Author: vicklea

I love to read! I’m a retired teacher with a spouse of 45 years, three amazing children and nine wonderful grandchildren. I am blessed!

The Lord God Almighty

On By vickleaIn Scripture3 Comments

I have been reading and studying the Book of Amos in our Sunday School class and it is an eye-opening look at God’s powerful judgment. The people whom He loved so much that He led them out of Egypt, defeated all of their enemies and led them into a land flowing with milk and honey, that same people were under His judgment because of their falling away and becoming just like those they lived among. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?

That’s why God calls us to be in the world, but not of the world. We have to live here on earth because that is where our Creator placed us. We are called to be lights in a dark world and the darker the world becomes, the more our lights will become apparent.

God keeps speaking to me clearly that judgment is coming on the earth. Of course, I don’t know when. No one does. But I do know that He is calling each of us to shine brightly in spite of the darkness that is overtaking the earth. In the book of Amos, God pronounces His judgment on Israel, His chosen people. If they did not escape God’s wrath, how can we hope to do so? The answer is that we cannot. Bummer, right? But the truth is that we can be prepared by humbling ourselves before the Lord and asking what He wants us to do in these days.

God has not changed His identity. He is the Lord God Almighty, Creator of all and He expects His people to continue to follow in the path of righteousness. With changes coming at us fast and furiously, and with darkness all around us, we can cling to the fact that God has not changed and will always be there for us.

I’m not prophesying the end of the world because God already did that. I’m not prophesying about God’s judgment because God already did that, too. It is important though that I pass on to you the gravity of this age and that God wants us to remain close to Him, reading and meditating on His Word and faithfully praying so that we are not caught unaware.

This is a sobering message that I really didn’t know how to share and I still don’t know if I have adequately presented it. I can only write what is in my heart and pray that God will prepare the path of your heart to read, accept and take it the way God means it to be. It is a warning from the Lord God Almighty, in one Biblical book after another. The time is coming and we have to be ready.

I heard someone say in my Bible study group on Monday night that they don’t know if they will be ready for the Lord to return because they want to continue to live, watch their children grow up and get married and meet their grandchildren. Is that not what we all want? And it may still happen! But just in case it doesn’t, we can’t love this life so much that we aren’t willing to let it go in order to be with the Lord for eternity.

May the Lord bless each of you today and give you insight into how you can let your light shine even brighter into this dark world. Be blessed, my friends, so that you can be a blessing.

Review of SECRETS OF ROSENLI MANOR by Heidi Eljarbo

On By vickleaIn Book ReviewLeave a comment

All of the author’s books are highly entertaining, but I must say that this one was the most engaging and entertaining book that I have read from this author, with her signature style of creating realistic characters with a mystery woven into the story. This is the tale of Lilly, a young woman who is intelligent, talented and determined to forge her future in spite of her grasping and selfish father. Lilly fondly remembers going to visit Rosenli Manor as a child but has not returned since the death of her mother, so she is surprised when her beloved Aunt Agatha leaves the entire estate to her. Thus begins the mystery of Rosenli Manor, with many unanswered questions in Lilly’s mind that she is focused on solving. As the new mistress of the manor, Lilly sets out to find out why her aunt would leave the estate to her and what her duties as the heir will entail. On that trail of discovery, Lilly falls in love (light and promising romance), receives numerous threats and becomes the proprietor of a large business previously owned by her aunt. Lilly’s innocence and belief in her fellow man is heartwarming if misplaced at times. Although her character is realistic, particularly of the turn of the century when the story is set, I did feel at times that she needed to wake up to the reality of the evil that was all around her. Fortunately, as the story progresses, Lilly becomes more aware and a strong force to be reckoned with in the village of Glass Cove. The plot was fast paced with some twists and surprises along the way, leading the reader to discover along with Lilly who was threatening her and why she had to be constantly on her guard. I enjoyed the language that was almost poetic at times and totally suited to the atmosphere of the book. I especially enjoyed getting to know the characters and look forward to the next books in this series. Everything about this book screams out that it was well-researched, so fans of historical fiction and women’s fiction will clamor to get this book and the ones that follow it as well.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. 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.”

