Turn you to the stronghold, ye prisoners of hope (Zech. 9:12)
God is waiting to prove Himself to us as a God of deliverance.
Never think for one moment that He means to keep you in prison. That is not His purpose.
Those who so far misunderstood Him pray only for strength, courage, and patience to endure. God does answer those prayers, yet He would rather see His children go a step beyond and pray for deliverance, freedom, and joy, for the great work by which He has caused us to triumph over our sorrows.
As an advocate, He never loses a case. He will never lose our case, for He pleads effectively.
Photo Credit:Piixabay
Be thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart.
Naught be all else to me, save that thou art;
Thou my best thought by day or by night.
Waking or sleeping, thy presence my light.
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.”
I remember vividly the wonder I felt when I learned to read. Oddly enough, my reading journey began in fear and trepidation. As a timid first grade student, I was frightened of a tall red haired teacher who would shout and shake her hand at students when we were too noisy in the lunch room. She was almost as scary as the gray haired first grade teacher who taught the other first grade class. She was mean!
We didn’t know who would be our teacher until the first day of school. On that day we were gathered in the school auditorium and seated by grade. Then the teachers would call out the names of the students in their class. Once the teacher had all of her students they would march us to our new classroom. To my utter horror, the tall red haired teacher called my name. I may have cried.
My next memory of second grade is being divided up in reading groups. I was seriously motivated to learn to read.
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At that time Saturday cartoons had titles. For example, “Tom and Jerry Hunting a Tweety Bird.” I knew the writing on the screen was important but my older brothers would ignore my pleadings to read it to me.
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I don’t know if I was a star reader but I do know that I learned quickly and it wasn’t long before I was a regular at the school library.
My thirst for reading never went away. During the child rearing days I had to get a little creative to find reading opportunities. I often read late into the night even though my son was an early riser.
Then sometime in late 2018 I lost my thirst for reading. It was like that part of my brain was wiped clean. I honestly don’t know how I survived.
I suspect that feeling the need to write book reviews, which I do poorly stifled my reading urge. Eventually my mind began to crave reading and when I abandoned my efforts to write reviews, the thirst returned.
Due to vision issues I read now on my iPad using the Kindle app.
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Recently I noticed that Kindle was tracking the number of books I was reading.
2019 Nine booksed
2020 Seven books
2021 Eighteen books
2022 Fifty four books
2023 Seventy three books
2024 Fifty six books so far, plus around 90 audio books.
I am a bit shocked about the number of audio books. I may have counted some from 2023. Thank goodness I can get audio books for free through the Hoopla app.. If one has a library card and your library participates, you can access Hoopla and I recommend it!
It is normal for me to be reading a book on my iPad and when not reading, listening to a book. Just recently I wasn’t paying attention and was reading a book on my iPad and a different book on my phone. I was a little disconcerted when I realized it, but decided, no big deal… read on.
The question is why am I immersing myself in novels? I think I am escaping. I know I am escaping. I gravitate toward cozy mysteries with senior sleuths. Throw in a sarcastic cat or a clever canine and I’ll read the whole series. These stories are not real life and that is fine with me. Real life in 2024 is way too contentious for my psyche. I do throw in some historical fiction and more serious mysteries to keep me grounded. Too many animal involved mysteries and I begin wondering if my grand-dog, Ollie, might have super powers.
I am only able to indulge my reading obsession through the Kindle Unlimited plan on Amazon. It costs me $11.99 per month and I have an endless and instant supply of books. I especially like that Indie authors have books in Kindle Unlimited. The publishing houses determine the types of books we read and these days, I seldom like their choices. Indie authors have the freedom to write whatever their muse inspires.
Sixty-five years ago a scary, tall, red haired teacher gave me the wonderful gift of reading. I can’t imagine my life without books.
Our daughter, Rebekah participated in a book promotion that asked authors to share their current three favorite reads. You can read about hers at Shepherd.com.
After my retirement, I decided to re-learn the canning and preserving skills I learned from my mother but hadn’t practiced for twenty years. I titled the blog Old Things R New to chronicle my experience. Since then I have been blessed to have six other bloggers join me, DiVoran Lites, Bill Lites, Judy Wills, Louise Gibson, Janet Perez Eckles and Melody Hendrix
In addition to blogging, I’m a general “mom Friday” for my author daughter, Rebekah Lyn. I also manage her website, Rebekah Lyn Books
My 2024 goal is continue to use my love of photographs and words to be an encourager on social media.
From Streams in the Desert by Mrs. Charles E Coman
I will fear no evil for thou art with me (Psalm 23:41)
Little one, you must not fret,
That I take your clothes away.
The better sleep you so will get
In the morning, I wake up happier
Says the children’s mother.
