Taking the Risk

In the past few days I read Numbers 13 and 14. It’s a story that we learn in Sunday School as children and a passage that I both love and dread.

The nation of Israel has left Egypt and slavery behind. They’ve crossed the Red Sea on dry ground, taken the long way through the wilderness, have seen God work in miraculous ways for months, and now they’re camped at Kadesh-Barnea. They’re a stone’s throw from the Promised Land—the place generations have dreamed of returning to. For 40 days the Israelites wait to hear about the land God has brought them to—the land He said He was giving to them.

Finally, the 12 spies return and all that anticipation and excitement turns to fear as spy after spy stands and tells of giants and obstacles that await them on the other side of the river. Only 2 voices tell of the beauty and bounty of the land. The people become restless as fear settles on them and tightens its grip on them. After a night of turmoil and tears the people agree. “If only we had died in he land of Egypt, or if only we had died in theis wilderness! Why is the LORD bringing us into this land to die by the sword? Our wives and little children will become plunder. Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?” (Numbers 14:2-3)

I always want to shout, No! Don’t do it! Don’t you remember the slavery? How could you even think of going back? Don’t you remember all the things God has been doing for you?

Truth be told, I’m so much like the nation of Israel at this point that it’s…terrifying.

Kadesh-Barnea. It’s a place I’ve been to many times in my life. It’s a place that I really have mixed feelings about. A place of excitement as I look toward the anticipated opportunity. A place of anxiety as I looked toward the unknown. It’s also become a place of disappointment as fear takes over and I turn around and head back into the wilderness.

It's funny how God orchestrates all the details of life.

Take the risk of lose the chance. Photo by Cheryl Flatt.

I was chatting with my sister the other day and she sent this quote to me. She was talking about herself but it stopped me in my tracks. It was the THIRD time the same message was hitting me in a very short time. For three months I’ve been keeping some things buried but it all came gurgling out as I furiously texted Cheryl. I knew I was at the river. Again. And I feared that if I didn’t step this time that the wilderness would claim me for good.

I knew all the obstacles and objections. I’ve lived with them many times in my life.

It was time I refocused on all that God has done and is doing.

That’s when I realized that there was no risk in obeying.
I really had nothing to lose.
But everything to gain.

What about you? Are you sitting in your own Kadesh-Barnea listening to reports of great obstacles and how small you are in comparison? Don’t listen to them! When you obey God, He fights for you and what the enemy means for evil God turns into good for you. I’m not gonna lie, it will be hard. There will be losses—but maybe some of those losses are things you need to lose (me too!!).

Turn away from the voices that say you can’t or shouldn’t and tune your ear to God. Remember and focus on all He’s done for you and move forward.

Sometimes you have to take the risk or lose the chance.

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Maranatha Christian Writers Conference

Last week I was able to attend the Maranatha Christian Writers Conference, thanks to a scholarship from Cec Murphey. It. was. WONDERFUL, and everything my awesome agent said it would be. Loaded with information, warm and welcoming, an incredible ratio of faculty/attendees, and packed with opportunities. This conference isn't focused on fiction. In fact, it covered more than I anticipated. All-in-all, it was fantastic.

It took almost 24 hours after the close of the conference for me to assimilate what God had for me--and I'm still in awe of it. Because I'm heading back down the road in just a day or two, I did a video clip of how the conference is changing my direction. I do not want to lose momentum, and more importantly, I sense that immediate obedience is key here--so I'm posting this video clip, despite the fact that the road noise is bad and that I'm driving. *eye roll*

If you had seen me, you would've laughed. I didn't want to stop and write but there was no way I wanted to lose or forget what God was giving me. Desperation is the mother of creativity, or something like that, so I rubber banded my phone to the GPS mount and did video clips. I learned just how hot it gets in the windshield of my car...hot enough to over heat and shut down my phone! But here's what I got just before she overheated...



I'll be building on this and there will be tweaks here at Patterings... Tweaks that God has been leading me to for months now. I'm excited and scared. It's taking me right out of my comfort zone, but that's okay because I'm holding onto God's hand and I'm hoping that YOU will join me!

So tell me, are you an introvert or an extrovert?

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BFFs: Fear and Procrastination

I'm a procrastinator at heart. Pathetically so.

I know all the reasons I need to push on. I know the importance of it. I know that procrastinating could easily kill all hope of what I'm hoping for and what I've been working for and I feel God has for me. But sometimes there's something even bigger than all those things I know.

Fear.

Fear of what? Fear of failure.
If it's not done, it can't fail.

Am I the only one who deals with this??

And I even know the verses to fight this fear—because I've searched them out so often!

So here's the verse that's pulling me out of this bog fueled by fear:

For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline. ~2 Timothy 1:7 NAS

Timidity. Cowardice. Fear. It's NOT what God has given us!

God's given us power. His power. “Miraculous power,” might and strength.
And love.
And discipline. Now there's a word we love to hate. Discipline. Self-control.

THAT's what God has given us.
That means that any time I let fear have control, I'm turning my back on God and what He has given me and choosing the hog swill of fear instead.

