel the sparks coming off the page any time these two were together. The romance took a back seat to the suspense though because apparently Zoey is in grave danger and now that Rae is hunting her, so is Rae. Drugs and human trafficking are involved, so the villains were not easy to uncover. The setting was wonderful! Wyoming in the winter and with a blizzard coming! The descriptions of the setting added to the taut suspense in the book as I waited for the next big reveal. They just kept coming! Fans of thriller and romantic suspense are encouraged to grab this book and read it.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell as part of their Revell Reads Blogger Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
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Scripture Verses for Today
I seem to be all over the place with my devotionals lately. I’m reading about the sinful kings and then I’m reading about Paul’s preaching in Rome and then I move on to the book of Jonah and his reluctance to preach a salvation message to the Ninevites. What I got out of all of my reading today comes down to a few verses that I will share with you here.
A promise that I am clinging to
Singing praise songs is helping me during these days of isolation.
And finally, as I pray for the Lord to act on our behalf and to get rid of this plague and the unrest in the U.S., this verse was how he answered me. Nothing is ever too hard for Him, but then, I also have to wait for His timing.
So, that was my devotional for today. I hope that in some way these verses have spoken to your heart. Have a blessed and God-centered day!
“Ask the Lord to put a Don Lemon on you heart today.”
This title is based on the CNN new anchor who said this week that Jesus was not perfect. He was raised in a church and left it when its truth did not meet his standard of sin. He is gay and the truth in the Bible turned him away from God and towards his own truth. Isn’t that what the Bible says will happen in the last days?
So, how do we share the Gospel with those who will not darken the doors of a church because they don’t want to be told that they are sinning. Do we allow them to live in their “ignorance is bliss” kind of life and face God’s wrath on Judgment Day? Of course not! We can’t do everything, but we can do something. That was the theme of Dr. Denison’s article today.
The world doesn’t want to know the truth because it convicts them and doesn’t allow them to just do as they please. But, we are the church, and as the church, we represent the Light of Jesus to the world. We can SHOW people what Jesus was like. We can SHOW them His truth and His message of love and forgiveness. Dr. Denison makes a good point in his article that I had not thought about. The unsaved like Don Lemon don’t want to hear Bible verses because they don’t want to believe in the Bible. But they can see our lives lived before them, every day, choosing to do the right thing in spite of how we are treated or ignored. Let me repeat that we are the Church. Not the building that we worship in. God lives in our hearts and it’s up to us to put Him out there to people like Lemon who are determined to run away. So, I repeat from my title, “Ask the Lord to put a Don Lemon on your heart today.” And I will add, then obey what the Lord tells you to do for that person. It may be a phone call, a cup of coffee or bake some cookies. Just be the Church and make a difference in the world of darkness. Be the light!
Blessings today from me to you, that you may find a way to reach the lost who want to stay lost because they don’t really understand what salvation has to offer them.
Review of THE LAST WIFE by Karen Hamilton
This is a domestic drama with some hints of psychological thriller and suspense, but the latter two elements never really got there for me. The domestic drama was well-written with a narrator who is self-centered and who tells the story from her own point of view, without noticing her own weaknesses. Marie, Camilla, Charlie and Nina go on vacation together and one of them dies there. That’s the beginning of the mystery, but it really isn’t one for long as Marie tells us quickly what she surmises had happened. Marie is extremely jealous of Nina and her life as a mom with a perfect family. That obsession is the foundation of the story. I really didn’t sympathize with any of the characters unless it was the children who had to put up with such nonsense from the adults. Nevertheless, the plot was cleverly written with just enough twists to keep me reading. Fans of domestic drama with a hint of mystery and thriller will enjoy this new book by Karen Hamilton.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
Author Bio:
Karen Hamilton spent her childhood in Angola, Zimbabwe, Belgium and Italy and worked as a flight attendant for many years. Karen is a recent graduate of the Faber Academy and, having now put down roots in Hampshire to raise her young family with her husband, she satisfies her wanderlust by exploring the world through her writing. She is also the author of the international bestseller The Perfect Girlfriend.
