Put on Your Armor!

Read at least the first paragraph attached to the John Phillips link below. I heard Dr David Jeremiah quote this, and I had to look it up. Great picture of the spiritual battle we are in! Let's put on our armor Christian Warriors (Ephesians 6:10-18)! 

John Phillips http://books.google.com/books?id=1hY-olhOFgMC&pg=PA187&lpg=PA187&ots=grABGQgfjD&dq=john+phillips+and+our+enemies+are+not+people&output=html_text

Supplementing Your Sundays

As a Christ follower, Sundays aren't the only day I should seek to learn about Him. In fact, if you are really after God's own heart, you can't settle for just Sundays! The desire to know Him more grows as you truly seek Him! It is so crucial for our Christian walk to spend time reading the Bible, supplementing additional teachings through watching sermons, studying devotionals and other books, and in **prayer.

(**Which I feel very strongly is the most important. For that is how we quiet ourselves enough to feel His presence. Without prayer, our walk with Christ is very distant. We can never "know" his heart without seeking to really know Him through Prayer.)

To supplement my weekly Church's sermons, I've lately really enjoyed Perry Stone's Manna Fest series, which I originally found on television, but have since been watching online.

Perry's Voice of Evangelism Website is @ http://www.voe.org/. On the left side of the page there is a link to the weekly Manna Fest video, check it out! You are sure to learn more about our Lord through Perry's teachings on His Word!

I also have watched a couple sermon series from Mars Hill Church with our couples small group in the past: The Peasant Princess and Spiritual Warfare. Both have been extremely insightful! Here is a link to most of the sermons, which also have notes you can print off: http://marshill.com/media/sermons

My favorite devotional is My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers. His devotionals challenge me in my walk with God. No matter how many times I've read the same devotional through the years, I always gain new understanding and wisdom! Here is the link: http://utmost.org/

I love this quote next to Oswals's devotional today: 


"The remarkable thing about fearing God is that when you fear God you fear nothing else, whereas if you do not fear God you fear everything else. “Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord”;…  The Highest Good—The Pilgrim’s Song Book, 537 L

I have also been reading a devotional, Jesus Calling, by Sarah Young via an android app. Below is a copy of an entry from November 13, which I particularly appreciated:

“I am Christ in you, the hope of Glory. The One who walks beside you, holding you by your hand, is the same One who lives within you. This is a deep, unfathomable mystery. You and I are intertwined in an intimacy involving every fiber of your being. The Light of My Presence shines within you, as well as upon you. I am in you, and you are in Me; therefore, nothing in heaven or on earth can separate you from Me!

As you sit quietly in My Presence, your awareness of My Life within you is heightened. This produces the Joy of the Lord, which is your strength. I, the God of hope, fill you with all Joy and Peace as you trust in Me, so that you may bubble over with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Colossians 1:27; Isaiah 42:6; Nehemiah 8:10; Romans 15:13”

Jesus Manifesto

If you call yourself a Christian, yet you say you don't have time to study the Bible, don't like to read, etc., you are missing out! I use to have that same mindset. Even more saddening, I had that heart-set (and I still do sometimes). I am a lot more selfish than I ever acknowledged because I always compared myself with society's standards rather than God’s standards (to simply love and seek Him first).  

We must make a daily decision to pursue Him, a daily discipline that is easy to fail at. Picture yourself in a boat on stagnant water. If you stop rowing (seeking Jesus), you stop going (growing in your relationship), and you can actually start to float backwards. If you want to live like you never have, you'll have to live like you never have. Genius, I know ;) 

The wrong perspective many people have is that they are either intimidated by the Bible, or don't think it’s worth the time (they don’t really believe it holds the treasure it does). It's importance is discounted, and they hurry along continuing to run their rat-race lives... only hoping sometime they will find true peace. Well, you don't have to just hope! When our souls crave for something deeper, they crave for Jesus himself. Its that simple!

This earthly life and everything in it is mortal. No mortal thing can give peace to an immortal soul. Even though you may have asked Jesus in your heart and consider yourself a "Christian" (You non-chalantly believe Jesus is the son of God, you are a good person, and maybe you regularly attend church), it is vital to know that is not the end-all. That is where knowing Jesus and the life of a Christ follower starts!  His soul-satisfying peace and abundant life is right at your fingertips! All you have to do is surrender to and whole-heartedly seek Him- He will do the rest!

I sometimes still get caught up in the wrong mindset, but I am quicker to get back on track. Utilizing Bible studies that have unlocked scripture has been immensely helpful. We are blessed to have freedom of religion in this country, and there is a plethora of free Bible teaching materials out there! So use it!

On that thought, I am going to recommend a wonderful book I am in the midst of: 

Jesus Manifesto by Leonard Sweet and Frank Viola

The idea behind the book is that many who call themselves Christians have allowed the things of God to become more important than a personal relationship with Jesus himself.  

