Wordless Wednesday

Humm, I feel a mermaid story coming on!

True Worship

God did not bless me with a very good signing voice. In fact, if you ever see me in church, I recommend for your own safety, that you not stand next to me during the worship. Mainly because I love to belt out the songs, regardless of my voice. After all, I'm singing to God, not man. Which brings me to a couple of points.

What is true worship?  Is it bowing down on your knees or prostrate to the ground? Is it singing a bunch of songs, lifting your hands in praise? Is it giving money to the church? All these things are great!  And I'm sure they please God. But I found a verse the other day in Romans that told me what God calls true worship.

And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.  Romans 12:1

So, basically what God calls true worship is us giving ourselves entirely to Him. Complete submission to His will and His way. Based on that definition, how many of us can truly say that we worship God? We may sing a few songs in church, read our Bible daily, say our prayers and try to stay away from sin, but if we aren't living under complete obedience, if there's one thing we are holding back from God, then we aren't really worshiping Him. Maybe it's a relationship God has been telling you to end. Maybe it's a TV show or music you know you shouldn't listen to. Mabye God's been telling you to do something and you keep refusing. Whatever it is, it's keeping you from true worship.  You might say, so what? I'm still going to heaven.

Well, let's read verse 2 and see the benefits of true worshp.

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect

I see two major benefits of complete submission to God here.

1. God will transform you into a new person by changing the way you think! (Who couldn't use that!)

2. God will show you His will for your life

I can't tell you how many people come and ask me how they can know God's will for their lives!!  Here is the answer, plain as day in God's Word. You want to know what God has for you to do here on earth, fully submit to Him in every way, allow Him to change you from the inside out, and He will show you! It's a promise you can hold Him to!!  And by the way, that plan for you will be Good, Pleasing, and Perfect!

And I can tell you from experience, that is absolutely true!

Watch with an open mind.

And tell me what you think. Is this guy paranoid? racist? or is he right on? 

Off to St. Louis!!

Sunday morning (very early!!!) I'll be heading from California to St. Louis for the annual International Christian Retailers Conference! 
Tentative schedule is as follows:

Monday, June 28th, I'll be signing Surrender the Heart at the conference Town Center alongside Wanda Brunstetter and Mary Connealy!  Talk about great authors!!  I'm hanging with the best!

2:00 pm I'll be loitering around the ACFW booth seeing if I can help out .
3:00 pm I'm signing my new release again alongwith Mary Connealy at my publisher's booth. (Barbour)

Tuesday, June 29th. at 10:00 am, I'll be participating in what Barbour calls Fiction Cafe where retailers come by for free coffee and lots of giveaways, including copies of author's books: I'll be hanging out with Wanda Brunstetter, Mary Connealy, Kaye Dacus, Ronie Kendig, and Nancy Mehl!!!  What a lineup!!

Then, by the grace of God, I'll be flying back home Tuesday night.  I'm looking forward to visiting with my publisher and with my author friends. ICRS is always a fun time. Here's a link to the Show's main page if you want to look around : http://www.christianretailshow.com/

Remember, next Friday begins Surrender the Heart Month on this blog. I'm giving away 2 copies of my book each Friday!!!  So, don't forget to drop by and tell your friends.

I plan on posting pictures when I return...
Have a great Weekend everyone!

Wordless Wednesday!

Do you want to part the Red Sea?

In John 15:7, Jesus says,
If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.


Which at first glance says to me that if I am a Christian and have God's Spirit living within me and if I spend time with God, pray, and read my Bible regularly, then I should be able to ask whatever I want and get it, right?
Then why do we not see that happening in our daily lives?  How many times have you prayed for something or someone and never received what you asked for?  Dozens? Hundreds?   Me too!   And I've heard hundreds of answers from preachers and pastors as to why.

Well, you're not asking for the right thing or
You're asking for something that only satisfies your own selfish lusts  or
God sometimes says no.

