Tag Archives: Christian bloggers

Hope in Growth

1 Mar

Guest Post

Rebekah Lyn

Reblogged from Rebekah Lyn’s Kitchen

As a teenager, I visited the local zoo and had a close encounter with a bird in the aviary. It landed on my head and its feet became tangled in my long hair. I recall my boyfriend at the time finding it hilarious before he helped shoo the bird away. That gave birth to a healthy distrust of birds for many years.

Jump ahead to 2010. My parents bought a place in North Carolina and we spent a good deal of time on the back porch whenever I visited. They had bird feeders, and I found myself enjoying the finches, nuthatches, cardinals, eastern towhees, and tufted titmice that flitted in for a bite to eat. As time passed, the porch was extended and a hummingbird feeder added.

By 2019, I enjoyed the birds so much, I sought out a unique experience during a trip to Ireland, a morning with a falconer. My friend and I had the chance to hold a hawk, a falcon, and a couple of owls. We sent them out in flight and received them back on our arms and I absolutely loved it! When I posted a short video on social media, my friends who knew about my fear of birds couldn’t believe it.

My friends didn’t see the gradual change in my heart toward birds. They just saw this surprising image of me with a bird of prey on my arm and a grin on my face. Similarly, when we first ask Jesus into our lives, or when we renew our faith by spending more time with Him, our lives should reflect a change that makes those around us ask what has happened.

What does all this have to do with hope? The apostle Peter said, “In His great mercy He has given us new birth and a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil, or fail.” (1 Peter 1:3-4)

Followers of Jesus have a living hope in Him that provides comfort and encouragement through all things. We grow in this hope as we study the Bible, fellowship with other believers, and pray. We move from a fear of death to a delight in eternal life in the company of the Almighty God. That is something to get excited about and want to shout from the rooftops. Is there anyone who wouldn’t welcome a life without physical pain or illness, without hate and anger? Eternity with God, in harmony and rejoicing, was the plan for us all along.

When I sit on the patio or take Ollie for a walk and hear the song of the hawks that live nearby, I no longer fear they will land on my head. Instead, I remember the thrill of holding one of these magnificent birds and how much God has changed my life. That change is available to you too.

Don’t forget to check out the resources page I am developing with content I have found encouraging, that has taken me deeper in my walk with God, and generally builds my hope.

If you want to know more, email me at authorRebekahlyn@icloud.com

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A Thing to Remember

26 Feb

My Take

DIVoran Lites

Isaiah 40:31

Photo Credit:Pixabay

They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary: and they shall walk, and not faint.

DiVoran has been writing for most of her life. Her first attempt at a story was when she was seven years old and her mother got a new typewriter. DiVoran got to use it and when her dad saw her writing he asked what she was writing about. DiVoran answered that she was writing the story of her life. Her dad’s only comment was, “Well, it’s going to be a very short story.” After most of a lifetime of writing and helping other writers, DiVoran finally launched her own dream which was to write a novel of her own. She now has her Florida Springs trilogy and her novel, a Christian Western Romance, Go West available on Amazon. When speaking about her road to publication, she gives thanks to the Lord for all the people who helped her grow and learn.  She says, “I could never have done it by myself, but when I got going everything fell beautifully into place, and I was glad I had started on my dream.”

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Hope in Letting Go

23 Feb

Reblogged February 23, 2024

Rebekah Lyn’s Kitchen

2 Votes

This past week was rough. It started Monday when a coworker arrived in a foul mood that deteriorated throughout the day. By Tuesday morning, his attitude had rubbed off, leaving me anxious and edgy. Combined with poor sleep, a never-ending to-do list, and news of unexpected expenses, by Thursday night, I was snapping at everyone and Friday was a slog just to make it through the day.

It’s easy to allow the circumstances around us to dictate how we feel. Perhaps if I’d stopped listening to podcasts on Monday and played my praise music instead, I would have been able to take my eyes off myself and my surroundings. When I made the change on Thursday, I already had days of tension and anxiety to let go of. I’m thankful God can handle it when I drop a whole cart of baggage at His feet. Sometimes I unload the cart like a dump truck, letting it all go at once, but other times, like this, I wrestle to let go of each piece.

A few of the bags I’m clinging to are concerns for people I care about. I know I can’t change the outcome. I can pray for them, lend a listening ear, but it’s up to God to heal their brokenness. For a fixer like me, stepping back and letting God work is a challenge.

When I stop to listen to my heart and surrender my worries, I remember Jesus has already overcome all the troubles of this life. For those who follow him through faith, He offers the gift of rest. He is ready and willing to take our burdens and set us free. The troubles we face can seem insurmountable, but they are only fleeting. We can find hope in letting go of our worries and entrusting them to God’s care.

