Through a series of vignettes about the great military leaders of our nation who have graduated from West Point, the author encourages his readers that we, too, can develop the qualities of great leaders and have success in our lives. This is like a short biography of many different military leaders, some from the last century and others from the time of the Civil War. I was most interested to find out more about U.S. Grant since he was never really hailed as a hero here in my native South. I also enjoyed reading about General Omar Bradley and his sacrifices, the reason his men trusted him enough to follow him into battle. Each story is told with the backdrop of West Point and the influence it had on each leader. I never knew about the benches at West Point, but the qualities that each leader showed and the qualities taught at West Point are some that I hope others in the United States can aspire to. This was an inspirational book that all should read and refer to frequently.

Disclaimer

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell Books. 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.”

I have to confess that I have not been guarding my heart as I should lately. I have allowed all kinds of discouragement to enter in and that was quickly followed by anger at my situation. But God dealt handily with me yesterday, reminding me of the scripture that He had just spoken to me on Friday from Habakkuk. No matter what is going wrong in our lives, God is worthy to be praised!

You see, I was having a regular pity party because I just wanted to get my surgery over with and be able to move on with my life. Getting sick just before surgery was not part of my plan! But perhaps, it was part of God’s plan. Now I don’t believe that God struck me with this virus and asthma. No, but He can certainly use it to teach me. While I have been sick, I have noticed others that are not complaining as I am, and Heaven knows that their illness is much more serious. In fact, I have three friends who have recently been diagnosed with cancer. No cure, little help for it, just excruciatingly painful chemo therapy that kills the good cells along with the bad ones, leaving them weak and so sick that they can’t lift their heads from a pillow. Yet, I have not heard them whine about their fates. They have accepted what is happening and are cherishing every moment of life that God has granted them. One friend was supposed to go in for surgery and have the cancer cells cut out, but when the surgeon got into the surgical site, he discovered that it had spread, so he closed up the incision and had to break the news to her. She is one of the strongest Christians I know, so she continues to smile and be gracious and loving to all. The circumstances of my three friends make me feel so small, in a way that I know that God is dealing with me to get it together and pray for others instead of feeling sorry for myself. The truth is that when you are focused on others, it is very hard to stay self-centered. I’m looking outward now, waiting for God to act on my behalf, of course, but also hoping for more. I want Him to touch my friends, to comfort them, to be close to them as they go through these dreaded treatments. Mostly, I want life for them…just that. More years added to their lives. More of being able to reach others for Christ, just as they have been doing. As for me, I am spending less time praying for myself and more time praying for others. Isn’t that what Jesus did? He knew that He faced certain death on the cross, a death that was totally undeserved, yet He willingly took our consequences for sin because of His great love for us. Would that I can remember that in the days to come…sacrificial love for others was the example Jesus showed us. I hope that all of you have someone special in your life to pray for today, but I also ask that you pray for my three friends. For they need your prayers, and I appreciate your praying for them, for God’s comforting and healing touch on their lives. Blessings.

Is everything going just the way you want it to right now? Has there ever been a time in your life during which things kept going wrong? I remember Job in the Bible and his trials that Satan put him through. He lost his family, all of his belongings and then his health disappeared. His wife told him just to curse God and die. I loved his response.

Sometimes, even though we are living for God, bad things happen. That is just a fact of life.

In the Old Testament, Habakkuk was a minor prophet with a lot of wisdom. He told us plainly that even when bad times come, we should still be rejoicing in the Lord. You see, God does not move away from us or love us less during the hard times. He is still right there, if we just have the faith to lean closer to Him. Our human tendency is to move away from God and to blame Him for our troubles. But God is not to blame for the sin that is in the world. It is that lost condition of the world that causes our sicknesses, our broken relationships; in fact, anything that might separate us from God is because of the sin that entered the world with Adam and Eve’s choice to sin. So we need to realize that and as we start feeling like the world is collapsing around us, we need to remember that God is still our Savior and rejoice in Him. This is an easy topic to write about if everything is going fine in your life. I must tell you honestly that I have had some trials lately, the biggest one being my health. However, through it all, I can also honestly say that I have not turned away from God. Rather, I have run to Him, getting closer to His presence so that I feel His comfort and love during this entire ordeal. What allowed me to be able to do this? Nothing in me, I can tell you! The person inside me has been screaming for relief from this awful diet that I have to follow. I have been frustrated and in tears over the invasive medical tests that I had to undergo. But the spirit inside me says to rest and to know that He is my Lord and will be there for me, always.