Rated PG because of content, but there are no expletives nor sexual scenes in this book. It’s intense because of family conflict.
For more information about this delightful and talented author, please go to her website http://www.heidieljarbo.com

Happy Release Day to Heidi Eljarbo! Show her some love by picking up a copy of her book at Amazon!

Amazon

Equipped to Do Good Works

On By vickleaIn Scripture3 Comments

What does it mean to be “equipped”? According to the dictionary online, this is the definition:

equip

ĭ-kwĭp′

transitive verb

  1. To supply with necessities such as tools or provisions. synonym: furnish.
  2. To furnish (someone) with the qualities necessary for performance; prepare.
  3. To furnish for service, or against a need or exigency; to fit out; to supply with whatever is necessary to efficient action in any way; to provide with arms or an armament, stores, munitions, rigging, etc.; — said esp. of ships and of troops.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

All of these apply to the Scripture verses that I read this morning.

Our purpose for being created is to do good works, and bonus! God already prepared for us what He wants us to accomplish. We just have to get in step with His plan.

How do we as Christians get equipped, ready to fulfill God’s purpose? All of the answers are found in God’s Word. We prepare ourselves for our Godly assignments by immersing ourselves in His Word, thus getting the tools and the qualities that we need for each day of service to Him.

My prayer for you today is from the Bible and I hope that it will bless you as it is blessing me.

God already knows what we need and will give us all that we need. Powerful truth!

May the God of all creation be with you today as you discover your daily work for Him and may He equip you to do it with all of your heart. Be blessed to be a blessing!

Answered Prayer

On By vickleaIn Scripture, Song4 Comments

Doxology

And another verse from a devotional that I completed last year:

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow

By Thomas Ken

Praise God the Father who’s the source;

Praise God the Son who is the course;

Praise God the Spirit who’s the flow;

Praise God, our portion here below!

I’m very blessed to report today that our daughter’s pathology report came back with clean margins. That means the surgeon got all of the carcinoma (yes, it was cancer) and that there is no reason to do more surgery or even more treatment. The news was better than I expected and I am so thankful for the prayers of friends, family and my online followers.

I must admit that I was praying all week (actually for the last month since we heard about the upcoming surgery) for our daughter and her family. And I managed to hold on to my faith, secure in the knowledge that whatever happened, God is in control. That is still true. In the big things, the small things, the things that we think won’t matter to God at all, He is concerned and makes Himself known in so many ways.

One last thing before I go. My husband and I have not been able to have a date in months because we have been taking our grandson out weekly and that is where any extra funds we have had is going. He is going into the USN on April 26th and we wanted to bless him before he deployed, to pour love and caring into his life. Anyway, Harry and I went out to lunch yesterday to celebrate the good news we heard from Hope. We went to a favorite restaurant that has the kind of food that I’m allowed to have and will cook it to order without salt or other seasonings for me. Well, the food was great but the service was awful! The waitress asked for our drink order but didn’t bring anything for twenty minutes. Then, when she finally returned with them, she brought me water instead of the tea that I had requested. Another ten or fifteen minutes passed and I got my tea. Another waitress then came out of the kitchen and approached our table with two hamburgers. Well, that was not what we had ordered, so she returned to the kitchen and after another twenty minutes or so, we got our food. Talk about not knowing what to expect next! Finally, after a long wait, we got our check and I told my husband (I was paying this time) that I was going to bless our waitress in spite of her shortcomings, so I gave her a large tip. My husband said that I was extending mercy and grace to her. Of course! Just as God does for me daily!

If you get the chance today, extend mercy and grace to someone who is irritating you. You will be blessed in your heart and soul because of your kindness to a stranger. Who knows? Maybe they’re having a bad day, just got bad news, or are struggling in ways that we cannot see. Everyone needs a blessing. God blesses each of us so that we can in turn reach out and be a blessing to others.

Have a blessed day, my friends and remember to go to church tomorrow.

What Do You Really Need?

