Good Morning Lord by Sheila Walsh

Thomas Nelson graciously allowed me to read and review for free this book. The title is " Good Morning Lord: I don't know where you are going today but I'm going with you. " written by Sheila Walsh. I found this to be a lovely book to open up after my Scripture reading in the morning. A fresh cup of Expresso and this journal helped center me and my thoughts on the most important visitor at my table: Jesus Christ our Lord. Many prayers helped me to see the morning and the day ahead in a positive light. There are areas for your own private reflections. I found this journal along with my personal one were great companions. Sometimes putting our thoughts into the written word clarifies our own prayer journey. I wanted to keep this book but gave it to my sister for her birthday. she is a member of our prayer group and recovering from Brain surgery. I hope in the week ahead this book will be opened when she sips her first cup of coffee! Check it out and get a copy for a friend or loved one.

Book Review - Jesus Manifesto

I had the pleasure of reading another free book from Thomas Nelson Publishers titled " Jesus Manifesto - Restoring the Supremacy and Sovereignty of Jesus Christ " written by Leonard Sweet and Frank Viola. The books emphasis is on our relationship with Jesus. He is the alpha and the omega and the true source of everything in the Bible. Perhaps one of the most important and powerful phrases Jesus ever proclaims is " Who do you say I am?" This simple question is one that each Christian might ponder and discern becauses how we answer  indicates our relationship with Jesus. Is Jesus the light, the Word, the breath, the everything that makes up our Universe? The authors' questions and proclamations are heavy with the idea that Jesus is in you and me and all of creation. They feel that many Christians have lost their way and don't follow the core values of Christ's message. This book offers another path to understanding Christ. I found the book to be quite enlightening and would  suggest this book to all people interested in Christianity.

The Litugical Year Book Review

Thomas Nelson Publishers graciously allowed me to review( for free) the book "The Liturgical Year." The book was an intelligent, well-written chronicle of the Christian Liturgical Year. The author , Joan Chittister, was very knowledgable about each step along the faith journey. She explained Lent as a " Symphony in three parts." and I found this a wonderful way to think of the the living memory of Christ and the last supper.I expecially enjoyed this statement : " Lent is not a ritual. It is time given seriously to think about who Jesus is for us, to renew our faith from the inside out."We journey to the desert for forty days and fight off our lusts and temptations just as Jesus fought off the devil!Lent is just one part of the Liturgical year. The author speaks of the celebration for fifty days of Paschaltide or Pentecost.This is a time of great joy when the Christians experienced Jesus and his resurrection.The living God walked among us.She goes on to discuss Ordinary time Feast and Advent.Understanding the Christian year was a map of our soul journey. This was a book I would highly recommend.I am going to share this book with my Prayer Group in hopes that the other members will enjoy the explanations of the Liturgical year and find deeper meaning and understanding of our Christian faith.memebers will look beyond themselves to the glory of Jesus and his resurrection.

Let Go by Sheila Walsh

I just finished reading " Let Go live free of the burdens all women know" - by Sheila Walsh and published by Thomas Nelson Publishers. I would recommend this book if you are feeling burdened by the bad news that is hammered our way daily about the world. According to Sheila our vision is clouded by the heaviness of the past and the stress of the present. She advises learning to let go of these worries and let God prove his love by trusting in his goodness. Sheila wants women to feel free on their faith journey and walk proudly knowing we are all God's creations. If someone worries about their physical looks she suggests "letting go of what we wish was true and learning to accept what is true." There are many examples from Sheila's life that serve to illustrate her message and show God's hand in how things turn out. She offers spiritual quotes from the bible at the beginning of the chapters and probing questions to help women critically think about their decisions. Part self help and part spiritual this if a good read for all people but especially women.

Prayer Power Blog Tour

About the Book:





In the crazy world around us, our prayers may too often seem ineffective. Do you want to connect with God when you pray and receive more direct answers? PRAYER POWER is the tool you need to build a more powerful and dynamic life of prayer.

Intensely practical and straightforward, PRAYER POWER helps you improve on thirty essential facets of prayer such as passion, routine, fasting, praying with others, listening to God, handling distractions, and spiritual warfare. In each brief chapter you'll be inspired by stories of people whose lives of prayer give us powerful examples.

PRAYER POWER can be used as a month-long devotional, a prayer guide, or a reference for help in specific areas. Whether you're a new believer or think you've heard it all, this book's refreshing and honest insight will guide you to a deeper connection with God.