How dumb is that?!?!

Sooooo, now that I've put that in perspective (for myself) it's time to get back to work. In power, love and discipline—those awesomely cool gifts God gave me.

So tell me, how do you fight procrastination?

*This is a repost from a couple years ago that I'm needing again these days.

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Giants in the Land

Welcome to Word Nerd!

We'd love to have you join the fun, either blogging with us, or simply visiting. =) We dearly love visitors.

This week's word is Giant.

If you're joining in the meme, be sure to link up with us at the end of this post. Since this is a blog hop, you can grab the code for the linky down there too. Find more info about the Word Nerd meme here.

~*~*~*~

“There are giants in the land!”

That’s what 10 of the 12 spies reported to Moses and the people of Israel. Sure, the land flowed with milk and honey and there was an abundance of fresh produce, something that the people of Israel longed for, but that wasn’t what they chose to see. Instead, they saw only the giants.

God told them to move forward, to fight the giants, but they stood still in fear.

I can relate. Sadly, often just thinking about a giant in my life is enough to stop me. The thing about those giants is if we don’t face them and take them on, they win without even a battle, just like they did in Joshua and Caleb’s day.

Often giants zealously guard the most important things in life--things God has for us. If we want them, we have to fight the giants. If we don’t fight them, we’re turned back into the wilderness to wander. Disobedience is a nasty path to walk.

I don’t know about you, but wilderness life just doesn’t measure up to what lies beyond. It’s worth fighting those giants to move into what God has for me, ready and waiting.

Today I’m once again taking on giants because wilderness living stinks. I want the milk and honey.

So tell me, how are the giants in your life faring?

~*~*~*~

Next week's word is CONSTRUCTION. Hope you join us!

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Not So Impossible

This is part of a devotional written years ago for kids, but I need the message every so often, and slipping it in "for kids" is a good way to sweeten the medicine for me. *wink* And smilies help everything. LoL

I handed bananas to Vance and Ivan. “Here, slice these without opening the peel.”

“Excuse me? You want me to what? Vance squawked. “There's no way I can do that!”

I pointed him toward the table where there were a number of items. “Sure you can,” I encouraged.

“But how?”

“Nope. No questions. You have two minutes. It can be done, just work at it.”

The two boys looked at each other then grabbed the plastic knives that were on the table. Two minutes later their bananas were butchered but they still hadn't figured it out.

“There's no way,” they said, pushing their bananas away.

I reached into my bag for another banana and instead of picking the plastic knife, I chose a safety pin that was sitting right beside it. With a few quick moves I sliced the banana then peeled it and offered the slices to the kids.

********

Remember how the boys felt when I gave them the bananas? That was probably how Gideon felt when the Angel of the Lord appeared to him and told him he was to lead Israel against the Midianites.

'You want me to do what? There's no way I can do that!' Gideon even made up excuses. 'I don't come from an important family and I'm the youngest one.'

Hmmmmm. I've thought the same things quite often. But what did God say to Gideon?

Surely I will be with you. ~Judges 6:16

Wow! What a promise! And it's a promise we see throughout the Bible when God calls someone to do things that are seemingly impossible.

Gideon hurried and brought out an offering for the angel of the Lord and arranged it on a rock, just as he was instructed. The angel of the Lord stretched out His staff, touched the offering, and fire jumped out of the rock, consuming the offering. Can you imagine Gideon's shock and surprise? What a display of God's power! If God could make fire jump out of a rock (and He did!) then surely God would keep His word and be with Gideon.

That's the same promise God has given to us as we do the work He's given us:

Surely I will be with you. ~Judges 6:16

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Stepping Stones or Grave Stones?

If there's one thing I hear over and over in the writing circles I'm part of, it's that failures and rejections can be stepping stones. And it's not just in writing, it's in all of life.

Last fall I sent a requested proposal to my dream publishing house, the goal I've been targeting for years. Many weeks later I received a very nice letter from the editor I'd sent to saying they weren't interested in the manuscript. Rejected. BUT, she took the time to tell me why. She told me what was missing, giving me something concrete to work with.

So, I had two choices. I could see the rejection as a grave stone or as a stepping stone.

Since the proposal was requested as a result of Seekerville's Read Me Contest, I emailed Tina to give her the news and to thank her for the contest which gave me the opportunity. Her reply to me was wonderful. “This is exciting. You have gotten your first editorial critique! Time to revise!”

Rejection vs. editorial critique.
Grave stone vs. stepping stone.

Same exact number of letters, totally different results.

If I were to see that rejection letter as just a rejection, it could easily become a grave stone. I could let it become the excuse to quit writing fiction—for a time or forever. But, if I see it as a stepping stone, the experience becomes the first, and often scariest or hardest proposal under my belt and off my list of things to dread and worry about. Besides, I now know what I need to do to bring that manuscript up to par—through an editor's eyes.

Yes, I failed at my ultimate objective—a contract with my dream publisher, but I took great strides along the journey of reaching that goal. Not just that, but I know a few more things I need to do to help me along that journey toward that goal.