You see, my faith has been tested, just as Job’s faith was tested and just as yours will be. It isn’t that God loves us less so He is picking on us. No, He loves us so much that He gave us His Son who died for us! God doesn’t “pick on” people. Life happens. That’s the truth. It’s what you do when life happens that is the test of your faith. Bad things come and bad things go. But good things come, too. We have to accept that. It’s a part of life and a part of our walk with God. We walk through valleys sometimes; other times, we view life from a mountaintop. God has never stopped being the Lord of our lives; He doesn’t change just because the circumstances of our lives change. Do I have everything all figured out and I’m just resting in peace and faith? Of course not! I still struggle at times, but I refuse to give up on God and His great love and plan for me. I hope that you are able to see the blossoms in your life that God is bringing about. Through great trials come great and beautiful testimonies! God is still working on me…and I hope that you will let Him continue to work on you.

Photo courtesy of aiobp.org

We can rejoice because we know that God is always in control. Rejoice always! When things are going all wrong, rejoice because God is working things out for you. His plan will not be thwarted; He has a good plan for you. Rest and enjoy the journey.

You probably awakened this morning with a long “to do” list, most likely based on what you would like to get done besides your job. But how many of us have a “to do” list of things that we plan to do for God that day? When I ask this question, I am speaking to myself as much as to you, my readers. If what we have to accomplish is so important to us, how much more important is it to accomplish what God would have us do each day? After all, he created us and wants us to do His work here on earth. As one pastor told me long ago, “Occupy until He returns.” Have you ever been part of an occupying force? My mental image is not of a bunch of troops just sitting around drinking coffee and playing cards all day. Instead, I see the troops interacting with the people, helping them to build up their infrastructure, and increasing their stability. So, if we are part of an occupying force here on earth, waiting until Jesus returns, is that not what we should be doing? We should be out among the people, meeting needs when and where we can. We should be helping them to build their knowledge of Christ because that is the “infrastructure” that really matters, the foundation that will stand when all else fails. Finally, we increase stability by showing them the way they should be living by being the example that they need for their lives. One cannot be stable if he/she is constantly chasing after pipe dreams of believing in one thing or another. We need to be the example of steadfastness in the Lord, with a belief in God that does not waver no matter the obstacles that we face.

We were created to do good works. What does that encompass? I think that it is anything that Jesus speaks to our hearts to do. I don’t know about you, but I meet up frequently with people who need to know that the Lord loves them and cannot know that unless we show them. It’s our actions that speak so much louder than words. I also had another pastor say to me, “People want to see your love at work, not just hear your words about love.” What can one person do? You would be surprised! You can buy a cup of coffee for the homeless person begging on the street. Or purchase a five-dollar gift card for the needy. It doesn’t have to cost a lot to show that you care. How about taking out some of that leftover yarn that you have put away? How about using it to make a warm scarf or mittens for the homeless person begging on the streets? I was so amazed at the story of the young woman who used her credit card to pay for hotel rooms for the people living on the streets when a bitter winter storm was coming. That, my friends, is Jesus’s love in action!

We can say that we love others daily, but until they see our actions, they probably won’t believe it. That is something that I lived with for years with my husband. We had moved a lot, chasing his career and his promotions in the military. I always felt like an afterthought, and I can remember more than once telling him that he needed him to show me that he loved me by his actions. So he would buy me flowers or candy. It wasn’t until he started actually spending time with me that I felt loved. To me, time was a precious commodity that couldn’t be bought for any price and I cherished the moments he spent with just me, looking me in the eyes and talking to me about our love and our future together. It is our actions that show love to others. Our commitment to Christ’s Great Commission is not meant to be something that we cannot do; it’s as easy as spending time with a lonely person, or purchasing a cup of coffee and a muffin, or even paying for a hotel room for someone. You don’t have to go into debt to show love; you just have to be open to God’s leading. Once you have told Him that you are willing to be His love in action, you will be surprised at all of the ways that He shows you to love others. Since He is the Creator God, He is not limited by our finite imaginations and His love is without bounds. He will show you who to love, when and where. Blessings for a good and loving day!