But the verse doesn't say that. It says that if you meet the conditions, you can ask for whatever you want and you'll get it. It doesn't say you'll maybe get it, or only if it's something that doesn't spring from selfishness. Humm.

So what gives?

Recently, I found the answer. It's in the difference between the Greek meaning for Words or Word. There are 2 Greek words for Word
Logos - the Written word of God--the Holy Scriptures
Rhema - the Spoken Word of God

The word in John 15:7 for "My words abide in you"  is Rhema. Therefore, it doesn't mean someone who reads their Bible everyday or memorizes Scripture.  Rhema is a specific and direct word that comes from God straight to you to address a certain situation. There's a number of ways God can speak to you directly, which we've discussed recently. In your spirit, through a friend or a sermon, through a verse in the Bible that just pops out at you while you're reading, etc... 

As an example, you're heart is burdened for a lost family member who you've nearly given up on, and you're reading your Bible one morning. A verse just grabs you and you stop and read it again. Mabye it's the verse in Acts where the centurion asks Peter how he can be saved, and Peter tells him to repent and receive the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved, you and your household.  And your heart starts beating faster. That's God speaking to you, encouraging you that this person is part of your household and will be saved. Don't give up. Keep praying and use that scripture in your prayers.

Or let's say you're just going about your day, minding your own business and out of the blue a friend of yours pops into your mind, and your heart grows heavy. You feel uneasy and burdened. That's God asking you to pray for that person. 

These are the prayers that God is speaking about in this verse.  It's when God gives you a specific word for a specific prayer, and if you are obedient, He promises to answer it. It's the same type of prayer Moses prayed when he stretched out his rod over the Red Sea and the waters parted! Do you think he came up with that idea on his own? That's probably the last thing he was thinking to do, right? No, God gave Moses a specific Word. And no matter how crazy it must have sounded to Moses, he was obedient.  And God answered his prayer.

Now, I'm not saying God doesn't answer our other prayers. Of course He does. But His answer can sometimes be No for certain things we ask Him.
But there's an awesome guarantee for these specific Rhema prayers.  I don't know about you, but this makes me want to really Hear from God on a daily basis and pray whatever He asks me to pray. I believe He's seeking obedient servants with ears to hear His Voice. Will you be one of them?

This video speaks for itself.

The winner of Love finds you in Golden, New Mexico is....

Sarah!!! Congratulations and thanks to everyone who entered. Please consider purchasing a copy and blessing such a wonderful author as Lena Nelson Dooley!

Ransome's Crossing by Kaye Dacus - First Wild Card Tour!

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!



You never know when I might play a wild card on you!

Today's Wild Card author is:

Kaye Dacus

and the book:

Ransome’s Crossing (The Ransome Trilogy)

Harvest House Publishers (June 1, 2010)

***Special thanks to Karri James of Harvest House Publishers for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Kaye Dacus, author of Ransome’s Honor has a Bachelor of Arts in English, with a minor in history, and a Master of Arts in Writing Popular Fiction. Her love of the Regency era started with Jane Austen. Her passion for literature and for history come together to shape her creative, well-researched, and engaging writing.





Visit the author's website.











Product Details:



List Price: $13.99

Paperback: 336 pages

Publisher: Harvest House Publishers (June 1, 2010)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0736927549

ISBN-13: 978-0736927543



AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:

Portsmouth, England

August 17, 1814



Ned Cochrane, first lieutenant, HMS Alexandra, stepped out of the jolly boat onto the stone dock and glanced around at the early morning bustle of the dockyard crew. Only nine days remained to fill the crew roster and fit out the ship with the supplies needed for the first leg of a transatlantic voyage. With yesterday lost in celebrating Captain—no, Commodore Ransome’s wedding—and since the commodore’s attention would be necessarily split between distractions on land and his duties to his ship, Ned would shoulder the burden of preparing the ship and crew.



“Sir, look out! Lieutenant Cochrane!”



Ned spun—and fell back just in time to save himself from being swept off the quay by a net full of barrels swinging at the end of a crane. His hat wasn’t so fortunate.