Just think about the game Mother May I. How often did you hear “No steps needed, you win”? (or something like that, LoL) You didn't. It was always a series of small or giant steps forward or backward until you eventually reached the goal.

So why do we expect to immediately reach our goals?
Why do we see failure as bad?

Failing is only bad if we see it as a grave stone on a project. If we see it as a stepping stone we can be happy that we are one step closer. And maybe, just maybe, it's NOT all about reaching the goal. Maybe it's about the journey and the witness we are along that journey or the glory we bring to God through that journey. We can't become so fixated on the goal that we miss all the other things along the way.

As Christians, if we see failures as grave stones, we are neutralized—no longer effective, and Satan wins that round. Certainly not what we want to happen.

It's a mental issue—how we choose to see the failure.
It's part of the war we're in—and wars are made up of many battles. Few wars are won with one decisive crushing victory—especially where our minds are concerned. That means every time we catch ourselves thinking of the failure as a grave stone, we need to stop, turn around and choose to see it as a stepping stone. It's a choice we may have to make many times a day.

So that rejection letter I received... was it a grave stone or a stepping stone? A stepping stone. I'm hard at work on the manuscript, adding in the elements the editor said it was missing and changing the things she mentioned so I can submit it somewhere else. And you know what? If this manuscript never finds a home, it has served its purpose—it's helped me along the journey of life, helped me face lots of fears I had and shown me many cool things. Even if the manuscript is committed to the Dust Bunnies and never sees the light of day, it will have been a stepping stone.

What about you? Is there a grave stone in your life you need to change to a stepping stone? Ask God to help you see it differently then step in faith and choose to think about it differently. It's the difference between stepping backward and forward—between neutralization and victory.

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Take Flight: Only You

It's time 

for another

Take Flight Challenge!! 

Are you ready?

This week it's relatively easy--compared to some things I have up my sleeves, and it's one all of us can do, even if we choose not to post on it. ;-)

I saw this on Facebook this weekend and it was like being clobbered with a 2x4.

So, this week's Take Flight Challenge is to zero in on ONE area where you are stopping yourself and clobber it back.

Then, let's meet back here next Monday, 'fess up and tell how we tackled that dirty dog and how it went. Let's cheer each other on!

I know what I'll be working on and I'll let you know how it goes on Monday.

Now, don't be thinking all the Take Flight Challenges will be this easy or this vague. I'm just softening you up for a biggie that's in the pipeline. ;-)

See you next Monday with the linkie for this Take Flight Challenge...

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Desert or Promised Land?

Resolutions and goals. Words that make me cringe because I fail so often. For many years I thought that by simply not making any goals I'd be safe from falling short and failure, but I was wrong. I've found that I wander aimlessly without goals.

Recently I finished reading through the Pentateuch and I was reminded that I'm not the only one that tends to wander. Israel spent 40 years wandering in the desert and there's a very good reason for why they did. Fear. I have a lot in common with the Israelites.

Israel was ready to enter the Promised Land. Moses said to them,

“See, the Lord your God has placed the land before you; go up, take possession, as the Lord, the God of your fathers, has spoken to you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” Deuteronomy 1:21 NAS

Wow! What a place to be in! A place many of us have been in. A place where we know what path God wants us to follow.

But Israel wanted more information. (Boy, does that sound familiar!) They asked to send spies into the land and God consented. So Moses sent 12 spies into Canaan and when they returned, they reported to the people not only about how good the land was, but also how big and formidable the people were. Israel took their eyes off how awesome their God was (is!) and all He had done for them and focused on how big the people, their obstacles, were. Big mistake.

Canaan was their Promised Land. Their destination. Their goal. When they focused on how impossible it appeared it was for them to reach their Promised Land, they chickened out. Something I'm well acquainted with.

Numbers 14:22-23 and 35 tells us what God thought of their response “Surely all the men who have seen My glory and My signs which I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness, yet have put Me to the test these ten times and have not listened to My voice, shall by no means see the land which I swore to their fathers, nor shall any of those who spurned Me see it...In this wilderness they shall be destroyed, and there they will die.”

I don't know about you, but I don't want to die in the desert.

As we slide toward the end of January, let's remember all that God has done for us, focus on Him, and press on. Let's go in and conquer the land and the goals God has placed before us this year!

God's promise to Israel all those years ago is still good today, for us.

“Do not be shocked, nor fear them. The Lord your God who goes before you will Himself fight on your behalf, just as He did for you...in all the way which you have walked until you came to this place.” Deuteronomy 1:29-30 NAS

So tell me, are you heading for the Promised Land or still wandering in the desert?

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A Spirit of Power

Each week at Living by Grace, a devotional discussion Facebook group, we post a memory verse and this week's is 2 Timothy 1:7, building on verse 6, which we memorized a couple weeks ago.

For God has not given us a spirit of timidity,

but of power

and love

and discipline.

2 Timothy 1:7 NAS

Far too often I settle for fear, not stopping to remember that God has given me so much more. It's time to remember!