#TGHUTKnatasha. Available at your local bookseller on April 2, 2019

I can’t say enough about how wonderful this book is! It is a really fast-paced read with short chapters and realistic characters. Annika loves Jonathan and he seems to love her, too. They work out all of the strange habits that Annika has, like wearing the same clothes and never really trying anything new. The big thing that they have in common is Chess Club, and this seems to be the center of their budding relationship. The reader will recognize early in the book that Annika has some kind of mental disability. I knew right away what it was because my granddaughter has been diagnosed with the same disability and has some of the same strange habits that Annika has. I was heartened to learn that Annika could finish college, find a job, live on her own and discover love, even with all of her disabilities. That gave me hope for my granddaughter! My favorite part of the book was when Annika loved Jonathan so much that she actually goes out of her comfort zone to be with him when he needs her. What a fantastic story of unselfish love and sacrifice! Readers of romance will absolutely love this book! It’s a different kind of romance, with people who are individuals and who overcome obstacles to become a couple. I absolutely loved this book and highly recommend it!

Disclaimer

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from St. Martin’s Press. 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.”

I am beyond upset today since I have to talk to my surgeon’s office about changing the date of my surgery. I am too sick to have it tomorrow. Since I am asthmatic, I have a lot of allergies. Thursday night, when my husband was making dinner, there was a lot of smoke, triggering an asthma attack and leading to my being totally congested today and heading to my primary care doctor’s office. Not to despair! Yesterday at church, God spoke to me and told me that His timing is perfect. I knew that I was not feeling well, but I figured that I could “power through” this whole thing. But, alas! That isn’t possible, so now I have to wait until I am well again to schedule my surgery. God is in charge, so I am just waiting. Waiting isn’t easy, but I have to believe that God will work things out for my best.

I don’t think it’s by chance that this is the memory verse for the Sunday school class that I teach. I’m believing this promise, and I hope that you will believe it with me. Blessings!

This book is a trumpet call to all believers in Jesus Christ everywhere to heed His Great Commission. It is a story of not just looking for a mission field, but to see the mission field where you live, whether it be in a rural area or a large city. The author begins by saying that she was from a small town in the Midwest and was happily ensconced there with her family. But God called her and her family to live in San Francisco, a big city with a lot of problems. So, from her experience, she penned this book that is an encouragement for all Christians to live in a way that you are a missionary wherever you call home. You may never get to visit a foreign missions field, but the author states emphatically that you are to get to know your neighborhood and your neighbors, whoever they are, and let them know that Jesus loves them. You are to live in such a way that others see Jesus in you. Through a series of tales of her life as a “sent believer”, the author shows us how possible it is to “Live Sent in the Place You Call Home.” This was one of the best books that I have read to help believers to feel a purpose right where they are and to accept where God has placed us as His place for us right now and in this time. I would highly recommend this book to all Christians everywhere, especially those who feel as if they are not doing work for the Lord. Yes, you are and yes, you can! That is the message of this book, and it is forthright and challenging in its honesty.

Disclaimer

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell Books. 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.”

Do you read God’s Word daily? Do you let it speak to your heart? I believe that God uses His Word to change me, to make me more like Him as I read and meditate on the words that He spoke to His people so many years ago. No other book has survived the centuries of time as the Holy Bible has. It is not a coincidence which Scriptures I read daily, or at least that is my belief. God gives me the Word that He knows that I will need for that day. Sometimes, I use it to bless others. Other times, it is just for me, to help me to grow or to persevere through a particular trial. God is faithful to speak to me. He is faithful to make sure that His Word brings forth the fruit that He desires. These are the verses for me today. Maybe they are for you, too. If not, then God has another word for you when you pick up your Bible and let Him speak to you through it.

Blessings for a good and productive day in the Lord! Prayers that He will speak to your heart.