It would help if you were unclothed again,
You need a better dress,
Too much worn are body and brain.
Says the Heavenly Father.
I went down death’s lovely stair;
Laid my garments in the tomb;
Dressed again one morning fair;
Hastened up and hied me home,
Saith the Elder Brother.
Then, I will not be afraid.
Any ill can come to me;
When it’s time to go to bed,
I will rise and go with Thee,
Saith, the little brother
God delights to disappoint man’s fears.
George MacDonald
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.”
When you make my thoughts like little quiet sheep,
And keep them in the sight
Through the dark hours, the dusk and dawn between,
Guide them and guard them from the steep ravine,
And for them in at night.
Often, they stray upon the moor of fear,
Lost on its rocky height;
Oh, in Thy peaceful pastures, let them sleep,
Shepherd my thoughts like little quiet sheep,
And fold them in at night.
Faith will not make the sun rise sooner, but it will make the night seem shorter.
Lady Irvine
Photo Credit:Pixabay
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.”
My beloved ones, just like you’ve always listened to everything I’ve taught you in the past, I’m asking you now to keep following my instructions as though I were right there with you. Now, you must continue to manifest this new life as you live in the holy awe of God—which brings you trembling into his presence.
Photo Credit:Pixabay
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.”
I pulled away from my computer and turned to hubby. “Listen to this story,” I said.
A baby camel looked up to his mother, “Mommy, why do we have these long eyelashes, these big hooves, and a hump on our back?”
She turned to him. “God made us that way for a very special reason,” she explained. “Our large feet are to keep us from sinking into the sand.”
“Why the big eyelashes?” he asked.
“It’s to protect our eyes from the sand.”
“Why the big humps?”
“That is to store fat and have enough energy to go long distances in the hot desert!”
“I see!” The baby camel stretched his neck and looked up at his mother. “The large feet are to keep us from sinking into the sand, the long eyelashes are to keep the sand out of our eyes, and the humps are to store energy to travel…then what are we doing in this cage in the middle of a zoo?”
I have asked the same question. Like the camel, I had all I needed to enjoy life. I had desires, dreams, and prepared my wings to fly high to success. But instead, I found myself in a cage of grief and heartache. Pitiful really, and definitely not the place I thought I belonged. At the age of 30, my eyesight closed in completely. I lost my joy, my purpose, and my freedom. Bars of gloom and desperation surrounded me.
Inside that cage, I longed for days gone by. Days when I could see. Days when life still held promises for tomorrow.
Have you ever been there? Have you known that longing?
If you have, like He did with me, God might be whispering this powerful truth right into your soul:
“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.” (Isaiah 43:18)
When looking forward, we see the freedom from past longings. When we choose to see outside our cage, we see His hand calling. And when we choose to use what God gave us, we can live in the richness of today.
Let’s Pray
Father, I need your reminder each moment of each day that you created me for much more than what I see within my cage. Thank you for showing me the way to the freedom you offer, fresh with your promises.
Celebrate with me! My new release, Now I See: How God’s Amazing Grace Transforms the Deepest Pain to Shining Joy won the 2023 Memoir of the Year Golden Scroll Award.
You and I are only a click away. You can use this CONTACT FORM to leave your prayer request, make a comment, ask a question, or invite me to speak to your group. Or simply reply to this email.
I also invite you to visit my WEBSITE. You’ll find more inspirational blogs along with my story, books, and videos.
Some say she should be the last person to be dancing. Her life is summarized in this 3-minute video: http://bit.ly/1a8wGJR
Janet Perez Eckles’ story of triumph is marked by her work as an international speaker, #1 best-selling author, radio host, personal success coach and master interpreter. Although blind since 31, her passion is to help you see the best of life.
Since the beginning of time, Satan has attempted to mimic and corrupt all that God has created. The current age is not the first time there has been anger & division over differences. Satan mislead Adam and Eve to question to instructions God had given them about eating from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Satan didn’t even have to exert much effort to convince them God wouldn’t strike them dead immediately if they ate the fruit. God’s words to Adam’s about this tree were, “for when you eat from it you will certainly die” (Genesis 2:17).
As the population of the world grew, so did differences among the people. Many fell away from faith in God and worshipped idols made of wood or stone. They looked to the sun, moon, and stars to be their gods. These differences caused wars and the more powerful any one group became, the more differences they found amongst themselves. Throughout history, people have placed a greater value on a group of people that possesses financial wealth while looking down upon, mocking, and oppressing those who labor. Without those workers, though, who would provide the goods and services the wealthy need for survival?
Jesus, on the other hand, came to earth, still fully God but taking on human form and mingling with the lowest people in society. They were looking for the Messiah, but the religious scholars were only talking about one. The 12 men Jesus taught on an intimate level were a diverse group. A tax collector, some fishermen, a zealot, and who knows for sure what the others were. A tax collector was considered a traitor to his own people and yet Jesus called him to follow! The 12 learned from each other, they grew to rely on each other, and their differences strengthened them.