On By vickleaIn Scripture2 Comments

Sometimes, rather often actually, I get my needs mixed up with my wants. When I do that, I find myself unsatisfied with myself and pouting at God for not supplying all of my wants. Then, He gently chides me and reminds me that needs and wants are completely different. For example, I would really like to have a home in a suburb, closer to hospitals and as I call it, civilization. But do I need that? No. We live in a rural area and we are fine here, at a distance that is inconvenient but not impossible.

Note the use of the word NEED here.

Too often, more frequently than I like to admit, my mind spirals off into the world of “what ifs” and I begin to fret. For a person who claims to have unshakeable faith in God, I get really upset with myself when that happens. I have to hold on to the Scripture above and remind myself that God gives me a train ticket for each hour of each day, not one for the next day. He provides what I need when I need it, and worrying about things will not change the course of events. But prayer does!

Have a wonderful and blessed day, watching for how God fulfills your needs and thankful that He provides for each of us.

Like a Tree

On By vickleaIn Scripture4 Comments

In my devotional this morning, I was directed to this Scripture verse.

When trees are cut down, if the root is still in the ground, there will eventually appear new shoots and as times goes on, a new tree will begin growing. Since we live in the middle of a lot of trees, I can bear testimony to this truth. How many times we have seen trees fall after a big storm and then we see the shoots of new growth begin to appear! In fact, to totally destroy a tree requires a tractor and a stump remover because you have to take it out by its roots. That being said, think about our roots.

We are told to be like trees, and we are to be rooted and grounded in God’s Word. What can move us if that is true?

We have to do our part and remain in His Word, not listening to the ones who speak foolishness out of their ignorance about God and His promises. I want to be like a tree, standing tall and strong for the Lord, dependent on Him for the water of His Word that nourishes me and for the gentle movement of the Holy Spirit that lifts me up closer to Him. We are so blessed to have God’s Word to read every day so that we can be strengthened in our walk with Him!

May each of you be like a tree, blessed beyond measure by our Creator and standing tall against all of the storms of life. May you be blessed to be a blessing to others!

Procrasti-cleaning

On By vickleaIn Scripture7 Comments

The title of this blog is not my creation, but I saw it online and thought it applied to me and my thoughts today. Of course, you know that every day is a new day with God, a chance to start over with a clean slate, forgiven and experiencing His compassion and love. There are even Scripture verses about this very thing, which naturally were in my devotional this morning.

Note that it is all on God that we are not totally destroyed by our own sinfulness. His compassion is new every single day, and I don’t know about you, but I need it daily!

Now about that title word. It could certainly apply to my house. I am the world’s worst housekeeper, especially since the children moved away and no one really comes to visit us out here in the boondocks. My husband is a hoarder, making the task more challenging, so mostly, I just look at the dust and clutter and think that I will get to it tomorrow. That’s procrasti-cleaning of my house.

More importantly, it also applies to the spiritual home of the Holy Spirit, the part deep inside me that I have to keep clean so that He feels welcome and respected. I cannot procrasti-clean my heart because the scum and filth build up and make it almost impossible to get the stains out. I have to clean daily, daily going before the throne of God and asking Him for His grace, mercy and forgiveness. More than daily actually. I find myself speaking to God constantly each time I fail Him, in the little things and in big ways, too. Once, as a new Christian, I thought it was a case of not being struck by lightning or keeling over dead instantly due to my overwhelming sins. Then, I realized that God is patient with me and will lovingly wait until I am truly repentant and will come to Him with a deep longing to restore the break in our relationship. I may still be struck with lightning or suddenly die, but my aim is to always be in a right relationship with my Heavenly Father so that whatever happens, I’m ready for Him and He’s ready and eager to welcome me home. Thus, no procrasti-cleaning of this temple that belongs to the Lord. My earthly home may be a wreck, but my temple that the Lord is building within me is as clean as a prayer and the sacrifice of Jesus can make it. White as snow and washed in His blood! I’m so grateful for God’s attitude towards me of pure love, compassion and faithfulness. Aren’t you?