Be sure to check the Cafe for more links to WFW

Won't you join me memorizing Psalm 34:18 this week at Living by Grace?



*Photo by courtesy of sxc.hu

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Flying whats?

Today is elephant appreciation day.
Uh huh. I heard you say “So what?!”

Since you asked (hehe - see the line above, it has a question mark), I'll tell you.

An elephant has helped me on this writing journey I'm on.
Really.

Almost three years ago, still in my first year of blogging, I participated in WordFilled Wednesdays several times, and it's still one of my favorite memes. The very first time I joined in, Ellie the Elephant came to be in If an Elephant can fly. Lemme tell ya, I loved Ellie—she inspired me, but I was a little embarrassed by her. See, all the WFW I visited were very dignified pictures, and then there was mine. Whimsical. eh. Once I got over feeling like the oddball, I didn't worry about it. She was exactly what I needed. So much so that she became the theme for my year (2009) and lived at the top of my sidebar.

"Un Petit Voyage I" by Ségo

Many, many times I've thought of Ellie and her verse and it's helped me keep going.

If an elephant can fly, then I can do what God's called me to. I can write for Him. Can an elephant fly on its own? No! All the more reason for me to hold fast to God because it's by HIS strength and power that an elephant can fly and I can follow Him. Which ties in with this year's theme verse Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit says the Lord of hosts. (Zechariah 4:6) That one's in the sidebar now and it's been crucial this year.

So tell me, what is it God's called you to do that you need His help to fly?

Oh yeah, and since it's Elephant Appreciation Day I'm guest posting at the Faithwriters blog. Why? Because when I told Joanne I really thought she should post on elephant appreciation day (since she's the one who learned about that juicy tidbit) she challenged me to come up with a tie-in to writing, and when I did, she invited me to post, instead of doing it herself. *eye roll* Somehow that's not what I had in mind. LoL. So, come join me there and see how else elephants tie in with writing. ;-)

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My 3 Fs

Fickle, Failure, & Faithful
These three words have been on my mind a lot this past few weeks. And I do mean a lot.

Yes, I am fickle. I'll admit that right up front. But it's not just girlie fickleness—it's that many times I honestly do not care which way I go. (When I have an opinion I'm just plain mulish. Ask my husband. *eye roll*) So when I see things opening up one direction and feel a leading, I'm good to go with it, and I do. But that tends to lead toward... failure. Or seeming failure.

How so? Well, as I venture through different doors I may get part way through and the door closes on me. That doesn't bother me at all—I see it as God clearly closing the door. Other times I get through the door and I'm ready to take off. I have everything prepped and ready and I'm excited. But the room that open door led to is empty. Not a single thing in there. Failure.

Or is it?
Well, I know from experience that people looking on often see it as failure. And fickleness. Now, I really don't like being seen as a fickle failure. Does anyone? But yanno, the it ain't over 'til it's over... and it ain't over yet! (See my eyes rolling as I snicker?)

This is where faithfulness comes in. Well, actually, faithfulness is woven throughout as I try to faithfully stay close to God and faithfully obey, and faithfully evaluate where things are. And this is exactly where I've been the last couple weeks: evaluating. (And that, my friends, will be another post! It's in the works.)

I've walked through a door recently and everything came together beautifully. Everything. I was ready to run and prepared for a marathon. But the starting gun never fired, leaving me toed in at the starting line. The door that was flung open to me led to a room that's empty. Not a single thing there. All the encouragement and help and cheering on that I've received and now when friends ask, excited for me, I have to tell them it opened to... nothing. Since I prayed much over the event (and still do) I'm not upset by it—but every now and then those first two f words ambush me. Yanno, fickle and failure.

So tell me, 
where do you think faithfulness fits with fickle and failure? 
Does seeming failure imply fickleness, or worse, faithLESSness?

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Cross with Me

The other day something happened that instantly made me queasy with fear. My stomach started rolling and I couldn't sit still. I had to be moving so I paced. From the front door to the kitchen sink, the kitchen sink to my computer in the corner of the living room and back to the front door. My mind was going in similar circles and it was just getting worse. I finally saw what I was doing and God reminded me of what I needed: an extra dose of Him and His Word.

Soon after I was settled in my chair with my Bible and I turned to the next chapter in my cover-to-cover read through. Is it any coincidence that it was Exodus 14 where Israel crossed the Red Sea? No. It wasn't.

In front of them was the Red Sea, behind them was the Egyptian army, complete with horses and chariots—the most modern and high tech weaponry of the day. And Israel panicked and fear ran rampant in their midst.

That's how I was feeling—without even knowing if what happened was friend or foe!

The people saw an obstacle but Moses saw an opportunity. Look what he says:

Do not fear! Stand by and see the salvation of the Lord which He will accomplish for you today... The LORD will fight for you while you keep silent. ~Exodus 14:13-14

It was enough to stop the frenzied mental pacing that was still going on inside. It was enough to stop the feverish rolling my stomach was doing. It was enough to take my eyes off what happened and fix them on my Heavenly Father.