I’m not saying we give up or expect an instant change in circumstances. Rather, by spending time in His Presence, He will instruct us on what we need to do. We may need to keep praying, we may need to move forward, or we may need to accept a helping hand that He brings into our lives. Only through quiet, focused time in prayer, worship, and studying the Bible can we prepare our hearts to hear that direction.

I read a great analogy this weekend: “To release your problems to God means to let go in your spirit. It’s like a trapeze artist who performs in a circus. When the trapeze bar swings her way, she must let go of the bar she’s holding onto so she can grab the new bar.” (Kent Crockett, If God Knows What I Need Why Should I Pray?)

Take time today to let go, quiet your thoughts, meditate on a favorite Bible verse, sing a favorite song, and let God carry your burden. I have started a resource page with links to books that have influenced these blogs as well as music I find encouraging. I’ll continue to update it throughout the year.

Rebekah Lyn

Rebekah Lyn

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Is It Me?

22 Feb

On the Porch

Onisha Ellis

In 2007 my husband and I purchased land in the North Carolina mountains with no immediate plans to build. But as we observed the challenges of building there, we decided to go with a prebuilt modular home. In 2008 our son found us a great deal on a model that we fell in love with.

We decided to save money by doing a lot of the interior finish ourselves. Once the home was delivered , we took two weeks off work and headed from Florida to North Carolina.

We were blessed to stay with friends from Florida who spent summers there. Not only did they give us a place to sleep, they made sure we had a nice meal every evening. We were so tired at the end of the day, it was wonderful to enjoy a meal and conversation. They have moved on to Glory now and I miss their sweet friendship.

I wanted the new home to have color, not monochrome walls. I chose soft blues, greens and even some gray. I was very pleased with the colors. Back at work during lunch, I was telling the group about the colors I had chosen. One person commented the colors were very Martha Stewart.

That comment rankled. I hadn’t even thought of Ms Stewart. Weren’t the color choices mine?

They were and they were’nt. The grocery store check out lines are flush with home style magazines. Martha and her successors were in my head. LOL

Those of us who raised children know well how they were influenced by cereal ads on the television.

And don’t get me started about the heavy influence on the children during the Christmas season. The must have toys!

Now is 2024 we are surrounded by 24/7 media. An evening of television isn’t simple entertainment. It is crafted for influence and has been for years. Product placement in a scene is coveted. We see it without taking it in, but the product is in our subconscious.

I am choosing to take my subconscious back. How you might ask. I plan to be more attentive to why I want something and why I think something. I don’t want to be a part of the chorus or a star. I simply want to be myself, liking what I like, disliking what I don’t. If I see the herd heading one way, I want to stop and ask, is this me or am I being manipulated.

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My Brightline Train Trip-Part 1

21 Feb

A Slice of Life

Bill Lites

New Years Day (1/1/2024)

This day started early for me as I needed to drive to Orlando, Florida to meet my son, Billy, for our first ever Brightline High-Speed train ride.  After a quick breakfast, I made the 35-mile trip from my home in Titusville to Orlando on SR-528 and found the Wally Park off-site parking (As I mentioned in the Prolog, I chose the Wally Park off-site parking because the Brightline Station parking directions at the airport Terminal “C” seemed a little confusing, and I didn’t want to deal with the potential of being late for our 8:50 Brightline departure).

Photo Credit: https://m.facebook.com/WallyPark

It only took the Wally Park Customer Shuttle about ten minutes, after picking me up, to take me directly to the Brightline Station entrance located in Terminal ‘C’ at the Orlando International Airport.  That included two stops at airlines to pick up other passengers.

Photo Credit: https://www.google.com/search=Wally/Park/Shuttle

I took the escalator to the 3rd floor where I met my son, Billy, at the Brightline Station ticket area.  We used our e-tickets to enter the 1st class lounge to wait for them to call our 8:50 train.  I was surprised at how comfortable and spacious the lounge was.

Photo Credit: https://touringplans.com/brightline-train-to-orlando/

We were able to avail ourselves of an assortment of self-serve complimentary breakfast items such as scrambled eggs, sausage, home-fried potatoes, cheese cubes, and sliced ham.  Coffee, soft drinks, and bottled water were also available.

Photo Credit: https://upgradedpoints.com/travel/brightline-train-review/

I was impressed with the eco-utensils provided to us to eat with at the 1st Class Lounge, and later on the train.  Even though everything provided to eat with was recyceable, the wooden cutlery was so different from the plastic utensils I am use to receiving at most fast food places (and even at some restaurants) now days.  It was a unique experience.