The cargo swayed menacingly overhead. Ned scrambled backward, out of harm’s way. Once clear, he leapt to his feet. “You, there! Watch what you’re about. Secure that crane,” he yelled at the negligent dock crew.



“Are you all right, sir?”



The voice—an odd timbre in the chorus of tenor, baritone, and bass tones usually heard in the dockyard—matched the one which had called the warning. He turned.



A young man, not really more than a boy in a worn, ill-fitting midshipman’s uniform, stood holding Ned’s dripping hat. Sure enough, the lad’s right sleeve was wet to the shoulder.



“Nothing injured but my pride.” Ned took his hat and studied the midshipman. The boy’s tall, round hat concealed most of his dark hair, but…Ned squinted against the bright glare of the sun off the water and surrounding gray stone. “Do I know you, lad?”



The boy touched the brim of the shabby hat. “Charles Lott, sir. We spoke last week. You said there might be a place for me aboard your ship.”



“Ah, yes.” Ned now recalled meeting the midshipman, who’d answered Ned’s questions when the boy had first approached him about a position aboard Alexandra last week, even the question Ned had missed the first time he’d stood for his lieutenancy examination. “I’m sorry, but we have filled the positions on Alexandra.”



Shocked disappointment filled the boy’s elfin face.



“However, I have recommended you to the captain of Audacious.” Ned struggled to keep the smile from his face.



“Audacious? Captain Yates, then?”



Ned sighed. He liked Commodore Ransome’s friend extraordinarily and had looked forward to the fun to be had on Jamaica station with two such commanders. “Alas, I am afraid to say Captain Yates has resigned his commission. Captain Parker is taking command of Audacious.” Ned glanced around the quay. “There is his first officer. Come, I shall introduce you.”



“Thank you, sir.” Midshipman Lott straightened the white collar and cuffs of his too-large coat.



Ned caught his counterpart’s attention and met him near the steps to the upper rampart. He made the introduction and stood back as the first lieutenant of Audacious, Montgomery Howe, put a series of questions to the lad. Lott answered each quickly and with near textbook precision.



“Well done, Mr. Lott. You are ordered to present yourself day after tomorrow to begin your official duties.”



The boy’s face paled. “Sir, may I have until next Thursday?”



“The day before we sail?” Howe crossed his arms and glared at Ned and then at Lott.



Ned ground his teeth at the boy’s impertinence, which was casting him—Ned—in a bad light. He’d recommended the lad, after all.



“Yes, sir. I am aware it is an inconvenience, but my mother is a widow, and I must see that she is settled—that our business affairs are settled—before I could leave on such a long journey.”



“And it will take a sennight?” Ned asked.



“We live in the north part of the country, sir. ’Tis a three days’ journey by post, sir.” Lott spoke to the cobblestones below his feet.



Aye, well should he be ashamed to make such a request…though many years ago, a newly made captain had let a newly made lieutenant have four days to see to his own widowed mother and sister.



Apparently, from the expression that flickered across Howe’s face, he had also received a similar mercy some time earlier in his career. “Very well, then. You are to present yourself to me on deck of Audacious no later than seven bells in the morning watch Thursday next. If you are late, your spot will be given to someone else. Understand?”



“Aye, sir!” Lott touched the brim of his hat again. “Thank you, sir.”



“Dismissed—oh, and Mr. Lott?”



The boy, a few paces away already, halted and turned, at attention again. “Aye, sir?”



“Make yourself more presentable by next week if you can. You can find plenty of secondhand uniforms available in the shops in much better condition than yours. And get a haircut. I do not allow midshipmen to tuck their hair under their collars.”



Lott’s hand flew to the back of his neck, eyes wide. “Aye, aye, sir.”



“Dismissed.”



Ned moved to stand beside Howe as the boy ran down the quay. “Sorry for the inconvenience, Monty, but I have a feeling that boy will do well by you.”



“I’ve never heard a lad recite the answers so perfectly. He’s slight. Says he’s fifteen? Can’t be more than thirteen or fourteen.”