But the passage doesn't end there.
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to Me? Tell the sons of Israel to go forward.” ~Exodus 14:15

Go forward.
But the Red Sea... ?
Go forward.

We know the story. God parted that Red Sea and Israel went through on dry land, and when Egypt and all their high tech equipment was crossing, the Red Sea returned to normal and the strength of Egypt, and all they intended to do to Israel, was crushed. But if Israel had not obeyed, if they had stood there wringing their hands or if they had been frozen with fear, they wouldn't have crossed the Red Sea. They wouldn't have been delivered. They wouldn't have seen God fight for them.

Their obedience let them see God's hand working for them.

How about you? Do you feel your enemies are right behind you? Has fear threatened to enslave you yet again? Remember what we're told to do: Do not fear! Watch as God fights for you. Keep silent. (Don't let those voices of fear keep screaming in your ear!) Go forward.

Won't you join me crossing the Red Sea?

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Doozie Day

Saturday was a doozie for me. I was a basket-case.

It all started when my friend nailed me hard about my intent concerning publication, and I waffled. She asked me the same question 3-4 times and I pussy-footed around each time. And she knew it.

You see, I KNOW God has called me to write, and I'm writing. I watch the discussions on the ACFW email loop about being published and I always want to jump in and say But even if God called you to write, He might not have called you to publication. You have to write how, when and where He has for you to write. Even if it's for just one.

I love writing fiction. It's my first love, BUT I'm not hung up on being published. Truly, I'm not. Sure, I'd love to be, but my life will still feel fulfilled if I'm not, as long as I know I'm holding tight to God's hand and following Him. I'm also willing to do the work if publication is His will for me. But I hafta tell ya, the thought of all that is scary. There's a lot to it. It's not just writing books, it's so much more, and to be honest, staying in my comfy, cozy cave, as it is now, really appeals to me. Remember, I'm a chicken at heart and choosing the easy way out is just too... EASY for me!

So God used my friend to wallop me. And it was a doozie. But it was also effective. I changed my plans for this month and stepped out of my comfort zone, and I mean waaaaay out! I'm polishing a manuscript I have so I can pitch it at the Faithwriters conference. What God does with it is up to Him. My responsibility is to follow and obey Him, He'll handle the results. And I want God's best for my life, not a pathetic substitute.

What about you? Is there something you're waffling over or evading in the hopes it will go away?

Let's pursue God's best for our lives and trust that His grace will carry us through the tough and scary parts!

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Beyond the Rapids

I am soooo excited! Today I'm participating in Fiction Friday for the first time in ages! Welcome! =] I'm also hosting, so Linky is down at the bottom, whether you're posting fiction, too, or would like to read some other fun fiction. =]

This story has been on my mind a lot recently. Not only am I polishing the manuscript this story turned into (yet again), but it also ties in with an experience I had last week. But I'll tell you about that next week. ;-)

Beyond the Rapids

Torie stood on the river bank and looked at the rapids. Her stomach churned at the thought of junior high kids canoeing down them to their next campsite. She turned to the big blond man standing beside her, “Surfer Boy, I thought we paddled an extra two hours to avoid this.”

“These aren’t real rapids; close, but not quite, and, yes, we bypassed the real ones.” Seth turned to glare at his canoe partner, “And I told you not to call me ‘Surfer Boy.’” That’s when he saw her worry. “The kids will do fine; they’re so light they’ll skim across the top without much problem.”

“What about us?” Torie asked.

“This isn’t bad, even loaded as heavily as we are with the extra gear. Maneuvering will be slower and more difficult, but I’ve shot worse without a problem.”

Later, after sending off the team leaders and kids, Seth and Torie settled into their canoe. They were bringing up the rear to help any stragglers. Seth looked at the independent, single mom he’d been teamed with at the last minute and said, “Follow my lead. If you fight me we could end up in deep trouble.”

Torie’s gaze didn’t waver from his. “I’m not a fool.”

“No, you’re not, but this isn’t something you can handle on your own.”

“Lead on, Surfer Boy,” Torie said.

Seth dug his paddle in and Torie felt the current grab them.

“Rock on the right!” She hollered as they gained speed. Seth switched sides and steered clear of it, only to push them into the path of another rock. Torie dug hard and got their nose away at the last second.

“Good save!” Seth called out just as a hidden current pulled them across another rock. Torie winced as the canoe scraped, her paddle pausing mid-air.

“Dig!” Seth hollered as he dug deep and added a twist in an effort to get clear of the rock.

Torie felt like her arms were being pulled out as the current pulled them first one way and then the other. Always into rocks. She lost count of the times they scraped: sometimes on the sides, sometimes on the bottom.

They rounded the bend and the breath caught in Torie’s throat. Ahead was a maze of rocks and white water with no apparent way through.

“Oh, no!” she said.

“Don’t let fear paralyze you and don’t watch the rocks slide past. Once our nose is past it, forget it. Just keep paddling and don’t look back.”