About the Author:





Peter Lundell, a former missionary to Japan, is a pastor at Walnut Blessing Church in Walnut, California. He has an MDiv and DMiss from Fuller Theological Seminary and is the founder of the Walnut Valley Pastors' Prayer Network. Lundell is the author of two books, and his articles have appeared in magazines such as Guideposts and Pray!



Interview Questions







1. Many Christians don't talk about hardships with prayer. Why do you open up about the struggles you have had drawing close to God in prayer?



My first draft of the book read like an instruction manual of all the things you ought to do to be spiritual like me. I realized that the more spiritual I tried to sound, the less honest I was being. I was hiding behind my words. No reader should have to put up with all that. And besides, it was boring.



So I determined to be totally honest. I rewrote the book and openly shared my doubts, struggles, and failures, because everybody goes through the same things. And if I’m not honest with readers, how can I expect readers to be honest with others or even themselves?



I take sort of an “I mess up and you mess up, but God loves us anyway, so let’s connect with him” approach. Readers often tell me how much they identify with that. And when they read about how God still worked amazing things in my life and in others’, it gives them hope.



I’ve discovered two things: First, honesty is liberating, and I don’t want to live any other way. Second, when we stick with prayer and don’t give up, answers and victories rise from our struggles. Answers and victory never rise from pretending.



I hope to connect with readers so that they’ll in turn connect with me and the victories I’ve experienced—so that they will experience their own victories.





2. What are some of the things God has taught you about prayer over the years - especially from the perspective of your leadership roles?



It’s good to listen before I talk. If I always dive into prayer and never spend time listening, I only dump my own “give-me list” on God. But his word says in 1 John 5:14–15 that when I seek and pray according to his will, my prayer will be answered. So the key is to first get in sync with God.



We’ve got to have a hunger, or thirst, for God. Without hunger, no program or technique or anything we learn will go anywhere. But with hunger for God, we could know almost nothing and still have a great prayer life. Hunger is singularly important—which is why it’s the first chapter.



When I pray with faith and don’t get what I ask for, God will soon show me why. There is always something to learn in unanswered prayer.







3. What do you mean by "praying boldly" and how can Christians learn to do that?



Praying boldly is the opposite of excessively polite prayer and of—I’ll just say it—wimpy prayer. Praying boldly is praying without intimidation, not caring what other people think, expressing ourselves to God without concern for being appropriate or religiously correct but rather with a passion from our guts that pours out, unashamedly. Bold prayer is not arrogant. It’s humble and faithful, because of its self-abandoned focus on God and expectation of what God will do.



People often assume they must be polite or solemn before God. Nowhere does the Bible teach this. Two thirds of the Psalms are complaints, and they are not polite. Most prayers in both Old and New Testaments are bold, expectant, and to the point. When Jesus teaches on prayer in Luke 11:5–10, he talks about an obnoxious guy who bangs on his friend’s door at midnight. Then he says we should bug him the same way by continually asking, seeking, and knocking. I often wonder if God gets tired of diplomatic prayers. Why else would he actually tell us to be bold and persistent—and use examples that, if we were on the receiving end, most of us would say are obnoxious.



There’s no real method to doing this. It’s a mindset that chooses to free itself from previous assumptions and uses the Bible as a model of how to pray.





4. How can we practice the presence of God and include him in everyday tasks?



Practicing the presence of God primarily has to do with developing an attitude, a continual awareness that God is always with us, and that in turn, we always incline our attention toward him.



The first thing most of us need to do is to slow down or cut unnecessary activities from our calendar. Busyness is an enemy to practicing the presence of God. Jesus repeatedly blew off other people’s agendas for him and continually focused on his purpose for being here. Pastors who do the same are always happier, closer to God, and more effective. And when we practice the presence of God, we increase our ability to be intimate with him when times do get busy.



Here are some practices that may help develop that attitude: My last thought before I sleep and my first thought when I wake up is centered on God. When I get mad or stressed, I try to see things from God’s perspective. When I am waiting for someone, I use that time to pray. I do menial tasks with an awareness and love of God. I often have a praise song on my mind as I go through the day.







5. You're a proponent for creating a place of prayer and establishing a time of prayer. Why are these important elements for prayer?



These two disciplines are the most important external helps for maintaining a strong prayer life. Without them, our good intentions eventually drown under the assaults of busyness and distractions.