This book brings us to the center of Christianity, which is Christ himself. If we seek Him and love Him, everything else in life will fall into place. In other words, our perspective of life changes as we grow deeper in love with Him. The troubles of this world will pale in comparison to His awesome beauty and power.  

There is so much good wisdom in this book. I love the quote from page 58, "If you will sink your roots deep in Christ, who is your life, you will not be able to stop the fruit from coming forth." Another quote from page 39 states, "When things go wrong, it’s not because we don’t understand certain doctrines or fail to follow particular commands.  It’s because we lave lost our “first love”… or never had it in the first place." 

So, wherever you are in your spiritual journey, take the time to acknowledge it. Ask God the questions you have, and seek the answers from Him through His word and through prayer. 

Praying for you today!

Thanksgiving All Year Round!

Everyone longs for deep down joy... something more fulfilling than a moment's happiness... something that is out of this world. This type of joy is only found in a relationship with Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. For more information on how to grow closer to God, and therefore have more joy, click HERE. 

Below is a great review of One Thousand Gifts by The Parchment Girl.  I'm excited to start reading!

Review: One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp

JANUARY 18, 2011 2:46PM BY THE PARCHMENT GIRL

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Title: One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are
Author: Ann Voskamp
Released: January 17, 2011
Publisher: ZondervanPages/format: 240 (Hardcover)
Source: From the publisher.

Quick Synopsis: Voskamp chronicles her journey towards a life of thanksgiving and invites readers to join her on a quest for holy joy.

From the back cover:

One Thousand Gifts beckons you to leave the parched ground of pride, fear, and white-knuckle control and abandon yourself to the God who overflows your cup. As Ann Voskamp invites you into her own moments of grace, she gently teaches you how to biblically lament loss, turning pain into poetry; intentionally embrace a lifestyle of radical gratitude; slow down and catch God in the moment.

Quick Review: One Thousand Gifts is beautiful, powerful, and full of wisdom–the best book I’ve read on the topic of thanksgiving.

Long Review:

One Thousand Gifts is a small hardcover divided into eleven titled chapters, each of which begins with a relevant quote. The story of this book is centered around a dare: record one thousand gifts, one thousand blessings, one thousand everyday graces that God showers on you. This is what a friend challenged Ann to do, and Ann obliged, not realizing that this simple act of thanksgiving would change her life forever.

This book is unique in many ways. For one, Ann’s style isn’t exactly prose, nor does it qualify as poetry. It’s more like prosetry, a hybrid between the two that is beautiful to read and highly expressive. It’s the perfect style for word-mining the depths of the human soul, which is exactly what Ann does. She bares her heart, her hurt, and her happiness, which allows her to drive points home without projecting any guilt on the reader.

Ann has a knack for connecting theological dots. She examines the link between grace, thanks, and joy; pride and gratitude; faith and fear, and the role of eucharisteo–giving thanks–in the whole of the Christian life.

The act of sacrificing thank offerings to God–even for the bread and cup of cost, for cancer and crucifixion–this prepares the way for God to show us His fullest salvation from bitter, angry, resentful lives and from all sin that estranges us from Him. ~page 40

Another thing I love about this book is the abundance of foot notes. For a foot-note-a-holic like myself, the many references to Lewis, Chesterton, Nouwen, and others was delicious.

One Thousand Gifts is full of wisdom. It’s the kind of book you’ll want to purchase two copies of–one to earmark, highlight, and pencil-mark into oblivion, and the other to lend out to friends, family, and the occasional passerby. (I found that having a bound manuscript of the book was perfect for the former purpose. The wide margins left ample room for scribbling notes.)

I love the simplistic elegance of the cover design. It fits the mood of the book perfectly. The interior layout is likewise attractive. I’m glad that they didn’t make the book larger and thinner. The small size is perfect.

About Ann Voskamp:

Ann Voskamp is a writer with DaySpring’s(in)courage, a contributing editor to Laity Lodge’s The High Calling, and a global advicate for the poor, traveling forCompassion International. With an educational background in psychology and education from York University and the University of Waterloo, Ann and her husband are farmers in the Mennonite countryside of southwestern Ontario, raising a half dozen kids, crops of corn, and the roof of praise.

Related Links:
Visit the book page on Ann’s blog.Read along with the Bloom Book Club.
Purchase a copy of One Thousand Gifts.Read the first chapter of One Thousand Gifts.

Note: My review of the text is based on an unproofed galley. The final hardcover book was consulted so that I could comment on the formatting and verify quotes.

You might also like:

Giveaway | One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp

Review: Promises to Keep by Ann Tatlock

Mailbox Monday Episode 20

Q&A with Ann Tatlock, Author of Promises to Keep

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TAGGEDA, ANN VOSKAMP, CHRISTIAN LIVING, GRACE, JOY, NONFICTION, PRIDE, THANKS,ZONDERVAN FILED UNDERBOOK REVIEWS 8 COMMENTS

The PAPA Prayer

God has really been speaking to my heart, prodding at me to get to know Him deeper. I've been a "Christian" since I was just a little girl. I've prayed, but all too often my prayers have seemed like empty words that go unheard. 


