Guard Our Minds, Lord

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If I am lost in a city, I like to go to a map so I can see the “big picture.” The same thing is true of discerning God’s will. Having an overall general understanding of God’s book, character, actions and words helps us to understand God and to understand how He works. In 7 Simple Skills for Every Woman: Success in Keeping It All Together, I suggest one of these  ideas to layer God’s Word into your life: Read the Bible through in a year. The One-Year Bible or one of Tyndale’s One Year Bible Devotionals, like Devotions for Women…

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Guard Our Bodies, Lord

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In my book, Becoming a Brave New Woman, I share one of the moments of exhaustion that we all experience at one time or another: I had weeks of back-to-back speaking engagements. On a trip to Colorado, I remember thinking, “Wow, this is great! My flight got booked with some breathing space. I’ll get there early, take a nap, shower and feel so refreshed.” I arrived at the Denver airport only to discover that my connecting flight was canceled, and I was stuck in the airport for five hours. I would have to dress for the event in the airport…

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Guard Our Hearts, Lord!

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One woman who had sat in a Bible-teaching church Sunday after Sunday for over 10 years told me something one day that took my breath away. She had been having an affair with her best friend’s husband! Those in her world had counseled her, confronted her in love, shown her care and compassion – everything possible to help her see the trauma she was causing two families – then one day she eloped with this man! When she arrived back in town, I saw her at one of our children’s sporting events. She was so excited. She was flitting from…

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Buckingham Strong

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On one of our trips overseas we were able to take a day and spend it in London, England. The highlight for me were the guards of Buckingham Palace. Those guards were so self disciplined, vigilant and stalwart—nothing could shake them from their duty! It reminded me of 1 Cor 15:58, “Therefore, my brothers and sisters, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the Lord’s work, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” (CSB) I have always pondered, just “HOW can I be steadfast and immovable in a world that always seems to shake us…

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Sunday Reflection: A Heart after God

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It is all about the heart: “the LORD looks at the heart.“ (1 Sam. 16:7) David was called “a man after God’s own heart” (1 Sam 13:14) And we pray with the Psalmist,  “Teach me your way, LORD, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.” (Psalm 86:11) A few of the Psalms in my Discovering Hope in the Psalms Bible study captures the kind of heart God is looking for: God is looking for thirsty hearts. As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O…

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Sunday Reflection : Light in the Darkness

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As storm clouds gather, they often cover the sun and a harsh greyness vails the light. This was the place B ill and I found outselves for three long years, as Bill commuted back and forth almost weekly through gridlock Los Angeles traffic to care for his againg parents, all while we worked to keep up with our acre of land, and our Love-Wise ministry of writing, speaking, and travel. While our marriage was weathering the storm, we both we tired of the treadmill that seemed to have now end. A darkness of depression was trying to cover over our…

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Editing Tip #59

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Hi! I’m Kathy Ide. In addition to being a published author, I’m a full-time professional freelance editor. For CAN, I’m blogging about tips for writers based on the manuscripts I edit.            

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Together, We Are Stronger: The Power of Co-Authoring

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  This week, I signed a contract with Harvest House Publishers for my 45th book.  This one is a wonderful collaboration between myself and a wonderful Bible study teacher, Jean Jones and a very talented artist in Karla Dornacher  (see Karla on Etsy). We each bring our strengths to the book and we also pull our platforms together for greater reach and influence. I have had the joy of co-authoring with some amazing people: Jill Savage,  the founder and President of Hearts at Home  for Got Teens?  (Harvest House) Doreen Hanna, the founder and President of Modern Day Princess ministry…

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Verbs

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Bob Hostetler here, offering another prayer for writers:   I write today, Lord. I will be using words, and some of them will be verbs. Inspire them all, God, but especially the verbs. Hover over them. Speak them into existence. Breathe into them the breath of life. All my verbs come from you. You are my “is.” My “am.” My “see,” my “know.” You are my “laugh” and “cry,” my “wake” and “sleep,” “shiver” and “sweat,” “think” and “speak,” “jump” and “skip” and “dance” and “bounce.” There is not an action in my day, a movement of my bones, a…

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