A place of prayer helps us concentrate in the face of distractions. That place could be the church sanctuary, an empty room in the house, a spot in the back yard, or even a rug laid out on the floor, on which the only thing we do is pray. The physical surroundings of a location devoted to prayer tell our brains, “Focus on God.” And if we ever feel bored or in a rut of over-familiarity with a place, a change of location can be stimulating.



Establishing a set prayer time engrains a habit of prayer into our minds, such that if we miss it, we feel anxious because something is missing or wrong—and it is! A set prayer time is not to force ourselves to pray as much as to create a boundary of protection from busyness. That boundary of time is like a protective fence around a garden, where we give ourselves freedom from intrusions to spend unhindered time with God. Preferably we’ll do this as early as possible in the morning, so we can lay the whole day before the Lord. And unlike a prayer place, I have never found benefit in changing my prayer time, so I highly recommend keeping it sacred, especially if we’re travelling or really busy. Whether short or long, this protective fence of a set time must be intentional, because no one else can do it for us.





6. What advice would you give to people who struggle with God when they pray?



True men and women of prayer will sometimes struggle in prayer, as did many figures in the Bible, like Jacob’s symbolic wrestling with the angel and Jesus’ wrestling over his fate in Gethsemane.



Like anyone else, I struggle with unanswered prayer or major decisions to do something by faith, when tragedy strikes, problems of injustice, and healings that take a lot longer than I’d like. The key is to keep struggling—don’t give up and too quickly assume something is God’s will before you know for sure. The angel commended Jacob for not giving up until he got a blessing. God the Father actually sent an angel to help Jesus wrestle in Gethsemane. Sometimes wrestling in prayer is God’s will for us.



Wrestling in prayer is actually a good thing. It draws us closer to God. And it changes us in the process. And that’s what most of us hope for!




Author Peter Lundell



Bonus Material



Top Ten Reasons Prayer Doesn't Get Answered


Lack of faith --A much-abused idea, but essentially still true.


Effects of sin separating us from God --The Bible says that God sometimes won't listen when we wallow in sin.


Unforgiveness / Emotional wounds / Self-pity --A weird dynamic, but scary in how powerful these emotions are.


Unhealthy lifestyle in disagreement with prayer --Don't pray to lose weight, then eat donuts.


Demonic affliction --Satan and his demons are deceptive and merciless.


Strongholds in the mind --People allow attitudes and beliefs to block out the truth.


God's working behind the scenes --Sometimes God is in a process of answering before we can see it.


God's chastisement --Sometimes people bring punishment upon themselves, and it's for their ultimate good.


God's classroom of testing and faith building --The way God answers prayer may test you and build your faith.


Old age or time to die --Sometimes it's our time to go!



GRAND PRIZE BUNDLE INCLUDES:

(leave a comment for an opportunity to win this great package)




Prayer Power by Peter Lundell



When God Turned off the Lights by Cecil Murphey (Cec is one of Peter's mentors)



Committed but Flawed by Cecil Murphey



Also includes: Prayer Journal, Pen, and Candle

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." (Matt 11:28)

Here's the next book I'm reviewing:
Let go and live free.
Sound impossible? Sheila Walsh thought so – until God proved himself again and again through his Word, his people, and her life.

In Let Go, the bestselling author and speaker walks readers through the journey to freedom in Christ. Along the way, she tackles some of the toughest struggles that weigh women down, answering them with overwhelming truth, promise, and hope.

You can lay down your burdens. You can rest. You can find peace. You can live free.

Start here. Let Go. And see what God can do.

Between Wyomings My God and the iPod on the Open Road

Thomas Nelson Publishers' book " Between Wyomings " is a story written by Ken Mansfield. Ken takes us on a journey in the way back machine to the tumultuous 60's. Ken was a music producer who worked for Capital Records in its heyday. He worked with the Beatles, Waylon Jennings, Dolly Parton and many other well known bands. The LA, London and Nashville music scenes are the backdrop for Ken's musings about his past life. He sets off on a spiritual journey with his wife and an old Volkswagon bus named Moses to discover his way back home to Jesus. His music stories are honest and capture the essence of the crazy 60's. Interwoven between are Ken's thoughtful insights into his relationship with God. After a journey through his past, Ken comes to the realization the : The first step in forgiveness is to forgive ourselves" and "the good thing about our past is that it has passed." His humble acceptance of God's power are encouraging to us Christians who struggle to find the answers along our faith journeys. A good read.