THE LAST WIFE
Author: Karen Hamilton
ISBN: 9781525831744
Publication Date: July 7, 2020
Publisher: Graydon House Books
Buy Links:
Social Links:
Twitter: @KJHAuthor
Instagram: @karenhamiltonauthor
Facebook: @KarenHamiltonWriter
Sidetracked
Sidetracked
— Read on rebeccaluellamiller.wordpress.com/2020/07/07/sidetracked/
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Be Glad in the Lord
These are troubling times, no doubt about it. But we who belong to the Lord should not be going around with sad faces or an attitude of hopelessness. For our hope is in the Lord God who made everything and He is able. My devotional this morning was about King Hezekiah who was facing the great army of Sennacherib and had basically been told just to give up because his cause was hopeless. But, God was with him, so he was able to prevail. No, we cannot fight this battle alone. Everyone’s battle is different these days, but God is the same for all of us. He will be with us; He is always for us. He fights for us, no matter what we are facing. So, with that said, I can be glad because He gives me hope.
We Need to Listen
When I was a child, I often disregarded what my parents were saying and chose to do what I liked instead of what they were warning me to do. I remember my mother grabbing my chin and forcing me to look her in the eyes and telling me, “You need to listen!”
Well, today, we as a nation need to listen to God. There are dark forces surrounding our nation and waiting with anticipation for it to fall into the hands of the enemy. Our once great nation that called upon the name of the Lord upon our founding is floundering because we have been stubborn and have not listened. My devotional this morning was about listening.
This Scripture is my prayer today for our nation. That we would listen and that God would subdue our enemies. There is no need for the senseless burning, destruction and killings. That is the enemy at work and when we listen to God and follow His ways, then GOD subdues our enemies.
This is our condition today. As Americans, we have “stiffened our necks” against God and refused to listen, thinking that we know better. We have glorified LGBTQ and BLM movements and not the Lord, our God. We are determined to set our own path, without the Lord. And He will let us because He created our free will. But when we end up totally destroyed and unrecognizable as the once great and powerful nation we once were, I hope that we Christians will remember that we are wherever we end up because we did not listen.
The warning is there. It is never too late to repent and turn to God and listen, fully and completely listen. Just listen for His voice and follow His ways. It doesn’t sound hard, but it must be because we have passed many years, perhaps an entire generation, without acknowledging God for our success as a nation. It’s time to give Him the glory and to just be still and listen. He will direct our paths!
Review of SIDE TRIP by Kerry Lonsdale
This is a contemporary romance that is unlike any other book in this genre that I have ever read. It was light, humorous, mysterious and just plain fun to read! Joy Evers is going on a cross-country road trip from CA to NYC when she meets Dylan Westfield at a small diner in Arizona. Dylan’s car has broken down, and on the spur of the moment, Joy invites him to share her ride with her. They establish rules for their road trip that were spontaneously made but which made a big difference in their 10-day road trip acquaintance. Rule 1: No last names. Rule 2: Whenever one wants to go on a side trip, then they both must agree to go. Rule 3: What happens on the road stays on the road.
I really enjoyed the two points of view, that of Dylan and that of Joy. I looked forward to both equally because both added to the story in such an imaginative way! There were also two timelines, during the road trip (called before) and after the road trip. The books is not just a fluffy love story either since it makes you think. Do you need to plan out your life, and what if your plans change? Should everyone have a bucket list? Joy was using her deceased sister Judy’s bucket list when she met Dylan. Fate or accident? The entire plot was woven together so intricately well that the two stories of the main characters meshed perfectly. This is the perfect read for laughing, thinking and listening to some good music along the trip down life’s road, with unexpected turns and stops that will have you wanting more, even at the end!
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
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