We don’t all have to share the same politics, the same opinions on world affairs. In the end, those topics don’t have long-lasting importance. The only topic that warrants serious discussion is faith. Faith is the root of all differences of opinion. Christians are called intolerant because we believe Jesus is the only way to heaven. Every person has the choice whether they believe that and want to follow Jesus. Nobody is forcing the decision. Those who follow Jesus are called to share this truth, to make people aware, and to encourage others to believe, but Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone does not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet” (Matthew 10:14).
Next time you find yourself in a heated conversation, stop to think about how important that topic is. Is there any benefit in arguing? Can you find a way to respect the differences in your opinions? Look at the people around you as more than their opinions on a handful of explosive topics. Get to know the things that truly make up their character: their hopes, and dreams, their heartaches, and their triumphs. Learn from them and recognize that without our differences, we wouldn’t have scientific discoveries, great writing, astonishing food combinations, or transformative music.
God created us each of to be unique. Why would we want to all be the same?
It happened a week ago Wednesday and I am still trying to grasp it. Rationally we all know that our lives can change in an instant, whether due to a phone call with bad news, a diagnosis or an accident. But to see it happening is another thing altogether.
Our daughter visited with us Labor Day through Wednesday. We basically chilled, drank coffee and watched movies. We did throw in a couple of trips to town with lunch out. She had spent the preceding Friday, Saturday and Sunday on a high school friends weekend to celebrate their turning 50. We, meaning me, were thrilled to care for her dog, Ollie. He missed her terribly and it made me sad. I confess to giving him some extra treats to cheer him up.
Sad Ollie
Wednesday our daughter wanted to get an early start on her drive home and we almost had her car loaded when disaster struck.
My husband had placed an ice chest on a stair-climbing cart and began to move down the first step. He was having a little trouble getting the cart to roll. I saw him pull up on the cart and then the cart was tumbling down the stairs with my husband following.
Before I could grasp what happened, my husband was lying flat on his back in the yard. He fell forward, so he must have flipped at some point to land on his back.
Our daughter and I ran to him not sure what we would find. He didn’t hit his head or any place on his body during the fall. His only complaint was that his shoulder hurt.
Now let me tell you the miraculous part. There is no way his body could have traveled this far without bouncing on the stairs. I had to use the panoramic setting to take this picture. The flower pot on the porch marks where the fall began and the flower pot in the yard is where he landed.
Surely he was carried by an angelic being.
He was able to walk on his own into the house and we talked for a few minutes. Gradually he began to find it a bit difficult to take a deep breathe followed by severe pain. Our daughter volunteered to drive us to the ER. I was so glad she was with me.
It took a hefty dose of pain medicine to reduce his discomfort. After head to pelvis CT scans, the doctor gave us the great news that nothing was broken. However his lower lung was severely bruised.
The doctor confided that he had been expecting multiple broken ribs and an air transport to a larger hospital.
Although he has been diligent using the incentive spirometer and deep breathing, he felt congested today. A cautionary trip to a clinic showed no fluid/pneumonia and in fact revealed that the bruising was receding.
Every time I look out the front door I am amazed and thankful that this incident didn’t result in a life changing event. I give God the glory.
After my retirement, I decided to re-learn the canning and preserving skills I learned from my mother but hadn’t practiced for twenty years. I titled the blog Old Things R New to chronicle my experience. Since then I have been blessed to have six other bloggers join me, DiVoran Lites, Bill Lites, Judy Wills, Louise Gibson, Janet Perez Eckles and Melody Hendrix
In addition to blogging, I’m a general “mom Friday” for my author daughter, Rebekah Lyn. I also manage her website, Rebekah Lyn Books
My 2024 goal is continue to use my love of photographs and words to be an encourager on social media.
The authority of the name of Jesus causes every knee to bow in reverence!
Everything and everyone will one day submit to this name in the heavenly realm, the earthly realm, and the demonic realm. And every tongue will proclaim in every language: Jesus Christ is Lord Yahweh, bring glory and honor to God, his Father!
Photo Credit:Pixabay
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.”
If I were to speak eloquently in earth’s many languages and the heavenly tongues of angels, yet I didn’t express myself with love, my words would be reduced to the hollow sound of nothing more than a clangy cymbal.
And if I were to have the gift of prophecy with a profound understanding of God’s hidden secrets, and if I possessed unending supernatural knowledge, and if I had the great gift of faith that could move mountains but never learned to love, I would gain nothing of value.
Clangy cymbal
Photo Credit:Pixabay
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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Old Things R New 