His Name is Jesus by Max Lucado

His Name is Jesus The Promise of God's Love Fulfilled arrived in a lush brown box-like packaging with the cover picture on the top. This was such a lovely way to present this book because the packaging emphasized the importance of this treasure.What a great gift for someone's birthday or graduation. Thomas Nelson publishers' religious books have such stunning photographs. Each section begins with an announcement about the following pages: as an example : " His Birth- Jesus ...he could hold the universe in his palm but gave it up to float in the womb of a maiden." This is an opportunity to compare and contrast the biblical Jesus,God's son, with the human person of Jesus of Nazareth living his life with Joseph and Mary. Jesus is presented as another person who was much like you or me. He felt emotions, loved, and knew despair.Imagine what Jesus thought about when he left Nazareth and gave up his life as a wood worker. Max Lucado said in this story that "Jesus entered the Jordan River a carpenter and exited a Messiah." How powerful to think about how he gave up his life so that we had the promise of eternal life! Another wonderful story that should be placed prominently on the coffee table for all to enjoy.

Mousey

A picture of Sly at 6 months old.

Our sweet little Mousey passed away last night. Blake and Nona looked inside the cage and Mousey was "sleeping". At least that's what Blake thought. Trace and Blake buried Mousey last night by the light of the moon near our beloved "Sly's" grave. How ironic for a black kitten and a tiny white mouse to spend eternity together! We all felt very sad about Mouse's death because he was such a playful little guy.Tankene had finally quit harrassing Mousey. Now we have an empty cage and a little sad place in our hearts. We said a little prayer for our Mousey and hope he is with Sly and Jesus.

The Grogood Pledge

Sadly there are many hungry people in our abundant land. How about helping out in a small way to alleviate this problem. Go to www.groGood.com and pledge that you will plant an extra row or so of edibles this gardening season. Donate the edibles grown with love to your local food bank and help stamp out starvation.Think of the joy you will feel helping others.What a blessing to try in a small way to fufill Jesus's promise to love one another!

His Name is Jesus

His Name is Jesus
The Promise of God's Love Fulfilled
By Max Lucado

I am excited that this book is on its way and I will be reading it soon.

Read and share DVD Bible

I finally had a chance to review the Read and Share DVD Bible from Thomas Nelson. Here are 13 stories from the Bible told in a gentle and loving way by the various narrators. The background music is so soothing that I found myself nodding off a bit but that's probably because it was Sunday afternoon. Children from babies up to about five years old will enjoy hearing the stories from the Old and New Testament. The stories are told in such a way that children will probably understand scripture better than some adults. I especially like the Story of Noah with all the animals of the world pairing up two by two for the voyage of forty days and nights. I got a sense of the enormous task poor old Noah took on to please God.I also like "Mary's Big Surprise" about when the angel came down to give her the news she was going to be pregnant with the son of God. What a dilemma! How would she say yes to God and explain the news to her husband to be, Joseph? Good thing Joseph also got a visit from an angel or he might have been an real angry man. I am looking forward to sharing this DVD with my grandson and would heartily recommend it to parents and grandparents of young children.

St. Patrick's Day

Happy St. Patrick's Day! The ancient Druids honored a wee small green plant called a Seamroy because it had three distinct, green trefoil-like leaves representing a triad. The pagans also thought of this plant as a harbinger of spring. Later St. Patrick of Ireland called it a Shamrock and said that the leaves represented the Holy Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.He used it while preaching to show the pagans the Triundum of God. Whatever you call this plant, I found one today and it is actually an Oxallis much like the pretty yellow ones that dot the Santa Cruz fields. My Shamrock plant is very green with white flowers and will be the centerpiece of my St. Patrick's Day dinner. Do you plan anything special for St. Patrick's Day?

Children's Bible DVD

Read and Share DVD - Volume 1
DVD
By Gwen Ellis
Share the joy and wonder of God's Word with the children in your life.

Thirteen essential lessons of scripture starring the Bible's best-known characters. The Read And Share™ Bible on DVD combines an enchanting art style with a warm narrator and gentle musical underscore to transport kids back to Biblical times. The bite-size vignettes are perfect for the attention span of little ones, and give parents maximum flexibility to fit any time-frame.

Stories include: The Beginning, Adam & Eve, The Flood, Abram, Isaac & Rebekah, Jacob & Esau, Rachel, Jacob & God, John the Baptist, Jesus is Born, Jesus is Tempted, Jesus Love Children, and One Lost Sheep.