“Some boys don’t mature as quickly as others. You should remember that quite well.” Ned bumped his shoulder against his former berth mate’s.



Howe shoved him back. “Just because you gained height and a deeper voice before I did doesn’t mean you matured faster, Ned. In fact, you could probably learn manners in decorum and respect from little Charlie Lott.”



Ned guffawed and bade his friend farewell. He wasn’t certain if he could learn anything from the young midshipman, but he would certainly look out for him and do whatever he could to promote the boy’s interest. He had the feeling Charles Lott would make a good officer some day.





Charlotte Ransome dived behind a large shrub and held her breath. Footsteps crunched on the gravel garden path, coming toward her closer and closer.



Had he seen her?



Keep walking. Please, Lord, let him keep walking.



When he reached her shrub, Charlotte squeezed her eyes shut, fearful of blinking. If the gardener had seen and recognized her, he would report her to the Yateses, who would in turn report her to her mother and brother—and all would be lost.



A gust of wind rustled the verdure around her. Her heart thundered against her ribs, and she feared she might be sick.



But the gardener did not stop. Long after his footsteps faded, Charlotte kept to her hiding place. Quiet descended until only the noise of the streets and alleys beyond the garden walls filtered in around the enclosure behind the enormous townhouse.



Peeking around the shrub, she found the path clear once again.



Sneaking into the garden through the servants’ entrance in the rear had proven risky but successful. She hadn’t been sure she’d avoid being spotted by any of the servants, busy with their early morning duties, but Providence appeared to be with her.



She cautiously made her way across the garden to the back of the house. She peeked through the window of Collin Yates’s study and, finding it empty, slipped inside, relieved no one had discovered that she’d left it unlocked when she sneaked out of the house near dawn. She stuck her head out into the hallway, and, hearing no movement, made her way upstairs as quietly as she could. She paused on the landing and looked around the corner, down the hallway on which all of the bedrooms opened. No stirrings, no sounds. Heart pounding wildly and trying to keep her feet from touching the floor, she made her way along the thick carpet to the bedroom at the end of the hall and slipped inside, pushing the door closed with a soft click.



Movement across the room caught her eye. Turning to face the intruder, she found herself looking at a bedraggled boy in an oversized coat and britches, a tall, round hat jammed on his head almost down to his eyes.



She laughed, and the bedraggled midshipman in the mirror did likewise. Yes, her disguise was convincing enough to startle even herself. With a sigh she unbuttoned the coat and pulled it off, dropping it to the floor. When Lieutenant Cochrane had looked at her with recognition in his gray eyes, she was certain her entire plan would crash like a ship against a rocky shore. She sent up a quick prayer of thanks that he hadn’t connected her appearance as Charles Lott with her true identity.



Sinking into the chair at the dressing table, she yanked off the hat and pulled her long thick hair out from under the high collar of the uniform coat. She’d tried pinning it flat to her head, but the cumbersome length of it—past her waist when unbound—created too much bulk for even the oversized hat to conceal.



The small porcelain clock on the mantel chimed once. Half-past eight. Panic once again rising, Charlotte peeled out of the uniform—picked up for mere pennies the first time she’d been able to sneak away from her mother’s and Mrs. Yates’s chaperonage a few days ago—stuffed it in the bottom of her trunk, threw her sleeping gown over her head, and jumped into the bed, still trying to find the sleeves with her hands as the bedroom door swung quietly open.



At the thump of the water pitcher on the commode, Charlotte sat up as if awakened by the sound.



Her maid curtsied. “Good morning, miss. I brought you fresh water for washing.”



“Thank you.” Charlotte grabbed her dressing gown from the end of the bed and shrugged into it, and then she stepped behind the screen in the corner. The scent of lilacs drifted up from the warm water as she poured it into the porcelain basin in the top of the exquisite dark-wood cabinet.



After running most of the way back from the dockyard, the wet cloth felt good against her skin, especially on her neck and back where her thick braid had been pressed against her by her uniform coat.