Phot Credit: Bill Lites

When our 8:50 am train to Fort Lauderdale and Miami was called, we took our bottled water from the lounge, and proceeded thru the entry turnstiles (with our QR Code), down the stairs to the train on Track One, and entered the 1st- class car.  We found our reserved seats on the single seat side with a table between the seats.

Photo Credit: https://thepointsguy.com/news/brightline/

Billy got busy setting up his Speed Tracker App in his iPhone so we could track the speed of the train on our journey.  The train was only lightly loaded with passengers, and I was amazed at how smooth the train ride was from the Orlando Airport (Terminal ‘C’), east along SR-528 to Brevard County where the track turned south toward Miami.

Photo Credit: https://apps.apple.com/speedometer-speed-tracker

Billy said the highest speed he recorded along this straight stretch of track was 125 mph!  Billy also loaded the Google Maps app in his iPhone so we could track our progress as well as the train’s speed.  As the train slowed down for the turn south, we began looking for familiar sights along the train route adjacent to US-1.

Photo Credit: https://www.pinterest.com/cocoa-florida-water-tower/

We saw the big Cocoa water tower, and Rockledge Square.  Then somewhere along this southern portion of the route, we must have moved onto a short piece of the FEC track, because the train began to rock and roll enough to make a few people sick.  That was the only short stretch of rough track that I remember during the entire trip.

Photo Credit: https://www.istockphoto.com/motion-sickness/

Luckily, this didn’t last long, and we were back on a smooth ride.  Then we passed over the Eua Galle River, Crane Creek (Melbourne), Turkey Creek (Palm Bay), St. Sebastian River (Sebastian) bridges, and thru the small towns of Wabasso, Winter Beach, and Gifford.  Then we passed thru Vero Beach, Jensen Beach, skirted the St. Lucy River inlet, thru Port Salerno, and Fort Pierce, before arriving at our first stop at West Palm Beach.  As the train was slowing, there was an announcement telling passengers who were getting off at this station to gather their belongings and prepare to exit the train, as“This stop would only be for a few moments.”

Photo Credit: https://www.theledger.com/brightline/

—–To Be Continued—–

Bill is a retired Mechanical engineer living with his wonderful artist/writer wife, DiVoran, of 65 years in Titusville, Florida. He was born and raised in the Southwest, did a tour of duty with the U.S. Navy, attended Northrop University in Southern California and ended up working on America’s Manned Space Program for 35 years. He currently is retired and spends most of his time building and flying R/C model airplanes, traveling, writing blogs about his travels for Word Press and supporting his wife’s hobbies with framing, editing and marketing.  He also volunteers with a local church Car Care Ministry and as a tour guide at the Valiant Air Command Warbird Museum there in Titusville.  Bill has two wonderful children, two outstanding grandchildren, and a loving sister and her husband, all of whom also live in Central Florida, so he and DiVoran are rewarded by having family close to spend lots of quality time with.

One of Bill’s favorite Scriptures is:  John 10:10

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Vitally Joined

19 Feb

My Take

DiVoran Lites

Romans 12:6

The human body has many parts and organs, each with a unique function. And so it is in the body of Christ. Though we are many, we’ve all been mingled into one body in Christ. We are all vitally joined to one another, each contributing to the others. 

DiVoran has been writing for most of her life. Her first attempt at a story was when she was seven years old and her mother got a new typewriter. DiVoran got to use it and when her dad saw her writing he asked what she was writing about. DiVoran answered that she was writing the story of her life. Her dad’s only comment was, “Well, it’s going to be a very short story.” After most of a lifetime of writing and helping other writers, DiVoran finally launched her own dream which was to write a novel of her own. She now has her Florida Springs trilogy and her novel, a Christian Western Romance, Go West available on Amazon. When speaking about her road to publication, she gives thanks to the Lord for all the people who helped her grow and learn.  She says, “I could never have done it by myself, but when I got going everything fell beautifully into place, and I was glad I had started on my dream.”

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And Yet Another Cruise-4

18 Feb

SUNDAY MEMORIES

Judy Wills

Another thing about Disney ships that I enjoy is all the tile mosaics on their walls.  I’ve always enjoyed the ones they did in the Cabanas (huge curved wall). 

Photo credit – Judy Wills

The ones on The Wish are just as wonderful.  This one of Cinderella and the Prince is quite large,

Photo credit – Judy Wills

while the two of Pinocchio are smaller but still amazing.

