Talking Marriage at The Cafe

I have a story I would just love to tell you. It’s about the evening a stranger showed up in our yard selling fish from the back of his truck. I would really, really enjoy letting you know all about what happened when Rick went out to have a look. But I can’t. I simply can’t.

I have chosen to make our marriage a haven, a refuge where my husband can dwell.....

 
 
read the rest of the story HERE at the Internet Cafe Devotions Marriage Counter where its my turn to pour.

The Whole Bible Story by Dr. William H. Marty

Dr. William H. Marty has written what he calls The Whole Bible Story Everything That Happens in the Bible in Plain English.  In his introduction he writes:

When you write a book, editors want you to be able to state its purpose in a sentence or two. Here's my attempt: The purpose of this book is to tell the story of the Bible.

It is not a paraphrase of the Bible's sixty-six books, and it is not intended to replace Bible reading.  My hope is that it will motivate people to read the Bible.

Dr. Marty leads us through stories that many of us know, in chronological order.  He does not include the Books of poetry and prophecy from the Old Testament nor any of the the Epistles that follow the Books of the Gospel.

Though the content is well covered, as a writer myself I did not sense the flow of story in Dr. Marty's words.  To me this read much more like very expanded chapter notes from a study Bible.

I was disappointed in the style, but I do believe that the author's purpose was accomplished; his words did indeed drive me back to the pages of the Bible.

I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Larkspur Cove by Lisa Wingate

Life rarely follows the course we expect.  Both Andrea Henderson and Game Warden Mart McClendon discover that truth as they each find themselves back home at Moses Lake.

Lisa Wingate alternates chapters and point of view between Andrea and Mart, weaving in strands from their pasts as she moves the story along in present time.  Histories that include a broken marriage, a tragic accident and more bends than the backroads Andrea learns to drive, have lead to broken dreams and shattered faith.

God's hand is upon both of these main characters, who find themselves drawn together in a mission to help a strange young girl who appears to be living with the slow and reclusive Len across the lake.  Hurts overflow as they learn to trust God and each other. 

I found this novel engaging. It was easy to like the characters I met as I turned the pages and I felt compelled to read on to see how God would smooth out all of the rough edges and work all things for His good purposes.

You can read Chapter 1 at Bethany House Publishers Media page HERE and I believe you'll find yourself, like I did,  wanting to read more.

I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers.  I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

God has no "down time"

Blogger was, as my screen said, "currently unavailable".  As the frustration rose up I decided to ask God what He had to say --

I'm sharing His reply HERE at Everyday Testimony Project.  Please come visit!

Eat peace

Today Bonnie asks us: What is something new God is asking you to step out in?

My steps out have been steps away, not comfortable or easy, but taken in obedience. This is what the Lord shared about the same thing this morning in our quiet time.

I have held you and sheltered you while things shift and shake. I Am restructuring My church - tearing down to rebuild on the proper foundation.

It was time for you to step out of the war and out of the way, back into the secret place, hidden in Me where I could wrap peace around you.

My church will be like nothing people have imagined - yet it will not feel strange or uncomfortable - you will recognize at once that I Am there.

My house will be a house of prayer for all nations. (Isaiah 56:7)

I Am not looking for a Sunday church - but a body serving Me 24/7.

The church has tried to arise in her own power - it cannot lift itself but instead must release itself into My hands, for only I can lift her up. Only I truly know the design, know the plans and purpose, and have the power.

Do you want your church or My church?

Abide in Me then, while I contruct and deconstruct, My bride on the potter's wheel, molded and shaped. My church in the fire, purified and refined until I see Myself reflected.

Abide in Me. Eat peace. Drink grace.

My love Is. I Am.

That is enough.


Jamming with Bonnie today - come HERE to join us.

sharing with the broken and imperfect at Emily's





Reposting due to Blogger fail May 12/13

Holy fuel

Jason and Sarah continue to walk with us through Mere Christianity.  This week we are chewing on Book II Chapter 3 The Shocking Alternative.  Here C. S. Lewis says:

God made us; invented us as a man invents an engine.  A car is made to run on gasoline, and it would not run properly on anything else.  Now God designed the human machine to run on Himself.  He Himself is the fuel our spirits were designed to burn, or the food our spirits were designed to feed on.  There is no other.  That is why it is just no good asking God to make us happy in our own way without bothering about religion.  God cannot give us a happiness and peace apart from Himself, because it is not there.  There is no such thing.

We sing songs that share this same idea, worshipping, telling our God that "You are the air I breathe" and "You're all I want, You're all I ever needed".  Sadly, all too often we follow-up on our singing by trying to live life on our own, denying the very truth we just confessed.

There is indeed a profound emptiness within each of us that itches, aches and screams to be filled.  This void is not a mistake, but planned by God to expand to take in more and more and more of what He created it to hold; His presence, His Spirit and His love.  I know that nothing else can flood my life with joy.

I pray that I do not allow the world or the enemy of my soul to convince me that I have enough.  Even as the Holy Spirit fills me, may I continue to be consumed by hunger for another taste, another moment, more of Him. 

Keep me desperate, Lord, so that I am not able to take another step without You, for only in my total dependance on You do I find peace.

You're blessed when you're ravenously hungry. Then you're ready for the Messianic meal  Luke 6:21 The Message

Stop by Jason's Connecting to Impact to join in the discussion.

Wordle-ing poetry



Click on image to enlarge

T. S. Poetry Press is playing with wordles, a fun and creative tool at wordle.net and they have extended a challenge to create a wordle using poetry.
I have selected the words from all of the poems I have linked to One Shot Wednesday at One Stop Poetry.

Come on over and join the fun at the Facebook page for T. S. Poetry Press