Torie felt like a pin-ball as they bounced from one rock to another. They were pushed toward a rock and she watched it slide past.

“Dig!” Seth’s voice cut like a whip. “Don’t look back!”

Torie’s head whipped around. Frantically she dug in, but it was too little, too late. They slammed into a boulder. The canoe shuddered and groaned. Torie held her breath, sure they would capsize, or worse, crack-up.

“Lean right!” Seth hollered as he reached out and pushed. He groaned with effort but managed to get them away just enough that they stayed in one piece and upright.

Just as suddenly as the rapids had started they ended and they were shooting along calm water.

********
Later that evening Torie slipped into the deep shadows near the river. Her mind swirled and raced just as the river had. Another shadow materialized nearby.

“You did good today.” Seth said quietly.

“I choked and we almost bought it. That’s not good.”

“Life’s a lot like shooting rapids. You can’t go through life without hitting rocks; you just can’t keep looking back once you’re past them. You have let go and get ready for the next run. If you look back you’ll crack up on the next boulder without even knowing it was coming.”

Torie sat and listened to the river for a long while, thinking. Eventually she blew out the breath she’d been holding. “Thank you for keeping us in one piece and dry today. And thank you for sharing what you just did.” She took a deep breath before continuing. “You’re right. I’ve gone through life always looking back at my mistakes and I’ve run into countless boulders as a result. It’s time to turn around and get paddling again.” She turned her head toward him, “Thank you, Seth.”

“You called me ‘Seth.’” Amazement laced his voice.

Torie laughed. “Don’t get used to it, Surfer Boy, and don’t get a fat head because I said you’re right.”
********

If you're posting some of your own fiction today, add your name to Linky, but if you'd just like to read some of my friends' fiction, we'd love to have you click through to their blogs and enjoy! Happy Friday!

ps Things should be more back to normal on here next week. ;-)

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Why Be Strong and Courageous?

Last week I started a Bible study on Joshua, Judges and Ruth. We're using Kay Arthur's study book, Choosing Victory – Overcoming Defeat and I'm loving it. My plan is to blog my way through this Bible study, and I hafta tell ya, I'm excited!

Joshua. What do you think of when you hear Joshua's name? The wall of Jericho? Me too. But there's so much more to Joshua than just those walls! Moses had two right-hand men: Aaron, his brother, and Joshua.

Joshua was a warrior. He was the one doing the fighting when Aaron and Hur held Moses' arms up while Israel fought against Amalek. (Exodus 17:8-13) He was the chosen and appointed leader after Moses' death.

When Moses commissioned Joshua (Deuteronomy 31:7-8) he said “Be strong and courageous, for you shall go with this people into the land which the Lord has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you shall give it to them as an inheritance. The Lord is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”

God gave Joshua a seemingly impossible task. He had spent 40 years watching Moses closely and helping him as he led Israel through the desert. He knew how well the nation listened, and didn't listen. He knew how Moses struggled and wrestled on behalf of the people, and when he was appointed as leader, I imagine it was not something he cheered over. Joshua spent a lot of time with Moses and I have a feeling the men knew each other well.

Look at those things that Moses said to him:

• Be strong.
• Be courageous.
• You'll lead the people into the Promised Land.
• You'll conquer the land for the people.
• God will go ahead of you.
• God will be with you.
• God will NOT fail you.
• God will NOT forsake you.
• Do not fear.
• Do not be dismayed.

Hmmmm. Interesting. Joshua was a warrior who had been groomed for leadership but these things seem to suggest that Joshua felt that the task God had called him to was far beyond his ability. I don't know about you, but that's something I can relate to! I've often felt that the task God has given me was far beyond my capability.

Israel mourned for 30 days after Moses died, and then the book of Joshua starts off with God speaking to Joshua. In fact, much of the first chapters are God directing Joshua, and Joshua turning right around and relaying God's commands and instructions to the nation of Israel. (Tuck that tidbit away.) One of the first things we read in Joshua is God reaffirming what Moses had said when he commissioned Joshua. Check this out:

Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may have success wherever you go. This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord you God is with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:7-9 (NAS)

That's almost a mirror image of what Moses said to him! In the first chapter, Joshua is told to be strong and courageous 4 times. Sounds like Joshua needed to hear that. It's something that we need to hear, too.

When God gives us a job to do, we don't need to be dismayed or tremble in fear because God will not forsake us or fail us. He will be with us and He will go before us, and for all those reasons we can be strong and courageous.

What a list of promises to hold onto as we stand on the bank of our own Jordan Rivers!

Coming up next: What I learned about success as I memorized Joshua 1:7-9.

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Robustly?

I'm posting today at Exemplify, on the devotional channel and I'd love to have you join me there. A lesson from Gracie, my dog...

Does your heart have a highway running through it or is full of tracks going every which way?

Join me there for more about Heart Highways.

On another note...
I started reading Fearless by Max Lucado this last Sunday and I'm sure it's no mistake that it was this week. Here's what I read last night as we waited for the older kids to get out of the teen service:

"Do you know God's grace? Then you can love boldly, live robustly. You can swing from trapeze to trapeze; his safety net will break your fall."