  • Photo Credit-Judy Wills
  • Photo credit – Judy Wills

And then there is this mosaic on the floor just before entering the Walt Disney Theatre

Photo credit – Judy Wills

There are some other things about the Disney ships that I enjoy.  Take a look at this light fixture in just an ordinary hall on The Wish.  Cinderella’s pumpkin coach and horses, along with stars.

Photo credit – Judy Wills

And here is an ordinary water fountain, trash bin, and towel dispenser…but decorated in something not-so-ordinary.  More of those “little things” that I enjoy so much.  This is up on deck 11, where the Marceline Market is, and the pool area, etc.  Sorry, I don’t remember what the “ff” stands for.

Photo credit – Judy Wills

One thing I have always enjoyed on any of the Disney ships is the carpet – there is always a neat design.  Sometimes it’s just “sea” life pictures.  But we found, on The Wish, it was more theme types…such as this Cinderella’s castle and coach.

Photo credit – Judy Wills

It was on a long carpet on the landing on our deck 6.  This castle is the center of the design.  This other design, which has the pumpkin carriage (look closely), was on the carpet on deck 6, as you step out of the elevator, and was the center of the design.

Photo credit – Judy Wills

The carpets on many of the Disney ships (especially the older ships), have a design that tells you whether you are going starboard or aft.  The carpet on The Wish didn’t seem to have that design – unless I just can’t see it!  This is the main design down the long hallways…pumpkin vines perhaps?

Photo credit  – Judy Wills

And these designs are a repeat in the pattern.  This first one has hidden pmpkin carriages in it (look closely again)

  • Photo credit for all three carpet photos – Judy Wills

The other two designs are just stars and flowers.  Quite unique and beautiful.

On deck 3, is a unique little watering-hole, that was inspired by the movie The Princess and the Frog.  It is called The Bayou.  It is a short little place, but has live entertainment during the evening hours.  It’s cute and looks inviting…if you are into that kind of thing.