With the maid’s assistance, she soon stood before the mirror where Midshipman Charles Lott had been reflected less than an hour ago, now looking upon a fashionable young lady. Fear that she wouldn’t be able to pull off her plan swirled in her stomach, but she pushed it aside.



“The irons are ready, miss.”



Charlotte sat at the dressing table, sipped the coffee which had been delivered while she dressed, and reviewed her plans for the next eight days as the maid twisted and twirled and pinned her hair.



Anticipation, anxiety, and excitement danced within her veins. In just over a week, she would leave Portsmouth on a grand adventure. A grand adventure that would culminate in arriving in Jamaica, being reunited with Henry Winchester, and marrying him.





“Your new rank suits you, Commodore Ransome.”



William met Julia’s green eyes in the mirror’s reflection. Sitting in the middle of the bed in her white sleeping gown, her coppery hair cascading in riotous curls around her shoulders and back, she looked as young as when he’d made the gut-wrenching decision to walk away from her twelve years ago.



Now she was his wife. His knees quaked at the thought.



He returned to the examination of his new uniform coat, delivered from the tailor just this morning. “I am indebted to your father for arranging the promotion. There are many officers more deserving. All will say I received special favor because I am now his son-in-law.”



“As you should know by now,” Julia said, climbing off the bed and crossing to her dressing table, “my father does nothing unless he thinks it best for the Royal Navy.” Drawing her hairbrush through her fountain of hair, she ambled across the colorful carpet toward him. “He secured your promotion before he knew of our engagement, so that did not have any bearing on his decision.” She pulled the mass of her hair over her left shoulder and continued pulling the soft bristles of the brush through it. “And when have you ever worried about rumors going around about your being favored by my father?” A mischievous grin quirked the corners of her full lips. “Isn’t worrying about rumors and gossip what got us here in the first place?”



The fact she’d forgiven him, that she could now joke about the past, both thrilled and humbled him. He did not deserve her.



She set the brush down and came to stand behind him, looking around him at the reflection. She ran her hand along his sleeve to the braid-laden cuff. His arm tingled in reaction. He did not want to respond to her like this—every time she spoke, moved, breathed, he lost track of everything but her. He had to conquer it; otherwise, her presence aboard ship would be detrimental to his command.



A knock on the door roused both of them. The maid Lady Dalrymple had assigned to Julia entered on Julia’s entreaty.



“I will leave you.” William inclined his head and made for the door, and then he stopped as soon as he reached it. He turned and smiled at her. “Do not be long.”



“I will join you for breakfast shortly.”



He stood in the hallway a few moments after the door closed, separating him from Julia for the first time since their wedding yesterday morning. Pleasure and regret battled within him. Marrying Julia Witherington had, in less than twenty-four hours, brought him more joy than he could ever have dreamed or deserved. Yet when he thought of his duty, of his commitment to the Royal Navy, to king and country, he couldn’t help but fear he’d made his life more difficult by marrying at such a time.



The east wing of the manor house at Brampton Park, home to Lady Dalrymple, rang with emptiness. While William appreciated the privacy afforded them by the dowager viscountess’s invitation to stay in the unused section for their wedding night—with hints she would like them to stay even longer—the grandeur of it made his skin crawl, and he could not wait until he could deposit Julia at her father’s house and return to his ship.



After two wrong turns, he managed to find the small breakfast room, unused for nearly a century according to Lady Dalrymple, since the new wing and the much larger dining room had been completed.



The small room, paneled with dark wood, set him somewhat more at ease. By ignoring the narrow, tall windows, he could almost imagine himself aboard a ship in this room.



He paced, waiting for Julia, pondering how he could recover his good sense around her. When she entered the room a little while later—queenly in a purple dress, her hair the only crown she would ever need—he realized the only way he would be able to regain control of his mind would be to limit his contact with her.



Trying not to watch her serve eggs, sausage, and toast onto her plate, nor admire the curve of her neck above the lace set into the neck of her gown, William piled food onto his own plate, held Julia’s chair for her, and then took his place at the head of the small table.