I needed this message yesterday, today, this month. I feel like I'm standing on the platform with the trapeze in my hands, gathering up my courage to leap into the air...with nothing but a trapeze in my hand. But that's not how it is at all. God's safety net is below me and will catch me should I fall. It's time to take that step and soar. Let's live boldly. Let's live robustly!

Step with me. Let's fly!

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All Things

I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.
~Philippians 4:13

I have to tell you, right now this verse makes my knees knock together. It makes me wonder what things will come along that will be far beyond me—things that will make me rely on God's strength.

But it doesn't have to be this way. I don't have to stand there, trembling and biting my nails in fear of what's coming.

I can have an attitude of confidence instead of fear!

Because Christ is in me, because I follow Him, He strengthens me. With His strength, I can handle all that He has planned for me. If I'm bound up by fear, He's not as free to work through me. But if I'm confident of God's power and strength in me, He's able to shine through me more.

I've been thinking about this verse a lot recently, thanks to Joanne at An Open Book, and I'm so glad she chose it for today's Monday Manna. Join us there for links to more thoughts on Philippians 4:13.


As I did my daily Bible reading today, I came to 1 Samuel 12:16.
Even now, take your stand and see this great thing which the Lord will do before your eyes.

That led me to Exodus 14:13-14
Do not fear! Stand by and see the salvation of the Lord which He will accomplish for you...The Lord will fight for you while you keep silent.

I don't need to be strong, or able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. I need to rely fully on God. I need to cling to Him and let His strength work through me. I think too many times I make it more difficult then has to be and I work and worry myself into a tizzy like the little red head.

I need to take my stand and see what God will accomplish.
His work.
His strength.
For His glory.

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Safe Within

I was able to visit with my sister this last summer and it was wonderful. Being with her is always special, and she has a really cool house that I love. It sits at the top of a hill in Oklahoma and the storms are incredible to watch from there. While I was there, we went outside one evening and enjoyed the lightening show—until it got a little too close and then we went in and didn't worry about the storm anymore. You see, her house isn't completed yet, it's a finished basement, and they're living in it while waiting for the rest of the house to be built. When you're down there the world could come to an end and you'd never know it until you went outside. It's comfy and cozy in her house, and safe from the storms that roll through—you barely know it's storming outside when you're down there.

My nephew lives right next door to my sister and they hear and feel every storm that goes through. The difference? Their house is above ground and it gets shaken up by the strong winds that howl across their hill. When the weather gets bad enough, the kids make a mad dash with their little boys and ride out the storm below ground in his parent's home. They have a safe place to run to where the storm passes over them.

We, as Christians, have a safe place, too. When the storms of life swoop down on us we can run to Jesus.

For in the day of trouble
He will conceal me in His tabernacle;
in the secret place of His tent He will hide me;
He will lift me up on a rock. ~Psalm 27:5

When we are abiding in Jesus, as John 15 talks about, our houses are often strong enough to weather the squalls of life.

storm clouds Originally uploaded by -Chad Johnson

Abiding in Him makes for stout walls, but there are storms that shake even a life that's abiding in Christ. We need to do like my nephew does and run to the safety of his father's house. The storms hit hard and there may be lots of damage to the property, but their lives are safe within the shelter. And that's how it is when we're hidden in the secret place of God's tent. The storms can beat all around us, but our lives are safe in Jesus.

When the storm around you begins howling, don't wait! Run to the safety of His tabernacle. Hide yourself in God and His Word—it's the safest place you can ever be!

You are my hiding place;
You preserve me from trouble;
You surround me with songs of deliverance.
~Psalm 32:7

There's still one last Book Bonanza going on--with Christina Berry. You have until Saturday night to leave comments to be entered in the book drawing. Also, we have our weekly author spotlight on Susan Page Davis and she's doing a book giveaway, too. That drawing is also open until Saturday night. Don't miss out! :]

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The Ride of Your Life

Fiction Friday hosted at
Stina's Scroll Bag

For Fiction Friday...
The cage jerked and began moving. Cindy's heart pounded. “Lord, what have I gotten myself into?”

Across from her, Heather laughed nervously and Gram patted her hand. “Did I ever tell you that your grandfather wanted to propose on a ferris wheel but was afraid he'd drop the ring? Even after 45 years, he's a romantic at heart.”

The cage rocked gently as it rose higher and higher, and Cindy's knuckles grew whiter and whiter. When they were at the highest point her fingernails were chalk white and she was quietly gasping for breath. Below her she could see people walking around with their cotton candy, but that was all she had time to see before her stomach started rolling and twisting. Panic was beginning to set in.

A squeak from her daughter drew her attention. Heather was white as a ghost. The mother in Cindy kicked in. She focused on what her mother said. “I never knew that, Mom.”