  • Live entertainment in the evenings

Photo credit for all three photos – Judy Wills

~~~~~~~~~~To Be Continued~~~~~~~~~~

Judy is living in Central Florida with her retired U.S. Air Force husband of 50+ years. Born in Dallas, Texas, she grew up in the Southwestern United States.She met her husband at their church, where he was attending the university in her town. After college and seminary, he entered the Air Force, and their adventures began.They lived in eight of our United States, and spent six years in Europe, where their oldest daughter was born. She was a stay-at-home mom for many years .

  Judy has always been involved with music, both playing the piano and singing. Always interested in exercise, she was an aerobic dancing instructor, as well as a piano teacher for many years, and continues to faithfully exercise at home.

After moving to Central Florida, she served as a church secretary for nearly nine years.Her main hobby at this point in time is scanning pictures and 35mm slides into the computer. She also enjoys scrapbooking.She and her husband have two married daughters and four grandchildren, including grandtwins as well as a great-grandson and a great-granddaughter. She and her husband enjoy the Disney parks as often as possible.

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Hope for 2024

16 Feb

Scrolling social media, especially X, hope seems to be almost a foreign idea. Each day I come across many people asking for prayers and not just for illness. So many are fighting depression, addiction and loneliness..

Our daughter, Rebekah blogs at Rebekah Lyn’s Kitchen and she has begun a blog series on the subject of Hope. In her series she writes, “how do we keep our hopes from fizzling out or falling by the wayside in the hurry of life?”

I’ve decided to reblog her posts here, and hope that our readers find them encouraging.

Hope in Being Seen

Reblogged February 16,2024

Sometimes, even among friends, I feel unseen and unheard. Part of that is because I gravitate towards individuals who talk a lot, so I don’t end up contributing much toward conversation. When I’m in group conversations, it’s easy to sit back and listen, never adding my own voice, then go home and feel I might as well have been invisible.

I didn’t get to share whatever was troubling my heart or bringing me joy and wasn’t that what this time of community was all about? Self-pity can quickly seep in, blotting out the pearls of wisdom I gained from listening. Sometimes we need to listen more than we need to speak.

There is a longing deep inside our hearts to be seen and heard, to make deep connections with others. God created us for community. In Genesis 2:18, “The Lord God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.’”

Finding those who understand, respect, challenge, and encourage us is a difficult task, possibly even more so with all the digital connections we have in our modern society. We have far-flung digital acquaintances with people we may never meet in person and with whom we don’t share deeply personal feelings. Despite having friend lists and followers numbering in the hundreds or thousands, we still long for meaningful in-person connections.

In Psalm 139, the psalmist writes, “Where can I go from Your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, You are there; if I make my bed in the depths, You are there. If I rise on the winds of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there Your hand will guide me, Your right hand will hold me fast.”

If you’re feeling alone or unseen, remember these words. God sees you no matter where you are, even if you’re trying to hide from Him. He created you and He loves you more than you can imagine. Unlike friends of this world who may judge you, ridicule you, drown out your voice, or try to tear you down, God is always waiting with open arms. He is ready to forgive you, heal your wounds, catch every tear you cry, carry you when you can’t take another step, and encourage you to hold on. He’s always listening, waiting for you to call out to Him. You are seen, heard, and loved.

If you would like to read the previous posts of hope, Visit her blog, Rebekah Lyn’s Kitchen.

  • Hope in Suffering
  • Hope in the Father
  • Hope in Seeking
  • Hope Delayed
  • The Beginning of Hope

About Rebekah

I’m a sandal-loving native Floridian, but love spending time in the mountains of North Carolina. I believe God has called me to use my writing to spread the word of His love and the gift of salvation He freely offers. So many seem to believe when a person gives their life to Christ they become infallible or perfect. I want to write stories that show we are still human and do make mistakes, but through God’s grace there is forgiveness when we truly repent.

I love cooking, especially baking, and food tends to show up in all of my books. I enjoy sharing the recipes I find along the way as well as sharing insights into the writing journey. I love to hear back from readers and would welcome the chance to connect with you on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, or Pinterest.

You can also learn more about my books and some other Christian writers I have partnered with on my website, http://rebekahlynbooks.com

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A Love That Transcends

14 Feb

Odisha Ellis

“I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another; just as I have loved you,
that you also love one another. By this all people will know that you are My disciples: if you have love for one another.”By this all people will know that you are My disciples:
if you have love for one another.”

John 13:34-35

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My Brightline Train Trip

14 Feb

A Slice of Life

Bill Lites

Prolog 

To give you a little background on the Brightline High-Speed train in Florida; it is said to be the only privately owned and operated inter-city passenger railroad in the United States.  Planning for the development of this inter-city route began way back in March 2012. Construction on the first leg of the route (Miami to West Palm Beach) began in 2014 and passenger service was inaugurated in 2018.  Phase-2 of the inter-city plan (West Palm Beach to Orlando) began around 2018 with use of some segments of the existing Florida East Coast (FEC) railroad track system, and passenger service for that leg of the route started in 2023.  I’ve heard that the ultimate goal of the Brightline system will include passenger service connecting the now operating, Miami to Orlando leg, with connecting legs to the Tampa/St. Petersburg area sometime in the not-to-distant future.

Photo Credit: wikipedia.org/wiki/Brightline#/media/File:BrightLine

I have been waiting all these years for Phase-2 of the Brightline high-speed train route, from Orlando to West Palm Beach, to be completed so I could take a ride on that train.  Then on New Year’s Day, January 1, 2024 I got my chance.  I guess Brightline was afraid that the holiday might not produce the mass of travelers they needed to keep revenues steady (or some other reason) and they offered ½-price tickets for New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.  I jumped on that offer and my son, Billy, and I bought our New Year’s Day e-tickets for a day-trip from Orlando to Fort Lauderdale and return on-line.

                   Photo Credit:  Bill Lites

When I researched the Brightline airport parking at Terminal ‘C’, the directions seemed a little confusing to me, with all the new construction going on at the airport, so I chose to use the Wally Park off-site parking.  I purchased a one-day car reservation on-line so I wouldn’t have to worry about parking at the airport.  I Goggled the Wally Park address, near the Orlando Airport so I could enter it into my Waze that would take me right to it on New Year’s Day morning. 

Photo Credit:  Bill Lites

So, now I was all set, and looking forward to that grand adventure with my son, Billy.  I’ll be telling you all about our experiences, beginning next week here on “All Things R New” with my blog called “My Brightline Train Trip Part 1.”  So, stay tuned for all the fun.

—–To Be Continued—–

Bill is a retired Mechanical engineer living with his wonderful artist/writer wife, DiVoran, of 65 years in Titusville, Florida. He was born and raised in the Southwest, did a tour of duty with the U.S. Navy, attended Northrop University in Southern California and ended up working on America’s Manned Space Program for 35 years. He currently is retired and spends most of his time building and flying R/C model airplanes, traveling, writing blogs about his travels for Word Press and supporting his wife’s hobbies with framing, editing and marketing.  He also volunteers with a local church Car Care Ministry and as a tour guide at the Valiant Air Command Warbird Museum there in Titusville.  Bill has two wonderful children, two outstanding grandchildren, and a loving sister and her husband, all of whom also live in Central Florida, so he and DiVoran are rewarded by having family close to spend lots of quality time with.

One of Bill’s favorite Scriptures is:  John 10:10

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