“I must return to my ship today.”



Julia stirred sugar into her coffee. “Of course. I knew you would need to spend your days preparing Alexandra for the voyage.”



He cleared his throat of the bite of egg that wished to lodge there. “What I mean is that I must return to reside aboard my ship.”



Julia’s spoon clanked against her cup. Her face paled, and the light which had danced in her eyes all morning vanished.



William’s innards clenched. Perhaps he should have eased into the idea instead of blurting it out. He blamed it on her. He could not think clearly in her presence.



“Have…have you received word from your crew that there is trouble?” Her voice quavered.



“No. It is nothing like that.” Unable to stop himself, he reached across the corner of the table and took her hand in his. “My duty is to my ship, to my crew. I am needed there. Here, my attentions and loyalty are divided.”



For a brief moment, Julia’s chin quivered. But she pressed her lips together and drew in a deep breath. “I understand. And I have no desire to draw you away from your duties. I have already created too much inconvenience and upheaval in your life. I do not wish to generate more. However, I have promised Lady Dalrymple we would join her tonight for her dinner and card party as her honored guests. If we were to abdicate from her hospitality today, how would that reflect on her?”



Though well masked, the pain in Julia’s expression made William want to retract his words, to promise her he would stay here with her the remainder of the time they had in England. Any other woman would have been offended by his blundering, unreasonable demand. Julia apologized for inconveniencing him.



He raised her hand and kissed the back of it. “Aye. We will stay one more night.” Then, giving in to impulse, he leaned over, cupped that quivering chin, and claimed her lips in a searing kiss. “And I will not have you thinking yourself an inconvenience to me.”



His action resulted in the desired effect—the spark rekindled in her green eyes. She ran her finger along his jaw. “You lie too well, Commodore Ransome.”



“You start off our marriage ill, Mrs. Ransome, if you believe I would ever lie to you.” He squeezed her hand and then tucked in to his breakfast.



“Conceal the hard truth, then,” she said, cocking her head and sending the spiral curls at her temples dancing, “for the last few days have not been a convenience to you.”



“An upheaval, certainly.” He feigned a close interest in the piece of sausage speared on his fork. “However, any inconvenience I have suffered has been more than adequately recompensed not just by gaining a wife, but by finally receiving the complete approbation of my admiral.”



Julia’s gasp preceded a gale of laughter.



A surge of contentment washed away the morning’s anxieties. Perhaps being married would not interfere with his duty to the navy as severely as he’d feared.

Hi there! (MaryLu Waving!)  I'm a bit over halfway done with this book.  Here's my thoughts. WOW. After the first few chapters where the author sets up the characters and the upcoming tension, this book REALLY took off. Of course, I love it, in part, because it's a tale set upon the sea. Kaye Dacus has really done her homework. (I'll have to ask her later) She has all the terms and activities and language of a 19th century British war ship down pat!  If you like nautical fiction with a splash of romance, you'll love this book!  Who wouldn't love a story about a young girl who dresses like a guy and accepts a position as a midshipmen aboard a British man of war? Hey, and did I mention she's in love with the man who becomes captain? Yea. How's that for a setup? I can hardly wait to finish it!
If you'd like to be entered in a drawing for a free copy, please leave a comment and your email addy. I'll choose a name when I get back from St. Louis in early July.

Wordless Wednesday

Here's where me treasure be, mates.

How to discern the voice of God

In case you missed it, last Monday, I listed some ways to discern the voice of the enemy.  This week, I hope to do the opposite. You see, I've become really interested lately in hearing from God. I've come to believe that God speaks to us just as He did to the people in the Bible. Why? Because God never changes, and His Word is true. Can you imagine hearing directly from God? I'm not talking about just reading His Word, which is awesome in itself and very profitable, but I'm talking about the Creator of the Universe actually speaking to you directly about something specific in your life.  I believe God longs to speak to us, to instruct us, direct us, teach us, as well as just enjoy our companionship.  What a privilege!!!  Yet so many of us miss His voice because we're too busy, too preoccupied, lack faith, or are too spiritually deaf.