I have a longing to know my maker like never before. After reading Heaven is for Real, I've been imagining even more what it will be like when I see Jesus and embrace Him, visit with God the Father on His throne, hug and talk with my loved ones that have passed before me, etc. I wonder. 


I hunger to know Jesus as intimately as I can before I meet Him someday in Heaven.


I want to communicate with Him in a deeper, more meaningful way than ever before. I have felt like I've been at a roadblock. So, through a friends recommendation, I started reading The PAPA Prayer by Dr. Larry Crabb. I'm just into the first few chapters, yet I am already feeling God move in me. This is so exciting! 


When I asked Jesus to be my savior, Papa’s Spirit moved into my heart, and made it His home. Every moment He’s whispering that Jesus loves me. The amazing thing is that Jesus wants to make His home in all of our hearts, not just a select few! God is the only omnipresent spirit/being- He can be everywhere at once (this boggles my mind, but I guess if you made the universe, you can do anything)!  


My journey to get closer and closer to Him will never end. We can't get close enough to Jesus. One day we will be in Heaven and know more than we will ever know here on earth. Until then, I am in pursuit of God's heart. I screw up daily, and in that, my pursuit of Him is imperfect, but He never stops pursuing us. When I think I have failed too many times, he lifts my head, wipes the tears from my eyes, and washes all my blemishes away, making me clean- a new creation in Him. That is the beauty of His grace. 

Reflection: Heaven is for Real

Oswald Chambers (author of my favorite devo. My Utmost for His Highest) wrote, 

"There is nothing, naturally speaking, that makes us lose heart quicker than decay—the decay of bodily beauty, of natural life, of friendship, of associations, all these things make a man lose heart; but Paul says when we are trusting in Jesus Christ these things do not find us discouraged, light comes through them." The Place of Help, 1032 L

I don't know about you, but I find peace and comfort in knowing that our bodies won't last forever. This world filled with suffering and sadness will soon pass.

I recently finished reading Heaven is for Real.

 Here is a quick summary of the book, and from the book:

Heaven Is for Real is the true story of the four-year old son of a small town Nebraska pastor who during emergency surgery slips from consciousness and enters heaven. He survives and begins talking about being able to look down and see the doctor operating and his dad praying in the waiting room. The family didn't know what to believe but soon the evidence was clear.

Colton said he met his miscarried sister, whom no one had told him about, and his great grandfather who died 30 years before Colton was born, then shared impossible-to-know details about each. He describes the horse that only Jesus could ride, about how "reaaally big" God and his chair are, and how the Holy Spirit "shoots down power" from heaven to help us.

Told by the father, but often in Colton's own words, the disarmingly simple message is heaven is a real place, Jesus really loves children, and be ready, there is a coming last battle.

I have read other great books, such as Within Heaven's Gates, revealing a person's encounter of Heaven. I love imagining what it will be like to someday be in the Lord's glorious presence, and just soaking up the splendor of heaven! Heaven is for Real was refreshing and authentic. To have faith like a child, the Bible says that is what God calls us to do (Matt. 18:2-5). I love how matter-a-fact Colton is. I have a better picture in my mind of God the father, the Holy Spirit, Jesus, heaven, the other people in heaven, and the deep love He has for us. It's very personal. I wept at the part where he speaks of his sister who was miscarried. I know my child who was miscarried is up there too waiting to meet me!

Just like with anything, there are many cynics out there. I read this for pleasure, not as though it were the Bible. So, I am enjoying the message this story has, and basking in the love that our Heavenly Father has for each one of us! Draw close to Jesus, because there is a spiritual battle going on. Armageddon is nearer each day. Let's keep running with endurance the race that is set before us (Hebrews 12:1-3). 

I get excited (like a little kid going to a theme park) to think of all the wonderfulness that awaits those who make Jesus their Lord! I pray I see you there too!

Prayers of an Excellent Wife

Attention all Wives: Check out this link http://hismagnificence.com/d/PEW_web.pdf

This is a free pdf version of Prayers of an Excellent Wife. I am looking forward to reading this, as the power of prayer is often not used enough!

It has been highly recommended by http://pairofbartletts.typepad.com/a-pair-of-bartletts/

Prayer example and excerpt from the book:

"Thou Great Being who made and rules the world, Put Your Spirit in my husband with perfect power and bear His fruits from his life. May hebe a loving man; a joyful, peaceful man; a patient, kind, good husband. Make his soul and actions abound with faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control, for against such things there is no law. By Christ Jesus crucify his flesh with its passions and desires. Let him not grow weary in doing good, for in due season he will reap if he does not give up. And may he never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to him, and he to the world (Gala- tians 5 & 6).

Prayer seem’d to be natural to me; as the breath, by which the inward burnings of my heart had vent. ~Jonathan Edwards"