Additional Information
Check for Amazon.com Reviews
Check for Reviews on GoodReads.com
Other Books by Gwen Ellis

Feb. Dream Gardens

My dear gardening friend, Sunshine, and I picked our dream plants today over coffee. They are Forsythia, Lilacs in pink, purple, and white, the Snowball Bush, and lots of Wysteria draping through the lath house. These are all plants that remind us of our youth and other gardens in long ago time. Aye we were a wee bit wistful for those days of yore and the special people who tended our dream gardens so lovingly. Jesus thanks for all the flowers you let us enjoy. I forgot to add cherry trees to the dream garden.The cherry buds are almost ready to burst into bloom - so enjoy this picture of last year's glory and the blessings of the flowers of Spring.

The Great Eight

The next book I will be reviewing is The Great Eight by Scott Hamilton, the Olympic skating champion. It sounds fascinating so I will update you once I receive it in the mail.

"Think and Make It Happen"

Dr. Augusto Cury, a famous psychiatrist, writes about his "breakthrough program for conquering anxiety, overcoming negative thoughts, and discovering your true potential." There have been many books written on this subject but Dr. Cury offers a unique approach. He believes that Jesus Christ is the perfect example of someone who "thinks correctly." Someone who has learned to "think correctly" takes charge of their life, experiences emotions,and doesn't allow anything to get in the way of who they are. Jesus allows nothing to interfere with his course in life. Whether suffering or facing difficulties, Jesus models correct thinking.When faced with the poor, afflicted or downtrodden members of society he embraces them always seeing the hidden treasure in their hearts. One example is found in the Gospel of St John. An adulterous woman is brought before Jesus and the elders ask Jesus what should be done. Typically adultery was a crime punishable by stoning to death but Jesus couldn't possibly do that because it would go completely against his belief in forgiveness. Faced with a dilemma that seemed unresolvable, Jesus did something unusual: he was silent.His silence allowed him to gather his wits and disarms his critics. After writing some words in the sand, he said: "If any one of you is without sin,let him be the first to throw the stone at her." Jesus invited his accusers to participate in the drama and remained true to his message. He took charge of the situation by "disarming [his] aggressors with the unexpected." I really enjoyed reading this book and appreciated Dr. Cury's insight into how we can learn a new way of thinking that will allow us to be free of anxiety and live our lives joyously like Jesus.

Angels and Dreams

Do you remember the scripture " The angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream" from Matthew 1:20? Dreams can be powerful conduits for God's voice. So often we forget them and lose a powerful insight to ourselves and spiritual lives. Keeping a dream journal is a lovely way to keep track of our dreams. Later I like to reflect on the meanings...some literal, but often very symbolic. Start the new year with a journal and record your dreams. Notice when God speaks to you. Here's to 2009!

Advent Wreath and our special blessing- Tankene the Norwegian Forest kitten

Advent wreaths are easy to make and a great way to celebrate this spiritual season. Gather some evergreens or other native plants common in your area and shape them in a circle. Place the candles around the wreath, evenly distributed. There should be three purple and one rose. The first Sunday of Lent, light one of the purple candles.This is to symbolize prayer and penance and remind us to prepare for the coming of Christ. On the second Sunday, light another purple candle and reflect on the hope Christians find in Jesus. The third Sunday, light the rose candle and rejoice that our savoir's birth is near. I think of this as the candle symbolizing the joy we find in Christ. Another purple candle is lit on the last Sunday of Advent reminding us that Jesus is King. On Christmas Eve, a white candle is set in the center of the wreath to remind us that Jesus is the light of the world! Merry Christmas.
Our home is again filled with a special light with the new addition of Tankene Ice Mist- our new Norwegian Forest kitten. Mr.Chub already is his best friend and the Princess Sinatra is hissing less and less. More about him next post.

Advent Season

Advent
tt=80
(Latin ad-venio, to come to).
From the Catholic Encyclopedia:
According to present [1907] usage, Advent is a period beginning with the Sunday nearest to the feast of St. Andrew the Apostle (30 November) and embracing four Sundays. The first Sunday may be as early as 27 November, and then Advent has twenty-eight days, or as late as 3 December, giving the season only twenty-one days.
With Advent the ecclesiastical year begins in the Western churches. During this time the faithful are admonished to prepare themselves worthily to celebrate the anniversary of the Lord's coming into the world as the incarnate God of love,
thus to make their souls fitting abodes for the Redeemer coming in Holy Communion and through grace, and
thereby to make themselves ready for His final coming as judge, at death and at the end of the world.