First of all, to truly hear the voice of God, you have to really want to. It has to be top on your list of importance. God says we will find Him when we seek Him with all our hearts. 
Secondly, we have to be willing to wait, be patient and spend time with God in silence. I think this is one of the hardest things for people to do these days. To turn off all the noise, TV, Ipod, Twitter, Iphone...etc... and just sit, talk to God, and wait for His answer. I know it's a huge struggle for me to do that because a thousand obligations and tasks are beckoning to me constantly.  In truth, it takes discipline, so don't be discouraged at first if your mind wanders or you get fidgety or frustrated.

Remember this, God is your Father. And if you come to him humbly asking for an answer to a question, or for help, He's going to answer you. He wants to answer you. He may answer you right then, or He may answer you later. But he will answer. The question is, do you really want to hear Him? 

Honestly, you may have already made some decisions in your life based on God's instruction and didn't even realize it. What some people call intuition or a gut feeling could very well be God.  What about those times when you just "Know" something and can't explain how.
Here's some things to look for that may help you recognize God's voice:

God's voice is

• always calm and gentle
• a whisper
• a perception
• a knowing
• always encouraging
• brings joy
• brings peace
• brings hope
• is sometimes convicting but never inflicts guilt
• is positive, not negative
• never goes against God's Word
• will lead you to do something you know it's right even if you don't want to do it
• filled with love
• encourages love for others

So, I encourage you to set aside a block of time every day and just talk with God. Practice listening to His answers. Don't be discouraged. Be determined. Be disciplined, and stick with it until you learn to recognize His voice. You won't be sorry.

Vote on your favorite book of mine and St. Louis, here I come!

If you scroll down on the right of my blog, beneath the sign up for my newsletter, I'm conducting a poll, asking people who've read all my books to pick their favorite one. So, if you'd like to participate, please do!  I hope to use this info in writing future books, so please be honest.

Also, I'll be in ST. Louis Juue 27th - 29th for the International Christian Retailers Conference. For those of you who will be attending, here's the places and times where I'll be signing my next release, Surrender the Heart! If you are one of many Chrisitan retailers and are attending, please drop in and see me!!!
Hey, check out the great authors I get to sign with! I'm very excited.

American's Center, St. Louis, MO

Monday, June 28th

9:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. Personality Booth Signing: Wanda Brunstetter, Mary Connealy, MaryLu Tyndall Town Center Signing Surrender the Heart

3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Barbour Booth Signing: Mary Connealy and MaryLu Tyndall Barbour Booth #2135 Signing Surrender the Heart


Tuesday, June 29th
10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Fiction Café Barbour Booth #2135 Involves: Wanda Brunstetter, Mary Connealy, Kaye Dacus, Ronie Kendig, Nancy Mehl, MaryLu Tyndall

 
Have a great weekend, everyone!

Wordless Wednesday

May God grant you full sails and a clear horizon!

How to discern the voice of the enemy

Whether you believe it or not, you are being bombarded by hundreds of voices every day. I'm not talking about the voices you can hear and the clamor of technology and people all around us. I'm talking about spiritual voices. They are the voices of good and evil, the voices of God and His Spirit and Angels, and the voices of Satan and his demons. Most people never acknowledge or recognize these voices because they are far too busy running here and there and are always plugged into something, ipad, iphone, ipod, always talking, singing, watching TV. So much noise, you can't hear yourself think! Let alone hear these internal voices. Yet, unwittingly, we obey some of them, mistaking them for our own thoughts, or because they satisfy some selfish desire.

Recently, I've come under heavy spiritual attack. Why, I have no idea, except I must be doing something good for God's Kingdom. During these moments, I've paid close attention to what the voices are telling me, and I'm beginning to be able to recognize the voice of the enemy instantly. I thought I'd share with you my observations in the hope they would help you in your own spiritual walk.

