Follow Your Dream

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  All of us have dreams of what we want to do with our lives. Sometimes those dreams get sidetracked by the reality of life. Sometimes they’re so long in coming that we tend to give up and think, “What’s the use?” How do we make those dreams come true? Whether the dream is about a career choice, a place you want to visit, or something you would really like to do, the dream can come true. Fulfillment depends on attitude and faith. By attitude, I mean surrounding ourselves with the resources or the tools and information we need to…

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God’s Call to Witness

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  You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. Acts 1:8 (NKJV) Have you ever read an article, book, or story that really touched your heart? Did you ever think about what had to happen for that piece to get into your hands? I attended a Christian writers’ conference about thirty years ago, and it opened my eyes to the many steps that have to take place for a piece of writing to get…

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A Woman on a Mission

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The Canaanite woman knew what she wanted. She was a woman on a mission. Her name isn’t given. It doesn’t need to be. She is every mother. “Lord, son of David, have mercy on me!” She cried out in agony. Like you and me, she physically experienced her child’s misery. “My daughter is suffering terribly from demon-possession.” Or “My child is suffering terribly from a broken relationship, an illness, an injury.” She would not be dissuaded. The disciples urged the Lord to send her away. The men whined, “She keeps crying after us.” That motley crew of twelve was not…

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There Is a Time

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…Who knows if perhaps you were made Queen for just such a time as this? Esther 4:14 NLT Esther realized God had placed her in a unique position as queen of a foreign nation. She had a choice to make—to risk her life to save the people of Israel or die trying. During the American Revolution, Lydia Darragh found herself with a difficult decision to make as well. In September 1777, British troops under General William Howe had occupied her town and her residence. She and her family were allowed to remain in their home only because they were Quakers…

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Books Influence Life

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Two books (beside the Bible) have had enormous influence on my spiritual life. One is an unlikely source, about a ministry to gang homies, that is laced with profanity—Tattoos on the Heart by Gregory Boyle. G (as he’s called) interacts with Scrappy, who begins to see the worthlessness of his life. Scrappy says, “I have spent the last twenty years building a reputation for myself . . . and now . . . I regret . . . that I even have one.” Father G comments, “Scrappy discovered, as Scripture has it, ‘that where he is standing is holy ground.’…

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Authenticity in Marriage

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Communication is the lifeblood of any relationship. It will affect every aspect of your marriage. It can help you inform, explain, influence, and build intimacy with one another. Good personal communication is the act of revealing yourself—your past experiences, present feelings, and future dreams. It’s sharing your fears, needs, and desires carefully and honestly. Communicating well is also about setting boundaries, confronting problems, admitting when you’re wrong, and extending grace to another. “Honesty is paramount,” Ben says. “Authenticity—being who we really are no matter what—is critical. I experienced the lack of it in my first marriage, and I didn’t want…

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Lessons from Birdsong

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  “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” (Matthew 6:26). This morning I awoke to the sweet sound of birdsong. The feathered creatures seemed to be singing their praise for a new day, for sunshine just breaking through the darkness, for an ample food supply. I wonder…am I as grateful for these and a multitude of other blessings? The cheery chorus reminded me these little ones diligently pursue their sole responsibility—being the best winged-creatures…

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That’s All I Want!

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  I heard the story of a young girl who had memorized Psalm 23 and was eager to share it in her Sunday School class. With as much confidence as she could muster, she stood up and began reciting the passage. “The Lord is my shepherd—that’s all I want.” Though humorous and sweet, that statement is packed with truth. David’s first occupation was a shepherd, and he deeply understood the relationship between a shepherd and his flock. It’s from this experience he penned the most well-known Psalm in the Bible. Like a shepherd cares for his sheep, God cares for…

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Rejection

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  Lord Jesus, I guess if anyone knows how rejection feels, you do. I know it’s a part of being a writer, hearing “not right for us” and “not right for our audience” and “not a good time” or, worse, nothing at all. Sometimes it seems so few and far between acceptances. I know, I know: You set your face like a flint even when you knew what lay ahead. So, okay. I’m not trudging to Calvary. I’m not carrying a cross. I’m learning to do better, to write to the reader’s need, to study the editor’s requirements, to hone…

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Did You Hear about This?

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  I didn’t see it with my own eyes but I heard about it. The Israelites faced a desperate circumstance—the Red Sea before them and the Egyptian army behind them. No way out! Then the Lord sent a strong east wind causing the water to pile up like walls making a path, and turning mud into dry ground for that massive throng to cross. When the army pursued, the waters returned to normal flow and swallowed the Egyptians (Exodus 14). I didn’t see it with my own eyes but I heard about it. After the Israelites had wandered in the…

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