May you go forth today with a clean temple and a right relationship with God and man. God bless you today and every day with new fervor for Him and His mission that He left us to do.

Review of THE NEXT THING YOU KNOW by Jessica Strawser

On By vickleaIn Book Review4 Comments

This is such a gut-wrenching, emotional book that I could read for a while and then had to sit and relive what I had read, pondering the truth within its pages.
This is a thought-provoking look at two characters whose lives intersect and change forever because of their interaction. Nova Huston is an end-of-life doula, using her empathy and heart to help her to guide others when they are facing their own deaths. When Mason Shaylor, a former rock star whom Nova doesn’t recognize at all, becomes her newest client, Nova is drawn to his kindness and humility and sincerely wants to help him face his death with courage and all loose ends tied up. What she didn’t count on is that her feelings would surpass anything she has ever felt for a client before. The conflict was a surprise, so I won’t go into that part, but suffice it to say that this book was a multi-layered character study with a lot to say about accepting death and forgiving others. Nova and Mason were both complex and fully fleshed out with lots of secrets that were slowly revealed. I loved this book and hated for it end. But the entire book was so good, including the ending and especially the reveal about the reason for the title. A dramatic and suspenseful book with complicated relationships and heartwarming themes.
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.”

The content may be disturbing to some, so I would rate this a book for adults or older, mature teens.
Bio and photo from the author’s website at http://www.jessicastrawser.com

This heart-touching novel is available now as it just released yesterday! Purchase Links:

Bookshop

Target

Powells

Barnes and Noble

Amazon

Many, many thanks to St. Martin’s Press for the ARC to read and review. This novel is amazing and can be life-changing if you will allow the message it holds to speak to you.

Identity Crisis

On By vickleaIn Scripture9 Comments

Have you ever wondered who you really are, beneath the makeup, clothes and all the external trappings? There was a time in my life, two actually, that stand out in my memory as periods of time when I wondered who I really was. One was when all of my children had left the nest and I wondered if I was still a mother, just without children to care for, guide and admonish. Of course, I was and I am still a mom but my loneliness without my children there was tangible. I had to convince myself that I would always be a mom, just from a distance. The second time was when I retired from teaching. My identity was wrapped around my ability to teach, a career that I pursued for almost four decades before retiring. Then, it was time to retire and I questioned myself about what I am without teaching. This question, God has answered lovingly over the last six years since retirement. I am His child and I still have the gift of teaching, but I use it in different ways now.

This morning in my devotional, I read this Scripture about Jesus.

Jesus was in the temple and reading from the book of Isaiah. It boggles my mind that Jesus was born knowing exactly who He was and the destiny that He would fulfill. He accepted Himself just as He was and went about doing what He was called to do. Wouldn’t our lives be simpler if we did likewise? Just ask God what He wants us to do with our lives that He has gifted us and then fulfill His will for us here on earth? Jesus knew His Father intimately and knew exactly what He was going to do to complete His work on earth. He had no identity crisis and no one, not even the scoffers, could move Him from His path or convince Him that He wasn’t exactly who He said He was.

Jesus’s confidence in God inspires me to seek God more and to find out the next step for my life. My identity has not changed but my role that I play in life has, due to circumstances like aging. But that does not limit God from using me, so my new identity may be as a grandmother who lovingly tells her grandchildren about the Lord and all of His marvelous works. It may also be as a Sunday school helper, again working with children. My identity, and yours, is only limited by our own vision of how we see ourselves fulfilling God’s purpose. I’m still the same person I was fifty years ago when I started teaching. I’m also the same person I was forty plus years ago when I gave birth for the first time. There is no book I can pick up and read what the next step in my life is, but all of the wisdom of God is available to me through His word and through my prayer life, talking to God and waiting for Him to tell me the next step.

God wants to take us from where we are to where He wants us to be, no matter what stage of life we are in. There is no such thing as an identity crisis for those who are children of the living God. He has a plan and He will carry it out. We just have to listen instead of being captured by the latest psychobabble of the current generation.

May each of you have a blessed and wonderful day, filled with the knowledge that your identity is in the Father and He loves you with an everlasting love.