The voice of the enemy is

Critical and judgemental -- of you or of someone else
Negative
Complaining
Causes you to become angry or frustrated
Puffs up your pride or makes you feel worthless
Always carries some truth
Steals your joy
Causes you to lose your peace and feel agitated
Causes worry
Asks you to compromise your values for the sake of your rights or fairness
Tormenting
Focuses on You and what You deserve. It's You centric

So, if you find any of these conditions happening, stop and ask yourself what thoughts have been going through your mind?  And the next time, you'll catch it sooner, and pretty soon with practice, you'll be able to tell Satan and his lackeys to shut up as soon as they start!

Remember Satan's job is to steal all that God has given you (joy, peace, love, hope, purpose), to destroy you and your life if possible, and to kill you, if he can.

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full  John 10:10

Next Monday, I'll be talking about how to hear the voice of God.

Win a copy of Love Finds You in Golden, New Mexico! by Lena Nelson Dooley

WINNER IS SARAH!  Thanks to all who entered.

Today, I have a very special guest. She's a friend of mine and a wonderful lady who is known for her kind and generous spirit.  Please welcome Lena Nelson Dooley. I had the privilege of reading her most recent release, Love Finds You in Golden, New Mexico.
It's a beautiful love story set in the old west of New Mexico. Lena puts a twist on the old story of mail-order brides that kept me turning the pages. I cared immediately for all her characters and wanted things to work out for them so badly as the story progressed. Also, Lena did her homework. I really felt like I was there in New Mexico!  I recommend this book if you love a good historical romance.  Please read a little bit about Lena and then leave a comment on something you read and I'll enter your name in a drawing to be drawn on June 18th.

Here's a blurb about the book:
All that glitters is not gold. It’s 1890, and Golden, New Mexico, is a booming mining town where men far outnumber women. So when an old wealthy miner named Philip Smith finds himself in need of a nursemaid, he places an ad for a mail-order bride—despite the protests of his friend Jeremiah. Hoping to escape a perilous situation back East, young Madeleine Mercer answers the ad and arrives in town under a cloud of suspicion. But just as she begins to win over Philip—and Jeremiah himself—the secrets she left behind threaten to follow her to Golden...and tarnish her character beyond redemption.

I asked Lean what she learned during the writing of the story.

I loved writing Love Finds You in Golden, New Mexico. I learned a lot of interesting trivia about the history of that area. Such as, it’s the site of the first gold strike west of the Mississippi, even before Colorado and California. Since my parents lived in New Mexico while I was in college, I’ve visited the state many times. And a friend of mine went to Golden while I was writing the book and took pictures for me. She even brought me back a rock from Golden.

While at the Christian Book Expo in Dallas last year, I spent some time talking about my manuscript with the president of Summerside. He made a suggestion that gave me the idea for the catalyst that leads to the hero becoming a Christian. It takes a lot of people to create a wonderful book. I thank Carlton for his insight.

Most of my books deal with trusting God and forgiveness. In each book, I take these things in different directions. Readers have told me that they like the spiritual thread in this book. One woman contacted me and told me “it ministered to her soul.” That’s what I wanted to do.

Author bio
Lena Nelson Dooley, president of DFW Ready Writers, is a multi-published, award-winning author who loves to mentor other authors. With her 25th book release, she has close to 650,000 books in print. Her next release, Love Finds You in Golden, New Mexico, will be on sale May 1, 2010. Look for it bookstores everywhere.

Lena has spoken at conferences and writers’ meetings in four states. She also speaks at women's retreats and event of all kinds. She lives in Hurst, Texas with her husband of over 45 years.

Lena’s door and heart are always open to those God places in her path. She seriously considers her ministry as a mentor, prayer warrior, even a champion of the downtrodden, her life’s work.

You can find Lena at
http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com/ 
http://www.lenanelsondooley.com/

Wordless Wednesday

Sorry, I was sick last week and didn't post on Monday as usual.  But here's a cool picture to ponder. Check back on Friday. I'm doing a book review and giveaway!