“Gramp and I have always loved ferris wheels, but when he saw his idea wouldn't work he took me to the lookout point. It was the highest point we could get to.” Gram smiled nostalgically but Cindy hardly noticed, as she was too relieved to be on the way down. The lower they went the more color seeped back into her knuckles and once they were near the bottom she pulled each finger from its stranglehold on the seat. She shook them out and rested them in her lap, but that only lasted until they began going up again. When they were half way to the top her hands were clamped back on the seat.

“It's crazy to be this scared,” Cindy said. “I know I'm safe, so why am I so afraid?”

Her mother laughed. “Did you forget you're afraid of heights? Oh, not little heights, only the big ones, like this.” She waved her fingers around her head. “Looking far in the distance helps. Heather, do you think we can see Kincaid's barn from up here?” Heather frantically looked for it and as she did she seemed to relax a little, even though they were just past the highest point.

Cindy, who sat facing them, had her eyes fixed on the parking lot she could see in the distance. She noted the kind of trees that surrounded it and the trolley winding through the rows of cars. The farther out she looked, the less her heart raced.

“You know, riding a ferris wheel is a lot like trusting God.” Gram said as they slowly went down. “Oh look, there's Millie Hunter, from church. Wave, girls, maybe she'll see us.” They managed small waves and Gram beamed when Millie waved back.

“How is riding a ferris wheel like trusting God, Mom?” Cindy's heart was speeding up again and she was thankful for the distraction.

“Well, like you said, you're safe on here, even though you don't feel safe. It kind of feels like you're hanging out in the middle of nowhere, doesn't it?” Their faces turned whiter. “But you really aren't,” Gram hastened to add. “There's plenty of safety features on these things and they inspect them every day. Oh, look, Heather!” Gram pointed. “There's Kincaid's barn! Can you see it?”

“Yeah, I see it! It's even big from up here, Mom. Next to that big barn, their house sure is small!” In her excitement Heather had forgotten to be scared as they rounded the top.

“There. You see? When you get your eyes off where you are, and look around, you can see so much. Fear blinds you to the really wonderful things in life.” Gram reached over and gave Heather a squeeze.

Cindy sighed in relief as they went lower. “But, Mom, how is this like trusting God?”

“Oh dear, did I forget that part?” Gram laughed. “If you're safe on a ferris wheel, don't you think you're even safer tucked in God's hand? You might as well just relax, trust God and look around, knowing He's got it all under control. Don't let fear blind you and you'll see the most spectacular things. You'll see God working and then you'll see where you can jump in and work with Him. You may end up in places you never thought you'd go to, and do things you thought you couldn't, but with God holding you you'll be safe with Him. Trusting God really is the ride of your life.”

“...He shielded him and cared for him; he guarded him as the apple of his eye, like an eagle that stirs up its nest and hovers over its young, that spreads its wings to catch them and carries them on its pinions.”
~Deuteronomy 32:10-11 (NIV)

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I wrote this one shortly after visiting California Adventureland with my family and parents. We had a great time--but I hafta admit, the ferris wheel was...um...scary. There's a lot of truth to this story mixed in with the fiction. LoL

Next Tuesday, August 8th, we kick off our Back 2 School Book Bonanza and there will be 3 author spotlights and book giveaways each week. Thursdays are nonfiction day, so that will be a treat for us. Be sure to join us then!

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Running in Circles

...it's something we all do. Especially me.

This last week I ran in circles. Circles that I didn't have time for. Circles that made me dizzy and my knees knock. I spent the week thinking and praying. In that order. Big mistake.

This morning when I sat down for my Bible reading I turned to the next reference on my list (I'm reading through chronologically) while asking God to direct me. My mind was full of seeking God's will, and here's what I read:
Wait for the Lord;
be strong and let your heart take courage;
yes, wait for the Lord. ~Psalm 27:14

Did I mention that the circles I was running in terrifies me? When I read Psalm 27:14 I was struck all over again by it (this is a favorite verse of mine).
Wait.
Take courage.
Wait.
I'm not a patient person. I tend to leap before I look and then scream all the way down. I do NOT want to do that this time. So, once again, I followed my trail of verses on this topic. (Isn't God good!! He knew I needed to be directed to that verse and that wait/take courage topic today.)

I still don't know if I should leap, but that's not the issue any longer and I have peace. All the Psalms I read this morning were from the time when David was fleeing Saul. David knew he was God's chosen and anointed king, but he didn't rush and snatch the throne. He waited for God's timing and God taught him great things during those years. That's what I want. God's timing for doing God's work—whatever that work is.

As I continued to follow my trail I was directed to Psalm 25:3, but I ended up on verses 4-5. “Make me know Your ways, O Lord; teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; for You I wait all the day.”

I'm claiming those verses especially as I wait and seek (and take courage). But not just those. As I continued on with my reading schedule I was directed to Psalm 31. I tell ya, God is so good!

For You are my rock and my fortress; for Your name's sake You will lead me and guide me. ~Psalm 31:3

God WILL lead me. I have His word on that. I don't need to worry about it. I don't need to run in circles. For His name's sake He will lead me.
Thank You, Father God!

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